View source for 2284/Late night story time

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2017/01/04
|Location=Sakura Territory
|Synopsis=Middle of the night is always the time for lengthy whispered conversations about past horror as Kyouko explains her past to Naru.
|Cast of Characters=127,78
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's becoming a habit, honestly, to find Naru staying over at Kyouko's. She truly has a patient parent, and possibly just a /wee/ bit of parental subterfuge to manage not sleeping in her own bed every single night.<br /><br />Tonight is one of those nights, however, where the moon fights with the lights of the city to bring a gentle glow into Kyouko's bedroom. Naru is curled up, having stolen easily more than half the covers wearing t-shirt and capri pjs.<br /><br />She had been sound asleep, relaxed and comfortable, her breathing even, but something wakes her with a start and a startle. She takes a few breaths, settling her breathing again as she relaxes from waking with a start. She snuggles back into the purloined covers, prepared and ready to go back to sleep.<br /><br />And nothing.<br /><br />Naru's eyes open again, blinking in the dim of the bedroom. She's awake and thinky thoughts are not in the mood to let her go back to sleep right away.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko has no such parent, patient or otherwise, and as such requires no subterfuge- well, except maybe with regards to Momo, although at least since the couple have become 'official' it's a little more straightforward to explain. She's really just as grateful that Naru's mom is either so understanding, or so easily duped- or maybe some ratio of the two.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite her own normal PJ configuration (consisting of shorts and a tank top) not being particularly made for warmth, the pilfering of blankets never seems to bother Kyouko much. She's warm by default (something about the firey nature of hers, no doubt) and such a restless sleeper most nights that kicking the covers off is a pretty routine outcome for her regardless. Naru is really just capitalizing on an existing situation. Currently, Kyouko is sprawled haphazardly across the bed, almost diagonally, with Naru in her stolen covers between her and the wall.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She also appears to still be asleep, somehow. She seems to have gotten used to Naru being there, to some degree, which means the other girl shifting does not wake her at once- selectively paranoid, it seems. For long moments, her even breathing, coming in soft little snores, continues unchanged, her head on its side, facing towards Naru, her fingers gripping lightly at the edge of the comforter.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then suddenly, as if on cue, her eyes flutter open. Instantly aware. They dart left, right. And then, before she even finds Naru's face with her gaze, she whispers, "Naru.. you okay?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Mmmm." Naru might be awake, but she's snuggles into covers and sleepy yet, just not actually asleep. "I'm sorry if I woke you. I didn't realize I'd been loud." Immaterial of the fact that it doesn't take much, if anything, to wake Kyouko. Her voice is a sleepy quiet whisper, well suited to the dim of the room and the lateness of the hour.<br /><br />A refluttering of the covers, Naru drapes them over both of them and gives a slow sigh. "I'm alright. Just a dream." She finally answers Kyouko's actual question and then quirks her head.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko blinks slowly a few times. Clearly she wasn't quite awake yet herself, in the truest sense of the word. As usual, her brain taking several moments to catch up to her body. "Mm.. you weren't. I don't think." She says after a moment of considering.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She is covered, and seems to appreciate it despite not having been particularly cold. She shifts to the side a bit, so she's resting against Naru beneath the covers, and lets her head droop sideways against the other girl's. "I just thought.. I felt something." She continues, resettled. "For just a second." Which is enough to wake her, it seems.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another moment of quiet. Other than the very faint sounds of the city far below that manage to drift up, the room is quiet. "A dream?" She finally asks, her voice close to Naru's ear.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Naru might have warmer pjs, and all the covers, but she still edges closer to Kyouko to steal more warm, and closeness. Head resting on head, close enough to barely need to murmur between them.<br /><br />"You really are in tune with witches if you wake up just to me dreaming about them." Naru murmurs, her voice edged with sleepy amusement. Immaterial of the fact that it really wasn't /just/ her dreaming about them.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko is a good heater. She seems to operate at a higher body temperature than.. well, than Naru certainly, if not than the general public.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko makes a noncommittal sound as Naru speaks of dreaming of Witches. "You said you've never even seen a real Witch. Why are you dreamin' about 'em?" She only hesitates a moment, before adding, "Besides, your girlfriend is an expert Witch-killer. You got nothin' to fear." So confident

