Chapter 4
I lay there, my head resting against the hard old bark of the tree behind me, watching the gentle sway of the leaves in the wind above us as they danced in the blue sky beyond. On my lap and in my arms a woman stirred, clinging to my coat for dear life as her brow furrowed in her sleep, her face intermittently nuzzling into my shoulder in her fitful slumber.
There was no doubt in my mind that I'd held this body in my arms at least once before as she slept.
Although, the person behind the wheel of said body was a little different than the woman I remembered…
Grima moaned in her sleep again, shifting a little closer to me and unconsciously trying to maximize contact between us. Clearly, she had literally never been hugged or even held, if the way she'd latched onto me was any indication. I slowly, gently rubbed my hand on her back in small circles, and she gave a contented sigh as she quieted again.
It was odd, that Grima would be so… affected by being starved of contact. But, then again, the manaketes I'd known were some of the most 'human' beings I'd ever met. It wasn't really surprising that Grima would be, too. Or it could have just been the fact that, when she'd taken over Robin's body in her own timeline, she had taken over the human wants and needs, too. I really couldn't say.
Grima stirred irritably once more as my hand ceased its movement, and I let out a small breath as I began to rub her back again, shaking my head and mentally comparing the 'god of death' to a cat I'd once owned. How long we had been sitting here like this, my mind devoid of any conscious thought as I watched the sky gradually lighten and Grima slept, I wasn't sure. Hours, at least.
Chrom and the others had probably already started heading north again. Lucina, too, come to think of it. This time I hadn't even spoken to her, just totally brushing her off to go and find Grima.
No doubt Frederick had been all too happy to herd the Shepherds, and Robin, north. Away from the fire and the destruction, and away from the dangerous psychopath that they all no doubt thought I was.
Lucina would have had no reason to hang around. I hadn't spilled the fact I was also a time traveler this time, and she hadn't looked at me with any recognition in her eyes. So, she had probably left before Chrom and the others, and that thought stung; Lucina had been one of my closest friends at the end there, and not having her even look at me had been whole magnitudes of painful worse than dealing with the other Shepherds. It just really drove home the situation I'd found myself in.
I was alone.
I was all alone in the past, haunted by the specter of the life I'd led in what would be the future, and the thought of having to do it all again made me honestly retreat further into my own head.
Grima shifted in my lap again, reminding me that I wasn't, in fact, entirely alone.
Here sat the one being that, like me, was two-times displaced. Here sat the one being that actually knew me. Here sat the being I'd spent the last five years trying to kill. Exclusively. I knew I should probably hate her, should probably kill her as she slept, but for some reason I couldn't. I told myself that it was the old 'humans are pack animals, they crave belonging' mentality.
It was better than thinking I'd gone nuts.
In reality, I was mulling over what she'd said last night. She didn't want to kill, either. She didn't want to go through the same routine, the same hell, we had been through in past, just like me. She was about as close to a kindred spirit as I was liable to find.
The thought made me shake my head. The closest thing I had to a kindred spirit was a genocidal Frankenstein's monster of a dragon. Because nothing in my life could just be simple.
Grima snorted again, jumping cutely a little in my arms as she suddenly sat up. Blinking bleary eyes, a few strands of hair stuck to the small patch of drool in the corner of her mouth, she looked around the clearing before slowly glancing up at me with wide eyes. In the sunlight I could see that Robin's blue irises were gone, replaced by red eyes, the color of fresh blood. Oddly enough, I couldn't help thinking that they suited her. Seeing her looking like this, so adorably out of sorts, I felt the first stirrings of… anything, really, since I'd hit 'fuck it' the night before.
I felt sad, and I wasn't entirely sure why.
She looked up at me with a blank expression, as if unable to believe what she was seeing, fidgeting a little in my embrace. We looked at each other for a moment that seemed to stretch for hours before my motormouth got the better of me once more.
"You know, this is the second time I've let this body sleep in my arms and not copped a feel," I said, acting on autopilot.
Ah, yes, I thought to myself. Good ol' foot-in-mouth disease, just like old times. A sure sign of recovery.
The creature on my lap scoffed and looked down with a sad smile.
"Is this the part where I'm supposed to call you an ass like she did?" Grima asked softly.
"You remember that? Okay, probably not the most tactful opener," I shrugged. "You'll have to excuse me for being a little off my game after… everything that happened."
"I think that was the first time I've ever actually slept," Grima said quietly. "Even when I was dead I didn't sleep…"
"Feeling better?" I asked.
Grima nodded once, looking away from me.
"I still do not understand why you are showing me such kindness," she said. "After all, I'm the one that killed you. You made it your mission to undo my schemes for so many years, and now you… hold me as I weep. I don't understand."
"Honestly, neither do I," I admitted softly. "I don't really understand why you're letting yourself be held by the man that kicked your ass for so many years."
"Excuse me?" Grima said indignantly, head snapping around to glare at me. "You didn't kick anything! You played into my schemes the entire time!"
"Uh-huh," I drawled. "I seem to recall most of the scheming being Validar's-"
"At my behest!" Grima interrupted indignantly. "And I absolutely out-foxed you in Plegia!"
