The sun hung low in the sky, casting amber light through the shrine garden as cicadas hummed their sleepy chorus. Yuzume sat cross-legged near the koi pond, tail lazily swishing through the air as she hummed softly. Riku wandered over, two cups of tea in hand.
"I made the good blend this time," he said, handing her one. "No curses included."
She took it and sniffed with suspicion. "It smells too competent."
"I followed your instructions. Mostly."
"Which part did you ignore?"
He sipped. "The bit where you said to bless it with lavender vibes. What does that even mean?"
She grinned. "Exactly what it sounds like."
"Do the flowers whisper a recipe too, or is it more interpretive dance?"
"Depends on the moon phase."
Riku laughed, then sat beside her. For a few quiet minutes, they watched the fish drift lazily beneath the water, golden scales flashing like spirit lights.
"...So," he said, voice softer now, "how long have you lived here?"
She blinked. "Forever."
"You remember being a kid here?"
"I was a kid here."
He gave her a side glance. "And you never once thought of leaving?"
"I tried once," she said with a small smile, "and got very dizzy and fell into a bush."
"A powerful guardian defeated by shrubbery."
She nodded seriously. "It was a very aggressive bush."
He leaned back on his elbows. "Did Sensei teach you everything?"
"Mmhmm. Rituals, blessings, how to clean with one hand while balancing an offering tray."
"Impressive."
"I was awful at first. I spilled tea on a passing spirit once and tried to hide behind a rake."
Riku snorted.
"I was five!" she defended. "The rake was comforting."
He sipped his tea again. "Sounds like he had his hands full."
She looked up at the fading sky. "He never made me feel like a burden. Just… clumsy. In a you'll get it eventually sort of way."
Riku didn't respond at first. Then he asked, gently, "Do you miss him?"
She looked down into her cup, watching the surface ripple.
"I miss knowing someone was always behind me," she said quietly. "Even when I was doing things on my own."
A breeze stirred the air, soft and cool.
"You're doing fine, you know," Riku murmured.
She glanced at him. "You think so?"
"Well," he smirked, "you haven't spilled tea on me yet."
"Not for lack of trying."
He laughed, and she smiled.
The silence between them was easy now. Woven with warmth and the smell of lavender, with the faint glow of spirit lights beginning to flicker in the corners of the shrine.
"Yuzume?"
"Yeah?"
"I like hearing your stories."
"...Really?"
He nodded. "Even the ones with violent shrubbery."
She chuckled. "Good. Because I have more. So many more."
They sat there, tea cooling, hearts slowly unfolding, as the night quietly wrapped its arms around them.