A Friend...? Truly...? (Lust)

Rhein might've been able to easily brush off her act of kindness as something casual and natural but for someone like Cicilia... it was something she treasured. In a life that epitomized the concept of loneliness, where everyone either despised you, wanted to hurt you or simply didn't care... Rhein was almost like another angel to the German, one that nearly stood up beside the woman she loved in her (barren) hierarchy of relationships! They hadn't known each other nearly as long but the weight of this woman's actions, as well as her German blood, made up for this fact. Gifts were nice and speaking to her with a gentleness she almost didn't feel like she deserved was better... but Rhein took it upon herself to stand up to Juno, her psychotic client and erase her from Cicilia's active life! Ever since Rhein had made it known to the Juggernaut that she would do her hardest to do so, Juno had simply... disappeared from the public eye! No matches... no stalking... It was almost as if she didn't exist in the first place! ...Cicilia had just been beginning to believe that her demons would haunt her forever, that, eventually, they would outlast and overcome her... Knowing that there was someone out there like Rhein who both recognized her power and acted on it for an effective stranger's sake...

...How could it be that people like this existed...?

It was almost enough to make a woman cry... certainly enough to wet her eyes! As a genuine smile curled its way into existence upon the German's face, her sanguine eyes shimmered in the lower light of the car's interior, the German fiddling with her fingers as she lost herself in thought. Sayumi made life at home something worth waking up to... Rhein was outside, reassuring Cicilia that miserable defeat in war of attrition was not inevitable... Could it be that there were others out there, other angels among the darkness who were just as willing and ready to help as they were...?

...Maybe she had just been lucky so far... It could just be that she had lasted only long enough for the odds to finally fall in her favor. In fact, it was more likely that there was nothing else out there but these two wonderful people in her life and that they made up the small, desert oasis within a vast, shark-filled ocean. ...But even if that were so... Cicilia was almost starting to believe that was enough...

Cicilia's eyes would flick up and catch Rhein's gaze in the rear-view mirror, her sanguine eyes locking into the wise, experienced emeralds of the older German... and her smile grew. She weak at her very core, as if her muscles and skeleton were melting into a gelatinous mass. Plates of internal armor seemed to drop for the first time in what felt like forever, the Juggernaut slowly ceasing to be... and revealing the woman beneath... Frail, pale... but hopeful. As if to provide some conversation to fill the silence, Rhein would muse that they should be underway.... and what Cicilia's favorite snack actually was! Such a stupidly normal conversation that had nothing to do with fighting or her job... it was almost disarming! The German's mind spun this way and that, trying to sift through an almost infinite number of irrelevent thoughts to find a suitable answer...

"K-Kinder Schoko Bons..." The boxer concluded after a moment, looking up at her guardian in the drivers seat. "Chocolate mostly but... those are my favorite..."

“Schoko Bons?! I didn’t even know they still made those! I remember an old friend of mine was absolutely nuts for those things. He used to go on and on about how it was getting harder for him to find them in those bulk bags they used to have. I’m sure they are still around, but I haven’t seen any Schoko Bons in awhile. At least...not since I’ve seen him last.”

Rhein gently tapped her fingers on the wheel as she pulled out of Cicilia’s parking lot and made her way to the theater, the manager finding herself reminiscing about her life before coming over to Japan. It was strange, remembering old faces she had tried to wash away with copious amounts of alcohol and sleepless nights being brought right back up with something as simple as a piece of candy. The pain of leaving, and the pain of loss had made her just want to dull herself to the world, and throw herself into her work. It was that work that helped her meet Cicilia, though the first she learned of the boxer was only on paper. One of the more psychotic of her clients named Juno Sawyer had decided to target the fighter. Juno went after her personal life, her professional life, and even her loved ones. A true monster the likes of which Rhein couldn’t stand. If it was up to her, she would let Juno be thrown in jail and have her rot in a cell...but in order to do that, she had to be charged with something, and after learning more about Cicilia and the challenges she grew up with and endured...Rhein didn’t want her to suffer just to put Juno away. Instead, the manager essentially buried Juno, keeping an eye on her and only giving her matches with newbies and strangers so she doesn’t pull a similar stunt. The nurse still made her moves, visiting other strange people outside of work and whispering lies about the boxer and her girlfriend, but nothing that would bring harm to the boxer’s household.