"What, at the Dragon's Table?" I smirked. "I let you do that."
"You did not!"
"Did too," I chuckled. "It was my attempt at consolidating my enemies into one easy-to-kill target. And lo and behold, it worked."
"You are truly are a fool if you expect me to believe that!" Grima huffed.
"You just can't admit you played into my hands the entire time," I said, grinning smugly.
"And yet I still killed you," she pointed out.
I shrugged. "It's the journey, not the destination. You were a worthy foe, Grima. Every bit as cunning as Robin, and every bit as vicious as a Dark God ought to be. Bravo."
Grima actually reeled from this comment, blushing a spluttering a little at my naked praise.
"You were unbearably frustrating," she said with a sideways glance. "It was… an excellent test of my skills besting you."
"Whoa-now, I wouldn't go that far!" I laughed.
"I beg your pardon?" Grima deadpanned, her face dropping.
"We totally had you on the ropes there," I said with a sly wink. "Just because you killed me didn't mean you won. Hell, I'm small potatoes compared to Lucina and Chrom, and they were legit right behind me."
We stared at each other, Grima frowning at my small, confident smirk, before the corner of her mouth twitched. My grin widened as Grima scoffed, and soon we were both roaring with laughter.
It was like someone had opened a faucet, and now I couldn't stop. Tears from the laughter ran down my face as Grima dropped her head against my shoulder, the sounds of our mirth filling the quiet forest and echoing back at us off the trees. It sounded like an entire army was laughing, such was the power of our amusement.
Eventually, we calmed, both of us sitting up again, and I finally released Grima's shoulder. She gave a satisfied stretch with both arms above her head, a wide grin still on her face as I wiped at the corners of my eyes.
"Ah. I needed that," I sighed.
"Yes, it was… odd seeing you so dispirited," Grima commented.
"Hell, everyone got a breaking point," I drawled. "Apparently, mine is dying and getting sent back in time."
We sat in silence for another moment, before Grima sighed and looked down.
"What?" I asked, tilting my head to look her in the eye.
Grima frowned, glaring at me from the corner of her eye.
"What are we doing?" she asked slowly. "I keep lowering my guard around you, expecting you to stick a knife in my back. And you never do."
"I probably should, all things considered," I sighed.
"So why don't you?" she asked, her voice a whisper.
"Don't wanna," I shrugged.
"Why?" Grima insisted.
"Because… I don't know," I admitted. "I'm tired of it all. I'm tired of the fighting. Tired of the killing, and the hate and the death and all of it. I thought I could push through and just retire at the end, but… I can't. Do you know the last time I actually slept? I mean really slept, not just napped for a half an hour before the nightmares woke me up?"
"I… no," Grima said hesitantly.
"Neither do I," I sighed. "Honestly, the entire time you were sleeping I was sitting here just… thinking about reopening the wound on my wrist and letting myself bleed out. I can't… I can't do it all again. I just can't."
Grima sucked in a shocked breath, shifting on my lap.
"You would end your own life?" she asked, brow furrowing in confusion.
"Well what the fuck else am I supposed to do?" I asked, looking down. "I don't exactly know anything… anything besides killing. Not anymore…"
My gaze came to a rest on the knife still sitting in the dirt at my side, sunlight glinting merrily off the black blade. It was true. That's why I'd broken down, I realized then. I couldn't do it all again; Plegia, Valm, the Grimleal, I couldn't go another round with each of them. I didn't have it in me. I was tired. I was done.
Grima shifted again, turning to face me until her thigh rested against my hip. She took both sides of my face in her hands, her palms warm and smooth against my stubble, and forced me to look up at her. She frowned at me, unshed tears in the corners of her eyes.
"If I must live, then so, too, must you," she declared. "You don't have the spirit to live for yourself anymore? Very well. Live for me. Live for me, and we will neither be alone any longer. We, together, will create the world that we wish to live in."
"Grima, I'm not going to help you wipe out humanity," I said, my voice oddly muffled by her grip on my face.
"Then show me how to live with it," she demanded. "I do not wish to be a destroyer. I never have. I just want to live. Please. I… do not wish to be… alone again."
She broke eye contact as her voice cracked, looking away as she dropped her hands to my shoulders.
"You are the only one who has ever shown me… anything aside from hatred or blind reverence," she went on in a trembling voice. "I… did not realize how much I craved such contact."
Her grip tightened on my shoulders, her hands shaking so hard I felt it through my coat.
Well…
I mean, really, what else was I doing?
I was probably still in some sort of shock, because I really didn't think it through very hard. It just felt like… this was what I'd been sent back here for.
A second chance. For both of us.
"Fine," I sighed. "God… fuck it, fine. I'm in."
Grima looked up, eyes wide and fresh trails of tears running down her face.
"But," I went on, eyes narrowing. "If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do this my way. And I have conditions."
"Oh, do you now?" Grima scoffed in mild amusement, wiping at her face with her sleeve.
"One: no eating people," I said. "Actually, I'll amend that to 'no eating innocent people'. Someone fucks with us, they're fair game."
