2549/With Muffins, Obviously

With Muffins, Obviously
Date of Scene:	07 March 2017
Location:	Earth Court Frat House
Synopsis:	Naru and Kyouko investigate the ECFH's collective reaction to the first half of the D-Point anniversary. Naru adds muffins to the bacon coping mechanism. In the middle of this, Mamoru decides it's time Minako and Kunzite had a talk. With muffins. Obviously.
Cast of Characters:	Kunzite, Kyouko Sakura, Naru Osaka, Minako Aino, Mamoru Chiba

---

Kunzite has posed:
It's close to noon, and yet the apartment still smells primarily of bacon and coffee.

Presumably this was not a "get up at five in the morning and go for a run" day for most of the apartment. (Okay, granted, it's never one of those days for most of the apartment.)

There is a note on the counter in Jadeite's handwriting reading 'PIZZA DELIVERY IS AT THREE, IF YOU WANT IT EARLIER GO GET IT YOURSELF.'

There is still detritus lying around from breakfast, a stray plate and fork here, a glass with a trace of what may or may not have been juice over there. The clean-up-after-yourself rule is not in its strictest enforcement right now. And the Kazuo propped on the couch with a half-finished cup of mostly-coffee, reading the book Kyouko gave him, has actually let them stay where they lie.

It's not actually impossible that the place dropped into an alternate dimension for a day, or something. Or maybe there's some kind of a plot.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    There's a rattle at the door, someone (or possibly multiple someones) letting themselves in. The sound of quiet voices, and then Kyouko appears, barefoot though otherwise dressed in jeans and t-shirt. She pauses in the door to the living area, eyes flicking about the room, taking in the state of the place, and also the state of the Kazuo on the couch.

    Then, without saying anything, she walks around the room with quiet steps and collects all the stray pieces of cutlery and plates, not with any sense of annoyance but merely as if this is something she feels she should do. These are then taken to the kitchen and deposited in the sink.

    Only then does she return to the living room, walking over to the couch where Kazuo is so-propped, and planting herself down by his feet (possibly forcing him to adjust them slightly, since he is tall enough to take up the couch while propped up upon it. "Morning." She says, a faint smile on her lips at the sight of the book he is reading.

Naru Osaka has posed:
Multiple someones, indeed. Naru is just as barefoot as she follows Kyouko into the apartment, and she's headed for the kitchen while her other half is collecting plates.

The sound of water, and the faint smell of soap on the air gives a clue as to what she might be doing in there.

Kunzite has posed:
There is quiet. There is not-speaking. Therefore Kazuo says nothing, and the Dish Fairies are initially allowed to do their jobs unmolested. Then Kyouko actually claims a space. Legs are folded duly, and Kazuo straightens up from his lazy lean and folds the book closed in his lap. "Good morning, Kyouko. Good morning, Naru, and that is not your job." Not actually reproving, there. Simply noting it, as if, perhaps, he'd had some plan involving presenting the culprit with his leavings fork-tines-first mid-hangover. Or, you know, maybe just tagging whoever it was the next time they wandered through.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "You didn't have to stop reading." Kyouko says, her smile still in place, apparently pleased by this evidence that her gift to Kazuo (that Naru helped her pick out, no less!) is appreciated. Not that she doubted it, but it's nice to see the proof nonetheless.

    She rests her hands in her lap, regarding the older young man seated beside her for a moment, her head tilting. "Things alright here?" She asks after a moment, which is a loaded question and she knows it. She herself does not seem any worse for wear- the subdued nature of her actions more out of respect for the mood of the house than because of her own feelings. (The very fact that she's noticed and respected such a mood speaks to her growth over the past year or so).

    She glances towards the kitchen, where the sound of Naru cleaning drifts out, and smiles again. "Volunteer work?" She suggests.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"No, it's not my job." Naru acknowledges from the kitchen. "Which makes it a nice surprise rather than an obligation." There's a moment of quiet. "Besides, soaking might be the only way this paint comes off my hands." There may be a method to her madness as well.

Kunzite has posed:
"Better than expected, so far." Kazuo gives a brief shrug. "Occasionally you peel off a bandage, and discover that while you weren't paying attention, the cut underneath it stopped bleeding."

There's a lingering pause in which gray eyes shift from Kyouko toward the kitchen and back. "-- whatever it is, it's not coming off until she loses a layer of skin, I take it."

That books will wait goes without saying, apparently.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Naru's been painting." Kyouko says to Kazuo, though that hardly needs saying since Naru and painting are about as expected as Naru and breathing. She smiles when she says it though, her fondness for the other girl leaking through despite herself.

    To the other statement, she merely nods. "Well, I'm glad, y'know?" A tilt of her head as she regards him sitting here with the folded book on his lap. "I was worried you guys were gonna be all torn up and stuff, like, bad or whatever." A small lift of her shoulders, a faint shrug. "And then I kinda woulda felt like an asshole because I'm really not."

    She pauses a moment, glancing out towards the window and the balcony. "I mean, I totally get why its tough to remember. I wouldn't wanna live through those days again, either. But y'know.. I would if I had to. Because despite all the crap, a lotta good came out of that whole thing."

    She looks back, with a faintly crooked smile. "For one thing, tomorrow is Momo's re-birthday."

Naru Osaka has posed:
There are more sounds from the kitchen. Rinsing, coffee making. The sounds of bowls and measuring things being found, and the gentle putter of Naru making more dishes of her own, rather than simply doing someone else's.

"Lemon or apple?" Is the call from the kitchen, although the context is not exactly provided, per se.

It isn't her anniversary to mark, per se, but coffee really does need muffins.

Kunzite has posed:
"Mn. If Metallia left any seed of itself inside my head, then if it tries to do anything, Mamoru will notice in good time to deal with it. After that's accounted for, it's difficult to be upset with anything less of a potential disaster." And the rest of the guys got unshielded Escalations to the face. There are limits, apparently, even to Kunzite's degree of applied paranoia.

The statement about Momo's re-birthday, however, prompts him to blink. And then to lean and set the book aside. And then to --

-- misinterpret Naru's question, in the context of the re-birthday. "It's possible to make apple cake?"

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Apple!" Kyouko calls towards the kitchen, because there was never any doubt of her response. Then she blinks at Kunzite for a moment. "You can put anything in a cake." She says, with the confidence of an experienced eater, if not an experienced baker.

    Then she gives a small grin, in spite of the seriousness of Kazuo's statement about Metallia. "Well, you know I'll stab you again if I have to, nii-chan, though I'd prefer it if that phase of our relationship is safely behind us."

    She shakes her head slightly and leans back, arms folded behind her head for a moment. "I guess it makes sense to worry about.. lingering effects. But the way I look at it.. a year ago today marks the fall of a tyrant and a usurper, not a tragedy. The tragedy was what came before. When tyrants fall, you make it a holiday and celebrate, don't you? Freedom Day, or somesuch." A vague wave of her hand.

