Chapter Text
«Once he was a good man, now he is just a monster.»
The beliefs instilled in Yae Jin since childhood had inevitably become deeply rooted in him, to the point that disobeying any of them made him feel genuinely uneasy. One of these beliefs was that a partner should only share a kiss with you once you're married.
To many, this might seem foolish or overly conservative, but to Yae Jin, the idea of sharing his first kiss with the woman he would spend the rest of his life with felt not only romantic and beautiful, but also ethereal.
That’s why Yae Jin had not yet shared his first kiss with Furina, despite her angry pouts and impatient eyes every time. Still, he was deeply grateful that despite her desperation to kiss him, she never insisted.
It was a starry night by the sea of Fontaine. The full moon illuminated every path and corner of the area. It was the perfect setting for an unforgettable night. The perfect place for Jin and Furina’s secret wedding.
Yae Jin’s tail flicked nervously, and his kitsune ears drooped lower with each passing second. His palms were sweaty, and his heart beat wildly. Thirty minutes had passed and Furina still hadn’t appeared.
He had dressed in his finest clothes, perfumed himself, and even left behind that horrid flute Furina hated so much, just to make her happy. But she still hadn’t come. Had she changed her mind? Realized this had all been a huge mistake?
After all, why would she marry her devoted servant? It was ridiculous.
"Stay calm," said Neuvillette in his usual stoic tone and expression. He was the one officiating the ceremony and looked completely resigned to being present. "She’ll come. Remember, she must prepare on her own since no one can assist her—this being a matter of utmost confidentiality."
Jin sighed in relief and fidgeted with the fabric of his clothing to calm himself. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his pale forehead, wiping the beaded sweat from beneath his fringe of soft pink hair.
"You’re right," he said, though his twitching pink tail betrayed how nervous he still was. "I must stay... relaxed." Jin made finger-gun gestures before realizing how inappropriate that might seem to Neuvillette. "Forgive me," he bowed, but when he looked up again, Neuvillette was trying to mimic the gesture with his hands.
When he succeeded, he nodded in satisfaction and returned to staring ahead with the expression of a polished marble statue. Jin tilted his head in confusion.
"Did I keep you waiting long?" A soft, melodic voice that Jin would recognize anywhere. He turned in a flash, his mouth dry and ears perking up like a puppy seeing its owner. His tail wagged joyfully.
Jin stammered incoherently until he managed a sentence.
"N-Not at all, you’re... you look... you’re just..." he tried to say many things but clearly failed. Furina laughed gently, placing a hand over her mouth.
The girl wore a sky-blue and white gown with touches of navy that perfectly matched her mismatched eyes. Her shoulders were bare, and the dress trailed lightly behind her. A crown of flowers rested on her head, and she looked only at him, her cheeks slightly flushed.
She walked toward the altar. Jin couldn’t take his eyes off her for even a second. Once she was close, he extended his hand toward her, and she took it without hesitation.
Holding her hand between his, with the aid of his Vision, Jin created a tiny frost flower, those she loved to touch and feel so much. With both standing before the altar, their hands stayed clasped, warm and strong. Furina’s solitude had only just begun, but with Jin by her side, loneliness no longer existed in her vocabulary. They never broke eye contact.
"With the moon, stars, and sea as witnesses, we are gathered here to unite Yae Jin and Archon Furina in sacred matrimony," began the officiant. Neuvillette’s eyes moved between the two. "Today, they seal a vow that transcends divine law, uniting their souls into one. Two souls that met amidst chaos and duty, and turned it into something uniquely theirs. Before this vow is spoken, I will ask once more..."
Neuvillette turned to Jin, his expression stoic but strangely warm this time.
"Yae Jin of the Hakushin lineage, do you accept Focalors, representative of Fontaine and goddess of justice, as your soul’s companion, in life and beyond? Do you solemnly swear to protect her, love her, and remain by her side even if the world turns against you?"
Yae Jin let go of one of Furina’s hands and placed his own over his chest. With a determined look, he declared:
"I accept Focalors, representative of Fontaine and goddess of justice, as my soul’s companion in life and beyond. I solemnly swear to protect her, love her, and remain by her side even if the world turns against us."
Furina couldn’t help but smile shakily, tears of emotion slipping down her cheeks. She grasped his hand again and kissed it gently. Jin smiled and blushed.
The Ludex nodded, then turned to Furina.
"Focalors, representative of Fontaine and of justice itself. Do you accept Yae Jin, son of the Hakushin clan and wanderer of the world, as your guardian, your equal, and your beloved? Will you accept his love even when the days grow dark, and his hand when it trembles under the weight of the impossible?"
