1884/Opening a Door Long Held Shut

Opening a Door Long Held Shut
Date of Scene:	13 August 2024
Location:	Tsukino Residence
Synopsis:	It's the first day of Obon, and after sweeping graves for their families, Usagi and Makoto share a quiet snack, and a story of loss. CW: Family Death, Plane Crash.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Makoto Kino

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Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It's the first day of Obon, no longer early in the morning, the sky bright and blue, the clouds fluffy and white, the humidity of the day tamed, as if to make this time easier on those who welcome back their dead. Early, early, early, Usagi, Shingo, and Kenji Tsukino had all gone to Chiyoda Ward, to sweep the family graves and pay respects with the extended Tsukino family.

Ikuko Tsukino had not gone with them - she'd spent the morning with Makoto Kino, helping her tend to her family's graves, and afterwards, had insisted on bringing the girl back home, where she'd been dragged upstairs by Usagi, plyed with treats and the promise of company.

Like many other Buddhist households, the Tsukinos were vegetarian during Obon, so these snacks consisted mainly of vegetable tempura and treats from Nounamu Sweets, along with bottles of green tea. Usagi Tsukino was making steady progress through the variety of vegetable options, though she was kindly making sure to leave a good amount for Makoto.

"So, everything went - good, right? With Mama helping and all?" Usagi asks finally, looking curiously at Makoto over a piece of strawberry daifuku.

Makoto Kino has posed:
"Yeah." Makoto has been quiet since returning to the Tsukino's house, letting first Ikuko and then Usagi herd her along. Now, settled down in Usagi's room, she contemplates the sweet potato tempura she's been nibbling on. "It was a big help, having her there. I feel kind of bad, though."

Hesitantly, she looks up from the tempura to meet Usagi's eyes. "I'm sorry she wasn't there with you guys this morning. It feels kind of like I stole her, even if it was only for a couple of hours."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"You don't have to feel bad," Usagi says, immediately, firmly, putting her chopsticks down to focus all of her attention on Makoto. "Mama offered because she wanted to, and she told me that you didn't want the whole family to come because it'd be overwhelming, and I get it, because me and Shingo can be a lot!"

They had definitely been scolded for arguing in the graveyard. Great grandpa could be so firm when he was displeased. It had been a whole thing and they'd had to apologize and sweep an entire section of the graveyard all by themselves, and doing it had made her think about Makoto, having to do it all by herself, for years and years, and then she'd given Shingo a hug for real and apologized for real.

"Makochan, I really love you, you know? And it makes me happy that my family loves you too. That's why my Mama offered."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Something relaxes a little in Mako's expression, an easing of a faint lingering anxiety, and she smiles softly. "Thanks, Usagi-chan. It's not that I didn't want you there, just... well, you get it." She does get it, and Makoto is more grateful for that than she has the words to express.

She lowers her eyes to the sweet potato instead, regarding it for a little longer before carefully setting her chopsticks down as well. "It did help a lot," she says. "Having your mom there. So... I already thanked her, but thank you, too, for understanding."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Yeah," Usagi confirms, quietly, and contemplates the vegetable tempura for a moment, looking away to give Makoto room to think and feel, to consider what this all means to her. "I've been really blessed, I've realized lately, and what's the point of blessings, if not sharing them? We're supposed to help each other, and - and this time of year can be really hard, and I want things to be easy, for everyone."

That's what she wants. For everyone she loves to be able to have an easy life. That's one reason to do all they do as Senshi - but it's also a reason to be happy for her Mama taking it upon herself to help with something Usagi hadn't thought enough about.

Makoto Kino has posed:
"That's just like you," Makoto says, her voice warm with affection.

Something in her smile turns wistful, though, and her eyes remain downcast, lingering on the snacks without Mako making any movement towards eating anything. "I don't know if this time of year will ever really be easy, though," she admits. "You couldn't have any way to know, but... it was right before Obon, when it happened. August twelfth. So this time of year is always kind of..." She trails off, her voice fading to nothing.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Makoto's smile turns wistful, that same sadness that's been there touching it anew, and Usagi subconsciously sits up a little straighter, a little more attentive, waiting - though she - winces, when the words finally come, feeling horrified. That was just a few days ago! That was just - and though she doesn't show it, there's a spark of anger, deep in her heart, because that was just a few days ago, and yet Makoto's other family have let her deal with it alone, didn't fly out, didn't fly her out -

"Do you want a hug?" It's an offer, without any insistence, just - there aren't any words for how hard this must be, for Makoto, and now she's here in Usagi's house, surrounded by Usagi's family, and her own is gone, or useless.

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto hesitates, but not for very long at all. "I... I think I would."

Not that Makoto ever dislikes hugs. She's a hugger herself, more often the one giving than receiving. This time, though, she leans gratefully into Usagi when the smaller girl hugs her, closing her eyes for a moment to just soak up the reassurance of touch.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usually, Usagi doesn't ask, like, ever. She gives people hugs. She reaches out and grabs them. But today, in all its meaning, feels fragile - so she's glad that Makoto agrees, even as she notes that hesitation.