    "We, all of us, paid a high cost for it, but freedom never comes cheap and tyrants never fall easy. Still.. we're all still here. Largely thanks to Usagi, I realize rather than anything we ourselves did, but. Frankly, I can't see it as a bad thing, nii-chan. In a lotta ways, who I am now started then, and I like who I am now."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Cake is tomorrow, today is muffins." Naru clarifies at Kunzite's query. "Because I want muffins with my coffee. Momo gets to choose her own variety of cake, regardless of what Kyouko might want." Because there's no doubting what Kyouko will choose. As illustrated.

She settles quiet, half listening to the serious conversation in the living room, mostly making muffins. Apple oatmeal muffins, to be precise.

Kunzite has posed:
"You have the cake in hand, then?" Kazuo asks, but it's more for form's sake than anything else; the answer is relatively obvious. "Is there anything we can supply?" Other than 'trashy romance novels that Kyouko would scold them for.' Which might still happen, given the senses of humor of some of the guys. Just ... possibly less in Kyouko's actual sight.

Kyouko's small grin and stabbing comment wins a small, brief, wicked smile from Kunzite in answer. The words come later. "You do. It takes some time, before celebration stops making some of the people involved lash out in pain. But the pain fades, and the victory does not.

"Don't downplay what you did, either. Nor you, Naru, for all that you'll insist that you didn't do anything; you had a hand in making Usagi into a person who could win a victory for herself instead of only denying it to her enemy. We won, but barely. If any of us had been missing --"

He stops. Shakes his head. Leans, and puts a hand on Kyouko's shoulder, and pushes lightly. "We should look in on the girls, tomorrow. If we can."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Yeah.. I guess.." Kyouko considers for a moment, at Kazuo's comment abbout it taking time before the pain fades. "I guess I just feel like, I like my life so much right this moment, and if it hadn't been for all that stuff, I probably wouldn't be here. Well, I'd be dead so I definitely wouldn't be here, but you know what I mean. Here where I am, with the people I am." She includes Naru in this with a tilt of her head towards the kitchen.

    "Or maybe," A faint tone of self-deprecation enters her voice, "I'm just so innured to tragedy at this point I bounce back faster'n most. I dunno. It's just hard for me to feel anything but grateful, looking back on everything that's happened in the past year."

    Her hand comes up to cover the one on her shoulders, squeezing it lightly before flopping back against the couch. "We should. I won't argue that, although.."

    She calls over towards the kitchen, "If Momo asks for something bizarre you don't have to listen to her!"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Cake is in hand." Naru assures as there's the soft beep of the oven and the sound of muffin tin being introduced to a hot oven. Clearly this requires another round of dishes, and if the paint gods are kind, paint leaving her hands. Never that brand again. Seriously.

"I didn't do a thing!" Naru protests, as predicted. "I spent the time a year ago, trying to sort through an awful lot of new and confusing information, and worrying about things I couldnt affect in the slightest, but knew that people I loved had to face. I spent it largely in ignorance, so I am fully on the victory celebration side of things."

"Depends on what the bizarre is, I might consider it." Naru comments on Momo's potential requests. Her nod at touching base with the girls is silent, unseen by the two in the living room.

Kunzite has posed:
"I'm reasonably fond of all of our lives, just at this moment," Kazuo concedes. And if there are memories of things that Apatite never had to know about -- well, that has its advantages, too.

The kitchen, though, gets another lingering look. "You grew up with her," he calls back. "That constitutes 'a thing.'" Someone who wasn't trying to protect her. Someone who pushed back. Someone who learned alongside her how to push, how to set her mind on what she wanted, how to lose and pick themselves up and keep going.

There's a moment's pause, and then he adds, "If she wants dog biscuits in or on the human cake, I truly hope you won't consider that. If she merely wants elaborate pink chocolate horrors, we can work with that."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "I'm glad." Kyouko says, with a smile, to Kazuo's statement of being fond of their collective lives, ongoing minor crises be damned. "Although," She adds, with that smile edging slightly more towards a grin, "Just because I ain't all miserable today doesn't mean that I didn't want to get in on some of that drinking ya'll were talking about. A toast to the fallen, and all that.. even if the fallen are the ones actually doing the toasting."

    She glances back towards the kitchen again, quirking a brow. "Y'know, I never really thought about that babe, but nii-chan has a point. None of us'd be here right now if you hadn't stopped Usagi from becoming a total wreck since like, kindergarten or whatever. So really, we all owe our lives to you!" She's grinning, and even if the words are sincere there's a hint of teasing playfulness in her tone.

    "Dog can have his own 'cake'." Kyouko says, with a snort. "Though I don't doubt one will be demanded for him."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I love her, but she was kinda a total wreck in kindergarden." Naru points out as she comes to the door of the kitchen, holding a coffee cup and with a smile. "An adorable wreck, but I'm pretty sure she prompted policy writing." She considers and then shrugs. "Little kids are mean, but somehow we survived all the way to high school." She laughs and shakes her head. "She'd of sorted it out."

"Dog will have his own cake." Naru has, clearly, already decided that. She might even already have plans for it. "No dog biscuits on the human cake. Although apparently they taste fine."

Kunzite has posed:
"I have actual counter-evidence," Kazuo says, bland-toned, to Naru's assertion of Usagi sorting it out. "Don't make me combine alcohol and storytime. Some of the girls might never speak to me again."

A long pause, then, in which Kazuo does not inquire about how Naru knows this about dog biscuits. He only gets up and trades places with Naru, hunting through the kitchen for something. Possibly the something is 'to see if there is beer.' It must be somewhere in Mamoru's place. The question is where, and if it has already been raided.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko is left alone on the couch, at least until/unless Naru accepts Kunzite's unspoken invitation to take his place. She turns around, in her moments of solitude, to rest her arms on the back of the couch and rest her chin on them, watching both her girlfriend and her brother until at least the one passes out of sight.

    "Most people sort themselves out, eventually." Kyouko says.. "But some don't, without help." Herself being an example of the latter, at least in her own mind. "And even if she woulda.. doesn't diminish your part in making it smoother and quicker by being there for her." She smiles, fondly, at Naru, more than aware of the other girl's capacity for being supportive

    "Ooh, drunken storytime sounds fun, except that we'd have to be real careful who was listening." Kyouko grins slightly.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I am surprisingly in favour of drunken storytime." Naru agrees as she leaves Kunzite to hunt through the kitchen with a gesture towards the timer for the muffins. He is as capable as she is when it comes to extracting muffins from an oven in 20 mins. "I'm not even /entirely/ against the idea of trying someone's drink." She is such a wild party.

Naru pads quietly over to where Kyouko is lounged over the back of the couch, leaning down to settle a kiss on her forehead.