"Ugh. Very well, I will-" Grima started.
"Two!" I cut her off. "I am not your servant, nor your slave. I won't claim to be equals, but you will treat me with respect."
"Yes, fine, I will treat you-"
"Three!"
"Oh for… are you serious!?"
"You will not lie to me, or otherwise leave me out of any plans or schemes you may or may not come up with. Comprende?"
Grima glared at me for a few seconds.
"Are you quite done?" Grima deadpanned.
"Yup," I nodded.
"And why should I follow your silly little rules?" she asked, a hint of the haughtiness I was used to from our interactions in the past creeping into her voice.
"Because," I explained with a small, predatory grin. "I have a hostage."
"Oh? Do tell," Grima said, leaning forward slightly.
"Uh huh," I said, my grin widening.
Then, I pointed upwards at my face.
Grima froze, her own grin dropping as she clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"Fine!" she snapped. "I swear, the arrogance of using yourself as a hostage in negotiations…"
I didn't say anything, just giving her a smug grin. She clicked her tongue again, glaring down at me and I wisely wiped the grin off my face.
"And what makes you think you're such a valuable bargaining chip?" she asked, quirking a brow.
"Well, one, you asked me, so that tells me you want me more than I want me," I pointed out, before grinning again. "Plus, I give great hugs. And now you know I do."
"You are willing to put your life against the fact that you give good hugs?" Grima asked.
"No, against the fact I give great hugs," I corrected her. "Anyone can give a good hug. I give great hugs. You gotta really lean into it."
"Ugh. Yes, yes, fine! I accept your terms!" Grima huffed.
"Great!" I said, clapping my hands and grinning. "Now get the fuck off me, you've been sitting there for at least six hours and I can't feel my legs, like, at all."
Grima scoffed, shaking her head with a chuckle as she climbed up off of me. With a grunt I pushed myself up the tree I was leaning against, struggling to get my numb legs to do as I told them. I hadn't been kidding, I couldn't feel my legs at all and I was no doubt about to get the pins and needles like a bitch. I held myself up with one hand on the tree, carefully rotating my ankles one by one to try and help assist the blood flow returning.
"Okay," I said, my voice strained. "So. We're all buddy-buddy, then. Now what?"
Grima scoffed.
"I… do not actually know," she admitted. "I was expecting you to have an idea."
"Me!?" I laughed. "Ninety percent of my plans are improvisation!"
"So improvise something!" Grima said.
"Why don't you?" I shot back. "You're the god, right? I'm just the… fuck, what am I?"
"I was beginning to think of you as a pet," Grima said with a haughty smirk.
"Careful, I bite," I deadpanned.
"What is it I heard you say so many times? 'Don't threaten me with a good time'?" Grima practically purred.
"Oh, I just knew that was gonna come back to bite me in the ass…" I sighed. "Look, why don't we head for the closest town, take a break and we can decide what to do from there? Not like we're in a hurry or anything."
"A reasonable idea," Grima nodded. "As well as I rested on your lap, Robin's memories tell me that a bed is far more comfortable."
I rolled my eyes.
"Oh sure, blame the victim," I said.
"Okay, so what's the closest town, then?" Grima asked.
"Ugh… still Southtown, but I don't want to head back there so soon," I said, beginning to shake my legs now. "I was thinking maybe Webrook, to the west. We could probably be there before nightfall if we start moving now. I'm guessing you don't want to fly us there?"
"Just because I like you does not mean I am going to let you ride me like a common wyvern," Grima deadpanned.
"Aw, really? You like me?" I asked in a sickly sweet voice.
"Do not make me regret not killing you," she warned.
I blew a raspberry in response.
"Besides, I cannot transform right now, anyway," Grima said, clearly frustrated. "I am stuck in this weak, fleshy human form until I can replenish more of my power."
"Well, if you want to make it to Webrook by tonight you're gonna wanna not drink any more of my blood until I can get a decent meal," I warned. "I'm honestly still a little light headed."
"Trust me, I am in no hurry to repeat that experience," Grima growled, scrunching up her face in disgust. "There must be an easier way. One that does not taste as foul."
"Okay, I'm starting to feel a little insulted here," I pouted.
"It's not my fault you humans taste foul," Grima said.
"I should probably find that encouraging," I sighed.
"Exactly! Look on the bright side!" Grima said, beaming Robin's hundred-watt-smile at me.
"Ugh. When the god of death is saying that to you, you know you've hit rock bottom," I sighed, louder this time, as I ran a hand over my head stubble.
Grima gave a small chuckle, and when I glanced up she had her hands clasped behind her back, a small smile on her face.
"But that's not me anymore," she said softly. "No more 'dark god'. No more 'General of Ylisse'. I'm going to just be Grima, and you're going to just be Ben. And we're going to see what happens."
I smirked a little, finally standing on my own without the aid of the tree.
"That sounds like a good place to start," I said.
On impulse I held out my hand to her. Grima looked at it with a blank expression, and just as I began to drop my hand, internally cursing myself as a dumbass, she slowly, tentatively reached out and took it in one of hers. My smirk grew into a full-blown toothy grin, which Grima returned.
