AN: This is an angst genre prompt based story, where I had to use a certain sentence in it. The one I used was this:
"Please I just… really need space right now."
She should have been able to stop herself.
Makoto was at the park, practicing her martial arts. She had selected the thickest tree trunk that she could find, and used it like a target for her punches and kicks. Over and over again, she struck it, ignoring the flashes of pain in her knuckles and feet, and even the rain that settled over the area. Who cared if she was a little uncomfortable?
"There you are!" Rei said from behind her. She looked annoyed as she stood under a large umbrella, shielding her from the weather. "We were calling your communicator and you weren't picking up. What are you doing out here?" Makoto ignored her.
She wasn't sure how long she had spent training, getting soaked as she tirelessly punched the tree, but she didn't feel like stopping now. She had to get better.
Rei's eyes narrowed, and she got closer to her. "Come on, Mako. Stop it, a storm's coming." She kept punching, silent. "Makoto!" Rei grabbed her arm, and she froze. "What's wrong with you?" she asked, starting to lose her patience. Mako strained against her for a moment, and then relaxed, letting her arm fall.
"I hurt her..." she mumbled.
"What?"
"I said that I hurt her!" Rei almost jumped at her yell. "She...she was right in front of me, and I couldn't do anything..." The moment still repeated in her head, showing the bolt of lighting striking Sailor Moon directly in the back, and then her scream of pain. And all she could do was stand there as Mercury and Venus shoved past her to check on the senshi collapsed on the ground. The scream still rang in her ears, even hours later.
Rei watched as Makoto slumped down to sit against the tree trunk, resting her back on it and pulling her knees up. She couldn't see her eyes behind her wet bangs, and Rei's expression softened.
"Usagi is fine, you know..." she said, moving to hold the umbrella above her. Mako was still completely soaked, but at least it wouldn't worsen now. "Ami cleaned up her back and bandaged it, and now she's reading manga in my room, like she always does."
"We're supposed to protect her, and I couldn't even do that right." She shivered, as if the weather had just registered with her.
"It was an accident, no one blames you for anything."
"It doesn't matter. If I'd been paying more attention, it wouldn't have happened."
"Mako, we've all gotten in each other's way before"-
"Please I just… really need space right now." Her voice cracked, and she bit back an audible sob. Rei caught a glimpse of her reddened eyes, and decided to let her be.
"...Okay. But Usagi really wants you to come over, and Minako and Ami were worried about where you went." Rei turned to walk away. "If you can find the time, meet us there, alright?" As she left, Makoto looked up at her, rubbing the rain and the tears out of her eyes. Usagi still liked her? Se didn't know why or how any of them could still want a brute like her around, but...she didn't want to cause them any more trouble today.
Makoto slowly stood up, and walked back towards her apartment. If she was going over to the shrine, she needed dry clothes and an umbrella.
She didn't really deserve this kind of friendship, but she appreciated it all the same.
AN: I could probably make another chapter or so about this scenario, but for now I think I'll leave this one-shot as it is.