Chapter Text
Tai didn't want to talk about it. Not one single bit. It was embaressing, so utterly and completely embaressing he went so low and decided to act on his urges.
He didn't even like Rejoice in that way anymore.
There used to be a clear picture of him in Tai's mind before Rejoice decided to betray him. It was the last time Tai had thought he had someone oh-so figured out. Tai understood that Rejoice operated impulsively and based on greed. That was the only thing that stopped Tai when they were teammates to push into uncharted territory.
That was Rejoice's downfall and what created the impossible barrier between them. Rejoice's disgusting greed for power. And for what? A few moments of accomplishment. The blond loves to wave around the word pathetic and label Tai as the weak, pathetic one, but Tai begs to differ. Sure, he some times acts selfishly, but he isn't the pathetic asshole who uses people for his own benefit.
Tai hasn't had a lot of experiance in sex and love or lust. You don't really have time for that romantic bullshit when there are always people causing trouble for you. But he can't lie, he hasn't enjoyed everything with Rejoice. Sex always makes people feel good, but it shouldn't cloud his judgement when it came to Rejoice, he knows just how much the taller man loves to take him by suprise. If Tai gets comfortable, Tai gets hurt. Just because they had sex once doesn't change Rejoice into a proper teammate or person. Maybe it's good that Tai got it out of his system. Atleast now he can close the book that is Rejoice and properly move on from this sticky feeling in his chest.
When they were still on good terms, Tai used to enjoy the dance they set of teasing and fucking around. It's crazy how people change.
He doesn't know what got into him. Tai really shouldn't have initiated it.
He guesses that they were made for each other in this sense, because both of them are creatures of instinct and impulsivity that they can't control for the life of them. Simply, made of greed. Just in different fonts. Tai's greedy for attention and approvel, Rejoice's greedy for power and blood.
Rejoice was nice enough to not mention it next morning. Probably an effect of realizing they both had over stepped. It atleast saved Tai's ears from the relentless teasing.
Even after whatever that was.. they went back to normal almost immediatly both silently understanding to not unpack it. Because what's the point? It's too late for sappy feelings.
The only thing changed now is that the shorter man really couldn't wait for that moment to run away.
But for now Tai will sleep in his bed, in his clothes and eating his food in his bed.
It felt so disgustingly domestic and natural the voidling can't help, but remember the time when they were teammates and that this was what life was like for them. This could have been their future too, but just not in this specific universe.
It was a deprecating thought to have.
Tai guesses that usually when ill people are lying with one foot in their grave they don't have the best thoughts at mind however.
In the morning Tai's fever sprung up again, gaining a new threathing and frighting edge. He wanted to rip his hair off. Every time when it looked like his fever was finally going to break, it just ramped up for another round of hell. Tai was actively losing his mind.
He was starting to consider that Rejoice was mixing something in his food to keep him bound here. Some twisted way of payback for some bullshit neither of them even really remembered. Every moment he woke up, he felt more and more drenched in sweat even though he had pulled off Rejoice's hoodie long ago. Sleep was also starting to become a problem once more.
When his fever started, sleep was easy and welcomed. They were best friends. Minus the weird fever dreams.
Now it came with fog, disorientation and a whole sortment of dreams and dreadful memories bundled up together with a bow and a nice big fuck you label on top. Tai would have enjoyed his wet dream about Rejoice way more than these nightmares.
When the bedroom door moved and a silhouette came in, Tai had no idea who it was thanks to brain fog and still half sleeping.
''I think I have a fever..'' He annouced to the person.
''You've had that fever for a good three weeks, baby.'' The voice was like honey, deep and oddly fond, sweet even. Tai could compare it to the sound of waves or a small river. He didn't bother opening his eyes.
A hand made it's way to Tai's cheek. It was cool and Tai deffinitely sees the comparisions of the ocean in this person. He could imagine himself standing on a beach with his legs knee deep in the water while the sun caressed his face gently. Where was he again..
''What am I going to do with you?'' The blond asks, disappointingly letting out a sigh. Tai only hummed back in reply and felt his scratchy throat against the vibrations of his voice.
''I'm thirsthy..''
The voice lets out a another, much more fonder, sigh. ''When are you not?''
Begrudgingly, Tai opened his eyes. A cup of water was already waiting for him in the others hand. He sat up stiffly and took it silently, slowly drinking the whole cup.
The blond's hand pushed back his sweaty hair. When he finished his drink, the tall blond gave him some pills and medicine. Both tasted questionable, but Tai wasn't sure if that was just his taste buds also betraying him in this time of need.
He was about to lower himself back on the pillow when the blond kissed his forehead, wishing him a good nap. Tai had at that point lost his mind a while ago, forever doomed to fever madness. He asked for another kiss.
The older man kissed the top of his head. Tai asked again for another one. The figure giggled, but complied. ''Last one.'' The voice said it like a promise.
Careful hands found his jaw and a peck to his lips sealed the deal.
Tai doesn't remember anything else, just falling asleep with someone playing with his hair. Every cramped corner in his head felt like a battery waiting to bust open.
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He felt better the next day. Less sweaty and brain fogged that is, so he took a quick shower and ate some food and after that Tai decided to lie on the floor to cool his pounding head.
That's how he spent most of his days from then. Getting slowly better, less hazy and actually standing on his feet. They felt like jello after weeks of not using them, he felt like a baby deer in a sense.
