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sun & icarus [rei x reader]

A storm of snow and ember, the taste of ash on your tongue and smoke in your eyes. Frigid winds of winter and tears rolling down pale cheeks, your scream dies in your throat as the tip of his sword presses against your jugular lightly, drawing a thin line of red as he moves it across agonizingly slow. The cold nips at your fingertips, at your bare feet, but as you watch the home you knew and love burn before your very eyes, the cold is nothing compared to the chills crawling down your spine as you listen to the dying screams of your people.

This is your kingdom, your home—and nothing remains but cinder and the wafting smell of burnt flesh; the monument of your failure.

You cannot save them.

Amber eyes, silver blade, lush pine hair— Rei is the spring to your summer, the soothing balm to your caustic nature. Now, you cannot help but wonder if you were a fool. You cannot feel the tips of your fingers, but still you lift your hands and with it, you grasp the blade tightly.

“Finish me.” You whisper, closing your eyes as you apply pressure to the blade, pressing it harder against your own throat. “Let me die with my people, allow me that simple mercy.” You plead, the droplets of blood staining your palms being your only source of warmth.

Once upon a time, Rei's eyes are warm amber that makes you melt when you gaze into them. Now, however, there's nothing but ice and darkness behind those eyes and it leaves you searching for answers.

“Take her.” Rei commands, harshly jerking the blade away from your grasp. Sheathing his sword, he takes one last look at you before he turns away, leaving you to fall to your knees, his name leaving your lips in a hoarse scream.

Gloved hands seizes your shoulders, dragging you back to your feet as they pull you towards the caravan. Writhing from their grasp, you reach out for him, calling out his name in desperation, voice breaking and tears kissing your cold cheeks with vigor.

"Rei!" You cried but the bellows of the blizzard drowns out your voice, leaving you to grieve your fallen kingdom and the boy you thought was the sun itself.

And maybe he still is. Rei is brilliant in his own way, so brilliant and bright that he burns you the moment you reach out to touch him. As he is the sun, you are his Icarus, precious and yet so foolish, a beauty unmatched even as you fall, your burning feathers accenting the flashing emotions on your face.

What a tragedy.

He is nothing but a silhouette, the boy you used to know. The Rei you knew is gone, and perhaps he never was there to begin with. You mourn. You mourn for your kingdom, for your family, for Rei. The fire crackles in the distance, the winds bellow as  the blizzard runs rampant. And just like that, Rei sinks like the sunset beneath the mountains blanketed by snow and all you could do is mourn and weep and swear that one day you'd take back everything you have lost, no matter what the price.