It's been forever since I slept so blissfully. My body was refreshed and my mind well-rested. Did it have something to do with how my blankets felt exceptionally soft? Since when was my mattress this plush? A pleasant scent tickled my nose, reminding me of Kaeya. Why did it smell like Kaeya in my room?

My eyes snapped open with the realization, and the memories of last night rushed back.

Here I was, waking up in Kaeya's bed. I had fallen asleep with him. None of it was a dream. I blinked twice just to be sure what I saw was real.

This was Kaeya's room, alright. That was his fancy rug, detailed board of evidence, carefully lined potion bottles—I gasped. I could see them. Everything that had disappeared last night was once again visible. Relief flooded me, and I turned to tell Kaeya the good news.

He wasn't there. Kaeya was gone.

My stomach dropped.

Was he invisible? Did the effects of the potion change from objects to him?

"Kaeya?" I asked tentatively and patted a hand where the tousled blankets lay still.

The space was empty. He wasn't invisible. Kaeya was gone gone. Somehow, knowing that made me feel even worse.

Pressing my lips together, I thought about our conversation last night. Did he regret what he said? Was this Kaeya's way of telling me that he'd changed his mind? I wouldn't let that slide, and he had to come back to his room eventually. I checked the clock sitting on top of his wardrobe with a frown.

There was still time before classes started, but I would have to leave now if I wanted to grab something for breakfast. The light gnawing in my stomach could easily be hunger, but it only churned when I thought about where Kaeya could be.

Before I could think of possible reasons, I heard the doorknob giggle and my head picked up. He was back—of course, he was. This was his room, after all. I wanted to kick myself for feeling so down so fast, but I couldn't help myself. What I had with Kaeya felt both strong and fragile at the same time. Though I knew what he thought of me, it was hard to tell what he thought of himself.

The door was pushed open with his back, and Kaeya walked in carrying a tray of food. He'd brought breakfast, and my heart fluttered.

"Good morning," he said, setting the tray on top of his desk. "I see you're finally awake."

"Why didn't you wake me? We could have gone down to eat together."

Kaeya hummed and plucked an item off the tray. It was a Fruity Skewer. "I did consider that, but then I thought, 'why not let her sleep in for a bit?' You make the cutest sounds when you're asleep, Lumine."

Heat crept up my neck. "I do not."

"How would you know?" He tilted his head to the side with a smile and held out the skewer. "Here. You'll need something in your stomach to start the day. Breakfast in the dining hall would be a lot more practical, but there's one other reason why I let you sleep in."

"And why is that?"

"Call me selfish, but I wanted to keep you in my bed for a little while longer."

My eyes truly hadn't deceived me last night—besides the illusion fiasco—Kaeya's cheeks tinted with a blush. I was tempted to say something that would deepen the lovely color, but I was affected all the same.

"I wouldn't say that's selfish," I mumbled, accepting the skewer.

Kaeya snickered. "I don't know about that. Childe was visibly on edge when I stopped by to fill this tray, and I knew he was looking for you. He even pestered me about it, asking if I knew where you might be, and I pretended to be none the wiser. I'm sure it'd be entertaining if he discovered the truth, but that would have led to a headache. Enjoying our quick meal in peace was a much better option."

I smiled ruefully, feeling mildly guilty for worrying Childe.

"You know," Kaeya perched on the edge of the bed. "Childe wasn't the only one who caught my eye. I sensed a sinister vibe coming from Amber of all people. From what I know about her character, that was a bit odd."

My eyebrows rose in surprise, but I couldn't stop the knowing smile from creeping onto my lips. I chose to bite into the mushroom and vegetable before saying, "Oh? Interesting."

"Especially with how that negative energy seemed to be directed at me. Do you have any idea why that may be?"

There was only so much ignorance I could feign. After swallowing the first bite, I kept my tone light. "About that. After you rejected me, I ended up visiting Amber and told her, well, just about everything. She wasn't very happy about it, to say the least. Some hostility is to be expected until I give her an update. I should warn you—Amber might not forgive as easily as I did."

Kaeya burst into laughter, putting a hand to his chest. "How very loyal of her. I respect it. If I'm being honest, I'm surprised that only Amber has given me that treatment. I expected an angry ambush from Childe days ago. Not even Diluc showed any more animosity than usual. Now, I don't think Thoma is one to act violently, but I wouldn't put it past him." He sobered. "You mean as much to me as you do to them. Nothing would have stopped me from righting that wrong."

I nibbled at the skewer. Kaeya's expectations matched mine, and that's exactly why I hadn't told any of them.

