Work Text:
“You and Sara seem to have gotten quite comfortable with one another lately,” Ei commented, reclining against the trunk of a nearby sakura tree. A thick blanket was spread over the grass, cushioning her and Miko from the hard ground. It was a perfect day for a picnic, much like the afternoons she enjoyed so many years ago with Makoto and their friends. Perhaps it was that nostalgia, the emotion of reflecting on people and times long gone, that motivated her to speak up.
Loss was painful, but sometimes pleasant new things came along with it. She was growing to accept that.
Miko scoffed at first, waving a hand as if to brush away Ei’s thoughts as irrelevant. They knew each other too well though. All Ei had to do was look at her, tipping her head to the side as if to say “really?” She relented, though not without a long, dramatic sigh.
“I suppose you may have a point about that. It took some time, but now our little bird feels as if she’s been part of things for ages. I saw how happy she made you, so...” Miko shrugged, as if there was nothing more to say on the topic. In a way, she wasn’t wrong. Ei had long since realized that the depths of Miko’s devotion to her went just as deep, if not deeper, than Sara’s. She always had her best interests at heart, even when it was difficult. However, she was also notoriously possessive. It wouldn’t have been easy to get her on board with bringing Sara into their relationship if she wasn’t enthusiastic about it.
“Are you sure that’s all it is?” She smiled softly, reaching out to take her girlfriend’s hand. “You visited her in the middle of the work day yesterday just for my sake? Quite an interesting strategy.”
“Oh? Were you spying on me? What would the people of Inazuma think if they knew their shogun was occupied with such flights of fancy?”
Ei laughed, shaking her head. “I didn’t need to spy. A little bird told me.”
Miko let out a dramatic gasp and sprawled across Ei’s lap, which only made her laugh harder. She ran her free hand through soft, pink hair, waiting for her giggles to die out. In the meantime, Miko nuzzled in closer, murmuring “Is that so? Well, I’ll have to get her back for that eventually. That was supposed to be a secret.”
“What were you doing that needed to be kept secret?” Ei retorted, though she already knew all the details. Sara had been so flustered recounting the way Miko sauntered right into the Tenryou Commission headquarters to bring her lunch, and the way she kissed her with no regard for who else was around.
“Are you jealous?”
She wasn’t, but she indulged the fantasy anyway, pulling Miko up into a lazy kiss. Her hands wandered, stroking her back and sides. Even after centuries apart, they were perfectly attuned to each other. Eventually, Miko laid down in her lap once again, and the conversation wandered back to Sara.
“I suppose I could let you in on another secret since I love you so much,” Miko began, clearly putting a great deal of effort into sounding casual about it.
“Mm, don’t leave me in suspense then. Tell me.”
“It may not have taken me quite as long to warm up to Sara as I made it seem. Not that she isn’t completely aggravating at times, but even back in the days when she was constantly visiting the shrine to ask about you, she was so much more fun to tease than most. There’s something endearing about how desperately loyal she is to you and just how easily I can break that stoic shell.” Miko gazed up at her fondly as she spoke, more open emotion there than she normally let shine through, even with her. Of course, there was amusement too, but Ei wouldn’t expect anything else.
“You were gearing up for the thrill of the chase from the moment we first talked about my feelings for her, weren’t you?”
Miko grinned toothily, not bothering to deny it. “What can I say? Winning her over has been some of the best fun I’ve had in years. Sara doesn’t know, of course. I wouldn’t want to make it too easy for her.”
“You’re impossible. She’ll find out someday, you know.”
“Not if you don’t tell her.”
Ei rolled her eyes, but there was an overwhelming warmth bubbling up in her chest. Many months had passed since the end of the war and her return to the outside world, but the novelty of being surrounded by so much love hadn’t yet faded. The knowledge that the two most precious to her held just as much affection for each other despite their bickering was one of the best gifts she’d ever received.
“As you wish. But Miko? I’m glad you’re getting along.”