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Chapter Text

   Knock, knock. Two quick, strong raps on the door shook Yuzuha from her comfortable sleep. She let out a whining groan that increased in volume when those raps on the door sounded again. 
   "Mm'up!" She grumbled just loud enough for whoever it was on the other side of the door to hear. 
   Summer had ended, and her stint at Fantasy Resort was over. It was time to go back to classes and helping Manato with his numerous part time jobs. Ugh.
   It had only been two weeks since she relinquished her temporary ownership of the resort with Alice and went back to normal life, but it had felt like forever. Hell, it had only been three days since she saw Alice but she already missed her presence when she woke up. 
   Maybe she could talk her friend into sleeping over more, like how they had shared the same cabin at the resort? 
   Another few raps on the door sounded and Yuzuha finally sat up in frustration. 
   "I said, I'm up!" She shouted as she yanked the door open. 
   She had been expecting to see the meatwall of Manato standing there, and her gaze was pointed up in preparation for that. When she didn't see his grumpy face, she started and let her gaze fall. Much to her surprise, her wondering about Alice must have summoned her, because there she was! 
   The rabbit Thiren's hair was perfectly parted and her bangs were neatly symmetrical. Everything about her was one-to-one on either side of her, save for her eyes. How was that fair? It was so early in the morning and she looked perfect. But Yuzuha?
   She looked down at herself — oversized tee with Sailorboo on it, shorts, and she assumed her hair was a complete wreck.
   "Ack!" Yuzuha yelped in a panic and slammed the door. "H-Hold on! Not ready!" Her voice was at least three octaves higher than it normally was and her cheeks were burning. 
   "It's almost eight! You have your shift helping Ju Fufu cleaning the temple grounds today!" Alice's voice, always slightly high pitched and elegant, was huffy on the other side of the door. She was always scolding Yuzuha for sleeping in too late. That day Belle had shown up to their Hollow investigation before her was the day Yuzuha saw just how seriously the bunny took punctuality. She could still hear that scolding...
   "I-I gotta get dressed!" 
   A sigh of frustration from the other side of the door. "Manato said that if you weren't ready I was to come in and help!"
   Manato said that? What a bastard! No way in hell — wait. Was this his way of getting back at her for putting too much spice in his curry last night? This was a low blow!
   "I'll give you 88 seconds!" Alice shouted from the other side of the door. 
   Yuzuha was going to ask why such a specific amount of time, before she remembered it was Alice's favorite number. The only number that was perfectly symmetrical. 
   "F-fine!" 
   Yuzuha never thought she could get ready so fast. In less than two minutes, she had her teeth brushed and her normal outfit on; complete with her boots and pink sweater. However, despite all that, she still hadn't had any time to do her hair. 
   But, true to her word, Alice gave her 88 seconds exactly. The moment her time was up, the doorknob turned and the door was thrown open. 
   There she stood, hands on her hips, chest puffed out in the most huffy way she possibly could so she seemed more imposing (it didn't work) and her brows furrowed. 
   "Time's up!" She chirped and took a step into Yuzuha's room. 
   No one could have said who regretted her choice to go into that room more; Yuzuha or Alice. 
   In Yuzuha's case, it was because she hadn't cleaned up anything yet. Her clothes were everywhere from when she changed, her bedsheets were a complete mess, and she had underwear hanging out of her dresser drawer. 
   In Alice's case, everything that was just mentioned was her problem. It was as if a tornado had gone through her room and destroyed it. She couldn't tell whether she wanted to scream, or scold Yuzuha, or just get to cleaning. So, she did none of that. 
   Instead, Alice rigidly walked up to Yuzuha — who was still trying to brush out her hair — and grabbed her wrist. A moment later, the red-head was being dragged out of her room and into the bathroom just down the hall.
   Yuzuha was wordlessly deposited onto the stool in the bathroom and forced to face the mirror. With it, she could see a disgruntled Alice standing behind her. Her chest was perfectly at Yuzuha's head-height with how they were situated and she had half a mind to lean back and just rest her head against her. But she knew better. 
   Alice was in a mood because her perfect attendance was at stake and she couldn't risk it. So, she did whatever Alice wanted. And what she wanted, it seemed, was for her to just sit still while her dexterous fingers ran through her hair and began styling it. 
   The brush Yuzuha had just been using was slipped from her fingers and glided through her hair after Alice's hand ran through it to make sure there were no strong knots to work out. Once the thiren was satisfied with her work, she began to braid Yuzuha's hair, just like how she always had it. Two braids of the same length that swayed behind her.
   She knew Alice liked her hair like that because it was symmetrical, to a point. But, with Alice doing her hair, she was worried about many things suddenly that she didn't normally worry about. 
   Was her hair too greasy? Did she smell? Did she look horrible having just woken up? 
   But, all those worries were easily whisked away when Alice finished the braids and then stepped around her subject. Those quick fingers of hers immediately went to work brushing and styling her bangs, making sure they were as even and as neat as they could be. And, to top it all off, her slender fingers brushed along her cheek to gather up some hair so she could slip that fated hair-clip of hers into her hair. 
   For some reason, that tiny little brush of her fingers on her cheek felt like they left molten lava in their wake. 
   "There," Alice said with a satisfied nod, "all better. Prim and proper, if I do say so myself!"
   The thiren had put a fist to her chest in triumph, taking a stance that made Yuzuha giggle. She didn't want to ruin this little ray of happiness and bring Alice back down to a grumpy mood, so she simply nodded.
   "Yes, m'lady, looks perfect. Thank you."
   Alice paused and looked at Yuzuha with an arched eyebrow. 
   "W-what?"
   "That's it?" Alice asked. "No... No smart remark? Or tease? Just... Thank you?"
   Yuzuha opened her mouth to respond but immediately shut it as Alice placed her hand on the red-head's forehead. 
   "Hm... No fever..." Alice bent over and looked real close at Yuzuha's face, her mismatched eyes staring into the pools of green Yuzuha had. "No dilated pupils..."
   Embarrassed at the sudden surge of worry on Alice's face, Yuzuha batted her hand away and stood up, nearly knocking over the stool. 
   "I'm fine!" Her voice was higher pitched than normal and her words stammered coming out. "A-and I don't have a concussion or whatever. Just — let's go! We'll be late!"
   That got Alice moving. Her ears stood up tall on her head and her face flushed a ghostly white — somehow paler than she usually was. 
   Amongst a flurry of panicked words and noises, Alice grabbed Yuzuha's hand and dragged her out of the house. Kama barely had time to leap onto Yuzuha's shoulder before they were out the door and on their way to Suibian temple. 
   
   "Why did we sign up to sweep the grounds again?" Yuzuha complained for the fifth time that morning. 
   Alice and Yuzuha were working with Ju Fufu that day, a senior amongst the disciples that resided at the temple. She was always busy with chores and commissions that she undertook from Shifu Yixuan, so having the extra hands always helped her a lot. And, by doing so, Yuzuha got credit towards her classes since she was not only helping upkeep a historic site, but learning about the mystics' culture at the same time. 
   "Because they helped us," Alice answered earnestly as she lifted a large bag of leaves the two of them had just swept up. "Besides, it's better than you dozing off in a lecture hall, isn't it?" 
   That elicited a raspberry being blown at her from Yuzuha, which only made Alice chuckle delightedly. 
   It wasn't often the rabbit got a one-up on the red-head. So, when she actually did, pride ended up swelling within her. 
   "It's also a nice excuse for you two to spend time with one another now that summer's over!" A third, higher pitched voice chimed in. Both Alice and Yuzuha paused to look at the entrance where the short, tiger thiren stood, holding a platter of cold cups of tea and steamed dumplings. "Snack time!"
   The three of them had a seat on the veranda that surrounded the innermost courtyard and gratefully sipped at the cold tea. It may have been the start of autumn, but it was still pretty warm. 
   "How'd the commish go, Fufu?" Yuzuha said as she lifted one of the dumplings to her mouth. 
   "Pretty well! The hollow has been acting up more recently since you and Yixuan Shifu took out that miasma fiend. So, PubSec has been requesting our help in ethereal eradication. They say our expertise with ether control and combat prowess are a life saver."
   Alice could tell Fufu was enjoying being needed by the public more often. It wasn't too long ago that they had felt pretty separated from the rest of the community on Waifei Penninsula. There was something about it that warmed her heart. But, there was also something about it that caused a cold feeling to spike right through it.
   "You guys don't get tired of all the fighting?" Yuzuha continued, taking over the questioning while Alice nibbled away on a dumpling herself. "I can't imagine it's all that easy."
   "W-well," Ju Fufu started, obviously embarrassed, "it's definitely not a walk in the park." With that admission, her cheeks flushed pink, as if she were revealing some form of sordid secrets. "But it's really fulfilling and at the end of the day, I always feel so accomplished."
   Yuzuha nodded in understanding, agreeing that the idea of doing something important feeling nice in its own way. 
   "Plus, the pay is good," a deeper, more silky voice added from behind the trio. Alice jumped in surprise, letting out a cute "eep" sound, while Fufu and Yuzuha turned to greet the newcomer.
   "Shifu!" The tiger thiren exclaimed happily. "I didn't even hear you come back!"
   "I just returned," Yixuan said, brushing aside her silvery hair as she bent over to snag herself a dumpling. "How did things end up on your end, Fufu?"
   Before she could respond, Alice spoke up. "M-maybe we should get back to work, Yuzuha." 
   The red-head eyed the rabbit. "Hm? How come?"
   Alice leaned over and whispered almost conspiratorily. "Because, doesn't it feel wrong to listen in on a progress report from a subordinate to a superior when we're not even involved?"
   Yuzuha's face was all the answer Alice needed, which ended up with the bunny rolling her eyes. 
   "Actually," Yixuan said playfully, taking a seat between Yuzuha and Alice. Doing so brought a slightly huffy look on Alice's face, causing her cumberbund's display to turn red. "I wanted to ask the two of you if you'd come to the Lemnian Hollow with me this afternoon."
   Ju Fufu and the two of them looked quite astonished. The dumbfounded looks on all three of them eliciting an almost sultry laugh from the older woman. 
   "Junior Belle had regaled me of all the deeds you two accomplished in the hollow before. The way you fought and worked together as if you were made for one another. Being able to read each other's movements and intentions without so much as a single word. I wanted to see it for myself properly."
   The way Yixuan spoke about the two of them caused Alice's ears to flatten against her hair and the display on her waist to turn pink with embarassment. Of course, because she was embarrassed she couldn't get a coherent word out. Yuzuha, however, was a different story. 
   "Makes it sound like we were fated to be together, huh?" She teased, bending over to be able to see Alice from the other side of Yixuan's... Ahem... Generous assets. The feline-like smirk on her lips being the nail in the coffin to bring Alice's cheeks to a burning pink. 
   Before she could reply, however, Yixuan cut back in. "The other reason as to why I want to bring you two with me, is because my disciples need a break. They've more than earned a few days off, but PubSec's commissions are never ending."
   Changing gears from playful to business oriented was an aspect of Yuzuha that Alice admired dearly. She was somehow always able to adapt so smoothly to things. "So if we're taking their commissions, does that mean —"
   "You'll be getting paid, yes," Yixuan finished for the red-head. "And you must know their pay is no pittance. You'll be getting the salary of a real hollow investigator."
   Alice could practically see the stars in Yuzuha's eyes sparkling at the promise of a hefty pay day. If she didn't know Yuzuha, she'd think she was just being greedy. And, yes, admittedly that was part of it. But, she also knew that whatever bills they needed to cover would be paid off. And, she would bankroll a small vacation for Manato should she be able to. She was always so grateful to him for everything he did for her. Despite her constant pranks and teasing, she treated him like a bigger brother that she owed her life to. 
   "Of course, neither of you have to say yes. If you'd prefer not to enter the hollow —"
   "I'm in!" Yuzuha cut Yixuan off as easily as she breathed. "Won't miss an opportunity like this!"
   The older woman laughed lightly and shook her head. "Now, hold on. This is an offer for the two of you. If one won't go, neither of you will."
   Yuzuha's gaze immediately fell on Alice. 
   The two of them had bad history with the Lemnian Hollow. All the trauma that bubbled up from that place could be an extremely valid reason for not going. But, Alice hated disappointing Yuzuha. And the look on her face was practically screaming, "I'll cry if we don't go."
   Now, would Yuzuha actually cry? Probably not. But that wasn't the point. 
   "I..." Don't really have a choice here, do I? Is what she wanted to say, but instead, Alice finished by saying, "I don't see the harm in it. We've been in there already."
    Yuzuha jumped with excitement and let out a happy whoop. Yixuan laughed and Alice gave an anxious giggle. 
   "So, if that's the decision, then let me tell you the details...."

   "Alice, you're up, bunny!" Yuzuha shouted as another ethereal fell to the crushing weight of her umbrella's overhead strike. 
   The thiren let out a shout of exertion as she slipped behind her companion, rapier at the ready in a high guard. She was so quick, the ethereal trying to strike Yuzuha from behind had no time to react to her strike before the tip of her blade sunk itself into its core. 
   The crystallized creature with an undulating black core for a head let out an ear-piercing shriek before collapsing on the concrete. 
   "Yeah! That's my little carrot!" Yuzuha cheered as she pressed the tip of her umbrella to another ethereal's knee. She pulled the trigger on the handle and the creature's leg was blown apart, eliciting a very similar shriek. Alice slipped right around her to deliver the finishing blow with a downwards thrust. 
   The duo stood in a small courtyard of concrete and overgrown plants with a thick, purple miasma floating around their ankles. The ground was littered with fading bodies of ethereals, their beings slowly fuzzing away like a television set with no signal. The two of them were breathing heavily as Alice stepped away from the corpse, leaving her rapier stuck fast in its "head". 
   "What was that, now?" The rabbit asked, wiping sweat from her brow.
   "Three?" Yuzuha replied with uncertainty. "Or maybe four?"
   "Maybe we should have asked Belle to proxy in with her bangboo — keep track for us."
   Yuzuha laughed at that, though it was strained with exhaustion. "I feel like that would be doing her a disservice. We should be able to keep count of how many waves we've cleared!"
   Alice took a seat on a curb, her knees pressed up against her chest as she sighed. "And yet..."
   Yuzuha sat next to her and nodded. "And yet..." she mimicked. 
   "Was Yixuan wrong to trust us?" Alice wondered aloud. Her voice was tight with anxiety. 
   This wasn't the first time the thiren had doubted her own abilities, nor was it the first time she worried about how other people saw her. But it was the first time she had brought it up today and that made Yuzuha frown.
   She had thought she was doing so well in cheering her dear friend on. She thought she had done such a good job building up her confidence with the resort and the activities they had undertaken during the summer. Was it all for naught? 
   "Nope!" Yuzuha decided to say, a cat-like grind spreading across her face. "We just aren't used to being without our big hunk'o'meat!" 
   Yuzuha broke into a fit of mischievous giggling but Alice didn't seem to react. Instead, she stared upwards at the slowly building storm clouds. 
   Lemnian Hollow and its companion hollows were all fairly stable. None of them showed erratic or fluctuating ether waves that were out of the norm for a hollow. But somehow the waves of ethereals seemed to be more abundant. 
   Was it because of the exaltists? Or perhaps the miasma fiend was keeping the vast majority of them in check — therefore, with it being slain, the masses were released? So many more questions flooded Alice's thoughts that she didn't even notice when Yuzuha reached over and flicked her nose.
   "O-Ow!" She whined, clutching her face. 
   "Whatever it is you're thinking," Yuzuha said with a less playful tone, "it's not good for you. You're frowning and looking miserable. You'll get wrinkles!"
   There it was. Yuzuha seemed to struggle with genuine talks and seriousness. Even when she had broken down in tears and told Alice about how she was some miserable test subject as a child, she still found some way to laugh or make fun of the situation. 
   "Sorry..." 
   "Nope! No apologies either!" Yuzuha jumped to her feet while she spoke, bending over to grab her friend's hands. She yanked Alice to her feet and smiled warmly. "Instead, why doesn't princess Thymefield look ahead and think of our next plan of action? Keep her mind off whatever she's being sulky over?"
   And another pet name. She loved those, constantly slapping Alice with a new one every few conversations. It was as if she got bored of one and made up another until that one grew old. 
   How many more would she end up with by day's end?
   But, she was right. She usually was. Alice hated to admit it but Yuzuha was far smarter and cunning than anyone gave her credit for. She actually loved that about her. She was always so aloof and playful, but when push came to shove she was very astute. 
   "Well, our job is to drag as much attention to us as possible," Alice said aloud, her gaze falling on the staticky corpses of the ethereals. "If we're able to push a bit farther into the hollow, we should be able to attract another large group."
   "Mhm~" Yuzuha hummed, skipping over to Alice's side. She plopped down onto the curb again, pulling Alice with her. In doing so, they ended up sitting closer together than before; much closer than was necessary. So close, in fact, that their knees were touching. "What was it that Yixuan wanted exactly? For us to draw out the froggy guy?"
   Alice suppressed a sigh, knowing Yuzuha was trying to bait her into lecturing her again. She knew this tactic. Somehow, this red-head was very good at keeping Alice's mind off the unwanted things, so long as she put in some effort. 
   "They're designated 'Banyrek'," Alice said in her perfect student's voice, "at least use the term they spent time coming up with for it."
   Yuzuha sniggered behind her hand in response.
   "And yes, that is our objective. If we can get the attention of the Banyrek and whatever other ethereals follow it, that should open the way for Yixuan and Ju Fufu to advance to the lost miners' location with the least possible resistance."
   "Why don't we just go right for the creature instead?" Yuzuha asked, leaning her head on Alice's shoulder as she asked. 
   Alice's nose twitched. Her closest friend's hair had a soft, flowery smell that reminded her of an expensive candy one of the house cleaners gave her when she was young. How did she always smell so nice? They were just fighting ethereals. They were just risking their lives. How did she not smell of sweat and exhaustion and gunpowder?
   The thiren cleared her throat. "Ahem... Due to the proximity of the Banyrek to the miners, they could be caught as collateral. We want to avoid that as much as possible."
   Yuzuha spun her umbrella on its tip against the concrete, humming as she waited for Alice to decide their next course of action. Sure, she had more time spent in this particular hollow than her bunny thiren friend, but she trusted Alice's judgement in hollows implicitly. All the studies and practice she's had in her life lent a great deal of experience to such a commission. 
   Plus, being able to watch Alice fight was a treat all of its own. 
   "So," Alice began after some moments of contemplation, "we advance through the shipping container yard and to the park beyond, that should give us ample space to stage a proper assault and drag them from their positions."
   "Sounds like a plan to me~!" Yuzuha exclaimed. She pushed herself to her feet with the help of her umbrella and spun on her heels. Before Alice could stand up on her own, Yuzuha's hands were on her wrists, tugging her from her seat. "Let's go, my lady~! Sooner we're done, sooner we can get a bite to eat!"
   Alice wanted to dispute this idea of rushing. She wanted to tell Yuzuha that they should be slow, methodical — to take in every detail so they're not ambushed by an ethereal they didn't catch on the way. But the wide, cat-like grin on her face, the way it made her eyes sparkle and her face light up... 
   How could she refuse?

   
   She should have refused. 
   Not ten minutes after they ran off together to rush to the destination Alice had mentioned, they got surrounded by ethereals they missed on the way there. 
   "And this is why you don't rush!" Alice whined aloud as she ran through another ethereal, shattering its core with a well place thrust of her rapier. 
   Yuzuha was laughing guiltily as she kept two more of the creatures off Alice's back with her umbrella. "Sorry, sorry~" she said in a sing-songy way. She didn't sound apologetic one bit. 
   Alice just sighed in frustration as she dropped another ethereal, leaving her rapier in its core as she drew another from her cumberbund. She extended the blade and put her back to Yuzuha's. The warm, soft touch of their shoulders and backs together had quickly become a non-verbal sign to switch out. 
   As if they were rehearsed dancers, the two of them spun on their heels and ended up facing the opposite direction they had just been. Yuzuha was facing the corpse Alice left, while Alice was now facing off against the two other ethereals. 
   The thiren burst from her place and lunged forwards, blade first. Her target was immediately destroyed, the core shattering under blade's point at her full velocity. The second one was met with an umbrella to the side of the head while Alice took a second to reposition. 
   Yuzuha's timely intervention most likely saved Alice from a nasty back attack, but neither of them expected a thank you in the heat of the moment. 
   Sparks flew as Alice's sword dragged against the concrete as she readied an upwards strike. 
   "No you don't~" Yuzuha said playfully as she swung the umbrella into the back of the ethereal's knees. She wasn't about to let it dodge Alice's counter attack!
   And with Yuzuha's assistance, that upwards strike carved a diagonal schism across its chest. The ethereal fell dead, twitching slightly before it began to fade. 
   There was a quick reprieve after the last ethereal fell. They had eyes on the approaching wave that they would have to handle next, but luckily it held the quarry they hunted. 
   "See? Mission successful! We got the bouncy thingy!" Yuzuha said cheerfully. 
   Alice wiped sweat off her brow and cast a sidelong glance at Yuzuha. Her sharp gaze caught the red-head by surprise. "It's called a Banyrek!" Her voice, high and echoing, was steely. Much more forceful than Yuzuha was used to. The last time she could remember Alice talking like that was when Lucy pushed her to shout out all her goals and feelings. 
   Before she could reply, Alice took a runner's position and shot off like a bullet. She sprinted towards the frog-like ethereal with sword drawn. Yuzuha ran after her thiren counterpart, but struggled to catch up. Whether it was due to Alice being a thiren or just having trained much more in the past, it wasn't clear. 
   The miasma that followed the creature around was cloyingly sweet. It was as if someone dumped an industrial vat of perfume all over the place. Yuzuha ended up gagging and was surprised that Alice hadn't had a more visceral reaction than she had. 
   But, as dutiful as ever, the princess was engaged in combat before anything could stop her. 
   Yuzuha entered the fray just as the second of four tag-along ethereals fell to Alice's sword. 
   "I gotcha, my li'l carrot~!" She playfully cheered as she caught the claw of one ethereal on her umbrella. 
   "You got it?" Alice said, not taking her eyes off the Banyrek. She held her blade out in a high guard, not letting the creature stray from its point. 
   "Leave the small fry to me, my lady~" Yuzuha playfully hipchecked Alice. The thiren let out a surprised yelp and huffed as her cheeks — and the screen on her cumberbund — took on a shade of pink that Yuzuha loved to see. "Go get 'em!"
   She was never anything short of amazed by the way Alice fought ethereals. Her combat style was so acrobatic, complete with leaps and flying strikes and tumbles. She remembered Alice saying it was a way to take advantage of her strong, thiren leg muscles, but in all honesty Yuzuha just thought she liked jumping around. 
   The smaller, humanoid ethereals that Yuzuha had laid claim to fell easily. A few strikes with the edges of her umbrella and a few gunshots from the tip were enough to eliminate them completely. 
   Alice, however, was taking much longer. Though, that was to be expected. The giant frog-thing Yuzuha decided to call it, was much more aggressive and its hide was much thicker. Each strike Alice got on it was met with a cloud of that sickening miasma. By the time Yuzuha joined the fight proper against it, four rapiers were sticking out of it like a pincushion. 
   "Thick one, huh?" Yuzuha commented as she came to a halt next to her partner. 
   Alice once again wiped sweat and errant strands of hair from her face. Her breath was labored and her eyes were unfocused. 
   "Hey..." Yuzuha began to say but Alice pushed her away. 
   The shove was surprising and Yuzuha ended up falling on her rear, but the hulking mass of the frog-thing slammed right where she had just been standing. It took her too long to realize Alice had just saved her from becoming a pancake, and by the time she did, the beast had moved away to chase the bunny down the street. 
   "H-Hey! Get back here, bastard! Don't you dare hurt her!"
   Despite the exhaustion and pain she was feeling from the numerous fights in the miasma, Alice ended up leading the Banyrek down an alley where it couldn't use its immense weight and size to its advantage. Unfortunately, that also meant Alice was limited in her more wide-sweeping attacks and had to rely on the use of the walls to fight. 
   She didn't seem to have trouble adapting, though. By the time Yuzuha rounded the corner Alice had used one of the walls to spring into the air and drive another rapier down into the Banyrek's skull. 
   The force of her descent must have been enough to drive the sword through its core because moments after she landed, the Banyrek slumped to the ground. 
   Yuzuha couldn't have asked for a better, picturesque moment to see the thiren in. 
   Exhausted and covered in scrapes and dirt, bruises marking the exposed skin of her thighs and neck. The setting sun above cast golden light through her hair and silhouetted her perfectly. She looked like some knight after they had slain the dragon to save the princess. 
   Well, you are the princess of the Lemnian Hollow, aren't you? A voice in Yuzuha's mind teased. What is a princess without a knight? 
   If she didn't know any better, she would have sworn it was Kama whispering in her ear, playing a prank on her. But, that wasn't the pressing matter at that moment. What was pressing, was the fact that Alice had just collapsed. 