The stress of work was one thing, watching her clients and controlling them and their fights, but remembering her other life was nearly unbearable, to the point she would black herself out in bourbon and whatever liquor was on hand. And yet, for some reason it did not hurt nearly as bad as usual. In fact...in this case it did not hurt at all.

What was his name, anyways? He loved Schoko Bons and those candy-chew things. He had a wife that would visit…

It was only after a few minutes of thinking that she had realized that she had actually forgotten them. Only a vague image of them remained in her head. The man who she once called a friend was little more than a memory of some laughter, and a collection of sweets. An entire relationship erased and gone like a sketch on a page, with only a few marks lingering around to remind her that there was once something there. A face to go with the laughter.

The feeling was bittersweet. The pain had dulled to the point of being numb thanks to her vanished memory, but at the same time the fact that she could forget made her feel rotten at her core. She had tried to forget, and she succeeded. How long would it be until she realized she forgot someone else? Someone like…

“Erm...anyway, I wonder if the theater we are going to carry them. I’ve never tried their stuff before.”

Just push past it, and deal with it later. Today is a fun day! Focus on Cicilia, have a good time and-

Forget her someday.

No...She would deal with this later! She would fix this later, she just...she just needed time, and right now her time was here, having fun with her fellow German. The movie was one she was curious to see, and she had a plan to try and bring out Cicilia from her iron wall defense. Right now, Rhein wanted to see the girl in her passenger seat have the time of her life. A day without worry, without guilt, and without want. Rather then a manager, today Rhein just wanted to be a friend.

__

The theater was not far from Cicilia’s Apartment complex, but still turned out to be a bit of a drive after Rhein ended up missing a turn that led towards the parking lot. After a few left turns, Rhein managed to find the entrance to the parking lot and found a decent spot underneath a tree. It wasn’t too far from the theater doors, with the car being just close enough to see the various movie posters that covered the outside walls. Various pictures of characters doing various things from kissing to fighting a number of foes littered all of the various posters meant to catch the eye. One poster in particular showed a silhouette of a couple standing in front of a bright white skull, the text reading the title of To Punish and Enslave. The picture was reminiscent of the book cover, though Rhein preferred the actual illustration itself. Still, a part of her wondered if her fellow German would like it as Rhein opened the door for her guest.

“It’s been a while since I read the book, but from what I remember it's a love story told in the middle of a violent family feud. I loved it back in school, but I’m curious how they do things in a movie format.”

Pushing through the front doors, Rhein was immediately hit with the smell of melted butter and salt. There were dozens of screens playing multiple trailers and commercials for various products and movies, all while the hum of ovens and microwaves moaned behind the cash registers. Nothing too unfamiliar from a normal theater, honestly. A sign in front of the registers said “Tickets purchased here”, and Rhein could only push up her glasses as she tried to digest all the smells in sounds that slammed into her all at once.

“Okay...Well, lets see what sort of chocolate they got. Fingers crossed on Schoko Bons. right?”

"Really?" Cicilia's gaze turned back to Rhein as she expressed her surprise! "...Because they're still popular back in Germany. I... just can't get them here." The Juggernaut would watch as her driver... and friend descended back within herself, her presence seeming to retract inward, her awareness fading away. It was a look she could recognize, one she felt upon her own face more times than she cared to remember. It was almost like falling asleep and dreaming of a world you never wanted to go to. It wasn't a nightmare fore those came and went of their own accord, manifesting into their own preferred demented shapes. No, this was a twisted dream of their own design, one they just couldn't help but return to. It was almost an addiction, a siren's call of memory that compelled the attention of its owner, a song that tugged on every string, pushed every button.... because it came from you in the first place. Cicilia couldn't take her eyes off Rhein as she observed her descent deeper inside, a fall which seemed to go on forever as the world outside the car sped past. One could almost read the pain like runes scrawled across Rhein's skin, how she detached herself from everything else. Reflex and impulse kept her safe on the outside... while her mind went back inside to relock the cage. It was always like that, wasn't it? Never deal with it now. It was never "now". Always later. It was always too big, too scary to try and subdue now. It must be locked up, buried, imprisoned until it grew beyond the confines of its cage. Cicilia knew not what manner of beast Rhein was attempting to control... but Cicilia knew that, eventually, it would replace her... and wear her skin like a glove...