Kunzite has posed:
Reemergence comes with a couple of yellow-and-white melon-themed cans of Okinawan craft beer -- look, it's this kitchen -- and half a shotglass of something clear and ... well ... pink. One of the former is handed off to Kyouko; the latter is offered to Naru. "In the interest of trying something less of an acquired taste," Kazuo notes. "Unless you despise guava. Kyouko, I have no idea what this tastes like; I think Jadeite bought it, but he hasn't been trying to convince anyone to drink it, so it's probably not a prank."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "You just want me to spill embarassing secrets." Kyouko says to Naru, grinning because she knows that Naru, if anyone, already knows most of her embarassing secrets so she's mostly just teasing. But she gets a kiss on the forehead, which makes her wiggle her jean-clad butt in appreciation (rather like a dog wagging its tail, though without the tail).

    A moment later Kunzite is re-appearing, and Kyouko quirks a brow at the.. interesting brew choice that he brings with him. She also eyes the half-shotglass full of pink stuff that he hands to Naru. "What's that?" She asks curiously, leaning over to sniff at it with a crinkling of her sensitive nose.

    Said nose is then applied to the beer, after it is cracked open. She sniffs at the opening of the can.. then shrugs and takes a swig. Clearing her throat as she wipes a hand across the back of her mouth in the aftermath, she blinks a few times. "That's um.. interesting." She laughs. "But not too interesting to drink, thankfully."

Kunzite has posed:
Kazuo matches Kyouko, so that if it's terrible, she'll at least not be alone in her woe. There's a pause to consider it, after. "Not bad," he says, which for him pretty much covers the gamut between 'not going to kill you' and 'suprisingly good.' "But there are probably better things to sample, yes." As for the pink stuff he handed Naru, Kazuo was apparently not kidding about the guava, which means that the sniff is the primary identifier Kyouko actually needs.

Which is good, because Kunzite's phone makes its customary pay-attention-to-me noise, and he pauses to check it rather than answering. "Apparently Mamoru's meeting a friend upstairs," he says. "Not a name I recognize." This doesn't appear to concern him too much; maybe he found Unmei a magical doctor or something. He does not make for the stairs, or the balcony; he only thumbs out a reply, one-handed.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko shrugs her shoulders. "Variety is the spice of life, right? I ain't gonna complain. It's beer and it's free." She winks, then takes another sip, pausing to glance at the can. "Plus I think it might be growing on me." That's quite a declaration to make after only two sips, but maybe she's just being optimistic.

    She takes a few more of those sips as Kunzite pauses to answer his phone... quirking a brow at the conveyed message, eyes turning upwards towards the ceiling where she can indeed sense Mamoru with the new and rather wonderful magical senses she has recently been granted. She looks curious, but since Kunzite makes no move to head up, she keeps her seat as well.

    "Speaking of," She says, fingers tapping on the beer can, the silver ring around her middle finger making a metallic 'tap tap' against the can as she does, "Some chick I didn't recognize came into the conbenie last night, and Mako-chan was there and she knew her. She mentioned Mamoru and Usagi and even I think you- Mako-chan did, I mean, to this girl, and the other girl seemed to know who she was talkin' about, but also never identified herself. She was talking about being back in town after an absence, and Mako-chan seemed glad to see her but also was looking at me all dodgey as if she wasn't sure how much she could say."

    A mild huff. "Which is mildly annoying since you'd think they'd consider me trustworthy by now, but," a handwave, "Then again, I get not wanting to give away other people's secrets. Anyway, I didn't press the matter cuz I ain't a jerk but I'm curious."

Kunzite has posed:
"If Kino-san mentioned Mamoru and Usagi and me to this girl in front of you," Kazuo says, "that sounds like she might have been trying to tell one of the two of you that she trusted the other." Which is which he leaves to Kyouko to figure out, but -- all the same. "Maybe the girl with the axe? I haven't seen her in a long time. Never did get her name. Or even a good look at her, to be honest. Pity, given how much of a fall she saved me from."

His phone chirps again, and he doublechecks it before putting it away. "Naru, the prospect of future muffins has made Mamoru mark one of them as his own in absentia; consider him successfully lured. He'll be down to claim it later."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Well, I'm sure that she was trying to tell this other girl that I was trustworthy, because the context that you and Mamoru came up in was Mako-chan telling her that I had been 'adopted'." She makes a bit of a face, apparently not quite liking that way of phrasing it (she's a sister, not a kid!) but those were the words Makoto used. She shrugs at mention of axe-girl. "Dunno. This girl had blonde hair and a white cat. Which she really shouldn't have brought into the store but it was well-behaved, so eh."

    She grins at the prospect of a visitation from Mamoru lured by muffins. "Aha. Even the Prince cannot deny the allure of Naru's muffins." She pauses, looking thoughtful. "There might be an off-color joke there but I'm too lazy to formulate it properly." She waves a hand, drinking another sip of the beer. "I swear, this stuff is growing on me."

Kunzite has posed:
A white cat.

... no.

"-- probably," Kazuo says slowly. "It didn't wander off to make an inspection on its own while she was in the store, did it?"

He is making no deadpan jokes about checking the beer for mind-control properties. This in itself is unusual enough to draw attention. Possibly white cats are serious business.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko eyes Kazuo consideringly, knowing him more than well enough to sense that he is perhaps mildly on-edge for some reason. But the answer to his question is simply enough, and she shrugs as she responds. "Nope. Just sat on her shoulders like a stole. Barely even saw it twitch an ear the whole time she was in the store." A shrug of her shoulders. "Is that important?"

    The beer can is slowly getting emptier as she continues to sip from it. Mind-control properties might be a thing, but it's morelikely simply Kyouko's properties- that is, once anything edible (or drinkable) enters her posession, it soon enters her digestion.

Kunzite has posed:
Like a stole. "Don't know," Kazuo says. "Maybe it was just drugged from a vet visit. Or old enough to be lazy." ... no indignant clawed vengeance emerges. Not that the lack thereof says anything. "Let me know if you happen to spot it on its own around the store, would you? Don't have to chase it off. But let me know." Especially if it makes off with anything, not that he mentions that out loud.

He's failing to match Kyouko swallow for swallow, but that's not exactly a surprise, either.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Well, it seemed like this chick's pet, so I highly doubt it'll be back around unless she comes back around with it, but." A mild lift of Kyouko's shoulders accompanies this comment. "I'll let you know if I see it again, with or without her. Obviously she's somebody a lotta people know so I'm sure that she'll be back around." Prophetic statements made drinking beer on a couch.

    She finishes off the drink, eyeing the can again as she shakes the empty thing, then reaches forward to place it on the table. "Anyway. Everybody else holdin' up okay? I half expected to find everybody sitting around here, but instead it's just you. And Mamoru on the roof." She grins. "Not that just you is a bad thing mind, I'm just curious."

Naru Osaka has posed:
The guava hit is met with a sniff, and a sip and a blink of surprise when she tried it. Naru hunhs softly at the fruity liquor. "This doesn't suck!" She does sound rather surprised, truth be told.

