Things you deserved, thief. [ mei mutters, because she was not wrong in this (well, she probably overreacted, but at this point everything she does is overreacting) but also because she's terrible at letting things go. instead, she has to get the last word in, but mei's always been like that. even when they were little kids, before things all went to hell, before miyuki's mother passed away.
and after, really, when she visited and leaned on him, whenshe shared her apple bunnies the chef made her at home because no one would make them for kazuya anymore. they had a long childhood together, and that's part of what's helping her at least open up a tiny, tiny bit.
she used to never let kazuya beat her at anything. at this game, she's already lost.
her nose is still turned up all the way in the air though, arms still folded. inthe light of the kitchen, it's clearly bad--her dark circles are massive, not even covered with makeup, her hair tangled and dull instead of shiny and golden. mei's given up oncaring about everything, and that includes herself. ]
[ Even if she's not looking at him, Kazuya levels her with a bland look before returning to what he's doing. The soup is something that his mother would make for him when he was sick, which is effectively what Mei is at the moment, broken and beaten and prideful as she is. But there's something else that he puts together, knifework easy and clean, replicating the very childhood treat that he only had when he was here, in Mei's kingdom, as a small boy.
He doesn't say anything else until he's finished, letting Mei sit there and wait for him to dismiss her. She might be the queen, but he has control of the situation right now - she's definitely already lost this game.
And he comes to bring her a bowl of soup, rife with hearty vegetables and little chunks of chicken. But rather than walk away, he sets down a plate of the little apple rabbits, lined up neatly and staring her down, bringing the past right to her door and refusing to let her leave it.
All the more evidence than Miyuki has no plans of going anywhere. ]
[ mei ignores the look he gives her on purpose, because she can understand a withering look when she gets one, especially from kazuya. she's been dealing with snarky, sarcastic, brilliant kazuya most of her life, so this is no different than normal. (except where it is, except where she's only seen him in the context of trying to throw him in jail)
she's dead quiet as he finishes his knifework, looking at the fridge or the counter or the food or anywhere but at him, even when he puts the bowl of soup in front of her. mei stares at it, sniffs her too picky nose and gets ready to turn it right up, but any reaction she has is silenced by the plate.
the apple bunnies stare up at her, innocent, two little seed eyes like her mom used to make for her and kazuya whenever he'd visited. her mom had told her that maybe someday she'd marry kazuya, and they'd be united as a kingdom, and mei had stuck her tongue out and told her gross, no thank you, that'd be weird, but she shared her apple bunnies with him every single day anyway.
this is their life right in front of her. it's kazuya returning the favor for what mei did when kazuya's mother died, sharing her snack at the funeral with her chubby little fingers.
she feels her eyes water up again, and swallows a thick lump of tears in her throat--but for the first time she can't stop it, and the tear drops down her cheek. ] What's this for?
[ Maybe the bunnies are underhanded. But given her reaction, the slight emotional manipulation is worth it. If this is what it takes to get her to break, for her pride to be brought down and shown that it's doing more harm than good, then so be it. Miyuki watches her, arms crossed, his expression blank as he just - waits.
And then he sees the way she swallows, even if he can't quite see her eyes from where he stands. But it doesn't take much for him to see the tear.
Kazuya reaches out, brushing a knuckle across her cheek and wiping the tear away. But after that gesture, he turns away, going to start cleaning up after himself in short order. He can save the extras, cast his magic to preserve them longterm so it's like the bowl was just poured fresh from the pot. So he's not concerned about waste, even if Mei has spent so much time starving herself. ]
Because someone used to give them to me, during the worst time in my life. [ His voice is even, but low, almost inflectionless. He hasn't cried in years, not since he was there when his mother died tragically and neither he nor his father could do anything to save her. But being given the innocuous snack, red and white and a clear memory even now, had nearly brought them forward again at the following funeral.
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and after, really, when she visited and leaned on him, whenshe shared her apple bunnies the chef made her at home because no one would make them for kazuya anymore. they had a long childhood together, and that's part of what's helping her at least open up a tiny, tiny bit.
she used to never let kazuya beat her at anything. at this game, she's already lost.
her nose is still turned up all the way in the air though, arms still folded. inthe light of the kitchen, it's clearly bad--her dark circles are massive, not even covered with makeup, her hair tangled and dull instead of shiny and golden. mei's given up oncaring about everything, and that includes herself. ]
no subject
He doesn't say anything else until he's finished, letting Mei sit there and wait for him to dismiss her. She might be the queen, but he has control of the situation right now - she's definitely already lost this game.
And he comes to bring her a bowl of soup, rife with hearty vegetables and little chunks of chicken. But rather than walk away, he sets down a plate of the little apple rabbits, lined up neatly and staring her down, bringing the past right to her door and refusing to let her leave it.
All the more evidence than Miyuki has no plans of going anywhere. ]
no subject
she's dead quiet as he finishes his knifework, looking at the fridge or the counter or the food or anywhere but at him, even when he puts the bowl of soup in front of her. mei stares at it, sniffs her too picky nose and gets ready to turn it right up, but any reaction she has is silenced by the plate.
the apple bunnies stare up at her, innocent, two little seed eyes like her mom used to make for her and kazuya whenever he'd visited. her mom had told her that maybe someday she'd marry kazuya, and they'd be united as a kingdom, and mei had stuck her tongue out and told her gross, no thank you, that'd be weird, but she shared her apple bunnies with him every single day anyway.
this is their life right in front of her. it's kazuya returning the favor for what mei did when kazuya's mother died, sharing her snack at the funeral with her chubby little fingers.
she feels her eyes water up again, and swallows a thick lump of tears in her throat--but for the first time she can't stop it, and the tear drops down her cheek. ] What's this for?
no subject
And then he sees the way she swallows, even if he can't quite see her eyes from where he stands. But it doesn't take much for him to see the tear.
Kazuya reaches out, brushing a knuckle across her cheek and wiping the tear away. But after that gesture, he turns away, going to start cleaning up after himself in short order. He can save the extras, cast his magic to preserve them longterm so it's like the bowl was just poured fresh from the pot. So he's not concerned about waste, even if Mei has spent so much time starving herself. ]
Because someone used to give them to me, during the worst time in my life. [ His voice is even, but low, almost inflectionless. He hasn't cried in years, not since he was there when his mother died tragically and neither he nor his father could do anything to save her. But being given the innocuous snack, red and white and a clear memory even now, had nearly brought them forward again at the following funeral.
It's something he's held onto, all these years. ]