...After all, If there was anyone out there who understood to what extent the demons can control you... it would be a De'Reignhardt.

Without a word, Cicilia would gently lean over, softly resting her head on her fellow German's shoulder. It was an impulse of her own, a compulsion to draw out some kind of respite from within her friend. Rhein was a beautiful woman in her own right, one that could very well command any number of people with her looks alone if she wished... but Cicilia could only see a walking-dead-woman sitting beside her, a person gradually starving... breaking down. She would have every reason to set herself ablaze in her anger, to BURN everything she could before succumbing to her own affliction... and yet, she chose to do this... and help another. She would hunt Cicilia's monsters, purify the ones inside and spend time to make sure it all sticks... She would sacrifice her own improvement to save Cicilia... a gesture she had never seen outside of fairy-tales... With a soft sigh, Cicilia would gently nuzzle into Rhein's arm, just letting her know she was there... at least until she inevitably SNAPPED back to reality as if she had dove into hell upon a bungee-cord.

"...Probably not." Cicilia smirked, glancing up at the driver. "...But that's fine. Its not important..."

____

The two would arrive at the theatre after what seemed like forever, Cicilia's hands stuffed tightly into her hoodie-pockets as both she and Rhein stood before their location. The older of the two would comment on the basic outline of the story... one of love amidst familial self-destruction.

"...How appropriate..." Cicilia remarked somewhat sharply, her eyes widening in surprise at how she spoke! Her voice... almost came out as hostile as if Rhein had somehow WRONGED her with this choice of movie! Instantly, a STAB of regret arched through the boxer's heart... but said nothing, that barbed voice... along with the rest of it dying in her throat. Together, they would walk inside and Rhein would remark how they should keep their fingers crossed... a comment that got a small smile out of her...

"Heh... Okay..."

“...How appropriate…”

Hearing her guest speak in a slightly barbed tone, Rhein couldn’t help but subtly check on Cicilia with the smallest of movement from her eyes, trying to use her peripheral vision. Of course, the boxer’s expression was difficult to see, with Rhein pretending to look at the showtimes and concession stand menu along with Cicilia’s hood covering most of her face. While Rhein could only see the basics of Cicilia’s expression it was not hard to think of why a barbed tone would come from the boxer after hearing a summarized version of the plot. A family feud and the theme of love being tested was not much of a story to Cicilia, but more of an everyday occurrence. Had Rhein planned a little more and didn’t just jump into the first movie that caught her interest, she may have thought about the sensitive material the movie would be going over and how it would affect her host. Rhein just picked a movie she had known somewhat beforehand, and made a move. The show time coincided with the next part of her plan, but if this movie made Cicilia uncomfortable, then what came next wouldn’t be nearly as effective.

To keep from making anyone uncomfortable, Rhein simply pretended she didn’t hear Cicilia. As though she were too engrossed in the theater’s atmosphere to respond when really she was just trying to think of a way to possibly work this new problem out. The only solution Rhein could think of was to just hope to get lucky and find a movie with a similar show time, length, and may appeal to Cicilia’s nature a bit more. Luck had never really been on Rhein’s side before, but to her surprise there was actually another showing with the exact same length as To Punish and Enslave, and even started at the same time!

But...the latter qualification?

--

Title: Magical Girls Sugar Squad!: The Final Oasis~

Genre: Anime/Movie

Synopsis: After defeating the Dark Baron Xurrg, the Sugar Squad learns that there is actually a secret sixth member that had been hidden from the rest. Resting in the clutches of a new threat, The Demon Dealer Nasu, the mysterious new member is awaiting rescue, and the Sugar Squad must travel to Albedo Valley, a strange new world with new friends, new powers, and the terrifying followers of Nasu!

