September 11th: Enemy

Cor/Loqi, Cor Leonis/Loqi Tummelt

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 774

Warnings: Implied violence

Summary: Loqi, now that the war is ending, thinks about the
memories he has of the man he considers his only enemy, and what this means for the future.

 Ao3 Link.

He stood proudly by the emperor’s side. His head was held
high and his expression unreadable. As a general of the empire should conduct
himself. Especially here in the enemy’s homeland. However, as he looked around
the Lucian throne room, always searching for threats, his eyes caught on those
of Cor Leonis’s. Then, as they held each other’s gaze, he wasn’t in the throne
room,

For a moment he was back on a battlefield, rain drumming
down around him, soaking him down to the bone. Coldness was seeping into his
limbs, his hair slicked down against his scalp, and he was out of breath. Cor
had destroyed his mech again, nearly at the beginning of the battle. He had no
choice but to fight. His hands shook around his blade every time he and Leonis
clashed, and in response he’d only hold it all the tighter. With his many
wounds, moving was pain.

But then he looked away and the moment was gone.

Countless times he and Cor had clashed. He wondered if he reflected
on their many battles just as Loqi was now doing. The fact that, once the
treaty was signed, they’d never fight again. Not seriously anyways. The
thoughts settled on Loqi’s chest like a stone.

He’d been made for war. Now that it would end, what would
become of him? Locked behind doors and thrust into politics, when would he ever
feel alive again. The answer was he wouldn’t. He’d be forced, eventually, to
marry a nice noble, a lady preferably. Then he’d argue alongside the emperor,
and his inner circle, about the fate of the empire.

He’d grow old.

The thought sat in his mind uncomfortably the whole duration
of the meeting with the Lucian king. Even while he watched for threats, eyes
occasionally catching on one of the guard’s shifting in their spot, he never
was able to fully push that discomfort from his mind.

It wasn’t until later, at the party the Lucians were holding
upon the citadel to celebrate the peace, that he’d finally put the thought out
of mind. But that was only because Cor came over and started talking to him.

“Didn’t think you’d be here.” He started, watching Loqi’s
reaction to him before continuing. “You seem like you’d be on the field till
the pen touches the paper.”

“I could say the same to you.” Loqi replied, his voice
taking on a diplomatic tone, “But the emperor required my presence here, not as
a general, but a witness for the signing.”

Cor nodded, “As leader of the Crownsguard, I was requested for
nearly the same.”

They glanced at each other, and both knew that was the
diplomatic answer they had been ordered to give. They were both there incase
things went bad. To clash once more, likely the last time, if there was one
misstep during the signing.

They were there to kill each other if it came to it.

“How about a toast then, Leonis.” Loqi offered his cup for
Cor to bump his own against, “To the end of this fighting.”

A phrase double in meaning. The fighting would end with the
treaty, yes. But also, if blood was shed here, one of them wouldn’t be walking
out of it alive. Their fighting would end in that sense too.

“To the future of both our countries.” Cor replied, his
meaning just as heavy, clinking their glasses together.

It felt final in a way. Either they’d already had their last
fight, or their last fight would happen tomorrow. And for a moment, Loqi
thought that was that. That he’d leave him alone or remain silent. But instead
Cor said one more thing.

“I bet you never thought you’d see the end of the war.”

This startled Loqi for one second, where he looked at Cor in
surprise. Cor didn’t meet his gaze though, choosing instead to take another
drink from his glass. Just from that, Loqi could tell that Cor was voicing part
of his own belief too. It was an honest and personal question. That he’d never
see the end. And so Loqi settled back into his bones and decided to be
truthful.

“No. Never.” He turned away and took a drink of his own cup,
and then said. “But here we are.”

“Here we are.” Cor echoed.

It was strange. Saying goodbye to Cor with loaded words and
half-truths, and it was the longest they’d ever spoken.

It almost felt like saying goodbye to a friend instead of
his enemy.

Only after that toast and final intonation that they fell
into a comfortable silence, waiting until the party was done.