The hug she gives her is as strong as she can make it, her arms wrapping tight, wishing she could take all the burdens and the hurts away.

Makoto Kino has posed:
The moment is a fragile one. Maybe that's why - urged by the determined strength of Usagi's hug, with her head bowed over the blonde odangos - Makoto lets open a door that she's kept firmly shut until now.

"...we were flying to Osaka, you see," she says, very quietly. "My mom... she grew up in Fujidera, so... They'd taken me on flights there before, I think, but I don't really remember. I was pretty young."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi's hand strokes Makoto's back as she starts to talk, keeping very quiet, thinking about - about what a day it must have been, flying to visit family, probably going back for Obon, like so many people do. She doesn't quite know what to say - so she doesn't, just holding her, makes it clear that she's listening.

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto's breath hitches slightly, and Usagi can feel her shake her head a bit. "Sorry. You don't have to hear about it if you don't want to. It's - a lot, I know. An awful lot. Just... I've never really talked about it to anyone, you know?"

She waits, rather than continuing, giving Usagi the chance to demur or - whatever. Holding her breath, just a little.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I think you need to let it out," Usagi says, tentatively, "And I don't mind being the one you let it out too. You're one of my best friends, and I'm not saying, maybe it will help, but - I don't want you to feel alone with it, either."

She's not so brave as to think she can help with something like this. But maybe she can make it less terrible. by letting it be known.

Makoto Kino has posed:
The breath Makoto was holding shudders out of her, and she nods, her head still tucked over Usagi's. She doesn't say anything else, though, not right away. She seems to be collecting her thoughts, trying to piece the old, scarred-over memories into words.

"The thing is--" she begins at last, haltingly. "When you think of a plane crash, you think, at least it's over fast, right? Terrifying for a few seconds, and then boom. And that's it."

Her breath hitches again, and she takes a moment to steady it. "It... wasn't like that."

A deep breath. "They said afterward, it took about half an hour between when it first blew and when we crashed, but it seemed like forever. Going up and down and rocking this way and that. People were crying, and the whole time, I heard the engine. I still can't stand that sound." The breathless noise she makes is almost a laugh. "Not even on TV. If we'd had to fly back from Paris, I don't know what I would've done. Just stayed there and learned French, maybe."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi holds her through it, gentle and steady at the same time, patient as she always is when it's important.

And when the words come? There's definitely an audible gasp, though she tries to bite it back, because there's really just one crash that Makochan could be talking about, and even Usagi has heard of that one, and she barely watches the news.

She doesn't want to imagine it, but of course she can't help but do just that - imagine the rocking and shifting and shaking, a plane pitching and rolling, everyone trapped and helpless, the sound of the engine - would it sputter? Would it start and stop?

But at least there's something she can say. "I told Suna-san we'd teleport back," she says quietly, "She offered to let us fly, but I told her there was no way. Even if we had to make Tamachan hire a boat to take us back, Makochan, I'd never put you on a plane."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Usagi's words earn her a little squeeze from Makoto. "I didn't tell you how grateful I was," she says, "when you said we'd teleport. The whole time we were staying in the hotel and all, I was trying not to think about it, but I was dreading it. I don't think I could bear to even go to an airport."

She falls quiet, chewing on her lower lip for a space. Remembering. "My dad put the mask on me first," she says after some moments. "They tell you you're supposed to get your own on first, so your head stays clear while you're helping anyone else, but I guess he forgot... he got his own on after he took care of mine, though. I still remember that."

There's more to the story - Usagi knows there is - but Makoto doesn't seem inclined to go through the rest of it. The crash, and the long night spent on the mountainside before rescuers finally came the next morning. She falls quiet again, breathing deep.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Who could blame you?" It's a simple statement, but that's Usagi - if you can't do something, why force it? Why not try to go around, or make another way? Why make Makoto face this, when they don't have to?

"He really loved you," is the confident, but quiet words. "To make sure you were safe first, to make sure you'd be able to breathe..."

There's more to the story, but it doesn't have to be said. It was covered already, once before, in the news, the whole, awful tragedy, the whole nightmare that Usagi never knew was her friend's private hell.

"I'm glad you remember that part of it. I'm - so sorry, about all the rest, Makochan."

Makoto Kino has posed:
"I loved them so much." The words break, thick with the tears that have begun to spill. "There must've been annoying things, too, like in any family, but I don't remember any of that. I can't ever decide if I'm glad I don't or if I wish I did..."

She sniffles, reaches up to wipe at her eyes. "...I'm okay," she says after another long pause. "It'll always hurt, but - at least now I have you guys. People who care about me. So, I'm okay."

Another sniffle. "Thanks, Usagi-chan."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Of course you did!" And Usagi manages the strength to hug even tighter, shifting a little so she can hold Makoto as close as possible. "Of course you loved them, and - I'm glad for everything you remember. I'm glad you have the good times, and... you do have us now. We're always going to be here, no matter what."

Usagi and their friends, Usagi and her family - they're always, always going to be around for Makoto, and helping her out.

"You're okay. And it's okay when you're not okay, because we'll pick up the pieces together."