Archive of Our Own

The Shirasagi Himegimi was the epitome of the words like 'ladylike' and 'elegant' and everything in-between. She was the perfect noble lady of Inazuma, known for her beauty, manners and overall kindness. The Commissioner had a wildly different reputation, which made the Kamisato Clan so interesting to the common people of Inazuma who relished in every opportunity to be in the presence of Lady Ayaka at all the different kinds of events that fell under the jurisdiction of the Yashiro Commission.

Yoimiya, to her own great misfortune, was no better. Her reasons for enjoying Ayaka's company might've been slightly different, but no one ever needed to know that. Yoimiya herself had thought of these feelings as nothing but pure admiration for someone so incredible, but it didn't take her long to realise that... that wasn't quite it. Whatever these feelings were, they were so much more than just admiration.

Yoimiya figured it out fairly easily, but the thought didn't bring her much comfort. Being friends was one thing, but dating the Lady of the Kamisato Clan, even if she were to somehow agree to it seemed so far out of her reach she couldn't find comfort in anything but making more and more fireworks. She'd never been the type of person to worry about things like status or what people thought but she knew that wasn't the case for someone like Ayaka, who was basically a celebrity, always in the public eye. Yoimiya couldn't even fathom what that was like, and she knew that confessing would just be putting Ayaka in a tight spot, whether it be because she didn't feel the same or because of how much societal pressure was on her at the time.

So, she decided to stay quiet. She'd had crushes before, this one was bound to pass, just like all of the others.

...

At least that's what she had hoped for. Until that fateful night, things were going fine for Yoimiya and her suppressed feelings for the Shirasagi Himegimi. She hadn't seen Ayaka in a few weeks because of how busy they both were around festival season, and she had just begun to think that maybe the feelings were finally gone when she came across the biggest menace known to man.

Kamisato Ayato.

This wasn't always Yoimiya's opinion of the Yashiro Commissioner, but ever since her and Ayaka became close friends and she actually met the man, she realised who he truly was. The complete opposite of his sister, that's for sure.

He was a fun guy to be around most of the time, though, unless he happened to have set his sights on you for his next scheme. Yoimiya had a feeling that was exactly what was happening when he reached for the fireworks she was carrying and offered to help with a kind smile. All a ruse, she knew.

"What are you doing here, Sir?" she asked with a smile because maybe she was mistaken and they met by pure coincidence.

"Oh, I'm only here to see how the preparations are going," he replied casually. "I somehow managed to squeeze this visit into my schedule but it's a shame I won't be able to stay for too long."

"I'm sure the Commissioner has more important business to take care of," Yoimiya said carefully, not wanting to give Ayato a chance to drag her into whatever he was scheming. She knew it wouldn't work and if Ayato wanted to drag her into something, there wasn't a single thing in the world that could stop him, but she could still hope.

"Yes, but I would love to stay for a bit." He offered a smile that assured Yoimiya that there was some sort of plot going on. "You know how much I enjoy spending time with you, Yoimiya."

Yoimiya sighed, putting the boxes of fireworks down when they reached her temporary workshop on Ritou. "Would you be so kind and tell me what it is you want, Commissioner?"

Ayato lifted his hands in a half-hearted attempt at self-defence. "Oh, don't look at me like that. It's nothing too troublesome, I assure you."

Yoimiya chuckled, "Of course, Sir. So, what is it exactly?"

"I need a custom batch of fireworks ready."

Yoimiya blinked. "Oh, well you could've just said so. That's my job, you know."

"For next week."

Yoimiya paused. "How big of a batch are we talking?"

Ayato was silent for a moment. "What's the biggest batch you can make?"

"In a week? During a festival? Definitely not a big one."

"And if I relieve you of your festival duties?"

"What's the occasion you need these fireworks for, if I may ask?"

Ayato looked at the ground then, seemingly embarrassed.

"Ayaka's birthday."

Yoimiya almost knocked over the boxes behind her. "You're preparing fireworks of Ayaka's birthday only a week in advance?! Sir, respectfully, are you out of your mind?"

"Keep your voice down, please," he said, almost a whisper. "I don't know when she started taking a liking to fireworks and I only found out about it yesterday." He took a breath. "I've been very busy these days and I haven't been able to spend any time with my family. I fear that we're growing apart and that's why I really want to do this for her. It'll make her happy."

"And make you look like a good brother?"

Ayato glared at her in offense. "I am a good brother."

Yoimiya stared at him, then let out a sigh. "Okay. I'll see what I can do. Archons, I didn't even know it was Ayaka's birthday."

Ayato nodded. "It is a private matter and she doesn't really like the idea of celebrating it outside of the Kamisato Estate. Not many people know."

