Chapter Text
Behind the Speaker’s Chamber was a small room. Once filled with historical mementos, spanning centuries from all tribes, it now laid nearly empty save for a few simple items: A bed, a table, an easel with a canvas, and a single book weathered from time.
The only sound to be heard was the faint swiping of a paintbrush held by the sole individual occupying the room, the Pyro Archon herself.
It was the eve of the final battle against The Abyss, and this was to be her final project.
She had little practice, but what she had in abundance was focus and dedication. No one would dare claim she was lacking in either. Her plan had been in motion for five hundred years. Every step was meticulously outlined. Everything was in place. In fact, she had considered herself fortunate. The only unexpected variables had come in the form of noble allies, both The Traveler and a Fatui Harbinger going only by the title of ‘The Captain’.
The war had cost too many lives, but had they not been present, so many more would have been lost.
The noble Traveler was even going to join her in the Night Kingdom to strike at the heart of The Abyss. She had planned on going alone. She had accepted it long ago.
Just like she accepted her death along with it.
She couldn’t help but smile to herself at the thought; A hero who had no ties to Natlan was still choosing to be by her side at the finale. She wouldn’t be alone after all.
The Archon was shaken out of that contemplative state upon hearing a knock at the door.
“Come in!” She called out in her usual welcoming tone.
The golden-haired Traveler peeked in, as if he was still hesitant to disturb her despite her greeting.
“Traveler!” She addressed him warmly, placing down her brush and taking a few steps toward the door to meet him. “What can I do for you?”
Aether gave a light laugh, stepping into the room holding a large tray. Upon it was an assortment of food, from barbeque to roasted vegetables, as well as a large bottle.
“Heh, always so accommodating. I admire that… But you don’t have to do anything for me. I actually came to do something for you. Everyone I’ve talked to said they haven’t seen you all day. I… wanted to make sure you got some dinner.” He explained, holding up the tray.
“Ah… Dinner. Is it really that late?” She chuckled, “That’s extremely kind of you. Thank you…”
Aether placed the tray on the table before turning back to the Archon. “Oh, and if there’s anything missing here, let me know and I’ll be happy to grab it for you.”
“Hmm, would this dinner come with your company, by any chance?” She offered a calm smile which Aether returned in kind.
“Yeah… I’d be happy to join you.”
The Archon motioned to the seats. “Paimon isn’t joining us?”
“She’s uh, asleep already. Let’s just say she has been taking up everyone on their constant offers of near-endless free food.”
“Haha, I’m glad to hear that, actually. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to properly repay you for all your help. The least we can do is feed you. The people of Natlan take a lot of pride in their cuisine, so they’re more than happy to see you enjoy it.”
“They’ve been very very generous. Perhaps too generous. I’m going to have to roll her out of here when we leave.” Aether’s tone softened at the last few words, the reality of having to soon part beginning to settle in.
Mavuika picked up on it easily. “Don’t dwell on that too much. You’re here right now and for that I’m thankful. Oh, and sorry in advance, but I’m a bit of a messy eater. Probably a stark contrast to that of Fontaine’s Archon. I imagine she’s a very proper lady.”
Aether couldn’t hold back a hefty laugh. “That’s right. I haven’t had a chance to tell you about her yet. It’s… an incredible story…”
Mavuika’s mouth hung open as Aether finished recounting his adventures in Fontaine. Aether paused for a moment as he observed her expression.
“You going to swallow that?”
“Mmh!” Mavuika was startled out of her trance, covering her mouth as she finished chewing her food. “Sorry! I just… That’s amazing. So that’s what you meant when you said you had done something ‘crazier in Fontaine’. No wonder you weren’t that worried about The Heavenly Principles bothering me for breaking the sky. The very throne of the Hydro Archon, gone forever. A fully-fledged dragon sovereign. A human having to pretend to be an Archon for five hundred years.
I thought my plan was bold. I had no idea. I never met Egeria or Focalors. If you think it would ever bring her any comfort, please tell Furina that her unwavering will and desire to protect her nation gives me a respect for her that I struggle to put into words. As a human and Archon, I feel especially qualified to say she is an exceptional example of both.”
