Toaru Kagaku no Railgun - After Story [Musume One Shot]
On a Sunday afternoon, inside of a small family owned grocery store, near the border of District 8 and District 1, a little girl of 4 years is wandering the aisles. Her hair is made into twin ponytails held together by two yellow ribbons. At a glance, she would seem the spitting image of Shirai Kuroko, but upon closer inspection, one would notice differences to the shape of her cheeks and her eyes. Besides, at this day and age, Kuroko is an adult of about 26. The little girl, dressed in a coat, and thick leggings under her skirt to protect her from the frosty winter temperatures, arrives at the frozen food section. She walks up to one of the few freezers, pressing her mitted hands into the glass, hypnotized by the sight of her favorite strawberry mochi ice cream.
A few people walk by. A mother with a son of about 12. A man, most likely a schoolteacher in his early 40's, dressed in slacks and a button up shirt with his sleeves rolled up. They all take note, but walk by without thinking much of her, going about their business while she is in her own world. One built on her longing for the ice cream on the other side of the thin layer of glass.
In that same store, Misaka Mikoto, now 27, wearing a black fitted v-neck T-shirt under her dark grey winter coat, dark blue jeans, her hair falling just below her shoulders, has finished collecting the items on her shopping list, and starts going through the aisle herself until she reaches the freezers.
"Let's go", Mikoto calls out.
"Mama! Mama!" the girl replies.
"What's the matter, Kiori-chan?"
"Can we have some ice cream please?" she asks her mother.
Mikoto can't help but chuckle at Kiori's predictable behavior, "Ok. Go ahead and grab it."
Her face lit up, Kiori clumsily opens the door, almost losing control of it due to its weight. Catching the door before it can close, Mikoto opens it wider, giving the tiny human enough space for her to operate and fish out the box of strawberry mochi. Once she's recovered it, Mikoto holds her hand out. Kiori hands over the box, and Mikoto places it in her basket along with everything else.
Reaching down again, she takes Kiori's hand, and the pair walk toward the cash register. Generally a well-behaved child, Kiori stands silently, her eyes wandering, taking in her surroundings as her mother pays for what's soon to become their dinner. Stepping out of the store, mother and daughter begin their trek home.
"Mama. What are we having for dinner tonight?"
"Hmm. Judging from the shopping list, I think we're having some pasta. You like pasta, right Kiori-chan?"
"I love it! Okaa-san's cooking is the best!" the little girl proclaimed enthusiastically.
Tempting fate, Mikoto asked "What about my cooking?"
Walking side by side, still holding hands, the little girl seemed to ponder the question before answering, "Mm. It's good, but Okaa-san's is the best."
Though she already knew the truth, Mikoto couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's innocent honesty, "This kid is brutal".
They continued much the same way, with lulls here and there. Halfway to their home, the little girl called for her mother once again.
"Mama"
"Um?"
"Can I have a piece of ice cream now?" she asked nonchalantly.
"If I let you have ice cream before dinner, I'm going to be the one to getting yelled at", Mikoto chuckled.
"I won't tell if you don't tell" she offered up shamelessly.
"Who taught you to be so sneaky huh? You didn't get that from me", Mikoto letting out another bout of laughter. "I'll give you half a piece, ok?"
"Yay!"
Reaching into the bag, pulling out the box, opening it, and pulling out a piece of mochi the size of a small tangerine (mikan), Mikoto bites off half, then hands the other half to Kiori.
Too big for her to finish in one go, she takes a small bite, savoring it, trying not to repeat past mistakes of eating it too quickly, only to be left wanting for more.
Watching Kiori munching on her crescent mochi, Mikoto dives into her own thoughts. "It's funny how something so simple makes all the chaos I've been through in my life feel like it was a small price to a pay. A small price to pay to see her smiling happy face. It seems like I was not long ago that self-righteous bratty kid, shooting off my railgun every time I thought something was unjust. In retrospect, I can forgive that bratty kid since at least some of what she did made the world a much safer place for Kiori to live in."
"Can I have a little more?", Kiori's voice cut through.
"If I give you anymore, you won't finish your dinner. Okaa-san is gonna know I gave it to you."
"I'll finish my dinner! I'll still be hungry! I promise!" Kiori pleaded.
Mikoto is a great mother (and Kiori a good child), but perhaps too doting, finding it difficult to say no to any of her precious daughter's desires.