"You'll get your fireworks, Sir. But I want a bonus."

Ayato let out a laugh. "A businesswoman, I see. Of course, and thank you. In the future, if there's is anything you need, you can count on the Yashiro Commission."

Ayaka had told her the same thing on numerous occasions. Yoimiya felt honoured. "Thanks. Do you have any designs in mind?"

Ayato shook his head. "I was thinking of leaving that to you. I know how close you two are," Yoimiya hoped she wasn't blushing. "And I suspect you're the very reason she's so fond of fireworks all of a sudden. " Oh, she was definitely blushing. "I'll send Thoma over if you need any advice on what my sister would like, but I highly doubt it."

Yoimiya cleared her throat so she wouldn't stutter. "You can count on me."

Ayato gave her a smile, not a scheming one this time, but a genuine, grateful smile. It was strange.

"Thank you. Consider yourself relieved of any festival duties that do not involve exclusively making fireworks."

"I appreciate it, Sir."

~

Making fireworks for Ayaka was a lot harder than it sounded, Yoimiya learned very early in the process. It's true that she knew what Ayaka liked for the most part, but figuring out how to make all of that into functional fireworks was a bit trickier than she'd anticipated. For example, Ayaka loved nature and flowers and all things related. What Yoimiya struggled with was making all of that seem customised.

She'd never call Ayaka's tastes boring but they were... not uncommon. The fireworks Yoimiya was able to make looked like they could've been for literally everyone in Inazuma who had ever gone outside, and that most definitely wasn't what she wanted to do. She wanted Ayaka to feel special when she looked at all of these blooming in the sky and to know that Yoimiya thought of her, and only her, while handcrafting each design.

Making the subject of your affections aware that they occupied your thoughts and that you knew what they liked was incredibly difficult when the subject of your affections was a girl wrapped up in politics with no time to experience all the joys in the real world. Such a life led to Ayaka's hobbies and such being a bit... bland. It was never something Yoimiya realised until she was sitting in her workshop with her head in her hands, elbows on the desk, and an incoming mental crisis looming over her.

She could try to make use of Ayaka's love of the arts, but for some reason that seemed even harder to incorporate into fireworks than nature or tea or swordsmanship. She had to figure out what to do very soon but nothing felt good enough for Ayaka's birthday.

"Maybe you're like this because you're in love with Miss Kamisato," her dad said to her, a hand on her back.

Yoimiya looked up at him. She'd never told him that. But she didn't want to lie to him, so she said nothing. She didn't want to have to shout 'I'm not in love with Miss Kamisato'.

"Try to think of her as a regular customer, not as someone you're dying to impress."

Yoimiya wasn't really dying to impress, she was just... okay, never mind.

Think of Ayaka as a regular customer... a normal person she had no close connection with asking for a batch of fireworks for their birthday after submitting a list of things they'd like on the design...

She could do that.

OH and she knew what other addition she needed for the fireworks show to really be a hit.

~

She'd been to the Kamisato residence quite a few times, but she could never really get used to the air around it, especially when she wasn't there with Ayaka.

Yoimiya was an extremely friendly person, though, so it wasn't difficult for her to be on good terms with the guards after only a single visit. It's not that they were scary or anything, literally everyone in the Kamisato Estate was almost as nice as Ayaka but the whole thing seemed too serious for Yoimiya to be able to handle for longer periods of time.

So, Thoma was a breath of fresh air.

"Just the guy I'm looking for!"

Thoma looked up from where he'd been sweeping the courtyard and smiled right back at her with a wave. "Hi, Yoimiya! Are you here to see Ayaka?"

Yoimiya pressed a finger against her lips and made a 'shush' sound. "Actually, I'm here to talk to you about... the Commissioner's," she looked around to make sure no one was listening in, "...commission."

Thoma blinked at her, then put his broomstick away. "Right, of course. The commission. How may I help you with that?"

"I'm sure you guys already know what you're doing with the music, but I have an idea of what to play during the show because it'll go wonderfully with what I have planned for- Why are you looking at me like that?"

Thoma's scrunched up face was staring right back at her as he pointed a finger behind her. Yoimiya turned, yelped and jumped back in surprise.

"Hello," Ayaka said, unmoved from her position very close to where Yoimiya had been standing, considering the fact that their noses almost brushed when Yoimiya turned her head. Archons, that girl was like a ninja.

"Hi, Ayaka!" she greeted back, trying not to sound too nervous, even though she had just jumped back like a frog. "It's been a while."

If Yoimiya had known Ayaka would be home, she wouldn't have come. She just assumed Ayaka would be just as busy as Ayato and accompanying him on Ritou for the festival, but apparently, that wasn't the case. She should've sent a letter.

