Disclaimer: none of the characters are mine.

Chapter Seven – Fighting Boys and Kisses


Kunzite had almost forgotten what it meant to be afraid.

As long as he could remember, fear was forbidden.

Fear meant weakness. A person consumed by fear was wont to making irreversible judgments. A person consumed by fear was susceptible to falling prey to an enemy's trap before realising his mistake. As a leader, he could not embrace fear. Any misstep in his part, and he endangered those around him.

So, he chose to instill fear in others instead.

It had always been this way. Soldiers, peasants, even the palace attendants, they avoided invoking his rage like the plague. Endymion's right hand man was not to be taken lightly. Beryl's most powerful follower was death in physical form. People didn't consider him the most formidable shitennou solely for his imposing looks.

As much as he detested weakness, the taste of fear had never been stronger until now.

The moment he departed for home, his eyebrow had started twitching. Left for good things. Right for bad. It was his right brow that wouldn't let him rest. His gut feeling told him something was amiss.

All night he tossed in bed, unable to go to sleep. When dawn approached, as though someone was calling to him, he wandered off into the early morning. He didn't know what forces were at work. He was only aware of that insistent pull inside his head.

Warily, he walked the paths and turns he had memorised and checked for security loopholes. Old habits die hard. A man of his rank couldn't let carelessness ruin his reputation.

As the first rays of the sun threaded into the palace, he caught a flash in his peripheral vision. On instincts, he turned to inspect the source of the flash.

And the whole world dissolved.

Several feet away, Minako lay face down on the marble floor. Dressed in a white coat and beige boots, she had obviously been away in the night. Her purse stood upright by her side as if it was a treasure on display.

Shock overcame him then. Impossible that he hadn't noticed her. He was cradling her in his arms before he realised he had taken the steps.

Her skin was pale, and her heartbeat was weak. She was unscathed, but she was unresponsive to his voice.

His stomach tied in knots. His blood ran cold at the possibility of losing his love.

The events that followed were a blur. Kunzite vaguely remembered taking Minako to the healers' and barking orders to inform the king and queen at once.

Outside the infirmary, he waited. He paced. He worried.

If his father could see him now, he was sure to belittle his son.

His old man had scorned love and brought him up with an iron hand in the distant land he once called home. When his mother ran away, in his seventh winter, he was taught all women were manipulative witches and thus not to be trusted. They could send even the sanest man to his demise just as easily as batting their eyelashes. Allow one closer than arm's length, and he cemented his doomed fate.

All through his teenage years, he lived by this philosophy. Keeping Endymion safe made his plate full. Jadeite, Nephrite and Zoisite supplied all the companionship he needed. When the craving for physical contact became intense, he only had to visit his harem to satisfy his lust.

It was enough for him. He didn't need further distractions to complicate his already complicated life.

It would have made his father proud had he lived long enough to learn his son was rumoured to have a heart of stone. For that was what Kunzite had become: an emotionless man who rejected the finer pleasures in life for the protection of the crown prince.

Until he beheld the Senshi of Love in the prince's rose garden one sunny afternoon.

He was enthralled by her otherworldly beauty. Lust at first sight or not, the white and orange-clad golden girl with mile long legs challenged his belief that all women were deceitful creatures. With her conditional love, she tore down the wall he had built around his heart after his mother's abandonment.

Alas, it was the love given so freely that later became his downfall.

But he did not regret letting Minako into his heart. He would have travelled to hell and back for her.

A chuckle escaped his lips. You sentimental fool. Who would have believed that you of all people would allow a girl to have such power over you?

His musings were interrupted when, after what felt like forever, the healers exited the infirmary. Exhaling a heavy sigh, the chief healer informed the royal court they were perplexed by Minako's condition. There was no treatment they could recommend without clear knowledge of what actually happened. They only advised that a close watch be kept, and send Minako back for another diagnosis once she woke.

Which could be soon, or never.

He wasn't surprised. He had guessed as much when channelling part of his powers into her failed to wake her.

Disregarding the concerned looks given him, Kunzite felt his legs taking him to the doorway. Let him try again, and perhaps she would wake. In his panic, he probably hadn't given Minako enough of his strength. Just one more chance …

A firm hand on his shoulder forced him to stop in his tracks. Annoyed, he shrugged off the offending hand and marched forward. He failed to see the blow delivered to his face.

He stumbled. He had no time to regain his balance as he was quickly pinned against the wall by brute force. Ignoring the pain in his jaw, he stared dispassionately at his attacker. Stormy grey orbs clashed with livid emeralds.

"If anything happens to Minako, I will see to it that you are banished from here." Artemis admonished in between clenched teeth.

"Artemis, you have no such right!" Neo-Queen Serenity gasped aloud. "You cross the boundary as adviser if you dismiss any of my protectors."

"The senshi are your protectors, Usagi, not the shitennou!"

"Well, they are now. And as your queen, I command that you release Kunzite this instant."

Frantic hands tried to pry away the guardian's iron grip. He did not budge.

"Artemis!"

A low growl, a narrowing of seething green eyes, and the hold finally loosened. He did not miss the look of hatred in Artemis' eyes as Luna and Endymion dragged him down the corridor.

The petite queen placed a soothing hand on his arm.

"Kunzite, please forgive Artemis," the tears lurked in her quivering voice. "You know he can never control his temper when it comes to Minako. He treats her like his own daughter considering all that they have been through together."