   
   There it was again. That sweet, herbal, slightly spiced smell. It was comforting, warm, and made her entire scalp prickle. There was an actual warmth too. As if a heavy blanket had been laid over her. 
   Wait, blankets? Where was she? Was she —
   Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of rustling fabric and the warmth shifted. It was closer now, pressed into her side like someone had tied a heating pad to her. 
   Alice realized, now, that her eyes were closed. She had to force them open. It took far more effort to open them than she ever thought necessary, as if someone was weighing them down with an anchor. 
   When her multi-colored eyes opened, there was a very faint light that shone from the foot of the bed she was tucked into. The window next to her bed cracked open ever so slightly, letting the cold night air waft in. 
   The room was dark, save for that light, but it was comfortable. She recognized this room — it was the guest room she stayed at when she came to Belle for help when she was staying at Suibian temple. 
   "Mmn..." Alice groaned as she shifted her weight under the blanket. Her movements were restricted by that warm weight and she finally decided to look at what it was. 
   She almost wished she didn't. Her cheeks immediately turned scarlet and she had to shut her eyes. This was definitely some form of dream, right? There was no way Yuzuha was tucked in beside her, nuzzled into her side, clinging to her as if she were a body pillow. 
   Well, now she knew where that comforting scent came from. She just didn't realize that scent was Yuzuha's. Well, no, that was a lie. She did know but she wasn't ready to admit that to herself. 
   It was completely embarrassing, after all, to find such comfort in a close friend like that. She couldn't fully admit that — what if that messed up what they had? Yuzuha was the first friend she could confide in so readily and so quickly. A friend literally fated to meet her. At least, that's how she saw her. 
   "I got you..." Alice heard Yuzuha mumble in her sleep. Her ears twitched at the sound of her talking in her sleep. Her voice was so different than when she was awake. When she was awake she was high pitched, excitable, full of smarminess, and mischief. But asleep? It was low, gravely, throaty. It made Alice's brain tingle. 
   "Got... me?" Alice repeated quietly. She didn't want to wake up the sleeping princess, but she also wanted to see if she could get her talking in her sleep more. "What do you mean?"
   Unfortunately, she didn't get the answer she was looking for. Instead, Yuzuha just ended up nuzzling into her neck more, and tightening her grip around Alice's waist. It sent waves of embarrassment through Alice. 
   Not only was Yuzuha so close to her, she smelled so comforting, and she was so warm. And the two of them were tucked neatly under the same blanket in a room all to themselves. She felt like she had read stories that began like this. Though, most of those ended in less than lady-like activities and there was no way Alice could ever partake in something like that. 
   Sleep didn't come easily after she had woken up, and by the time she had finally begun to doze once more, she was woken up again by Yuzuha waking up. 
   Despite what many may think, the prankster and well-known gremlin, Yuzuha, was incredibly gentle and conscientious when the moment called for it. And when she woke up, she didn't end up doing her normal routine of loud groan and big stretch. Instead, she yawned quietly and very slowly untangled herself from Alice. 
   She may have already been mostly awake, but knowing that Yuzuha was doing everything in her power not to wake the thiren made her appreciate the gesture far more than may have been reasonable. 
   Once Yuzuha was standing and away from the bed, she stretched and woke Kama so that they might get breakfast. But, Alice figured if Yuzuha was up, it must have been later in the morning than she'd like. So, she woke up too. 
   "Oh! Alice!" Yuzuha exclaimed, rushing over to the rabbit's side. "Easy, don't push yourself. Did I wake you?" 
   Alice made note that Yuzuha was more than ready to assist her in sitting up should she need it. Her hands hovered centimeters away from touching her, letting her know she was there without being intrusive. How... strangely thoughtful. 
   "No..." Alice said, her voice slightly hoarse. She shook her head but immediately regretted it as a wave of pain and nausea overtook her. 
   "Woah, easy, my lady," Yuzuha said. The little pet name, normally said with a heavy helping of playfulness, was said completely straight. It put Alice off even more. What the heck was going on?
   "Why is my head killing me...?"
   "You took a blow to the head, fighting the fro —" she cut herself off and cleared her throat, " — the Banyrek. It must have clocked you mid-fight but your body didn't register it until the danger passed." How... Insightful. Was this Yuzuha's own words? Or was she regurgitating the hypothesis of someone else? 
   "Ugh... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to —" 
   "Don't you dare think about apologizing for getting hurt," Yuzuha almost shouted. She climbed back onto the bed and slammed her hands down on the blankets on either side of Alice. The thiren realized that Yuzuha was sitting on her legs when she did that. 
   From this distance, Alice could see the dark circles that had grown under Yuzuha's eyes. How long had she been awake before she crawled into bed with her? On top of that, why was she so close?
   Alice, after letting her eyes dance over Yuzuha's face to take in the details, noticed she was barely inches away from her face. Any closer and they'd be pressed together. 
   "I'm the one who screwed up. It's my entire job to assist you and I messed up. I fell behind. I wasn't there when you got hurt. I —"
   "You are here right now," Alice decided to say, cutting Yuzuha's tirade off before she began to cry. She could see the tears welling up in the red-head's eyes, and she could tell by the scratchiness in her voice that she was getting close to letting them pour out. And if she began crying, she knew that she'd cry too. "You look like you stayed here all night. You're exhausted." Alice laid a hand on top of one of Yuzuha's. "You've more than repaid whatever debt you think you owe."
   She wasn't entirely sure what else to say. She was never good at reading people, and she was never good at consoling people. She felt stupid when it came to emotions. She was always so academically inclined and forced to navigate the world with logic and well spelled out rules that when it came to emotionally charged moments, she felt lacking. 
   Yuzuha sniffed and used her free hand to wipe the unspilled tears from her eyes with her sleeve. 
   "You scared me, you know," Yuzuha said soberly as she let her gaze fall. Her voice was low. If Alice didn't know any better, she'd have said her voice sounded almost... Depressed? Dejected? Defeated? She wasn't sure what word to use. 
   "I was so afraid that you wouldn't wake up... Belle and Yixuan and Fufu all said you would but..."
   Alice wanted Yuzuha to continue, to explain her feelings and tell Alice exactly what it was she was thinking. But, in typical Yuzuha fashion, she left the rest unsaid, leaving Alice in the dark. If she hadn't been so exhausted, and if her head hadn't felt like it was caught in a vise, she would have been frustrated at the red-head.
   Instead, realizing Yuzuha wouldn't keep going, Alice took her hands and wrapped them around Yuzuha's shoulders. When the red-head didn't move away or closer, just stayed put, Alice internally sighed and pulled on Yuzuha so the two of them went down on the bed together. 
   They landed with a soft thud and Yuzuha's head ended up resting gently on Alice's chest. The thiren didn't let go, though, and kept Yuzuha's head pressed against her. 
   "Do you remember, all those weeks ago, in the hollow?" Alice said after some long moments of charged silence. 
   Yuzuha nodded her head.
   "Right after Yixuan slew the ethereal, and you were standing there, watching it fade away..."
   "You gave me the hairpin," Yuzuha ended up saying, muffled by Alice's arm. 
   "Do you remember what we promised each other?" 
   Silence. 
   Alice's ears fell. At first, she was worried that Yuzuha actually just didn't remember. That she forgot and she didn't want to hurt her feelings. But she quickly realized that wasn't the case this time. Yuzuha had somehow snuck her arms under Alice and hugged her tightly around the waist.
   The thiren read that as an affirmative.
   ""We'll keep living on, together"," Alice recited. "And a Thymefield doesn't break her promises. What about you, miss Ukinami?"
    That earned Alice a huff and a squeeze around the waist. It seemed Yuzuha wasn't on the mood for verbal responses. That was fine. As long as she kept replying in little ways that even she could understand, there was no harm in it. 
   The two of them laid there for who knew how long, simply basking in each other's warmth. She was actually, genuinely, surprised that she felt so calm and safe in that moment. She was buried in the warmth and scent of Yuzuha, and her weight atop her felt like a security blanket. 
   Alice had thought Yuzuha had fallen asleep at first, though the red-head's wriggling to get into a more comfortable position scratched that thought out. 
   However, not too long after, Yuzuha was back under the covers with Alice. She was still mostly on top of her, with her head resting on her chest. One of Yuzuha's arms was underneath the thiren, so that she could always drag her closer. But the other hand? The other hand was clasping Alice's with their fingers intertwined. 
   It wasn't long until they dozed off like that, together. 

   "Well, Fufu?" Yixuan's cool, even voice said from above the doorway. 
   "Seems they're out," the tiger thiren replied, flopping on her back onto the veranda's wooden floor.
   "Good. They both needed the sleep. Guess we can leave the little rabbit to her girlfriend's care." Yixuan punctuated her statement with a small flip. She had been sitting on the edge of the roof, just above the door that led into the guest room Alice and Yuzuha were occupying. Said flip ended up with her slipping off the roof from her seated position and landing in the courtyard with barely a sound. 
   "Girlfriend?" Belle repeated, sounding skeptical. "They're not dating, are they?" She was sitting on a stone bench, mere feet away from where Yixuan had landed. 
   "They're not?" Fufu chimed in, tilting her head to the side in thought. 
   "Hm," was all Yixuan said for a long moment. She was pinching her chin between thumb and forefinger as she pondered something, but soon seemed to give up and just shrug. "Well, they're on their way there, then. You mean to tell me you don't see it?" 
   Her question was directed to both of her disciples, but neither one seemed to have an answer. Yixuan just shrugged. If Fufu wasn't affirming Yixuan's comment, maybe she was wrong. But, Belle wasn't denying it. Was she suspicious of it, perhaps?
   "By the way," Belle said, hopping off the bench to follow Yixuan as she walked away, "you mentioned in your text that Alice was hurt during a commission she was doing for you. Was her injury worth it?"
   Yixuan gave Belle a small, somber smile. "Her injury allowed twelve miners to escape with their lives, and another ten civilians' on top of that."
   "So, definitely worth it."
   Yixuan nodded. "Though, I would have preferred she not gotten hurt, of course."
   "Well, duh," Belle said. "If you wanted her to get hurt I don't think you would survive the wrath of Yuzuha."
   "Shifu Yixuan?" Fufu asked as she caught up to the two of them. "Can I get started on those snacking dumplings you mentioned making?"
   "We still don't know what flavors they'd like," Yixuan replied.
   "Well," Belle began, "I know Yuzuha loves shrimp dumplings, and I'm sure Alice wouldn't complain about having a nice veggie dumpling."
   "Seafood and veggie it is!" Fufu said, skipping ahead to the kitchen to begin her cooking.

      Alice and Yuzuha barely moved all night. Their positions were much the same, except Yuzuha seemed to have wriggled her way to be more on top of Alice than before. She had a leg draped over Alice's and was snoring away. 
   There was a flash that woke them both up. It was a slow awakening. Alice was struggling to open her eyes while Yuzuha tried pushing her face deeper into Alice's neck, trying to hide her face from whatever the flash was.
   The thiren was finally woken up by the sound of a mischievous giggle, and her eyes snapped open. She expected to see Yuzuha standing above her, holding a marker or some sort of prank toy. Instead, she saw Belle, wearing her disciples' uniform, holding a camera that was slowly feeding out a photograph. 
   "W-Huh?" She mumbled, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she focused on the proxy. "Something wrong, Belle?" Alice's voice was hoarse from sleep and she had to clear her throat a few times to sound normal again. 
   Alice clearing her throat woke Yuzuha up properly and she let out a childish whine. "Can't you wait five more minutes?" 
   "I don't think you would want to miss breakfast," Belle hummed as she sat on the edge of the bed. "And nothing's wrong, though this is pretty cute." She held out the photo after it had finally focused, showcasing Yuzuha using Alice as a body pillow. The flash showcased their interlaced fingers and just how close Yuzuha was pressed up against Alice. 
   "Wuh-Wuh-What!?" Alice squeaked, her voice reaching a terminally high pitch. She sprung upwards, reaching out to grab the photo. Belle lifted it just out of reach, sniggering, while Yuzuha was flung from Alice's chest and sent sprawling across the bed. "B-Belle!? What is that for?" 
   "Like I said," she said with a sing-songy inflection, "it was too cute to pass up!" She danced out of reach of Alice as the thiren crawled along the length of the bed, trying to grab the photo from her. 
   "Wha'z goin' on?" Yuzuha mumbled, sitting up stiffly. Her hair was everywhere, her braids having fallen out in her sleep. Her eyes were barely opened as she watched Alice scramble for the photo Belle playfully kept just out of reach of the bunny. 
   By the time Alice calmed down and Yuzuha woke up, Belle was tuckered out from laughing and running around. While it wasn't the most efficient wake-up call, it definitely worked. 
   "So what if she has a picture of us?" Yuzuha asked, toothbrush in her mouth as she scrolled her phone. 
   "It's embarrassing!" Alice harumphed, sitting just outside of the bathroom. She had finished getting ready first while Yuzuha was waking up, so now she just had to wait. Belle went ahead to the dining hall, and Yuzuha said Alice could go with her. She didn't feel like that was right, though. She wanted to go with Yuzuha. "Besides, what if she posts it and it gets shared around Spook Shack?"
   Yuzuha garbled water before replying. "Would that be so bad?" She began to brush out her hair, but frowned when she realized the mirror was too tall for her to see the ends of her hair easily. "Tells 'em you're not on the market!"
   "Market?" Alice parroted. What did that mean? Was she supposed to be selling something on Spook Shack? She wasn't aware of any transactions happening. "Does the forum have a marketplace tab I am not aware of? If so, should I be keeping an eye on it?" 
   There was a moment of silence as Yuzuha just stared blankly at the mirror. She was never not amazed by how Alice was able to misconstrue even the most basic of terms. Though, to a degree, it was cute. And it did give her plenty of ways to prank the poor bunny. 
   "Yuzuha?" Alice asked after not hearing a reply. She cracked the door open to peek, only to see Yuzuha stopped mid-brushing her hair. "Oh, here. Let me." 
   Without waiting for permission, Alice slipped into the bathroom and took the brush from Yuzuha. Surprisingly, the red-head had no sassy quips or playful comments about Alice coming into the bathroom while she was in there. Instead, she let Alice take her by the hand and lead her to the bed. 
   "That mirror is a bit tall for us," Alice said as she sat behind Yuzuha on the bed and began to style her hair, "if I couldn't do my hair with my eyes closed I would have struggled terribly."
   Yuzuha wasn't entirely convinced she wasn't day dreaming at that point. Since when had Alice become so forthcoming to do something like this without prompting? Had she really grown so comfortable with her? And if so, how did she always miss Yuzuha's playful hints? 
   Hints at what? She thought to herself for a moment. What exactly was she trying to convey to the thiren? If she wasn't sure herself, how would Alice catch on? 
   "All done," Alice said, breaking Yuzuha's reverie. Whatever Alice had been saying before that was lost on deaf ears, but the thiren didn't seem to notice. Or, if she did notice, didn't seem to mind. "Shall we get breakfast?"

   Breakfast ended up being a much bigger todo than either of them expected. All of Yixuan's disciples, Yixuan herself, and the two of them crowded around a small tea table that they had to sit seiza at to fit in. 
   With so many people at the table, it was far more lively than one would expect for a morning meal. Pan Yinhu's booming voice was regaling Ju Fufu about a recent commission he and Ye Shinyuan had gone on. Yixuan and Belle were going over some sort of list on Belle's phone — something about renovations, if Yuzuha saw correctly.
   With so many people in the small room, it felt cramped — claustrophobic even. So much so that when Yuzuha and Alice sat down, they couldn't fit a hand between them. Their legs and shoulders brushed and pressed together as they shifted and got comfortable. 
    Alice didn't seem to notice at all, but for some reason Yuzuha's cheeks were flushed, and she was very aware of every bit of contact. 
   "Alright," Fufu said, clapping her hands together so she could get everyone's attention, "dig in! Alice, Yuzuha, since you did such a good job on Shifu's commission, we made this meal hoping you'd like it especially!"
   The bright, beaming face on the small thiren lit up the room as Yixuan and Yinhu both lifted the wooden baskets off the meals hidden away. 
   Underneath them were a bevvy of dumplings with little pictures drawn on place-cards. One had a little shrimp, another had a chicken. A few had different vegetables, and one even had a cow. 
   "The pictures represent what each dumpling has!" Fufu's elated voice rose above the conversation that had started up again as everyone began to pick and choose which dumplings they wanted. 
   Yuzuha beamed at the thought of dumplings for breakfast. She'd never had enough money to treat herself to expensive meals, let alone an expensive meal first thing in the morning. She always relied on Manato and his part time jobs since she helped her adopted dad run the shop. All her funds normally went to clothes, bills, or the occasional prank. She never kept enough to gorge herself. 
    "Goodness," Alice said, her cheeks redder than the picture of the shrimp on the table, "thank you! This is too sweet!"
   "Aw, no need to play the elegant lady," Yuzuha said with a gentle nudge of her shoulder, "you can drop the princess act and dig in — look! Even Yixuan is stuffing her face!" 
   Alice, embarrassed to have been called out, looked up at Yixuan who, in fact, was stuffing her cheeks. Literally. She reminded Alice of a chipmunk. 
   It was such a queer sight to see; a cool beauty who was deadlier than any beast they came across, stuffing her cheeks with dumplings like a prey animal with nuts and seeds. 
   Alice couldn't suppress the laugh that bubbled up in her chest. The sound was like wind chimes on a cool, breezy day. Clear, serene, and echoed throughout the room. 
   Yixuan, aware that she was the cause for the laughter, worked on chewing her food and stopped stuffing her face. Instead — wordlessly — she motioned for the two guests of honor to fill their own plates.
   Despite the overcrowded room, breakfast was a lively, entertaining affair that ended a little after nine in the morning. Once everyone was fed and Yixuan's disciples went off to do whatever it was they needed to do that day, Belle walked Yuzuha and Alice to the front gate of Suibian temple. 
   "I'm sorry you ended up getting hurt," Belle said right before they got to the gate. She always wore her heart on her sleeve, and the apologetic face she made caused Alice's ears to stand on end.
  "Oh! No! You needn't apologize at all!" Alice quickly sputtered, waving her hands frantically to try and brush away the words. Even her cumberbund's emote screen was yellow with a panicked face. "It's a risk we all take! It was my fault for not paying attention!"
   Belle opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a snarky little chuckle from Yuzuha. "Don't bother. You won't win this one with her."
   "Wh-what does that mean?" Alice whined, turning on Yuzuha next. 
   The red-head just chortled and ruffled Alice's hair, causing her perfectly settled bangs to become askew. 
   The gasp that came from Alice was akin to one you'd hear from someone whose puppy was just kicked. 
   "Oopsies~ Lady Bunny's perfect hair is all — ack!"
   Yuzuha's teasing was immediately cut off as Alice lunged at her with the intent to mess up Yuzuha's hair in return. 
   "Bye, Belle!" The prankster shouted as she ran down the steps and into Waifei Penninsula's cozy little town, Failume Heights.
   Belle simply waved and laughed to herself, looking almost relieved that Yuzuha was taking the brunt of the thiren's wrath. 

   "You ever think of just... Going back in to see what you can find?" Yuzuha asked, breaking the comfortable silence she and Alice had fallen into.
   After the exciting morning, the two of them spent the day lazing around the town and enjoying one another's company. They wandered without much thought or direction, grabbed snacks and drinks when they felt the need, and ended up taking the long way up the mountain to the benches that overlooked the bay. 
    Alice looked at Yuzuha when she spoke, her ears twitching. The red-head was drenched in golden sunlight, her green eyes shimmering like a sea of grass still wet with dew. Her gaze was fixed at some point on the horizon, giving Alice a perfect profile of the girl. For some reason, she couldn't look away. 
   That is, until Yuzuha's eyes turned and looked at Alice. 
   "Mhm?" The prankster hummed quizzically. "Oh, dear!" She suddenly said, a cat-like grin spreading across her face. "What's this? Is lady Thymefield smitten with me? Staring at my profile, losing herself in thought over how cute I look~?" 
   As she spoke, her hand came up and playfully covered her lips, exacerbating the "shock" she felt. By the end of her speech, she was chortling playfully, and her cheeks were painted pink. 
   "H-huh!?" Alice squeaked, aghast at the sudden accusation. "Wh-wha—" 
   Yuzuha's chortle broke into a full belly laugh at Alice's shut down and leaned over to lay her head on the flustered girl's shoulder. 
   "Easy, my lady, breathe. I'm just teasing you."
   The sound that came from Alice then could only be likened to air escaping a pinched balloon. Her cheeks, pink as they were, were now puffed out in indignation. 
   Though, with Yuzuha leaning against her, the grumbling and huffiness quickly dissipated. 
   "What's stopping you from doing that now?" Alice finally said after she had fully composed herself. "We could go right now if you wanted."
   Yuzuha shook her head and sat up. The lack of warmth from her head on Alice's shoulder was noticeable. 
   "I more meant like... Going back to find signs that you were there. That you physically existed there and it wasn't all made up."
   There was a somber, heavy tone in Yuzuha's voice that Alice wasn't used to hearing from her. It reminded her of all the times she would tell her maids that she was fine after her father's death. The lack of inflection and emotion that only those gone through a tragedy could fully understand. 
   The thiren knew that Yuzuha never opened up easily. It took her completely disappearing for a day and Belle practically dragging her back after a day-long manhunt for her to realize she could confide in her and Manato more. There was something about this moment that screamed in her head that this was one of those times where she should just listen. 
   But, when Yuzuha turned to Alice for an answer, she knew she had to say something. 
   "Not... Exactly," she hesitantly replied. "I have a similar feeling about other places — and with other people. To see if I actually existed to them or if I was merely a decoration. But, I think I understand the sentiment."
   Yuzuha's little nod just then made Alice's heart lurch. She looked almost hurt. As if she had bit through her tongue and didn't want anyone to know. 
   "I think about it a lot," she said, turning her gaze back to the ocean. "It feels like a dream that I had once upon a time. A nightmare that scarred me as a kid and I can never forget. But..." 
   She ended up trailing off and letting her gaze fall. Her bangs fell in front of her face and it looked like she was gripping the bench tightly. 
   Yuzuha had mentioned Alice was terrible at these talks when she thought the thiren couldn't hear her, and she wasn't wrong. She never spent enough time around genuine people for her to cultivate the skill of navigating a heartfelt conversation. She was used to corporate talk. Shifty verbal battles that would end up with someone losing money. And she regretted it every day since she met Yuzuha. 
   Never had she ever had the overwhelming urge to wrap her arms around someone. To hold them and tell them everything would be okay. How could she say that? She had no idea what the future would hold. And she had no way of making this hurt go away, either. It was a hurt that was deep seated in Yuzuha, somewhere no one could reach.
   That much she knew. 
   She was going to speak up, to say something, but everything she could think of to say sounded like empty platitudes. Like something one would say when someone they didn't know too well says they lost a pet. 
   Then her ears perked up. The sound of Yuzuha sniffling could be heard, just barely. Like she was trying to hide the fact that she was crying. 
   Why would she hide it? No, more importantly, why was she crying in the first place? She thought they had had a wonderful day. It was relaxed and she teased Alice a lot and they spent the entire day together doing whatever they wanted. What brought this up so suddenly?
   Alice lifted a hand to lay on Yuzuha's back as a way of consoling her, but she paused. The sight of the little sailorboo hair clip dangling in her hair turned on a light in the rabbit's head. 
   Flashbacks from when they were in the belly of the labs, where the miasma fiend was laid to rest, shuddered through her mind. And the sight of Yuzuha lunging at her into a hug after she handed over the clip replayed in her head over and over. 
   Well, that's a way to help, right? It helped me, after all, she thought to herself. 
   Instead of patting Yuzuha's back, she leaned over and wrapped her arms around Yuzuha's shoulders, pulling her into a tight embrace. She nuzzled her nose into her red locks and breathed for a moment before speaking. 
   "Your proof is me," she said softly, consolingly, "it's us. It's that hair clip you never take off."
   As if her words were the secret password to open the floodgates, the soft sniffles and shudders opened into a fullblown sob. Yuzuha's tears flowed freely and she gripped Alice's shirt tightly. 
   With her face buried in the thiren's chest, her cries were muffled and hidden away from anyone who might have been around. Those cries were only for Alice to hear. And she was the only one who could help stem them. 
   There was no telling just how long they sat like that. Minutes, tens of minutes, an hour. But neither of them cared. Yuzuha let everything she had inside of her out in a torrent of tears and sobs that Alice's chest took the brunt of. 
   When she finally settled down and regained herself, she carefully — if not reluctantly — untangled herself from Alice's arms. She wiped at her face vigorously with her sleeves, trying to make any memory of her breakdown disappear. 
   Despite Alice's desperate need to know why she had the meltdown and if she felt better after it, she didn't say anything. She let Yuzuha slowly come back into herself and regain control over her breathing.
   "Sorry," Yuzuha said, her voice hoarse. "I —"
   "Don't apologize, you've done nothing wrong." 
   Sure, she did sour a perfectly comfortable moment between the two of them, but who cared? The entire day was wonderful. Just what she needed after sleeping for almost two days (her shock at that revelation made Yuzuha bust a gut). Though, there was something she needed to say about it now that she was finally calmed down. 
   "Instead, you should say 'you're welcome'."
   Yuzuha, with her eyes red and puffy from crying, arched an eyebrow at the thiren. 
   Since Yuzuha wasn't going to humor her with a response, she continued. "Because I wanted to thank you for trusting me enough to confide in me. To show me that side of you." 
   Unsure how to not sound like a dummy when saying it, she looked away from Yuzuha and scratched at her own cheek, embarrassed as she continued to speak. 
   "I know I'm... Bad at this. That when it comes to emotions I'm..." She waved her hands awkwardly, trying to convey what she couldn't properly put into words. That elicited a weak giggle from Yuzuha, which she liked. "But I really do appreciate you thinking I'm close enough to cry in front of."
   "Well," Yuzuha sniffed, following Alice's gaze to the hollow that sat atop the sea, "you cried first. I guess it was only a matter of time."
   "H-hey..." Alice replied. She didn't say anything to the contrary, however. Instead, she turned to look at Yuzuha once more. 
   As the sun was in its final few minutes before setting, her best friend — her first true friend — was bathed in a warm, purplish light that made her eyes glitter. Despite their redness and puffiness, Alice couldn't think of a single word to describe them other than "beautiful".

Chapter Text

   The cable car conductor who let them on the last gondola of the day smiled politely as Yuzuha climbed in. Alice was about to step in when she was stopped by the woman. 
   "Is she alright?" She asked in a hushed tone. When Alice didn't immediately reply, she pointed to her own eyes as if to say 'was she crying?'"
   "Yes," Alice responded politely. "All is well, now."
   "Thank goodness," the conductor sighed. "I was worried I was sending you to your doom."
   "My... Doom?" 
   "Well, the last person to cause little Yuzuha here any trouble was met by Manato."
   Oh. She thinks I'm the reason she was crying. Lovely.
   "I-It's not like that. I didn't —"
   She was cut off by the excited gasp of the conductor, the woman's eyes widening. "That must mean you're together?" Her voice, almost breaking a whisper, was tight with barely contained excitement. "The town's little tanuki has a girlfriend!"
   Her excited whisper came out like a squeak from a mouse and Alice's face bloomed into a tomato red. 
   "Girlfriend!? Wh-who — What?" 
   "Oh, I can't wait for mister Baorang to hear about this!" 
   "N-no, I think you misunder —" Alice was cut off by Yuzuha's voice then. 
   "Are you coming, li'l carrot?" 
   The conductor could barely contain the squee of excitement at hearing one of Alice's many pet names being spoken by Yuzuha. 
   "Er, yes! Coming!" Alice said hurriedly as she shot the conductor a glance. "Whatever you're thinking, keep it quiet, please."
   The conductor let out another gasp as Alice stepped into the gondola and closed the door behind her.
   "Forbidden love!" The conductor giggled.
   "What was that about?" Yuzuha asked as Alice took her seat on the offered spot next to the red-head. 
   "She wanted to know if Manato knew you were out," Alice half-lied. She couldn't tell her that the conductor thought they were together. That would be too embarrassing! Plus, she was sure Yuzuha would hate that thought and she didn't know if she wanted to hear that. She wasn't sure why, but the thought of Yuzuha vehemently denying them being together left a hollow feeling in her chest. 
   "Ugh, the curse of everyone in town knowing of your family," she sighed as she slumped against Alice's shoulder. The thiren shifted in her seat to let her own head rest atop Yuzuha's and closed her eyes. "Sorry you got bothered for that."
   "I find it charming that the townspeople look out for one another like that," Alice said without thinking. "The people I grew up around were so cutthroat about money and business that they only kept tabs on one another to steal ideas or deals from under them." 
   Yuzuha pouted. "I don't like the sound of that."
   Alice scoffed gently and shook her head. "No, it wasn't terribly fun to be around. Though, my fencing instructor and butler was always around, and he was quite sweet — if not a bit of a taskmaster."
   "Oh~ Butler~" Yuzuha said playfully. Her teasing tone was... Different, somehow. Alice couldn't quite place how it was different, but it just was. It didn't sound like her normal teasing. "I always forget just how rich you really are."
   "Was," Alice corrected. 
   "Mhm?" 
   "I gave up the biggest capital generator the Thymefield family had, remember? Any income from the family business is now directed towards upkeeping current assets such as housing and business expenses."
   Alice's nose scrunched at the topic. She never liked talking about her family, and she never liked talking about family business with friends. It always felt sour in her mouth. 
   Yuzuha ended up falling silent again and guilt ate at Alice's stomach. She worried she upset her. 
   "Um... Yuzuha?"
   The hesitant way she spoke her name caused Yuzuha to shift so she could look up at her friend. "Mhm?" 
   "I... Didn't upset you today, did I?" 
   Alice's stilted question and the way she kept her gaze intently on the view of the sea through the window made Yuzuha frown. Was she seriously feeling guilty? After everything that just happened, she felt guilty for her mood? She really needed some help navigating people.
   "No, bunny," Yuzuha said simply. She closed her eyes so Alice didn't feel like she had to avert her gaze any longer. "Just a me problem."
   Only a few moments of silence passed before Alice spoke again. "Can we make it an us problem?"
   "... Huh?" 
   "I —" Alice started to speak but paused, screwing up her face. She didn't know exactly how to put it. Conveying feelings in an assertive way — or any way, for that matter — always stunted her. She was far too used to playing things off and never letting others peek behind the curtain. Now, she was doing just that; trying to peek behind the curtain Yuzuha hid her own emotions behind. 
   "I don't know what to do," she decided to say, finally. "I want to make you feel better, but I don't know how. And it hurts that I'm bad at things like this when you need someone."
   A weak chortle came from the red-head as she shifted in her seat to separate from Alice. Her eyes were fixed on her boots as she thought about how to respond. 
   The thiren made notice that she was nervously fidgeting with the edge of her umbrella. 
   "You don't have to worry about all that," she decided to say. "It's not your responsibility. And besides, I can always go to someone like Belle or Manato. You don't have to —" 
   Yuzuha stopped midsentence as she looked up to meet Alice's gaze. The girl she called princess, the rabbit thiren who fought alongside her, for her, and risked her own life for her, was glaring at her. Her brow was furrowed and her arms were crossed in front of her chest. If Yuzuha didn't know any better, she would have thought Alice was outright pissed. 
   "Uhh?" was all she could muster under Alice's withering gaze. 
   "And I thought I was bad at this stuff. I want to do my best to make you feel better! I want to take my time to make sure you're okay, that you're not just hiding behind your pranks and your tanuki! I want to be the one you go to for help!" 
   Yuzuha couldn't help but feel like she was being scolded. Why did this upset her so much? It was just one less thing she'd have to worry about if she went to Belle or Manato instead. Why did Alice want to be the one who she dumped all her troubles on? 
   "Don't just gawk!" Alice huffed. "Come on! Tell me what's wrong! Why did you end up crying today after we had such a good day? Did I do something wrong? Was there something I didn't do?"
   "It... No," Yuzuha said, stopping herself from elaborating further. She wasn't exactly sure how to put it because she didn't really get it herself. But, that glare from Alice was boring a hole in her head and she didn't want her to really get mad at her. 
   "I don't really know," she admitted eventually. "And that's not me trying to trick you into giving up. Wandering around today and spending so much time with you really made me happy. I had so much fun. But for some reason, as we went through the day..." She trailed off as she looked out the window of the gondola. They were closing in on the other side. At that point, they'd say their goodbyes and Yuzuha would go home, and Alice would head to her little apartment she rented in town. "I started to feel sad. Melancholy, I guess would be a good word."
   Alice's angry face slowly softened as she listened to her talk. Now that she was getting exactly what she wanted from Yuzuha, she once again realized just how out of her depth she was when it came to emotional conversation. 
   Yuzuha, however, took her silence as a sign to keep talking. So, she did.
   "The more we walked around town, the more we talked to shop clerks and teased one another — okay, the more I teased you, and all of our laughs... It made my chest tight. Because... I think because I wish we could have had this a long time ago."
   Alice tilted her head, unsure what Yuzuha meant. How would they have had this sort of relationship before now? They didn't know each other.
   "I remember when this hair clip fell into that grate," Yuzuha continued, touching the sailorboo clip she had in her hair. "I remember looking up to see who dropped it, only to think the girl up there was the prettiest princess I ever saw." She smiled wryly and hugged her knees to her chest on the seat. "I wanted to be just like her. Or be with her. Or just talk to her. I wish... I wish I had said something then to get your attention."
   "You would have been in more danger if you had," Alice said, not seeing the logic in this line of thinking. 
   Yuzuha let out a dry laugh and nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right. It's just... Sometimes, despite being around so many people who know me and like me or my adopted family... I still feel lonely. And it makes me wonder: what would have happened if I reached up to touch that glowing princess that day? Would it have all been different? Would I have grown up with a friend who knew every pain and struggle I've endured?" 
   Alice opened her mouth to reply, but the gondola swung to a halt and the loud sound of its breaks made her clench her teeth together. 
   "Looks like we're here," Yuzuha said while wiping her eyes once more. She forced herself up and held out a hand for Alice to take. 
   The thiren accepted and they got off the gondola together. 
   "Will I be able to see you tomorrow?" Alice asked once they were off the landing and in town. 
   "I've got classes," Yuzuha said. Her reply was empty, mechanical. Like she had used up all her emotions and was now just working on autopilot. "Then Manato said he wanted help restocking the shop."
   Alice deflated, her ears visibly drooping, but she didn't put up any fight. Instead, she squeezed Yuzuha's hand and offered her a weak smile. "Soon, then?" 
   "Yeah. I'd like that."
   They said their goodbyes and separated. Yuzuha heading down one street, while Alice took her time to walk along the seafront. Since the sun had just set, people were still out and about, and the streetlamps were glowing brightly. 
   She ended up burning another hour outside, leaning over a railing and staring out into the sea. She couldn't figure out what she was feeling, but she wanted it sorted before she went to lay down for the night. 

