That night...
Setsuna sat up suddenly, her breathing ragged and uneven. Her t-shirt and shorts, her normal sleeping attire, were drenched with sweat. She looked around frantically. She was in the bedroom and everything seemed to be in order.
Then she looked beside her. Dokusui was safe. He was lying slightly on his side; his broad chest was rising and falling with each breath he took. So it HAD been just a nightmare. She heaved a huge sigh of relief. Setsuna fought briefly with the notion of turning on the bedside lamp. She decided against it. She didn't want to wake her brother.
Just then, he muttered something and opened his eyes. "Setsu-chan? What's wrong. Why are you sitting up?" He rolled over and cut on the lamp. "You look scared. What's wrong, Setsu-chan?" Setsuna shook her head and forced a wan smile.
"I just had a nightmare, that's all. It's nothing, really, it's okay." Dokusui was not convinced.
"It's not like you to be so upset by a dream. Tell me about it." Setsuna remained silent. "Setsu-chan...please? I want to help, but I have to know what the dream was about."
"I...I was Sailor Pluto and I was fighting some youma. Then I heard something and I turned, and there you were. The youma said that if I didn't surrender that it would kill you. Naturally, I stopped fighting, but..." Here Setsuna trailed off, starting to sob. Dokusui wrapped his arms around her.
"It's okay, Setsu-chan. You can tell me. But...?" Setsuna sniffled a little but continued.
"Like I said, I surrendered, but the youma...it...it killed you anyway...It stabbed you and you fell...I ran over to you, but it was too late." Setsuna began crying and buried her face against Dokusui's chest. He patted her shoulder gently, whispering soft words to her.
"Setsu-chan...look at me, Setsu-chan." Setsuna looked up into her older brother's face. "Do you remember what I told you when Mom and Dad died? Let me remind you. I told you that I would always be here for you. That I'd always take care of you. That promise still stands. Do you trust me?" Setsuna nodded shakily.
"Hai. Of course I trust you, Doku-kun. You're my big brother. If I can't trust you, then who can I trust?" Dokusui kissed her tear-stained cheeks.
"That's my brave girl. Now, you need to get some sleep, Setsu-chan. You've got work." Setsuna laughed softly.
"Oh, hai...Don't want to miss *that*, now do I?" Dokusui laughed with her. They lay back down and Setsuna, wrapped in the comforting arms of her lover, soon fell asleep.
***
The next day...
"Ohayo, Uncle! I hope you had a nice night!" Setsuna's uncle looked suspiciously at his niece. She was radiant. He raised an eyebrow.
"What are you so happy about?" he demanded. She smiled dreamily as she tied her hair up out of her way.
"Today's a very special day, Uncle!" He racked his brains for a moment. He didn't THINK it was her birthday, but even if it was...
"If today's your birthday, don't expect that you're going to get any special treatment. You'll have to work just like any other day." Setsuna laughed as she picked up her satchel and put it on a hook beside the door.
"It's not my birthday. It's nothing like that. Today is the anniversary of the first time Doku..." She trailed off, suddenly realizing how close she'd coming to divulging a very important secret. No one knew about her and Dokusui, and they preferred to keep it that way.
"That your brother what? Thought he'd ever amount to anything as a poet?" He laughed at his own wit. Setsuna fumed silently. She hated having to listen to her uncle talking about Dokusui. Especially today. Her uncle left the kitchen.
It had been three years today since Dokusui had first told her how he felt. She leaned back against the counter and sighed as she remembered.
***
**FLASHBACK**
"Doku-kun? Look at this article I found in today's paper." Setsuna called to her older brother. He looked up from his book.
"Read it to me, Setsu-chan." he called back in reply. Setsuna sighed.
"Lazy! Anyway, here it is: 'Respected scientists laid to rest today; their children seemingly unemotional.' Isn't that just lovely?" Dokusui put his book down and walked into the kitchen where Setsuna sat reading the paper.
"So, since we weren't trying to throw ourselves into their graves like Ashley Wilkes, we now have no filial piety, hmm?" He looked down at the article. Beside it was a picture of them. He was standing behind Setsuna, his hands on her shoulders, his long blue-green hair neat for once. Setsuna's long green hair was blowing slightly in breeze. "I must say something for this article." Setsuna looked up in mild surprise.
"Nani?" Dokusui smiled impishly.
"That's a wonderful picture of you. Setsuna, there's something I need to tell you." She put down the paper. She could tell from his tone that he was serious. "Setsuna, for a couple of years now, I've noticed something about you.
