Chapter Text
“Well then, Paimon’s off to the stage! They’re already calling for the contestants, and Paimon’s not one to make them wait!”
“Well good luck Paimon! Kazu and I will be cheering for you!”
“Hehe, may the winds guide you to victory.”
“Thank you! You two enjoy yourselves too!”
With that, the tiny floating fairy flew to the crowded entrance where various contestants line up with their registration tickets. Kazuha chuckled, he was amazed that Paimon would actually join. He had seen the fairy’s appetite himself, and he was sure she’d win without much fight if the opponents were as capable as they looked.
A light tug and a familiar warmth on his arm pulled him out of his thoughts, noticing that Yoimiya was locking her arms around his. He gave a light smile, a bit red to the cheeks, and tugged the arm into his own, making the connection true. Yoimiya giggled, leaning her head onto his shoulder.
“So, where do you wanna go? We have some time before it starts.” She asks.
“I have no desire to go anywhere, I would rather follow you around. Do you have something in mind?” He asked.
Yoimiya’s smile beamed, before tugging his arm as she led him to the food area with a skip in her step. Kazuha smiled warmly, walking together with her as they looked at the various snacks and drinks sold about the place. Still arm to arm, the two walked into a small snack stall, one that was selling several sweet and savory snacks, along with a wide assortment of drinks.
“I feel like something savory. Grilled fish?” Yoimiya asks, to which Kazuha simply nods with a smile.
“Alrighty. Can we get 4 sticks of grilled fish and a pack of tempura please? Oh, and add two Sunsettia smoothies!” She handed the vendor a sum of mora, just as Kazuha was about to pay for it. She noticed him holding his own mora out, only for the shopkeeper to accept hers and not his, much to his annoyance and her happiness.
“Next time, I’m buying.”
“You’d have to beat me to it!”
“Miya.”
“Hehe.”
He sighs, relenting as she giggles at her mildly annoyed boyfriend.
“This is a nice change of scenery, don’t you think?” Yoimiya asks suddenly, changing the topic. Kazuha resets his face, looking at her with a light smile. “Yes, I do admit this is nice. The lands sing a much more pleasant song these days, and I prefer it that way.”
“Oh, you and your ability to listen in on such things.”
“It’s a useful thing to have no? I can tell if you need me from miles away and I could be there in a heartbeat if needs be.” He replied, making Yoimiya blush.
“You- Man your flowery words always gets me.”
“Haha, I guess I have a knack for it now, don’t I?”
“Can’t disagree.” She giggles, leaning back into him as they watch the crowd around them proceed with their own business.
After grabbing their food and drinks, the two made their way to a small shelter made of a few soft mats and a roof overhead. The place was empty and was on slightly elevated ground, giving them a perfect view of the stage as the contestants begin to take their place.
Kazuha was busy setting up a small table and setting the mats in place when a piece of shrimp tempura appeared before him. He turned to the person holding said piece of food, who was grinning at him widely and waiting.
A mad red formed at his cheeks as he ate the food Yoimiya fed him, turning away to continue as Yoimiya giggled.
“Haha, oh Kazu. You’re so cute when you’re like this.” She says, making him blush harder. Yoimiya genuinely enjoyed getting to see Kazuha flustered like this, and she was glad she was the best one for the job at getting him all red.
Not satisfied, she wanted to test the waters even further. Placing their food down on the table while Kazuha finishes up the mat organizing, she sneaks up behind him as he dusts his hands off.
Without warning, she proceeds to jump on top of his back, hugging him and bringing her face within close proximity of his own. As she suspected, this sent red streaks up from his face all the way to his ears, and she could feel him get warmer in the process too, aided in part by her vision.
“Y-Yoi?” He stutters out.
Yoimiya tried to stifle it, but she broke out laughing as she back hugs him, her arms going around his body as he knelt down, her legs following him.
“Ahaha, you’re such a tease Kazu!” She said in between laughters, finally letting go of her grasp on him. Kazuha had to take a few quick calming breaths before turning to her, face still red. She held her hand in front of her mouth, stifling another laugh as he looked down in embarrassment. It was a good thing nobody was around.
Then again, Yoimiya wasn’t at all comfortable at doing affectionate stuff with people watching.
Kazuha collected himself, following Yoimiya’s laughter with his own as they sat comfortably into the mats.
“Man, it’s a good thing I’m dating you. If I didn’t know better, I’d assume you hate me holding on to you like that.” She said, nibbling on her grilled fish stick.
“Oh, then it’s a good thing we are then, I say.”
“Hehe, you’re very right.”
They sat in silence as the announcer began introducing the competition to the audience. Yoimiya took out a box of firework sticks, lighting them up with a flick of her fingers. She hands Kazuha one, which he takes with a silent ‘Thank you’.
As the competition began, the two watched on as Paimon began chowing down on the food. The 2 were visibly cheering, with Yoimiya chanting ‘Go Paimon, Go!’ occasionally and while Kazuha chuckles as they waved the fireworks around, creating a lively atmosphere among themselves.
That only lasted for so long though, as soon Kazuha was more concerned than he was excited. It was already several plates in and several other contestants had already long gone home with their faces looking like they’re about to puke up a storm.
His firework died, but he didn’t notice. He simply stared slack-jawed as Paimon kept on eating, demolishing dish after dish. He now held mad respect to Aether for being able to keep such a ravenous little being in check. He didn’t even manage to take a peek at Yoimiya beside him, who was now not only leaning into him, but was still flailing her firework stick around and cheering.
He only flinched when he felt Yoimiya’s lips on his cheeks, snapping him out of his stare. He quickly placed a hand where she kissed him, her face also red but giggling at him.
