2014-07-15 - Unvarnished Truths

Title: Unvarnished Truths
Summary: Injured by Runealy's words, Mai goes to have a heart-to-heart with Mamoru. Of course, her own words might have caused injury of their own...
Who: Mamoru Chiba, Mai Tokiha
Where: Mamoru's apartment!
OOC - IC Date: 11 February 2014 - 7/15/2014

A text message conversation, late one evening...

MAMORU: i know you were worried, things are ok now

MAI: Didn't want to push, figured you'd talk if you needed to. At least, as long as I wasn't the one making things weird.

MAMORU: nah

MAMORU: i'm probably making things weird

MAMORU: but it really was a justice thing and everything's really ok

MAMORU: well 'justice thing' it's complicated but w/e

MAMORU: 'everything's ok' is the important part

MAMORU: so yeah ty for obvs concern & letting you know no need

MAI: Things tend to get complicated, yeah. Glad to hear everything's okay - though if your food budget's still low, feel free to drop by for dinner any time.

MAI: Just beware of the cat.

MAMORU: i am beginning to think you made her up

MAI: Is she that unbelievable?

MAI: ...don't answer that.

MAMORU: just that invisible! and you and erichan could be trolling me

MAMORU: easily

MAI: I'd need a bigger conspiracy than that! You could ask Runealy, for instance.

MAI: Actually don't do that.

MAI: I'll just try talking Mikoto into being around for supper more often.

MAMORU: why not? I like her, she's one of ykw's friends

MAMORU: n/m

MAMORU: shed just tease too

MAI: I think she's mad at me for some reason.

MAMORU: ohhh

MAMORU: check

MAI: ...actually, could use someone to talk to. Mikoto helped afterwards, but seeing as she might be a figment of my imagination...

MAMORU: pfff

MAMORU: hey you can come over or i could come over or we can devastate something, whatever's clever

MAMORU: you can always talk to me

MAI: I'll hold off on devastating something. Don't want to risk getting you hurt again.

MAI: ...you still have coffee, right?

MAMORU: oh for fuck's sake

MAMORU: yes

MAI: I'll come over, then. Save introducing you to the imaginary roommate for another day.

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

It's not like 'the topmost balcony' is hard to figure out, which is good, because the security guard that chills in the lobby is a gossip and it's late o'clock.

The balcony door's closed because it's cold out, and unlocked because Mamoru'd been out there a minute ago, brooding mildly by moonlight-- but the coffeemaker just beeped and burbled its last, and he's visible from the doors and the epic picture windows, in the warm glowing yellow light of the kitchen across the dimness of the nearly picture-perfect flat.

It's a moment.

His phone's on the coffeetable, screen lit up from some notification or other; it casts the living room in cool, sterile blues and soft-edged deep shadows where the kitchen glow doesn't reach.

Should Mai knock, she'll be gestured at to come in.

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

She'd been able to put off thinking about some things.

Mai's life was a busy one even before Ohtori, and it had only gotten worse. More time at work, more appointments for Takumi, more schoolwork, new people to watch over...and, let it not be forgot, everything on the magical side of life. The last was the least of her concerns, she'd been so caught up in everything else, and she'd been avoiding much of that life.

One friend approved of anything she decided. One would encourage her not to worry. And one condemned her for her inaction. If there's anything she needs, it's a talk with someone honest, who might understand...

She doesn't want to burden, but he did make the same offer she did...so maybe it's time to take him up on it. In spite of the hour, Mai steps out into the night, telling Mikoto she'll be back later. From there, to the fancy apartment building, and a moment's hesitation. At this hour, it might be difficult to get past security....so flame blossoms to life, and a girl takes flight. Swift, blazing, to the highest balcony.

She dismisses her Element upon landing. She knocks. And when invited, she enters with a half-hearted wave.

"Evening. Sorry to bother you this late, but..." She glances around, slowly making her way from darkness toward the light, feeling a bit foolish. "...I don't know. I'm not interrupting anything, right?"