Naru is good at being quiet as the pair of them discuss people, and cats, and trust and a lack of exploring felines in the store. She does not try the beer. Probably for the best.

As the oven timer goes off, Naru moves back to the kitchen to check on the muffins, it wouldnt do to burn them at this point.

Kunzite has posed:
Kazuo gives Kyouko a long calm look at the pet comment, as if he were assessing her in some fashion; he pauses to examine the band around his left wrist for a moment after, the one with the quartered-circle that matches hers. But he doesn't say anything.

And then Naru's surprised exclamation hits, and he blinks, and the sound he makes is actually recognizable as a laugh. A short one, and sharp, and unaccustomed, but recognizable all the same. "Well, then," he says. "That's a start. We'll have to keep some of it around." The bottle is still on the counter, no less, stylishly slim.

Thereafter, Kazuo shrugs to Kyouko. "Breakfast went all right," he says. "But there was bacon." As if that would account for 'all right' by itself. "I'll check on the others in a little."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko blinks, looking back at Kunzite with a look so innocent it has to be feigned. Then she winks.

    Naru's exclamation about the liquor is, for her part, met with a turning of the head to regard her girlfriend, and then a grin. "See? Not all liquor is awful. Just be careful, that stuff smelled pretty strong. The last thing I need is to be pouring you into bed tonight." Another wink.

    Then her attention shifts back to Kazuo as Naru wanders back off towards the kitchen. "Mmm, bacon." She comments, clearly understanding perfectly well. She nods her head, though. "Good. I'm glad. I hope I get to see at least some of the other guys before we leave." Her tone indicates that she won't be offended if this is not the case though, knowing how some of the Shitennou are rather jealous of their solitude at times.

Naru Osaka has posed:
The laugh out of Kunzite is met with a sheepish little smile from Naru. There's little fear that she's going to need pouring to bed, she's left her tiny glass behind, unfinished, when she went to the kitchen. Although she does have a look at the bottle while she's there.

"I don't think you're much in danger of that, love." Naru calls back as a trio of muffins are plucked from the tin, almost too hot to get taken you yet, put on a plate and return with her back to the living room.

Kunzite has posed:
"We could just keep you here until they turn up," Kazuo suggests to Kyouko, straight-faced. "Naru might object, though." Or have homework. Not to mention Kyouko's actual workplace, and a sister who'd be liable to come looking with Large Dog in tow.

Then there is an arrival of apple muffins, and the concomitant increase in the smell of apple muffins, and his eyebrows lift. "Should I go back and fetch ours?" he asks Naru. Of course in grave tones. It always is.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "And if I could just stay here all the time and never leave," Kyouko says dryly to Kunzite, "I might be happier for it." She wouldn't be, of course- Kyouko is too wild an animal to be penned, but there is a certain appeal to being shut away from all the crap that goes on out in the world.

    "Me either," Is her comment to Naru, with a grin, and eyes that light up upon seeing the arrival of still-steaming muffins. "But I do hope I get that pleasure one of these days." A wink, and then she leans up to trade a smooch for a muffin, because that's the tax. Apparently.

    The muffin will soon no longer exist, hot or not.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Naru would object." Is the confirmation that comes from Naru about the kidnapping, no matter how welcome it might be, of her girlfriend to being holed up in ECFH.

There's a warm laugh as Kunzite comments about getting more. "I only made two dozen, I'm hoping they manage to survive out the hour, but I suspect that is wishful thinking." She leans over a little to trade smooch for muffin. Good trade!

"How is pouring me into bed a /pleasure/?" Naru asks, skeptically, glancing from Kyouko to Kunzite, as she retrieves a muffin for herself and her wee glass of fruity booze. She is /such/ a girl.

Minako Aino has posed:
    Minako Aino has decided to come downstairs after hearing some things Mamoru said. She also didn't transform into Venus because of some things Mamoru said. She follows the scene of fresh muffins- and her stomach grumbles because she didn't actually eat anything Mamoru offered her up there. She just drank.
    She sort of peeks around the corner to see who's in here. Hey! It's that red haired girl Kyouko. Naru- and... hrk.
    She slides back around the corner and then steps back into the doorway properly. "Hi everyone!" says Minako as cheerfully as she can imagine. Which isn't super cheerful.
    "Hi Kyouko! Hi Naru-chan. Hi.. um."
    "Mamoru said your name was Kazuo. Kazuo Takeba. Right?" she asks softly.
    She tries to figure out how to start off. No masks. That's what Mamoru said. So she's trying to figure out how to say what she needs to say first. She starts with her name. It's not like she hasn't talked to him before. In some manner right?
    Then why is she just slightly staring like an idiot for just a few seconds. "I'm Minako Aino." she says. That's still not really telling the whole story.
    "...Sailor Venus." she says to the room at large. She just assumes that this is a safe space to loudly spout such a claim.
    She's also kind of trying to lean to the right to steal a muffin. A muffin in her mouth is going to stop her from saying stupid things immediatly.
    This plan cannot fail.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru enables both muffin-stealing and -- well no, that's what he definitely enables; he attempts to enable Minako-steadying by putting his hand on the back of her shoulder and sort of emanating chill. Not like Kunzite does. The metaphorical kind of chill, not the 'I need a coat' kind of chill. He'll take his own coat off in a minute.

"And," he says, "the famous and daring and popular Sailor V-chan. Hey--"

His hand drops and he glances at Kazuo but asks Kyouko and Naru, "--would you two mind giving me a hand hauling a really big box? I promise not to steal you for too long, you can go right back to muffins and beer or whatever. I want some beer too."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko's eyes turn towards the door to the roof a few moments before Minako and Mamoru actually appear, a small but tangible indication of the new senses she has confided in both Kunzite and Naru about. A brow raises as the blonde girl comes in- the same one from the previous evening she had recently been telling Kunzite about, though sans-cat.

    And then she introduces herself.. and then introduces herself again. Kyouko, half-eaten muffin in hand, blinks a few times. Then: "Ohhhh. Yeah, that totally makes sense. Back in town, huh? Gosh, I guess the last time I saw you was.." She pauses. Beryl's throne-room. "Around a year ago." She finishes, somewhat lamely.

    Then Mamoru asks her and Naru to move a box. She blinks once more.. then darts a glance at Kunzite, then back at Mamoru, then at Naru. "Uh... suuuuure." Is her oh-so-convincing response as she gets to her feet to follow Mamoru out of the room, the remains of her muffin vanishing as she does so. Hey, Kyouko is a terrible actor but at least this time she isn't the only one.

Kunzite has posed:
There are certain things about Kunzite that go without saying. Ridiculously tall: check. Long white hair: check. Expression usually limited to a range that runs from 'small restrained smile' to 'none' to 'small frown': check. Uniform: it's entirely possible he doesn't actually own any other clothes.