"Some things are bigger than our feelings. For the sake of the team working together, I didn't want them to hate you. And…I always had hope that you'd stop being—as Amber put it—an idiot."

Kaeya twirled a skewer in his hand and said, "Thank you."

"Just talk to me if anything ever bothers you," I said. "Don't shut me out and throw away the key. I'll find a way to pick that lock eventually."

He laughed once more, and I smiled along.

There wasn't much time left before breakfast was over. Should I take this Fruity Skewer with me and quickly stop by my room for a change of clothes? I still wore my uniform from yesterday, and it was a bit wrinkled. Hesitation held me still. Like Kaeya, I wanted to stay here and talk. Even though we'd spent all night together, I could go for a full day. And maybe another night.

"It's a good thing the potion didn't last any longer than it did," Kaeya said. "We have an interview to cover today."

This soon? I'd only just volunteered to help last night, and there was no time to mentally prepare.

"Unless you're not up for it? I can always handle it alone."

I waved a hand dismissively. "I can do it. You just took me by surprise, that's all. Who are we interviewing and when?"

"Kamisato Ayaka. Second hour. That's during your lunch, so if you would rather eat during that time…"

"I'm not going to back out, Kaeya." I rolled my eyes. "I've always thought my lunch was too early in the day, anyway. Ayaka is free then, too?"

He nodded. "Upperclassmen privileges, remember? Extra time during the day to work on our extra difficult classes. She normally reserves a spot in the dojo for practice at that time, but she agreed to meet in the library for the interview."

"We have a dojo?"

"It's not as impressive as the ones in Inazuma, but Celestia got the funding to build one not long ago after a generous donation from the Yashiro Commission."

I silently ate another skewer in awe. For Ayaka's family to be so devoted to the martial arts, she must be really impressive. I knew Thoma looked up to her, and I would finally get the chance to meet her today. Has Thoma ever talked about me to Ayaka? Hopefully, whatever impression she might have didn't affect the interview.

"What sort of person is Ayaka?"

Polite, reserved, kind—I already knew these from Thoma, but Kaeya might have a different opinion.

He finished off a skewer with a smirk. Man, I missed his smirks.

"You'll have to see for yourself."

I squinted my eyes. "Lame. Well, if you're not willing to gossip, then I should leave now before I'm late to Beginner's Gliding. As lenient as Venti can be, I'm more worried about Amber calling me out."

"Trust me, there's nothing to gossip about when it comes to Ayaka. She's the total opposite of, say, Childe. A total stickler for the rules."

Regretfully, I climbed from the comfort of Kaeya's warm bed and noticed an unusual chill still hung in the air. The window had since been closed, but I guessed it would take a while before the temperature regulated itself after being an icebox for one night. Fighting the urge to dive right back in, I took a stern step away from the bed.

Kaeya also got up. "Don't be late."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"It'll be far less exciting than whatever expectations you've set," he warned.

Kaeya looked at me with mirth, and warmth bloomed in my chest despite the lingering cold. It made me happy to be back to normal—better than normal. I returned his smile and caught the joy that flashed on his face.

"Thank you for the breakfast in bed," I said as I slowly walked to the door. "We should make it a habit."

Flirting with Kaeya wasn't my original intention, but the sentence slipped out. Maybe I should be this bold more often—I loved how a blush deepened his tawny skin. My own cheeks grew red, but I was already turning the doorknob and escaping before being tempted to stay even longer.

Nearly out of breath, I reached the clearing and saw that everyone already had their windgliders equipped. Venti spared me a cheeky wink with no reprimands. I was right to assume tardies weren't a concern with him—he himself showed up late more than once. I was also right to assume that Amber wouldn't let it go so easily, her hawk-like gaze growing stronger the closer she got to me.

"Good morning, Lumine!" she beamed, though there was more curiosity behind her eyes than anything. "What's going on? You weren't at breakfast."

"I miss breakfast sometimes." I shrugged a windglider on.

Amber pursed her lips. "Right, but you've never missed breakfast and been late to class. Did you oversleep? Is everything okay?"

I could feel her genuine concern, and after dropping by her room in tears not too long ago, I could understand why. Though nothing was wrong, I couldn't be more grateful for a friend like her.

"I'm fine. Better than fine, actually."

Her worry fell, replaced with more curiosity. "So, where were you? C'mon, out with it!"

Nothing could stop the smile that instantly took over my face. There was no sense in holding back, either. If anything, my happiness should have brought relief to Amber, but it only placed inquiring suspicion on her face.

"I was with Kaeya. I sort of spent the night with him."

