"Well," Mutsumi said as the lock clicked open, "Home sweet home!"

Mami looked about the room curiously as she entered the room. She had been here once before, but still it felt as if it were for the first time. In a way, it was; the last time she didn't really have the time to stop and enjoy the decor as she was too busy taking care of the owner. In fact, she didn't memorize any of the room's layout at all. She remembered it being a nice enough place if not a little unkempt. There was dust and garbage about the place, the counters were a bit dirty. Mutsumi had obviously let the place go back then, most certainly due to her depressive and possessed conditions, but Mami was glad to see that since then she worked to restore it to its former glory. It still wasn't the Windsor Castle, but it was homely and comfortable, and presentable to guests. Mami beamed a smile. She took this as a good sign, not only for Mutsumi's own mental condition, but that the lifestyle she chose for herself was right. She was blessed in that moment to actually see the consequences of her efforts pay off, which she rarely if ever got to see. It felt very rewarding. Her soul gem glimmered unseen.

"You can sit at the table if you want," Mutsumi said, pointing to the small dinner table huddled on the floor. "Thanks!" Mami said, still checking out her surroundings as she did so.

"You have a very nice place!" Mami said. "Very homey!"

"Ah, thank you!" Mutsumi said. Mami could hear the sounds of clanking going on from behind her. Mutsumi was preparing some soup. There was also something in the microwave. "Would you like any help?" Mami asked her, as she sat down and stretched, "I'm pretty good at cooking and baking myself."

"Oh, are you?" Mutsumi asked, turning to her while keeping her mind on her task, genuinely interested in her young love's life, "That's amazing!" Mami couldn't help but smirk. "Well," she said, "I don't know about amazing!"

"But please, you are my guest!" replied Mutsumi. "I don't want you to stress." Mami nodded and settled in. She really didn't feel like doing much anyway. It was her night off and since she didn't have to cook for herself now, she figured she'd might as well settle in. She hung her coat and umbrella on the rack and sat down, sighing in comfort as she removed her wet stockings and and folded them on the floor. Despite her initial reservations, Mami was quickly beginning to feel comfortable in Mutsumi's home. Everything about Mutsumi, her face and her voice, were very consoling and reassuring, and helped her feel very at ease. The scented candles that Mutsumi lit up most likely helped, too. With nothing really better to do, she whipped out her phone and looked at her text messages. She had received a few from her fellow magical girls. 'Have a good night off, Mami!' Sayaka texted her. 'Please relax and enjoy yourself!' Madoka had said. She texted her friends to wish them luck. She thought about explaining to them where she was, but something inside her decided against it. It's better to keep this encounter a secret for now, she figured, until she knew what this encounter really is. Besides, it wasn't like Mutsumi was dangerous or anything! Mutsumi came with some food, which she placed in front of her. "Here you go," said Mutsumi. Mami thanked her as she put her phone away.

"Looks good," Mami complimented. "Did you make this?

"Thanks….," Mutsumi said shyly, "but unfortunately I cannot claim the honor. It's some leftovers from delivery the other night! And the soup is store bought!"

She scratched the back of her head. "I'm sorry I didn't prepare a proper dinner; I'm just REALLY not that good a cook!" she explained.

Mami smiled. "No problem! It still looks delicious."

"I do feel like it's a bit of a cheat, seeing as how you … helped me and everything."

Mami snickered, "It's not at all, really! It looks good! You have great taste in food."

Mutsumi did a brief bow, partially as a bit of a joke, but partially to hide her blush from Mami's compliment. "Oh, why thank you!" 'I'm blushing because she likes my takeout?' she thought. 'I really AM like a high schooler!'

"Coffee?" Mutsumi asked, snapping back to reality.

"Hmm? Oh, no, but thank you! I'll be up all night! And this is my night off!"

"Night off? You have a job?"

"Oh, well yes, in a manner of speaking."

"Part-time job?"

"Umm, I guess you could say that," Mami said, hiding a laugh. 'I almost forgot that most people don't magical girl for a living'. She snickered quietly to herself as she actually thought about telling her what she really did for a living; ultimately deciding not to advertise herself as some sort of lunatic. "But it feels like full-time work sometimes!"

"Heheh!" Mutsumi snickered. "Just wait until you become an adult! It doesn't get any easier, let me tell you."

"Heheh, I believe you," Mami replied. "Of course, I used to have to do it EVERY DAY in the past," she moaned, "but we hired a couple of juniors from my school and they take some of the shifts off of me for now, so I have a little more freedom." Mami delighted in her explanation. Not only did she think that it was a brilliant cover, but it also made her sound kind of mature, almost like she was really talking shop with a real adult. She envisioned herself as the administrator of some department in some company, in a classy business suit dictating managerial orders to her subordinates, all of them going, "Yes, m'am!" as she finished issuing them. She smirked to herself. Mutsumi noticed this and smirked, too.

