The air was still, the aftermath of the battle leaving the Scarlet Devil Mansion in shambles. Rubble lay scattered across the once grand grounds, a testament to the intense struggle we had just fought. I stood there, looking at the three tomes in my hand, their power humming faintly as if calling to me. The whispers began again, soft but persistent like fingers tracing the edges of my mind.

Embrace us… accept us… you need us… dream forever…

I could feel the tug, the temptation to let those thoughts in. For a moment, I hesitated. The promise of endless dreams, of power, was intoxicating. But no. Not like this.

With a sharp motion, I slammed the book shut. The voices silenced immediately, leaving me with nothing but the heavy sigh that escaped my lips. I wasn't going to let those whispers control me, no matter how much they pushed.

As I collected myself, Marisa floated down, sprawled lazily across her broom. She had an exhausted look on her face, her eyes half-closed. "I'm popped... I'm gonna sleep for like a week after this," she muttered, sounding wholly drained.

I couldn't help but chuckle a little. "It's another time under my belt, but there's still much work to be done." The words came out naturally, almost instinctively. There was always more work.

Marisa cracked one eye open and groaned, "Oh, can't you ever lighten up, Marcus? We resolved the incident, saved Sakuya, and got your stupid book back. At least crack a smile."

I lowered my head, trying to suppress it, but I couldn't help it. A slight grin formed on my face as I rubbed the back of my head and shrugged. "Guess we do make a good team."

"You bet we do!" Marisa grinned back, her energy returning for just a moment. "You're giving Reimu a run for her money in team-up potential."

As the moment between us settled, I looked over to see Remilia standing amongst the ruins of her mansion. She let out a long, winded sigh, muttering to herself, "Not again." Beside her stood Flandre, Patchouli, and Meiling, all with varying expressions of exhaustion and relief. Sakuya was there too, kneeling on the ground, her head hung low, the weight of everything she had done—or almost done—crushing her spirit.

"I… I'm so sorry, Mistress…" Sakuya's voice was weak, trembling with guilt. "I beg you, please forgive me. If you wish to punish me, banish me, I will understand. I don't deserve to stay after what I've done."

Remilia, with her usual regal demeanour, walked over to Sakuya. Gently, she lifted Sakuya's chin with a finger, her crimson eyes soft but mischievous. "There's no need for that," Remilia said, a coy smile tugging at her lips. "Your punishment is to fix the mansion up pronto."

Sakuya blinked in surprise. "M-Mistress?"

"Then," Remilia continued, her voice softer now, "we can sit down, have a cup of tea, and talk. We haven't done that properly in a while. I'm prepared to listen to any of your worries." She let out a small sigh. "You're my headmaid, Sakuya. Regardless of the circumstances, I care for you."

Sakuya's eyes welled up with tears, but she quickly wiped them away, bowing deeply. "Thank you, Mistress. I won't let you down again!" she shouted, her voice full of renewed resolve.

As the tension eased, Remilia turned her gaze to Marisa and me, making her way over with her usual grace. "I must thank you both," she said, offering a slight nod of acknowledgement. "While this isn't the first time we've clashed, and I hardly expect it to be the last, I wish you both the best."

Marisa waved it off, yawning loudly. "Don't expect us to be buddy-buddy now," she muttered, sitting up on her broom with a tired but amused look. "I still don't trust anything you do, Remilia. But maybe, if you overlook some books I borrow here and there, I can let you off."

Remilia chuckled softly. "I think that can be arranged."

Marisa rubbed her eyes; her clothes were torn and covered in dust, and the aftermath of the battle was evident to her. "Alright, Marcy… let's get back home. We're all done here." She patted the broom, her usual cocky grin spreading across her face. "Hop on."

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the battle and everything that had just happened. But this time, there was a difference. I floated up slowly, hovering just above the ground.

"No need," I said with a grin, catching Marisa's eyes widening in surprise.

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, well, look at you. They grow up so fast, huh?" she teased, the tiredness in her voice fading just a little as we both started heading back.

As we left the ruined Scarlet Devil Mansion behind, I couldn't help but feel the pull of those tomes again, the temptation still lingering. But for now, at least, I knew I was in control.

For now.

By the time Marisa and I stumbled back to her house, the weight of the day pressed on me like lead. The familiar scent of wood and herbs in her home was a welcome relief after the chaos, but my body was too tired to appreciate it fully. I pushed the door open sluggishly, not even bothering to close it behind me as I dragged my feet toward the sofa. The blankets she'd tossed there earlier—back when this was just a "normal" day—seemed like a godsend now. I collapsed onto the cushions, feeling the wear and tear of every battle we had faced.

As I sank into the soft embrace of the sofa, it felt like my body was finally acknowledging all the bruises and cuts I had accumulated. The pain was there, but so was the overwhelming need for rest. I pulled the blankets over me, letting them cocoon me in warmth. My eyes were already halfway shut when I heard the door slam, shaking the whole house.

