Sekibanki was… not used to having idle time at her job.

On a typical day, there was always the morning rush, a time when Tradition's End was at its busiest. Her and Eric really did have to get a move on in order to keep the coffee and pastries flowing.

After that was over, there were still several customers who would end up trickling in and lingering until the early afternoon. While not as tiresome as the morning, it was still necessary to ensure they were well taken care of.

Absent that, there was always, always something to do or clean.

However, today, as noon crept up on them, the last customer in the store had left. With the cafe empty and the only tasks left to do being the ones typically reserved for after closing, there was a sudden glut of free time.

Eric could have decided to close up the cafe, but it was 'a bit too early for that' and he wanted to 'wait and see if there were any stragglers.'

Not that Sekibanki minded. She was getting paid to be there anyway, so it really didn't matter that there was nothing to do.

They took the opportunity to prepare everything that they'd need for closing the store, but that only took so long.

So, they passed the remaining time with conversation.

Eric leaned over the cafe counter while Sekibanki settled herself into one of the booth seats.

It had started out with a couple of comments about the day and inconsequential pieces of gossip. Then…

"Glad you're back to full, boss. Really looked like you were struggling for a while there."

And she was glad. A healthy boss meant a steady income, and she had her own little house to pay for.

That was one of the downsides of living within the village walls. Everybody, human or not, had to pay in order to keep a roof over their heads.

In a way, Sekibanki envied her friends, the majority of which lived outside of the Human Village. Sure, it was more chaotic out there, but it wasn't like they had to pay rent.

"Gods, it feels good to be back. It's the most inconvenient thing to have to put weight on a busted leg everyday." The relief in his voice was palpable.

"Can't relate. I'm-" Sekibanki cut herself off, turning her body and craning her non-existent neck to double check that there were no patrons in the cafe.

After a moment of confirmation, she turned back forwards, head rotating slower than her body in a way that did not look natural. It was a good thing that they were alone.

"I'm a youkai, so…"

Eric sighed. "Yeah, I get it. Youkai shrug off injuries and heal really fast. I've heard it from Alice a few times now."

"At least you're not stumbling around back there anymore, about to drop all the plates."

He snorted slightly. "At least now I can start going to Alice's again without exhausting myself. I get the feeling she didn't exactly like the fact that I flew out there while I was still hobbling around."

Sekibanki paused at that.

It… was probably pretty weird to ask about her boss's personal life, but she couldn't help but be curious.

"You talk about this Alice person a lot." It wasn't so much of a question as it was a statement of fact.

Eric rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah, I guess I do, don't I?"

"What's the deal with her?"

He furrowed his brows a bit. "Like, you want to know about her?"

"I'm curious. Hard not to be with how much she comes up."

He cleared his throat and hummed in thought. "Um, alright, then. She's… a magician, and she lives in the Forest of Magic." And with that, he began to rattle off facts as he counted them off on his fingers.

"She's really smart. She's really strong. She's really nice, but I don't think she likes new people very much. Um… She's got a really comfy couch and makes a really good soup. She's serious most of the time, but she's got this really peculiar sense of humor. And…"

He divulged fact after fact as his enormous answer continued to grow. One in particular caught her attention.

"She's got these magic dolls that she uses to fight, clean, and everything else."

Dolls. Dolls…

Why did the part about the dolls sound familiar? Like she'd heard about them before?

"...and she's got a really nice laugh-"

"Okay. I get it." She had the feeling that he'd go on forever if she let him.

He went from almost reverent to sheepish in just a few short seconds. "Ah, you're right. That was probably too much."

He… certainly did have a lot to say about her, though. Could it be that…?

"Do you like her?" Again, it was probably weird to be asking her boss about such a thing, but she'd already waded in this deep. Might as well dive further.

Eric… didn't even need to say anything. If the somewhat embarrassed look that crept across his face was anything to go off of, the answer was clear.