"I look forward to figuring out where we belong in this new world together," I said honestly.
"As do I," Grima nodded. "Do you feel foolish as well right now?"
"Like a total fucking dumbass," I admitted with a laugh.
We dropped our hands and laughed together again.
Then, once we'd finished, we finally set out for Webrook.
I left my daggers where they had fallen, under the old oak tree.
I had no illusions that I wouldn't need a weapon of some sort. But… a clean slate, a new me, needed a fresh start entirely.
I'd just… go back to punching things until I found a suitable replacement.
As we walked through the forest, a thought occurred to me.
"Hey, can you make a bitchin' fiery sword out of a tooth like Naga did?" I asked.
"I… don't actually know," Grima said hesitantly. "I've never tried. Probably? Why?"
"Oh, just asking."
"Ugh. This town stinks."
"They all stink."
"How do you humans live like this?"
"Necessity. Last time I checked, you're human now, too."
"Temporarily. I am temporarily human."
"Well, don't knock it just yet, you might learn to like it."
"What is there to like about having to walk everywhere!?"
"A taught, firm ass."
"…hm. Yes, okay. You have a point."
As she spoke, Grima subtly reached around to pat herself on the ass, nodding with satisfaction. I smirked and shook my head.
The banter had come easily, despite my early misgivings. Grima had a personality almost like a cross between Robin, Lucina and Tiki. Fun, like Robin had been, but repressed like Lucina, and ancient like Tiki. It was an odd combination, and a gross oversimplification, but it was the best I could come up with.
It was easy to forget where we had come from, that we had literally been on opposite sides until yesterday. We had fallen into a rhythm so fast it was as if we had been doing this for years. In a way, with Robin's memories, we had been.
Grima seemed to be truly starved for affection, too; after talking to her this afternoon, I'd decided that she was either telling the truth or was the most accomplished liar I'd ever met. And that was saying something, because I'd been in politics.
We approached Webrook as the sun began to set, the sky turning orange and throwing our shadows out long behind us. Grima frowned, shielding her eyes from the glare.
A few villagers milling about in the center of town, out front of what I'm assuming was either the local tavern or local general store, stopped what they were doing to watch the two ragged newcomers. Objectively, we did look like shit. Grima's clothes were still covered in blood beneath Robin's coat, a huge hole in her shirt over her stomach. I was filthy, covered in Risen ash, my own new coat torn and tattered from near misses during the fight with the Risen. We must have looked quite the sight to these simple villagers.
"Do you think they heard the commotion last night?" Grima asked, smiling menacingly at the villagers.
"Probably," I shrugged indifferently. "It was quite the lightshow. Somebody had to have noticed."
I led us towards the inn at the center of town, across from the large tavern. Webrook wasn't a huge town, but it was on one of the smaller trading routes, so the inn was a decent size and had a respectable reputation.
Well, okay, one of the first army recruits, Eli, had family who ran it, and he swore by it. Still, it looked clean enough, and the building looked sturdy enough. Considering I'd stayed in some really flimsy shit-holes while we'd travelled through Valm, that wasn't really saying much, though.
"We'll stay here for the night," I said, pointing to the inn.
Grima scoffed. "Here? Really?"
"Well, I'm sorry, Your Eminence, but the five-star accommodations are all booked out," I deadpanned.
"Ugh. I suppose I shall suffer through, then," she said, frowning disdainfully. "But if I see one vermin, I am burning this entire town to the ground. And they had better have plenty of pillows. I am not sleeping with one pillow like a pauper."
"Hey," I said, stopping and turning back to her with a glare. "Behave. I want to get a decent feed and a rest, and I can't do that if the town's on fire."
"Yes, yes, fine," Grima sighed, waving her hand dismissively as she passed me. "I shall not burn down the town until you have had your repose."
I smirked, shaking my head as I turned to catch up with her.
In hindsight, I reasoned it probably wasn't entirely appropriate to have a loud conversation about burning a town to the ground in the middle of said town with a large number of its residents watching us, but… well, hindsight is twenty-twenty, as they say.
Although it was pretty obvious now that I wouldn't be getting any discounts at the general store, if the way that the villagers were glaring at us was any indication…
Grima huffed, arms crossed and tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for me at the door to the inn.
"For future reference," I said, jogging to catch up, "Most poor people don't even have pillows."
Grima actually gave a little gasp at this information, apparently legitimately surprised.
"Then how do they sleep!?" she asked.
"Uncomfortably," I said with a grin as I stepped around her into the inn.
The entryway of an inn was pretty much the same no matter where you were in the world. This particular one, being two stories, just went up instead of back. An open reception area just inside the door held a small desk with an old innkeeper sitting behind it. Off to the left, a small lounge area with a bar in a separate room, residents from the town and travelling merchants already sitting and relaxing inside. To the right, a separate dining area for those inclined not to eat in their rooms. To the immediate left of the desk was a staircase that led up to the rooms on the second floor, the remainder of the first floor no doubt taken up by storage, the kitchen and the innkeeper's family's private rooms.
