The first day of school was, of course, rough. And later, she's going to go pay a Shittenou or four a visit to make sure they're alive, as well.
Before that, though, Usagi wants to check on a Kyou-kun shaped person.
Texts have been exchanged while she was getting out of her school uniform and into something appropriate for the pleasant weather. It's warm enough for cute short skirts, right? And cute flippy floppy sandals?
Of course it is.
Just like its warm enough for tank tops!
Usagi's a bad hostess. She doesn't wait for Kyouko to arrive before ordering herself a drink. And there's an assortment of pastries and other such goodies on the table before her.
After all, Kyou-kun can order what she likes when she gets here!
A jaw cracking yawn.
Usagi can't wait for the weekend. She's gonna sleep it away if she can.
It had been a bit strange for Kyouko, these past few days. Waking up at home after pretty clearly remembering blowing herself up at the North Pole was a bit of a shock. But hey, she wasn't about to argue- it's not like she wanted to die or anything. She'd gotten back to her routine pretty quickly, although she hasn't had a chance to catch back up with Sayaka yet, much to her chagrin.
That'll come though, and until then she's more than happy to meet Usagi for a snack on her way to work. She's a bit sad that the warmer weather means she can't wear her awesome coat, but it does mean a return of the light-blue hoodie and shorts combination that is her mainstay in the warmer months, even if she has branched out into shorts of varying materials. Today's are cargo shorts!
She finds Usagi seated at the outdoor table, and plunks herself down across, grinning her lopsided grin. "Hey, hon. You look tired. Guess I can't blame you, though. Holdin' up okay?"
Usagi's at one of those moments where she's staring at her food and swaying as she tries to remember exactly what to do with it.
There's a small burst of adrenaline as her head jerks up to see Kyouko just there, across from her.
She's been crying a lot the past couple days, and right now is no exception, though for Kyouko's sanity it's only a welling of the eyes and a blurring of the vision.
"Kyou-kun!" Visual and auditory confirmation received, she slides out of the chair and goes around the table to plow her friend in a tight, tight hug. "I keep being afraid I'll wake up and I really am alone."
She pulls back, flutters and frets. "Are you okay? Are you sure? Really, really sure?"
Kyouko half-expects Usagi-hugs every time she sees the girl, so she isn't taken by surprise, although USagi should feel special since she's about the only one Kyouko allows it from on a regular basis, other than Sayaka of course.
She gives a soft laugh and even half-turns to give the other girl a brief hug in return. "I think," She says gently, "That you should know after that experience that even if we were all dead, you wouldn't be all alone."
"But, I'm fine." She grins again and raises an arm, as if flexing. "Genki as shit, see?" Her eyes look a bit concerned as they rove over what she can see of the bunny. "Same for you, I hope? And Mamoru?" She hasn't seen him either, of course.
Of course Usagi feels special! Yay for hugs! Yay for being the rare allowed recipient of Kyou-hugs!
She snuggles in for a moment longer, very much happy at the moment. "I know. Everyone was with me! I couldn't have done it without you guys!" A small sigh. "I would have missed hugs, though."
When she pulls back, her smile is tired but genuine. "I'm fine! Just really sleepy. And Mamo-chan's good, too! We cuddled a bit, and then Mako-chan came over, so he snuck away to see the boys."
"Hon," Kyouko says with wry amusement, "Something tells me you would have found people to hug." She totally means that as a compliment, too. After a moment though she pulls away so she can go order a drink, and when she returns to the table she's sipping on something sugary.
"Ah.. that's good." She responds to this news of Mamoru, though she gets a bit of a thoughtful look as Usagi mentions 'the boys'. "And.. Kunzite? And the rest of them? Are they okay too?" She asks this as if unsure how Usagi will react to the question, as if she thinks maybe she's not part of the club that gets to know these things.
"Well, yes, but none of them would be Kyou-hugs. Or Kukai-hugs. Or Homu-hugs."
While Kyouko's off ordering herself a drink, she loudly scoots her chair over so she's closer to Kyouko's.
When her friend is back, Usagi has a mouthful of pastry and takes a moment to chew and swallow, wiggling as she does as though that will help the process.
And silly Kyou-kun! This is Usagi! "Kunzi-kun's still a rock. But other than that they're fine! I think they're off figuring things out, so I'm gonna sneak over to Zoi-kun's later and leave him some clothes that aren't Papa's."
Kyouko gives her obligatory scowl at the mention of Homura's name, but even she can't bring herself to put her heart into it- after all, Homura was there, and sacrificed herself just like the rest of them did. Kyouko can respect that, even if she still doesn't like the dark-haired Puella.
