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“Do remind me why we’re here again, Ayato?”
Ayato looks at the beautiful kitsune in front of him. “I invited you for Liyue’s cultural exchange event. I’ve had my dealings late last year, and they cordially invited me to partake.” He winks at her, “and you’re my plus one.”
Yae Miko smirks. “I don’t think this is the kind of event that requires a date, no?” She scans the room, looking around at the other guests. “You just wanted to trick me again.”
“Heh,” the blue haired man chuckles. “And it worked, didn’t it? I always knew you had a soft spot for me.”
Her eyes widen and she slaps him on the arm. “I absolutely do not have a soft spot for you! Where on Teyvat could you have possibly picked that up?”
“Only teasing, Lady Yae.”
She rolls her eyes playfully. “I shouldn’t have taught you so much tricks when you were a child if I knew you’d use them against me as an adult.” She says with a smile, letting him know she’s not serious.
The pair walk around the venue, Ayato doesn’t miss the way she loops her arm around his. He takes it as an opportunity to hold the hand around his arm. She doesn’t flinch one bit.
Liyue always pulls out all the stops when it comes to their events, he almost thinks they’re as grand as any of the events he and Lady Yae planned together. Almost. He breaks out of his thoughts when they approach Ningguang.
“Ah, the esteemed Head of the Yashiro Commission.” She nods at him, and then turns to his companion. “And the Guuji of the Narukami Shrine? How fortunate are we to be graced with your presence.”
“Oh please, I’m just this guy’s date for today.” She jokes, nudging his side. “Lovely to meet you, miss Ningguang, this event must be a huge success because of you.”
“Well, it wouldn’t have happened if not for your date here.” Ayato couldn’t help the smug look on his face, especially since Yae Miko was trying her hardest not to look him in the eye. “I think peaceful negotiations among nations makes for fruitful progress, yes?”
He butts in in gratitude. “Thank you. But like you said, it’s the work of our cooperation that made this possible, so I only initiated but we both had a hand in making this possible.”
Ningguang nods. “Well I’ll be off then, you two have fun.”
They greet each other farewell and walk the opposite direction.
Upon walking together, he would see girls whispering to each other while looking at them. Mostly him. He’s not a stranger to these looks, however, so he does what a gentleman would do and smile at them and go about his business.
“Even here in Liyue, they can’t help but fawn over you.” Yae Miko teases. “You should’ve grown up ugly like I prayed for.
He laughs, “come on now, Lady Yae. I think I saw a couple of them look your way. You are in fact, a gorgeous woman.”
“You flatterer!” The kitsune giggles. “Just as well. 500 years of countless men and women in awe of my beauty. I can’t say I tire of it.”
“I fear the day you do,” he teases back, and she shoots a look at him.
They spot a street food isle and walks towards it, Ayato beaming at the sight of milk tea.
He orders two for himself and for his companion. A sakura and strawberry flavored one for her.
“How intuitive.” She smiles. “Pardon me if this sounds rude but, is there some form of entertainment here? You know how easily bored I get.”
“Don’t worry, I heard there will be pyrotechnics display at 8PM.” He looks at the watch on his wrist as it reads 7:50. “We have about ten minutes,” it’s his turn to scan the area once again and singles in on one location. A private, lofty and empty balcony spot.
She takes the hint and they go over there. It’s a paid seating section to watch the fireworks. It’s just perfect. The clerk was able to recognize Yae Miko and thus, they got in for free.
On the balcony, you can see all of Liyue Harbor. The food stalls, the stages, the performers. It’s amazing how bright and lively everything is around them.
It may just be the perfect view to watch the fireworks display that’s supposed to happen in around 4 minutes.
“Isn’t this is a lovely spot, Lady Yae?”
“Come now, Ayato. You can drop the honorifics on me. We are friends, are we not?”
He smiles. “I suppose we are, Miko,” he says, testing it out. “Have I told you why it is you I invited when I could have brought anybody else?”
“To get perks?” She rolls her eyes as he laughs.
“That,” he plays along. “And—allow me to be vulnerable—” at this, he sees Miko raise her eyebrows. “—I’ve come to enjoy your company the most. I always have a grand time around you, and I find myself missing you when we part.”
The kitsune has a deliciously evil grin on her face. “Is that so?” He nods, conceding. “My, if I didn’t know any better, you wanted to romance me here. Where it’s private.”
He sits closer, angling his head close to her. “Would that be so bad, Lady Guuji?”
“Hmm.” She follows suit, her mouth just mere inches away from his. “I suppose not.” He takes this as his cue to grab her face and close the distance between them with a kiss.
To his surprise, he feels her smile against the kiss. She cups his face as well, and kisses him back. She tastes like cherry blossoms and strawberries, and he feels warm inside at how welcoming her mouth is.
Much like cherry blossoms, their kiss had its ephemeral nature and had to stop, but he felt her reluctance as they pulled away. He smiles.
“A good negotiator and a good kisser,” Miko notes. “I’ll find a flaw in you one day. One that isn’t your terrible cooking skills.”
He laughs against her mouth. Just as they finished, they hear the fireworks go off. They hurry outside the curtain paneling and watch the beautiful, bright colors paint the sky.
Ayato can’t help but find himself in a cliché. Here he is, enjoying his night, a pyrotechnics currently on display, but he watches Yae Miko looking in awe instead. The way the light shines on her pretty pink hair and her purple eyes.
Without much constraint, he pulled her close again. She grins before she tilts her head and leans forward to kiss him. They kiss under the light of the fireworks, reminiscent of Inazuma.
“When we get home I want us to-” she breathes against him.
“Me too.” He agrees. “I’ll have my room ready for us.”
They smile and continued kissing, a promising one at that.