Rejoice was there the whole time. Making him food when he was hungry or making him tea, giving him medicine when it was time, steading him when he swayed on the spot and still not making one single teasing comment. He was quiet for once and Tai had never appreciated it more.
A week had passed and the voidling had returned back to his almost normal self, thanks to the medicine and maybe, just maybe, because of Rejoice and his care.
He felt good enough to start walking around Rejoice's base.
Infact, he was just in the kitchen making potions for Rejoice. Just like he used to.
He had placed the ingredients into the potions one by one, hearing the bubbly and sizzling noises of the potions. The whole base had been too quiet for Tai, mostly because Rejoice had gone out to do whatever he does. Probably went off to terrorize another poor soul that isn't Tai.
The voidling took one of the three potions out of the brewing stand to mix them around when he heard the door opening. Paying no mind to the sound, he stirred the potion in his hand, watching it carefully turn colors to a nice rich red color.
''I hope you aren't planning on drinking that after everything.''
''It's your lucky day today, it's for you not me.''
''Oh? Thanks, I guess.'' The blond doesn't question it further, though he's still naturally cautious of Tai's mysterious concoction . He moves to his armoury to strip his dirty gear off his body. Tai hears the clanking of it and the sound o fit hitting the floor and then it being probably moved to a nearby armour stand. He makes a mental note to clean it later for Rejoice.
When did he become a willing housewife is beyond Tai, but he feels it's only fair since Rejoice has been so suspiciously good to him.
He doesn't bother asking why.
The shorter man sets the potion down on the brewing stand and takes another potion to stir. Foot steps coming up behind him.
''Personal space.'' Tai rolls his eyes as he warns the man behind him.
The mentioned man just scoffs. ''Suddenly you need personal space? You really are getting better. I'm glad the medicine and pills are working.''
Tai hums in agreement and takes out the last potion to repeat the process. ''If I'm going to feel better in three days, I'm going to go back home.''
Rejoice cages him from behind to the kitchen counter. Tai can feel the warmth radiating from him, it's an inviting feeling. It feels possesive too, but Rejoice had already picked what he wanted more in his life, and Tai was deffinitely not it.
''Bummer.. I was starting to enjoy your company.''
''I'm sure of it.'' The shorter man says sarcastically, but amused. He doesn't mind Rejoice's presence either. He never has. It's just what happend between them that makes it hard for Tai.
The betrayel still leaves a sour taste in his mouth and makes his heart ache like a heart attack would.
''So your feeling better?'' The taller man asks. Tai realizes how close they are.
''I just told you so. Yes, I feel better.''
Tai remembers how they used to do this. The voidling would be somewhere in their base and the blond would come up behind him and hug him, sometimes scaring him. Rejoice could be loving, but he could be cruel with just as much intensity. He's always been a double edged sword. Tai thinks he's a masochist when it comes this one relationship.
Rejoice could hit him or beat him up and make it feel like a kiss. It sounds like a contradiction.
''So, theoretically speaking,'' Rejoice starts and his hands start to feel like ropes around Tai's body keeping him extremily still. ''If I were to kiss you right now you would still go?''
The potion in Tai's hand almost fell from his grip. He set down for good measure with a loud bang. ''Rejoice.'' He warns.
The blond pays no mind to him this time around. Rejoice puts his head on Tai's shoulder. ''What?''
''Don't.'' He doesn't need to finish his sentence for the other male to understand.
Rejoice ignores him and Tai can feel goosebumps cover his body as he feels the blond's breath ghost over his exposed neck.
''So hypothetically speaking, of course, I can't bend you over the counter right now?''
Tai brain shuts off and reboots itself. His face flushes as he takes apart his sentence in his head again. In his dumbfounded state Tai laughs. He could. Tai would obviously go willingly.
Tai turns around. ''Don't do stuff you don't mean.'' The voidling says instead of saying stop playing around with me when you know I still love you.
''What if I did mean it?'' Rejoice puts his hands in air in surrender. His eyes screamed hopefulness. Maybe, he still loved him back too.
It was all in Tai's hands now. What he said next could change everything between them or reverse history and make this the one universe where they ended up happy together. But Rejoice said it himself he wasn't the settle down type, but Tai realized in that moment that he was the settle down type. Tai wanted a life like that. Rejoice was too unpredicable for him.
So he just sighed and walked away.
They didn't talk about that either. Then again, communication was never really their thing.
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Tai left on a cold morning three days later just like he said he would. A part of him felt upset, another much more wiser part of his brain felt relieved.
Suprisingly, Rejoice hadn't mentioned Tai had been crashing in his base. The other players of Strength had instead thought he had fallen out of the map. Some had wanted to contact detectives to find him, fearing he was missing. It was sweet and even sweeter knowing Rejoice had kept it to himself.
They went back to their routine quick. Rejoice hunted him and Tai would fight back. Nobody noticed a thing between them. Not the lingering staring, touches or Rejoice not going out of his way to kill him for once.
That was the beauty of it. Their relationship, or whatever twisted and sick thing it was between them keeping them hooked to each other, has always been just between them two.
Tai sometimes thought about getting sick again, just to feel Rejoice sleeping next to him. Maybe he would actually take up his offer on letting him bend Tai over the counter as embarressing as it sounds.
Rejoice was infact deeply addictive to Tai's brain it turns out.