"Ok, but you better finish it all" Mikoto said, thinking "I better make sure I serve her portion, but I can't make it too much smaller than normal or else Kuroko will notice."
Taking out another piece, she hands the whole thing to Kiori, slings the bag on her elbow, then grabs her by the waist, "up you go" picking her up, carrying her the way a parent would with a child of that age. Kiori digs into her premature dessert, indifferent to the scolding that awaits Mikoto.
"What about Mama's bite?"
The little girl holds up the pink puck to her mother's mouth and Mikoto in one bite takes half of what was remaining.
"Was it delicious?" Kiori asks somewhat rhetorically, even if she isn't quite aware of what a rhetorical question is at the point.
"Super delicious!" Mikoto responds, with an ear to ear smile. "Thank you, Kiori-chan", kissing her daughter on the cheek, the four-year-old devouring the final piece.
"That tickles Mama!"
"Oh, does it?", Mikoto sporting a devilish smile, proceeding to shower her with kisses all over her face, Kiori giggling uncontrollably, squirming about in Mikoto's arms.
"Stop Mama! it tickles!"
"Never! Not until you say my cooking is better!"
"But Mama…", she labors to get her words out, "... you said lying was bad!"
"Hey!", sharp words to stop the adult in this situation in their tracks. "You're too smart for your own good." As "punishment" for her sharp tongue, Mikoto bites Kiori softly on the cheek.
"Ow" she lets out, but the squint on her face quickly subsides, replaced with a smile.
Winded, Kiori rests her head on her mother's shoulder, latching on to her, silent the rest of the way home.
When they arrive, Mikoto stops short of the front gate, out of sight of the kitchen window. Placing her down, Mikoto begins to look for a specific rock outside of their front fence. Before she can find what she's looking for, Kiori takes the lead and heads for the front door.
"Kiori-chan, wait" in the loudest whisper Mikoto can muster, waving to her to return. "There's something we have to do before we go inside, but you can't tell Okaa-san about this, ok?"
"Ok"
"There it is", Mikoto flipping over a rock the size of a very large potato to reveal a tube of glue. "I thought this might happen again, so I hide this here."
"Glue?" the girl expressed her curiosity.
Taking out the box of mochi, Mikoto applied some glue and sealed the box back shut. "This way we won't get caught."
One would think that Mikoto was a genius given the way her young daughter was looking at her press the pieces of cardboard back together, made more ironic by the fact that Mikoto is a genius, but definitely not for this.
Inside the house, they take off their shoes by the door. Kiori rushes up the stairs, Mikoto places the bag on the island in the middle of the kitchen and begins taking out the contents. Throughout the kitchen, there are chopped vegetables, carrots, celery, onions, a pot of water sitting on the stove ready to be boiled.
"Kuroko!? We're home!" She calls out, but no one responds. "I should probably put these away while I have the chance."
"Put what away?" Kuroko says, emerging from the stairway to the top floor, Kiori at her side. Kuroko wears her hair down since becoming a mother, and today with her flowing hair, she's wearing a one piece dress and an apron.
"Nothing" Mikoto responds nervously.
Eyes drawn to the contraband in Mikoto's hand, "Seriously? Again? Have you forgotten how to say no? or did you use up your lifetime supply turning me down whenever I'd try to get you to go on a date with me?"
With a smirk, looking off to the side, Mikoto murmurs "it wasn't exactly a date you were after…", sitting down on one of the stools next to the island.
Staring daggers at her significant other, Kuroko ignores the obvious dig, delving into the lecture she's given dozens of times before. "Mikoto. How am I supposed to get her to listen to me if the second I turn around, she comes to you asking the same question, and you contradict me?"
In the midst of this, Kiori climbs up onto the stool next to Mikoto.
"I know. I know it's an issue I have… but look at her. Look at that face. She's so cute. How am I supposed to say no to that?"
Letting out a deep sigh, Kuroko drudges onward, "You're her parent too, you need to show some restraint and discipline her as well. It won't work if I'm the only one doing it… she'll become a spoiled brat before you know it."
"I know! but it really is so hard sometimes. She looks like a little you, so cute, and then she smiles at me, I completely lose the will to resist."
Mikoto wasn't kidding. In a weird twist of fate, one of Mikoto's favorite possessions is a photo album, full of pictures of Kuroko as a small child, that she got from Kuroko's parents when she met them shortly after the two started dating. The resemblance is remarkable, but the DNA Kiori received from Mikoto does come through in and around the eyes. Enough so that someone that knew both of them well could tell.
