Archive of Our Own

Lumine rushed down the sidewalk, dodging passers-by and stumbling as she attempted to keep up with the blue and white sun hat tumbling in the blustering wind. She’d known a storm was coming – she never should have tried to wear her favorite hat. Her sides were aching, and she closed her eyes as she slumped against the low wall running along the sidewalk. It was no use. She would never catch it. She looked up, watching as the hat fell before being caught up in another gust – and then stopping.

Lumine watched in shock as the hat was pulled from its endless flight, the golden eyes of her hat’s savior locking with hers after a brief survey of the surrounding crowd. He lifted the hat slightly in a silent question, and Lumine nodded quickly, growing more entranced by him as he drew closer. He was fashionably dressed and handsome. His dark hair and golden eyes were so striking… He handed the hat to her with what might barely be considered a smile; her heart thudded in her chest.

“It’s a bit windy for a hat,” he commented lightly as she took it. Lumine laughed, tucking her hair back and looking away to hide her embarrassment.

“Yeah, I should have known better,” She said, rubbing the brim between her fingers, “It just goes so well with this dress.”

She put the hat on, holding it down as she did a little spin. She wasn’t sure why she did it, and as soon as she faced the man again she blushed crimson. The corners of his mouth lifted – definitely a smile.

“It is very pretty,” he agreed. Lumine pulled the hat off again, smoothing her hair down frantically.

“Yeah. Thanks,” she said awkwardly. She felt so stupid; she could barely look at him without feeling like she wanted to disappear.

“Well, hope you have a nice day,” he said, raising his hand in a wave before continuing down the way he’d been going. Lumine waved back, feeling dumbstruck.

Later, thinking back on the moment, she kicked herself for not saying anything – for not asking for his number, or at least his name.

She saw him again a few weeks later by chance – at a backyard barbecue, of all things. As it turned out, they had a mutual friend.

“Hey,” she said, pushing through her anxiety as they were both grabbing drinks from the cooler by the back door. If she didn’t start a conversation now, she never would. He looked up at her, slightly surprised, and her heart almost stopped. She continued quickly, realizing he probably didn’t remember her at all; “You– uh– you saved my hat a few weeks ago.”

She suddenly felt overheated, looking away from him with an awkward smile. He made a sound that might have been a laugh, which drew her attention back like a moth to a flame.

“I remember,” he said, nodding as he thought on what must have been a funny memory, considering the lifted corner of his mouth. “I didn’t expect to see you again. I’m Xiao.”

Lumine felt the heat in her face rise again, laughing nervously as he met her eyes.

“Lumine. I’m glad we got to meet again – I never actually thanked you for grabbing my hat,” she said, knocking her head lightly with her fist.

“I remember you saying thanks,” Xiao said, seeming certain of the memory. Lumine cringed.

“Well… I thanked you for agreeing that my outfit was pretty,” she said, sighing at the memory, “But not specifically for actually retrieving the hat.”

Xiao breathed out – a laugh?

“Ah… I must have remembered wrong, then,” he said, and Lumine was sure his eyes were twinkling with suppressed laughter. Was he teasing her? Or was he trying to give her an easy way to avoid embarrassment, and she’d just… darn it. She turned away and rubbed her neck; she was making just as much a fool of herself now as she had the first time they’d met.

“How do you know Zhongli?” Xiao asked. Lumine looked back at him, a little surprised that he would continue the conversation when she was clearly inept at it.

“Oh, um, we met through a friend originally. But we’ve been hanging out pretty regularly since then. What about you?”

“Work.”

“Ah,” Lumine nodded. Xiao didn’t seem particularly talkative, and yet… He was talking to her. She glanced over at him from the corner of her eye. Should she take it as a sign that he might be interested? She’d never asked anyone out before… It was intimidating. But the worst he could say was ‘no.’ Or maybe the worst was ‘ew, no,’ but the likelihood of him saying that seemed pretty low.

“So–”

“Well–”

They spoke at once, looking at each other and freezing as their voices overlapped.

“Sorry, you go ahead,” Lumine said, gesturing for him to continue. He shook his head.

“No, it’s fine.”

They stared at each other for a beat, then Lumine looked away as her cheeks grew warm again.