"Yes, I'm very happy to see you," Ayaka said with a soft smile that made Yoimiya's heart ache.

She stood as far away as possible, not daring to take another step towards the Shirasagi Himegimi out of fear of what might happen if she did. Yup, those feelings were definitely not gone. In fact, Yoimiya was feeling worse than ever.

"I didn't know you were here," Yoimiya said, unable to handle any silences because her impulsiveness might end up kicking in and she was not ready to deal with the consequences of her actions.

"I'm just taking a break for a couple of days before the main event," Ayaka explained. "I thought you were busy with the festival, too. You must've come here for something very important." She smiled again, took a step closer and Yoimiya felt like she was going to jump away again. "Anything I can help with?"

"Actually, my Lady," Thoma's hands were on Yoimiya's shoulders and the way he was gripping them was about as nervous as the way Yoimiya was feeling. "The fireworks expert and I have something to discuss concerning a... commission..."

"Yes," Yoimiya nodded. "I need his help to understand... Mondstadt... customs so that I can make the perfect fireworks for my customers."

That wasn't a smart move because Ayaka's eyes quite literally started sparkling as she clasped her hands together. "You're making fireworks for people from Mondstadt? Can I see? If you need any help, I'll be here for two more days. Anything you want, it's yours." She cleared her throat. "As the people of Inazuma, we must do our best to make a good impression on foreigners after being isolated for so long."

Anything Yoimiya wants, huh.

"Of course," Yoimiya caught herself saying before she could think about it. Then Thoma gripped her shoulders tighter and the sudden pain snapped her out of her daze. She really needed to get it together. "I know how much you like foreign affairs and all, Ayaka, and I really appreciate your help, but I think Thoma would be the best for the job."

Ayaka's smile fell. "Oh. Okay..."

"You can help me with something else when this is all over!" Yoimiya said, way too quickly to sound casual. "I'm sure I'll get some foreign customers from Sumeru, soon. You did say you wanted to ask around about their Academy, right?"

Ayaka was quiet for a second too long, but then said, "Yeah, of course. Good luck, you two."

"We'll be quick, my Lady," Thoma said, practically dragging Yoimiya away.

"Phew, that was close," Thoma said after they were separated from Ayaka. "I hate these surprises."

"Do you think she's okay?" Yoimiya fiddled with the hem of her clothes. "She looked hurt. I don't want to hurt her."

Thoma looked at Yoimiya and let out a sigh. "You can apologise and tell her everything once the party starts, okay? But honestly, Lady Ayaka is smart enough to see right through us so I think we've just given away the fact that something with you is being planned for her birthday." He held his forehead. "The Commissioner will never stop nagging me about this." Placing a hand on Yoimiya's head and ruffling her hair, he said, "Don't worry. She'll understand. She's lied to her fair share of people for the greater good. That's how you do politics."

"You really know how to comfort people, don't you, Thoma?"

"Why are you here, again?"

~

It was ready. It was all finally ready. Yoimiya felt like passing out. She'd never made this big of a batch in such a short period of time before and she only realised how big of a toll it had taken on her when she slumped back into her chair and fell asleep there. By the time she woke up, she was in pain all over and it was the day of Ayaka's birthday. Someone from the Yashiro Commission would soon be there to help her with the transportation; she needed to get moving.

The deal with the Commissioner went like this: she was to be waiting at the Kamisato Estate for Ayaka and Ayato to come back from Ritou. Then she was to set off the fireworks and start the show, effectively surprising Ayaka in her own home in the process. Thoma was to help her through it all, as he was left to deal with the housekeeping while the siblings were off doing their Yashiro Commission business. Not that Yoimiya particularly needed his help, but setting up this big of a batch would definitely be a lot of work.

It would all be worth it, though. For Ayaka.

That's exactly what she said to Thoma after he wiped a bead of sweat forming on his forehead with his forearm. He'd had to ditch the headband in the suddenly scorching heat, and he had yet to complain about the whole ordeal, but Yoimiya thought it would be good to offer him some encouragement before he had the chance to.

"I know," he said, closing his hand into a fist and offering it to Yoimiya. She bumped it with hers. "We can do this."

With that short exchange, they went back to work. Today was a special day. Nothing was allowed to ruin it.

And then later on in the evening...

"Excuse my language, but where the FUCK did these clouds come from?"

Thoma bit his lip as he stared up at the sky, looking like he was about to throw himself off a cliff. "Do you think it'll clear up if we pray to the Shogun?"

"They're supposed to be here any minute now!" One of the servants hissed. "We don't have time!"