--

Rhein’s head turned over towards the poster on the walls, finding the poster to the anime instantly thanks to the sheer amount of colors, sparkles, and cartoonishly designed characters. The Manager couldn’t help but think about how her pride might take a hit if she asked Cicilia if she wanted to watch something like that. After the professional image she had built up for herself and the reliable nature she tried to exude, watching a show aimed towards Japanese youth seemed...off. Not to mention that it could come off as an insult, if phrased wrong.

Guess we’re sticking to the plan.

Rhein stepped up to the concession counter, fishing her wallet out of her vest pocket as a silent indicator that she intended to pay for the movie. In a way, this was her idea. It only felt right.

“Two adults for Punish and Enslave, please. One large butter popcorn, and two drink cups.”

The teenager behind the counter just silently nodded, plopping down two empty cups before leaving to go and begin shoveling the popcorn into one of the bucket sized containers that movie theaters seemed to exclusively acquire. Rhein adjusted her glasses as she peered at the candy case. There wasn’t anything she was particularly interested in, but she let out a slightly disappointed grunt when her suspicions were confirmed, and the case was bare of any Schoko Bons.

“Hmm…”

Clicking her tongue, Rhein simply retrieved the two cups on the counter, handing one to Cicilia as well as the large bucket of buttered popcorn fresh from the heated microwave. The smell of salt and butter came up to the surface of the bucket with a light bit of steam as it wafted through the air, the warmth of the bucket almost relaxing in it’s gentle, reassuring heat. The drink machine was not too far from the concession stand. A large, somewhat imposing machine were it not for the bright colors that decorated the machine and the cute cartoonish cat that seemed to wave at whoever approached the machine. The side advertised a variety of drinks, like soda, slushies, and even juice with a staggering amount of flavors.

Truth be told, Rhein hadn’t been to a movie theater in years. The soda machine was something totally new to her, and while she didn’t outright say it, the way she handed the cup to Cicilia, but stayed behind seemed to imply that she would need help operating it.

But before that, the bifocal woman gently tapped on the candy case, peering over at the boxer.

“Hey Cicilia, it looks like they don’t have any of your candy...is there anything else you want? They got regular chocolate, peanut butter chocolate…chocolate covered cookie dough? Ew.”

Rhein had heard that most people would only eat candy at the movies, and while Cicilia’s favorite was nowhere to be seen, she wouldn’t rob her guest of the opportunity to pick something she really wanted.

The name of this movie was really starting to grate on Cicilia's nerves. Punish and Enslave... Punish and Enslave... It sounded like one of those pornos teenage boys and old men would kill to get into. Each time it was relayed to her, beit through the neon screens with its name flashing above theater doors or Rhein buying their tickets, the German couldn't help but feel her dignity take a hit. The only thing that kept her embarrassment from bleeding into the outside was the knowledge of this Movie's plot via synopsis from her fellow German, though that didn't exactly help keep her in high spirits. The German Juggernaut would almost be like a shadow to Rhein, slinking just behind the older woman as she ordered refreshments, generously snagging a large bag of popcorn and a pair of drinks for them to share. In all honesty, Cicilia's mind had been drifting to the point she had FORGOTTEN that she was even hungry for theater food! The smell of that overly salted butter was already making her mouth water... She couldn't help but snag a finger-full as Rhein collected their food, offering a small, nearly playful smile as she popped the corn into her mouth. Peeking down into the candy-window, Rhein would remark that the boxer's prediction was, in fact, correct and that they didn't have the bons Cicilia favored... Well, luxury wasn't exactly something the German was familiar with in her life... Why would it offer itself to her now.

"Oh well." Cicilia shrugged, dismissing that minor and, ultimately, inconsequential disappointment. That slight shift into the negative quickly SHOT UP as Rhein commented on the candy-selection, the boxer letting out a quick GUFFAW at Rhein's disgust at the last item! It was like a little ball of life that had been chained within the Juggernaut's chest had RIPPED itself free, ERUPTING out of the boxer's lips in the form of a laugh! It was so sudden... so... free... A complete contradiction to the hostile and rough front the boxer let the world see! So sudden, in fact, the German's eyes widened in surprise, shrinking back and deflating like an ancient, punctured balloon! Instantly, Cicilia felt extremely self-conscious once more, becoming distinctly aware of the eyes of ALL flicking onto her, even if only for a second, the pressure... unbearable...

