Hello there, and welcome to the first fic I ever wrote! Most certainly you are aware that this means dreadful, dreadful things are to be expected in the following pages, as you could probably tell by my inability to pick a decent title for this!
...anyway. You are probably wondering, " Why Sanae and Aya? Why not stick to the common pairings, like Sanae/Reimu or Aya/Momiji?" Well, first, because screw them traditional ships. Second, because of the works of this man/woman/whatever, Pasteltel. Search him/her/it on Danbooru. He/she/it singlehandedly made me ship them. Seriously, reading those Aya/Sanae strips gives me this stupid smile that refuses to leave my face for the next five hours or so.
This story is based on a strip and a picture he/she/it did, so part of the credit goes to him/her/it.
Also, my Suwako is totally based on Gigameka's. The one from his hentais, anyway. Old pervert Suwako is the best Suwako.
I refuse to say that Touhou doesn't belong to me. Disclaimers are useless and can actually be used on court against you by the author if he so wishes. Not that ZUN would ever be sober enough for that.
So, enough babbling from me! I hope you enjoy the story, and I hope mentioning Pasteltelhelps create new Aya/Sanae shippers. Seriously, this ship needs more love.
Her whole body was trembling as the form of the green-haired girl in her arms grew paler with every passing second. There was nothing she could do; the tengu could only watch as her lover's body faded into non existence. It was the fate of all humans to fade away, and no matter how close to a goddess this one was, hers would be no different.
"Geez. In the end, you left me behind after all", she whispered, as the girl's body finally vanished. The proud youkai felt the tears roll down from her eyes as all strength left her body. Burying her face on her hands, she cried for the first time in centuries. Wrapping her wings around her body, trying to comfort herself, she swore she could still hear her lover's voice...
"Aya-san..."
Her gentle, sweet voice, calling for her...
"Aya-saaan..."
She actually was hearing it perfectly. It was as if she-
"Aya-saaaaaaaaaan!" said Sanae, a little louder than she wanted.
"Ayayayaya!" exclaimed Aya as she woke up, startled. She was trying to remember where she was and how she got in this soft, soft bed when two small hands touched her cheeks and gently made her look up.
"Aya-san, are you alright? You had a strange look on your face just now" Sanae's dark green eyes were focused on Aya. "Were you having a nightmare?"
"...I dreamt you had died" Aya answered, averting her gaze.
Sanae blinked twice, a little confused. This was the first time Aya brought up this kind of subject. As all youkai, she seemed to live by the moment, hardly thinking about the future. In a way, this made her feel good, since it showed Aya was quite serious about her (it's not usual for a youkai to worry about the possibility of a human dying, right?), but she hated seeing her usually lively lover so down on her spirits.
"...silly. I'm a goddess! You won't get rid of me that easy, you know" Sanae whispered, while pulling the tengu's head closer to her chest.
"Not yet, you aren't. The faith of the kappa and the tengu isn't going to you, you know."
"Hah! Like I need faith from youkai like you to get by!" Sanae's hands were stroking Aya's back now, near the place where her wings were hidden.
"Humph... maybe you should've stayed in the outside world then..."
"Maaaaybe" The miko's hands started moving faster and faster.
"Hmmmm... you won't get me... with such... cheap... tactics... ayayayayaaa~..."
As she felt her conscious nearly fading away, Aya forced herself to fly out of Sanae's embrace. She floated for a moment, appreciating Sanae's confused expression before landing right on top of her, pining the priestess arms with her hands in the process. Sanae gave her an annoyed look and seemed ready to complain before Aya lowered her head and kissed her.
They stayed that way for a while, with their lips just gently touching each other. Aya released one of Sanae's arms and used that hand to stroke her lover's hair. With her dream still weighting on her mind, though, Aya wanted to go a little further today...
"Sanae... open your mouth..." she whispered on the priestess' ear.
"W-w-what are you-!" Aya took that chance to put her tongue inside Sanae's mouth. The surprised miko tried to push the tengu away, but Aya would not budge.
'Gah, I'll exterminate her for thiiiiis... who does she... think... she is...'