Yoimiya just stood back, watched as everyone in the Kamisato Estate absolutely freaked out with her hands crossed over her chest. This was a troublesome predicament they found themselves in. However, after only a moment of panic, she remembered how careful she had been while creating this batch, and how she knew that she would be there to make sure that nothing goes wrong.

Thoma looked at her. "How are you so calm?"

Yoimiya grinned at him, as wide and bright as always. "I used my Vision for this."

Thoma lifted an eyebrow.

"I can make them work in the rain," she clarified, even though she felt like that wouldn't be necessary since Thoma was also a Pyro Vision user.

"That works with fireworks, too?" he asked, a little bewildered.

"Yeah, they're fire."

"Pyromaniac."

Yoimiya's grin turned into a laugh. "Are you only now figuring that out?"

Thoma just shook his head with a sigh. "Hurry up and help us move everything, then, will you?"

"Sure, but I may need your help with the fireworks," she said, rushing towards Thoma and grabbing everything that was shoved into her hands. "I'll show you how to do it! It's easy!"

But then a few moments later the cloudy weather turned into a full storm and Yoimiya was no longer certain that even her and Thoma's combined powers of Pyro would be enough to keep the fireworks from being destroyed. The thought made her feel depressed. Ayaka didn't deserve this.

"Hello."

Yoimiya quite literally jumped and looked behind her. Kamisato Ayato only smiled at her from where he stood on the porch, seemingly having appeared out of nowhere. "I took the liberty of coming here a bit earlier while my sister gets escorted by the Shuumatsban. This weather is no good for a lady."

"My Lord!" Thoma called, a bright smile on his face Yoimiya knew was very much reserved for the Commissioner, though Thoma himself might've not been aware of it. "Please tell me there's something we can do to prevent this from becoming a catastrophe of a party."

Ayato chuckled at him, like he found it funny that Thoma had it in him to doubt his abilities. "Worry not. We'll take care of this long enough to have the fireworks show proceed smoothly."

Thoma blinked. "We?" Then his smile dropped. "Oh, dear."

"Hello," the head shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine waved, appearing behind Ayato like she hadn't been standing there at all. "It seems I was invited to this party only out of convenience."

Thoma and Yoimiya bowed to her in greeting while Ayato turned around with a grin similar to hers, one that just screamed menace. "You know that isn't true, Lady Guuji. We at the Kamisato Estate view you with only utmost respect. It is an honour to have you attend such an important event."

Yae Miko stared at him for a second before ultimately waving her hand and raising a... was that a stick? "Don't we have a storm to handle? I hope you know I don't plan on dispersing it completely." She hummed in thought. "A little holdup should be good enough for your show, no?"

Ayato nodded, unsheathing his sword and drawing a circle in the air. Yoimiya watched as the Kamisato Estate was engulfed in a light blue line, stretching to the very edges of the garden. "I wouldn't dare expect anything more."

"Thoma and I can handle the fireworks!" Yoimiya chirped, realising she'd never been quiet for quite this long. Something about the Yashiro Commissioner and the head shrine maiden together like this made her all squirmy and uncomfortable. Luckily, Thoma didn't look any less out of place. "I just need to show him a few things."

"Hurry up with it then," the Lady Guuji told her with a smile. "Our star of the night is almost here."

So, Yoimiya ran to where the nearest firework had been set up and lit it with Pyro. Regular fire would've worked had it not been entirely soaked, but today was unfortunately not a good fireworks day. She touched the rope connecting all of the tubes, watched them glow one by one as the Pyro travelled from one to another. Then she turned to Thoma, giving him careful instructions on what to do and how to act in case something went wrong or he felt unable to control what needed to happen. The last thing she wanted was for a design to get messed up or for the firework to not fire at all because she had failed to adequately train the housekeeper.

Fortunately, Thoma was very attentive, soaking up every word that left Yoimiya's mouth, trying hard to imitate what she was doing even though it was clear that he was unfamiliar with this particular usage of the Pyro Vision. His way of doing things was a lot less smooth than Yoimiya's, but it would have to do. The trick was to keep the things dry and on fire, which Yoimiya personally thought to be a fairly easy task. Thoma was going to be fine. Probably.

In the end, just as the roaring skies died down and a drop fell near them - a sign from Ayato to begin - they fist bumped again and mouthed, "For Ayaka."

And begin they did. Yoimiya went first, realising that she wouldn't need to try as hard as she had expected because Ayato and Yae Miko had already taken care of the hardest part for her. Maybe even Thoma's help would be unnecessary, which he seemed to realise quickly too, but still stood on standby, ready to jump in at any given moment if Yoimiya faltered.

