high above the whole scene, loves me like i'm brand new

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/38390314.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: F/F
Fandom: 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game)
Relationship: Raiden Ei | Baal/Yae Miko
Character: Yae Miko (Genshin Impact), Raiden Ei | Baal, Kujou Sara
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop
& Tattoo Parlor, taking dense!Ei into another level, Fluff, Romance,
yaesara and their dumb and dumber lesbian solidarity, kokosara if you
squint
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2022-04-15 Words: 6,003 Chapters: 1/1

high above the whole scene, loves me like i'm brand new
by rokkuhato

Summary

Ei smiles softly, and Miko was just about ready to combust into tiny pieces of
constellations right there. Here lies Yae Miko, cause of death, pretty girl covered in tattoos
with soft smiles and offers her lavender scented jackets.

Or that florist and tattoo artist AU that nobody asked for but I still wrote it anyway.

Notes

hello, let it be known that i never played the game so apologies for inaccuracies but i'm
extremely in love with these dumb lesbians and their dynamic of Raiden "i don't know the
effect i have on women" Ei and Yae "i am down tremendously bad for one (1) woman who
ghosted me for 500 yrs" Miko

See the end of the work for more notes

The first time she walked in, Miko didn’t even had the chance to talk to her. She found herself
trapped in a conversation with a middle aged woman asking random queries about the flowers and
Miko, the ever so sweet Miko, couldn’t just drop out from their exchange altogether just because
she saw an attractive woman walk in.
A hot one at that, might she add; with her flowing dark hair and stormy-sea eyes. There was a
sketchpad in her grip and the sleeves of her jacket were folded until it stops just above her elbow,
revealing a set of tattoos stretched across the stranger’s forearms.

The old lady's voice rose and she was still yapping on about something. Miko had to blink to snap
herself out of the reverie and offers what she hopes is a convincing smile. She started to wonder if
this old lady was genuinely clueless or just didn’t really care because she’d start on another series
of topics that Miko had stopped following the moment the tattooed stranger walked in.

Sighing softly, Miko schooled her features to make it appear like she was intently listening but out
of the corner of her eye, she keeps her rapt attention to the stranger. She’s kneeling at one of the
flower vases now, tracing the foxglove with the tips of her fingers and Miko has never had the
strongest urge to talk to someone until now. Almost too soon though, the stranger straightened up
from her position and then she’s ambling right towards the exit so Miko kind of panics and before
she could stop herself, she hears herself calling after the woman.

“Thanks for coming, we hope to see you again!”

Dark hair whips softly as she casts a look over her shoulder and Miko caught a glimpse of the color
of her eyes for the first time when she meets the gaze. It was a lovely shade of lilac that reminded
Miko of salvia. Or probably something softer and lighter like the lavender. She can’t really tell
from afar, but the soft glow of the sunlight makes it a touch lighter. Eitherway, Miko had to catch
her breath when a slow smile painted the stranger’s lips followed by a simple nod of her head.

And just like that, she was gone.

The old lady seemed startled by her sudden outburst and Miko had the decency to look sheepish.
She still feels a little guilty about plainly ignoring her so she does what she does best; charm her
way out of it, “How about I offer you those flowers you mentioned? It’ll be on the house.”

That stops her talking and Miko kindly excuses herself to work on the bouquet for the woman who
is apparently attending her granddaughter’s graduation soon. See, she was listening. Kinda. The
occasional snips and snaps of the scissors filling the air as she sighs heavily and went on with her
day.

Later that night, in the warm confines of her bedroom, Miko would find herself wondering about
the name of her tattooed stranger. Next time, she thinks to herself, she’ll get her name and maybe
strike up a conversation if she gets lucky.
She honestly hope there would be a next time.

The following morning, she received a text from Sara asking if she could come in a little later
because she needed to run some errands. Something about a friend moving in. Her bestfriend slash
coworker had been working with her for a while now. It was kind of a shock at first, seeing as Sara
had never really showed interest in basically anything back then, much less floriculture. But it was
the first time Miko had seen her so dedicated on something since her mother was taken from her by
an illness. It was really only Sara and her father now.