She sips from her drink as Usagi gives her a status update on the Shitennou and what they're up to. She quirks her lips to the side slightly at the news that Kunzite is still a rock, and takes a moment to play with the straw of her drink before she says, "Will you tell Kunzite, when he's.. y'know, a dude again, that I'd like to see him? You can give him my cell number."
Usagi has come to accept, even if she doesn't quite get, that not everyone will like everyone. (Her only exception to this is Umino, but again, Umino.) She's just glad she hasn't gotten the 'if you like this person I won't like you anymore!' oddity she'd heard in school so many times.
Usagi hums as she considers Kyouko's question. Not that she's thinking about no, hah! She's just trying to figure out dates and everything. "Okay! Hopefully it's soon. Not exactly sure. Something about Stargates, but not, or something." She waves a hand. "But I'll let you know!"
Then she gasps at Kyouko! "Hey, I was supposed to buy you that!" A sulky pout!
Hmph!
She starts inching a few plates Kyouko's way. "You can share this with me, then, Miss Stubborn Boots. Or if you want something else!"
"Thanks." Kyouko says, with a quirked little smile as Usagi says she'll convey the message. "No rush or nothin'.. I'm sure he's got more important things to do. S'just.. well, y'know." She falls silent for a moment, sipping from her drink again..
Then sticks out her tongue at Usagi's protests. "You know I like to fend for myself, hon, I let you buy me things often enough as it is." But as the plates are pushed her way, she sighs and reaches out to snag a snack off of one of them- just one, mind, but at least she's accepting food! She chews it. "Mmn, these are good."
After a moment, she says, "So.. what's next? For you, I mean. Life goes on for me.. always more Witches to hunt. But now that there's no more Queen Beryl.. are the Senshi.. done?" She asks this as if it's a bizarre thing to consider. Well, to a Puella, it probably is!
Usagi gives Kyouko a Look. It more or less says 'silly girl.' (She's a bit nervous about Kunzite's revival. She's not exactly sure why. She's pretty sure being nervous around Kunzite is just a habbit she's picked up over two lifetimes.) "I'm sure it won't be difficult to get him to do stuff. Being a rock must be very limiting on his mobility!" A serious nod!
Usagi sticks her tongue right back out! "Yeah, but I offered so neener no take backs." She picks up a flaky pastry and starts in on it. "I am so hungry."
This isn't new, of course. And it's quite understandable.
She thinks some more, even though she has the answer before she's swallowing. "I don't think so. It'd be kinda hard to go back, right? And I know Mars doesn't wanna stop, because she likes being a senshi. So do I, mostly! So as long as I have them, I can keep going!"
Then she taps her chin in thought. "Though a weekend off does sound nice."
"Trust me, being a rock is definitely limited on the mobility." Kyouko says drily. She would know if anyone would, one must suspect.
She just heaves a small sigh at Usagi's insistence on being the provider of snacks. But she takes another one anyway, because just as Usagi is Usagi, Kyouko is Kyouko. And food is food.
"That's not really what I meant.." She says, though, as Usagi talks about stopping or going. "I just mean.. you defeated your enemies, right? What're you guys gonna do?" She quirks a brow. "There's already hardly enough Witches to go around for all us Puella, so don't get into your mind that you get to start being a Witch-hunter now."
"I wonder. If the Stargate thing doesn't work, though. What if he was hooked up to a robot?" Hmmm. Possibilities! "At least until we could figure out another way!" And she wants to, because she brought everyone else back, why not him? (Seriously! Why! Augh guilt!)
Usagi sighs and stares woefully at her food. She's run into a snag. "Do you wanna split a sandwich or something? I think I need a bit of protein or something."
She considers, really, what comes next. "Well, I think for now, we do what everyone else did for us. We help them when they ask, or when they need it. And in the meantime just...snuggle?"
Her eyes grow dreamy. An entire day of snuggling without any worry. Is such a thing even possible?
"I saw a TV show about Stargates, once." Kyouko muses idly. "Tell 'em if they see a guy with like, an Anbuis head that they should GTFO before its too late."
She blinks as Usagi mentions a sandwich. /Split/ a sandwich? Who are you and what have you done with Usagi? Still, she shrugs. "Sure. Whatever you want, hon."
She shakes her head slightly at the snuggle-talk. "Man, all you guys and your snuggling. I just don't get it." Its fond not-getting though, that's clear, and she adds, "I'll keep that in mind, if I ever need a hand."
Usagi nods! "And if you see a giant circle that explodes blue not-water, stay away!"
"Okay! Be right back!" She orders a sandwhich. Yes, one, singular. And yes, more worrying than this is she's about to tell Kyouko she can take most of the food with her if she wants.
