A/N: This is really only half a chapter. The second half is driving me crazy! Though we've made some progress in the last day, so there's hope. In the meantime, I really just wanted to publish something and there was an obvious break point in here, so here's a short chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3: Test Anxiety

The weather was gorgeous, which had made the walk over to The Crown a pleasure. There was that warm pleasant feeling that came with spending time with friends. The pleasant aroma of coffee tickled her nose even though no one at her table had ordered the beverage. And she had been gossiping about how long it would take Yumi-chan and Yoshiro-san to finally get together! And that meant both gushing excited thoughts and teasing sardonic and sarcastic comments swirling around in her head as well. She used to credit the latter to her mental roommate, but she wouldn't be surprised if she was picking up a bit of his dry humor.

"What's he thinking right now?" Minako asked with an evil quirk of her eyebrows, as she dove into the platter of fries that Unazaki had just delivered to their booth.

Usagi reached for a fry with a dignified restraint more characteristic of Mamoru. She squinted her eyes in thought, staring at the back of her dark-haired mind-companion as he sat conversing with Motoki and Unazaki at his normal stool at the bar.

Anxiety over an upcoming test tickled the back of her mind, though whether it was her Algebra Test or Mamoru's Anatomy midterm was unclear. Maybe it was both! He and Motoki were discussing the movie they had seen the previous evening – a horror film that had had a serious negative impact on her own dreams, and she had been obsessing over it all morning as well.

"I don't know," she finally concluded with a shrug and a smile, taking another gulp of her chocolate milkshake.

"You don't know?" Minako repeated, frowning in disappointment. "But I thought…"

"It's like there's just a bunch of thoughts!" Usagi interrupted. "And some of them are mine and some of them are his, but I don't necessarily know which ones are which. And it gets more complicated when he has thoughts about my thoughts and I have thoughts about his."

"But..."

"Sometimes, it's obvious. He is totally obsessed with coffee, so if I am craving a cup of coffee I know that that is him. It was so bad one morning I actually asked for a cup. Big mistake! That stuff is awful! How does anyone drink it, like, seriously?"

"What kinds of thoughts are difficult to distinguish?" Rei interjected, before Usagi could get too lost in railing against the evils of coffee.

"Ummm… well, I've learned that he has such a sweet tooth! He might be better at hiding it than me and he definitely has stupid amounts of self-control so he doesn't always give in, but that guy positively loves chocolate and so many other sweets, maybe even more than me! And appreciation of flowers? That could be either of us. Did you know that he loves roses?"

"He is Tuxedo Kamen," Makoto observed dryly.

"But honestly, the longer this has been going on, the harder it is to tell our thoughts apart," Usagi concluded.

Ami frowned, and whipped out the blue handheld Mercury computer.

"What's the word, Ami-chan?" Makoto asked after a moment. "How worried should we be?"

"They're still not completely integrated," the senshi of knowledge reported. "I can distinguish between their two brain wave patterns. But they are definitely more tangled now, and will eventually meld completely. We're running out of time before this will become irreversible. I found some models in the Mercurian database last night that I might be able to apply to this situation. The problem is, they weren't originally designed for human brains, but for Mercurian, so I need to modify the proposed treatment plan accordingly. I'm going to spend the afternoon in the command center running some simulations."

Usagi shrugged. As annoying as the baka could be, the idea of being mentally tangled with him indefinitely wasn't as terrifying as it once had been.

I didn't know you cared.

Usagi could feel the smirk plastered across his face.

Shut up, baka. You feel the same way.

…

Endymion squeezed his mount's sides with his heels, urging the creature to greater speeds through the Terran landscape. The beast charged towards the hordes of inhuman invading creatures that swelled forward. He had no hope for victory with the sheer numbers against them, but there was nothing else to be done. No more worlds to flee to, no magical fantastical solution that would just cleanse all the chaos and corruption away.

The trained war horse crashed through the first line of the invading foes, and Endymion swung his sword on his right, slicing through a youma. He blocked an incoming blow from the other side with the shield strapped to his left arm.

Mamoru!

