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Yoshika couldn't sleep.

After Furina left, she had just stood there, staring at the spot where their hands had touched. It wasn't the first time she had held someone's hand-it wasn't even the first time Furina had grabbed her like that.

But this was different.

This time, Furina hadn't done it as a joke.

This time, Yoshika hadn't pulled away.

She was losing control, and she hated it.

Lying on her bed, she stared at the ceiling, her thoughts an unrelenting storm. She had faced countless battles, deceived enemies, and survived in the world of gods and Harbingers. Yet, somehow, this-a simple touch, a few words-was what unsettled her the most.

The way Furina had looked at her.

The warmth of her hand.

The way her voice had wavered, just slightly, when she had said too late.

Yoshika sighed, pressing a hand over her face. This wasn't something she should be thinking about. Not now. Not when Fontaine was on the brink of war. Not when Celestia was preparing to strike.

And yet, no matter how much she tried to push it away, the thoughts remained.

She had felt it.

That pull.

The terrifying realization that, somewhere along the way, Furina had stopped being just an ally, or just a former god.

Somewhere along the way, she had become something more.

Yoshika groaned and sat up, brushing her fingers through her light pink hair. This was ridiculous. She wasn't someone who got distracted by emotions. She was above things like this.

She needed to get out of here.

Standing up, she grabbed her cloak and left her room, stepping out onto the dimly lit streets of Fontaine.

The city was silent at this hour, save for the distant sound of water flowing through the canals. It was peaceful-too peaceful, considering what was to come.

Yoshika walked aimlessly, her thoughts still a mess. She had expected the cool night air to help clear her mind, but it only seemed to make everything worse.

What was she supposed to do with these feelings?

She had spent her entire life hiding things-her origins, her true nature, her thoughts. It was second nature to her. And yet, for the first time, she wasn't sure she could hide this.

She paused at the edge of one of Fontaine's many bridges, resting her hands on the railing. The water below reflected the stars, shimmering like a dream.

She hated this.

She hated not knowing.

A familiar voice broke the silence.

"You couldn't sleep either?"

Yoshika turned.

Furina stood a few steps away, arms crossed, her usual dramatic expression softened in the quiet night. She wasn't wearing her extravagant dress, just a simple, elegant outfit-still Fontaine-styled, still undeniably her, but... different.

More real.

Yoshika hesitated before responding. "No."

Furina walked forward, stopping beside her at the railing. She didn't say anything for a moment, just gazed out at the water.

"...It's strange, isn't it?" she finally said.

Yoshika glanced at her. "What is?"

Furina sighed, tilting her head slightly. "That after everything, after all the fighting, all the chaos, there are still moments like this." She gestured at the quiet city, at the stars, at the gentle sound of water. "It makes it feel like... maybe, for just a little while, things are normal."

Yoshika didn't reply.

She understood what Furina meant.

For a moment, there were no wars, no gods, no looming threats. Just the two of them, standing together under the stars.

Furina turned to look at her.

"You seem... different."

Yoshika raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

Furina studied her for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't know. Just... different."

Yoshika looked away. She was different. And she knew exactly why.

Furina shifted closer, just slightly. Their arms almost touched. "Do you regret coming back?"

"...No," Yoshika said quietly.

Even if it meant dealing with all of this-her feelings, the war, the uncertainty-she didn't regret it.

Furina smiled, just a little. "Good."

Silence stretched between them again, comfortable yet tense.

And then, softly-so softly Yoshika almost didn't hear it-Furina said, "It's too late now, anyway."

Yoshika turned her head sharply.

Furina's eyes met hers. There was something in them-something unspoken, something fragile but real.

It was a confession without words.

And Yoshika knew.

She knew, in that moment, that whatever this was between them-whatever it could be-was already set in motion.

She could walk away. She could pretend she didn't notice, could bury this feeling just like she had buried everything else in her life.

But she didn't move.

She just stood there, staring at Furina, caught between the person she had always been... and the person she might be becoming.

And for now, she let the silence speak for her.

---
𝖠𝖭 𝖭𝖮𝖳𝖶; 𝖨𝖽𝗄 𝗐𝗁𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗁