Outside the courtyard.
"Finally here. Feels like it's been a while since I've stayed up this late," Kaito remarked, gazing up at the moon hanging high in the sky as the three of them arrived at the courtyard gate.
There were no phones or computers here, after all — so as a rule, he turned in pretty early.
"It's not that late, really," Miko said, tilting her head up at the same sky with a composed expression. She didn't think it was particularly late at all.
What she hadn't expected, though, was that Kaito apparently went to bed this early as a matter of habit.
They'd already spent several days together here in Liyue, but by unspoken agreement they'd each been sleeping in their own rooms — so Miko had no idea what time he usually called it a night.
Tonight, of course, would be different. She intended to find out exactly how he slept.
The two of them had already shared a bed before — but that time, sleep had hardly been the point.
And by the time the real business was finished, she'd been so thoroughly exhausted that she hadn't had the energy to pay attention to anything else.
"Alright, let's get to bed. We have to be up early tomorrow to go see the Qixing," Kaito said, pulling his gaze from the sky and heading toward the entrance.
The group made their way back inside the courtyard.
Since everyone had their own room, Kaito was fully prepared to say goodnight and head straight to his.
They'd all made their feelings for each other clear — but a single room simply couldn't fit that many people.
And it felt awkward to pick just one person to share with, so by mutual, unspoken understanding, they each retreated to their own space.
"Well then — goodnight, Miko, Lumine," Kaito said, giving the two of them a little wave before turning toward his room.
Right...
What had Miko meant by that earlier?
Staying together at night too?
But we are together at night — we're in the same courtyard...
So what did she mean?
He'd barely taken a few steps when Miko's words from earlier suddenly floated back to him.
He'd half expected her to bring it up again once they got back — but she hadn't said another word about it.
"Hey, wait for us."
Just as Kaito was walking toward his room, still mulling over what Miko had said, her voice called out from behind him — accompanied by the sound of approaching footsteps.
Wait for them?
He turned around, puzzled, and found Miko walking toward him — and behind her, an equally puzzled Lumine.
"What's going on?" Kaito asked, clearly at a loss.
Miko didn't answer him right away. Instead, she turned back and called to Lumine, who was still standing in place: "Lumine, come on — what are you just standing there for?"
"Huh? Oh — okay."
Lumine looked completely baffled, but she walked over anyway.
Then Miko turned back to Kaito and said, "Didn't I just say — for safety's sake, we should all stay together? You can't have forgotten already."
"I haven't forgotten, but... you mean... we sleep in the same room?"
It finally clicked.
Miko had said it clearly enough — but Kaito had interpreted "staying together" as meaning within the same courtyard, not within the same four walls. Given his own abilities, it made no practical difference. Whether they were one room apart or one wall apart, he could react just as fast.
And more to the point — Mobius was him, and he was Mobius. So the idea that someone might actually come after Miko or Lumine had never really registered as a genuine threat.
"What else would it mean? Should we just wait until we've been kidnapped and then have you come rescue us?" Miko planted both hands on her hips, looking utterly matter-of-fact about the whole thing. Then she turned to Lumine. "Right, Lumine?"
"Well... I mean, she does have a point."
Lumine blinked, processing, then gave a slow nod.
Miko really is as direct as ever...
Standing beside her, Lumine couldn't help thinking it.
She had a feeling that if their situations were reversed — if she were Miko — she probably would have made a move back in Mondstadt.
"Fair enough. Let's go sleep, then." After a long moment of looking between the two of them, Kaito finally nodded.
Since Miko had already spelled it out like that, there was no way he was going to say no.
Truth be told, he'd been thinking along the same lines for a while now — he just hadn't known how to bring it up. So he'd kept putting it off.
Though the bed being on the small side was another issue. Three people would be a tight squeeze.
I'll sort out a bigger bed tomorrow...
With that thought in mind, he walked to the door and pushed it open.
Hmm...
How exactly were three people supposed to sleep in this thing?
The moment the door swung open, the question hit him.
When it was just him, he could sprawl out however he liked. With two others in the mix, he'd actually have to think this through.
Outermost edge for me?
But then how would Miko and Lumine arrange themselves on the inside?
Should I just ask them?
He stood in the doorway, sinking into thought.
"Move out of the way — don't tell me you're worried about Lumine and me seeing something we shouldn't?" Miko's voice came from behind him.
Kaito quickly stepped aside. "There's nothing to see."
Since this was only his temporary lodging in Liyue, the room was neat and sparse — hardly anything in it at all.
"Did Lumine secretly come and tidy up? It's spotless in here — not a thing out of place." Miko scanned the room with an air of speculation.
"What? No, it wasn't me." Lumine, stepping in behind her, quickly shook her head in denial.
She didn't even have a key to Kaito's room — how would she have cleaned it? Though she supposed she wouldn't have minded if asked.
"A place to live should be kept tidy," Kaito said, a little exasperated.
He could tell from Miko's tone that she'd expected his room to be a mess — and he was absolutely going to push back on that.
Then he added, "Anyway — the bed's a bit small, so I'll take the outside edge. You two take the inside."
He deliberately left it vague — middle and innermost were up to them to sort out. He'd be on the outside; whatever arrangement they wanted on their side was their call.
"Then Lumine should sleep in the middle," Miko said without missing a beat, in the same perfectly innocent tone she'd used just a moment before. "I'm worried I might kick Kaito off in my sleep."
Kaito: "..."
So Miko was a kicker. He genuinely had no idea what to say to that.
"Okay." Lumine nodded without argument.
Miko had already said it outright — she wasn't about to let Kaito risk getting booted out of bed in the middle of the night.
____
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