Chapter Text
The air rushed out from Mei in one heavy breath. She watched in impassive silence as the Husk-Nihilius quickly disintegrated before her eyes. Her shoulders still stung from the heavy blow she had to deflect from the fight earlier. It was finally done—the lightning coursing through her veins was proof that she was slowly regaining her powers.
Warmth radiated from the woman who stood beside her. Like her, Kiana was back in her herrscher battlesuit. It was the first time she saw her in it up close. For Mei, Kiana looked like a handsome knight as the Herrscher of Flamescion.
She could clearly remember that momentous day in the Theater of Domination, when Kiana conquered her demons and finally transcended beyond. Even from afar, she had shone so brightly, so fiercely. The goddess of fire reborn. It took most of Mei’s will not to go to her, to not bask in the warmth of Kiana’s light even just for a brief moment—to be under that white comet as she sundered the darkness with her blinding light.
Mei chuckled at her sentimental thoughts.
“What?” Kiana asked, looking at Mei with a curious tilt of her head.
“Nothing. I just think that you really fulfilled your dreams of being a knight with that battlesuit.”
Kiana flashed her a grin. That grin that could show and hide so much. “So, what can you say about this battlesuit?”
Words wanted to spill from her lips—dashing, radiant, handsome, beautiful. But the only word she could mutter was, “perfect”.
Kiana’s grin softened to something that Mei had not seen for a long time. To a smile usually directed at her in the quiet darkness of their room as they bid each other good night before settling in each other’s arms.
“Your Herrscher powers seemed to have come back,” Mei said, filling the silence that settled between them.
“So have yours.”
Mei clenched her fist. Yes, she could feel her powers slowly coming back, but she felt like there was something still missing. “Me? Not fully, but I guess it’s much better than when I came here.”
Kiana opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, a strange shift, like the air was being torn at the seams, distracted both of them. A mass of light appeared where the imaginary construct vanished.
“Looks like… that’s the exit of the mind space.” Mei could not keep the sadness from her voice.
“Mei?”
Of course, Kiana would notice. They might have separated for some time but she still knew Mei like the back of her hand.
“It’s just… I’d like to stay with you for a little bit longer here.”
“Me too,” Kiana said. She bowed her head, her cheeks tinting a fetching shade of red. Kiana was not easily flustered, but when she did, it made her much more irresistible to Mei. “It wouldn’t be easy for us to be with each other like this once we get out,” she continued.
And she was right, once the both of them step into that light, they would be back in the real world. In a world of uncertainty, in a world full of pain, and Mei was not ready to face that world yet. She wanted to stay there, inside Kiana’s mind space, even for a brief selfish moment.
Her mind made up, Mei reached out her hands, taking Kiana’s hand between hers. “Then let’s stay,” she finally said. “We still have some familiar sights to see, yes? How about we go to the dorms? I miss it, and I’m sure you do too.”
Kiana raised her head and gave Mei an excited grin. “Right! It felt like ages since we’d been there. Oh! I remember something that I have to show you come on!”
Mei’s laugh was the last to vanish as she was pulled further in, to the place that bore witness to their simple and happy beginnings.
____________________
“Hey, do you remember when Bronya almost killed me that one time I made her my food taste tester?”
Mei paused in her observation of the empty dorm living room to look at Kiana. “You mean when you tried to surprise me on my birthday by cooking my favorite food?”
She could still clearly remember that day. The commotion she found in the dorm after she had finished her valkyrie training was something that never failed to bring out a chuckle from her. How Kiana made sure there was a piece of furniture between her and Bronya while she shouted her nonsensical explanation. All the while, their gray-haired friend, who was usually so composed, looked green in the face, arms raised and Project Bunny aimed at Kiana’s head prepared to fire.
“That cooking video I watched lied to me. It said MSG would make the food taste better.”
“You used a whole jar, Kiana.”
“Alright, fine. I went overboard,” Kiana sighed in defeat. She sat on the living room couch and looked up at Mei. “But you know, I can cook now. You’ll be amazed at my signature Kiana Kaslana omelet. It has a lot of cheese and everything.”
“Of course, you will never forget to add in the cheese. You include it in almost anything.” Mei chuckled as she sat beside Kiana. “I wish I can taste that famous omelet.”
