Pillow

"… And so he says to me 'If Reimu-san were here, she would have exterminated that youkai much more efficiently!' Can you imagine that!? He brings you up to my face!"

Hakurei Reimu laughed as Kirisame Marisa took an unhappy swig of sake from her cup. It was a darkening winter evening, and the two sat adjacent to one another at a kotatsu in Reimu's home.

"I'm glad to see my reputation is holding up well," Reimu grinned.

"So I offered him a 20% discount, and we closed the deal," Marisa continued.

Reimu's grin flattened. "Wait… Are you the reason why fewer people's hiring me these days?" she asked.

It was now Marisa's turn to grin, "A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, da ze! Books and snacks may come free, but I have other bills to pay." She reached for a rice cracker, but Reimu snatched it away from her.

"Stop stealing my customers!" exclaimed Reimu, "And the snacks aren't free either!" she bit down onto the cracker, all pouty.

Marisa flashed her an even toothier smile, before looking out of the window. The sky was but a shade away from inky black now, and the shadows were waving about vigorously, rustling and crunching as they did.

"You're not going home now?" asked Reimu, "If you don't hurry, the weather's going to get worse."

"In that case, I'll just sleep here," Marisa proclaimed matter-of-factly.

"That's what I'm trying to avoid," Reimu flatly said, "You've taken my customers and now you want to room here for free too?"

"I treated you to dinner," Marisa pointed out.

"I treated you to sake," Reimu retorted, "We're even."

"Ah, don't you worry your pretty little head, I'm leaving in a second," Marisa fell back on her back and lay with her arms spread out on the tatami floor, "It's cold outside. How about one last cup of tea? It'll warm me up. Then I'll go ze…" she glanced at Reimu, her lips not quite in a smile, but shaped in what Reimu came to know as Marisa's 'mischievous negotiating' expression.

"… Fine…" Reimu got up, turning as she went, the hem of her skirt lightly brushing against Marisa's laying body. Her resignation was deeper than simply obliging Marisa a cup of tea however, because when Reimu returned with said tea, true to her expectations, Marisa was asleep under the Kotatsu. She had even selfishly used Reimu's cushion as a pillow, in lieu of her own cushion still under her body.

Just as well, thought Reimu, for the trees were howling and shaking now. It might be too cruel to ask Marisa to leave in this weather… Reimu set the tray at the corner of the room then knelt next to Marisa.

"At least get up so I can lay the futons out," Reimu complained as she tried to shake Marisa out of her slumber, "Oi, wake up you stupid magician! I don't want to sleep on the floor!"

"Hmm… mmm…~" Marisa's body rocked limply under Reimu's hands, her light gold fringe falling about her face, a strand momentarily caught upon her lips before being blown aside by her breath.

"She's out cold…" Reimu sighed, "And she took my cushion too… Now what will I use for a pillow?"

For a while Reimu knelt there, staring blankly at Marisa. It felt to Reimu as if her own mind was drifting asleep too, watching Marisa sleep so peacefully under the warm kotatsu, shielded from the restless winter night. Without really thinking about it, Reimu reached out and caressed Marisa's long hair, imagining smelling something sunny as she did. It was voluminous and messy, and straw-like in touch.

This is for leaving me without a pillow, thought Reimu, and she crept under the kotatsu next to Marisa, snuggled up to her side and laid her head upon Marisa's outstretched arm. She nestled her face into the crook of Marisa's arm, and felt her face rise and fall with Marisa's chest.

"… I'll let you room for free this once," she whispered, and fell asleep with a smile.

…

"Okay," spoke Marisa.

Reimu's eyes flew open. Marisa's own large, golden ones were gazing back at her.

Reimu's cheeks blushed, but otherwise she remained upon Marisa's arm. "You were awake?" she asked coolly, if only a little quietly, such that it could easily be mistaken for a tender tone.

"You woke me up," said Marisa, quiet in her reply as well. The winter winds were still screaming in earnest, but neither girl could hear them.

"Sorry," Reimu simply said, and buried her face even deeper into Marisa's side as she closed her eyes.

"… Good night, Reimu."

Reimu felt a hand round her shoulders. She smiled, and she was sure Marisa could feel it this time.

"Good night, Marisa."

End

Hey guys, Solblight here. Don't worry if you've never heard of me, I stopped being a consistent (or even semi-consistent) fanfic writer a long time ago. That being said, this story just popped into my head, and since it was short and sweet, I had just enough energy to pen it, so I did.

I still enjoy the Touhou universe as a fan, so maybe I'll write short stories very occasionally from time to time. I'll see you around.

Oh, and a belated Happy New Years!