Afterward.
The sweet, dizzying moments felt all too fleeting—mainly because Furina couldn't keep up.
Possessing a Vision and being an actress meant her stamina was naturally superior to ordinary people's. Unfortunately, Luna's was even greater.
Moreover, Furina had been the passive partner throughout.
If I were the one in control, I could have lasted longer! Furina thought.
Her skin still burned, but she had no strength left, gasping for breath as she lay cradled in Luna's arms. Even in this state, Furina felt deeply content.
"I thought it would be so much harder," Furina said weakly, forcing a laugh. "But it was surprisingly easy... ha..."
"That's because all you had to do was accept what I did," Luna replied softly. "Of course it was easy."
Furina murmured, "Why did you have to expose me like that? And you insisted on taking the lead..."
If Luna hadn't insisted on taking the lead for the first time, who knows which of them would be panting for breath right now?
But Furina could only think these thoughts in her head.
She had tried to act tough once already, and Luna had retaliated even more fiercely, leaving her no room for further resistance.
Provoking Luna was never a good idea—even if Luna herself didn't seem to mind.
"...Um."
"Mm?"
"Did I... did I satisfy you?" Furina asked hesitantly, lifting her face.
If we're going to do this, shouldn't we both feel pleasure and satisfaction?
Luna smiled softly. "Of course. Seeing so many of Furina's expressions made me very happy."
"I wasn't asking about that!"
Seriously... Furina sighed, shifted her position, and lay back down beside Luna. As she leaned gently against her, Luna naturally wrapped her arms around her—or, more accurately, clung to her.
Furina chuckled. "Aww, you're so clingy."
Few people ever managed to reach Luna's heart, but once she accepted someone, she clung to them fiercely.
"Or else I'd be sitting on the edge of the bed, smoking a cigarette, while you pulled the blanket over yourself, looking disgruntled?"
"That's such a cliché! No way!"
Luna mused, "Actually, I thought you'd be curled up in a corner, hugging a pillow."
"And then you'd put on your glasses and whisper, 'This is our secret'? That sounds more like some kind of weird cautionary tale," Furina said helplessly.
As if I'd ever do that.
"In your mind, I probably seem... ahem, rather lacking in boldness."
Wasn't that the truth? Luna remained silent.
"But I'll tell the people I like that I like them, and I'll tell the people I hate that I hate them!" Furina declared confidently. "—Though that has nothing to do with courage. Since I've already confessed to you wholeheartedly and you've accepted me, there's no need to be so hesitant anymore, right?"
Ignoring the flush on her face...
"Exactly! So from now on, just tell me whenever Furina wants to."
"...I'm not like you, with that kind of thing constantly on your mind," Furina muttered.
Though it was undeniably blissful and sweet...
Another time wouldn't hurt.
But Furina knew her desires were nowhere near as strong as Luna's.
Absolutely not!
"Luna..."
"I'm here," Luna replied softly.
Furina hugged Luna back, her voice gentle. "If we get the chance, let's try to find out what happened to your biological parents?"
"...That's quite sudden," Luna said, surprised.
Why the sudden change of topic?
If we're talking about meeting family, Furina's already met mine. Lynette, Arlecchino—they're my family, and now Furina is too.
Maybe Chiori, Navia, and Chevreuse as well?
"Because you don't seem to care that much."
Luna: "..."
Furina continued, "You don't care about why your birth parents abandoned you, and why they gave you a name only to discard you."
"Even if they truly don't care about you, wouldn't understanding the truth bring you peace of mind?" Furina declared triumphantly. "And now that I've obtained a Vision, I won't hold you back. The world is vast—we can go anywhere!"
Snezhnaya is the exception!
Who would want to go where that woman is?
"You've done so much for me," Furina pressed. "I want to help you resolve your worries too. Is that so wrong?"
Luna paused, considering.
Knowing the truth wouldn't change anything, but it would at least eliminate one lingering doubt. Besides, this was Furina's heartfelt desire—how could she disregard it?
"Of course you can."
Furina grinned, her eyes sparkling. "Excellent answer! Don't worry, I'll be with you every step of the way."
"You're a half-Liyuean, half-Mondstadtian, right? If we ever get the chance, let's visit Mondstadt and Liyue together."
Someone as exceptionally talented as Luna likely had parents with significant backgrounds. Finding them shouldn't be too difficult! And even if it led nowhere, they could treat it as a vacation—exploring the vast world beyond the stage would surely inspire new brilliance in her performances.
