AN: Happy Genshin Anniversary everyone! I know this isn't posted on the day of Anniversary but at least it's within the Anniversary week ;-D Hope y'all are enjoying the uproar all over the internet lol

A shorter chapter that begins with Thoma panicking and ends with Thoma panicking :D

Also if you chose option D then you're correct!

Chapter 5 The Final Straw

Thoma's initial shock at Ei's ordinary appearance and mannerism gradually fades the more they interact, and it has faded completely by the time he finishes his lesson on the game. Yet, his failure to realize his acclimation to this new Raiden Shogun on top of the lesson distracting him results in that utterly unacceptable behavior which he never would have displayed if his common sense was still intact.

The moment he grasps her hand and realizes how stiff her arm was, he comes to his senses as the gravity of the situation downs on him with the might of a thousand Thunder Sakura lightning bolts. Ei's back is flush against his chest, her body heat seeping through his thin yukata like tendrils writhing underneath his skin and crawling in his veins. His head spins as he takes in her soft hand under his, her breathing quiet yet deafening in his ears, the pleasant waft of her perfume (or is it shampoo? Lotion? Do Archons even need skincare?), and the portion of her face uncovered by the mask which appears so pristine it makes him wonder if the rest of her face is just as flawless at a closer look.

Summer heat causes sweat to produce under his yukata, but the night breeze takes it away all too quickly and brings a fresh ambience to his plight, the cool allowing him to regain his composure and evaluate the situation with a poised mindset. Thoma bites onto his lip, inching his body away from Ei as discreetly as possible while guiding her hand without skipping a beat, hoping to play it off like he hasn't realized how inappropriate his actions are because he was so focused on the fish. Having a proficient amount of knowledge on the subject of Goldfish Scooping comes in useful for he can list off tips and tricks easily while his mind is preoccupied elsewhere, namely, thinking of how to deal with Ei when/if she returns to her Shogun mode and decides she wants him inlaid upon her statue for sexual harassment.

The instant the fish is in the bowl, Thoma scurries off to seek refuge by Ayaka's side, hoping his urgency isn't too obvious to anyone nosy enough to watch. He doesn't even dare to glance back to see Ei's reaction.

Ayaka gives him a weird look but doesn't question it and waits until the two kids have gotten their fish and left to find their parents before she succumbs to her curiosity.

"What was that all about?"

Still with his back towards Ei, Thoma whispers, "Can I tell you later?"

Ayaka cocks her head to the side. "Why are you whispering?"

"Because it's best if the Shogun doesn't h-"

"The firework show is about to start."

Thoma yelps and instinctively takes cover behind Ayaka when Ei's voice rings out right behind him. Two pairs of confused eyes turn to him, and with an embarrassed cough, Thoma pats Ayaka's back awkwardly and shuffles out of his hiding place with as much fervor as a boar heading into the wolves' den. "T-There was a bug on your back, milady."

"...Uh-huh." Ayaka nods, blatant disbelief in her eyes. With a look that promises he's in for a round of questioning once they're alone, she turns to Ei and begins their trek to the highest point of the island in preparation for the upcoming firework show. Taking up the rearguard position of the group, Thoma keeps enough distance between him and the ladies so he's not too close to them yet also not too far to miss their conversation. It's not that he wants to eavesdrop; he just wants to be prepared in case Ei has anything in store for him as repayment for his earlier action.

Taroumaru starts panting behind him as they begin marching up the stairs. Since he sits watching over a shop all day, he no doubt isn't getting the required amount of exercise to stay physically active and healthy for a dog of his breed and age. Feeling pity for the poor thing, Thoma picks him up and makes the rest of the way to the top with a few long strides.

The trio chooses a spot off to the side which offers better privacy but also doesn't block the view. While Ayaka lays out a blanket on the grass, Thoma takes out the bottle of milk to feed Taroumaru. Hearing the grass crunch beneath someone's feet as footsteps approach him, he looks up just in time to see a pair of geta worn on two pretty feet. Realization has yet to catch up to him as his gaze trails up the slim legs that disappear underneath the kimono to the hands clasped at the front, then takes a dive when their owner sits on the blanket with her legs folded beneath her, and finally ends up crossing path with Ei's amethyst eyes.

Amusement flickers in those beautiful eyes as Ei chuckles. "You're staring."

Thoma wets his lips, his mouth suddenly feeling a bit dry, and shakes his head rapidly, locking his eyes onto Taroumaru who's drinking his milk without a care in the world. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was looking…"

"I haven't worn a kimono for quite some time now, so I hope I don't look too peculiar in this attire." Her casual tone of voice assuages his tense nerves, but hearing her doubt herself despite looking this good stirs an unpleasant emotion within him, making him want to record her beauty and shove it in her face so she'll never doubt herself ever again.

"Of course you don't! You look beautiful, not that you're not beautiful before, but this gives you a different kind of appeal, a more earthly one." Receiving no verbal response from Ei, Thoma looks around as he scrambles for something more convincing. He doesn't even know why he's trying so hard to convince her. But the sight of those eyes that usually hold so much power and fortitude losing their shine and looking downcast simply rubs him the wrong way. After a brief pause, Thoma decides. "How about we take a photo using a Kamera? It's not everyday we three in particular would attend a festival together."