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I haven't." Naru confirms, and a smile emerges as Kyouko manages to refer to herself as Naru's girlfriend without stuttering over it. Even if its just the two of them, and whipsers in the middle of the night make many admissions easier.<br /><br />"I'm not scared of them." Naru's voice isn't defiant with that statement, more thoughtful. "I probably should be, but they dont evoke anything of the same fear wraiths do."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is ''much'' easier to say the g-word alone with Naru, in bed, in the middle of the night, in the dark. It's when there are a ton of people around that it becomes something of a struggle.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another moment of quiet as she considers Naru's words. "Witches are scarier than Wraiths." She says, finally. "I hope you never have to find out if you agree with me, but from where I stand, it's true. Witches.. well. They ain't smart like you an' me. But they're.. they have an intelligence. They do things for reasons, even if they ain't reasons we can understand."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I've been ''outsmarted'' by Witches. Oh, I always got 'em in the end, or I wouldn't be here. But I ain't never seen a Wraith capable of that."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another moment of silence, then, in a slightly chagrined voice, "I'm not doin' a very good job of reassurin' you back to sleep, am I?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Mmm." Naru is thoughtful as she listens to Kyouko's words about Witches. "I don't really do fear well for most things, as a note. So me not having an automatic fear response is not weird. I might get one. I didn't for Wraiths before they messed in my head, and now.." She trails that off and shrugs a touch. They both know how much she loves Wraiths.<br /><br />"Mmmm. You reassure the way Kunzite does, other than the being warm and snuggled close part." Naru can't truthfully, really comment on if Kunzite's warm or not in the same way, and has no plans to find out. "Which is fine."<br /><br />Naru closes her eyes a moment, although there's no relaxing of her body that signals that she's likely to be going back to sleep, just a moment of zen. "Is it weird that I find the opponents who have reasons, who have intelligences.. I find those less disconcerting?" Naru opens her eyes to look at Kyouko again.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I know you don't." Kyouko says, and there's a hint of pride in her voice despite the fact that ''she'' has nothing to do with Naru's lack of unreasoning fear. "I like that about you. Like.. I never get the sense that you don't understand the danger. But you don't panic. Usually. I.. really admire that." Her voice is quiet and her tone subdued, almost as if she's admitting something she might not otherwise. "I panic, sometimes. Although usually it results in me attacking harder. The problem is that I do that when I should be being careful."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She giggles softly at being compared to Kunzite in that way. "Nii-chan and I have a lot of in common." She says. "And a lot not-in-common, too. But of everyone I know, he an' me think the most alike, at least when it comes to threats and how to deal with 'em." A faint grin in the dark. "I'm way cuter, though."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As for the last.. her face is hard to see in the dark, even so close, buther expression looks understanding. "No. Cuz you know why they're attackin' you. It's just what they do. The ones with minds, even if they're vastly different minds... you can't always understand. And sometimes when you do understand, it's worse, cause you can sympathize."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"That's just it.." Naru murmurs softly. "The ones with minds, I find /those/ easier. Somehow." She pauses. "No.. not exactly easier, but I like understand, even when I don't agree, and 'just because they're monsters' always feels unsatisfying and ..." She trails off a little, pressing her head against Kyouko's as if that connection might convey some of her understandably odd perspective.<br /><br />"Being able to sympathize is.. interesting." Naru murmurs softly, thoughtfully. "Weird, but normal to me."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko pauses, realizing she interpreted what Naru was saying all wrong. She takes a few moments to just rest with her head against Naru's as she considers her answer. The contact, historically so rare for her, seems to be something she enjoys now that she's welcomed Naru into the small group from whom she will accept it.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I guess.. well, I dunno." She finally says, with a faint grimance for her unsatisfying answer. "I don't.. often try to understand. It's that mentality of the street, y'know? Everything is life or death, and sympathizing with your enemy is dangerous, because you can't afford to hesitate or you'll lose. And way too often, losin' meant dyin'."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I guess it ain't like that anymore, and I should adjust my way of thinkin' but.. it's hard."