WAITING

By BHS

"So what do we do?"

"We wait."

"I hate waiting."

"I know."

Kyoko clenched her fingers around the rock she was holding, and tossed it away. It hit a piece of the overhanging rubble, and a small cloud of dust descended fell over her, making her cough.

Two hours ago, a building had dropped on them. The Demon's Lair was filled with tall, abandoned towers that were prone to collapsing… they had realized this too late. One Tiro Finale had missed its mark, and the next thing they knew, the Puellae Magi were buried under three tons of rubble. There was no way out. It was cold and dusty and dark, the only light coming from the glow of their Soul Gems, now changed back into their Fabergé egg forms. Kyoko and Mami had spent ten minutes trying to break through the ceiling of rubble that had trapped them… but once they realized that it was hopeless, they transformed back to their civilian forms, in order to conserve their power.

Kyoko sighed and hugged her knees to her chin. "You'd think Akemi would have beaten it by now."

"Mmm-hmm," said Mami, closing her eyes.

"Maybe she got buried too. I don't hear anything out there."

"Akemi-san will be all right," Mami said without looking at her. "She'll defeat the Demon. Have faith in her."

"But what if she doesn't?" Frustration crept into Kyoko's tone. "What if she's stuck under a goddamn building like we are, and-"

"Sssh." Mami laid a delicate hand on Kyoko's knee. "Don't think that way."

"Dammit, what else am I supposed to think?" The red-haired girl growled and contemplated pushing Mami's hand away, then decided not to bother. "It's been two hours. Two hours, Mami. You know Akemi, she works quick. When she wants something dead, it gets dead. If she had already killed the Demon, the Lair would collapse and we wouldn't be stuck here, would we?"

"I don't know. Perhaps this is a different sort of Demon."

Abruptly Kyoko stood up, as straight as she was able in the cramped space. "I hate this!" She wanted to stomp around, pace, punch something, kick something, do anything except just sit and wait to die…

"Kyoko, hush," said Mami, the picture of calm. "Sit back down and try to be patient."

"'Patient?'" She laughed, but it was an ugly, mocking sound, devoid of amusment. "Come on, Mami, I can't just sit there and do nothing, I'm going fucking crazy here…"

"Then at least let me help."

"Help? How?"

"Come here."

Kyoko looked down at her and narrowed her eyes. "Is this a trap?"

The smallest chuckle escaped Mami's lips. "Trust me. Come here."

Eyeing the blonde girl as if she were going to pounce at any moment, Kyoko sat back down on the upturned concrete.

Mami shook her head. "No, not there. Here," she said, patting her lap.

"You've got to be kidding," said Kyoko with a snort.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

"I can't tell, it's too damned dark."

"Must you be so difficult?"

"Difficult? Who's being difficult? I'm being realistic."

"That's funny," said Mami with a smile. "Being realistic looks quite a bit like being difficult."

"Har har."

"Are you going to sit down or not?"

"Fine, whatever." Kyoko raised her haunches, then plopped down into Mami's lap. "Now what am I-"

Suddenly her cheek was resting against Mami's breast. Mami's hand was on her head, her arm was wrapped around her. Faintly she could smell the floral sweetness of Mami's favorite shampoo, and the merest hint of her favorite black tea on her breath. She breathed, and Kyoko shifted, feeling her heartbeat through the fabric of her school uniform. "M-Mami, wh-what-" In the dark, her cheeks turned as fiery red as her hair.

"Sssh," said Mami, tightening her embrace just slightly. "Just relax, and try to rest. Doesn't it feel good like this?"

Kyoko squirmed, not wanting to give Mami the satisfaction of admitting it. "This is your idea of getting me to relax?"

"Do you have a better idea?" whispered Mami, keeping her head nestled in her bosom.

"N -not really," said Kyoko, feeling a warmth that had little to do with the closeness of Mami's body to hers. "Th-thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome."

They sat quietly for a few minutes, while Mami ran her fingers through Kyoko's hair.

"Gotta admit one thing," said Kyoko, breaking the silence.

"Hmm? What's that?" Though she couldn't see it, Mami somehow felt Kyoko's lips spreading into her trademark fanged grin.

"These huge mutant cow boobs of yours…" said Kyoko, giving one a playful squeeze, "They make for pretty nice pillows."

Mami smiled. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"No, really. They're… they're nice. I like them."

"Thank you, Kyoko," said Mami, displaying the faintest hint of a blush.

Almost against her will, Kyoko let out a contented sigh, nuzzling Mami with her cheek. "So what do we do now?"

"We wait," said Mami.

"I hate waiting."

"I know."

"But this…" Kyoko continued, choosing her words carefully. "I guess this isn't too bad."

"I'm glad to hear it."

An hour later, as the Demon's Lair fell to pieces and dissolved, Homura Akemi scanned the thinning wreckage. "Mami? Kyoko? Can you hear me?" It was early morning in the real world, the street was filled with fog. Her Soul Gem glowed violet and began to dispel the mist as she searched. "Mami? Kyoko?"

She frowned, and was about to call for them telepathically, when she heard an odd sound. Her body tensed for a moment, slipping into combat mode before she realized what it was…

It was a snore, somewhat muffled, coming from the smaller of the two figures wrapped in each others' arms in the middle of the street, both fast asleep.

A rare smile spread across Homura's face as she turned and disappeared into the fog.

END