“I was just wondering if maybe,” she glanced over at him, suddenly terrified of her own boldness. How could she be so forward? But the words were already tumbling from her mouth, “maybe you might like to get dinner sometime. Together. With me.”

Oh god, she thought, I can’t believe I just said that.

“Sure,” Xiao said. He responded so quickly that Lumine couldn’t help but stare at him blankly for a few seconds. Sure? Just like that?

“Really?” She asked, certain she must have heard wrong, or somehow asked a different question than she’d thought.

“Yeah. Dinner sounds nice,” he said, nodding. She blinked, then smiled, laughing slightly with relief.

“Great,” she said, “It’s a date then.”

Xiao smiled slightly, the faintest hint of color staining his cheeks as he glanced away.

“Does Friday work?” Lumine asked, pulling her phone out to look at her calendar. Xiao cleared his throat slightly, and Lumine looked up at him.

“I have a pretty irregular schedule. It might be easier if we… exchanged contact info,” he said, his voice soft and tinged with unease. Lumine smiled, handing her phone to him.

“Works for me,” she said brightly, the butterflies in her stomach slowly raising an army. Xiao hesitantly took her phone, typing his information in before handing it back. He’d titled his contact ‘Xiao - hat guy,’ which made Lumine laugh. When she looked up at him again his smile and now-obvious blush threatened to make her fall in love right there.

Lumine watched Xiao carefully, peeking over the top of her menu to avoid being obvious. He seemed rather uncomfortable, and she was worried she’d made a poor choice in her restaurant suggestion. They specialized in unique sandwiches and vibrant flavors, but… Xiao’s face had gone from neutral to anxious, and by now he looked practically nauseous.

“Is… Is everything okay?” Lumine asked, lowering her menu. Xiao looked up like a deer caught in headlights.

“Yes,” he said, “I’m fine.”

She did not think he looked fine. He turned to look out the window beside them, nervously tugging at the collar of his shirt, then looked back at the menu. Lumine bit her lip, wondering if perhaps he’d realized he wasn’t interested after all. Maybe he was trying to find a way out of the date before he had to sit through a whole dinner.

“Uh…” he looked up at her and she could practically see him struggling with what he wanted to say. She steeled herself for the coming rejection, meeting his eyes courageously.

“Do you… have any suggestions for what to eat?” He asked, nervousness making his voice sound a little thin. Lumine stared at him, mouth hanging open slightly.

“What?” She said, blinking as her whole mind when blank.

“It’s just that I don’t really… go out much. I’m not familiar with this restaurant, and I… don’t recognize most of these dishes…” Xiao explained, his eyes glued to the menu as a light blush slowly overtook his face, “I was hoping you might have a suggestion…?”

Lumine blinked again. Then she smiled, surprised by his hesitance and struggling to suppress the relieved laughter that bubbled up at the sight of his adorable blush.

“Oh! Yes,” she said brightly, “Of course. My favorite thing here is probably the teriyaki sandwich; all of their sandwiches are really delicious. You can’t go wrong no matter which you pick.”

Xiao stared at the menu, the tips of his ears slowly becoming redder and redder. Lumine’s smile faltered as she waited for his response.

“Uh… Unless…?”

“Is it… Is it all just sandwiches?” He asked quietly, like the question itself was embarrassing. Lumine looked at the menu, chagrin washing over her. They specialized in sandwiches, and although they did have other things… She’d only ever had the sandwiches. She didn’t know what else to recommend.

“Well, no…” she said hopefully, quickly scanning the other options for something that looked appetizing without sounding boring. “Ah… They have some grilled fish that looks like it’s probably pretty good.”

“I’ll get that then,” he said with a tight nod.

Lumine called the waiter over and they ordered, then sat quietly for a minute or so.

“So…” Lumine traced her finger on the table, feeling awkward about her apparent blunder in restaurant choice, “I’m guessing you don’t like sandwiches then?”

She looked at Xiao curiously; he was looking out the window again, and blushing – again.

“Sorry,” he murmured, “I guess I should have mentioned I’m… picky.”

Lumine laughed, shaking her head.

“No, don’t worry about it. We all have things we like and dislike. It’s my fault for choosing a specialized restaurant. I should have gone for something with a broader range of options…”

Xiao looked at her apologetically.

