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Yae Miko carefully took something out of the basket. It was a plate containing three sets of multicoloured spheres impaled on sticks. Miko's signature smirk tugged at her lips as she noticed Ei's purple gaze boring into her. With all the elegance in the world, she crouched down and placed the plate down onto the picnic cloth, beside other plates filled with food.
"Why are you placing them so far away from me, Miko?" Ei complained, evidently not happy about the location of the sticks of tri-colored dango.
"Why, whatever could you mean, Ei?" Miko replied, batting her eyelashes innocently.
"You're doing it on purpose." Ei grumbled, which earned her a laugh. Miko closed the picnic basket then sat down, folding her yukata under her. The duo sat under an old sakura tree, which was in a beautiful full bloom, signalling the peak of spring. Soft pink petals covered the ground under them and occasionally rained down from the thick overhead branches when the wind picked up. It was a delightful, serene scene of two immortal lovers sharing a moment in the joy of spring.
Ei had skirted her duties to be here, leaving the Shogun in charge. She was slowly getting reacquainted with the world after the events of last month, (those events being getting roused from a 500 year long meditation inside her own mind by a very determined traveller and finally facing millions of problems she actively chose to run from for centuries.) Shouldering her duties as Inazuma’s archon once again still felt slightly uncomfortable for her. They still felt new, no matter how much help the Shogun provided, Ei still felt like she was just a kagemusha desperately trying to fill the role of a ruler.
On the other hand, there was also… personal affairs. Her and Miko’s relationship had remained unchanged, just as Ei predicted before she went into the plane of Euthymia. Ei knew this from the moment they reunited; their feelings for each other were still cemented in stone.
However… some things had changed. Miko no longer showed up regularly at Tenshukaku, nor did they meet in Chinju forest under the moonlight like they used to. Their love for each other had not wavered, but a noticeable cold distance grew between them, built by hurt and unfamiliarity. It had been 500 years, after all. If Ei was being completely honest to herself (an extremely rare feat), she expected Miko to disown her the moment she set foot outside the Plane of Euthymia.
It was all because of how cruelly Ei had treated Miko. Heartbreaking would be an understatement for their parting. The final memory of Miko Ei retained post-Plane-of-Euthymia was the expression Miko had made when Ei left her.
The archon remembered it clear as day: lips downturned, pink ears pinned back to her head, fresh tear tracks leading up to pleading purple eyes, which Ei tried her very best to avoid as she gave Miko her gnosis. It was a heartbreaking, searing memory which haunted the archon’s dreams to this day.
However fragile their relationship was right now, Ei decided to focus on the present rather than the past and ask Miko out on a date. First time in 500 years.
And after a long sleepless night, Ei was here: sitting under a sakura tree with Miko, the whole scene strikingly familiar. Miko was immediately digging into a plate of fried tofu, ears and tail twitching happily, letting out little noises of joy as she was chewing.
“You have not changed, Miko. Still so delighted to indulge in such simple food.” Ei remarked.
“Fried tofu is no less simple than tri-color dango.” Miko replied, winking at Ei.
“Why is fried tofu even your favourite? I can not fathom how one's favourite food could not be sweets.” Ei huffed and crossed her arms.
“You can not fathom many things about the world, my dear archon.” Miko purred back.
“Oh, seriously Miko, simple questions should be graced with simple answers.” Ei relented.
“Would you really like to know?” Miko set down the empty plate. She raised her head and locked eyes with Ei, her voice devoid of the teasing tone it previously held.
Ei studied her facial expression for a moment. The shrine maiden's ears were perked up curiously, straining under the weight of their earrings and her eyes had an attentive, serious look. Ei deduced that fried tofu held something more than simplicity to Miko.
“I would.” She answered.
“Very well then, give me your hand.” Miko instructed and reached out her hand to the archon. Ei hesitated, sending Miko a questioning look. When the kitsune did not provide context, Ei looked down at her hand, then back at her face. Miko’s expression held no mirth or mischievous glint, just patience as she waited for Ei. The kagemusha slowly reached out her hand.
The moment Ei’s fingertips touched Miko’s the world changed. In the blink of an eye Ei was standing in the Chinju forest. However this version of the forest was older. Ei recognized it from her memories, this must be pre-cataclysm Inazuma. She also guessed that this may be some sort of memory of Miko’s.
It was about midday, judging from the bright overhead sun. The forest was denser, and the trees were smaller than in the present day, giving it a younger and more shadowed look. Glowing blue flowers covered almost every inch of the grassy ground and Ei spotted a few bane-danuki giggling in the distance.
Ei was so focused on identifying the landscape that she almost didn’t hear the voices behind her. The kagemusha whipped around, scanning her surroundings.
