- Location
- madison
A Soul to Soul.
It had been, Cirucci decided, a very tiring day. spiritual combat was draining like few other activities, even a short bout can be exhausting, every move and threat fueled by one's will and soul. Something she was particularly vulnerable to, her power being one best used in explosive bursts. But more than combat had left her drained this day, and her exhaustion was minor compared to her beloveds. The subtle whirl of black winds had subsided almost totally, leaving her feeling almost empty. She knew how Nemo fought, and she shuddered to think of what she would have had to endure to drain her so. Nemo had been drained to the point of barely being able to walk, let alone have the conversation that was so clearly now needed. That she had allowed Cirucci to carry her to bed rather than walk herself spoke volumes of the depth of her exhaustion.
she'd not even bothered changing before gently setting Nemo down and collapsing into their bed herself. the lights had barely gone out before Nemo had turned towards her and pressed herself into Cirucci's arms. for a moment they stayed like that, taking comfort in each others warmth, neither able to conjure the energy to be the first to speak their shared worries. Then the shadowy threads of Nemos soul reached out to her, and she could feel her own storm rise to answer it.
The first thought that sturk Cirucci was how very small Nemo felt. scattered threads of shadow weaving through her own great hurricane, much of it was her exhaustion but not all. for all that her lover had grown from that scared little thing that fled to her months ago, she was still less than Cirucci had been. She was still too weak to even survive on a battlefield worthy of Cirucci's full might. Where her control over her storm not so fine even her mere presence unveiled would be lethal to her lover. How could something so small and precious be comfortable around her? was Nemo worried about one day being stepped on? would she be right to do so? tendrils of shadow crawled across her soul, embracing her might...
Nemo pressed just a little more firmly into the storm, delighting in solidarity of the winds, a faint echo of the iron strength to deny those who would harm it. She luxuriated admit the two great arms of whirlwind and lighting wrapped protectively around her. Amidst her citadel of lighting Nemo allowed herself a rare and heady feeling of safety, her fear banished by the storm. Her world had always been dominated by gods and monsters, to live under the protection of one was a welcome change to cowering before all of them. the lighting enveloping her shifted, and the warmth of its fury warmed her.
But her strength was the least of the risks she'd exposed Nemo to wasn't it? She had sent Nemo into danger for her own ambition and had nearly gotten her executed, but that paled before what had happened today. Nemo had followed her into battle and been left for dead against a Captin. War was upon them all, and by standing with her Nemo had come to the attention of those above them both. Aizen did not care about anyone beyond their use. Cirucci at least was strong enough not to casually discarded, but today had driven home that Nemo was not. She had taught Nemo to stand tall rather than scurry in the dark, but in the realms of monsters and gods was it truly wise for her to do so? the shadows closed in, wordless mummers of reassurance flowed from nowhere and everywhere.
The storm's winds spoke of worry, of her fragility, of her near death at the hands of the void and its cruel god. It spoke of the risk of standing tall rather than sheltering in the darkness. Words that Nemo found confusing, was it not the pride of the storm that had taught how to live? that had sheltered and nourished her until she had grown? She was strong enough to survive the desert and cunning enough to evade the shinigami in forgotten corners of the living world. If she cared only for bare survival it was hers for the taking. But to do so would be to forsake her chance to live to go back to being a furtive scavenger scratching out a meager existence in the shadow of giants. She had made her choice, she was no longer content with mere survival. She would hold onto her pride for the rest of her life, and she would die blessing the storm for the gift. The thunder crashed and spoke of understanding.
Cirucci smiled as she watched the dark threads of Nemo's souls flare-up in pride. But Nemo's safety was only half of her worries. She had been ready to return to that town in her released state, a scouring storm obliterating all in her path. Aizen's words rang true, rather than trust in Nemo's strength she had been adamant that he allow her to stain her hands crimson. would Nemo have forgiven her if Aizen had not held her back? if she had laid waste the town? slaughtering those children Nemo had spared? Would she have been right to? Cirucci had no illusions about the kind of person she was. Would Nemo still love her once she inevitably bloodied her hands? the shadows deepened and embraced her.
Something was wrong, her storm was faltering, its rains smelling of regret? no, remorse for sins it had wished to commit. Had the words of the Smiling God hurt it so? She knew the storm, she was glad it had not swept away the town to save her, but she did not begrudge the storm it's nature, not when it was trying so hard to change it. The storm tried to be a source of life-giving rain, it tried to rein in it's cutting winds and shattering thunder, but such gentleness was not the nature of hurricanes. But that just made such kindness all the more precious. To see a hurricane strive for, and achieve kindness was a wonder. But was it right to do so? she was so small, and her beloved storm was so big. She could fit her idealism between the cracks, retreating into the darkness just long enough to hide actions from the powerful if she had to, but the storm couldn't. By its nature it was loud and open in all things, it acts bold declaration to the world. Was she right to ask the storm to change? would the storm one day draw the ire of the Smiling god for her own ideals? already the storm was smelling of doubt, who was she to ask.... a deluge of love of appreciation crashed down from the heavens washing away doubt.
Cirucci eased up on the force of her soul, her own forcefulness surprising her. Nemo had no reason to fear being a burden. Her lover had helped her grow so much. More than the drive to improve, more than the will to push forward, her striving to be worthy of Nemo had made her dreams possible. To spare her lover's kind heart she'd had to strive to be better, to reach towards true nobility. To show kindness and mercy where once she'd have shown cruel indifference. It was hard, but she'd come to realize it was vital. Her dream was to bring true civilization to Hueco Mundo, and Nemo had helped her realize that no civilization could exist without at least some bare scraps of kindness. Without it, civility was merely the hollow mask of a predator whiling away its days in a pointless ceremony. She would always love Nemo for helping her be a better person, for showing her how to be more than a haughty monster. the darkness murmured modesty and wrapped lovingly around her throat.
Nemo gasped for air as the last dregs of worry were washed away, and the flood waters receded. She understood the storm was as strong and confident as ever, but it had needed to shed its doubts. There were no more worries, no more need for complex tapestries of shadow and reassurance. Nemo relaxed and loosened the hem of her soul, her shadows threads flying free among the warm winds. She let, her love for Cirucci fly like a banner and the winds embrace her like a blanket. She loved her storm for so many reasons, her strength, her pride, her dreams, but in the end, the important thing was that she loved her. No more reasons where needed. Nemo smiled amidst the eye of the storm and allowed the beating heart of the hurricane to lull her to sleep.
Cirucci opened her eyes, her senses coming back to the physical. Her face flushed, and her breathing heavy. That had been... intense, intimate in a very strange way. Felling her and Nemo's thoughts bleed together had been something new. Had Nemo known that would happen? or had it been like when she had accidentally seen her training with Baraggan? feeling the steady warm puffs of Nemo's sleeping breaths play across her collarbone Cirucci decided that it didn't matter. A conversation about whatever that had been would be easier than speaking her now-dismissed doubts aloud. she settled her chin between Nemo's horns and followed her lover into slumber.
Last edited:
