[X] Plan Do You Have A Second?
"... So tell me, Tomoe-san, have you given any thought as to pursuing a romantic relationship with Kasuga-san?"
Tomoe-san shakes her head at your question, responding with "Well, it hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet since you convinced me that being a little selfish wouldn't be such a bad thing. You can't expect me to have come to a conclusion just yet, can you?"
"Yeah, but didn't you say he'd liked you since your sixth year?" Sayaka asks; both you and HItomi nod; you had all heard her say that on the train last night. "So, I figure you've probably at least got some idea about whether or not you like him, right?"
As you eat lunch, idling chatting with your friends about this or that while you eat, your mind keeps coming back to the response Kure Kirika sent you when you invited her to join your table for lunch. <Kure Kirika: *eyeroll* Do you guys really want to to join you, r are you just inviting me cuz you feel you have to?> Her, well, Kyouko-esque texting etiquette aside, she does bring up a valid point, and one which you couldn't answer for at the time. Do you really want her to join you, or are you only asking out of a sense of obligation?
It's difficult for you to answer, you think, because in both responses the seeds of truth are sewn. Her mother is a person who is growing in importance to Archer, and as such you feel an obligation as far as they are concerned; but you would be lying if you said you didn't also wish to get to know Kure Kirika for her own sake. You're seeing new sides to her, sides you didn't think existed in previous timelines. Before, all you ever saw of her was an obsessive committed solely to giving herself in full to MIkuni Oriko, even to the death of her own self. But that's changed; now, you've seen that she can and does share emotional connections with people that aren't Mikuni Oriko, and you've come to learn that she has her own interests and likes that don't revolve around Mikuni Oriko. Kure Kiriika is someone you once thought you had solved, but now you're finding out that you don't know nearly as much as you thought you did.
You don't like it when that happens, and you want to rectify it.
Fortunately, it appears that you might have that chance right now, as "Ah, Kirika-chan!" you spot a familiar face approaching the table. She waves back as Madoka calls out her name, hesitantly, as though deep down she knows she isn't truly welcome.
"Hey," is the half-hearted welcome which she gives back, taking her seat beside Tomoe-san at the farthest end of the table. "Oriko said I should try to make friends, so here I am." It's neither abrasive nor passive-aggressive, which is definitely an improvement from the Kure Kirika of even just a few weeks ago, but you can tell that she doesn't want to be here all the same. Deep down, you aren't sure you can blame her; a one-on-one conversation with the person you love, or an attempt at connecting with people that, in your mind, don't want anything to do with you; which would you take?
Well, as long as she's here, and as long as you're trying to get to know the Kure Kirika underneath Kure Kirika, you might as well attempt to make her see that, save for Sayaka, the people sitting at this table do want her to be there.
"Did you already eat?" Madoka asks, eying the conspicuous lack of a lunch box as Kure Kirika takes her seat. When a silent nod is Madoka's answer, she asks again "What did you have?"
"I had some of the vegetarian curry Oriko made a few nights ago. I know I said over the weekend that she made a lot and that we've been going through it, but I think it bears repeating; she made a lot. I love her, don't get me wrong, but I have no idea what she was thinking making so much of it."
"Well, do you like it?"
Again, Kure Kirika nods her head, but this time her response is less than silent. "I'll eat just about anything that Oriko makes. But I really like it the best when she makes sweets."
That's a response which both Madoka and Sayaka can agree on; well-made sweets are a manna you've ill had time to enjoy in your many iterations. Following Madoka's questioning, Hitomi decides to strike out with one of her own, asking "Do you have a favourite class, Kure-san? PE, perhaps? You do look to be in rather good physical shape; certainly you're a decent runner, if nothing else."
That slight twitch in Kure Kirika's eye as she turns her head towards Hitomi is all you need to know that wasn't a smart thing for Hitomi to say, given the reason she got to see Kure Kirika's running in the first place. "Don't really like any of my classes," she responds, thankfully not letting whatever level of displeasure she must be feeling show. "School's just something I gotta do in between spending time with Oriko; I'd rather if I didn't have to do it at all."
