saudade; raiden ei

xxxᴠɪ. summons

"Miss Y/n," came the level voice of Ayame as she struck the sliding door, "Her Excellency has summoned you to her personal chamber."

The soldier briefly halted her motions; an ink blot swelled beside her once smooth streaks of calligraphy. This small piece of parchment had once been the abode of her meticulous shopping list; Y/n's turn to head out was imminent. She turned up her nose at the list in dismay. "Alright. I'll be there now."

"Miss Y/n." The maid warned upon hearing her unconvincing response. "Please head over there immediately. Her Excellency was clear in this order."

Her interest was piqued. For Ei to make such a request was far from unusual, but for her to insist that they meet with haste? This time, Y/n genuinely put aside her quill. "It's already quite late... Did she specify the nature of this matter?"

"No. It appears you'll have to see for yourself."

A short nod signified her understanding; she rose from her chair and the door slid open. Y/n L/n departed the comfort of her bedroom, adorned in one of her latest- and softest- evening outfits: a knitted jumper dress. She headed straight for the room of her lover and lightly knocked before entering.

Ei rested upon the edge of her bed, her back arched as she leaned forward to stare at her bedside table. She didn't look up as Y/n entered; she seemed to be fixated upon the item before her. A warm smile embellished her already perfect face, her long hair cascading freely down her back. Only after she had settled beside the Archon did Y/n see what exactly she was looking at. The bed shifted slightly with her added weight; Ei finally glanced in her direction.

"Oh! Y/n! You look nice. Come here."

As requested, the soldier shuffled over until they were both sat directly before the table. What she had noticed atop it was none other than a standard, black photo frame. The image it contained appeared to be rather familiar, and upon closer inspection, she recognised it as the the one Ei had taken in the clothing store.

Again met with her own smiling expression, Y/n felt heat rise to her cheeks. "You... framed it?"

"Mhm! Just now. It's wonderful, is it not? This way... your face will become the first sight I behold upon waking~"

That's right. An angle the soldier hadn't even considered. The photo was perfectly positioned so that it could be clearly viewed from the bed. Now faced with a brand new mental image, Y/n desperately tried to hide her increasingly flustered expression. This wasn't fair; Ei's fond gaze didn't get any lighter.

The Archon tore herself away from the picture, deciding to part with it for now. She re-positioned herself so that her back could rest against her pillow. With a smile rich in adoration, she addressed the now somewhat composed soldier. "Come closer."

And she did; she moved to rest beside her lover so that their shoulders were virtually touching.

"You were in urgent need of my service?" In a questioning tone, Y/n finally addressed the actual purpose of her presence. For a while, Ei didn't speak nor answer; only when she turned her head did the soldier notice the soft blush dusting her face. The Archon appeared to be playing with her hair in a manner of shyness, her gaze entirely averted.

"Ah... Did I disturb you..? I apologise. I hope you weren't engaged in anything of importance..."

"No, it's nothing; I wasn't busy. You took me by surprise, that's all. I wasn't expecting a summons this late. What did you need me for?"

Ei only squirmed further. Then, she suddenly turned her body and lunged forward, loosely enveloping the soldier's waist with her arms and snuggling her face into her chest. Y/n fell back onto the mattress, caught off guard by the impact and its unexpected force. Disorientated, her eyes stared straight at the circling ceiling.