Chapter Text
A few days later…
The more Shinobu meandered through the streets of Inazuma City on that particular day, the more she was convinced something uncanny was going on.
At first she had brushed it off, telling herself it was because they were blessed with a very bright, very beautiful day. It was the middle of summer, sure, and the sun was high in a seamlessly blue sky, yet she could recall many other summers in which it hadn’t been like that.
Years in which summers had been warm, yet tinged with storms and endless gray skies.
Likewise it seemed that her own life wasn’t marred by tempests, by upcoming conflict with people who had been certain they knew what was best for her. The year in itself had been amazing if she thought about it—all the freedom she had conquered with her own hands, even if the Sakoku Decree had forced her to stay in Inazuma for longer than her vacations before graduating in Liyue. Now she had her certificate, a job that she… didn’t adore but was very well-suited to her personal needs.
Not to mention a family in the Arataki Gang, a loving girlfriend in none other than Kujou Sara and…
Well, and a small, albeit probably very noticeable crush on her favorite lecturer in all of Liyue Harbor.
No, no, that wouldn’t do. Shaking her head from side to side, Shinobu tried once more to distract herself from that stupid idea, to focus on the task at hand. It had worked before, during the first few days after her return from Liyue with Itto—the Gang had given her more than enough work for her to almost forget her feelings for Yanfei after all, what with the many troubles they got themselves into because of the Drumalong Festival.
And if nothing she could always rely on them to do something senseless during the day, to break a minor (or major) rule and need her help to rescue them from the police station. From officers chasing them or even from parents trying to get back at them for winning all of the kids’ candies in card games.
The issue was, that for the last two days or so Shinobu had had nothing to worry about. No mishap to fix, no member of the gang to rescue. No one had come looking for her assistance in order to deal with her gang members, to the point that the deputy had sought them out herself to see if everything was okay. If they weren’t sick or in need of dire medical attention, given their lack of pranks or chaos causing in general.
Imagine her surprise, then, when she had found them sweeping a small side street while an officer supervised them as well.
The boss had waved at her, said that everything was more than just peachy and that she shouldn’t worry about anything at all. That the Gang had decided to give her some rest, a vacation of sorts, and that he would make sure she’d have an “onisome next few days.”
That had filled Shinobu with dread instead of relief and as a result she had doubled her patrols around the city. It was something that she tended to do if the gang was too quiet, as she was sure they were up to nothing good and trying to hide from her, a scenario that had played out just like that more than once, too. Hence she was walking around the city of Inazuma for the fourth time on that day alone and had yet to find any evidence of mischief, or some trouble that the members of the Arataki Gang could have been responsible for.
“That is very unlike them,” she mumbled to herself once she got to Hanamizaka. Her surroundings were peaceful, silent, consisting of mostly people running errands or getting ready for their afternoon shifts. “By then they should have accidentally set fire to a few houses. Or annoyed most if not all of the children around the city because of their silly games. Or gotten into a bad deal and gotten stranded for mora once again.”
Moments of silence like those were rare, almost nonexistent for the last few months or ever since she joined the Arataki Gang. They should be welcome, cherished, seen as a private holiday of sorts just like Itto had called them.
So why was Shinobu feeling restless, unsure, a bit worried about that sudden shift in how her routine was usually meant to operate?
Or why was her mind using that spare time to think about her , the amazing lawyer from overseas that was probably busy defending as many clients as she could with nary a thought about Shinobu?
The last sentence made her wince and stop in her tracks, nod towards a few soldiers who recognized and saluted her with a friendly smile. No good would come out of her thinking about that, about Yanfei or why her heart sped up whenever her name was mentioned. Or how curious Sara had been about the legal advisor, then the strange look on her face once the deputy was done with a fairly long explanation about the half-adeptus that had guided her within the world of the law.
Perhaps she should have apologized for that, right? Cleared it up and allowed Sara to know that it was probably no more than a silly crush, something she had developed given how smart, and kind, and gentle, and beautiful and…
“Shinobu, stop,” She told herself, started walking again before she could stand in someone’s way. “You have Sara.”
And yet it was undeniable that her heart had also harbored feelings for a certain woman, just as it had done in previous relationships.
