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Sara felt strange when she awoke.
She felt out of place.
Instead of the stiff twin-sized mattress she normally slept on, she found herself sinking into a plush and luxurious king-sized. Not only that, but faint beams of sunlight shone through the purple curtains hanging against the window. Strangest of all, however, was that she was not alone. Resting on her arm, nuzzled into her chest, and drooling slightly on her shirt was the Raiden Shogun.
Not Ei, mind you. No, the person she laid with was the one once known as ‘ the Puppet ,’ now affectionately referred to as Raiden by Sara, and Sara alone. The person resting peacefully with her now was the same one she had come to love and cherish over the past few months. The person wrapped in her arms was one she’d spend her own little eternity attempting to bring joy and happiness to.
So when she awoke, contrary to what might be assumed, she was distraught.
Normally, her internal clock would wake her at 5 AM sharp, before morning even began to break, and she would silently sneak out of the grand bed chambers she had slept in. It pained her immensely not to be able to share sleepy mornings with her lover, to not be able to watch her rise from her sleep and taste the morning breath on her mouth as they kiss. She was but a general, however, and the other was the Raiden Shogun. She couldn’t disparage her reputation by being seen slinking out of her chambers; the rumors that had spread even before the end of the Vision Hunt Decree did enough of that for her.
She cursed herself for sleeping in, blaming her tired state on certain activities from the night before and the following soreness that radiated throughout her body, and she made to crawl out of the bed. She slowly removed her arm, a practiced motion she had recently perfected, and laid Raiden’s head gently on the pillow she had learned was the woman’s favorite. She sat up in bed, intending to quickly dress and exit through the window that faced the garden by the rear wall of those that surrounded Tenshukaku. When she slid to the edge of the mattress, however, it must have shifted, and she heard the woman behind her stir.
She stood as gently as she could manage on tired legs, and quickly got dressed. She pulled off the old shirt she had used to sleep in, and tugged on the tight fabric of the one she wore under her uniform. She tied the long skirt behind her waist, and pulled on her high socks. She shoved her arms through her sleeves and gauntlets, donning the pieces that covered the black fabric, and slotted her head through the piece that sat on her chest and back, placing the ornate necklace gently around her neck. She clipped her vision to her belt, and, due to the pounding that rendered every quiet rustle harsh and overwhelming, did the same with her mask. It took her exactly five minutes.
Only after she slid on her sandals and made her way towards the window did she hear another rustling of sheets. This time, however, it was accompanied by a voice.
“Sara?” Raiden questioned, hazy from sleep but clearly able to feel the warmth from where Sara had laid on the mattress.
“Apologies for waking you,” Sara replied, standing stock still, obviously anxious at having been caught. It wasn’t something they had discussed yet.
Raiden sat up in bed, glancing around the room, and eventually her eyes settled on Sara, fully clothed and ready to exit. She had to fight back tears. Her emotions had been much more intense now that she was no longer chained with restrictions.
“You’re free to go, if you wish. I won’t keep you; I know you don’t wish to be seen with me like this,” Raiden spoke, doing her best to hide her sadness.
“No, I-“ Sara tried to speak, but was quickly interrupted.
“Don’t want people to think you became a general simply because you were sleeping with me, right? It’s fine. Besides, it’s normal, isn’t it? Even Ei is quite cautious when she’s seen with Yae; perhaps this is just a facet of human relationships that I have yet to understand.”
Sara was stunned. In truth, she hadn’t considered that line of thinking much. It crossed her mind once, shortly after things started between them, but she dismissed the thought immediately. Perhaps it was due to the growth she was provided by recent events, but she cared not for what people spoke of her. Let passerby assume of her what they wish, as long as those she holds dear know the truth. No, the reason for her actions were, in her mind, out of selflessness and devotion, and it made her chest tighten to think that Raiden thought otherwise.
She stood dumbly for a beat, not quite sure what to say or do. After a moment, however, Raiden spoke once more.
“You can go, if you want. I said it was fine.” Raiden brought her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them, and staring intently at the wall.
Another beat, and Sara turned to leave. Oh, how she didn’t wish to though, but she knew she had to. She wanted nothing more than to climb back in bed and hold her lover close and kiss all of her fears away. Instead, she walked to the large window, undoing the latch, and pushing it open. Before leaving however, she spoke. She spoke so quietly that she barely heard it herself; to Raiden, however, the words were crystal clear.