Still, he did at least answer her question. "Yeah, uh, you could say that, i-in a way. She's-"

*Ring-a-ding*

The little bell on the cafe's front door chimed, promising a new customer.

They both turned their heads, Sekibanki twisting her body slightly to keep the motion looking natural.

"Welcome to- Alice!" Eric's face absolutely lit up in recognition. His voice was fond and filled with eagerness. "What are you doing here?"

Speak of the devil, and she shall appear… With impeccable timing, apparently.

"Hello, Eric. I… may have decided to visit before picking up supplies from the market." She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, affection noticeable in her voice as well. "Is it a poor time?"

He let out an exaggerated sigh. "We're pretty overwhelmed with customers at the moment, but I'm sure we can squeeze you in."

Alice scanned the room, gaze briefly settling onto Sekibanki before returning to Eric with a deadpan expression. "Business is booming, truly."

Eric chuckled. "For real though, we were just about to close up, so you're totally fine."

"Thank you," she replied as she fully stepped out of the doorway. The door swung closed.

Sekibanki took the time to look this 'Alice' over.

She was… almost identical to the dolls that hovered at her side and flanked her from behind. Pretty, in a way, but also uncanny. With a book in one hand, and metal rings slipped over her fingers, she appeared to have been ready for a fight. Though, she didn't appear belligerent, so it was probably just a precaution.

So, this was the Alice that Eric always spoke of.

"Oh!" Eric chimed in. "I don't think you two have met before."

He gestured towards Sekibanki. "Alice, this is Sekibanki, the employee that I've mentioned before."

…He's told her about me?

Then, with a flourish, he pointed at Alice. "Sekibanki, this is Alice. I, uh, have probably talked your ear off about her enough today."

Alice glanced at Eric. A light blush momentarily filled her face, though it faded quickly.

Sekibanki rose from her seat and approached the newcomer.

Said newcomer spoke first.

"Well met. I am Alice Margatroid, the Seven-Colored Puppeteer." The words came calmly, smoothly. The doll at her side reached its hand out as if for a handshake.

Oh, she's using her duel name, too.

Sekibanki lightly scratched her cheek as she answered. "Sekibanki, the, uh, the Dullahan Under the Willows." She met the little doll's hand with her own and gave it a quick shake.

It was a bit odd, but what youkai didn't have their quirks about them?

"Good to finally meet you."

Alice tilted her head slightly. She looked… a bit confused about that. "Finally?"

Sekibanki shrugged. "Heard a lot about you. Mostly from the boss over here, but some not. You really use those dolls for everything?"

"Yes. My dolls are my life." An answer as sure as one could be.

Sekibanki bobbed her head. "Cool. That's different."

…

As it turned out, they didn't have all that much to say to each other, and the silence that followed was a bit awkward.

Eric, however, took it upon himself to intervene.

"Hey, Sekibanki. You can head on home, if you want. I can take care of our last customer of the day."

She raised an eyebrow at that. "And the closing stuff?"

"Yes, I'll take care of that, too. You don't have to worry about it."

That was… unusual. It was almost as if they were trying to get rid of her. Although, it didn't take a genius to understand the looks that those two were giving each other.

So that's how it is, then.

…Well, she wasn't about to get in the way of their 'alone time.' If anything, she was surprised that Eric even had it in him.

Sekibanki snorted. "Sure thing, boss."

She nodded to Alice as she passed her by, collected her pay, and made to leave, just a little bit better off than she was the day before.

"Take care! It's a real jungle out there!" Eric called after her.

"Yup, a real urban jungle," she replied, rolling her eyes slightly.

…

Just down the street from the cafe, a zealous man had drawn in a small crowd. Sekibanki couldn't make out his words from where she was, but she avoided that side of the street all the same.

Crowds were usually bad news for youkai, anyways...

~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~

"Notice anything different?" Eric posed, arms spread wide.

It took Alice a mere moment to respond. "It seems that you've recovered." There was more than a glint of happiness in her voice.

