1865/A Selfish Request

A Selfish Request
Date of Scene:	15 August 2024
Location:	Mitakihara Ward
Synopsis:	A week or so before Obon, Ikuko Tsukino pulls Makoto aside for a little talk.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Makoto Kino

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Ikuko Tsukino has posed:
August is always a busy month in the Tsukino household - it's the only month in the year when the children are fully out of school, which has historically meant planning family trips, holidays, and excursions, all to keep Shingo and Usagi from driving Ikuko and Kenji crazy.

This August has been different, though. Maybe it's because Usagi isn't home every day, even though it's summer vacation - just like last year, she's still living primarily at the dorms, though unlike last year, it's not because of temporary banishment.

Ikuko refuses to regret that banishment, because it had worked - Usagi had started to get her grades together, even if she was still... woefully inept as a student - but she'd be lying if she said it didn't ache, to see her daughter only so often, instead of daily. What's helped that ache though, is one of the other, equally positive changes that have come with Usagi's new school and new focus on her grades - wonderful new friends.

Ikuko is standing in the entrance to the living room, watching as Usagi, Ami, Mamoru, and Rei face off against each other in Mario Kart, Makoto and Minako on the couch waiting for their turns because they only have four controllers. (Only! Four! With how expensive these little pieces of plastic are... but they're going to need to buy more of them, clearly. They can't have any of the children left out.)

Usagi's little Luna is napping on a foot rest with Minako's cat Artemis, the pair of them like a perfect little yin-yang sign. Ikuko honestly doesn't know how they do it - the room is alight with laughter and noisy protests as the race gets a touch heated. She's sure that none of the children have noticed her in the slightest.

That's how it should be - when children are together, parents have no choice but to fade to the background as their youthful energy conquers the day. It's been almost somber the last few times Usagi brought her friends home, the lot of them so often enjoying snacks and conversation but not this whole-hearted laughter.

Ikuko's been worried - of course she has - and this display of normality is soothing some of that.

Not all of it, though, especially when it's nearly a certain time of year.

She clears her throat, gaining the room's attention as the race ends, declaring first Ami and then Mamoru and a computer player the top three racers.

"Oh - Mama! Sorry, I didn't see you there," Usagi starts, looking over her shoulder, and Ikuko waves gently.

"That's because I was waiting for you all to finish. I've got snacks just about ready - Makoto-chan, would you mind helping me finish them?"

This is an excuse, to pull her aside, but it's a good one, because Makoto is the best in the kitchen out of any of these children, a genuinely quite impressive baker.

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto looks up from where she's been absent-mindedly braiding some scraps of ribbon together, apparently to no other purpose than something to occupy her hands while she watched the pandemonium play out on the Mario Kart track. "Of course," she says immediately - always her reply any time Ikuko asks for a hand with something, even on those occasions when the one she'd asked was her daughter.

She rises from the couch, dropping the half-braided ribbon into Minako's lap before she picks her way carefully past other people's legs and/or video game controller cords to join Ikuko. "Just show me where I can help," she says with a smile.

Ikuko Tsukino has posed:
"Thank you, dear, let's go right this way," Ikuko says with a smile, waving off the others when they ask if there's anything they can do to help. As soon as they're in the kitchen, Ikuko shuts the door connecting the kitchen and living room, giving them a bit of privacy, before gesturing for Makoto to follow her over to the dining room table.

She's made a pot of tea, set out for them and waiting to be poured and she's got a few snacks set out on a plate, savory senbei and sweet Tokyo Banana - but this clearly isn't enough for everyone. "I'm sorry to surprise you, but I didn't actually need help with anything. I just wanted to pull you aside for a moment, without getting everyone's attention."

The explanation is offered with a sheepish little smile, and Ikuko sits, pouring them both a cup of tea. She waits until Makoto is seated before she continues.

"I don't want to overstep, so I apologize in advance for being so forward - but, Usagi-chan long ago made me aware of your family situation, and I wanted to know if you'll have any help on Obon. It's only a week away."

As if anyone could forget!

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto's eyebrows lift, mild surprise and vague confusion, but she doesn't object to the well-meaning little bit of subterfuge. "All right...?"

She seats herself in the chair opposite Ikuko's, placing her hands carefully in her lap, and watches as the tea is poured. Despite herself - the Tsukinos have been nothing but warm and welcoming to her every time she's been a guest in their house - the unexpectedness of it has her slightly on edge.

The question, however, stops her completely. She goes quite still for a moment, eyes widened a little. "I..."

No, Makoto has not forgotten about the approach of the Obon holiday. It's not an easy time of the year. She ducks her head a little, turning her face to the side. "It's just me," she admits. "I've gotten used to managing, though."

Ikuko Tsukino has posed:
Makoto is such a good girl, honestly. It's a miracle, considering it seems so likely she's had to look out for herself, all this time. Sure, she might have relatives, but spending New Years with the Tsukinos, like so many of Usagi's new friends had, made it very clear she didn't have family.

Well, Ikuko Tsukino has never needed help going after what she wants.

A cup of tea is carefully placed in front of Makoto, along with a piece of Tokyo Banana and a couple of senbei, and she waits out the stillness, the surprise, and her heart melts a little at the turn of the head.

"We thought so," Ikuko answers quietly, and she hopes its clear the we is she and Kenji. "And I'm not surprised you've managed, you're a very capable girl - but it's such a big job, and I wanted to know if you'd like some company?"

She's trying to make it clear that she doesn't doubt Makoto's capabilities at all - that's not what this is about.

Makoto Kino has posed:
Mako picks up one of the rice crackers to nibble on, more out of politeness than hunger. She's a girl who enjoys food, but the topic at hand makes it hard to taste much of anything at the moment.

