Sympathy
By: Makoto Almasy
Rating: G
Summary: During a separation, a depressed Mamoru receives a surprise visitor from out of the blue to cheer him up on his temporary separation with Usagi. But this isn't one of the Sailor Senshi who has come to show her sympathy. This is a childhood friend who comes from another world. It's Fiore!!!! There are implied Usagi/Mamoru bits throughout the story.
AN: Since this is my first time writing about Mamoru and Fiore, I apologise if they sound a little bit OOC.
----The curtains rippled on its own as the gentle gusts flew into the cosy environment of the bedroom, giving a chill to the one person who was indoors. The breeze didn't seem to affect the young black-haired man while he lay on his bed, stationary and completely silent. Chiba Mamoru rested his head against the one pillow that was acting as a supportive object for his latest headaches. His dark blue eyes turned to the open window of his apartment to explore the starry skies that displayed enchantingly outside. Memories of the past month pivoted in an ongoing cycle through his mind.
It was making him exhausted physically and mentally, which didn't come as a dramatic surprise if he forced himself to rethink the same haunting moments over and over again. Should he continue to brood over the same thing constantly during the next month or two, Mamoru wondered if he would lose his hair at an early age. Maybe Usagi would have a more reasonable excuse to break up with him for real. Oh Usako Mamoru sighed and slapped the palm of his hand onto his sweaty forehead.
Why did this have to happen? Why did his girlfriend have to be so jealous? Sometimes he couldn't understand the philosophy of love. He would have asked Minako, who was known as the Ai No Megami however knew Usagi would have spread the false rumours about him to her friends, thus restraining any proper contact with the other four girls. Even a simple hello wouldn't be appropriately acceptable for the guy. Usagi could be a little over the top at times and it could lead to a short rift in their relationship. Normally they would get back together later on after a dispute though this time, things appeared different. Usagi may be at a mature age but her naivety in a relationship with him constantly arose and it seemed her behaviour had really taken her to a higher level of sensitivity.
Using her maturity as a tool, she had insisted her eyes weren't deceiving her this time. Mamoru had denied the fact that this was another nightmare King Endymion had given to him as a new test of their love to each other. There were no dreams involved. And once the Moon Princess heard that, she knew it had to be for real. She knew Mamoru had decided to focus his attention to someone else; a more attractive girl who obviously had feelings for her boyfriend.
But that wasn't the true picture. Mamoru had tried so many times to tell her that what she was seeing then was nothing. How many times did this sort of action happen, no matter how small? It was usually Mamoru who caught the attention of females at his age or younger. Who could blame him? Usagi's friends could usually tell he was someone with dreamy features. His perfect styled jet-black hair, his piercing blue eyes and slim, well-built physique were a few of the main things that were appealing. To Mamoru those young girls who wanted to ask him meant zilch and he only felt love towards the one he called Usako. He really thought Usagi would understand and know he loved her and no one else mattered to him.
On the Friday of last month it was supposed to be a private date for Usagi and Mamoru. But if only that other girl didn't make such a bad impression in public then this separation wouldn't have started. Damn he could see it repeating again in his mind. It was horrible watching it from a distance. The unknown girl shouldn't have acted all flirtatious with him while he was standing outside to wait for Usagi to finish shopping. The problem was, Mamoru couldn't tell her to go away and it showed she was a persistent female who wanted him to herself. Usagi's brain had instantly alerted her that Mamoru was having more than fun with this girl and her instincts told her to run home.
At the moment, he wasn't holding back because of a dream. He was holding back because of an accidental moment in nature. Mamoru could see Usagi crying in her room, clutching Luna in her arms and whining on how her boyfriend was mean and spiteful. How could she react like this? She was Sailor Moon. The Princess that all the Sailor Senshi vowed to protect with their lives. She too had had her own shares of attracting other people other than Mamoru. But Mamoru didn't go into a jealous rampage like she did back then, did he?
Though he had to admit from hearing her once talk about how sad it was to not save Prince Demando in time did discomfort him briefly. But that feeling went away swiftly in the end. And another small discomfort was the fact that the Black Moon Prince loved Usagi deep in his heart – almost in the same way as Mamoru did. But the fight against the Black Moon Family was a long time ago and Mamoru's love towards Usagi had never left him from inside up till now.
The curtains flying in front of his open window flapped more noisily as the wind grew stronger by the minute. Mamoru had had enough fresh air tonight and it had taken away his worried sweating that had developed from his heavy brooding. He pushed the right-sided curtain to reach his hand over the handle of the window. As he was about to bring in the window to shut it, he had a strange feeling forming all over him. It was as though he could feel one other presence close by. It must be the night air losing its temperature, which could explain why he felt so cold.