A small distance away walking through the trees were… Herself and Miko? Younger versions of them of course, younger-Miko still must’ve been training under Saiguu and younger-Ei was still just a kagemusha. Ei racked her brain for a moment. This was obviously one of Ei’s own memories, but she seemed to have no recollection of it, past some strange sense of deja vu. She felt a certain sense of comfort and peace as she decided to follow the younger couple.
Younger-Miko was charming as ever. She skipped merrily along the path, twisting her body in an elegant dance. Her earrings jingled and her pink locks swayed as she looked back at younger-Ei and laughed. Younger-Ei smiled back sheepishly and reached out her hand to the kitsune. Ei almost let out a wistful sigh. She missed her younger self dearly some times.
These times usually occurred during cloudless nights where the moon was at its fullest, and Ei bathed in its light, partaking in lonely meditation till sunrise. Ei had less time to just and ponder nowadays, so she would use the nightly hours for that regularly.
Back in the present, (or present-past to be specific), Younger-Miko and Ei were running up the Chinju forest path hand in hand. They eventually veered off the trail and followed another path through the grass only they seemed to know. After some time the couple turned a corner and disappeared out of view, causing Ei to run to catch up to them.
Once she turned the corner the kagemusha froze, completely stunned. Before her was a beautiful little clearing completely fenced from the outside world by sakura trees. They were in full bloom right now, and millions of petals layered the clearing, almost completely covering the grass.
The couple had already laid out a blanket, and young-Miko was laying out pots filled with food on it. Ei moved closer, guessing the couple could not interact with or see her. The petals covering the ground made soft footing that could almost be compared to a silk blanket.
As Ei came closer to the couple she could hear their chatter.
“Miko, I’ve brought a dish for you to try.” Young-Ei said with a shy smile, and reached for a pot on the table. She passed it to young-Miko and the kitsune opened it excitedly, her purple eyes sparkling.
Ei leaned forward, straining to see what it was. There in the pot were small perfectly crispy cubes of fried tofu.
“Oh, Ei… Do you really believe I’m going to like something as simple as fried tofu?” Young-Miko said in a teasing tone.
“It would be rude not to accept the gift of your archon.” Younger-Ei replied with a teasing wink.
With a charming laugh the kitsune picked up her chopsticks and plopped a piece in her mouth. A few tense moments passed as she chewed it thoroughly, her expression betraying nothing.
“Uh,” The younger kagemusha cleared her throat awkwardly, “do you like it?”
“I hate it.” Miko said bluntly, setting down the pot with a clack. Ei stared at her. The kitsune stared back. Just as younger-Ei’s eyebrows furrowed and she opened her mouth to say something the fox burst in a fit of giggles. Real giggles, ones that the real Ei hadn't heard in over 500 years. They were hiccupy, high pitched little foxy noises of delight.
“Miko!” Younger-Ei exclaimed, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink.
“Oh, really Ei, you should've seen your face!” Miko said after she came down from her high. Then she fixed the girl across from her with a love filled stare.
“That was the most delicious meal I’ve ever had.” Miko purred with the most genuine tone of voice Ei had ever heard.
“Oh, Miko…” Younger-Ei rolled her eyes. At that moment there was a strong gust of wind and millions of sakura blossoms floated upwards, curving in a sort of whirlwind around the couple. Ei squinted, not being able to make out anything in the storm of flowers.
“I love you.” Was the last thing Ei heard.
She blinked. Ei was back under the sakura tree in present day Inazuma, sitting across from Miko. Ei stared at the kitsune for a moment, disbelief etched into her face. Miko only giggled and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Miko…” Ei sighed with a tone as gentle as clouds as she shuffled closer to Miko and wrapped the kitsune in her arms. Miko’s giggling abruptly stopped as she melted into the hug, moulding into Ei like she was meant to be there her entire life.
“Ei,” Miko whispered, “You’re my everything. The past 500 years have been tough when even my favourite food reminds me of you. I’ve missed you dearly.” The kitsune buried her head into Ei’s shoulder. Hik, hik. At first the archon thought Miko was beginning to giggle again, but then the hiccups turned into little sobs and Miko gripped the fabric of Ei’s shirt.
“Oh, Miko, I’m sorry, I’m here to stay, I promise.” Ei whispered into her hair, pulling the kitsune closer. She began to carefully run her fingers over Miko’s ears and through her hair.
“You swear?”
“I swear on the stars and the moon. I swear on Inazuma itself and the seas beyond and all of Teyvat.” Ei breathed without hesitation.
“Oh please Ei, I worked so hard to pull Inazuma out of dictatorship. Don't mess things up again.” Miko sat up and grumbled, wiping the tears off of her face.
“Your wish is my command.” Ei laughed and pulled Miko close again, enjoying the familiar feeling of holding her again.
Above them the branches of the sakura tree shuddered, sending dozens of soft pink petals onto the couple. They laughed joyfully about it, laying on the sunkissed grass. Both Ei and Miko always knew no matter how many years will pass their hearts will always linger here, intertwined happily with each other.