isleofavalon | october catch all | don't call me 'honey'

[ Minako feels sad too when she notices Makoto is gone. Of course she does. Even though she knows that she's going to see the other girl again the moment she goes home, she has no idea how long it's going to take before she gets to go home again in the first place. And until then she will have to spend time here in this place without her presence - just like how she has to spend it without Ami's, without Rei's.

She's the only one who's left of their little group of being Usagi's protectors.

But that's not the only thing she's thinking about. Minako knows that there's more Makoto is leaving behind - and of course her mind first and foremost goes to Naoto when she thinks about that. Those two really seemed so fond of each other, and now.. this. They never even got to say goodbye, did they?

Thankfully Minako has a good idea of where to find the other, so the girl soon enough makes her way over to the cafe. She doesn't quite enter, since she doesn't want to startle him, but after a few moments - look, she was hoping he'd look up, but he didn't!! - Naoto might hear someone knocking against the front window of the cafe.

And when he looks at the source, he will find Minako standing outside, giving him a small - extremely small, by her standards - smile as a greeting. ]

[ the teenager looks up at the door, wondering who would be coming in at the dead of night, but that bright yellow hair and wave was more than enough. he swallowed thickly-- what even is there to say to her? the cynic in him wanted to say something, but the kindness in him quickly won out: she was probably hurting, just as much as he is. maybe more so, what with the 'reincarnated space princesses' thing they all had going on.

so instead of being the asshole his broken heart wants him to be, he stands up and heads over to open the door. even if he had wiped his face before doing so, it was clear that naoto had been crying. puffy eyes and reddened cheeks were hard to hide, after all. but even so, he still forces on a smile. ]

Hey, Minako... did you need something?

Hmm.

[ The girl's head dips into a nod, her look turning perhaps even a bit more sympathetic when she sees Naoto's face up close. It was one thing to see his form from behind the window, but now she can clearly see just how red his face and eyes are.

.. he really liked Makoto that much, huh? It's so sad.. Why do people suddenly have to be separated like that here? ]

I just wanted to give you some company. [ She makes sure to not let her smile waver as she says it. She wants to try and be a comforting presence here. A supportive one.

She moves her hands out from behind her back, holding up a bag of cookies. ]

And some cookies! [ Her smile turns a tad more awkward. ] Which.. I might only now be realising wasn't my brightest idea..

[ Yes, Minako, bring cookies to the guy with a cafe full of sweets. Ugh! Okay, maybe she panicked when she realised she had someone she quickly had to go to comfort and grabbed the first thing she thought of, o-okay! ]

[ company was appreciated. he didn't want to be alone, but he's always been alone so he wondered if he had just unconsciously pulled away from those he cared about. he had to get better about that. but also, he didn't need to have others see him cry over the loss. unless that was normal...?

what was normal, actually? naoto didn't know.

but then the cookies were offered. yes, not her brightest idea, but that couldn't stop naoto from giggling. ]

Thanks. [ it was a sincere thanks, even if his voice was shaky and strained. ] Come in. I'll get some tea going-- think I'm tired of the thing I was drinking anyways.

[ He doesn't have to tell her twice to come in. Minako does so right away, carrying the cookies with her until she can set them down where he was sitting a moment ago. Then the girl herself takes a seat there, still smiling at the other once Naoto passes by her to put the tea on. ]

I can't believe you were sitting here all by yourself.. [ It's not whining though, nor is it a complaint. If anything, sympathy shines through in her voice as she says it. ] It's a good thing I came.

[ Because otherwise he might just have kept sitting here all by himself. ]

It's too sad to deal with this all alone.

[ naoto's back was turned, but those words hit him a lot harder than he'd thought they would. yeah, he was lucky she was around to at least make the pain a little more bearable. he keeps working on the tea, choosing a simple chamomile tea to ease the buzzing in his head.

but soon enough, two steaming cups were on the table, and naoto puts the gifted cookies on a plate. ]

Yeah, it kind of is... pathetic too, really. But honestly, who would I even go to, with this kind of problem...? [ a small, bitter laugh. ] Most people would've told me to get over it, back home.

