My submission for the Shitennou Forums 2013 Ficathon. I'm extremely rusty in writing so it's far from my best, just a short Rei-Jade oneshot. Hope you enjoy!
Male-Damsel
"Once upon a time-"
"What makes you think I like fairy tales?" Rei interjected as she pushed herself up to look at him. He grinned at her. His face flickered in the firelight, and she found herself smiling softly at the boyish look on his face.
"Call it intuition" he said as he winked. His hand remained on her hair, running through the strands that had fallen from her shoulder as she had moved. A feeling of which could only be described as calmness filled her at the motion.
"Bull," she replied as she laid her head back on his chest, "you've been creeping around in my bedroom," she could hear the gentle thump of his heart. She closed her eyes as he rested his hand around her shoulders.
They were still getting used to being so intimate with each other but this felt quite right.
"Creeping wouldn't be the exact word I'd use," his chest rumbled as he laughed, "It's not like I was doing anything underhanded"
"So you were looking under my mattress for funsies? Or did the princess feel the pea?"
He laughed, "who keeps fairy tales under their mattress? I was looking for something a bit more scandalous!"
"You try having Usagi and Minako slowly siphon off all your books" Rei smiled, turning her head slightly to stare up at the stars above them. They sparkled distantly and she got lost in them, feeling the pull of all of the sky around them. She remembered with some nostalgia all the days (and nights) they had spent in her room, fighting over manga and trying to force themselves to study and not talk all the time away.
"So why hide the fairy tales and not the Sailor V manga?"
She didn't respond for what felt like a while, still lost in her thoughts. When she finally pulled herself back to the present, she considered the question. She didn't lie to him anymore. Despite feeling the urge to protect herself and her heart, she couldn't hide from him forever.
"I was never the fairy tale type of girl. All those girls are so complacent, waiting for their boys," she grimaced, "waiting to be rescued," the fire crackled loudly to their left, "I think I kept them to make sure I didn't turn into them"
She felt the breath exit his body, a sigh by its length.
"Once upon a time," he started again, "There lived a priestess, who saved the world countless times with her trusty band of fellow warriors," she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her and he continued with gusto, "She didn't need anyone else and she liked it like that. But then one day, a blonde haired male-damsel in distress appeared, in dire need of assistance. There has got to be a better word for that! A male-damsel in distress? Sounds horribly emasculating. Hrm, explains why there isn't a word for it- Sorry, back to the fairy tale, I know you're dying for more"
She rolled her eyes, finding a small smile glued to her face regardless. Maybe she had always been afraid that deep down she was waiting for him. But she had not been. She had a complete life both without him and with him. He did not complete her, he just added more to her.
"And despite how he had hurt her before, she couldn't help but assist him," his voice had lowered and taken a more serious tone, "She was just that good; the second someone needed her, regardless of whether they deserved her help or not, she was there."
They weren't fairy tale characters and maybe they wouldn't live happily ever after. But they were together and that just gave her a more fighting chance to get just that end.
His grip around her turned tighter as he held her, "The male-damsel in distress fell deeply in love with her; awed by her kindness and desire to rid the world of all evil. By her fire, her stubbornness and-"
"Jade," she interjected and he stopped.
"what?" He asked her after a few moments of silence. She could feel the tenseness in his body, as if he were waiting for something that would make him or break him.
She sat up and smirked at him, "You forgot that she was drop-dead gorgeous"
"Oh, I could never forget that," he smiled innocently at her, "Her beauty, while no match for the male-damsel's, would have to do."
"Is that so?" She leaned forward, blinking up at him in the way she knew he couldn't resist.
He bent his head down, his breath skimming her cheek. She shivered despite the warmth of the fire. His eyes sparkled at her, and she knew she was done, both now and for however long he remained good this time. "Yes I do believe so," he whispered as his lips came down on hers softly.
She fell into the moment and let it carry her away; maybe, just maybe she thought in the back of her mind, she'd let the male-damsel have this win. Maybe it was time to rescue him.