A/N: Written for the PMMM Flash Bingo, #149 – pairing: Homura/Mami
A Pair Through Restarted Time
She saw all of them, whenever she restarted time. But the one she constantly butted heads with was Mami. Kyouko was sometimes a problem. Sometimes Sayaka was. Sometimes it was neither of them – but Mami was still there. And why not? It was her city, her hunting ground. Sure, she chose to do things in an unorthodox manner – but it was still her turf and there was an unspoken agreement that one didn't encroach on another's turf without a good reason.
Homura had a good reason, but it wasn't one she was inclined to share with Mami and Mami wasn't inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt. So they butted heads, in each and every reversal and repeat of time. And, often, it was Mami who undid all of her hard work – Mami who died and left Madoka no choice, or Mami who convinced the other to help her.
Of course, it was Kyubey's fault in reality – Kyubey who made the contracts and led them to such despair. But there was Mami too – the unwitting accomplice and that made Homura angry at first…
But after the twenty-fifth time, she started to almost look forward to seeing her. That was one of the few constant things in these repeating worlds aside from Madoka but Madoka wasn't a comfort. Madoka was her failure, the failure she needed to rectify. Mami – being able to argue with her, reason with her, fight her… that was a comfort.
And, maybe, in one timeline Mami would agree with her and not fight. And maybe they could work together and save Madoka – because it was always too late when Sayaka or Kyouko arrived on the scene.