He merely nodded.

How could he forget how protective the guardian was of his love? As long as the blonde was concerned, the two of them had never been on agreeable terms. Communication between them was strained at best in their previous life. That hadn't seemed to have changed much in this life.

He understood Artemis must be as upset as he was about Minako's condition. He was with her a long time before she regained her memories. The bond the blonde had with her guardian was similar to the camaraderie he shared with his men.

Notwithstanding Minako's complaints that Artemis was always breathing down her neck, the older man had her best interests at heart. He knew Minako could see it.

He couldn't begrudge him for flying into a blind rage.

It was only too typical a response.

Flashes of light pierced the dark sky as a thunderous roar ripped through the quiet night. Another bright flash, and the downpour that was promised began its angry descent.

Mourning, it seemed, for the blonde girl who had slept too long.

Had it been days, or weeks? He had long since given up on counting the dates off his fingers. Each day she slept on, oblivious to his plea of seeing her blue eyes reopen.

Kunzite often wondered if Heaven was testing the limits of his patience. Minako had waited a millennia for him. With a long life ahead, there wouldn't be a problem if he had to wait an eternity for her.

He would wait. But he would not succumb without a fight.

As a product of the Ginzuishou, the Crystal Palace itself possessed a great healing power. Coupled with the protection of her quarters, where her powers were the strongest, Kunzite was convinced Minako was healed.

When she was taken to her room, he had witnessed a change in her. A faint, golden aura began to envelope her body as her colour slowly returned. Her hands were warmer, her lips redder, and he swore he could see the tiny flutter of her eyelashes.

And, on his daily visits, he supplied some of his energy to her, too. That along with what was already curing her should make a speedy recovery.

The thin aura was now a vibrant colour. It hadn't grown any stronger than it was a couple of days ago. He surmised the brightness was an indication of how much of her strength was restored. Dare he hope it meant she would wake soon?

A gush of wind entered from the crack of the windows. Muttering a spell beneath his breath, the windows were sealed, while candle lights cast a warm glow over the room.

He settled beside the sleeping blonde and thought of the bedtime stories and fairytales mothers told to little children in this age. When Prince Charming placed a kiss upon the lips of the sleeping Princess, she would wake from her death-like sleep, and together they would ride to their happily-ever-after in the Prince's kingdom.

It's the power of the true love's kiss, as Minako adamantly put it.

He didn't believe her.

For all that he cared, fairytales were walls of protection crafted to shield innocent children from the evils of the world. They were about as believable as saying there was a Santa Claus with a deer-driven sleigh delivering presents to obedient children on Christmas Day every year.

He stroked a silken smooth cheek with his knuckles. Minako was the romantic type. Maybe a kiss was what she expected when she was sleeping beauty. Half-heartedly trusting in the power of one simple kiss, he brushed his lips across Minako's.

The kiss lingered, softly, briefly. It changed nothing when he withdrew.

A wistful smile graced his face. The blonde remained entrapped in her unnatural slumber.

"Must you punish me for not finishing what I started, little princess?"

He heaved a defeated sighed. The memory of their last moment together resurfaced in his mind's eye.

"I could have hurt you. And you know I hate to see you in pain."

He sat back up to take a better look at her. So frail, so vulnerable. So unlike the infallible senshi he had fought against.

The way he saw Minako now, she nestling soundly, peacefully, on her palatial bed, he failed to picture her as the proud, unrelenting Sailor Venus. The gorgeous, slumbering girl he beheld with his eyes was to be adored and protected. A fragile creature as she was should never be tainted by demons of the outside world. He couldn't imagine her anywhere else but inside a well-guarded fortress with someone to watch over her 24/7.

Silently, he vowed to make whoever put her in a stupor pay for his sin. What blasphemy to kidnap an unarmed girl in the middle of the night and send her back home without regard of her dignity.

He held her small hand in his. A current of silver energy passed from him into her body. He only severed their connection when sweat beaded his forehead. Energy transfer robbed him of his strength every time. But that was the most he could do.

"Please wake up, love," he pleaded in vain. "Wake now and tell me who attacked you."

How desperate his voice sounded. Even he was unaccustomed to the amount of emotion in his tone.

Outside, the rain had stopped. The choir of early birds informed him a new day would soon take over. Tiredness began to creep into his veins.

Another night without sleep. Another night of blind hope.

Well, perhaps some fresh air would do him good.

Plus, Minako loved the serenity of pre-dawn. She had said she could gaze upon her planet when Venus was the only visible star in the early morning.

Giving her hand a squeeze, he rose to walk to the French windows.

A gentle pull on his shirt stopped him midway.

Startled, he turned towards the bed. His eyes locked on the pale arm from his sleeping love.

Her eyes remained closed, but she was beginning to stir.

"Minako!" he breathed, disbelieving the sight before him.

He cradled her cheek in his palm. His heart quickened. Unable to contain the joy of seeing Minako escape the clutches of sleep any longer.

"Come on, sweetheart. Reach for the light. I am here waiting."

Come back to me. I will never leave you unprotected again.

A soft moan escaped her parted lips as cornflower blue orbs slowly, finally, opened.

He couldn't recall seeing a prettier sight in his life.

"Good morning, love," his voice was hoarse. "How are you feeling?"

Her eyes were glassy, as though she was seeing him for the first time.

"K-Kunzite?" she blinked multiple times. "What happened? I don't remember anything."