You don't want to know which of Hitomi's thoughts have betrayed her as, beet-faced, she asks "You certainly are rather devoted to Mikuni-san, aren't you?"
"Of course I am! Oriko's love takes me to my highest point! She's my everything, and I'd be completely lost without her." Though you say nothing, content to merely watch the reactions pass around the table at Kure Kirika's declaration of obsession, you know the truth in your heart; she's just as much of her own person as anyone else here. There's more to Kure Kirika than she's willing to admit. You wish you could understand why, then, that she insists on putting forward this front that nothing matters to her but Mikuni Oriko, even when everyone at this table has already seen that she has things she likes and cares about outside of Mikuni Oriko.
Is it because of how her Element and Origin are perfectly aligned? Is she afraid to admit that there's more to her than just her obsessive love? What's the reason behind it?
"... So, do you have a favourite movie, then?" Hearing Sayaka's question is what snaps you out of your thoughts; and you wonder just how much of the conversation you've missed thinking about this problem before you Clearly, you've missed at least the buildup that would have served as the impetus for Sayaka to ask the question.
Or maybe there was no buildup, and she's just trying to reach out of her comfort zone in as a comfortable a manner as she can.
"Uh... Well, I like a lot of older action movies, like Terminator, Aliens, Predator, stuff like that." You've never seen any of the movies being listed off by Kure Kirika, so you can't say whether those are choices you'd never have expected from her, or choices that in hindsight you should have seen coming. "And, after awhile I started getting into Oriko's Italian lesbian films; but I think I've got to give it to Iron Man if I had to pick a favourite."
Sayaka eyes Kure Kirika; you're not sure what that look in her eyes could mean, and your trepidation at not knowing is only heightened when she asks "You're into American comic books?"
"Nah, I'm more into yuri manga than American superheroes. I just thought Iron Man was a great movie."
You think you see what that look in Sayaka's eyes meant, but it's gone now. "Yeah, Iron Man was pretty good; the second one, not so much; but what I'm really excited about is seeing Thor in May." It was the look of someone who thought she had finally found someone else to gush about her favourite comic book heroes with. Sayaka turns to you and asks "So hey, Thor was a dude from mythology before he was a superhero, right? So, could you like, summon him? You know, as a servant? 'Cause that'd be so cool!"
You shrug, saying "I don't know. I would assume so, but I wouldn't want to give you a misleading answer when I myself don't know for sure." Sayaka looks downcast by your response, and so hoping to bring some levity back to her face you say "Cheer up. I'm sure your day will improve once you and Kyouko are on your date later."
Sayaka huffs at your words, firing back with "Yeah, that's what you think. That little brat'll probably make me pay for everything; and that's even assuming she'll ever still be free tonight after this big secret meeting you're all having." She shakes her head, muttering "Geez, why'd I ever agree to go out with her in the first place?"
"Just be confident and everything'll go just fine!" Madoka says, leaning over to offer what support she can to her friend. "I'm sure Kyouko-chan is feeling just as anxious about your date as you are."
You nod, chiming in with "Madoka is right. I know you're feeling anxious right now, but just be yourself, act confident, don't despair if things aren't perfect, and don't lose your cool no matter what happens, and everything will be fine. I know Kyouko might seem rough around the edges, but I'm sure that regardless of what she says to you or the impression that she gives off, she's hoping that tonight goes just as well as you are."
"Yeah, but like-" Sayaka sighs, shaking her head back and forth between you and Madoka as she says "Kyouko and I aren't as cozy as you two are. What works for you... I just don't know if it'll work for us."
"I know Sakura-san may seem abrasive and uncouth," Tomoe-san says, "But she really is such a nice girl underneath it. She just puts up walls because she's not used to having people around her to support her."
"And if all else fails, if she's being really annoying and she just won't stop saying stupid stuff no matter what-" Kure Kirika smirks; if the approach that you and Madoka have taken doesn't work for Sayaka and Kyouko, then perhaps the relationship advice of someone else who knows how to be abrasive just might. "-just ram your lips into hers and kiss her until she's too stupid to keep saying stupid things."
You look at Hitomi, who has been listening silently this whole time, as she eats her lunch and tries in vain to ignore the world around her.
[ ] Wat do?