"Ich ... äh ... Die Erdnussbutter-Schokoladen-Sachen sind in Ordnung." Cicilia said quickly in German, desperate for some kind of end to that moment of awkward honesty. Cicilia was no stranger to "happiness" as people generally understood it. She laughed and smiled all the time at home, her heart aflutter almost every moment she spent with her girlfriend. In a way, her very PRESENCE was a bubble, allowing them to be free together, the beautiful lavender cutie occupying all of the Juggernaut's attention. Out here...? Without her...? Cicilia felt almost... exposed...? Like... any minute something would happen to breach this moment of normality.

She couldn't laugh in this place without paying for it later, she believed...

Cicilia looked up at Rhein, locking eyes with her for a moment unintentionally, likely sharing her thoughts with her whether she wanted to or not. She didn't want this time together come with all of the boxer's baggage... but it seemed that no matter how much she left at the door, some would always remained chained to her back.

Well...that was hardly expected.

There was really no reason or excuse as to why Rhein was so surprised by Cicilia’s quick burst of laughter. The entire purpose of this trip was to make Cicilia happy. To try and ease her out of her emotional fortress and experience some of the nicer things in life. Really, this was the best thing she could have hoped for...and yet, Rhein hadn’t even figured that such a thing was possible so soon. Such a thing must not have been expected by Cicilia either, because she quickly slipped back behind her emotional walls and tried to shrink back into an obscure veil. It didn’t help that the manager caught herself staring, a stupid smile finding its way on her face as she pushed her glasses back into place. Already, her fellow German was making progress! Even if Cicilia seemed nervous, she was already leaps ahead of what Rhein had expected from her at this stage in her plan. It seemed Cicilia had a gift for growing, not just in boxing, but in life as well.

But that growth did not come without its hardships. The boxer’ eyes met Rhein’s, and the manager spotted an all too familiar look in the crimson orbs. Not only was Cicilia’s walls back up and shielding her from the world, but she seemed to be hurting herself in the process. The way she recoiled back into silence, and the look in her eyes showed her discomfort more than words ever could. Cicilia’s eyes kept shifting between each person in line, as if waiting for one of them to lash out and attack her. Perhaps no happy experience ever came without a price in her home. No medal was ever gained without a fight. No praise without blood. No love without sacrifice.

“I’ll take a box of the peanut butter ones, please.”

Discomfort lay deep within Cicilia’s eyes. After enduring so many hardships, and bearing so many scars it was easy to feel vulnerable when the world saw what was hiding underneath. The girl that somehow found her way into Cicilia’s heart must have been an extremely caring and passionate young woman. Someone who could slip behind Cicilia’s walls with ease, even at her most cautious state. In fact, if Rhein had been a gambler, she would have put money on Sayumi having some hand in getting Cicilia to branch out.

Having someone by your side when things got rough and would stick with you through thick and thin was something few people actually got to say they had. Sayumi was such a person to Cicilia, and whether she knew it or not she was likely the thing keeping the juggernaut going. The one beacon of safety from a cruel world, a smile in a sea of indifference. Without Sayumi, Cicilia’s joy was swallowed up in the sea of silence and danger.

Rhein walked over towards her fellow German. Gently, she placed an arm on Cicilia’s shoulder, the familiar kind smile of Rhein’s still on her face as she looked at Cicilia. Rhein was trying to convey a silent message of her own with her eyes. One of acceptance and understanding. The two both had baggage, and the manager wanted Cicilia to know that she was willing to help her if she wanted. Sayumi was Cicilia’s guardian angel...but perhaps Rhein could be a pillar of support.

“Du hast ein schönes Lachen, Cicilia~”

Rhein passed the peanut butter chocolate over into Cicilia’s hand, pulling away from the boxer before people began to watch them and wandered over to the drink machine. Cicilia was strong, and not just physically. Her fellow German had a will made of solid steel, one that would never bend to another’s principles or desires. It was a quality Rhein respected. But sometimes, it was tough to ask for help. It was easier to carry every burden yourself and continue on like it weighs nothing. Rhein had been doing that for the past six years. But she also knew that as time goes on, that weight gets heavier, the burdens begin to mount, and eat away at one’s consciousness. It becomes almost too much.

