Ice Cream Request

Ice Cream Oath
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Misha's graduation from Yamaku Academy was the best and worst thing that happened to her.  Though they had sworn to meet again, her friends were gone and her parents had been less than subtle in implying that she should stay in the area and find a university.

It was kind of funny that she would find her way back to the Hakamichi home, at the end of all things.

She sighed, trying to ponder what she could do with the rest of her life.  She had a feeling that Shizune's father might not want her laying around here in a pair of red boy's gym shorts and a baggy t-shirt from America all day...

“My, my, that was a big one,” came the gentle response.

“Lilly!” When had she come in?  She tried to muster some of her usual excitement. “I mean, hi Lilly!”

“So that was you, Misha.  I was worried I might have found a melancholy burglar for a second,” Lilly said as she sat down beside her.

“Sorry, when Shicchan gave me...wait, I thought you were leaving?”

“I had thought so too, but so easily do our plans change...apparently.” Lilly breathed the softest of sighs, the smile nearly shrinking away from her face.

It wasn't often Misha looked at Lilly, especially outside of her school uniform.  She wore a light blue sundress that showed just enough leg to make the hearts of any potential suitors race.

Lilly spoke before she did, “would you like to get some ice cream, Misha?”

“Sure.” Misha offered her arm as she stood up, and they walked out of the mansion.

Thankfully, Shizune's neighborhood wasn't too hoity-toity to have an ice cream shop.  The prices were a little overblown, but the girl who manned the counter was cute and got their products up front lickety-split.

Still, she had enough yen that paying for both of their desserts wasn't a big deal.

Despite herself, Misha decided to splurge a little bit.  Peanut butter chocolate chip ice cream with the most delicious fudge.   Looking across at Lilly, she wondered if that green ice cream would taste as good to her if she could see it.

“Misha,” Lilly said, setting her plastic spoon down.

“Hm?”

Her face was utterly devoid of emotion.  “Do you have any plans for the future?”

“I want to become a sign language teacher, but...”  She had long since realized that she didn't have 'plans' beyond the mission statement

“You don't know where to get started, do you?” Lilly's lips twisted into a frown.  “It is the same for me.”

And so silence dominated them briefly.  “May I have a bit of yours?”

“Sure.” Misha slid her dish over.

Lilly used her own spoon and carefully tasted the ice cream.  Several seconds later, after swallowing, she said, “a little overpowering, but delicious, thank you.  Feel free to take some of mine, if you would like.”

“So why did you end up staying here?”

“I realized going away from my real home...” Lilly sighed.  “I couldn't go back to being someone else's problem.  I almost understand it when other people try to treat me as helpless, but of my own family...only uncle Jigoro has had the decency to expect me to be just the same as anyone else.”

“And he doesn't even understand what his own daughter can't do,” Misha said with more than her fair share of bitterness.

And Lilly smiled at her, though there was no joy in it as she murmured, “he understands, but it pisses him off.”

She couldn't help the giggle that came afterwards, so she swiped a spoonful of the other girl's green ice cream and shoved it in her face before she could break out laughing.

Once the ice cream was swallowed and the laughter stifled, she found herself struggling to continue the conversation.

“Misha, I don't know what's going to happen, but let's stick together.  We're practically family by now, right?”

It was...so far out of left field that the only thing she could do was smile and nod, until she found her voice.  “Yes.  Of course we're family, Lichan.”

Lilly giggled softly.  “So it's decided.  May our future be long and prosperous.”

For that moment, Misha believed it would be.