View source for 1102/Loose Wires and Dropped Calls

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/02/23
|Location=Jadeite's Palace
|Synopsis=Homura comes to visit Mamoru. The problem is that they're both trying to put themselves back together after trauma, and some of the trauma is still ongoing, even if they're both technically getting their happy endings at the same time. Maybe they think they're just too different from who they were -- or maybe it's just that they're both lying about being whole and hale, presenting faces to each other that are more masked than they've ever been, to avoid hurting the other -- but they don't ''quite'' manage to connect. Not yet. But Madoka's bento is delicious.
|Cast of Characters=38,23
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>When Homura gets all the way down the steps to Jadeite's, the fu dogs have to check her out-- but of course they remember her from the fight to get Mamoru back. One of them checks her pockets -- the guy does, of course -- while the girl tells her, "He's over talking to ''that cat''," she says, rolling her eyes and tossing her mane, then kicking a clod of dirt in a southeasterly direction. Then she vanishes off into the bushes, but not before biting her compatriot's tail. Of course he yelps and chases her.<br /><br />'Over there', from the entrance, is apparently down a pretty and well-kept path, shaded by bamboo, with a stream that courses and winds beneath it. The tiny bridges are lovely.<br /><br />Set into a cliffside at the end of the path is a white door of sandstone and steel, and on the other side of that door, completely incongruously, is a bright hot place. It smells of desert and, faintly, cool water in the shade; the palace into which the door opens is also sandstone, and decorated primarily in blue and gold. Mamoru's sitting in front of the door, leaning against the jamb, and he's talking to a desert lynx the size of a Clydesdale.<br /><br />The enormous caracal looks up, and when it meets Homura's eyes, they look uncannily like they could be kin to Kunzite's.

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura's pockets aren't all that interesting. She's here in her Infinity Middle uniform, so she doesn't have anything cool like C4 or flashbangs or anything like that. Aside from the Soul Gem ring on her finger, she'd pass for your average ordinary girl. Well, except for the fact that everyone here knows better. She does have a bouquet of yellow roses, and a bento full of delicious smelling food, but nothing outwardly suspicious.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While ignoring the male, Homura nods to the female. "Thanks." When the fu dogs go vanishing into the bushes, Homura watches them with a blank stare. Unusual folk, but they're just doing their job.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura turns to go down the indicated path, taking in the supernatural scenery. The cool of the shade is nice break from the sun. The sound of the stream is relaxing on Homura's nerves. The tiny bridges are endearing. She might actually come to like this place, if she sticks around long enough. If Mamoru gets to hide in a place like this, then it isn't that bad.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When she finally does approach the Earth Prince, she notices the previously mentioned cat. She looks into that cat's eyes, which are almost like Kunzite's eyes, and hesitates at the sight of them. She considers the creature, expecting perhaps that she herself is being considered in the same way, before walking over to Mamoru and leaning against the wall next to him.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Madoka-chan sends her regards."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She glances at him from the corner of her eye. "How've you been holding up? Been spending time with Usagi-chan? She really missed you, you know."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Mamoru glances up at Homura when she comes into, basically, his personal bubble-- and his face lights up.<br /><br />As he gets to his feet, the caracal gets to his as well, and stalks off into the shadows of the desert palace. Mamoru's just about to open his mouth to say something to Homura when the giant cat says over his shoulder, "You can keep her. She doesn't back down when I spook at her."<br /><br />The prince reaches up to pinch the bridge of his nose, glares in the door, and moves to close the door before he turns around and...<br /><br />...okay yes unexpected hug initiated! He's not careful about touch, either, and there are no images that come uninvited, there's only the sense of Mamoru himself, and his happiness to see her overriding an underlying sadness. "Homu-chan," he says, laughing sheepishly and backing off a little. "I'm glad. Say hi to her back, for me? Or she can visit if she wants to, too. I'm--"<br /><br />A spread of his arms. "Still putting myself back together. Usako's been spending a lot of time here, I told her she ''does'' need to actually go to school since she ''can''. But it helps. When she's here. It helps when any of you come, too. You're all real. You're such a big part of my life..."<br /><br />He looks considerably more pale than he had even at Walpurgisnacht, and even then he was more pale than he should be. They don't call it the Dark Kingdom because it's sunny and healthy. All the same, he also doesn't look like he got curbstomped by God a week ago. His mannerisms are a little bit off, but his words ring true.

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;An unexpected hug comes. Homura reaches around to hold Mamoru. She's careful about touching him, but... nothing seems to come unbidden. It's strange... nothing seemed to happen when he was first recovered, either.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura frowns for a moment, remembering the wall he had as Endymion. Did he learn something from all of that? It'd be good if ''something'' useful came out of it.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;... but she also notices his paleness, and is annoyed by it. Angered, really. Not at him, but at what happened to him, the way he was kept prisoner for so long. It's enough to make her want to kill someone.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So you don't mind if Mado-chan visits? I'll tell her that. I didn't want to assume, since I know you need to hide here." With a tilt of her head and a frown, "Wouldn't want Queen Molesto the Supercreep getting her hands on you again."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The hug is released, and Homura pulls back. "I'm always happy to see you, Mamo-kun. It made me sick what was happening to you... It was weird, working with the Shitennou... but I just couldn't leave you behind, so..." Homura looks away, closing her eyes as she trails off.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When her eyes open again, they focus on Mamoru, and Homura smiles. "... All of that is over now. Well, not completely. We still have to save your brothers, and deal with psycho-lady, but at least ''you'' are safe."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The flowers and bento box are presented to Mamoru. "The bento box is from Madoka-chan. The flowers, from both of us." Both the bento and the flowers were actually Madoka's idea, but Homura bought a few extra yellow roses, since it seemed like a good plan.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We are real, and we're here now. You know my number if you want to talk to me, and uh... well actually I've had to move. You probably can't visit me anyways, not until it's safe to leave here, but I should probably give you the new address."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I'd love it if Mado-chan came by," Mamoru confirms, and then he looks down at the flowers and bento, and he gets such an absurdly affectionate look on his face. "Thank you," he says as he takes them, and there's nothing even wry in his expression. "And yeah! Give me your new address. Housewarming when this is all over, even if you've already had one." A little bump into Homura's shoulder, companionable, and then he starts them back down the path to the buildings.<br /><br />"Yeah, that's why I can't leave at the moment. It's okay, though. Seeing my friends is so-- I missed you. I couldn't remember, but I knew you were my friend, anyway. I'm sorry if I made things more difficult for you... but having just a piece of normality, and you not pushing or making me think about what I couldn't think about-- I had something to hold on to. That helped me a lot."<br /><br />Then he gives Homura a sidelong smile, and it's another really real one. "Two of my brothers are completely out now. Zoisite's effectively out, too-- he's on my side. And Kunzite is when he can remember himself, but..." The smile fades. "It's complicated. He remembered again, but he had to leave anyway. He was carrying Labyrinth energy and couldn't let it infect this place. And... the Dark Kingdom has Usako's best friend. He had to go back to give Beryl a distraction for Zoisite to be able to get her out. And I felt it when he lost control again."<br /><br />Now he's looking ahead of them. "So no, it's not over. But we're getting there. We're in endgame."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura watches the look on Mamoru's face, and in his eyes. Still Mamo, but a little bit different, she concludes. A step in the right direction, anyways.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'd like that. I'm actually pretty happy with the new place." She reaches into her uniform's pocket and takes out a business card... a WPS business card that has a lot of the information, numbers, and job title scratched out. On the back is her address, written in pen. She hands it to Mamoru as the two of them start walking towards the buildings. "I don't... work there anymore, so don't bother looking for me there. The address on the back and the cell phone number are the only things still valid there."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Madoka-chan gave me something of a Housewarming, but I wouldn't mind having one that you could actually attend. You've been my close friend for a long time."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura thinks back to her experiences with Endymion as Mamoru talks about them, remembering what it was like. "You helped me," she says firmly. "Oh sure, things happened, there were complications, but it was the biggest battle of my whole life and you helped me. You didn't make things worse. You made things better, just by being there. I don't want you thinking you were weighing me down."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura's eyes shift towards Mamoru as the two of them walk. "... I'm glad. I wasn't really sure how to handle that, but I knew I didn't want to hurt you. It may have been selfish of me, but I couldn't stand the thought of being your enemy."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Two of Mamoru's brothers are out now, and two more are nearly out? "So... that's good news. I guess if Zoisite and Kunzite are still tangled up in that, and Jadeite was already free, then that means Nephrite was freed recently? ... is he still mad about the car?