004 Video; UN: Cuddlebunny

[lightthedarkness]

[Usually, Usagi would just make this a text, but this was for Rei.

She took a deep breath as she looks at the camera, her eyes red and swollen, her nose red as well. She offers a wet smile before it falls away completely.

She takes another deep breath.]

For those of you who knew her, Rei Hino went- went home.

[Her breath hitches on that last part but she gets it out without a single sob or tears. Rei would be proud. She's done her crying, though, in truth, she's likely to do more later. Usagi knows she'll see Rei again, their lives intertwined, but it doesn't make her loss hurt any less.

Usagi debates for a moment if she should say anything else, pressing her lips together, and then lets out a breath.]

I know she meant a lot to many of you and those of you who Rei loved, she loved you fiercely, I can say that with certainty. [Rei never loved by halves.

Usagi is silent for a moment and then nods. She leaves it at that, at a loss on what else to say.]

Comments

[survivalthroughhate]

[It was strange for Maul to realize he needed Usagi as much as he'd ever needed anyone. He'd always tried to be so tough and a lone wolf but it hadn't worked. Maul's heart was never going to be completely closed and now he had quite the number of people he cared about. The two of them had grown so close together in the almost two years they'd spent, though it often felt much longer to Maul.

If he had to learn how to care about people in order to go further down the path of redemption, then Usagi had been instrumental in helping him to grow. There was not many Maul could love unconditionally, broken and battered as his heart was (and in truth he was afraid to do so), but Usagi was right up there on the top of the list along with his brother and Reaper.

He just continued to hold Usagi, slowly stroking her long hair, trying to give back a little of what she had given him all these months.]

I think I shall sleep over here tonight. [Just in case Usagi was unable to sleep or woke up in the middle of the night.] And tomorrow we shall do something that you greatly enjoy.

[Whether Maul enjoyed it at all was irrelevant. If Usagi wanted to spend the day eating sweets and doing face masks, then he'd stick by her. Right now, she deserved something nice.]

[lightthedarkness]

[She nodded, staying in his hold, her eyes closed as he stroked her hair, grateful for the comfort.

She likely would fall asleep on him, as the night went on, too scared to sleep alone lest the nightmares of everyone disappearing on her started to creep in. It remained one of her greatest fears, to be all alone. She knew exactly how it felt because Galaxia had made sure to make her suffer that feeling.

And even though she had endured, had survived, it did NOT mean she wanted to experience it again, to live through it once more. It didn't matter that she knew she could handle it, it did not change that she was scared of it.

She wiped her eyes, they were sore from all of her crying. And she knew Rei wouldn't want her to be upset, she also knew Rei would absolutely expect this of her.]

Thank you, Maul. I really needed this.