   Three days passed before Alice heard from Yuzuha again. She didn't reply to any of her texts — personal or the Spook Shack group text — she didn't answer any of her calls, and when she had shown up at her front door, Manato said it wasn't a good time. 
   So, when she finally did reach out to Alice to hang out, it crushed the thiren to tell her that she couldn't that day.

Prank Witch: Hey, bunny~ Wanna hang today?

Carrots: I'm sorry, Yuzuha. I can't today. I have a mandatory swordsmanship exam today. If I miss it, I will be in serious trouble. 

   Getting denied wasn't something Yuzuha was used to when it came to Alice. She was always so eager to spend time with her that she ended up seeing the question of "want to hang out?" as nothing more than a courtesy. 

Carrots: ... Are you still there?

Prank Witch: Yeah~ That's alright~ I'll see if I can bug Manato. Good luck.

   Before she saw whatever Alice replied with, she threw her phone on her bed and sunk to the floor with her back against the bedroom wall. Now what was she supposed to do? Most of the people she could hang out with were at work for the day, or had classes that she didn't take. That meant going the whole day by herself — not counting Kama — and she wasn't sure if she could survive that. 
   "Maybe Belle's available?" She thought aloud. 

   "Gotta admit, I was surprised you reached out!" Belle said cheerfully. She was almost never in a sour mood. Even when things were going horribly wrong, she somehow picked out the silver lining. Every single time. 
   "Really?" Yuzuha hummed as she walked next to the famous proxy. They were on Sixth street, weaving between the crowds of people as the lunch rush passed them by. "Don't I normally come hang out with you?"
   "Well, yeah, but that's normally after I reached out first!" 
   A snicker. "True, true. I'm usually hanging out with Alice or in class."
   "Speaking of," Belle said, looking around them, "where is the bunny?"
   Yuzuha's face soured into a pout. "I dunno. Doing some stupid family thing she couldn't get out of doing."
   "Aw. Well, I'm sure she'd much rather be spending time with you!"
   "Well... Probably. But she didn't even say she was going to try to wiggle out of it."
   Belle tapped her chin as they found a seat at the coffee shop. "Maybe it's something she knows is impossible to skip out on?"
   Yuzuha sunk into her seat, chin resting on her hand. "Yeah, maybe..."
   Catching Yuzuha's tone, Belle couldn't suppress a gentle giggle. "Just because she didn't make any mention of trying to get out of it to spend time with you, doesn't mean she didn't try — or even want to. I know I have obligations I can't wiggle out of every so often. And I'm not a rich lady like she is!"
   The raspberries that Yuzuha blew made Belle laugh. It wasn't often she got to see this kind childishness from Yuzuha. Normally it was the prank kind, or the excited kind. But the pouty side of her was adorable too. Like a whiny little sister that didn't get her way. 
   "You miss her that much, huh?" Belle said after ordering the both of them coffees that sounded more like candy. 
   "Well, yeah, she's my closest friend and we always hang out."
   It was Belle's turn to rest her chin on her hands; though it was in a mischievous, teasing way as she grinned at Yuzuha. Much different than Yuzuha's dejected pose. 
   "W-what?" Yuzuha stammered, unsure how to take the playful look in Belle's eyes. 
   "Didn't you hang out with her a few days ago?" Belle's question was sweet like honey but held a sharpness of mischief in it like a hidden knife. 
   "Yeah...?"
   "And you already miss her enough to pout about it?"
   Yuzuha swallowed, "Er... Yes?"
   Belle's grin widened. "Cute~"
   "What?" The red-head squeaked in response. 
   "Nothing~!" Belle hummed as she sat up. The coffees were delivered just then, both topped with a horrific amount of whipped cream and caramel sauce. They looked much less like coffees and more like sundaes. 
   Yuzuha was about to protest but Belle's reaction to sipping her coffee enticed her to enjoy her own. 
   A stretch of silence passed between the two as an unspoken competition begun between the two of them. They sucked down their coffees as fast as they could. Though, they didn't get very far — because what happens when you drink a frozen drink too fast?
   "Ack! Brainfreeze!" Belle shouted. She clutched her head and let it hit the table, groaning as the sharp needles of cold assaulted her senses. 
   Yuzuha stood up, lifting her arms in success. "Victory is mine!" She cheered, moments before she fell over the table as well with her own bout of brain freeze. 
   Once their frozen coffee showdown was settled, the two of them began to wander around Sixth Street again, chatting about nothing for quite a while. The late morning gave way to afternoon, and by the time evening rolled around, they found themselves in Lumina Square, sharing a much-too-large soft pretzel. 
   "Okay, your turn," Belle said as she nibbled on a piece of pretzel. 
   "Hm... Okay..." Yuzuha thought for a moment. "Oh! Okay~ I'm short, talkative, and keep people safe!"
   Belle pouted. "Yuzuha, you can't talk about yourself, that's not how the game — ack!"
   Yuzuha, laughing, threw a piece of pretzel at Belle. "I'm totally not! And I'm not even that short!"
   "Are too! Shorter than me!" 
   "Nuh uh, look! Stand up!"
   "You're in platforms, that doesn't count!"
   Their little, impromptu game of eye spy quickly devolved into playful jabs and teases as the crowds passed them by. 
   It was never not crowded in Lumina Square, and Yuzuha mentioned that she loved to people watch and make up stories for each person. She'd pick one at random, choose one aspect of them, and really go in on that idea. 
   "So, like, that lady?" She said, pointing at a woman walking by on her phone. She had a parasol open even though it was evening and most of the light was coming from street lamps. "She's totally some form of light allergic monster in disguise. Why else would you have a parasol open in the evening? Especially in autumn."
   Belle laughed and nodded. "Oh, totally. And that guy? He may look like your ordinary street sweeper, but when the clock strikes midnight... He's actually a super hero, who uses his mighty broom to sweep up crime!"
   The two of them laughed then, louder than probably necessary. But, they were enjoying themselves, and staying out of everyone's ways. They had their own little world to themselves and the two of them were enjoying it immensely. 
   Though, as the time grew later, Yuzuha sighed and looked at her phone. "I should probably head back before either Manato or Uncle Baorong threaten to kill me for not coming home."
   "Don't you normally leave for a few days anyway?" 
   "Well, yeah — but I promised I'd make it to class tomorrow. And my morning class starts real early."
   "Ah, yes. The dreaded morning morning ritual. Truly the nemesis of all late night hangouts!"
   Yuzuha chuckled and nudged Belle's shoulder with her own. "So true~ But I really appreciate today, you know. Not seeing Alice kinda messed with my head. I dunno why. Just feels... Off."
   "Well, she's your best and closest friend, no? And you literally lived with her most of the summer. Of course you would feel all weird not having her stuck to your hip." Belle's voice was gentle and placating as they walked to the New Eridu Underground. Belle always said she'd be more than happy to drive her back to Failume Heights, but Yuzuha always declined. 
   "I guess so. I guess I'm just too clingy."
   "Nah," Belle waved the thought away with a dismissive hand gesture, "you just miss your bunny. S'all there is to it!"
   Yuzuha scoffed derisively. "'My' bunny, huh?" She shook her head and shifted Kama's position on her shoulder so he wouldn't slip off. "I think that adjective would fall under Lucy's thumb more than mine."
   Belle looked at Yuzuha from the corner of her eye. "You're either crazy, blind, or both — but oooookay. Whatever you say."
   "What? What does that mean?" 
   Belle laughed at Yuzuha's sudden change of tone. The dismissive, almost forlorn words suddenly exploding from her in a torrent of follow-up questions that Belle could barely keep up with.  
   Thankfully, Belle was saved by the — well, by the bell. The sound of the incoming subway train could be heard clunking down the tunnel, the bell of its arrival chiming throughout the subway. Belle never realized how loud it was that it could be heard out on the streets. 
   "Crap, that's my cue. I'll be bothering you later about this!" Yuzuha said with faux-anger in her face. But, she couldn't keep it up for long, and her cat-like grin spread across her lips once more as she and Belle hugged goodbye. 

   The train was packed at the beginning, forcing Yuzuha to stand. Kama hanging on her back, however, helped keep just enough room for her to not feel squished among all the other people. Though, as they passed each stop, seats slowly opened up and she was able to snag herself a booth seat all to herself. 
   Doom-scrolling on the interknot forums wasn't enough to keep her attention for long, and eventually she ended up napping in the cabin of the train. Thankfully, her trusty little friend woke her up a few stops before she needed to get off the train entirely. 
   "Thanks, lil' buddy. I dunno where I'd be without you."
   While unable to speak, the look on the tanuki was one that screamed "Nowhere, because you need me". That made Yuzuha giggle and she ruffled his fur. 
   The last few stops took twenty minutes in total, and the entire time Yuzuha spent looking through her messages with Alice. She didn't realize how many times she had canceled or told Alice she didn't have a chance to hang out. Of course, it was always with good reason. Work, class, other friends already made plans, and so on. But...
   Today was the only time Alice ever canceled or denied her a hang out. Guilt bubbled up inside of her when she realized that, and she was soon hugging her knees to her chest while staring at her phone. 
   How selfish could she be? Getting upset because she didn't get her way once when she counted at least a half dozen times she denied Alice her company over the last couple weeks. She'd have to figure out a way to apologize for being so upset. 
   Though, Alice didn't see her being upset, so maybe it didn't matter all too much? 
   "No," she said aloud, sinking into her seat, "I'd feel even more guilty if I tried to brush it off."
   Kama made some form of chittering noises that sounded almost like he was trying to say, "It'll be fine". 
   "You're right, Kama. You always are!" 
   By the time she was off the train it was well after nightfall. The street lamps of Failume Heights were burning bright with their soft, yellow glow and the illumination from deep within the bars and restaurants around gave everything a cozy aura to them. And, with the streets mostly empty, she could take all the time she wanted just wandering the empty walkways and humming to herself. 
   She may have grown up there, but sometimes just taking a moment to enjoy how things have changed around oneself was enough to bring a peace that one couldn't quite always reach on their own. 
   After having her fill, she decided to go home and see if she couldn't get Alice's attention with a phone call. Unless — would she still be in that familial exam? That wouldn't be possible, right? She mentioned before her family would send her into hollows as a means to see if her skills were up to their standards, but they wouldn't just stick her in a hollow and leave her...
   Right?
   To test her worries, she decided to send a text to Alice first. If it went through, it meant she was no longer in the hollow. If it failed, she was still in there. A coin flip to see just how anxious she would end up being before bed, how fun. 
   
Prank Witch: Heyyy~ Bunny~ Are you finally free from the clutches of the evil known as exams?

   When she hit send, not only did it send, but it was immediately marked as "read". That surprised her. Normally Alice was a little slow at seeing her texts; but only due to the fact that when they weren't together she was normally busy. 
   "Eager bunny, tonight, huh?" Yuzuha said to herself giggling. Though, when she looked up from her phone, she paused and squinted. The light above her front door wasn't on, but there was a darker shadow amongst the normal ones on the stoop. It took her a moment before she decided it had to be Manato. He normally forgot his keys on days he worked two part time jobs and would end up napping on the stoop if Baorong was asleep and she was out late. 
   "Manato~ What are — oh!" 
   Yuzuha had stopped short when she noticed it wasn't Manato who was sleeping in front of her door, but Alice. 
   The rabbit's legs were tucked up against her, one of her cheeks resting on her knees. One arm was wrapped around her legs as if she were hugging them, while the other clutched onto her phone, the screen unlocked and showing their conversation. If she hadn't been sleeping on a stoop outside, Yuzuha would have thought she looked quite cozy. 
   "Hey," she said softly. Normally, at a time like this, she'd wake Alice up with a prank or by teasing her somehow — by grabbing her tail, for instance. But the guilt still gnawed at her insides, so she decided to be nice. Though, when Alice didn't stir from the gentle word, the thought of tickling her ears did cross her mind. 
   "What ever will I do with you, little princess?" She mused softly aloud as she took a seat next to the sleeping woman. "Hm?" After sitting down, she noticed there was something on the stoop behind Alice. 
   Well, she may not be mean by waking her up with some sort of bombastic action, but she never said she'd stifle her curiosity. 
   "A-yoink," she hummed as she snagged the item. It was soft, squishy, and felt fuzzy. "Hm?" When she lifted it up and put it in her lap, it was a plushie bunny. A little ball of fluff with two, tall bunny ears, and cute little beads for eyes. And in two little nubs for its hands, it held a heart with a message on it. 

   I'm sorry — I missed you. 

   Yuzuha's cheeks turned the same shade of red as her hair after reading it. She was sorry? For what? Saying she wasn't available one time? She felt so sorry that she went out and got her a custom present? And, wait...
   Yuzuha lifted the plushie to her face and inhaled. She didn't know if it was because Alice had held it close or if she purposefully sprayed it with her perfume, but it smelled just like her. That made her ears burn and she had to put it down in her lap to regain her composure. 
   "Yuzu..." Alice mumbled in her sleep. That made Yuzuha start ever so slightly. She had thought she was caught in the act, but when she realized Alice was just dreaming about her, she let out a soft sigh of relief. "Let me pay this time..." 
   That sigh quickly turned into a giggle. Even in her dreams, she was trying to treat Yuzuha to something. It had become a dynamic between them, that Yuzuha would try and pay for as much as possible when it came to buying anything when they were together. And it seemed that, even when they weren't together, she still wanted to pay for things for her. 
   Yuzuha eventually rested her head on Alice's shoulder and snuggled up to her side. Of course, it was only because the sea breeze at night was cold and no other reason. None at all. 
   "Mhm..?" Alice groaned, blinking away the sleep in her eyes rapidly as she lifted her head. "Huh? Oh. Yuzu?" 
   It was rare for Alice to shorten Yuzuha's name. She was always so elegant and proper and preferred to call everyone by their full given name. But, that just meant when she did slip up and call her by a nickname, it just made it sound all the more special. 
   Of course, in this instance, Yuzuha was already flushed from her guilt and the gift, that hearing her nickname made her chest tighten. 
   "Oh, h-hey, bunny! How was your uh, your nap?" Yuzuha stammered. She cleared her throat and sat up, patting her own cheeks to try and get the blush she felt on her face to go away. 
   "I-I'm so sorry, Yuzuha!" Alice squeaked, waking up fully when she realized where she was. "I didn't mean to fall asleep! I just wanted to surprise you because I got out of my exam just as the sun set so..." She squirmed in her seat and went to grab the plushie, when she realized it was gone. "H-huh? Where is it?"
   "Oh, this?" Yuzuha asked, lifting the bunny. 
   "Epp! Y-yes..." Alice flushed. "I felt bad for telling you no, so I wanted to get you a present to make up for it. And that bunny was blonde like me, and perfectly symmetrical so..."
   She trailed off but Yuzuha couldn't hold back. She wrapped her arms around Alice's shoulders and hugged her tight. 
   "You didn't have to, but I love it. Thank you." 
   Alice buried her face in Yuzuha's hair to hide her blush, but she couldn't hide the fact her tail was wiggling a mile a minute. Yuzuha's cat-like smile widened at the sight, but for once, she didn't try grabbing it to hear Alice squeal. She didn't want to ruin the comfortable moment. 
   Once the hug fulfilled its duty, Yuzuha held Alice out by the shoulders and looked her in her heterochromic eyes. "Alice."
   "Eep! Y-Yes?" 
   "Promise me something."
   "This isn't going to be like... A b-blood pact or something scary, is it?"
   The thought of playing into that just to freak her out flashed through her mind, but before she could get carried away, she shook her head.
   "No. I just want you to promise me to never feel bad about not having time to hang out. You have your life just like I have mine. It's not fair that you should feel bad about not having the availability to hang out all the time."
   "O-oh. Okay... I..." Alice trailed off and looked down. "I mean... I don't like it when I don't have time to hang out... B-but I promise to do my best not to feel guilty."
   Yuzuha beamed at Alice's declaration. "Good! Now, come on."
   "Huh? W-where are we going?" 
   Yuzuha was already standing and tugging on Alice's arms. "Where else? Your apartment up the street!"
   "You're walking me home?" Alice asked, confused by the change in plans. 
   Her question was met with a playful hum, but no actual answer. 
   When they got to the apartment complex Alice stayed in when she was at Failume Heights, Yuzuha was practically attached to her hip. 
   "Oh, walking me to the door?" Alice asked, a stifled giggle evident in her voice. 
   "Mm~" Yuzuha hummed again, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Not quite~"
   Alice stopped in her tracks and put her hands on her hips. She had the posture and face of looking cross, but Yuzuha knew she wasn't actually upset with her. 
   "You're not planning on something spooky, are you? Setting up a j-jump scare or something?"
   The laugh she was met with was of genuine mirth. Happy, free, but without mischief. 
   "Just unlock the door already~!" 
   Alice whined but complied, and as soon as the door swung open, Yuzuha pushed her inside and shut the door behind the two of them!
   "Y-Yuzuha!?" Alice squeaked as she stumbled forwards. The fact that her near-tumble was so inelegant bothered Alice so much that she had to stand up straight and pretend to fix her skirt. 
   "Ta-da!"
   Alice turned to look at her friend, but... Saw nothing especially out of place. Sure, Yuzuha was in her apartment now, that was a first. But that was it. Was she missing something?
   "U-um... Yuzuha..."
   A roll of the eyes and Yuzuha was bounding forwards to wrap an arm around Alice's waist. "Before you ask, 'Gee, why is she pretending she had a surprise?' Just think about what time it is. And then, think about where we are!"
   It was obvious after a few moments that the thiren wasn't following.
   "Are you really going to make me spell it out?" 
   A nod and a bounce from those rabbit ears elicited a sigh.
   "Well, alright. The surprise... Is me! I'm sleeping over!"
   Alice's eyes widened and she immediately looked panicked. Her ears stood on end, her tail fluffed out, and the fur on her ears raised. 
   "B-but I haven't done any pre-planning! O-o-or any food prep! Or got any ref—"
   A soft, slender finger was placed over her babbling lips and she immediately fell silent. 
   "Easy, princess. You don't need to do any of that. A sleep over doesn't always have to become a huge todo. Just... Lend me some pajamas and we can crash in a cozy bed together!"
   Silence fell over the two. Yuzuha was standing next to Alice's bed, looking pleased, while Alice was leaning against the wall partition that separated the kitchenette from the sleeping area. It was obvious she was short circuiting. 
   Just picturing Yuzuha in a pair of her pajamas was enough to send her poor little bunny heart into overdrive, but the thought of snuggling up to her while they were both dressed down as such? 
   And, sure, when they owned the resort they slept together in their own rooms plenty of times. But they never shared pajamas before, and it felt more like a slumber party since the rooms were small and set up as a hotel. 
   This was much different. This was her home away from home. The little apartment she bought with her own money. It was private, quiet, with a nice sea view. And she knows its fairly sound proof — when that bangboo had hit her window and made her scream so loudly that it could have woken the dead? None of her neighbors even mentioned it. So there was definitely some sort of noise insulation. 
   "Haaa..." Alice exhaled a slow, heavy breath. She hoped doing so would relieve some of the heat in her cheeks, but the noise just drew Yuzuha's eyes, which made them heat up even more. 
   "O-okay... Well..." She swallowed, still struggling to keep up with the tidal wave that was her best friend. "My pajamas are in the bedside armoire, feel free to um... Get what you think feels nice?"
   Yuzuha's eyes lit up. "Oh~! I get to explore the closet of the princess Thymefield? So exciting!" 
   Thankfully, Yuzuha followed directions. The armoire she opened was only outerwear. Shirts, skirts, pajamas, pants, some coats, thankfully nothing terribly private. Those clothes were in the drawer on the other side of the bed. 
   "I think I waaaaant..." Yuzuha was sifting through her clothes rapidly — Alice almost felt like she wasn't going for look but feel with how fast she moved — and finally ended up right in the center of the rack and pulled out a set. 
   It was a cute, silk pajama set with a nice, blue hue to it. On the breast and on each thigh of the pants were little bunny heads. 
   "I wanna wear this one! I'm gonna go change now!" Without a single word from Alice, Yuzuha skipped her way to the bathroom to change. Just as she was about to close the door, she paused and leaned out with a playful grin. "Don't peek, now~" 
   "Wh— Huh!? I would n—!" Alice stammered, then didn't get to finish her sentence as Yuzuha shut the door behind her. "Ugh... That Yuzuha..." she grumbled to herself as she rubbed her burning cheeks. The embarrassment she felt when Yuzuha teased her was always so humiliating. She always knew just what buttons to push. It wasn't fair!
   Whatever, if Yuzuha was going to change into her pajamas, she should too. She was definitely tired, after all. Exhausted from her commission in the hollow and then rushing to Yuzuha's place without even taking a break to tend to any wounds she incurred. 
   Thankfully, the only wounds she had were bruises and scrapes. As she undid the buttons of her blouse, the bruises along her ribcage was a stark, deep purple on her creamy skin. The scratches and scrapes from sliding around on concrete marring her here and there with red lines, raising the skin around each spot. It annoyed the thiren, and not from the pain. The wounds made her look terribly asymmetrical and none of the wounds were perfectly shaped either. 
   All the anime she watched had wounds that showed up as perfect shapes, why couldn't real life be like that? 
   Now that she was able to see herself in her armoire's mirror, she began to realize just how many hits she had actually taken in her exam. She was rushing, she knew. She took risks she didn't need to take and didn't finish off a few ethereals as quickly as she should have. She even nearly dropped the designated package and lost its contents. Despite all that, her butler — who was acting as proctor for the exam — gave her a passing grade. She didn't feel like she deserved it, but he had made sure to console her, saying that everyone makes mistakes and as long as the job is done with no dire injuries, it can be considered a wild success. 
   But, thanks to Alice losing herself in her thoughts, she hadn't even finished taking off her blouse when Yuzuha burst from the bathroom, arms outstretched in the air as she called out, "All done! What about — Oh?" 
   Yuzuha's voice hit Alice like an anvil. She slowly turned, her head twitching as she pivoted to see Yuzuha, standing at the bathroom's threshold, staring right at Alice. The thiren, who had just pulled her arms out of her blouse, let out a long, high pitched sound that was reminiscent of air being let out of a balloon. 
   "Um..." Yuzuha began, turning her head so she wasn't staring exactly at the half dressed rabbit, "d-do you need some help?"
   "Too fast!" Alice squawked, throwing a pillow at Yuzuha. 
   The red-head cackled as she was hit in the head by the pillow, but slunk back into the bathroom and shut the door. 
   Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod.
   Alice's mind was running a mile a minute. Her face was redder than Yuzuha's hair, and she felt light headed. If she had been an iota faster, or Yuzuha even slightly slower, she would have seen more of Alice than she had ever shown anyone. Despite her family seeing her when she was younger, the swimsuit Yuzuha got her was the most amount of skin she had ever shown. And now her best friend had practically seen her without a shirt!
   She had to get dressed faster than fast, so that Yuzuha wasn't trapped in the bathroom, thinking up ways to make fun of her. 
   Yuzuha, on the contrary, was splashing her face with cold water from the tap in the bathroom. Her face felt like it was on fire and her heart was doing pirouettes in her ribs. She only asked Alice if she needed help to break the tension and to hide her thoughts on what she saw.
   How could she tell her best friend that she looked gorgeous in that white, lacy bra? How was she supposed to explain that she would have killed to take pictures of her like that? Was she a pervert? Was there something wrong with her that would cause her to look at her closest friend like that? What the hell? 
   Just as she was calming down, a tiny, timid rap on the door caused her to practically jump out of her skin. 
   Kama, who was sitting on the edge of the tub, was practically screaming, "Very uncharacteristic of you," with his eyes. 
   "Y-Yuzuha...?" Alice's sweet, sheepish voice called out from the other side of the door. "Are you okay...? I'm sorry I threw that pillow..."
   Yuzuha hit herself in the face with her palm when she heard Alice's apology. That's the part of that interaction she was apologizing for? Actually, why was she apologizing in the first place? She didn't do anything wrong!
   She put a smile on her face so Alice could hear it in her voice and she said, "I'm fine, bunny, stop worrying~ Can I come out now?"
   "O-Oh! Yes. Apologies," Alice said haltingly. She was definitely still overly embarrassed at being seen mid-dress. But, when Yuzuha opened the door, she was greeted with a sight she could never get used to. 
   The pajamas Alice wore were cute, form fitting, and even though it was a button down sleeping shirt over sleeping shorts, the bottom flared out due to not having buttons and bared her stomach. She wore similar pajamas when they were at the resort, but the timid way she stood in front of her then in the privacy of her home...
   It made the situation feel much different.
   "Still find those cute on you, you know," Yuzuha hummed as she walked by Alice. The rabbit thiren squirmed and whined, but followed nonetheless. 
   "Man, even for a small, cozy apartment, you still have a king sized bed, huh? Woah, it's so soft, too!"
   Alice let a little smile show as she sat on the corner edge of the bed. "I like having lots of room." 
   Yuzuha, now spread eagle in the center of the bed, chortled. "Really? I'm surprised it didn't have to do with the symmetry of the room." But, when Alice didn't reply, Yuzuha lifted her head to see her friend blushing. A cat-like smirk tugged on the corner of her lips. "That's exactly the reason, isn't it?"
   A little droop of the ears, a shiver of her tail. Despite her attempt at keeping a poker face, Yuzuha could easily read exactly what Alice was thinking. She liked that. There was something about being able to tell exactly what she was thinking without a word being passed between them that made her feel closer than she ought to be. 
   There were times when one should push, and other times when one should be more reserved. When it came to Alice, especially getting Alice to join one in activities, one had to keep on pushing. Or, in this case, pull.
   "Hup!" Yuzuha let out a playful grunt of exertion as she pulled Alice down into the bed by her waist. 
   Of course, in true Alice fashion, she let out a panicked yelp of surprise as she was dragged down. 
   After much squirming and playful snickers and wandering hands, the two of them ended up curled up together in the center of the bed and all the fuzzy blankets. Yuzuha spooned Alice from behind, pressed up against her back with her arms around the thiren's waist. Alice, on the other hand, curled up in on herself a bit and held Yuzuha's hands against her, as if to not let her slip away. 
   The soft, silky texture of the pajamas made any movement smooth and unobtrusive. Though, each little breath Yuzuha let out as she let herself settle in was warm on the back of Alice's neck. It made the fur on her ears stand on end and her tail twitch incessantly. 
   Yuzuha liked that, if she had to be honest with herself. She wasn't even attempting to tease the girl. She wanted them to end up comfortable enough to sleep. But, the little reactions she had made Yuzuha want to explore what other reactions she could get from her. 
   Though, no matter how many times they got close together like this, she still couldn't get over just how fast Alice's heart beat. Was it a rabbit thiren thing? Or did being so close to her make her that nervous? 
   The more she focused on that singular heartbeat, the more it reminded her of the drum beat from one of her favorite songs. She could practically hear the other instruments after a while, and she unconsciously ended up nuzzling closer to Alice to keep hearing it. 
   She couldn't tell you when she drifted off. She was lost in comfort, in warmth. In the scent of Alice with the sound of her beating heart as her lullaby. And without knowing it, her mind slipped from her and she was asleep. 
    Alice, however, was trying to still her racing thoughts. Every inch of her that Yuzuha touched was like a bonfire being held against her. Hot, almost too hot, but so comforting in its warmth that she didn't want to lose it. And the way her breath tickled the back of her neck, the way she could tell the exact moment she fell asleep based on the rhythm of her breathing, she couldn't explain it but she couldn't think of a more comfortable, more safe feeling scenario in that moment. 
   "You fall asleep quick, huh?" Alice whispered, smiling to herself. She interlaced her fingers with Yuzuha's and clung to it like she would a plushie. "I wonder what happened to change that? Manato said you always have a hard time sleeping." 
   Her simple musings to herself were purely self serving, her questions falling on deaf ears. She simply felt better having aired the words. She wasn't sure why, but it was as if a weight lifted somewhere deep within. 
   "Goodnight, Yuzu."