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Endgame. Yeah. Sounds about right. "Good. I'll be happy when this is all over." She raises a hand to massage her forehead. "Ugh... so much has happened while you were away. Madoka and I are dating now. I'm actually kind of getting along with Kyouko and Sayaka sometimes. I don't even know where to start."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>A little bit different: some of it's just because he ''is'' still in recovery. Some of it's because an experience like that will change a person, period. And some of it-- some of it is because he came back to himself as ''all'' of himself. He's Endymion just as much as he's Mamoru.<br /><br />The upperclassman shuffles the bento and roses in order to take Homura's card, glances over it, smiles crookedly, and pockets it. "I'm glad you don't work there anymore. I love Hannah but-- I know what she was doing wasn't what you had in mind way back when you first recruited me." And then there's another real smile, unreserved, not even slightly ironic: "You're my first real friend in this life, Homura-chan. I don't let go easy, either. Thank you for feeling the same way-- and I'm very glad I helped."<br /><br />There's a laugh about Nephrite's car. "I haven't asked him, but I'll pay for repairs as soon as I get out of here. He's stuck in here too, for the same reason I am -- Jadeite's an illusionist, he can hide. But she'd spot me or Nephrite right away. He's also..." Oh dear. Shipper On Deck face. "... WELL. He and Jupiter are very very very an item. I'm so happy for them both! And they're so good for each other-- they always were, even back then. And I'm so glad about it too, because when neither of them remembered anything, she fell for him hard and he was... well, his alignment was Pompous Evil and it was a rough scene. But they're together now and they are ''so cute''--"<br /><br />Wait. Wait. Hold the phone.<br /><br />Mamoru stops-- they're right at the edge of the lawn, and he stops in his tracks-- and turns to blink wide-eyed at Homura. "Wait. You're really-- and you aren't-- oh my god Homura are you kidding, all I had to do was get kidnapped and go evil and you'd FINALLY start dating Madoka AND get along with Kyouko? I didn't even know you didn't get on with Sayaka--"

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura glances at Mamoru, and gives him a crooked smile. "I'm still going to get work that pays. Only it'll be under my leadership, fully. I'm still thinking over the angles. Gotta pay for my new house somehow." She looks straight ahead. "Plus... I think I can do more with my powers than just kill Witches. It doesn't matter if my reasons are selfish or not. I want to defend this city, and there are a lot of powerful people who want the same thing."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks down at the ground, frowning slightly. "I was desperate when I joined her. Desperate and angry, and I saw a practicality in her I thought could be helpful. In some ways it was, but... I should've done things my way from the start."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another smile for Mamoru. "I do feel that way. You mean a lot to me. I never had any intention of letting you go. Not when I knew for a fact you never wanted to leave."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura raises an eyebrow. Nephrite and Jupiter, now? Oh my. "I'm starting to see why you ship so much. It's good seeing your friends happy, isn't it? It'd be nice to think that all of your brothers could come back to a better life like that."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mamoru stops. Homura takes an extra step before she realizes, only to turn around and face him. At first she's curious, but then as he goes on she smiles even wider. There's a hint of mischief to it, too. "Well... there were a lot of things going on, but... Madoka and I started as friends, and then we got closer and closer..." Her hands go behind her back. Her thumb fidgets against her wrist. She scuffs the toe of her foot against the dirt. "... and she was such a ''tease'' sometimes even though she didn't mean to be. I guess at some point I had to acknowledge how I really felt. Then I told her..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"... Honestly if I could get away with it I'd just be in her arms all the time, but I have responsibilities to fulfill. Still... it turns out we have a lot more in common than I thought."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I wouldn't say that Kyouko and I are ''friends'' persay," she flips her hair, hands and feet returning to a more neutral position, "but we're willing to team up, and we don't fight each other as much, and sometimes we even hang out. Sayaka and I... have had some rough spots, but even those we seem to have gotten past them. Hilariously, Mami-san and I got into a yelling match, and ''that'' actually fixed a lot of things between us. Which is good. I needed her for Walpurgisnacht."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Okay, yes, Mamoru is goddamn eating this up. He's grinning at Homura as she goes on about herself and Madoka, blue eyes sparkling behind his glasses, and he rocks back on his heels a couple of times. Unequivocal good news -- especially of the shipping variety -- is obviously one of his favorite things in the world. When she gets to the end of that part, he nods emphatically, then laughs a little. "Well, I'm glad you managed to detach yourself long enough to come see me," he teases. "Whenever Usako's here, no crowbar stands a chance. But oh my god, I'm so glad. And that's exactly it! The why of it, I mean. Seeing people happy is just-- it's what life is for, isn't it? Being happy and making sure the happiness gets shared around."