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Homura Akemi is the only one that remembers.
They are not human; they are a machine. A delicate, fragile framework. A cycle.
But now she’s gone.
Madoka wasn’t a human either—not anymore—but she wasn’t a machine like Homura. Not a system. A force of nature.
Cycles usually tend to serve something. A purpose. A planet orbiting a star. A loyal servant and a higher being. The never ending love of a friend.
They didn’t care that Madoka only knew them as a stranger in most of the timelines; she was gone. Homura’s only friend is gone.
Or so they thought.
“Homura, are you well?”
Mami stops her stride; she must had noticed Homura was “out of it”, as Kyoko called it; eyes glazing, gaze averted, head tilted downwards.
Kyoko was waving his hand in front of Homura’s face. Homura shaked their head. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
Mami giggled nervously, and the three girls began to walk again. “Sorry. I couldn’t help but notice.”
Kyoko looks like he’s about to say something, but he doesn’t.
The three magical girls were walking to Mami’s apartment for tea. Mami couldn’t seem to help it; she had stated that the three of them could bond more, after all they had been through, through fighting Nightmares (since Witches no longer existed in this world) and recently, Sayaka’s death.
Neither Mami or Kyoko seemed to realize the cause of Sayaka’s death, but Homura knew they had simply been taken by the Law of Cycles. Kyoko had been living with Sayaka prior to their death, and still was. Kyoko was good at hiding it, but deep inside, Homura could tell Kyoko was devastated. Kyoko had lost his only friend too.
Mami was lonely; that was no secret to Homura at this point. Mami had never had a friend, nor could she really keep one either. Even if in some timelines Homura befriende—ACQUAINTED Mami, she never really had a friend.
They were all lonely. And they always will be.
Or so they thought.
They had finally reached Mami’s apartment, as Mami unlocked the door.
As homely as it looked, Homura knew that Mami spent long, lonely hours in here. Homura felt disdain; they were reminded of memories here. Of Mami….and of her.
Homura smothered the thought. No need to reminisce, especially not with *them* around.
“Make yourself at home,” Mami said, and promptly, Kyoko did, not waiting to kick off his shoes and sprawl over the sofa. Homura simply takes a seat by the coffee table.
“Do either of you have a preference on your tea?” Mami calls from the kitchen. “Kyoko?”
“Nope. Just make somethin’ good.”
“Homura?”
“Me neither. Same as Kyoko.”
“Alright,” Mami says, and just like that, it becomes uncomfortably silent, with the only noticeable noise being Mami making the tea.
After a few minutes, Kyoko stretches and turns to Homura, scanning them up and down. Kyoko frowns.
“Yknow, Homs, why’re ya so awfully quiet most of the time?”
Homura tries not to get caught off guard by such a blunt question, but they shake the fear. They knew all of the girls better than they knew themselves, so this was normal behavior for Kyoko.
….right?
“What do you mean?” Homura jabs back with the same, but more calm and controlled tone. “I….I’m always like this.”
“No, I know that already.” Kyoko slims his eyes at Homura. “I mean, why do you keep spacin’ out when we’re doing normal things like, hell, normal walking?”
Homura keeps their guard up, but they become confused. Kyoko wasn’t usually the type to notice little behaviors like this, not since Sayaka.
Was it really just a little behavior, though?
“I really can’t stand to see ya look so….”Kyoko pauses to find the right word, “down.” Kyoko sounds nonchalant, but he’s serious. “For hell’s sake, Homs, we’re your friends.”
Friends….
“Is—Is that how you see me, I mean, us?” Homura stammers. They see Mami in their periphery, who hasn’t said anything this entire time, but looks just as surprised as Homura is.
“Maybe that was the wrong word. But are ya kiddin’? Whether we’re all buddies or not, I think it’s in common courtesy to look out for each other. Ya get what I mean?”
“Yeah, Homura,” Mami finally says, picking the cups of tea up, “We should look out for each other….because that’s what friends do.”
Homura is surprised. Kyoko was upfront, but he was never this casually sensitive. Or maybe he was just being honest.
