Reserves


Kunzite checks in with the sidelined Mamoru. Mamoru's frustrations with his own condition boil over in a potentially useful way. (Takes place between "Let the Beautiful day turn Terrible!" and "Naru's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day".)

Date: 2016-06-03
Pose Count: 13
Kazuo Takeba 2016-06-03 20:41:42 43429
The text comes in from Naru in late afternoon. It's a very simple text message. It reads, 'I have questions.'

Kunzite studies it and the short list of recipients, and calmly fends off the sinking feeling; the way things have been going this week, questions that have evolved since the class on Tuesday can't be good. He sends off an answer all the same -- 'When and where?' -- and doesn't wait for a response; a few moments later, and a rush of shadows where no-one else can see, and he's in the pale stone palace, already making his way to start checking the usual spots in the others'. Zoisite's, Nephrite's, Jadeite's, in roughly that order, moving fast.
Mamoru Chiba 2016-06-03 20:50:17 43430
Mamoru's in one of his usual spots in Zoisite's palace: the kitchen. It's got that huge wooden table that he can spread homework out on, and he's gone from his favorite way of doing homework-- handwriting it and then typing it afterwards-- to just typing everything in on his laptop. Less strain on his hands that way. He's got a tall glass of water with mint leaves in it and some leftover Makopicnic bits he's munching on, and apparently this morning in a fit of pique at having trouble with buttons, didn't even bother swapping to a t-shirt from his oxford: he just left it unbuttoned.

He's also avoiding taking codeine down here as long as he can get away with it, on the theory that it's a good idea. This, unfortunately, means that low-level constant pain makes him cranky. On the other hand, he's also clear-headed, with just excedrin keeping the headache under control.

When he feels Kunzite show up, at least some of the crankiness vanishes.
Kazuo Takeba 2016-06-03 20:58:47 43431
Pity that's not going to last.

Kunzite crosses the kitchen floor, leaning down to place a brief, light kiss at Mamoru's temple. "I shouldn't stay long," he says. "Naru sent a text to the two of us, saying she had questions. If she has questions now, either I'll be delayed, or I'll be bringing her over. Wanted to warn you in either case."

He should have brought coffee. Granted, it's Zoisite's place. Coffee can be made. He should have brought it anyhow. Maybe next time.
Mamoru Chiba 2016-06-03 21:08:16 43433
The kiss is, at least, a good way to mitigate the return of the cranky. Lingering affection and reassurance will do that.

Mamoru turns in his seat, dropping his hands to his lap and rubbing at the base of one palm with the other hand's thumb. His face says everything his voice doesn't want to: I want to go with you. I want to be useful. I want to help Usagi's best friend, too. I want to watch your back. I know I can't go. What his voice says, reasonable and even, is, "Sounds like you're expecting a fight. I've been thinking about this-- I know a lot of the stuff that shoots energy at you is stuff you don't want to keep. Before you go, can I at least give you some attacks to keep in reserve?"

He reaches to catch at Kunzite's hand for a second, just for another moment of contact.
Kazuo Takeba 2016-06-03 21:15:11 43434
"I'm expecting there to have been a fight. Whether there will be another right now, I don't know." But there's Fiore. There's the Nightmare. There's the impending meeting with the energy vampire; that ought to go well. There's Takashi. There are always fights in the offing.

His hand's caught at, and he covers Mamoru's with his own for a moment. Then settles to one knee beside his chair, and lays his cheek against the back of Mamoru's hand instead. More than a second of contact. Only warmth.

Only a better chance at reading the truth of the answer when he opens his eyes and glances up at that clear, deep blue again. "Do you have it to spare?"
Mamoru Chiba 2016-06-03 21:25:30 43436
And there's nothing but truth in the answer, as Mamoru's fingers curl around Kunzite's hand, back of his hand warm against darker skin. "Yes. It's angry, I'm angry, and I have nothing to let it out on. Nothing I can fix with it. Nothing I can destroy with it." He leans forward, other elbow on his knee, and touches his forehead to Kunzite's, eyes closed. "I'll be giving you something to hit with, but-- you'll be giving me something to hit."