“I… probably would have had the same problem anywhere,” he said with a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked around the restaurant, “I just don’t try new things all that often.”

“Hmm, okay, no sandwiches,” Lumine said, pretending to make a check mark on the table, “but I bet I can find other food you like, if you don’t mind taking suggestions.”

He gave her a smile and shook his head.

“I don’t mind. Although, maybe I should wait to see what this grilled fish is like before I trust you with suggestions…” he said thoughtfully. Lumine blushed. She had to come clean.

“W-well maybe don’t judge me based on this place,” she said quickly, “I’ve only ever had their sandwiches…”

Xiao laughed. Lumine’s heart stuttered, and she smiled despite herself.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, “I’m sure it will be fine. Food is food.”

She watched him curiously, intrigued by his tastes. Not liking sandwiches? Downright odd. And having no idea what to order… When he said he didn’t go out much, just how little did he mean? Lumine began to feel that perhaps being on a date with him was much more special than she’d first thought.

“So what do you like, then? If all food is just food… I mean, there must be something you like to eat, right?” She asked, picking up her water and sipping from it as she waited for his answer. He cleared his throat awkwardly, a light blush rising on his face again.

“I like, uhm… Almond tofu. And sweets in general,” he said, avoiding her gaze. Lumine smiled, butterflies filling her stomach. He was so cute; she could hardly stand it.

“Sweets aren’t really food,” she laughed, “but I agree that they’re easy to like. Maybe next time we could meet for dessert instead…?”

She offered the idea of a second date with a small amount of anxiety. She was interested in getting to know more about him for sure… but she couldn’t tell how he felt – besides nervous and uncomfortable. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, a small smile playing at the edge of his lips.

“The idea is tempting…” he said, and she felt a gentle rejection behind the words, “but I would like to get dinner again so I can try something you’re more confident about recommending.”

She smiled, looking down. She was clearly not very good at reading him yet. Or perhaps she was simply too quick to assume he didn’t like her. She blushed as she looked back up at him.

“Then… it’s a date?” She asked. Xiao smiled and nodded.

“It’s a date. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, I think… After all, we’re still on a date. We may as well enjoy this one, too.” He leaned back in his chair as he spoke, and Lumine was happy to notice that he seemed to be slowly growing more comfortable.

“You’re right,” she agreed, “So… while we wait for our food how about we play a game?”

“Alright. What kind of game?”

“Hmm… Two truths and a lie?”

“That’s difficult for two people who don’t know each other at all…” Xiao said doubtfully.

“We can go easy on each other. It might be a good way to get to know a little more about each other, I think. Or… get to know random facts about each other,” she said with a giggle. Xiao smiled and shook his head as he gave in to her request.

“Alright. You first.”

“Okay, let me see…” Lumine tapped her finger against her lip as she thought, then counted on her fingers as she listed her three things, “One: I am an only child. Two: I can play the flute very poorly. Three: my favorite season is winter.”

Xiao narrowed his eyes as he considered her statements.

“You’re not an only child,” he said confidently. Lumine raised her eyebrows, impressed.

“Nice guess,” she said, “you’re right. I have a twin brother. Okay, your turn.”

Xiao smiled, looking down as he thought.

“Okay… One: this is my first date. Two: I can play the flute well. Three: I hate cats.”

Lumine looked at him suspiciously. There was only one thing she couldn’t believe in that list.

“There’s no way this is your first date,” she said with a grin, “You’re way too cute for that.”

Xiao laughed, crossing his arms as he gave her an amused look.

“Wrong. I actually like cats a lot. And this is my first date.”

Lumine gaped at him.

“No way,” she said. He nodded.

“And… I have to confess something,” he said, closing his eyes and frowning solemnly.

“What?” Lumine asked, sitting up a little straighter. He peeked at her.

“I cheated. Zhongli already told me you have a brother.”

Lumine laughed.

“Technically, prior knowledge isn’t cheating… It just means my lie was bad.”

Xiao watched her laugh with a gentle smile. Then their food came, and as the meal neared its end Lumine found herself dreading having to say goodbye. She’d had a nice time chatting with him… and he was very easy to be around. She almost wished the date could continue through the night.

“Well, I’m sad to say goodbye,” she said honestly as she and Xiao walked out of the restaurant, “but I had a really great time. Thank you for coming out with me.”

