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A drunken stupor on a windy Thursday night is bound to be a recipe for disaster, even if the cause was for a celebratory purpose. Drinking parties were never her preferred means of celebration, though Sangonomiya Kokomi was not one to deny her troops a bout of fun. Peace is transient, as are many aspects of life, and it would be foolish to not cherish its timely presence. Perhaps she could find enjoyment in this too, it is a commemoration for her return to Watatsumi Island after all. She would have to take care of her public image, it would be unseemly if the Divine Priestess were to be seen having one too many drinks.
The jovial cheers and hearty laughter of the troops mirror the elation the island felt at the conclusion of a hard-fought war. Families could breathe easier knowing that their loved ones would come home, but others were not so lucky. Some could not be saved, regardless of Kokomi’s desperate efforts to coax their bodies into proper function. A lived reality will always appear bleak in comparison to the dazzling hope of idealism. Still, no one could blame another for clinging to that hope. With hope comes a simple promise, that of a new life and beautiful beginnings. A reality like that is one worth fighting for in the eyes of the lost.
Kokomi knew as much when rallying her forces, and each soldier fought bravely to seize the chance at a shimmering promise. In the end, they’d hold that very light in their hands and face the gleam of a new day. She could take pride in that. It was well worth the trials and tribulations if her people could live to see the next sunrise with hope restored in their eyes and hearts. When she’d traversed to the Veluriyam Mirage to recover a lost relic, Kokomi found a sense of satisfaction in observing the beauty of her people’s home as she departed. There were smiles to be shared and laughter from the few children on Watatsumi to cut through the quaint silence. Put simply, the world she knew felt unmistakably alive in that moment, and she couldn’t be happier.
Even now as she chats with her soldiers, who tell her of their families, their hopes and aspirations, of new prospects in wealth and love and anything the alcohol could weasel out of them, she feels warm. Fear affects everyone in different ways; some might feel it come cold and quick, like a sheen of ice crystallizing on frostbitten skin. Others might see fear as tendrils of dread sinking into them, threatening to throttle and disarm. For Kokomi, fear is cold and placid, a relentless presence of pure dread and terror that refuses to allow her even a moment of reprieve. True peace does not come easy, but she can’t say that the present moment is far off from what most would imagine. The world is at ease, people are celebrating her return, and she sips from her glass quietly with a smile on her lips.
Watatsumi Island had seen many visitors since the abolishment of the Sakoku Decree, but nothing could prepare her for the familiar face peeking through a crowd of rowdy troops. It’s not that he was an unwelcome visitor, just a rather unexpected one. After all, Mondstadt seems worlds away from Inazuma as it stands, never mind the extra time it would take to travel to Watatsumi on top of it. Her staring is frankly quite obvious, but she can’t help the awestruck expression painted across her features. Kokomi’s lips part slightly in what is best described as bewilderment, eyes focusing on Mondstadt’s very own Cavalry Captain. Kaeya Alberich, someone she’d seen not too long ago–it couldn’t be very long, she’d returned to Watatsumi only two days ago–and assumed she would not meet after their time in the Mirage. Surely, it’s just the alcohol playing tricks on her…
But it couldn’t be, there was no way. She’d not even finished the glass in her hand, much less cleared the halfway mark. Her mind must be going a hundred miles a minute with all the thoughts racing through her head at the speed of light itself, but all of it halts with the small, wry smile he’d sent her way. Kokomi can’t even think of how to react, should she turn away, smile back, offer a greeting in earnest? Instead, she stands curiously, noting the way Kaeya’s eye quirks at her movement. With a reaction like that, she must be playing right into his hand. Wordlessly, she settles into the empty seat beside him offering only a perplexed glance in lieu of a greeting.
“Well, if it isn’t the esteemed star of the show,” he says, resting his head atop a hand. Judging by the lopsided grin on his face, the probability he’s found new drinking buddies within her ranks is reasonably high. “Mighty kind of you to let me see you again. In the real world, this time.”
“As with you, Sir Dagger Bandit. When you take every possible course of action you could have taken when you arrived in Mondstadt into consideration, it eludes me as to why you chose the most tedious one.” Kokomi shakes her head in mock disappointment, a veiled attempt to try and situate herself. “If you’ve come to visit for a specific reason, I would prefer you be forthcoming.”
“Where’s the fun in that, Princess?” Kaeya leans forward, his gaze unwavering as a laugh passes his lips. At least he seems cohesive. “Showing you all my cards is almost as bad as letting you read me like a book. Then again, both options aren’t so bad when it comes to you.”
He takes a swig of what she assumes is beer, leaving her to marinate in her thoughts once more. Part of her wants to think that the fuzzier her mind the better, but remembering where they were and her status is enough for that thought to dissipate. As Kokomi glances over his nearly pristine appearance, she catches herself staring all over again. If she were to guess, he might not mind so much. In fact, he seems quite aware of her fixed gaze.
“Then what will you do to stop me?” she quips a knowing smile beneath the guise of sweet innocence. “You, Kaeya Alberich, have chosen to dance with someone who can match your pace. Would you say so?”
