queenofminiskirts | [ INBOX ] Awash Edition

[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

...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