( she might have seen her as that, pretentious, cold, calculating. the reality was that homura saw herself as an intruder, an outsider.

in order to protect those around her, she had to distance herself from them all and become the mature one. it was a terrible burden, and in a way, she felt as if nobody could understand her. nobody would ever, so it was best to keep herself distant. previous timelines taught her that when she tried to open up, she was met with the cold hand of ignorance and disgust.

so now she remained silent, taking in the other's reaction. it was surprisingly positive, and for that she would reward her with a simple nod. )

I suppose that's the way it is. The way it will always be.