DGA: A Much Needed Break

A brief little piece of Season 2 fallout. Canon.
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“Um... a-aren't we supposed to study today?”

Reiji adjusts his glasses as he wanders through the town, leading Hoshi along with him towards the nearest park. “Well... yes, by all rights we should. But... I mean, it's such a lovely day...”

Hoshi looks around her, pausing for a moment in her heavy coat. “B-but it's cold...”

Reiji hesitates, his throat drying from the sheer nerves. “I... well, but even a cold day can be lovely, right?”

Hoshi nods. “Yeah... I really like the snow.”

“Indeed,” Reiji nods. “And I just thought that after all that's happened since New Year... we could use a break today, Hoshi.”

“A-a break?!” Hoshi whines in shock. “B-b-but if we don't study, t-then I can't improve my magic! And i-if I don't improve, then I w-won't be strong enough, a-and if I'm not strong enough the world will be... will be...”

“Hoshi, calm down...” Reiji winces, recognising when his own words are being regurgitated. “I know I've been pushing you too hard lately, and I want to right that. So... you and I are going to have a nice lunch in the park.”

“Oh...” Hoshi mumbles, before giving a small smile. A lovely, innocent smile. “That sounds nice.”

The two arrive in the park, a tiny little pathway along a frozen pond. Finding some benches, Reiji takes a seat and immediately pulls some sandwiches from his backpack. He hands one over to Hoshi as she sits down, and the nervous girl quickly checks to see it's contents.

“Egg salad... my favourite,” Hoshi smiles.

Reiji nods. “I know, my treat.”

“T-thank you,” Hoshi bows respectfully. “Oh... this park is very pretty in Winter.”

“Yes,” Reiji replies. “You know, before I began tutoring you I would have all of my lunches out by this park. I'd often bring extra to feed the ducks, who of course have migrated around this time of-”

“You would leave school grounds for lunch?” Hoshi asks. “W-who would you come here with?”

Reiji pauses. “Nobody.”

Hoshi lets out a gasp. “You ate lunch alone?”

Reiji shakes his head. “Of course not! I mean... there were the ducks...”

Hoshi pouts. “Reiji... I'm sorry.”

“No need to take pity on me, Hoshi...” Reiji replies. “Coming out here to eat by myself was just more agreeable than eating alone in public... I mean, you know full-well what it's like being shy.”

“Y-yeah...” Hoshi replies. “But I never had lunch by myself. There was always Chihiro, or Saki, or Sayeka, or Nariko, or Nanami...”

“You were always unexpectedly popular,” Reiji remarks with a blushing smile.

Hoshi shakes her head after taking a bite of her sandwich. “If I knew... y-you could have always had lunch with us...”

Reiji throws up his hands to reassure her. “It's okay, I swear. Back then, I didn't need anyone else. Or, at least... I didn't know I needed anyone else back then. The only people in my life were my parents and the rest of the order... and they made me feel lonelier than any empty park ever could.”

“Reiji...” Hoshi mutters, before placing her hand atop his. “Thank you.”

“For what?” he asks.

Hoshi smiles. “Ever since you started tutoring me, you... you always made me feel more confident in myself. Y-you taught me to believe in myself... and you take good care of me. I-I've been so nervous recently with seeing my face on the tv, and... you do something this nice for me.”

“It's really nothing,” Reiji gives a nervous smile, turning a little red as he does. “I just thought it nice that we would have lunch together... but thank you, Hoshi.”

“Hm?”

“I...” Reiji mutters. “I am so lucky to have a friend like you. You're everything I never realised I needed.”

Hoshi finishes off her sandwich with a satisfies gulp before edging closer to Reiji, wrapping her arms around him in a warm embrace, one that he enthusiastically returns. “L-let's come back here in spring. When the ducks come back.”

“Of course,” Reiji smiles. “They're adorable... you'll love them.”

The two finish off their meals and uproot themselves, making their way back to the academy grounds. This little foray... it wasn't much. Just a little break... but a much needed one.