DISCLAIMER: Uh. I know I'm not. And Joss is not. And lots of other people are not. Who is?
WORDCOUNT: 1825
SUMMARY: During that arc where Mamoru's dreams were everybody's nightmares. I tried not to make Rei too much like Cordelia and Mamoru not too much like Michael. You'd think he'd have an Angel complex but, noooo... It's all Michael-ism. Which is fine. Because Roy Dupuis... yes. Sex in black leather. g Except that here he'd be wearing that infamous green blazer and I think that's how I managed to get my Mamoru IC. pets green blazer looks at it cringes hides it
FEEDBACK: If I have ten people in my Flist who've watched an episode, it'd be too many. But, hey, this one cost me limb and... something else. I can't remember how the saying continues. Anyway, my point was: Feedback is shiny!
DEDICATION: To Maddie. She asked for 'Rei/Mamoru friendship piece, maybe have them talk about Usagi?'

non-betaed

ENCOUNTER

by Leni

Rei stopped mid-stride and glanced in disbelief at the café's window. She shifted her packages higher up her arms and set off determinedly across the street. No one wondered at the angry-looking brunette heading straight to the lonely man in a corner. Rei dumped the bags on the table soundly, satisfied when he was so startled that he almost lost his grip on his cup.

"I can't believe you," she hissed. Those were the only words she felt able to say without choking him or stabbing him with a fire arrow.

He raised his head, paled a little, but immediately his features settled on a cool expression. "Oh, it's you. Good morning, Rei."

Rei glared at him, but he returned it with an inexpressive glance. For a second, she was vividly reminded of his time under Beryl's control, but the witch had been destroyed months ago and Mamoru was supposedly acting on his own accord. A very foolish and beyond inconsiderate accord, Rei thought. Still glaring, she sat herself across from him, not once caring that she hadn't been invited to accompany him. She moved her shopping bags to a side, so that there was a clear path between them. She breathed deeply, trying to control her infamous temper. As usual, her efforts didn't quite succeed. "Have you gone crazy? Or just stupid?"

Sudden silence in the room. There was a rustle of chairs as all patrons turned to them curiously. Rei blushed, even as she scowled at the most impertinent onlookers. Mamoru calmly took another sip from his coffee, and then he looked at her admonishingly. "I don't think that this is the right place for a conversation, Rei."

She wasn't sure whether she hated his condescending tone or his cold look more. As all answer, she waved to a waitress and looked directly into Mamoru's eyes as she ordered a cinnamon tea, without sugar. "Since you don't appear at the arcade, there's no other place," she said evenly once the girl had left.

Mamoru gave her another of those irresponsive glances and Rei shrugged to herself, taking it as permission to continue. In her life, Rei had learned that with enough incentive any gesture could be taken as permission for whatever she wanted, and Usagi's latest behaviour was incentive enough. "You left Usa without explanation. I can't believe you woul----"

"I explained," he interrupted her.

'Bullshit,' she thought, but being raised in a temple had taught her that voicing profanity was to no use. "Oh yes, that 'it wasn't right' explanation. Mamoru, nothing could be more right; even I thought that and look who's speaking!" She crossed her legs and waited for an answer. When none was forthcome, her brow furrowed dangerously. She'd always considered Mamoru an intelligent, mature young man. But right now he rated more like a stubborn toddler, and since that stubbornness was hurting one of her best friends, Rei would like to beat it out of him. She'd never been known for her patience with toddlers, after all. "What could Usa have don---"

He didn't even let her finish the question. His head snapped up and he growled a "No!" that left her momentarily stunned. Then he composed himself and elaborated. "Usagi has nothing to do with my decision. She's a sweet girl; I just don't think our being together will amount to anything."

Rei's eyes widened in disbelief. "'Sweet girl'? 'Not amount to anything'?" She shook her head and didn't care that her order had just arrived. "Mamoru, Usa is the best thing that could have happened to you."

Mamoru flinched, and one of the pastries crumbled in his fist. The waitress all but raced out of the volatile scene, but Rei felt oddly satisfied at his reaction at her words, even though his expression told that he wished that, for one second, it were her neck and not a jelly roll within his grasp. "I don't have to discuss this with you." He wiped his hand with a napkin, and then looked up and added an "Or anyone else for that matter. This is between Usagi and me, understood?"