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

"Just tumblr," Mamoru says, glancing up from where he's pouring himself a cup of coffee. Then he holds up the pot in silent offer, expecting only a silent agreement or denial, because he's already decided he's going to say, "You know, I'm not--"

And then he decides against it all over again and laughs a little. "I don't sleep much anyway. You're not a bother. What's on your mind? And do you want anything in your coffee? Friends don't let friends fly uncaffeinated after midnight."

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

Coffee definitely appeals, and Mai nods in agreement. The question cut short is - something. But it's been a long day - restaurant work with complaining customers is often demoralizing - and the caffeine is for the moment more important. As she reaches the kitchen table, she looks to Mamoru gratefully. "Black is fine - helps me stay awake better."

Then, she takes a seat, and sighs. "It's...either silly for me to worry about, or something I seriously need to work on, and I'm not sure which. You know Runealy - very supportive, often insightful, trying to be helpful. ...she blew up at me over lunch the other day. Snapped at Mikoto and I for wasting our time eating lunch when there was so much more we could be doing."

With coffee in her hands, she takes a long sip - bitter, hot, awakening. "Because...you know, I don't go patrolling like you or many of the other heroes do. I just...deal with the problems I can't ignore."

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

The unfinished question stays that way; thankfully, Mai's going right into it, and Mamoru sets his own black coffee down in order to hoist himself up to sit on the counter, legs dangling. He picks his coffee up again and cradles it in both hands, expression serious, kitchen light reflecting off the lenses of his glasses.

It's past midnight and he's still in his uniform. The tie's loose, the jacket and sweatervest are gone, and the sleeves are rolled up-- but it's still his uniform. Today mustn't've had any excitement, or maybe he crashed out when he got home and woke up to do his homework later.

"I don't patrol, really, unless I'm trying to find monsters to work frustration out on," says the eleventh-grader after a moment's consideration. "For what it's worth." He looks down at his coffee, hair shadowing his face for a moment. "If Runealy-hime snapped at you for being healthy and normal, she's probably got something terrible going on and needs help, Mai-chan. She's talked me down twice and taken an amazing amount of surliness from me on just the strength of her knowing I help Sailor Moon."

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

Mai, for her part, has claimed a seat at the kitchen table. She needs somewhere to set her mug, just in case her courage fails. She has her usual winter jacket - though the time is approaching to put it away for the year - and her school uniform's skirt. It's a sign of her mood that she doesn't even give Mamoru a reproachful look for his use of the countertop as a seat - but she needs honest advice more than she needs to boss someone around.

She grips her mug tightly - Mikoto had said that, hadn't she? That Runealy was 'wrong'? But even so... "She's not usually like that, no - trying to encourage me, and get me to stop worrying. But...she might have had a good point. I don't do much with the power I have - not counting using it to make ramen without a stove, anyway." Mai looks up from the coffee to Mamoru. "I just...I could be doing more. I could be looking for monsters to destroy, or trying to find people to help. Not just fighting things that interrupt my shopping or that threaten Takumi."

...did she even manage to do that much? After what happened with the Cardiax? She looks down at her black elixir. "...and I still argued with her that I can't go all out. If a monster's emerging from a dark alley, having Kagutsuchi go all out would just make things worse."

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

And now's when Mamoru actually legitimately starts to look annoyed. "Are you seriously letting this get to you? No. Twit. If you spent all your time fighting evil, what would happen to the people you look after? Not just Takumi. What would happen to you? You wouldn't have a life anymore. You'd use yourself up and be no use to anyone."

He sips at his coffee, then deliberately slurps it, loudly, to take a little bit of the sting out of his harsh words. "Don't be an idiot. Whatever's bothering her has her lashing out, hitting weak points. She's your friend, she knows them. Maybe you should train with Kagutsuchi some, make sure that you can work with him-- have you even gone out to sea to have that talk yet?-- but that doesn't mean you need to bring out a skyscraper-sized dragon to solve every problem in sight. That just means you need to get more comfortable with the idea of calling him if you need him. And it has precisely nothing to do with how much time you spend fighting evil."