   The next morning was a flurry of chaos. Somehow, neither of their alarms had gone off — or if they did neither of them heard them. They ended up waking up, tangled with one another, around ten in the morning. Yuzuha had already missed her first class and was soon to be late for her second if she didn't sprint out of there. 
   Thankfully, Alice was with her and not only helped her get dressed, but made her a quick bite to eat before she sprinted out the door in a hurry. 
   Now, was it the end of the world to miss a class? No, of course not. So long as she passed the exams her credits would be accrued even if she didn't show up for any of the classes. But the principle of the matter, and the fact that she couldn't always rely on friends' notes, spurned on the chaotic morning. 
   When Yuzuha was on the gondola towards the train station, Alice was left alone in Failume Heights once more. To start the day, though, she went back to her apartment and made herself a cup of coffee. 
    While reading some threads on the interknot, she noticed something pink poking out from under her bed. Curious, she put down her phone and grabbed the item, only to realize it was Yuzuha's favorite sweater. 
   How had neither of them not notice she hadn't been wearing this? Wouldn't she be cold at school? She was never without this sweater, after all. Even when they were at the resort and in their swimsuits most of the time, Kama always held onto it for her. 
   "I wonder if she would mind terribly if I showed up to give this to her?" She thought aloud. Subconsciously, as she mulled over what to do about it, she had begun hugging the article of clothing to her chest. It was soft, had a nice texture, and when she let herself nuzzle it after a few moments of attempted self restraint, it smelled just like Yuzuha too. Like sweet candies and spices, with the faintest hints of gunpowder. 
   Without realizing it, she spent almost ten minutes with her face burrowed in her best friend's sweater. Her tail was flicking rapidly and her ears were standing on end, but she was alone in her apartment. It was okay to indulge in something like this, right? It wasn't so bad to enjoy the scent of your closest friend, right?
   Now that she thought about it, she'd never had a friend as close as Yuzuha was, and wasn't exactly sure what was normal or not with a friend as close as Yuzuha was to her. Like, sure, she had some friends. Those at school who shared tea with her at tea time, Lucille — er, Lucy — who was part of the Sons of Calydon now, Belle, Manato... 
   Her ears drooped. She actually didn't have a huge list of friends, huh? Of course, there were all the business partners she had to make for the reputation of the Thymefield family, but she couldn't count those as actual friends. 
   Off the top of her head, she couldn't remember what any of them smelled like. Those at school? She could only imagine the scent of the tea they shared. Lucy? The smell of her motorcycle grease was all she could remember from her. And Manato always smelled like the hollow from all of his part time jobs that included him mining lumite ore or protecting the miners that did. 
   Yuzuha's scent was the only one that stuck out to her. 
   "Okay, Alice," she said to herself, forcing her back to straighten. She was on her feet before she could curl back up in bed with the sweater and already dressing for the day properly. She had run out to get Yuzuha to the train looking like a mess. She still had her pajama top on, her bangs were a quarter of a degree off to the right, and her knee socks were seven millimeters apart from being parallel. 
   The thiren took her time getting her hair perfect and slipped on her stockings and shoes, and made sure her tie wasn't a single degree out of place. She paused for a moment, thought, and then decided to do something she never thought she'd do on her own volition.
   She put a single hair clip in her hair, nestled between her bangs and fringe braid. Well, it wasn't a hair clip, it was the hair clip. The sailorboo hair clip that swept her and Yuzuha up in the waves of fate together all those years ago. Yuzuha had the original one, the one that was lost to the rabbit thiren when she was young, while she had a newer one that Yuzuha gifted her so they could match. 
   There was always great trepidation for Alice when it came to wearing the clip. She always kept it on her — in her pocket or a purse — but she never wore it since she didn't have a matching set to make it fit her obsession with symmetry. But today felt different. It felt almost right to slide it in her hair. Even when she looked at herself in the mirror, she surprised herself by not hating the fact that she wasn't symmetrical because of it. 
   Then again, maybe her tolerance for asymmetry was just growing quicker than she thought. She could remember saying to Yuzuha that, thanks to her, she was getting a little more tolerant about the symmetry of things being slightly off. Like when Yuzuha made her get a single leg band as part of the swimsuit she picked out. She wanted to hate it, wanted to rip it off, but when Yuzuha looked at her with that smile and said it looked great, who was she to argue? 
   "Right!" The thiren exclaimed. She clapped her cheeks and nodded after checking herself one last time in the mirror. She knew where Yuzuha's campus was, she remembered Manato telling her just in case of a hollow disaster happening. Problem was, it was a campus, not the building. She'd most likely have to go hunting through the buildings to figure out where she was. 
    Wait, couldn't she just wait for her class to let out? Just sit outside the gate with the limo and keep an eye out for the red-head among the crowds? Yeah, that sounded a bit more plausible than scouring the campus grounds for her. 
   "Mr. Arnold?" Alice said, holding her phone up so she could be seen in the video call. 
   "Yes, little miss? Is aught amiss?"
   "Not at all," Alice said with a determined nod, "I was actually hoping you could take me to Yuzuha's school today. She forgot an article of her clothing and I wish to return it."
   "Oh, my. Miss Alice...!" Her butler said, surprised lacing every syllable. 
   Alice blinked. "Huh? What is it?"
   "Might I ask what she left there?" 
   She leaned out of view of her phone's camera and lifted the nice smelling sweater for her butler to see. "Her sweater."
   A sigh of great relief could be heard over the line, and Alice's tail twitched. What had he gotten so worked up about? It wasn't like him to blurt out his reactions like that. Whatever he was thinking would have to wait, however. It wasn't the pressing matter. 
   "Ahem, apologies for my outburst, young miss. Yes, I would be delighted to take you. Shall we set off right away?"
   "Yes. I will meet you at the cable car station on the cliffside road."
   "Very good, my lady."

   When Alice arrived at the platform along the road, Mr. Arnold was already there, parked along the guard rail, standing there with the door open. She beamed happily at his punctuality and skipped over to him.
   "Oh, my, miss Alice," he said, a smile softening his leathery features.
   "Hm?" She hummed as she scooted into the center seat in the back of the limo. She knew exactly where to sit to make sure she was perfectly aligned with the center of the limo to keep it symmetrical. The sweater, sitting in her lap, neatly folded, was like a soft, warm reminder of where she was headed. 
   "Nothing, I just... Wanted to appreciate your growth."
   Alice tilted her head slightly, causing her ears to lean in the same direction. "What do you mean?"
   "Your hair clip, my lady. Purposefully chosen asymmetry? The old miss Alice would have never." 
   Her cheeks flushed a little, but the smile that tugged on her lips, while small and sheepish, was bright and full of determination. 
   The entire ride to Yuzuha's school was quiet. Mr. Arnold had his normal, cello ensemble playing over the speakers at a calmingly low volume, but the conversation was kept to a minimum. She, instead, let herself space out while watching the scenery pass them by. At one point during the trip — she wasn't sure exactly when — she ended up hugging the sweater to her chest. 
   Maybe I should have washed this first, she thought to herself as she looked down at the soft article of clothing. While she may have adored Yuzuha's scent that lingered on it, who was to say Yuzuha would like that Alice's scent was on her clothes? 
    Well, it was far too late now, now wasn't it? She was already three-quarters of the way to the campus. 
   "We are nearly there, miss Alice," Mr. Arnold said over the intercom between the driver's seat and the rest of the limo. "Shall I fetch the mirror when we arrive?"
   "No, thank you," Alice said politely. Normally, she'd check to make sure every single centimeter of her person was perfect before disembarking the limo. Today, however, something inside her told her that she was perfectly fine. "I think... I think I'm okay today. I don't feel like anything could be out of place."
   "By the way, young miss," Mr. Arnold said without looking away from the road, "I do have that take-out order of shrimp and mushroom soup dumplings you requested. Would you like them now?"
   Alice beamed at the mention of the food she asked him to get via text. "No, thank you! They're a gift!"
    "My, my," Mr. Arnold commented as politely as possible, "your funds have been going to so many gifts recently."
   "I-Is that bad...?" 
   "Not at all! Quite the contrary. I enjoy that you have friends you're willing to spoil every so often, now."
   Mr. Arnold, her butler, has been with her since she was young. The moment her father was lost to them, Mr. Arnold was appointed as her personal caretaker. He watched her grow up lonely and skittish. So seeing her now? Close enough friends with Yuzuha that she'd willingly go to her campus just to drop off a sweater and some lunch? It could have brought a tear to his eye. 
   And, as if she could hear that in his inflection, she unconsciously began to smile to herself. 
   When they arrived at the campus, the main building of the school where most administrative tasks and core courses were held, had its doors open and students flooding out. Whether they had a break, heading to their next class, or going home for the day, they all had to pass that one threshold to scatter amongst the rest of the campus.
   And, because Alice's limo was parked right in front of the school's gate, they all began to murmur and gossip about a limousine showing up at their school. 
   Yuzuha, humming to herself as she was reading something on her phone, let out a little "oop" noise when she ran into the girl in front of her. 
   "Oof, sorry about that! I wasn't — what's going on?" 
   The crowd had gotten bigger, and the subtle murmurs quickly grew into a dull chatter. 
   "There's a limo out front!"
   "Maybe a sponsor for the school?"
   "Why would they show up during peak hours?"
   "Maybe some rich kid is transferring?"
   "I thought enrollment was over. Does that mean I could get a different class?"
   All this chatter around her made Yuzuha suspicious. Now, while she wasn't the shortest student there, she definitely wasn't the tallest. And being as packed as the main entrance to the school's main building was, she couldn't see a darn thing. 
   "Kama, pathfind!" Yuzuha whispered. 
   Her trusty friend and companion, Kama, poked his head out of the bag she carried that held her books, and leapt into the crowd. Before too long, a series of "eep!"'s and "ack!"'s could be heard in the crowd as the tanuki tickled people's legs to get them to scatter. 
   Proud of her friend, Yuzuha beamed as she took the openings made for her and scurried through to the front of the crowd. 
   The moment she did, she saw the limousine door open by a somewhat familiar butler. The crowd began to gasp and giggle as the excitement of seeing who had graced their school with their rich presence reached its peak. 
   Then, as the object of everyone's attention stepped out of the vehicle, a hush fell over everyone. 
   All the comments and murmurs stopped. It was as if everyone had been frozen in place at the sight of her. 
   Yuzuha, however, just sighed. Of course it was her bunny that would unknowingly attract so much attention. 
   "Oh, Yuzuha!" Alice cheered after spotting her at the front of the crowd. She happily stood on her toes and waved excitedly at her. As if she needed the help seeing her...
   "Yuzuha? Does she mean Ukinami?"
   "Wait, isn't that the Thymefield girl?"
   "Wow, she's prettier than I thought. Those posters at the resort were nothing!"
   "Wonder why she'd want the tanuki girl?"
   "Are they friends?"
   "Didn't they rent the resort together?"
   Chatter exploded around Yuzuha after Alice called her out and she couldn't help but feel her ears grow hot. There was also some twist in her gut every time another student mentioned how she was pretty, or that they wish they could have had her show up for them. She wasn't sure what that feeling was, but she didn't like it. 
   But, not to drag it out any longer, Yuzuha made her way in front of the crowd and over to the front gate. 
   "H-hey~ Bunny~ What uh, what're you doing here?" Yuzuha said, her usual playful tone somewhat subdued. 
   Alice picked up on that and immediately began to worry. Did she mess up somehow? Was she not to be here? Was she embarrassing her?
   No, don't do that to yourself. Yuzuha said you could see her whenever you wanted so long as you didn't interrupt class!
   Her two inner voices fought restlessly in her head. One screaming that she was just an embarrassment and should leave. The other, in Yuzuha's voice, trying to soothe her.
   All the while, without thinking, her voice came out without thought behind it. 
   "You forgot this on my bed this morning! It's supposed to be colder later and I wanted to make sure you had it!" She was beaming, not letting a single thought through the way she smiled. Though, with how her ears drooped and her tail flickered, it was obvious there was trouble in that symmetrical mind of hers. 
   "Her bed?" One of the students muttered.
   "They had a sleep over? At their age?"
   "Study sesh, maybe?"
   "Are they dating?"
   "Oh, maybe a study date then!"
   "Dang, Ukinami is so lucky. A rich girlfriend who's that cute?"
   Alice didn't seem to notice the gossip happening behind Yuzuha, but she sure did. Her ears were on fire, and if it weren't for her hair being so red it would have been terribly obvious with a single glance. 
   "Oh," Yuzuha said with a small smile, "thanks, bunny~. You didn't have to—"
   "I wanted to surprise you and make your day better!" The way her eyes widened and the little smile on her lips was too much for Yuzuha. How could she say no to such an adorable face? Alice had to know what she was doing, right? 
   "Ah! I almost forgot!" The thiren blurted as she spun on her heels. Yuzuha's hands that were outstretched to grab the sweater were only met with air as Alice bounded back into the limo. 
   Yuzuha let out a sound that could only be described as a verbal equivalent of a question mark. Just what was her friend up to? What was making her all jumpy like this? 
   Moments later, Alice came bounding back up to the front gate with her sweater folded neatly in her arms, and a small take-out container laid atop it. 
   "I brought you lunch, too! I remember how much you loved the dumplings we tried at Sweety's dim sum restaurant, so I wanted to make sure you got to enjoy lunch!"
    Alice was practically glowing with an aura of pure innocence. It was almost hard to look at her with that sweet, innocent smile, holding her sweater and a lunch she didn't ask for. If four classes worth of students weren't staring them down during the exchange, Yuzuha probably would have hugged her. Instead, she gave Alice an awkward smile and accepted the delivery. 
   "Uhm, thanks, Alice," she said. Her voice was a little more gloomy and embarrassed than she meant to be, and Alice immediately picked up on it. 
   How could Yuzuha tell? Alice's glowing smile disappeared and her ears drooped. 
   "D-did I mess up?" Alice asked, her voice dropping to just above a whisper. "I'm sorry, miss Ukinami, I —"
   Miss Ukinami, Yuzuha thought with a pain in her chest. Alice only ever called her than anymore if she felt bad for something, or if she thought she was being trouble to her. Especially when they were out in public and her lack of "normal people's" common sense became painfully apparent. 
   Yuzuha opened her mouth to reply but the smile Alice plastered on her face to make sure she didn't trouble Yuzuha in front of her peers took all the wind out of her. What was she supposed to do? Supposed to say? She and Alice knew each other far too well to be able to hide everything from one another. Well, at least Yuzuha could pick up pretty much everything about Alice. Alice... Well, she needed to practice more. 
   "Sorry to have troubled you," Alice said so softly that Yuzuha almost missed it. The thiren gave her a polite bow and ran back to her limo without ever giving Yuzuha a chance to console her. Before she could even call out for Alice, the limo had already started to leave. 
   What was all that for the other day, if a misunderstanding like this could happen so easily? How was she supposed to tell Alice that this was a little embarrassing without making her upset, when hiding it made her even more upset? 
   Ugh, emotions were so frustrating!
   The rest of the day, Yuzuha could hear snippets from everyone around her talking about the scene Alice unintentionally created at the front gate. 
   "Didn't you see? That Ukinami girl has a super rich girlfriend!"
   Not my girlfriend.
   "They had some sort of lovers' spat in front of everyone. Didn't they?"
   Not lovers, not a spat.
   "I'm like, sooo jealous of that tanuki girl. Can you imagine having such a cute girl that loaded at your beck and call?"
   Don't look at Alice like that, she's extremely sweet. She's not at my beck and call, we're best friends! 
   Her mood had soured throughout the day. Even the fact that Alice's scent had rubbed off on her sweater so she felt like she was hugging Alice all day didn't stop the fact that the gossip was getting to her. Despite the idea that everyone was misjudging their relationship, she overheard far too many conversations about Alice from people with lurid intentions towards her. If she didn't have Alice's reputation to think of, she would have knocked those people around so fast...
   By the end of her last class, it was almost seven in the evening. Thankfully, she wasn't starving, thanks to Alice. But she did need to make sure she made it home at a decent hour. She promised Manato that she would help him with a hollow dive tomorrow and she couldn't be exhausted during it. 
   Maybe she could invite Alice as well, get the job done faster, and smooth everything over? That didn't sound like a half bad idea! 
   Though, why would anything go exactly the way she wanted? She may have been super lucky, but all luck wavered now and then. When she pulled out her phone on the train to text Alice, she wasn't online. Alice was always signed into the inter knot. She never liked missing text messages and was always ready to reply — even in the middle of the night!
   "Oh, Alice..." Yuzuha lamented. The worry in her heart that she was ignoring with every fiber of her being bloomed then, and dread overtook her thoughts. That anxiety she always felt but never showed burned in her mind like coals brought to life by a single spark. 
   What if Alice was so hurt by that incident, that she didn't want to see her again? What if she thought she was the embarrassment in that situation, and distanced herself to avoid it happening again? What if, what if, what if?
   Yuzuha's chest got tighter and tighter, and she ended up curling up in the train booth and hugging her knees to her chest. Without noticing, she had begun to nuzzle her face into the crook of her own elbow, letting the scent left over from when Alice had the sweater keep her mind on better outcomes. 

   "Are you sure you are alright, young miss?" Mr. Arnold's voice said through the speaker in the limo. 
   The partition wall that separated the driver's cabin and the passenger's cabin kept him from seeing the tears she was wiping away before she replied. 
   "I am quite fine. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Arnold."
   It was obvious to him that she wasn't, and that she needed a shoulder to cry on, but that wasn't his place to say. Nor was his shoulder the one she needed. Nonetheless, he was her servant, her mentor, her guide. He couldn't just ignore the hurt she was feeling. 
   "Having friends, close friends especially, is a terrible gift, young miss."
   A terrible gift indeed. Only friends and loved ones could cause such pain. The pain of a wounded heart. The pain of loneliness after finally finding that warmth of company and comraderie. Love, whether it was platonic, romantic, or familial, was always a knife with two edges. It elicits the most joyous of emotions, but can also facilitate the worst of them. 
   As much as he wanted to help her through such a pain, she had to work through these emotions herself. One could wax poetic, or preach of pain all they wanted. But without experiencing it first hand, one would never learn. 
   "We are here, young miss," Mr. Arnold said in his normal, subservient, monotone cadence. "Would you have —"
   "Thank you, Mr. Arnold. I will walk back from here."
   Without another word between them, she left the limo and walked into the cable car station, disappearing behind the building. 
   Riding the swinging cabin down into town alone like that made Alice want to cry again, but she held it as best she could. That is, until she found herself at one of the cliffside sea walls that had been turned into a viewing point. 
   She had come here often in the last few weeks. Most of the time it was at night so she could see the stars glisten off the sea — or, more accurately, watch the stars glitter behind the ether aura of the hollow across the bay. One might not have known it just by looking at her, but she was enraptured by the stars above, normally. 
   Alice took a moment to survey her surroundings and to make sure no one was coming to use the denny-scope that she stood next to. When she didn't see anyone at all — not on the gondola, not on the beach, nowhere along the road she was near — she let herself drop onto the bench that stood against the sandstone wall, and let out her tears. 
   At first it was a couple sniffles, a few droplets. But once she started crying, a torrent followed. Full bodied shakes, hiccuping sobs, and handkerchief soaking tears. Every little thing she had been keeping in just poured out of her all at once. 
   She was always insecure about everything she did. She hated the way her eyes were different. She hated that everyone only saw her name and not her as a person. But what she really hated most was that she couldn't tell when she ended up as a burden to her closest, most precious person. She was always so oblivious and lost when it came to people that she constantly overstepped normal boundaries, misjudged situations, fell for the most obvious of lies, and, yes, could never tell what feelings she actually held in her own heart. 
   More often than not, she wished she hadn't been born into the Thymefield family. She wished she had been born to any other family. Not because she didn't love her family; she did very much. She just wanted to be a normal person, to be able to make friends and talk to people at a normal level. Not struggle to figure out if someone was talking to her for money, for publicity, to use her, or whatever other reasons there could be. 
   And above all, she wished she wasn't an embarrassment.
   Not to the Thymefield name. She already felt like she wasn't worthy of that name. No, she wished she wasn't an embarrassment to her friends. To Yuzuha. 
   Her obsession with symmetry, with elegance, with making sure everything she did was up to an impossible standard while also wanting to just be normal, it all flooded out of her in a deluge of tears. How did Yuzuha ever end up tolerating her? How did she see this pathetic excuse for a thiren and think, "I like her, I want to keep her as a friend"? 
   "She must be regretting everything right about now..." She whimpered to herself between fits of sobbing. 
   The moment she let those words out, let the world hear exactly what she thought about herself, her chest began to ache like someone had jammed an icicle through her heart. And with each sob or hiccup after, her fingers and toes began to tingle, then slowly go numb. Then her hands and feet, arms and legs, and soon she was just laying on the bench, silently sobbing and unable to move. 
   If someone had asked, she couldn't have told them when she passed out, or how long she had been unconscious. In all honesty, she barely remembered how she had gotten to the lookout point in the first place. Everything after seeing that look on Yuzuha's face was fuzzy and vignetted in blackness. 

Chapter Text

"Belle, have you seen her anywhere?" Yuzuha practically shouted over the phone. 
   "No, I haven't talked to her in a few days. Why?"
   "I can't find her, her phone is off, and I'm afraid she might get hurt."
   There was rustling on the other side of the line. Yuzuha couldn't exactly tell what was happening, but soon Belle came back to the receiver. 
   "I'm on my way to Failume Heights. Where are you now?"
   Yuzuha was standing just outside the apartment block that Alice lived in when in Failume Heights. Her little home in Waifei Penninsula away from the Thymefield home. The streets were empty, the night lamps casting eerie, warm light through the fog that had rolled in. It was almost midnight. 
   "At her place. She's not here, and the doorman said he hasn't seen her since she left this morning."
   "Alright. I'll meet you there. Keep me posted, okay?"
   "Belle?" Yuzuha said weakly. 
   "Mhm?"
   "What if she did something that we can't fix?"
   "Don't —" Belle paused, taking a deep breath. "Don't think like that. This is Alice, after all. She's not stupid. She wouldn't do something that would hurt her friends or her family name."
   "Thanks," Yuzuha said blankly. She seemed to have checked out of the conversation before they had hung up, but Belle didn't fault her. 
   After spending the day with her when Alice was busy, Belle could see what Yixuan meant when she and Alice were spending the day recovering in Suibian temple. She saw how much Yuzuha loved Alice, how much she cared for her. She was surprised she didn't see it before — but she was, at the time, stressed about more than just her friends' relationships. 
   By the time Belle got to Failume Heights, Yuzuha had already scoured the lower sections of the town. She hadn't found her yet. 
   "Okay," Belle said, patting Yuzuha on the back, "it's alright. She must be in the higher levels of the town. That's all. Why don't we take the cable car up and look around? Split up?" 
   "Okay," Yuzuha said blankly. 
   Belle didn't like seeing her like this, it was uncanny. Yuzuha was always cat-like and mischievous. Always smirking and laughing and chatting. Even those times she broke down in front of Belle because she didn't think Alice could help her at the time felt different than this. 
   They rode the gondola up together, with Yuzuha staring blankly out the window the entire time. Belle was busy texting with Ju Fufu, employing her assistance in locating the missing thiren. Thankfully, her senior was kinder than she ought to be and offered to start the search before they got up there. 
   "See? Isn't that good? Even Fufu is helping," Belle said gently, showing Yuzuha the text messages involving Fufu's assistance. 
   "Sorry," Yuzuha ended up saying, "I didn't mean for this to happen."
   Belle just shook her head and gave Yuzuha a reassuring hug around the shoulders. "Don't apologize. We're all friends. We're all worried."
   "I... I don't even know why she had such a reaction," she ended up saying. She didn't mean to confide anything in Belle, she just wanted someone's help finding her. But, when she started to confide her feelings in Belle, they all just flooded out of her. "I was just embarrassed that she had gone so above and beyond just to return my sweater. If she had just waited for me to get out of class, or even just left the sweater with the administration, maybe it would have turned out better...?"
   "What embarrassed you?" Belle asked as the gondola began to slow.
   Yuzuha hugged herself. Kama let out a low, mrowling noise of... was that sympathy? 
   "I guess... Just, everyone talking about us? Everyone seeing her do that for me just for something so small. Everyone talking about her in a way that—" 
   In a way that what? Upset her? Made her mad? Why did it make her mad? What had they actually said, anyway? That Alice was cute? That they wished they could date her? Why would that bother her? They were just saying the truth. It wasn't like they were doing anything. 
   "— that made you jealous?" Belle filled in for her when she stopped talking. 
   "H-huh?" Yuzuha started, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What would I have to be jealous about?" Her voice had risen in pitch, and her cheeks started to flush. She hadn't realized it at the time, but her ears were burning too. 
   Belle's smile was small, sympathetic, and knowing. It was like looking at a big sister who didn't want to tell her younger sister that Santa wasn't real. She didn't end up saying anything though, because the moment they got off the gondola, Belle got a text from Fufu.
   "Yuzuha!" She exclaimed. "Look! Fufu found her!" The screen of her phone was lit up with a text message that had a map with a little pin less than a hundred meters from their location. 
   "Let's go!" Yuzuha practically shouted, moving before Belle even had a moment to respond. 
  
   "Fufu! Is she okay!?" Belle yelled as she and Yuzuha ran down the steps to where Fufu was knelt next to an unconscious rabbit thiren. 
   "Her ether is tuned perfectly fine, and she doesn't seem to be too beat up. But, did you see this?" Fufu's small hand lifted the edge of Alice's blouse to expose just a bit of her hip and ribs. In doing so, she revealed a deep, painful looking bruise that marred her otherwise creamy skin. 
   "What the...?" Belle said as she and Yuzuha skidded to a halt next to the tiger thiren. 
   Yuzuha said nothing, but her eyes were wide and glassy. She was staring at the deep bruise, panic welling up in the back of her throat. When had that happened? Why didn't she tell Yuzuha about it? 
   "I think Shifu Yixuan should have some medicinal herbs that are good for bruises in the storehouse, but..."
   "Nothing that could fix this completely," Belle said, finishing Fufu's thought. Bruises were a common part of life, but a bruise that large was obviously from blunt force trauma that needed a proper medical examination. Not just some salve slathered over it. 
   "Are you okay, Yuzuha?" Belle asked. Her words were barely above a whisper. She didn't want to startle the red-head, especially when she wore that defeated expression on her face. 
   Seeing such a wound on Alice jarred her, yes, but when she looked at the unconscious rabbit and saw how red and puffy her eyes were, it felt like her chest was filled with ice. Had she caused the thiren to cry so much she would pass out? Was she the reason her best friend, her closest friend, was in so much pain? 
   "Can you guys help me bring her home?" Yuzuha whispered. Her words sounded as empty as she felt, but Belle and Fufu agreed without so much as a second to deliberate. 
   As awkward as it was, the three of them ended up half carrying the girl to her apartment. They had planned to bring her to Yuzuha's house where she could watch over her, but they had struggled just to get the thiren to her apartment block. Having to go up a few more streets would have been too much. 
   Thankfully, Alice had her card key on her person and they were able to get Alice and Yuzuha into the place without issue. 
   "Do you want us to stay?" Belle asked after they laid Alice on her bed. Yuzuha was sitting on the bed next to her, gently running her fingers through Alice's hair. She looked so hurt, so lost, but Belle didn't want to overstep any boundaries. 
   Yuzuha, who hadn't said a word since they picked Alice up, just shook her head weakly. "No. Thank you so much for your help." 
   Fufu, always the gentle soul, tiptoed her way over to Yuzuha's side and took one of her hands and gave it a squeeze. "We're only a text away. And I'm only down the street. Please don't hesitate if you need anything."
   A faint smile was all she got as a response, but she seemed satisfied with that. After saying their goodbyes quietly, Belle and Fufu left Alice in Yuzuha's care.
   