"Actually," Luna added, "Father might know some information."
"Hmm? Ah, I remember you mentioning that your bloodline was what she told you."
"That's right."
Whether Arlecchino only knew this much or was deliberately withholding information remained unclear. After all, Luna hadn't asked her directly.
"As long as she doesn't follow us," Furina muttered.
She wouldn't follow us, right?
A Fatui Harbinger actually having time to accompany her daughter on an investigation?
That's impossible! Hmm!
"Speaking of which, Luna, you seem to have quite a few close female friends," Furina suddenly remarked, her tone faintly wistful.
Luna smiled faintly. "Because I'm a woman?"
That makes sense, I guess.
No, it doesn't! Furina puffed out her cheeks. "Navia, Chiori, and Clorinde have all stayed overnight at your place. And you mentioned before that you liked Captain Chevreuse of the Special Task Force. You also seem very fond of Arlecchino..."
Time for a reckoning.
"You're just friends with them, right?" Furina demanded.
And you're just Arlecchino's foster daughter, right?
Luna gazed at Furina with amusement. "Jealous?"
"Don't change the subject! Answer me!"
"I can answer you—as long as you don't wish for me to leave, I won't; as long as you wish for me to live, even if 'Father' orders my execution, I will survive."
How cunning.
That's not an answer at all! Furina thought gloomily, yet a secret joy stirred within her.
No matter what, she was special to Luna.
Could other women also be special to Luna? The thought extinguished Furina's happiness as quickly as it had ignited.
"Sigh..."
"Dissatisfied with my answer?"
"Isn't that obvious? How could I possibly be satisfied?" Furina grumbled.
But... this will have to do.
"Well, you're the Miss Phantom Thief who stole me, a priceless treasure. I'll reluctantly forgive you this once, but don't let it happen again," Furina said with a faint smile.
Luna gently bit Furina's finger. "Thank you, Lady Furina."
"You can thank me without biting!" Furina snatched her hand back, avoiding looking at her finger.
Every time she saw her finger, Furina couldn't help but remember everything that had just happened.
"I'm feeling a bit hungry. Where's my cake? You promised I could have it afterward."
"I'll bring it to you. Remember to brush your teeth," Luna said.
"I know, I know! By the way, put some clothes on!"
Luna casually threw on a robe and left the bedroom to fetch the small cake. She turned on the light, placed the cake on the small table, and cut off a small piece.
"Here you go."
Furina took the plate and savored the first bite, her face lighting up with pure enjoyment.
The cake tasted especially delicious after all that exertion!
"I made it myself. Do you like it?" Luna asked, sitting beside her.
"It's delicious! Aren't you going to have any?"
"I don't want to get fat."
Hearing this, Furina paused, a piece of cake halfway to her mouth.
She's right. Eating sweets so late at night will definitely make me gain weight, won't it?
"It's okay, go ahead and eat it. You can just be more careful with your diet later," Luna reassured her, noticing Furina's hesitation.
"Okay!"
Furina steeled her resolve and popped the cake into her mouth.
Furina glanced at Luna beside her, who was watching with a smile, seemingly enjoying the sight of Furina relishing the cake.
Furina tried to offer a small piece of cake to Luna.
Luna shook her head, leaving Furina no choice but to pop it into her own mouth.
"If you're not going to eat it, I'll just finish it—Huh?!"
Before she could finish speaking, Luna wrapped her arms around Furina's neck, letting their combined body heat melt the cake, leaving only the sweet creaminess to spread rapidly between their lips.
After a long moment, Luna said with a contented smile, "Thank you for the treat."
"...Couldn't you just eat the cake directly?" Furina asked, her face flushed crimson.
"Isn't stealing from Furina's mouth more fun?"
"Not at all! And what kind of phrase is that anyway?"
Luna raised her index finger. "Allow me to explain—"
"No, thanks! I don't want to catch a cold from your terrible puns this late at night." Furina shook her head vigorously.
"What a pity."
After that, Luna refrained from "stealing food from Furina's mouth," simply gazing at her with tender eyes. Furina finished eating, leaned against Luna for a few moments, then decided to brush her teeth and prepare for bed.
But there was a problem.
"...Luna."
"Hmm?"
Furina lowered her head. "I... I feel a little weak in the legs..."