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The contact is comforting to Naru too and there's just a gentle little nuzzle. "And I chat, and try to understand, and listen even while I'm slowly, or sometimes quickly, dying."<br /><br />She is quiet a moment, thoughtful then too. "I don't know that you need to adjust.. not really. Not by much. You offset my stupid."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"No dying." Kyouko says, and there's a sudden, if low-energy, fierceness in her tone. "Not until I get to enjoy you for a few more years, at least. I'm the one who's supposed to have an expiration date, remember? If you manage to die before me, I'm gonna be mad."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she shakes her head slightly, the movement felt as much as seen. "It's not stupid. I mean.. maybe sometimes it's stupid. But no more so than me rushin' in all the time is stupid. But maybe you're right.. maybe it's good to have different approaches."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A faintly wry tone enters her voice. "The trick is gonna be figurin' out when one of us should listen to the other, and when they're bein' stupid."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Even non-magical, I was surprisingly hard to kill, and I've been in /less/ physical danger since, not more." Naru points out with a gentle brush of a kiss. "You don't get to die any time soon either, for that matter. This is a mutual thing, and I'm not giving you up any earlier than I have to."<br /><br />"Usually right about when I'm on the edge of passing out, I remember that it's spectacularly stupid. We might need to flip a coin on which one should be listening to the other." Naru points out with a flicker of a smile. "Except that then I meet someone else that I probably shouldnt stop to talk with, and I /do/, and almost always, it's utterly worth it." She's quiet a moment again and the next words are so very quiet.<br /><br />"And sometimes it's hard when you know they aren't good people, but they make a lot of sense." Naru murmurs into the dim.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There might be more than a brush of a kiss, before words are resumed. "Like I've said before," Kyouko says, once she's able, "I don't plan on dyin' any time soon. But I also suck at plans. That's why I need you, and Kunzite and Mamoru." A soft laugh. "But I expect you to live a long and happy life, while I'm here, and after I'm gone. And I won't take no for an answer on that one."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the quiet of the dark bedroom, Naru's words are not hard to catch, even if they are spoken very quietly. Kyouko says nothing for a long time. She shifts next to Naru, an arm sliding around and under the other girl, tugging her even closer, as if afraid she might get up and run after Kyouko's next statement. "I guess.. I should be grateful for that. I'm not a good person, Naru. I try really hard, and sometimes I succeed at faking it. I'm getting better at that. But I'm still me. I'm still cruel, and selfish, and stupid, and violent. But I guess I must make some kinda sense, because here you are."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There's no getting up and running, instead Naru hugs Kyouko close and closer still at her words. She rests her head on Kyouko's again. "You're a complicated and amazing and interesting person, and there is no such thing as a 'good' person. Just like there's no such thing as a 'bad' person. No one is all of one or all of the other. It's just not a /thing/, no matter how much people try and divide it into neat and tidy boxes." Naru has thought about this, this is not a random off the cuff sentiment, she's considered her own personal views on good and bad, black and white. "At the same time that you say you're cruel and selfish and stupid and violent, I also know that you're loyal and protective and tactical and strong and loving and gentle and they can all be true about you, all at the same time."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'm not hearing a denial on the 'stupid' part," Kyouko says, but there's wry humor in her voice, and a little laugh follows. She squeezes Naru with the arm around her, with surprising strength in that grip- years and years of training have given her strength that does not necessarily convey itself in her slender appearance. "But I'm glad you think that. I don't know if you thinking it makes it true.. but it's reassuring to hear, at any rate."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I do.. think that everyone has good parts, and bad parts about 'em. Like.. nobody is all good, or all bad. But I think some people have more good than bad, and some the other way around. Like.." She chews her lip. "Like Mamoru, for example. Sure, he's got some bad things.. he's an ass, and a troll, and he puts himself in danger for people who don't deserve it way too often. But.. I feel like, in him, the good outweighs the bad by such a huge margin it's foolish to call him anything but a good person."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I wouldn't have made the promises I did to him if I didn't think so." Marks on her soul- oaths that can't be broken. "I'm just not like that. I have to ''fight'' myself in order to stay on the right path. Ever since.." She goes quiet for a moment, shifting restlessly. "Ever since I ruined my family. The first one, I mean. I feel like I shattered into a thousand pieces, and when I was glued back together, the pieces don't fit right, and some got lost along the way."