Nephrite charged into the mayhem a second behind him, keeping the enemy line from overwhelming him all at once. Endymion tipped his sword toward Nephrite, acknowledging his protection, before striking into the field once again.

Just as quickly the tide of the battle turned, and it was all the prince could do to fend off the blows that came from every direction. This had always been a losing battle, but he had to fight until the very end.

His men, the shitennou, his guardians and brothers since birth, quickly surrounded him in a protective bubble against the invading foes.

"You need to flee!" Kunzite barked at him.

Endymion objected. He would stay and fight until the end – same as any of them.

"Go!" Nephrite ordered.

"No! I will not run like some coward." He would not leave them to sacrifice themselves for him.

"If not for yourself, for Serenity," Zoisite beseeched him.

It was a low blow, but one the prince couldn't argue with.

"For the record, you're all bastards!" Endymion growled, turning his steed behind their cover, urging the warhorse back the way they came, fleeing towards the Moon Palace, which would be their absolute last stand.

"We love you too, Endy!" Jadeite shot back in a sing-song voice.

The prince leaned forward, his head low as he raced back to protect his love. He didn't think he could save her, but he had to try. And at least they would be together.

Mamoru-baka!

He tore awake with a gasp, his fists immediately clutching at the edges of the hard surface in front of him like an anchor. His peers cast startled glances in his direction, but he barely noticed, trying to calm his racing heart and slow his breathing.

It was a student desk – one of many that were common in lecture halls at Azabu High. He was still in class – Anatomy, based on the slides on the screen at the far end of the lecture hall.

His chest still pounded with the vestiges of Terran battles against hordes of nightmarish creatures. He was surrounded by students diligently taking notes. Had he actually fallen asleep in class?

He tried to slow his breathing to calm the adrenaline rush, but his heart rate continued to throb painfully in his throat, his anxiety only continuing to mount.

His attention darted around, but there was no threat. His mind flashed to another room filled with student desks – this one far smaller.

Usagi was in trouble.

Boy, am I ever. Nice of you to wake up!

He bolted from the lecture hall, into the deceptively gorgeous day, found an alley to transform in, and rushed to Juuban Middle School, determined to fend off whatever homework-themed youma had infiltrated her day.

Baka! What are you doing?

He barreled into the room, a rose projectile ready to be launched in one hand, his cane held high in the other, ready to defend her from anything and everything.

He froze mid-step upon encountering the room of silent teenagers scribbling furiously on paper laid out before them.

"Uh… can I help you, Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" the teacher asked, rising to her feet, breaking the shocked silence.

He stared at her dumbly.

Baka! Say something!

He cleared his throat. "Ummm… no? Please carry on with your excellent work, sensei." He bowed respectfully. "Please forgive my awkward intrusion," he added, before he backed out of the classroom quickly, praying that no one caught sight of his face – no doubt the color of a perfectly ripe tomato.

"Baka," Usagi whispered under her breath. He couldn't actually hear her from the other side of the now closed door, but he knew she had said it out loud, the teasing insult echoing through his head with barely suppressed laughter.

You could have told me it was just a test.

Forgive me for assuming you could read my mind!

His white gloved hand massaged his aching temples.

Do you always get so anxious taking exams?

Only when I am failing completely and know it.

And with that thought, any mirth Usagi still felt at his impromptu interruption faded back into abject misery.

Mamoru wished he could help, but Feudal Japan wasn't his subject either. All he could do was listen in, as the history essay destroyed her nerves and confidence.

He decided to forego the rest of his own classes. He wouldn't get much out of them with her anxiety and panic spiraling in the back of his head.

Just breathe.

Instead, he went to the arcade, hoping that Motoki's familiar warm presence would be enough to calm both of their nerves even in the middle of the assessment.

But upon his arrival, Motoki gave him his usual coffee without his usual friendly greeting or smile.

"Everything okay?" Mamoru inquired, taking a careful sip from the steaming mug.

The blond part-timer sighed. "Reika's rather irritated with me at the moment."

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure exactly. I think it's just that time of month."