"Yep! No more cane; no more old man Eric! Heck, I could even dance a jig right now if I wanted to!"

She gave him a look. A dubious, almost challenging look. "Oh? Could you, now?"

"Ehehe, uh…" His previous confidence evaporated, leaving behind hesitant trepidation. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll have to give you a rain check on that. I'm… um… not very good at dancing."

Alice giggled a bit at that, and Shanghai moved to pat Eric on the head. "Another time, then."

Before he could respond, she followed up with, "And how about you? Can you spot any differences?"

Eric blinked. Differences? Of course!

He'd noticed them the moment she'd entered. "Your outfit is a little different."

Indeed, there were a few alterations from when he'd last seen her.

The little shawl that she always wore was noticeably absent, revealing the formerly hidden collar and sleeves of her dress, as well as a fraction more of her neck.

The hem of Alice's dress, which up until now had rested a few inches above her ankles, now fell to just below her knees..

It wasn't that much shorter, really.

But…

It was amazing how such small alterations to an outfit could make such a big difference. It took what had been a modest, elegant look and turned up the cuteness factor. The whole ensemble gave off a light, fresh vibe.

"What do you think?" She stood up and swayed a bit so that the hem of her dress twirled slightly. "I consider this to be my 'summer outfit.'"

…

She's so cute!

Eric couldn't help it. He almost immediately stepped forward and wrapped her into a hug, spinning around a single time.

As he did so, he noticed something. She was… surprisingly light.

Was that a youkai thing?

More importantly…

"You're so cute, Alice. You know that?"

Alice… didn't seem to have been prepared for that sort of response. Even as she relaxed into the embrace, a heavy blush filled her face. "O-oh? I suppose I didn't?"

He chuckled, slightly breathlessly. "Well, you are."

She sighed a little, happy sigh. "Now I know."

"Do… Do you have to try to be this adorable, or does it just come naturally to you?"

Her grip tightened, and she nestled her head into the crook of his neck, but she did not answer.

There was no way that he would get used to this feeling any time soon. The blood was roaring in his ears, his stomach was doing backflips, and he was certain that she could feel the pounding of his heart.

He could not have been happier.

…

Eventually, the hug did have to come to an end. As they pulled apart, Alice moved to explain.

"This… style is meant to be functional; to lessen the impact of the summer heat. It was not… not my intention to provoke such a reaction."

She fiddled with a lock of her hair, a faintly embarrassed look on her face.

"Ah, so it is natural, then."

Her blush visibly deepened once more, and… she looked unsure of how to respond.

He... might have laid it on a little too thick.

Oh no, he mentally chastened himself. I definitely made her uncomfortable this time..

"I… Sorry… I'll tone it down," he said, a hint of guilt creeping into his voice.

To his surprise, Alice shook her head. After taking a moment to compose her thoughts, she began clarifying.

"I'm not uncomfortable with what you are doing, so do not blame yourself. However, all of this," she gestured vaguely, "is still so… unfamiliar to me. I'm… I suppose I'm not used to so many tender words all at once."

She crossed her arms. "I… become unsure of how to respond, and when I'm unsure, I hesitate. How am I meant to know what to do?"

"Well, I can't tell you that, Alice. Everyone has their own ways, y'know?"

Her eyes met his. They were such a lovely shade of blue.

"How do you do it, then? How do you know?"

Now it was his turn to hesitate.

"Look… I'm… I'm about as used to all of this as you are. Just… I'm trying to be bolder, y'know? Trying to listen to my gut instinct more."

His gut instinct, or whatever it was that he felt.

"And right then, it was saying 'Hug her and make sure she knows how cute she is.' So… I did."

Alice did not respond immediately, so he reached out to tuck another errant lock of hair behind her ear.

"You're a smart cookie, Alice. I know you'll figure it out. Heck, I'm not 100% sure about everything, either. We can… we can work through it together, if you want."

He wanted her to feel comfortable. He wanted her to be sure of herself. She deserved as much.