<br /><br />Then she's gone more neutral, and Mamoru laughs again, and gestures grandly to the porch, now a short distance away. The cat that lives here has vacated its spot on the porch and is now in a small cat-sized shrine on a low wall, curled up and sleeping there. It does, however, look like an excellent place to sit and eat bento and not be in full view of the sun.<br /><br />"Sometimes getting into yelling matches is the only way to sort out problems. Oh, I'm really sorry about the Kyouko soul gem thing, too, I don't know if that had anything to do with the fight..."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura nods emphatically. "I know, right? Like when I'm with her I feel like everything's right in the world. I feel whole. I wouldn't... I ''couldn't'' ever give that up. I need her in ways I never knew before."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mamoru gestures towards the porch, and Homura walks over to it and takes a seat in the shade. When he brings up the Soul Gem thing, Homura shakes her head.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I got mad about it at the time, but actually I was overreacting. Kyouko would've been fine, and Sailor Moon really saved the day there. That wasn't what the fight was about."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura lifts one knee and cradles it in her hands, looking over it at the scenery. "That fight happened earlier than that, during a fight with a Witch. At first it was about Madoka-chan, and us fighting over who got to protect her. I wasn't willing to trust Mami-san because... well... if anything happened to Mami then Madoka would be in trouble. She wasn't willing to trust me, either. Then the fight became about what happened to Kyouko at WPS, and the stuff that led to that. ... after that Walpurgisnacht came up and we decided that we probably should put our differences aside and work together."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Mamoru sits beside Homura at a comfortable distance, and when he does, the cat in the little cat-shrine twitches its ears towards them and jumps down, then meanders lazily across the lawn. He sets the roses down next to him on the other side, then starts taking apart the bento as they talk.<br /><br />"She didn't even meet Madoka first," the boy prince says indignantly. "Where did she get off telling you she could p--"<br /><br />There's a pause as the Kyouko and WPS stuff comes up, and Mamoru clears his throat, studiously paying attention to the contents of the lunch. One corner of his mouth twitches upwards at the octopus-shaped sausages, and his eyes get softer around the edges for a moment.<br /><br />One goes in his mouth.<br /><br />The cat starts sniffing at Homura's ankles, then jumps up on the porch and butts its head into her arm. Mamoru's swallowed by the time Homura's actually done talking, and then he nods. "I'm terrible at being mad at people," he confesses. "I was really annoyed at you over the WPS and Kyouko thing, but by the time it was like three hours after I lectured the hell out of Hannah-chan on just that topic, all I could do was be a little salty at you at the gala and then I got distracted by shipping."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura reaches up to pet the cat after it butts its head into her arm. She kindof lazily pets and scratches it while talking. "It was a long time ago, and a lot of the things I was mad at Kyouko about... don't really matter anymore."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura sighs, scratching the cat behind the ears. "But see... that's why I had to leave WPS. Things like that. It took me a while because I needed them, but like... If I were in charge, that never would've happened. At worst I'd just have a fight with Kyouko and if I lived I'd call it a day. Hannah talks a lot of idealism, but she messes up a lot of stuff without even realizing it."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura frowns. She doesn't really like to relive this, but it's important for her to remember her point of view, because Kyouko was never shy about ''her'' side of the story. "... Kyouko started that fight, dragged it out, and escalated it until something broke. Just like she does in every timeline. If it was just me, that would've been the end of it, but Eclipse got involved and whenever that happens you start hearing phrases like 'teach them a lesson they won't forget' or 'make an example out of them'."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She lets go of the cat, clasping her hands together. "... but I don't want to keep reliving that. None of us were innocent. All of us regret it for different reasons. Most of us are just trying to move past it."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks up at the sky, frowning harder. "... but the fact remains that I had to choose between letting Kyouko damage a lot of Puella Magi, or abandoning Kyouko to get tortured, and if I had been on my own I never would've had to make a choice like that."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Mamoru's quiet, eating while Homura speaks; the cat purrs and leans its head into the scritching. Apparently that's two cats here that approve of her. One is much easier to please and a lot less of an asshole-- of ''course'' that ''would'' be the comparatively tiny one. Once Homura pulls her hand back, the cat wanders to Mamoru and tries to get in his lap, but he's got lunch there, so he picks up the cat one-handed and puts it on his shoulder. It seems to find this acceptable, so it half-drapes around his neck and occasionally hits his ear with its tail.