He straightens a little, still bent but face away, and opens his eyes. His face is more wistful than wry, and the resident anger-- he's got physical and mental energy enough that it's anger instead of sorrow-- is damped, banked. The deep blue is unchanged, unchanging; the oceans, after all, are always the same color from space. "It'll be almost as good as being out there with you."
Kazuo Takeba 2016-06-03 21:30:06 43437
Kunzite straightens a little as well -- then pauses. This time the kiss is against the backs of Mamoru's fingers, lingering for a moment before he lets go, before he comes to his feet again. All that he says is, "Then let me be your hands."
Mamoru Chiba 2016-06-03 22:02:11 43441
The smile as Mamoru watches Kunzite kissing his hand is small, amused and accepting and affectionate, maybe a little bit sad. "Sou," he says as he watches Kunzite stand once more.

@};--',--'-,--

Outside in the green courtyard, which looks less lush and more dry and struggling than usual, the prince stands in the henshin that's served him so well for over a year now, pristine and collected and masked. He lifts his hand, and for a half-second his expression is caught between two states: something that wants to smile wryly, and something that is boiling over with frustration and fury. The latter wins out, because that is the taste of the power he's transferring in form and function.

"TUXEDO LA SMOKING BOMBER!"

And again, and once more, because there's always been something about threes.
Kazuo Takeba 2016-06-03 22:53:13 43445
Once more. It wasn't the first time they saw one another in this life. It wasn't even the first time they spoke. It was the time that marked -- many transitions. Too many.

One more thing to take back for themselves.

Kunzite stands in that same sphere of black, in his proper colors now -- and still braces to take that blast of brilliant gold.

And again.

And once more, and this time he's staggered, taking a step back to brace himself, flickers of something like angry liquid sunlight running across the curve of his shielding before being belatedly absorbed. "Enough --"

Because there's always been something about threes.

Because four is death, sometimes, and once in a great while even the least superstitious can shiver and glance behind them.

Because he's not certain how much Tuxedo Kamen can sustain.

But most directly, because he's not entirely certain that this body Mercury made him could bear up under the pressure of storing another.
Mamoru Chiba 2016-06-03 23:03:00 43448
Three, and enough, and Tuxedo Kamen is dropping henshin as he sprints across the courtyard, oxford fluttering in echo of a cape, to brace Kunzite or catch him if he should fall. His warm hands are strained but still strong, still vital down here in the remnants of the palaces' protection. "I'm sorry," he gasps, one arm around Kunzite and the other halfway, hand curled around the back of the taller boy's neck and his forehead pressed to his temple.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

He's breathing hard, but there is still a glow to his hands, healing energy seeking to soothe any damage that might have been brought by the destruction not being absorbed by black shields.
Kazuo Takeba 2016-06-03 23:09:45 43450
Shadows dissolve away as the formalwear does, and the two of them half catch each other. One arm half around Mamoru's waist, hand flat against skin at the small of his back. The other gathering him in, familiar fingers sliding through his hair. "It's all right. It's all right." Faint traces, here and there, irregular bruising or singed skin. Faint and small. He'd probably take worse from an argument with Nephrite.

Once more, close by his ear. "It's all right." And empathy confirms it -- when Mamoru can read it at all through that angry golden fire that sings through Kunzite now. So very familiar. And a little different, as always, when seen from the outside.
Mamoru Chiba 2016-06-03 23:41:44 43454
There's a little laugh, choked and low in his throat, at the repetition of the words next to his ear-- and there's no disguising the flood of relief. "This is what happens," Endymion says, so aware of the hand in his hair and the hand against his back, so aware of his own fire lighting Kunzite from within. And then his head bends; he briefly hides his face in the crook of Kunzite's neck. More muffled, "This is what happens when I let myself forget to be afraid of hurting you."

Finally, he lifts his head and pulls back just slightly, blue eyes meeting grey, marvelously higher than his. "When all this is over-- let's fix that."

Selfishly, he steals a longer moment then he needs to, just looking. And then he steals a kiss and grins. "Kill some monsters for me. Annoy some villains. Save some people. You know the drill."
Kazuo Takeba 2016-06-03 23:57:09 43455
The murmur is low, close, while Endymion's face is hidden. "You didn't hurt me." Not by his standards, at least. Not that he needs the reassurance aloud, not when he can feel it -- but sometimes it's needed in a different way.

Just as, sometimes, when all this is over is something they need to take as a given. The little shift by Kunzite's eyes confirms that. Agrees. (And warns Endymion in advance that that stolen kiss is going to be several seconds longer than he meant it to be. But that's not likely to be cause for complaint.)

"We'll see what we can do," Kunzite answers, and the we is intentional. "In the mean time. Let's see what questions she has." He lets his hands fall away, takes a step back if and when he can.

And doesn't look away until he's altogether gone.