There were many explosion sounds, a second of silence, then a following explosion as each of the fireworks bloomed in the night sky - unfortunately not starry - and lit up the garden of the Kamisato Estate. There was a lot of blue, light blue of Cryo that reminded Yoimiya of Ayaka. There were patterns of fans, of designs on her fans, her clothes, her favourite sword. There were tea leaves and mugs and there were small dancing moves followed by the music Yoimiya had asked Thoma to prepare. She knew it to be Ayaka's favourite piece to dance to, one Yoimiya had never witnessed herself but was immensely envious of the Traveler for having seen it in person.

Thoma helped slightly, though he let Yoimiya take the lead in the beginning and only stepped in when he saw her get distracted by the commotion at the gate of the estate. Ayaka had arrived. Ayaka was watching her show.

But Yoimiya couldn't see her. Not knowing what Ayaka's reaction was was eating Yoimiya from the inside, but she had to focus on the fireworks for now. That's what she had been hired to do, after all. She shouldn't overstep her bounds.

She caught one of Thoma's worried glances out of the corner of her eye but refused to give him any kind of acknowledgement. It wasn't that big of a deal. She'd see Ayaka after the show. She didn't need to be the first person to congratulate her and there was no reason for her to even want to do that. They were, after all, only friends. Yoimiya had to wait for her turn to the Shirasagi Himegimi's time, just like everyone else.

She could do that.

But she'd never breathed such a big sigh of relief when a fireworks show ended. Not once in her life had she wanted it to end as fast as possible, unable to find it in herself to enjoy her time with her own creations.

She must seriously be losing her mind.

"I think that went well," Thoma said, giving her shoulder a reassuring rub. "We should go see the Lady, though."

"Yeah," Yoimiya mumbled, so uncharacteristically quiet she caught herself off guard. She must've looked incredibly sullen because now Thoma was leaning down to check up on her. "Are you okay? Did that tire you out? We can find you a place to lay down."

"No," her voice cracked. Oh, Archons, no. She cleared her throat, straightened her back and put on the brightest smile she could muster. "My throat's a bit dry, sorry about that."

Thoma still looked worried.

"I'm fine," she said, trying to make herself believe it. This was not the time. "I do need some water, though. Why don't you go greet Ayaka while I go get it?"

Thoma stood there in silence for a bit, then let out a sigh. He looked like he had wanted to say something, but changed his mind. "Okay. Be quick, alright? I'm sure she's dying to see you after all of this."

I'm dying to see her, too, Yoimiya thought. I'm always dying to see her.

She just nodded, gave Thoma a thumbs up and hurried inside to fetch some water.

This was becoming increasingly more difficult than it had to be. As she gulped down enough water to drown an elephant - an exaggeration, really - she caught herself thinking about the best ways to avoid Ayaka during her birthday party. Then she almost broke the glass and stabbed herself with it. Just because she was being a selfish prick didn't mean that Ayaka had to suffer. They were friends and it was Yoimiya's duty as a friend to go find her, wish her a happy birthday, hang around for a while and bolt the hell out of there before she had the chance to do something they'd both regret.

Yoimiya was a strong woman. She could do this. One small crush wasn't going to break her.

...

Until it broke her.

Ayaka stood there, between her brother, Thoma, and a couple of other people Yoimiya vaguely recognised. She was smiling, genuinely, at something Ayato said, at the way the others responded. It looked like she was getting compliments and even if she wasn't really flattered, it definitely looked like it.

She was beautiful. As gorgeous as always, and in the flickering candlelight, she shone like the brightest of stars in Yoimiya's eyes.

Yoimiya almost turned away. She almost fully ran out into the rain, actually. The only reason she didn't was because their eyes met and Ayaka's face immediately lit up as she gave Yoimiya a small wave, breaking away from the crowd to walk towards her with a smile on her face that was, for the lack of better words, mega genuine.

Yoimiya couldn't smile back. This had never happened before. She felt like she was going to burst into tears, instead.

Ayaka noticed that something was wrong as soon she approached. She was always quick to notice a shift in Yoimiya's mood, no matter how much she tried to hide it. Now, she didn't even know how to hide it. This was all too much, overwhelming Yoimiya like the tall waves she once watched flood the docks of Ritou, making the world seem too big and too small at the same time, rendering her unable to decide whether Ayaka's proximity was making her claustrophobic or if she wanted to pull the other girl as close to her chest as possible and never let go.

Archons, she almost burst into a sob right then and there. This wasn't who she was, damn it.

Ayaka didn't even say anything, just grabbed her wrist and pulled until they were alone, tucked away into an empty corner of the residence.

"What's wrong?" Ayaka asked her, taking a step closer, not letting go of Yoimiya.