"Good evening," the innkeeper greeted with a flat smile.
"One room, please," I said, approaching the desk. "With a big bed. We've been walking all day and we're beat."
The old man, his beard going from grey to white around the edges, looked us over with a critical eye.
"We got caught in the fighting with the bandits that attacked Southtown," I explained, doing my best to sound exhausted.
"Heard that was some pretty nasty stuff," he commented.
"News travels fast," I said.
"Had a couple of people with relatives in town come over from there last night," he said slowly. "Were all talking about how one bald guy took out all the bandits himself with nothing but a couple of knives."
"Must've been the other guy," I said with a small grin.
The old man grunted, reaching under the desk and pulling out a key hanging off a small board of wood before slapping it down on the countertop.
"It's two silver for the night," he said. "Comes with dinner and breakfast."
I nodded, placing a single gold coin on the table, one of the ones Chrom had paid me for my 'mercenary work'.
"I haven't got anything smaller," I said, shrugging apologetically. "Throw in some travelling supplies and you can keep the change. We'll be gone in the morning."
The old man's hand darted out faster than I would have thought a geezer like him would have been able to move, snatching up the coin with a small nod before I'd even finished speaking. He glanced us up and down again before grunting a second time as I picked up the key.
"I'll see if I've got any clothes in the stuff people've left behind," he said.
"We'd really appreciate that," I nodded gratefully. "Do you mind brining dinner up to our room for us?"
"I'll have it sent up," he nodded, tapping the registry book on the desk. "Just need you to sign in, and you can go up."
I nodded, taking the old quill and quickly scribbling my name down. It took a moment to remember not to put 'Duke' or 'General' before it. I turned to Grima, who was leaning over my shoulder and looking curiously at the book, and I froze.
I turned back to the old innkeeper, giving him my best Chrom-smile.
"Why don't you take a look at those left behind clothes before we head up, save yourself a trip?" I suggested.
He nodded, standing with a small grunt.
"Good idea," he said, waddling off behind the counter.
I spun back to Grima, my eyes wide and alarmed.
"Can I sign it now?" she asked, quirking a brow.
"No," I said.
"Why not?" she pouted.
"We are in Ylisse," I whispered. "A very religious country. A very religious country that worships the Naganite Church. The very antithesis of the Grimleal. People will not take you introducing yourself as 'Grima' very well."
"So? It is my name!" Grima said, rolling her eyes. "Not much I can do about it."
"You need an alias," I said.
"Excuse you!" Grima frowned. "I am the Dark Dragon! I am worshiped as a God of Death and Destruction! I had to kill a lot of people to get that title, and I deserve to be addressed as such!"
I crossed my arms, quirking an eyebrow. Grima froze, her face going slack before she actually began to blush.
"And I am trying to leave all that behind, right," she said awkwardly.
"We can figure that out later," I said quickly. "Even if it's just for tonight, you need a fake name."
"Well? I'm open to suggestions," she said. "And don't you dare suggest calling me 'Robin'!"
"Fine, shit, fuck, fine!" I hissed, wracking my brain. "What about 'Raven'?"
"Raven?" Grima repeated, rolling the name over in her mouth, as if trying it on for size. "Raven… Raven…"
"Yeah, Raven," I went on. "Like a bigger, meaner, darker Robin. Also my favourite Teen Titan, but that's anecdotal. So? Raven?"
Grima nodded, taking the quill from me and, in surprisingly neat and elegant handwriting, jotting down the name 'Raven' just underneath where I'd written 'Ben'.
"It will suffice for now," she said softly, her cheeks darkening a little again as she gave a surprisingly gentle smile.
"Oh my god, I'm alive again," I groaned, collapsing backwards onto the bed.
It was about two hours later now, and the sun had set. Our room, the last at the end of the hall on the second floor, was illuminated by a few waxy candles, the fluttering flames casting a surreal ambience over the space. After eating a hearty meal of stew, washing with the tub of water I'd brought up from the well behind the inn and heated with my pathetic little fire magic, and now wearing clean clothes the innkeeper had brought up, with an ale in me, too, I felt like a million bucks again.
The empty mug rolled away from my hand as I took another deep breath, the scent of the clean straw beneath the sheets that made up the mattress thick and heady in the enclosed space.
Across from me Grima sighed and leaned back in her chair, resting one elbow on the small writing desk that was the only other furniture in the room as she crossed her left leg over her right.
"Yes, that was far more satisfying than having to drink your blood," Grima said.
"I should hope so, you ate two whole bowls," I scoffed.
I lifted my head just enough to glance at her over top of my chest.
"So it restored some more of your power?" I asked.
"I… do not believe so," she said, looking down at her hand with a furrowed brow. "Although this human body feels far less heavy and sluggish now that it is fed and cleaned. I am afraid that I may have to… ugh… consume more life if I want to restore my power."
"I mean, we haven't really tried any other options," I pointed out, letting my head fall backwards onto the bed again. "You ever use a Nosferatu spell? That might do something."
