Spike's definitely out of his comfort zone: gun under virtual lock and key (which means no clip loaded), lighter tucked away safely, and... he has no fucking idea what to expect
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A moment after the sound of the front door being opened and shut again, comes the patter of a child running towards him. "ONIIISAN!!" she calls.
Out of breath, she stops right in front of him and without a moment of hesitation, places her hands flat on his lap so she can peer into his eyes. Satisfied with what she sees, (that it really is Spike!... His hair is the same color as Setsuna-mama's, more-or-less), she quickly breaks out into a grin and wraps him as much as she can, unabashfully, in a huge hug.
Laughing quietly, he shakes his head: he deserved that, he guesses. "You can put the pout away, imoutosan, I'm immune to its charms."
Now he laughs out loud, but the laugh fades.
So she really did die that night back in March. He'd thought so. He'd kind of felt it, and he can't explain how he knew or why he knew it but really, he did.
A few months. And yet she's not an infant. There must be a hell of a lot of magic at work. Of course, she could do magic on him before.
"Okay."
That's all he says about it. Anything else will lead them right back to what she said she didn't want to talk about, not tonight, and he doubts he can stand her pressing that tiny white palm of hers against his face again. He's better when things are a little more remote.
After waiting, surprised when nothing else is said, she relaxes again. It's all natural to her - everything that's happened since her rebirth. But her parents were shocked. ChibiUsa was shocked when they were finally reunited. It is shocking. She smiles gently to Spike.
Spike watches her for a little bit, then gives her a small grin. "Glad you're happy. Glad you're back. Glad you're not Bound. Glad you have a good family."
He's happy for her for all those things.
"You coming back again soon, or did you come here to check up on me and say goodbye?"
Hotaru's smile gets that 'oops' look. "I'll definitely be back." She holds the face, then adds, "My parents grounded me because I ran away to come here, and I think they'll be... upset with me when I get back."
She bites her bottom lip, "So... maybe not tomorrow... but...." She lowers her voice, "I'll sneak back when I can."
"Want me to write you a hall pass?" Reaching out, he squeezes her shoulder. "Don't get yourself in trouble by staying here with me, imoutosan. Hell, I'm just glad to see you again."
He gives a small nod to the door. "If you have to go, just say so. I'll always be glad to see you, whenever."
"Anyone you want me to talk to for you? Until you can come back again, that is? Want me to tell Ed I saw you, or do you want to tell her yourself?" Seems the least he can do for her.
"Or... if Beth and I make it out there again before you get back, you want me to bring you any souvenirs?"
He doubts there's much left on Earth in the way of tourist trade, but they'll find out. Hell, if he can take Beth to her tropical island he can bring back shells and they can make a damn wind chime.
Together.
He can't guarantee it will balance, though.
He gives her a genuine smile. He didn't even realized how much he missed her.
She smiles widely, and runs off to the front door.
It takes her a moment to pull it open, (as if it's heavier than when she arrived), but she does, leaning back with her weight. Then she waves back to Spike. She steps through, and the door shuts behind her.
(and when she arrives at the other side of the portal, all three of them are surrounding it, staring at the place she had pointed to before she fell in, in puzzlement.
She fell to the ground ungracefully, and they immediately swarmed over her with hugs and demands.
"I'll tell you about everything," she said. "It was there.")
Out of breath, she stops right in front of him and without a moment of hesitation, places her hands flat on his lap so she can peer into his eyes. Satisfied with what she sees, (that it really is Spike!... His hair is the same color as Setsuna-mama's, more-or-less), she quickly breaks out into a grin and wraps him as much as she can, unabashfully, in a huge hug.
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Now he laughs out loud, but the laugh fades.
So she really did die that night back in March. He'd thought so. He'd kind of felt it, and he can't explain how he knew or why he knew it but really, he did.
A few months. And yet she's not an infant. There must be a hell of a lot of magic at work. Of course, she could do magic on him before.
"Okay."
That's all he says about it. Anything else will lead them right back to what she said she didn't want to talk about, not tonight, and he doubts he can stand her pressing that tiny white palm of hers against his face again. He's better when things are a little more remote.
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He's happy for her for all those things.
"You coming back again soon, or did you come here to check up on me and say goodbye?"
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She bites her bottom lip, "So... maybe not tomorrow... but...." She lowers her voice, "I'll sneak back when I can."
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He gives a small nod to the door. "If you have to go, just say so. I'll always be glad to see you, whenever."
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She raises her chin a little, "I'm a big girl," she says with a mild sense of self-irony. "They just need to accept me as I am.
"But yes," she says, "I'll need to go back pretty soon..."
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"Or... if Beth and I make it out there again before you get back, you want me to bring you any souvenirs?"
Ed likes piyokos.
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"I'd love something from the future...
"Like... a windchime? Or something I can hang back up in my room back home."
Something that I can look at to think of you.
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He doubts there's much left on Earth in the way of tourist trade, but they'll find out. Hell, if he can take Beth to her tropical island he can bring back shells and they can make a damn wind chime.
Together.
He can't guarantee it will balance, though.
He gives her a genuine smile. He didn't even realized how much he missed her.
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"And a picture, of my family back home."
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"Doumo arigatou, bibishii-imoutosan." His Japanese is rusty as hell, but he bets she gest the gist of it.
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...."Oh!" They're looking for me in the woods...
She grins, "I should go!"
She leaps and hugs him again, then stands back. "See you soon!"
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He watches as she stands back, smiling.
You take care. Don't go fucking disappearing on me again.
Yeah.
That especially.
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It takes her a moment to pull it open, (as if it's heavier than when she arrived), but she does, leaning back with her weight. Then she waves back to Spike. She steps through, and the door shuts behind her.
(and when she arrives at the other side of the portal, all three of them are surrounding it, staring at the place she had pointed to before she fell in, in puzzlement.
She fell to the ground ungracefully, and they immediately swarmed over her with hugs and demands.
"I'll tell you about everything," she said. "It was there.")
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