So, I was moving things from my floppy disk (since they're becoming obsolete) into my new laptop when I discovered this! I wrote this last year, actually. I thought I had lost it. I turned it into a ficlet contest, but I don't know if it was ever received... Anyway, here's a one-shot of my favorite senshi/shitennou couple. It's really short and a bit on the fluffy side (don't gag, haha).

Don't Look Away

An Ami/Zoicite ficlet by Naomi (Dama Niqui), April 2004.

Characters © Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi.

Amy gave in to her subconscious urge and looked outside the huge window. At that same moment, Zoicite peered ever so casually into the room, and their eyes met. The trademark suave smirk appeared on his face, and he held her gaze arrogantly. She blinked and blushed very lightly before whipping her head back to focus on the matter at hand.

Later on that day, they caught each others' eyes once more. Smirk, blink, blush, whip. The other princesses were finding it highly entertaining.

"Will you keep his gaze just once? See what happens," suggested Mina.

Amy looked absolutely mortified about the idea. "I can't! I mean, I won't… I can't do that, it's already bad enough that he'd be so bold as to keep on looking. Doesn't he know that it's rude—"

"You're the one being rude by ignoring him all the time." Lita interrupted.

"I don't ignore him—"

"Yes, you do. And you have been for the past, how many weeks?"

She scowled. "Okay, maybe I'm not comfortable with that insufferable expression of his."

"What, you mean his lady-killer smirk?" Serena smiled and tried to copy the infamous General's trademark grin.

"Yes—No! I mean, no."

Raye put an arm around the smaller princess's shoulders. "Honey, it's okay. It's okay to like something dangerous like that. That's what makes him exciting after all."

"Not to mention unbearably cute." Mina chimed.

At that, the corners of Amy's lips lifted very slightly. "Yes, he's quite handsome, isn't he? He's prettier than me!"

The girls laughed and reassured her that her beauty was more exquisite than his. "I can't believe you've only realized how cute he is now!"

"But that's not the point," she started after she fought her blush down once more (after a long string of compliments), "I don't want to be involved with someone who… someone that girls all over fall head over heels for. Someone like that… he's almost perfect. It… it won't feel right for me."

"How would you know?" Raye asked.

Amy didn't know. "See, that's for you to find out." Lita patted her back encouragingly and smiled at the girl's dubious expression. "I'm off to the stables."

One by one, the princesses departed to do whatever it is they had planned, except for Amy, who tried to gather her thoughts back in order. Before Mina stepped out of the door, she turned back to her.

"Try it, Ames. Don't look away." She gave her a thumb-up. "You'll never know if you don't take that risk." She winked. "And remember, hon… nobody's perfect. And you don't know what you have until it's gone." And with a swish of golden locks, she left.

Amy sighed and dropped her head onto a pillow. She stared at the ceiling and decided how stupid and trivial this was; to look back, or to not look back? Eventually she got up and tried to distract herself, wandering aimlessly in the hallways of the palace, nearing the entrance to the gardens. As she leaned against a column, she closed her eyes and welcomed the cool contact of the marble against her bare shoulders. She mentally berated herself for getting so worked up over a man.

One hell of a man.

Yes, she'd seen him in action; he was the brain of the group, and seeing him run his hand through his hair while in deep thought was something she never thought her heart would skip a beat to. When he stood regally in the grand hall with his comrades, up and early to greet the Queen and the princesses, she liked the way a tendril of his hair would fall loose over his shoulder when he bowed. She liked how he was courteous with the ladies (even if it was bordering on being flirtatious), and she liked how he was so chummy with his friends. She liked his broad shoulders, his strong (rather arrogant) stride, and she secretly adored his laugh, which was rich and deep. She admired how he supported his own opinions on controversial matters (discussed during dinner with everyone present) and she liked his sly sense of humor. Hell, she even liked his sarcasm; it's actually quite funny.

Everyone knew of his pursuit for the shy princess. His not-so-subtle attempts to catch her attention made the other women frown while the men watched to see a bona fide ladies' man at work. It has been going on for a while and through all that time, Amy deftly ignored him and evaded his little games. Now he has resorted to just catching her eyes and smirking at her. No more following, no more invitations to walk in the gardens, not even a challenge to play chess. They don't even talk.

Now that she thought about it, she has been making more eye contact with him recently than when he publicly courted her.

Am I actually looking for his attention now? She wondered, her brows furrowed in thought. She thought about it over and over again.

Maybe I am.

Then, she felt it. That familiar pull, tugging at her conscience, urging her…

She opened her eyes and saw him looking at her, his stance relaxed against the door frame, arms folded. Slowly, very slowly, his lips turned upwards. That trademark smirk, but not exactly. It looked different. It looked… less than perfect, not at all overly arrogant as it was before. It was insecure, almost, and definitely sweet. It was warm and it sent the blood coursing through her to rush at a dizzying speed.

"Hello, princess."

Right then and there, she decided that she liked that feeling. It was so nice to hear him talk again. To her. And not at her.

She tilted her head and blinked, but didn't look away. Her own genuine, shy smile followed right after.

"Hello, Zoicite," she welcomed, for the first time. "Please, call me Amy."