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*At Aether’s Teapot*
It was already night at Aether's teapot, after dinner, Aether and Ei played with their daughter Makoto in the living room, the girl ran from one side to the other, from her father's arms to her mother's, grabbing toys that were on the floor, things that children do, Ei and Aether enjoyed the time they could spend with their daughter, during the day they were both very busy, Ei had to handle everything related to Inazuma, while Aether, in addition to helping his wife, was still looking for his sister,
the little girl usually stayed with her father while he resolved some Inazuma business or just stayed with her aunt Miko if he had to go to another nation.
Aether and Ei were sitting next to each other, while the little one ran from one side to the other, throwing toys all over the house and running to look for others to also throw them.
“I wonder where she got that habit of making a mess of wherever she goes from?” Said the archon sarcastically as she leaned her head on her husband's shoulder.
“Says the one who almost destroyed an island…” the archon pouted and slowly punched the boy in the shoulder.
“Hey! That was a long time ago!” Aether laughed and gave his wife a quick kiss on the lips, who quickly returned the kiss with a smile.
“Gha!” The couple watched as Makoto came running at full speed towards his father while holding a small doll of his father that had been given by Noelle to the little girl.
“Oh? Who do you have there sweety?” Ei asked her daughter.
“Papa!” The girl replied with a smile, Ei froze while Aether couldn't contain his happiness and took the girl into his arms in a hug.
“Your first word! And you said papa!” The girl laughed in her father's arms.
“Papa! Papa! Papa!” The blonde girl kept repeating the word seeing how this made her father happy, meanwhile Ei watched the interaction of both, she was happy that her daughter learned to speak, but she hoped that her first word would be something related to her... she was the one who gave birth to her after all.
“Oh! You said your first words Makoto! Congratulations! Now let's see if you can tell me mama” Ei separated the little girl from her father and took her to her lap.
“Papa?”
“No, mama”
“Papa!”
“No makoto, ma ma, mama”
“Pa pa?” Ei and Makoto continued like this for another hour, with the archon trying in every possible way to get her daughter to call her mom to no avail, this continued until it was bedtime for the little girl, Ei took her to her room, still trying on the way to make Makoto say mom without success.
A while later, Aether was already lying in bed, reading a novel that had been given to him by Miko, Ei lay down next to her after changing her outfit, she sighed, something that made her husband realize that there was something bothering her.
“What’s wrong Ei?” Aether put the book on the bedside table and hugged his wife, taking her to his chest to cuddle, Ei responded by hugging her husband and snuggling into his chest.
“I just… fell a little jealous about you”
“Mmm? Why?” Aether asked while with his free hand caressed Ei's long hair that she used to let loose to sleep.
“I'm a little jealous of your relationship with Makoto... I think she loves you more than me” Ei did not separate her face from her husband's chest.
“Don't say that Ei, Makoto loves you very much, it was just a coincidence that she said papa first, I'm sure at any moment she's going to say mama too”
“Do you really think so?” Ei raised her head and looked her husband in the eye, he smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
“I know so” The woman smiled and hugged her husband very tightly.
“Thank you, you always know what to say to make me feel better” They both hugged each other for a while.
“What are you going to do tomorrow?” Aether asked.
“I don’t know, there is a reunion with the the Sanganomiya priestess, but Sara and the Shogun can take care of that, what are you going to do?”
“Miko asked me if I could help her with something tomorrow, she made a commission in the adventurers guide just for me, so I don't have much choice”
“She did? Just… be careful, Miko is family, but I can't help but feel insecure of her, especially when she gets so close to you” Ei looked at her husband, she knew she could trust him, but also knew that the kitsune was madly in love with him, It seemed that the only person in all of Teyvat who believed that she was only teasing him, was Aether himself.
“Don't worry, I'll be careful, you know you're the only one for me” Aether kissed his wife who relaxed in his arms “So will you stay with Makoto in the Tenshukaku?”
“Yeah, I will take care of her tomorrow, don’t worry” They both continued talking until sleep consumed them and they fell asleep holding each other.
*The next day at the tenshukaku*
The family had breakfast together, after this, Aether went to complete his commissions for the day and after that went to complete Miko's commission, meanwhile Ei and Makoto went to the Tenshukaku, while Ei reviewed papers in the throne room, the little girl played with some toys by her side, every once in a while the little girl would ask her mother to give her some of the dangos she was eating, Aether had told her that she didn't give her anything between meals, but how could a mother resist her daughter's expression? So, Ei from time to time gave the little girls some dangos, Makoto was one of the few people Ei could share his desserts with.