“It’s not really a well-known fact, so I’d appreciate it if you kept it a secret. But the other Archons know, so it’s only fair that you do, too.
But anyway, now it’s your turn to tell me a story.” Aether said as he gave an expectant smirk.
She thought for a moment, then shifted her gaze to the book upon the bed. “How about I show you something instead?”
She stood from her chair, making her way over to the bed and sitting on the edge, gingerly taking the book into her hands before motioning for Aether to join her.
“Looks like quite an old book…” He commented as he took a seat beside her. Mavuika lightly brushed the faded cover with her fingers.
“Not too long ago, a young girl approached me and gave this to me. Said it had been kept in her family for generations… It… belonged to my sister, Hine.”
She flipped it open with the utmost care, smiling fondly as she observed the contents of the pages and tilting it toward Aether. It was full of architectural designs and concepts, impressive not only in their creativity and practicality, but also for the superb artistic skill displayed.
“...This is… extraordinary.” Aether praised. Though the contents of the book were awe-inspiring, he couldn’t help but frequently shift his gaze back to Mavuika. She looked so proud. It was probably the happiest he had seen her.
She hummed in agreement, eventually flipping to a page where a small paper frog rested. “She made this bookmark for me, all those years ago. I couldn’t believe it survived so long intact. I had nothing left of my family before this. It was a miracle that I was able to get any information about my sister at all. So… to have a physical reminder of her existence and her accomplishments… It’s a blessing.”
“A fitting start to rebuilding your collection.” Aether spoke softly, looking back down. Mavuika set the book aside and finally turned back to him, tiling her head slightly. Suddenly he felt her gloved fingers brush against the side of his cheek, urging their eyes to meet again.
“It’s all right, Aether. You don’t have to pretend. It’s not hard to sense that you already know of my fate.”
“I’m not pretending. It will be your collection again because you’re not dying tomorrow.” He spoke with conviction. Mavuika believed him, or rather, she believed he believed it.
“You’re a remarkable person who has done remarkable things, but I’m afraid this is set in stone. No one else can pay the debt I owe. I’ve known this ever since I used the Ruler of Death’s power. It’s all right. I’ve made my peace with it.”
“It’s not all right! You deserve to live in the Natlan that you helped save…”
“I will, in some form. Just not this one. I know it doesn’t seem fair, but unfortunately fair is exactly what it is. I should not be alive in this era but I am because of borrowed power. It wasn’t given freely and I cannot keep it.” Mavuika continued, doing her best to speak in a reassuring tone.
“Well, I’m not going to let it happen without doing something.”
“Aether, you’ve already done so much for Natl-”
“What if I want to do something for you?” He interrupted, momentarily catching the Archon off-guard.
Mavuika just gazed at him for a few moments. The genuinity in his voice - the very real desire to help her and not just her nation - sent an unexpected pulse of warmth through her.
How did she get so lucky as to have him fall into her life right at the culmination of everything she worked for? All he had done. All he would still do. And refusing to give up on her on top of it all. What more could she possibly ask of him?
Perhaps there was still one thing…
“It… might not be saving my life, but if you really will allow me to make a selfish request… Well, it might seem a bit silly…”
“Anything. I won’t find it silly, I promise.” He placed his hand upon hers, giving it a light squeeze of assurance.
“I’ve always been wholly dedicated to Natlan first and foremost… So romance was never in the cards. Never even had a single date or a kiss. But since I might not get any more chances… and there’s a kind, honorable, handsome man here who I just had a dinner date with…
Perhaps he’d… like to kiss me, too?”
Aether immediately flushed red. He nearly asked if she was messing with him, but her enchanting sun-shaped eyes glittered with both playfulness and sincerity. He swallowed and took a deep breath before giving a very decisive answer.
“Absolutely.”
Mavuika offered a gentle smile as she felt his hand reach out to her, brushing against her cheek lightly before slipping behind her neck. They both leaned in and closed the gap between them until their lips met in a tender kiss.
