queenofminiskirts | [ INBOX ] Awash Edition

[It's hard to lose another classmate, but Ochako knows there's someone else in town who misses Kirishima even more than she, Deku, and Shouto do. Should she give Kaoru space? Should she simply send her a message asking how she's doing?

...Nope. Kaoru is an important friend, and Ochako wants to see her face-to-face. Maybe she needs a hug, or a shoulder to cry on, or just someone to chat with for a while. Who knows!!]

kaoru-chan! i have something i really want to show you!!!

if you're not busy, i can bring it over now?

[She had a good cry on Shiho after she realized, after she had had Shiho confirm that, yes, he was no where in town.

She didn't think she was sad, just...it was a bit lonely.

BUT SHE WAS GOING TO SMILE THROUGH IT. Maybe if she can keep smiling long enough it won't bother her anymore.]

i'm not busy! what is it?

[She's not good with surprises!]

[But surprises! Are the best! Hence—]

it's a surprise!!! a GOOD one, though! i promise (｡^‿^｡)

i'll be over soon, okay?

[Aaaaaand ten or so minutes later... yep, that's Ochako a-knockin' on Kaoru's front door! She once again has a basket hanging off one arm, but this time it's more like a picnic basket with a solid wooden top. A solid wooden top with air holes? Hmm. How mysterious!!]

i don't like surprises! [She's too impatient!

Well, at least the town is small. She's coming to answer the door as quickly as she can.]

Ochako-chan! What is it? What's in the basket? [She'll greet you properly later, right now she's reaching out to try to lif the top a little bit. JUST LET HER TAKE A PEEK!]

Kaoru-chan! Wait!

[Ochako places a hand on top of the lid, trying to keep it closed... but laughing all the while. Her friend's curiosity is cute? And it's nice to see that Kaoru wasn't, you know, crying her eyes out right before she came over. Or is that worrying? Hmm. Time will tell!!]

I'll show you, but I have to come inside first. My friend is a little jumpy!

[Hahaaaaaa.]

Ochako-chaaaaaan.

[She's pouting when her attempt to open the basket was thwarted and it doesn't let up because THAT HINT DOESN'T TELL HER WHAT IS IN IT EXACTLY!

She opens the door though and gives way for her to come in before closing the door behind them.

She seems pretty normal all in all...though she seems to be a little less touchy than usual. What's up with that?]

[A not-so-handsy Kaoru is strange indeed, but Ochako remains mum as she follows her inside. Asking someone how they're doing right off the bat is... well, it's not the best approach. She has to work up to it!

Plus there's an introduction to be made first. As soon as the door is closed and everything seems safe, Ochako unlatches the top of the basket and slowly begins opening it up.]

Okay, Kaoru-chan. Meet... Busta Rabbit!

[And— Ta-da! Busta pops his head over the side of the basket, nose twitching as he takes in all of the new sights and smells. Waddup.]

I brought him back from my world. He's super friendly!

[She gasps and leans down.]

He's adorable! [She reaches out to pet him and ahhh, so soft! She's never pet a rabbit before!] Can I hold him?

[Most bunnies would be terrified, but Busta is a sociable creature! He sits up just a bit higher, allowing Kaoru to see the fancy-handkerchief-turned-bandanna tied around his neck as he leans into the pets. Yeah, this is the life.]

Sure! Just be careful when you pick him up, okay? If you don't support his back legs enough, he gets scared and kicks really, really hard.

[And he has some surprisingly sharp claws! Not that she, uh. Found this out the hard way or anything.]

[She's absolutely delighted to pick up the rabbit. And she makes sure to take Ochako's advice and keep a hand under the back legs.]

I'm holding a rabbit...this is the greatest day of my life.

[Busta turns his head this way and that way, nose continuing to twitch as he tries to figure out where the heck he is... and if there's any food nearby. Being held is the least of his concerns!]

Have you never held a rabbit before? I guess I really hadn't held one, either, but one of my classmates keeps Busta in his dorm room. [A pause, before:] Well... kept.

[Don't ask questions! Just appreciate this bun.]

I've never really had any pets. Minamoto wouldn't let us. [Something about them being irresponsible...which was crazy, really.] I did hold a flying squirrel once.