"I've tried to ignore it, but I just can't anymore." Setsuna looked blankly up at him.
"What are you trying to say, Dokusui?" Dokusui paused, took a deep breath and took his younger sister's hands in his.
"Setsuna...ai shiteru." Setsuna stared at Dokusui. He hadn't just said what she'd thought he had said, had he?
"N...nani?" Dokusui blushed furiously. He'd made a complete ass of himself.
"Gomen nasai, Setsuna. I...let's just forget I said anything, okay? I..." He was silenced as Setsuna placed a finger on his lips. She smiled and leaned toward him.
"Ai shiteru, Doku." Then she leaned in and kissed his lips gently.
**END FLASHBACK**
Setsuna sighed happily before beginning the drudgery that was so humorlessly called work. It was an important but rather irritating necessity.
It wouldn't be so bad if her uncle were even CLOSE to nice, but... She made a face. He was a baka, plain and simple.
***
Meanwhile, at the Bureau of Bad Behavior...
"Are you sure about this one, Mimet?" Dr. Tomoe asked. Mimet nodded.
"Quite sure, Dr. Tomoe. His poetry is so beautiful and full of love that he has to be the holder of a pure heart crystal." 'And,' she added to herself, 'he's very beautiful, too...' Tomoe broke into Mimet's thoughts.
"I have just the thing for our young poet. But you had better not mess up this time, Mimet." Mimet nodded.
"I won't fail you, Dr. Tomoe." She picked up the picture cut out of a newspaper. It was of a tall young man and his sister at a funeral.
***
"I think we should try to help Setsuna!" Usagi exclaimed. Everyone looked at her in surprise. They were over at Rei's and they had been until then munching on some snacks Makoto had brought.
"That's very admirable, Usagi, but do you really think she'd accept your help?" Luna asked. Usagi stopped stuffing her face long enough to look quizzically at Luna.
"Huh?" Rei rolled her eyes.
"Hai, odango no atama! You know how she is! She'd never accept any help from one of us! She has way too much pride for that." Minako, Ami and Makoto all nodded in agreement.
"Oh...ne, it wouldn't hurt to try..." Usagi pressed.
Makoto thought for a moment. "I *could* bake something and take it over there..."
Ami soon agreed. "I could help Setsuna make some time to study...she deserves to get into a good university. If she saved enough to take the entrance exams then she could get a scholarship." Minako and Rei got into the spirit as well.
"It would be nice to help her out. After all, she's saved us more than once. And we can meet her brother. I've heard that he is really hot!" Minako chimed in. The girls all laughed.
"So it's settled. We'll go see them tomorrow after Setsuna gets off from work! She'll be so surprised!" Usagi said cheerfully.
***
Surprised was not exactly the term to describe Setsuna's reaction to seeing five girls and two cats when she opened the door the next afternoon. Bewildered, perhaps. Or amazed.
"Anou...what are you doing here?" she asked after a moment of stunned silence. Usagi elected herself spokeswoman for the group.
"Konnichi wa, Setsuna! We came to help you!" She gestured to the other girls behind her. Makoto was holding a cake and Ami had a small library in her arms. Setsuna blinked in astonishment. Pleased, Usagi went on. "I can see that you're surprised. So, can we come in?" Setsuna shook her head as if to clear it out.
"Nani? Oh, of course. Gomen, but I was just...a little taken aback. Come in." She stepped away from the door to allow the girls and cats passage. They were all surprised at the interior of the apartment. It wasn't big or anything, but it wasn't tiny, either. There was a living room with a small tea table and some mats around it. On the table was a tea set with two cups. There was no TV or even a stereo. The room seemed to be drawn out of the past. There was a rice paper screen in a corner with dragons and tigers painted on it and there were brush drawings on the wall.
The kitchen was smallish, but it had a cozy feel to it. It was more modern than the living room in the fat that there was an electric stove and a refrigerator, but there were very few appliances. In the window beside the table were a jasmine plant and a small bonsai tree.
"You said something about helping me...?" Setsuna began. Usagi nodded.
"Hai! We felt sor..." She suddenly shut up as Rei elbowed her hard.
"We thought you should have a little help. You have too much work for one person to handle." Ami nodded with a smile.
"I thought that perhaps in the evenings you and I could study so you will be ready when you get a chance to take the entrance exam."
"And I baked you and your brother a cake. You probably don't have much time to cook, what with work and all." It was Minako's turn.
"Maybe sometime we could take you to a movie or out to eat or something. It'd be loads of fun!"