<br /><br />"Given the mends you've been making in your relationships with the others, and the ones they've been making with you, it seems like you're doing a good job moving past everything that's happened. I didn't mean to bring it up to make you relive it, I'm sorry," Mamoru says honestly once he's downed a good deal of the food from Madoka. "There were a lot of things I could have been doing better at the time. Choices I could have made that would have helped you more, helped me more, prevented some of the stuff we've had to live through. But-- you've walked that road, over and over, and it just brought you more and more heartache. You're doing so much better now than you were when we first met-- I think I'm glad I have to play for keeps, too."<br /><br />The boy looks down at his lunch again, smiling a little wryly; he sighs, then, and the smile drops. "Hannah's really crazy until you get to know her, isn't she? And then she seems a lot saner. But then if you really dig, it all wraps back around to crazy again-- but she's ''trying''. She tries so hard. She's got stuff going on that keeps her from understanding things like ambition and idealism not being the same thing, or the ends not necessarily justifying the means. Sometimes I don't know if I'm helping or stunting her further by taking care of her when I can, despite how she got hurt-- but she has so much promise, she has so much honest care in her, she means so well and hopes for the best all the time, I can't just back off. I want to keep encouraging that."<br /><br />Now, cat on his shoulders and pushing the last of the bento around in its box on his lap, Mamoru glances sidelong at Homura. "I also want to warn you, apropos of nothing in particular-- my brothers might end up just calling me Endymion, and it's okay if they do. That's my name, too. It was my name when I was born, and I have a lifetime of memories associated with it-- it's not from the Dark Kingdom. Neither are their names."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura tilts her head at the mention of that last item. "Endymion, huh? Well, I guess I'm a lot more comfortable with that name knowing that ''witch'' didn't give it to you. It's not a bad name, really. Sounds refined."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She shakes her head. "... but you don't have to apologize for bringing it up. It happened." She looks over as the cat accept its place on Mamoru's shoulder, and she covers her mouth to giggle. Her eyes go back to Mamoru, resting her arms on her knees. "Maybe there were things we could've done differently. Maybe we could've handled things better. Well, definitely I could've. Maybe you, too. Even if that's the case, I don't think that's what matters."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura looks down at her left arm, where her shield would be if she were in henshin. "People who don't see the lessons you've learned are people who don't really know you. It's important for the people you care about to understand why you are the way you are, and you can't have that unless they see you make mistakes. You may be tempted to do it all over, but you lose a lot when you do that."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks away from her arm, and back up to Mamoru. "Besides that, no matter how many times I go back, I'm still going to be as fallible as anyone else. I'm still going to make mistakes. Maybe I'd make fewer, or maybe I'll make more. Going back and doing it all over is overrated."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her smile becomes a bit more reserved. "As for Hannah-chan... she does try, and I can't really fault her motives. She has a... unique set of values, and there are things she does that I don't necessarily disagree with... Still. I'm a veteran. I have a responsibility to look out for the weak and I can't do that as a part of WPS."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I sometimes wonder if that isn't the real purpose of Walpurgisnacht... to remind us that we need each other."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Well-- for sure it helped cement us getting Neph back, and helped ''a lot'' getting Zoi back-- oh, by the way, Zoisite didn't actually try to kill Jadeite, he knew it was an illusion. It was really the only way to keep Beryl from just ganking Jadeite on the spot. Sorry about the confusion it must have caused..." Really, for a Prince of Earth, Mamoru's chock full of apologies.<br /><br />He glances aside to Homura again, smiling slightly and then getting a tail in the face for his troubles. A laugh and sputter, and one hand comes up to scritch under the cat's chin, making for more purrs and less tail-thwipping. "There are things Hannah does that I admire, too. But yeah, absolutely. WPS kind of turned into a mess-- I'm proud of you, Homu-chan. I really am. And I am ''so'' happy things are going better. You Puella really freaking deserve a break for once."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So even that was part of the cover up..." says Homura. She shrugs. "Well, I knew Jadeite was well enough when I saw the illusion fade, but I had other things to deal with. Madoka was doing triage and I couldn't afford to wait around when I knew she needed help. I was worried at the moment, though. It was a good illusion."