So Miko lets her. Besides, it’s not like she allowed Sara to actually get near her flowers, no, over
her petite and adorable dead body. That’s her babies right there and she’s not going to let Sara
butcher them. Miko makes her do the rounds and in charge of the deliveries much to Sara’s (okay,
maybe sometimes the clients too) dismay because as far as everyone is concerned, Sara had never
been really the most approachable person. People would often tell her that Sara’s looming posture
is intimidating and Miko couldn’t agree more.

She remembers the first time she met Sara in college, both struggling in tiding over their respective
courses. Miko was the one who approached her first after psyching herself up for the past fifteen
minutes just to ask if she could share the same table as hers because the library had been full. Sara
had been standoffish at first. But gradually, like every other person who meets Miko, she melts.

Add in to the fact that Miko’s family adored Sara so much. Took her like she’s their own daughter.
Ever since then, her and Sara had stuck together like glue.

As Miko mulled over her thoughts, she sips from her cup of tea and taps the screen to wake her
phone. She figured it was a Tuesday anyway and Tuesday meant slow days so she shrugs as she
shoots off a reply that it’s fine as long as she buys them lunch later.

It was a little past noon when Sara stepped in, a plastic of Chinese takeout in hand as she struggled
to catch her breath. She looked like she ran all the way here which is highly unlikely considering
the bike Miko loaned her long ago for the deliveries, but with the way she was sweating and
heaving made Miko a tad worried, nonetheless. The afternoon heat of the sunlight was already
starting to creep in through the glass so Miko snaps the blinds shut because sure morning sunrays
were healthy for the flowers but the stark heat of the afternoon? Uh oh, not so much.

“Did you run all the way here?” Miko says in lieu of greeting as she reached for the food of
container in the girl’s grip.

Sara huffs, tugging the neckline of her shirt a few times, “Have you been outside? It’s like Lucifer
himself unleashed hell out there. Turn up the AC.”

Miko rummages in the plastic, whips out a still cold (thankfully) water bottle to gently press it on
Sara’s forehead, “Did you get my favorite?”

Sara sighed in relief at the contact before chugging the water like her life depended on it, “Of
course. Fried tofu.”

Miko squeals in glee as she claps her hands, then she reaches for the chopsticks only to tear the
wax apart, “Here. Take over for me.”

Sara grabs an apron on her way to the register. Miko leaned against the doorway that connected the
backroom to the front counter; she swallowed a few bites before talking, “How was your friend?”

“Fine.” Sara grunts, tying the the fabric to a knot at the small of her back, “It was my first time
seeing her in five years. She’s changed… a lot.”

Miko hums, “Five years could do that to you. Was she a close friend?”

“Yeah, you could say that.” Her brows were knitted, her mouth closing into a thin line as if in deep
thought, “I only found out about her moving in through Ayaka. She was a mutual friend.”

Oh Ayaka! That pretty, nice girl who lives just down the street. Miko had met her a few times; she
used to give her free flowers, she had always favored the sweet Kamisato girl over the rascal
brother, “You never kept in touch?”

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, “Not really. She moved out to study abroad. Then life
happened…”

Sara trails off and she didn’t need to say more. Miko understood so she tries to steer the
conversation to a lighter territory, “Sara, do you believe in love at first sight?”
Sara throws her an odd look. Miko had always had a knack for throwing random queries. When she
didn’t receive an answer, she takes this as a good sign to continue, “I might’ve saw the most
beautiful girl of Inazuma yesterday.”

Sara snorted and when Miko sees her shoulders visibly relax, Miko smiles to herself, “Oh really?
What did she look like?”

“She had the most interesting eyes. She had like, tattoos all over her arm too which was kind of hot.
Oh! She carries a sketchpad,” Miko brought a finger to her chin, “Maybe she’s an artist.”