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I think you're brilliant, but you never listen on /that/, but we both have our moments of stupid." Naru points out with a note of humour in return before they settle again to heavy topics.<br /><br />Somehow, the middle of the night always seems to be prime time for heavy topics.<br /><br />"Of course some people do." Naru agrees with a squeeze back for her. "By and large.. I find them the odd ones, not the normal. You just dont usually get to see people fight in their own heads. You know what your fight feels like, but you just watch other people fake it, not how hard they have to fight to fake it. And more than you think are faking it too."<br /><br />Naru releases her grip only barely enough to let Kyouko shift, not letting her go but giving her room for restlessness. "What happened?" She asks quietly.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sometimes its easy for Kyouko to forget who she's told, and who she hasn't. Or maybe it's just with people like Naru- people she's gotten very close to, who she feels like know her. She forgets that they don't ''know'' her. She's told the full story to relatively few people. Mamoru, Kunzite. Momo knows, obviously, she lived it. Sayaka got told, way back, at least the bare-bones version. But most of it Kyouko keeps inside.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It was inevitable though, for her to tell Naru, if this relationship was going to be 'real'. The events five years ago ''define'' Kyouko, in a fundamental way. They are the starting point of the person Naru has fallen for. How could she be denied the attempt to understand that foundation? Kyouko understands this, even if she wouldn't be able to speak it that succinctly.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So after a very long pause, in which she seems to attempt to draw strength from Naru's presence beside her, she begins with, "I'm bad at people. I always have been. You're right- I don't see other people fighting. I don't ''get'' people, Naru."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"My father was a priest. Catholic. But he had weird ideas.. too conservative, too extreme, so they kicked him out. He wouldn't give up though. He believed he was right, that his path was the good one. Accourse, so did I, then. I didn't know any better, and he was my dad. Because he lost his job, we didn't have much money. Any money, really. There was never enough food. We were hungry pretty much all of the time."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Mom tried to get Dad to go back on his controversial statements, to try to get his job back for our sake, but he wouldn't He was ''so sure'' that he knew better, even when the whole world was telling him no. I guess.. I get that particular trait from him."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It is easy to forget what Naru doesn't know, what things are going to bring about a quiet question from her. In the scheme of faking it, Naru has been practicing. A lot.<br /><br />Naru lets her hand gently brush along Kyouko's back, reasuring her silently that there's at least one person that thinks she's pretty good at people. Possibly person, but close enough.<br /><br />There's a quiet nod from Naru as she listens and then a soft mmm hmmm, as its hard to see a nod in the dim darkness. "Of course you believed him, you were a child, and he was your father." She comments quietly. "What happened then?"

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Kyubey happened then." Kyouko says. Perhaps surprisingly (or perhaps not, Naru is fairly perceptive), there's no anger in her tone. Kyouko has ''never'' blamed Kyubey for what happened to her. She's always blamed herself. "He pulled the whole schtick, y'know. Any wish you want, become magical. At the time, I had no idea. So I wished.. I wished for people to listen to my dad again, for him to get his congregation back. I thought that would solve all our problems."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"It did, for a while. Suddenly, he had converts. People flocked to hear him preach. I became a Puella and started fighting Witches, but it was all worth it because our family was happy. But.."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She sighs. "A Witch attacked our church. I had to fight it in front of him.. my dad. I dunno why he was able to see, and remember, but he was. I explained it to him.. thinking he would understand, that he would realize what I had done to help us."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"But he didn't see it that way at all. Instead, he was horrified. Rightly so, I think, to some degree. He understood, then, that people weren't listening to him because they ''believed'' in him, in his message. They were listening to him because I had ''forced'' them to. I had wished, and Kyubey had made it so. It was no better than brainwashing. Those people didn't actually want to be there. They had been given no choice."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I was too young to get that at the time, but he did, and he couldn't accept it. He called me a witch, and a monster, and all kinds of worse things, and kicked me out. Then he started drinking, because he couldn't accept what had happened but he didn't know how to change it. He got worse and worse over a few weeks, while I watched from outside as best I could, trying to figure out what to do."