"Do you have a Nosferatu tome hidden somewhere I don't know about?" Grima asked, quirking one brow.
"Hey, I'm just spit-balling here," I said defensively.
"What?"
"It means I'm just coming up with ideas," I explained with a sigh.
"Well, you are from a different world, yes?" Grima asked. "Surely your people had ways to absorb life over there."
"Yeah, I'm from a world of technology, not magic," I said, waving my hand through the air above me. "Machines, not mysticism."
"Well, even if they are only old legends, I'm sure there's something," Grima huffed. "You were the one that came up with the blood idea, after all."
I groaned, my hand moving to my bandaged wrist as I thought.
"Well… uh…" I mumbled, my cheeks darkening.
I heard Grima shift as she sat up.
"You do have another idea!" she accused. "Tell me! Tell me immediately!"
"You won't like it," I said, sitting up myself.
Grima placed her hands on her knees, glowering at me.
"Tell me," she repeated.
"Okay, uh, well, there's stories about getting, um, life energy from, ah… well…" I stammered awkwardly.
"Spit it out already!" Grima snapped.
"From fuckin'," I said defeatedly. "There's stories about being able to absorb life energy from a man's seed, there, ya happy now? Fucking Fate-stay-night-bullshit, knew it'd come back to haunt me…"
Grima went quiet, her eyes narrowing a little as she stared at me. A few moments went by and I felt myself beginning to sweat before she spoke again.
"How many stories?" she asked, deadly serious.
"Oh fuck me, are you serious?" I groaned, face-palming.
"Maybe. How many stories?" she repeated.
"I don't know!" I exclaimed. "Two off the top of my head! One bullshit religion! Are you really gonna take this seriously!?"
"Tell me about this religion," she demanded, leaning forward.
I swallowed heavily at the way her red eyes seemed to glow in the candlelight.
"Oh my god you're actually taking this seriously," I moaned, shaking my head before clearing my throat. "Okay, fine. It's called 'LaVeyan Satanism'. Magic rituals are performed using sex and the moment of climax to generate power instead of blood sacrifices in more traditional Satanism. It's all bullshit, Grima."
"There is always a kernel of truth in every lie," Grima went on. "What is 'Satanism'?"
"The worship of the deity Satan," I said blandly.
"Elaborate," she demanded.
"Ugh. Think you, except big, red and with goat legs," I said dismissively. "Big bad evil for Christianity, another major religion in my home world. Most often considered the ruler of Hell, the underworld. Is most likely an amalgamation of numerous proto-Christian deifications of death, used as a symbol of fear and loathing by the Christians and as a symbol of freedom and all the fun shit that Christianity says is bad by Satanists. And that is all a very abridged version of hundreds of years of dogma."
Grima nodded slowly, a small grin rising to her face.
"I like the sound of this 'Satan'," she said.
"He's fake, like every other god," I deadpanned.
"I'm sitting right here," Grima deadpanned right back.
"You can die, and your power isn't limitless," I pointed out. "By very definition, that excludes you from being a god."
"Tell that to the Plegians," Grima scoffed.
Grima went quiet again, staring into space as she considered what I'd said. I just sat quietly, waiting for her to either laugh at me or kill me.
"Tell me, how did you know your blood would be able to sustain me?" she asked suddenly.
"I didn't," I admitted.
"Explain," she insisted.
I let out a long sigh, leaning back on my arms.
"Fine. There's stories of demonic creatures in my home world, vampires, that take sustenance from drinking blood," I explained. "Also, as I stated before, traditional Satanism, as well as a lot of pre-Christian religions, used blood sacrifice in rituals. Human and otherwise. It's also a popular trope in media where I'm from for 'blood magic' to be powerful and corrupting, much like Dark Magic here. So I took a gamble."
"Very well," Grima said, standing. "Then we are going to have sex."
I sat up, leaning forward a little and looking Grima dead in the eyes.
"Please tell me you didn't just say that."
"I did."
"I decline."
"I wasn't asking."
We glared at each other for a moment, locked in a war of wills to see who would break first.
I reeled back, eyes going wide as I sucked in a deep breath.
"Help! Help! I need an adult!" I started to shout.
Apparently, I was the one who broke first.
Grima surged forward, pushing me down and covering my mouth with one hand as she loomed over me, her eyes actually glowing this time as she climbed atop me.
"You will give me your seed!" she growled.
"You can't even buy me dinner first?" I asked around her hand.
"You just ate!" she snapped.
"I do not consent!" I sobbed.
"I do not care!" Grima responded.
"Can't we just cuddle!?" I begged.
"This was your idea!" Grima pointed out.
"I didn't mean with me!" I shot back.
"I don't have anyone else!" Grima shouted.
I went silent this time as Grima panted above me, both of us looking into each-other's eyes. I hadn't noticed before, but she was actually blushing very heavily right now, her eyes moist.
"I don't… trust anyone else," Grima went on.
I slowly reached up and pulled Grima's hand off my face. When she let me, I wriggled out from underneath her and sat up, facing her.
"You have known me for a day," I said patiently. "Before that, we spent literal years trying to kill each other. Suddenly, I'm the only person you trust, and now… now you want to… have sex with me."
