Work Text:
Atsushi’s hand curled around her hair, her pink nails smoothing down the stubborn pieces of hair that stood out of her bun. Carefully, she picked up the small assortment of flowers that she laid out in front of her, threading Asclepias throughout her hair, making sure that each of the buds represented the color of the sunset to match the job that she was taking over today. Once she finished, Atsushi smiled at herself in the mirror, her wings fluttering in satisfaction at the finished product.
Usually Kunikida is the one to paint the sunset every day, but she had other business to attend to. Dazai was not one to focus on the sunset, always preferring to have her attention on Kunikida, subtly messing up the things she organizes to have the blonde’s attention. Ranpo is far too focused on snacks and praise as a result rather than on how the sunset itself would look like. The Tanizaki siblings are out of the picture, they’re far too easily distracted to get anything done. Both Kenji and Kyouka are too young to carry out such an important task, so Fukuzawa left Atsushi to take the lead.
Atsushi sighs, adjusting the smooth petal sleeves that curled around her arms. She was nervous. She never had to do this before. Although Kunikida did give her pointers, which she was grateful for, she still couldn't help but doubt her abilities as a sunset painter.
To quell her thoughts, Atsushi decided to focus on making a flower crown for her girlfriend, Ryuu. Quietly, Atsushi searched for the moonflowers and baby’s breath that she collected while cultivating the flower fields with Kenji, eventually finding the white flowers and humming contentedly.
Carefully, Atsushi threaded the flowers together, securing them in place by twisting and braiding them until a full circle was created that would surely fit Ryuu’s head. A small smile formed on Atsushi’s face, a giddy feeling filling her stomach. Soon enough, Atsushi heard the twinkling sound of Kyouka’s wings fluttering; a signal that dusk was beginning.
Quickly gathering the materials she needed, Atsushi double-checked to make sure that she didn’t leave anything behind. Once she marked everything she had off of her mental checklist, she exhaled slowly, thumbing against the petals of Ryuu’s flower crown that now hung off of her woven leaf bag.
Atsushi slowly made her way out of her Peony home, her petal shoes making a thumping sound as she adjusted them for comfort. Finally, when she felt comfortable, she left her home, her wings allowing her to fly quickly. Along the way she waved goodbye to both Kyouka and Kenji, promising that she’d see them soon.
With the wind flowing in her hair, she gripped Ryuu’s flower crown a little tighter for comfort. Soon enough, she made it to the ocean. Atsushi breathed in the salty air and smiled at how refreshing it felt to her lungs. Gently, she placed down the materials onto the last bit of grass that was available, smoothed down the back of her dress, and sat down on the soft patch of grass.
While admiring the scenery, Atsushi pulled out the colorful flowers from her bag and began to place them in front of herself, trying her best to come up with a satisfying arrangement of colors for the sunset to shift into.
Atsushi gently pulled out her sketchbook, swiftly flipping through the pages where she kept track of the sunset each day. Eventually, Atsushi was able to create her idea with references to Kunikida’s previous sunsets. Immediately Atsushi got to work.
She first placed the harsh purple flowers together— mostly consisting of Alliums, Bellflowers, and hardy geraniums— in the corners of her piece, intending for all of the harsh colors to slowly melt into the light colors in the middle. Next, she placed the pink peonies around the border, adding random butterfly weeds in the mix to add the vibrancy of orange. Gently flexing her fingers, Atsushi then placed the Azaleas near the butterfly weeds, and lilacs were soon added to the middle, completing the full picture.
With few rearrangements and furrowing of her brows, Atsushi deemed the color scheme to be acceptable. Slowly, Atsushi lifted her hands atop the flowers and slowly curled her fingers, allowing for a bright stream of blue light to spin around the flowers and shoot up into the sky, eventually replacing the darkening blue with the soothing blend of purples, pinks, and oranges.