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Then.." Her body is tense as she remembers, and there's a faint tremor in her voice. "He killed 'em. My mom, and Momo. Then he hung himself. I.. found them like that, when I went to check on them. All three of 'em, dead."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A moment of quiet. "It's my fault, y'see. I've accepted, now, that I can't let that dominate my life forever. But it was ''my fault''. I made a stupid wish, trying to help, and just ruined everything. After that I.. started to believe that I couldn't trust anybody. That I didn't deserve to be trusted ''by'' anybody."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I cut all ties, and just went into survival mode. Living in a ruined church, stealing food, fighting anybody who crossed me. For years. It's almost like I was stuck in an instinct-loop. Like my soul was hiding, and my body was just on auto-pilot. That only really started to change when I came here, and I met Mamoru."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As the story unfolds, Naru doesn't stop gently rubbing at Kyouko's back. Offering touch, reassurance that she's still there. She doesn't inturrupt, not distrupting Kyouko's train of thought, nor how she wishes to present it.<br /><br />There's no horrified gasps, no dramatic reactions from Naru.. faking it is well and truly a skill .. but she can't help herself from leaning her head closer, to pull Kyouko closer at the mention of her father killing her mother and sister, and her finding them all.<br /><br />Her own eyes close, as she rests against Kyouko, listening to the rest of the story, silent to the end, and a few moments beyond too.<br /><br />"You are amazing, you know that, right?" Naru asks softly.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a slightly strangled little laugh from Kyouko at Naru's words, and she turns her head for a moment to bury her face against her girlfriend's neck. Her shoulder's don't shake, she doesn't wail and sob, but there may be a hint of wetness against Naru's skin when she finally pulls away, sucking in a deep breath. "I don't know how you get 'amazing' from that story, except maybe just amazing luck that I managed to somehow stay alive."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"And now.. I dunno, so much has changed. Momo came back- that wasn't my doing. It was her own doing, and Usagi. A wish powerful enough to escape death, even if only temporarily. Mamoru, and Kunzite helped me rebuild a new family, give me a second chance. A chance I very much do not deserve, but.. they don't seem to care. ''That's'' amazing. Sayaka too.. what I felt for her, I realize now, was not.. it wasn't like what I feel for you. But it was strong enough to start to make me ''want'' to be a better person."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"But as much as I put tape and glue and putty and spit on all the cracks, y'know.. hold 'em together, they're still there."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"In a way, that's why getting a new Name from Mamoru meant so much to me. It felt like.. a second chance for real. Kyouko Sakura was an idiot who killed her family and lived on the street. Apatite is a strong, loyal, noble guardian of the Prince of the Earth. I want to be Apatite, Naru. I want that to be me. I just.. don't think I'm quite there yet."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Amazing luck. Amazing strength of will. Amazing fortitude." Naru clarifies as she holds Kyouko close, turning her head only a little to kiss her hair, and pretend she didn't feel any dampness on her skin that was most assuredly not tears.<br /><br />"It wasn't all them." Naru points out gently. "Because they don't drag the unwilling. They offer a hand, and you had to meet them halfway, even if you didn't realize it."<br /><br />"You're my kintsugi." Naru's voice is warm as she makes that declaration. "Of course they're still there. Held together, making you what you are. You /are/ Apatite. You might not yet have gotten to her full potential, but of course you haven't. That's the point of growing and learning and becoming."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko doesn't say anything for a little while. She just lets Naru hold her close, and listens to her words, and tries to let them sink in. Words are never going to fix her- if they could, they would have a long time ago. But they ''help''. They help when they come from someone whom she believes in. Who she doesn't think is lying to her.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She giggles just a little bit as Naru calls her a 'kintsugi'. "That's a new one," She says softly. "But I guess it ain't far from the truth. The thing is, Naru.. it's all fine and well to say I need to grow, and learn and reach my full potential. I just.. I don't know how long I have. It's frustrating, y'know.. to see glimpses of what I might be, but not know if I'm ever gonna have time to get there."