“I’d say I’m dancing with someone who’s very capable of anything she might put her mind to.” He pauses to finish off his glass, taking care to turn away from her in doing so. “I mean, the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island being a gem of an actress? Governmental matters and acting are two very different skill sets, Miss Sangonomiya.”
“You responded to half of my question, what of the other half?”
“And you’ve avoided the entirety of mine, darlin’.”
“Then it seems we’re at an impasse,” Kokomi sighs, holding her head in her hands. “...Idyia’s craftsmanship was incredible, that costume really did look great on you.”
“It must be true if you think so, Princess.” He chuckles while laying his head to rest on his arms. “Y’know, no one warned me that a conversation with you would turn into a game of twenty questions. Care to be gracious with your answers?”
“I’m afraid this isn’t common practice.” She laughs, maybe a little too late for the delivery. “Others cannot warn you of what only you have experienced.”
Kaeya stirs at that. Something about the cadence of her voice is enough for his breath to hitch. Much to his dismay, he quickly realizes his reaction did not slip past the Divine Priestess. From what he knows of her, not much can slip past her keen senses–she’s shown as much during their time in the Mirage. He can only hope his intentions behind today’s encounter can remain a surprise for the time being. The coy simper on Kokomi’s lips dusts his cheeks a shade of red, a more effective blush than the alcohol he’d downed not even five minutes ago could give him. As well as a point of worry for what she might have already discerned.
Drat.
“You think I’m special, then?”
“I think you’re extraordinary,” she says with a heavy sigh. “Be honest now, what made you visit Watatsumi Island, Kaeya?”
With what can only be described as a performer’s flourish, Kaeya turns to face her properly. She’d seen the softness he demonstrates now several times since meeting him and each time she’d been thoroughly entranced. As it stands, the word best befitting her present state would be ‘disarmed.’ Some sort of reaction is to be expected when requesting full honesty, a glance away or a nervous laugh. A softened expression isn’t in the roster of expected responses, though isn’t quite outside the realm of possibility.
“Looks like we’re on friendly terms, seeing as you finally dropped all those stuffy titles.” The sincerity in his smile sends her heart racing. “I’m here to see you. I thought you’d have put that together by now, no?”
The silence hanging between them is palpable, both refusing to break the steady stare they’d held intact for so long, as though it were an unspoken challenge. “Indeed, I have. I just wanted to hear you say it. At least then, I would know it’s true.”
“...How poetic of you.” If their fixed gazes were in fact some sort of competition, it’s one Kaeya has lost. The glasses of beer he’s downed make their appearance in the warmth of his cheeks, warmth that Kokomi’s words have only intensified. Knitting his eye shut, Kaeya resolves to plant his head in the makeshift cushion of his arms as a silent gesture of defeat. To secure victory against a master tactician is no easy feat he’s learned, neither in the battlefield nor in an exchange of words.
He nearly jolts at the gentle, yet unexpected sensation settling on his forehead. It’s familiar, nostalgic even, and it all culminates into what can only be described as bliss. That’s it. An action so simple as this being described as perfect bliss surely is not an everyday experience, though for Kaeya, there’s no better identifier for it. True peace might come close, perhaps even euphoric serendipity. Or, the most likely option, which just so happens to be the one he chooses to ignore in favor of his feigned reality. It’s the alcohol talking, that’s all.
“You’re warm,” Kokomi says softly, her features plainly displaying her worries. He likes that about her. “We should go… I can offer you a place to stay for the remainder of your visit.”
“Mm,” Kaeya nods. He does nothing to curb the smile playing across his lips as he adds, “You’re pretty when you’re taking care of me.”
“I would say you’re more handsome when you’re sober.”
“Hey now, don’t make me out to be some sort of rowdy drunkard.”
“Unfortunately, the shoe fits,” she hooks his arm over her shoulder with notable ease. “You do realize that you reek of alcohol, right?”
“Now so do you. Ah, what luck! We can both smell like drunkards for the night.” Neither comment on the lack of weight he places on her shoulders, nor do they vocalize their shared knowledge of Kaeya’s ability to stand tall on his own. That ability is damn well threatened by the sweet laughter teasing his ears.
“Pft! You say that as though it’s a badge of honor.” She snickers again, peering upward with a smile that rivals even the most ethereal sights. “Just for tonight, it might as well be. I doubt the trip to Watatsumi was easy.”
“I’d say it was worth the days at sea,” he chuckles, sparing a glance at the woman in his arms. “I am walking out of a party with a pretty lady at my side, aren’t I?” The slight quirk of her lips is enough of a response.
“No wonder Zosimos took a liking to you. You, Kaeya Alberich, truly are an actor to your very core.”
Happily ever afters are a fairytale staple, a prize awarded to those who supposedly earn it. The pair strolling beneath moonlight’s pale luminescence have lived ‘happily ever after’ once before. Suppose then, for their second chance at this fantastical idea, it be one lived in the world they know rather than an act upon a stage.