Sara’s eyes would widen a fraction everytime she’d reveal bits of description of her tattooed
stranger and there was a moment of realization on Sara’s face but she seemed to snap out of it all
too fast. Miko was too hung up into digging in her food she missed all of it, “Did you catch her
name?”

Miko dragged out a wistful sigh, a small frown taking over her delicate features, “No. I didn’t talk
to her. Sucks that I’d probably never see her again.”

Sara lets out a barely noticeable upturn of her lips and Miko finds it kind of odd but pays it little to
no mind as a customer interrupted them. Sara immediately busied herself as Miko headed for the
back room and spent the remaining few minutes of her free time making a fresh batch of tea.

Her tattooed stranger did not come back for a solid three days (not that Miko was keeping tabs or
anything) and she almost forgot about it altogether, convincing herself that she was probably just
hallucinating that day or it was all a one big bizarrely realistic dream. Come to think of it, she was
lacking in sleep and her mind’s been caffeine induced for the past couple of weeks so it’s not that
impossible for her to start seeing things. Yep. So Miko had wrote it off as something like that and
called it a day.

It was almost past nine and she’d ought to prepare the shop for closing. With her back turned to the
door, she reached for the keys in her purse but the familiar bell of the door chimes tickles her ears,
signaling that someone had stepped in and Miko had to bite back a groan. Did she forget to flip the
signboard again?

She sighs and plastered on a forced smile when she whips her head around, “Sorry, we’re about to
close—“ But Miko’s words got stuck in her throat when she sees who it was. There, standing and
looking like a deer-caught-in-the-headlights, was her tattooed girl. The same sketchpad was still in
her grip and that same terse aura around her. Miko just stared, stared, stared and she must’ve look
dumb because oh so it wasn’t a dream? She’s here and she’s real.

“Oh.” The woman intones softly and her voice was hoarse when she speaks as she fumbles for the
door handle, “Sorry, I didn’t notice the sign. I’ll just—“

“No, wait!” Miko winced at the shrill of her own voice and the woman stopped dead in her tracks,
looking at Miko with comical wide eyes, “You were here the other day, right?”

The woman looked unsure but she drops her hand to her sides, “Uh, yeah.”

This was her chance. Possibly her only chance so Miko licks her lips before deciding to throw
caution into the wind, “Sorry, I wasn’t able to help you that time but were you looking for
something specific?”

The stranger opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. She seemed to be having an
internal conversation with herself, with the way her brow was knitted together and Miko finds it a
little too adorable for her own good. She steps forward slowly just as Miko starts to tilt her head
expectantly, “Can I talk to the owner of this shop?”

Miko lets out a little giggle. Honest to God giggling like a school girl with a crush and oh dear,
she’s in trouble. She spreads her arms before perching it against her hips, “Well, you already are.”

“Oh.” The woman cleared her throat, a tinged of pink tainting her pale cheeks as she rubs the back
of her neck, “That’s... nice.”

Miko hums a contemplative tune, clasping her hands behind and when the woman made no move
to continue, Miko drawled out her next words, “Sooo?”

“Right. Sorry, uhm. I was just wondering if I could drop by here from time to time?“ The woman
held up the sketchpad as if that should explain everything, “I’m a tattoo artist and I’ve been
meaning to practice my flower sketches.”

Miko’s eyes flitted towards the woman’s arm, “Huh. So that explains the tattoos.”
The woman shifted in her foot, not really looking uncomfortable perse but rather... shy. It was all
sorts of endearing. “Yeah.”

“Okay.” Miko says simply, and then she held up a finger, “On one condition.”

The woman raised an eyebrow.

“I get to see the finished product.” Miko beams sunnily.

Uncertainty clouded her features at first and Miko was almost positive she’s going to flat out refuse
but then the quirk of her lips betrayed the thoughts, “Sure. I guess that’s fair.”

”It’s a deal then!” Miko offers her hand as she clears her throat playfully, “It was a pleasure doing
business with you miss...?”