Atsushi heaved a sigh of relief, a small smile resting on her lips at the sight of the sunset she was able to create. With a few hours to spare, Atsushi began to paint the sunset she made into a fresh page in her sketchbook, making sure to add the little details to her work, too. Short, black strokes were placed in the lower right corner, a small symbol of a tiger being used to indicate that she was the one to create this sunset. Atsushi smiled a bit wider, dimples indenting her cheeks as she fell back onto the grass.
For a few minutes, she allowed herself to rest, the ocean breeze soothing the heat that she felt on her cheeks mere moments earlier. The soft colors of her sunset soothed her eyes. The sun’s toned-down brightness didn’t bare into her eyelids as it did earlier that day. The atmosphere was one that Atsushi could bask in for years, one that made her question why she didn’t take up this job sooner. She wondered if Kunikida felt this relaxed while creating sunsets. If she did, then it would explain why Kunikida seemed so light on her feet at the end of the day.
Dazai always seemed to sense her relaxation, so she would usually stop her unruly behavior. Instead, she chose to admire her relaxed nature, smiling at the calm expression that Kunikida wore. At times she’d even compliment the blonde, calling her beautiful, gorgeous, and all sorts of other things. Eventually, Kunikida would have to leave early to avoid the overwhelming feeling of embarrassment filling her senses.
Atsushi smiled at the memory of her mentors. They were sweet when they wanted to be, and at times their affections would make her heart melt. It reminds her of Ryuu and herself.
Atsushi felt a pang in her chest at the thought of Ryuu.
She did miss her, and it upset her knowing that they can’t see each other as often. Since the seasons are changing, so are their schedules, which leads them to fall behind on their plans. A sad sigh fell out of her lips, the scenery suddenly felt lonely, and the environment felt cold. As Atsushi began to clear out the flowers to begin the transition to night, she heard the twinkling of wings behind her.
With her posture rigid, she slowly turned to see who it was, only to see her girlfriend, Ryuunosuke. Almost instantly, Atsushi’s wings began to flutter rapidly. Her cheeks flushed a baby pink, and her heart began to pick up speed.
Floating off the grass with a kick, she immediately flew to Ryuunosuke, wrapping her arms around Ryuu’s shoulders in what could be described as a tackle, eventually bringing them both to the ground with a soft thud.
Ryuu groaned at the impact, not expecting her girlfriend to tackle her down with such brute force. Atsushi looked down at Ryuu’s expression, a giggle falling from her lips. Ryuu attempted to look angry, or even slightly annoyed, but with Atsushi looking so peaceful in the dim lighting she couldn’t bring herself to stay upset. A stutter of breath fell from Ryuu’s lips; laughter eventually surrounded the cool air between the two fairies.
Eventually, their laughter came to a halt, and they both took a moment to admire each other. The last time Atsushi saw Ryuu was maybe a week or two ago. Far too long for both of them since they were used to being attached at the hip. Dazai usually pointed out how close they were, often making them the main point of teasing. Atsushi would usually leave after a bit, the embarrassment becoming too much for her. Ryuu on the other hand would watch Atsushi with an amused expression. She always did enjoy seeing Atsushi flustered.
Ryuu slowly moved her hand towards Atsushi’s face, her long fingers curling around a stray hair and gently tucking it behind Atsushi’s ear.
“Hey,” Ryuu said smiling.
Atsushi giggled, her hand going to cup Ryuu’s cheek.
“Hey yourself.”
A small smile spread across Ryuu’s lips, a smile that was eventually wiped clean from the gentle kiss that was placed atop it. A satisfied hum left Atsushi’s lips, her cheeks flushing at the soothing motions of her girlfriend’s mouth moving against hers. Eventually, a gasp left Atsushi’s lips, pausing the kiss Ryuu and her shared until further notice.
“What is it?” Ryuu asked, a concerned tone in her voice. The sudden gasp had startled her. Atsushi smiled, her fingers running through Ryuu’s long, black hair as an apology.
“I just remembered that I had a gift for you.”
