Ren's recovery (as dictate by Ganyu, even though he was perfectly fine now) in the opulent, and surprisingly comfortable, guest chambers of the Tenshukaku was a far cry from the anxious, tense periods of healing that had come before. The storm outside had passed, and the storm inside had been calmed by his sister's love. Now, all that was left was a steady, joyous, and slightly overwhelming, stream of well-wishers.
Ayaka was the first, and most frequent, visitor. She would arrive with a quiet, graceful elegance, her hands always bearing a small, exquisitely wrapped box of the finest, sweetest dango from the city's most famous confectioner. She would sit by his bedside for hours, not with the frantic, worried energy of Ganyu, but with a quiet, serene, and deeply happy, contentment. She would read to him from books of Inazuman poetry, her voice a soft, gentle melody, her presence a calming, noble balm. She had gotten her wish: she could now fuss over him to her heart's content, and he was a captive, and very willing, audience.
Yoimiya, on the other hand, arrived with a literal bang. She burst into the room one afternoon, her face a mask of pure, explosive joy, her arms laden with a brand-new, experimental set of "Get Well Soon!" fireworks.
"Ren! I made these just for you!" she declared, her sunny grin lighting up the entire, grand, and very flammable, room.
"Yoimiya, no!" Ganyu yelped, her protective instincts immediately rocketing back to their peak levels. "You cannot, under any circumstances, light fireworks inside the Tenshukaku! Are you insane?!"
Yoimiya, completely unfazed by the gentle adeptus's panicked scolding, just winked at Ren. "Don't worry, don't worry! I have a Plan B!"
A little while later, as Ren was looking out his large, open window, a series of brilliant, joyful explosions of color lit up the sky over Inazuma City. He could see, in the distance, a small, silhouetted figure on a rooftop, waving frantically. Yoimiya was putting on a private, spectacular, and completely unsanctioned, fireworks display in his honor, a beautiful, booming testament to her chaotic, wonderful friendship.
Lumine and Paimon were, of course, among the most welcome visitors. Lumine looked… different. The heavy, hunted weariness that had clung to her since the confrontation at the statue was gone, replaced by a new, quiet, and confident, light.
"It's over," she said, a small, genuine smile on her face. "The warrant for my arrest… the Shogun has officially rescinded it. I'm not a fugitive anymore."
She then looked at Ren, her golden eyes full of a warm, profound gratitude. "I… I spoke with her," she said, her voice a low, significant murmur. "With Ei. She… is thinking. About a lot of things. Because of you." She placed a gentle, friendly hand on his shoulder. "She'll probably come to see you herself, soon. Once she's finished dealing with the… logistical fallout of the Tri-Commission."
Paimon, for her part, had her own, unique way of showing her gratitude. She floated forward, her small face a mask of tearful, dramatic emotion. "Ren! Paimon was so scared! You saved everyone! Again! Paimon… Paimon brought you a present!"
She held out a small, slightly squashed, cardboard box. Inside was a slice of delicious-looking, strawberry-covered cake. A slice that had a very distinct, Paimon-sized bite taken out of it.
"Paimon was going to bring you the whole cake," she explained, her voice a squeak of tearful sincerity, "but Paimon got a little hungry on the way here, and Paimon had to make sure it wasn't poisoned! For your safety!"
Ren just laughed, a warm, genuine sound that filled the room. He looked at the half-eaten cake, a gift so perfectly, wonderfully, Paimon, and his heart was full.
"Thank you, Paimon," he said with a warm, genuine smile. "It looks delicious. Do you want to share the other half?"
Paimon's tearful face instantly broke into a wide, ecstatic grin. The crisis was over. The hero was safe. And there was cake.