Sliding off the counter, Mamoru holds his coffee out, keeping it perfectly steady as his sock feet land noiselessly on the floor. Then he finishes it, making a face at the heat. "You let the people who can solve little problems solve them, you hit the problems that you can deal with when they show up in your face or when someone asks for help, you get Kagutsuchi's help if you're overwhelmed."

The absurdly tall-- and somehow very tired-looking-- boy turns to pour himself another cup of coffee, and his next words are fierce and low and his face is hidden. "And in between, you live your life, and you never forget you have one and that it's important."

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

The words are harsh, yes, but necessary. Even as Mai cringes at Mamoru's annoyance - and again at the reminder of the biggest thing she's been avoiding - the tension begins to leave her back. Between Takumi's hospital appointments and Linden Baum, she doesn't have so much time to spare for prowling for trouble. Even if work was over by the moonlit hours, she can only put in so many hours, right?

"...thanks, Mamoru-kun. That's...basically what I needed to hear, in so many words." Mikoto might have had the same intent, but it's hard to separate serious advice from blind praise with her... "...I have been putting off that talk with Kagutsuchi. I should just book off a weekend and do it then - it just seems like there's always something else coming up."

She takes a long drink of her coffee, setting the mug on the table with an empty clunk. Unlike Mamoru, however, she doesn't get up for a refill immediately. "I just...needed to make sure, I guess. That focusing on my non-magical life was an okay thing to do - I'm sure heroes like Sailor Moon are dealing with a lot in their lives, but they still manage to go out and do good."

The caffeine and the reassurance, combined, are enough to improve Mai's alertness - enough to start to pick up on Mamoru's worry. When she speaks again, it's with that much more confidence, the returning echo of her usual teasing. A flicker of joviality, quenched in honest concern. "You are following your own advice, though - living your life, too. Right?"

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

"I'm not making light when I say make an appointment and keep it like it's one of Takumi's," Mamoru says calmly, turning around, his face calm and his eyes unreadable because of those damned glasses and their efficacy in replacing his opaqued mask. "If something comes up, there are plenty of people, myself included, who can make sure it's taken care of. You need to talk to Kagutsuchi."

Then he leans back against the counter, loosely crossing one arm over his stomach and leaning the elbow of the coffee-holding arm on it. "And I have more life now than I know what to do with. Trading privacy for friends is an adjustment. I'm still finding my balance." There's a pause. "That's not some kind of dig," he adds, ducking his head slightly to look over his glasses at Mai, then using the motion to sip his coffee--

--and this time, the heat startles him, though it shouldn't, and he jerks his hand; coffee spills over the edge and splashes on his hand, on his tie, on his shirt.

Long-suffering sigh. Handily, there's a tea towel hanging over the oven handle, and he grabs for it, putting the cup down hurriedly. "I -am- trying to figure out how to get a birthday cake to that possibly-a-friend-from-a-former-life I'm not allowed to have contact with, but that's not a normal people problem," he says, dabbing at the spill.

The tea towel has top hats and bowties all over it, and one corner of his mouth twitches upwards as he looks at it.

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

Scary, shiny glasses. Mai dims under the ominous look, and her voice is a bit smaller when it does come out. She really does know that, it's just...maybe she does need to treat it like one of Takumi's appointments, or nearly as serious. Which means checking the calendar when she gets home. Mamoru's admission is a welcome change of topic, and she brightens in response.

"Well, I'm finding I'm making more friends at Ohtori than I had before, which is something I honestly never expected- oh!" Hot coffee spilling everywhere is all too familiar a sight. Or, for that matter, a sensation. It happens. There's a procedure, and this is enough to make Mai get up to help. She goes to the sink, first, to turn on the cold water. "Give your hand a rinse, that didn't seem scalding but it's better to be sure."

Whether or not he goes for that help, she moves to help - but there's only the one tea towel, so unless he trades off cleanup duty there's not much she can do. Aside from considering his newest dilemma, that is. "No, but scheduling a chat with a fiery dragon isn't a normal people problem either. I know Linden Baum and Midori-Ya both do deliveries, sometimes - though the question becomes where to have them deliver it."

