Matters
Looking back on it, Kyoko realized this was just the beginning in a long saga of falling for Sayaka. AU
Their first meeting wasn't a pleasant one.
Both of them were late and both of them definitely wouldn't want to be late for their opening ceremony. But with some magic of fate plus the fact that life was never fair and easy, the two of them bumped into each other outside their school.
They stared at each other for two seconds before rattling the closed gates pointlessly.
After several failed attempts, Kyoko growled and turned to stare at Sayaka who still didn't give up.
"Hey you. Lift me over and I'll carry you from there."
Sayaka scoffed. "Why should I believe you? You're going to ditch me once you managed to get over the gates. I can tell it from your eyes."
"Wow, seriously?" Kyoko rolled her eyes. "I'm not lying. Hurry up and get me over, I'll definitely carry you."
"Why don't you lift me over and I'll carry you from the other side?"
"Judging that you got the idea of me ditching you, it means that you actually thought about doing it in the first place. How can I trust ya?"
"And how can I trust you too?!"
"Ugh just do it already!" Kyoko attempted to step on Sayaka's knee but the latter stepped back and scowled.
"Are you planning to step on my leg with your dirty shoes?!"
"Excuse me, do we even have the time to care about these pointless things?"
Before they even realize it, the opening ceremony was long over and the discipline master was watching them arguing and struggling with their might to step on the other for a full ten minutes, and only decided to should interrupt when he knew it would never end.
Years later, looking back on herself with bruises and cuts on her arms and legs while being reprimanded by the teacher, along with that blue-haired girl who ended up to be actually her classmate, Kyoko realized two things. First, never ever try to negotiate with anyone again; It wasn't her expertise. Second, that was just the beginning of a very long saga of her falling for Sayaka.
.
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"Please tell me I'm not sitting with her!"
Madoka gave a weak smile. "You are... not sitting with... her?"
"What is fate doing to me?!" Sayaka cried and waved the slip of paper in the air.
Kyoko rolled her eyes. "It's not like I'm very pleased about it, ya know."
Sayaka glared over at the redhead "Tell me all about it."
And they bickered all day.
.
.
"I don't get this." Kyoko shook her head. "Falling onto people? How does that make me trust someone better? It's not building trust. It's building confidence. Confident that you won't break ya skull when you hit the ground head first."
"Would you just shut up already?" Sayaka growled. "And don't make it sound like you'll definitely fall. The person behind you will catch you before that happens."
"And how do you know? Oh, so other than eye-reading-mind technique, you can also see future events happening?"
Sayaka aimed a punch and Kyoko's head but the latter was too used to Sayaka's movement and dodged it without even looking at her. And with that mini ruckus going on, their homeroom teacher took notice of them and called them out.
"Sayaka and Kyoko. I see that you two still need to put in more effort in working well with each other. This exercise fits just the two of you." Their homeroom teacher signalled them out. "You two will act as the volunteer."
Kyoko groaned and Sayaka nudged her to the front. Their teacher then asked Kyoko to stand on top of a short stool while Sayaka stood right behind her.
"H-Hey, don't make her catch me!" Kyoko stared down at Sayaka with a desperate look. "She'll drop me for sure!"
"I'm not childish like you!" Sayaka hissed.
"See, this shows that you need to build more trust with each other." The teacher pat on Kyoko's shoulder and turned her around into her position. "Okay, once I count to three, you'll tip back and fall with your arms crossed."
"God please save me." Kyoko whispered and crossed her arms. Sayaka rolled her eyes.
"One." It was over. If it wasn't her skull that break, it would be her neck or maybe her spine and none of them worked well for Kyoko to compromise.
"Two." Alright, maybe Sayaka wasn't a heartless girl. She had her good points and being righteous was one of her traits and Kyoko hoped that Sayaka was feeling very righteous now. What Kyoko needed wasn't trust, all she needed was for Sayaka to fulfill her duty like what their teacher told her to.
"Three."
Kyoko closed her eyes and tipped her weight to the back of her heels. Slowly, her balance broke and she was falling back like what it should be happening. But the fall seemed like eternity and only after that eternity passed, she felt two strong and sure hands grabbing hold of her arms and the fall was stopped in an instant. She peeled open her eyes and blinked a few times before she realized she hadn't been breathing all the while.
"Trust me now?"
Kyoko balanced herself and glanced back with a sneer. "Maybe?"
