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Lumine loved her family very much, including Zhongli and Xiao, but this…
This is ridiculous.
Amber glances behind Lumine, trying not to laugh out loud at how stupid they probably looked. “Is that your family sitting at the table over there?”
Lumine bows her head, grimacing. “Yes.”
At her deadpan response, Amber giggles, making Lumine perk up a bit. “I don’t know if I should feel endeared or intimidated.”
“The former, I hope,” Lumine responds. “I don’t want them to scare you away.”
“Oh don’t worry about that!” Amber’s grin is blinding as she shoots up from her seat and gestures to herself with a thumb. “Nothing will ever stop me from dating you! Not unless you uh—” she then deflates, flushing pink as some other people in the cafe shoot her curious looks, “not unless you stop...liking me.”
Lumine laughs and reaches over the table to place her hand over Amber’s. “I doubt it. Every moment with you has been a breath of fresh air.”
The nervous expression on Amber’s face falls and is replaced with one of pure delight. “Really?”
“Really. I’m not the type to use these expressions lightly.”
Amber moves to intertwine their fingers. “I like you too, Lumine.”
Behind her, Lumine can hear a faint ‘Oh my god’ and decides to ignore it in favor of making small talk with her positively stunning date. Getting to this point had been a challenge for her, and it had been thanks to her family that she even gathered the confidence to ask Amber out. Although they were a bit overbearing about it at first...
“You’re going to be fine, Lumine. Trust me. Just go for it!” Aether said.
“Yeah,” Childe placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled, “I wholeheartedly approve of this gay agenda. Though I’ll have to meet her at some point. Just in case—“
Lumine shoved him lightly. “Don’t even think about scaring her away, you monster.”
“I agree with Tartaglia,” Zhongli chimed in. “It’s important for anyone planning to court you to meet your family as well as vice versa. Rest assured though, only a small amount of intimidation will be applied.”
“Not you too, Zhongli,” Lumine groans, dragging a hand across her face. “I haven’t even gone on a date with her yet! And we’re already talking about meeting the family?”
Xiao crossed his arms, scoffing. “Are you doubting yourself? I’ve met Amber and I’m pretty sure she’s interested in being in a relationship with you.”
“Wait, you what? ” Lumine stared at him, mouth agape. “Don’t tell me you—“
“Sorry,” Aether said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Xiao and I met up with her to uh...chat. Just to see if she was nice! We didn’t threaten her or anything,” he added quickly, sensing Lumine’s killing intent.
“Unbelievable,” she mutters and Childe pats her head in sympathy.
In the present moment, she watches Amber talk about something crazy happening to her at work, waving her hands animatedly and smiling so bright it almost hurts to look. It was just like the first time they met, when they were paired up in class and Amber talked enough for the two of them. She didn’t mind. In fact, she enjoyed listening to her stories and adventures.
From there, they only grew closer. Amber became a staple presence in her life as they’d eat lunch together and hang out after school, studying or just basking in each other’s presence.
So it was only natural that Lumine fell for her.
“Do you think they know that we know they’re here?” Amber asks, glancing behind Lumine again.
Lumine sighs. “Knowing them, they probably think they’re being sneaky, but I won’t burst their bubble.” For now.
“It’s nice to know that your family cares a lot about you.” Her smile is teasing when she adds, “I can’t wait to be a part of it!”
Lumine can feel her face heat up and turns away, pleased and embarrassed at the same time. “Isn’t that a bit forward of you?”
Amber’s smile turns bashful. “Maybe, but I am serious about meeting your family. They seem like great people.”
Their eyes meet and Lumine wonders again how she managed to meet someone so kind and beautiful. Is this how Aether felt when he met Xiao? Or Childe with Zhongli? At least not she understands why they acted to stupid when it comes to their lovers.
Lumine rubs a thumb over Amber’s hand, smiling softly. “I’d like that.”
———
“Can you hear what they’re talking about?”
“A little, but judging from Amber’s face, it looks like it’s something sappy,” Aether says.
“I still think this is wrong,” Xiao comments, frowning. “Lumine would have our heads if she finds out we were spying on her, if she doesn’t already know.”