"Happy birthday?" Yoimiya didn't mean for it to sound like a question, but she had no idea what she was supposed to say to that. I'm in love with you? I've tried suppressing it because I know how stressful it would be for you but I only ended up realising that I love you so much it hurts and I'm being so selfish that knowing we can never be more than friends is making me physically nauseous? Obviously, none of that.

Ayaka's frown deepened. Yoimiya hated making her worry. She really, seriously, needed to get it together. "Thank you. But please, talk to me."

And Yoimiya, a firm believer that there was nothing in the world that couldn't be talked through somehow, found herself struggling to say even a single syllable. She had tried thinking her situation over and over again countless of times, looking at it from an outsider's perspective and what sort of advice she would give to a poor soul unfortunate enough to be in her shoes. All she always ended up coming up with was 'You should tell them how you feel. You can't be expected to deal with things like that on your own, and you should always try to make other people understand how you feel so that they can get closer to you!'

So, should she? Should she tell Ayaka, now that these emotions have grown into a far bigger, scarier monster than Yoimiya could've ever expected?

Just as she opened her mouth, Ayaka beat her to it, "And don't say everything is fine and plaster on a smile like you usually do," she practically scolded, almost eliciting a chuckle out of Yoimiya. Gods, she really was down bad.

"I don't do that!" she said, defensively. "Language is a very uniquely powerful tool. If there was something I needed to use it for, I wouldn't hold back." Lies, lies, she was lying to Ayaka right in her face. What was happening to her? "You should go back to your party, Princess. I'm alright. The fireworks tired me out a little, is all."

Ayaka bit her lip, clearly worried. Yoimiya's eyes involuntarily followed the movement and she had to resist the urge to gauge them out. Ayaka seemed to silently accept the fact that she wasn't going to talk any sort of confession out of Yoimiya, for which Yoimiya was eternally grateful for. Instead, she offered her a smile, her fingers still wrapped around Yoimiya's wrist. "I wanted to tell you how incredible that was." Her fingers slid down to Yoimiya's and, okay, maybe Yoimiya was still in trouble.

"I- I'm glad you liked it."

Ayaka's smile grew even wider. Yoimiya wondered how difficult it would be for one to shrink into themselves like a ball and be swallowed up by the ground. Maybe if she prayed to the Shogun long enough...?

"Liked it? Yoimiya, I loved it!" Both of Ayaka's hands were now holding Yoimiya's. "It was beautiful! I didn't know there were so many patterns of fireworks you could make that I would be so distinctly familiar with. And in this weather, too? You're amazing. I know brother and the Lady Guuji helped a bit with that, but fireworks from Liyue wouldn't be able to work even then, would they? You paid so much attention to detail for this, it's..." She paused in her little blabbering for the first time there. "Glorious. I could really tell you were thinking about me." Then, quieter, "Thank you."

This was so weird. Kamisato Ayaka didn't blabber unless something really touched her and now she was talking about Yoimiya's little fireworks show, aware that it was carefully handcrafted specifically for her, aware of the fact that thoughts of her were the only thing that filled Yoimiya's head while she was working and yet she... she was still holding her hand.

It was probably just a friend thing. It wouldn't be unnatural for it to have been a friend thing. Friends are touchy. So many of Yoimiya's friends are touchy and it wasn't like Ayaka and her refrained from physical contact. They'd touched one another on numerous occasions but it never quite hurt as much as it did now.

It was true then. Whatever you try to suppress, eventually it will come back and hit you ten times stronger.

It was a friend thing. And so, Yoimiya held her hand back. Because they were friends.

"You're too nice, Ayaka," she said, grinning wide and trying to imitate a smidge of Ayaka's happiness. "I'm so happy my efforts didn't go unnoticed. I hope I included everything and that you may remember this show for all eternity as the best fireworks show of your life," she finished off with a laugh, as relaxed as she was capable of being.

"Of course," Ayaka laughed along. "But I do hope this isn't the last time. You wouldn't be against doing something like this next year, would you?"

"Won't be much of a surprise fireworks show if you're the one arranging it, though."

Ayaka shook her head. "That's fine. Knowing that I'm in your thoughts long enough to create such a show is enough."

Yoimiya stood there, eyes wide and lips pressed into a thin line. Friend thing. Friend thing. Friend. Thing.

"You know," Ayaka kept talking, "I'm quite the fan of astrology. I don't know if I've ever told you this, but I find it to be a very interesting hobby. The craft itself, from what I've learned, is a lot of work, but I haven't gone into such depths yet, even though I would like to, one day."

Yoimiya wasn't following. In fact, Ayaka sounded just like Thoma, with his long speeches that made no sense at first. So, Yoimiya waited for it to make sense as a whole, just like how it would be if it had been Thoma speaking.