“You will, once we’re done with all this fighting.” Kiana took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll cook you the best omelet you’ll ever taste that you’ll fall even deeper in love with me.”
Kiana smiled at Mei in a way that brought her back to simpler times. Back when Kiana would smile so confidently despite her failing grades, so sure that she would reach her dream to become the best S-rank valkyrie. Back when she would smile at Mei despite her cuts and bruises before she bravely rushed straight into danger. Back when she would smile despite the universe seemingly going against her.
That damned Kiana Kaslana smile. Mei would give anything to keep seeing that smile.
Mei leaned back and looked up. Her eyes were fixed on the bare white ceiling but she couldn’t see it. All she could see in her mind’s eye was the empty void of space, the planet they called home, and the sacrifices it would take to defend that home.
“Mei?” Kiana asked after a beat of silence.
“I don’t want to leave yet,” Mei admitted. She reached out and took Kiana’s hand again, gripping it tight and hoping that Kiana could feel her unvoiced yearning, her sadness, and her fear. Her hand was squeezed back in return.
“Then we don’t.” Kiana brought their joined hands up and kissed the back of Mei’s hand. “We can stay for a little while.”
Her bleak thoughts were quickly pushed away when Mei felt the weight of Kiana’s head resting on her shoulder, her warmth against her side, her familiar scent at her nearness. She didn’t want to shatter this moment by uttering a sound—and so she didn’t.
Mei turned and was met with expectant blue eyes, gazing back at her like she was the world. They finally urged her into action. She let her body move, no longer listening to the niggling voice in her head reminding her of her responsibilities, that every second they stayed there was crucial.
Mei stopped thinking about any of it, her selfish side winning for once. What mattered was the woman beside her. The solid feel of her body as Mei wound her arms around her shoulders, the softness of her lips against her own, and her quiet moan as their kiss deepened.
They were finally kissing.
Back in her desolate room in the Elysian realm, she had dreamed of this scene. She thought it was impossible for her to go back, but she could not stop herself from dreaming even if the bittersweetness was too much to bear.
But this was far from a dream, it was far better. Every movement of Kiana's lips was so warm, so desperate, that Mei couldn't help but wrap her arms around her just a bit tighter. It was returned in kind, fingers tangled in her hair to pull her in deeper.
Mei became overwhelmed. Kiana’s taste, Kiana’s touch, Kiana’s scent, she was surrounded by Kiana, and she would gladly drown in Kiana even if fate tried its best to tear them apart.
“Please don’t cry,” Kiana whispered as soon as their lips parted. It was then that Mei noticed the wetness on her cheeks. A gloved thumb wiped the tears away. “Don’t think about our past or our future. Just be with me at this moment. Will you?”
Her throat was too tight that all she could do was nod. It didn’t matter, words no longer mattered when their lips touched again. Months of yearning for each other fueled the passion of their kiss. Mei wanted to claw at Kiana’s back, leave marks on her skin that would be with her for days, and unleash all the emotions she had spent bottling up ever since their separation.
Raiden Mei was done denying herself.
As if they were of one mind, both women stood up and quickly made their way to the bedroom. A bedroom they had shared when they were bright-eyed valkyries with supposedly brighter futures.
Mei did not get the opportunity to reacquaint herself with their old room. As soon as they stumbled inside, Kiana backed her against the wall. The heat of Kiana’s lips and her pleased moan when their tongues slipped against the other shot pure heat straight between Mei’s legs.
“Want you, Mei. I want you,” Kiana muttered, panting the words between kisses. Her hands roamed everywhere: through Mei’s hair, down her lean arms, and along her exposed back. It only made Mei impatient for more.
An increase in static in the air and suddenly her battlesuit was gone. Kiana had to step back and admire the sight before her. Her blue eyes glinted in a way that used to make Mei fluster back in their St. Freya days. But Mei was no longer flustered. She relished the way those eyes darken with desire when she stepped closer, in the way those eyes roamed her body like a caress. Her temperature rose when the intensity of that gaze first focused on her breasts before moving down to between her legs where she could feel herself harden under that heated look.
