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Kotone was hungry.
Not just hungry. Absolutely famished. She felt herself get lost in work today, and in her busy trance she forgot the most important things in the world: food. Her stomach was practically barking at her to have something. Normally she would get up, limp over to her kitchen, and make a sandwich worthy of being displayed in a Michelin star restaurant. However, this was nothing remotely near normal. No, this was a situation of national importance!
Yukari was sleeping on her.
She wasn’t as strong as she was in her youth, so she could barely give a gentle push to the sleeping actress to give her some space. Damn that seal sapping her life force! She didn’t mind it most days, but now was one of the times that it gave her a real kick in the ass. Saving humanity & she can’t even get herself a midnight snack. It wasn’t even an option to even nudge Yukari to make her move. She just came from a lengthy promotion tour with Takamaki. Yukari needed the rest, and she definitely wouldn’t comment on the dark circles under her eyes without any make-up on. This was a test. Of course it is! It’s a test of her will & decision making.
Spending the past thirty minutes in the dark formulating an escape plan from her sleeping wife, Kotone believes that she finally has a foolproof way to both keep Yukari happy AND satiate her growing hunger. Grabbing a pillow, she slowly inches her way to the edge of the bed. As the gap between her and Yukari grows, she slots in the pillow to (hopefully) keep her from noticing anything. At least until she was done with her now-half past midnight snack. Each movement ruffles the bed slightly, her eyes wide awake in fear of poking a slumbering dragon out of its rest. On one hand, she was flattered that her grip was ironclad on her. On the other hand… her sandwich.
Taking another few minutes to continue wriggling, she can hear the soft snores coming from Yukari. It practically melts her heart at the adorable noises she makes when no one but her is around. It felt like a privilege to have this exclusive side of Yukari all to herself. In a way, she’s glad she stuck around through thick & thin. From the weeks following her extended coma, to the Yasoinaba incident, to whatever the hell the Phantom Thieves did years ago - she was there. Hell, she could even say that the literal destruction of humanity couldn’t separate her from Yukari. Something she holds in high regard, of course. She has to brag about it every chance she gets. If she could, she would scream it from the top of the world!
But before that… food. If Nyx couldn’t kill her, the hunger will.
After a good twenty minutes of careful movements, she can finally taste freedom. Quite literally, even! Though the warmth of a loved one rests in bed, the warmth of a good meal could often replicate that to a lesser degree. Now free from the confines of a pretty woman, Kotone leans against a nearby wall to put all the weight on her good leg. A brief wince comes from her, the pain of moving her right leg enough to properly wake her up. Putting her eyeglasses on, she is ready to make the trek!
Making her way through the hallway adorned with picture frames spanning from their time in Gekkoukan all the way to their recent S.E.E.S. reunions, she feels her spirit slowly renewing with every lopsided step. Seeing everyone live their lives to the fullest was a privilege in itself. After a brief walk, she finally arrives in the kitchen. Victory was finally in reach. No one could stop that woman she’d become after making the meal of a lifetime.
First, the pan. Throwing a small slice of butter onto it, the stove comes to life - heat high. That beautiful aroma gave her life! Better than any medicine a doctor could give! Unwrapping a loaf of bread she stashed in the fridge, she slowly cuts two slices. Of course, she has to keep the crust on. Though a controversial opinion, Kotone believed that the completeness of food was tantamount to its deliciousness. No waste, after all!
Spreading the butter throughout the pan, she turns the stove down to a low simmer. Though her hands were trembling, she manages to place them both face down onto the pan. While normally she wouldn’t do any cooking due to her declining motor skills, she decides that this was a special exception. While the bread slowly transmogrifies into toast, she prepares a slice of pre-cut ham & some washed lettuce sitting in the produce cabinet.
Her dream sandwich was coming together!
Turning off the stove, she uses a pair of tongs to grab the now-pieces of toast & lays them on a plate. Though she was not as proficient as she was back in her high school days, she knows that at the very least she could assemble a damn sandwich.
Placing the lettuce on the bottom, she turns around & rummages through the fridge to get some sesame oil. Drizzling the greenery with it, she closes the appliance & sets the bottle to the side. That was phase one of her five phase plan to create the best past-midnight snack. Grabbing the slice of ham on the side, she prepares to place it on top of the lettuce - the perfect ratio.
“Ahem.”
Oh fuck.
Sheepishly moving her head up, she takes her sweet time in meeting her now-awake wife’s face. Maybe her plan wasn’t as perfect as she thought it was. Damn it! Next time she’ll take proper precautions to not wake Yukari up. Crimson hues finally meeting Yukari’s chestnuts, she can see an eyebrow poignantly raised. As if begging for an explanation.
“W-Well, Yuka-chan… I was really really hungry. I… didn’t want to wake you up. I’m sorry,” Kotone mutters a soft apology. It almost felt like she was a kid getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
“Babe, I’m not mad,” a groggy reply comes from Yukari. Rubbing her eyes, she lets out a yawn before continuing. “You know it’s dangerous for you to use these things outside of when you have a Persona,” she sighs, moving to Kotone’s side. “Sit down. Let me finish it for you.”
“I know, I know… I’m just… I was hungry, y’know?” she tries to give her best puppy smile, but alas - it is ineffective on her tired wife.
“...Well, I should’ve brought something home,” the archer comments, gently nudging Kotone to sit down. “Sixteen years later and you still worry about me more than yourself, dummy.”
“I thought you would be too tired,” her gaze shifts downward as she sits herself down on the table, popping her right leg up. “You’ve been working so hard recently.”
“I’m never too tired for you, Kotone,” placing the piece of ham down, Yukari turns around & takes a tomato from their produce basket. Slicing two pieces off of it, she spaces the both of them evenly & places them on top of the ham. “I love you. You’ve helped me so much ever since we met. I’m just returning the favor, silly.”
Watching how each phase of her sandwich was exactly how she wanted it, her vision moves back to Yukari - clad in her bedtime pajamas. Perfection incarnate. Beautiful as always. To a degree, it reminds her of how they first got together in the first place. All because Yukari remembered Kotone’s insanely particular ways for doing things. Even to this day she still does so.
“I love you too,” Kotone’s heart was full. Next was her stomach. “I’m still sorry. You know it’s… hard for me.”
“Yeah, no kidding. I… can’t imagine how you feel, but I can try to at least dim the pain you feel.”
“You already do. You seriously, genuinely, super-duperly do.”
While they continued talking, Yukari managed to finish phase five of the hereby-titled ‘Dream Sandwich’. Watching the plate being slid towards her, a small smile begins to creep up on her. She could even see a portion of ketchup near the top of the plate for her dipping leisure. The actress sits beside the Universe, a tired, yet comforting smile on her face.
It was beautiful… Two slices of perfectly toasted bread, a leaf of lettuce, a slice of ham, two slices of tomatoes, slightly charred cheese, and a drizzle of sesame… The sandwich was evenly sliced into two pieces as well. Heaven was truly a place on Earth, and it is always going to be by Yukari’s side.
“My silly wife,” Yukari softly chimes.
“Your silly wife,” Kotone replies, face turning toward Yukari. Her lips gingerly press against the other’s, chaste yet full of affection. It’s brief & fleeting, but there would always be time for more kisses. Giggling softly, she looks towards her Dream Sandwich once again and holds a slice in her hand. Dashing it with a bit of ketchup, she finally bites in.
Yukari’s love & care was definitely the best ingredient.