The ridiculously tall white-haired person about to say something to Naru when the two come in from the roof is, in fact, wearing a lack of expression at the time. But he's also wearing jeans and a white button-down, top button undone, sleeves rolled up in casual disregard of normal etiquette. A metallic band on his left wrist that matches the ones Luna gave the Senshi, except that the design where a watch face would be is a quartered-circle; the same kind that Kyouko's wearing.

The earrings are the same, at least. Dangly bits like elongated stars, or like blades, because he's never seen much point in keeping anything on him he can't turn into a weapon.

Whatever he had been about to say on the subject of pouring people into bed, it's interrupted when Minako semi-chirps her hello; he turns to face her --

(there is a can of beer in his hand that has a design that seriously involves a stylized melon slice, when exactly did that happen)

-- and then he's looking at Minako without immediate recognition, taking in hair and face and greetings; when she greets Kyouko by name, though, his eyes flicker past her suddenly, searching at floor level and for Mamoru's hands as if searching for something.

And then she gives her second name, and he exhales quietly. And yields claim on the muffin.

"Kazuo Takeba, yes," he says quietly. "I presume Mamoru gave you the other one, too. Would you like something to drink?"

He's careful that, when he glances at Mamoru, he is not glaring daggers enough to make it visible. Things not to do at this moment: spook Minako too much. (It may already be too late on that one.)

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru twists on the couch to see who is joining them from the roof and smiles, waving. "Hey Minako. Hey Endy. There's muffins." She gestures to the few on the table and the rest of them in the kitchen.

There's no shock and surprise at the basic declaration about who she might be, just a smile from Naru, and a nod as known information, at least to her, is provided.

The ploy from Mamoru to 'move a box' is met with a quirk of a brow and a touch of a smirk, but she sets her (now empty) glass down and brings her muffin with her as she gets up to follow Kyouko and Mamoru to give Kunzite and Minako a bit of space.

Minako Aino has posed:
    Minako eats the muffin while people go help Mamoru move a box! She's about to say something about this like 'oh I'll help!' when her inner Artemis kind of slaps her in the brain to make her realize what exactly Mamoru is doing when he leaves off with Kyouko and Naru in tow.
    Then they are alone. Well. Mostly alone. She bets they're totally around the corner with like a microphone and headsets and maybe Kyouko is turning a little dial on a radio for best reception and Naru is tapping one of those morse code transmitters.
    That's her mental image anyways.
    She swallows. She didn't eat the entire muffin in one bite. She might need more to occupy her mouth later. "Mamoru says you were in a good mood. Considering the date. I was happy to hear that." she says. "He also said I should come down here and talk to you and tell you my real name. He said something about masks but I completely forget it right now." she says nervously. "Um, without masks. We can talk!" or something like that.
    "I did a lot of thinking and came back." she says. "A lot and lot of thinking."
    "I have a headache right now but it isn't from all that thinking." she admits. "I'm not having as good as a time I guess as you guys here coping."
    A pause. "Please don't be upset at Mamoru. He didn't call me over. I called first. I wasn't even going to come down here because I didn't want to make your day worse with stuff like this." she admits just ever so softly.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Well... Minako's not wrong.

Not entirely wrong. There will be no equipment.

However, before the Complete Lack of Extra Eavesdropping Equipment, Mamoru's returning Kunzite's not-glaring-daggers look with a completely even one of his own -- one that doesn't even have humor in it. A hint of apology, and underneath it, where Kunzite can feel it in his head, the reassurance that if Kunzite really needs them there they'll come back. Beyond that, just a firm sort of 'no really she's back and the time for bullshit is over now'.

Then he's cheerfully saying to Kyouko and Naru as they follow him out, "It's not heavy, just really really awkward." Is he talking about the box, his manner of dealing with the situation, or what he suspects the conversation will be like in there? The world may never know. And out through the kitchen they go! All the way through it and into the next apartment over, in fact! There's a handy corner just beyond that other kitchen door...

And as soon as he's back there with them, he holds a finger in front of his lips, then offers his hands so they can gossip silently.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko casts a glance back at Kazuo as she follows Mamoru out of the room, reaching behind her to grab Naru's muffin-free hand in her own as they go, the glance one of consideration, though she doesn't hesitate in following the Prince- she trusts him to know what's going on with Kunzite even better than herself.

    She catches a little bit of the conversation as they leave, but her mind is spinning with thoughts so she doesn't catch every word until the come to an abrupt halt just out of sight around the corner.. and now it's Mamoru's turn to get a look, as if simultaneously saying 'good idea' and 'seriously?' all at the same time. She takes the offered hand in her non-Naru-holding one, although this might leave Naru one hand less than needed due to muffin so she will release the other one if required.

    I /thought/ that might be who it was, she immidiately gossips silently, since she knew all you guys and stuff.. what's the deal with her and nii-chan, anyway? This obviously directed at Mamoru, although she gives a glance to Naru as well since she didn't miss the lack of surprise as Minako revealed her identity.

Kunzite has posed:
That even look of Mamoru's prompts even the hint of glare that Kunzite was giving to retreat, and when his attention returns to Minako, it's more thoughtful than it was. Trying to analyze a situation that might be either more or less complicated than he expected.

There's a moment's pause before Kazuo says anything at all. That's not unusual; trying to sift through words to find the meaning in them isn't the easiest job in the world, particularly when Minako is as fluid with words as she is (granted, sometimes the fluid is falling over rocks, but that's still fluid), and when Kazuo is not the most socially adept in their circles.

There are a dozen things he could say, to those sentences, to bits and pieces of her words. To the masks. To the headache. About how the guys are coping. About worrying about how she has been. Protesting that he wouldn't be upset by Mamoru for that, or that he's glad to see her again, or that he's relieved she's back. But in the end, almost all of them are redundant.

What he says after that moment is: "I can't think of a single time that seeing you has made my day worse."

Despite how many times seeing her's involved Crescent Beams or the Holy Sword.

He hesitates, then turns a hand palm-up and gestures toward her with it. It's a small thing, really. Mostly so that she can ignore it if she chooses without making an issue out of it.

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru follows along, through the kitchen and beyond. One hand in Kyouko's. One hand holding a muffin, which isn't long for this world, truth be told. The last of it gets popped into her mouth as she wipes the crumbs off on her skirt before taking Mamoru's hand.

Naru knows how this quiet gossip works and she just smiles to Kyouko as she immediately starts peppering Mamoru with questions. Fortunately mental gossiping doesn't mind if her mouth is full of muffin. She's quiet anyhow, letting Mamoru field the questions.