Homura gently simmers the thought. Are they friends? Is Homura even worthy of it? Could they be vulnerable with them ?
Could they be vulnerable with them?
Homura looks up at both of them. “I’ll….think about it,” they say, and deep inside, they hope that they both take it as a yes.
If Homura was being honest with themself, they couldn’t stand to be alone for much longer.
Homura’s reply hangs above their heads, and the three magical girls look between each other for a long minute.
Suddenly, Mami perks up, realizing something. “Would it be weird to ask….if we made soup and dessert together?”
“I mean, food is food, so yeah!” Kyoko gets off the sofa, and Homura stands up. Mami is close to them, and takes a glance to see if Kyoko is looking or not. She comes close to Homura’s face. “We care about you, Homura,” she whispers. “Kyoko may not show it….but we’re like family to him.” They both glance at Kyoko. “Talk to us. Please. We care about you.”
Mami walks over to the kitchen table. “Alright, let’s see what we need to do first.”
And just like that, the girls got to work. Homura and Kyoko were cutting carrots, while Mami was actually throwing the ingredients together to make the soup.
Some time passes, Homura didn’t know how long, and she finds herself lost in thought until they feel a carrot hit their forehead.
“Kyoko! That’s rude!” Mami said in a serious but playful way. Kyoko had flicked a carrot at Homura with a fork!
“Yeah, Kyo, I thought we were friends now.” Homura wasn’t one to use nicknames, but surely, Kyoko wouldn’t mind, right? Homura catches Mami and Kyoko share a smile for a second at the word “friend.”
“This acquaint—friendship has ended!” Homura jokes, which makes Kyoko whine.
“Awww Homs, you’re breakin’ my heart!” Kyoko says as he flicks another carrot piece at Homura.
“I’ll show you—!”
Homura playfully charges towards Kyoko. “Oh shit—“
Homura chases Kyoko around the table as if they were children, or like a dog chasing its tail. “Girls, girls.” Mami says, “you need to finish your job.” Neither of them apologize, but neither of them were mad. How long has it been since Homura was in such high spirits?
The girls finish the soup, and set it on Mami’s coffee table. “We did a great job, Mami!” Kyoko hoots. Homura glares. “And Homs too. I guess,” she jokes.
“Watch. Your. Mouth.” Homura spits back, almost holding back the urge to scoff.
It was almost tiring; they were never this open and playful, not even with Tatsuya, who she saw every now and then.
Kyoko had the energy of a child. And it seemed like that deep inside Homura, they did too.
The soup was delicious, it felt hot in their mouth, and warm in their stomach. I guess it really was made with love, Homura humorously thought to theirself. How….sappy.
The dessert was in the oven; they had made a vanilla cake. Mami was making the frosting, while the other two washed and cut strawberries.
Homura feels bold today. They flick a strawberry at Kyoko. Kyoko dodges.
“You might be strong, Homs, but this is not just a skill. It’s an art.”
Homura shakes her head, smiling. “You’re so stupid.”
Kyoko grins. “Takes one to know one.”
That doesn’t even make grammatical sense, Homura thinks but does not say.
It’s now evening. Mami takes the cake out of the oven, and as soon as it’s cooled, she frosts it with white icing. She adorns the cake with the newly cut strawberries. She picks it up and brings it to the coffee table
“C’est fini. Dig in!”
It’s delicious, and Kyoko seems to agree. Be lets out what sounds like a grumble and a cackle of delight. “Oh, I haven’t taste somethin’ this good in AGES!” He promptly takes another slice.
Homura is tempted to revert back into their stoic and reserved self. But they don’t. “Thank you for the food, Mami,” they say warmly.
“Yeah, Mami, this FUCKS!”
Mami giggles at Kyoko’s reaction, but she almost becomes….tearful. “….No, thank you both.”
And for the first time in a while, Homura genuinely smiles to theirself. They can be vulnerable, can’t they?
But they did know without a doubt. They are still allowed to love, and they are more than definitely still allowed to have friends.