"I… want this to work. Truly, and in a way I've not yearned for in a long time. But…"

Alice trailed off for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.

~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~

"I'm afraid that I'll be too inhuman to respond in the ways that I should."

That… Honestly, it took a lot for her to say. Alice loathed openly admitting to being afraid of something. It was admitting weakness, but…

It was only right that Eric knew.

He was very much human, and she was, well, a youkai. Whereas he was seemingly taking to this relationship like a fish to water, she was concerned that, one day, she may not be able to follow him into its depths, no matter how deep she wished to dive.

"I want this, and I want to be able to return what you give me in equal measure. But, with no experience, I'm nervous that I won't know how and that my hesitation may cause you to hold yourself back; just like you did a moment ago."

Sure, she would prefer if they moved along slowly, but she also wanted him to be genuine and not restrain himself unnecessarily.

…Was it too much to ask for both?

"...Inhuman?" He trailed off, appearing to gather his thoughts.

He was about to try and reassure her again, she was almost certain of it.

"Alice… You are more human than just about anyone else I know, and I live in the Human Village."

She gave him a look, very much hoping that he would elaborate. He did, in fact, elaborate further.

"Ah… how do I put this? Maybe it's because I've been around you so much, but I've seen a lot of human qualities from you."

He cleared his throat.

"I've seen you confident, and I've seen you insecure. I've seen you mischievous, and I've seen you deadly serious. I've seen you at work, and I've seen you at rest. I've seen you with a smile on your face, and I've seen you with tears in your eyes. I've seen you kick ass in battle, and I've seen you… um… injured…"

That day obviously still bothered him, and it would likely continue to do so.

"I've seen you respond to challenges, sacrifice for your work, and give comfort in a time of need. You work hard, and you enjoy the fruits of your labor."

His eyes… Warm, brown, and so full of affection. A cozy cup of cocoa, cherished on the coldest of mornings.

"I'm serious when I say this, Alice. You are just as human as anyone else. Don't let the fact that you're a youkai take that away from you."

…

A warm blanket of reassurance settled over her. Whether it was because of the contents of his words, or the conviction in his voice, she didn't know, and she didn't care.

It was a feeling that she'd come to associate with him.

It was… nice.

"...Thank you."

"Otherwise, I think you're doing just fine so far. I mean, I'm not expecting you to react a certain way, or anything. Honestly, I'm just happy that you're here; that you're with me."

Eric took her free hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. He was… awfully fond of physical reassurance, wasn't he?

"It's totally fine to move at your own pace. We don't have to do anything that you don't want to."

That certainly did sound like Eric; too understanding for his own good.

But that was alright. It was one another of his traits that she had grown fond of.

"I know you said that you would, but seriously… Let me know if I ever do something you don't like, alright?

"...Alright. So long as you don't hold yourself back because of unfounded concerns."

That tripped him up slightly, but he nodded anyway. "Yeah, I'll… I'll work on that."

She sighed, feeling lighter once more. It would be fine. They would be fine. She had the entire future to figure it out, and he was willing to accept her in the meantime.

A beat passed. Then, Eric stepped back towards the counter.

"So! If you, uh, have the time, do you want to take a seat and have a drink? I, uh, wanted to talk a little more if that's okay with you."

Alice hummed in thought. It had been, what, two weeks since she'd seen him last? And she certainly had the time today…

A quick nod, followed by a little smile gracing her face. "Of course."

It was a smile he returned with enthusiasm. "Great! Maybe some cold lemonade to fight off the heat of the day?"

…

…

…

Two tall glasses of lemonade, ice-cold, rested upon the table in front of them, glistening in the light.

"Do you think it's weird how straightforward we've been communicating with each other?" Eric blurted out before either of them had even taken a sip.

Alice blinked at that. "...No? Shouldn't it be that way?"

A look of uncertainty adorned his features. "I… guess? I don't know. I always grew up thinking that there would be a lot more drama and miscommunication in a relationship."