   The door closed quietly behind them as they both stepped out into the hall. Fufu looked far more distressed than Belle thought she would be about the situation. 
   "Will she be okay? Should we have Shifu watch over them?"
   Belle shook her head and walked with Fufu to the elevator. "No, I think they'll be just fine. Give them time and space and I'm sure we'll see them laughing and smiling together again soon."
   "You always somehow see the bright side, junior Belle," Fufu mumbled. She hated when Belle seemed more mature than her, even though she was the senior. She was supposed to impart wisdom to her, not the other way around!
   "I think it's cuz I'm always helping people out in situations like these," Belle mused more to herself than Fufu. "Being a proxy puts you in a lot of tense, personal situations. You know?"
   "Mmn... Not really, but I believe you!"
   Once they reached the lobby, Belle inadvertently let out a yawn. For a reason unbeknownst to Belle, it made Fufu giggle. 
   "What?" She asked, playing the offended party. 
   "I just thought it was funny! I don't think I've ever seen you act sleepy before, even when Shifu was running you through ether tuning training!" 
   Belle screwed up her face, trying to remember if she had ever acted tired around Fufu, but her thought was quickly derailed by the thiren skipping ahead of her a few steps. Once effectively in Belle's way, she spun on her toes and leaned over with a playful grin.
   "Wanna come sleep at the temple? Your room is still set up like before!" 
   "You guys didn't get rid of all the stuff you didn't need?"
   "Of course not! That's your home away from home! You're one of us, remember? We want you to always feel welcome!"
   "Hmm..." Belle faked a ponderous look on her face, pretending that it was a real hard decision to make. 
   Fufu, buying it more than Belle thought she would, gave her puppy dog — kitty cat? — eyes, as if Belle spending the night there was somehow a favor for herself and not for Belle.
   "Ahaha, alright! Alright! Put those dangerous peepers away! I'll stay!"

   It's always better to ask forgiveness than permission. That's one of the many, many mottos that Yuzuha decided to live by. And the situation she found herself in was one of the times where she had to repeat it to herself in her head. 
   When she was left alone with Alice, her imagination started to go haywire. She couldn't stop imagining worse wounds than the bruise she saw on her ribs. What if there were deep lacerations hidden away? Or broken bones? Or just chunks of her flesh missing altogether? 
   She was going to go insane if she didn't check, and she knew Alice would never let her. So, forgiveness instead of permission. She needed to see if there was anything else that needed immediate medical attention. 
   Though, the moment she undid Alice's tie to get to the top button of her blouse, she froze. The only time she'd seen Alice in anything less was when she was in her swimsuit, and when she accidentally walked out of the bathroom to see her mid-dress. But this time? She would be the one stripping away her layers.
   When was the last time she had felt this hot? When was the last time she was this red? She could feel her entire body heat up as if she was on fire. 
   Why was she freaking out so much? Alice was her closest friend and she was a girl too. Nothing she hadn't seen before. Right? 
   "Just... Just do it, dummy. You need to make sure she's okay."
   Her words slipped through her lips like a brook over river stones. Quick, quiet, and gentle. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled as she undid her friend's first button. When Alice didn't immediately wake up and slap her, she undid the next. 
   And the next.
   And the next. 
   Until, finally, the last button came away, and a breath she didn't realize she had been holding escaped her lungs. It was nerve wracking in a way she hadn't felt before and she wasn't terribly sure if she liked it. But, objective one was complete; undo all the buttons on her blouse. Objective two was about to be a lot more tricky, though...
   "Okay, Alice," Yuzuha whispered, more to steel herself than for the thiren's benefit, "this is solely to check your wounds. Nothing more, I promise. No pranks, no ulterior motives." 
   Despite her reassurances, she was still shaking. What was she, a kid? Some dumb baby who couldn't handle helping her friend? Get it together, dummy!
   With one, sharp inhale, Yuzuha squeezed her eyes shut and pulled open Alice's blouse. When she wasn't immediately kicked in the face, she knew Alice had yet to wake up and she was still mostly safe. In that case...
   One eye slowly opened and Yuzuha's cheeks burned even hotter than before. How was that possible? She already felt like she was sweating! 
   Alice's upper body was athletic and lithe, save for her bust. Her stomach was smooth and her hip bones were pronounced; but, what took Yuzuha's breath away wasn't how lovely she looked, but the amount of bruises and scrapes that covered her. Just what the hell kind of exam had she had? How badly did they knock her around? That wasn't like the Alice she knew! The Alice she knew would have danced out of danger before lunging in for a quick execution!
   As light as a feather, Yuzuha's hand slowly slid across Alice's skin, starting near her hips where the first bruise was. She let her fingers dance across the rabbit's skin, making sure none of the bruises or scrapes were raised too much or hot to the touch. When it came to the dark purple mark just under her pale-blue, frilly bra, Yuzuha froze.
   Was she allowed to check? It's not like she was - no. She wasn't doing anything wrong. She was genuinely worried for Alice's health. It was fine in a medical perspective. She just needed to be sure there was no internal bleeding. 
   It seemed like her mental gymnastics she was playing with herself was enough to get her to touch the bruise and slip her fingers just under the fringe of the rabbit's under wire. No heat beyond Alice's natural warmth. 
   A sigh of relief spilled out of Yuzuha's lips before she could stop it and she pulled her hand away. Okay, so she wasn't in immediate danger. Good. What was she supposed to do next? 
   She could get some ice and hold it against the bruises? Help the swelling a bit? But that seemed like something Alice would want to do herself. Maybe get some salve to help the scrapes heal better? No, what if the texture made Alice freak out?
   Yuzuha screwed up her own hair in frustration. What the hell was she supposed to do in this situation? And why was Alice still unconscious? Was she that exhausted? Or did she have a head wound again? 
   Then again, the last time Yuzuha could remember crying hard enough, she ended up passing out for a couple of hours. Maybe it was the same idea? Especially with how puffy Alice's eyes had gotten. 
   Well, first thing was first: preserve Alice's modesty. Yuzuha re-buttoned the bunny's blouse and tugged the blankets up over the two of them. She wasn't sure when her favorite person in the world would wake up, but she wanted her to wake up comfortable. 
   So, instead of just leaving like she had planned, she ended up tucked into Alice's bed once more. Though, this time, instead of curling into Alice, she guided the girl's head onto her own chest and stroked her hair as gently as one might stroke a sleeping bunny so as to not wake them up. 
   "You must have let a lot out, huh?" Yuzuha voiced to the air. While her words were directed to the sleeping woman on her chest, she knew she couldn't hear them. But, that didn't stop her from wanting to air them out. It was good to get things off your chest. She learned that fairly recently herself. "How long had you been holding onto everything? The last time you cried so hard was in my arms in the underground lab. Did stress build up that fast?" 
   The rabbit in her arms made a noise at that. Yuzuha started and looked down at Alice, only to see her eyes squeeze tight and her face screw up. She was groaning. Was she in pain? Having a nightmare? 
   Wrong! It was a secret, third thing!
   She was waking up. 
   Yuzuha froze. What was she supposed to do? What would she say? 'Hey, sorry, saw you sleeping outside so we carried you home'? Sure, that was pretty much the truth, but how would Alice react? Poorly, she assumed. 
   That groan came from the sleeping bunny again and her legs stretched outwards and shook a little bit. 
   "Mmn... Yuzu... So warm..." Alice sighed sleepily, her eyes struggling to open. Then, as if ice water was poured on her, Alice's eyes flew opened and she jumped up out of Yuzuha's arms. "Y-Y-Yuzuha!" She squealed in a panic. 
   "Hey," the tanuki girl said with a weak smile. "How you feeling?"
   "What are you doing here? I thought  — wait, how did I end up here? I don't remember..."
   "I got some help and brought you home," Yuzuha explained. She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest, never taking her eyes off Alice. "We found you outside, on one of the benches near the denny-scopes on the overlook."
   Alice looked horrified and guilty, like she was caught vandalizing a priceless artifact. Her face was pale — accentuated immensely by the red rimmed eyes — and her ears were completely drooped down and flattened against her head. The guilty aura about her was made even worse by the fact that Yuzuha hadn't properly tucked her blouse back into the cumberbund that had the emoticon screen on it. The disheveled look didn't suit her, Yuzuha decided. 
   "I —" Alice began but was immediately stopped by Yuzuha hugging her around the shoulders. 
   "I'm sorry," the self proclaimed prank witch said with a tight voice. "I was stupid to be embarrassed by my favorite person in the world coming to visit me at school."
   Alice didn't return the hug. Her arms were held up at her sides, unsure of what to do. Her eyes were glassy with tears but she wasn't about to let them spill over. She cried enough. 
   "You weren't in the wrong," Alice whispered, her voice weak and small sounding. "You were unhappy and made it known, that's all there —"
   "No!" Yuzuha shouted, squeezing Alice tighter. The panicked yelp from the bunny was almost as loud as Yuzuha's sudden outburst. "I wasn't unhappy! I was really, really happy!" Her voice was cracking as she tried to make her feelings known, her arms trembling as her grip never loosened. 
   "But..." Alice started, unsure of what to do. Should she hug back? Should she push her away to talk to her face to face? "You looked so embarrassed and hurt..."
   "I didn't know how to express how I felt..." Yuzuha whispered, her voice breathy and tight. "There were so many people watching and I didn't know how to thank you enough or say what I was thinking and..."
   Alice shook her head. "It's okay to admit that I embarrassed you..."
   Suddenly, Alice was shoved back, held out at arms' length so Yuzuha and she could see eye to eye. Her beautiful, clear, green eyes were glassy with unspilt tears. Her bottom lip was trembling and her face was almost as red as her hair.
   "I could never be embarrassed to be with you. If anything, I was embarrassed at how happy I was." A single tear spilled over. "If I had let it show I would have looked like a little kid. You made me really happy, doing what you did."
   "But—"
   Alice didn't get to say what she was thinking. Instead, Yuzuha lunged at her for a suffocatingly tight hug once more. But this time, she pushed her over, sending the both of them crashing down into the bed. It seemed to be a theme, the two of them ending up comfortable in the same bed. Though, this time, instead of Yuzuha curling up against Alice, or Alice gripping onto Yuzuha, the red head was completely on top of the blonde. Her face was buried in the bunny's neck, her arms practically sealing their bodies together. 
   Long moments of quiet sniffles passed as Alice listened to Yuzuha cry. She didn't return the hug still, but more because she couldn't at this angle. Instead, her head rested against her friend's, her eyes half closed as she tried to sort her thoughts into words. 
   But, before Alice could make a coherent sentence, Yuzuha broke the silence. "Why didn't you tell me you got hurt?"
   "Huh?" Alice froze. What did she mean? The last time she got hurt that Yuzuha would have known about was the commission they were both on, and that was a done and dusted issue. 
   "Ju Fufu helped me find you. She saw one of the bruises. When I was left alone with you, I checked to see all the bruises on your upper body."
   Her words, while muffled by Alice's neck, made her shudder. If she had seen her wounds, she would have had to undo her blouse. She would have seen everything. If that was the case, why was she still wearing it? Wouldn't Yuzuha have left her undressed to mess with her? 
   "I—"
   "You're always so careful and meticulous. Even when we're fighting together your movements are measured to match mine... What happened?"
   "I..." Alice began, her voice tight and small sounding. "I wanted to see you... Mr. Arnold said I rushed and made stupid mistakes I normally don't make..." She shut her eyes as she spoke, afraid to see the disappointment in Yuzuha's face should she look at her. She had already caused her enough problems. She couldn't handle disappointing her too. 
   "I'm the reason you were hurt...?"
   Her eyes flew opened once more. "No! No, not at all! It was all my own fault! I rushed and made stupid mistakes and didn't confirm kills on ethereals and—"
   Alice's ramblings were stopped by a sudden thud on either side of her head. Yuzuha had pushed herself up, her hands slamming against the mattress on either side of Alice. The way she was positioned, she was leaned over the thiren, her hair falling in red curtains around Alice so she couldn't look anywhere but at those pretty, green eyes. 
   "What made you rush so much?" Yuzuha asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Why put yourself in such danger? You could have gotten seriously hurt..."
   "I..." 
   Why did she rush so much? Why did she put herself into stupid situations? It really wasn't like her. Just like Yuzuha was saying, she was always so much more careful than that. 
   "I... Felt guilty... I guess..."
   Those pretty green eyes that she loved looking at when she thought Yuzuha wasn't paying attention blinked rapidly. Alice couldn't tell if she was confused, mad, sad, or some bastardization of all three. 
   "For... For what?" She asked, her voice laced with disbelief. She stared at Alice with those tearful eyes, studying every little inch of the thiren's face. 
   "I declined plans with you... And if I didn't hurry I would not have had the time to buy you that gift and meet up with you..."
   There were so many emotions swirling inside the wannabe tanuki at that moment that she didn't know what to do. She wanted to yell at Alice for being so reckless, but she wanted to cry as well for making her feel so guilty. Then there was the urge to hug her for being so thoughtful, to ki—
   What the hell are you thinking? she mentally berated herself. You two aren't like that.
   "Y... Yuzu..?" Alice whispered. "Are you okay?" 
   She hadn't realized that she was silently staring at Alice while her mind tried to play catch up with itself. It must have been so weird.
   "Yeah," she ended up replying before slowly lowering herself down and laying atop the bunny once more. "I just... I worry about you. I don't want you to think you're trouble for me. I don't want you thinking you're in the wrong for having a life. I want you to be you. And I want you to be with me."
   With the emotions so wound up the last few hours, the sudden gentleness in Yuzuha's words and actions made Alice feel like she was floating. As if a cloud had enveloped her and her mind was swept away. Like she was no longer in her own body. 
   "We promised, didn't we?"
   "'We will live on, together'," Alice recited. It wasn't the first time that week they had reminded one another of that promise, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last time either. 
   "And if you go beating yourself up, or getting beat up..."
   Yuzuha's voice was tightening up, threatening more tears. 
   Without a thought in her head, Alice reached around Yuzuha and hugged her tight against herself. She didn't know what to do or what to say beyond that, but she knew she wanted her close. She didn't want to let go. 
   "I'm sorry," she finally ended up saying after they laid like that for a while. 
   "Me too," Yuzuha replied between sniffles. 
   After the two of them calmed down enough to be able to look at one another without tears welling up, Yuzuha shifted away from Alice a bit. 
   With one smooth movement, she sat with her legs crossed and held her ankles with her hands. "Take it off," she said bluntly. 
   Still laying down, the rabbit looked up. "Huh?"
   "Your blouse. I could only see the bruises on your front. I want to check you all over."
   Immediately, Alice's cheeks were aflame. How could she just... say that? Without blinking? Without stuttering or misspeaking or anything. Her control was amazing...
   "But..."
   "Nope!" Yuzuha exclaimed, crossing her arms. "You scared me to death. You passed out in the streets, made me carry you home, and you hid the fact that you were all beat up. This is your punishment. Strip!"
   Each little guilty action Yuzuha pointed out felt like a spike in the rabbit's fast beating heart. One after another the guilt piled up until her ears drooped completely. She knew she was right. She made a bunch of mistakes. But... Was this punishment the correct way to handle it?
   "If you don't, I will. And I won't be as gentle as before!"
   That got Alice moving with a panicked "eep!" sound. She sat bolt upright and began undoing the buttons on her blouse, the entire time a wave of dizziness taking over her as her face burned brighter than the sun. 
   When the cumberbund was removed and the last button undone, Alice sat there, hugging her shoulders, the blouse drooping off her frame. "B-better?"
   "You... have to take it off, carrot." Yuzuha's statement was far more gentle than before, and the addition of the pet name made Alice's scalp tingle. There was a part of her that wondered why, when she had been called that by her before, but she pushed it aside for the more pressing matter.
   "Uwa..." Alice whined as she turned away from Yuzuha and let the blouse slide off her shoulders. The more the blouse fell away, the more creamy skin was revealed.
   At first, it was just her slender shoulders and neck. Soft looking, slender, unblemished. Yuzuha's mind and heart started to race but she did everything she could to will herself to chill out. Then her shoulder blades — thin and pronounced. The bruises began there. From just under the nape of the neck to just below her bra strap. 
   That rapidly beating heart of hers tightened at the sight. 
   When the blouse fell completely away, and her entire back was exposed, Yuzuha let out a soft, inadvertant whine. Her back was a mosaic of blues and purples and yellows. Far worse than her front. On one hand, she was grateful her front didn't look this bad. That could have caused a lot more problems. On the other hand, she didn't want her favorite person to be bruised like this, ever. 
   As if all her brain cells left the moment she saw Alice's bare back, she reached out and gently laid a hand on her upper back. Alice let out a panicked yelp, but she didn't pull away. Whether it was because she was afraid of what Yuzuha might do if she did, or she trusted her, it wasn't clear. 
   "I need to check them," Yuzuha said softly, leaning over Alice's shoulder so she could be in her peripheral. "Just touch each one, make sure it's not a pocket of blood."
   "Pocket of... b-blood?" Alice whimpered. 
   Whenever there was severe bruising in areas as large as she had, there was a chance more than just a couple of capillaries or blood vessels burst. If that were the case, and there were internal hemorrhages that needed to be drained, the bruises would be hot to the touch and puffy from all the blood that swelled in them. Of course, she only learned that from the miners she helped in the hollow with Manato, but she wasn't going to explain all that to her bunny right now. 
   "Just trust me."
   A timid nod.
   Just that little nod, somehow, caused Yuzuha's heart to skip a beat. She wasn't sure if it was because of the shy, flustered look that was on Alice's face, her posture and how she was hugging herself, or the fact that she trusted her without a second thought. Maybe all three. 
   Regardless, Yuzuha got to work. She moved her hands slowly, methodically, just like how Manato had taught her. She started from the lower back and slowly moved her hands upwards, never letting her palms leave the girl's skin. 
   Alice let out soft whimpers and shivers with each touch, but she didn't pull away or stop her friend. She was told to trust her, and she did. With her life. 
   "Alice," Yuzuha said softly, whispering into her drooped bunny ears.
   "Eek — y-yes!" 
   "I need to undo the strap, okay? It's tight on your skin."
   The only response, besides another timid nod, was a quiet, high pitched whine and a slump of her shoulders. 
   Not letting herself feel guilty, she took the frilly strap in between her fingers and gently unclasped it. The moment it came undone, she could hear Alice gasp, but she didn't move away. In fact, the only movement she saw Alice make — aside from her ears and tail — was her arms hugging herself to keep her bra from slipping off. 
   With the offending material removed, her hands continued their journey, meticulously checking each and every inch of her back to make sure there was nothing more than scratches and bruises. 
   If the situation had been for a different reason, Yuzuha felt like she could do this for hours. She also felt like she'd actually enjoy it, instead of being a ball of anxiety. 
   Once finished, she let out a slow but relieved sigh and sunk forwards. Her entire weight was suddenly pressed up against Alice's bare back and the bunny yelped in sudden embarrassment. It was one thing for Yuzuha to do this clothed, or even in swim suits, but when she had nothing on? It was too much!
   "You're lucky, you know," Yuzuha said with a tired voice. "No deeper damage from what I can tell."
   "That's... That's good," Alice meekly agreed.
   "Yes. Especially since if you had gotten hurt worse than this I'd be kicking your ass too!" Without warning, Yuzuha's voice raised and her arms slipped around Alice's waist. Before the bunny knew it, she was being lifted and flung backwards into the bed with Yuzuha.
   "Yeee— ack!" The cute yelp of panic made Yuzuha giggle weakly. Alice didn't get a chance to reposition or even cover herself with more than her hands when Yuzuha's nose nuzzled into her neck. Without meaning to, Alice let out a soft, breathy whine at the feeling. 
   "Tell me when you're hurt."
   "I w-will."
   "Tell me when you're sad."
   "I promise."
   "Tell me—"
   "Yuzuha?"
   "Mhm?" 
   "What if I just tell you everything?"
   She felt rather than saw Yuzuha's smile. "I like that idea."
   "On one condition — you tell me everything in return."
   That smile faded quickly, and Alice knew why. Her friend still felt like she wasn't good enough at interpersonal relationships to follow what was going on in that red-haired head of hers. She knew everyone thought that. It was something she hated about herself. But, if Yuzuha was willing to go this far, she wanted to as well.
   "I know I'm still not good at it. I know you think I'm useless when it comes to emotions —"
   "I don't —!"
   Alice cut her off before she could try and correct her. "— but I want to get better. I want to be the person you come to when you need someone. Not Belle. Not Manato." She rolled over and wrapped her arms around Yuzuha tightly. With how close they were, their bodies held up the only piece of clothing keeping Alice's modesty. Should they separate, things would be different.
   "If I'm your favorite, I want you to come to me with everything. Even if I don't know what to do. Even if I don't do it right."
   Yuzuha was burning bright red when Alice rolled over, but stayed silent for Alice to continue. When the bunny paused, she opened her mouth to speak, but Alice continued. 
   "I want to learn, I want to do better. I want to be able to look at you and not only tell what you're thinking, but be able to help with anything that may be happening. Whether it be a wave of sadness, or money problems, or just wanting company."
   When she didn't continue further, Yuzuha let out a soft breath she didn't realize she was holding. "I'm sorry, Alice," was all she said. Her words were soft, quiet, like a whisper on the wind. 
   Alice's ears twitched at the sudden gentleness, the sudden meekness in Yuzuha's voice, that she felt like she was talking to someone else for a moment. Why was she apologizing? What had she done wrong? Was she about to give her bad news...?
   She steeled herself for whatever horrible thing Yuzuha was about to say, but she immediately deflated when she began speaking. 
   "I never meant to make you feel like you weren't enough. I didn't want to trouble you with worries when you had other things to handle, and I know you get flustered and upset when you can't figure something out. So I didn't want you to get upset if you didn't know how to handle my emotional dumps and..."
   The inhale she took before moving into the next part of her apology was quickly squeezed out of her when Alice hugged her so tight she thought her spine would pop. 
   "I guess... We're both bad at this," Alice said, a weak laugh escaping her trembling lips. 
   Yuzuha's laugh was equally as weak. She didn't know what else to say at that point, so she just nuzzled her face into Alice's neck again and gently traced shapes on the bare skin of her back. 
   Neither of them knew just how long they had spent laying there together, nor did they know what to say after all that. All Yuzuha knew was that the feeling of Alice's heartbeat rapidly pounding against her own chest felt so nice. And all Alice knew was, despite her lack of a top, she had never felt so comfortable than when she was curled up with her like that. 
   An hour later, after Yuzuha had finally dozed off, Alice gently untangled herself and got up to change into pajamas. It felt nice to have clothes on again. Her perpetually burning cheeks were no longer red and on fire after she had washed her face. 
   By the time she came out of the bathroom, Yuzuha was sitting up. Her hair was abysmal, her eyes half lidded with bags under them, and she barely looked awake. She was still in her day clothes and sweater, and Alice had to help her out of bed and into a pair of pajamas. 
   Note, the second pair that she had borrowed from Alice now in just as many nights. 
   When it came to undressing, Alice had the hardest time helping. She had no idea where to look, or touch, or how to act, but Yuzuha seemed to just be going through the motions. Whether she was just too tired from the day, still half asleep, or just didn't care if Alice saw or touched her, it wasn't terribly clear. But, once dressed, Alice took her hand and led her back to bed. 
   The prankster was out like a light the moment her head hit Alice's pillow. It was as if she had never gotten up to begin with. Alice couldn't resist the urge to giggle a little.
   It took her a long time to feel like she was ready to actually sleep. She paced around her apartment, folded and refolded hers and Yuzuha's clothes numerous times, and even undid, redid, and then undid her hair again. She wasn't sure why she was having such a hard time getting sleepy, but when she finally was, she crawled in next to her friend. 
   At the risk of seeming creepy, Alice looked at Yuzuha for a long time. She didn't lay down or curl up to her yet. She just... Watched her. Let her eyes dance across her profile from under the blankets and the cute little sleeping faces she made. She watched her eyes flicker here and there under her eyelids and even occasionally reached over to brush an errant strand of hair back into place. 
   Just as she was about to lay down, she heard Yuzuha mumbling in her sleep. Of course, curiosity got the better of her, so she stayed seated a while longer, just listening to her favorite person make little noises as she slept. Most of the mumbling was incoherent babbling, but there was one point where she did actually say something. 
   At first, Alice didn't think she heard right, so she leaned over a little bit to listen closely.
   Sure enough, whatever Yuzuha was dreaming about, the words, "... my bunny..." escaped her lips. 
   She couldn't have said why, but it made Alice's heart flutter like a flock of birds. So much so, that her burning cheeks felt like they'd actually catch fire. So, she decided to do something she didn't think she'd ever do.
   The thiren leaned over her friend, brushed some of her own hair out of the way, and gave the sleeping woman the softest, sweetest kiss on the cheek. 