“I missed this sight,” Kiana admitted as she pressed a kiss on Mei’s throat, eliciting a shiver. “I missed how you feel,” she continued, one warm hand trailing from the top of Mei’s breasts, down to her belly, and much lower. “I missed you,” Kiana finished in a low voice, finally touching Mei where she wanted her the most.
Mei couldn’t help the whine that escaped her throat then, the sound so desperate that she would have been embarrassed under normal circumstances. But she no longer cared, not when Kiana kept touching her, gentle and rhythmic, up and down the length of her cock, until she was ready.
“Kiana please,” Mei pleaded, her voice full of need.
Without needing to say much, Kiana immediately understood. Taking hold of her hand, she guided Mei to the bed. The bed that had been a witness to their dreams and nightmares alike. How they would hold each other under the blankets and take comfort in each other’s arms, speaking in low voices about mundane things until both were claimed by sleep. How the sheets rumpled when bodies intertwined on top would writhe as they shared in each other’s pleasure.
“Wait,” Mei said, abruptly halting Kiana from straddling her sitting form. “I want to see you.”
Kiana chuckled at her. Instead of quickly dematerializing her herrscher battlesuit as Mei did, the little minx did the opposite. Kiana started at a slow pace, nimble fingers working on each clasp of her armor individually. One by one they were unfastened, the light thuds as each piece of her battlesuit were discarded to the carpeted floor were easily ignored. With each careful movement, small teases of skin were exposed. Finally, the white armor was removed, leaving Kiana in only a pair of black, tight panties.
"Like what you see?" Kiana asked. Mei nodded, words lodged in her throat. Kiana had never done something like this before. Whenever they were intimate, her girlfriend was always too eager, too passionate, that there was not enough time for any form of teasing seduction. The anticipation made it hard for Mei to breathe.
Kiana turned away from her and started to sway her hips to a melody only she could hear. Mei did not dare to blink, unwilling to miss each graceful movement. Her hands itched to reach and reacquaint herself with the feel of Kiana’s soft skin. To grip those gentle curves as Kiana rolled her hips in a slow and sensuous dance. To trace the hard planes and gentle dips of her toned back while Kiana lifted her arms up and stretched. When had stretching ever been so sexy?
And then Kiana faced her.
Mei had to fist her hands on top of her thighs to keep herself from tugging Kiana quickly to her lap. She wanted to see what more Kiana had in store for her. But her willpower rapidly dwindled at the sight of Kiana's fit body: her perky breasts, her tiny waist, and the v-cut of her toned stomach that she wanted her tongue to run over.
Luckily for Mei, she did not have to wait long.
Kiana slid into Mei's lap, arms circling her neck, and started grinding her hips. Mei's breath stuttered in her throat at the light fingertips that toyed at the hairs of her nape, down to the line of her collarbone, and down some more until the blunt scrape of Kiana's nails around her nipple drew her attention.
“You should see what you look like right now,” Kiana murmured while she nuzzled Mei’s neck, hot breath ghosting her skin. “You look so needy. What do you want, Mei?”
“You,” Mei answered, groaning as Kiana nibbled her earlobe.
“I want you too. But first, can you indulge me?”
“Whatever you want.” She would do anything Kiana asked at that point.
Suddenly the touches were gone and Kiana moved back, leaving Mei a panting mess. She watched as Kiana’s eyes roamed her face, mapping her features, before moving up to the top of her head.
“Oh.”
Mei could almost feel Kiana’s touch on her horns just by the sheer heat of her gaze directed at them. “You have no idea how much I've thought about touching your horns, Mei. Can I?”
“Yes.” Mei did not have to think twice about her response. Ever since she found out how sensitive her horns were, she had always wondered what would it feel like if Kiana touched them. Now, her curiosity would be satisfied, she only hoped that she would be able to survive the onslaught of sensation she was sure to receive.
Her thoughts halted when she felt the first touch, Kiana brushing the back of her fingers over the side of one horn. It should not have been unexpected, but her body still reacted in a way that she could not control. Her back went rigid, expelling a hiss of breath at just a mere featherlight touch.