"Don't get me wrong!" Grima said, holding up both hands. "If I weren't in such desperate need of some method to return even a fraction of my power I would never even think of copulating with a filthy human!"
"Fuck you, I just bathed," I pouted.
"Besides, I am a god!" Grima went on, speaking quickly. "Most men would be overjoyed to be my partner! You should be grateful!"
"Nice tsundere," I said, quirking a brow.
Grima reached out, hesitantly resting one hand on my chest, suddenly very meek.
"Please," she said. "I feel so… weak. So helpless without any of my power. I will try anything to get it back, any ideas you have, no matter how degrading. Please, just… don't make me kill any more."
I sighed and rolled my eyes, leaning forward to take her hand in one of mine, holding it to my chest.
"I'm not making you do anything," I said. "That's the point. You have Robin's memories. You know how intimate an act sex is to humans. It's not just mating."
"Yes, I have Robin's memories," Grima smiled sadly, looking down. "Which means I know exactly what I'm asking. I know it must be horrible, the thought of… of sex with a disgusting creature like me-"
"Oh for fuck's sake…" I said, rolling my eyes and leaning forward and resting my forehead against hers. "You look exactly like Robin. Who, I'm gonna be honest, is still the most attractive woman I've ever met. Period. So don't call yourself disgusting."
"So why…" Grima practically whispered.
"I'm afraid of getting close to you," I admitted, closing my eyes. "I'm afraid of getting close to anyone. It don't get much closer than bumping uglies."
"You just called me beautiful, though," Grima chuckled.
"It's a figure of speech."
"I know."
We sat like that for a time, resting against each other, Grima in my lap again, our foreheads pressed against each other, our breath mingling we were so close.
"I don't love you," I said honestly.
"I know. I don't love you either."
"This is just an experiment. To see if my theory works."
"You mean… you mean you will… with me?" Grima asked hesitantly.
I answered her by leaning forward a little more, brushing my lips against hers. She gasped, leaning into the contact and reaching up to hold my shirt in bunched fists. Slowly, I pushed the coat off her shoulders, Robin's old coat, before she finally had to release me so I could pull it off and cast it to the side. We came up for air, Grima's face blushing so heavily you could barely see the eye-markings on her cheeks now. Slowly, she reached up, gently rubbing the pads of her fingers across her lips.
"Well?" I asked.
"Does… does all of it feel like that?" she asked.
"You have Robin's memories," I pointed out with a lopsided grin. "She would know."
"Her memories are muted," Grima admitted. "Like reading a book, or watching a play. I see her, but I don't… feel."
I reached out again, stroking her cheek and running the pad of my thumb across her bottom lip before cradling the side of her face as I leaned forward again. Grima took a shuddering breath, her heavily-lidded eyes closing as she leaned into the kiss this time, and I pulled her backwards on top of me.
We fell back onto the bed, Grima squirming atop me to get comfortable. She gasped as she ground against me, and I used the opportunity to deepen the kiss, our tongues intertwining as Grima let out a small, mewling sound that was so very Robin it almost made me clench my jaw shut.
Somehow, she ended up straddling my hips as we made out, and as her breath became hotter and hotter I slid my hands down her sides, until I found the bottom of her shirt. Slowly, so I didn't startle her, I ran my hands back up her sides from the inside, her skin perfectly smooth and unblemished to the touch as I slowly pushed her shirt up.
We broke apart again as I pulled the shirt off over her head, her white hair spilling free with a shake as she leaned back down. I surprised her by sitting up a little, tugging my own shirt off over my head.
Grima reeled back, eyes wide as she studied my bare torso.
"There's… less scars than I would have thought," she said breathlessly.
"When I got sent back, they got erased," I said, drawing her back to me with a hand on her hip. "Don't know how. Don't care why. You look beautiful."
Grima smiled shyly as she pressed her body against mine, her pert, firm breasts mashing against my chest as she leaned up for another deep kiss, wrapping her arms around the back of my neck as I held her closer with both hands on her hips. Slowly, as we kissed, I ground my hips into hers atop me. She gasped, her back jolting from the sudden stimulation.
"That felt good," she breathed.
"That was just the beginning," I grinned, capturing her lips with my own again.
While we kissed I busied by hands elsewhere, slowly undoing the knot of her belt with one while I let the other trail down to cup her ass through her pants, eliciting another pleased shudder against me. Soon I was pushing her back off of me, Grima giving an irritated, reluctant groan.
"Why are we stopping?" she asked.
"Pants," I said, pointing down. "We're not getting them off sitting like this."
"Right, right, pants," Grima nodded, quickly scooting off me.
She actually fumbled with her belt for a moment, before realising I'd already undone it. I chuckled a little at that, and she shot a weak glare over her shoulder back at me, pausing with her pants around her thighs.
"How did you already get your pants off!?" she asked in amazement.
I reclined on the bed, totally naked except for the grin I wore.
"Practice," I said, propping my head up with one hand.