    Morning came quickly after that. 
   Alice's alarm went off at five-thirty, and she was promptly up, showered, and dressed before Yuzuha even woke up. She was surprised her alarm hadn't woken her, but it was most likely due to her lack of bunny ears that it didn't seem so loud. 
   "Yuzu," Alice said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and leaning over her. "Yuzu, it is almost six. We should get you up."
   Grumbling and mumbling came from under the blanket lump that was Yuzuha. It was obvious she was no morning person, and that elicited a light giggle from the rabbit. But, when you had to wake up, you had to wake up. Even if you didn't want to. 
   "Yuzu," she said again, laying a hand on the lump of blankets, "did Manato not ask you to help him today?"
   She wasn't supposed to have known that she was working with Manato that day had he not asked her to help as well. It was supposed to be a surprise for Yuzuha. Manato knew she loved having her friend around, regardless of the situation. And he would never turn down extra help. So he had asked her to keep it down low unless Yuzuha herself asked. 
   "... five more minutes..."
   A soft smile and a shake of the head.
   "No, no, one should never be late if they can be early," Alice hummed as she pulled the blankets off Yuzuha one by one. 
   With each blanket pulled the red-head's whines grew louder and more high pitched until the final blanket was torn from her and she was left on the bed, chilly in the cool autumn morning. 
   Alice couldn't stop her eyes from dancing across the sleepy girl's form once she had begun to wake up. Her hair, albeit a mess, was still somehow silky and shiny. Even though her face was looking sleepy, she still has a cuteness to her countenance that Alice loved. The pajamas, however, were a bit loose on her (read, the pyjama top had a bit too much room). Because of the... size difference, the top slunk off one of her shoulders and bared more skin than was traditionally lady-like. Or, more accurately, more than Yuzuha normally showed. 
   A wave of guilt overtook her for gazing at her friend like that, especially when she was half awake and unable to defend herself from her weird thoughts, so she quickly tore her eyes away and looked at the two clocks that flanked the doorway. 
   "Six o'clock now, Yuzuha."
   "Mm.. call me Yuzu again," she said while rubbing her eyes with her fists. 
   Unsure of what brought that up, Alice turned back to look at her friend. She wasn't entirely convinced she was awake yet, if she was saying something so... Vulnerable. So, she figured she would try to mess with her like Yuzuha would. 
   Alice leaned over Yuzuha's supine form, reached down and brushed some hair from her face, and said softly, "Yuzu~ Come now, it's time to get up."
   Something about that triggered something in the tanuki girl because the moment the words left her lips, Yuzuha's eyes shot wide open and her cheeks blossomed pink. 
   "Wha—huh!? Alice!?" She yelped, sitting up so quick she nearly clunked her head against the rabbit's. "W— H— What was that!? 
   "Hm?" Alice hummed, looking at her quizzically. Without thinking about it, she innocently fluttered her eyelashes. 
   "That... That voice! The - the - the—" she couldn't seem to get the words out. 
   But, the look on Yuzuha's face, her reaction, everything about it, was exactly what Alice had been trying to achieve when she made that ghost ship post on the inter knot. 
   The laugh that escaped Alice's lips was like a cool breeze on a hot day. The way her face lit up, the shake of her shoulders, even the way she placed a few of her slender fingers to her lips to keep that "ladylike" attitude of hers. It all mesmerized Yuzuha to the point where she felt like she was going to pass out again. 
   She didn't, thankfully, but she thought she could have. 
   "You have no idea how long I've been trying to surprise you! To get you to react just like that! And that's all it took?" Alice's laughter continued to the point where Yuzuha turned bright pink. Of course, it was at her expense and she didn't like it, but she knew it was deserved. Especially with all the times she laughed at Alice for the same type of reaction. So this is what it felt like to be on the receiving end.
   Unsure of what to say or how to react to the situation, Yuzuha covered her burning face with her hands and fell back onto the bed, letting out a long, high pitched whine of defiance. 
   "H-hey! No going back to bed!" 
   The next ten minutes consisted of Alice futiley trying to get Yuzuha out of bed, and Yuzuha tickling and wrestling with Alice.
   It was only when Yuzuha had won the little, playful struggle that she decided it was time to get up. She was straddling Alice's hips and had her hands pinned to either side of her head. The two of them were breathing heavily, Alice's cheeks bright pink; Yuzuha's as red as her hair. 
   She wasn't sure about it, but it felt like something between them had changed. No, maybe changed wasn't right. It was more like...
   Evolved. 
   As if something in them blossomed since the night before. When she looked down at the slightly disheveled bunny underneath her, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath, her eyes focused only on her own... Something in her burned. It wasn't a bad heat — quite the contrary. She liked the feeling of it. It warmed her belly and her chest and made her cheeks feel flushed. And every time they looked at one another the way they did in that moment, that heat flared up again. 
   "I think it's time you showered," Alice said softly, a gentle smile on her lips. 
   A voice in her head, albeit a small voice, desperately wanted to tease Alice by saying. 'Why don't you come with me?'. Of course, that would not only probably cause Alice to short circuit, it would also embarrass herself as well. So, instead, she ended up saying, "Will you do my hair afterwards?"
   Alice practically beamed at the request and nodded excitedly. She knew Alice loved doing her hair. Besides the fact that she got to make it as symmetrical as she liked, there was something else to it that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Though, in the end, it didn't matter that much. Alice loved doing it, and she loved having her hair done by Alice. 
   So, once she was out of the shower, she happily took a seat on the edge of the tub and let Alice have fun with her hair. 
   Once her twin braids were in order and up to Alice's specifications of symmetry, she stood up and did a little twirl. She was back in her usual outfit — her blouse and skirt with her sweater over them and her asymmetrical socks. But for some reason, that morning, she felt like she was prettier than before. Was there a reason behind this sudden burst of confidence? Not that she could say. But she felt it. 
   When she twirled, Alice giggled and did a little clap to encourage the boost in confidence. 
   "Thank you~ Thank you~" Yuzuha hummed, playfully bowing to no one in particular. 
   "As much as this is fun," Alice said after her giggles died down, "I think Manato might be waiting for us."
   Yuzuha froze. "Huh?"
   The rabbit's eyes widened and she clapped her hands over her mouth. She had completely forgot that her participation in their commission today was supposed to be a surprise.
   "W-what did you say, Alice? 'Us'?" 
   Alice swallowed and looked down at the floor, blushing. "S-surprise..."
   "There's no way you can come on today's job!" Yuzuha protested loudly. She ran up to Alice and put her hands on her legs, shaking her slightly. "Not after all those bruises we just went over last night! I can't put you in any more danger!" 
   "I won't be in danger!" Alice rebutted. "I'll be with you, and with Manato! And when we fight together, even Yixuan said we make a great team!"
   A vigorous shake of the head preceded Yuzuha's response. "No way! I can't let you in the hollow! You're still hurt! We just went over this last night!"
   Alice puffed out her cheeks in indignation and crossed her arms. "I'll be fine! Really! I won't be reckless and I'll be sure to come to you should I start feeling —"
   "No!" Yuzuha said, crossing her arms. Even Kama, who she hadn't seen until this morning, crossed his little paws in a pantomime of what Yuzuha was doing.
   The rabbit sighed. She couldn't believe that Yuzuha was fighting her like this on going into a hollow. They had both practically lived in a hollow for so long now that it should have been second nature for them to just go in together. Instead, here she was, telling her she wasn't allowed to go because... Because what? She had gotten hurt previously? Ridiculous. Preposterous!
   "This was supposed to be a surprise to make the commission more fun for you," Alice mumbled dourly, her ears drooping on either side of her head. Her gaze fell as she turned away from Yuzuha and pouted. 
   There was a pause from the red-head as she studied the girl in front of her. What was the point of all that last night if they were just going to argue like this the moment they woke up? Who was in the wrong — was there a wrong? Whose place was it to tell who could go into the hollow? Especially when they had literally lived by going into the hollow and fighting the exact things they were meant to deal with today? 
   "Hey," Yuzuha finally said, stepping back over to Alice. When the bunny turned to her, she reached out and cupped her face in her hands. The blush on Alice's face was practically neon as Yuzuha got closer. 
   "W — hey, what are you doing?" Alice stammered. 
   "Promise me," the tanuki said, her voice soft and pleading, "promise me you'll stick to me like glue. That if you feel any pain, you stop and we take a break."
   Alice was short circuiting. The proximity of Yuzuha's face to hers, the way she held her, her soft voice, the worry in her eyes. It was all sending her mind into over drive. 
   "Promise me."
   "I —I promise. I promise."
   Yuzuha swallowed and let her eyes fall to Alice's lips for a moment before looking back at her eyes. She wasn't sure what pulled her eyes there, but looking back into Alice's mismatched gaze made her heart start to pick up speed and she couldn't stop it. 
   "Thank you." She hugged Alice around the shoulders and squeezed her until she felt the bunny return the hug. 

   "I'm amazed you're not late," Manato said with an almost bored tone in his voice. Despite his attempt at seeming aloof, his tail was thumping against the cable car's side that he was leaning on. They were to head into the Lemnian Hollow today and protect a group of miners as they extracted lumite ore to be processed into Porcelume. The haul would directly correlate to the day's pay. So if they failed in their job to protect them and they were routed by ethereals? They would get little to no pay. And that meant Manato wouldn't be able to pay his bills.
   "What~? Why would we ever be late~! I'm with my favorite bunny in the world, after all~!" Yuzuha chimed happily. She was holding Alice's hand and practically skipping, the mischievous, feline-like grin on her lips giving Manato pause. He could never tell when she was being a brat, or just being cutesy, when she was like this. And honestly, at this point anyway, he didn't really care. They were on time and that was all that mattered. Though...
   "I thought this was supposed to be a surprise for her?" 
   Alice flushed. "Uhm... Yes... Well..."
   "Things happened and I ended up spending the night with her. She's real bad at keeping secrets from me~" Yuzuha chuckled and hid her smirk behind her hand. Alice simply turned her head away to try and hide the growing blush on her cheeks. Sucks for her that she was a thiren, though, and her tail was flickering wildly in embarrassment. 
   Manato just sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, alright. Alice, one last chance, are you sure you don't want to take your payout today? If things get rough you'll be working pretty hard."
   That got Alice to stop blushing and turn to the larger man. "I'm sure!" She said with a cheerful lilt to her voice. "I'm more than happy to lend a hand and split my share with you two! I don't need the pay, my own commissions pay enough for me to live off, and should I ever need to dip into the family funds, well..."
   "Not like they can say no~?" Yuzuha hummed and hip checked Alice.
   That elicited a surprised yelp from the bunny, but she nodded in response to her teasing tone. "Yes, exactly. Besides, Mr. Arnold handles the finances. He keeps me up to date on whether or not I should reallocate familial funds to different projects or what have you."
   Manato puffed out his cheeks as he exhaled a long breath. "That... Does not sound fun. It's like your life itself is a job."
   Alice's smile turned uneasy and she rubbed one of her shoulders. "I... Can't say that it isn't, but..."
   "Let's talk about this on the gondola ride down, hm?" Yuzuha said, leaning over and tilting her head so she was looking up at Alice from her cutesy pose. "Don't want our princess' perfect attendance to disappear just cos we were a couple minutes late to an odd job!"
   "H-hey!" Alice whined. 
   Despite the fact that she was teasing, she wasn't wrong. If they dallied any longer they would end up being late. So, they all piled into the cable car and were off into the hollow.
   The ride was quick and fairly relaxing, save for the fact that Yuzuha was cuddled up to Alice the entire time. Her head was on her shoulder, her arm was looped around Alice's, and her fingers danced across her leg from time to time. If they had been alone, she probably would have thought it was nice. But, since Manato was there and casting them glances every so often, she couldn't help but feel the embarrassment swell in her chest. Her cheeks were on fire the entire ride down.
   Sure, Manato was no stranger to how physical Yuzuha could be with Alice. And Alice wasn't unaccustomed to his glares and looks by now; but it was still incredibly embarrassing...
   When they were deposited into the hollow, a team of a dozen or so miners were waiting for them at the cable car station. Each of them wore a hard hat, had a pickax or a hammer, and were bundled up in rain ponchos. 
   "Eh?" Yuzuha tilted her head. "Is it going to rain?"
   "Yes," Manato said, as he wrapped himself in his own rain poncho. "Didn't you bring one?"
   Alice and Yuzuha looked at one another, sharing a despairing look. Manato just sighed. 
   "Well, too late now. Come on, if it gets too bad we'll head back anyway."
   The girls followed Manato and the crowd of miners without complaint. Yuzuha mentioned to Alice that they could share her umbrella should the rain pick up, to which Alice, albeit embarassedly, accepted. 
   According to the Porcelumex Representative, they were heading to a mining node out in the old apartments and condominiums within the hollow. Ether crystals had sprouted there recently that were large enough to mine for a hefty sum. The only issue was, when new crops of crystals were formed, that meant ethereals. And plenty of them. 
   "Doesn't it also mean we might be competing with hollow raiders?" Manato asked the foreman of the project, his eyes shifting to each building and floating shards of debris they passed. 
   "Quite possible," the foreman replied dryly. He didn't seem terribly fazed at the idea, but the miners under his employ definitely did. A few of them were even clutching their picks like they were bats or clubs. 
   "That's why you hired the best!" Yuzuha chimed in happily, the cat-like smirk on her lips giving her proclamation a bit of playfulness to it. "Manato here has done this so many times he could do it blindfolded!"
   "Hey — Yuzuha, don't —" Manato didn't get to finish before she continued.
   "He takes jobs aaaaaall the time, fighting ethereals and bandits and raiders alike! He's a regular brawler! He'll keep ya all safe!"
   The foreman snorted and stroked his beard. "Then what's with you two? If he's so good, he shouldn't need the backup, no?"
   "Reassurance!" Yuzuha said, putting a fist to her own chest. "Don't your employees feel safer with three of us than just one?"
   There was a small murmur amongst the miners that proved the affirmative. Yuzuha was practically glowing with pride. She loved being right. 
   Alice, on the other hand, lagged behind. She was originally supposed to be the rear guard anyway, but she also didn't want to get in the way of Yuzuha and Manato. This was their job, she was just tagging along. And, unfortunately, she would be pretty well known here. She didn't want her family name to cause a stir among them, or take the credit from the two of them simply by merit of being there. 
    By the time they made it to the mining site, there were already two teams of miners — similarly dressed and equipped — slaving away at peeling apart chunks of the glistening mineral and loading them into carts. The foreman of the team the Spook Shack trio were a part of blew a whistle which made Alice jump and cover her ears. 
   "Alright! Time to swap teams! Those who got here last night, you're off! Get a shower and some rest!"
   A collective sigh of relief seemed to echo around them as almost two dozen miners began to take off their hats to wipe off sweat and lean on their equipment for balance. They looked exhausted. 
   If Alice could, she would have handed each of them enough money to take a long vacation. But, that was neither her place, nor did she have that kind of money on her. 
   A few soldiers armed with old model g36 rifles walked up to Manato and began to give him a sitrep. It seemed like they at least knew of him, as they treated him as one of their own — speaking in terms only hollow investigators or military attendants would understand. 
   When the team they were charged with protecting got to work, Manato leaned against one of the crumbling condominium walls and crossed his arms. 
   "There hasn't been any ethereal activity, according to the soldiers protecting the night crew," he recited to Alice and Yuzuha as they posted up near him to keep an eye on their charges. "Which is strange since this crop popped up only yesterday. There is no way an extermination team was able to stop all the ethereals coming for this place."
   "Something stinks for sure," Yuzuha said in accordance with Manato's findings. "Even Kama can tell it just isn't right."
   Alice, on the other hand, was silent for a long time. Instead, with eyes wide, she looked about everywhere she could see. Her ears, too, were flickering every which way, trying to pick up on any sound that might have been out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, the rhythm of picks and hammers drowned out most of the more subtle noises. 
   "Scaredy bunny~" Yuzuha called with a playful voice, "if you get nervous at all, you can always cling to me, you know~." As she spoke, she reached over and traced a line down Alice's shoulder with a single finger. 
   The little "eep" that escaped Alice involuntarily made Yuzuha beam. She loved the little, scared sounds she made. 
   "Y-Yuzuha!" Alice stammered out. "Shouldn't we be focused on guarding them?"
   Yuzuha, chuckling behind her hand, nodded. "Yes, yes, miss dutiful bunny~. I'll be good —"
   "Wait," Alice and Manato said almost simultaneously. 
   Yuzuha froze in place, hand on her umbrella. 
   "You heard that, Alice?" Manato asked, unsheathing his sword that was larger than Alice was tall.
   "That wasn't one of our miners," Alice answered. She already had a rapier drawn and the tip was kissing the concrete in a ready position. 
   "Foreman! Contacts. Tell your miners to be ready for a scuffle!" Manato's strong voice carried over the sound of mining and work so easily. If Alice hadn't been so focused and anticipated it, she expected she would have been spooked by it. 
   "Oh, come on, now," the foreman complained, "the night crew didn't see a single fight and we already have one on our hands?"
   "Manato, permission to scout?" Alice asked, her eyes never leaving the roof across from her. She felt like something was there, but she couldn't be sure.
   Manato cast a glance to Yuzuha, who nodded. She may not have liked the idea of letting her off alone, but she knew Alice was more than capable. Despite their promise for her to stay by her side, more than just her life was at risk. She wanted to go with her, but she would have just slowed her down in this terrain.
   "Go, report back if you see anything. Try not to engage."
   "Roger!" Alice replied as she sprung from her place next to Yuzuha. Her strong legs carried her multiple meters before she hit the ground running. Before too long, she was rounding a corner. 
   The foreman whistled at her speed, but kept his comments to himself. 
   Minutes passed and Alice had made no effort to reach out to Yuzuha or Manato. The duo of red-heads began to grow antsy. With Alice's speed and dexterity, it shouldn't take her that long to scope the area out. 
   "Think she's on her way back?" Manato asked, leaning on his sword like one would a walking stick.
   "Man, I hope so."
   An explosion detonated near the entrance of the mining site they were at, as if to answer their worries.
   The foreman began shouting orders, miners started to scurry, and Yuzuha and Manato jumped from their places to avoid falling debris. 
   "Alice!" Yuzuha shouted in panic, worried what had become of her. 
   "Later!" Manato roared in response. He swung his huge sword and shattered a piece of falling building that was about to land on a miner as easily as one might sway a fly out of the air. "Right now, we help those we can see!"
   "Ugh, damnit!" Yuzuha growled. She knew he was right, and so she followed his lead. With her reinforced umbrella, she shielded miners from the falling rocks and rubble while laughter sounded from above. 
   "Damn raiders, what do you want!?" Manato shouted up to the few figures that appeared atop one of the dilapidated apartment blocks. There were four that he could see, three of them wearing tanks and modified hockey masks. The tallest one was wearing what looked to be a mascot head with a big nose, and holding a rifle. 
   "Well, what's it look like?" One of them shouted back. He couldn't tell who was answering him. "Drop your gear, leave the lumite, and we may not blow you all up! Harharhar!" 
   The laughter that followed the main raider's laugh sounded more akin to hyenas cackling than it did a bunch of humans. 
   "Like hell! Yuzuha!"
   "Kama~!" She shouted in response as she underhanded Kama up into the air. 
   With a wild squeal from the tanuki, there was suddenly a dozen cherry bombs flying straight towards the raiders who had made their demands. 
   Each one exploded on contact, suffocating the area with smoke and sparks. 
   Kama plummeted to the ground moments after the explosions went off, only to be caught in the fluffy pink sweater Yuzuha used as his crash pad. 
   "Good job, Kama!" She cheered as he made a little pose. "I wish it were like video games though. Show me that we hit or at least lowered their HP!"
   Manato, ever the serious one, just grunted at the way Yuzuha handled the situation. He was finishing up evacuating the miners and making sure they got to cover. 
   "Let's move in on them, Yuzuha!" He shouted, his tail puffed out in aggression. 
   "On it~" she hummed as she scurried over to his side. Once together, they moved as one unit to clamber up the apartment block the raiders had last been seen on top of. "There's no working elevator by chance, is there?" 
   Manato's deadpan glare at her made her puff her cheeks. She was just trying to lighten the mood. The fact that Alice got separated from them was killing her inside, so she was coping with attempted humor and playfulness. Would it kill him to play along? 
   The stairwell they sprinted upwards on was dilapidated at best. Debris and ether crystals blocked their path at every landing. Parts of it were completely lost in some places, forcing them to leap the gap. 
   Thankfully, Yuzuha was light compared to his sword, so Manato could just throw her to the other side. 
   By the time they made it to the roof, only one of the raiders was there. 
   He was unconscious and smoking, surrounded by scorch marks on the concrete rooftop. It looked like he had some sort of modified bat laying next to him, and a cassette player going for what could only be assumed was ether frequency matching. 
   "Man, I was hoping we got more of them," Yuzuha said with a big pout.
   "One's more than enough. Do you still have water gun from the resort?"
   "Kama, do we?" She passed the question to her little friend who went digging in his own tiny coat. Somehow, he produced the transparent green squirt gun.
   "Good, let's see what we can learn."

   "Why won't you just give up!?" A husky voice roared. 
   "Because you're extremely rude and tried hurting others!" A much lighter, breathier voice replied. 
   Alice had ended up chasing down a few errant raiders that looked like they had been scoping out the area before she showed up. When they spotted her, they bolted. But, unfortunately for them, they were dealing with a thiren with very little patience for rudeness or asymmetry. And boy were their outfits asymmetrical.
   She was running after two raiders through a dried up, concrete canal. They passed by multiple bridges covered in ether crystals that saw ethereals ambush them. Of course, being so kind as she was, Alice cleared out the ethereals before they could hurt the raiders. 
   Now, she could have just left them to their fates, but she felt like that would be cruel. There was a line when it came to punishment. And letting them be mutilated and corrupted felt like it far surpassed that line. 
   She'd just beat them halfway to hell instead!
   "Hup!" Alice launched herself off one of the supporting pillars of a bridge and landed in the canal some ten meters in front of her targets. "Stop! Tell me where your friends are or I'll have to get rough!"
   "Two of us, girlie, one of you!" The bigger raider said, his hockey mask marked up to look like he was scarier than he actually was. He lumbered forwards and swung a sledgehammer with his entire weight, trying to brain the bunny. 
   It was a slow, clumsy, ugly strike. Alice felt like he was swinging in slow motion and took her opportunity to counter. She employed a simple prime contre to knock him off balance, and returned with a single swipe at his shoulder.
   The tip of her sword dug into flesh and elicited a squeal of pain from the big man. It was obvious his pain tolerance was... Less than one might expect, shall we say. So Alice pressed that advantage. 
   Retreating sidle, reset, lunging advance, low-line thrust. 
   A simple jump back jump forwards maneuver ended with her sword jutting from his leg, pinning him to the concrete of the dried up canal. Another scream of blubbering pain came from the man as Alice discarded that rapier and drew another from her scabbard. 
   "Hmph," was the only remark she left him with as the second one came charging at her with an overhead strike. A simple septimé parry and contre septimé was all it took to bring her down, sending the pipe she tried to hit Alice with spinning away. 
   The point of her sword kissed the raider's throat as she squirmed on the ground and Alice held her there til she stopped resisting. 
   "How many more of you are there?" She asked, her voice small but stern. The fire in her eyes and the furrow of her brow was nothing like what Yuzuha might see. 
   "If I didn't have a mask on I'd spit at you, Thymefield."
   Alice's straight backed stance sank as her shoulders slumped. The sigh she let out was monumental and exhausted. 
   "I will give you one last chance to answer before I leave you like your friend." She motioned with her chin to the man, sobbing, as he was stuck in a kneeling position with a rapier pinning his leg to the ground. She could feel the raider swallow through the length of her sword. 
   "I dunno — maybe a dozen? I'm new to the crew. I just needed some dennies. I swear!"
   Funny how a little bit of pain was all it took to make people fold like a lawn chair. 
   "Hmph. Well, if that's the case — eeeep!" Alice cut herself off with a loud shout of panic as thunder clapped overhead. It was a precursor to a sudden deluge that fell on them like a bucket had been tipped over. 
   Fat, cold raindrops hissed all around them, drenching them and the concrete they stood on. The canal, since long dried up, might have begun to refill should rain like that continue for too long. 
   The raider that she had tried questioning was laughing at her, so she decided to drive the heel of her shoe into her masked face. If they were laughing at her while she had them at sword point, they wouldn't answer her questions beyond what was already said. 
   "If Manato was here, he'd have gotten them to sing," she bemoaned aloud. She tossed her rapier to the wayside, letting the tip drive into the ground so it stood up on its own. 
   It had taken no effort at all to slide down into the canal, but thanks to the rain, Alice had to waste three more rapiers to climb her way out. She was exhausted by the time she rolled onto the level ground. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried catching her breath and her entire back felt like someone had stepped on it. Maybe she should have stayed home, let those bruises heal?
   No, no she shouldn't have. Yuzuha was still out there with Manato, doing the actual job. What was she doing? Taking a bath in dirty rain water? 
   Alice groaned as she forced herself back up, berating herself mentally for the unladylike noises. Even when in pain and going into a fight, she still felt the need to be elegant. 
   With the rain muting the sounds around her and blocking out a lot of light, she stumbled and struggled to find her way back. She even ran into some ethereals that had squirreled themselves away in an alley that she was forced to dispatch. 
   Finally back on the right path, she let out a heavy sigh and slowly made her way towards the entrance of the mining site. Only... the entrance was now blocked by rubble. In fact, the entire street leading to the culdesac they were mining in was blocked!
   "Yuzuha?" Alice shouted, hoping to be heard over the deluge. "Manato? Is everyone alright?"
   No responses came and worry ate away at her imagination. If it hadn't been raining, she would have just tried to jump along the side of the rubble. But, with how unstable it looked, plus the slickness of the rain, she didn't think her chances were very high to make it over. At least, not without hurting herself. 
   "Man, why can't brats just mind their own business?" A burly voice growled behind her. Alice spun on her heel and took a high guard with a new sword, tip pointed directly at the man's mascot head. "Eh? Whatcha gonna do with a tooth pick?"
   The mocking, thankfully, was nothing Alice hadn't heard before, so she was easily able to brush it off. But, the fact that he said 'brats' meant that he had at least seen Yuzuha and Manato at some point. Which meant they could be in danger. 
   "Whatever. You ready to die, little rabbit? Gonna skin you like some dinner!"
   Alice's face twisted to one of disgust, but didn't let the disturbing threat throw her off. It took all sorts to become a raider. Some were desperate, others cruel. Some were psychopathic or overly violent. Whatever the case, this man was definitely leaning towards the violent end of the spectrum. 
   But, elegance was always of the utmost importance to a Thymefield. Despite being soaked by the rain, despite her white blouse sticking to her skin and showing off what lay underneath, despite the fact that her bangs were definitely not symmetrical anymore thanks to the rain weighing them down, she brought her sword up in front of her face. 
   "It is always customary to bow before a duel," she said, loud enough to be heard over the rain. The man scoffed but when he saw Alice make her own salute with a wave of her sword, he decided to humor her.
   "Alright, little miss 'prim and proper', here's your bow." And, he did, in fact, bow to her. It was a mockery of one, but the fact that he followed through with it meant he hadn't lost all sense of decorum. That was a plus to her. 
   "En garde!"

   "Hiiiyah!" Yuzuha grunted as she swung her umbrella. The moment of contact with the raider's mask, she pulled the trigger and sent the person flying. 
   Thud, thud, thud, thud. 
   "Oops, I didn't see the stairs there," she said with a slightly mischievous grin. She leaned over the railing and looked down the stairwell. "Sorry!" She called down.
   "Yuzuha, stop messing around," Manato said, pushing his wet hair from his face. He had just returned inside the building from chasing another pack of raiders away. 
   They had decided to take shelter in one of the less run down apartment blocks, and had found a pretty nice place along the fourth floor. It was spacious, a bit empty, but there were no ether crystals jutting out anywhere and they even found some medical supplies packed away. And, to top it all off, the balcony was just big enough for Manato to leap to one of the raised acqueducts that ran along the canal. 
   "What? I really didn't mean to throw them down the stairs!"
   "Any news on the rest of the raiders?"
   Yuzuha shook her head and rubbed her shoulder. She had taken a hit from a bat and was definitely going to have a bruise. She was thankful it was only a bat. "The one guy you interrogated had all the info. Everyone else is either tight lipped or peeing their pants."
   Manato sighed and slumped to the floor, his back against a run-down partition wall. "Man, why'd they have to attack now? I was hoping this job was going to be easy."
   "Are your jobs ever easy?" Yuzuha asked, spinning on her heel before plopping on the floor next to him. 
   "Well, no, but—"
   "It's why Alice and I are here!" 
   Manato noticed the slight waver in her voice when she spoke about Alice, but knew better than to say anything. As stressed as he was, he knew she was more stressed. If he counted right, she mentioned Alice almost a dozen times in the last hour. She was definitely worried about her. 
   "I'm surprised they haven't given up," he decided to say. He began to rub the stiffness out of his neck, causing a couple cracks to sound. 
   "They've definitely been persistent," Yuzuha agreed. "At least the miners could get back to work?" 
   "Yeah. That's a plus, I suppose."
   They hadn't been able to completely secure the site due to the fact that there were only two of them, but they had been successful in dwindling their numbers. 
   Knock-outs, trapping them, tying them up, all sorts of ways to make sure they couldn't come back to bite them in the butt. And, as much as Manato wanted to kill some of them, they weren't murderers. They made sure to show their restraint — even if the raiders didn't. 
   "How long do you think it'll take the team to clear out the ore?" Yuzuha asked after a few moments of a dismal silence. 
   "Probably the rest of the day. Why?"
   Yuzuha didn't say anything, but when she didn't meet his gaze, he knew why. 
   "If their next attack is light enough where I can scare them off on my own, I'll let you go looking."
   As if Yuzuha was a kid who got told they could pick out any toy they wanted, her eyes glittered and her face lit up. 
   "Really!?"
   "Yes — yes, hey! Let go of my arm!"
   "Thank you~!" 
   As if on cue, the next attack sounded like it began. There was another resounding explosion from just outside the site. The shouts of panic and terror that could be heard over the pounding of the rain were quickly silenced by an irate foreman who wasn't too concerned about what was going on. 
   That was good news, at least. If the foreman wasn't panicking, then the danger wasn't too close. 
   But, it was too close for Manato and Yuzuha. 
   "Come on, let's go figure out what that was."
   "Think they were sending in the bomb squad?" Yuzuha hummed as she pushed herself to her feet. "Wonder if they think they could out-bomb me!"
   "Maybe we don't try and nuke the mining site before they're done mining?" 
   Manato's monotone, clear comment made Yuzuha pout, but she didn't argue. 
   The downpour was almost painful with how heavy it was. If it weren't for the rain poncho he wore, Manato swore the raindrops would be leaving welts on him. Having that extra layer was definitely blunting their force. 
   Yuzuha wasn't faring too much better — the umbrella was taking the brunt of it, but there were times the wind would knock it to the side or a crosswind would push the rain under the umbrella. Needless to say, she was going to be soaked by the end of the commission. 
   Meeting up with the foreman ended up shedding no light on the situation. All he had to say was the explosion was a ways off, and that he didn't care unless it got closer. Of course, that didn't convince either of them, and they moved on anyway. 
   With the entrance of the site having been blocked by rubble, they didn't have much of a chance to get by, but there were gaps were they could look through to see just what was going on. 
   "Manato, lend me your shoulders," Yuzuha said, holding the umbrella up just high enough to sort of cover his head.
   "What?" His face was painted with incredulity. 
   "Let me stand on your shoulders! The gap between the support beam and the insulation plaster up there is big enough for me to peer through, easy!" 
   Oh, how Manato wished he could just toss her over the rubble and be done with all this. If she wasn't so useful in battle he might have done just that.
   "Just... Make it quick — damnit." 
   Yuzuha's mischievous giggle didn't make Manato feel any better about doing it, but he did scoop her up and let her stand on his shoulders. He did appreciate the fact that she was using her umbrella to keep the majority of the rain off him while she stood on his shoulders, but it wasn't enough for him to want to do this for long. 
   Wobbling for balance, Yuzuha was slowly raised up just high enough for her to poke her head through one of the gaps in the concrete and steel. Though, some part of her wished she hadn't. 
   "Alice!?" She shrieked, dread squeezing her heart. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. 
   "Alice? What are you talking about— Hey! stop squirming!"
   "Alice! ALICE!" Yuzuha shrieked, trying desperately to be heard over the deluge. 
   The situation she saw Alice in had to be a nightmare scenario. It was exactly what she feared would happen. 
   The thiren, soaked to the bone, was on one knee, a rapier in each hand. She couldn't make the details out on her face, but the blouse that was always a little loose on her small frame clung to her like glue. There were tears in the cloth, and she swore she saw blood coming from where she assumed Alice's mouth was. 
   Her opponent, nearly double her size in height and width, was readjusting his grip on a hammer that looked like it had an engine on it. He was skewered repeatedly with multiple rapiers still sticking out of him as if they were simply thorns from a rosebush. 
   A crater marred the ground between them, slowly filling up with rainwater. 
   