He had obviously remembered the girls' joined attempts to ambush him at the arcade in the last days. Looking at it from that point of view, it was quite reasonable that he'd changed restaurants. But, how else were they supposed to make heads or tails of this situation? Usagi was crying in restrooms and school corners. She tried to hide it, but the girl was useless at faking her emotions. Of course they'd tried to talk to Mamoru! It was their right. Their duty! Rei actually felt her nostrils flare. "Well, you won't talk to Usagi either and I'm the one here. Deal." And maybe it was better that Usagi wasn't present for this conversation. First because of Mamoru's harsh behaviour, and second because Usa truly believed that he should be left alone. If Mamoru had broken up with her then he must have good reason to do so, the blonde kept saying as she fiddled with her straw but didn't drink her soda. On her part, Rei didn't buy his fumble excuses for one second. Something weird was happening here. It had to. She'd never seen a couple more nauseatingly invested in each other, and to have him bailing out of the blue... It was disheartening. And it made her furious. No, no way those 'it wasn't meant to be' of his would ever sit right with her.

But she had to admit that this session hadn't brought up any new facts. She wasn't the least more informed about his reasons than before this morning, and even as she tried to understand, she knew it was impossible. If Tuxedo Mask used to hide his features successfully - and with them his thoughts and reactions - Mamoru did it perfectly in plain daylight. After a long pause where she tried to read his expression, he finally talked. "There's nothing else to talk about."

What? Nothing to talk about? But he'd said nothing and she needed to know why he'd abandon Usagi, why he couldn't stick around when it was so perfect. Rei knew she'd burst out, explode in anger and resentment that wasn't fully aimed at Mamoru. She was right. Her hand slammed powerfully against the wooden table, making everything from decorative vase to their forgotten pastries shake noisily. An immediate sound of chairs turning answered her, but this time Rei didn't even bother to feel ashamed at the scene she was making. She didn't care to decipher their witnesses' surprised commentary; instead she stood up and leaned towards Mamoru. "I don't care what you think. I have a friend who won't smile, won't care for double chocolate milkshakes and almost gets herself killed when she's distracted waiting for you while youma attack." She wasn't mad enough that she'd forget to lower her voice with the last bit. At the same time she sat back down, but still held her glare on his interlocutor. "Usa turns hopefully every time the arcade doors open and it hurts to see her face when it isn't you. And it is never you." The cup in her hand was close to suffer the same fate as Mamoru's jelly roll, never mind the difference in materials. Rei realised this and loosened her grip on it.

She felt the fire answering her unconscious call and was so tempted to snap her fingers, just to give him a good scare. But she couldn't. It was such a shame that they were in a public place. "You're such an asshole," she bit out. Profanity still was to no avail, but the word was the only one which fit the man sitting in front of her. She looked away, unable to keep watching that inexpressive face. This didn't mean that she was giving up. She was Rei Hino, after all. "You won't talk to me? Fine. Then talk to Usagi, really talk to her." Then she said something she'd never considered to say unless in an extreme situation. This counted as extreme. "She's the most selfless person in the whole planet, the most caring and loving and..." She stopped, suddenly unexplainably sad and she knew her features had softened as she looked up at him. "I can't imagine why you'd break Usa's heart."

Mamoru looked as if he'd been hit in the gut, more forcefully than with any fire arrow, and Rei understood her sudden sadness. It dawned on her that Mamoru wasn't having a better time than Usagi, and yet he insisted on this stupid separation. She just couldn't get it! She sweetened her voice considerably, picturing a hurt animal that would react positively only to utmost gentleness. Gentleness was more Usagi's forte, but Rei could still try. "Mamoru?" He raised his eyes to her, and for a moment she glimpsed the tortured turmoil wailing inside. She left her cup aside and placed both hands on his side of the table, clearly an offering of peace. "Tell me why."

His mouth opened.

Rei held her breath.

Then he closed his eyes and shook his head. The next second, all expression was shut off under a mask again. He rose to his feet, reached for his wallet and threw a couple of bills onto his plate. "My treat," he said, looking in her direction but not really paying attention to her. "I believe this encounter is over."

Rei watched as he left, torn between two conflicting decisions. Rage or pity. Both fit her mood and her impressions of Mamoru during these minutes. Then she was reminded of Usagi's lost gaze as Motoki put a huge piece of cake in front of her, the puffy red eyes when she came back from the restroom. That was as wrong as the slump of Mamoru's shoulders in the moments he was caught unaware. Yes, she was still angry as hell, but... Mamoru had been her friend, too. "Mamoru!" He didn't turn, but Rei didn't need him to. "At least go to the arcade again."

He kept walking ahead, not giving any sign that he'd heard her.

Rei stayed at her seat, staring blankly into her cold tea. She still couldn't understand anything about this situation, but she felt pretty sure that Mamoru would go past the arcade again. She wondered if she'd just made matters worse with that move. If he kept the attitude, Usagi could be even more hurt with his return. But, on the other hand, if they saw each other more often, maybe Mamoru would come back to his senses. Right? Or maybe Usagi would get the guts to make him spill everything. Right?

She finally picked up her bags and left her cup practically untouched on the table. As she headed outside she prayed for everything to go back to normal. At the end she added another word used only in extreme situations:

Please?

The End
07/12/05