It was such a simple gesture, all things considered, yet it made her heart flutter more than she could possibly have predicted. It urged her to be bold, moving on instinct and parting her lips to deepen the kiss further. To her delight, Aether responded in kind, accepting her without hesitation and seemingly in no hurry to pull away. He was warm. Present. Real. And completely focused on her.
When they finally did part, they both took a much needed breath. Mavuika could easily feel the heat in her face.
“I must be blushing like a schoolgirl…” She laughed quietly. “Thank you, Aether. That was delightful.”
“Y-yeah, no thanks necessary. I liked it, too…”
Mavuika initially thought she had simply wanted to experience a kiss, but the way her entire body responded was forcing her to confront some emotions that had been buried much deeper. As she continued to observe the golden-haired Traveler, she knew now that there was more to it than that. It wasn’t that she had wanted any kiss, she had wanted his kiss.
Aether fidgeted awkwardly as his eyes shifted off to nothing in particular, unsure of where to go from here. He was struggling with his own conflicting emotions. She had been on his mind a lot since he came to Natlan. Probably to an unhealthy degree. The kiss was stirring up the feelings he had been trying to keep to himself. Suddenly he felt Mavuika scoot even closer, her thigh pressing against his.
“...Is it greedy of me to want another?” She breathed against his ear, the words sufficient enough to bring his eyes back to hers. The desire in them was unmistakable, and he was loath to keep her wanting.
Their lips connected again. Mavuika had gotten a taste and now she demanded more of him. All of him. Her arms wrapped around him in an effort to get his body as close to hers as possible, and Aether was happy to return the embrace.
Tongues met as their lips opened, the new degree of passion coaxing a low growl from Mavuika that Aether reveled in. It didn’t matter that they both were new to this because any awkwardness was drowned out by their growing appetite for each other.
Without even realizing it, Aether had lowered her onto the bed, finding himself hovering over her once their lips parted. Hearts raced as they looked upon each other’s flushed visage.
“S-sorry, I-”
Mavuika cut him off with another kiss, though she kept this one short in order to catch his gaze once more.
“Don’t apologize… I want to keep going…” She smirked before using her teeth to pull off her gloves. Once her hands were free, she reached up to caress his cheek. “Please stay with me, Aether. Let me experience just being a woman for tonight. Don’t treat me like an Archon. Treat me like I’m yours…”
Aether looked down at her, entranced by her beauty; The way her sun-like eyes glowed in the dim phlogiston-powered torchlight… The way her majestic red and orange hair flowed beneath her like a series of fiery rivers… and the way she bit her lower lip in a manner so seductive that threatened to stop his heart.
“I’d be honored…”
Mavuika had been hoping for that answer, and now that she had it, she wasted no time taking Aether’s cheeks in her hands and pulling him down into another wanton kiss. She felt like the dam in her mind that had been holding back centuries of unattended desires had burst open, and Aether was going to receive all of it.
She hoped this sudden rush of enthusiasm wouldn’t overwhelm the poor boy, but she couldn’t bring herself to hold back. Already her hands were grabbing at his clothes, eager to get at bare skin, and once his chest was freed she wasted no time in running her fingers over every delicious inch of him.
They continued to share passionate kisses for a while, savoring each other’s taste, until Mavuika spun Aether onto his back. Now straddling him, she took a good long look at the golden prize beneath her.
“Really wish I had done this sooner…” She whispered, almost as if she was speaking more to herself than anything. She carelessly discarded the sleeves of her outfit before bringing a hand back to her chest. Her finger teasingly tapped at the top of the long zipper of the outfit that always seemed to struggle to keep her contained.
Aether swallowed, hypnotized by the way she looked at him with expectant, half-lidded eyes. When he didn’t move fast enough, she grabbed one of his hands and placed it on the zipper head, hoping her clear approval would shake him out of the trance and boost his confidence.
It succeeded as slowly he pulled it down, gradually revealing more of the exquisite body above him - From the spectacular cleavage of her generous breasts, to her well-maintained toned stomach and abs. Mavuika couldn’t help but giggle at the way he looked at her with mouth agape.
