Numb ✧ Ghirahim x Reader ✔

chapter 53

Without much else to do in the castle, Ghirahim returned back to the Gerudo Desert. He wondered if the Yiga base still existed in this time, where [Name] had grown up. She'd been looking for her kin; if only she'd known they've been here in the desert this whole time. And yet, their hideout remained protected by a barrier.

...Or so, Ghirahim thought.

He squinted as a fortress came into view. It seemed run-down, abandoned, yet shared striking similarities to the Yiga post he'd recently visited. A curtain, he supposed, which hid the true base from outsiders.

But that was not his concern for now. He wished to investigate the Gate of Time now. When he first used it in this time, it had worked perfectly fine. He couldn't understand why it failed him now.

He revealed the Gate with an uncovering spell, as it normally remained hidden behind dunes of sand. Much like the Yiga Clan Hideout, it could only be found by those who were looking specifically for it.

Without activating the Gate itself, he investigated its surface. It appeared pristine now. He knew for a fact that when he tumbled out of that thing only hours ago it was cracked even with its attempted repairs.

As if on cue to answer this curiosity, a figure suddenly appeared next to him. With hair a shimmering {h|c}, and eyes a piercing red, he met the face belonging to [Name].

"Why are you here?" he asked, and she quirked a brow.

"I simply followed you and Master Bulblin."

Oh...

[Mother].

Though, unlike her usual haughty grin, and merciless gaze, she appeared rather disheartened now. Crossing her arms, a gentle sigh escaped her lips.

"I admit... After scouring through [Name]'s memories... you were really good to her. I'm... I wish I... I came back hoping to save her."

And still, she continued to lie, even after all her scandals came into light. She never stopped. Ghirahim had no desire to keep listening to this.

"I see it's a family traitーyou and [Name] are both utterly doltish liars."

Impudent as ever, [Mother] ignored him. "The gate was broken," she stated.

"Are you blind? Somehow it mended itself."

"Was, demon, I used past tense. Do you know the extent of its faults?"

"Were you behind this?"

"I... Yes, I fixed it for you. But before I hadーsince it couldn't properly function with your Dominion Rod, instead of magic energy it sapped up the life force of whoever was using it."

"Do I look shriveled and old to you?" Ghirahim felt like screaming. He hated all of this. He just wanted [Name] backーhis [Name], and not one lacking the love he felt for her, or one possessed by [Mother].

"Maybe not, but our deaths are inevitably much, much closer than they would have been otherwise."

Ghirahim only snorted. His 'life force' supply was endless, for as long as Demise's sword remained intact, he was immortal. No matter how much anguish he went through, or even if his demon form was fragmented into trillions of pieces, he'd continue to writhe through life.

Though, what piqued his interest was the fact that [Mother] used 'our' and not 'your'.

"Oh, so you're a victim of this as well?" He almost smirked.

"I hadn't realized it was defective till after I used it. It's fortunate [Name] specialized in healing magic."

"Tch," Ghirahim averted his gaze. "If you weren't hiding in that body like a coward, I'd have sliced your throat by now."

[Mother] couldn't help the smirk pulling at the ends of her lips. "Heh," she laughed, glad that, to an extent, she still held the Demon Lord's leashes. "You'reー"

She cut herself off, transitioning into a series of maniacal coughs. Ghirahim almost reached out to comfort her, but was quickly reminded that this wasn't [Name]. You'd think he'd gotten over this by now.

"Ah," she moaned, resting her hands on her knees to heave out whimpers. She, much like Bulblin and Ghirahim after they had passed through the Gate, was disheveled and simply out of it. The male only watched, hoping that whatever was happening would kill her.

Then, at least, he'd no longer have the constant reminder of [Name]'s death laughing in his face.

"G~yuh," [Mother]'s hands traveled up to her stomach, clutching her abdomen with a fierce hold. She began to cough hysterically, until Ghirahim noticed some type of mist seep out of her mouth.

Seeming to ignore the distress paining her, [Mother] impressively continued to smirk. "Heh... I didn't expect this...." She flicked her gaze up to Ghirahim, who narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Keep her out of trouble this time," she said, and as the mysterious mist faded away, so did the light in her eyes. She then collapsed, although Ghirahim raised his arms to catch her.

Finally, [Mother] was gone. Whether because of the Gate's malfunction or what, she wouldn't be coming back. He'd bury [Name]'s corpse, then return to the Gate to rescue her from all this. His gaze fell. He placed a hand on her eyelids, shutting them from the world.

The next time he saw those gorgeous eyes, they'd be staring for him, alive and glistening.

...He didn't expect that moment to come so soon.

"..Hngh... Don't touch me..." [Name] stirred, and Ghirahim almost dropped her in surprise. Understandably, he assumed that [Mother] was still here, and so immediately backed away. He thought... He thought it had worked. She shouldn't be alive still.

However the Sheikah girl pulled herself to her feet, and examined her hands. The widest smile crossed her lips then, and she wildly flailed her arms around.

"Oh my Nayru, I can control my body again!" She screamed, before raising her hand in front of her demon lover. Naturally, he assumed she was offering a high five, and lifted his own hand to return it. However she struck him across the face, leaving him paralyzed with a bright red sting burning his cheek.

"..."

"That wasn't [Mother]," she whispered, and accepted the embrace when Ghirahim overcame his shock to envelop her. A pleasant warmth spread throughout her chest. She'd yearned for his touch, ever since her mother stripped her of every bit of control she had over herself.

She had been strapped to the back of her mind with no way of wriggling out, feeling and moving but never steering her actions. [Mother] thought she had killed her, although [Mother] was never too intelligent to begin with...

All that mattered for now was that [Name] lived... and Ghirahim did, too.

・

a/n

oh my god finally