A one-shot written to Alexi Murdoch's Orange Sky. I thought the song was fitting for Kunzite.
A Kunzite/Minako ficlet.
Enjoy.
Orange Sky- "My salvation lies in your love"
He stared breathlessly at the beauty in front of him. Even though he wasn't entirely sure she was truly there and not a figment of his wildest dreams, he kept his eyes open. She stared back, looking just as he remembered her to.
Her widened eyes were still the splendidest of blues he had ever seen with his own two eyes. Her lips were the softest of pink. Her long blond hair was pulled behind her shoulders, looking just like a golden river of silk. Her skin sparkled beside it, healthily glowing from the cold, her cheeks the lightest of pink. The snow in her hair and on her face glistened in the light, melting and sliding down her skin. The body that was visible through the layers of clothing she wore spoke of maturing completely, but was still in between that of a young lady and a grown woman.
She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
She blinked a few times, staring at him with her jaw slowly dropping open. He could almost see the cogs in her brain working as she tried to make sure if he was truly there in front of him, or if she was seeing her worst nightmare.
"Venus, I-" he tried to say to stop the complete silence the room had been taken into. The dread silence that spoke of horrible things to come. His voice choked before he could finish the words. What should he say first? Should he apologize? Should he explain? Should he beg for her forgiveness? There was just so much...
He didn't have to choose what to say before the sound of happy giggling broke the tense silence. He turned immediately toward the sound, tearing his eyes away from the goddess, while Venus's eyes remained fixated on his face. The Prince's voice followed the giggling before he and the Princess emerged around the corner. They were still wholly unaware of the scene as they talked loudly of something that apparently both found very funny.
The first thing he noticed were the smiles that were wiped off their faces as if someone had ironed on frowns the second they spotted the both of them.
"Minako-chan!" The Princess cried, horror present in her voice. She had told Kunzite she had wanted to wait for the right time to tell Venus, he figured that idea had just went down the drain.
Venus cleared her throat before she spoke, turning to face the Prince and Princess. "The door was open and-" Her voice choked off just as his had. He had forgotten how similarly she reacted as he did to shocks. "I'm sorry. I should go." Her face fell as she finished the words, and unspeakable pain filled her eyes, as if flooding in against her will.
It was almost inclination that he stepped towards her, needing to find a way to stop that pain. But her eyes flew to meet his and this time terror mingled with the pain. She flinched away from his outstretched hand and more pain he had ever felt before tore through him.
Another hand reached for her, but the same reaction was given. Venus flinched away from the Princess's small hand, groping behind her for the knob she had let go of right before he had entered the room, unaware of her presence. "I have to go- I-" she didn't finish her words before she pulled the door violently open and turned for the door hurriedly.
"We didn't mean for you to find out this way," the Princess whispered so quietly that it was a wonder Venus heard it. How did he know she heard it? She stopped for a millisecond, her shoulders tensing horribly. Then she was gone, hurrying into the cold, blistery snow. He reached towards her despite knowing it was too late.
Always too late.
Kunzite stumbled outside, tripping on a step as he refused to look away from her. He saw her shoulders shaking as she ran, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
He found himself on the cold concrete, watching as she ran as fast as possible as far as possible from him. He still watched as she disappeared in the distance, the white snow covering her.
He didn't hear the words the Prince uttered, he barely saw the Princess's worried face floating in front of him. All he knew were the terror and pain filled blue eyes before darkness collapsed on him. And in the darkness, he hoped to fall. To never emerge. As that would mean inflicting even more pain upon those he didn't want to hurt ever again.
*
Months passed with no words between them. She avoided returning to the house when he was in- and if she managed to mistake the time, she would be in and out before he could even speak one word.
The other Senshi had taken it just as badly- Jupiter even going as far as almost attacking Nephrite when he tried to apologize. From what he gathered, Mars had stopped talking all together to the Princess and the Prince, and although Mercury said she was fine with it, she hadn't said one word to any of them or looked any of them in the eye.
Unfortunately for all of them, the Prince and Princess wouldn't give up. The reason they were now facing each other in what seemed like déjà vu of their first night.
Except this time, she wasn't particularly tongue tied.
"What the hell is this?" Venus- or Minako, as the Prince- Mamoru had told him to call her asked. She cast him a glance, which spoke of anger at being within his vicinity. "This is the robbery you were speaking of?"
The Princess- Usagi laughed innocently, which usually meant it was anything but innocent. Mamoru shifted slightly, "Minako, we understand that you're angry at Kunzite- Kevin- but we'd both like it better if you could at least stand to be in the same room with each other. Especially if we're celebrating something."
He froze, looking at Mamoru confusedly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Minako do the same, seeming to forget that she had been seconds away from storming out of the room once again.