That's what went through her head at first, but as she felt Aya's warm tongue awkwardly moving inside her mouth, her annoyance began to dissipate... it was pretty clear Aya hadn't done this before, but there was something very cute in her brave attempts at being the dominant one.
'Ah, Aya-san, I can barely believe you're really a thousand years old tengu. You look like a innocent little girl, moving like this! Now, let me show you how this is done!" Not that she had any experience either, but she was a goddess, dammit, a mere youkai shouldn't be able to push her down!
Feeling that Aya's grip on her had weakened and without separating their mouths, Sanae wrapped her legs around Aya's waist and rolled to the right, placing herself on top of the tengu. Aya's eyes widened a bit and showed annoyance as she attempted to regain her lost position. As the two struggled to decide who'd remain above, they rolled closer and closer to the edge of the bed, until the inevitable happened and both fell on the floor with a loud bang.
"Ayayayayaaa" whined Aya, scratching the back of her head. "Why'd you do that, you crazy miko?"
"I'm not allowing a youkai to do as she pleases with me!" Sanae said while rubbing her pained elbow.
"That isn't what you said two weeks ago at the flower viewing!"
"I was drunk! You made me get drunk! 'Just one more cup, Sanae, it'll do you good! Don't worry, I'll take you home!' "
"Ah, that's true. Lady Yasaka was scary that day..."
"Aya-san, you meanie!"
And with that, the two were rolling around again, each trying to pin the other on the ground. After a while, Aya remembered that she was, in fact, far more physically strong than the little girl beneath her, and used a small portion of that strength to finally pin down the struggling priestess.
"...it's not fair the amount of power you have" said Sanae, in an annoyed tone.
"Oh? A goddess as powerful as you should be able to lift me easily, no?" Aya smirked, looking straight at Sanae's face with a gleam on her eyes. "Now, where was I..."
"W-w-w-wait Aya... sh-should'nt we at least g-g-go back to the b-b-b-b..."
"Hmmm, I won't give you the chance to escape this time..."
Aya slowly lowered her face towards a very red Sanae. With her tongue, she traced the miko's lips and chin before placing it inside her mouth again.
Still a little annoyed, Sanae decided to get revenge for this later as Aya's tongue caressed her own with those shy, slow movements. Placing her hands on the tengu's neck, she pulled Aya closer to her and deepened the kiss.
Although they started slow, as time went on both girls began to act bolder. Sanae caressed Aya's back and sides, sometimes groping her legs and, a little hesitantly, her bottom. Aya occupied her hands on the miko's arms, knowing how ticklish her lover was. After a while, she parted their kiss and began licking Sanae's neck, stopping from time to time in order to lightly bite it, causing the priestess to moan. Moving lower and lower, Aya left a trail of kisses on her lover's shoulder, until she reached Sanae's shirt.
Suddenly aware at where she was staring at, Aya felt her face become as hot as burning coal. She looked up and saw Sanae's eyes half-closed, with her mouth slightly opened, panting. She certainly wouldn't complain if...
Carefully, Aya moved a trembling hand towards the strap of cloth over Sanae's shoulder and slowly began to pull it down. The miko didn't say anything or move at all, but Aya could hear her heartbeat increasing. Just a few more inches and-
"So. Enjoying yourselves, I see! Young people sure are full of energy these days" said a voice near the door, as cold as the artic wind.
All blood drained from Aya and Sanae's face as they both slowly rose and looked at lady Kanako, who was standing right in the middle of the door frame, with her red eyes half-closed and a dangerous smile on her face.
"Ayayayayaya! M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-my lady Yasaka! G-g-g-g-g-g-good afternoon! I-I-I w-w-w-was just, I-I m-m-mean. I was a-a-about t-t-t-o, ah, to, g-g-o get -" Aya didn't bother finishing her babble before she darted to the window and flied as fast as she could, hoping to arrive at the other side of the mountain before the angry goddess could reach her.
Kanako merely stood still on the door, her expression unchanged.
"Tomorrow will be an onbashira festival, yes" she said, in a happy tone that barely could hide her anger, before leaving the room.
Sanae sighed, annoyed. This kind of thing wouldn't happen if Aya would just let her visit the tengu's side of the mountain at once! Really...
