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“I heard the annual Inazuman fireworks display was coming up. Would you like to go watch it with me?”
Xingqiu turned to his best friend, confused. “What did you say, dear Chongyun?”
The two were currently walking back to Liyue Harbor from a trip to Mt. Tianheng. They had nothing to do for the day, so they decided to relax on the peak of the mountain and watch the sunset together.
The boy in question turned away, but not before Xingqiu noticed the red tint on his cheeks . “I asked if you wanted to see the Inazuma fireworks display with me,” he repeated in a louder voice than before.
“How will we get there, though?”
“Well, the traveler told me we can ask Captain Beidou to take us there. That was how she got there months ago,” Chongyun replied, facing his best friend again. “Lumine told me about the fireworks a few days ago. She thought we might be interested in them.”
That caught Xingqiu’s attention. As far as he knew, they never expressed an interest in fireworks to the traveler. Perhaps it was just for Chongyun, or Lumine saw something extraordinary there that might give him story inspiration. Either way, he wasn’t about to say no to watching fireworks in Inazuma with his best friend.
His best friend, Chongyun, who could be way more than his best friend.
“Sure, Yunyun, I’ll go with you,” Xingqiu grinned. “When are we leaving?”
This seems to send the Cryo user to a mildly panicked state. “Uh-uh well…actually, we, um, are scheduled to leave tomorrow because the display is tomorrow night,” he managed to stutter out. Xingqiu gaped at him. Tomorrow, already?
Chongyun, noticing his expression, panicked a little bit more. “It’s all right if you can’t, though!” he exclaimed. “We can always go next year instead.”
“No, I’m doing just fine,” Xingqiu reassured him. “It will take time to convince my parents to let me go, though, yet I’ll manage to for sure.”
His best friend’s face split into a large grin. ( Oh, what I would do to see that everyday , Xingqiu thinks wistfully.) “Great!” he exclaimed. “I’ll meet you at the wharf tomorrow at 9, then.”
∘◊—◊∘
Chongyun was anxiously waiting for Xingqiu at the wharf the next day. The reason Lumine told him about the fireworks display was because he shared with her his plan to confess to his best friend. He just didn’t know how and when.
The traveler thought about it for a while, then remembered Yoimiya. If the light-blue haired boy remembered correctly, this “Yoimiya'' was part of a family who made fireworks. Lumine told him he could request a custom firework from her to make the fireworks display even just a little bit more special.
Chongyun already knew what kind of firework he’d request from the traveler’s friend. He just hopes it would look exactly as he imagines it.
He could already see Beidou and her crew talking to the merchants near the docks. A few minutes ago, she reminded him they still had to head to Guyun Stone Forest to board the Crux. This was something the teen had forgotten, making him a little guilty for telling Xingqiu to meet him at the wharf. Speaking of his best friend, he could already see Xingqiu’s blue hair as the hydro user walked towards him. He raised his hand to wave his best friend over. Xingqiu grinned, quickening his pace and was soon right in front of Chongyun.
“When are we setting sail?” he asked.
“Well, Beidou said we still have to go to Guyun before we can board the ship, so…”
As if speaking her name summons her, the captain of the Crux appeared beside them. “Are you two ready to travel to Inazuma?” she asked with a large grin. The teens nodded. With the help of their visions and the strategically placed teleport waypoint, they arrived and boarded the ship in no time. The gentle soul in Inazuma was there, Chongyun notes, instead of roaming Liyue like the past few weeks. Their journey mostly consisted of clear skies until they were nearing their destination. Instead of a blue sky, they saw dark clouds, rain, and lightning strikes. It only lasted for a while, thankfully, and they arrived at the place they call “Ritou” without any more drops falling from the sky.
A man named Thoma went to meet as they were walking off the ship. “The traveler told me you’re here for the fireworks display,” he told Chongyun. “Yoimiya should be at the shop right now. Do you want me to show your friend around while you talk to her?”
“That will be really helpful,” the Cryo user replied gratefully. “Thank you.”
Thoma led them to Inazuma City, pointed out Nagonahara Fireworks, then began giving Xingqiu a tour around the place. His best friend shot him a questioning glance but said nothing. As soon as they disappeared from his sight, Chongyun gathered his nerves and knocked on the shop.