It was something they had discussed, the deputy recalled while leaning against a tree outside of the main street. Although the tengu warrior hadn’t heard about polyamory before, she had been quick to catch on, to understand and smile at Shinobu, declare that she was free to love as she loved.
That while Sara wasn’t sure she could feel the same way, she could understand and accept the concepts that Shinobu had so hesitantly explained.
It had been a pivotal point in their relationship, still so new right then and there. It was where many others had failed in Shinobu’s past, and why she had decided to get over with the explanations as soon as she could instead of hiding such an important part of herself. As much as being accepted for who she was still made her smile to that day, she was well-aware of how things could and would be different if another person was actually involved.
After all, until that point in time no one else had stricken Shinobu’s heart as much as Sara had… and until that point, she had been pretty sure that Yanfei was unavailable, someone she should forget and just trust that Hu Tao would treat her right.
It was a complex situation, one that wouldn’t be solved like that and just by her willing it so. Perhaps the next time she had the opportunity to travel to Liyue Harbor she would speak to Yanfei about that matter—as much as the thought had crossed her mind right then and there, there had been more pressing matters to attend to while they were down at the Chasm.
And what was more, something Shinobu decided to do right then and there: she had to talk to her girlfriend first, to see if things would be okay between them once that crush on the lawyer saw the light of day.
Turning towards the Tenryou Commission headquarters, Shinobu realized that nothing was stopping her from doing it at the exact moment. No one was causing trouble. Her legal help (or cooking, sewing, writing, sword fighting or any other ability she had gotten a degree in) wasn’t being requested. If the city was as peaceful to the officers working under Sara as it was for her, then no one would have any qualms about the two of them discussing some personal matters during their working hours.
With that in mind and relieved to have a direction she made her way towards the headquarters, always on the lookout for the Arataki Gang and its members so she could make sure no one was actually in need of her assistance. None of them seemed to be around, however, and in the end she was simply saluted by many citizens who had relied on her in the past.
The rather big house that belonged to the Tenryou Commission was almost always abuzz with activity, with people in and without armor coming and going from it nonstop. On that afternoon however, there was nothing of the sort: everything was still and aside from a lone guard who knew Shinobu from her increasingly frequent visitations there seemed to be no one else around.
A salute and some pleasantries later, the deputy discovered that Sara wasn’t at the building and gave little to no specifications as to where she would be going for the day—or why she was taking so many people with her as well, almost as if she had to go to some top secret mission.
“Aside from me and two other guards, plus some of the higher ups in other departments, everyone else was gone a little after breakfast,” they informed, holding their lance tighter. “But they didn’t seem to be in any hurry if you ask me; if nothing, a few were even smiling and joking around a little more than they usually do when leaving for a mission.”
“And Sa—Madam Kujou Sara—was leading the party?”
“She was, yes. Oh, and some of them were carrying a bit of cargo too, so I wonder if that’s not either a decoy or something they confiscated and will deal with at the port.”
Shinobu doubted so, as Sara usually let her own soldiers sort that out before going for her to help. Counterfeits were rather common, and the smuggling of goods was something that the officers had gotten terribly good at detecting during the Sakoku and the Vision Hunt Decrees. Too many things didn’t add up and the deputy was sure she wouldn’t get any other information from the kind soldier, so in the end she thanked them and got ready to walk away.
“Oh, I just remembered. Madam Kujou left this for you, in case you showed up.”
The piece of paper was small and had been folded many times, meaning it probably shouldn’t be opened near anyone that wasn’t involved in a case or with them for that matter. With a few words of gratitude and the promise to tell them whatever she found out about the case, Shinobu walked to the closest building, reached its backyard and only them opened the note that her girlfriend had left.
“Shinobu,
I will be away for most of the day since I got roped into a last minute, special mission from the Almighty Shogun herself. Yet I also scheduled a meeting with that business owner looking to expand her sales to Liyue Harbor and she requested your presence in it—even more so since she is positive that it is about time she gets involved with Liyue laws and tributes. Would you mind meeting us today at Uyuu Restaurant, around twilight?
Love,
Sara.”