.. What do you mean?

[ The look on her face definitely turns more concerned as she looks at him now, her brows knitting together into a frown. ]

Why would they just tell you to get over it? [ Sure, Minako can see some merit in it, if someone has been moping for too long. But Makoto only just left! That would mean they wouldn't even be giving Naoto the slightest moment to mourn his loss. ] What's so wrong with being sad when something that hurts you happens? It's not even like this is a little thing.

I think it's just their way of moving forward. Just ignore the pain you feel and look to the future, I think.

[ he takes a sip of his tea. it certainly helps him calm down before he tries to speak again, especially if his gut feeling is to just be angry about it. he doesn't even understand why he's so angry. ]

... It's not like this is an easy thing to get over. I feel kind of lost, really.

[ Well, it sure is.. a way to move forward, she supposes. But Minako doesn't think it's right to just force that sort of thing onto everyone - especially since it might not really help in the long run, forcing you to just remember the pain at some point later down the road.

It's why she doesn't tell him to move on right now. Instead her gaze turns a little softer still when he says he feels lost.

Naoto never seemed like the type to say that kind of thing. ]

It's hard. When you really like someone, and they're suddenly gone.. It's like losing a piece of yourself. Of course you'd feel lost. [ Minako slowly shakes her head. ] I mean.. you really seemed to like Mako-chan.

[ naoto's pain is actually still fresh, since no one's ever really cared to help him through it, but he doesn't hold it against anyone. he figures it'll just be something he carries to his grave.

but when minako doesn't give him the expected response, but instead something completely different, he blinks. well, that really is new. but she mentions how much he loved her, and he can only muster a small smile. ]

I did. She was so nice to me... always keeping me straight, and making sure I did well. I hope I did the same for her, but even so. [ he sighs. ] I miss her.

That sounds like her.

[ Keeping people straight? That might as well be Makoto's speciality. Minako has never known anyone who looked out more consistently for her friends than that girl - and she can only imagine Makoto did that even more for the person she liked. ]

But.. [ Minako's voice trails off. Usually she's a little more direct, but she's not too sure with Naoto. Considering their previous interactions, she really wasn't even sure if the other really liked her or merely tolerated her, so she doesn't want to push too hard here. She doesn't want to just annoy him or make him feel worse. ]

Even though it hurts a lot, and even though I know no one can replace someone else.. You're still not alone here in this city.

[ Even if he's experiencing loss and hurt.

That doesn't mean he has to be lost. Or alone. ]

A guy like you has to have plenty of friends, right..?

[ the hesitation is something naoto notices, but doesn't point out. it's obvious that he may have been a little too harsh towards her, and it's showing in her approach. it makes him want to be nicer to her-- maybe he's been a bit too prickly, even to those he does consider friends.

man, he might as well be a cactus at this point. he winces at all this introspection. minako's statement about friends really drives that feeling into his chest. he laughs weakly before speaking. ]

No, I'm pretty small on the friends department. [ mostly because he's a very awkward teenager. ] But yeah. I have you and some of my other friends to go to, yeah?

[ Pretty small?

Minako wonders if it contributes to him feeling so lost. Not that the pain of losing someone you love in that way wouldn't hurt all the same, but most people would feel like they at least have some people to fall back onto..

.. rather than sitting here by themselves. Oh no, is that why he was all alone? ]

Of course! That's why you should've gone to one of your friends right away!

[ Is this hypocritical? Yes, but it won't stop her from saying it. ]

If you had showed up at our doorstep, I would've let you in and tried to comfort you, you know? I'd be a little surprised you picked my doorstep to show up on, sure, but.. it's not like I'd leave you out in the cold, especially when you're hurt.

october catch all | don't call me 'honey'

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