“Raiden. Ei. Just Ei.” The woman scrambles to grab the offered hand and Miko had to bite her lip
to stifle a laugh because she wasn’t expecting the woman to be this easily flustered, it doesn’t
really go with the tough persona she had going on, what with the tattoos and combat boots in all its
glory. Ei’s hands were warm and albeit a little clammy, it was steady and firm and Miko finds
herself enamored.

“That’s an awfully redundant name Raiden Ei Just Ei, I’m Miko.”

She can’t help but tease. Oh, this woman was adorable and Miko’s in deep, deep trouble.

“Miko.” Ei repeats mostly to herself, and the florist decided she likes the sound of her own name
rolling on the other woman’s tongue. Ei was the first one to pull back from the grip, “I shouldn’t
keep you long.”

Miko nods, enclosing the palm that was in Ei’s grip moments ago around her wrist to stop the
tingling sensation, “I’ll see you around, Ei.”
“Bye, Miko.”

Miko had dreamt of lavenders and shy smiles that night.

“I got her name.”

Sara grunted in exertion as she hoisted the box in her grip full of gardening tools, “Who?”

Miko was drumming her fingers against the counter, eyes momentarily flicking from the paper in
her grip, “Tattoo girl. Oh and put that one over there.”

Sara followed her line of pointing, “Ah. She came back?”

“Mhm. Last night.“

“What happened then?”

“Well, we didn’t really talk much because she came when I was about to close.”

“But you got her name?” Sara grabs another box, “And where do you want this?”

“I did.” Miko scribbled something on the paper, “Just over that corner.”

“What‘s her name then?” Sara called out as she made her way towards the cluttered space.

“Raiden Ei.” Miko says absently, then scratches off something on the list.

Sara almost drops the box and trips over thin air. Thankfully, Miko was too busy to care, “Yeah?
What did you guys talk about?”

“She said she wants to come here and practice her flower sketching. Told you she’s an artist.”
Miko smiled to herself, pleased with being right in that piece knowledge.

“When is she coming? Assuming you didn’t already scare her off.”

Now that is the million dollar question Miko had been stewing on since last night.

“Hey, I’m still your boss so watch your tone with me, Kujou.” Miko clucks her tongue as she wags
a playful finger but there wasn’t a bite in her tone, “And I don’t know. I hope soon, though.”

God, she truly hope so.

The first night Ei came in, Miko was utterly unprepared for the hurricane that is Raiden Ei.

Miko was standing there, flushed, having just rush out from the walk-in chiller while doing the
inventory when she heard someone come in. “Oh hi, sorry I was just doing inventory.”

“It’s fine.” Ei frowns, regards her a touch moment then, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry. It’s just really cold in there but I’ll manage.”

Miko sniffs, her nose stuff from staying in there far longer than necessary and it must’ve shown
because Ei takes one look at her and then she’s slipping off her jacket, leaving her only in her clean
white shirt before she’s offering the garment to Miko.

Miko’s ears burn. And then she blinks. Once. Twice. Is this woman for real?

Miko could only nod her head dumbly as she reaches for the soft jacket and murmurs. “Thank
you.”

Ei nods then proceeds to sit on the floor near one of the flower vases before opening the sketchpad,
“Is it okay if I sit here? I really want to see them up close.”

Miko just nods, “Yeah just—I’ll finish this and then I’ll be right back.”

“Okay. Don’t worry, I’ll call you if someone comes in.” Ei smiles softly, and Miko was just about
ready to combust into tiny pieces of constellations right there. Here lies Yae Miko, cause of death,
pretty girl covered in tattoos with soft smiles and offers her lavender scented jackets.

She slips on the jacket before scurrying back inside the walk-in chiller. When she comes back,
Miko didn’t take off the jacket.

Ei doesn’t mention it and simply lets her keep it.

It continues like this.

Ei would always come at night, when Miko’s already preparing to close the store. At first, Miko
heeded it little to no mind. But as time passes, she finds herself craving for more time with Ei.

