The Archetype | Rimuru Tempest x TBATE

Aya Grephin first saw him amidst the crowd, standing out under the glow of golden chandeliers. He moved slowly, steadily, as if the whole room was meant just for him. The sounds of conversations around her faded into a quiet white noise, and even Alea's voice seemed to drift away. Aya's eyes stayed on him, and in that moment, nothing else seemed to matter.

There was only her and him—alone.

He looked young—not much older than a boy on the cusp of adulthood, even. But the way he walked and held himself told of hidden stories that made her pay attention more intensely that she should. He was like the pull of an ocean tide, with a face too peaceful, too hard to read—eyes too sharp and impossibly deep.

His clothes seemed modest compared to everyone else's, but somehow, that made him all the more alluring. Fascinating. The dark colors he wore—navy blue sweater paired with a darker shade of sweat pants—made the light around him curve and appear even brighter.

He was the kind of effortless elegance that didn't need jewelries or expensive whatnots and golds to become eye-catching.

Aya felt herself being drawn to him, her breath catching a little too late as he approached closer and closer. Her heart began to beat a little faster as she tried to keep her face as calm as she usually did. Who is he? —she wondered, even though she knew to herself the answer. It had crossed her desk more times than she could count.

Rimuru Tempest.

Just once glance was enough to know he wasn't like anyone she'd ever met. Those ethereal eyes—when they briefly met hers—made her feel like she was struck with electricity. It was strange and exciting and exhilarating all at once. He looked too transparent yet too mysterious—too angelic yet too demonic.

Aya felt shaken. As she watched him move through the blurry crowd like a dream given human form, Aya finally understood the real meaning of the word beauty. None had affected her quite like this—this quiet, unassuming boy who seemed to hold universes in his gaze.

◇◇◇

Taking a deep breath, I approached them, making sure my steps were confident yet unhurried. As I got closer, Alea turned her head slightly. Her expression didn't shift much, but her eyes had the kind of look that said, Finally, you're here.

"Alea," I greeted. "You look fabulous, honestly."

Her lips quirked into the faintest hint of a smile—barely there, but enough for me to know she appreciated the compliment. "Took you long enough."

Aya, who had been watching me with a little too curious look, tilted her head slightly.

"And who's this?" Her voice was smooth and melodic, the kind that could lull someone into dropping their guard if they weren't careful. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that she's been trying to understand something about me.

Must be my imagination.

"This," Alea began, gesturing towards me, "is my best friend and, occasionally, the biggest pain in my ass. And Rimuru, this is Aya, my colleague."

I raised a brow at that but decided not to argue. "Nice to meet you, best friend, I'm Aya." I said, offering a hand, until I realized my grave mistake. Wait, what?

"…"

<>

I'm thoroughly cooked.

"Rimuru," Aya cut in, choosing to ignore perhaps the most embarrassing moment of my life. "I've heard of you." There was something almost playful in her tone, but it was laced with a subtle edge, like she was trying to figure me out.

"Oh?" I replied, keeping my voice cool despite my innards sweating buckets. "Hope it was all good things. Ha. Ha. Ha."

I glanced at Alea, who looked like she might burst a blood vessel trying not to laugh. Aya's smile remained perfectly in place, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Depends on who you ask."

Alea cleared her throat with a cough. "Rimuru, Aya and I were just discussing some plans for the upcoming council meeting tomorrow. You're not off the hook, by the way—Commander Virion said you'd be there."

"Hah?" I exclaimed, already dreading whatever that old fool had in mind. "He still can't give up, can he?"

"You'll be fine," Alea said with a shrug.

Aya chuckled softly, her gaze flickering between us. "I like him," she said finally with a light and teasing tone. "He's got that 'reluctant hero' vibe. It's endearing."

I wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or not, but Alea didn't give me the chance to dwell on it. She turned back to Aya, brushing me aside completely as if it wasn't her who wanted me here in the first place.

"We should finish up here before the next round of introductions starts."

Aya nodded, turning to look at me with a… wink? "Agreed. It's going to be a long night."

As the two of them resumed their conversation, I stayed nearby, half-listening while my mind wandered. I sat on the nearby stool and treated myself with a drink—the non-alcoholic kind since the bartender seemed awfully suspicious with my youthful appearance.

I looked back to the two elves talking.

Aya, well, she was definitely going to be someone to watch out for. Not just because of her exceptional and unusual appeal, no, but because she had that unmistakable presence of someone who wasn't to be underestimated. This wasn't going to be a simple evening, but then again, when was anything ever simple?

I'm still gravely affected by my earlier blunder, too. I had one chance to bag a beauty, but I messed it all up. The only thing keeping me from leaving here is Alea's insistence. Not only do I look like I don't belong with those two, but the fact that their outfits—bright and light-colored—contrasted heavily with my dark ones didn't help either.

Although I was taller than both of them, I still look small. Why? Because these two are well-developed badass women with the right amount of meat in all the right places. Alea's body, if you ask me, is kind of below Aya's at this point, and get this—I've seen Alea in shorts and tank tops, and boy was she a sight to behold.

Can you even imagine Aya?

I shook my head. This was neither the time nor place to be musing such thoughts. Time quickly ticked by as I remained seated on the stool. Alea would occasionally come and check up on me with Aya, but I told them to enjoy themselves and not to mind me.

And I really meant it.