“Aw, don’t act like you weren’t curious too.” Childe smirks at the glare Xiao throws at him. “You were pretty quick to agree to this.”
“There’s no harm in watching over Lumine,” Zhongli says, cutting off whatever insult that would no doubt come out of Xiao’s mouth. “Seeing how nervous she was beforehand, it’s natural that we worry.”
“Yeah…” Aether stares at the back of his sister’s head and smiles. As much as he teased her about being single forever, he’s glad she found someone else to make her happy. She always seemed so cold and distant. “But if she asks, let’s all agree that it was Tartaglia’s idea.”
———
Lumine felt like she was floating. Spending the day with Amber had her smiling so much that her cheeks were starting to get sore. It was almost enough to have her forget about her family, who scrambled to get home when Amber mentioned walking her home at the end of the date.
“I had a great time today,” Amber says, swinging their interlocked hands together. “That cafe has such good coffee and the breezy weather was perfect for walking in the park. We should definitely try flying a kite next time we go!”
Lumine giggles, energized by her enthusiasm. “So there’s a next time already?”
“Of course!” She then pauses, pink dusting her cheeks. “I mean, if you want to.”
“Definitely,” she replies, squeezing Amber’s hand back with a wide smile and eyes crinkling in joy. “I enjoyed today too, more than I expected.”
Amber stares at her in wonder, mouth slightly agape. Lumine’s about to ask what’s wrong when Amber’s lips suddenly quirk up, an expression full of affection lighting up her entire face. Her breath catches.
It’s like watching the sun rise over the horizon, bathing everything in gold and filling Lumine with a comforting warmth reminiscent of cozy nights spent inside with her family. She could just imagine how perfectly Amber would fit in the picture.
“You should really smile more often, Lumine.” Amber says, pulling her out of her thoughts. “Happiness looks pretty on you.”
Lumine turns away, embarrassed. “It looks prettier on you though…”
Amber laughs and Lumine can only sigh as she feels herself fall deeper for the firecracker beside her. Aether will have a field day with this.
———
“See you tomorrow, Lumine,” Amber says, giving her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before running off. “Say hi to your family for me!”
Lumine waves back, laughing as Amber nearly trips over herself while waving enthusiastically at her.
Shaking her head, she opens the door to her home and steps inside.
“I’m home,” she calls out.
There’s a crash from somewhere inside the house and she grins, quickly walking towards the source of the noise.
Lumine raises an eyebrow at her family, who were all in different states of abnormality when she walked into the living room. Aether glances her way from where he was inspecting a family portrait, grinning sheepishly.
“Tartaglia, that magazine is upside down,” she comments, smirking. “And Mr. Zhongli, that cup doesn’t even have anything in it.”
“Ah, so it seems,” Zhongli says, setting down the cup on the coffee table.
She glances at Xiao, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, expression embarrassed. “I’m guessing you already knew?” he asks.
Lumine snickers. “Of course, I did. You guys aren’t exactly subtle.”
“I told you—“
“Yes, we know, Xiao,” Childe sighs and sags back onto the couch. “In our defense—“
“It was Tartaglia’s idea,” Aether cuts in, ignoring Childe’s sputtering. “But! This was only a one time thing so you don’t have to worry about us bothering your girlfriend anymore.”
“You should invite her over for dinner, Lumine,” Zhongli says, an excited gleam in his eyes. “I’d like to meet her.”
Lumine relaxes, her annoyance fading away at the chorus of agreement that follows. She watches Childe and Aether start bickering about what to cook on that day while Zhongli quietly mutters to himself.
Xiao walks up to her side. “I’m sorry for spying on you and your date.”
“It’s fine,” she says, crossing her arms. “Besides, Amber didn’t mind. She was actually happy that you guys cared so much about me.”
Xiao nodded and seemed to hesitate before patting her shoulder. “I’m glad you found her, Lumine,” he says. “You deserve someone to make your days brighter.”
Lumine’s eyes widened. Her and Xiao didn’t tend to spend a lot of time with each other, considering that they were reserved people by nature, but hearing him say that...
It was touching.
They both share a smile, and Lumine laughs to herself at the thought that she didn’t have to be the fifth wheel any longer.