I don’t want to bother you too much, Ei had said.

Nonsense, Miko had waved a dismissive hand and proceeded to make them both tea. So her nights
went on like that. Longer. A comforting stillness between them.

And perhaps Miko liked it that way. One wherein she’d allow herself to be selfish. When she could
have Ei just to herself. With no one to bother them aside from the occasional brewing of kettle, or
Miko’s late night rushers.

It was an accident, really. When one night Miko was preparing to share the caramelized dango she
got for Ei, she steps forward, her gait light as a fox so Ei doesn’t notice her approaching. Ei was
sitting on the floor, scribbling furiously and Miko looks past the broad shoulder only to stop dead
in her tracks and blinks a couple of times because—
“Oh, I look pretty.”

And Miko immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say because Ei looks like she’s just been
shot before she’s scrambling to close her sketchpad.

“Woah, at ease soldier.” Miko jests, trying to lighten up the mood as she balances the plate in her
grip carefully. She drops a gentle hand on Ei’s shoulder to make her sit back down before she
smooths a hand on her skirt and perched herself beside Ei who was looking at anything but her.

“Miko I—“ Ei’s eyes were wide, and Miko just hums as she takes a bite of her dango and motions
for Ei to continue with a lazy wave of her hand. “I—I’m sorry.”

Oh, her sweet, sweet Ei.

“You don’t have to apologize. Truly, it’s fine. I’m honestly flattered more than anything else.”

“I should’ve asked for permission first.”

“Really, Ei, it’s okay it’s not like you’re selling them on Ebay.”

Ei pulls back, aghast, “Miko, I would never!”

Miko lets out an airy chuckle, “I’m joking. I know you wouldn’t.”

“Still, I should’ve asked. I’m sorry if I overstepped the boundaries.”

Miko rolled her eyes fondly, “Permission granted. There. Now, I bought this for you. Taste.”

Miko held up the dango stick on Ei’s lips. Ei opens her mouth obediently, she chews on it, and
upon seeing the reaction on Ei’s face, Miko knew she succeeded on alleviating the impending
unneeded apologies from the woman.
Because Ei’s just so gallant like that.

“Good?”

“What is this?” Ei marvels at that. She plucks the stick from Miko’s hand before taking a more
generous bite.

“Caramelized dango. I knew you would love it. You’ve always had a sweet tooth.”

Miko dusted her palms against her skirt in the guise of hiding her trembling hands. Somehow, the
thought of Ei thinking about Miko just as much as she’s thinking about Ei was enough to send
Miko’s whole heart into a tailspin.

The familiar jingle of the doors fills her ears followed by Sara’s grim voice sounding every bit of a
downer as she greets whoever it was that came in. Miko was in charge of back-of-the-house duties
for today so she didn’t really have much of a choice when she designated Sara in the register, as
understaffed as they were. Miko tunes out the lulled conversation as she refocuses her attention on
the never-ending pile of paperwork in front of her.

It wasn’t more than two minutes before Sara was calling for her name though.

“Hey, Miko.”

Miko hums back distractedly; she was in the middle of sorting through the filed orders when she
hears Sara again. She doesn’t even look up from the papers in her grip, biting her lip in focus as she
twirls a pen in her hand. There are so many orders to go through. Why was Sara even talking to
her? Why was Sara not helping her instead? Why was Sara not letting her be?

“Hey, Ei’s here.”

Miko presses the heel of her palm against her eyes, a little ticked with the distraction as she looks
up at her bestfriend, not really registering her words, “Who?”

Sara has that all too knowing smirk again as she juts a thumb over her shoulder, “Your tattoo girl’s
here and she’s looking for you.”

Oh. Oh. Upon recognition, Miko’s irked expression did a hundred eighty. She drops the papers
altogether and grabs for her purse on the counter. Fiddling with it for a short while, she brandishes
a small tube and uncaps it to reapply her lip-gloss, clamping her lips with a quick pop in the
process. She runs a palm across her hair and straightened the creases of her sundress before finally
casting a glance towards her bestfriend who was looking every bit of amused from her perched
position on the doorway, “How do I look?”