"That's great! Everyone needs some time to themselves," Mutsumi commented, "especially teenagers!" Mami sulked upon hearing this, "Awww! I had so much fun imagining myself as a boss right there. Why did you have to ruin it by reminding me that I'm just a teenager!" She sighed. Mutsumi giggled at how cute she was acting. The fact that Mami carried herself with such poise made her silly overreaction all the sweeter. "Sorry," was all she could say, although she didn't mean it too deeply.

They ate for a little while longer in silence. They both looked away, either around the room or at their food. Eye contact between the two felt a little awkward still. Mutsumi tried to think of something to say, but Mami interrupted her train of thought.

"Do you live here alone?" she asked.

"Sorry?" Mutsumi asked. "Oh why, yes," she said, "It's just me!" she said. "Why?"

"I dunno, I guess I suspected you to be married!" Mami said. There was an awkward silence, and Mami saw that Mutsumi's face had turned sullen. Mami went pale as she realized the implications. "Oh, I'm-" she stammered, feeling a pervasive sense of guilt, "-I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything by that!"

"It's okay," Mutsumi said, recomposing herself. Mami continued anyway, "Because honestly! I don't have any negative opinions about it or about you or anything! I just assumed that such a beautiful woman would be married!"

Mutsumi nearly choked on her food and coughed to dislodge it from her throat, the coughing helped mask her fierce blush. "Are you alright?" Mami asked worried for the woman's life as the last bit of chewed noodles coughed out of her mouth. "I do know the heimlich maneuver," the blonde said as she reached for her, but Mutsumi waved her off. "No, no! I'm fine!" she explained. "I just swallowed wrong, that's all!" Mutsumi decided not to tell her that she was caught off guard because her underaged crush found her stunningly gorgeous. 'Okay, that's not exactly how she said it,' Mutsumi told herself, 'but it might as well have been the way I've been acting.'

"Was it the shock of my asking that stupid question!" Mami sought clarity, "God, I dearly hope I haven't offended you!" Mutsumi nearly choked again from seeing Mami sitting there looking at her with her doe-eyed expression, innocent and cute, yet still dignified and mature. She managed to keep herself under control this time; however. Mutsumi shook her head, and said, "No need to be remorseful. If anything, as the older one I should be sorry my reaction made you feel awkward."

She sipped some tea, and elaborated. "I felt a little bad there when you asked me that because I thought you would think less of me if I told you the truth, but truth to be told, in general it doesn't really bother me that much these days. No, I'm not married. It used to affect me, but … I chose not to because I'm just not interested. I chose to focus on my career instead."

"Wow," Mami said. Mutsumi winced a little bit. She felt generally impressed with herself, but she wasn't sure if Mami would laugh at her or chastise her or believe her foolish for her life decisions. Instead the blonde teenager clasped her hands together, and with stars in her eyes, exclaimed, "That's SO cool!" Mutsumi blushed, and blinked slightly in disbelief. "I'm sorry?"

"That's SO cool!" Mami reiterated, "You're so cool and brave, Mutsumi!" Mutsumi flushed and stammered and felt her heart throb. "Well….," was all she could stammer out, "I don't know about brave!" she said.

"Yes, you are!" mami said again, "You're like a hero, Mutsumi! I don't know a lot of people who would make that choice; that would choose their own benefit over social pressure!"

"This praise is all too much for me!" Mutsumi said honestly, "Most people just think I'm a loser and a fool!"

Mami waved these hypothetical people off. "Oh, who needs shallow people like them anyway!" Mami clasped Mutsumi's hand, "They're just upset that they don't have the resolve you do."

"Heheh," Mutsumi chuckled, as she felt her eyes water. "Such a teenaged way of putting it," she said. Mami nodded, "Maybe," she replied, "but it's the truth!"

Mutsumi had to fight back some tears in her eyes as she felt years of abuse and ridicule disappear off of her. Mami saw her, and hugged her. "Thanks," the woman said as she accepted the embrace from her younger, "you….you don't know how much that means to hear that from someone!"

"You don't have to worry about any judgement from me!" Mami assured her. "You're so strong, Mutsumi!"

"Thanks," Mutsumi sniffled. "I-I did have some … help with coming to terms with it, though."

"Oh, really?" Mami replied, "Did you see a therapist."

"Well, no, actually," Mutsumi said, "It was you who helped me. Inadvertently. When you somehow saved me from dying, it really helped me turn my life around."