The tea towel is eye-catching, and even stained by coffee, it's certainly...distinctive. "...okay, did you seriously pick that out, Chiba-san? I know you're very dashing in that outfit, but this might be a bit much..."

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

"There're more in the drawer just to the left of the sink," Mamoru says distractedly, giving his hand a cursory rinse to satisfy Mai but spending a lot more attention on rinsing the coffee out of his tie and shirt. His hand will heal. His clothes? Will stain.

"And no, they were a gift," he adds, glancing sidelong at Mai; he's not really smiling, but his eyes are, and his head's tilted in such a way that his eyes are perfectly visible, perfectly readably clear.

They have that look in them that the generally solitary boy always gets when he's talking about Sailor Moon.

But then his gaze snaps back to the task at hand, and he fusses with dish soap on cloth. "Dammit," he mutters. "Anyway, yeah, where to deliver it is kind of the problem. I'm not supposed to have any contact with him at all, and he's dangerous enough that I don't want anyone else getting mixed up in the mess. I've got this mental image of Kagutsuchi with a cellphone..."

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

Mai checks the drawer while Mamoru satisfies her concerns - at least, outwardly. And yes, it's important to deal with the clothes quickly as well - she just cared more about the person in the clothes than the clothes. Priorities, after all. She takes out another tuxedo-and-bowtie tea towel, and turns to give Mamoru an amused smile-

But there are the magic words. "Well, if it's a gift, then it's allowed." She glances at the cloth, but he wouldn't be using them if he wanted them pristine forever...still, she's a bit more cautious as she uses them to clean up the spill. She gives him one more grin. "Gifts from people close to you get to be as embarrassing as they want them to be."

They were, however, talking about something else before the whole coffee spill. A few other things, admittedly. And she was about to respond seriously, but instead winds up snorting loudly. "That's almost, but not quite, as hilarious as Eri-chan's suggestion of having Kagutsuchi fill in for me at Linden Baum."

She joins her friend at the sink, to rinse out a coffee-drenched tea towl - best to not let it stain, either. "In all honesty...it sounds rough. You do know that I'm willing to help, right?" She stops, mid-rinse, and lets out a sigh. "Though I'm not sure that actually solves any of your dilemma..."

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

At the comments about gifts being allowed to be embarrassing, Mamoru just gives Mai a sidelong smirk. He's doing a fair amount of not actually making eye contact tonight-- it's not anything like the chilly wall he occasionally manifests in her presence, and it's not even disengagement. It's not shy, either...

All the things it's not. There is detachment there, preoccupied but friendly, somewhat distant: there's the sense that if they weren't friends, weren't close, he would most certainly be cold and aloof.

Rinsing out the dish soap from his starting-to-be-soaked shirt and tie, Mamoru's next horrible step is taking a dry towel and twisting up the wet splotches on his shirt and tie in it. "I know you are," he says, warmly amused. "I guess I kind of hoped you'd have a miracle idea. I do know a civilian identity of his, but-- he knows I know it, and I don't know if he's using it anymore. Zoe Palissandre-- the French exchange student in my class at Ohtori. He's, uh. Really good at crossdressing."

There's no discomfort there, just a wryness-- even though the image running through his head at the moment is that of his own hand cleaning the blood from the Dark General's split lip.

"If he's still using that ID, I'm pretty sure there's a dorm room with that name on it. So there's automatically a place to put a cake. And, um. I do have his mobile number. I just can't call or text it. Maybe-- maybe you can do something-- would you be willing to text the number from the internet?"

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

There's something going on there, certainly - Mai hadn't noticed when she came in, she'd been wrapped up in worries too much, but that detachment's been there all along. Is he upset, or is there something going on...for a moment, Mai wishes that Mamoru Chiba were as direct as Mikoto.

That would probably not end well, though.

She has an idea what it could be - a concern that had come to mind, and she turns her attention back to the site of the spill. Make sure things are properly cleaned up, she has practice at this more than any of the other topics present tonight. In the meantime...Zoe Palissandre.