“Oh, you’re sensitive.” Mei could hear the awe in Kiana’s voice as she began caressing her. “I've never imagined them to feel like this. So hard, warm, and tingly,”
Kiana was cautious at first, kneading the base of the horns with careful presses of her thumb and forefinger. But the encouraging sounds she heard spurred her on to do more. She took hold of each horn and the once exploratory touches became more defined. Both of Mei's horns were held in a firm grip as Kiana started to stroke achingly slow from base to tip.
Minutes passed when no words were exchanged between the two women. Only the sounds of Mei's harsh breaths and barely suppressed grunts and Kiana’s pleased sighs could be heard within the room.
Mei's mind became foggy with once-buried thoughts. She could not help the moan that spilled from her lips when she imagined how those delicious strokes moved lower to where she was already hard and wanting. What would it feel like to have her horns kissed and licked like how Kiana used to do with her cock.
As if reading her mind, Kiana moved, bringing her face closer to one of her horns. The warmth of her breath against the tip of her horn felt like wildfire, spreading quickly within her veins.
“Can I have a taste?”
“Please.”
Mei was grateful that she was seated, otherwise, her knees would have buckled once she felt warm lips graze the side of her horn. The kisses were barely there as if Kiana was afraid to hurt her. The urge to beg her for more nearly took over. Instead, Mei slipped her hands inside Kiana’s panties, filled her hands with her firm rear, and squeezed. She got the desired effect, Kiana rolled her hips, pressing herself firmly into Mei’s hold.
The action urged Kiana on. The wet slide on her horn as Kiana carefully swirled her tongue around the pointy tip before licking down to the bottom, made Mei moan aloud. The sensation felt like it was connected to her cock. Her length twitched against Kiana’s inner thigh, the head freely leaking precum
“Is that okay?” Kiana asked, while her other hand never stopped stroking Mei’s other horn.
“More than okay. Please, don’t stop.”
Satisfied with Mei’s answer, Kiana dipped forward again, repeating the motion. In turn, Mei buried her face in the crook of Kiana’s neck, breathing in her familiar scent, tasting her skin. The more confident Kiana got with her ministrations, the further Mei burrowed her face against Kiana’s heated skin, hoping to silence the steady flow of noises she could not control.
Meanwhile, Kiana was having the time of her life, finding enjoyment in Mei’s reaction as she experimented with her touches, trying to find which touches drove Mei wild. And then Kiana did something that almost made Mei lose her mind. She grabbed both horns, rubbing firm circles at the base with her thumb, and then tugged—hard.
“Ki—Kiana!” Mei’s hips made an involuntary thrust, dragging her length against Kiana’s clothed sex.
“Like that?”
Mei could only whimper in response, her fingers gripping Kiana’s ass to bring her closer, rubbing herself between her girlfriend’s legs to get some form of friction to soothe the aching fullness. She shuddered when Kiana took to massaging the scalp around the horn while her mouth returned to one of her horns. Warm lips wrapped around the base of her horn and sucked.
The orgasm that took over blindsided Mei. Her mind went blank, tensing and moaning as her hips pumped at an erratic pace. Her release spilled against Kiana’s skin and clothed sex, making the fabric of her girlfriend’s panties even darker.
Mei settled with a sudden, violent slump, panting harshly against a slim shoulder. Her hands twitched where they rested on Kiana's hips, limp against her perfect curves.
Quietly, Kiana parted from her, staring at her with those wide blue eyes that spoke of unrestrained excitement.
“Wow, did you just?”
Mei merely nodded and looked to the side. The weak throb she could still feel was a testament to her weakness. It was just, it had been too long for her without Kiana’s touch. Mei grimaced. No, it was not an excuse for her to come so quickly just by having her horns touched. It was a pathetic display of her lack of control.
“Hey.” A palm cupping her cheek brought Mei out of her thoughts. “That was so hot!”
“But—”
“No buts. Just seeing you lose control like that made me so wet. Look.” Kiana took Mei’s hand from her hips and guided it down to her front, past the mess Mei made on Kiana’s panties, and further down to where the fabric was damp solely because of Kiana’s wetness. Because of her. “That’s all for you.”
And just like that, all of Mei’s embarrassment completely vanished.
Kiana’s gasp was quickly muffled when Mei surged up and claimed her lips in a demanding kiss.