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Watching

– – – – –

She was beautiful, standing there in the rain. For a while she had stood with arms crossed defiantly, even expectantly, but now her head had tilted downwards in an uncharacteristic expression of resignation.

Wait a minute… was she crying?

Unable to watch her act so out of character, Rei's unseen watcher abandoned his hiding place and came within two strides of her back before he realized what he was doing. Rei was oblivious, her usual sixth sense for people's presences muted by emotion. She was bent over slightly, hugging coatless arms for warmth and comfort.

He hesitated for another moment, having warred internally all day over whether making an appearance was such a good idea, or liable to get him flamed. In the end, concern won out.

She didn't even react to his arms wrapping around her from behind, didn't stiffen or stop, didn't demand to know exactly who he was and why he dared touch her. If anything, she turned slightly towards his chest and cried harder, progressing from silent tears and hitched breath to a full-fledged sob.

Safe.

He didn't know if he was projecting for her benefit, or if she could sense it in him unconsciously, but he gratefully tightened his arms her, letting his chin rest on the top of her head.

So small and fragile, when not masking it with sheer presence…

"I'm here," he whispered, not caring that they were now both soaked, and she was starting to shiver.

He knew that later, when she realized who he was and what had happened, he would be facing anger, hurt, and maybe even a broom. It was too late to turn back, though, and it was probably better this way: a sharp and quick encounter, to end the suspense of his position.

"I'm here now," he whispered again, reveling in the truth of the statement. "I'm here for as long as you want me to be."

…

At the edge of the temple grounds, near one of the prayer trees, a peace offering lay forgotten upon the ground. Wet and slightly crumpled, the flower was the only witness as time passed and shadows deepened around the couple. As sobs lessened and awareness crept back in, and Rei glanced up at her comforter.

A gasp flew from her lips, and was answered by an anticipatory cringe from the man. She reached up to his face, hand trembling, hardly daring to think he was more than a dream or a phantom. Fingertips touched flesh…

A resounding smack echoed across the stones, her hand leaving a bright red mark on his cheek. He winced and covered it, mumbling something about 'deserving that'. Before he could do anything else, however, she immediately followed it up by throwing her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.

"Don't go." The words were muffled, but intelligible. "Stay."

He cradled her tenderly, stunned but bolstered by new hope. "I'm not going anywhere."

After another minute, he partially released her, guiding her with an arm around her waist towards the shelter of her house, out of the rain. She made no protest, still trying to wrap her mind around his presence. Ramifications could come later; right now he was real, tangible, her birthday surprise from the universe at large.

By the prayer tree, the discarded flower bouquet waited, to be found come morning: A circle of dark red roses, accented by a single Casablanca lily.

Fin

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Gah…. It's finals, and I have an insane amount of writing due in a week, and I Can. Not. CONCENTRATE! I've been bitten by too many plot bunnies to focus. Evidence is found in that I've written over 2000 words in 24 hours, after having written nothing for a month. I loathe finals.

I'm also now stuck with a sarcastic streak, which doesn't fit as well into the serious nature of this fic. Thus, for your reading pleasure, I offer my first ever Omake…

Enjoy, and review. Ja!

Ocianne

5/06

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OMAKE:

Ramification could come later; right now he was real, tangible, her birthday surprise from the universe at large.

However, if she found out later that Usagi had anything to do with this, she would be forced to strangle the well-meaning blonde for performing potentially life-threatening and future altering events without telling her closest guardians. If it was Setsuna, the older woman was going to find herself locked out of her seamstress' shop by several strategically placed wards. And if Mamoru had played a part, well… there would be pain.

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