"Well you better find it. For her sake and for my sanity" Kuroko concluded, now starting to prepare the ground meat Mikoto had brought home.
"I will. I will… Okaa-Sama…" Mikoto said, smirking, using the same cadence Kuroko would time and time again during their middle school and high school days.
"I told you not to call me that… or do you want me to start calling you Onee-sama again?", Kuroko retorted.
"No. That's the last thing I want my wife to call me… it makes it seem like I have a weird fetish or some kind…", placing her elbow on the counter and resting her chin on her palm.
Turning over her shoulder, Kuroko gave Mikoto a knowing sideways glance. In fact, they were both looking at each other knowingly, recalling the same incident. An incident where they tried some BDSM role playing Kuroko had suggested, that while initially Mikoto had fervently objected, she ended up getting way more into than either of them had anticipated. An incident where Kuroko might have repeatedly uttered the word "Onee-sama", whilst Mikoto held the leash of a collar attached to Kuroko's neck, using it as a conductor to apply some electrical shocks and… well the rest may not need to be said.
This must have taken but a few seconds before the worst possible thing that could have been asked, by the worst possible person in the room to ask it, was heard.
"Mama, What's a fetish?" Kiori asked.
Scoffing at her partner, Kuroko turns away from Mikoto, indicating to her "You said it, now you deal with it."
"Eh… I guess you could say, it's weird things that adults like", Mikoto reached for the only child friendly definition she could think of.
"You mean like pickles?" Kiori responds, innocence intact.
"That's one way to look at it…". In the hopes that Kiori will completely forget what she heard, Mikoto decides to switch from vagueness to diversion, "Kiori-chan, Do you want to go to your auntie's house and play with Mai-chan until dinner is ready?"
"Can we!?" the starry eyed child shouted in her excitement.
"If it's ok with Okaa-san?", Mikoto looked to Kuroko for confirmation.
"It's fine, but don't feed her any more sweets" she said matter-of-factly.
"Huh?"
"I saw you gluing the box shut. I teleported up to the roof when I saw Kiori rush the door then go back out again", Kuroko's voice conveying the disappointment she felt in her beloved.
"You did…" Mikoto hides her embarrassment behind a half baked smile.
"You two should get going or you'll hardly have any time before dinner" Kuroko continued in a lax voice, feeling past the heat of the discussion.
"Come on", Mikoto turned to her daughter, "go put your shoes back on so we can go."
Climbing back down from the stool, Kiori rushes over to the door to put on her shoes, Mikoto follows closely behind.
"Mikoto! Wait", Kuroko catching up to her at the door. "You forgot your phone" she says, pulling it out of the pocket of her apron, not unintentionally, standing right up against Mikoto.
Grabbing Kuroko around the small of the back, Mikoto gives her a kiss that's best characterized as consisting of a thick layer of gentle tender affection hiding a core of animalistic passion.
Smiling, biting onto the edge of her bottom lip, cheeks rosy, "I'll call you when dinner is ready", she told Mikoto, before crouching down to be face to face with Kiori.
"Behave. Don't get Mama into any more trouble", Kuroko hugging her daughter tightly before giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"We'll be back soon" Mikoto waved with her left hand, holding Kiori's with the other, stepping out the door once again.
One of Mikoto's two sisters, Misaka Mashiro (19090), one of the two remaining Sisters living in Academy (the only two she grew to have a truly familial relationship with), lives two blocks away, down the street, taking the first left, the house on the nearest right corner arriving at the very next crossing.
Right as they reached that first left, Mikoto received a text message from Kuroko. "I wonder what she could need?". Opening it, she was treated to a selfie Kuroko must have taken right after they left the house. The picture, in the bathroom of their master bedroom, of her with only the apron on, her back arched slightly, exposing her petite, exquisitely well shaped bottom. Below it, a line of text read "I had a special dessert ready for you tonight, waiting, but since you already had some, I suppose you won't be wanting this one."
Face mildly flushed, and more than mildly aroused, though true to her tsundere roots, she wouldn't admit to such a thing, "What am I supposed to do with this!?" Mikoto said visibly flustered, though her small child couldn't decipher the emotions on her face.
