Standard Legal Disclaimer/Author's Note: Azumanga Daioh isn't mine it's the property of and created by Kiyohiko Azuma. I write this for fun and to relieve some boredom. not for profit. The characters of Koyomiko TaKino and Tomoko takino belong to Funakounasoul (a.k.a.: funari). Officially this is out of continuity of all of Funari's stories. Please enjoy and read and review.

YOMI AND TOMO EMPTY NEST SYNDROME

BY: INVID HELLCAT (6/20/13)

"Yomi I'm home." Tomo Takino announced as she walked in the door of the house that she shared with her long time girlfriend Yomi Mizuhara.

She didn't get a response. She wondered if Yomi had stepped out to go to the store to get some things for dinner. She knew that Yomi had the day off today so she couldn't think of any other reason why Yomi wouldn't be home. She headed towards their bedroom to change out of her uniform.

She passed the door of what used to be Koyomiko, their oldest daughter's bedroom, like usual the door was closed. They had since converted it into a guest room. A few steps further down the hall she came to the door of Tomoko's bedroom. Tomoko had recently graduated high school and started college. She was living on campus. The door to the room was slightly open, and from inside it sounded like she could hear a soft sobbing sound.

Tomo fully opened the door and saw Yomi sitting on the bed her glasses were laying beside her, and she had her head in her hands. Tomo had no idea why Yomi would be crying like she was.

"Yomi, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Tomo asked as she sat down next to her lover and put an arm around her shoulders.

Yomi didn't answer she just grabbed Tomo and took her into a tight hug. Tomo started to rub Yomi's back just asking her what was the matter.

Yomi finally composed herself enough to speak. "It's not right Tomo, first Koyomiko and now Tomoko, it's just not the same without them here. This house just feels so empty and…and…just so… dead." Yomi answered.

This was Yomi's first full day off since Tomoko had moved off to college. Not that Tomo was necessarily a bad parent it's that her job kept her away from home and the girls more than she would've liked. Where Yomi got to spend far more time with their daughters. So, the girls absence would be far more noticeable to Yomi. Tomo did have to admit though that the house was much more quiet without Tomoko around. Not that Tomoko was all that loud to begin with, but still; after, almost eighteen years it was noticeable that something was missing.

"You know I was talking to one of the guys at work the other day when I mentioned that Tomoko was getting ready to start college and move out of the house. He told me that in some ways after his son left for college the house felt different, and he and his wife had what Americans call, empty nest syndrome, he said that they just felt somewhat lonely and almost depressed. But, he also said that like every other change in life you get used to it." Tomo said hoping to alleviate Yomi's blue mood.

Yomi just nodded still clinging tightly to her love. Yomi had heard about empty nest syndrome herself before. She remembered the first time she heard the phrase was from her own mother when she visited home for the first time after having started college herself. She remembered that her mom had told her that the house now just felt lonely and empty. Now Yomi knew exactly what her mother had meant when she said that all those years ago.

Being her first full day home since Tomoko had moved out it was the first time that Yomi really and truly got to notice just big and empty the house could feel. For almost twenty some odd years either Koyomiko and/or Tomoko had been there. But, now Koyomiko was living with her girlfriend Pan, and Tomoko was now in a college dorm. Even when the girls were off to school, some school related activity, or staying with a friend, Yomi knew that it would only be matter of couple of day at the most before they returned home, but now, it was anybody's guess as to when she might next see her daughters.

Finally Yomi spoke. "Yeah, I know Tomo, this will just take some time to get used to, but still I can't help it, you know I think this must be how my mom felt when I moved out. I remember her telling me that after I started college and moved into our first apartment, she felt like the house was empty and lonely, she said it seemed to have lost some of it's life." She told her girlfriend as she dried her eyes and put her glasses back on.

"Yeah, I feel that way too in some ways Yomi. It doesn't feel the same without the girls here. Even though Miko has been out of the house for a few years now." Tomo replied giving Yomi a kiss on the cheek.

"O.K. enough of this moping around, sweetie. Let's go out on a date. I'll buy since today was payday." Tomo said as she took Yomi's hand and helped her stand up.

Yomi smiled and nodded her head, after wallowing in loneliness all day a date with her beloved sounded wonderful. Tomo mentioned that she'd be right with Yomi after she changed. Yomi's smile winded a fraction. After all these years and two wonderful daughters, it seemed like her relationship with Tomo hadn't really changed all that much. They were still very much in love with each other, and were still "dating." Yomi left Tomoko's bedroom and shut the door behind her. The words of one her college professors echoed in her mind. "Yes, it's true a door has been closed to you all, but how many new doors await to be opened by you?" He had said on the first day of her first semester in college. Even now in many ways Yomi realized that those words still held true to her. Yes, another phase of life was over, but what did the future hold next? That was a question that Yomi was excited to discover the answer to.

THE END.

END NOTES: I KNOW SHORT REAL SHORT, BUT I NEVER INTENDED FOR IT TO BE A LONG STORY ANYWAYS. THIS WAS JUST A RANDOM IDEA THAT WAS ROAMING IN HEAD FOR A COUPLE DAYS I JUST DECIDED TO GET IT OUT AND WRITE IT DOWN. AND LIKE I SAID THIS IS NOT PART OF FUNARI'S "FLUTTERVERSE", "Reminiscence and Reflections", NOR "THE NEW KOYOMIKO PROJECT". HOPE YOU ENJOYED, PLEASE R&R. PEACE OUT TILL NEXT TIME. INVID HELLCAT (6/20/13)