Liaison Chapter 1: Liaison, a tales of vesperia fanfic

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When did it start?

. . .

Darkness.

He has her pinned to the wall, his lips mercilessly attacking the soft skin of her neck.

She braces her hands on his shoulders, as her legs lose their ability to remain upright.

When had this thing (affair?) started?

Affair? Liaison? They can't call it a relationship, it's anything but...

Pressed flush against each other, the darkness that enshrouds them; their only reliable ally in hiding their immoral deed from themselves, while the rest of the party lay deep in slumber several (hundred) metres away.

When did this start?

She did not know, nor did she want to anymore. All she had known was that at one point in time they barely got along, barely agreed on anything; almost constantly at each other's throats with a snappy comeback or sarcastic remark ready at hand at all times for retaliation.

Hell, he'd even accused her of thievery! Like she didn't have better things to do, like Research!

And the next she knew

When was that? She couldn't care less anymore, not since her brain decide to rebel against her when she needed it the most

He had her pinned to the wall of some dark alley corner

Or was it in some random cave they'd passed by?

Her arms in a tight hold above her head, his mouth crashing against hers violently, his cool soft lips moving against her own rough chapped ones.

How many times had it been since they'd first… kissed…? could it even be called that?

Then things escalated.

It's happened too many times for her to even bother counting anymore.

She didn't want to anyway. Why would she?

Everyday.

Every, single, fucking, day, every night; ever since that day.

Why?

She didn't know. She didn't want to know.

All she knew was that she didn't understand anything. It confused her, people were not her strong point.

She's a genius when it comes to Blastia and research, but when it comes to people, she draws a complete blank? It's just so stupid it isn't even funny.

Worst of all, she doesn't understand herself.

Every night, it happens every night

sometimes even in the day

Once a day

maybe more

he comes to her, or on rare occasions, she goes to him

If she's sleeping, she will somehow miraculously wake up just as he returns to the room they all slumber in, perhaps due to the sound of footsteps?

And they'll head out for a walk, a talk, then for some reason it turns into… that

She won't name it, she can't. She doesn't even know what it is

Yet she's never asked herself why she doesn't just simply refuse him, and even more puzzling to her is the fact that she seeks him out when he doesn't come to her.

It's gotten to the point where it feels like a daily ritual, routine, call it what you will.

A cycle she can't break

And it makes her wonder how in Terca Lumeris is she able to interact and speak with him so normally the next day.

As though it never happened, as though it wouldn't happen again later...

Her mind starts working overdrive; she can't seem to be able to gather her thoughts enough to think up a thesis for her research.

She's supposed to be working on the formulas to control the rampaging aer flow damn it! Not go on an emotional field trip!

She doesn't know why she doesn't just simply tell him 'No.

. . .

... sigh...

All she knows is that she can't seem to deny his plea for comfort when he looks into her eyes, and she wonders at times if he's just there to torment her.

She starts questioning her sanity

Because no one in the right mind would even consent to this

She knows it's wrong, it's morally unright, immoral, illegal even

She's still a minor despite how she might act... Maybe they should have considered that factor before that line was crossed...

So then why? Why can't she just stop it?

It's a stupid question, one she should not have even bothered to ask. She knows why, she knows the reason; the same reason she doesn't stop him, the same reason she keeps going back for more. It makes her feel dirty, and at times when they stop by for a break, when she's able to wash up, she feels this urge, this need to scrub herself raw, scrub away the imaginary filth that plagues her mind and body. She can't explain it, but she feels grimy even after she's taken a shower, she knows it all just in her head, her body is clean as white, yet she can't seem to get rid of that feeling

As though something that has the same properties as mud had clung onto her skin permanently...

Ughhh… when did things get so complicated? Life was easier before when all she had to deal with was blastia and not people. At least she could sleep, and dedicate all of her energy to her research, when did her life suddenly make such a drastic turn?

Oh wait… stupid question again. How could she forget the day the band of idiots that she now calls 'friends'

or so she used to remember calling them that way in her mind, makes things easier, helps to bury all the unwanted thoughts, the only idiot really remaining in the group is Karol anyway

barged into her shack one day and decided to 'investigate'.

She stopped them short of course, a small fireball was enough to scare that kid so much she thought he'd wet his pants.

Yet somehow remembering that now brings a smile to her face. Sure it annoyed her, and her life took a huge turn after that, but in a way, it felt as though she couldn't separate herself from them…

…And him.

. . .