“It was really my pleasure,” Xiao said, “Thank you for asking me. And… we have plans to meet again, right?”

Lumine looked at his hopeful expression and her heart melted a little. She was relieved that he’d been the one to bring up their earlier conversation first.

“Yes,” she agreed with a smile, “Just message me when you’re free, hat guy.”

She winked at him as he blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

“That– ah– I…” he stammered, then sighed and let out a short laugh, “I will.”

She laughed and waved as she turned toward the bus stop.

“Ah… Are you going to wait for the bus alone?” Xiao asked. She turned back to him curiously.

“Well… yeah?”

“Would you mind if I kept you company?” He asked. She wasn’t sure, but he seemed… a little anxious.

“Sure, if you want… but the bus isn’t very reliable.”

“I know,” he said, and it hit her that that was probably why he wanted to stay. He crossed his arms and looked around the quiet city streets surrounding them, “Leaving you alone just… doesn’t seem right.”

Lumine’s heart swelled with appreciation. He was very considerate…

“Then I welcome your company,” she said with a smile.

Lumine swung her legs in the air as she sat on a low wall beside Xiao, looking out over the sloping beach below them. She took a bite of the almond ice cream they were sharing, then passed the little paper cup to Xiao.

“So we agree that almond is better than pistachio,” she said, “but you still won’t admit that vanilla is superior to all of them.”

Xiao scoffed.

“You’re the first person I’ve met who insists on vanilla being superior to anything. It’s the default of flavors. There’s no way it’s actually your favorite.”

“It is!” She insisted, “People treat it as the default for a reason. It’s always good. If someone wants to experience ice cream in its purest and most delicious form, vanilla is the go-to. There’s a reason for that, and the reason is because it’s the best flavor.”

“The default isn’t chosen because it’s the best, it’s chosen because it’s the least offensive or because it’s the original. I don’t know enough about ice cream to know which is the case here,” Xiao said, smiling and shaking his head. Lumine laughed, rolling her eyes.

“Last bite,” he said, holding the spoon up to her lips. She blushed, eating off the spoon with as much poise as she could muster. Today was their fifth date, and they’d gotten used to sharing ice cream – ever since their second date, when she’d dropped her cone three times in a row. Which was also why they got it in a cup now… But sharing a spoon was new. The shop usually gave them two, but they’d only gotten one this time… and they would have risked missing the sunset if they went back. Xiao hadn’t seemed to mind, but every time she took the spoon from him Lumine couldn’t help but think of his lips and–

And it was distracting. She looked out at the water and the sun sinking below the horizon. Five dates, and still… they hadn’t kissed. Which was fine. Xiao was more traditional than Lumine had expected, that’s all. She wasn’t sure she was ready, anyway. Wouldn’t a kiss change things again? They were still only getting comfortable. Getting to know each other. They’d only been dating for a little over a month. It was totally normal to not kiss. Only…

She peeked at him from the corner of her eye, admiring his profile and the way his gold eyes seemed to glow when the sunlight hit them at this angle. He shifted slightly, leaning back on his arm, and his lips parted ever so slightly with a sighing breath. Lumine felt her heart pounding irregularly in her chest. Could he hear it as loudly as she could? She saw his eyes flick toward hers, and she quickly focused back on the view, forcing a casual smile onto her face.

“I love this view,” she said, kicking her feet again. Xiao hummed in agreement. She didn’t dare look back at him again. It seemed like every time she looked at him she just wanted to kiss him more.

“It’s a great view,” Xiao said, reaching over to straighten a stray lock of hair by her face. She looked over, surprised by the combination of words and action. Did he know what impression it gave?

The gentle look in his eyes said he did.

She blushed, looking down at her lap and twisting her fingers together. He didn’t know how hard he was making it to keep herself from kissing him. He could have said she looked like dirt, but if he said it in that tone, with that look in his eyes… She would be just as lost in the rush of affection and desire. She heard him stand, and when she looked up at him he was already holding a hand out to help her.

“We should start walking back before it gets dark. There aren’t many lights between here and the park.”

