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Under the moon that shone across the land of the Narukami Sakura petals flittered through the air. Stillness and silence lingered in the living quarters of the Grand Narukami Shrine. There, on a bed slightly big enough for two, a young Kitsune laid her eyes on the Kagemusha before her.
On nights like these, Miko rarely ever stops pondering. Admittedly, daily, even during shrine duties, she’s left wondering about Ei’s mind; More specifically, Ei’s thoughts on her. Miko, always the keen observer, and a wonderfully intelligent woman herself knows that she can decipher Ei better than most people can. Only Miko can understand and analyze every glance, every touch, and every step Ei makes as she practices in the fields or speaks to nobles.
She often wonders if Ei sees through her like she can. Not like it would ever matter to “Her Excellency”, Miko was a familiar, a beloved friend, nothing more.
Despite this, she knows she had been lucky, so incredibly lucky to be taken in by the girl before her that one winter's day. They both remember the moment; the young kitsune playing in the snow by herself in front of the twins, pining for the girl's attention and showing off her playful nature. Their resounding laughter was addictive, she remembers. Ei’s soft yet childish giggle was barely heard beneath Makoto’s wild laughter. As they both approached her, Miko remembered how Makoto’s hands were warm, and so was her demeanor. As she picked her up gently, Ei stayed close behind.
She remembers relishing the attention that day, while her head lay on Makoto’s shoulder. From here, she was nearly face-to-face with Ei. Miko’s gaze lingered far too long on the other twin. Ei had a ghost of a smile on her lips, her lopsided grin far too enticing to not notice. Surely, it was only pity; she expected that much. On lonely nights without Ei sleeping across from her, she wonders if all it took was that simple act that she came to be of service to her.
The fox was sure Ei took pity on such a small, foolish thing. Why else did she and Makoto gaze upon her that day?
Snapping out of her reverie, she looked at Ei’s face, still stuck in a slight frown. In the dimly lit room, the lanterns outside that hung just above the windows shone so perfectly, with their yellow hue lighting up Ei’s face so beautifully. Miko understood the world outside this room. She knew that eyes would frequently be on the Kagemusha and that she would play countless roles in front of others. Here, only for a moment in time, only Miko’s gaze lingered.
The shadows crept across the sleeping woman and Miko could not look away. She gazed upon soft skin and the young woman’s fluttering lashes. She listened keenly to the sharp breaths that the woman made as she slept. She watched the rise and fall of the woman’s chest as her breathing echoed throughout the dimly lit room. They were so close Miko could see her eyes flitter under her eyelids as she dreamed, could feel her breath, and faintly smell her perfume; Amakumo fruit, she noted.
She was thankful that Ei understood she could be herself around her. Yet, she still wondered if that was all Miko was for her; a temporary comfort and a soft place to land. Ei is destined for greater things, Miko is just her familiar. She wonders if she is even deserving of her, if she’s even worthy to be in her presence. This woman has sacrificed much, even giving up her life for her sister, for a prospering nation.
How could she ever be seen as equal to her?
It was not only about duty, it was about loyalty. Miko herself knows that, and would never give her loyalty up for anything. Ei could make the heavens fall and Miko would curse the stars for not shattering faster. This bond they shared, the inseverable string that tied them to each other, pulled taut at Miko's chest. The string constricted her, yet it felt so freeing, this feeling grounded her. Her chest tightened, her breaths came out in sharp bursts, and her eyes shut tight. Before she knew it, tears rushed forth like the ocean waves kissing the shore: unstoppable, inevitable.
Was loyalty meant to hurt this much?
Her eyes were glued to Ei, watching as her chest rose and fell, her brows furrowed suddenly as if her dream were so intense, and through her tears, she still managed to smile at the sight of it. Ei’s bangs were unkempt from the cold wind during her training sessions. The young woman wished to reach out, to tuck a stray hair behind the warrior's ear. Still, she was unsure if she was allowed to disturb the elegant view in front of her.
And yet, she could no longer resist her emotions. Through flowing tears, ever so carefully, the girl inched closer. Once they were face to face, she held Ei's hand with her own as they lay together, pressing a gentle kiss on the scarred knuckles, to not wake the girl up.
Her eyes roamed, first taking a glance at the mole underneath her beloved friend's long lashes, then to her soft cheeks. Allowing herself a small smile, remembering how she had teasingly pinched those same cheeks earlier in the day.
Miko then stared at her neck, the scratches there still fresh from pushing herself past her limit. Her eyes fluttered down to the scars along the girl's body, at the bandages across the girl's forearms.
The duty the Kagemusha sacrificed herself to seldom allowed the young fox to see her this way. Long gone was the stoic, diplomatic woman she accompanied herself with day by day. Here, though a bruised and battered woman, she lay peacefully. Her visage was graceful like moonlight, yet plagued with exhaustion and pain all the same. Miko’s heart ached ever more, as she caressed the calluses on her palms with her thumb, gently massaging them.
Miko had known ever since the Narukami Ogosho had taken pity on her, that her duty was bound to her. It was an unspoken treaty she and everyone else knew. Yet, on this peaceful night, the familiar allowed herself an even more reverent and meaningful vow.