If the manager could help alleviate that burden for her fellow German, even just a little...perhaps her life would be worth something after what had happened...

--

The film turned out to follow the book rather closely. Like the novel it was based on, the two main characters were a pair of teenagers from rival families set in a timeline surrounding the second world war. Like many other stories of this genre, their meeting was by pure chance. Both characters had just begun work at the same store, with neither of them being aware of the rivalry that burned through their family. Though their personalities clashed so heavily, the two seemed to get along rather well. One was the son of a metal worker, brought up helping his family by dealing with the harsh heat of their fires and the heavy weight of their metal. The other was a daughter of a seamstress, who was taught patience and care as she grew older, learning to stitch and create intricate designs and beautiful color patterns.

As the film continued on, the two began to develop feelings for each other. They began to work later, go out with each other during the day, and even go out on a date. Not long afterwards, their family learns of them spending time together, and reveal the generations of feuding they had shared with each other. Apparently, the great great grandfathers of each family were best friends and business partners. The two worked closely together until the business began to fail. One sold his share of the company, which made the other to lose his side due to a legal loophole. Ever since then, each family blamed the other for their poor situation.

But, like any teenagers in a love story, they disregarded their parents disdain, and continued on with their relationship. Finally, it had gotten to the point where the son was sent off to the military, just before the world war was declared. What was meant to be a brief tour of duty turned into a long and bloody absence. The daughter did not learn what happened until it was too late, and the movie began to follow their hardships as war took its toll on the man who fell in love so long ago.

By the time he came back, he was different. War had warped him, practically made him a shell of the man he once was. The family feud had worked, to the detriment of the son they once had.

But, his lover never gave up. She continued to meet with him, to love him, to care for him. And, as the credits began to draw near, a spark of the man she fell in love with came to the surface, promising a chance of rehabilitation and a better life.
--

As the audience began to file out of the theater, Rhein remained seated in her chair staring at the slow moving credits. She could see now why the audience review score was so high. The book's ending was darker, more brutal in a sense. The family feud played a relatively minor role compared to the twisted things that happened in the book. Though, having Cicilia with her meant that change was certainly for the best. Watching it now, like this...there were some similarities with what Rhein had heard went on in the De'Reighnhardt household. A happy ending to the movie...one where love just might win out in the end?

Well...that was for her and Sayumi to figure out.

As if the situation couldn't get any more awkward... She knew Rhein was trying to help and that was the most important thing and the fact that it was more likely than not that nobody in a Japanese theater could understand German... but the blush that arched across Cicilia's face might've given the radically improper impression that Rhein herself might've whispered something suggestive! It didn't take such things to really bring the blood to Cicilia's cheeks, but a precision strike between the plates of her full-body armor, a stab at her heart that bypasses all that were in place to stop it... and force out what resided within. ...And how it bled, that heart of hers... Cicilia found her head sinking deeper and deeper inside the chest of her hoodie as the moments passed, Rhein's voice, like the clashing of cymbals, reverberated inside her skull! She just wanted to melt away into the darkness where nobody could see her face BURN as brightly as the movie screen itself, where she could feel this... insecurity without the knowledge of the crushing weight of the EYES all around her. She...

"AH!" Cicilia gasped as Rhein, so quick and eager was she, would reverse-pickpocket the German by slipping the candy into her hoodie-pocket where her hands firmly resided within before TAKING her by one such arm and pulling her along! For a moment, her hood feel over her eyes... and it was almost like Sayumi was there, leading them inside the pitch-black theater room. She could see her partner dancing across the inside of her hood like her image were projected upon it, her tender smile faced outward, ahead, her fair skin aglow in the darkness like the curious firefly she was, her bubbly personality, a life-jacket pulling the German up with her against the gravity that always seemed to have a grip upon the boxer. A look, a smile... they were all Cicilia needed to be convinced that everything would be okay... Cicilia felt her muscles slacken, her skin growing less clammy. She felt herself ease forward rather than subconsciously pull back... relaxing and accepting this moment to be...