Kazuha swore he almost fainted there and then.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was well into the night as the festival drew to a close, with the mass of people gathered on the beaches as the fireworks were primed and set. Yoimiya had finished her setup and retreated to her viewing spot, just under the large statue their Shogun had built. The grass there gave a good view of the fireworks show coming up, and she was also going to share the view with her beloved wandering Samurai.
Kazuha sat, leaning on a large tree when he sensed Yoimiya approaching. He turned to her with a smile, motioning to the empty place beside him. She took it without hesitation, seating herself comfortably beside him. She leaned onto the tree behind him as she counted down.
“I can tell that Aether and Ayaka seemed to have calmed their troubles down.” He said, grabbing Yoimiya’s attention.
“Oh?”
“The wind blowing tells me of the change this land undergoes, and though faint it may be, I can certainly feel them talking to each other.” He says, drawing circles in the ground with his hands.
“Anyways, enough of that. Was the festival fun? We’ve been there a few days but I never got around to asking you.about it.” He asks her.
“Oh, I certainly had fun. Being out with friends and the like was certainly nice. It’s been a while since I attended a festival with such a free spirit, owing to Inazuma’s recent problems. But! And a big but at that, all that’s solved now, and I get to enjoy this festival to my heart’s content.” She replies, edging herself closer to him.
“I can tell, you seem more upbeat than usual too.”
“Pff, always being so observant eh? But yes, I guess I could say I’m happier about this festival than those before. Not just because of Inazuma being in a state of peace. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy the Inazuma now more than the Inazuma before this, but there’s something else.”
“Oh?”
“Hehe, yep. There’s something else.” She leaves him guessing as she settles her head onto her shoulder. Heck, you could argue Kazuha’s shoulder is now reserved for Yoimiya without question anymore. Kazuha takes the hint, and instead of being silent, he wraps his arm around Yoimiya and pushes her outer shoulder into him, effectively pining her in place.
“I think you and I both know the answer to that, Miya. Much more so than anyone else in the island, even your dad if I can imagine.”
“Hehe, now who’s being the bold one here?”
“Oh, you don’t like it?”
“No, I just think you’re still not quite there yet though.” She says, her finger on her lip as she rolls her eyes at him. Kazuha blinks a few times, looking down at her.
“So, it wasn’t me?”
Yoimiya sputted a little, taken aback by his sudden answer. “H-huh? No, that’s not what I meant! Yes it is you, dummy! Of course, who else would make this much more meaningful to me?”
“A-ah, forgive me. I’m not used to these things.” He said, stammering a bit as their cheeks are tinted red.
“Well, nevermind. We’ll get there when we get there.” She says, a little dejectedly. “Well time to turn the fireworks on, here we go.” Yoimiya readies her remote switch, waiting for the stroke of midnight on her time piece.
It was there and then, as Kazuha watches her lift her arms out to press the activation button that he truly realizes what she meant. It was him, there was no question about it. He only just realized what she meant when she said that he wasn’t quite there yet though.
Kazuha’s mind brought back memories; indeed it was always her that took the initiative and drove his inner feelings out of himself. He wasn’t as bad as Ayaka or even Aether perhaps in that matter, but in comparison to Yoimiya he was like a dense brick.
Though they do sincerely love each other, he understood her. His feelings for her, though he expressed it at times, was still not enough for her. She wanted him to be more open about it to her and show it more, that was what she was leading up to.
Kazuha gained a boost of confidence at the thought, and he looked at Yoimiya beside him as she looked out to the sea, where her fireworks were set.
Without warning, he gently lifted his arm out of its position from wrapping around her, earning him a puzzled look from Yoimiya. “Kazu? Is something wrong?”
He just smiled, using the same hand to gently hold her head by the chin and in place. Yoimiya’s face lit up red. “K-Kazu? What are you-”
She cut off her own words when Kazuha started leaning in. The tiniest bit of him closing into her, and she finally recognized what he wanted to do. With a small hum, Yoimiya tilted her head sideways and pressed the switch in her hands, before dropping it to reach behind Kazuha.
Both their eyes were closed, but they needed no guidance from each other. Just as Seelies could follow the path back to their courts without a fuss, Yoimiya and Kazuha’s lips didn’t need any help either. They met in between with a rather distinct yet light smack as they kissed under the moonlight.
Then, just as their kiss began, fireworks began exploding well into the night sky, lighting up their faces as their passion for each other, overflowing at this point, was poured out in one hearty kiss. Their lips danced with each other, and before long Kazuha and Yoimiya separated as the fireworks lit up the sky around them.
She smiled, using her arms behind him to pull him in for another round. Kazuha didn’t object, positioning his hands (now free from holding Yoimiya’s head in place) behind her and pulling her in. Their lips meet again, and again, and again.
It was there, with fireworks blasting into the night sky, that the firework maker and wind samurai focused on nothing but each other, holding each other dearly as if time stood still.
As they finally took their lips off from each other, they held a warm smile.
Yoimiya and Kazuha then leaned back into the tree, with Yoimiya’s head now nuzzled up into Kazuha’s chest as she lay on him sideways, with Kazuha’s arms enveloping her into a hug.
“I knew you had it in you, Kazu.”
“You’re the one who made me realize, Yoi.”
“Hehe, I told you Pyros are good for rekindling spirits.”
“Are you sure you didn’t just light mine up?”
“Well, it was always lit up to begin with.”
They shared a laugh, watching the fireworks in front of them as the sky above Inazuma lights up in a dazzling display of colours and patterns.
Kazuha gently places his head on top of hers, letting the smell of her hair warm his soul. Yoimiya snuggles herself into him more, almost purring as she smiles deeply.
Each other's voices, we may not hear
The darkness ahead, we may fear
But, no matter how drear
To our promise, we shall adhere
Because it is all crystal clear
You will forever and always, be my dear.
“I love you, Kazu.”
“I love you too, Yoi.”