#xxtamako

“O-oh, Seiji! I..It’s… it’s you?!” Tamako couldn’t stop herself from squeaking the last few words out, a blush almost immediately blossoming across her face. She hadn’t expected to see him before reaching the third year classrooms, and with such a surprise, her fingers trembled to a point that she nearly lost her hold on her handmade chocolates. Eyes wide, and her thoughts running a million miles a minute in these fleeting seconds, the former Dark Cure was at a loss for words. Especially once Seiji spoke up to her again. She hadn’t even managed to answer the first question asked of her, and now he was holding out a small box for her to take, and she had no idea what she was supposed to do outside of gaping like a fish that’s been out of water far too long. They were chocolates, he said, made by him and Mao-chan, and while they were as much hers as they were nearly everyone else in Pikarigaoka, her heart fluttered. 

It tightened in ways she hadn’t anticipated for today, when she promised herself to fight against the odds of her usual embarrassment around him, but now all of that had flown out the window. “M-my… s..share? F-for me?”

Tamako knew she wasn’t making any sense, and anymore babbling would probably leave Seiji worrying about her well-being, so she had to steel herself. Somehow. And maybe push aside the knots that had once been his stomach, just for a few moments, and return the gesture. She had spent the night before trying her best to make something for him, to get her feelings across in the best way possible. Even if he didn’t get it, and just saw them as another batch of sweets from one of his female friends, she wanted to give them to him! 

“…I-I… um, t-thank you, Seiji!” 

Before taking the box offered to her, Tamako thrust her trembling hand forward, keeping her eyes on the floor tiles as she held out the baggie made solely for him. “T-THIS IS FOR–! Ahem, I m-made these for you…” 

“Huh?” 

Glancing back at the sound of someone calling her name from down the hall, Tamako paused mid-step. She was headed towards the stairwell, by means of reaching the third year classrooms seeing as their lunch break was the perfect opportunity to seek out a certain someone by the name of Seiji. It was a given that he’d already have chocolates presented to him both by girls in his year, and even underclassmen that were feeling a bit bold today, but that meant nothing in comparison to the hard work she put into her handmade chocolates last night! Not only did she manage to master the perfect heart shaped mold, but her father was very happy with his own sweets today! With her intentions set, she started on her way, which is why now as Tsubasa scurried over to her, the former Dark Cure was caught off guard. “…Uwah, are these for me?!” 

She blinked, genuine surprise shining in her eyes as she accepted the heart shaped box from the blonde. It’s not like she hasn’t received similar gifts from other classmates today, customary between friends than anything else, but it never failed to put a smile on her face. Given that this was technically her first Valentine’s Day receiving chocolates, as opposed to raiding stores with an army of Choiarks at the ready like she did last year, it was all the more fun! 

“Aaaaah, thank you so much, Tsubasa-chan!” 

Returning the smile with on of her own, Tamako beamed as she held the box close. In that moment, however, she couldn’t help but remember that… she didn’t have anything to give Tsubasa in return. Only the baggie of handmade chocolates for Seiji in her possession, and another for her little brother. 

Pressing her face against her bedroom window, Tamako watched in awe as the Embassy’s front yard, and everything else outside for that matter, was completely blanketed in white. So, this was snow? It’s tons more amazing to see from her own eyes, as opposed to watching a weather broadcast on TV!

“...I wanna go out and see better, so I’m gonna!” 

“...That’s sounds like something an alien would say, Sagara-kun.”

If Maria wasn’t suspicious before, because let’s be real she’s been wondering about Seiji’s origins for the longest time. Now it was her chance to get answers, even if she was going to have to wear him down to the point that he had nothing else to do but tell her the truth before this day was up. 

“Maria-san has a point, though...” Hime mused aloud, glancing over at the brunet in question. It did seem as if he was protesting a bit too much...

Than usual, at least. Seiji wasn’t really the protesting type.

“You did suddenly kick into defensive mode...”

“Oi! So what if Seiji decided to kick into defensive mode around you--he’s not obligated to speak a single word about his personal matters, Princess.”

Tsubasa took a deep breath. Sure, she had gotten better at talking to people over the last few months. However, nervousness sometimes crept up on her. Like it did right now.

“Um, we haven’t had many chances to talk, have we?” Tsubasa tried calming down, but it wasn’t working. She was tempted to bring up the other girl’s similarities to Hime, but that would be rude.

“I-I’m Tsubasa Mizuno…” the blonde introduced herself. She didn’t want to screw up when it came to socializing with people her age. She knew she couldn’t be friends with everyone. She was a Precure, after all. But, it would be nice to be friendly to everyone. Maybe she was a bit naive when it came to that.

“What’s your name? I doubt you want to be called Miss…”

“I don’t think we’ve ever talked before, actually... should we have?” 

So much for trying to tone down that... infamous attitude from her days as Duchess, but it was expected with someone who had trouble breaking old habits. Especially on a day where she felt it was suitable to revert back to an occasional bout of selfishness, because why couldn’t she celebrate a day solely for herself even if it wasn’t actually her day of birth? Either way, Tamako’s confusion only continued to grow the minute the blonde decided to introduce herself--was she making a new friend? That was... unexpected to say the least, not that she was complaining, but wasn’t she supposed to be the one reaching out to others around her? Not the other way around? 

Today was just tossing a whole bunch of surprises at her. Neat~

“...Well of course I don’t wanna be called Miss!” She puffed her cheeks out in response, but returned a shy smile Tsubasa’s way. “Who ever heard of a young and especially beautiful woman like myself being called Miss, yeesh!”

Placing her hands on her hips, Tamako announced herself proudly.

“!!!”

As if on cue, Tamako’s face exploded in an embarrassed plume of red. Funny how she could go on and on about what she’d do if given the opportunity to have everything she could ever dream about in the world, but now, after asking Seiji for a hug (not even anything mushy like a k...kiss...), she was turning into a pile of goo. Understandable, of course, given her feelings, but still... 

She wasn’t sure what to do from here, but she knew for a fact that she wouldn’t mind... staying here... in his arms for as long as possible. “You’re... um...”

Swallowing nervously, Tamako felt her face burn further. 

“…Miss?”

Well, out of the greetings she remembered receiving throughout the day, this was surprisingly different. Not once could Tamako recall ever being called something… so formal as Miss, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. On one hand, she could take it as a compliment, like a means of maturity now that she was a year older, but on the other… wasn’t that something you called older women? Namely housewives and grandmothers who have nothing better to do but tell you stories and give you sweets they made by scratch? Huh. 

It didn’t help that she couldn’t pinpoint a name on the girl who called out to her, but recalled seeing her face around Pikarigaoka every once in awhile. 

Wasn’t she… that other Cure who protected the town solo… and sometimes helped out the Happiness Charge team? Right now, the birthday girl wasn’t exactly sure since it has been some time since her Dark Cure days.  

They must have fought once or twice back then, right?

“D’you need something from me orrrrrrrrrr?” 

No present sighted.