~Touhou Fuyu no Yo~

「Eastern Winter Night」

Her scarf and blanket weren't very sufficient. They could easily wrap around her legs and her shoulders if needed, but the frailty of her heart led goosebumps up her arms. She sighed with a frustrated grimace. Peering outside - first smudging with her fingertips at the frosty vapour layered on the pane - the very cuboid box lay still and very much like the scenery: enveloped in ice and inducing of coldness itself upon sight. She shivered, knowing that no-one would be around to open it until the season's departure. The tatami comforted her significantly when she settled back down, giving her joints enough energy to neaten her uniform and drape the winter ornaments tighter.

'I suppose no-one's visiting...'

Reaching over with a hand, using her other to hold the blanket and scarf together, she acquired the mug from the table nearby very shakily. She took it in two hands when its vicinity was closer enough to her lips. She anticipated it - the previously hot tea had turned fairly cold. The lukewarm liquid dribbled off her lips, and she coughed painfully, swiping at the forlorn tea with a piece of cloth. A low creaking sound was heard meters from her.

'Reimu.'

Shiveringly placing the mug down, she looked to the doorway.

'Marisa?'

She rubbed her own eyes with a single, weak stroke.

'Marisa.'

The magician stood in the doorway, considerately closing the door behind her. She calmly placed her broom against the wall adjacent. Casually yawning, the witch approached the tatami.

'Kinda a mess getting here. Flying too high would easily make a human like me freeze, so I… Reimu?'

The brittle shrine maiden said nothing. Her hands clasped on her lap, she stared at the magician's feet and vibrated continually.

'... As I was saying, the fairies at land decided they were going to bombard me with snowballs and danmaku, which means I'm not going back for tonight… Reimu, are you sure you're alright?'

The shrine maiden sat and stared.

'You don't want me to be here?' Marisa tilted her eyebrow, taking a few steps back to the door.

'No! Wait...'

Seeing Reimu's eyes and her outstretched hand in such a way ran an uncanny shudder down the magician's spine.

'Just… um...' Reimu sighed. 'Y-You don't happen to have any food on you, do you?' Her arm remained suspended in the direction of Marisa's waist. Marisa's lips upturned to a small smile like that of a mere human jester's.

Chuckling, she replied in a lighter tone. 'Alright.'

The evening was spent with a few candles and little bottles of rice wine. Suffice to say, Reimu enjoyed the ramen. A distant smile lay on the shrine maiden's lips as the witch's tales passed through an ear and disappeared out of the other. It was a nice evening, and Reimu liked the time spent. The fragility of her heart had left through the sealed windows and out into the open, frosty winds.

'We should mess around in the snow, Reimu.'

'Yes, yes.'

'Cirno and the crew were around the Misty Lake, of course, but there was someone else with them.'

Reimu frowned.

'Who was?'

'You remember the girl who can read minds?'

'... Oh, no, not her.'

'It's the younger sister.'

'Ah.'

Reimu passed the day with flying colors. However, there was someone to thank for the avoidance of severe hypothermia and an intense case of loneliness.

'Marisa- you're leaving?'

'Sorry, the temperature's died down a little. I might have to be able to take it from here.'

'But-'

'You're fine on your own?'

Reimu nodded reluctantly. 'Aah - yes, I think so.'

The door swung open, and in Marisa's hand was the broomstick.

'In that case, I shall-'

'W-Wait!' Woozy from the rice wine, Reimu rose to her feet. The winds tickled her cheeks and neck. She rushed - without thinking to be precise - to the open doorway with the confused magician standing at. Her eyes set, her arms ready to grasp an embrace, Reimu felt an incredible warmth.

Her alcohol-infused tongue entangled with Marisa's.

'Marisa...' She held the magician tight in her hold, pressing her lips to the other girl's as close as she could. In a moment, she let go. A string of saliva, emanating the smell of traditional Japanese wine, was soon all that was left of her embrace. She stood back, seeing Marisa off. Marisa looked very confused indeed, with a strong blush left on her cheeks either from the alcohol or the romance itself. Reimu didn't want to react also - her heart was complete in an instant; that was all she needed. The nightly wind grazed her skin.

'A-Arigatou.'

'Don't mention it...'