Furina exhaled shakily and laughed through her tears, which Yae Jin wiped away one by one with his thumb, gently stroking her cheek.
"I, Focalors, living representative of Fontaine and of justice, accept Yae Jin, son of the Hakushin clan, as my guardian, my equal, and my beloved. I promise to accept his love even when the days grow dark and to hold his hand when it trembles."
Neuvillette nodded slowly, then bowed his head as if recalling a detail.
"If that is so, we may proceed to the vows."
Yae Jin went first. His vows were delivered flawlessly, his eyes filled with love that melted Furina from head to toe. Was this love? Is this what love felt like? Because if so, she never wanted to wake up.
She was so moved by the vows that she began crying uncontrollably. Yae Jin cried too. Furina buried her face in his chest and held him tightly.
"Shall we conclude the ceremony or proceed with the bride’s vows?" Jin, resting his chin on Furina’s white hair, gave a small gesture for the first option.
"You can tell me your vows when we’re alone, my love," whispered the kitsune. "We have a whole life ahead of us now."
Furina pulled her face from his chest and smiled shakily, nodding softly. It was almost unthinkable that someone so cursed and condemned as her could experience something as human and complicated as love. It was magnificent.
Neuvillette extended his arms. The seawater behind them slowly rose and formed a ring above their heads. Furina and Jin gazed at the water ring, laughing with a happiness no simple words could describe.
"May this bond be remembered by the heavens, by the stars, by the sea and by the moon that witnessed this memorable union. There is no greater judgment than true love. Therefore, in the name of silence, of water, and of the secret that here dies and is born anew, I declare you united, one to the other."
The Ludex dispersed the water ring above them and, with a slight blush, declared:
"You may seal this union." The couple took it as their cue.
Yae Jin approached her with the utmost delicacy, but in a sudden move, Furina grabbed him by the collar and pulled him toward her. The Archons must have known how long she had waited to finally kiss her beloved.
She smiled like a little girl receiving her favorite candy. Jin closed his eyes, and she followed suit. They leaned in, ready to seal their fate.
But fate is cruel, and mischievous. It already had other plans for these tragic lovers.
Before their lips could meet, a golden light blinded the three present. They all felt a presence—omnipotent, glorious, and almost absurdly cruel.
"Focalors." The resonant voice could not be identified as male or female, and it seemed to come from everywhere. Upon opening their eyes, they saw only blinding golden light. "Representative of justice, current bearer of the Hydro throne. Ironically, you have disobeyed the celestial laws, committing the most unforgivable sin for a god: to love someone beneath you, a mortal. Justice must be blind and guided by reason, and all that perishes when feelings are involved."
Yae Jin knew it instantly, it was the Celestial Order. The gods of the gods, the highest had come to punish her, to blame her.
"You have allowed your judgment to be clouded, placing your heart above your duty. For this, you must face the consequences of your impure and selfish thoughts." Though Furina could not see the one accusing her, she collapsed to her knees. She too understood who stood before them.
Suddenly, a figure stood in front of her, arms spread wide, eyes tightly shut. Thanks to the shadow that shielded her, Furina was finally able to open her eyes.
It was him. It was her beloved Yae Jin.
"Deceiving gods is easy," he said with brittle confidence. "When they’re alone, it’s easy to slip into their hearts by pretending to be the one who will end their solitude. Gods, gods, gods... they’re truly pathetic." Furina trembled from head to toe, stunned. "I’m an honest man who lived his life with no regrets. I was happy and laughed often. I don’t want anyone—not even a pathetic goddess like the representative of justice—to be punished for my sake, as a man, that must be shamefull for me, and after all, I must take credit for my own actions."
She knew he was saying that to protect her. Her beloved Jin would never say those things about her, he Will never do that. Not even in the verge of death.
"That's why I, Yae Jin of the Hakushin clan, shall take the punishment of the Hydro Archon!" Neuvillette rose blindly and tried to stop him, but it was futile.
Tears of helplessness, guilt, and sorrow streamed down the Archon’s cheeks. Her gaze fell on two objects that landed in her hands.
A freshly crafted frost flower.
And the Cryo Vision of her beloved, her husband, her Jin.
And it was then that the curse of the two lovers struck Fontaine with all its might. One who sacrificed himself out of unconditional love for a lonely girl who hid behind lies. And the other, consumed by guilt and mental agony accumulated over 500 long and exhausting years.