"That's a wonderful idea!" Ayaka's voice rises with anticipation.

Ei hesitates a bit before nodding in agreement.

There's a couple nearby taking photos so Thoma asks politely if they're willing to take a picture for them. When they agree, he thanks them before heading back to the group.

Ei picks up Taroumaru and stands in between Thoma and Ayaka, not close enough to touch but not too far to appear distanced. Unlike the two of them who appear unfazed before the Kamera, Ei keeps fumbling with her hands like she's trying to strike a pose but has no idea how to.

Has she never taken a photo before?

"Just act normal. Forget about the Kamera." Thoma says but Ei still seems quite concerned. He glances at the couple who are getting into position a few feet away and an idea comes to him. He quickly heads over and whispers a few things to them.

"Everyone ready?" The man asks. "Three!"

Ayaka opens her fan and covers her mouth with it.

"Two!"

Ei freezes, her arms stiff around Taroumaru.

"One!"

Rather than the expected flash of a Kamera, a loud boom from behind startles everyone. Ayaka cries out in surprise and instinctively grabs onto Ei, who also makes a small noise and leans toward Thoma. The plan was to spook them with the fireworks so they can act naturally in front of the Kamera, but he wasn't expecting Ei to stumble into him.

Out of pure instinct, he places a hand on her waist to support her and subconsciously tightens his grip on the soft curve just a touch. Ei's flesh is warm and tender, so human-like that Thoma almost forgets about their differences. Unlike the intimacy they shared earlier when she has her back turned towards him, this time they are facing each other with their foreheads nearly touching when she looks up at him, their breath mingling and the shock in their eyes reflecting in the other's eyes.

The Kamera flash is the last thing he registers before the world falls silent and all he can hear is his own irregular breathing and something exploding in the back of his mind. Ei is too close, her body too warm and their position too intimate. His hand burns against her body and the logical side of his brain is screaming at him to get his hands off of her asap but for some reason he can't move a single muscle in his body. He doesn't even have it in him to fight the blush that's threatening to rise up and paint his face a horrendous red.

This isn't good. He's not supposed to like this, relish it, and yearn for more. He's in no place to feel this way about his Archon. It's completely irrational and foolish. This is taking blasphemy to a whole other level. And yet, his heart continues to thrash like a caged beast dying to be unleashed, making his breath quiver and filling him with the urge to…

Before he can finish that train of thought, Ei breaks eye contact with him and Thoma's heart sinks when he realizes he's been staring at her in that intimate position for who knows how long.

God, what has he done?

She has to know how he feels about her by now after that pathetic display of his insolence. And frankly, this terrifies him. There's no way she'd be okay with a mortal impious enough to fantasize about fraternizing with her. Sure, she's been nice to him this whole time as Ei but she's still the Raiden Shogun and that doesn't change just because she decides to be nice for a day or two. Under no circumstances is it acceptable for a mortal to feel this way about his Archon. Besides, the Transience of love with a mortal is the furthest thing from Eternity. Knowing the Shogun, she might even see love as an obstacle to her pursuit of Eternity and decide to subject him to the might of the divine.

"Thoma," comes Ei's voice.

Thoma turns to her tentatively, his heart nearly bursting out of his chest when he realizes she's only a few feet away. He can no longer see any illuminating colors decorating the velvet night sky out of the corners of his eyes. Shit, how long has he been spacing out?

Ei takes a step closer, and he has to grit his teeth to suppress the urge to create some distance between them.

"This is yours to keep." She hands him a piece of paper, and it takes his muddled mind a few seconds to recognize it as the photo they've just taken. "You were acting a bit odd earlier. Are you okay?"

"I… Um, I was…"

C'mon Thoma, think of an excuse! Anything!

"Dear me, that didn't frighten you, did it? Was it the fireworks, or just the loud noises?" Ei chuckles. "That surprised me as well. So no need to feel embarrassed if you were startled by it."

"T-That's right. It caught me off guard and my mind went blank for a second there." Thoma laughs awkwardly as he accepts the photo, his heart doing a happy little dance when he realizes the cat's not out of the bag, yet. "Wow, this looks pretty neat! How considerate of them to take three photos so we each have one to keep."

"Indeed it is." Ei's gaze softens when she looks down at her copy of the photo. "Archons may be able to longlive mortals, but our minds are just as fragile. My memories are eroding with each passing century. Voices of those who have passed become unrecognizable, their faces become hazy, and eventually even the time we've spent together becomes forgotten. But thanks to your suggestion, even if I were to forget your voices and faces one day, I won't forget the gaiety I've experienced today now that I have something to remember this day by."

Ei looks up at him with eyes filled with gratitude and endearment, and it's those eyes, those alluring amethyst eyes that shouldn't be directed at him with such tenderness and yet they are, that's the final straw that snaps his restraint into shambles and sends his heart soaring into the sky, beating its wings with such ferocity his ribs rattle with the force.

...He's so fucked.

AN: I thought it's fitting for Thoma to compare "Transience" to "Eternity" considering he uses Transience books for his talent level-up material.