Chapter Text
The week before they arrived in Inazuma— they had to make a stop in Liyue, staying somewhere in the Bank house.
As excited as Sara was to see this Inazuma she’s heard all her life, there was unwanted hesitation in her.
She’ll do it. She’ll still go, but it doesn’t mean she wants to.
Sara scoffs, excited but doesn’t want to? I need to make up my mind.
It was close to midnight when she realized Childe was still awake.
Without a hint of permission, Sara opens his door— it was unlocked, because why would one of Snezhnaya’s best soldiers fear an opened door? If anything, he barges right through at any great chance.
Childe was writing— and from what Sara could guess based on the mountainous stack of letters… he was writing back to his family.
“Oh. Hello, Sara.” Childe gives her a little back wave before resuming with his paper.
"Are those letters from your siblings?” Sara asks, entering the room and closing the door. She eyes the stack, it was taller than last time “You cannot be that missed.”
"Contrary to popular belief— I am very missed.” He says with a smug little chuckle. “My older sister says hi and asks when you'll be visiting again. I think she has a crush on you actually and—" He sighs dejectedly, "Teucer still hasn't forgiven me."
Sara shrugs, "He'll come around. If he's even remotely related with you, he'll learn to understand." Childe lets out a scoff at the odd comfort Sara’s words bring. He twists his body to meet Sara, only to see a frowning face.
"A crush?" Sara repeats.
“Well, yeah— stay away from her, okay? You’re gonna break her heart.” The ginger jokes carelessly, a poorly disguised threat.
“Me? Breaking hearts? You wound me. Where is the trust?”
Childe twists and lowers his head to reread his letters judt to hide the grimace.
It was poorly made joke that left his tongue before he could think.
After all, she had delusion for a heart.
—
Sara decided the best way to remember Inazuma was through its books.
So she was thoroughly disappointed when the books in the most recommended book store has no Guuji Yae to make her tourist guide.
“She’s not here?”
Kuroda, the seller, answers. “N-No, Miss Kujou—“
“Not my name.”
“No! Miss Sara!” He cowered even deeper this time. Sara frowned, she was being nice? What is wrong with him?
Sara leans on the counter, her vision and weapon flashing dangerously in the register’s eyes. “Well, do you know where I can find her?”
“S-She m-might.” He takes a noisy gulp, “She might be at the Shrine.”
The Shrine? Yes, Sara should’ve known.
Sara took a few steps back to take a good look at the mountain.
It was tall.
It was something Sara was not willing to climb at this hour.
“I’ll buy this for your time.” Sara picks off a random book from the inventory, one with a pretty picture, and throws a bag of mora down. “Smile, Kuroda. You’re safe.”
Sara leaves just as easily as she came.
Needless to say Sara was disappointed.
Should she stroll around alone to reminisce? The Thought was boring but really, what else could she do? Where was Childe anyways—
“Sara!”
Speak of the devil.
Sara doesn’t turn, but instead waits for him to reach her side.
It doesn’t take a genius to guess where he’s been.
“Souvenirs? Our trip has barely started. Souvenirs are bought near the end of the trip.” Sara chastises and Childe rolls his eyes.
“We have a lot of time in our hands and—“
The first drop touches his face, and Sara takes one step back to shield herself from the oncoming rain, Childe quickly coming after.
Looks like thunder.
"The weather is pretty harsh today, Sara. I wonder if Inazuma's God is angry"
Sara looks up, eyes gazing over at the top of Mt. Yugo, where the Grand Narukami shrine sits comfortably as lightning seems to crackle there the most.
The 8th breaks her gaze and stays still, a hidden smile gracing her lips as she takes a feel of the rain with her fingertips— the droplets turning to steam at the contact. The terrible weather was not the Archon’s doing— she is far less emotional than that.
"Childe" Sara calls, "The sight of the Sakura is quite splendid. I never tire of it, especially when thunder is present."
Thunder had always been beautiful to Sara.
It had never stopped being enchanting.
—
The quick guess Kuroda made was obviously wrong. If he had taken the time to remember Guuji Yae earlier behavior he would have had a far more educated guess.
Guuji Yae was not going towards the direction of the mountain.
Guuji Yae had this dreaded look on her face.
And Guuji Yae had a shovel she kept in the back of the store.
With all three clues, there was one obvious answer.
Yes, Guuji Yae was planning to excavate Kujou Sara’s grave. Not a scenario you’d see the Guuji of all people in, maybe that’s why the thought of it was so unbelievable.
Well, two hours of digging, and one inescapable dread later— she finally is faced with it.
No bird in the coffin, and one singular deborium.
The universe just loves to mock Yae Miko.