A beat of stunned silence.

"What?"

To say she shouted would be an understatement. The entire class plus Venti stopped their chatter and turned to look at the two of us. Amber didn't seem to care. She was too busy closing her jaw after having it fall open twice. I cleared my throat, trying to smooth over some of the disruption.

"Shh, you'll make a scene."

"You spent the night with Kaeya?" she practically hissed, ducking her head in a loud whisper. "Archons help me, why? I thought we didn't like him."

Before I could explain the situation, Venti clapped his hands together to get our attention. Today's lesson was about to begin. As much as I wanted to gush to her about the details, I didn't want to risk Venti's wrath—if such a thing existed. Amber shot me a look that clearly said this conversation isn't over, and I couldn't agree more.

"That was hard." I wiped the sweat from my brow as we landed back at the clearing.

Timed challenges weren't new to me, but experiencing them in this class was a first. After everyone easily glided down to the sandy shores of the island, we had to glide our way back up in just two minutes. Easier said than done with disappearing Anemo currents and wind hoops that shot me in the wrong direction. It had taken four tries before I was able to clear it, and Amber struggled just as much.

"All in preparation for the final," she wheezed. "What threw me off the most were the lizards falling out of the sky."

I drew back in confusion, bracing my hands on my knees. "What are you talking about?"

"You didn't see them?"

"Why would there be lizards in the sky?"

"That's what I was wondering!" She waved her hands in the air. "If I had to guess, Venti was probably playing a trick on us."

I hummed. "That does sound like something he would do, but what benefit is there?"

Amber shrugged, her eyes looking off to the distance for a moment before snapping back to reality. With class basically over, now was the time for me to reveal all.

"Okay," I grinned. "Here's what happened—"

"Watch out!" a warning came from above, and we both looked up in time to see Huffman tumbling to the ground right where we stood.

Amber and I dove either way, and he narrowly missed taking one of our heads off. The three of us laid in the grass for a moment before Amber bounced back as if nothing had happened at all. I still sat, not stunned by Huffman's fumble, but stunned by how he couldn't land properly after all this time. Though, watching Amber run over to make sure he was alright, I began to suspect Huffman didn't mind crash landing all that much.

"Ow, sorry about that," he chuckled sheepishly. "I got hit in the head by a lizard, and it totally messed up my trajectory."

Amber gasped loudly and pointed a finger at me. "See? I told you there were lizards in the sky. Thanks for confirming I'm not crazy, Huffman."

"You're thanking me?" he sputtered. "No welcome—er—you're problem. Sorry, what I meant to say was…the pleasure's mine."

I barely managed to stifle a laugh at that, though Amber looked more concerned than amused over the situation.

"Did you land on your head weird?" She peered at him, and he shuffled back nervously. "That was a rough fall."

"I think I'm okay, but if you want to take me to the infirmary to be sure—"

She clapped her hands together enthusiastically before he could finish. "Great, because I really need to hear what Lumine was just about to tell me. Don't go crashing just anywhere next time, okay?"

Huffman was left stammering as Amber took my shoulders and led me away. I was laughing now with no Huffman nearby to be embarrassed. Her grip tightened, and she mumbled low in my ear.

"Not a word."

I grinned. "He likes you, you know."

"Yes, I know." She rolled her eyes. "I'm not blind like you, Lumine. It's just that…I don't know how to deal with him sometimes. His interest feels so sudden, and I barely know the guy. Besides, I don't have time to think about relationships."

"Hey, you're always excited to hear about mine."

"True. I meant my relationships. There are more important things to spend my brain power on, like dance club and photography club. Mostly dance."

"Since when did you join the photography club?"

"I thought it would be good to broaden my horizons." She sighed and began to take off her windglider. "And maybe have something to ease the stress of dance."

I did the same with mine and frowned. "If dance is so stressful, why not just quit? It's not too late."

"I can't quit now. I must commit. After agonizing over tango steps for weeks, I've finally got a hang of it—I think. Eula says that I've improved a lot."

"Oh? Tell me more."

She shook her head sharply and wagged a finger at me. "After you."

I pretended to hide a smile with my hand. "But of course. It's a pretty crazy story actually, so you might want to—"

"Hey, Lumine?"

My spine stiffened and I watched as Amber's eyes begin to twitch ever so slightly. I slowly turned to face Huffman. A microscopic speck of curiosity held my attention. What could he possibly want from me? And why now, of all times? Amber was too nice to brush Huffman off outright, but I only had so much patience.

"Huffman, hi. How can I help you?"