Sayaka rolled her eyes and attempted a punch again but like usual, she missed.
.
.
Everyone was excited for Sayaka, but Kyoko was getting sick of it.
What's the big deal of having a boyfriend anyway? Until now, Kyoko still didn't get why everyone seemed so hyped up and squealing like some kid when it was someone else having a boyfriend and not them.
Kyoko watched Sayaka went off with Madoka and the rest of their classmates to shop for new clothes to wear for her future dates. Now, she had to act more girly and cute, instead of looking like a demanding and stuck up tom-boyish girl Kyoko knew from the start.
After her successful confession to Kyosuke, the two had been acting like some sick couple, ready to die and trying to spend their last day together. Just by watching them, Kyoko didn't have any appetite and that was a serious matter.
She should have tagged along, giving nasty or sarcastic remarks just to see that frown on Sayaka's face. But she didn't want to, not when she knew her comments and jabs might be ignored when the girl was too overjoyed about the idea of having a boyfriend to care about what the redhead thought.
Kyoko kicked a trashcan in disgust, both hands stuck deep inside her pocket. She really shouldn't care, at all.
But she did.
.
.
It was roughly four months later when Sayaka and Kyosuke broke up.
Kyoko didn't know or care about the reason, but she knew Sayaka would definitely be depressed, nonetheless.
She could tell how much she loved that bastard.
Although it made her sick sometimes, Kyoko would still listen to Sayaka's endless rambling about how nice and perfect Kyosuke when he suddenly appeared in their conversation. Kyoko watched the way her eyes lit up in a weird way, her voice turning sweeter just by mentioning her boyfriend's name...
Now... her voice was dull, her blue eyes were dead. She was like a body with no soul, a zombie, a shell... Kyoko could continue the list forever if that would even help anything.
For the past one week, Kyoko didn't do anything because nothing was all she could do. She didn't know how to sweet talk or comfort people like Madoka and her remarks wouldn't help for sure. So for that one week, she stayed silent and watched Sayaka continuing her zombie-like life.
But finally, desperate and unhappy, Kyoko couldn't take it anymore.
She wore that long dress that Sayaka bought for her last birthday as a joke and the former swore she would never wear it in her entire life. But that day, with her unmatched sports shoe hidden inside the long and silky pink dress that flowed its way across the ground when Kyoko walked, she ran up to Sayaka when she spotted her sitting on a lone bench in the public park.
Kyoko didn't call her. Instead, she sashayed her way over and her actions caught everyone's attention in the park, including Sayaka's. The blue-haired girl watched Kyoko with two wide-eyes until the redhead finally cat walk and stood in front of her after she made a sexy pose.
They remained in their position, staring at each other for a full minute until Sayaka started chortling behind her hands and slowly broke into a fit of giggles. That was also the moment when Kyoko realized that it had been really, really long since she heard Sayaka laughed.
Not long after Sayaka began laughing, Kyoko joined her too.
.
.
"Huh?" Kyoko gaped at Sayaka, her jaw hanging wide open and her straw dropped back into her glass of coke.
Sayaka gave a dry look. "I said-"
"I heard ya! I'm just surprised that you would ask me."
"Oh? Why's that?"
Kyoko paused for a moment and wondered why she was even disbelief in the first place. She stared down at the reflection on her drink and she purposely stirred the coke with her straw just to see that image dispersed, like her thoughts.
"Nah- Nothing. So... Ice skating?"
"Yeap." Sayaka straightened her posture and took a cheese stick. "All tickets are now half-priced and I thought it'll be nice to go while there's still offer."
"The usual penny-pincher, huh?"
Sayaka rolled her eyes. "Who's paying for this meal, huh?"
Kyoko raised her arms in defeat. For now, she couldn't afford to piss Sayaka off when she barely have two bucks in her wallet. "Are you inviting Madoka and Homura?"
"Nah, just the two of us."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why aren't you asking them?"
"You want me to?"
"No." Kyoko bluntly said before scratching the side of her cheek awkwardly. "Well, if you don't want, me too. I guess."
Sayaka shook her head and chuckled. "I just thought it'll be more fun with just the two of us."
Before Kyoko could register what she said, the waiter came forward with more finger food and ice cream to their table. Sayaka narrowed her eyes.
"Did you order them when I went to the toilet just now?"
Kyoko grinned.