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I guess that's true for everybody, huh? I mean.. yeah, I'm a Puella. I'll probably die in battle or turn into a Witch before I get old, but I could also walk outside tomorrow and get hit by a bus. That's true for everybody, magic or not. But I feel like.." She struggles for a moment, then says, "I feel this pressure. Pressure from behind, to make up for my mistakes. Pressure from ahead, because time is always runnin' out. They squeeze me in the middle, and kintsugi or not, too much pressure and a pot.. breaks again."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She laughs softly. "Sorry.. are you regretting this whole 'girlfriend' thing yet? It's.. the dark, and the quiet, and thinking of old memories. I'm really very happy right now, in general. Happiest I've been in years, maybe ever. I just suddenly.. felt like you deserved to know. What you were getting into."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"No one knows how long they have." Naru agrees quietly. "I could find out I have leukemia tomorrow and be on exactly the same uncertain timeline. The only difference is that you /know/, which is a blessing and a curse."<br /><br />There's a gentle squeeze and Naru mmms softly as if she's thinking. "Well, I'm distracted now, wondering how to convince my lovely girlfriend that she's putting too much pressure on herself and how to help her realize that growth will come naturally. Which doesn't sound much like I'm regretting this whole girlfriend thing."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another soft laugh from Kyouko. "I don't.. I don't know if you'll ever be able to take that pressure away, Naru. It might be too much a part of me. But you already help." She suddenly pulls away from Naru, but only so she can flop back on the bed with a relieved sigh.. spreading her arms and legs wide (which means one arm and one leg are over Naru) and staring up at the ceiling.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I keep too much inside. I know that. Havin' someone I don't have to hide things from.. it helps. It's not somethin' I'm used to, but it helps. That's how you help me already, and we've really just started this whole 'relationship' thing, huh?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her head turns to the side, peering at Naru. "I guess you'll just have to stick around and keep telling me over and over until I actually listen."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"It might be." Naru agrees as she rolls over a little, still with Kyouko's limbs sprawled over her, but able to prop herself up on her elbow and peer down. So much for going back to sleep anytime soon.<br /><br />"I think most of us keep too much inside." Naru replies with a rueful little smile. "I will always listen to you, you don't have to hide." She takes a slow breath. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me, my dear. I'll keep telling you over and over. Even if you never listen."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko quirks a brow.. and it defintely seems like her mood is improving. A weight lifted off of her chest, so to speak, having bared her largest and most burdensome secret to Naru. A little smile tugs at the corner of her lips. "Careful what you promise, Naru. I say a lotta stupid crap, y'know. There'll be times you ''wanna' tune me out."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"But I'm glad. I'm really glad. I just hope you won't regret it. But I'll do my best to make sure you won't. Because I-" She halts, and suddenly turns bright red again, even noticable in the dark. She turns her head away, peering into the dark.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Cause I really like you a whole lot." She finally mumbles. That darn L-word. Still too elusive for tonight.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Mmmm. I promised to listen." Naru leans down to kiss her forehead. "But I will make use of my decade of practice in tuning out random crap that Usagi has trained me with if I have to."<br /><br />"It's not onesided you know." Naru gives her a gentle nudge. "I have to manage to not make /you/ regret this either. I am no paragon of virtue upon a pedestal."<br /><br />"I like you a whole lot." Naru agrees with that assessment, resettling down to wrap her arms around Kyouko even while she's not actually looking at Naru. "I think one of the technical terms is 'downright stupid about you.'"

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yeah, sorry." Kyouko is still looking away, but as Naru hugs on her, she settles against the other girl and slides an arm about her in return. "I didn't mean to make this all about me. It's not, of course. I didn't mean to be a drama queen."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A little snort of amusement. "After the litany of regrets I just listed, you think I'm going to regret you? Well.. you'll have to try ''really'' hard to make it so. In that case, I'm okay with you not actually trying at all."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she grins, and there's a note of pride in her voice. "Bringin' you down to my level, am I?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You're not a drama queen." Naru is smaller, but she is quite capable of snuggling Kyouko as they continue to talk, resting her cheek against her shoulder. "I'm just not that awesome to not worry that you might regret it too. I keep secrets too easily, its hard not to worry that I'll damage your trust doing it."<br /><br />Naru's voice is amused. "I'm the shorter one.. aren't I bringing you down to my level?"
}}