Okay. If there's an Ohtori identity, then-

"I...might be able to work something out, if there's a dorm room or even just enough of an identity to go to class. Most of the bakeries deliver, and will deliver to Ohtori. Runealy -" Mai flinches a bit, thinking of the girl whose comments sparked coming here in the first place. "- gets pastries from Midori-ya every other day, for instance. For any order, though, the restaurant usually tries to contact the student to figure out the best place to deliver."

Mai turns back to Mamoru, her footing steady, an earnest smile on her face. "So it's worth a try. Put in an order at Linden Baum - I can key it into the system next time I'm at work - and have the restaurant tell 'Zoe' that someone's ordered something for him. If it's the civilian number, anyway." The cheer dims a bit. "If it's, well, a personal one - then plan B, yeah. I'll use one of the public machines to send a message. Just say 'there's a cake from a friend on this rooftop, enjoy' or something."

Even with dimmed enthusiasm, she manages a brief smirk.

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

"Oh, no, it's in the student directory and everything," Mamoru assures Mai, finally stopping with his shirt and tie once they are irreparably wrinkled and still unfairly damp. He spreads the otherwise clean towel out on the counter to dry, then goes about pouring himself a new coffee. "Hell, I carried the thing around with me for a couple weeks before I finally ran into him in Hokkaido, and gave it back. He'd forgotten it. So-- yeah."

That, at least, ends up with a bright expression on the slightly older boy's face; he turns it towards Mai, and for a second, he's fully focused again. No distraction, no detachment. It doesn't last long, but it's there and real. "Thank you. Even if he's ready to throw me under the bus at the drop of a hat-- which I'm sure he is-- it's pretty awful when no one cares it's your birthday. I'll drop by tomorrow and pick one out."

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

And with that statement, Mai's grin flares back to life. Because - this is something that actually makes Mamoru's life easier. And - whatever the reason for that distance, for the moment, it's actually gone. "I've got the day off from Linden Baum, but I'll pass on that you're coming. Try to get you a discount."

She takes a moment to refill her cup, but doesn't reclaim her seat at the table; instead, she stays standing, leaning on the counter opposite the machine. Her smile fades away, and she holds tightly to the mug's warmth - because the thoughts coming to mind of what might have caused that distance are cold all over again. "Back to what we were talking about earlier for a moment...sorry. I really am sorry. Because there are vanishingly few problems that a skyscraper-sized dragon can solve, but a sea turtle kaiju threatening someone I - I care about should, honestly, be one of them."

She stares into the black coffee. "If I had called him, maybe things might not have been so..."

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

Seems like Mai guessed right. As easily and neatly as a tailored glove, the distance slips back into place, leaving a mild-mannered avatar where there was a second-year high school student a moment ago.

Mamoru sets his coffee down to finally take off his tie, which was already loose and is now wrinkled and damp. He hangs it over the oven handle, then moves to get out a fresh tea towel to replace the one that'd been there before. "Things weren't terrible. They were a little dicey, but they always are. It's part and parcel of the job. Don't worry about it, I'm fine. You don't have to be sorry."

Of course he's avoiding the part that actively pissed him off. Of course he is. Mai doesn't need to know how much it hurt, because even if 'no you can't come because you need to be kept safe' is a below-the-belt hit to a justice defender's feeling of self-worth, she'd been right with regards to the underlying effect.

What if Sailor Moon had needed him? Had needed him suddenly, across town, in the middle of fighting a giant monster Mai couldn't take on alone and couldn't just leave to its own devices?

As unhappy as she is about it right now, Mai Tokiha has a phoenix dragon thing the size of a couple tour buses and a weekend cottage welded together. She can take care of herself. So can Usagi, but--

...but she doesn't always, and the Senshi aren't always there, and besides, their focus is on the Princess.

The corners of Mamoru's mouth turn down at the thought, and he goes to pick up his coffee again. This time it's he who takes a seat at the table, and he manages to take up the space of two and a half people despite being slender. "You're afraid, but not for your own sake. You're afraid he'll hurt people. That you could call down a solution that causes more damage than the problem. I'm still pretty sure you have nothing to worry about from him, either, but you won't know and you won't progress until you talk to him."