Opening the window again to be cautious, Mamoru leaned his head out and darted his eyes above to see if there was anything that seemed unreal. There was nothing in the air. From left to right the other buildings were still and the sky remained pitch black with the stars twinkling furiously. There wasn't anything that caught his eye. Maybe he was losing it. How could he just think someone close to him was nearby? He wasn't a psychic. He couldn't sense other people's presences. Mamoru kept his eyes alerted, certain that the person would pop out of his invisible hiding place and make his presence.
Surely it isn't who I think it is Mamoru pondered nervously. To his amazement, a real-life figure floated in front of his startled eyes, its silhouette blocked the brightness of the moon shining down. The colour of the person's features slowly came into form as he hovered closer to Mamoru's apartment, less than an inch outside the window. "F-F-Fiore." Mamoru could only say. So it was Fiore's presence that he felt a minute ago. Was this really his childhood friend? Or was it an imaginative shadow coming from his unstable mind? No, it had to be Fiore! No other creature could simply imitate his friend's appearance. Mamoru could distinguish Fiore without any problems. The alien's looks hardly changed since he was younger and had first met the human boy in the hospital.
His long aqua hair moved smoothly against the gust that flew across the air tonight and his face seemed to have an expression of innocence. Mamoru was sure he was happy to see him. And he guessed he himself was glad to see an old friend as well. Fiore was one of the familiar faces he hadn't seen in so long over the week. The truth was, he had avoided Usagi and her friends whenever he saw outside or had never gone out and acted as though he was a hermit. He had to be cautious, didn't he?
"It's been a while, Mamoru-kun," Fiore said, smiling lightly.
"I know," Mamoru agreed, still a little stunned to see the alien.
Fiore saw the human move away from the window to let him fly inside. "I'm surprised you let me in so easily. I thought you would hesitate at first."
"You're my friend, Fiore," Mamoru stated. "What happened with the Kisenian flower wasn't your fault." Fiore's head bowed down in doubt when he said this. Oh dear. That may have been a bad way to compliment an old friend. It brought back bad memories. Mamoru remembered everything all too well. "Oh sorry I didn't mean to…"
Fiore managed a gentle smile to the human indigo eyes staring at him in deep concern. "You don't have to worry about offending me." He watched Mamoru sit on his bed and stare outside the window emotionlessly, averting a gaze from the guest standing against the table. Fiore could tell there was something disturbing his friend. This wasn't about being offended about the past. Seeing Mamoru in pain was more serious. If he were in a good mood, he would most likely have something welcoming to say to the alien, wouldn't he?
"I heard you calling me, Mamoru-kun," Fiore said. Mamoru's head turned back to Fiore, nearly looking as though he had forgotten he had a surprise visitor in his home. He must have been in an immersed daydream, which would explain the short fault in his memory system.
Mamoru paused in puzzlement. "Did I? When?"
"Perhaps you did so in a dream and cannot recall it very well because of the pain you've forcefully endured," Fiore explained thoroughly. As far as he could remember, Mamoru was sure he hadn't slept deeply over the month. If he felt Fiore's presence he would call him and remember it the next morning without any fuss. Well whether he did call Fiore or not in a dream, it didn't matter. He at least had someone to talk to as a 'friend.' The last time he attempted to call Rei's shrine, she hung up once she heard his voice. Usagi had one heck of an influence on her friends, didn't she?
"I guess I need someone to talk to," Mamoru admitted sadly, assuming that him calling Fiore in his dreams was a sign to say 'Help me.' Fiore strolled slowly towards him and held his hand gently in his pale palm, listening attentively to what the problem was for the human friend. Mamoru told him how he couldn't understand why Usagi had to be so sensitive and act in a serious yet youthful way about what obstacles went on in their relationship.
The main problem lay in what happened on Monday where he waited outside the shop for Usagi and was tormented by a female of the same age. He insisted that everything the Odango Atama saw was a huge misunderstanding. Though it seemed her thoughts had another explanation to the so-called clinging of the other girl. She even said she saw Mamoru smiling at the girl. But that wasn't a smile of enjoyment. It was embarrassment. And what was more embarrassing was to be put in a forceful kiss by a complete stranger.
In front of Usagi, the girl had acted as though she knew Mamoru (when in fact she didn't). The poor guy didn't get a chance to explain to Usako what really happened because she was in a furious tantrum. Mamoru was glad he hadn't seen that girl around since yelling at her in a busy street. It was his way of embarrassing her in return.
"Sailor Moon is younger than you, isn't she?" Fiore asked.
"The age doesn't matter. What matters the most is that I love her," Mamoru replied. "But recently her behaviour is going crazy." He exhaled and shamefully covered his eyes with his right hand. "It's hard to convince her I'm telling the truth and I don't like it when her friends yell at me. Geez, I feel as though I'm alone again like in the past…after losing my parents."