.
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Buying birthday presents was a hassle. Thinking of what to buy was even a greater hassle.
If her hands could go any deeper into her sweater's pocket, she would have. Kyoko sighed and looked up at the snowy sky from the fountain she was sitting. She could consider asking Madoka for help or to chip in some money for whatever Madoka bought. That was always the easy way out, but Kyoko didn't want that.
She wanted to do something, buy something, make something and she wanted to hand whatever the gift was to Sayaka with a bright smile with her two hands and wish her a happy birthday, saying that she picked this gift herself. That image seemed nice in her mind.
It didn't matter. There should be enough time for Kyoko to think of something to get for Sayaka before her birthday party, which was tomorrow afternoon. At least now she learnt her lesson to never do things at the last minute again.
There must be a thing that Sayaka said or mention before, like something she wanted yet she didn't get to have. Kyoko bit her lips and closed her eyes, her feet tapping impatiently on the ground.
"Everything's wilting."
"What are you expecting. It's winter."
"It sucks. I prefer seeing flowers and leaves and everything blooming."
"It's nice to see that ya not so depressing anymore."
Sayaka gave a pointed look and continued looking up at the withered looking tree. "It sucks even more when my birthday is during the winter period."
"Well, you can wish for for it on your birthday." Kyoko clasped her hand together. "I hope to see flowers and grasses on my miserable birthday because it's during the winter and to also stop this miserable cold as it is making everything sad and depressing."
"Don't be ridiculous."
"What? You started this conversation first!"
Kyoko flung open her eyes and stood up in a split second. Without even forming a plan or even think of one, her legs automatically carried her out of the park that was filled with withered trees and towards the end of the empty neighborhood. When she finally stopped running, she realized her recent memory of passing a healthy looking tree actually brought her there without her even knowing it.
"That's it." Kyoko beamed, staring up at the trees that were filled with leaves and blossomed flowers. She had no idea who grew this tree, whose property she was going to trespass or whether this tree was saint or religious. What she believed and cared was that this would be the best birthday present Sayaka would ever received.
She jumped over the small fence and immediately made her ways to the trunk. Throwing her gloves aside, she climbed up the trunk and up and up and up till she found more flowers and healthy looking leaves. It was a miracle, really, for a tree to still be alive in this cold winter and Kyoko didn't understand science or nature, but now, all those things didn't matter. She took out a pen knife from the back of her pocket which she always bring around wherever she went and took a deep breath of cold air.
"Sorry, Mother Nature. I'll repay you one day."
She began cutting the thin branches and plucking them out carefully, picking only those that still have flowers growing or bloomed. Kyoko glanced further up, noticing there were more flowers up the tree. She stuffed the few branches inside her sweater and proceeded up again to get more of those treasures without any second wasted.
Just when she was about to reach to the top, the very branch she stepped on snapped under her weight and she widened her eyes in horror. But just in time, her hands managed to grabbed another branch before she-
Snap!
"Shi-"
Everything happened too fast before she could finish her curses. That very branch she was clinging onto broke as well and she didn't have any time to react and save herself.
But when she was falling off the tree, falling from the height and falling to the ground, there was one thing that occurred in her mind, and that was knowing no one would be behind her to catch her this time.
.
.
The heater must be broken. Not enough blankets. Is someone insane enough to turn on the air-conditioner?! I. Need. HEAT!
And when that thought cross Kyoko's mind, she felt something warm embraced a small part of her body. Her left hand. Yes. Her frozen and stiffed left hand was cuddled by a warm ray of sunshine and Kyoko's lips curled up on its own.
"Oi! You're awake? Wake up!"
All of the sudden, the warmth on her hand disappeared and Kyoko felt like her world seemed colder again.
"Oi! Wake up! Kyoko!"
Slowly, her eyes fluttered and the first thing she saw was blue. Blue locks, blue eyes glimmering beautifully like ice but shining with the warmth of the sun. Kyoko blinked again to realize it was none other than Sayaka who was staring worriedly at her. And when Kyoko blinked again, the worried-looking Sayaka disappeared, to be replaced with a relief-and-happy-looking Sayaka.
Yeah. Kyoko preferred that Sayaka.
"Ouch... My head..." Kyoko groaned when she began to feel the pain and soreness throughout her body. She tried to wiggle her numb toes and fingers, to realize that her right leg and arm were in a cast.
