Chapter Text
As they sat on the wall, surrounded by the noise of the city behind them, Ayaka was sure that she had never felt so relaxed. Tucked safely within Lumine’s embrace, she made sure to file this moment away within the most secure parts of her memories, intent on never forgetting the joy she felt sharing such beauty with the love of her life. She shifted her gaze away from the sky, focusing on Lumine’s serene expression, her smile growing at the sight. While she was certain she had every little detail of Lumine’s face committed to memory at this point, well… in her opinion, it couldn’t hurt to make sure.
She leaned up, and lightly brushed her lips against her girlfriend’s cheek, making her blink in surprise as she snapped out of her reverie, laughing softly as she said, “Oh, sorry, was I not giving you enough attention?” Her tone was teasing, and Ayaka pouted in order to play along, barely holding back her own giggles. “Of course not! Goodness, I’m about to perish over here from said lack of attention… My body grows weaker by the moment…” She had barely finished speaking — already planning to pretend to faint onto Lumine — before her girlfriend beat her to the punch, leaning in and pressing delicate kisses all over her face. (Naturally, she made obnoxious smooching sounds with every kiss.)
Ayaka broke into a fit of giggles under Lumine’s assault, squirming and trying to get away, fighting against the blonde’s sudden vice grip on her. “Noooooo, too many, I’ll die from overdosing-!” Despite her complaints, Lumine continued, laughing evilly as she said, “You should have thought about that before saying anything!” After another couple of moments of Lumine’s assault, Ayaka held her hand to her forehead and slumped forward onto Lumine dramatically, pretending to be dead. Her girlfriend sighed just as dramatically, adjusting so Ayaka wasn’t straining her back to complete the bit, which the bluenette appreciated.
“Alas, what a tragedy… if only this could have been prevented in some way… Whatever will I do without her…” Lumine’s voice was deliberately monotone, and Ayaka tried her absolute hardest to not laugh, but she broke at the sound of Lumine adding fake sniffles, unable to hold back her giggles as she sat back up. “Yes, if only it could have been prevented, perhaps by someone not choosing to be evil?” As she snuggled back up under Lumine’s arm, her girlfriend seemed to pause to think about it, before shaking her head, waving her free hand dismissively. “Nah, there’s no way that would’ve worked.”
The grin that Lumine flashed her after her words was unbearably charming, and Ayaka simply rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, the grin on her face belying any potential seriousness that could have been embedded in the gesture. “You are utterly ridiculous sometimes, my love,” she said, and Lumine hummed innocently as she nodded affirmatively. At least she was aware, Ayaka supposed that counted for something.
They went silent again as they faced back towards the sky, Lumine’s hand absently carding through Ayaka’s hair; the feeling shot pleasant sparks through Ayaka’s nerves, a blissful sigh slipping past her lips without her even realizing as she leaned into her girlfriend’s touch. Her eyes slid closed, until they snapped back open at the distinctive sound of fireworks. They both gasped as colors lit up the night sky, vivid streaks of all the colors in the rainbow disguising the stars; the lights shone in their eyes, and Ayaka felt a smile come unbidden to her lips at the sight, the sound of popping and crackling filling her ears.
Her and Lumine shared a glance, and as Ayaka took her girlfriend’s hand in her own, she felt her heart pounding in her chest; something about this moment struck her in the very depths of her soul. As the fireworks above lit up the sky, their lights shimmering and refracting off of the water, cheers erupting from further down the shoreline, neither Ayaka nor Lumine paid them any mind, their lips meeting in shared silence. No words needed to be said, both of them were aware. All that existed to them in this moment was each other, the fireworks above, and the wall they were sitting on.
And Ayaka was happy with that.
Not too much longer after the fireworks started, both Lumine and Ayaka decided it had been long enough and they needed to head back, trudging along the now-empty shoreline, giggling to themselves at some unknown joke as they swung their held hands together. “One time I threw Aether into the wall,” Lumine was saying, and Ayaka gasped, staring at Lumine in disbelief. “What?! Why would you do that?” Lumine just shrugged, innocent smile on her lips as she said, “I mean, he’s him. I didn’t really need much more of a reason, y’know?” Ayaka just blinked, and sighed as she shook her head, knowing that there was no point in arguing.
“You two have the strangest dynamic,” she said, and Lumine nodded. “Yeah, we know. Wouldn’t change it for the world, though. Same for us.” The blonde added that last part with a small nudge of Ayaka’s arm, and the bluenette couldn’t stop herself from blushing faintly, her smile growing shy as she averted her gaze. “Oh, shush… You’re too sweet.” Lumine hummed in response, the two of them growing silent as they followed the beach back to their starting point. As the fireworks above began to dim, it didn’t take them very long to return; they found Ayato and Thoma sitting on the towel, Ayato reclining into the sand once more and Thoma laying across his lap. Lumine and Ayaka shared a glance before the former nudged Thoma with her foot, the blonde instantly shooting upright, making the girls stifle a laugh.
“Oh, hey, it took you guys long enough! Where’d you even go?” Ayaka beamed at Lumine as she said, “Just took a quick detour. Nothing too major, simply enjoying each other’s company, much as you and Ayato seemed to be doing before we arrived.” Catching Ayaka by surprise, Ayato spoke up after, “Your tone sounds so judgemental, dearest sister… Is it a crime to enjoy the company of one’s partner? How hypocritical…” The bluenette rolled her eyes, lightly kicking Ayato in the leg, making Lumine snicker. “Quiet, you. Get up, we need to go get dinner, it’s probably pretty late by now.” Thoma grumbled as Ayato nudged him to the side, and Lumine stuck her tongue out at him, which was quickly returned. While Ayaka picked up her bag, she slid off her sunglasses and returned them to the bag, blinking as her vision adjusted; after they had moved, she picked up the towel, wiping off the sand before folding it up, aiming a smile at the rest of the group after she did so.
“Are we ready to go?” She asked, and as they began working their way back to the hotel, Ayaka glanced back at the beach, smiling softly to herself as she watched the last few fireworks die out, like embers from a dying flame. She already knew that the events of the day were going to be embedded in her memory for a very long time, and that was everything she could have wanted.
Lumine took her hand, drawing her attention back to her girlfriend, and she felt her heart flutter just at the sight of the blonde.
She was happy.