eternal flame | tartaglia x reader

Chapter Twenty-Three

You end up seated rigidly beside Ajax on your bed. It's slightly reminiscent of your school days, getting scolded by your parents like children who have been caught with a hand down the cookie jar. Ajax still hasn't wiped the grin off his face, and you couldn't help but smirk a bit too.

In front of you, your parents pace nervously, still trying to wrap their heads around the entire story that the two of you told them.

Your mother inhales and pinches the bridge of her nose, "So Maksim--"
"He's still in Liyue. I think. I haven't seen him for months," you quickly reply, noting how Ajax's expression darkens at the mention of your ex's name.

It's your father's turn for speculation now, "And the two of you reconnected in Liyue, and have been together for a while now?"

"You got it, dad," Ajax smiles a bit wider as the words leave his mouth.

"Don't test your luck, boy."

Ajax leans back a bit on the bed, attempting to snake his arm around your waist. You brush him off before his fingers can make contact with your skin. Seriously, he couldn't tone back the affection when your parents were right there?
"Okay," your mother finally sighs, "Okay, I get it. But why didn't you tell us?"

You shrugged, leaning back slightly into Ajax's hand that settled at the base of your spine, "We were going to tell both you and Jax's family at the same time. Isn't that right?"
You nudge Ajax with your elbow, and he nods stiffly, "That's exactly it."

Your parents spend another good half hour badgering you with questions, but eventually decide that they need some time to process it all. After Ajax promises not to stay over too late, the two of you are finally left alone once again.

"Hi," you say. "I don't think that we got a chance to greet each other."

"How have you been?" Ajax asks, finally wrapping his full arm around your waist and pulling you close. He uses his other hand to guide your head to lay on his shoulder, and rests his chin on the crown of your head once you've found a comfortable position.

"Bored. Lonely. Missing you."

"Ah, it's been the same for me."
"Yeah right," you snort. "You've been out in the world living all of these amazing adventures, and I've been stuck in this little village painting."
"Hey, you're going to put this little village on the map someday with that art of yours! Don't speak lightly of it."

You smile at Ajax's encouragement, then suddenly gasp as revelation strikes you.

"What's wrong?" Ajax asks, eyebrows shot halfway up his forehead.

You bite down on your bottom lip to conceal the wide grin that's pulling at your cheeks, but you're pretty sure that Ajax can see the smile in your eyes already.

"I finished it!" you exclaim, prying yourself out of his hold and crossing your room to sift through your completed paintings. It takes a moment, but you find it: the finished portrait that Ajax requested months ago. You've been working on it slowly, and carefully the entire time. It was the most important commission that you've ever completed, after all.

"What did you-" Ajax begins, but his words come to a full stop as you hold the canvas in front of you. You watch as his gaze traces each shape, as his eyes glass over with tears, and his teeth sink into his trembling bottom lip.

The painting itself took a little bit of creativity, and a lot of good reference poses. In the middle, sat Ajax, surrounded by his siblings. His older siblings standing behind him, each resting a hand on his shoulder, Tonia and Anton each grabbing onto one of his arms and grinning widely, and Teucer, who wasn't quite so little now, wrapping his arms around Ajax's neck in a hug, head thrown back mid-laugh.

"It's gorgeous," Ajax says. He takes a step forward and gently takes the canvas from your arms, holding it close to his face to admire it further. He smiles, then, and it's one of the most gentle expressions you've ever seen on Ajax's face.

He stares at the painting, one last time, then places it behind him on the floor. You frown, a little bit confused as he doesn't speak again, but reaches inside his coat, and spends a moment fishing around in his pocket.

Then, he closes his eyes. Inhales, exhales.

Ajax meets your eyes again, and gets down onto one knee.

"Ajax," you start, but you couldn't bring yourself to form a full sentence. Ajax rips off his glove, and holds up a thin, silver ring.

"I wasn't planning to do this now. I spent my entire trip in Inazuma planning out a speech, and this party, and our families were going to be there, but I don't think that I can wait another minute. I spent so many years lost without you, and it wasn't until I had you back again that I finally felt like a person without any missing pieces. You taught me how to live as a child, and how to love as a man. I couldn't imagine-"
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes!" you exclaim, and it's the last word you can get out before your mouth is otherwise occupied by Ajax's lips, pressed firmly against yours. He kisses you, deeply, almost desperately, before he pulls back to look at your face once more. Ajax slips the ring onto your finger, and of course it fits perfectly. He laces your fingers together, giving your hand a little squeeze.

"I don't want to leave your side ever again," you say.

"Now, you won't."

It's a massive shock to both of your parents when you reveal the engagement the next day. There's tears, and a lot of hugging, and a lot of questions. A lot.

You and Ajax spend the next two weeks lounging around Morepesok, revelling in your childhood nostalgia as you make trips to the market, go for walks, and play with Ajax's younger siblings. You've learned, especially over the last few weeks, to really treasure these tiny slivers of domesticity in your life with Ajax. They're fleeting, but somehow that makes them all the more sweet.

Of course, it can't last forever. Ajax soon receives notice that he's headed to Sumeru next. This time when he brings it up, it's not a question, but a promise. The two of you are prepared to face the next adventure together.
When it's time for you to leave, both of your families gather outside to give you a proper send off. It was hard to believe that years ago, you were a part of the group that had to say goodbye to Ajax.

"You have to promise to write more letters this time. I don't want another surprise fiancé," your mother chides softly, adjusting the scarf wrapped around your neck once again. She always got a bit fussy when she was anxious.

"I promise," you say, taking one last look at your parent's faces. There have wrinkles and streaks of grey in their hair that weren't present when you left for Liyue. They've aged. You wrap your arms around them both in a tight hug, "I'm going to miss the both of you."
"Ready?" Ajax asks, once you've released your parents from your embrace. You turn to his family, his parents and younger siblings and wave.

Then, you take his hand in yours. You turn towards the open road, and take a step forward.

"Safe travels!" Ajax's mother calls out.

"We'll miss you!" your father says.

The words fade quieter as the two of you get further and further away from that seaside village you had always been able to call home. Soon, your neighbouring houses are nothing but tiny specs on the horizon.

Hand in hand, you and Ajax move forward to start a new adventure. Together.