Minako Aino has posed:
    Minako is gestured at. She moves a little closer. She doesn't understand what it quite means- but she moves closer. She does swallow somewhere in the back of her throat. She doesn't want to assume too much by a small hand gesture, but closer is good.
    "I'm." she pauses "Glad to hear that." she says.
    She doesn't eat more muffin. Maybe she won't need it at all.
    "I'm back for good." she says. "I'm not going away again. That was a stupid thing to do. I think everyone was upset at me for that." she says. "I mean. The other girls. I did talk and make up with Ami. I told her the things."
    "She said everyone was upset that I didn't help with you when..." she kind of makes a hand fanning motion to suggest 'explode into dust' perhaps.
    "I told her what I should had said back then. That I didn't want to play a part in killing you again." she says quietly.
    "I mean what. That would had been... three?" she says.
    "Three boys. Like tic tac toe." she says.
    "That I can remember." she says.
    "I don't even know why I kept it to myself."
    "I guess maybe it hurt to think about and I thought it'd hurt more to talk about." she says, sulking a bit.
    "But. No more mission." she says more sternly. "I'm staying here. I'm going to set things right with people that should be my friends! Well. Maybe that's my new mission!" she says.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
The fun thing, too, is that the two Earth Court girls can legit watch Mamoru's emotional reactions to the conversation -- and his mild hint of guilt at the eavesdropping part -- unroll in the background of their gossiping as he multitasks listening and thinking. He feels like he's proud of Minako and also this immense affection and cheering section for her starts up, and then Kunzite answers and he's absolutely flabbergasted with how accidentally amazingly smooth that line was. Sometimes, he feels, Kazuo rolls natural 20s.

But the mental explanation is ongoing, cheerfully matter-of-fact. This is another one of those back-in-the-mists-of-time things. The same way Kunzite's basically my second, and if I'm not around the rest of the Shitennou answer to him, that was Venus and the Senshi. Venus was in charge of the senshi basically totally, I think? Mostly? Because back then Serenity didn't fight. I have no idea what their actual relationship ended up being -- those two -- but I know she had AT LEAST a crush on Kunzite, and Kunzite's always been kind of both super-impressed and a little terrified of her and she's also kind of the only girl he's ever really... uh... had any interest in? I don't know WHAT KIND of interest obviously like this isn't something I've dug at him about, but ... I'm pretty sure he really really likes her. And I think if they're not accidentally or on purpose stabbing at each other, they can really do a lot for each other's mental well-being, no matter if they're coworkers or friends or more. So I really want them to get into at least a working relationship that doesn't hurt either of them, because it'd be good for them and really good for both teams...

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko, from this vantage, can hear more or less what's being said in the other room, but honestly it's a bit difficult to keep track of that along with Mamoru rambling on in her head. That gets her primary attention, so she ends up only catching snippets of what Minako and Kunzite are saying to each other- though the emotions underlying Mamoru's words are met with consideration, from her side. Serious consideration, because Kunzite means a lot to her- not, of course, in the way he might mean a lot to Venus, but in the way that he vies with Mamoru for 'which big brother is bestest' in her head from day to day.

    There is a faint sense of melancholy at Mamoru's mention of 'more mists of time stuff'- regardless of constant reassurances, the fact that she's the only member of said team who has no connection to that long-ago era is still a bit of a tender spot for her, although due to those reassurances it is merely tender and not sore. But she isn't shallow enough, at least these days, to let her own issues interfere with what might be best for Kunzite, and so that tenderness is fleeting and quickly subsumed.

    Oh ho, She smirks slightly, No wonder he was so interested earlier. Then she pauses, Wait a minute. He likes /me/ because I stab him, too. I.. think I sense a pattern.

Kunzite has posed:
Setting down the can that he was holding without actually taking his attention off Minako is ... not the easiest thing Kunzite has ever done, but he manages to fold down and a little sideways to reach the coffee table safely, and not manage to put the thing down on edge. He straightens again, after. Somehow he manages to close the distance another careful half-step in the process.

"I'm glad you're back," he says. "People missed you. The girls, to start with. Mamoru. Me."

Gray eyes flicker down, then up to her again. "I don't know about everyone. I don't know Ami well; she's not all that comfortable talking to me." For some reason. Which is probably why that's only a statement, no emotional load on it. "I'm glad you talked with her. Trying to do your job hasn't been good for her, particularly when she picked up the expecting herself to be perfect part of it. That's the hardest part of coping for all three of us, I think. Trying to learn how to deal with screwing up. Or how to lean on other people -- let alone that it's all right to."

He's silent for a moment more, then, his head bowing a little. A little more, rather, than is necessary for him to look directly at her. "I know it doesn't make a difference," he says then, quietly, "but I'm sorry. I should have believed in you more from the beginning. You deserved that. I can't change what I did. But I can believe in you now. And in her." That her is Usagi doesn't need translation. "I'll back you however I can, as much as you're willing to let me. If that's all right with you."

Both his hands come up, this time, offered toward her a little more clearly now.

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru lets her eyes close, listening both to the chatter in her head of Mamoru and Kyouko, but also sparing some of her attention to the quiet words being spoken in the other room. I hope she manages to work it out enough to actually be back long term this time. It would be good for Usagi. For all of the girls. There's no arguement that it would be good for both teams, but she knows more of how Usagi feels without one of her team being nearby.

Naru is very good at not letting her emotions loose even in the mental connection, if she's got emotionally commentary on things going on, she's not sharing.

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino didn't want to assume too much with the hand gesture. She thinks she's safe to assume about this one. She doesn't so much as assume as just jump to the conclusion, taking both those hands and squeezing as she leans in and practically against Kunzite because right now she just needs.... this feeling. Right now.
    "You're right. There is a lot to make up for." she says. "-and I dealt with screwing up by doubling down on the screwing up." she says.
    "I'm sorry too." she says. "I mean. For lots of stuff." she says. "Maybe all the Crescent Beams." she says. "I can apologize for each of those if you want?" she takes a deep breath and then decides against actually doing that. Even to lighten the mood. She just heaves back and breathes back out.
    "I'm just happy that you're happy and... you're you again. I mean. You were you. But you know what I mean." she says with confidence that Kunzite does.
    So she just rests there, a moment against Kunzite. Before she finally whispers.
    'What do you think they're saying?' she says. 'I know they're totally listening.' she says. 'I know because it's what I would do.'.

Kunzite has posed:
"Don't apologize for the Crescent Beams," Kazuo says, in that perfectly calm, perfectly solemn voice he uses half the time for things that are in fact perfectly solemn and half the time to tell what passes for jokes with him. "I fed them to a Witch to help get Nephrite out of its labyrinth. Makoto's dating him. She should appreciate those Crescent Beams."

Leaning against him works. He's solid. Stable. And another set of things he wasn't in the Dark Kingdom, like 'breathing' and 'warm' and 'in possession of a heartbeat.' They're generally more reassuring.

The breathing part especially, like the part where he exhales in silent agreement at knowing what she means. No talking for a few moments. Sometimes, no talking gets more across than the words do.

And he whispers back, 'Mamoru introduced me to the word "shipper." I think we're doomed.'