"Yes, you see-"
Mamoru was unable to finish speaking before Usagi burst out, "I'm pregnant!"
An unknown feeling went through Kunzite upon hearing the words, which he belatedly realized was true happiness. Minako, on the other hand, was up and hugging both Mamoru and Usagi within milliseconds.
Mamoru cast him an embarrassed glance while Minako shrieked happily with Usagi, jumping up and down in joy. Kunzite couldn't tear his eyes away from her.
It was the bliss on her face that did it. It erased every worry from her face. The anger that had been there was gone, replaced by a carefree young girl- which she was. Ever since he had known her- or her past life, she had always carried the weight of the world.
Seeing her now, like this, eased him in ways he hadn't thought possible. He may have thought he had permanently damaged her- but he had never given her enough credit.
Nothing could deter her. Not even him.
It made him happy. Happy beyond belief.
He was up within seconds, congratulating Mamoru and Usagi joyously. He found himself beside Minako, drawn to her inexplicably.
It was a little while later, when somehow both Mamoru and Usagi managed to excuse themselves from the room that they were stranded together.
She realized after he did, looking around with the deer caught in the headlight look he had always loved to see on her face. The eyes met his and sharpened.
It was as if the weight of the world slammed back onto her.
She stood, brushing imaginary dirt off of her skirt, her eyes looking away from him pointedly.
"Minako," he said, standing as well, taking a deep breath at what he was about to do. "I'm sorry."
"And what are you sorry about, Kunzite?" She asked sharply, "Was it the turning against us? The betraying me? The killing-"
"Everything," he whispered, "I'm sorry about everything." He looked away, gripping his hands tightly. He knew there wasn't enough he could do or say to deserve forgiveness, but he had to tell her that he was sorry for it. How could he not be?
"I never meant for any of it," he said quietly. Then, without looking at her, he exited the room. He passed Mamoru and Usagi standing outside the door, both jumping back as he walked by, pretending that they hadn't been listening very intently.
Grabbing his jacket, he was out of the house. He hurried down the road, trying not to remember that it was the same way she had gone those months back when he had seen her the first time. Her fallen face remained in front of his eyes as he strode away from her.
He had to stay away from her, he knew it then. Or had he known it the second he had fallen for her millennia ago? He had been her destruction, not once, but twice.
The third time could not come.
*
He sat in the empty park, staring up above. The sun glinted against the water as it set. The sky around it was a beautiful shade of orange, the clouds drifting slowly by.
Even though it had been two years since he had seen her, he couldn't help but imagine her beside him. How she would smile at the image above them, her eyes sparkling beautifully. Her hair would shine more so than usual, her skin glistening in the light.
He had thrown himself into work, trying not to think too much of her. He kept in contact with Mamoru and the other guys, hearing of what was going on through them.
Usagi had given birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl with the help of Ami as her doctor. Both Mamoru and Usagi were as happy as they could be, and although they were disappointed that he wasn't there with them, they had accepted his choice. Makoto and Nephrite- Nick were going steady after he had begged for forgiveness from Makoto. Jadeite- Jason and Rei were already bickering like an old couple, meaning they were maybe days away from either killing each other or kissing. Zach was studying to become a doctor, and from what Kunzite had heard, Ami was helping him.
And even though he was glad to hear of all of these things, nothing gave him satisfaction. Although he was a part of this large family that accepted him and loved him, he was still missing something.
"Penny for your thoughts?" The light voice came from behind and he whirled around to face her.
She took his blank face with a laugh, walking till she was beside his seat. She settled lightly on the seat. "You're quite the hard man to find."
"Thank you?" He asked confusedly, wondering what the hell was going on. He had to get out of there. Had to get as far away as possible.
"I know what you're doing, you know. And I've tried it too. Has it worked for you?"
"I can't do this, Minako. Not to you. Not again." He stood, his heart aching and ordering him to stay. But he fought it.
"I know you can't. And I can't let it happen. But what you're doing- it isn't good for anyone." She looked towards the setting sun, and he was frozen in time again, unable to look away from the breathless beauty.
He sat down tiredly, his mind numb as he tried to find a way to get himself out of there. He had never frozen, he had always been quick-thinking, stoic to a fault. But it had always been her who could bring out the things no one else saw.
A light pressure settled on his shoulder and when he looked towards it, he saw her head leaning there. Her eyes were looking towards the setting sun, her face blissfully empty of emotion. There was no pain, no joy, it was just there. As if awaiting an entire plethora of emotions- something he could give.
He turned his eyes back towards the sun as well. It wasn't forgiveness- that would have to be earned and fought for. It definitely wasn't love, something he would work for endlessly.
It was acceptance, one thing he had never hoped for. But it had always been her who had given it to him.
He sighed, choosing to let go his worries. For now, he had her with him underneath the orange sky.