Perhaps understandably, once the one-and-only person Kuroko ever loved reciprocated her feelings, and they began dating now some 7 or 8 years ago, in the security that she is loved, and in a strong relationship, she outwardly calmed down, but Kuroko is still Kuroko. Her sex drive, her burning desire for the women that she loves are and always have been very real. Now though much more discreet and less frequent, she very much still enjoys trying to entice Mikoto sexually, relishes it, even more so knowing that something is likely to actually come of it.
One the other hand, for Mikoto, some of which has to do with her personality, this non-periodic more staggered frequency, coupled with the fact that she now has plenty of first hand experience of the rocket ride that intimacy with Kuroko really is, she never completely got use to how forward and bold Kuroko can be.
"Are you getting sick mama? Your face is red" Kiori interrupts Mikoto's thought.
"No. I think the cold is bothering my cheeks", Mikoto deflected.
Arriving at their destination, a recently renovated two floor traditional Japanese house, the girls walk on the stone steps, arriving at the garden at the back. The sliding door to the living room opened, Mikoto peaks her head inside to see no one there. "Mashiro!? Mai-chan!?" her voice echoed. A few seconds went by, and the thud of fast, small footsteps came from the top floor.
From the steps, another child bearing a striking resemblance to their mother appears, rushing up to greet them. This time a mini Misaka, 6 years old, but this one was no clone.
"Auntie Miko! Kiori-chan!"
"Mai-chan, is your mom home?", Mikoto patted the girl's head, the damp hair indicating to her she'd recently come out of the bath.
"She's in her room getting dressed.", Mai responded, still filled with the enthusiasm of their arrival.
"Is she almost ready?"
"I think so. Do you want me to tell her you came?"
"No, it's ok. I'll wait for her down here. We came because Kiori wanted to come play." Mikoto said to her niece, sitting down on the tatami mat, on the end of the living room table overlooking the garden.
"Can we go play outside!?" Mai shouted unintendedly in her excitement.
"Can we!?" Kiori echoed.
"Of course but stay where I can see you." Mikoto said, prompting the girls to run outside. "I don't want them wrecking anything while I'm not looking", she thought to herself.
Sitting back, entering a lull, watching the children play, Mai using her Esper abilities to create soap bubbles from the water in the pond and a bottle of soap they leave out on the deck for this specific purpose. Ranging in size from the circumference of a coin to that of a small watermelon, Kiori jumps around trying to pop them, but unfortunately (or fortunately) Mai has gotten very good at moving them out of the way at the last possible moment.
Footsteps coming down the stairs to Mikoto's right, Mashiro descended, a towel around her shoulders that she was using to dry her hair, all in stride, stopping next to Mikoto, taking a glance at the girls outside.
"You should have called. I wouldn't have taken my time getting ready and made us some tea", Mashiro spoke.
"I know how you are, and I didn't want to put you out. We only have about an hour before dinner, so we won't be long."
"I think I'll have some either way, are you sure you don't want any?"
"Mm… in that case I think I'll take a cup."
Mashiro continues into the kitchen and starts filling a pot with water.
Hypnotized by Mai's contorting bubbles, Mikoto asks her sister "What did they say about Mai's abilities?"
"Mm… The most recent… Well you already knew she's projected to reach level 4… It seems she has a more unique take on the hydro hand ability. They're still trying to pinpoint the parameters of how much and in what ways different chemicals can be dissolved into the water before she loses control of it."
"Once that's done, they'll focus on volume capacity, right?" Mikoto confidently stated being thoroughly familiar with the current Esper development process.
"Actually... about that. During the last round of tests, they told me they feel confident she's going to be able to control the temperature of the water, all the way past phase changes. So instead, they'll be measuring her limit by mass."
"Wow, that's a first. It's gonna be interesting to see what she'll be able to do once she's fully develops her abilities", the deep seeded curiosity of a research scientist bleeding into Mikoto's words.
"As long as she doesn't start running around Academy City challenging people to fights like somebody I know used to do, I'll be happy", the smile on Mashiro's face coming through in her voice, pouring the hot water over the dried tea leaves.
"I have no idea who you could be talking about." Mikoto knew exactly who she was talking about.
"What about Kiori?" Mashiro asked, walking back to the table with a cup in each hand.
"After that time we caught her levitating the cookie jar off the top shelf of the cupboard, we took her to get analyzed. I shouldn't have been that surprised they project her to be another level 5, but it was still a bit of a shocker given how rare it is."
