A Dance in the Depths

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Orion looked to the waters of the pond, lit up like silver. They seemed inviting after the fight they had just had. Not giving it much thought, he began to unbuckle his armor, removing his clothes piece by piece. "I wouldn't want those to get wet," he remarked almost to himself, and his voice was gruff.

But she turned in time to catch Eula, still breathing heavy, to see Orion stripping down to his pants. Eula, eyes wide, barely flushed a light pink but turned away just in time not to look. "Oh, Orion, what are you—"

Before she could finish, Orion took a deep breath in and plunged into the pond with a big splash. The cool water was just the right contrast to the heat in his bones from the long hike. He came back up after a moment's time, sighing with content as the surface of the water allowed light to illuminate his body's skin.

"Ahh, that's better." Orion ran his hand through his ashen hair, now saturated. He floated on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling of the cavern, releasing all that tension from the battle above.

That was when she turned and tried to shake off the abrupt heat that was already creeping the length of her neck. She paused. Her thoughts raced. On one side was the notion of finding respite from the grueling fight in the water of the pond; on the other side lay the visual of Orion in it, almost naked, making her heart race for reasons she couldn't place.

Finally, he registered her hesitation. He chuckled softly and spoke, "You know, water's great. What are you waiting for?"

That was all he wanted to say. Eula turned to his face, blushing further as she tried not to look directly at him. Finally, she took in a deep breath to get rid of all the embarrassment hiding within her. "Fine," she muttered, more to herself than to Orion. "But turn around."

Orion grinned, following her before turning his back to her and floating in the water. Eula undid her armor quickly and slid out of her clothes to her undergarments. She approached the bank and tested the water with her toes before she finally slipped in, the coolness washing over her like balm.

Swimming just a little ways off from Orion, the two of them floated in the glowing pond, the tension dully felt between them a queer sort of blend of camaraderie and something more. The silence lay between them, comfortable yet charged, as though both of them could feel the implicit agreement that was forming between them.

"So," Eula broke the silence with a softer voice than usual, "what do you think we'll find down here?"

Orion, who was still idly looking around, turned his head slightly to look at her. Just a glimpse of her in the dimly glowing light of the cave, with droplets of water clinging to her skin, was enough to make his heart skip a beat. And he turned his gaze away quickly as she asked that question. "Honestly? I have no idea. But whatever it is, I'm glad you came."

Eula flashed a rare smile that was so real unto her face. "me too."

The previous tension between them seemed to have melted away and replaced by a sense of further trust. Maybe something more.

Orion floated lazily in the glowing pool. The chill was settling well with his body, making all his thoughts rest calm. The water was so clear, holding the pale blue light of the mushrooms overhead and so, when Eula slipped into the pool beside him, he could not help but appreciate how little there was to disguise her form. She was beautiful, even under the faint radiance of the cavern lights, her outline soft yet powerful.

Orion swallowed hard, trying to think of anything else. "Pull it together, Orion," he thought, but man, it was easier said than done. Every time he looked her way, his eyes seemed to pause a smidge too long on the lazy way her hair drifted around her, or how the light played across her skin.

Eula, quite apparently ignorant of the effect she was having on him, swam a little closer. Space shrank, and the proximity added to that tension building up ever since the battle. She stopped just in front of him, so close he could see every feature of her face—the way her eyes shimmered with the reflection of the glowing water, the slight flush on her cheeks, and the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

"Orion," she said softly, breaking the silence, "Well… you're...a good partner."

"Really, Eula, is that the best you can come up with?" Eula thought to herself in complete mortification.

Then her eyes locked onto his, and his heart seemed to give an extra strong beat in his chest. "I could say much the same about you, Eula. You're…stunning." Words that were not supposed to fit into this conversation tumbled out anyway, and yet, there was no regret in him.

They each stood for a moment, the world falling away as they locked eyes. Her gaze softened, and Eula shifted closer, almost against him. Orion felt the warmth of her skin, the closeness sending a jolt of electricity through him—it had nothing to do with the battle they had just fought.

Eula reached out; her hand just barely brushed his arm, and that simple touch sent a shiver down his spine. "Orion," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

He did not know what to say because his head was spinning in a fight to self-compose. She'd been overwhelming in this proximity, which didn't allow thinking. He could just keep on staring into her eyes, fully mesmerized by the way they seemed to draw him in.