“Like what you see so far?”
“Y-yeah, you’re beyond beautiful… It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but... I kind of daydreamed about doing that a few times…” Aether muttered bashfully, his hand having paused.
“Mmm, I'm glad tonight isn't just for me, then. What else happened in these daydreams...?” Mavuika spoke seductively, hoping to hear more about that quiet desire he had been keeping from her.
“Well, the zipper was only the start of getting that outfit off of you…”
Mavuika suddenly pushed down into another fierce kiss. Her growing intensity implied that she was getting impatient. She caught Aether’s lip in her teeth as she growled, whispering against him.
“So stop hesitating. Take it off.”
Her words were just what was needed to embolden him. He tucked his fingers into the leather material and began to peel it down her body. Her impressive breasts were soon freed from their confines, with their pink nipples hardening upon exposure to the cool air. She watched him the entire time, basking in the way he looked upon her with reverence. A low rumble unconsciously escaped her throat as her arousal spiked sharply.
Mavuika, calm down, girl. How are you this wet already? He’s barely started touching you…
Her inner voice was ignored. Calming down was impossible at this point. She shifted her body once he reached her hips, enthusiastically assisting him to pull the rest of her suit off of her legs before discarding it with as little care as the rest of her clothing.
Aether’s eyes drank in the sight of Mavuika’s completely naked body once again straddling him, save for her black and gold collar. His hands first rested upon her thighs before ever-so-slowly moving up her magnificent form. She couldn’t help but let out a little whine at his languid movements, but she was enjoying having her body worshipped like this.
“I can't believe you were going to let all this perfection go completely unappreciated…” He spoke, nearly frozen in awe.
Some part of her mind knew she was touch starved, but the way Aether’s fingers left trails of heavenly fire wherever they ventured proved that she had no idea just how badly she needed this.
“Appreciate me, then… and don’t stop.”
A soft moan escaped her once Aether’s hands finally found her breasts. His palms ran all over them, making sure to savor their size to the fullest. He didn’t want to rush. This was a sight no one had ever seen, and if the worst case scenario truly occurred, it could be the last time she’d ever be on display. Everything about her deserved to be burned into his memory with as much care and detail as possible.
Impatience was getting the better of her. Her body shuffled back so she could finally remove his pants to leave him just as naked as her. Her sun-shaped eyes shined with hunger as his fully erect cock immediately bounced free.
“Oh wow…” She uttered softly, shifting back to straddling him as she began to give him long, full strokes. Aether couldn’t hold back a light moan, watching as she swiped the fluid at the tip of his cock with her thumb. His eyes widened as she brought it to her lips and licked it, letting out a small, pleased hum.
“Mavuika…”
“This… is gonna go pretty deep, huh… Well, I’ve never shied away from a challenge before and I’m certainly not going to stop now~”
Mavuika slowly and deliberately slid her soaked pussy along his shaft, eliciting a small moan from them both as she lubricated him with her juices. Aether shuddered at the sight of her dripping with anticipation, taking pride in the fact that she was this wet for him.
“Y’know, I’ve been hoping to take you for a ride on my bike, but right now all I can think of is taking you for a ride…”
“Y-you’re sure getting into the swing of things quickly… N-not that I’m complaining!” Aether chuckled a bit nervously. Mavuika just grinned down at him.
“What can I say? You’re… very inspiring~” She purred lustfully. “Gods, I want to fuck you…”
Aether’s breath hitched at her words. He had yet to experience her use any vulgar language at all and now she was using it to express her lascivious desires towards him. It made his cock throb against her, making it clear he was just as excited as she was.
“Tonight you can have whatever you want…” He whispered, reaching up to cup her cheek, letting his thumb gently caress it in an assuring manner.
She leaned down, pressing a light, tender kiss upon his lips. “Just you. Only you.”
Mavuika sat back, pushing up on her legs and grasping his cock once more to line it up with her entrance. Their eyes locked to wordlessly express that they were both ready, and with that she sank down upon him.