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Yeah, Mamoru's thinking distractedly, mostly not-words affirmatives to both Kyouko and Naru, because the two soldiers over in his living room have lowered their voices which makes it harder to hear which means that this part is probably not meant to be overheard, but that's okay, because they're all mushy now and he can barely stand mushy when he's involved in it. So he sits back on his heels and stops paying attention to them.

I think it's gonna be okay. And I think she really is ready to stay. She was so honest with me up there-- and that's something... that's... that's really the biggest thing she had a problem with. She couldn't be honest with anyone. So yeah. Maybe we should just go play videogames in Jadeite's place and Kunzite can come find us when Minako heads out.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko glances over towards Naru, studying her girlfriend's face as she considers the distinct lack of emotions coming through the mental connection, as non-intrusive as it may be. She doesn't comment of course, nor is there even anything questioning about it. Merely a taking of note. I'm always happy to have more allies. She says, with regards to Minako's benefit to the group. And if she's really good for nii-chan, well.. I really can't argue with that.

    Her eyes shift to Mamoru, and a faintly wry expression crosses her face. Not being entirely honest does seem to be a pretty common trait around here. She pauses, and then adds, Even if its mostly just with ourselves. A grin. Though I think we're all getting better. Another brief glance towards Naru, her own emotions firmly in check, at least for the moment.

Minako Aino has posed:
    Minako Aino listens as she nods matter of factly. She thinks she's done talking for now. Right now that breathing is reassuring because he's alive and not some sort of Beryl made abomination she may have to kill again.
    "Well now the only thing I feel bad about is that I wasn't there to see that!" she says. She thinks. Shipper?
    Oh! Well, that's a blush! She doesn't immediatly run though so that's a good sign. Maybe.
    She does sort of step back after a bit because this is getting weird and she might try to kiss him or something because she's running out of excuses to potentially not try.
    "I should go find Usagi-chan now." she says. "Because she started texting me back on the roof!" she says.
    "But I'm going to drop by later." she says. "-and maybe we could go for coffee or something?" she asks. "Or Ice Cream. Or Milkshakes. Or Burgers. Or I could bring any of those things with me." she says.
    She looks hopeful. "Okay?" she says. She awaits any reply, which is sure will probably be curt. She does know Kunzite. Usually. Before smiling and scurrying for the door. She DOES really want to see Usagi-chan soon, after all!

Naru Osaka has posed:
There's a serene and calm smile from Naru to Kyouko at that look. Zen. Eternally zen. Or at least terribly good at faking it. I'm glad to hear it, Endy. Naru glances to Kyouko at the quip about honesty and her smile turns a touch sheepish. Or at least making an effort. Which counts for something.

She too isn't trying to listen overly hard as conversation turns to whispers in the other room and she nods to Mamoru at the mention of video games. "Alas, the Vive is in your apartment." She flashes a smile, she might be an addict.

Kunzite has posed:
"Later," Kazuo promises as they detach. It's not the only thing he says, though. "The door's open -- literally; we don't lock it. If you stop by unannounced, though -- You're welcome to. But I don't want you to be surprised. There's a girl staying here, for a little while, Unmei; she's detoxing from distinctly unpleasant magic, and she's a little ... easily spooked."

Visions of some strange girl shrieking in terror and clinging to the ceiling like a cartoon cat might ensue.

As he's talking, there's a detour into the kitchen, and a couple of quick strides to let him hand off a sudden folded-over paper bag to Minako in the last instant pre-scurry. "Say hello to Usagi for us. And give her that."

Because if Minako ate a Naru-muffin and did not bring any for Usagi, somehow she would know.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"...well then let's go hit the vive, there's scrambling around in there," Mamoru says in an actual out loud whisper, letting go their hands and getting up. "And I want a muffin. I haven't GOT one yet." He brushes off his knees and doesn't offer a hand up to either of them because he's either not a gentleman or he doesn't want his hand potentially bitten. "THAT WAS A REALLY... AWKWARD... BIG EMPTY BOX..." he says deliberately loudly as he wanders into the kitchen.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko releases Mamoru's hand when he lets go of hers, but she keeps hold of Naru's.. using it to draw the other girl close for just a moment after that sheepish smile, and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. She whispers something into Naru's ear, an actual whisper which Mamoru, already moving away, won't be able to catch, before grinning and turnning to follow him back into the main room. "Ohh yeah. So big. So empty. Very awkward."

Kunzite has posed:
"I can't imagine why you'd have an empty box large enough to need three people to carry, Mamoru," Kazuo calls from the other room. Invisible for a moment in the foyer. "Unless you're expecting to need to conduct a sudden burial. For some reason."

Vengeance will be delayed to allow for apple muffin.

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru isn't in a rush to let go of Kyouko's hand, giving it a squeeze as she comes close enough for a kiss and a whisper. Look at them, keeping their mushy stuff away from Mamoru, aren't they considerate!

It's only a moment before Naru is laughing softly. "Do not discount that around here." She notes as she pauses in the kitchen to get herself more coffee, rather than more booze, and more muffins to go out to be shared around. Eventually someone will teach Naru about booze /in/ coffee, and then the pouring of the Naru might legit become a potential.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Nah it's to pack my jealousy in. There's a lot of styrofoam too. My jealousy is very delicate and has to be wrapped in twenty mattresses and packing peanuts or it'll break into smithereens and the bits will get lost everywhere and not even a vacuum cleaner will pick them up and it'll be like glitter, everyone finding jealousy shards everywhere in here for years," Mamoru says, Studiously Ignoring whispering girls and their considerately private mush, and then finding the muffins and stuffing a whole one in his mouth, then grabbing one in his other hand and wandering out to the living room. Kunzite may not be there but at least he is visible from there.

He asks in muffin-speak, "Wwrr mnah mab ah may, ahwroo?"

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko winks at Naru as she pulls away, mush complete and without Mamoru having to be subject to it. Naru goes off into the kitchen while Kyouko heads back for the living room directly, glancing around curiously until she hears Kunzite's voice emenating from the foyer. She rolls her eyes slightly at his and Mamoru's byplay, flopping back onto the couch and kicking one leg up onto it.

    "You guys' relationship statusi give me a headache." She says, to both of the boys, although there's a somewhat exasperated fondness in her tone. "But I'll say this.. it ain't ever boring around here."

Kunzite has posed:
"I am not going to reassure you with a kiss when it would involve you spitting half-chewed baked goods into my mouth like a baby bird with the stomach flu," Kazuo informs Mamoru, thus proving that the diametric opposite of mushy is in fact a thing that exists. Also that Kyouko is probably not the only one with a relationship-status-related headache right now. He moves right past that both metaphorically and literally, coming back into the main part of the apartment as if nothing whatsoever had just happened. "Minako left; Usagi answered her text. Naru, I gave her sacrificial muffins to take to Usagi, since both of them are likely to treat the things more respectfully than Endymion is. Granted, Minako would have to get Artemis to nap on one of them to treat it less respectfully." Apparently Kazuo found an interpretation for the pastryspeak. Probably not the right one.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Does Artemis eat muffins?" Naru muses thoughtfully as she emerges with coffee and muffin. "I know Luna isn't keen on baked goods." She snickers softly at the mental image provided by 'baby bird with the stomach flu', trying not to think on that /too/ hard, because well. Ew.