Perhaps it was childish, or simply just a fleeting moment she wished to grasp at. Within her was a desire, a feeling that could no longer be contained or repressed.
Quietly, she wiped her tears, and calmly let out a shaky breath. Softly whispering to herself a promise, a prayer to the girl before her,
"I swear, if you are ever to be lonely, to ever lay in silence and stillness, I will be the voice that guides you. If your sacrifices must ever be too much, I will bear them with you. Were you to be worn down, molded, broken, and shaped by the wars and battles to come, I will remain your ally,”
Miko breathes slowly, deeply, and reverently says the next words as if they’d be her last.
“I swear, that if you ever bear the crushing weight of duty with Inazuma resting on your shoulders, I will remain by your side. As the sands of time pass, filtering through the hourglass of eternity, I will remain yours and my unabashed loyalty will never falter."
Miko closed her eyes as she said this, softly gripping Ei's hand with two of her own.
Her eyes shot open, however, when she felt a gentle squeeze on her own.
To her surprise, the purple-haired woman who lay just mere inches away, slowly and sleepily grinned. Her eyes fluttered open, and Miko's heart surely stopped.
Though bated with exhaustion, Ei's eyes softened at the beautiful sight before her. Mussed pink hair, a beautiful pink blush painting her cheeks, and lips apart in surprise. Ei could have sworn the girl was the image of a goddess.
To Miko's surprise, Ei removes her hand from her grasp and brings it up to her cheek. The calloused hand felt cold against the warmth of her face, her blush growing deeper as she realized how warm she suddenly felt.
With a shy smile, Ei teased, "Miko... What made you speak such beautiful words? You whispered them so softly, I hardly heard you."
The fox's tail shot up, her ears twitched, and stood high, embarrassment creeping in.
Ei calmed her, shushed her, and ran her thumb across her burning cheek. "Deep breaths, Miko. I was only teasing.” Letting out a breathless giggle, the Kagemusha gently tilted her head, resting her forehead against hers.
"You weren't meant to hear that..." Miko exasperatedly said as she pushed her right cheek even deeper into the pillow. Her tail swished against the sheets, still slightly embarrassed.
"Your voice is too beautiful to miss, and you forget I'm a light sleeper, Miko," Ei whispered, pressing a kiss to Miko's forehead.
Quietly, Ei leans backward slightly, and ever so sweetly she stares at Miko's flushed face and says, "I never knew you felt that way, Miko,” She pauses, for a breath. Suddenly the room feels too warm, the air too thick, and Miko’s eyes too… beautiful. “I had always worked under the assumption that you would never…”
“Never?,” Miko continues, “Never, what, Ei?”
Her hand still lay on Miko’s cheek, caressing the soft skin underneath her thumb, drawing circles. She was so beautiful, that it irked her in a way that made her head spin and her throat dry. Ei looked away for a moment, her eyes darting around the room as if panicked by the question.
“I would like to say something to you, Miko,” Ei said, softly, almost shyly.
Miko tilts her head in amusement, looking at Ei once more with curiosity, with faux confidence, the Kitsune joked, "Oh? If it isn't as good as what I said, I won't have it."
Ei smiled again, the hand on her cheek moved up to Miko's hair, gently caressing the pink locks. The warrior had never been this gentle in the eyes of the public, yet here, a soft and nearly eternal stillness lay between them. The room was still warm, and the air was thick with tension.
Miko’s ears nervously twitched, and her tail stilled and lowered underneath her, she was sure she looked foolish or pathetic. Yet, she failed to notice Ei’s breathing had picked up, her eyes darted around her face, pausing at her lips before flickering up to her eyes.
With the little courage and confidence Ei had, she moved even closer to the girl, watching as Miko’s shoulders rose in surprise at the sudden switch.
There, Ei rested her forehead against hers, closed her eyes, and softly whispered,
"Though my choices may fetter me to duty, I am certain that you will never stray far from my mind. You shake my entire being, whether with your sly words or teasing, I never know what to do with myself when you are in my presence. Outside this room, outside of us, I’m bound by duty and loyalty.” Ei moved her hands away from Miko’s hair as she wrapped her arms around her waist.
“I feel as though I can only be truly free when I’m in your presence. So please, listen to me this once and tease me later for it.”
Miko’s nervousness abated and Ei became more confident with her next words. As she spoke with reverence, as a soft vow to Miko, Ei finally said, “I will do all in my power so that we may see the beautiful springs this world has to offer. I too, wish to see more winters with you and watch as the snow melts. This, I promise you. If you'll have me, Miko."
Their hearts raced as their closeness was far too much to ignore. In the midst of all this, the inseverable string that connected these two was pulled taut, once more. Pushing Miko to lean in closer, “You’re incredibly childish, Raiden Ei.”
Ei laughs, an embarrassingly loud, childish laugh. With a lopsided grin, Ei replies, “What does that make you, Yae Miko?” The Kitsune said nothing, opting to close the gap between them, feeling Ei smile against her lips.
Their heartbeats echoed throughout the walls of the quarters, the dim light outside shone brighter, and the stillness and silence grew ever more comforting.
For a brief moment in time, the world takes its eyes off of the two. Their vows, their promises kept a secret only they know, until the sands of time run out.