Because the bartender's managed to get his ass drunk, he forgot who he was serving and actually gave me alcohol. Not like it'd have any effect on me due to my resistances, but the aftertaste does linger. And for now, I'm satisfied with that.

More time passed. I drummed my fingers on the counter, turning back to the bartender, who was now wiping down glasses with an almost zen-like focus. "Got anything stronger?" I asked, half-joking of course.

"Pretty sure that's not a great idea."

I huffed a laugh. "It's fine. This barely qualifies as a buzz."

"Sure, buddy," he said, rolling his eyes before pouring me another glass of the same drink. "Enjoy responsibly. If symptoms persist, please consult your doctor."

"Noted," I muttered under my breath, raising the glass in mock salute.

The night stretched on, the crowd shifting and thinning as people came and went. I found myself stuck in a strange limbo—part of the event but not really part of it.

———

The background noise of voices and the soft clinking of glasses filled the room as conversations ebbed and flowed. Alea gave me a small wave as she slipped away, leaving me alone with Aya.

Great. Just the two of us.

I shifted my weight awkwardly, gripping my glass like it was a lifeline. The silence between us wasn't heavy, but it was noticeable. Aya didn't seem to mind. She watched me, her head tilted slightly, her expression unreadable but curious.

"So," she said, breaking the quiet with a slight smile on her lips, "it's just us now."

I let out a weak laugh. "Yeah, looks like it."

"You don't sound thrilled. Am I that bad?"

"No, it's not that," I said quickly, shaking my head. "Just wasn't expecting this, you know?"

"Hmm." She sipped her drink, her eyes still on me. "So what's the verdict? Am I better company than you thought, or are you secretly plotting your escape?"

I grinned despite myself. "I think I'll stick around. You don't seem that bad."

"High praise," she said, mock-offended. "You really know how to charm a girl."

I chuckled, relaxing just a bit. "Hey, I'm trying. Socializing isn't exactly my strong suit. And I tend to stick only to my strong suits nowadays."

"Oh, come on. You're holding your own pretty well. What's the deal? Do big gatherings make you nervous, or is it just me?"

"Definitely you," I said without thinking, then immediately felt my face heat up. "I mean—uh—"

Aya laughed as if to tease me. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. But seriously, you don't strike me as the nervous type. Quiet, maybe. But not nervous."

"Quiet works for me," I said with a shrug. "Less chance of saying something stupid."

"Oh, don't worry," she said, smirking. "I'll tell you if you do."

"Good to know. I'll try not to test you too much."

"No promises," she added, her grin widening. "So, what's your deal, anyway? Alea said you're… what was it? Oh, right—'heroic.' What's that about?"

I snorted. "Gimme a break. She's just being dramatic. I'm not heroic. I'm more of a 'wrong place, wrong time' kind of guy."

"Hmm," Aya said, tapping her glass thoughtfully. "To me, you certainly don't seem like the type to just stumble into things. You've got that whole 'calm under pressure' vibe going on."

"That's generous," I said with a laugh. "How about the 'panic on the inside, keep a straight face on the outside' trope?"

She laughed again, her smile genuine. "Okay, I can respect that. Fake it 'til you make it, right?"

"Something like that," I admitted. I took another sip from my glass. "I just try to do what feels right, you know? Doesn't always work out, but it's better than nothing."

"That's refreshingly honest. Most people would give you some rehearsed answer about purpose or destiny or whatever. While you're just—I don't know—winging it."

"Pretty much," I said with a shrug. "Isn't everyone?"

"Fair point," she said with a thoughtful gaze. "I love that, though. The honesty. It's rare."

I looked at her, caught off guard by the sincerity in her voice. "Thanks, I guess. I'm not trying to be rare or anything. It's just easier to keep things simple."

"Simple," she echoed, her smile returning. "That's not a bad way to live. But, Rimuru, I don't think you're as simple as you let on."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think that?"

She leaned in slightly, her expression playful. "Because I'm still standing here, and I'm not bored yet."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "That's a low bar."

"Maybe," she said, laughing. "But I'm picky about who I waste my time on. And you, Rimuru, seem like you might actually be worth it."

I paused and gazed at her a moment longer. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I couldn't deny I was flattered.

"Well, I guess we'll see," I said finally, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Just don't say I didn't warn you."

"Oh, I like a good challenge. Besides, you're not as hard to figure out as you think."

I shook my head, amused. "You make me sound like some kind of puzzle."

"Not a puzzle," she said, her smile softening. "More like a story. And I'd like to see how it ends."

I didn't respond. The music in the background filled the silence, but it felt like the rest of the room had faded away. Aya's gaze held mine, steady and unflinching, and for the first time in a while, I didn't feel the need to look away.

Then, she took one final sip in her glass as she stood up and turned to leave. "It was fun meeting you, Rimuru. Very. I look forward to figuring you out more."

I couldn't help but laugh, taking my own sip. "Yes, yes, likewise. Whatever. Bye then."

"Right. Bye." She walked, but paused and glanced over her shoulder. I wondered if she forgot to say something, but it seems I was wrong. "Oh, and Rimuru?"

"Yes?"

"Try not to introduce yourself as me this time. It might get confusing."

Fuck off.

Whatever this was, wherever it was going, I was curious enough to find out. And then there was the matter of the council, the decision waiting for me. I'd already made up my mind about that.

I would become the Grand Marshal.