He shuffled his feet and scratched his head before finally saying, "I wanted to thank you for last week—you saved my life our first time gliding down the mountain. I realized that I only rambled on about, uh, other things and never properly said my thanks."

Oh, right. I did save his life, didn't I? The reminder made me want to ignore him less, and I crossed my arms with a nod.

"Yeah, no problem. You've gotten a bit…better since then, so hopefully that was a one-time thing."

"Hah, hopefully," he agreed. "Anyway, that's all I had to say. Want me to take those windgliders off your hands? It's the least I can do."

"That's so nice for you to offer," Amber handed him hers, and I passed mine over as well.

Huffman wasn't so bad, after all.

He accepted my windglider easily but nearly dropped Amber's with a fluster. Alright, it was cute how nervous he got around her, but there's no chance if she didn't have the slightest interest.

At last, Huffman was out of earshot and out of mind. Amber turned to me, expectant and giddy, and excitement rushed back to me. I tried to keep my voice low as we grabbed our bags to leave.

"I went to see him last night—"

"You approached him? After everything he said?" she grumbled.

"Yes, I told you I'd at least try. Night was the only time I could reach him, so I went up to Cryo House on a whim. You'll never guess who I saw coming out of his room."

"Who?" she grabbed my arm. "Do I know them?"

"It was Cicin."

Amber dropped my arm in shock, her face turning red with anger. I jumped in again before she could form a string of curses and potentially start hunting him down.

"She wasn't supposed to be there. At first, I thought the worst. Then Kaeya came up the stairs, and he had no idea what she was up to. Long story short, he was prepared for something like this and had an illusion potion set up to trick her."

Some students passed by, and I stopped talking until they got far enough ahead.

"We talked for a bit, and I accidentally knocked over the potion. The bottle shattered instantly."

Amber gasped. "I hear potions can be super dangerous."

"They can," I nodded. "But this one wasn't so bad. It only affects what you see, and all the furniture in his room started to disappear. I had no choice but to stay the night until my brain recovered."

"And he was okay with that? Where did you sleep?"

I grinned silently.

"Lumine, did you…?"

"I did."

"And Kaeya?"

"Offered to sleep on the floor, but I'm not heartless."

She slapped my shoulder excitedly. "Oh my gods, I thought he wanted to distance himself."

"Turns out, he's not so heartless either." I blushed at the memory. "Kaeya apologized, said everything I dreamed he might say and more, and I forgave him. You already knew that I would."

"Heart of gold." Amber rolled her eyes playfully, and her face lit up like she was struck by an epiphany. "I saw Kaeya stacking food on a tray at breakfast. Was that for you?"

"Breakfast in bed," I smirked. "Isn't that sweet?"

She didn't look happy about it. "I guess."

I laughed at her stubbornness to maintain a grudge. "I told him you wouldn't forgive as easily as me."

"After what he put you through? He owes you, I don't know, the moon."

"What would I do with the moon?"

She shrugged, thinking. "I hear it's made of cheese."

"That sounds illogical."

"Xiangling might know a thing or two about it," she continued to mumble. "No, no, you deserve more than moon cheese. I'll get back to you once I think of something really good."

We made it back to the main campus, and I pointedly skipped forking off to the dining hall. I had an interview to help with. Amber noticed immediately and held out an arm.

"What's this? Are you joining me in Horticulture? Lunch is that way."

"I'm meeting with Kaeya in the library."

"Kaeya again?" she tsked. "One apology and you're merged at the hip."

I nudged her lightly, and she pretended to be shoved off the path. "It's not like that. I offered to help with an interview for the student council. It's related to the Grand Tournament."

Interest sparked in her eyes. "Really? In that case…"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll let you know the details once it's done."

"The secret scoop," Amber giggled conspiratorially. "Giving us an edge on the competition is way better than moon cheese. I guess I can forgive him a little."

Hopefully, Kaeya and I would learn more than just the Grand Tournament basics. I was sure whatever Ayaka had to say would be helpful in the way Amber wanted, but learning more about the Champion was more important for us.

As we neared the library, I felt slightly nervous. I trusted Kaeya to lead the interview perfectly, but part of me was more worried about Ayaka's perceptions of me. If she really was as nice as Thoma said, I could only expect good things. Though, they'd been close for many years and used to spend a lot of time together. Since Thoma met me, that changed.

Thinking of how betrayed I felt seeing Cicin last night, I wondered if Ayaka might feel the same with me. After knowing him for so long…was there resentment? I certainly hoped not, but only time would tell.

lumine should be lucky ayato already graduated 😏 the bigger threat