Almost instinctively, they bent towards each other, lips inches apart. The atmosphere was so tense that it was almost tangible, permeated with unspoken desires. For a second, though, Orion hesitated, his brain swishing thoughts too fast. This was Eula, the fierce and independent warrior—a woman who had fought at his side with the same ferocity he had. But here and now, she was something more. Someone he wanted to protect, hold close to.

His body was crushing against hers, their lips barely meeting. The world stopped—she could only hear the soft lapping of the water at their legs. Orion's heart pounded, every nerve in his body flaming to life as he wrapped an arm around her, drawing her closer. Their bodies pressed against each other, the cool water contrasting with the heat between them.

One arm drew around Eula's waist, the other he was gently cradling to her neck. He felt her heartbeat against his, matching his frantic rhythm. The cool water around them made a nice contrast to the feverish heat between their bodies. As faces drew closer, he hesitated for a moment before he finally closed his eyes and felt her soft, warm breath on his lips.

Eula's eyes fluttered shut, too, her lips parting slightly as the kiss that followed was soft at first—a tentative exploration—but soon deepened as they succumbed to the moment. With that, the world just seemed to melt away, leaving only the sensation of lips and the electricity crackling between them. Orion tightened his hold on her, pulling her further close as the kiss deepened, their bodies mashed together in the crystalline water.

But no sooner had they become fully lost in each other than Orion's sharp senses picked up on something—someone—coming. His eyes snapped open, glowing with a faint light as he reached to anticipate the threat. Reluctantly, he broke the kiss, his voice urgent. "Someone's coming. Get behind me."

Flustered and still flushed from the kiss, Eula complied, her face a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. She swam behind him, her heart still racing from their moment together. Orion turned to face the approaching figure but then cursed under his breath. "Shit!, my polearm's with my clothes," he muttered. Orion extended his hand toward the shore, where his polearm lay next to his discarded clothes. At his summons, flickering with energy, the weapon threw itself through the air to land securely in his grasp. Readying himself, he could feel the anticipation burning through him, his eyes glowing as the figure approached.

Orion was readying himself as the figure emerged from the shadow. It was then, as he came into view, that a familiar voice called out, "Orion?!"

Orion's eyes widened in surprise as he lowered the weapon slightly at the emerging figure. "Diluc?!"

He stepped forward and, even though his usual mood was stoicism, he smiled sarcastically. "Hello, Orion. Followed the noise of a fight, and, well, ended up here. I am probably interrupting something. intimate."

Embarrassment flushed Orion's face, and in a fleeting moment, he reacted, making the water around them freeze over with a layer of ice to hide them both. Still in the water, Eula let out a soft gasp as her mind raced over what Orion had just done; her face turned even redder.

Diluc chuckled. "If I were to be an enemy, killing you now would be easier than crushing an ant," he said with a light voice, tinged with a hint of truth. He began to turn away then, waving his hand. "I'll leave you two alone. Get out of the water when you're ready, and we can discuss this place."

With Diluc gone, the air slowly returned to its natural state, as if the tension had been cut out of the atmosphere, and Orion and Eula were once again left by themselves, the mood rather changed. Orion exhaled and approached Eula, still half-submerged in the now-frozen pond.

"Well… that was awkward," Orion muttered, scratching the back of his head as he slowly thawed the ice.

Eula finally shook off the burn of embarrassment and playfully glared at him. "Next time, maybe don't freeze me in place?"

Orion grinned sheepishly. "It was the first thing that came to mind."

As they both prepared to leave the water, Orion climbed out first. The air was cool on his skin as he reached across for his clothes. Eula, still in the pond, hollered back to him. "Orion, give me a hand, will you?"

Orion turned, extending his hand to help her out. In a playful smirk, he added a bit more force than necessary, and with a swift motion, he pulled her up. The next moment, Eula lost balance, and with a surprised yelp, she toppled forward, landing right on top of Orion, pinning him to the ground.

The situation digested a little, then Orion burst into laughter. It was hilariously funny to him. "Well, this is one way to get out of the pond!"

Eula's face reddened a deep shade, both from the fall and from their bodies being so close together. Her eyes narrowed into slits, but the embarrassment was truly not hidden behind her tough front. "You…you idiot!" She heaved herself up, looking between flustered and annoyed. "We'll finish this later, Orion. Vengeance will be mine!"

He couldn't resist teasing her a bit still. "Can't wait for that, Lady knight Eula."

Eula blew a sigh and dusted herself off as she got to her feet again. Her expression was annoyed, but a tiny smile tugged at the corner of her lips; deep inside, she found the moment quite as funny as he did.

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