“Right,” she said, grabbing his hand and letting him help her up. He made a good point. Without the sun, this area would be both deserted and dark. In a city like this one, that meant it would become dangerous… best to get back to a well lit area before the dark took hold. She moved to let go of his hand once she was standing, but he twined his fingers with hers and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She smiled, closing her fingers around his hand. How could it be that their hands would fit together so perfectly? She looked up to meet Xiao’s gaze, heart stuttering at the way he smiled when she did.

They walked down the path quietly, enjoying the sound of the waves against the sand and the shifting purple of the sky as the sun faded from view. Lumine saw a surprising glow ahead of them as they neared the park, and suddenly Xiao stopped. She looked back at him, concern furrowing her brow.

“Wait,” Xiao said, nervousness coloring his tone, “Um– Cover your eyes.”

“Cover my eyes? Why?” Lumine asked, not sure what purpose it would serve.

“Please?”

She looked at him, surprised by his tone and the anxious turn of his brows. She was sure he would have a good reason…

“Oka-ay,” she said with some confusion, “But I’ll be relying on you to make sure I don’t trip and fall.”

“I’ll protect you, don’t worry,” he reassured her. She closed her eyes, then put a hand over them so Xiao wouldn’t question her sincerity. They walked for what felt like much longer than it would take to reach the park, with Xiao carefully guiding her over steps and obstacles. Then, finally, he stopped.

“Okay. We’re here.” Xiao’s voice was quiet and gentle. Lumine dropped her hand, surprised by the amount of light leaking through her eyelids.

“Where’s ‘here’?” She asked suspiciously. Xiao chuckled softly.

“Open your eyes and see.”

Lumine slowly cracked one eye open, blinking a couple times before opening the other and focusing on Xiao before turning to look around her. She gasped, turning in a full circle.

They were in the park, but the park was covered in dozens of tiny lanterns, cut or folded into the shapes of birds and butterflies. It was much brighter than the usual handful of path lights, and Lumine could hardly believe how much prettier the trees looked with the lanterns hanging among them.

“Wow, did you do this?” She asked, turning back to Xiao. He laughed.

“No. But I did help. I’m part of a bird watching group which took part in the preparation of this. It’s a little community project in honor of the park’s anniversary. I thought you might like it,” he explained, looking around at the lanterns hanging near them. Lumine smiled, watching his face and the lights reflecting in his eyes.

“I do like it,” she said, “it’s beautiful. Thank you for showing me.”

Xiao looked back at her, then reached toward her – hesitating slightly before stroking her cheek softly. She swore her heart skipped a beat.

“It’s the least I could do for someone who shows me something infinitely more beautiful with every smile.”

It was as if a nuclear bomb had gone off in her chest; Lumine’s mind went blank as the heat of her blush overtook her. For a moment she wasn’t sure she could even breathe. Then she stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him. Their lips met and instantly it was clear that he had wanted it just as much as she did. His lips were soft and gentle, he tasted like almonds and ice cream, and every movement of hers was mirrored in perfect harmony. His hand moved to the back of her head while his other arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close. She was certain there had never been another kiss so perfect in all of recorded history. When they finally came up for air, foreheads resting together, Xiao breathed out a laugh.

“I have to admit… I didn’t expect you to kiss me first,” he said. Lumine smiled, rubbing her nose against his.

“I do love to subvert expectations.”

Lumine pressed the bottle to her lips, tilting it back and letting the acrid flavor settle on her tongue before forcing herself to swallow. She hated beer; the fact that she was drinking it was proof enough of her depressed state.

“Easy, Lumi. You know you don’t have to force yourself to drink just because you’re feeling bad…” Xiao’s concerned face filled her with guilt. He sat across from her on the little balcony outside her apartment.

“I’m not forcing myself,” she protested weakly, looking away from him, “And even if I was, I would deserve it for even being upset over something so stupid.”

“It’s not stupid to be upset over something you care about,” Xiao said gently. Lumine sighed, looking out toward the dark night sky. She’d never expected that losing a friend could hurt as bad as losing a lover.

“I just can’t figure out why she would say what she did. Why one little argument could end what I thought was a close friendship. It makes me feel… I don’t know. Lonely. And sad,” she said, looking back at him apologetically, “And I feel doubly sad because I know it’s not fair for me to feel lonely and sad when you’re here with me.”

Xiao smiled at her, the expression so gentle that she thought she might cry. He was too good to her.