Marisa barged in right after me, her yawn louder than I thought possible, and threw her broom to the side with a loud clatter. I glanced over just in time to see her stumble toward the sofa, clearly as exhausted as I was, if not more. Instead of heading to her room, she plopped down right beside me—no, more like half on top of me. Her legs sprawled across mine, and her arms spread out over my chest as she flopped onto the cushions.

She was out of it, too tired to care about personal space. And honestly, I didn't care either. We were both completely drained from the day's madness, and even though I could barely move, I just let it happen. I shifted slightly to make room, then sank back into the warmth of the sofa, closing my eyes with a tired sigh.

"What a day," I muttered, half to myself, half to Marisa, though I wasn't sure if she was still awake.

"Just an average Monday for Gensokyo, really," she mumbled back, her voice thick with exhaustion. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was slow, but I could tell she wasn't quite asleep yet. "Not exactly the birthday party I had planned for you, but it sure made things interesting."

I chuckled weakly, feeling the weight of everything we'd been through settling on my chest. "Well, I'm sure in hell never going to forget this one."

"Oh, you better not!" Marisa snorted, managing to sound amused despite her exhaustion. She shifted her position slightly, her legs tangling with mine as she got more comfortable. "And you know, if you stick around, I'll be sure to top next year's one. No telling how long it'll take to find the rest of those pesky tomes after all."

"Yeah..." I yawned, stretching out beneath the blanket as my muscles finally began to relax. "Suppose you're right. But let's keep incident-resolving on the back burner for a while. I'm not sure I can handle another one right now."

"Amen to that," she sighed, her voice softer now, closer to sleep. There was a long pause, just the sound of her breathing mixing with mine in the quiet room. The chaos of the day seemed like a distant memory now, and I felt the tension in my body slowly easing.

Just as I was about to drift off, Marisa's voice broke the silence again. "Hey... Marcus?"

"Uh-huh?" I mumbled, my mind already halfway in the dream world.

"Happy birthday," she said quietly. There was something sincere in her voice, something that cut through the haze of exhaustion.

I couldn't help but smile, even though my eyes were closed and my body felt too heavy to move. "Here's to the next," I whispered back, my words trailing off as sleep took over.

For now, I let myself relax. The world could wait. The tomes could wait. And as sleep claimed me, I knew that no matter what came next, I'd face it head-on. But not tonight. Tonight, there was peace.

And for once, that was enough.

The soothing quiet of the room was abruptly shattered as the door swung open, Reimu bursting in with an energy that seemed out of place in the calm aftermath. "Marisa! I'm ready to take on the incident!" she called, her voice echoing through the space. But her enthusiasm faded the moment she took in the scene before her: Marisa was sprawled across the sofa, snuggled into me, both of us fast asleep.

I cracked open one eye, feeling the intrusion but not enough to move. I raised a finger to my lips in a quiet "shh," but Reimu's smirk was already forming. I could see the amusement dancing in her eyes as she took in the sight of us. "You two didn't waste much time, now did ya?" she teased, her tone light but laced with a playful mockery.

I closed my eyes again, stifling a yawn. "We took care of the incident," I mumbled, my voice still thick with sleep. "A tome wound up in the hands of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but we handled it and got it back."

Reimu sighed, nodding in understanding. "Of course you did... Sorry, I wasn't there to help." Her gaze drifted down to Marisa, who looked so peaceful that I couldn't help but smile. It was an adorable sight, one I wasn't used to seeing from the usually boisterous witch.

"Oh, I'm never going to let her forget about this," Reimu said with a gleam in her eye. "Sorry for disturbing you, Marcus. Get some rest; you look like you need it."

"Thanks, Reimu," I replied, a wave of exhaustion washing over me again. "Are you going back?"

"Yeah," she said, her voice softening. "I'll check in with those pesky vampires first to make sure everything's clear, and then I'll head home. Sweet dreams." With that, she closed the door slowly behind her, leaving us in blissful silence once more.

I shifted my gaze back down at Marisa, her features relaxed in sleep, a small smile gracing her lips. Something about that smile was infectious, and I found my own lips curving up in response. I let out a quiet sigh, feeling the warmth of her presence and the comfort of the moment.

With the chaos of the day fading into the background, I nestled back into the sofa, pulling the blanket up slightly. My head sank into the cushions, and as I let my eyes flutter shut, I felt a profound sense of peace settle over me.

Everything was chaotic and unpredictable in Gensokyo, but right now, here with Marisa, I felt safe. Whatever would come next could wait. For now, sleep was calling, and I was more than willing to answer.

As I drifted off again, the whispers from the tomes faded to nothing, leaving behind only the warmth of the moment and the comforting presence of a friend. I welcomed the darkness, letting it envelop me as I succumbed to sleep once more.