Love . It was only recently that her girlfriend had started signing their little notes to each other like that, a development that made Shinobu blush despite the issue of the letter. With a smile she nodded to herself, glad to have something to do on that day instead of simply walking around a too peaceful city. And if she really wanted to be of help towards that nice lady, well, then she might as well brush up on her laws and codices, plus Liyue’s taxes as Sara had pointed out, a task that gave her another, new dimension to her day.
Humming to herself, Shinobu looked at the horizon and started making her way towards the Arataki Gang’s secret base. She had a lot of reading to do in a very short while, but would do her best not to disappoint Sara’s client that afternoon. And who knew, perhaps she could start a side gig of helping entrepreneurs who wanted something or the other to do with Liyue Harbor, too.
Only she knew how much the Arataki Gang would enjoy some extra coin on their rather dry piggy banks.
It was amazing how quickly time passed if one had a direction, something fun to do with it.
That was exactly the feeling that Shinobu was left with after she started studying, opposed to the slow way in which minutes had crawled around her while she meandered around the peaceful city. The moment she hit the books and started reviewing concepts she had seen a few months ago, the day was quick to turn into afternoon. With the blink of an eye the skies had begun to get darker, a chilly breeze announcing that night would soon be upon them.
Although the Arataki Gang’s secret base had been completely empty, somehow reading the Liyue legal codices made Shinobu feel close to a certain someone. A person who was more than likely doing the same thing from across the sea, looking for the best way to defend her clients and make sure they got the compensation they deserved from the other party.
The concept alone was enough to bring a smile to Shinobu’s face, the moments she thought about Yanfei counting as study breaks just because of how distracted they made her.
Yet after what seemed like the blink of an eye the sun was nearing the horizon, coloring the otherwise blue sky with nice hues of pink, golden and orange. It was with a yawn and a stretch that Shinobu closed the book which had been lying on her lap for hours, looking at her surroundings just in case something had changed.
Just in case she had been too focused in her reading to see someone from the Arataki Gang arrive, which appallingly enough wasn’t the case.
Being alone and in silence all afternoon long wasn’t something she had experienced for the longest time, and although it had been welcome due to her studies it was also weird, strange, borderline suspicious just as that entire day had been. Frowning, she hoped she would get to the bottom of that particular mystery soon and started making her way towards Uyuu Restaurant, in hopes she wasn’t late and had studied enough for the meeting.
There were more people out and about that evening, something that had gradually started to happen the moment the Sakoku and Vision Hunt Decrees were repealed. It was visible that Inazumans were feeling a lot safer to go out without the constant threat of being pulled in for investigation by an officer; and what was more, with the region opening up to commerce with other nations, prices had started to drop and more goods to be offered as well.
Things were looking up for Inazuma in many ways and for Shinobu as well, who had been picking side jobs here and there as finance consultant, chef, trade manager… The list was endless and made her smile the moment she recalled the many ways in which she could make her life worth living and to carve her own path in life.
One that didn’t involve her being a shrine maiden, keeping locked at the Grand Narukami Shrine at Guuji Yae’s mercy and doing the same thing all over and over again day after day.
A glance at the shrine as she reached Hanamizaka was enough to make the deputy shudder, look away from it and search for the restaurant that was alight in the busy main street. She did her best to forget her time spent up in Mt. Yougou, the feeling of helplessness which had taken hold of her even as many people profusely thanked her for her advice.
There were other forms in which she could aid them, Shinobu thought while stepping into the rather crowded restaurant, craning her neck this way and that in order to search for Sara. There were other, less religious or repetitive approaches for—
“Ah, Miss Kuki!” A familiar voice called from behind the counter, making Shinobu turn towards the sound. Okazaki Rikuto was someone she had aided before by taste testing some dishes and offering a few suggestions on the menu—all of which had been followed, the deputy realized the next time she went into the place for a quick meal. “There is a reservation in your name upstairs.”
“A reservation?” Shinobu tilted her head, surprised. Since Sara had already been to the place more than once in order to deal with personal clients and personal issues (one of their first dates had taken place there after all) there was no reason why he wouldn’t have said something about the general being there, or that the reservation was for the tengu warrior. “I have no recollection of making one.”