“It’s not about that.”
“Then what is it about, Sara?” Raiden’s voice was pleading as she spoke, and it made Sara’s heart ache.
She turned around from the window now, jumping slightly to sit on the windowsill, and she could see the intense gaze of her lover now trained fully onto her. It made her shiver.
“You’re the Raiden Shogun, the eternal ruler of Inazuma, and I’m just, well, me . A general, sure, but I’m far from fit to be the one you return home to, or wake up with. I’m not deserving enough to build a home with you; I’ll never be able to wear the robes of the Shogun’s wife. And rumors had spread before any of this ,” she gestured between the two of them, “even started; imagine what’d they say now, if they knew. You don’t deserve to have to go through that.”
Despite the serious tone of Sara’s voice or the intense look she was sure was plastered on her face, Raiden laughed.
She laughed.
She laughed so hard she snorted, and, though the moment was supposed to be a tense one, Sara thought she was beautiful. She had always been beautiful, but Sara thought that she was exceptionally so nowadays, now that she was free to feel and love as she pleased.
After her laughter subsided, Raiden rose from the bed she had been sitting on, slowly walking to where Sara sat on the window, and slotting herself between her legs. “You’re right; I’m the Raiden Shogun. I’ve been ruling over Inazuma for centuries, Sara, I can handle a few rumors and sideways glances.”
Sara paused for a moment before speaking, staring at the beautiful form of her lover. “You shouldn’t have to,” she said. Then, turning her head away and speaking much, much softer, she continued. “Not because of me.”
“Sara…” Raiden spoke, placing a hand on Sara’s cheek and staring at her softly. “Sara, look at me.” It took her a moment, but she obliged her lover’s request, gaze shy and stiff. “I can protect myself, I promise. I appreciate the thought, but I don’t care what the people say. Let them speak, for, if I could, I would let the entire world know that I’m yours. I would shout it from Celestia, so that everyone would know. And, if what anyone thinks about that were to bother you, I’d take care of it; I promise.”
Sara sniffed, and a single tear carved its way down her cheek. “But for you to go through so much on my account, I-“
Raiden cut her off with a kiss.
She stood on the balls of her feet so she could reach her, pulling her down slightly and colliding their lips with a ferocity. They fit perfectly together, melding with an unimaginable passion, and Sara could feel her worries melting away. She could feel her body loosen when Raiden ran a hand through her hair, and she could feel her chest decompress as she set her arms around her shoulders. When they separated, she didn’t know what to say. That’s okay, though, Raiden spoke for her.
“I love you, Sara. If someone had tried to tell me five centuries ago that I’d even be able to imagine feeling what I do for you now, I’d think them insane. Eventually, one day down the line, I want nothing more than for you to wear those robes you spoke of, to have your hand and be able to love you for as long as I’m allowed. You don’t have to worry about what they say about us because I’ll respond ‘ this is the woman that I love with all my heart and soul ,’ and I promise I’d do anything to protect that love.”
Sara was crying now. Tears streamed down her face like rain from the storms she had grown so fond of, but they weren’t out of sadness. They were tears of peace and contentment, tears of overwhelming love and joy.
Raiden used her thumb to wipe them away, holding Sara steady in her grip, treating her with more tenderness then she knew she was capable of. She pulled her down slightly, and stood on her toes once more to kiss her. She kissed her on her cheeks, grounding her and promising her reassurance. She kissed her once on her forehead, stealing away whatever nerves she had left and promising her safety. And finally, she kissed her on the lips, burning with love and promising her passion everlasting, for all eternity.
From where Raiden stood, snugly between Sara’s legs as she sat on the windowsill, she drew her hands to the other woman’s thighs, wrapping carefully around them, and silently urging the woman to do the same with her legs around her waist. She pulled her down, holding her tightly in her embrace, and carrying her, swearing to never let go.
Sara’s wings unfurled then, jet black against the faint sunlight, and Raiden thought it the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. Sara buried her face in the crook of Raiden’s neck as she was held, wrapping her wings around the pair, and smiling in her embrace. She kissed her once more for good measure, feeling that it’d never be enough no matter how many times she did, and she felt the woman sigh with content on her neck.
“Now that that’s settled,” Raiden said lightly, “we’re back off to bed. It’s my official decree as Raiden Shogun that we’re to have a well deserved day off.”
“As you wish, Your Excellency,” came Sara’s response, voice just as soft.
And so, back to bed they went.