“You don’t have to apologize for feeling the way you do, no matter whether I’m here or not. I’ve never expected to be the only person who matters in your life. I’m just happy to be a part of your life at all,” he said, glancing away shyly as he finished speaking. Lumine couldn’t help but find it adorable how shy he could still be even after they’d been together so long. She set her beer down and pushed off the wall she was leaning against, crawling over to hug him and snuggle against his chest.

“I am happy you’re a part of my life, too,” she said, feeling a sense of peace fall over her as his arms wrapped around her shoulders. She’d never felt more comfortable or safe with another person before him. She could no longer even imagine a life without him. She let herself focus on the feeling of his fingers stroking her back and the calm rhythm of his heartbeat, closing her eyes as she memorized every sensation of the moment. She wanted to always remember how it felt to be in his arms.

“Xiao?” She asked, straightening so they were face to face.

“Yes?”

“Am I… a difficult person?”

Xiao seemed taken aback by the question. It was rather sudden, but Lumine couldn’t help it. She’d never expected to lose her friend. She couldn’t figure out what was different this time… unless perhaps it was just the final straw. Perhaps she’d always been troublesome to be around, and her friend had just had enough.

“What do you mean by difficult?” Xiao asked, tilting his head slightly. He seemed genuinely confused; Lumine looked down with an embarrassed smile.

“Like… difficult to be around. Difficult to be friends with.”

Xiao smiled slightly, leaning his forehead against hers before kissing her nose.

“No, Lumi. I don’t think you’re difficult at all.”

Lumine looked away with an exaggerated pout.

“You have to say that ‘cause you’re my boyfriend,” she said doubtfully, slumping her shoulders dramatically. Xiao laughed, circling his arms around her waist and pulling her close again.

“No, I don’t,” he said, kissing her cheek, “I would never say anything I don’t mean.”

She giggled as he nuzzled into her neck and peppered kisses across her skin.

“So, tell me… What was your first impression of the girl who was so stubborn she had to wear a hat on the windiest day of the year?” She asked, closing her eyes and appreciating the softness of his lips before he pulled away. He made a humming noise as he thought.

“To be honest,” he said thoughtfully, “the first thought when I saw you was just a single word.”

“What? One word?” She leaned back and looked at him curiously, her brows pulling together as she tried to figure out how insulting his first thought must have been. He nodded, a gentle smile gracing his face as he looked into her eyes.

“Wow,” he said.

Lumine stared at him, feeling her temperature rise.

“Wow?”

“Yeah. You were the most beautiful person I’d ever seen… I almost thought you were an angel. I knew as soon as I heard you speak – as soon as you did that cute little twirl – that loving you would be the easiest thing in the world.” He traced his nose along her jawline, then kissed just below her ear. Lumine’s heart pounded in her chest. That was the first time either of them had used that word…

“And… what do you think now?” She asked hesitantly, not sure if he noticed what he’d said. She felt him smile as he kissed her neck, then he pulled back and held her gaze. She’d never seen a look so ardent.

“I think I was right.”

Lumine thought her heart might stop, or maybe burst. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, the air around them electric and warm. Xiao leaned in and kissed her, slow and purposeful – and somehow it felt like the first time all over again. Their breath mixed as the kiss broke, the silence of the night creating an atmosphere of solemn intimacy between them.

“I love you, Lumine,” Xiao said, his voice a whisper in the night. Lumine’s breath caught, the joy in her heart bursting through her whole being. She smiled, wrapping her hands in his hair and kissing him fervently.

“I love you, too, Xiao,” she said when their lips parted again. It was so freeing to say. To acknowledge what had been growing in her heart for so long. She felt more like herself when she was with him. More like the person she wanted to be. Saying the words out loud didn’t make them more true… but she was so happy that he knew. And that she knew he felt the same.

Xiao kissed her again, and it was nothing like the first time – it was better in every way.

“No, here, just… wait right there,” Aether positioned Lumine in the exact spot he wanted her to wait at. Lumine rolled her eyes.

“Fine, fine, I’ll wait right here. Why are you so particular today?” She asked, crossing her arms and giving him a peevish look.

