Chapter Text
Ayaka enters through the door of her room in the Kamisato State. She drops the files she was carrying on the table at the center of the room and sits beside it, burying her face in her hands.
Lumine was sitting on the bed, a book in her hand. When she sees her come in like that, she closes the book, getting up from the bed.
“Hello, my love.” She says, her voice cheerful. “Welcome back. I missed you.”
“ Oh . Hello, dear.” Ayaka turns to her voice, her hair cascading after. “My apologies, I hadn’t noticed you were here already.”
“What’s with that expression?” Lumine asks, seeing her blue eyes tired. “Is something troubling you?”
Ayaka shakes her head, white hair framing her face.
“No. Well —“ Ayaka sighs, massaging her temples with her slender fingers. “I have the worst headache. I appreciate your concern, I do , but I don’t think I have the energy for a conversation such as this now. I hope that’s okay with you.”
“ Oh . Sure, we don’t have to talk about that.” Lumine draws a smile, sensing it’s best to not push the issue.
She reaches to Ayaka and palms the side of her face, brushing her cheek lightly with her thumb. Ayaka leans into her soothing touch, briefly closing her blue eyes.
“Thank you.” She whispers, and her expression seems to soften a bit. “I missed you too.”
“Say, if your head hurts, perhaps I can give you a massage?” Lumine offers. “Would you like that?”
“I would appreciate that, yes.” Ayaka says, her cheeks colored a familiar shade of pink.
Lumine has Ayaka lay comfortably on her lap. She starts massaging her temples softly, and she watches Ayaka’s tension defrosting in her hands with every gentle stroke of her fingers. She moves to her forehead, her fingertips softly sinking on her skin, and then to her hair, scratching gently at her scalp. Ayaka sighs easily, melting to her touch.
Lumine keeps working on her for five solid minutes in silence, massaging her head in small circular motions with the pads of her fingers until Ayaka opens her eyes again, her blue gaze finding hers.
“Better?” Lumine smiles, full of affection.
“Very much so. You have miraculous hands, thank you.” Ayaka says, the tension in her head completely gone. She bites the inside of her cheek. “I apologize for being rude before. I’ve had the longest of days today.”
“You weren’t rude.” Lumine says, ghosting her fingers over Ayaka’s features slowly, the bridge of her nose, the curve of her lips. She watches Ayaka’s eyes flutter to her touch. “Do you wish to tell me about it?”
Ayaka sighs, playing with the fabric of her dress.
“It’s about the firework budget for the upcoming festival. I had the Naganoharas ready the order, but an unfortunate storm cracked open while the packages were still outside, and all the fireworks got wet and useless.” She says, eyes closed and her mind focused on Lumine’s fingertips ghosting over her face tenderly, tracing the shape of her jaw down to her chin. “Now the Tenryou Commission is pressuring me into having ready another batch of fireworks, as if I had any say in the matter.”
“That’s very unfortunate, my love.” Lumine says, voice low and gentle. “I can go and help Yoimiya prepare the new batch of fireworks. I don’t have anything to do tomorrow. Would that be of help?”
Ayaka snaps her eyes open. They soften when she sees Lumine’s golden ones.
“ Greatly . But you don’t have to go out of your way for my sake.” Ayaka is quick to say, cheeks pink. “You do more than enough for me as it is.”
“It’s no problem at all.” Lumine leans down, her hair falling over Ayaka and tickling her skin. She presses a kiss to her forehead. “I love you.”