"You're NOT alone," Fiore insisted. He stood up to place his hands on Mamoru's tired shoulders. "You were never alone. I was there for you in the hospital and I'm here now. Sailor Moon was with you as well. And she's still with you." Mamoru shook his head. "You once told me that I should believe in her for who she was. Why don't you do the same and believe that she will never leave you?" Mamoru couldn't help the scepticism fly all over his depressed façade. He was too upset to let the encouragement sink into him properly. Was Fiore getting anywhere with him? He couldn't just give up on his human friend and fly back to space. Mamoru had always believed in Usagi. She had saved the world countless times and even when separated, she had kept her love to Mamoru.
"I couldn't understand why you loved her at first, Mamoru-kun…until I saw it with my own eyes. The love between the two of you is immensely powerful and I myself know that." Fiore's voice became more desperate to get his point across. "You're both inseparable. You need each other or else the true love you have will die out and happiness will be no more for either one of you in future." Mamoru didn't realise that he was suddenly starting to feel a lot better from hearing this. Fiore was right about this. Whenever he was with Usagi, he was always happy with her and she was the same. They kissed; they embraced and laughed together on their dates. Right now it was true torture having to sob alone from a small matter. Mamoru was honest on what he said regarding that age didn't mean anything to him. Usagi was younger, yes but not by much and she was the love his life no matter what obstacles stood in between them.
"I'm sure she is feeling different nowadays. After all it's been a week since you both separated," Fiore said. "When I picture her, I feel her love for you coming out strongly. And it isn't my imagination, Mamoru-kun. The feeling is mutual."
"F-Fiore," Mamoru stammered. "I can't believe you're telling me all this. Why?" The gentle smile Mamoru was familiar with grew on Fiore's lips as his eyes stared at him genuinely.
"Like you told me, Mamoru-kun. It's because I'm your friend." Fiore stated and moved towards the window. "And because I want to see you happy."
Mamoru had never felt so much trust in his childhood friend before. Fiore had changed since their last meeting after the Kisenian flower was destroyed. He had floated away since giving a flower to bring Sailor Moon back to life as his final way of saying thank you to Mamoru for saving him. But Mamoru never realised that Fiore would come back to him and show sympathy towards his relationship with Usagi. He would have asked Motoki for a talk on his relationship but the arcade owner wasn't around as much and had been travelling with his girlfriend a lot. Sounded oddly familiar to Mamoru and Usagi's typical day out, didn't it?
"Fiore, thank you for coming here," Mamoru kindly appreciated. "I don't feel as bad anymore."
"I learnt all this from you and Sailor Moon," Fiore said and held Mamoru's hand gently. "Believe in her. She still loves you." His figure instantly disappeared and became a transparent ball as it flew out of the window. Mamoru looked outside to get a glimpse of the flying object leaving him. Fiore's presence was fading from him further each minute and the young hero could sense the tears developing in his eyes. Thank you, Fiore…my friend He thought secretly. His body had now become lighter and full of hope. And it seemed hope was already starting to work for him when the phone magically rang noisily.
Mamoru hesitated at first but then decided to go for it and picked up the phone. It was the voice he had been dying to hear for so long.
"Mamo-chan, it's me. I need to talk to you," Usagi said timidly. "Um…listen I just wanna talk about what happened…" Mamoru decided to let her talk and see what she had to say. "I guess I got carried away way too much back then with the other girl and um…I've been thinking over and over again that it isn't like you to do such a thing."
Mamoru could imagine her stammering on her line while she was speaking.
"Can I see you tomorrow?" She asked.
"Well…yeah sure." He was surprised in the immediate question Odango Atama had brought up after a long period of not talking to him.
"Mamo-chan?" Usagi beckoned shortly.
"Yes?"
"I love you." She planted a kiss to him on the phone set and hung up. Usagi loved to say that at the end of each phone conversation and hearing was a good enough sign to say things were starting to get back to normal. So was Fiore right about Usagi still in love with Mamoru? It seemed like she had just given a sufficient answer all right.
END.
----Reason for writing this story: Mamoru is treated real badly in the crossovers section and used in nasty situations by authors. He is the one accused of cheating (what a cliché notion that is unlikely to happen between Usagi and Mamoru) or being with another girl. Since this happens occasionally I decided to try and counter attack the bashing by writing a fic where we get an insight of Mamoru while he suffers such (false) accusations.
Putting a Sailor Senshi as the agony aunt wouldn't give much of a dramatic feel to the story. The same goes with Motoki. I know he is Mamoru's best friend but the truth is I admire the childhood friendship Fiore and Mamoru have. I personally see Fiore as the one who would understand Mamoru the most if Mamoru were having problems. All I'm saying is this – Mamoru wouldn't be cruel to Usagi. End of story.