"So she's a Psychokinetic of some kind?"
"That's what I thought, but one day when we were walking home, she took a pretty hard fall and started crying, before I could calm her down she let out this huge burst of electricity blowing out one of the nearby street lamps, so I'm completely confused now. We won't find out what her abilities are until she officially enters the new power curriculum program sometime in the next two years."
"A level 5 gemstone huh… you sure are going to have your hands full", Mashiro laughed.
"I know…" Mikoto bemoaned, burying her face in her left hand. "By the way Mashiro", Mikoto continued, lifting her head up, hand still suspending in the air, "I wanted to ask if we could spend New Year's at your house instead."
"Of course, I'd love to have everyone here, but why the sudden change? We've always spent New Year's at your house."
"For a change of pace, and I really like the ambiance of your house ever since you had it remodeled."
Taking her time to reply, Mashiro eventually simply said "Mai will be happy."
"Kuroko and I will drop off our things with Kiori the morning of Christmas Eve, if you don't mind?"
"Of course I don't", Mashiro smiled at her older sister.
They both went silent momentarily, watching their daughters play, Mai carrying a few leaves around the surface of the pond with water currents like a miniature naval fleet to Kiori's awe.
"Thank you for watching her for us", Mikoto said somberly.
"Don't be silly big sister. I love Kiori like if she was my own child, and on a special day like Christmas, Mai and I would be sad if it were only the two of us, so having Kiori here too is a blessing not a burden."
Quiet, the muffled sounds of Kiori's and Mai's shrieks and laughter filling up the living room, periodically picking up their cups, sipping tea, comforted by each other's presence.
"I'm so very proud of you Mashiro. The woman you grew into."
"I owe it all to an overprotective, hot headed, but very doting older sister that stayed by my side until I was able to stand on my own two feet in this world" Mashiro smiled, looking over at Mikoto with warm eyes.
Mikoto took a sip of tea before speaking, "Don't get all sappy with me now."
"You started it!" Mashiro chuckled.
Right after ending their conversation, Mai and Kiori came back into the living room showing signs of fatigue, Kiori wiggling her way into Mikoto's lap, and Mai sitting in between Mikoto and Mashiro, leaning up against her mother.
"Tired already?", Mikoto wrapping her arms around Kiori, looking down at her.
"Only a little bit, but we wanted to play with you too", she responded, speaking to her mother and aunt.
"Do you want to try playing Jenga?" Mashiro suggested to her young niece.
"What's Jenga?"
"We'll show you", turning to her daughter, "Mai, can you go get the set from upstairs?". Quick as lighting, Mai jumped up and ran upstairs, returning with the Jenga set only a few moments later. Mashiro explained the rules, then the four of them began to play. Mikoto helped Kiori, steadying her hand, and guiding her as to when she should stop so that the youngest among them would stand a fighting chance.
Twenty minutes later, despite Mikoto's best efforts, they were on their 3rd game, with both previous losses belonging to Kiori, who wasn't the slightest bit happy about her losing streak.
Currently it's Mai's turn, and the structure looks close to collapse. She eyed the tower from different angles, trying to find the best piece to pull.
"What about this one Mai-chan?" Mikoto pointed to a centerpiece toward the bottom of the stack.
"Don't help", Kiori pouted. It was her turn next and she could feel another lose looming.
Grabbing said piece, Mai pulled it out with only the slightest wobble. She took a tiny joyful hop combined with a sharp shriek.
"It's your turn", Mikoto said to her daughter.
Kiori turned up to her mom with doe-eyes, all of her body language screaming "I don't wanna lose Mama."
Friction as taught to most people, is said to be a mechanical force. This is of course an effective theory, an oversimplification if you will. In truth, friction is the result of the total sum of all the electromagnetic forces that interact between the individual electrons of the atoms that make up any two surfaces in contact with each other. Electromagnetic. There are so many calculations to be made to find the exact forces at play, or even make any reasonable approximation that we rely on these simple effective theories that are "close enough", but for the most powerful Electromaster that ever lived, something like cancelling out the frictional forces between a few tiny pieces of wood sliding across each other is… doable.
"How about this one?" Mikoto grabbed onto Kiori's wrist, guiding her hand toward a particular center piece, "take your time".
The little girl grabbed onto it, and pulled it out smoothly, like butter, the tower didn't even nudge.