“Is that so.” The small smile on his face made her weary, even more so when he chuckled. That wasn’t a question, but sounded a lot as if her being clueless amused him greatly. “Mayhaps someone got a table for you in advance? In any case you are here, and should use that arrangement anyways; we have been getting busier and busier in the middle of the week.”
“That I am glad to hear. Your efforts deserve the recognition, Mr. Okazaki.” Shinobu beamed, trying her best to shake the weariness from her mind. It was probably nothing too major, just the way the man had phrased the fact that her girlfriend had gotten them a table in her name instead. “I… will go, then. What table was set aside for me?”
A customer came to the counter right as she asked that and Rikuto turned to give them his full attention. After a sigh as she wondered if that, too, hadn’t been used as an excuse to not give her more information for some reason or the other, the deputy gave up trying to understand what was happening and climbed the stairs one at a time.
Shinobu’s senses were tingling before she could arrive at the top floor. Although the lamps had been on as usual at the entrance and it seemed like soon the place would be up to full capacity, the same couldn’t be said for upstairs. As she climbed the deputy realized that everything ahead was very dark and silent, only a few candles shining in the distance. Because of that she couldn’t make the outline of tables, let alone know if someone, anyone, was waiting up there.
Heart racing as her body prepared for a fight, for the chance that her family had orchestrated an attack on her for some reason or the other (she could never tell with her parents,) she drew her sword from its scabbard and allowed Electro energy to flow through her. Silenced her steps as best as she could, though given how loudly she had spoken down at the counter, she was more than aware that her chances of subterfuge were already nonexistent.
A thought came to her the moment she got to the last, final step towards the first floor: what if that had something to do with the Gang being completely out of the sight for that day, and she was about to meet the people who had captured them, her girlfriend and—
Then Electro and Pyro flowed through the otherwise darkened walls, surprising her before all the lights could return to the place at once.
“Happy Birthday, Shinobu!”
The deputy was so dazed she couldn’t move, couldn’t make heads or tails of what was going on for more than a few seconds. Her eyes took a while to adjust to the sudden clarity, her brain taking even longer to assure itself it wasn’t a dream.
That in front of her, surrounding her in a circle and smiling as if it was the happiest day of their lives, were the Boss, Akira, Genta, Mamoru, Ushi (peeking from behind Itto), Sara and a few of the officers from the Tenryou Commission that she had grown close during her time working for the Gang.
And the last member, standing beside Sara and shifting her weight from foot to foot as if she wanted to do something more, was none other than… Yanfei herself.
Silence stretched on and Shinobu didn’t know what to do, how to react. There were so many questions in her mind that for the first time in a rather long while she couldn’t order them according to their importance and relevance to the moment. Couldn’t allow a word to leave her mouth, as many wanted to rush and would simply become a jumble of half-coherent inquiries at best.
Well, at the very least she had the decency to put her sword away and relax her battle stance, sure that it had been a very big misunderstanding on her part.
“B-birthday? What day is…” She mumbled at last, glancing around her at the decorations.
All if the tables had been pushed away from the center so people could freely move. They held many different dishes from Uyuu itself, big, round bowls of sliced meats, ramen, tofu… rice in all shapes and forms as Shinobu liked… desserts (some of which were also rice-based)... it was a delight in itself, though nothing compared to the small Ushi-shaped standees which stood alongside each plate.
Or the banners that had been written by the Arataki Gang but for some reason finally had no spelling mistake—a glance at Sara and Yanfei and she could almost envision them teaching those fools how to properly write the words of praise.
One said, “all hail Kuki Shinobu, the one and oni deputy of the Arataki Gang! May the Archons give her patience and kindness, so her moments of calm last longer than her days of stress.”
The other, which made her laugh, went like, “everyday we are thankful that you’re here. And that you take the time to save us from the scary Tengu and jail.”
And the last, which she would hang on her tent if she ever found a way to do so, was “Hey Shinobu, you’re so amazing that you dragged a legal advisor from Liyue all the way here. Just don’t use that opportunity to let her teach us about law! Go Shinobu, Go!”