Ryuu raised her eyebrows at that, slowly sitting up once Atsushi scrambled off of her to get her bag. Ryuu attempted to see what Atsushi had for her, only for Atsushi to push Ryuu back with magic from a flick of her hand.
Ryuu let out a surprised squeak as her back hit the ground with a soft thump . Mildly annoyed, Ryuu reattempted to sit back up, only to see nothing in front of her. Confused, she began to look forwards, out to the sea, to see if she could find any trace of Atsushi.
Atsushi laughed softly at her girlfriend’s confusion, finding her expression endearing. Slowly, Atsushi began to glide behind Ryuunosuke, the flower crown in her hands as she placed it atop Ryuunosuke’s head.
Ryuunosuke gasped, not expecting Atsushi to be behind her. A chuckle fell from Atsushi’s lips, making Ryuunosuke’s face burn with embarrassment.
“You could at least warn me when you’re behind me,” Ryuu grumbled, a slight pout sitting on her bottom lip. Atsushi tilted her head at the sight, practically cooing over the expression Ryuunosuke wore. Atsushi flew towards Ryuunosuke, dropping her feet onto the ground so she could be at eye level with her girlfriend. She reached both of her hands out to Ryuunosuke’s cheeks, caressing the warm skin gently and pressing a warm kiss on her forehead.
“That would ruin the whole element of surprise! I apologize for startling you, though. It wasn’t my intention to do so,” Atsushi calmly explained. Ryuu looked at her for a few moments then looked away, instead taking off the flower crown to see how it looked. Atsushi chuckled at the sight of Ryuu’s embarrassment, eventually wrapping her arms around her girlfriend’s waist.
“What do you think?” Atsushi whispered, her lips far too close to Ryuu’s ear to not send goosebumps over her body. Ryuu leaned her head back on Atsushi’s shoulder, gray eyes fixating on ametrine ones.
“I love it. How’d you manage to keep them alive, though? Aren’t these moon flowers?” Ryuu questioned, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
“Ryuu, you often forget that magic can do anything if you practice enough. Besides, I kept them out of direct sunlight! Kunikida taught me the importance of flowers and how to regulate my house conditions to keep them alive,” Atsushi clarified. Ryuu didn’t miss the proud tone that Atushi had while talking. It was nice to see her girlfriend acknowledging her worth, even if baby steps are being taken to unlock her full confidence.
Ryuunosuke hummed as a response. She placed the flower crown atop her head once again and caressed the arms that were circling her waist. The wind began to blow a little harsher, the sea breeze making the couple sway sideways a bit, a startled gasp leaving both their mouths.
They were both silent for a moment, a shiver running down both their spines. Atsushi tilted her head a bit, placing a small kiss onto Ryuu’s shoulder, placing her chin on the smooth area.
“Maybe that was a sign for you to begin calling for the moon and the stars,” Atsushi joked. Ryuu rolled her eyes, a small smile making its way onto her face.
“Maybe,” Ryuunosuke replied, the same smile resting comfortably on her face. Atsushi couldn’t help but find Ryuunosuke beautiful at that moment. With the way that her long black hair cascaded down her back and flowed onto her shoulders, layers upon layers of slightly curled ends outlining Ryuu’s figure in the dim glow of the sun, Atsushi felt lucky to even be able to see her girlfriend in such a state.
Atsushi held Ryuunosuke tighter, bringing them impossibly closer together. Ryuunosuke hummed softly at the pressure, appreciating it since she was cold and Atsushi always ran warm.
Basking in her girlfriend’s warmth for a bit, she softly pressed a kiss on Atsushi’s cheek, pressing her forehead against the warm skin. Atsushi smiled at the intimacy, quickly reciprocating the affection with a kiss on Ryuu’s temple.
“You know…I wasn’t joking when I said that you should start calling out for the moon and the stars. It is starting to get late, and I was going to dismiss the sunset anyway.” Atsushi murmured, laying her head atop of Ryuu’s shoulder in the process.