“I’m not!” he said defensively, “This spot is the best. It’s out of the way, in the shade, there’s a fountain, birds… It’s perfect, and if you stand here no one else will even see how perfect it is so they won’t be able to come interrupt our lunch.”

Lumine narrowed her eyes.

“So you’re implying that I ruin it so much they won’t even bother coming over here?” She said, playing up the annoyance in her voice. She knew Aether hadn’t meant it that way, but it was fun to tease him. He rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, sure, whatever makes you feel most annoyed,” he said, rolling his eyes with a smile, “Just wait here while I go get the food.”

“Sure, sure,” Lumine agreed, rocking on her heels as she watched him walk away. They didn’t often have the chance to hang out, and usually they did something more exciting like surfing or skydiving. But today he’d insisted that he just wanted a nice lunch in the park… It felt suspicious. She wondered if he’d gotten married in some secret elopement and was going to tell her she had a sister-in-law. Maybe even a niece or nephew on the way. She wouldn’t put it past Aether to live a whole secret life without her ever knowing.

Originally, Xiao was going to join them. But something had come up at the last minute… which was quite disappointing to Lumine. She enjoyed everything more when Xiao was there, even if he only sat at the side while she did something he had no interest in. He was supportive of her in everything, even the things he didn’t understand at all. And their lunch today was in the same park where he’d first kissed her… She couldn’t help feeling nostalgic and missing him a little bit – even though she’d seen him just that morning.

“Lumine.”

She turned quickly at the familiar voice behind her.

“Xiao! I thought you couldn’t make it?”

He smiled at her excited reaction, then looked down as he shook his head.

“Turns out the project can be put off a little longer. Besides, I’d rather be with you than doing anything else,” he said, looking back up at her. Wind chimes hanging in the trees played delicate tones as a gentle breeze blew past them. Lumine laughed.

“You just like slacking off,” she teased him.

“If it means I can be with you…” he said, matching her smile with his own.

“Well, Aether already went to get the food… but maybe if we call him we can let him know to get you something, too” Lumine turned to look in the direction Aether had gone. She bit her lip as she considered what to do. Aether was terrible about answering his phone… but if she left their spot she knew he would be annoyed. He’d been so particular about it for some reason…

“Don’t worry about that,” Xiao said, “knowing how you two eat I’m sure there will be more than enough for all of us.”

Lumine pursed her lips and turned to glare at him, pausing with surprise when she saw him turning a small box in his hands. She stared at it, a cool shiver running across her skin.

“What is that?” She asked. He continued looking at it, running his finger across the edge as he turned it again.

“I’ve been thinking about what to say for a long time,” Xiao said quietly. He stopped turning the box, looking down at it seriously. “I probably wrote out a hundred different scripts to follow.”

He looked up, his face full of anxiety and hesitance; but as soon as he met her eyes he smiled. She could practically see the tension drop from his shoulders.

“Don’t look so frightened,” he said with a small laugh, “I’ll lose my confidence.”

“I… I don’t know what…” Lumine felt like her brain wasn’t working, and she nervously smoothed the skirt of her dress and fixed her hair. What did she even look like right now? Was this real? Was she misreading something about the situation, or was this actually…?

Xiao got down on one knee. His eyes were filled with such love and devotion… Lumine’s chest seemed to fill with some nameless emotion, tears filling her eyes without warning.

“Holy fucking shit,” she said under her breath.

“The truth is, Lumine, that I knew exactly what my life was going to be – everything about it seemed obvious – until I met you. You changed everything. Not in a bad way, obviously,” he laughed and shook his head. Lumine wondered if her concern had been that clear on her face, and she laughed with him, wiping away her tears as he continued, “But after meeting you, for the longest time, I wasn’t sure what the next day would be like. I started to wonder about the next week. The next month. Even years down the road. And I realized pretty quickly that you… You were always there. No matter how far I looked, you were always right by me. I can’t imagine a future without you, Lumine. And I don’t want to. I can imagine a hundred different places I might end up, in life or in my career, but I can only ever see myself loving you. I love you so much. I want to love you forever, if you’ll have me…”

He looked at her adoringly, and she could feel her heart unraveling, feel her whole self melting into a puddle of blushing smiling mush.

“Lumine, will you marry me?” Xiao asked, finally opening the small box to reveal the ring: a thin gold band with a diamond between two crescent moons, haloed by six tiny diamonds like stars.