… which brought her to the exact issue as to why there was indeed a certain legal advisor from LIyue Harbor in the room right then and there. One that rushed to embrace her as she was asking something or the other about what was going on.
“It is the 27th of August, Shinobu!” Yanfei answered for her, while rocking them back and forth in that hug. “Also known as the amazing day in which the best deputy, chef, lawyer, analyst and person I have ever seen was born.”
Shinobu hugged Yanfei back, at once happy and confused. There were so many emotions coursing through her, especially when the lawyer caressed her back and held her for a long time, that she didn’t know what to say, what to think. The myriad questions in her mind coalesced into one as soon as she opened her eyes and spotted Sara, glancing at them and smiling in a gentle way.
A way that was encouraging, almost as if the usually oblivious Tengu knew something or the other about Shinobu’s feelings regarding the half-adeptus.
“I-is it really the 27th?” The deputy asked while (begrudgingly) pulling away from Yanfei, taking a cursory glance around the restaurant, everything they had done to change it. Slowly things started falling into place, and the one solution she could find to everything that had made her feel weird for that day became a bit clearer. “Was that why the city was left unbothered and you guys were nowhere to be seen today?”
Itto winced at the words, even if they made Sara and a few of the other officers snicker. “Ouch! That was harsh—but yeah, your bossy—er, amazing— girlfriend called us up for a ‘friendly talk’ a few days ago and said we’d be off the hook for a while if we helped her and my Savior with a few things.”
It turned out that Yanfei and Sara had devised the whole plan together, with the pretext of giving Shinobu one day without having to deal with the Arataki Gang’s tendency to get roped into trouble only she could solve. What better way to keep them from being a menace than to enlist their aid in decorating the space, making posters with perfect calligraphy and spelling (which took a while to be accomplished, as the legal advisor had predicted it might) and gathering ingredients so the chefs at Uyuu would cook for them?
The tale made Shinobu laugh, reach out to Sara and hug her while mumbling “thank you” over and over. As much as she had been scared about what could be going on, or if she had lost track of her team members and they had gotten in serious danger, it had also been very nice to have some time to study, to read without interruptions. To consider another field of work that could bring the gang some more income.
And to think about her life, her paths, the one she had taken and was reminded right then and there of how it had been the correct one.
After all, was there ever a time in which her family would have celebrated her like so?
She would not say that she wasn’t among family and some friends, however. While looking around herself, Shinobu was again reminded of the fact that fully being herself and not letting others dictate what she would do with her life had at first distanced her from some people… only to allow in plenty of others who cherished and loved her for who she was.
There was the Arataki Gang, each and every member offering her congratulations and a small gift of their own—things she would actually use, such as notebooks, pens and even an Ushi-shaped smithing stone for her sword, courtesy of Itto and Ushi.
There were the members of the Tenryou Commission that had either asked for her advice on legal affairs or watched her brilliant mind come up with amazing excuses as to how the members of her gang didn’t belong in prison for the millionth time in a month alone.
There was Sara, her sweet girlfriend, who planted a small and quick peck to Shinobu’s forehead after hugging her, placing an old tome in her hand as well. Cheeks flaring since the general wasn’t big on public displays of affection, she mumbled an “I love you” that was still heard by most of the gathering—and that knowledge alone was enough to make the taller woman glare at everyone, almost daring them to mock it.
And then…
Then there was Yanfei, who was more than glad to embrace Shinobu again and also put a huge, ancient-looking tome in her hands with a bright smile.
“W-who told you it was my birthday, Yanfei?” Shinobu asked after setting aside the gifts she had been given, an excuse to look away from the beautiful lawyer. Her cheeks were already glowing warm from their proximity alone, she was pretty sure she would combust if she stood too close to her former mentor.
“Miss Sara did! Well, Arataki Itto and Miss Sara did, actually. The former told me about it before you both returned to Inazuma, whereas the latter sent me a letter asking for aid.” Yanfei beamed at it, nodded at Sara once more as if to say thanks. “And of course, I also recalled that time we celebrated with you after class. Xiangling was so happy to hear that you were a fellow chef, she made sure to give you extra portions and talk about spices with you all night, do you remember it?”