She hesitates over her answer, torn and trying to find the right thing to say. How long has it been, since an adult cared? Oh, there have been some teachers over the years - and Inai-sensei, though that's different. But outside of school, on a personal level? Makoto almost doesn't know how to respond to it, this maternal caring.

"That... would be nice," she manages at last, putting half the senbei down on the plate so she can curl her hands around the cup of tea instead. "I wouldn't want to put you out, though... you and Mr. Tsukino. You have your own family graves to care for, already, I'm sure."

Ikuko Tsukino has posed:
She's patient, waiting. Tokyo Banana is a pleasant treat to pick at, a knife slicing tiny piece after tiny piece. There's no reason to fret. It's Makoto's decision, one way or the other, and as long as she's not offended -

Ah, there it was.

"It wouldn't put us out at all," she says confidently, "We do have graves to look after, but many hands make light work. We'd be very happy to help you - or, if the idea of having the whole family is overwhelming, I would be happy to help you."

Keeping control of things in Makoto's hands, letting her decide how and what extent to which she'd like help. Oh, Ikuko would love to sweep her up, tell her that it will all be taken care of, that she doesn't have to worry, but these are her dead, her parents, even. It has to be her choice.

Makoto Kino has posed:
"I... I'd like that," Makoto says softly. "Maybe not... the whole family, but--"

Without warning, her throat closes, her eyes suddenly stinging. She has to set the tea down hastily and duck her head, lifting a hand to knuckle away the prickle of unwanted tears. "Sorry," she gasps, flushing with the embarrassment of it. "I'm grateful, really, I don't know why I'm--"

Ikuko Tsukino has posed:
There's really only one thing to do, and here's another way that Ikuko is just like her daughter -

Because it's barely even a moment, before Ikuko is out of her chair and giving Makoto a warm hug, wrapping her in her arms. It's hardly polite, it's exceptionally familiar, but it's the only thing her heart would allow her to do.

"You don't have to apologize," she says very firmly, "Not for this. I'm the one who's sorry, that you've had to do this all on your own. You're such a good girl, Makoto-chan, and I would be more than happy to help you. Just because you're strong, doesn't mean you should have to be."

Strong is exactly what she's always thought of her daughter's good friend - that she must be very strong, to have made it so far on her own, to be in such a competitive school, to be managing her studies and her hobbies and her life, without anyone to look after her.

Makoto Kino has posed:
And Makoto lets herself lean into the hug, for a little bit. Lets herself not be so strong, for a little bit. Lets herself remember what it's like, having family that cares.

She still swipes at the tears, unwilling to let them fall - but she's smiling, too. "Thank you, Tsukino-san," she says. "It means a lot. Really."

Ikuko Tsukino has posed:
"Of course, of course," Ikuko says, holding her as gently as she would her own daughter, resisting the urge to pat her head. She knows better than to say it's nothing - if it were nothing, she wouldn't have had to offer.

"And, this might be a bit much, and so you certainly don't have to accept - you don't have to do anything at all, I won't be offended - but, I've got a little bit of a selfish request." And this is true. It's as much for herself as for Makoto, that she'd like to make this next offer.

"You see, it's been a couple of years since Usagi's needed a new yukata - poor thing takes after me, so I don't know if she'll get much taller at all - but it was always so nice, taking her to be fitted, helping her pick out patterns. Would you mind, if I wanted to take you out for a new yukata?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
Without a doubt, Ikuko can see the knee-jerk impulse Makoto has to demur. It's written all over her face, practically audible before she's even said a word. If Ikuko hadn't phrased the request as a selfish one, a thing she misses, the demurral probably would've come out.

But Ikuko has read Mako very well, and chosen her angle wisely. Mako bites her lip, wiping one last time at her eyes, and she thinks about it.

It's been so long since she's had a yukata. The last one her parents bought for her is long gone, outgrown and gone the way of whatever other things of hers her aunt and uncle determined she no longer needed and their house had no room for.

She has the fashion pen, of course, and with its magic she could wear a different yukata every day for as long as summer lasted, if she wanted to. But if Ikuko wants to take her shopping for a real one - one that will last - would that be so bad?

"That's awfully generous of you, Tsukino-san," she says at last, "even if it's also a selfish request. If it would make you happy, I'd be happy to."

Ikuko Tsukino has posed:
It certainly would make Ikuko happy. Her favorite thing about her daughter making so many friends at her new school has been getting to meet those friends, so many of whom are so obviously in need of doting on. Shingo had been a difficult pregnancy, capped off by a difficult birth, and they'd decided not to have more children, after.

So it's been truly wonderful, for her daughter to have found them so many more children. There had been Naru, of course, before there had been Shingo, even, but now?

Now, Ikuko has something of another, another daughter, even if she knows it's probably far too early to tell Makoto she's started thinking of her like that, and it's delightful.

"What is having for, if not sharing? It would make me happy. I'm sure you'd look absolutely lovely in a new yukata, and then you girls can take pictures together, won't that be fun? Usagi always goes to the Noryo Matsuri at the end of Obon, and she's sure to drag you along this year."

She can just see the pictures in her mind already.

Makoto Kino has posed:
That actually gets a quiet little laugh out of Makoto, because she can definitely picture Usagi dragging all of them out to the festival. And odds are good there will be a youma, because isn't there always a youma? But they'll have fun, anyway. How different this year is, compared to last year.

"You're right," she agrees. "We'll have to get pictures together in our yukata for sure. It'll be great."

Obon is never going to be Makoto's favorite time of year, but this year, at least, it's shaping up to not be quite so bad for once.