Mochi Labor

As Polaris finally pushes open her apartment door, she’s met with a cozy and warm entryway. The familiar scent of vanilla and fresh lavender greets her, some new candles she had sitting on warmers while she was out, adding a touch of warmth to the night. She’s just returned from a specialty handmade shop, a small, tucked-away place that only the most discerning sweet-tooth know about. The glittery mochi she picked up is carefully nestled in a delicate box, the kind of treat that makes her heart flutter with excitement.

Polaris isn’t one for the elaborate festivities of mochi making—that's her partner Azrael's thing. But she always looks forward to eating the mochi, and Moon Mochi is her favorite time of year to do just that. Usually, when Azrael is around and makes the mochi by hand, she has to sacrifice a mochi she’s been looking forward to sinking her teeth into for Allocer. But tonight, Polaris isn’t leaving anything out. She isn’t preparing mochi to offer; she’s simply preparing to enjoy it. But she knows that when Azrael returns, she’ll have to share—but for now, it’s just for her.

She sets the box down on her kitchen island, running her fingers along its smooth surface before lifting the lid. The mochi inside glimmers like tiny constellations, each piece a deep blue, dusted with a fine layer of glitter, and there are little star picks and moon picks delicately placed on top. Polaris can’t help but squeal excitedly at the sight.

Before she reaches for one of the pieces, she opens up a nearby drawer, digging around for a tie. She pulls back her ears to tie them up so she can truly enjoy her treat without distraction. Reaching down, Polaris delicately holds a large mochi between her fingers, tilting it around so the glittery dust on the outside catches the light at different angles. Bringing it to her lips, she takes a generous first bite. Looking down, she watches as a bit of the dark filling spills from the bite area.

She’s been waiting all year for this mochi, and it’s just as perfect as she imagined. The mochi is tender and sticky, the filling rich and almost creamy, with a deep, slightly tangy sweetness that lingers on her tongue. She closes her eyes, letting out a soft sigh of pleasure. She eats slowly, savoring each bite as she makes her way through the box, piece after piece, bite by bite, never in a hurry to finish.

Finishing several mochi, Polaris licks her fingers. There are a few more left in the box, and she hums in thought—should she save them for Azrael, or keep them for herself...

“Maybe I’ll buy more when he gets back. He’ll never let me finish it all on my own any other time,” she muses, reaching for the final pieces.

Just as she’s about to take another bite, she hears the soft click of the front door unlocking. She pauses mid-motion, her fingers hovering over the last piece, and turns toward the sound. Azrael steps inside, his presence filling the room with a familiar warmth.

Polaris looks up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. She’s still mid-bite, the soft, glittery mochi cradled between her fingers. Her cheeks puff slightly as she chews, the dark filling spilling out onto her lower lip. For a moment, their eyes meet—his gaze narrowing in disbelief as he takes in the sight of her sitting at the kitchen island, alone, with the box of mochi in front of her.

He stares at her for a beat longer, and then his eyes flick to the box and the mochi she’s enjoying so happily. Before Polaris can even form a response, he drops the bag of mochi ingredients he had been carrying into the kitchen, and it spills across the floor. A few grains of sticky rice and bags of powdered ingredients scatter across the ground as he sighs in exasperation.

"Really, Reese?" Azrael says, his voice dripping with mock disbelief.

Polaris freezes, her eyes widening slightly as she swallows the bite of mochi. She blinks a couple of times, trying to form the right words but instead settles on a sheepish, “Heeeey...” Her voice trails off awkwardly as she glances at the space where he had been expected to remain for a bit longer. She had assumed he would be gone for another hour at least, and yet here he is, catching her red-handed with all the mochi to herself.

Azrael raises an eyebrow, clearly amused by her awkward response, but Polaris can’t bring herself to be embarrassed for too long. It’s just mochi, after all—something meant for enjoyment.

"Why didn’t you save me any?" he teases, his lips quirking upward as he steps further into the kitchen, nudging the scattered ingredients with his foot.

Polaris shrugs innocently, reaching down to grab the last piece of mochi, now slightly smooshed, and takes a bite. "It’s my Mochi Moon indulgence, you know? Had to treat myself." She can’t help but giggle a little, though she feels a pang of guilt for not leaving some for him.

Hours later, Polaris slumps tiredly on the couch, her arms stretched out and her tail flicking listlessly by her side. The kitchen has become a flurry of motion, the rhythmic pounding of ingredients, the mixing of mochi dough, and the steady simmer of the filling all blending into a whirlwind of activity. Azrael, ever the perfectionist when it came to the mochi, insisted that they prepare the offerings for Allocer by hand.

With a heavy sigh, Polaris shifts on the couch, her motes flickering lazily around her. "You made me do physical labor and I have to give some away," she complains.

Azrael laughs, sitting next to her. "It’s for a good cause, you know. Allocer needs the offerings."

Polaris huffs. "Next time, I’m locking myself in my room and eating all the mochi before you get back."

"Deal," he chuckles, wrapping an arm around her. "But I still want some, Reese."

She grins. "Fine. Next time, I’ll make sure there’s plenty. But for now, I’m done."