The deputy did, nodding at the sweet recollection of one of her merriest evenings in Liyue Harbor. One of the first birthdays she had felt like celebrating, as she had been among friends and people who cherished her fully.
One that had also involved another celebration too, the moment that Xiangling…
“But… Yanfei, doesn’t that mean your birthday—”
“Is tomorrow, indeed.”
It was Sara and not Yanfei who completed the sentence, to everyone’s astonishment. The general was nodding her head, chuckling since both Shinobu and the legal advisor turned to glance at her with questioning, blank stares.
“Aw shucks, I guess studying the law makes your head get so full of facts, you forget about your own birthday,” Genta said after reading the room, realizing how both the lawyer and their deputy had done the same thing.
“Or perhaps these two have too much in their minds, dealing with the likes of you here and in Liyue,” Sara snapped back, making Itto and his gang wince. “In any case, I recalled that one of the many things you told me about Yanfei was how close her birthday was to yours, Shinobu. One day after—and that you had gotten the feeling she wasn’t that used to celebrating hers, either.
“Hence while I was busy planning your party, I also made sure to include things that you mentioned she liked, such as tofu dishes and interesting cases—”
“Ah! So that explains why you gave me full access to the Tenryou Commission’s headquarters today and tomorrow!” Yanfei exclaimed, still a bit dazed with the realization that her birthday was indeed the next day… and everything Sara had done to accommodate her, too. “M-miss Sara, you shouldn’t have.”
“Yes, she should.” It was Shinobu who said that, and with a hand beckoned to Yanfei so she would get closer. “You deserve to be celebrated as well. Happy birthday, Yanfei.”
“Happy birthday, Shinobu.”
The assembly was more than glad to have not one, but two people to honor on that day. The Arataki Gang was quick to apologize for not having a gift for the lawyer, who laughed and shrugged at the whole business. Only to have tears in her eyes once Sara signaled for the cake to be revealed.
It was big and round, half of it a deep, piercing purple decorated with Ushi-shaped mochis, the other half a glowing red with pressed sweets resembling golden balances scattered around it. On the center of the cake was a bigger balance, the symbol of the law as some saw it, and what had made Shinobu’s and Yanfei’s stories become interwoven to begin with.
A symbol they were more than happy to share, and that also meant freedom for both of them.
The two were quick to laugh at their misunderstandings, especially about forgetting their own birthdays. It was a joyous occasion all in all, especially because they were surrounded by people who liked and seemed to truly cherish them.
And what was more, they had each other, the growing wish to be together that seemed to be mutual—at least if Itto’s and Sara’s observations were sharp enough.
The party lasted for a long time. So long that Okazaki Rikuto had to gently tell them it was almost closing time and they should start packing some hours later, when most of the goods had been already consumed and they were simply telling each other stories while sitting in a circle. The group quickly agreed, thanked him for his patience and assistance before doing their best to restore the top floor to its usual display and leaving Uyuu Restaurant.
Itto was about to get Shinobu so they could go back to their camp, but one look from Sara was enough to dissuade him from saying a word to her. Hence the Arataki Gang slinked away, muttering something or the other about letting their deputy have some time with the “lovely ladies” and giggling once that made her blush.
Then Shinobu saw herself walking between Yanfei and Sara, their hands intertwined before she could even notice it.
They were quiet for a while, unsure about what to say. A glimpse to her sides and the deputy realized that Yanfei seemed to be a bit nervous, cheeks blushed a pretty shade of pink, whereas Sara’s lips were pressed into a thin line and she was lost in thoughts. Once their eyes met, the general must have read uncertainty in Shinobu’s, for she stopped walking, sighed and decided to speak what had been in her mind.
“You know, Guuji Yae has the habit of calling me dense. Especially when it comes to matters of the heart—you should have seen her face the day she learned that we were dating.” The memory pained her, even more as she remembered the slander that followed it. “Even I have noticed that there is more than simple admiration between you two, however.”