"And why would you believe that?"

"Well, it happened a lot in books, TV shows, and movies. Just… stories in general, I guess. Also, I don't know if you're familiar with schools on the Outside, but those are absolutely filled with relationship drama, too."

He shrugged. "All of that just… conditioned me to expect something different."

"Those lives are very different from our own. It would be unfair to compare them directly." Though, now that she thought about it, she did recall there being much more drama in the books she had read.

Regardless… "I find it fortunate that we've been so open with each other. I believe I prefer it this way."

"Definitely!"

…

…

…

Two tall glasses of lemonade, cool to the touch, sat upon the table in front of them, now half-empty. Or… perhaps they were half-full?

"I used to be human, too." Alice remarked, almost off-handedly.

"...What?"

"That was where the concern over inhumanity had come from earlier. I… was human before becoming a youkai."

"I… Huh."

"Is… that all? Just 'huh'?" She didn't have any reason to believe that he would find such a revelation unsavory, but his short response did send a trickle of anxiety creeping through her chest.

"Well, I mean, I obviously didn't know that. But, hey! I do now!" He tilted his head curiously. "Is there any more to that story?"

"Um… yes?" She hadn't expected outright rejection, but she hadn't expected this response either. "But… I don't think I'm ready to share that part yet."

"...'There can be pain in fond recollection'?"

"...Yes."

…

…

…

Two tall glasses of lemonade, full of air, occupied the table in front of them, only a modicum of their original contents remaining.

"Hey Alice, is that offer about teaching me magic still on the table?"

She shifted in her seat, adjusting Shanghai's position as she did so. "Of course it is. I made you an offer, and I have no intention of retracting it."

…

"When's the earliest we can start?"

~~~~~~Author's Notes~~~~~~

Another chapter? Only one week after the last!? As it turns out, I can do that on occasion!

The scene of them talking in the cafe was initially planned to be a whole lot shorter, but as I wrote, I kept thinking of relevant things that they would probably talk about. I felt that the more they (and by extension, the audience) understood each other, the better. And hey! We got a little morsel of Alice's past to come out.

I like the idea of the two of them being able to work through their problems and communicate clearly. Y'know, like adults. Doesn't lend itself to drama very well, but I suppose that's what I'm sort of going for.

Eric could very well start charging for his amateur hour youkai therapy sessions.

Alice is a very contradictory character a lot of the time, even in canon, and I love that. I feel like it really shows how she's often stuck between two conflicting ideas.

She uses her dolls for danmaku, yet she equips them for melee combat. She finds Marisa irritating, yet she is still friends with her. She holds a book of great power, yet she refuses to use it. She talks a big game, yet she's more of a coward at heart. She lives alone, yet she desires companionship.

She is a magician youkai, yet she still acts relatively human.

I feel like such a person would harbor a great many insecurities and uncertainties as they try their damndest to figure out who they truly want themselves to be, especially when a big change like a new relationship is thrown into the mix.

I would think that just being there for a person like that would go a long way.

That, and I just can't help myself! In a romance, I love seeing a character's insecurities and flaws be accepted by the other, and then be given the support to improve. If the couple isn't helping each other to be the best that they can be, then what the heck are they doing?

It's the whole 'You don't have to be perfect, you just have to be you, and I'll help' mindset that I just find to be so damn compelling.

Ah… Having said that, we won't have an insecure Alice every chapter. We've just gotta get her back into her element. Soon…

Thank you for reading! Review if you want! Have a good day!

P.S. The 2023 Touhou Popularity Poll results came out! Alice Margatroid maintained her position at number 11! Way to hold the line, Alice fans! Can we break back into the top 10 next year (maybe if she can ever make a reappearance in the games)?

~~~~~~Reviews~~~~~~

fajar867: Definitely agree on that point; too much random filler is suck. Character relevant filler, I'm more on board with. But that's okay, because we're back with them!