"Did you just…" Mashiro said suspiciously, but her voice trailed off. It only took one glance for Mashiro to see the guilt Mikoto was hiding under the surface.
Shamelessly, Mikoto said, "It's my turn, isn't it?". To play it off properly, Mikoto took her time finding the safest piece left, but pulled it out, not in a clumsy manner, but with an odd application of her physical force to bring the whole thing coming down. The children were none the wiser, but their parents knew what had transpired.
"I'm sorry you lost'' Kiori said, turning to her mother.
"Did you have fun?" Mikoto asked.
"I did."
"Then that's all that matters", hugging her a little tighter.
The girls began to gather the pieces together, and Mikoto received a phone call.
"Yes Darling?" Mikoto answered the phone, "Oh ok. You really don't have to do that though it's so close… ok. I'll see you soon."
"Is something the matter?" Mashiro inquired.
"No. Kuroko said dinner is ready but that she'd teleport over here to come get us."
"Huh… But it's so close" Mashiro voiced her curiosity.
"That's exactly what I thought, but she said she wanted to say hello to you."
A ring at the front door interrupted them, Mashiro got up and walked over to the door. The Jenga set now in its box, she walked back into the living room with Kuroko.
"Kiori, Are you ready?" Kuroko asked, to which the little girl nodded her head.
"My big sister said you wanted to come say hi?" Mashiro turned toward Kuroko.
"Yes. I was thinking while preparing dinner for my irresponsible wife…" Kuroko began, Mikoto putting on a guilty, nervous, uncomfortable look, "That you live so close but we hardly get to see you because you're always busy with work."
"Well it comes with the territory", Mashiro chuckled. For reference, Mashiro works as a schoolteacher by day and from home as a freelance mangaka in the evenings (and occasionally weekends).
"Did Mikoto remember to ask you about New Years'?" Kuroko continued.
"She did. Of course you can come, you're always welcome here."
"Wonderful. If you need or want us to bring anything to have around the house, call me."
"Just being yourselves. We can do any shopping we need together", Mashiro reassured Kuroko.
"We should get going" Kuroko pivoted back toward Mikoto, "Kiori" she motioned her over.
Mashiro and Mai walked the other Misaka family to the door, exchanging hugs and goodbyes. Mikoto, Kuroko, and Kiori stepped out onto the first stone step, and in the blink of an eye, they were all now standing at the front door of their house. Kiori raced in ahead of her parents as she often does.
"Don't forget to wash your hands!" Kuroko yells.
"I'll go with her", Mikoto followed after Kiori.
With them in the bathroom, Kuroko set the table and moved the large pan to the center of the dining table, washing her own hands at the kitchen sink, wiping them off with a towel and grabbing a basket of bread rolls she'd baked herself.
The rest of her family now back from the bathroom, Kuroko and Kiori sat down, and Mikoto served everyone their plate of pasta Bolognese. They said their traditional Japanese prayer, and dug in.
"You really have been on a tear since we got back from that trip to Italy" Mikoto commented off the cuff.
"Well, almost at every meal you mentioned how much you liked the food, so I wanted to bring some of that home with us", Kuroko registering the faintest blush.
"I know, and you've done it wonderfully" Mikoto smiled at her lovingly.
"Do you like it?" Kuroko asked sheepishly.
"Do you like it?" Mikoto turned to Kiori.
Swallowing her food, Kiori threw up her left hand "Okaa-san's food is the best!"
"There you have it. From the toughest critic in the house", Mikoto smiling from ear to ear, the blush on Kuroko's face now a visible one.
Sticking her fork firmly into her spaghetti, twirling together a big bite with both hands, Kiori held up the fork toward Mikoto.
"Is that for me?"
"Yea."
Leaning in to accept her offering, Mikoto takes it in a bite.
"Is it delicious?"
"Super delicious" Mikoto responded as always.
"Kiori, be careful" Kuroko having noticed the sauce accumulating at the corners of her daughter's mouth, grabbed her tablecloth, to wipe it away.
So went another day of what has become a typical Sunday evening at the Misaka household, with Kuroko and Mikoto talking about work, and about their plans for the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Upon finishing their meal, Kiori asked "Can I watch a movie?"
"Ok, but only one. I don't want you going to sleep too late tonight and brush your teeth first." Kuroko answered, clearing the table with Mikoto.
Kiori walked over to the living room couch, grabbing the remote, and putting on one of her favorite recent anime films, one she must've watched about half a dozen times now since it was released.