The statement befuddled Yanfei even more than it did Shinobu, the lawyer tensing and turning to stare at Sara at once. “M-miss Sara! I would never… You are together and I respect the importance of your union far above any sort of crush, thought or daydream that I might have ever had about Shino—”
“I respect Shinobu’s heart, Miss Yanfei.” The words were gentle, the look that Sara cast on the deputy an even sweeter one. It made the lawyer’s heart melt whereas Shinobu herself blushed; as for the tengu warrior, she needed a moment to consider what to say next, how to not make everything more complicated than it should be. “Albeit I myself have no romantic interest in others or in you for that matter, it isn’t tough to understand how she feels. And why she fell for you, too.”
“I may or may not have told you this, but I have always been able to love more than one person at the same time—with no disrespect to either people, too.” Shinobu began in a whisper. It was never easy to talk about that, no matter how aware she was of Yanfei being an open-minded person. “It was one of the first things that I told Sara when we realized we might like each other a lot more than… just as two people that pursued the law. I was very, very content when she accepted me as I am.”
The legal advisor couldn’t help but smile, caress the deputy’s hand. Her own acceptance was clear in the gesture, in the soothing words which left her mouth, “as she should. There is nothing wrong about how you love, Shinobu. Rather, I think it’s very beautiful.”
“T-thank you. It wasn’t… how some of my other relationships played off, unfortunately. There were moments in which I blamed myself for it, listened too much to others and tried to cater to their needs, to their ideas of what love was and what it had to be.” It was a chapter of her life that was over, had been over the second she found a loving partner in Sara. It was something that she should also be grateful for, alongside getting rid of her parents’ view of her professional life. “And uh, and it would mean the world to me if you…”
Words froze in her mouth, no matter how many times she had rehearsed them in case she fell in love with someone else while dating Sara. It was one thing to imagine talking to a hypothetical persol, declaring her love and the fact that the general would still remain in her heart. To establish boundaries between all parties and make sure all details were set, communication was clear and no issues were left behind to fester.
Luckily for her she was dealing with Yanfei, an avid reader who was almost never at a loss for words.
“If I considered you as a special one without forgetting your bounds with Sara, as both are equally important and not mutually exclusive?” The legal advisor beamed, even more since both Shinobu and Sara vigorously nodded at her. “Why, of course! And fear you not, I now recall that you asked me a lot about how polyamorous relationships were regarded in Teyvat lore and law, how different codices approached the matter and if they did at all.
“Moreover, it’s not as if I haven’t seen and dealt with my fair share of polyamorous individuals during my years as a legal advisor. Take Ningguang and her girlfriends, for example. Or Shenhe, Yelan and Yun Jin—and heh, recently Hu Tao has been looking a bit too much at Yun Jin if you ask me.” Yanfei beamed, took both of Shinobu’s hands in hers. “So yes, I do have a basal understanding of what polyamory entails.” Casting a glance at Sara in order to include her, she went on, “and I would love it if you two taught me more about the matter.”
Shinobu’s heart was light in a way it hadn’t been in years. Moved by the many emotions which clouded her mind and because of how close they were standing, she leaned into Yanfei and swiftly kissed her on the lips before she could think too much about the matter.
It wasn’t her own action, or Yanfei’s soft moan of surprise, or Sara’s gasp that took her aback, however. No, what made the three women look around with puzzled stares was a sniffle, and something that sounded a lot like cheering.
Cheering… in a voice that Shinobu knew a bit too well, but wouldn’t expect to hear in such a time and place.
“Is that…” Sara queried, also attentive to the tone. Even Yanfei had a frown on her face and an idea of who that person could be. The one thing they needed was to locate the source of the noise.
Which Shinobu was able to do one second later, her questioning expression turning into a mixture of rage and embarrassment the moment she spotted a pair of red horns peeking from a rather large sakura tree.
“BOSS!”
Yanfei and Sara didn’t even have time to hold her back, to try to calm her down and stop the deputy from running towards the source of the noise. At her scream not only Itto, but all of the Arataki Gang started running away from Hanamizaka, shouting apologies and praises for Shinobu’s relationships as they went by.
Suffice it to say, their ruckus may have caused a bit of a commotion, as was almost expected of the gang. One that would make many people in the city complain, and for Sara and Yanfei to have to chase after the members of the Gang with a warning that they would be taken to the precinct if things got any worse.
So much for them trying to give Shinobu one single day of peace.
THE END