Oh shit!

No!

Not again!

She shut her eyes tight, trying to will away the memories that had suddenly assaulted her.

No, it's better to keep them buried, makes life easier for her.

She won't be reminded of what's been happening recently, won't be reminded of what would most likely once again happen later on. It's enough that she can't stop it, even more that she...

Dare she even say it?

... Craves for it...

Like a kid going back again to the same candy store for more of the sweet goodies that store has to offer.

It feels like an addiction, her mind says no, but her body ignores her mind and moves anyway. Then there's this other factor about her… feelings… and… her… hea-

NO.

No. Stop there. Damn it! Stop that train of thought!

This would only complicate things further, don't think about it right now Rita Mordio! Don't even go there. That is one territory best left unexplored!

. . .

How did her life end up in such a mess?

There were times she wondered if it would have been better if they'd never met. She wouldn't have to deal with all of this, she could just remain as she was, giving her all to Blastia and thinking about nothing else.

No, it wouldn't have, maybe it was this thing people like to call 'fate' or was it 'destiny'? Ughh, what is she even saying now? That's so unscientific, there is no evidence that such a thing exists, and it is illogical.

That's right; she's a logic person, not someone who goes about throwing around such words that have no real basis around them.

As hard as she may try to deny this, she knew, that while their meeting was purely coincidental, purely a play on chance, that no matter what, she would have met them one way or another.

Heh… Fate…

Was she fated to meet them? Meet him? This really would have all been so much easier if she wasn't 'fated' to do so. What IS fate anyway? Sounds almost like it's something that's already been predetermined. Argh! All of this is starting to give her a headache, she's starting to sound illogical herself.

Not good. Not good, better stop right there Rita Mordio, you'll just end up frustrated with no answers, it's just not worth it.

Up until then she had been staring at the ceiling, the back of her head against the wall behind her as she sat on one of those luxurious beds in the room. Closing her eyes briefly she let her mind wander.

She knew she shouldn't have done so, doing this would only bring back an onslaught of memories she'd rather have erased from her mind. But what else could she do? They were in Heliord for the day, and would most likely spend the night here. She was in the room that they had paid for to spend the night in. It was a huge room with a magnificent view.

At least everyone will be sleeping in the same room...

Right, not like that has ever stopped them from their... activities... before.

. . .

Everyone was out, either just helping about the civilians with the constructions or just hanging around to have some fun amongst themselves. She opted to stay in the room, there wasn't much she could do out there, there was no Blastia to inspect or research, ever since that time it went berserk, everything seems to be fine. And people were not her strong point, having to 'mingle' was not her thing. It won't be for a few hours before anyone comes back, having some time to herself without all the usual racket going about was always a bonus.

But sometimes, she wondered if things would be different if she was more… sociable.

Heh, not possible, time has taught her time and time again that trusting people only resulted in getting hurt...

... Then again, wasn't that what's happening now?

Amongst them all, he was the one she trusted the most, he was the one she confided in the most, and he was the one that now knew her better than anyone else had in the past 15 years of her life. She was sure not even her parents knew that much about her, not that they were even around anymore...

Sure she didn't tell him much, just the bare minimum, but that was the most that she had ever told anyone; not even the princess or the Krytian.

Perhaps it was because he had a way of making people trust him, somehow reassuring them that his lips would always be sealed. Or perhaps it was because the two of them were similar in many ways… But whatever it was, it resulted in this mess they were both in right now.

. . .

Footsteps

Perhaps it was due to the expanse of the room that the acoustics allowed her to hear the echoing of footsteps of someone walking up the stairs, well that, and her hearing is slightly better than your average human, I mean, how else do you protect yourself and your research from thieves? Especially in that little research shack pretty much in the middle of nowhere. But the thing was, the footsteps were echoing towards this direction.

Could they be back already? That was fast. She might have wanted a little more time to herself, but if they would keep down the level of their boisterousness she wouldn't mind it so much. Plus, if she remembered, Yuri told them to all come back only after they've had their dinner. They were low on supplies and couldn't really afford to cook, not to mention that Heliord's shops was severely lacking in certain ingredients needed to make a proper meal

And no, Sandwiches and Crepes don't count... apparently...

. . .

Right… Yuri… He was kinda like their leader, in a way. But… No. Nevermind, it's best not to go there.

She wondered who might be coming back

Estelle maybe?