"One aspect of astrology I've always been keenly interested in is... romance."

Yoimiya gulped, tried to cover it up by turning her head away. It probably didn't work.

"Brother almost fell off a chair laughing when I told him about it. Then I did a reading for him because he was curious and suddenly, he was no longer laughing. Such a reaction made me think that perhaps there was some truth to the stars and astrology was just a way to uncover their secrets. So, I checked to see what they had in store for me."

"Oh," Yoimiya breathed out, because she had nothing to say and she still wasn't following and Ayaka's fingers around hers were so warm it felt like they were leaving burns everywhere on Yoimiya's skin.

"It would be tough, I read." She smiled, but it looked sad. Why was she telling Yoimiya this? "I could assume that many of the things I saw could be related to me being the face of the Kamisato Clan. Every move I make, every single thing I say or do, is watched by the entirety of Inazuma. It's not hard to figure out that that aspect of my life could make it difficult for me to ever find anyone who would consider me worthwhile."

"That's not true," Yoimiya said before she could think. "Anyone would be lucky to have you, Ayaka, with or without the titles."

Ayaka smiled again, and this time, it wasn't so sad. "I'm glad you think so. The reason I'm telling you this is because... I think I realise now. What the stars meant." The way she looked at Yoimiya made time pull to a stop, made Yoimiya shiver under the soft gaze like she'd never been looked at before. "I would find someone who wouldn't only care about the Shirasagi Himegimi, but about Ayaka, as well. That had always been a dream of mine, not just in a romantic partner, but in a friend, too." She took a step closer and Yoimiya sharply sucked in a breath of air. "And I'm starting to think that maybe I've found what I've been looking for."

Yoimiya wanted to kiss her. Yoimiya had never wanted to kiss someone this badly.

No! Friend thing, friend thing, friend thing...

"O-oh," dumbly left her mouth again. "So, you like someone?"

Ayaka, unexpectedly, rolled her eyes. Yoimiya's almost popped out of their sockets. She couldn't help but feel hope bubble up her chest, no matter how much she tried to push it down, knowing this was too good to be true and knowing she was only setting herself up for disappointment.

"Yes," Ayaka said, slowly, tentatively, like she was testing the waters. "I do like someone. I've been trying to figure out how to tell them, but I don't want to scare them."

"Why... why would you scare them?"

Ayaka sighed, the overly dramatic kind she picked up from Yoimiya. It made Yoimiya's heart all warm. "Because I suspect they might like me back but it doesn't seem like they ever plan on doing anything about it. So, I figured they might be scared of something I'm not seeing." She tilted her head to the side. "Do you happen to have any ideas?"

Oh.

"Uh, well." Yoimiya couldn't remember the last time she'd struggled this much in a conversation. "If this person is close to you, they know how much pressure is on you all the time. They probably don't want to... add to that."

Ayaka's expression was still that of confusion. "How would having a significant other be a burden to me?"

"Well, um." This was actually embarrassing. "It's not that simple for you, you know. Especially with all the clan reputation business and... people talk. I'm sure your dating life wouldn't go unnoticed, even if you tried keeping the relationship a secret. This person probably doesn't want to make you feel like you have to choose between them and your image, so they're content with watching from the sidelines."

Ayaka thought about it for a moment. "What if they aren't?"

Yoimiya spluttered, "Um, excuse me?"

"Content with watching from the sidelines," Ayaka clarified. "Wouldn't they want to tell me what's bothering them? I was trained to be perceptive, Yoimiya, I can tell when a person isn't happy with a situation. And I can see that y-" she paused, gave it a thought, "the object of my affections is struggling. Why wouldn't they ask for my opinion, instead of shouldering all of this on their own?"

"They just don't wanna trouble you-"

"That's stupid!"

Wow. Yoimiya had never heard Ayaka yell.

Ayaka seemed to catch herself, frowned at the outburst, but did nothing to correct it. She let go of Yoimiya's hands, only to wave hers around in... was that anger?

"We're friends!" she said. "Why would you ever think that you'd trouble me less if you kept secrets from me? You're the one who's always talking about expressing emotions and talking things out but you keep pulling away from me like I'm some sort of a soul-sucking witch!"

Oh. Oh.

"That's not-"

"You can't expect me to actually believe it when you say you're fine if I can tell that you're about to burst into tears, Yoimiya! And your reasoning is, it's..."

"Stupid?"

"Yes! Stupid!"

Ayaka definitely looked like she was fuming. Yoimiya's brain wasn't working very well.

"So," she began. "The one you like. It's me?"

Those blue eyes had never looked quite as icy.