Rei finished up. "And you can come to the shrine anytime. You know, if you need to unwind or something." This was all met by silence from a totally stunned Setsuna.
"Why are you doing all this?" she finally managed to get out.
"Because you're our friend, of course!" Suddenly a baritone voice entered the conversation.
"Who is it, Setsu-chan?" Minako and Makoto exchanged excited looks. It was Setsuna's brother. When he came out, it was even better than either girl had expected.
Meiou Dokusui was tall and very handsome. His long blue-green hair fell over his shoulders and back and complemented his deep green eyes perfectly. He was wearing a dark purple shirt that showed off his muscles, which were surprisingly well developed for someone of his age who was a poet.
"It's Usagi and her friends. Girls, this is my brother, Dokusui. Doku-kun, this is Usagi, Minako, Rei, Ami and Makoto. Oh, and the cats are Luna and Artemis." Dokusui nodded to them all.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all." The girls all began chattering at once. Luna had to restrain herself from scolding them. She couldn't speak in front of Dokusui.
"Guys! Please!" Setsuna yelled. Everyone shut up. "Domo. Doku-kun, they came because they wanted to help us." Dokusui smiled.
"That was very considerate of them." Setsuna felt a tug on her sleeve. Ami pulled her aside.
"Does he know, Setsuna? About the Senshi, I mean?" Setsuna nodded.
"Doku-kun and I don't have any secrets. He knows about everything. Though when I mentioned that Luna and Artemis could talk, he did give me a strange look." Upon knowing that Dokusui knew, the air of tension left the room. And by the time it was time for the girls to leave, both Minako and Makoto were convinced that they were in love.
"Domo arigato. We really appreciate this." Dokusui said as they left. When they had gone, he turned to Setsuna. "Ne, that was nice of them...let's have some cake!" Setsuna laughed.
"Now you want to eat..." But she went to the kitchen and got him a slice. As he ate it, she brushed a piece of his hair away from his face. "Doku?"
"Hmmm?" Dokusui replied, his mouth full of chocolate.
"Promise me that nothing will ever happen to you. I don't know what I'd do without you." Dokusui put his plate down.
"How could anything happen to me? I've got Sailor Pluto here to protect me." She smiled and he pulled her to him for a kiss. "I can't predict the future, Setsuna, but I'll try to stay safe. That's all I can promise."
"Good enough."
Setsuna sat up suddenly, her breathing ragged and uneven. Her t-shirt and shorts, her normal sleeping attire, were drenched with sweat. She looked around frantically. She was in the bedroom and everything seemed to be in order.
Then she looked beside her. Dokusui was safe. He was lying slightly on his side; his broad chest was rising and falling with each breath he took. So it HAD been just a nightmare. She heaved a huge sigh of relief. Setsuna fought briefly with the notion of turning on the bedside lamp. She decided against it. She didn't want to wake her brother.
Just then, he muttered something and opened his eyes. "Setsu-chan? What's wrong. Why are you sitting up?" He rolled over and cut on the lamp. "You look scared. What's wrong, Setsu-chan?" Setsuna shook her head and forced a wan smile.
"I just had a nightmare, that's all. It's nothing, really, it's okay." Dokusui was not convinced.
"It's not like you to be so upset by a dream. Tell me about it." Setsuna remained silent. "Setsu-chan...please? I want to help, but I have to know what the dream was about."
"I...I was Sailor Pluto and I was fighting some youma. Then I heard something and I turned, and there you were. The youma said that if I didn't surrender that it would kill you. Naturally, I stopped fighting, but..." Here Setsuna trailed off, starting to sob. Dokusui wrapped his arms around her.
"It's okay, Setsu-chan. You can tell me. But...?" Setsuna sniffled a little but continued.
"Like I said, I surrendered, but the youma...it...it killed you anyway...It stabbed you and you fell...I ran over to you, but it was too late." Setsuna began crying and buried her face against Dokusui's chest. He patted her shoulder gently, whispering soft words to her.
"Setsu-chan...look at me, Setsu-chan." Setsuna looked up into her older brother's face. "Do you remember what I told you when Mom and Dad died? Let me remind you. I told you that I would always be here for you. That I'd always take care of you. That promise still stands. Do you trust me?" Setsuna nodded shakily.
"Hai. Of course I trust you, Doku-kun. You're my big brother. If I can't trust you, then who can I trust?" Dokusui kissed her tear-stained cheeks.
"That's my brave girl. Now, you need to get some sleep, Setsu-chan. You've got work." Setsuna laughed softly.