"I'll call the doctor." The tone was cold and monotone. Without even looking, Kyoko instantly could tell it was Homura's.
"Yeah, that would be great." Sayaka answered.
"Homura-chan, I'll follow you!"
"Ok."
Kyoko winced again before she opened her eyes to look at Sayaka again. "Where am I?"
"Hospital, duh."
"Damn it..."
"You're really reckless and insane. Do you know that?"
"I think I heard you mentioned it before, ya."
Sayaka sighed. "Don't get me started on it again. Please."
"I don't want you to either. Ugh, headache..." Kyoko rubbed her temple before she turned to face Sayaka. "Wait, what day is today?"
"Tuesday."
"Tuesday?! Isn't today your birthday? Then your part-"
Sayaka sighed again and shook her head. "You're in a complete mess. How can I still celebrate when you're like this?"
"Well, sorry about that. No one asked you to cancel off your party or anything."
"Who said that I cancelled it."
"Huh?"
Sayaka rolled her eyes. She picked up a plastic bag from the ground, filled with broken branches, withered leaves and tattered flowers. "I suppose this is my birthday present? I can't believe you took my words so seriously and went to get these."
"It's not for you!" Kyoko snatched the bag before wincing again when she accidentally moved her right shoulder. "T-This is for myself."
Sayaka smirked. "Oh really?"
Kyoko pouted.
On the cue, the door opened and a doctor and two nurses came in, followed by Homura and Madoka.
"I may require everyone to leave for a moment while I check on the patient."
"Sure, no problem." Sayaka took the plastic bag from Kyoko's hand before bending forward to Kyoko's ear.
"Thanks for the present. I'll see you later. You still owe me a birthday song." With that, Sayaka gave a small peck on Kyoko's cheek and she turned to leave, with an eye-wide Madoka and a slightly surprised Homura tailing behind.
"Miss Sakura, you need to calm down." The doctor gazed at the heart rate monitor that was beeping uncontrollably.
Easier said than done.
.
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Kyoko finally got her revenge.
It wasn't something that she planned, but it still happened anyway so she would rather call it a revenge than an accident.
It was Valentines' Day and the boys were the one receiving chocolates and not the other way round and Kyoko hated that fact. But there were always this bunch of kind people who felt that even lonely girls or guys deserved to receive chocolates too.
So when Kyoko noticed the kind Sayaka holding onto a bunch of chocolates, ready to distribute them out to their classmates to show her appreciation rather than something else, the redhead decided to play a prank and surprise Sayaka instead. But like some quote Kyoko remembered from some book, life never go accordingly.
And she tripped on nothing, appeared behind the pillar too early and fall right on top of Sayaka and her chocolates, with her lips pressing right next to Sayaka's lips.
Kyoko reacted fast enough and moved away, looking down at the stunned Sayaka who was still under her.
She could only afford an one-second grin before she needed to use the remaining time left to run while Sayaka was still in her dazed mode.
"SAKURA KYOKO!"
Kyoko didn't stop of course and continued running. Her hand slowly lifted and touch her lips and a small smile spread across her cheeks without even realizing it. A box of chocolate hit her head and she yelped in pain and turned back, to find a red-face Sayaka dashing closely behind her, waving another box of chocolate over her head and aiming right at her.
.
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Looking back at the years, Kyoko always felt like laughing at herself.
Her stupid, childish and unbelievable long saga of falling in love was nothing more or less romantic in novels that anyone could buy from bookstores. It didn't take Kyoko too long to realize she was in love, but it sure took her long enough to build up the courage to tell the person she loved.
Life was never easy and life never always go according to plan. But maybe once in a while, with a little pinch of fate and luck, things would be different.
And now, under the pile of autumn leaves, both Kyoko and Sayaka continued laughing and laughing for who-knows what reason. Their jaws were aching, but that didn't stop them from laughing at nothing.
Their hands slowly made their way to each other and their fingers entwined together.
The past, now or the future, none of them mattered. All Kyoko cared was that as long as she had this feisty blue-haired girl by her side, that was all that mattered.
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end
A/n:
I don't ship them but I really wanna write Kyoko because she is the sun of my life
and well, sayaka fits better in this story than mami so i guess it's over
idk when is sayaka's birthday but lets assue it's like in december or something
i could have ended when kyoko fall and die but she's too kawaii to be dead