After finishing all the paperwork she had, Ei knelt on the floor to play with her daughter, they both played for a long time, but Ei couldn't get last night out of her head, she thought it wouldn't bother much if she gave her daughter a little push to help her talk, right? Then the archon grabbed her daughter and supported her on her legs, the little girl laughed as she was lifted.
“Okay Makoto, lets practice one more time”
“Gah?”
“Repeat after me, mama”
“Gaga?” The little blonde girl seemed to be very close to saying it, but still Ei had no success.
“Yes! you are very close! once again, ma ma”
“Papa!” Makoto said very excited.
“No, mama”
“Papa!” The little girl points towards the entrance, Ei looked to were her daughter was pointing, Aether and Miko were entering the throne room, chatting, when Ei realized, Makoto was already running towards his father's arms.
“Papa! Papa!” Aether bent down and picked up the little girl, he gave her a big kiss on the cheek, the little one and also Miko laughed.
“Hello sweety! Were you having fun with your mother?”
“Gah!” Makoto looked at Miko and waved her small hands, waving at her.
“Hello little one, did you miss your aunty?” Miko told the little girl while with one of her hands she gently pinched Makoto’s cheek.
“Gah!” Makoto laughed, something that made the kitsune smile, the three of them walked to the other side of the room, where Ei had already gotten up and watched the interaction of the three with a little jealousy.
“Well hello Ei, I hope you are doing well” Miko greeted her friend.
“Hello Miko, yes, I’m doing quite well”
“Good good, sorry to interrupt you, but Aether told me that he was going to prepare Fuukuchi Udon for lunch, and I couldn't help but invite myself, I haven't eaten his food for a long long time, I hope you don't mind” The kitsune said as she took the little girl in her arms and played with the cheeks of her niece.
“Mmmm no, I don’t really mind”
“Wonderful! Now Aether, why don’t you go to prepare lunch while the girls talk?”
Miko looked at the boy with a smile.
“Ah, yeah, I will do that” Before leaving, the boy gave his wife a quick kiss on the cheek, she turned red when she did not expect it, he smiled when he achieved his goal and left the room satisfied.
“My my, what would the people of Inazuma think if they saw how their archon is a blushing mess from a simple kiss” Miko laughed softly.
“Sh-Shut up!” Ei was even more embarrassed, meanwhile Miko kept playing with Makoto.
“So Ei, Aether told me that this little girl already said her first words, congratulations, I remember when she just was so small, like a little ball”
“Yes, thank you Miko” Ei answered, but her smile seemed a bit forced.
“Why do I think you are not very happy about it? Is it because of what she said?” Although it was not noticeable, Miko was already planning something in her head to annoy her friend.
“It's nothing, it must be your imagination, the years must be taking their toll on you”
“My, quite aggressive aren’t you? Also, I don't think you're the right person to talk about age...dont you agree with your aunty Makoto”
“Aunty!” the baby responded excitedly to Miko, who upon hearing that, gave her a big kiss on the cheek.
“Did you hear that Ei? She said aunty! the little one must love me a lot” To say that Ei was jealous was an understatement, she was furious, her own daughter had called Miko before her! She had failed as a mother, now she should disappear to the plane of Euthymia, but first she would go to say goodbye to her husband, but as Ei walked towards the kitchen…”
“Mama?” Ei looked surprised, thinking it was a dream, but no, her daughter was looking at her, extending her arms, asking her not to go.
“Mama!” Ei ran to his daughter, scooping her up in her arms and jumping in celebration.
“Did you hear that Miko! She said mama! She called me mama!” The kitsune in all her life had never seen the electro archon so happy, probably the only time practically similar to this one was the day of her wedding with Aether.
“Yes, Ei, I heard her” Ei stood up and her face lit up, quickly running with her daughter in her arms towards the kitchen to tell her husband.
I'll show Aether! We'll be right back! Makoto let's show it to your father!” The archon with her daughter in her arms, ran towards the kitchen, both laughing.
Miko was left alone in the room, with a small smile on her face.
“Makoto...if only you could see this, Ei's lonely years were worth it, I never imagined she was so happy, but she found happiness, well, happiness found her, after your death, even though i was a little kitsune, i never imagined i would see Ei laugh as much as i do lately, that boy really changed our lives for the better, I hope you continue watching us from wherever you are, I promise I will take care of your niece, even if it costs me my life”
Miko began to walk towards the kitchen, to listen to the couple's conversation, but before she stopped, she looked back at the throne.
“And even if it bothers your little sister, I'm still going to try to conquer her husband, he's too... cute to let it go, but don't worry, I won't go overboard, and I'll do it with your sister's permission...maybe”
The kitsune laughed and continued walking to the kitchen, smelling a bit of aroma of the food Aether was preparing.
That day was one that will be remembered for eternity, the day that the future electro archon said her first words.