'...still, how odd for Aya-san to act bold like that... I guess her nightmare really bothered her, huh...'
Truth be told, Sanae wasn't sure on what she needed to do in order to become a complete goddess. Both lady Kanako and lady Suwako said she would soon be ready, but refused to elaborate on when would that be. She never really gave much thought about her own death or things like that; she was told from an early age that one day she'd rise as a wind deity and sit at her goddess side in the shrine, and with her power over miracles, she never really doubted that that was her destiny.
'I wonder how many mortal friends Aya-san lost over the years. I wish I could make her more at ease...'
Suddenly, an idea came to her mind. I was only a small, silly superstition on the outside world, but here in Gensokyo, maybe...
"You always blow things way out of proportion, Kanako" said Suwako in a cheerful tone, lying belly-up on the grass field right outside the shrine.
"Oh? I find that miserable reporter all over Sanae, in her bedroom, without having even announced her presence, and I'm supposed to let that slip by?" asked the annoyed wind goddess as she poured sake inside two cups. She threw one to Suwako, who grabbed it with her tongue.
" You know Sanae invited her, don't you? I have no clue *gulp* why you *gulp* are so worried *gulp* about them *gulp*"
"That woman is a reporter. She's obviously only looking for her next scoop. She'll end up hurting Sanae badly, I know it."
"You're not a very unbiased party, Bakanako. You still haven't forgiven her for the lake incident, right?" asked Suwako, smirking.
"Quiet. I haven't exactly forgiven you for that either, you... pervert." Kanako tried her hardest not to blush, but the memories of that day were just too disgraceful.
Suwako's grin just grew larger as she threw her cup back at Kanako. "Come-on, come-on! Didn't faith in you increase after that day?"
"I ill need faith from that kind of people!" Kanako grabbed the cup and poured more sake in it before throwing it back. "If anything, shameful exposure like that... anyway, that reporter is no good. Sanae should realize that soon enough. And I have no idea on how you can be so at ease with them."
The earth goddess just shrugged. "Sanae's happy, and her happiness is my happiness. Really, even after two thousand years, I don't get you; I'd never expect you to be the jealous, overprotective type. Although, you did flip out pretty funnily when I told you Sanae was my descendent..."
"I did not. And I'm not jealous. Just rightfully worried".
"You keep telling yourself that, old lady" Suwako said, as she finished her sake and prepared to jump into the earth.
"Who's the old lady here? You are more ancient than me, you damn toad."
"Not-in-body-and-soul, I ain't!" Suwako cheerfully chanted, before diving and disappearing into the ground.
Kanako sighed. 'Troublesome little brat... I'll be having frog legs as dinner tonight, just you wait...'
Sanae was humming happily to herself as she tied knots on a sky blue thread. A finished red misanga was already lying next to her. It was simple and unimpressive, so Aya could use it without bringing unwanted attention to herself. She disliked fancy stuff, anyway; this one would be perfect.
As she was nearly finished, Suwako suddenly emerged from the ground, landing in front of Sanae.
"Good evening, lady Suwako!" she said in a cheerful tone.
"Oh, aren't you in a good mood tonight?" said the earth goddess with a smirk. "Kanako said she found you and that crow tengu in your bedroom this afternoon."
"A-ah, is that s-so?" Sanae felt her cheeks getting red already.
"Thaaat-iiiiisss-sooo. Details, come-on come-on, I want details! How far did you get, eh, eh, eh? Is a tengu as wild as the rumors go? Oh, did you do it while flying? Hanging upside down, above the clouds? Or right above the village, just high enough so no one could see, eh, eh , eh? Ah, controlling the wind sure must be greeeeeat! I'm jealous!" Suwako's smirk grew wider and wider as she hopped around her many-times-grandchild, who by the end was irradiating enough heat to start a wildfire.
"W-w-w-we didn't do anything like that, lady Suwako! We just... talked a little... and... cuddled for a bit..."
"Hmmm, cuddling on a bed, eh? Ah well, it's a start" said the frog goddess as she sat on the ground. "Kanako wouldn't even let me sleep in the same room as her for the first century or so."