“Good.” Sara deadpans, “And very gay.”

Miko rolls her eyes at the girl before stepping at the front, her eyes immediately settling on Ei who
was looking very awkward and sticking out like a sore thumb in the middle of the colourful, bright
flowers amidst her. She was donning a fitted jeans and a simple dark muscle tee this time,
showcasing the array of tattoos on her arm and it took all of Miko’s willpower not to groan at the
sight of those ripped arms and inked skin.

She clears her throat to announce her presence, tone teasing, “Aren’t you a little early today?”

Ei perks up, a sheepish smile tracing her lips as she jerks her chin towards the door where Miko
had emerged from, “Yeah, sorry. Were you busy?”

Miko waves a dismissive hand, placing her forearms on the counter separating her from the woman
as she leans forward into Ei’s space, but not too close, still careful that she would be overstepping
the dance they’ve been doing, “Oh, not really. Did you need something?”

The sudden proximity made Ei blush but she didn’t pull away and if Miko noticed, she didn’t show
it. The flustered woman brought a hand to rub at the back of her neck as she carefully placed the
sketchbook beside Miko’s arm, “I finished some of the sketches.”

Miko’s eyes twinkled in delight, “Already?”

Ei buries her hands inside her jean pockets, “I mean, it’s just rough sketches but I wanted to show
you the whole process.”

Miko beams, bringing a palm under her chin as her free hand traced lazy circles at the patterns of
the sketchpad, “I’ll be sure to check them out then. Can I keep this for a while?”

“Of course. I’ll just get them when you’re done.” Miko finds herself already looking forward to
that promise. Ei shifted in her foot, she brings an awkward hand to scratch at her face, she looked
like she was stalling and wanted to say something. Miko tilts her head amusedly at the adorably
flushed girl, patient as ever. After for what it seemed like an eternity, Ei finally finds her voice, “I
should head back, my boss is probably looking for me. I just ran here to drop these off.”

Miko was almost disappointed that they had to cut this meeting short, but the mental image of the
stack of papers she had to go through flashed before her mind and she finds herself resigning
instead, a wistful sigh escaping her lips, “Will I see you tonight?”

“You will.” Ei gives a smile of her own and then she nods her head past Miko, “It was nice to see
you again, Sara.”

Miko drops her smile, head whipping back as she sees Sara leaning against the doorway who offers
a short wave to Ei, “Wait, you know her?”

“Yeah.” Ei furrowed her brows, voice unsure as a confused expression takes over her features,
“She didn’t tell you?”

Miko forced out a smile, gritting her teeth when she turns to Sara who has an air of nonchalance
around her, “No. But I’ll be sure to ask her more about it later.”

“Okay...” Ei drawls out, she juts a thumb over her shoulder and Miko whips back, flashing Ei a
more genuine smile before bidding the girl goodbye. Soon as Ei was out of hearing range, sharp
eyes were already shooting daggers towards her bestfriend.

“You fucking asshole!” Miko gawks, elegance suddenly stripping her features as she lets her mouth
fall open, “You knew her?”

The woman in question lifted a non-committed shoulder, a poorly suppressed smirk toying at the
edges of her lips, “She was the friend I helped moving in.”
Miko scoffs, she throws her pen at Sara but she dodges it easily, “And you didn’t think to tell me?”

“Never came up.” Sara ducks her head, an attempt to hide the laugh that’s bubbling within her
chest, “Besides where’s the fun in that?”

Miko narrowed her eyes, pointing an accusatory finger at her, “I could fire you.”

Sara blinks. There was a fleeting moment where she looked a bit threatened, “No. You wouldn’t.”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t.” Miko says in faux somber and the smile that lit up her face is a little too
sweet for Sara’s liking, “But I could make you deliver these to that café down the street you so
obviously adore. What was the name of the owner again? Kokomi, was it?“

Sara blushes beet red. It was almost too comical how she’s so easily flustered by the mere mention
of the girl’s name, “Oh and while you’re at it, try to get her number this time.” She pushed the
basket of flowers in Sara’s hand and Miko’s tone was full of mirth when she bellows a laugh at
Sara’s scandalized eyes.