A moan escaped her as she felt her virgin passage stretch open to accommodate him. Her body was woefully unfamiliar with this as she almost never took time to satiate sexual desires even by herself. It did not hurt, at least not much. Whatever minor degree of pain there might be was entirely offset by how much of a relief it was to finally have him inside her. There was no pause in her movements until their hips were flush together, having taken every inch until he felt his cockhead kiss her deepest parts.
“S-so full… It’s like you were made for me…” She smiled down at Aether who looked like his breath had been taken away. For him, it felt that way. The snug fit of her pussy, the heat that surrounded him, and the absolute beauty of seeing her on top of him as they were finally connected… All of it was overwhelming in the best way possible.
“You’re so gorgeous…” He murmured, reaching out to take some of her fiery hair in one hand and twirling it in his fingers. It radiated warmth as if he had been holding his hand out in the sun. Comforting, not painful in the least.
“As are you, especially beneath me like this…” Mavuika rocked her hips, stirring him inside her before pushing herself up, only to again impale herself on his thick cock all at once. They both moaned in sync, with Aether reaching out to grasp her hips instinctively.
He helped assist her in starting a steady rhythm as he gazed upon her like some holy relic - The way her large breasts bounced with her movements… The way her hair swayed with every rise and fall… The way her eyes literally glowed in the dim light. It was hard not to see her as the goddess she truly was.
Mavuika’s soft gasps gradually turned to moans as she felt pleasure course through her unlike anything she had ever imagined. And the way Aether looked at her so adoringly enhanced it all. Her heart swelled with affection… but it also ached with the knowledge that this would be their only night together. Had she really found a destined partner on the eve of her death?
Her mind flashed with images of what a life with him could be like. Maybe he had been right. This wasn’t fair…
Aether could see a shimmer of tears welling in her eyes and he reached up to brush some of the wetness away with his thumbs. One of her hands came to rest upon his as she smiled down at him lovingly.
“It’s okay. I’m here.” Was all he said, but it was more than enough to ground her in the moment and dispel those darker thoughts. This night was for them, and she was blessed to have it.
Now properly refocused, Mavuika started to ride him harder and faster. Aether savored the way the mostly empty room made the echoes of her moans surround him, serving to further heighten the intense pleasure surging through him. Both of them were rapidly approaching their peak, but he wouldn’t let go without her. He reached out for her hands, intertwining their fingers as the pleasure built and built.
“S-shit… Ah!~ Ahh… It’s… so fucking good, Aether… I… I can’t-” Only a few more broken syllables escaped her until finally she spasmed around him, her head arching back as she let out a blissful scream.
She was the Pyro Archon. No one was more familiar with fire than she was. But the supernova that exploded through every nerve at this moment was a paradise beyond even her wildest dreams. She rode out her orgasm fervently and when the euphoria finally felt like it might begin to ebb, she felt him erupt into her depths like a volcano, sending her right back into the heights of pleasure.
Her insides clenched, squeezing every drop out of him that she could, until finally the ecstasy began to slowly subside. She fell forward and Aether wasted no time wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. Their hearts pounded against each other in sync as they took harsh breaths, trembling in the aftershocks of their shared high before calm finally started to wash over them.
Aether placed soft, comforting kisses along her cheek all while stroking her hair and back in a soothing manner. For a short while they simply enjoyed being in each other’s arms, listening to the serene sounds of their breaths in the otherwise silent room.
“Aether… Thank you…” She spoke softly, snuggling against his form. He moved for a tender kiss which she happily accepted.
“Heh, you gotta stop thanking me… This was amazing. You’re amazing…”
“Mmm, I won’t ever stop thanking you. But if you want a compromise, you can thank me as well…” She giggled. Aether chuckled with her, offering another light kiss.
“Very well… Thank you, Mavuika.”
She strengthened her grip upon him, nuzzling into his neck as she sighed in contentment. He held her close, placing soothing kisses on the top of her head.
“Don’t let me go tonight.” She whispered.
Aether tightened his hold upon her in response.
“Never.”