During a tranquil day at the Kamisato residence, Ayato found himself pouring some tea for his anxious looking sister, sitting across from her and taking a sip from his cup.
Ayaka: Apologies brother, I'm sure you must be busy.
Ayato: I’ll never be busy enough to ignore a request to talk from my own sister. To be frank, we don't have enough of these nowadays.
Ayaka: I appreciate it brother. *Takes her cup, sipping the tea*
Ayato: So, what did you wish to discuss with me?
He saw how she flinched for a moment, the tea in her cup stopped moving for a few seconds before she continued drinking, eventually resting down the cup on the table.
Ayaka: *pink* I…wish to come out with a secret I've been keeping for you.
Ayato: Oh? *Chuckles, Leaning closer* Since when did you learn to keep those?
Ayaka: My apologies, I did not wish to, but I was unsure of how you would react.
Ayato: I can guarantee this much, coming from you, i doubt it'll be something that can make me angr-
Ayaka: *red* I’m dating Thoma!
Ayato: ……
Ayaka: *looks down* I have been for a while! I know he's neither a noble nor from our country! I know the implications aren't good! I know how such a relationship would be viewed by our peers but-!
She spoke quickly and anxiously, the fear of finally coming clean with such a secret making spiking her adrenaline, however she couldn't bear to hide it anymore, and yet, despite the intense feelings of dread consuming her, as she gathered courage to look at her brother again, all she saw was a comforting gentle smile on his face.
Ayato: So that's it, I'm happy for you two.
Ayaka: *stunned* You…are you not mad?
Ayato: *raises eyebrow, small smile* Should i be?
Ayaka: No! I-i…i just-
Ayato: You thought I'd be angry that my sister went behind my back and started dating, quite possibly, one of the most controversial options for our social circle?
Ayaka: *biting her lip, looking down and nodding*
Ayato: *Rolls his eyes* Are you happy?
Ayaka: Huh?
Ayato: I’m asking if you are happy. Does being with him make you happy?
Her remorseful expression lifted swiftly, her cheeks grew rosy as a small smile alongside glittering eyes took over her facial features.
Ayaka: I can't think of a time I've felt this happy before. Thoma has always been kind and caring to me, but after we got together it feels so much different, so much more…hearing his encouraging words when i’m trying to befriend someone, his calm reassurance when i fail or struggle with something, noticing the attention to detail he pours on everything he does for my sake, his willingness to go along with my wants even when they're downright silly, his warm embrace whenever i find myself feeling cold, the way there's never judgement or expectations in his eyes......the only thing reflecting on them is always an image of me as myself, not as the princess of the Kamisato clan but someone more normal.....more me. Being with him feels right, in just about every sense of the word.
She looked up to her brother again to see him resting his chin on his interlocked fingers, his eyes narrowed and a cheeky grin adorning his face.
Ayaka: *bright red* S-sorry! I got carried away.
Ayato: No need for apologies, seeing you so adorably smitten is more than enough compensation.
Ayaka: *Steaming* Please don't start teasing me.
Ayato: *chuckles* I’ll try my best, despite how tempting it is.
Ayaka: Brother…
She avoided his gaze for a moment, only to feel the gentle touch of his hand caressing her head.
Ayato: *warm smile* I’m glad to hear that is how you feel. I feared you’d be swept away by the duty our name brings.
Ayaka: *small smile* It's difficult to do so when you hog all the responsibility to yourself.
Ayato: Good, that means I'm doing well as a brother. This family went through enough hardships as is, I wouldn't be able to bear it if you gave up something so beautiful and sacred like love for its sake as well.
Hearing such words after months of anxiety brought her a sense of relief like no other she felt before, it made her heart flutter, with tears threatening to spill down her face.
Ayaka: I’m glad…the thought of you rejecting us terrified me to my core.
Ayato: Hmmm, can't say that I blame you. Had it been someone else I'd have to put the situation under a lot more scrutiny. However, I don't think you could have picked someone better. In all these years he’s been with us not once did he show signs of being someone worthy of suspicion, he’s hard working, caring and honest almost to a fault, I have no reason to doubt he’ll treat my dear sister with the utmost care and love she deserves.
Ayaka: *growing smile* That's reassuring to hear from you brother.
Ayato: Though, I am curious why he isn't a part of this conversation.
Ayaka: *flinches, sheepish smile* Well…he wished to be here as well, but I insisted that he waited somewhere else for the time being…as a matter of fact, I was also the one that insisted on keeping our relationship a secret for the time being, if it depended on Thoma you would already know.
Ayato: *chuckles* Did you think I was going to harm him or something like that?
Ayaka: *blush, looking away and fidgeting* ………
Ayato: Archons, is that the impression you have of me? *Looking down* Am i that terrible of a brother?
Ayaka: N-no! It's just……i’m sorry.
Ayato: *snort* Calm down, i’m joking.
Ayaka: *red, pout* ……I asked you not to tease me.
Ayato: And I said that I would try, but I didn't promise anything.
Ayaka: You can be awfully mean when you want to.
Ayato: Take it as compensation for being kept in the dark for so long.