Perhaps, but it seemed unlikely, the princess enjoyed lending a helping hand to others, though sometimes it felt as though it was her sole reason for living. Then perhaps it was Judith, that was possible, while she knew how to have fun and mostly at the expense of others, the Dragon Rider did enjoy her quiet moments for all her boisterous personality. The old man seemed the most unlikely of the lot, not to mention that that brat's probably with him.

The footsteps stopped right outside the door, following with it the sound of the door handle rattling. Then a creak as it was pushed open to allow the visitor(intruder?) into the room.

"So that's where you've been all this time Rita? Just lazing about in the room while everyone's outside having fun?"

An amused voice, she could practically her the laughter in his words.

Her eyes turned their attention to the owner of the new noise, despite having already recognized who it was by their voice.

Speak of the devil and here he comes...

She wasn't expecting to see him here… wait then again thinking back, she had intentionally excluded him from the possible candidates didn't she?

Made things easier for her to deal with...

"What is it to you?"

An eyebrow raised, and perhaps she did not mean for her words to sound as harsh as it had when it left her lips.

"Whoa, someone's in a bad mood, relax, I'm just asking."

She let out a breath she had not known she was holding.

"What do you want Yuri?" her voice losing its hard edge as she spoke in a softer tone.

"Nothing, just wondering where you've been all this time; and then I find you here"

A shrug.

"You know as well as I do that socializing isn't really my thing, just wanted some time to my thoughts that's all"

An audible sigh.

"I know you like your solitude Rita, but would it kill you for once to just get out and have some fun? Estelle has been asking for you, wondering where her best friend had wandered off to on her own."

Her eyes looked away.

"Best friend, huh…" a brief pause as she blew out a sigh. "Just tell her I've been sleeping in the room or something if you must."

"Okay."

He made no move to leave, instead walking towards the interior of the room.

... Towards her...

"Aren't you going to pass my message to her?"

"Nope"

"Huh?"

"I came back to the room to get some rest after all, what reason would I have to go back out there?"

"Right"

She once again diverted her attention to the ceiling, her eyes just tracing the patterns carved into the surface

It was getting harder to see them, the lights are off, and the sky's just getting darker...

She heard him enter, and the door closing behind him with a soft click.

"So what have you been doing in here?"

"Thinking…"

"For the past three hours?" A raised eyebrow.

"I guess so."

The conversation stops there, neither has anything to say. She hears his footsteps walking to the bed next to her own and then it stops, the sound of springs creaking beneath the mattress follow it. Then the two were once again submerged in silence.

The room was only getting darker, the sun had set by now, yet neither could be bothered to get the lights. But the situation was getting dangerous; at least that was how she felt that it was for her. They were alone, only the two of them in this expanse of a room, she could feel it, slowly creeping on her,

That same unexplainable urge that happens every night, the same feeling that results in the ritual that happens every night.

The same damn situation they found themselves in night after night, day after day without knowing how they got there, only that they made no conversation during or after it, as though pretending that it had never happened, only for it to occur again the next day.

She was getting twitchy; her body was starting to betray her mind. She tried to find something, anything to distract herself from this heat that was gradually growing in her, heat she knew all too well, heat that she could feel pooling in areas she refuses to mention with words, unmentionable heat and the tightening in her chest that was starting to make breathing difficult.

Closing her eyes once again, she prayed for the darkness to take her. She was not religious in anyway, but in this moment she wished and prayed with all her heart to whatever God or deity out there for anyone, anything to distract her from thinking about it.

Then her eyes opened once more. Staring into the blank ceiling, watching as the last of daylight gets devoured by the shadows and darkness... and silence...

She warily turns her head into his direction, sparing but a glance, and hoping he wouldn't notice. She watches him as he watches the shadows crawl about the ceiling and wonders if he is thinking about the same things she is. If he is silent because he knows and doesn't need to ask, because some things are much better left unanswered...

They have always communicated better in darkness, after all...

After 8 years of its initial creation, I have finally decided to publish this. I know this fandom is almost dead, but I realised that in order for me to get any sort of progress with this fic, I needed to post it up to gain motivation to continue.

Updates will be slow... So please bear with me. I will do my best to see this fic to its completion while in the mean time I will try to get all my other works out there as well.

To be honest, this entire fic has been planned for a long time, from start to end. I have an idea on how to end it... I just need to figure out what happens in between.

Lastly, this fic will be mainly composed of flashback sequences.

I make no promises about chapter length and will end where I see fit. I do not make promises I am not sure I can keep.