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura reaches up to scratch the cat behind the ears. It's not Amy, but it's a kitty, and it seems nice enough. "Thanks Mamo-kun. I'm happy about the way things are going, and I'm happy that your life is going better, too. Getting you back is a huge weight off my mind."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After a pause, Homura adds, "I um... I don't know if Usagi-chan mentioned this, but the apartment that Jadeite's staying at... the rent is being paid by our shared account. I didn't think you'd mind, but I thought you should know. That's also where all your stuff is, since your actual apartment is... compromised."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She clears her throat before adding, "Um, the car and motorcycle are still at your apartment, though. I didn't see a need to move them."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Holy cow, you moved all my stuff out?" Mamoru asks, eyes widening and face brightening. He puts down the bento and leans to hug Homura again, taking off his glasses, which dislodges the cat, who was seriously enjoying the scritches-- and he only winces a little as his shoulders are used as a launching-pad for clawed feet. "Thank you-- I know Usako liked going there, and I was ''hoping'' she'd stop, she ''knew'' it wasn't safe-- and Jadeite needed to be safe--"<br /><br />Maybe she'll forgive him if he briefly leans his face on her shoulder. His voice is muffled, "You were taking care of me. You were all taking care of me, even while I was hurting you..."<br /><br />He pulls away and looks away to scrub at his face a little before it can get awkward; there's a laugh, even if it's slightly thick. "Yeah the, my car and motorcycle-- yeah. They should be fine. Thank you so much."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura is about to respond when Mamoru surprises her with another hug. After a moment of that, she smiles and doesn't even seem to mind it when he puts his head on her shoulder. Something about getting cuddled regularly leading to less personal space issues, maybe? Or maybe it's because it's Mamo-kun. Probably a combination of both. All she knows is that it doesn't really bother her as much as it might've in the past.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You're welcome. I actually was investigating your uh... 'death' when I found Usagi-chan staying in your apartment. It wasn't hard to guess what she was doing there. When Kunzite... demonstrated that it was dangerous, I was mad. Not really at him, he made a good point, but she should be able to sleep there if she wants to. It was the best I could do, and someone had to handle it. I had the skills and means to do it. Usa-chan even helped pick out the apartment."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She leans back, propping herself up on her hands. "I um... also gave her that music box I found. I'm sure you wanted to give her that yourself, but... I also kindof felt like it belonged to her. We know what happened wasn't your fault. We just wanted you back."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She remembers something funny and snickers, a hand rising up to cover her face. She keeps laughing, and harder and harder. It isn't until the laughter fades that she speaks again. "Besides, you weren't that bad to me specifically. At least Christmas was finger lickin' good."

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"It-- I think it ''did'' belong to her," Mamoru says after a moment's silence, picking up the roses again and holding them in his hands, thumb carefully brushing against the side of a thorn. He smiles a little. "I think it's older than civilization. I think Serenity gave it to Endymion, or maybe the other way around-- I don't really remember, but I know it's from then."<br /><br />Then he's just smiling a lot, and his blue eyes are bright, bright; his glasses are forgotten on top of the bento at his side. 'We just wanted you back'. It's been almost a year since he started making friends for the first time, in this life. After eleven years of emptiness and loneliness, of thinking no one would even notice if he were lost, it's still startling. It's still startling to get confirmation of the fact that he means as much to other people as he's let them come to mean to him.<br /><br />...and then Homura starts laughing, and he looks puzzled, then wary, then increasingly suspicious--<br /><br />--and she gathers herself enough to explain, and Mamoru ''stares'' at her for a second. He tries. He tries so hard to keep it suppressed. But a corner of his mouth twitches, and then he's got that tight expression that comes the second before losing it-- and then oh god, he laughs until he ''cries''. JFC, KFC.

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura just starts laughing all over again as she watches Mamoru struggle not to, and then fail. She shares a good long laugh with him before she finally calms down again, her laughter dying down to a few slow chuckles. "Oh man. That was quite a night. Even then, I was happy to realize that you were alive."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She stands up from the porch, brushes off her uniform's skirt, and then smiles at Mamoru. It's been a long while since they could talk like this, and it's good to do it again. "I should probably go. Things to do, Witches to hunt... you know how it is." She flips her hair, just in case Mamoru has forgotten how awesome it is.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Maybe next time I'll bring Mado-chan along. I'll tell her you liked her bento."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She waves, and turns to leave. "I'll see you around, Mamo-kun. Good to have you back."
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