She was going to die.
She was never going to see Papika again.
Or return Senpai back to normal.
“Papika!”
No one came.
That awful, creeping lonely sensation, the same one that had vanished over the last few weeks came back. She was going to die here, alone, something that should’ve never happened when she was with-
-With-
Nevermind, they were miles apart, she shouldn’t even be thinking about her right now-
But she had, another constant of these last few weeks. Even when they were miles apart she still thought about that red-headed girl like she was right next to her-
Something touched her hand.
“I found my lost Cocona!”
The ocean grinned back at her, a red sunset framing the doughy face that had been the center of her daydreams for weeks.
She found her.
Papika really found her.
She couldn’t believe it-But then she could because it was so obvious. She was always there, one step behind her-but then the shock wore off. “W-what are you talking about? The one who was lost-”
She couldn’t deal with this right now. There were so many emotions-
-And-
-And the biggest was love.
She was in love with her.
She was in love with the beautiful wild tangle of strawberry hair that sprayed out behind her like a cape. She was in love with the way Papika could make anything, from math homework to fishing, sound exciting. She was in love with her strength, her cooking, her attitude, the way she was always there for her.
Cocona Kokomine was in love with Papika.
“Hmm?”
Cocona blushed, “Nothing,” she said, a smile breaking out on her face. “I looked all over for you!”
Papika laughed, a cute and wild thing that started from the back of her throat before escaping, and pulled Cocona into the tube.
“Buuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!”
“Set a course for the Venusian galaxy!”
“Okay!” Captain Papika looked back at her passenger, the esteemed and beautiful Navigator Cocona.
“Blast off in…”
“Three-”
“-Two-”
Cocona grabbed Papika’s hand. Tomorrow was going to be great, wasn’t it?
“-One!”
“Flip Flapping!”