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"Eden, can we go outside?" Elysia asked.
"Outside? But it's already late Ellie what are we going to do outside at this time?"
They just finished a long meeting with Dr. MEI. The topics during that meeting were so dire that all Eden wanted to do afterward was to go back to her room and find comfort in Elysia's arms until she gets lulled into a dreamless sleep. But it seemed like her beloved had another idea in mind. Elysia was still her usual cheerful self as if the discussion of the imminent appearance of a new herrscher didn't even bother her.
"Come on, the weather forecast said it's clear outside. Perfect for a romantic stargazing." Elysia gave her one of her sweet smiles that never failed to melt Eden's heart.
She took Elysia's hand and squeezed. "Alright, but I have to ask, what brought this on?"
"There are many reasons. One of them is I want to take your mind off that meeting," Elysia explained as they started walking, their fingers intertwined. "I saw how troubled you were back there."
"Aren't you? The tenth herrscher is coming and we don't know how many more we will have to deal with. How many people are we going to lose because of this?"
"I do worry too. But right now we can't do anything else other than prepare. That includes you, my dear, feeling relaxed while we still have the luxury for it." Elysia replied.
"You're always so sweet Ellie," Eden smiled and brought their intertwined hands up to kiss the back of Elysia's hand. "And you do know that you don't have to do much to make me feel at ease. Just being with you is enough."
"I know, but I still want to do this. I had fun the last time we did it."
"We didn't get to do much stargazing that time remember? We were too busy making out to watch the stars among other things." Eden reminded the other woman.
Elysia giggled and bumped Eden's side. "And whose fault was that? I was not the one who had her hand beneath my shirt as soon as we were alone."
Eden chuckled, recalling how impatient she was that day. Elysia just returned from a high-risk mission that time, so she couldn't be blamed for reaffirming that her love was still with her safe and sound. "All right, you got a point. So do you think we could properly do it this time?"
"Maybe, maybe not. As long as it's with you, that's all that matters."
Warmth filled Eden's chest. It had become a common occurrence ever since she got together with Elysia. Merely being in her presence did that. Coupled with her sweet words and even sweeter actions made Eden wish that their circumstances were different. She wanted to take her out on dates to exotic places. Give her pretty dresses and jewelries that would match her beauty. Perform the song that she made for Elysia in a grand theater so that the world would know how much she treasured this woman. Instead, they had to settle for these stolen moments. Moments when they could actually live and not just survive in their dying world. Eden took a deep breath, trying her best to not let her mind wander into depressing thoughts.
They took the elevator that would take them to the topmost floor of the building they were in, to the rooftop where they also had their first attempt at stargazing. However, Elysia prepared something special this time.
"Ellie?"
"Do you like it?"
"But you were at the meeting with us. How?"
"I had some help, of course. So, do you like it?" Elysia asked again.
Eden's eyes returned to the sight before her. The once barren rooftop was turned into a romantic picnic setup, with pretty lights, fluffy pillows, and rose petals scattered above a laid-out blanket. There was even a low table filled with Eden's favorite snacks and wine. She turned to Elysia who was looking at her with uncontained excitement.
"Let me show you how much I love it," Eden said before pulling Elysia to her, claiming her lips with her own. Arms immediately wound around her neck pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. She poured all of her adoration for the wonderful woman in her arms into that kiss, and she would have done more if not for Elysia pulling away.
"Careful, we don't want a repeat of last time, not yet at least," Elysia purred.
The hint of something more made Eden's heart race, but this time she controlled herself. With a last peck on Elysia's lips, she disentangled from their embrace. "I'm sorry you're just so distracting." Eden stroked Elysia's cheek. She took Elysia's hand and together they approached the set-up prepared for them. "These look lovely Ellie. Who helped you set this up?" Eden asked, picking up a strawberry and dipping it in cream before popping it into her mouth.
"Pardo, you know how she did everything to dodge Dr. MEI's meetings," Elysia answered. She sat beside Eden and picked a sandwich to nibble.
"You saw an opportunity and took it, I see."
"I was just being a helpful friend. And besides, it's for a good cause ♪"
It was indeed a good cause. The food was scrumptious, the atmosphere romantic, and the company adorable. Eden could just stay there until the break of dawn, arm around Elysia's waist, feeding each other food, while she listened to her beloved recount how she loved going on picnics with the other kids from the orphanage that took her in. How the kids, ever resourceful, managed to forage food so they could have their little picnics. Eden could just imagine little Elysia with tiny hands full of berries and a wide grin on her face as she proudly presented her haul to her friends.
Eden herself had only been to one picnic in her life, and it was one for an endorsement of cheese products of all things. She was born into a family that put great importance on music, which meant her younger years were mostly spent perfecting her craft. When she grew older, fame took over most of her time that she didn't get to enjoy simple pleasures like this. It was yet another one of perhaps small, but impactful things that Elysia brought into her life.
Eden tightened her arm around Elysia and pulled her closer to her. "Have I told you how much you mean to me?" Eden asked, tracing Elysia's profile with her eyes.
"Like every day." Her lover turned to her, the corner of her eyes crinkled as she gave Eden that sweet Elysia smile. "But I wouldn't be opposed to hearing it more. My ego needs more stroking."
"Are you sure that's the only thing that needs stroking?" Eden teased.
"Eden! I can't believe you would say something like that," Elysia laughed, the sound akin to windchimes. "I think I'm being a bad influence on you."
"You can influence me anytime," Eden responded and then winked.
"Oh my god. Where did my elegant and sophisticated Eden go?"