   "You put up quite the fight, little rabbit. But I'm bored now." The cockiness in the man's voice as he stumbled slightly from blood loss was less than impressive. He staggered forwards, his hammer rumbling and glowing with the remaining heat from its previous explosion. 
   "If you are bored, head home," Alice said, struggling to her feet by using one of her rapier as a lever. "You are not welcome here."
   The spitting laugh that the raider broke out into was insulting at best, but pitiful at worst. He was barely hanging onto consciousness, and yet he still pretended he was winning? The ego on this man could power an entire city quarter.
    Despite the swelling in her ankle from the strike she took earlier, Alice took a low stance with a high guard. There was something coming — not from this man, but something else. It felt... Almost like an ethereal was approaching. 
   But what approached was simply a big man with a big hammer. There were no ethereals in sight. She couldn't hear any approaching, but she figured that was due to the rain. 
   As he was approaching, Alice furrowed her brow even more. There was something about his gait that was... Different. His left leg was stiffer than it had been, but the rapier blade sticking out of him was in his right leg. Perhaps some nerve reaction to immense pain?
   Then she saw it. 
   Just under the tear in his jacket. There was something glistening off the street lamps, rain water dripping off the edges of it. It was geometrical to a point, and sturgid. The color was a purplish black color and —
   "You're corrupted," she breathed. As she spoke, her breath plumed out in front of her. The temperature had steadily dropped as the rain continued. If she wasn't in a duel to the — was it to the death? Was she prepared to kill him? — she would have been worried about catching pneumonia. 
   "Someone get the honor student a gold star," the man roared. There was something about his anger that sounded... Happy? Like he was smiling through his fury. Whatever he tried to say next was drowned out by a horrid, twisted sounding laughter. 
   There was something horrible about that sound. It was echoing on itself, as if there were multiple of him laughing at once. It made Alice feel dizzy.
   Corruption wasn't something that people took lightly; especially those who frequented the hollows. But, despite knowing what it does to people and the end result, the act of corruption fully mutating someone was more than a little unnerving most of the time. There were those lucky times where it was just a flash of light and suddenly someone is made of crystal. Then, there were times like this.
   The raider's torso began to expand, the ether crystals visibly pushing their way through his flesh. Bones could be heard snapping and that leg that had been stiff before was quickly turning into a talon made of crystal. 
   As the man grew disproportionate to his original size, his limbs began to twist and shudders. Alice felt sick just watching it. 
   Then the laughing became an agonizing scream. One so blood curdling it felt like the blood in her veins turned to ice. She couldn't watch anymore. 
   Pain flared white hot in her ankle as she lunged forwards. Rain drops hit her face like chunks of ice as she sped towards him with her high thrust. 
   The world warped around her as all perception besides her target vanished. It was all just a blur. Then, as if the entire world came to a halt, everything stopped all at once. 
   Alice was on one knee again, her ankle blazing in pain. The rain pelted her in sheets as she stared upwards at the man who, just seconds ago, was twisting into a mutated mass of flesh and crystal. Now, he was frozen in place. She couldn't see his face, but she could see the faint line of red that slowly oozed down the blade of her rapier. 
   Half the blade was dug into his chest, right where his heart should have been. The wheeze that came from him was one of a dying man. She'd heard it before. She's heard that sort of shallow, pained wheezing come from people she'd seen mauled by ethereals before. 
   But this man wasn't dying by being mauled by ethereals, was he? He wasn't dying because he was old, or his corruption had completely taken him over and turned him into a monster. 
   No. Alice put a stop to that. And his final breaths were slowly wheezing out of him thanks to her. Like he was a balloon, and her sword was a needle. 
   That sticky, red ooze began to drip off her basket guard and onto her hand. It was horrifically warm, and clung to her like liquid paste. Something in her begun to grow cold then. Like a pit in her stomach was being filled with ice cubes. 
   As her vision began to blur and shake, suddenly there was a flash of blue and all noise ceased for a moment. 
   No sound, no rain drops, no wind. Then, all at once, it hit her simultaneously. An extreme wind pressure that knocked her backwards, an intense, freezing heat that felt so cold it burned, and then the pain of thousands of needles as the rain began hitting her again. 
   The man was gone, then. There was no more raider. There was no more ether crystals. Even her rapiers were gone. Instead, standing in his place, was a short woman with tall fox ears, with blue flames burning all around her. It looked like there were even some licking upwards off her skin and hair, as if she was the embodiment of the blue flames.
   
   "We apologize for our late arrival," a tall, seductive woman said as she fixed the glasses on her nose. The rain had soaked her own white blouse to her skin, but she didn't seem to even notice. Which surprised Manato, since he couldn't look at her directly with the black under wire showing easily through the thin fabric. "The call came late — it seems like the miners you helped evacuate who didn't stick around couldn't figure out how to contact us."
   "It's fine," Manato said, his gaze turned towards the concrete. 
   The rain was still coming down in sheets and he was drenched to the bone now. Ever since Section 6 had shown up, Yuzuha had demanded he give his rain poncho to Alice as she tended to her. 
   "Are you able to report the amount of casualties?" The pink haired woman asked, crossing her arms under her bust. "I didn't see many bodies."
   "None," Manato replied at the same time as the foreman. His ears perked up at the sound of the foreman, but was gestured to give the rest of the report himself. Seemed the foreman was just passing by. "There were no casualties, but some wounded. They're being tended to as we speak by the medic team you brought in."
   A sigh of relief. "I'm glad. We weren't too late then." 
   Manato wanted to argue that they were. That, if not for their tardiness, Alice wouldn't have had to duel that monster of a man. 
   "May I speak with the rabbit?" The fox woman asked. Her voice was emotionless, as were her eyes. It was as if she were staring through Manato, not at him. He didn't like it. But, he knew of this woman. She was chief of the special forces unit Section 6: Hoshimi Miyabi. A legend and one of the few to earn the official title of "void hunter". 
   "I don't know if Yuzuha will let you, but," he stepped out of the way and made a gesture with his hand to Yuzuha and Alice. They were curled up under a piece of rubble that jutted out perpedicularly from one of the condominiums. It acted as a makeshift awning to keep most of the rain off them. 
   As the void hunter approached, she studied the two girls intently. The rabbit, the one they called... Was it Alice? Was half conscious and leaning into the red-head's chest. She looked pale, exhausted, and her right arm was pink and red from the blood that had soaked into her shirt. Her clothes were torn, but not unusable — they at least hung off her to preserve her modesty. She had a busted lip and a bruise on her brow, and her ankle had been wrapped and splinted. It looked like that was the extent of the damage, though. 
   The red-head girl whose name escaped Miyabi was gingerly holding the thiren in her arms. She was whispering something into those long rabbit ears and stroking her hair like one would a sick pet. Or, perhaps a wounded lover? 
   To Miyabi, she could never tell. All she knew was from video tapes. 
   "What are you looking at?" The red-head hissed at Miyabi. There was obvious hostility in her voice and gaze, but Miyabi didn't mind. 
   Instead, she slipped her sheathed katana from her belt and knelt in front of the pair, in the rain. She placed the sword on the ground in front of them and took on a dogeza pose. Her forehead kissed the wet concrete as she spoke.
   "Forgive me for arriving late. If I had been quicker, perhaps your loved one would be in a better condition."
   The protective girl with the umbrella froze. Not a word came from her. Not even a sound. Miyabi would have known. But, her father had made sure she knew proper etiquette. Until the offended gave the okay, she was to remain in position. It was the least she could do. 
   "It... It isn't your fault. I know it's not. I'm... Just angry. Angry that she got hurt. Angry at myself for not being able to protect her."
   Miyabi couldn't exactly parse what sort of emotions the girl was feeling, but she knew she wasn't being blamed. Now that she knew she wasn't the one who was taking the fault, she slowly sat up and took a seiza position; however, she still sat in the rain. 
   "She fought better than most warriors I have met," Miyabi commented. It wasn't her best attempt at cheering the girl up, but she hoped it offered some sort of comfort. "Should she ever wish for a job, I would not deny her a place among our ranks."
   "Chief, you can't promise that," Yanagi said, kneeling down next to Miyabi. "Is she alright?"
   "She's breathing," the red-headed girl said coldly. She was eyeing them both warily, keeping most of her own body in between them and the bunny girl. It was obvious she was quite protective. Perhaps possessive? 
   "Is she conscious?" Miyabi asked.
   "I am," the thiren said weakly. Her face was pale and flushed, her eyes half lidded. "Sorry I couldn't do more..."
   "Alice! Don't apologize!" The umbrella girl practically shouted. It was obvious her emotions were running high. 
   The bunny girl — Alice, Miyabi now knew, nuzzled her head into the other girl's shoulder. "The miners?"
   "I just received a report that they are all safe. Only a few were wounded, but it seemed the wounds were from debris, not the attack." Yanagi's soft, professional voice was like a soothing balm to most. But it didn't seem to work on the firey girl holding Alice.
   "You shouldn't be worried about them, just yourself," she said, stroking Alice's hair again. "You're hurt."
   "Were her wounds tended to?" Yanagi asked, to which the red-head nodded. "Good. If you're well enough, might I ask a few questions?"
   "No—" the umbrella girl began to say, but Alice cut her off.
   "Yuzuha, it is alright. Let them." As she spoke, she took the girl's — Yuzuha's — hand in her own. 
   As if a magic spell had been uttered, Yuzuha fell quiet and let Yanagi ask her questions. 
   They were routine at first. Her pain scale, if there was anything that could be done to apologize for the damage. Then they got a bit more specific: How many raiders did she take out? (Couldn't remember after five) Were they killed, corrupted, or just subdued? (Subdued, for the most part. The last one...) Did she encounter any ethereals? (Numerous. All eradicated) 
   And finally, how did she feel after taking a life?
   A silence fell over them all. Yanagi wasn't the one who asked that. Miyabi had interjected with her own question. It was spoken in a tone just as dispassionate and empty as her usual cadence. But the stare she fixed Alice with was far more intense than Yanagi was used to. 
   "I... Was hoping I didn't..." Alice said hesitantly. Her voice was barely a whisper. Yanagi couldn't hear her — hell, Yuzuha barely heard her — but Miyabi picked up on it. 
   As the cloud from her breath was torn apart by the rain, Miyabi herself let out a plume of steam as she sighed in relief. 
   It wasn't the first time someone had to be stopped before they went rampant as an ethereal. The most practical way to do so would be to kill them. Whether it was total eradication, or a single, precise blow, death was the only cure after a certain point. But no-one should ever get used to, or even enjoy, the sensation of that final stroke. The final, full stop on someone else's story. 
   Miyabi had to do so many times, and each time she mourned them. She held their spirit with her and let their memory live on with every ethereal she cut down as an apology for being too late. She was desperately hoping this rabbit, this girl who had to be in university at least, didn't enjoy the adrenaline rush. That she didn't get used to that feeling. 
   "You did," Miyabi said in her usual, cold way, "but it was a mercy. What you did was kinder than letting him mutate." 
   She could see the tears begin to build in the rabbit girl's eyes, and Yanagi shot her a glance that said, "What are you doing, chief?" But, of course, she didn't catch the meaning. 
   Yuzuha, however, snapped at her.
   "What the hell are you talking about? How can you talk about this so calmly, so damn easily?" She was shouting at Miyabi, who simply stared at her in response. 
   When she finished, her chest heaving with deep breaths, she stroked Alice's hair gently. 
   "She's not you..."
   "No," Miyabi agreed, "she isn't. Which is why I wanted to check on her."
   Yanagi was at a loss for words, seemingly surprised at the sudden softness in her attempt. Yuzuha, however, didn't seem convinced. 
   "She may not be you, she may be a scaredy bunny, but she isn't weak."
   Miyabi shook her head. "To feel pain at taking a life is not weakness, but strength. To know the pain yet carry it anyway." 
   Alice groaned as she forced herself to sit up, one eye closed at the pain she felt from moving her swollen ankle. "Miss Hoshimi," she said in her small, frail sounding voice. She looked like she could keel over at any moment. "Tell me; is what I did... Was it the right choice? Truly?"
   "Alice..."
   Yuzuha's gentle protest at her moving and talking was silenced with a gentle squeeze of her hand. It was admirable just how hard the red-head tried to hold onto the rabbit, Miyabi thought. 
   "When a hunter finds a wounded deer in the woods — one that can no longer walk nor run from predators; the kindest, most merciful thing to do would be to put it down. It saves it from a life of pain, of being abandoned by the herd and ripped apart by predators while it still lives." Miyabi spoke with no emotion in her eyes; yet, her gaze was locked on Alice's. Steady, stoic, unwavering. Alice's, albeit shaky, never broke the eye contact, no matter how badly she wanted to.
   "What you did was akin to finding a lame buck in the forest. Instead of letting that man scream and wallow in misery until he became a monster, you set him free from a horrible fate."
   Alice swallowed, the tears in her eyes silently running down her dirt-streaked cheeks, leaving trails behind them. 
   "If it makes you feel better, we delivered the final blow together. You struck the heart," Miyabi touched her own chest where her heart was, "I struck the head." She reached out and placed a wet forefinger on Alice's forehead. 
   Having decided they bothered the girls enough, Yanagi took Miyabi's hand and led her away from them. While Yuzuha was reluctant to say farewell, Alice — despite saying it through tears — thanked them for everything. 
   As they walked, the talk they heard from the miners who survived the attack, the soldiers that showed up alongside them, and their own experiences, it was obvious why they had attacked them so earnestly. More than a few of them were suffering corruption, and wanted the lumite to make their own Porcelume to stave off the effects. How... Depressing.
   "Yanagi?" Miyabi said when they were alone, near the site of the duel between the monster and Alice. 
   "Yes, chief?"
   Miyabi's head thumped against Yanagi's shoulder. "I am tired, I think."
   The small smile that tugged on the taller woman's pink lips lit up her entire face. Though, no one was looking to actually appreciate it. 
   "That's alright, chief. You can stay at my apartment tonight."
   "Yay."

Chapter Text

   Two days passed since their meeting with Section 6, and for two days Yuzuha hadn't returned home. She spent every waking moment she could with Alice. 
   Whether it was helping her bandage her ankle, to cooking with her, to just snuggling up and watching video tapes that she went and got from Belle's shop. It almost felt like they were at the resort again. But, for some reason, it felt closer this time. Less than business partners and friends, more like...
   "Hey, carrot?" Yuzuha called from the kitchenette. 
   "Hm? Yes, Yuzu?" Alice had begun to shorten Yuzuha's name quite a lot recently. Something she didn't do with anyone else, to Yuzuha's knowledge. It made her chest swell with happiness when she did.
   "I'm making some coffee before I head out to class for the afternoon. Do you want some?"
   When she didn't get a response, she peeked around the partition wall to see a pouting bunny girl with rosy cheeks. 
   "Huh? What's got you all puffy, bunny?" Yuzuha said with an airy tone. She was trying not to giggle at the cute sight in front of her. 
   "I was enjoying you having here all the time," Alice grumbled. It wasn't like her to be so... Huffy. Yuzuha quite liked it, in all honesty. She was letting herself be truthful with her own wants. Something she hardly ever did, if Yuzuha read her right. 
   A soft giggle escaped her lips as she moved over to the bed where Alice was forced to stay for another day. She took a seat on the edge of the bed and held out her arms. 
   Without thinking, Alice fell right into them. When had she become so comfortable that a hug was so natural? That definitely wasn't something Alice ever did with anyone else. 
   "It's alright, I'll be back after my classes~ And you can help me with whatever I don't understand~! Call it a study date!"
   The moment the words left her lips, her cheeks bloomed crimson. Memories of the students at her school calling out, wondering if they were dating, or had study dates together overnight, ran through her head. Had they been onto something?
   Alice's little noise of discontent made Yuzuha giggle, but then she finally spoke up. 
   "When I'm able to walk unattended again, can we go somewhere?"
   That caused Yuzuha's eyesbrows to lift. She wanted to go somewhere? That was rare. It was normally her dragging Alice all over to ghost hunt or on odd-jobs or just to hang out. She only had places to go in mind when they passed them on their little outings. Only a few times had she actually decided where they went beforehand. 
   "Of course, my lady! Wherever princess Thymefield wisheth~!"
   Alice huffed and bumped her head into her shoulder, causing her to laugh. She wished she could stay with Alice like this forever. 
   And why can't you? a voice in her head teased. Take her hand and keep her with you, always. It's not that outlandish.
   The thought made her cheeks flush, and she was thankful Alice was resting against her shoulder so she couldn't see her face. 
   "Anyway, coffee?" 
   Yuzuha made them both a cup, an iced one in a travel mug for herself, and a nice hot cup in a tanuki-shaped mug (thanks to Yuzuha) for Alice. 
   "You always make it just right — well, when you're not filling it with popping candies to trick me..."
   Yuzuha chuckled and sipped at her own coffee. "I told you, you're completely safe from any and all my pranks until you're back at one-hundred percent! Prank witch's honor!" She put a hand over her heart as she spoke in a playful gesture. 
   "Would that honor actually like... Hold up, if the prank witch was known for lying and playing tricks?" Alice smirked behind the rim of her mug as she sipped contentedly at her coffee. 
   Yuzuha screwed up her face in thought until Kama tugged on one of her laces. 
   "Oop, that's my cue to head out, bunny." She stood up and gave Alice a quick hug before heading over to the door. "I'll think of an answer by the time I get back tonight!"
   "G-good luck at class," Alice said with a reluctant smile and a wave. 
   It felt uncanny to be left alone for the first time in two days. The silence was deafening. She was already so used to the constant noise that Yuzuha emitted — whether talking or doing something around the apartment — that the quiet felt wrong. 
   She thought maybe inter knot would keep her attention, but it only kept her occupied for ten or so minutes. The ghost stories on there were scarce recently, the Spook Shack was quiet since most of the members were working or at school, and the videos she found just didn't seem to scratch the itch her brain had. 
   So, she tried reading one of her books. Though, taking it off the shelf ruined the symmetry so badly that she had to put it back. As frustrating as it was, the symmetry was much more comforting than reading. 
   In moments like this, she would have decided to train, or go out, anything that didn't seal her in her bed. Unfortunately, walking more than two steps without help at the moment sent spikes of pain through her ankle. 
   When she closed her eyes and focused on the pain, she could relive the exact moment she got hurt. She had leapt over an attempted grapple by the large man, and used her superior mobility to kick him in the head and use him as a launching point. But, with his tech'd out hammer, he could swing it far faster than normal. He was able to clip her leg as she was mid flip, bending the ankle in an unnatural direction before she landed on her knees. 
   But, when she replayed that scene in her head to see what she could have done better, she immediately remembered when she delivered the final blow and—
    "Ah!" She shouted, her eyes flying open. She was in a cold sweat and clutching onto the blankets of her bed that still smelled like Yuzuha. Groaning, she pressed her face into the blankets and curled up, trying to will the images in her head away. 
   Being alone was one of the worst things that she could be right now. The constant reminder of what she had done, the feeling of the blade pushing through flesh...
   Alice ended up screaming the moment the door bell rang. She jumped up and used the blanket as a shield, as if someone was throwing something at her. When she realized it was just the door, she let out a heavy, low sigh. 
   The medics that Section 6 had brought with them gave her a temporary crutch to use, which she utilized to hobble to the door. Shakily, she peeked through the peep hole to see a tuft of blonde hair. 
   Three locks clicked and the door slowly opened to reveal a short woman leaning on the railing. She was wearing biker leathers, a helmet with a pig on it, and scandalously short short-shorts. 
   "Lucille!" Alice beamed. Her whole demeanor lit up when she realized who it was. 
   "Ahem?" Lucy said, crossing her arms and cocking an eyebrow.
   "Ah— right. Lucy, sorry," Alice said with a droop in her ears. 
   "Oh, come on, it's not that bad," Lucy said with a playful attitude lacing her words. She reached over and bumped her first against Alice's shoulder. "Heard you needed company for the day."
   "H-huh? From whom?" 
   Lucy just smirked. "Gonna invite me in?"
   "O-Oh! Yes! I'm sorry, come in! Make yourself at home!"
   Alice tried to hobble out of the way but Lucy wasn't having it. She took the place of the crutch and helped her over to her bed. When she was safely deposited and the front door closed, Lucy let out a low whistle.
   "Far cry from castle de Thymefield, huh?" It was obvious she was trying to be playfu, but the way her words left her lips sounded more judgemental. 
   Alice visibly drooped. "I-I like it... It's comfy, and mine alone."
   "Hm? — Ack! No! No, it's fine! I was just making a comment! I think it's nice! It's also..." She stopped to look around and then chuckled. "Perfectly symmetrical. Leave it to you to somehow get an apartment one to one."
   Alice blushed and scratched her cheek in embarrassment. 
   "Heard you've been having quite the adventures. Even faced off against hollow raiders alone," she commented as she took a seat on the floor next to Alice's bed. 
   "You can sit up here," Alice commented but Lucy just shrugged.
   "Nah, bed looks too fluffy."
   Weren't fluffy cushions your favorite at the academy? Alice thought to herself before letting the matter drop. 
   "Who told you about all of that, anyway? I was not aware it was public knowledge."
   "Hm? It isn't," Lucy said easily. She pulled out her phone and then showed Alice her recent conversations. At the top of the list, a message sent almost a half hour ago, was a picture of Yuzuha. "Your girlfriend got my number from Belle and asked me to keep you company while she was at class."
   "Wh— Girl— Huh? Girlfriend!?" Alice stammered, her cheeks rose pink, her eyes wide. "What made you come to that conclusion—"
   "Huh? What do you mean? Aren't you two dating? You owned a resort together, held hands and cuddled during the fireworks show, and are constantly with each other. Heck, she even reached out to a total stranger because she knew I was your friend just to make sure you didn't feel lonely and had help if you needed it."
   Alice's eyes were practically spinning with all the 'evidence' Lucy recited. Did people really see them that way? Did Yuzuha see them that way? She hadn't ever thought about it herself. She had no experience with dates or relationships aside from the people she spoke to at school and functions. The closest she ever came to dating was when she was younger she would carry around her sailorboo plushie everywhere because of its perfect symmetry and her constant mentioning of loving it. 
   But this?
   "Man," Lucy said between chortles, "you really were blindsided by that, huh?"
   "I-I mean— I... I don't know! The cable car conductor lady made a joke about it but I just thought she was being weird..." Alice's voice went from high pitched and panicked to subdued and quiet throughout her response. She was pressing her forefinger together in embarrassment as she continued. "I really like her, and never want to be apart... But I had no idea that was a dating thing... I-I don't even know if she would ever like the idea!"
   Lucy, who had been leaning on her hand with a single eyebrow arched in disbelief, was trying so hard not to burst out laughing. She loved teasing Alice to a point just like everyone did, but this was just... Well, depressing. It wasn't even sad. Even she — Lucy, a Son of Calydon and secretly the daughter of a rich family — had more friends and close relationships than this poor bunny. Just how high of a pedestal had her family put her on? Did she really have such little experience with interpersonal relationships that she just... Didn't see how much they were into one another?
   "Wow, okay. Take a breath, first of all." This was going to be... Tough. "Second, did you really think it was normal for friends to do what you two do? Spend all this time together, holding hands, cuddling, sharing food and drinks?"
   Alice swallowed, still somewhat dizzy from trying to wrap her head around it all. "Y... Yes?"
   "No!" Lucy exclaimed. She leapt up and put her hands on her hips, looking like she was about to give a stern scolding. "Friends don't do that unless they're into one another! Sure, if you grew up together that would have been different — but even then, after a certain point, it's just not something that's done!"
   "Th-then...?" 
   "'Then' nothin'!" 
   "What do I do...?"
   "Well, that depends. Do you like her?" 
   "Of—"
   "Before you say 'of course I do', I don't mean as a friend. Of course you like her as a friend. I mean, do you like her as more than a friend? Do you want to go on dates, hold hands, kiss, snuggle, a-all that stuff?" 
   The more she spoke about it, the more her cheeks began to flush. It was obvious that, despite her experience with situations such as these, Lucy was also still embarrassed to say some things aloud. If Alice wasn't currently spinning inside her own head, she might have thought it adorable. 
   "I— I don't...—"
   "Yes, you do! You do know if you like her or not, you're just scared of digging in to that part of yourself!" 
   "Eep!" Alice sunk into the blankets and unintentionally pulled the blanket Yuzuha used most often over her. The smell immediately began to help her racing heart beat slow — albeit, ever so slightly. 
   "Look," Lucy said, calming down and having a seat next to Alice on the bed, "I get it. You're the heiress of the Thymefield family. You own the company. All eyes are on you at every moment. It sucks, and you aren't used to being able to think about yourself because all your efforts are put into helping others; whether it be familial or not." She took off her helmet and set it down, then let her hair out of her pony tail so Alice wouldn't get aggressive about it again. "But this is important to you. Just like how showing up that snobby bitch from school was important to you for your surfing segment at the resort."
   Alice's only reply was a long, high pitched whine. Once again, it wasn't unlike the sound of air being slowly let out of a balloon. 
   "Remember what I told you to do at the resort? How to sort out your feelings? To build confidence?"
   "Sh-shout... Shout it out l-loud..." 
   "That's right! So! Stand up — wait. Maybe don't, your leg is hurt." Lucy scrunched up her face for a moment, realizing her error. "Okay, let's try sitting up, put down your girlfriend's blanket, and shout out how you're feeling!"
   The fact that Lucy somehow knew that that blanket was the one Yuzuha used was something Alice was going to have to bring up later. How did she do that?
   "Come on!" Lucy shouted this time, grabbing Alice's wrists. "Up! Up!" 
   Alice let herself get pulled up into a seated position, her cheeks ablaze. She was shaking, afraid to even think about what her real feelings were. But, here Lucy was, egging her on, forcing her to look within when she always avoided doing so. Because, when you look within, you know what you truly want. What you truly need. And when you want or need, that opens the door to pain. To disappointment. Especially when every ounce of your energy was used for other people. 
   "Now! Dig deep! Think about that whacky red-head and shout out exactly how you feel about her! Don't hold back!"
   When she thought about Yuzuha, when she saw that red-head tanuki girl in her mind's eye, she could only picture her smiling wide, teeth bared, eyes shut with glee. She could imagine her spinning with her umbrella, sunlight glittering off her like little diamonds being shed by an angel. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't think of her any other way. No matter the amount of times she scared her, no matter how many times she pranked her with stupid toys or creepy noises, her mind always went back to that horribly relieving feeling she felt when Yuzuha ran up to her and hugged her. She could only think of how her tears just ended up pouring out of her with how relieved she was she knew that Yuzuha was safe. That she wasn't lost to her. That she promised to be by her side forever. That warmth that blossomed in her chest that pushed those feelings into over drive when she heard it. 
   Was that when she knew? Was that the sign that she had fallen for her? Or perhaps it was just her being happy that her friend wasn't gone? Did it have a deeper meaning to her than that? She didn't know. She couldn't figure it out. It was... Scary, thinking so deeply about it. Scary that she couldn't make sense of her own mind.
   Alice was shaking, nervous, unsure of how to react. So, she her eyes shut tight and she tried her best to find the courage to shout. When it was obvious she wasn't going to do it, Lucy grabbed the rabbit by her head and shook her til her eyes opened. 
   "No! No thinking! Just shout it out! Tell me how you feel about her!"
   "I WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH HER. SHE'S EVERYTHING TO ME AND HAS BROUGHT ME MORE COMFORT AND HAPPINESS IN THE SHORT TIME WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER THAN I'VE EVER FELT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!" 
   Alice shouted as loud as she could muster, her chest heaving by the end of her statement, her cheeks flushed pink. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, as if it was painful to admit how she felt. As if what she felt was wrong, was selfish. She felt like, now that her emotions and wants were out in the world, she was a bad person for having such thoughts when she didn't even know how Yuzuha felt. 
   "Wow," Lucy said, blinking. "This is the second time we've done this, and the second time you've surprised me."
   The thiren aggressively wiped at her eyes, wishing desperately for her tears to stop. "Is— I-is that bad?"
   Lucy, seeing how Alice responded to the situation, sank onto the bed and rubbed Alice's back. "Not in the slightest," she said. Though, I'm grateful that you didn't insult my hair this time. "Now that it's out, now that you've admitted to yourself how you feel about her, don't you feel a little better?"
   When Alice lifted her head to show Lucy two, big, round eyes pouring tears, she began to panic. 
   "Woah! Woah! Why the waterworks!?" 
   "I'm an awful person, aren't I?" She began saying between fitful sobs. "I have these wants about her when I don't even know if she wants to be my friend longer than the end of the year."
   Lucy, struck dumb with disbelief, stared Alice down with an empty expression. She knew Alice wasn't stupid. She was top of the class in the academy. Her grades were always near perfect and her attendance was unmarred. So it couldn't be stupidity. Was she just dense? That had to be it, right? Her family truly did her a disservice with how many expectations they put on her. She couldn't even see the fact that Yuzuha wouldn't give her up for the world.
   "Did... Did you just say you're unsure if Yuzuha would stay friends with you after the year was up?" The way she asked, it sounded more like she was stating it rather than a question. 
   Alice, sniffling, wiped at her eyes and nodded. She was in damn dire straights.
   So much so that, despite every fiber of Lucy's being screaming at her to shake some brains into this rabbit, she held back. Instead, she reached out and laid a hand on either of Alice's shoulders. 
   "Thymefield..." she said, her voice low, rumbly. Her eyebrow was twitching. "I... You..."
   Resist, Lucy. Resist the urge. She's hurting. Mentally and physically. You were sent here to help take care of her. 
   "How..."
   Resiiiiiiiist.
   She didn't resist.
   "Are you kidding me, Thymefield!?" She shouted, shaking Alice's shoulders vigorously. Doing so caused Alice's head to wobble back and forth like a toy bobble head. "Do you not see how much you mean to her!? How desperately she wants to be around you and make sure you're okay!?" The shaking grew more intense. "She would never abandon you! Even if she didn't end up liking you back she'd never leave your side!"
   When Lucy's outburst subsided, she was breathing heavily. Her eyes, focused again after the red haze of anger subsided, widened when she saw Alice. 
   Wild, messy hair, eyes rolling in her head, tear-streaked cheeks pale with dizziness. Yuzuha was going to kill her.
   "Oops."
   When Alice regained herself, and the tears stopped, Lucy laid out a small plate of cookies she had brought to try and cheer her up. 
   "Sorry, didn't mean to snap."
   "It's okay," Alice said between nibbles. "I know it can be frustrating being around me sometimes. I really try to be more tolerable but sometimes..."
   "To hell with being 'tolerable', Alice," Lucy said with a mouthful of cookie. She washed it down with a gulp of coffee and continued. "Who gives a damn? You be you. And you like what and who you like. So what if it annoys others? So long as the people you choose to be with are fine with it, screw everyone else."
   Alice let her gaze fall as she nibbled on another cookie. Her ears twitched before drooping once more. It was a depressing sight, in all honesty. 
   Lucy knew she couldn't throw her worries to the wind and ride a motorcycle off into the wastes like she did. She had a whole, stupid company to maintain. People were always all over her. But, she wished she could. At least now and then. 
   "For what it's worth," Lucy began with a yawn, "I think Yuzuha feels the same about you."
   "Why would she ever see me like that?" Alice bemoaned, hugging her one knee to her chest. Her other leg was still outstretched to rest her ankle. 
   "I mean, any reasons I list don't matter. That's all up to her. But, from what I've seen and how she's acted? There's definitely something there. So no more beating yourself up for being human and having feelings. Alright?" She punctuated her little speech with a bump to Alice's shoulder with her fist.
   Unsure how to respond, Alice simply nodded. 
   Quiet fell over the two of them for a little while before Alice spoke up to break it.
   "What... Do I do about it?"
   "About what?" Lucy replied, popping another cookie fully into her mouth. So far, she had eaten more of her 'cheer up Alice' cookies than Alice had.
   "About how I feel."
   Oh, well, yeah, okay she should have anticipated this. 
   "Uh..."
   Lucy was at a loss. She didn't have a damn clue. She had no experience in navigating love life. The only love life she even had was her confusing feelings for Caesar. Just what was she supposed to tell this poor, pathetic bunny? 
   When she took a moment to think, she realized she was on a timer. One look at Alice and those big, mismatched, doughy eyes that were glassy with the possibility of tears, and she felt the sudden urge to panic. Was this what Yuzuha dealt with on a daily basis? How did she handle it? She was suddenly so glad Alice wasn't interested in her, otherwise she'd have crumbled long ago. 
   "Uh... Well... I may not be... the best person to ask about it..." Lucy said hesitantly. She twirled a lock of hair around one of her fingers in idle anxiousness, trying to admit her lack of knowledge on the subject. "M-maybe you should try asking someone with more experience?"
   Who did the two of them know, who had experience in relationships, that they could contact? They put their heads together and brain stormed for almost a half hour before they came to the same conclusion. 
   