[Which turned out to be a specimen from a WWII era experiment for breeding animals with ESP that had recently woken up from hibernation that they found in the park.

Having once bought 4kg of gold off a friend for 4000 yen she really has no room to be saying anything.]

Well, I'm sure your classmate would be glad Busta can keep you company here!

[A flying squirrel? That sounds cute as heck, and she almost says as much... but ah, more classmate talk. This seems like as good a time as any to bring up the, um, elephant in the room, after she takes a deep breath and steels herself.]

I think he would be, too! And if Busta is missing from his room, Kirishima-kun can tell him exactly where he is. [She's still smiling, still trying to act like everything is totally normal, but she's quite obviously studying her friend's face.] Kaoru-chan, how... how are you doing? Really?

[She's busy cooing at the rabbit when Kirishima's name comes up.

There is a moment, when her shoulders tense and her arms twitch like she wants to bring her ars back to hold herself...but there's Busta in her hands so the motion is awkwardly aborted.

But she laughs and everything almost seems normal except she's suddenly not meeting Ochako's eyes.]

I'm fine...really! You don't need to be worried about me or anything!

[...Hmm. Ochako's first instinct is to come in for a hug, but that's impossible to do with Busta chillin' in Kaoru's arms. Still, she sets the basket down beside her, freeing up her own arms just in case she decides to risk it. A Busta sandwich! What could possibly go wrong...]

Even if I don't need to worry about you, Kaoru-chan, I can't help it. You're— [Is this the time to get sappy? Well, maybe she should test the waters first.] You're a really good friend! And I know you lost someone important to you, so... I'm here for you.

[Kaoru's entire friend group is largely made up of people who aren't very good at being honest about their feelings frr one reason or another so it catches her a bit off guard.

But she takes it in stride, feels something warm settle in her chest at the words.]

Thanks. That means a lot to me because you're one of my precious friends too!

[...but she probably can't just smile her way out of this conversation, huh. She'll keep petting Busta as she thinks about what she wants to say.]

When I was ten, I found out Minamoto had been in love with this woman when he was in univeristy. But even though they were in love with each other, when it came time for her to leave Minamoto didn't ask her to stay. I hadn't understood why at the time but I think...I get it now. It's because he wanted her to be able to live her dream and she wanted the same for him. Because that was how much they loved each other.

That's why, especially because he's so important to me, I'm not going to cry! Because the place he needs to be, isn't here, right?

[So she says but it's all bravado because this smile is definitely far more brittle than her usual one.]

[That is, without a doubt, an admirable way to look at things. Ochako knows that she would tell herself the same thing over and over again if—when—Okuyasu ever leaves, and she knows that she, too, would try her hardest to smile in front of her friends, but... well, it would still hurt.]

You're so strong, Kaoru-chan! But... it's okay to cry, you know? Especially in front of your friends. I know that you don't want people to worry about you, and you don't want to make other people feel sad, too, but— [She pauses for a moment, trying to get her mental ducks in a row, before slowly continuing.] That's what friends are for, you know? And besides— sometimes it's easier to smile when you've let everything else out.

[Don't keep it all inside, Kaoru!! That's unhealthy!]

[She could do this. She could hold back the tears and keep smiling until she was somewhere else. She had done this every time they had been in a tough spot from when they were five to ten. She was stronger now and this situation wasn't even as hopeless as it had been then.

She just missed him. That was all. She could deal with that.]

I'm...fine. [She's strong! But she still find herself needing to wipe at her eyes. In a lot of ways, it's because she's stronger now than when she was ten that it was easier to admit when things weren't all right.] It's just...it's a little bit frustrating. There were still so many things I'd wanted to tell him.

[ INBOX ] Awash Edition

#E07CA0; a day or so after kirishima disappears?

#FF8080 Sounds good to me!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

...did she kidnap Kouda's rabbit?

correction: she RESCUED kouda's rabbit!!

A LIKELY STORY

let her live!!!

Live her life of CRIME you mean?

...maybe!!! when will someone arrest ochako

when they catch onto the fact that she is a bunnynapper as well as so cute it's illegal?

where's guren? collect this criminal

what a useless chief of police...letting this delinquent run free.

i'm so late! i'm sorry! i've been out of it

me too, tbh