In the beginning, there was darkness.
And then, by the actions of a higher power, with far more cheer than she had to have deserved, the curtains were flung open.
"Let there be LIGHT!"
Its obstruction cleared, the midmorning sun surged into the room, scouring it clean of all shadow and forcing a picture-perfect ordinary boy from his slumber. "Kyouko...!!!"
Struggle though he may to bring back the darkness, first by burying himself beneath the covers, and then by covering his face with a pillow, Tsukune knew in his heart it was futile.
"Rise and shiiine~~!!"
And here I thought I could sleep in for once....
"Kyouko," he groaned, "it's summer vacation! Why are you getting me up so early?!"
Even though he was still screwing his eyes shut on account of the morning light, he knew his cousin well enough that he could practically sense her every movement; that even without using his eyes, he could all but see her expression down to the smallest detail.
"Hey now," she said with an audible pout unbecoming of a high school senior, doubtless crossing her arms over her chest. "I left you alone until nine in the morning, lazybones!"
Footsteps. Bare feet on hardwood. The sensation of solar particles slamming into his exposed skin at nearly two hundred thousand meters per second dimmed considerably, which meant she was probably looming over him.
That sounded about right. Ever since she realized she was more than a few inches taller than Tsukune, Kyouko loved looming over him. Tsukune didn't hold it against her, since he knew she didn't have ill intentions.
Although from the way she grinned while reaching down to rob him of the bedsheets - his very last barrier from having to get up - that point could certainly have been debated...
Against his will, Tsukune gradually opened his eyes, letting them get accostomed to the light. "It's been way too long since we got to spend any time together," Kyouko said with a smile, "and since the day is young and so are we, there's no reason not to take hold of it with both hands!"
Tsukune just stared up at his too-perky cousin, his expression eventually turning blank. "....can I at least get dressed, first?"
Despite himself, Tsukune found himself imagining what his friends would do in this situation, if they were in Kyouko's place.
Jotaro and Mizore probably would've been off doing their own thing, actually, so unless someone specifically asked them to wake him up, this situation wouldn't be happening.
Moka.... Moka would've had the decency to knock first, instead of just barging into his room like that. Tsukune liked to think that Kurumu would've as well, but given how aggressive she could be sometimes...
Y- actually, y'know what? That's a road best left untravelled, Tsukune decided as Kyouko cheerily left the room.
Sitting up with a sigh, Tsukune blearily looked around his room. Summer vacation was almost over, and he supposed that most boys his age would be dreading the return to school in another week or so. Heck, a year ago Tsukune had been dreading the end of his summer break. But now, after so many things had happened over the past few months....
Theoretically, Tsukune could do basically whatever he wanted. Kyouko's plans notwithstanding, Tsukune had the whole day to do any of the things he had loved doing last year.... just like yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that. And so on. And yet... Tsukune had no real interest in doing any of it, and he didn't know why. Gazing with a little guilt in his heart at the drawer in which he knew his NES to be gathering dust, Tsukune just.... didn't really feel like anything. And, to his parents' and Kyouko's hidden-but-really-very-obvious worry, it had pretty much been that way for the entire break.
"Now that I know about the world of monsters," he muttered to himself. "After everything that's happened since school started in April... it all just seems so... empty, now."
Going to the bathroom and getting himself cleaned up for the day, Tsukune continued to wonder. I never really had any friends before I went to Youkai Academy, he realized. Am I... getting lonely? Is that it? I haven't seen or heard from my friends in a while, and I'm getting anxious? Is that what's going on?
A shower later, Tsukune mechanically dressed himself. Or did I get so used to fearing for my life... for everyone else's lives and safety... that now that I'm safe at home, I don't know what to do with myself?
[]You know what, Kyouko might have the right idea. Maybe a change of pace is exactly what you need to start getting things back to normal again.
[].....a day on the town actually sounds kind of nice, but you'd like some time to try and figure out where your head's at.