[ Oh. Hearing him say that makes a breath catch in her throat.
If he's been able to see her for what she really is all this time then it shouldn't be a surprise that he'd know that, too. After all, before she's an idol, maybe before she's even a person full stop, she's Aqua and Ruby's mother.
If that's what he sees, then it must be the truth.
Maybe it wasn't Hoshino Ai who died in that hallway, then. Maybe Ai of B-Komachi can be the one left behind - the rotting remains of a chrysalis. And what survives can be...
What, exactly?
She doesn't quite know yet. But maybe it's okay if this is how she finds out. ]
Mm. [ Her mouth pulls into a tight line. ] It should be. ... It will be.
[ This isn't just her selfishness anymore, if that's the case. She's fighting for Aqua and Ruby and if that's how it is, then she owes them nothing less than her everything. No matter how much it scares her, no matter how ill suited and undeserving and utterly underwhelming she is as a Master, now that she has this chance...
What kind of mother would she be if she wasted it? ]
Oberon.
[ Just like last night, her raspy voice takes on the tone of a command - maybe a little uncertain, still, but no less firm. She meets his gaze, too. From this close, it's almost unbearable to be looked into so deeply but if she's holding that gaze then she can't make herself lie. ]
no subject
If he's been able to see her for what she really is all this time then it shouldn't be a surprise that he'd know that, too. After all, before she's an idol, maybe before she's even a person full stop, she's Aqua and Ruby's mother.
If that's what he sees, then it must be the truth.
Maybe it wasn't Hoshino Ai who died in that hallway, then. Maybe Ai of B-Komachi can be the one left behind - the rotting remains of a chrysalis. And what survives can be...
What, exactly?
She doesn't quite know yet. But maybe it's okay if this is how she finds out. ]
Mm. [ Her mouth pulls into a tight line. ] It should be. ... It will be.
[ This isn't just her selfishness anymore, if that's the case. She's fighting for Aqua and Ruby and if that's how it is, then she owes them nothing less than her everything. No matter how much it scares her, no matter how ill suited and undeserving and utterly underwhelming she is as a Master, now that she has this chance...
What kind of mother would she be if she wasted it? ]
Oberon.
[ Just like last night, her raspy voice takes on the tone of a command - maybe a little uncertain, still, but no less firm. She meets his gaze, too. From this close, it's almost unbearable to be looked into so deeply but if she's holding that gaze then she can't make herself lie. ]
If it's the two of us, then we'll win.