   "So that's why we contacted you," Alice explained sheepishly, fidgeting with her bangs to hide the fact about how awkward she felt. 
   Lucy added, "And why we asked you to bring her."
   Belle and Vivian sat on the floor across from Lucy and Alice, a short tea table between them with mugs of coffee and hot chocolate laid out for each person. The pillows they sat in were plush with little, symmetrical patterns on each side. 
   "Oh~ W-Wow!" Vivian sighed wistfully. "So romantic~!"
   Belle, on the other hand, just scratched at her cheek. "Are uh... You sure you called the right couple? Our circumstances are a little..."
   "Extenuating, yes, we understand," Lucy finished for her so Belle didn't have to. The sigh of relief from the proxy spoke volumes, but Vivian didn't seem to notice. Or, if she did, she didn't care. Instead, she simply scooted her pillow closer to Belle's and wrapped her arms around one of hers.
   "Well, as for me," Vivian began, her voice light, airy, and full of nostalgic breathiness, "I fell in love with Lord Phaethon at first sight. Their ability to expertly navigate any hollow while still being able to — bwugh!?"
   Lucy had thrown a spare pillow at Vivian to stop her from waxing romantic. "Enough of that — we know you're obsessed with Belle for you own weird reasons, we're just trying to get miss 'lost in the minefield' here ideas of how to approach the situation. Sans stalking."
   "H-Hey! Now wait a minute!" Vivian barked, her cheeks and long ears coloring. "I didn't stalk Belle!"
   "No," Lucy conceded, "but you did stalk Phaethon."
   "I resent that!" 
   To break the tension, Belle ended up cackling. That made the two of them pause and look over at her. "See? Asking us was definitely a roundabout decision." She wiped a tear from her eye before continuing. "She fell in love with the idea of me. Or, rather, became obsessed with the idea of me. But when we spent more time together —"
   "Waitwaitwaitwait!" Vivian shouted, waving her hands frantically in front of Belle to block her from the other two. "Don't go on explaining it yourself!" 
   "No, no! This is exactly what Alice needs!" 
   Lucy and Vivian began to argue again over what advice would help Alice navigate her path towards finding love, all without any actual input from Alice. 
   Instead, the bunny was sitting with her back against her bed, hugging her tanuki mug to her chest. Her eyes would jump back and forth between speakers, simply absorbing everything they said. Somehow, the situation felt scarily like her family dinners when she was younger. 
   The feeling of just... Not being present. Of being a conversation starter for others. She was so used to being the one that only chimed in when told to chime in. The dissociative aspect of existing only to carry on a name and company's legacy. To be a topic piece, and not be a participant.
   The thought of becoming that again, of becoming a  doll whose sole purpose is to be dressed up and to look pretty, left a cold, hollow feeling in her chest.
   What if that actually did end up happening again? What if she was only ever seen as her name and a dress up doll? All those company meetings and family dinners where she was spoken over and outright ignored — going back to that would be torture. She would be alone again. Forced to attend meetings just to be looked at like an animal on a leash. Her family name and familial mansion simply gilded cages to keep her subdued. 
   Her mind quickly began to spiral into the worst case scenarios, all ending with her being trapped by the whims and wants of the company she was made to take over and the responsibilities foisted upon her by her family. She wanted to cry. 
   Before she ended up crying, though, she heard her name being spoken among the good-natured argument happening around her. The idea that these three people were not only visiting her apartment specifically for her, but were trying to figure out how to best help her to express her feelings and do it in a manner that befitted her own personality...
   That's when her tears actually did begin to fall. They were silent, and she thought they were well hidden. She was curled up, her tanuki mug up to her face, a small smile on her lips as tears left streaks down her cheeks.
   "Woah, h-hey," Vivian said, her deep colored eyes widening. "What's wrong? Did we say something upsetting?"
   At that, Belle and Lucy fell silent too and turned their attention to Alice. 
   She sniffled and shook her head, forcing a small, breathy laugh as she wiped her eyes. "No, no," she said in a small, timid voice, "you made me really happy. I don't know why I'm crying. I'm sorry."
   Lucy, Belle, and Vivian all took a moment to share a wordless look with one another before all turning to Alice. The three of them swarmed her and engulfed her in a group hug, squeezing her as tight as they could. Of course, Lucy tried to pretend she wasn't joining in willingly, but the warmth and tenderness was there. 
   Once they had settled back into their seats, the playfulness of before seemed to fade away. Vivian and Lucy had a cease fire of sorts — instead, choosing to take shots at one another in ways that only those born with money could understand. 
   "Okay," Belle said, clapping her hands together, "Alice."
   "Y-yes?"
   "You like Yuzuha."
   Unsure of how to respond to the fact she said it as a statement instead of asking her, Alice just nodded.
   "And you want her to know you like her without the fear of ruining your friendship."
   Again, a simple nod as a response.
   "You realize you're a goofball, right?"
   "H-hwah?" 
   Vivian, unable to control her giggles, hid her smirk behind her well manicured fingers. 
   "Told you," Lucy said, nudging Alice with her shoulder. 
   "What — Huh? What do you mean!?"
   "Even I can tell that Yuzuha returns the sentiment, little bunny girl," Vivian said with a bit of a "holier-than-thou" tone to her voice. It seemed she quite liked the idea of being able to one up the Thymefield girl. "And I haven't even met her yet!"
   "Oh?" Belle said, lifting an eyebrow at her girlfriend. "Do tell how you came to that conclusion, dear."
   Vivian, whose pale complexion leant well to showing just how pink her cheeks and long ears got when Belle called her any sort of pet name, visibly melted into Belle's arms. She was practically in her lap by the time she began to speak.
   "Well, first off, when Lucy explained why we were called over, it was obvious this Yuzuha liked her enough to worry about her. Then, when we got here, I noticed that there was another scent here besides the scent of Alice's perfume. And it definitely wasn't Lucy."
   "I resent that."
   "Noted. Anyway; Alice here is definitely crazy about either organization, or a neat freak, or something, and her bed is a mess compared to what I would assume it normally is like. Especially since there are two pillows side by side both that look like they were used." There was a pause as she sipped at her hot chocolate, her eyes closing as she tried to look as proper as possible. She even had her pinky out. "Lastly, you've been hugging that mug like it's your safety blanket this entire converation. And since you have bunnies on a lot of your things, I can only assume it was a gift from Yuzuha."
   Belle clapped playfully and seemed to beam at the fact that her girlfriend was so perceptive. "That was amazing, Vivi! I didn't even clock most of that!"
   Looking as proud as if she had won a competition, Vivian was relishing Belle's compliments. "I always have to be on the lookout for possible dangers for my dearest Phaethon — bwack!"
   Despite her excited declaration, she was suddenly knocked over by a pillow being hurled at her from Lucy. 
   "There's no dangers here and you know it. You just wanted to show off to your girlfriend!"
   Alice and Belle both ended up chortling at the sudden reaciton. Vivian seemed to just give up fighting and laid on the floor on her back, the pillow laid over her. 
   When she didn't sit back up, Belle leaned over her and put two fingers together in an 'x' shape. "K! O!" She cheered between snickers. 
   "So," Lucy said, trying to get everyone back on track, "how do we end up making this a little easier for Alice?"
   "Well," Belle began, rubbing her chin in thought, "when I admitted my feelings to Vivian, I made sure we were alone, and made sure it was a place that would be special to us."
   "Oh?" Lucy mused, obviously intrigued by the thought. "And where might that be?"
   "It's a secret!" Vivian blurted out, sitting up so fast the pillow flew off her and onto the floor. "Private!" 
   "I agree," Belle said with a slight apologetic smile, "I'd like for that to remain secret — though, the idea might give Alice an... idea?" 
   Alice drummed her fingers on either side of the tanuki mug, her face scrunched up in thought. She had a couple ideas that might work for such an idea but... "What if it's a place that she ends up thinking is dumb?"
   "Alice..." Belle said with a slightly exasperated smile. 
   "Oh, stop it," Lucy said bluntly, bopping Alice on top of the head. That elicited a high pitched whine from the bunny. "When it comes to situations like this, you have to think about yourself too. You want it to be special for the both of you. If you think the place is special, there's a very good chance that she will too!" 
   "Okay," Alice hummed in thought, "so a special place... Some place that will remind us of one another when we think about it..."
   "And no crying," Lucy added, crossing her arms. "You don't want her to think you're dragging her somewhere for an upsetting reason."
   "H-hey..."
   "Maybe do it on a chilly night?" Vivian suggested. "Nothing more romantic then cuddling up to someone and admitting your feelings to them when sharing body heat on a cold night." It was obvious she was thinking of something very specific with the way her face seemed to light up with a slightly dreamy look. Either it was a fantasy or something that had happened. Either way, she was already a lost cause...
    "Actually," Belle said, "this is great and all but... I know of another couple we could ask for help. But..." She trailed off, looking very serious for a moment, as if something had occurred to her only after suggesting it.
   "Is... Someting wrong?" Alice asked, suddenly worried by the look on the proxy's face.
   "Er, yeah, everything is fine. I just... Am trying to figure out the best way to phrase this so I don't sound rude..."
   "Oh, you could never be rude, my darling," Vivian said with an airy tone. She laid a gentle hand on Belle's shoulder as she spoke, eliciting a roll of the eyes from Lucy.
   "Well, okay. I'll only explain if you all promise to keep it on the down low."

   "There's no way we're actually going to meet the Astra Yao," Lucy said with a tone that suggested she still didn't believe what was happening. 
   "I told you," Belle replied, "I'm friends with her, and this is a personal favor. You can't go fangirling. This has to be a chill, relaxed meet-up."
   The four girls were at Lumina Square, sitting in the alley behind Orchidea's flower shop. They took shelter from the gentle rain underneath the awning behind there, watching the waves crash against one another. The air had a bite to it and carried the scent of salt and flowers. Thankfully, Lumina square had the option of renting out mobilities aids, like a wheelchair, so that Alice didn't have to aggravate her wounded ankle.
   Alice was wrapped up in a blanket and scarf, which of the two, the blanket smelled of Yuzuha, and was staying comfortably warm, despite the cold breeze. Vivian and Belle leaned against one another, sharing body heat. Vivian's head was constantly nuzzled either under Belle's chin, or against her neck, and her arms were always wrapped around one of Belle's. Lucy, however, was sitting on the ground next to Alice's wheelchair, hugging her knees to her chest. She had ended up borrowing one of Alice's extra pea-coats to keep warm, but she still wished she had something like Alice or Belle had. It was weird being the one wanting to help when she had nothing to do with relationships. 
   It wasn't long after the appointed meeting time before a gorgeous, tall woman with blonde hair tied up in a bun sauntered her way down the alley. The impossibly tight, leather pants accentuated just how long and attractive her legs were as she made her way towards them. She wore a jacket over her shoulders like a cloak, and her eyes were sharper than any knife. She had the look of someone that would kill you should you make the mistake of being in her way. 
   "Proxy," the woman said with a low, seductive voice. Alice realized that she wasn't intentionally trying to sound attractive, that was just her natural voice, and it annoyed her. Why couldn't she sound sexy like that? Her high voice was another point of contention with herself, but that was something she filed away for later. 
   "Evelyn!" Belle said cheerily, lifting her free hand in greeting. "Thanks for meeting us."
   "A is in the car. Are you all coming?" Evelyn lifted one, driving-glove clad hand and looked at the watch on her wrist. "We have about three hours before I have to take her back."
   "That's alight," Belle replied, "we have to get Alice back within an hour and a half. And I don't think we all need to be there. We can just have Alice —"
   "You're not coming?" Evelyn asked, cocking an eyebrow and cutting off Belle. "A will be disappointed."
   "O-oh, well, if that's the case..."
   "You can all come, it's fine. I wasn't asking you to choose who would be left behind," Evelyn said, putting a hand on her wide hips. "I just wanted to be sure I had the room."
   Vivian, Belle, Lucy, and Alice all looked at one another. It was obvious Vivian and Lucy were excited about the prospect of meeting someone they idolized, but Alice seemed more tired than anything. Maybe the pain in her ankle was taking more out of her than anticipated?
   "Then, I guess we're all going!" 
   Once everyone was in the car — well, it was a limo, but Evelyn didn't seem to think that was an important distinction — Evelyn began to drive off to leave the general area. She didn't like staying in one place too long with Astra around. Too many people who would do crazy things just to get to her. She wasn't really in the mood to put someone through the floor. 
   "Is that my favorite friend ever, Belle?" A sing-songy voice said as a beauty with long, dark hair dramatically turned on the light in the back of the limo to reveal herself. Astra, one of the most famous faces in New Eridu for her music and just general, overall beauty, was in her usual red jacket and white dress. Her legs were crossed and she was leaned back in a playful pose, trying to look like she was showing off. Well, she was showing off. But, if it had just been Belle, it would have just been a funny little bit. 
   "OhmygoditreallyisAstraIdon'tthinkIevercouldhavedreamed—" Lucy was mumbling rapidly under her breath, clutching the leather seat of the limo so tightly Alice thought she was going to rip part of it off. The fact that she liked Astra so much that she was freaking out like that was something she had to file away in her brain for later. She liked knowing obscure facts about her friends. Especially when Lucy tried to act like she was all tough and above all things like enjoying Astra's popular pop music. 
   "Miss Yao, so lovely to see you again," Vivian said with a polite smile and a bow of her head. She had only met her in passing during the New Year's event in the Starloop, but she wanted to keep up appearances. Especially in front of Lucy. She seemed to enjoy her little rivalry she built up with her in the last few hours. 
   "Miss Banshee!" Astra said cheerfully. "I assume that's not your real name but it is nice to see you again all the same!" 
   Belle snickered. "Her name is Vivian, she's my girlfriend, and Banshee is her real surname. Nice to see you again, Astra."
   "Girlfriend!" Astra said excitedly, clapping her hands together. "Oh, so romantic! And you! I recognize you from the Fantasy Resort! Miss Alice Thymefield!" Her eyes were practically glittering as they looked at the shy bunny. "You're even cuter than I remembered! Oh, but what happened to your ankle?" 
   The sudden attention to herself made Alice sink into herself slightly, her cheeks flushing at being not only recogiznied, but complimented by Astra. "I am happy you remember me, you are stunning yourself, just like always, Miss Yao. As for my ankle... I got hurt during a commission. Nothing special."
   "Actually," Belle said, not missing a beat, "it was super special. She was apparently a hero for dozens of miners in the Lemnian Hollow in the Throne Quarter."
   "Belle —"
   "She took out a bunch of raiders and ethereals, and even got the recognition of the legendary void hunter, Hoshimi Miyabi." Belle cut Alice off, singing her praises as if she were trying to impress Astra.
   It, of course, was working wonders. Astra's face was lit up with amazement, her eyes glistening like stars in the sky. "Oh. My. Gosh! That is so cool! Like a void hunter yourself!" 
   Alice was immediately cherry red. "N-No! Not even close! I-I just —"
   "Belle, dear," Vivian said, placing a hand over Belle's, "timer."
   "Thank you, Vivi," Belle said with a soft voice and a smile that made Vivian melt. "Right, anyway, the reason I wanted you to meet my friend was to help her out. She's been having..." 
   The pause made Astra lean forwards, literally on the edge of her seat, waiting to hear what came next. When Belle was obviously lost for what word to use next, Lucy (despite her fangirling heart going a mile a minute) spoke up.
   "She wants to know how to confess her feelings to her best friend."
   Astra's eyes immediately went as wide as tea saucers and fixed straight onto Alice. The bunny, of course, shrunk back as much as the limo seat would allow. 
   "That. Is. So. Romantic!" Astra said with a shout and lunged over to hug Alice. 
   Alice let out a panicked "Eep!" and put her hands out to stop the overexcited singer, but was engulfed in the warm, affectionate embrace. Her face, however, was buried in softness and she swore she felt her nose begin to bleed. 
   "Oh my gosh this is so cute I love things like this, it's like a real life love story!" She pushed Alice back and held her out at arm's length. "Oh my gosh, is she like, your princess? I know you fight with a sword or something, right? I thought I saw your moves once on a newsfeed. You're like her knight!" She squealed. "Oh gosh, you could like... Propose to her on horseback on the beach! Or pledge your undying loyalty and your sword to her service and her heart for the rest of your life! Or, or, or —"
   Astra was going off the deep end with her imagination, causing Alice to panic. Her brain began to short circuit so much at the idea of proposing to Yuzuha that her eyes began to spin. 
   "Yaya," Evelyn called back to Astra. Everyone but Alice looked over to Evelyn, unsure of who she meant when she said that. When Astra answered, it was obvious it was a pet name. 
   "Yes?"
   "You're getting ahead of yourself. You're going to kill the poor girl."
   Astra looked down at the bunny in her arms. She was practically steaming with how red she had gotten, and half conscious. 
   "Oops! Sorry!" She giggled and patted Alice's shoulders to try and get any wrinkles in her sleeves out. "I got carried away."
   "'Yaya'?" Belle said with a knowing, playful smirk. "That's a cute pet name."
   "If you ever repeat it in mixed company, I will be sure your death is swift," Evelyn said, looking back at Belle in the rearview mirror.
   "You'd have to go through me first," Vivian said, her own sharp gaze matching Evelyn's. They could all practically see the lightning clashing between their gazes, but Belle defused it easily by wrapping her arms around Vivian's shoulders from behind.
   "Easy, darling, she's just being protective. Just like you are."
   Astra giggled. "Eve, how did you end up confessing, again?" The smirk on her lips was mischievous, as if she were ordering Evelyn to dogeza in front of everyone. 
   "A-Astra!?" Evelyn stuttered, her own cheeks flaring up in color. It was very rare for anyone to see Evelyn show an emotion other than anger. Belle, Lucy, and Vivian all felt like they were being given a gift to see a flustered Evelyn. 
   The giggle that came from the singer was light and fluttery, like a robin's wings shaking off the morning dew. "I love seeing her all flustered. She didn't confess first. I did." She looked at Alice and smiled softly. "Do you want some actual advice that may not make sense at first?"
   Alice nodded silently. The previous short circuiting obviously having taken its toll. 
   "You're thinking too much about it." 
   "Huh?" Alice found her voice. "B-but... Without a plan..."
   "It becomes more organic," Astra finished for her. "Sure, some sort of plan is nice, like where you might confess, or how you might confess... But the way you say it, or the way you bare your heart to this friend of yours, should just come from your heart." She touched her own chest where her heart was and offered the most charming, disarmingly soft smile she could muster. "If you really want her to feel just how much you love her, just how much she means to you, no amount of planning can take the place of that. You could spend years trying to find the perfect moment, the perfect set up, the perfect wording. But, the moment the time comes, the way you say it and the feelings you put into those words is all that matters."
   "Oh, no," Lucy said, rubbing her forehead, "an amazing singer and an amazing person. You're a nightmare."
   Astra giggled. "A nightmare?"
   "If you were a bitch, you'd be easier to not fangirl over!" Lucy blurted out before slapping her hands over her mouth. The laughter that filled the limo from everyone was horrifically embarrassing for Lucy. 
   "No one will repeat what happened here," Alice said consolingly, rubbing Lucy's back as she curled up in her seat.
   "Just leave me to die."
   The limo came to a slow stop not too long after, and Evelyn opened the door for Astra. The singer took the offered hand and got out with Evelyn's help. Everyone else followed suit.
   They had arrived at Port Elpis, a place that Evelyn knew Astra loved to visit. 
   "And little things like this are also important," Astra said as she leaned into Evelyn's arms. The 'bodyguard' wrapped her arms around Astra's waist from behind and held her close. "I didn't tell Evelyn to bring us here. I simply told her to drive so we could talk. This was her idea because she knows I love this place."
   Alice, who was being wheeled around by Belle, looked down at her lap at the blanket she was bundled up in. Her thoughts were going too fast for her to focus on one. 
   Places that both she and Yuzuha would like. Simple, little acts of love to show she pays attention to what Yuzuha enjoys. Stop worrying about planning and let feelings guide her words. It doesn't matter what she says, so long as she gets her feelings across as earnestly as possible. It was all so hard for her to parse at once. She wanted to disect each thought process and find a root to each one that she could match up so she could have the perfect confession. But, the way they all said different things and showed different ways to show their emotions... It didn't seem like there was a single way she could do it that would tick every box. 
   Astra took Evelyn's hand and started to walk, guiding the small group down the boardwalk and onto the pier. "When I confessed to Evelyn, it was a spur of the moment decision. Evelyn had been staying over at the penthouse I was using for a few weeks while we recorded a new record. She would wake up early and attempt to cook breakfast for me every morning, without fail."
   "Uh... Attempt?" Belle repeated, a cocked eyebrow and a smirk flavoring her question.
   Astra giggled behind her slender fingers. "Yes... She wasn't the best cook — well, actually —"
   "I have improved greatly in the last few months," Evelyn said before Astra could sabotage her image in front of the girls too much more. 
   "Hehe, yes, yes, you have. You no longer set the hob on fire when trying to cook eggs."
   "H-hey..."
   Another, sweet sounding giggle and a kiss on the cheek seemed to assuage any argument Evelyn wanted to give. 
   "Anyway, I had woken up one morning, still half asleep. I'm... Not the most morning of morning people. And, well, Evelyn had entered my room with a small plate of breakfast and a coffee just the way I like it, just like any other morning. But..." She let go of Evelyn's hand and spun to face her friend and company. "The way the sun hit her face and hair, the way she stood and the warm, soft way she gave me a smile. The gentlest 'good morning'... All of it just filled my heart so much that I couldn't not tell her how I felt."
   Evelyn walked around Astra and, after taking a quick glance around them, slipped her arms around Astra again. 
   "Will you tell them what happened next, Eve?"
   "... You want me to —"
   "Yup!"
   "You know that I —"
   "Ehehe, yup!" The giggle that Astra let out was full of playfulness at Evelyn's expense. Not unlike the laugh Yuzuha would give Alice when playing a harmless, spooky prank on her. 
   Evelyn sighed, but acquiesced. "She held out her arms, and I assumed she wanted help sitting up because she was half asleep. So... I placed the platter down and took her hands in mine."
   "And then~?" Astra goaded, leaning back into Evelyn and looking up at her from under her chin. 
   "And then... She pulled me into the bed on top of her, and kissed me. She told me she loved me, and had for a while, and didn't care if I didn't love her back. She just wanted her feelings to be known."
   Alice's cheeks bloomed red once more, her ears standing on end. Lucy, who had taken over pushing Alice, bit her lip to hide her reaction; though, it was obvious she wanted to clap and say how much she loved how romantic it was. Vivian squealed and squeezed Belle's arm that she was hanging off. Belle, however, just smiled warmly. 
   "And you not only accepted those feelings," Belle said, "but reciprocated them. And, knowing you, that wasn't easy to do. You must have had a laundry list of reasons why neither of you should feel that way."
   "That makes it even more romantic!" Vivian squeaked. "Forbidden love! A romance that shouldn't be due to professionalism! All boundaries dashed on the stones for the sake of love!" She sighed dreamily and leaned her entire body against Belle. "Oh, I am so happy to hear this." The way she looked up at Belle, the way her eyelashes fluttered and the look in her eyes when she did, all made Alice's chest tighten. 
   I want Yuzuha to look at me like that, she thought to herself before turning her attention back to Astra and Evelyn. "So, even though it was a morning like any other... It just felt like the right time?" 
   "Exactly," Astra said. She untangled herself from Evelyn and knelt in front of Alice to take her hands in her own. "Don't worry so much. That warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you look at her? That yearning you feel when you see someone with love in their gaze, wishing this friend would look at you like that? That jealously you feel when someone else touches this person you love so much? These are all signs, dearest little Alice. No matter what your friend says in respone to your feelings, you will feel like you're flying on a cloud when you actually put your feelings out there."
   "It will be terrifying," Evelyn said soberly. She laid a hand gently on Astra's shoulder as she spoke. "The worries that your friend might not reciprocate your feelings will make you want to throw up. You may even want to burst into tears before you even hear a response. But, from what I've heard about you and your friend, and how you ran the Fantasy Resort together? I don't think there's any chance she'll say no."