Chapter Text
Mococo's tail is curled around her shin, ears pressed to her head. She's drowning in one of Shiori's jackets, her sister's shirt instead of her own. The usual press of her collar is replaced, a new one, one of Fuwawa's older ones, around her neck.
Gigi stands in front of her with a kicked look on her face. The eye on her tail is squinted, a scolded look on both of them as Gigi scuffs her boots in the pavement.
A plastic bag hangs from her fingers, the smell of pon-de-rings inside makes Mococo's mouth water, nose twitching. Her own hand is full of a box of crayons, the only thing within her budget that she was able to buy. Shiori had bribed Liz for her, gotten some intel of what Gigi liked.
Mococo still has doubts if it was good enough. Guilt still curls in her chest, pressing down on her lungs, and she thinks Gigi knows that with the way her neck is hidden by a high collar, a soft smile on her lips.
"Hey!" Gigi breaks the silence with a small wave. Her tail raises, and the sad look gets sadder as it also gives a little shake. It's a little pathetic, and Mococo can't help but crack a smile. Gigi lights up at that.
"Sorry to keep ya waiting. This guy," she jabs a thumb at the wriggling tail, an annoyed huff passing through her nose. "Didn't want to apologize."
"Ah." Mococo breathes out, and the gift feels a little too heavy in her palms. "It's okay. It was an accident, if anything I should be the one apologising."
Gigi raised a brow, incredulous. "For what? Acting in self defense? If anything, I'm surprised you didn't push me away sooner, what, with the way I was basically hanging off your shoulder."
Mococo's cheeks pink, a claw coming up to scratch at her nape. "I, uh, I kinda liked it. It was fun, I- I had fun."
She blinks, and even the tail pauses. "You- you liked watching cocomelon with me?"
Mococo shrugs, knows her face is redder, reaching up to her ears. "It was very distracting."
"Ah, I thought you were overwhelmed." Gigi nods, understanding painting her face. "In any case, I still think my guy's in the wrong. I'd have reacted much the same."
She scuffs her paws on the ground, the grass tickling along her bare shins. Her tail slowly unwinds and the soft breeze brushes her ears.
"I bought you crayons." She mutters, and Gigi lights up, giddy with excitement.
"Seriously?! Aww man, thanks Mococo!" Her tail is the one that reaches for the gift, and Gigi reels it back by giving it the plastic bag. "Here, I got you some, uh, ponderings?"
"Pon-de-rings." Mococo softly corrects, brushing the back of her knuckles against the inky fur underside of Gigi's tail. It curls its claws against her paws, eyes squinted in apology. Mococo pats it softly before taking the treats.
Gigi chuckles. "Same thing." She waves it off, plopping down on the ground, with Mococo not too far behind. "Shiori basically threatened to have my tail, uh, switch places with my throat if I didn't apologize. Not that I wouldn't have without it, but, moreso that I didn't know what you liked."
The distant sound of children laughing is nice, as is the way Gigi's voice curls around her like a warm quilt, like one of Fuwawa's hugs.
"Funny," she mutters, tail brushing just so with the claw on Gigi's. "Liz was the same."
Gigi laughs at that, finger pads already dusted a faint orange colour. Mococo finds her own smile tugging at her lips, powered sugar heavy on her tongue as something in her chest loosens.