So this chapter has zero sexings so if you are a decent human being you can read this part. And if you aren't you can too because we all know you do what you want.
The dress was lovely. Layers of white silk and gauze floating from the hanger to the ground, sparkling crystals and gems winking out from delicate handwoven embroidery clinching at the waist and sleeves. It was one of Serenity's favorites. But now she looked at it like it was made of thorns.
"I can't," she said, out loud. The breeze through the slightly open balcony in her chambers was the only answer. She was alone. She was tired. She was so. so. done.
It was meeting after meeting, formal event following formal ball following formal dinner following negotiations. It was construction oversight and treaties and discussions and training and language studies and boring after frustrating after exhausting. She hardly saw her friends outside of brief conversations while rushing through hallways.
She hardly ever saw her husband expect for public appearances and maybe a kiss goodnight if they both happened to be sleeping at the same time, which didn't seem to happen all that often anymore, either.
This wasn't a marriage. This wasn't a life.
Serenity screamed and stamped her foot - indulging in a mini temper tantrum when no one could see. "I'm so darn sick of this!" She picked up the dress and flung it across the room where it landed with a satisfying clunk against her bedpost, before shimmering down the floor in a wave of delicate fabric. That felt so good that she kicked her vanity chair, too, but instead of falling it just made her yelp and grab her foot.
There was a soft knock and the door from the hallway opened.
"Hey, are you rea-" Minako's voice trailed off as she took in Serenity's appearance.
The queen turned on her bare feet and crossed her arms, daring her friend to say anything. Minako took the dare.
"Speaking as an expert in diplomacy, your highness, I will say I believe that your negligee would be considered a bit too 'underdressed' for this sort of formal affair."
Serenity glared.
"I mean," Minako walked to Serenity's dress and picked it up off the floor in one fluid movement. "Not to say it wouldn't spice things up. These sort of dinners are soooooo boring. And this is, what, the third one this week? Ugh, I am d-o-n-e, ya know what I mean?" She shoved the dress into Serenity's arms, and smiled showing all her teeth. "If I have to, you have to. Get dressed and get going."
"Waaaah," Serenity mumbled under her breath. Then she frowned at her toes, pursed her lips and side eyed her friend who was looking at her with sudden suspicion.
"I'm sick," Serenity said suddenly, dropping the dress on the floor again and kicking it.
"What?"
"Sick. Reeeaaaally not feeling well."
Minako turned with one hand on her hip. "Are you kidding me?"
"Fever. Chills. Aches. Pains. Nausea!" Serenity hopped into bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin. "Minako, if you make me eat beside that boring ambassador I may throw up right on his lap."
Minako looked at her, deadpan.
"Nope."
"Yes! Minako I am so ill! Stay away or you'll catch it." She threw in some rather convincing - if she did say so herself - coughs for good measure. She buried her head in the blankets.
After a few minutes of silence, Serenity peaked over the covers and into the empty room.
"Phew." She was just about to relax when the door opened again and Minako marched in with Rei in tow, dressed to the nines in a lovely gown, official sash in place.
Oh dammit.
"Sick my foot," Rei said, flatly.
Serenity coughed delicately into her hands. Then gave a small "a-choo" for good measure. "So sick, Rei."
"Should we call Ami?" Rei asked, all of a sudden brimming with mock-concern.
"No, no, no, no need to bother her," Serenity waved her hand, "I mean, she's so busy what with setting up the crystal barrier and what not..."
"Serenity I swear to g-" Rei was interrupted by the door once more.
"Is everyone ready?" Endymion was also decked out in formal wear, even moreso than the girls due to his station. His tuxedo had embroidery that was meant to match Serenity's dress, the one currently crumbled in a heap on the floor in front of the dresser.
"Your wife is ditching us," Rei said, shaking her head. "Seems she's 'sick'."
Serenity felt horrible at the disappointed look in Endymion's eyes. These formal things were tough, but it was the only time they had together lately. Holding hands under the table or sharing an amused look, even sometimes working in a dance or two, that made it bearable.
"Sorry to abandon you," she said softly, bunching the blanket in her hands. "But I just- can't. Not tonight."
He sighed and she forced himself to meet his eyes. Her heart twisted a little inside her chest when he gave her a sympathetic smile.
His gloved hand brushed against Serenity's brow and she shut her eyes against the sudden burning of tears.
Endymion turned toward the other girls. "We can cover for her, right Rei?" he said pointedly.
"I guess," Rei said with a huff that was mostly for show. "This one time."
"One time indeed," Endymion said, giving a slight tug Serenity's hair. "Bye odango atama," he whispered in her ear, brushing his lips quickly against her cheek before following the girls out of the room.
"You owe us!" Minako called over her shoulder.
When the door closed behind them Serenity tried to feel happy but instead she felt sadder than ever.
The night was dragging. Endymion was just trying to very surreptitiously check his pocket watch when Rei saddled up to him and slapped his arm. "It's been forty-five minutes," she said. "They will serve dinner in about half an hour."
"I'm not very hungry," he answered and Rei looked at him seriously for a moment.
"Don't even think about it," she said.
"I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about," he said smoothly, nodding to an imagined acquaintance across the room.
"Uh-huh." Rei kept a pleasant look on her face for benefit of the guests but her teeth were clenching.
"But she looked so sad."
"No." Rei smiled beatifically at the visiting ambassador as he walked by.
"And she's all alone in that big room just bored and lonely-"
"Don't you dare." Rei shook her head, smile starting to look strained.
"You know, Rei, I think I'm not feeling so well either," Endymion put a hand to his head and Rei finally dropped the act and turned to face him.
"Your most esteemed highness," she said, looking him dead in the eye, "if you so much as dare to walk out of this room to fake sick and leave me and Minako here to cover for you I swear to the Silver Crystal I will never forgive you and will make you pay dearly every minute of every hour of every day you are alive on this earth do you understand me?"
Endymion paused for a moment, considering. Then he handed his champagne class to Rei and swiftly nodded. "Worth it," he said quickly. Then turned and left to make his excuses to the more important guests.
"I will kill him," Rei said to Minako later, "Crystal Tokyo will no longer have a king because he's dead."
"Rei, could you try not to threaten assassination in public?" Minako responded.
"But he's supposed to be the responsible one!" Rei threw her hands up even as Minako tried to shush her.
"At least it's only this one time, right?"
"What is it?" Serenity asked, scrambling out of bed when Endymion opened the door with a serious expression on his face. "Is everything okay? Did something happen?" He just shook his head without expression. Serenity felt nervous. "Whatever it is... is Rei gonna kill me?"
"Yes, probably," he said, a boyish grin breaking through despite himself. "But only after she kills me first."
"Wha-"
He put a hand to his head, dramatically. "It appears the mystery illness may be contagious." Serenity gasped, putting her hands to her mouth in delight. "I think I too shall have to take - woah-" He stumbled back against the wall as Serenity launched herself into his arms, toppling over a lamp and dozens of little make up bottles along the vanity along the way. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and openly squealed with happiness, kicking her legs into the air as Endymion struggled to regain his balance.
"I can't believe it! You are so terrible, everyone is going to be so mad at you!"
"Wait, at me?" Endymion was incredulous, "What about you?" He stood and let Serenity's feet lower to the floor.
"Oh they expect this sort of thing from me!" she giggled.
"You have really and truly ruined me, my dear," he sighed, putting his forehead to hers. "Whatever am I going to do with you?"
"Well," Serenity slowly lifted his hand and gently unbuttoned his glove, pulling it off finger by finger. She bit her lip and smiled mischievously up at him. "I have some ideas."