The First Gift

The evening air was cool, carrying the lingering scent of coffee and the salty breeze from the ocean. The sky had settled into a deep shade of indigo, speckled with faint stars, while the last remnants of golden light clung to the horizon.

The café had finally closed for the night, its doors locked, the chairs flipped onto tables, and the counters wiped clean. The only sounds left were the soft hum of waves in the distance and the occasional rustling of leaves as the wind passed through the quiet town.

Gemini stretched his arms above his head, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Another day, another successful shift of me pretending to be useful."

Fourth, who was finishing up wiping the counter, shot him a flat look. "You mostly just got in the way."

Gemini grinned, undeterred. "And yet, you haven't fired me."

Fourth rolled his eyes but didn't argue.

Gemini rocked on his heels, glancing around the now-empty café. The warm glow of the hanging lights cast long shadows across the wooden floors. He had spent so much time here lately that it had started to feel familiar—like a second home.

It was strange.

He hadn't expected to feel attached to a place like this.

As he moved toward the door, ready to step into the night, Fourth hesitated. His grip on the cloth in his hand tightened slightly before he set it down.

"…Wait here," Fourth said.

Gemini blinked, his hand hovering over the door handle. He turned back, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Are you finally kicking me out properly?"

Fourth ignored the teasing, disappearing into the back room without another word.

Curiosity sparked in Gemini's chest.

He leaned against the counter, arms crossed, waiting. A part of him considered calling after Fourth with another smart remark, but something about the moment felt different—quieter.

The seconds stretched.

The faint sound of shifting objects and rustling fabric came from the back room before soft footsteps approached again.

When Fourth reappeared, he was holding something small, cupped carefully in his hand. His expression was unreadable, his posture a little more rigid than usual. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping forward and extending his hand toward Gemini.

"Here," Fourth said, not quite meeting his eyes.

Gemini furrowed his brows but reached out, letting Fourth drop the object into his palm. It was cool and smooth against his skin, small enough to fit comfortably in his hand.

He opened his fingers—and paused.

A tiny seashell rested in his palm, its surface polished by the waves. In the dim light, it shimmered faintly, pearly white with delicate swirls of pink along the edges.

Gemini looked up, confused but intrigued. "What's this?"

Fourth cleared his throat, his gaze flickering to the side. "Just… something I thought you'd like."

Gemini turned the shell over between his fingers, tracing its curved surface. "You found this?"

Fourth gave a small nod. "Last week. Thought it looked nice."

Gemini's lips parted slightly, caught off guard by the simplicity of the gesture.

Fourth had seen something—something small, something most people would have overlooked—and had thought of him.

He had held onto it.

For days.

Just to give it to him.

Something warm unfurled in Gemini's chest, soft and steady.

He smiled, his voice quieter this time. "I love it."

Fourth finally glanced at him, searching his face as if to make sure he wasn't just saying that. "…Really?"

Gemini met his gaze, sincerity woven into his expression. "Yeah. I really do."

For a second, Fourth didn't move.

Then, quickly, as if realizing something, he turned away, pretending to adjust a few things on the counter. His movements were a little stiffer than usual, a little more deliberate.

But Gemini saw it.

The way the corners of Fourth's lips twitched, as if he was trying to fight back a smile.

It was small—barely there.

But it was real.

And somehow, that made Gemini's own smile grow.

He rolled the shell between his fingers, feeling its smooth surface against his skin.

It wasn't expensive. It wasn't elaborate.

It was just a seashell.

But to him, it was something more.

Because sometimes, the smallest things were the ones that stayed with you the longest.

And Gemini knew, without a doubt, that he would keep this forever.

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