Raizen froze when he heard Hikari's name.

For a heartbeat, he didn't move at all. Not even his fingers. The little map in his hand stayed half unfolded, the paper edges catching lantern light.

He sighed.

A slow, tired sigh that carried more than it should've. Then he smiled - a soft, tired smile.

"Tell her I said hello" he finally said.

Keahi's brows rose. "Huh? That's it?"

Raizen rolled his eyes as much as he could. "What do you mean that's it? Did you expect me to jump out of pure joy? She's here, so what? Good luck on your mission!"

"Alright, alright, sorry! No need to be so reactive, geez!"

After a short pause, she added:

"I'll tell her you said hi"

He stepped out onto the street and started walking, still feeling Keahi's eyes on his back.

With the corner of his eye, he caught a silhouette further down the walkway. Just a shape near a lantern, half swallowed by shadow, standing too still for someone who was simply wandering.

Raizen didn't really give it attention. He didn't have the energy to try and find the meaning to every shape in the night.

He lifted a hand in a lazy wave without looking back. "Bye, Keahi! May you still be alive and well when we'll meet again"

Keahi waved back like she was sending him off , into a city full of secrets, not back to bed. Well... Both were true.

Raizen made an annoyed sound and kept walking.

Ukai at three in the morning felt like a dream that refused to end. The bridges curved and swayed gently between trunks. Lanterns hung irregularly, steady and warm, lighting small pockets of the city while leaving the rest to the dark.

Raizen stopped under one of these lower lanterns and unfolded the small map again.

Lines and rings. Marked districts. A few scribbled notes in a handwriting that didn't really look like Keahi's. It was quite obvious that she's done this before. After all, she came to Neoshiman from a whole other continent without any help...

Raizen frowned at it, then looked up, then back down again.

He started walking.

He stopped again at the next lantern.

Checked the map.

Turned.

Kept going.

It was slow. Not because he wanted it to be slow. Because his body didn't agree to be fast anymore. Every movement felt like it came with a delay, like his muscles needed a moment to move. And Ukai made you think you walked in circles.

The wind drifted between the branches, warmer than it should be at this hour. It was late spring bow. The air didn't bite. It brushed his face gently, almost forgiving.

Raizen breathed in and steadied.

Lantern to lantern. Map to street. Street to map.

Eventually, the lines started matching the shapes around him, and the anxiety of being lost dissapeared.

He reached the familiar section of bridges. The slight bend near the tree support that looked like a crooked elbow. The railing with the carved lines that Kenzo had pointed out earlier, laughing.

Raizen's shoulders dropped in relief before he even reached the door.

He stood there for a second, just breathing, letting the silence settle around him.

Then he stepped up, careful, and opened the door.

Silence.

The warm, still air inside wrapped around him like a blanket. The room was dark, lanterns out, shadows stretched over the floor. Everything looked exactly as he left it - which was strange, because it felt like he left it in another lifetime.

Raizen closed the door quietly behind him and moved forward in soft steps.

He made it three paces before his foot caught something solid.

He stumbled.

His heart jumped hard into his throat.

And at the last second, his hands shot out and caught the massive spoon he bought for Kori as a souvenir, keeping it from clattering onto the floor like the loudest joke imaginable.

Raizen froze, spoon in his hands, breath cut.

Thankfully, no one woke.

He stared down at the ridiculous thing, then leaned it carefully back against the wall where it belonged.

"You traitor" he whispered at it, then moved on.

With even more careful steps now, he reached his mattress.

His eyes adjusted slowly, and the room slowly became clearer.

Then he saw Saffi.

She lay on her back, one arm across her forehead like she tried to block light. Her hair fanned over the pillow. Her slate sat nearby, turned off. She didn't move.

But her eyes were open.

And she looked straight at him.

Raizen stopped.

Her gaze wasn't accusing. It wasn't the look of someone waiting to interrogate him.

It looked... Sweet. Almost relieved, in a way. Like she expected him to get hurt again.

Saffi didn't speak.

Raizen didn't either.

He sat down carefully on his mattress, then eased himself down, torso complaining quietly. The urge to explain rose instinctively - a reflex, like the body's need to justify itself.

But Saffi didn't ask.

So Raizen didn't offer.

He stared up at the ceiling, letting the darkness swallow the noise inside his mind.

Maybe she didn't know what to say.

Or... She simply didn't want to talk.

Raizen decided he didn't have the strength for words anyway.

He kept still and closed his eyes.

Then a soft hand touched his forehead.

Raizen's eyes snapped wide.

His body tensed for half a second, pure instinct - and then he saw Saffi turn onto her side beside him, smiling faintly like she found his reaction funny.

"At least you don't have a fever" she whispered.

She chuckled quietly, the sound gentle, playful.

Raizen stared at her without turning his head fully.

For a moment, he almost laughed too. The absurdity of it. The fact that after everything he went through... The first thing Saffi checked was whether he had a fever.

"Go back to sleep" he whispered, trying not to smile.

Saffi's smile lingered. "You first."

Raizen's eyelids sank immediately.

He just let his mind finally darken completely.

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