"Oh, really?" Mami loosened her hold on the woman and backed away. "I ….," Mami stammered, as she made eye contact with woman, tears of ecstasy forming in her eyes as she tried to speak. "I dunno what to say…," Mami said. "I was only trying to help."

"You did! In more ways than you know…"

"Well," Mami said, as she attempted to wipe her tears away, I'm crying now!"

Both of them chuckled as they embraced each other again. "I think you're the stronger one here!" Mutsumi said. She felt Mami shake her head in her bosom, "No! You definitely are!"

They both laughed. "Okay, we're both strong!" Mutsumi said.

"Mmmm," Mami nodded in her chest," We'll be strong for each other." Mutsumi nodded. "Yes, let's take care of each other." Mutsumi stroked Mami's hair delicately as she said this enjoying the warmth created by their bond. Outside, in the rain, people rain from the cold air and water as they tried to find a warm place for asylum, but Mutsumi was blessed to have hers right here. That's where she developed the courage.

"Mami" she whispered into her ear, "I hope you're not embarrassed by this question."

Mami pulled away and looked up. "What is it?"

"Do you have … a boyfriend?"

Mami looked pensive and shook her head, "Nnnmmm," she said, "I don't have a boyfriend!"

"Do you have," she continued, "a girlfriend, then?"

Mami looked away a little embarrassedly, but ultimately shook her head.

"Would you like one?"

Mami couldn't move as she notices her getting closer. Subtly, she shook her head, but it was so minute a movement she herself was scarcely aware of it. She tried to speak but she couldn't get the words out. She couldn't even think of what to say. Her body felt like it was on fire.

"Have you ever …. kissed anyone, Mami?"

Mami revived herself long enough to shake her head slightly. She barely whispered, "No," loud enough so that Mutsumi could just hear it. She felt exhilarated but also terrified, as if she knew in a single moment her life would drastically change and she wasn't prepared for it. Even if the change was good, the mere idea of it was terrifying enough.

Mutsumi moved in closer and pressed her lips upon Mami's, and they kissed. Mami felt the hair on her head stand up as her lips followed Mutsumi's lead, as if by instinct. Mutsumi hugged her hands around Mami and drew her in closer, slowly and delicately, and rubbed the back of her head as if nursing her. She cradled her in her arms as she continued to kiss the young girl. Her concerns: the judgement of her parents, society, and everyone; they all vanished, albeit briefly. Unfortunately it was all too briefly, as she felt a stuggle in between her arms. Mami pressed her hands against Mustumi's chest and pushed herself off. Mutsumi had a joke in her head about Mami being fast mover, but seeing the frightened look on Mami's face, she didn't dare make it.

Mami pushed out of her release and stared at her, clearly nervous. Mutsumi felt all the absolved negativity come rushing back on her a hundredfold. She sat there, this murderous feeling of guilt upon here as she tried to stammer some sort of explanation out of her mouth, something to make this okay again. "Mami," she said. "I-I-I'm …."

"I'm sorry!" Mami interrupted her as she rushed towards the door. She found that she had become uncharacteristically timid in the face of this woman. She was flushed. "I'm sorry, Mutsumi-san, but I have to go now!" She rushed her shoes on and haphazardly gathered all of her belongings. She fled to the door, fixed her hair really quick where Mutsumi had stroked her. She opened the door, took one more look at the woman before she said, "Forgive me!" as she slammed the door behind her and disappeared.

And there was nothing left to do but to sit there staring at the ground, tears in her eyes. "Stupid Mutsumi!" she muttered, sadly to herself. "You should've KNOWN that was going to happen! You DID KNOW but you thought that maybe just for a second that you could make it happen, didn't you! You fucking pervert!"

She threw her face down into the couch. "She saved my life and I repay her by ruining hers? By taking advantage of her?"

She looked up. She could hear only the sound of silence in her apartment: the sound of water and gas moving through the pipes, the electric whirrs and whizzing that her appliances made when not in use. The sound of slight pitter-patter against the windows. She looked out them at the cloudy sky. The bright neon lights of the city bounced back off of them. She saw the rain droplets fall down the windowpane outside. The rain wasn't as hard now. It was letting up.

She looked back towards the spot Mami had been sitting, and she saw her stockings still sitting there. Poor Mami had rushed out so fast, she must've left them behind, she thought. She reached over and gently grasped them. They were still wet from the rain. She looked at them and clutched them close to her chest, tearing up again.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mami!" Mutsumi said to them, "I'm so, so sorry! I just wanted you to know that I love you…"

Somewhere, Mami lept through the puddles, a little frightened, a little excited. She did know.