"Oh, hai...Don't want to miss *that*, now do I?" Dokusui laughed with her. They lay back down and Setsuna, wrapped in the comforting arms of her lover, soon fell asleep.
***
The next day...
"Ohayo, Uncle! I hope you had a nice night!" Setsuna's uncle looked suspiciously at his niece. She was radiant. He raised an eyebrow.
"What are you so happy about?" he demanded. She smiled dreamily as she tied her hair up out of her way.
"Today's a very special day, Uncle!" He racked his brains for a moment. He didn't THINK it was her birthday, but even if it was...
"If today's your birthday, don't expect that you're going to get any special treatment. You'll have to work just like any other day." Setsuna laughed as she picked up her satchel and put it on a hook beside the door.
"It's not my birthday. It's nothing like that. Today is the anniversary of the first time Doku..." She trailed off, suddenly realizing how close she'd coming to divulging a very important secret. No one knew about her and Dokusui, and they preferred to keep it that way.
"That your brother what? Thought he'd ever amount to anything as a poet?" He laughed at his own wit. Setsuna fumed silently. She hated having to listen to her uncle talking about Dokusui. Especially today. Her uncle left the kitchen.
It had been three years today since Dokusui had first told her how he felt. She leaned back against the counter and sighed as she remembered.
***
**FLASHBACK**
"Doku-kun? Look at this article I found in today's paper." Setsuna called to her older brother. He looked up from his book.
"Read it to me, Setsu-chan." he called back in reply. Setsuna sighed.
"Lazy! Anyway, here it is: 'Respected scientists laid to rest today; their children seemingly unemotional.' Isn't that just lovely?" Dokusui put his book down and walked into the kitchen where Setsuna sat reading the paper.
"So, since we weren't trying to throw ourselves into their graves like Ashley Wilkes, we now have no filial piety, hmm?" He looked down at the article. Beside it was a picture of them. He was standing behind Setsuna, his hands on her shoulders, his long blue-green hair neat for once. Setsuna's long green hair was blowing slightly in breeze. "I must say something for this article." Setsuna looked up in mild surprise.
"Nani?" Dokusui smiled impishly.
"That's a wonderful picture of you. Setsuna, there's something I need to tell you." She put down the paper. She could tell from his tone that he was serious. "Setsuna, for a couple of years now, I've noticed something about you.
"I've tried to ignore it, but I just can't anymore." Setsuna looked blankly up at him.
"What are you trying to say, Dokusui?" Dokusui paused, took a deep breath and took his younger sister's hands in his.
"Setsuna...ai shiteru." Setsuna stared at Dokusui. He hadn't just said what she'd thought he had said, had he?
"N...nani?" Dokusui blushed furiously. He'd made a complete ass of himself.
"Gomen nasai, Setsuna. I...let's just forget I said anything, okay? I..." He was silenced as Setsuna placed a finger on his lips. She smiled and leaned toward him.
"Ai shiteru, Doku." Then she leaned in and kissed his lips gently.
**END FLASHBACK**
Setsuna sighed happily before beginning the drudgery that was so humorlessly called work. It was an important but rather irritating necessity.
It wouldn't be so bad if her uncle were even CLOSE to nice, but... She made a face. He was a baka, plain and simple.
***
Meanwhile, at the Bureau of Bad Behavior...
"Are you sure about this one, Mimet?" Dr. Tomoe asked. Mimet nodded.
"Quite sure, Dr. Tomoe. His poetry is so beautiful and full of love that he has to be the holder of a pure heart crystal." 'And,' she added to herself, 'he's very beautiful, too...' Tomoe broke into Mimet's thoughts.
"I have just the thing for our young poet. But you had better not mess up this time, Mimet." Mimet nodded.
"I won't fail you, Dr. Tomoe." She picked up the picture cut out of a newspaper. It was of a tall young man and his sister at a funeral.
***
"I think we should try to help Setsuna!" Usagi exclaimed. Everyone looked at her in surprise. They were over at Rei's and they had been until then munching on some snacks Makoto had brought.
"That's very admirable, Usagi, but do you really think she'd accept your help?" Luna asked. Usagi stopped stuffing her face long enough to look quizzically at Luna.
"Huh?" Rei rolled her eyes.
"Hai, odango no atama! You know how she is! She'd never accept any help from one of us! She has way too much pride for that." Minako, Ami and Makoto all nodded in agreement.
"Oh...ne, it wouldn't hurt to try..." Usagi pressed.
Makoto thought for a moment. "I *could* bake something and take it over there..."