He sips his coffee and says halfway into the cup, eyebrows lifted, "So stop thinking about what almost happened, and about things that did happen, and focus on what you are doing, and what you're going to do. I swear, you cut yourself down so frequently-- it's unnecessary and it hampers your ability to react effectively. What COULD happen in a situation you don't control-- that's something you can't afford to obsess over."

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

With how often Mai is actually out facing evil - and more importantly, the fact that she winds up paying attention to bigger threats more often than not - she can't really deny the idea that things always are that dicey. Can't prove it, can't deny it...all she can trust in there are her friend's words, and he doesn't seem to blame her.

She takes in a long breath, lets it out, and takes a sip of coffee. Even with the reassurance, she doesn't break the silence until the scrape of the chair on the kitchen floor sounds Mamoru's new location, and he's speaking again. Another sip of coffee - to help keep her focused - and she can finally answer. "That's...basically it, yes. I don't want to get into the habit of keeping him in mind as a solution, because even if he's under my control...well, you've hit on it. So...what I'm doing - making time to finally just talk to Kagutsuchi. And in the meantime, trying to stick with what I'm doing, and focusing on fighting the problems that show up in my face."

Finally, finally she looks up from her mug, towards Mamoru. "I just - not doing something I should have has cost me before. I'll try not to worry about this one." She takes another breath, and musters a smile. "So does that mean you're still willing to lend me a hand if Sailor Moon's taking the day off?"

<Pose Tracker> Mamoru Chiba [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

"Of course," the black-haired boy says, mildly surprised that she's asking after all that. He sips his coffee again, then holds the hot mug in both hands, lowering them to rest the coffee in his lap.

He watches Mai silently for a moment, tilting his head up slightly; his glasses reflect the ceiling light again, obscuring the midnight blue of his eyes, leaving Tuxedo Mask's impassive gravity. "You just can't rely on me. Not because I'm incapable, but because I can't and won't ignore it if she actually needs me."

There's a pause, and Mamoru sighs, looking down at the bitter brew in his hands. "I'm not a very good friend. I'm sorry, Mai-chan. Neglecting to do things I should has cost Sailor Moon in the past."

With another look up, the upperclassman watches Mai again for a second. Finally one eyebrow quirks up. "What are you going to wear to the poetry slam, by the way?"

<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

She had to make sure. That she wasn't too unreliable. It might have been silly to check, but-

The light, reflected off those glasses, possesses a terrible weight. With that force come words - doubting, but honest words. Mai sees him looking down, and sympathy burns within her, because she gets it. She absolutely understands. Driven by that understanding, she steps forward - only the slightest hesitation at first, but not faltering in her approach to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"She's important." She's standing, he's sitting, and it's that rare occasion that lets her be the one giving a warm look from above. "You are a wonderful friend, because you understand. That there's something - someone absolutely important, that you'll drop anything to go help if there's a need. Because - because I've lost too many 'friends' over the years who didn't get that Takumi had to take priority over any plans with them."

She grips his shoulder tightly, then lets go, and takes a step back so she isn't looming. "So don't worry about it. Whatever you have to drop to go help her, know that I'm giving you my blessing to do so. Because you being like that is, weirdly enough, how I know I can trust you."

She takes a long drink of coffee to cover up how that might have come out, the mug helping to hide her face. The caffeine is kicking in, but she can still feel the lateness of the hour - and even with her work schedule cleared, there's a few things she has to do tomorrow before the poetry reading. "The poetry slam. Right. Well, my calendar's open, but after seeing where it's being held... I'm not sure I have anything appropriate for that kind of formality, I lost most of my luggage last autumn. The Ohtori uniform won't cut it...ugh. Maybe I can piece together a skirt and blouse combo that can pass in a pinch."

Uncertainty is plain on her face, and she sets her mug by the sink. "...yeah, I'd better see what I even have to work with. Thanks for the coffee - and thanks even more for the chat. I needed it." She gives Mamoru a smile, and makes her way once more to the balcony door.