Another quick jostle and the curtain would lift, her girlfriend replaced by the figure of Rhein... and somehow, things didn't just SNAP back to the insecurity she had been possessed by before... In fact, as her hood fell back once again, the almost dreamy-like smile that always flashed across Cicilia's face when with Sayumi... it had survived the transition. She stared up at Rhein, looking upon her as if for the first time, as if none of her judgements from the past, both negative and positive had polluted her stance... and she liked what she saw.

___________________

The movie itself was what it was, Cicilia's heart being cut at by the typical emotional beats, some plot-points being so predictable Cicilia could predict them, typical drama... that hit a little close to home... but it a good way. In a sense, it was almost a... relief to know that her plight wasn't so ALIEN that society at large wasn't aware of it, that there were those that thought this was relatable enough to make good money on. In a way, despite how the previous analysis sounded... it was almost like she came out of that theater slightly less alone than when she had went in. Once the credits rolled, Cicilia would watch them absently roll up the screen alongside her friend, her eyes inevitably rolling back to the woman by her side. Half of her wanted to catch her reaction, see how the movie affected her... the other half just wanted to know she was there... secure that she hadn't disappeared...

"...Thank you, Rhein..." Cicilia mumbled, her voice low... soft. Her sanguine gaze would lock with the manager's as intently as one might connect with a physical touch. "...You didn't have to do any of this... I... I'm pretty lucky to have you as my friend..."

The story Rhein had read back in highschool and the film she had watched were extremely similar, but the theme of the book was a bit muddled in the film. Perhaps that was why she couldn’t tell which version she preferred. The characters she had read in the books were far more interesting and fleshed out, their motivations being clear and understandable while the personalities and relationship between the two characters was subtle and far less Hollywood. Something that could be believed, if a bit romanticized. It was what made the death of the male lead at the end of the book far more tragic. But the happier ending of the film was a change that might have been wanted, but the execution left just a little to be desired. As the credits rolled, Rhein decided that while the movie wasn’t what she liked about the book, it was still enjoyable on its own.

But her own opinion didn’t really matter for the moment. Really what she was curious about was how her guest seemed to digest the film. Would she like something like this?

Trying her best to be subtle, Rhein would hide her side glance by adjusting her glasses on the bridge of her nose. She was caught almost immediately when she realized that Cicilia was already looking over at the Jade attired woman, her red eyes easily discernible even in the theater’s darkness. It was a bit of a surprise, Cicilia and Rhein apparently having the same idea with the result of them exchanging glances. The manager was still learning the more subtle details of Cicilia’s personality, but it seemed that they had a bit more in common then she had first thought.

A kind smile was Rhein’s response to Cicilia’s gaze, but her fellow German had more to say than that. It seemed as though Cicilia couldn’t believe what was happening around her. As though movie theaters, car rides, and small talk were something that only ever happened in pleasant dreams or when her beloved was beside her. She could recognize the lingering pain in Cicilia’s eyes was one that lingered with her for a very long time. It was the fuel that seemed to help that deep ember of rage continue to burn as much as it did...and in that moment the source of that pain sparked Rhein’s curiosity. A lingering thought that perhaps if she could help her…

But that line of thinking was quickly dismissed. Rhein had no right to be asking such personal questions nor to dig her nose into Cicilia’s business. If someone did the same to her, she couldn’t help but think that she would be offended by the leap in boundaries she had clearly set with others. Cicilia had made it much further into those boundaries then most others Rhein had allowed, but there was a silent line that seemed to be drawn between the two of them.

Rhein could help only when she was asked to. The most she could do was try her best to be there for her fellow German. She made a promise to help Cicilia, and that was something she meant even back when they first met.

Rhein would return Cicilia’s gaze, letting the credits music drift away slowly as she digested what was likely a rather emotional confession for the boxer. She knew she couldn’t pass it off with a simple “I wanted to”, not without being disrespectful to Cicilia’s feelings. So, Rhein removed her glasses and, with a cloth in hand, began to gently clean them as she tried to find the proper response to Cicilia.

“Y’know Cicilia...I’m the one that should be thanking you.” Rhein muttered with a smile, “Before your call, I had my day all planned out. I was going to be stuck in meetings where no one can agree on anything and all they ever do is shout and fight over who is top dog of the month. I was going to sit with a woman whose entire life goal is to screw her father out of his business so she could run it how she desires. Then, after a few hours of paperwork, I’d drive home, and probably work some more to try and catch up to tomorrows workload.”

