Cleaning service

[aoi_droplets]

Ami stops short the second she steps inside. Her eyes take in the ransacked room with more than a little trepidation. They move back and forth, assessing the damage. She stays that way long enough to begin to worry she won't be able to move again, when she finally does

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[aoi_droplets]

Ami startles with a sharp breath, but turns around and recognizes her visitor immediately.

"Jadeite..." She hadn't quite expected him to come by somehow. "Mm... I was finishing cleaning these up before I leave." If he'd be neater, she wouldn't have to work as hard, of course.

[aoi_droplets]

She's not... a maid, really; she's just... something... that isn't a maid... but that does work in the garden sometimes... and housework.

"I guess it's different," she says neutrally. Of course a different Mercury would be a guest. Not hired-by-coersion help.

[aoi_droplets]

Ami... would really rather have kept this secret a bit longer. 'Forever' sounds about right. But with Usagi right here, she can't. "Usagi-chan!"

"Ah... You see, awhile ago, I damaged some of Kunzite's plants he was working hard on. So to make up for it, I've been helping him with them and other things around the house."

[aoi_droplets]

Well, Ami doesn't mind, really. It's a bit awkward, but it's only fair, isn't it? She should pay him back for her mistake.

Ami nods. "Ever since then, I come here sometimes. Usually it's in the garden." She scrubs at a particularly dried-on plate while they talk.

[aoi_droplets]

It'd be nice if she could disappear right now.

"Ah, no..." Ami searches for a way to explain. She settles for the bare details first. "It's Kunzite and everyone's house. I help them here sometimes."

Which, thanks to the nexus, the senshi will now know when she'd been trying not to worry them about things. Well, it's the nexus' fault.

[aoi_droplets]

"Ah... that..." Ami gives Makoto a small smile. "I damaged some things awhile ago. I've been coming here sometimes since then to pay back for it."

[aoi_droplets]

Well, it had been a mess. And she does work for them anyway.

"I'm almost finished," she tells Kunzite without turning around. "How are the new plantings?"

[aoi_droplets]

"Mm! I'm glad." And that means this will be over soon, doesn't it? She'll be free to... have free time. It's a precious commodity already between school, cram schools, and studying at home. Plus fighting some of the youma that seem to still be cropping up. (Metalia? It has to be.)

[aoi_droplets]

She would, but it'd be way to rude to ask for it to be done by... her... older... self?

The dishes are quite forgotten. "Eh? Are you really me?"

[aoi_droplets]

It... does, doesn't it?

"I'm almost finished with these. Would you like tea after?" She doesn't feel too badly about offering the house's hospitality that far. After all, it'd be rude not to take care of the guest.

Yes. Guest. Ignore the identical-but-older face and all the questions it makes her want to ask about the future.