GODDESS | RYEJI AU

(the trials.) #6.

Hours later, Ryujin was slowly awoken by something, but she couldn't make out what it was right away. Their chambers were still dark, the only source of light being the fire at the end of their bed. Yeji was still beside her, blankets pulled up around them, and Ryujin was confused.

But then she heard it.

A low whimper came from beside Ryujin, and Ryujin suddenly felt Yeji shake against her, hands trembling as her head jerked.

"Ryu," Yeji whimpered in her sleep, and Ryujin suddenly realized that the wetness against her neck were tears. Yeji's tears. "Ryujin," Yeji whimpered again, her voice fearful. "Ryu, Ryujin, please...no, don't—"

"Yeji," Ryujin said softly, finally snapping out of it. "Yeji, hey, it's okay, wake up sweetheart," She shook Yeji's shoulder, heart breaking at the pain in Yeji's voice.

"Ryu!" Yeji cried louder this time, still trapped in her nightmare. "I'm here, Ryu, I'm here—"

"Yeji!" Ryujin called, shaking her again, and Yeji's eyes flew open with a gasp, her small frame still shaking against Ryujin's body. "Yeji, hey, it's me, you're alright," Ryujin said tenderly, cupping Yeji's cheek as she tried to catch her eye.

Yeji looked at her, wide eyed and confused for a moment, before her face crumpled, fresh tears welling in her honey eyes, and she curled around Ryujin, shaking with quiet sobs.

Ryujin wrapped an arm around Yeji's waist, her other hand cradling the back of her head. Ryujin's heart broke at Yeji's pain, worry eating at her insides. She had seen the haunted look in Yeji's eyes when she'd returned from the trials, but she hadn't wanted to pry just yet. "Yeji, what is it?" She asked softly, "what did you see in the trials?"

A few moments passed before Yeji finally lifted her head, looking down at Ryujin with wet, red eyes. Ryujin reached up and wiped her tears away, her brow creased in worry.

"I saw you," Yeji whispered. She closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing a fresh wave of tears. "the last trial, it was in my head." She explained, "I saw you, but it wasn't you." She shook her head. "It was a different you, like from a different world. In-in that world I hadn't gone through the trials, and Rin, she'd killed me."

Ryujin's heart rose into her throat, and she held Yeji tighter. "What?" She croaked.

"You-you told me that, in that world, Rin had shot me through the heart with an arrow made of mistletoe and you couldn't heal me. You wouldn't believe that it was me, you thought I was a trick that Rin conjured up to torture you and you kept begging me to kill you so you could see me again and I couldn't, I couldn't, and you, you cracked the sky open," Yeji took a shuddering breath, "I got you to believe me, eventually, and you saw that it was me, but Rin, she turned you to stone again in front of me and I couldn't bring you back, I kept kissing you but I couldn't turn you back," Yeji dissolved into tears again, her insides aching as the memories played over and over in her head, and Ryujin sat up, pulling Yeji with her and into her lap. "the panthers were dead and the temple, the forest was burning and I could hear your screams," Yeji whimpered into Ryujin's neck.

Ryujin held her tightly, fingers tangled in Yeji's tousled hair. "It's okay, it wasn't real," She said softly, kissing Yeji's head. "It wasn't real,"

Yeji's tears slowed eventually, and she rested her head on Ryujin's shoulder, stroking Ryujin's side. "You were so sad," She whispered, and sniffled a little. "and so angry." She pressed a kiss to Ryujin's neck, her arms tightening around her. "I just wanted to fix it," She sighed. "make you happy again,"

Ryujin tilted Yeji's chin up and kissed her softly. "I am happy," She said softly, brushing Yeji's tears away, thumbs stroking Yeji's cheeks. "I'm the happiest I've ever been, with you. That me, you saw, I...I probably would have become that, had I lost you," Ryujin admitted, her eyes downcast. "Rin knows you're my weakness, that you're the one thing I cannot bear to lose." She felt Yeji's hand at her cheek and she looked up again to find Yeji watching her with soft, tired eyes. "Even so," She sighed, "what you saw wasn't real. We're here and we're safe, and nothing will ever part us again, okay?"

"Okay," Yeji whispered, nodding.

Ryujin gave her a watery smile, and carefully wrapped them both in a blanket, leaning back against the head of their bed. They were both quiet for a while, content to just listen to the other breathe, curled close to one another.

"Yeji?" Ryujin asked after some time, looking down at her.

Yeji straightened up a little, and looked at her with a small smile. "Yeah?"

"Marry me?" Ryujin asked quietly, sincerely, eyes wide and loving in the dark.

Yeji's eyes widened, and suddenly a laugh bubbled up from her throat, loud and joyful, and she surged forward, kissing Ryujin hard. "Yes," She gasped against Ryujin's lips. "God, Ryu, yes," Yeji pulled back for air and took in the relived, blissful look on Ryujin's face, and her laughter continued. "Ryu, I just became immortal for you, did you really think I would say no?" She tucked Ryujin's hair behind her ear, watching her turn scarlet.

Ryujin ducked her head, smiling madly. "I've..I've been thinking about it for a while, but...I didn't want to ask before you left,"

She leaned up and kissed Yeji again, happy tears welling up in their eyes. When they parted, Ryujin took Yeji's left hand, fingers ghosting over her ring finger, and Yeji suddenly felt a weight on her finger, and when she looked down, she saw a silver band on her finger, etched with runes, and set with a red stone that looked like a holly berry.

"I love you," Yeji breathed taking Ryujin's face between her hands and kissed her desperately.

"I love you too," Ryujin sighed, nearly blinded by Yeji's smile, and the radiant silver light that seemed to surround her like a halo.

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End.

Thank you for reading.