Ayaka: *pink* We’ve only been dating for a month and a half!
Ayato: *raises eyebrow* Really? I could’ve bet the entire estate on you two being together for at least a year already. So all this time two have been just tiptoeing around the issue?
Ayaka: *red* ……was it that obvious?
Ayato: Goodness, now I just feel bad for you two. Then again, I suppose better late than never does apply here.
Ayaka: I’d rather think about it that way.
Ayato: Regardless, what matters is that you’re both happy. I’d like to straighten things out with Thoma as well, and afterwards, we can celebrate your newfound relationship.
Ayaka: T-there’s no need for so much! You’re quite busy already, you don't need to waste your time with that, nor with the ruckus that would rise from people discovering my relationship with him, we agreed to keep things away from the public eye.
Ayato: Nonsense. My sister and my dear friend are finally together, celebrating such an occasion is everything BUT a waste. And about how our peers will perceive it, you don't need to worry about it, should any of them try and raise their grievances, I'll deal with it myself.
Ayaka: Please don't hurt anyone for our sake...
Ayato: Who said anything about hurting anyone? My sweet innocent sister, do you truly believe our peers are as prim and pious as they seem?
Ayaka: Are they not?
Her answer was so genuine, Ayato had no idea if he should be concerned or fawn at how adorably innocent she was. Everyone has skeletons in their closet, nobles with money and influence to cover it up especially, he was well aware of that.
Ayato: Don't worry your pretty head over it. *Overly sweet smile, patting her head* Should they dare object to your relationship, I'll merely remind them exactly who they are.
Ayaka: Understood.
Ayato: *Getting up* Now, why don't you bring your dear other half back? Tell him I won't try to cut him the moment he walks in……*grin* Or maybe not, should I play the strict and disapproving brother? Seeing how he would react to a straight rejection from me sounds quite funny.
Ayaka: You’re starting to sound like lady Guuji!
Ayato: Her pranks are incredibly amusing, it makes me want to pull a few of my own.
Ayaka: *pouting* Brother…
Ayato: Fine, no more teasing.
Ayaka: ……*hugs him*
Ayato: ???
Ayaka: Thank you…for everything. The gods couldn't have given me a better brother.
Ayato: *smiles, holding her close* I’m merely looking after my sister's happiness, any good brother would do so.
Ayaka: Even so, having your approval and support means the world to me.
Ayato: It's nothing. You already have enough on your plate, you deserve to put duty aside and let your own happiness take priority for once.
Ayaka: *looks up to him* You have a lot on your plate too, and you deserve happiness as well, does that mean I can expect you to put things aside one day to visit that seamstress from Fontaine?
Ayato: *Narrows eyes at her, grin* Well now who's teasing who here?
Ayaka: I’m sure she'd like it! I could even take over things in the meantime! You should-
Ayato: Are you going to try and play matchmaker right now? With how long this is taking I wouldn't be surprised if your boyfriend is just anxiously waiting for me to show up with a sword in hand.
Ayaka: Ah, right! I'll be right back!
With that realization she almost bolted away from the room, leaving ayato to chuckle at the sight. It's not often that he sees his sister so energetic and joyful, he hopes it will become the new norm from now on. And to that, a celebration was in order, he'd make sure today would be a day for them to look back and smile upon.
Ayaka: To think my brother would accept us so easily…*smiling to herself* It feels like a dream. Honestly, I don't understand why the traveler was so restless about this, telling my brother was the best thing I could've done!
*Meanwhile, in a far away abyssal fracture*
Aether: You worthless, insufferable and unbearable piece of shit!!! *Swings his sword violently*
Childe: *is sent flying back, landing upright with a bleeding cut across his chest* PFFFHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! IS THAT THE BEST THE KING OF THE ABYSS CAN DO!?!? FIGHTING LIKE THAT WON'T GET YOUR SWORD TO CUT ME EVEN HALFWAY AS DEEP AS I WAS INSIDE YOUR SISTER YESTERDAY!!!
Lumine: *red, face buried in her hands* Uuuuuugh! Why are they always like this!?
Paimon: Paimon's not really sure but hey! Look on the bright side, those two managed to talk for five solid minutes before trying to kill each other this time, that's an improvement!
Lumine: Hurling insults at one another doesn't count as talking Paimon!!!
NOBODY asked but uh here's the top 9 m/f genshin ships in ao3 (under the 原神 | Genshin Impact tag) that do not include lumine.
!!note that the rank doesnt correspond to the total number of fics as the number was affected by excluding all non m/f ships, non-romantic, and chara x reader tags, until i eventually reached that list.
yes, this list is problematic because bennefischl and kokorou actually outnumber kazuyaka's fics,,,ig the exclusion process i did must have eliminated a big chunk out of their fics
but uhhh iirc, jealuc, focalette, scaramona, and guili have the highest number of fics with the first two having over 1.2k fics
(obviously the biggest m/f genshin ship is none other than chilumi)
anyway scaramona meta is just that strong ig lmfao
#project hail mary
#the amazing digital circus
#heated rivalry
#lana del rey
#photography