Grima let out a small growl as she shucked her pants, kicking off her socks as well. Then she spun in place, practically pouncing back on me. We both laughed as I let the momentum carry me back onto my back, and Grima swung one leg back up over top of me, leaning over me again.
"Now?" she asked, a wide, innocent grin on her face.
"Hm?" I hummed, feigning ignorance.
Grima laughed, leaning down to plant a small, gentle kiss on my lips.
"What now?" she repeated.
"Well, since you asked so nicely…" I said, trailing off.
I reached down, pulling Grima up higher onto my lap as I sat up. She gave a small, surprised yelp, pressing her entire body against mine now and seeming to relish in the contact. Carrying her, I scooted back until I rested against the simple headboard of the bed, so I wouldn't have to hold myself up. Grima fidgeted her way down a little to get comfortable, gasping as she found my erection pressed against her now. She drew back, arching her back and looking down with wide eyes.
"That goes inside, right?" she asked, a small quiver in her voice.
"Hey, this was your idea," I reminded her.
"No, it was your idea," she pouted. "Will… will it hurt?"
"Grima, you took this body from Robin, who was most assuredly not a virgin," I pointed out. "And I can already feel how wet you've gotten just sitting there. No, it will not hurt unless one of us makes it hurt."
"You promise?" Grima asked, looking up from beneath her lashes.
"Yes, Grima," I laughed, pulling her close again for another kiss.
She pulled back after only a few moments, grinning impishly.
"It's 'Raven' now, remember?" she said playfully.
"Well, then, 'Raven'," I said, trailing off as I placed both hands on her hips and lifted her a little. "Tell me if this hurts."
She sucked in a breath as I placed myself at her entrance, then slowly began lowering her onto me. To my surprise, I slid inside with absolutely no resistance. I think Grima might have been surprised, too, if she hadn't been too busy moaning into and drooling on my shoulder.
"By all of the elder gods what is this feeling!?" she gasped. "And you didn't want to do this!?"
I smirked, answering by rocking my hips instead of speaking. Grima let out another broken gasp as she began to rock with me, our movements quickening, her gasps quickly becoming moans. Rather than let her continue to speed up, though, I held us steady at a good rhythm, nudging her head up off my shoulder. She sat up again, mouth open and gasping, red eyes glowing again as she looked down at me, her brow furrowed in pleasure. I lifted one hand off her hips and pulled the bands out of her hair, allowing the long white strands to cascade down over her shoulders. Grima almost purred as she leaned in for a deep, long kiss, quickly realizing that if she wanted to keep panting like that she'd have to limit herself on that front. I grinned up at her as she rested her forehead against mine again, closing her eyes as we continued to grind back and forth.
"Th-this… this feels good…" she gasped.
"Good," I nodded.
"Wh-when… when does the… magic… the seed…" she mumbled, having trouble stringing a sentence together.
I shushed her and leaned up for another kiss, which she returned hungrily.
"You'll know when it does, 'Raven'," I told her.
"I feel something," she whimpered.
"Don't fight it," I told her. "Relax, Raven. Enjoy it."
As I spoke I let one of my hands drift around in front, in between our two bodies, and pressed my fingers against her body's most sensitive point. Grima actually yelped again, almost jumping off me, but I held her firm with my other hand on her hip, grinning as I started to massage her with my fingers.
Grima shuddered atop me, three great shocks running through her core as she tightened almost painfully around me, driving me over the edge as well. Her fingernails dug into my back, raking painfully across the top of my shoulders as she threw her head back and screamed with pleasure, and I felt an odd, draining sensation.
I blinked a few times, the mind-numbing rush of orgasm being overcome by the sensation of losing something.
"Ugh… Gr… Raven, stop," I gasped, tapping her hip where my hand was still resting. "Raven! Fucking… Grima, I think… you're about to kill me… stop! Stop!"
She shuddered in response, the feeling abating as she leaned forward onto my chest again. I gasped a deep breath, panting as I began to feel again.
I was spent. I could go ten rounds with Nowi without feeling this exhausted.
"Please tell me that worked," I said weakly.
Grima moaned against me, nestling closer against me. She glanced up at me with an amorous smile before closing her eyes and readjusting her position against me.
"That felt… wonderful," she sighed.
"But did it work?" I repeated.
"You didn't enjoy it?" she asked, looking back up at me.
"No, that was great," I admitted. "But we had a purpose here, remember?"
Grima smiled again, nestling back against my shoulder with a contented sigh. She blinked when she was comfortable, holding up one hand and narrowing her eyes a little. A purple, dark flame began to dance around the appendage, and she laughed excitedly.
"It worked!" she laughed. "It actually worked! I feel almost three times stronger than when I drank your blood!"
"Great, good, I'm glad," I mumbled, feeling my consciousness ebb.
The last thing I knew was my head dropping forwards against Grima's, and the small, indignant sound she made at the bump. Then, all was darkness.
AN: Whoops, totally forgot to upload this on the 14th! Off to a great start, huh? I was too busy panicking about being late with the latest chapter, I was distracted. Anyway, how we doing? Now y'all see what this story is really about! The fuckin'. XD
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