"Usagi knows that muffins exist, becuase I texted her." Naru is clearly not only keeping various telecommunication companies in business, but she's quick at it too. And stealth.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
As Kazuo comes back through, Mamoru's right in range for punching him in the arm. Pretty hard, too. Also entirely without heat. "Bikh," he says cheerfully with the back of his muffin-holding hand in front of his mouth so he doesn't have to clean up too many crumbs. And then he goes back in the kitchen to get himself a glass of milk to get himself out of his Aaron Burr situation.

It's like ten seconds later that his voice floats out through the kitchen counter-window. "Pretty sure Artemis is a lot less picky than Luna." Then he leans over the counter and gestures with his remaining muffin in one hand, keeping the glass of milk on the counter in front of him. "I'm not actually jealous, I was being facetious. Any jealousy I have is literally fragile and tiny enough that it's completely squishable. Also I have the utmost respect for apple muffins; you wound me."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Gross." Kyouko says, cheerfully, to Kazuo's analogy about sickly baby birds, snorting back laughter at the same time, and giving this look to Naru like 'see, it could be worse'. She lounges on the couch, considering silently for a moment while the others talk, before chiming in with, "Mamoru, I think you're jealous of all of us equally.. but only focused outwards, so as long as the people you love love other people you love then it doesn't matter." She grins, faintly. "Then again, I wouldn't really understand. I'm a one-woman gal, because my jealousy is absolutely a thing." A pause, then a glance over at Naru. "Not to try and scare your or anything, babe."

Kunzite has posed:
"You and Nephrite may be the sanest of us all," Kazuo tells Kyouko in that typical deadpan, while performing the obligatory rubbing of his arm. He steps back to lean against the living-room side of the counter, his back to Mamoru. "I don't know whether Artemis eats muffins. I know that Mamoru owes me a muffin, because he intentionally left me alone with the girl who stole mine." Why look, there's one right there! Which Kazuo clearly expects to remain Mamoru's, because he doesn't turn to deliver any pointed looks. Later will do. If enough survive for there to be a later. "Thank you for giving Usagi advance intelligence, Naru. I hope Minako has enough survival instinct not to eat both of them on the way."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"If your jealousy turns up in the form of a Wraith, or a really high thing I am stuck on top of.. then I'm going to be scared." Naru points out to Kyouko. "For a whole lot of reasons, really, come to think of it." Naru settles on the couch, tucking her legs up all comfortable like.

"If you fail to get a muffin, Kunzite, I will make you more muffins." Because muffins are hardly a non-renewable resource, at least not when it comes to Naru and baking. "I wanted to send Usagi some love, and see how she was doing. Muffins came up in conversation."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru makes a stinkface at Kazuo's back, then deliberately takes a bite out of the muffin in his hand before nudging Kazuo's elbow with it and talking with his mouth full -- though significantly less full than it had been a moment ago. "Here's your stupid muffin, jerk," he says amiably, other hand partly over his mouth to hide the see-food again. Then he swallows and drinks some more milk, and grins at Kyouko. "That's probably closest to true that words can get. But that's also not really unusual, is it? Everyone wants to see people they love be happy, and usually if the people they love are with people that make them happy, they tend to start loving those people too, if they didn't already."

Then he shrugs one shoulder. "In an ideal world, anyway." A glance at Naru, then, and a crooked grin. "Muffins are definitely love."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko snorts again towards Kunzite, settling her legs over Naru's lap as the other girl sits down on the couch next to her. "Shit, can you say that again? I wanna pull my phone out and record it so the next time there's a crisis and we're debating what to do I can play it as an argument in my favor."

    She quirks a brow at Mamoru's muffin antics, then mouths 'aw, aren't they cute' to Naru silently, smirking. Then she says, aloud, "Preeetty sure if my jealousy turns up in the form of a Witch, it's just going to be me, as a Witch. I ain't in any sort of hurry for that to happen so I think you're safe, at least for the forseeable future."

    Then she eyes Mamoru. "That is entirely true. But some people extend the definition of 'love' farther than others." A grin. "Which is fine. Just sayin'."

Kunzite has posed:
"'May' is an important word," Kazuo says to Kyouko, and reaches across himself to retrieve the muffin without looking. Whereupon he takes a bite out of the bitten part. Naru's offer-statement is met with an inclination of his head, nothing more, because (a) he is not commenting about love at this juncture, and (b) he tries to talk through food considerably less frequently than Mamoru does.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Witches are /fine/." Naru comments to Kyouko, because of /course/ she does. "Just don't manage to turn up as a Wraith." She pauses a moment and then grins. "I'd prefer, for the record, you not turn up as a witch /either/." She moves a hand from her coffee to rest on Kyouko's legs that rest across her lap, giving a gentle squeeze.

"Muffins are totally love. Unless they are really awful muffins, and then either still love, or someone's trying to poison you." Naru speculates thoughtfully a moment, and then just drinks her coffee.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
First, there is a Look tossed in Kyouko's direction. It's both wryly amused and faintly exasperated. Then, "That's why we don't let Zoisite cook an...y... th-thing..." Mamoru starts to answer Naru, before he sees Kunzite bite the muffin and trails off.

Then he's both blushing and looking really indignantly exasperated for a second, and he's not looking at Kyouko and Naru, and he silently takes his glass of milk and sinks behind the counter, never to be seen again. He may literally commando-crawl across the kitchen to escape out the other door. He may actually teleport. It's really difficult to say.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko gives her only wry look to Naru aat the Wraith vs. Witch comment. "I'll do my best, just for you, love." She says, with a faint laugh, wiggling her leg under that gentle squeeze. Then she falls silent for a moment, possibly considering if she's brave enough to attempt to muddle through baking muffins just to prove Naru's point (and possibly make Naru regret making said point in the process).

    Then she's glancing back at Mamoru, just in time to see him sink down behind the counter (and take his glass of milk with him). She snickers softly, shaking her head and leaning back against the counter. "Ahh, lord. I love you guys." And it's very clear what sort of love she means from the warm tone of her voice.

Kunzite has posed:
"He has a point. There is a potential muffin overlap between poison and love." Kazuo stays leaned against the counter, on the girls' side, letting Mamoru make his escape. Somehow he doesn't laugh. Kyouko's snicker makes that very difficult.

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru is totally not watching the right direction to notice Mamoru blushing and slinking away, but she quirks a brow at Kyouko's snickering and twists to look over and just catch the edge of that fleeing.

Naru is quiet a moment, and then a moment longer, as if possibly spending just a little too long considering the intersection between muffin love and muffin poison, and the best means for using muffins as a vehicle for said poison.