“Yes,” she said breathlessly, as if she’d been holding her breath. Perhaps she had. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.”

She smiled as the reality hit her; Xiao gently grasped her hand and slid the ring on her finger. Then he stood and held her face as he kissed her, soft at first, and then deep. The wind chimes surrounded them with gentle calming tones, accompanying their perfect moment.

Then someone loudly cleared their throat. Lumine gasped, remembering very suddenly that they were technically in public, and Xiao laughed at how shocked she looked when she pulled away from him.

“God, you two are disgustingly cute,” Aether said, pretending to gag. Lumine turned and stared at him, blushing hard.

“Who asked you!?” She said with a blush. Aether laughed.

“I’m kidding. Anyway you should be more grateful to your dear brother! I got photos and everything. Now let’s go get dinner at a real restaurant. I am not sitting in the grass.” He leaned against a nearby tree, and both he and Xiao laughed as Lumine began to piece together their plan, the truth dawning on her as she looked between them.

“Wait, no way–!”

Lumine rolled over, glaring at the window across the room. The sun streaked in like a lance, reminding her that reality awaited. Another day of chores, responsibilities, and the mindless daily grind…

“Mommy!” A little boy raced into the room, his golden hair shining in the sunlight as he ran up and put his face right against hers, staring into her eyes.

“You’re awake,” he said, as if he’d been expecting her to still be asleep. She sighed, closing her eyes and trying to ignore as his little fingers began pushing her eyelids open again.

“Yes, Jinhai, I’m awake,” she said in a tired voice, “Are you ready for breakfast?”

“Breaks-fas!” he said excitedly, slapping his hands against the bed, “I made it!”

Lumine opened her eyes wide, suddenly very concerned about the state of her house.

“What–” she began, anxiety filling her chest. But her thought was interrupted by a quiet gasp from the door. She sat up and looked to see her daughter, Luli, carrying a tray. A simple breakfast was laid out on it, including a small vase with some of the wildflowers from the front yard, and the young girl was concentrating very hard as she took careful steps to avoid spilling anything.

“Luli, what…?” Lumine started to ask; then she saw Xiao walk in carefully behind Luli, and it all clicked into place. It was Mother’s Day.

“They really wanted to do this for you,” Xiao explained with a helpless smile, glancing down every so often to make sure his daughter didn’t need help. She was the spitting image of her father… Lumine smiled and shook her head.

“Is the kitchen…?” She asked, reaching out to take the tray once Luli was close enough. Jinhai was bouncing nearby, watching with excitement as the tray found its place on his mother’s lap.

“Don’t worry about it,” Xiao said, shaking his head with a curious look, “I’ll, uh… I’ll clean it up for you.”

Lumine laughed. Luli breathed a sigh of relief once she was freed from the responsibility of the tray.

“Happy Mother’s Day, mom!” She said brightly, leaning forward and kissing Lumine’s cheek. Lumine turned and kissed the girl’s forehead.

“Thank you sweetie,” she said. Jinhai quickly ran up and pointed at his own forehead, which Lumine also kissed, “And you too, sweetheart, of course.”

“Oh, wait!” Jinhai suddenly exclaimed, running out of the room and nearly tripping Xiao.

“Slow down,” he scolded gently, following the little boy with an amused look. Lumine looked at Luli curiously, but the young girl only smiled and avoided her mother’s prying eyes. Jinhai returned a moment later carrying an old hat, the blue and white faded and the weave having seen better days… but tied around it was a new blue bow decorated with sequins and lace. Xiao followed, leaning against the door frame.

“I made your hat pretty again!” Jinhai said proudly, puffing his chest out as he presented the gift to his mother. Lumine smiled, laughing slightly at her little boy’s exuberance, and gratefully accepted the gift. She placed it on her head with faux ceremony, turning and giving her children a queenly look.

“It’s perfect,” she said, “just like both of you.”

The two kids giggled and crawled up onto the bed, extremely interested in watching their mother eat the special breakfast they’d prepared. She caught Xiao’s eyes across the room, filled with the same loving look she’d seen for so many years now. His golden eyes were like sunlight that stole into her heart, reminding her of reality.

And actually… She couldn’t imagine a better one.