She grins as she sits back down. "Well, we don't snuggle all the time." Only about ninety-percent when she gets her way!
Kyouko quirks a brow at the order of the sandwich, though she takes her half of it without complaint and tears into it with a fangy bite. "I snuggled with Saya-chan once." She says, as if this is some kind of juicy confession. She even blushes a little bit!
"So.. you're really okay then?" She says after a moment, then smiles. "And so am I. And so is everybody else, if what I've seen is any indication. You did good Usagi. Stop worrying so much."
Her own bite is smaller and unhurried. She blinks and looks at Kyouko as if it were a juicy confession! "Ohhhhh? How was it?" Teeheehee girl talk!
Usagi considers for a moment. "I think I'm okay? I mean physically I'm fine, but it's like my batteries are just drained. I'll be good in a day or two." She takes another bit, and arches highly amused eyebrows at Kyouko. "You've met me, right? I always worry. It's what I do."
Kyouko looks almost alarmed as Usagi asks her 'how was it'. This is not a question she was prepared to answer! She's no good at this 'girl talk' stuff. She takes another bite of her sandwich, and mumbles with her mouth full, "mmfh fine."
She swallows the bite of sandwich, then gives another one of those looks. "You won't recharge your battery eating half-sandwiches, hon. Growing girl like you needs to eat /more/ when she's recovering, not less!"
Then she shakes her head slightly, ponytail swaying. "Well, don't worry about me, at least. I'm working, I'm hunting, and I'm living.. or what passes for life, anyway. I appreciate you wantin' to check up on me an' all, but now you've done it, so no need to fret on that anymore, kay?"
Usagi gives a happy wiggle and a small 'eee!' at Kyouko's confession of 'fine.' She doesn't press for more. After all, baby steps!
Usagi rolls her eyes and slumps over all dramatic like. "But I'm getting full. Did you wanna take some of this home?" She's only eaten half of her half. She could save it for later! "I may go nap in Zoisite's garden, though. There's some real prime napping spots. And I bet he's probably in a hugpile with Mamo-chan or something, so I can sneak my way in! Mweeheehee."
She doesn't need to sneak, but the idea is fun!
Usagi gives a soft snort as she sips her drink. "Kyou-kun, one day I'll remember you're self-sufficiant, and one day you'll remember I'll always worry about the people I love."
Kyouko gives Usagi two strange looks- one for her offering to let Kyouko take home the remains of the food, and the second for her apparently finding nothing strange about climbing into a cuddlepile with multiple men. Still, she only smirks after a moment and shrugs. "Sure, I'll take the leftovers."
She pushes back her chair and stands. "I gotta get goin' anyway. On my way to a shift at the store. I'll take this for a break-time snack." She says, as she neatly packages up the leftovers into a little napkin bundle.
At the last bit, she just shakes her head. "Worry if you want, hon. Just remember that I'm just a phonecall away if you really need me. For anything."
Well, people wanting to just cuddle all over Mamoru is something Usagi completely understands. (And it probably doesn't actually work like a regular hugpile, but Usagi just thinks the idea is so adorable!) "Yay! They'll get eaten for sure!"
Usagi stands with Kyouko and picks up the bags under the table. Vertigo! "Woah, stood up too fast!" Then she trundles over to Kyouko and hugs her again. Happy hum! "Have fun at work! And if you get another annoying customer, just remember 'throttling him isn't worth the paperwork!' That's what Papa used to say before he got his own office."
She tilts her head and blinks. "And same for me, okay? Even if you just need a hug! Or to Not-Hug. Or ice cream fests!"
Kyouko gives Usagi another hug without protest, then laughs a little bit at her 'advice'. "I'll try and remember that, hon." She says, re: the advice about not-strangling, although honestly if anyone should heed that sort of advice, its her.
She gives a brief nod to the mention of hugs and ice cream. "I know Saya-chan wants to get to know you better." She says, with a little smile. "She's really grateful for all that you did for us, and she told me she wants to meet you again so.. maybe we can all hang out sometime?"
Usagi preens. Sometimes even Papa has good advice! (Okay, he usually has a lot of good advice, but she is a teenage girl!)
She perks up at the thought of them all hanging out. "Oh, that would be fun! If you want to do more than have a quiet night in, we'll probably have to wait a few more--" YAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN "--days but other than that! And I'll bring some ice cream!"
"Hon," Kyouko says, with that wry little smile of hers again, "I don't think /any/ of us want more than a quiet night right now. Maybe not for a while, either."
She smiles, and turns to go. "Alright. Thanks for the snacks, and for wantin' to check up on me. It was good to see you, as always. Take care, hon. I'll call you soon." And then she's walking away, out towards the sidewalk and her conbenie.