Familiar Mochi Munching

The Mochi Moon was big and bright, its soft light shining.

Shibani sat at the small wooden table, his white hair a little messy, his red eyes half-closed. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed, still caught somewhere between sleep and waking. In front of him sat a plate of fresh mochi, each piece soft and perfectly round, dusted with a light coating of powdered sugar. The faint smell of sweetness lingered in the air.

Dan stood by the counter, arms crossed. He wore his usual apron which looked quite cute on him in Shibani’s humble opinion, and his expression was its typical mix of gruff and tired. He watched Shibani stare at the mochi with a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“You gonna eat it, or are you just gonna sit there and admire it all night?” Dan asked.

Shibani blinked, slowly reaching out to pick up a piece of mochi. 

He held it for a moment, turning it over in his fingers as if studying it. Then, finally, he took a bite. 

His red eyes widened slightly, and he let out a soft, content hum.

“This is good,” Shibani said, his voice quiet and sleepy. He chewed thoughtfully, then set the rest of the mochi back on the plate. “I had a dream just like this.”

Dan raised an eyebrow and leaned against the edge of the counter. “A dream, huh?”

“Mm-hmm,” Shibani mumbled, nodding. He picked up another piece, turning it over in his hand before taking a bite. “The moon was big. You were making mochi, and it smelled so nice. You handed me a plate, just like this one.” He paused, licking a bit of powdered sugar off his thumb. “It even tasted the same.”

Dan snorted, shaking his head. “You’re so weird, you know that?”

Shibani smiled faintly, unfazed by the comment. “Maybe. But it’s nice when dreams and real life match up, don’t you think?”

Dan didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pulled out a chair and sat across from Shibani, resting his elbows on the table. “Guess so,” he said after a moment. “At least I know my mochi’s good enough to show up in your dreams.”

“It’s better than good,” Shibani said, his voice soft but certain. He took another bite and leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling. “If I keep dreaming about this, I don’t think I’ll need any blessings from Allocer. Your mochi’s already perfect.”

Dan rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide the small, proud smile that crept onto his face. “Flattery’s not gonna get you more, you know,” he said, though his tone was playful and sweet.

Shibani giggled, finishing another piece and reaching for one more. The plate was almost empty now, but he didn’t seem to be in any rush. Each bite was slow and deliberate, like he was savoring every moment.

The kitchen fell into a comfortable silence. 

After a while, Shibani rested his chin on his hand, his eyelids drooping. “You know,” he murmured, his voice growing quieter, “I think I’m gonna dream about this again tonight. The moon, the mochi, you… it’s all so nice.”

Dan leaned back in his chair, watching as Shibani’s head started to nod forward. “You’re half-asleep already, aren’t you?” he asked, though he already knew the answer. “We should be out partying.”

“Maybe…” Shibani mumbled, his voice barely audible. “But I don’t care, I like this more.”

Dan sighed and got up from his chair. He left the room for a moment and came back with a blanket, which he gently draped over Shibani’s shoulders. The smaller bun barely stirred.

“Sleep well then,” Dan muttered under his breath, shaking his head. But his tone was soft, and the faint smile on his face gave him away.

He glanced at the nearly empty plate of mochi, then at the sleeping bun across the table. 

“Dreams coming true, huh?” Dan said softly, mostly to himself since Shibani was now passed out after having just a few mochis. He sat back down and leaned on the table, letting the peaceful moment stretch out as long as it could. “Guess that’s not so bad.”