“Chop-chop, Kujou!”

“Do you remember that TA I used to tell you about in one of my classes?”

“Uh-huh.“

“The pretty one.” Sara clarifies.

Miko raises an eyebrow, voice lilting playfully. “Oh, Sara, do I have to snarl?”

Sara rolled her eyes, “No, come on, it’s not like that. I admired her, but that’s it.“
“I didn’t know you were close though.”

“Yeah, Ei was nice. A bit quiet. No, a lot quiet but she was really helpful to us and we gradually
became friends. Anyway, after she left we never really kept in touch. Ayaka did. So, she messaged
me one day and asked for my help.”

“Still, you could’ve told me. Surely, you must’ve been aware.”

“I was, but it’s not everyday you see the Yae Miko floundering over a woman, so I had to seize the
opportunity.” Sara shrugs, as if that justifies everything.

Miko narrows her eyes, “Did you get Kokomi’s number?”

Miko counts to three in her head before Sara’s ears was flushing turning a shade of red, spreading
across the bridge of her nose, down to her neck. And Miko can’t help but throw her head back as
she barks out a laugh.

“Oh, you and I are more alike than you think.”

There was a sudden banging to the door, along with the clap of thunder as it brought a torrential
downpour that honestly dampened Miko’s mood more than anything else because it was raining
hard and rain would probably entail her missing her favorite nightly visitor—

“Ei, what in god’s name are you doing here?”

Ei was just standing there, a dripping umbrella in her grip. The bottom half of her jeans is
drenched, and the denim button up she was wearing had gone considerably darker in her shoulders.
Ei was here. And she was momentarily bathed in light by the sudden clap of thunder and Miko
finds her gaze tender, soft, she can’t help but fall into the comforts of it.

“I told you I would come.” Ei says simply. As if that’s an enough excuse to brave through the
storm. Maybe it is. And maybe, just maybe, Miko’s a little bit in love.

“You’re soaked.” At any other time, given the nature of Miko, she would’ve dripped the words
with innuendo—but there’s a time for everything, and Ei could possibly get sick.

“I—I don’t know how to tell you. I didn’t want to disappoint. So I’m here.”

Miko tilts her head and briefly wonders if this woman was aware of the effect she has on her, “You
couldn’t just tell me over text?” She was teasing, obviously. She was so, so happy Ei’s here. She
just can’t help it. Ei was just so cute.

Ei’s mouth slanted, almost crescendoing into a pout. She scrunches her face adorably and Miko
decided to put her out of her misery by circling her fingers around Ei’s wrist to tug her in. “Come
here.”

She makes Ei sit at one of the high-stool, goes to her backroom and comes back with a fresh towel.
Miko runs it gently across the dark locks. Ei just lets her, sitting there unmoving as Miko slots
herself between her spread legs, fluttered her eyes closed and tilts her chin up, as if offering more
access and Miko had to physically restrain herself from dropping a kiss on Ei’s forehead.

“I should go. I don’t want to take up too much of your time.”

Miko snorts sounding slightly amused, “Ei, if you think for one second I’m going to let you out in
that storm, then you are sorely mistaken. I haven’t gone through your sketches yet. Come up for
tea and go through it with me?”

Miko bites her lip, tries not to let her tone sound too hopeful but miserably fails.

Ei’s mouth formed a soft “o” before swallowing audibly and nodding her head. They close the
store, Ei helps her with it.

Once upstairs, she makes Ei change into fresh clothes. Her ratty university t-shirt that’s too big on
her and a sweatpants that’s much too short for Ei. Ei was a great foot taller than her and when Ei
emerges from the bathroom looking like an out of place giant, Miko can’t stop the ache blooming
inside her chest. She could—she could get used to this.
Ei was tugging at the shirt, a small frown encasing her features, “We… went to the same
university?”

Miko rubs her lips together as she douses honey on her cup of tea. “Yes.”

“How come I never met you?”

It was whispered so softly with a reverence that tugs at Miko’s heart. And Ei looks so crestfallen
right then and there, that Miko had to step forward, tangles her fingers with Ei’s fidgeting ones.
“It’s okay. We’re here now.”

Ei nods, eyes glazing over their joined hands before Miko was tugging her towards the couch. They
talked about everything and anything. Miko told the story of how she met Sara—and Ei would
often throw her questions regarding the meaning of the flowers as they were going through Ei’s
sketches.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret, Miko would whisper conspiratorially, No florist is ever
aware of the meaning of their flowers.

Ei’s answering smile was everything.

And if the rain stopped, no one mentioned it. They just slip under the covers, Ei drowsy with sleep
and Miko so full of love.

“What are you going to do about Kokomi?”

“What are you going to do about Ei?”

Dammit. Miko rolled her eyes, defiantly lifting her chin up, “I’m going to ask her out.”
Sara had that all too knowing smirk on her face, “Yeah?”

Miko narrowed her eyes behind her red rimmed glasses, “Yes.”

Sara’s smirk dropped, and then it stretches into a genuine smile, “Good. I think I’ll ask Kokomi out
too.”

It was Miko’s turn to smirk, “Good.”

Miko doesn’t ask her out.

At least not in the way Sara would think. Instead, she starts giving Ei figments of flowers.
Sometimes, she would slip it inside Ei’s messenger bag. Other times, she’ll just casually hand it to
the woman. On the rare nights wherein she’s feeling a little braver, she puts it on Ei’s chest
pockets, just above her heart, as if saying take this. Keep this. Keep me.

The first time it happened, Ei tried paying for it, claiming that she couldn’t possibly accept this
considering how generous Miko had been to her the past few months.

But Miko silences her with a loaded stare and hopes, hopes, hopes that Ei would understand.

“I’m going out with Kokomi tonight.”

Miko gasps, dramatic, as she grazes the tips of her fingers against her lips. “Oh, Sara.”

Sara knitted her eyebrows, voice coming to a slow halt. “What?”

“I am so proud of you, it took you only 84 years.”

“Fuck off.” Sara scowls, but there was a smile tugging her lips.
And Miko laughs. She wonders if she’s going to have to wait an eternity for Ei.

“I figured it out.” Ei tells her one day, barging in the store, out of breath and with her bangs
sticking to her forehead. Miko wants to brush it away, but reins the urge in.

Miko tames the smile threatening to spill her lips, tilting her head to the side, she asks in faux
confusion, “Figured out what?”

Ei looks determined, gone was the flushing and bumbling mess, replaced by something bold and
thunderous in those lilac eyes. If she were a God, Miko succinctly thinks, she would’ve gladly
spend an eternity worshipping her. “The meaning of those flowers. Those you were giving me
recently.“

“Hm. You did? So, what is the verdict?” Miko supplies, and again, tries her best to not sound too
hopeful and longing and yearning—

“Yes. I mean, I like you too. More than anything in this world.”

Miko breathes out shakily and chokes out a wet laugh, “Well, I should hope so. Otherwise, this
would’ve been really awkward.”

“I like you, Miko. More than words can describe.”

And because Miko was Miko, she heaves out a dramatic sigh, “God, I told myself I wasn’t going
to say finally but fucking finally, Ei, I thought you were going to make me wait for a hundred years
or so.”

Ei shakes her head, stepping forward and Miko finds herself drawing in, like a moth to a flame.
“No more waiting.”

That’s all Ei tells her before she’s being pulled into the sweetest kiss that tastes of home and
 fulfilled promises.

End Notes

song on repeat while writing this is call it what you want by none other than tswizzle

also come scream at me on twt if you want i'm @yyuujim

pls check out this art based on this fic!

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