The smile on Rhein’s face remained, but it had a hint of regret. What she described wasn’t anything new...it was her everyday job. This continuous spiral was one of her own making, where her work had become her life. A day of thinking about anything other then herself was what she thought she wanted...but sitting in those theater seats, seeing Cicilia smile and enjoy herself…

She was tired...so tired…

“But thanks to you, that isn’t what happened. Instead, I got to go shopping with someone in mind for the first time in years. I got to have someone in my car for reasons that weren’t work related. Again, a first since I moved over here. And I got to see a movie I would have never seen otherwise if not for you.”

This time, Rhein would look into Cicilia’s eyes. The tired smile looked less so as she faced the boxer, a bit more warmth appearing in Rhein’s expression.

“If it weren’t for you Cicilia...today would have never happened. It would be a day that melted with all of the others this week. I’m the lucky one Cicilia. I was lucky to be the one to get your call today...and even luckier to see you smile.”

The final credits would roll, and Rhein would stand up from her seat. Returning her glasses to their proper place, the manager offered Cicilia a hand. To others, it was a simple polite offer to help the manager’s guest up. But the true meaning behind it meant so much more. An offer to be there when she needed help. A promise to be a shoulder to lean on. A hand to pick the boxer up, if she should ever fall.

“Now...why don’t we go get something to eat?”

There really wasn't much Cicilia could say to that fore her Japanese AND GERMAN dictionaries did not have a sufficient string of words to properly convey the swelling in her throat, the burning around her eyes, the tightness in her chest. She had a girlfriend... someone she went out to dinner with, watched movies with, just... been with but in those moments, there were only a few that brought up such a complete SURGE of feeling to the boxer that she was starting to feel overwhelmed from the inside! It was like each declaration Rhein made forced these feelings HIGHER and HIGHER from the boxer's gut, like a pool filling up with water... threatening to overflow! Cicilia could only look up at this woman, wide-eyed and wordless as she declared her affections professionally, but nonetheless kindly to the German, expressing her thanks for Cicilia having BEEN here at all! Seldom had the boxer actually heard those words in relation to herself... Not from her rivals, certainly not from her family, and even SAYUMI didn't say it often in so many words. In a lot of ways, her heart, while not frozen, was chilled with the paranoid thoughts of not truly being cared for by anyone, that... in some respect, pity was the driver for the odd act of kindness.

...All it took... was for someone to just say otherwise... No prompts, no begging to be acknowledged... Just... someone to say it because they meant it...

"..."

Cicilia's gaze fell downward as tears SURGED from under her eyes and rolling over her cheeks, the mighty, invincible juggernaut sobbing softly, shaking her head. She wanted to say something, to acknowledge SOMETHING of what Rhein had said but the tears just wouldn't stop. The SEARING behind her eyes and throat as blood RUSHED to those areas, the clutching of her windpipe, the tenseness in her jaw as she struggled to make it stop trembling...

...It was all so overwhelming...

"H....heh..." She laughed shakily, grinning just as Rhein expressed her pleasure for having seen such a thing... "I... I never had a friend before... N...not really..." Cicilia expressed, everyone having already filed out of the theater, leaving them alone. "Y...yeah there was Bubbles and Mariah... but we aren't really close... There was even Sayumi but... its not the same... Rhein... I... Thank you... I don't know... what...."

Rhein would silence Cicilia with a quiet, yet noble gesture, standing before her and offering her a hand, a gesture so deceptively simple, it nearly made the boxer collapse into a sobbing fit again!

....Nearly.

The German's smile would only tremble slightly as she raised her own hand up to take Rhein's the manager pulling her to her feet. Nothing really needed to be said fore it was all in the subtext. Rhein told the German everything she needed to know... and hinted at the rest, the boxer left with nothing but the warmest light glowing in her breast... the manager would muse about getting food and Cicilia would burst out laughing, AMUSED at how quickly the pressure of a topic so heavy could change to one so light!

"Yeah..." She whispered, feeling more ready than ever.