“I will, but only after I get to admire your sunset for a while longer,” Ryuunosuke whispered. “You didn’t give me a chance to look at it.”
Atsushi chuckled at that.
“Sorry that I was excited to see my girlfriend that I haven’t been able to visit regularly in weeks,” Atsushi scoffed jokingly.
A giggle left Ryuunosuke’s throat.
“Atsu, you know I didn’t mean it like that,” Ryuu tittered. Atsushi squeezed Ryuunosuke slightly, ultimately unwrapping her arms around her love, instead opting to hold her hand.
“I know, I know. But since you want to see my sunset so badly, I suppose I’ll allow you to do so.”
Ryuunosuke pressed a chaste kiss on Atsushi’s fingers. A silent “Thank you” falling from her lips.
They both laid down on the grassy hill, stretching out their wings so they don’t strain and stretch under the pressure of their weight. After a few adjustments, they were lying comfortably next to each other, simply admiring the sunset. Atsushi was embarrassed, silently insisting that her sunset isn’t that big of a deal and that Ryuunosuke should really get started on calling out for the moon and the stars. Ryuunosuke only shushed her, often keeping her quiet through soft caresses, petting of hair, kisses to her jaw, and drawing circles onto Atsushi’s tanned skin.
Atsushi hated how much she melted at those actions, especially when Ryuu is trying to prove a point.
Atsushi ended up quieting down after 10 minutes, realizing that nothing will stop her girlfriend from appreciating everything she does, even if Atsushi finds it embarrassing. Don’t get her wrong, she adores the attention and affection that Ryuunosuke gives her, but since she didn’t have that for most of her life it takes getting used to, and it also takes time for her to feel like she truly deserves it.
Ryuu struggles through the same thing, which is probably why they’re so attached to one another.
A distant memory flooded Atsushi’s mind. She remembers it clearly, almost like it was yesterday.
“You’re healing together,” Fukuzawa had said. Atsushi often went to Fukuzawa, but not for advice or anything of the sort, as it was only given when she found that Atsushi needed it the most. Within that particular moment, Atsushi was simply acknowledging the improvements that both her and Ryuu made throughout their relationship. Fukuzawa decided to point out the couple’s healing, languidly adding two more sugar cubes to Atsushi’s tea, remembering the way she liked it while doing so. “you’re lucky to have that support. Cherish it, and don’t let it go.”
Atsushi never did plan to let go anyway. Especially not now, in the soft glow of oranges and lavenders, shoulder to shoulder with her first love.
“Any thoughts or comments to make about my sunset, Ryuu?”
Ryuunosuke hums, shifting her gaze from the sky to Atsushi’s face. “Perfect,” she said. Atsushi’s heart began racing over the word, her face reddening slightly.
Ryuunosuke swooned at the sight, her eyes face softening and mind racing with the words beautiful , stunning , and breathtaking revolving around it.
“I’m serious. This is such a beautiful sunset. One of the most beautiful ones I’ve been able to witness, in fact,” Ryuunosuke continues, making sure that Atsushi understands that she did an amazing job.
Atsushi shook her head at her lover’s words, disbelief cocooning her heart. Even if she didn’t believe her words, she decided to bask in her girlfriend’s praise, appreciating her sentences.
“Thank you, I love you. And seriously, you have to start calling out for the moon and the stars, Ryuu. You know that you’re in charge of that today.”
Ryuunosuke sighed, pushing herself up off the grass with Atsushi following suit.
“I can’t do that if you’re still using your magic to secure the colors of the sunset,” Ryuunosuke countered.
Atsushi jokingly rolled her eyes, rolling her wrist until a blue light left her palms. The flowers that were left on the hill floated towards Atsushi, the blue glow that surrounded them quickly dispersing, leaving the once multi-colored sky to shift into a dark blue hue.
Ryuunosuke blinked.