Eden threw her head back as she laughed. The worries that she felt earlier had all but melted away. "Oh Ellie, I don't know what I would do without you," Eden said after her laughter had settled. She cupped the smaller woman's cheek, the familiar warmth heating up her palm. "You've changed my life for the better in such a short time. I know you still have doubts about your nature, about your purpose in this wretched world. But for me, it's never been more clear. The light you give in these dark times has been my constant guide. I'm just grateful that I've lived long enough to witness that."
Blue eyes looked at her in wonder and Eden met them with her steady gaze, conveying to the other woman the seriousness of her words. "You're making it hard to keep my hands to myself," Elysia said, her face getting closer.
"Then don't." Eden's voice had lowered to almost a whisper.
Eden couldn't take her eyes away from those pink lips so close she could almost taste them. She leaned down, aiming to do just that, claiming those plush lips between her own. She moaned as her passion was met by the other woman. The atmosphere between them changed, indicating that things were about to accelerate. Her persistent mouth worked Elysia's open with the graze of teeth and the hot pressure of her tongue, her lips lingering where she would usually break away for breath.
A light push against her shoulder set Eden back against the blanket spread out underneath them. Elysia quickly followed, draping her body on top of Eden, their kiss never broken. Long fingers stroked down the line of Elysia's throat, but before Eden could start undressing her lover, a shrill beeping broke the heated moment between them.
"Oh, it's almost time." Elysia, lightly panting, moved away from Eden to bring out her phone from her pocket. "I'm so glad I remembered to set an alarm or else we would've missed it."
"Miss what?" Eden asked, still a little dazed from what almost happened.
"You'll see soon enough. I'm sorry, I swear I'll make it up to you later." Elysia answered. She pecked Eden on the lips one last time before she lay beside her on the blanket. "Didn't I tell you right now is the perfect time to stargaze. Look! The stars are so bright."
Eden looked up at the sky, and Elysia was right. It was a cloudless night, and nothing hindered their view of the thousands of twinkling lights. The crescent moon hung above like it was bestowing a smile upon them. The sight was certainly gorgeous, but Eden did not understand why their moment earlier had to be interrupted because of it when they could just do it after they took pleasure in each other. Before Eden could voice out her question, a streak of light caught her attention.
"Did you see?!"
Elysia's excitement was infectious. Eden's heart raced as that one streak of light was followed by another. She had never seen something like it before. Yet another wonder that she got to experience first with Elysia. "That was amazing Ellie."
"I knew you would like it," Elysia said. She reached out and laced their fingers together. "When I found out that there is going to be a meteor shower, I knew that I would like to see it with you. I don't know when we can see another one again, that's why I had to take this opportunity while we still have the time."
Eden's chest tightened, both in happiness and distress at Elysia's words. She wanted to tell her that everything would be all right, but they both knew that those were just empty words when their situation had been getting dire the longer they fight. Eden sighed and turned her gaze to her lover. "Thank you for sharing this moment with me, Ellie." Eden tightened her hold on Elysia's hand. "I don't know what the future has in store for us. Just know that I will always be right beside you until the very end."
Several moments passed in silence, both women content in watching as meteor upon meteor streaked above them like teardrops falling from the inky sky. It was like they were in their own little world where any threats of the honkai were like a distant bad dream. They were just two women, insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe, but are both incredibly important to each other.
Another beeping broke the silence. "Ellie?" Elysia turned on her side to face her fully and smiled.
"Happy birthday, my dear Eden."
Eden was taken aback. It was already her birthday, and she completely forgot about it for the very first time. There was so much going on in her life—surviving, fighting, falling in love—that her birthday was the least of her concern. A realization suddenly occurred to her.
"The meteor shower... it was not the only reason we stayed up this late isn't it?"
"You know me too well. Yes, I wanted to be the one to first greet you a happy birthday. I told you about it, didn't I?"
Eden could clearly remember the day when Elysia found out about the date of her birthday. She was overjoyed to find that their birthdays were just mere days apart. She promised Eden that day that she would be the first to greet Eden on her birthday because she thought it was romantic. Eden only laughed at Elysia's cuteness, never realizing that she would fulfill her promise eventually.
"This is the best birthday I could ever hope for." Her birthdays had been celebrated with great fanfare most of her life, given that she was almost always in the spotlight. But those extravagant affairs were pale in comparison to this simple celebration lovingly prepared by the woman in front of her.
"I kept on thinking of giving you something material. But then I realized you must have received every item that you wanted by now. So I thought of doing this instead. It's very fitting, isn't it? Watching the stars together with the brightest star of our era. Making these memories with you is I think the most precious gift I could ever give you."
"Oh, Ellie." For once, Eden was at a loss for words. Her heart felt too full that it was overwhelming her. She suddenly became aware of the warm wetness at the corner of her eyes, but gentle fingers were already there to quickly wipe away the tears that she couldn't hold back. Eden moved so she could lean her head against Elysia's chest, wanting to hear the steady beating of the heart that had so much love to give. Fingers carded through her hair, and both of them shared another moment of comfortable silence as they basked in each other's arms.
"So, have you thought of a wish yet? Or in your case wishes, since we witnessed plenty of shooting stars and then add that to your birthday wish, I say you're due to at least ten wishes." Elysia said after a while.
Wishes? She has plenty of wishes. More than the ten wishes Elysia mentioned. But at that very moment, she could only think of two that were the most important to her.
"I wish for us to never part ways. I wish for time to stand still for the both of us."
Her second wish was immediately granted as soon as their lips met in a kiss full of promise.