Chapter 12

The moonlight pours softly through the glass panels of the Mizuyari Manor’s upper balcony. Shizuku and Alto sit together on the lounge chairs, a warm pot of tea between them—untouched.

Shizuku:
Alto.

Alto:
Hm?

Shizuku:
Why are you always so serious?

Alto raises an eyebrow but doesn’t answer immediately.

Shizuku:
I mean… I get it. You're the responsible one, and the strongest person I know at keeping everything grounded.
But you scold both me and Lily like you’re our dad.

Alto:
I am Lily’s dad.

Shizuku:
Okay, yes, fair—seahorse dad and all. But you know what I mean.
You treat me like one of your students half the time.

Alto finally exhales, shaking his head with a soft laugh.

Alto:
Because you two are the most unserious people in the entire universe.
You hold more power between the two of you than some galaxies have ever seen—
And you act like the universe has a few billion more years to live.

Shizuku:
We do have a few billion years left, technically.

Alto:
And yet every few months we’re fighting off cosmic anomalies, the primordials’ pets, assassination attempts, or “surprise training duels” that destroy my garden.

Shizuku:
Okay, but to be fair, Lily was the one who summoned Dramatic Play last time. I just encouraged her.

Alto:
Exactly my point.
You’re both walking apocalypses with ponytails.

Shizuku leans back and folds his arms behind his head, smirking.

Shizuku:
You love us though.

Alto:
...Unfortunately.

Shizuku:
Admit it. You wouldn't trade us for any version of this world where things were quieter.

Alto:
No. I wouldn’t.
Because in those quieter worlds… we probably never even meet.

Shizuku finally looks over at Alto, his grin softening into something more genuine.

Shizuku:
Thanks for keeping us grounded.
Even when we act like the sky doesn’t exist.

Alto:
One of us has to.
And if I don’t scold you both, who else will?

Shizuku:
Emrys?

Alto:
Emrys encourages your chaos.

Shizuku:
...Also fair.

They finally laugh, the sound echoing into the quiet night as the stars begin their slow drift across the sky.