At the sink, Kuroko grabbed the first plate to begin washing the dishes, reaching for the sponge, she was stopped by Mikoto wrapping her arms around her waist, hugging her from behind.
"I'll do the dishes" Mikoto spoke softly, kissing Kuroko once on the cheek and once on the neck.
She didn't say anything, simply washing her hands, drying them off with a clean washcloth, turning to face Mikoto, still in her arms, slinging her own over Mikoto's shoulders. Closing her eyes, she stands on her toes, kissing Mikoto. She relaxes her feet, but Mikoto grabs her tighter around the waist, pulling her back up, kissing her repeatedly, passionately.
"If you still want that dessert, you don't have to try to get on my good side by doing chores", Kuroko said with a smirk, looking into Mikoto's eyes, before kissing her again.
"I'm only trying to show my appreciation for everything you do for us by doing my part"
"Oh, so you won't be wanting any?" Kuroko persisted, with an even bigger, more mischievous grin.
"I didn't say all that…" Mikoto blushed, turning her head to the side.
"All these years, and you still have trouble being honest about these things", Kuroko teased her, "It's cute", she added before kissing her once again.
"Go relax with Kiori and I'll join you once I'm done here, ok?"
"Be quick", Kuroko said, resting her head on Mikoto's chest for a moment. Letting go of her beloved electric princess, Kuroko joins the only other person she loves just as much in the world on their living room couch.
Mindlessly scrubbing, rinsing, and wiping away, Mikoto reflects on her life. Her life isn't exactly what she pictured it as the 14 year old Ace of Tokiwadai, but as fulfilling as she ever could have hoped for. Though occasionally she's still called upon to be the hero of days passed; she mostly leads a peaceful life. One with a loving partner, two supportive well-adjusted sisters, a child who's smiles serves to wash away her worries, and a career helping prevent the very types of injustices she fought so hard to end in her adolescence and young adult life. People not only to receive love and support from, but to give it to, and a calling. It's fair to say Misaka Mikoto would consider herself a lucky person. She is content. Fulfilled. Happy.
Finishing the dishes, Mikoto joined the rest of her small family on the couch, where they all huddled up together underneath a blanket.
"She fell asleep", Kuroko whispered to Mikoto when the end credits rolled. "I'll take her upstairs".
Caressing Kuroko's cheek, Mikoto gives her a kiss and walks up stairs to their bedroom.
Picking up Kiori, Kuroko teleports into the little girl's room. She'd always noticed that Kiori was very sensitive to being teleported, even in her sleep, and today was no different. The little girl instinctively clung onto her mother when they arrived in her room. She rocked her back and forth in her arms for a moment, soothing her, Kiori's grip eased up, allowing Kuroko to lay her to rest. Using her Esper abilities, Kuroko changed her clothes, but the disturbance woke her.
"Okaa-san?" the little girl called out.
"What's the matter?"
"Can you tell me a story?"
"What kind of story, Ki-chan?"
"One of Mama's stories."
"If I tell you one of those, you'll get too scared or excited and won't be able to sleep", Kuroko chuckled softly, "How about I sing you a song?"
"I like songs" Kiori mumbled, still half asleep.
Kuroko didn't know many lullabies, but Kiori wasn't fussy about hearing the same song over again, as long as it was a song she liked, so for the nth time, she sang to her "twinkle, twinkle, little star". In her current state it only took a few lines for Kiori to fall back asleep.
Stroking her daughter's hair, and caressing her face, Kuroko began to reflect on her life. Misaka Kuroko would definitely call herself a luck person. For most of her life she never thought her heart's desire would come to pass, yet here she finds herself. Sharing a house with the women she loves, and a child she once carried inside of her (with the help of science and technology) of their very own flesh and blood. She felt truly blessed.
There was another lullaby that Kuroko knew well and sang often, but this one Kiori had never heard her sing. It's something Kuroko sang for herself, on many nights when it was her turn to put Kiori to sleep, and tonight, watching over her tiny princess she sang.
You Are My Sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
I'll always love you
And be there for you
I'll protect you from harm's way
'Cause I adore you
You're my dream come true
You're my beautiful sunshine
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You'll never know dear
How much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
With the end of the song, Kuroko kisses her on the forehead, quietly walking out of the room, closing behind her the door hiding the key to her heart, her greatest treasure, her ray of sunshine.