“Hello?” he called. “I’d like to order a firework, please…”
∘◊—◊∘
The anticipation of the crowd could clearly be felt even hours before the fireworks display. The air was buzzing with excitement as Chongyun and Xingqiu walked around, waiting for the fireworks. They weren’t saying anything, instead enjoying each other’s presence. It was a moment of comfortable silence that was much like back in Liyue. Sometimes they’ll set out just to relax for the day, then end up somewhere on Mt. Tianheng. They’ll settle down under the shade of a tree and do their own things—Xingqiu pulling out one of his beloved books while Chongyun cools off with a popsicle. They don’t talk to each other during those moments. Somehow, just somehow, they understand the other better in silence.
The pair stopped at Amakane Island after an hour to look for a spot to watch the fireworks together. “The view is best on Amakane Island,” Lumine said days ago. She was right. From the edge of the island, you could see the entirety of Inazuma City, which was where the fireworks would be. Chongyun led Xingqiu to the roots of the lone Sakura tree on the edge. A small lamp behind them made the petals nearby glow gold.
The natives around them were actively talking in a language neither of the boys understood. They decided not to add to the noise and silently waited for the display.
While waiting, Xingqiu took out another of his books. He flipped it open and buried his nose in it, leaning against the Sakura tree to be more comfortable. In the calm silence between the two of them, Chongyun was allowed a moment to peacefully observe Xingqiu. Though his best friend would sometimes feed him spicy or hot food, he always made sure to fix whatever damages the cat-eyed boy may have inflicted. He would also tell him rumors about evil spirits, even accompanying the exorcist on his journeys to hunt said evil spirits. Xingqiu was there to cheer him up after a failed mission. He’s there to drag him up to Wanwen bookhouse to look at the new books or across the harbor to Wanmin Restaurant so they can eat lunch together. He’s there whenever Chongyun has nothing to do and they climb Mt. Tianheng just to relax on its peak.
Those, and perhaps many other reasons, are what let Chongyun fall for his best friend.
Those, and maybe also the way Xingqiu’s uneven bangs fall over his eyes. Those, and possibly how Xingqiu’s gold orbs glow while talking about a new book or fighting technique. Those, and probably because Xingqiu is a constant. He’s always there when he needs him, and now Chongyun can’t imagine a life without him.
During his reverie, his brain barely registers the loud bang! of the first firework, signaling the start of the display. Everyone immediately went silent. The first firework was a combination of teal and dark green. Its embers faded away silently, a glimpse of the wonder once suspended in mid-air.
And then they kept coming. The second and third fireworks were yellow and purple, respectively. Those didn’t have time to fade away before another explosion of colors burst into the sky. And then another, and another, and another. Soon, the beautiful Inazuman night was painted with a rainbow of colors, each suspended momentarily…then fading away. Sometime in between all those, Xingqiu had set his book down to look up at the display in awe. Chongyun found himself looking at the reflection of fireworks in his best friend’s eyes. He didn’t say it, but watching them from Xingqiu’s eyes made the experience a whole lot better.
Chongyun didn’t know how long he stared at the hydro user’s face. Time was like the fireworks—suspended even just for a moment. After a while, he notices Xingqiu’s eyes widen, shifting his gaze up at the sky again to find out why. There, right beside the shogun’s tenshukaku, was the firework Chongyun requested from Yoimiya. It was an ombre of blue, starting dark from the center and turning light at the edges. The darker hues in the center curved softly, while the lighter ones were sharp. It was exactly what Chongyun pictured it would look like: a firework that showed water turning into ice. He glanced back at Xingqiu, whose expression had melted from awe to fondness. He felt something stir inside his heart. Before he knew it, the words he’s kept inside for the past few years came bursting out like the fireworks painting rainbows onto the inky blue sky.
“Xingqiu, I like you.”
He half expected his best friend to freeze, to turn around and face him with a shocked expression on his face. Instead, Xingqiu replied with the sweetest tone he’s ever heard from him.
“I like you too, dear Chongyun.”
This time, it was the exorcist’s frost blue eyes that widened. He searched the hydro user’s golden orbs for any sign it was a lie, one of those pranks he played on him back in Liyue. He found none and saw honesty and fondness there instead. Xingqiu turned to him with a soft smile on his lips.
“Thank you for inviting me to watch these fireworks with you,” he gratefully whispered, just as the last embers were blown away by the chill of the night.
“You’re welcome, Qiu,” Chongyun whispered back. In a far corner of his mind, he makes a mental note to thank the traveler for her help. For now, though, he buries himself in Xingqiu’s arms, relishing in the tingling on his forehead where he was given a kiss.