"That is such a cop out!" Mamoru burst out. "Just because she's on her period doesn't mean her reasons for being upset are invalid! Her period might make her physically nauseous and uncomfortable, or just make her feel gross and clammy. So yeah, things probably get under her skin more. But has it occurred to you that those things always get under her skin and she just has a harder time letting it slide when she doesn't feel well?"

His friend's green eyes drilled into him like they had never seen him before.

"Sorry for the diatribe," Mamoru quickly added, a warm blush dusting his cheeks, as he tried to absorb himself in his coffee once again. "You didn't ask for advice. I just… think that your relationship would work better if you operated under the assumption that your girlfriend is a valid rational human being even if you don't understand her perspective in any given moment."

"No, no need to apologize," Motoki said, quick to reassure his suddenly self-conscious friend. "That… actually makes sense? Since when do you know anything about women?" the part-timer inquired with an amused smirk.

Mamoru shrugged. "Enlightenment struck about a month ago."

Motoki laughed. He thought it was a joke. Mamoru didn't correct him.

Mamoru's whole form slumped in dejection. Usagi had just turned in her exam. It felt like Feudal Japan had kicked her ass worse than any youma ever had. And for once, he wasn't much help. There had to be a way to cheer her up.

"Can you whip me up two milkshakes to go?" Mamoru asked.

"What flavor?"

"Whatever Usagi-chan usually gets."

"Something going on that I should know about?" Motoki asked with a sly smile.

"Nope!" Mamoru exclaimed a little too quickly.

Motoki laughed again. "As long as you're being honest with yourself, Mamoru-kun." He placed the two shakes on the counter. Mamoru paid for them and stood to leave.

"And thank you, by the way," Motoki added.

"For?"

"For the insight into Reika."

Mamoru grinned and offered a two-fingered salute in acknowledgment before taking his leave.

He walked leisurely back to Usagi's school gates, this time in his civilian clothes. He timed it perfectly, arriving just as her last class of the day ended.

She knew he was there, her smile suddenly rivaling the sun in its brightness as she dashed out of the building, accepting the milkshake she knew he had brought her.

"Apparently chocolate milkshakes can fix anything," he told her softly.

Thank you.

For what?

For the milkshake. For being here. For being you.

Her arms wrapped tightly around his form, and he relaxed into her embrace.

"Are you okay?" she asked after a moment.

"Huh? Am I okay? You're the one that faced down an evil midterm."

She shook her head, dismissing his worry as she pulled away her blue eyes drilling into him with concern. "Your dream. It seemed beyond intense."

Startled eyes jumped toward hers that flowed with concern as she sucked down her milkshake.

"You could hear the dream?" he asked in disbelief.

She nodded vigorously. "I think that was part of why the test was so terrible. Not only did I not have your brain to help me with my kanji, but I had all the adrenaline of having to slay a dreamscape of monsters in a battle I knew I was going to lose!"

"I'm sorry."

She nodded in acknowledgement. "You still haven't told me if you're okay."

"I'm okay. It was just a dream. You?"

"Much better with you here," she commented, slipping under his arms once again. Mamoru wasn't usually comfortable with close physical contact, especially in public. But today, the need for the physical comfort overpowered such inhibitions. Maybe he still felt shaken after his dream. Or maybe it was her need after that midterm.

Stop it. You think way too much.

He laughed, and relaxed into her embrace. She was right. It didn't matter because it felt nice.

"I especially appreciate what you said to Motoki about a girl on her period," she mumbled into his side.

"I assumed that was all you."

She furrowed her brow. "No… I think that was you. I was only half listening. I think… maybe… you just understand it more now after having to put up with me last week?"

He froze at the observation.

What's wrong?

Nothing. It's just we're blending more and more.

Is that a bad thing?

Are you not afraid?

No.

…

A/N:

Next time – we have sleep overs and Mamoru goes on a date!

Special thanks to TinaCentury for being the best beta ever! I really do feel like she helps me pull together and polish the finishing touches so much faster than when I try to redraft by myself.

My life just changed a lot again with a new baby! SOOO… continue to expect updates to be slow. I guess that's not really new behavior for me though…

Reviews are love!

And inspirational fairly often if you're craving more from me! Deadly Aura wrote a review last week that made me open this document again and finally put it all together!