Sometimes, she feared the illusion would break.
The Law of Cycles was a stubborn creature, constantly searching for its former piece like a jaded lover, crawling on its hands and knees and begging for her - the human piece - to come back to it. It didn’t matter that its thread and spool were trapped within her own soul; until the end of time, she suspected, she and it would constantly be at odds for Madoka’s attention. It was a battle, however, that she was glad to participate in. And while she feared the illusion would break… the odds were always in her favor.
And just like that, she was back, and God no longer had to hold her breath.
[⚙] “ Don’t fret over it. We live near one another. It’s natural for neighbors to walk together, isn’t it? “ Technically, that had once been the case, even though Homura’s original home had been much farther in the city. The two broke off at some intersection or another, or she tagged along to Madoka’s home for the evening. To return to a pattern like that was icing on an enjoyable pastry.
Gripping her school bag, she took an extra step forward, offering out a hand with a gentle smile. [⚙] “ Walking by yourself is lonely, so I’d like to avoid making you feel that way during your first days back. If you’ll allow me to. “
She’s reaching out before she makes the conscious decision to, fingers gently brushing against Homura’s as she takes the extended hand, using it to leverage herself from where she’s sitting. The strange thing is how not strange it all feels in the moment; it is only after she’s standing, hand in hand, that the knowledge awakes with an electric start.
It’s a gentle movement, but she breaks away -- occupying her hand with the strap of her bag instead. The expression on her face ( softly carved, mostly present, echoing ) does not change. But there is a stumble in her words -- a catch at the very beginning, when she goes to reply.
❛ Oh -- ! Ah, right. Right, of course. That makes sense. ❜
This is not the first time, she doesn’t think, that Madoka is struck with the sensation that she cannot look Homura straight in the eyes. Something crawls down the length of her spine -- not unpleasant, not welcome, just a presence -- when they lock gazes. She tries it anyway -- searches out Homura’s gentle smile, tries to use it to ground herself in reassurance. Of course, of course, it’s all alright, it’s all how it should be --
-- Except the longer she looks, the harder it is to feel the earth stay solid beneath her feet.
❛ Of course. ❜ Of course she will allow it; it’s a gesture, a sweet gesture, a selfless thing to offer -- there is every reason to accept. ❛ I still think it’s really kind of you -- I mean, we only just met, after all. ❜
( a week? a month? it can’t have been long -- not long. )
❛ I appreciate it. I know I just got back -- but everything just feels so different than it used to feel. It’s harder to get used to than I thought it’d be. ❜
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