Ami soon agreed. "I could help Setsuna make some time to study...she deserves to get into a good university. If she saved enough to take the entrance exams then she could get a scholarship." Minako and Rei got into the spirit as well.
"It would be nice to help her out. After all, she's saved us more than once. And we can meet her brother. I've heard that he is really hot!" Minako chimed in. The girls all laughed.
"So it's settled. We'll go see them tomorrow after Setsuna gets off from work! She'll be so surprised!" Usagi said cheerfully.
***
Surprised was not exactly the term to describe Setsuna's reaction to seeing five girls and two cats when she opened the door the next afternoon. Bewildered, perhaps. Or amazed.
"Anou...what are you doing here?" she asked after a moment of stunned silence. Usagi elected herself spokeswoman for the group.
"Konnichi wa, Setsuna! We came to help you!" She gestured to the other girls behind her. Makoto was holding a cake and Ami had a small library in her arms. Setsuna blinked in astonishment. Pleased, Usagi went on. "I can see that you're surprised. So, can we come in?" Setsuna shook her head as if to clear it out.
"Nani? Oh, of course. Gomen, but I was just...a little taken aback. Come in." She stepped away from the door to allow the girls and cats passage. They were all surprised at the interior of the apartment. It wasn't big or anything, but it wasn't tiny, either. There was a living room with a small tea table and some mats around it. On the table was a tea set with two cups. There was no TV or even a stereo. The room seemed to be drawn out of the past. There was a rice paper screen in a corner with dragons and tigers painted on it and there were brush drawings on the wall.
The kitchen was smallish, but it had a cozy feel to it. It was more modern than the living room in the fat that there was an electric stove and a refrigerator, but there were very few appliances. In the window beside the table were a jasmine plant and a small bonsai tree.
"You said something about helping me...?" Setsuna began. Usagi nodded.
"Hai! We felt sor..." She suddenly shut up as Rei elbowed her hard.
"We thought you should have a little help. You have too much work for one person to handle." Ami nodded with a smile.
"I thought that perhaps in the evenings you and I could study so you will be ready when you get a chance to take the entrance exam."
"And I baked you and your brother a cake. You probably don't have much time to cook, what with work and all." It was Minako's turn.
"Maybe sometime we could take you to a movie or out to eat or something. It'd be loads of fun!"
Rei finished up. "And you can come to the shrine anytime. You know, if you need to unwind or something." This was all met by silence from a totally stunned Setsuna.
"Why are you doing all this?" she finally managed to get out.
"Because you're our friend, of course!" Suddenly a baritone voice entered the conversation.
"Who is it, Setsu-chan?" Minako and Makoto exchanged excited looks. It was Setsuna's brother. When he came out, it was even better than either girl had expected.
Meiou Dokusui was tall and very handsome. His long blue-green hair fell over his shoulders and back and complemented his deep green eyes perfectly. He was wearing a dark purple shirt that showed off his muscles, which were surprisingly well developed for someone of his age who was a poet.
"It's Usagi and her friends. Girls, this is my brother, Dokusui. Doku-kun, this is Usagi, Minako, Rei, Ami and Makoto. Oh, and the cats are Luna and Artemis." Dokusui nodded to them all.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all." The girls all began chattering at once. Luna had to restrain herself from scolding them. She couldn't speak in front of Dokusui.
"Guys! Please!" Setsuna yelled. Everyone shut up. "Domo. Doku-kun, they came because they wanted to help us." Dokusui smiled.
"That was very considerate of them." Setsuna felt a tug on her sleeve. Ami pulled her aside.
"Does he know, Setsuna? About the Senshi, I mean?" Setsuna nodded.
"Doku-kun and I don't have any secrets. He knows about everything. Though when I mentioned that Luna and Artemis could talk, he did give me a strange look." Upon knowing that Dokusui knew, the air of tension left the room. And by the time it was time for the girls to leave, both Minako and Makoto were convinced that they were in love.
"Domo arigato. We really appreciate this." Dokusui said as they left. When they had gone, he turned to Setsuna. "Ne, that was nice of them...let's have some cake!" Setsuna laughed.
"Now you want to eat..." But she went to the kitchen and got him a slice. As he ate it, she brushed a piece of his hair away from his face. "Doku?"
"Hmmm?" Dokusui replied, his mouth full of chocolate.
"Promise me that nothing will ever happen to you. I don't know what I'd do without you." Dokusui put his plate down.
"How could anything happen to me? I've got Sailor Pluto here to protect me." She smiled and he pulled her to him for a kiss. "I can't predict the future, Setsuna, but I'll try to stay safe. That's all I can promise."
"Good enough."