New Year's Eve Promise

Madoka smiled as she sat on the couch, watching over her family as they celebrated the new year. As usual, her mother was drinking and was already tipsy despite it only being nine. Junko laughed as she and some of her coworkers played a game of truth, dare or drink. The goddess laughed silently as she watched, Junko giving one of them a noogie. Tomohisa stood off to the side while Tatsuya sat in his room, isolating himself from the festivities. She couldn't really blame him from doing such since these New Year's parties were always loud and annoying. Madoka could appreciate them now that she was older and understood the bonds between her mother and coworkers. Before, she had simply done what Tatsuya was doing now or played with her little brother. But she stood up and walked off the couch, looking over her shoulder before she ascended the stairs, not making a sound as she stood outside her brother's room. The goddess hesitated for a moment before opening the door a bit and sliding inside, closing it silently. The ten-year-old boy was fiddling with some computer parts, his headphones in to drown out the noise coming from the floor below, so he didn't react when she entered the room. The brunette had a serious look on his face as he concentrated, trying to fit the circuits back onto the board. Madoka kneeled on the floor and rested her elbows on the desk, watching as he tinkered with the electronics. Her normal smile faded, however, as she watched, her head bowing a bit as well as he didn't acknowledge her presence. He had stopped when he was about seven or eight, Junko and Tomohisa discouraging his 'vivid imagination' about his former sister. They had also discouraged his art and encouraged his curiosity about electronics, giving him old appliances to take apart instead of giving him sketchpads like he requested. She rested her cheek against her hand, her smile returning to her face as he glanced around before taking out a notebook and colored pencils. Pulling open the cover revealed a beautifully detailed drawing of Madoka in her goddess attire, watching over the family. He truly was an art prodigy, but they didn't want him to pursue a career in the arts since they apparently led nowhere. The young boy flipped to a new page in his notebook, starting a drawing of Homura. She blinked and wiped a tear away from her eye. The Magi had spent her teenage years around her family and talked to Tatsuya about the memories of Madoka. Junko and Tomohisa had enjoyed the girl's company and eventually adopted her, but she was currently away from the house, not enjoying the loud parties. "Madoka... You are real, aren't you...?" The quiet question broke the silence and made Madoka look up at her baby brother. She could see tears in his eyes as he stared at the paper, having flipped back to the first drawing. The tears started to flow down his cheeks and she hesitated before lightly holding her finger under one and wiping it away. He started, looking around with wide eyes, but smiled as he nodded. "Onee-chan..." She lightly rested her free hand on his cheek and he took it, more tears flowing down. "I miss you..." He looked straight at her and buried his face in her chest as she wrapped her arms around him, stroking his hair. "I'm right here, Tatsuya. I always will be..." The words were barely a whisper as he sobbed and she placed a gentle kiss on his head, holding him tight. "I promise..."