"T-that's because you'd... grope her... in her sleep."
"Heh, true. I can't resist her Mountains of Faith." Lazily stretching herself to the right, Suwako noticed the red misanga near Sanae. "A-uu? What's this?"
"Ah, it's a gift to Aya-san. She was feeling a little down today, so I figured I should try to cheer her up a bit" Sanae answered, as she tied the final knot on her own misanga.
"I see. What you're going to wish?"
"That's a secret, lady Suwako!" the priestess cheerfully said.
Suwako blinked twice before giving her a gentle smile. "Looking at you while you hunt youkai, I always forget how innocent you actually are, Sanae."
"Wha-what's that supposed to mean?" the miko asked, puffing her cheeks in annoyance.
"Nothing at all. Anyway, as soon as you're finished, come inside, dinner's ready" Suwako said, before throwing herself into the ground and vanishing from sight.
Sanae let out a sigh. Even though she greatly respected her, lady Suwako could be very frustrating to deal with sometimes.
Brushing that aside, Sanae looked happily at the two misangas before pocketing them. She couldn't wait to see Aya's reaction.
Aya was flying high around the mountain today, searching for something to write about. Writer's block had stuck her pretty badly since yesterday. Her mind tended to divagate and go to thoughts of Sanae; her large, round eyes focusing on her... her silky green hair sprawled on the floor... her small mouth half-open, inviting her toooo-aaaaAAAAHHHH-LOSING-ALTITUDE-INCOMING-OBSTACLE-FOCUS-AYA-FOCUS
She managed to pull herself up just in time to avoid a nasty collision with a tree.
'Ayayayaya, that was close... gahhh, this is all that girl's fault! Or better, that damn wind goddess... If only I could've-'
Aya suddenly felt a familiar gust of wind passing by. Recognizing it as Sanae's wind, Aya understood she was being called towards a pound at the bottom of the mountain.
Seconds later, she arrived there to find Sanae sitting in the rocks around the pound, calmly moving her feet inside the water.
A pair of hands suddenly covered Sanae's eyes.
"Ayayayaya. Guess who?"
"Haven't you answered that already?" said Sanae with a smile.
"I guess, I guess" sighed Aya, removing her hands from Sanae's eyes and placing them on her shoulders. "So, did you call?"
"Yes! Extend you arm, please."
Curious, Aya did as she was told. Sanae then tied the red misanga at Aya's wrist.
"Ah? What's this, Sanae?"
"It's a misanga. A good luck charm from the outside world! It was pretty popular while I was there."
"Ah, really?" Aya said, taking her notepad and pencil. "If it's made by a miko, it must be quite good, huh?"
"Not just a miko, a living goddess! It's sure to bring great luck to the wearer!"
"I see I see" said Aya, getting an idea for at least a small article to pad her newspaper.
"There's also the belief that, if you make a wish, it'll come true once the misanga string snaps!"
"Ohh, in that case, can I wish for Hatate's presses to suffer a mysterious breakdown for the next three centuries?" asked the reporter, with a small smirk.
Sanae giggled. "Sure you can, but other than that..." Sanae pulled her sleeve and showed Aya her own misanga. "Don't you think we could wish to be together forever?" she added, with a large smile.
Aya pressed the pencil a little stronger than she should, creating a hole in the page.
She stared silently at Sanae for a few seconds before blood came rushing to her head.
"G-g-g-gosh, wh-wh-what's up with you, saying that sort of thing out of nowhere?"
"Heheheee, you were so down yesterday, I thought I could cheer you up a little like this!" Sanae said, sweetly.
"Ayayayayayaaaaa~"
The two then spent the rest of the day near the pound, chatting idly, skipping stones and cuddling on the grass, although Aya couldn't help but keeping looking over her shoulder during that last part. When the sun began to set, Aya took Sanae to the shrine and kissed her goodbye before taking flight.
As she reached her house, Aya gave a long stare at her misanga. A small smile appeared on her face as she recalled Sanae's smile when she told her her wish.
'That silly girl...' The things humans come up with are really unbelievable.
With a satisfied sigh, Aya entered her house.
'I hope the string snaps soon.'