“There, now you don’t have to worry about my magic interfering with yours! Do what you must to get your job done,” Atsushi teased. Ryuunosuke scoffed softly at her girlfriend’s words, rolling her eyes in response to them.
Reluctantly, Ryuunosuke flew up into the air, gripping onto her flower crown so it wouldn’t fly off her head in the process. Atsushi watched in awe as her girlfriend left a streak of glowing red in her path. Ryuunosuke continued to fly up, and Atsushi continued to stare. It was almost like Ryuu was attempting to reach the clouds.
Ryuunosuke could feel Atsushi’s gaze laying upon her, which only made her more embarrassed of the process she was partaking in. She continued to fly higher to reach the most effective point in the sky to call for the moon and the stars, but not too high to the point where Atsushi wouldn’t be able to spot her. Either way, Atsushi’s sight was far above average, and her eyes will always land on Ryuunosuke no matter the circumstance.
Ryuunosuke took in a deep breath, the cool night air filling and exiting her lungs to prepare her for the extensive routine that she has been doing for what feels like years. Realistically, she’s only been doing this for a few weeks, but being able to call out to the beings of the night felt natural to her, almost like a calling. Maybe Atsushi comparing her to the moon wasn’t too far off. She might’ve had a point. She wouldn’t admit that to her, though.
Carefully, Ryuunosuke started moving her hands, tracing shapes onto the air gently, almost as if she were caressing the night itself. The red outline that surrounded her slowly started shifting to white, the pale tips of her layered hair glowing along with it.
Ryuunosuke looked beautiful.
She floated around the sky gracefully, with every reach of her hand producing an abundance of stars that made the sky glow elegantly. Atsushi knew that the night was beautiful, but seeing her girlfriend craft the night’s wonders truly made it all the more alluring.
Ryuunosuke continued with her routine, a circular glow in the sky becoming brighter by the second.
“The moon,” Atsushi thought, “of course Ryuu would be the one calling out for it.”
Atsushi continued to stare, admiring the work that Ryuunosuke was putting in. Her heart swelled with pride, her body filling with happiness and the want of nothing more than to kiss her girlfriend with only the moon and the stars as their witnesses.
Impulsively, Atsushi began to fly. The speed at which she flew caused her hair to fly back and swing every which way, almost like if her hair had a mind of its own. Ryuunosuke barely registered Atsushi’s movement, only assuming that she was flying up there to get a closer look at her motions. She was always the curious one, constantly asking questions and taking note of everything around her.
The moment Atsushi’s hand made contact with Ryuunosuke’s arm, she felt chills running up and down her spine. She turned her head, a quizzical expression contorting her face. Once their gazes landed on each other it was like time itself stopped. Atsushi’s hands reached out to cup Ryuunosuke’s face, a big smile resting upon her lips.
Ryuunosuke wanted nothing more than to kiss her right there.
So she did.
In a swift but gentle motion, their bodies pressed together as their lips brushed against one another’s, the originally forming moon appearing completely behind them. The light of the planet provided a soft glow to match the feelings that both the fairies were going through, making the moment all the more surreal.
It was perfect, the kiss. It was nothing like they ever experienced before. Maybe it was the excitement from seeing her love doing something so beautiful, maybe it was the adrenaline, or maybe it was the circumstances. Either way, the kiss they shared felt magical, like if it was going to be a one-time experience. Atsushi wouldn’t mind if it were a one-time experience, it’ll just give her all the more reason to savor this moment between her and Ryuunosuke.
They began to separate slowly, the only sounds coming from them being soft pants and low giggles. As they rested their foreheads against each other, Ryuunosuke had thought that this moment couldn’t get any better.
Then Atsushi turned her head to the moon and smiled, the night sky reflecting in her beautiful ametrine eyes.
Ryuunosuke sighed dreamily, pressing a kiss to Atsushi’s temple.
It did get better. All because of her. It always was because of her. No matter the circumstance, she made everything infinitely brighter.
Ryuunosuke couldn’t be more grateful.