Later that day, the temple breathed with a stillness so deep it seemed almost sacred. Birds rustled gently in the garden trees, and the air carried the earthy scent of moss, stone, and early blossoms. Hatku sat on a sun-warmed ledge just beyond the hall, watching from a distance as Tashina and Shyla moved together beneath the shade of orange-leafed trees.
Shyla walked barefoot, the soft soil cushioning her steps. Tashina pointed out which fruit was ripe and which would be sweeter in a day or two. Their laughter rose occasionally like wind chimes—light, unforced, and almost unreal in how peaceful it sounded.
Hatku smiled faintly.
He leaned back, supporting himself with one arm, letting the sunlight filter through the canopy above. His sword lay beside him, untouched. His mind, however, was anything but quiet. The memory of the kiss lingered like a second heartbeat—unexpected, unplanned, and somehow more meaningful than he'd ever meant to let it be.
She hadn't pulled away.
She'd leaned in.
The leaves overhead whispered in the wind, and Hatku stood, brushing off his palms. He made his way over as they plucked fruit from a low-hanging branch, golden and ripe.
"You planning to eat all that before it gets back to the kitchen?" he asked, casually stepping beside them.
"Only if you keep standing there watching like a lazy ghost," Tashina said, tossing him a fruit.
He caught it easily. "Supervising is a job too, you know."
"Of course," Shyla replied, the corner of her mouth lifting. "Very important work, observing from a distance."
Hatku bit into the fruit, and the juice dribbled slightly down his chin. "Hey, I'm putting in effort now."
"Uh-huh," Tashina smirked. "You're definitely working hard."
They returned with their baskets full, fingers sticky from the harvest. Inside the temple, the hearth had been stoked, and warm light filled the common room.
After rinsing their hands, the three of them sat cross-legged around the fire with bowls of fresh-cut fruit and warm bread. Shyla poured tea with a relaxed grace that somehow made the entire temple feel more like a home than it had in years.
Eventually, Tashina stood and stretched. "I'm going to the library before the light fades. Might find something useful." She looked at Hatku. "You rest. You've been doing too much watching today."
He saluted her lazily. "Yes, Captain."
As she walked off, Hatku stayed behind with Shyla, the quiet between them settling in like something familiar.
She sat at the edge of the low stone table, brushing a curl from her cheek. "So, what do you do when there's no battle? Just float around looking intense?"
Hatku smirked. "Pretty much."
"I figured."
He watched her for a moment. She looked… comfortable. The usual weight behind her eyes seemed lighter. Her shoulders weren't as tight. The edge was still there, but it had softened.
"I meant what I said earlier," he murmured.
Shyla glanced at him. "Which part?"
"That you're… calm. Peaceful. Like still water."
She tilted her head, amused. "Still water's dangerous."
"I know. That's the beauty of it."
Her smile faded into something thoughtful. She looked into the fire. "I think peace isn't about silence. It's about being heard and still feeling safe."
Hatku blinked.
He hadn't expected that.
He shifted closer, their knees almost brushing. "Is that what you feel here?"
She looked at him again, meeting his eyes. "For now? Yeah. I do."
Hatku swallowed, then offered quietly, "You always this calm?"
Shyla raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm calm?"
"You give off… peace," he admitted. "Even when you're fighting. Especially then."
She considered that for a moment. "Maybe that's why I'm drawn to storms."
Hatku chuckled. "I'm the storm now?"
"You did kiss me in the hallway like you were possessed."
He rubbed the back of his neck, blushing slightly. "Not my finest moment."
"Actually," she said, her tone softening, "it might've been."
The fire crackled gently between them.
He leaned back slightly, letting the warmth of her words settle into him. A silence followed—not awkward or hesitant, but full. Meaningful.
Then, with a small exhale, she stood.
"Well, I'll go help Tashina in the archive. If I leave her alone too long, she'll reorganize everything by candlelight just to prove a point."
Hatku chuckled. "That sounds accurate."
Shyla started to walk away, but paused in the doorway. She looked over her shoulder.
"If you need anything," she said gently, "just come find me."
He watched her go, the robe swaying lightly at her ankles. For a while, he just sat there in the warmth left behind.
And for the first time in a long time, the silence around him didn't feel heavy.
It felt soft.