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Ei likes the silence.
It’s still, tranquil, never-wavering, yet easily penetrable, so walls must be made to keep the quiet. Her Plane of Euthymia provides this. For centuries, she spent all her time in lonesome silence.
She didn’t mind. It’s not as if she prefers the chatter of the people. The howls of the wind, the rumble of rocks, even thunder wouldn’t shake her into changing her mind on the pursuit of eternity.
Back then, Makoto would always rope her into archon meetings. She, a kagemusha, who served no real purpose to her sister’s governing body of Inazuma. She didn’t really fit in at a table of The Seven, so she hides her face and hopes to never be seen.
After the tragedy that struck the land five hundred years ago, Ei retreated to her personal realm. It wasn’t much different than what she used to do. It’s just that in silence, the quietest of sounds becomes so loud.
Sometimes, these sounds take the form of voices in her head. Other times, it is white noise that fills the endless voids of her Euthymia and it’s deafening.
Other times, something else penetrates the silence. She knows exactly when someone has entered her realm, though this someone is the only one who would be able to get in, anyhow. That is, until the traveler showed up and shook the very foundation of her eternity.
This time, it’s a familiar, welcome presence though, as she looks up and finds the face of an old friend.
“Miko.”
“Doing well by yourself in here?”
A smile creeps up to her lips at her friend’s entrance. “Not so. In fact, I was outside just a moment ago.”
Stepping into the outside world after spending all her time in the Plane of Euthymia was a change she didn’t know she needed, and perhaps, in ways more than one she already changed when she returned.
Miko laughs into her hand. “Dragged by the traveler, I trust?”
“Yes, you should know this, considering you were the one who allowed them to enter this place,” Ei says plainly, then turns away. “What is the purpose of your visit?”
“No need to be like that, now. I brought your favorite.”
The priestess presents a box of Tricolor Dango which Ei stares at dubiously, before taking one and biting down. Miko smiles amusedly at Ei’s suspicion melting as her eyes light up while she chews on the dessert.
“This is good. Still, I don’t fully believe that you came only to bring me desserts.”
“If you prefer having talks about mortality and immortality against the rapidly passing of times, I am all here for it, but you wished to rest, so I am merely providing… means of relaxation.”
It’s true. It has been so very long since Ei allowed herself to stop and reflect. She supposes it wouldn’t hurt to take some time to indulge in sweets as something she enjoys before she decides what to do next.
She was so focused on her single goal of pursuing eternity in darkness, she couldn’t even open her eyes to see the path — just walking blindly, but Miko penetrated that darkness and brought light back to the Plane of Euthymia. Ei wasn’t sure about what would become of her soon, did Miko and the traveler not get through to her.
Eternity is too cruel a fate for you. She wonders if such a statement carried more than one meaning.
“I wonder, though. Aren’t desserts, as mortal food, a momentary pleasure as well?” Miko says. At Ei’s curious head tilt, continues, “You needn’t answer that. I was merely pointing out a fact. Though, it might be a good time as any to reflect on your beloved eternity, hm?”
Ei swallows, shaking her head. “No, not while you’re here. I’d like to enjoy the food. You should have some as well.”
“Ah, Her Excellency is inviting me to eat with her? I’m honored,” Miko giggles. “There is no need, I’ve already had my fill. After all, who else do you think prepared these for you?”
“Truly?” Ei’s eyes widen. She flushes just slightly, turning her head down, timid. “You didn’t have to. And… you needn’t call me that either.”
Miko walks around her to kneel behind where she sits mid-air, placing long and delicate but strong fingers on each of the woman’s shoulders and starts massaging gently, coaxing a content sigh out of Ei who relaxes under Miko’s touch. She allows her mind to drift as her eyes begin to close.
“So, Your Excellency, what do you think of the world out there?” Miko starts.
Ei exhales briefly, breath only slightly staggered when Miko leans in closer to her neck. “Though I’ve only stepped outside the Plane of Euthymia for but a day, Inazuma has… changed. The nation I’ve so-desperately nurtured under the ideal of eternity. It made me think.”
“Truthfully, Ei, only so much in this world is permanent. Some things may remain the same, but people are ever-changing. I’ve witnessed this over the past few centuries while you were off being a hermit.” Miko giggles to herself, then leans in until she’s right beside the archon’s ear and whispers, “I have also learned many things through the course of change. Would you like a demonstration?”
Ei turns her head and holds Miko’s chin between two fingers to look at her properly. “That depends. What have you got up your sleeves this time, Miko?”
“Close your eyes.”
For some reason, Ei complies.
She would trust her with anything, even in darkness.
Then comes the press of a pair of lips on hers, soft and gentle; innocent, even, if it were not for the tongue that poked out to get a taste. It ended as quickly as it came, though, because Miko pulls away and Ei opens her eyes back up, yet only confusion swam in them.
Ei presses her index finger to where lips had met. “What was that?”
“A kiss. Humans do it to show their affection,” Miko explains. She runs her tongue on her own lips to savor the sugary hint left in them. As expected of her sweet-tooth beloved archon, but she wanted more of that sweetness.
“Hm... for what purpose?”
Miko hums, leaning closer once again until their faces are pressed. “One may say love, or lust, or somewhere in-between. It’s quite the intimate thing, you know,” she murmurs.
“I see. This is yet another concept I’m unfamiliar with.”
Ei takes it in and her cheeks redden ever so slightly. How cute.
“Surely, you understand what I mean?”
“I’m not sure what it is you want from me.”
Miko stifles a laugh. “Oh, Ei, I don’t need anything from you. All I ask is that you accept mine.”
Despite herself, Ei smiles. “Alright, I accept,” she chuckles softly at the lightheartedness of the confession. A hand comes up to hold the side of the priestess’ face. “But in return, I will also give you mine.”
“Well, it’s not as if I could ever reject you.” Miko’s own hand rests on Ei’s and she leans just slightly in, teasing. “Go on.”
Ei closes the remaining distance between them.
The second kiss is shy, barely pushing and seemingly content with a light press. It’s not enough for Miko, though, because she takes the initiative to pull Ei even closer and tilts her head to slot between the parting of her lips.
Ei yields into her beloved’s touch because she makes no move to pull away, instead, her hands come to wrap around Miko’s neck, fingers gently treading her hair. She submits completely when Miko takes the lead and starts to move their lips together, taking advantage of the opening when she coaxes a gasp out of Ei to prod her tongue once more and Ei welcomes it with something close to delight.
Miko kisses her like it’ll make up for centuries of pining and unrequited feelings and Ei does not try to hide her enjoyment of this from the soft sounds coming out of her. It passes Miko’s mind for a second— what an honor it would be to break down the almighty Electro Archon this way.
Except for the moment, they are not the Narukami Ogosho and the Guuji, having nobody’s eyes on them but their own, and she loses herself in the thought because the kiss becomes hungrier, less grazing and more devouring. She’s chasing after that sweetness from before, both from the sugar and Ei herself, and she’s already addicted to it.
Ei turns her head away to catch her breath not long after, face beautifully flushed and violet eyes foggy, overcame with new sensations. “I—”
“Hush, dear. I’ve been wanting this for a while, you know,” Miko murmurs against the corner of her lips, tone vaguely sultry.
Miko doesn’t waste a moment to trace her lips down to Ei’s jaw and throat, leaving light pecks along the way, some tongue but no teeth — that’s for another occasion somewhere else. The thought excites her nonetheless, because she leaves a particularly hard kiss below her jaw that makes Ei’s breath stagger.
When she finds her voice, Ei brings the priestess who was busying herself down there up to meet her gaze and whispers, “Will you... stay awhile?”
Her hold tightens, as if unsure if Miko was really there.
“When I’m this close to you, I feel… calm, content.”
Happy hangs heavy on her tongue.
She’s fantasized about her ‘friend’ before, after all. Perhaps in the back of her head, she had hoped someone wouldn’t leave her, even if she shuts herself away. The decision was foolish to begin with, but she thought it was necessary. Grief is blinding, yet love is light penetrating.
(Her pure heart sang— It’s so lonely. I’m so terribly lonely.
She wouldn’t admit it until she was pulled out of the nightmare.
And truly, Miko never left her, for how could she ever?)
“You know in your heart I would stay with you for all eternity, Ei.” Miko leans closer until their foreheads are against each other, her words a quiet vow. Then the corners of her lips raise just a little. “But I do have shrine duties still.”
Ei’s head drops over Miko’s shoulder. “Then, please allow me to be selfish just for this moment. Let me hold you for a while,” she pleads.
Miko’s smile widens.
What an honor it would be to break down the almighty Electro Archon this way, and it is most certainly her highest honor. For no one in all of Inazuma could ever compare to her when it comes to loyalty.