Ayaka took a deep breath. In and out, slowly, calmly. When she looked at Yoimiya again, the anger wasn't completely gone, but she definitely looked less like she was about to stab someone.

"What I decide to do with my life is my choice," she spoke. "If I choose to do something that might compromise my position, that is also my choice. I am mature enough to weigh out the risks and benefits on my own, and I am also experienced enough to know how something will affect the clan's reputation. Though I hate to admit it, I am more than capable of twisting the public's opinion into whatever I want it to be. If I want to do something, I will find a way to do it. Understood? It's only politics."

Yoimiya only nodded, at a complete loss of words.

"Good. Then you should also know that I can't make that choice if I'm never given the option, correct? And my reputation shouldn't stop you from giving me that choice." Their fingers intertwined again. "Not when I know you would've told me how you felt ages ago if I were just an ordinary Inazuman girl."

Yoimiya's emotions exploded, then, all at once like an overflowing river completely distorting its bed. "Ayaka, I... I am so sorry."

Ayaka shook her head. "No, you don't have to apologise. I'm the one who's sorry. I shouldn't have shouted, I know you're only trying to look out for me, it's just... frustrating."

When she looked up at Yoimiya again, her eyes were glossy. No, no, no-

"I hope you care about Ayaka as much as you care about the Shirasagi Himegimi's reputation," she said weakly, like she wasn't sure anymore.

Yoimiya wasn't thinking clearly when her arms wrapped around Ayaka's shoulders, pulled her close and refused to let go. "Of course I do, silly. I just didn't know how you felt about me and the last thing I wanted to do was put you through more trouble than it was worth."

Ayaka chuckled into Yoimiya's shoulder. "I didn't want to say anything because I figured you would do it when you were ready. You're always so talkative and you wear your heart on your sleeve so I thought it was only a matter of time, but... you never said anything."

Yoimiya pulled back to look at her face. "Why do I have to be the one to confess?" she asked jokingly. "You could've done it, too, you know?"

Ayaka blinked. "I was afraid I was reading it wrong," she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're my closest friend and I didn't want to risk losing you over a... a crush."

Yoimiya violently fought the blush raising on her cheeks. She lost. "Why tell me now?"

"You looked like you were going to run away from me," Ayaka replied, close to a whisper. "And when you refused to tell me what was wrong, I figured I was the cause of it. You would've told me otherwise."

Yoimiya sighed. "Yeah, okay. I'm sorry I made you worry."

Ayaka smiled. "I'm sorry I raised my voice."

"You said that already."

Ayaka's smile only widened. A moment of silence passed, peaceful with Yoimiya's arms wrapped around Ayaka's waist and Ayaka's arms resting on Yoimiya's shoulders.

Then-

"Wait! This is a confession!"

Yoimiya's brain felt like it had been rebooted.

Ayaka laughed at her, leaning forward as her shoulders shook with giggles. "You are unbelievable."

"You just confessed to me." Yoimiya's face was blank as her fried mind tried to process the entirety of the present situation.

"Or maybe you confessed to me?" Ayaka said with a raised eyebrow, another consequence of befriending Yoimiya and a bunch of her friends. Particularly, Arataki Itto came to mind.

"Are we dating now? Are you sure? I'm fine with not, like, announcing it to people, but you're the-"

There was a hand covering Yoimiya's mouth. "We've been through this. I do what I want. Clear?"

Yoimiya nodded. Ayaka's hand smelled like flowers. Of course Ayaka's hand smelled like flowers.

"We're dating, then," Ayaka said, like she was testing the words on her mouth, and smiled when they seemed to pass the test. "You're my girlfriend."

Yoimiya took hold of her wrist, moved her palm away from her mouth. "You're my girlfriend."

Ayaka chuckled at that. Then, suddenly, her wrist was no longer held between Yoimiya's fingers. Instead, both of her hands grabbed Yoimiya's face, fingers brushing the shells of her ears. Yoimiya felt dizzy.

"Can I kiss you?" Their noses brushed as Ayaka leaned closer. "Girlfriend?"

"Read about this in a romance novel, didn't you?" Yoimiya teased, if only to see the adorable pout appear on Ayaka's face as she glared at her. It didn't suit the Shirasagi Himegimi at all.

Good.

Yoimiya would take the cute glares over customer service smiles any day.

Her arms tightened around Ayaka's waist, one hand trailing up her spine, pulling her whole body flushed against Yoimiya's. She smiled as her lips brushed Ayaka's before she titled her head and properly pressed their lips together.

Ayaka had clearly never really done this before, but Yoimiya was more than happy to take the lead, to take it slow. She'd been waiting for this for way too long. She could be patient for a bit longer.