The Plight of the Senshi: Water's Edge
By: Ryu Niiyama
I normally lean on the Original Anime and then the Manga when I write Sailormoon but there is some influence from PGSM in this one. Also Character Death inbound.
It had started with the most innocuous of statements made by a young doctor that didn't know any better.
"You are fortunate to have such a loving wife, Mizuno-sensei."
Abe's words were earnest and wistful, but he paused, confused as he watched his mentor and the most prolific surgeon of Tokyo Memorial freeze with her sandwich halfway to her mouth, a blush staining her cheeks as she stared at her now tasteless meal as if it contained poison. With precise but stilted movements, the doctor repacked her lunch and stood carefully. Abe watched this with frightened eyes as it felt like the temperature of the room dropped several degrees suddenly. Without saying a word, his normally extremely polite supervisor turned and exited the small lounge without looking back. Abe wasn't sure why his words had impacted Mizuno-sensei so, but he had a feeling that he had inadvertently set off a chain of events that may alter her life forever.
Ami staggered to her office, nodding absently at the random passersby, Abe's nonchalant ramblings playing on repeat in her head. They shouldn't bother her, she knew, but she could feel nothing but trepidation as she thought of them. While all of the senshi remained in regular contact, they had begun to lead somewhat normal lives after defeating Galaxia and Chaos. University, dating, marriage for Minako of all people, opening businesses and beginning careers; they were busier now than they had been as saviors of the galaxy. Usagi had wanted them all to follow their dreams first before placing destiny upon their shoulders once again. For her part, Usagi had become a successful illustrator for books for girls, promoting education in STEM as well as beginning her ascent to her throne. She revealed herself and her power to the prime minster and was working on transitioning the government to her control. Even though it was her destiny, the future Queen wanted the people to have a say and one of her first acts had been to aid in facilitating the abolishment of discrimination laws against homosexuals, and improving the lives of women and girls in Japan.
There was no one prouder of her future sovereign than Ami Mizuno and yet she now wondered if she was becoming a burden upon her beloved friend. Despite her busy schedule, Usagi made time for all of her friends, but none more than Ami. They often took lunch together or Usagi would drop off a bento on the way to another appointment, the food appearing in Ami's office fridge while she was away. Ami still lived alone, but often forgot to look after herself and Usagi would stop by with groceries and would often cook dinner for the two of them. Diligent tutoring from both Tsukino-sama and Mako-chan ensured that Usagi could finally cook without supervision and that the end result would not only be edible but delicious as well. Her diligence had been so successful that Ami took to running after work to coincide with her daily swimming to ensure that she didn't put on any weight. Ami had accepted the assistance without thought, grateful to spend more time with her beloved friend and liege, but Abe's words had brought shame and doubt to her heart. Had she made the mistake of distracting Usagi from her goals? Had she ignored stress and strain placed upon her liege with the inconvenience of looking after her retainer in order to advance her own comfort?
Guilt shredded Ami's heart, but even worse was the warmth that filled her soul at the thought of the time spent with Usagi. The sound of her laughter, exuberant and bright, the warmth of her hand intertwined with Ami's own, sure with acceptance and affection. Sharing dinner or even walks to the train station, sleepovers, not needed given both their wealth and the expediency of the transit system, and yet cherished encounters. Study sessions as Usagi worked to prepare for her true role and her faith in Ami to aid and advise her wisely was a source of pride and responsibility. Shared activities as they played games or ice skated or Ami tutored Usagi in swimming. Teaching her buoyancy challenged sovereign how to swim was a trial in itself, but Ami cherished the time shared even as she wondered how Usagi swam like a rock. Ami learned more about her friend than she'd ever had when they were teenagers and she felt honored by Usagi's regard, but surely she thought Usagi's time could be better spent, than indulging her still somewhat solitary friend.
The Senshi of Wisdom flinched as she thought of her past, a lifetime of being resented by her peers for her genius and ignored by her parents, both too caught up in their own heartache to see her pain had created a wall of ice around her heart. While she enjoyed the sweet balm of friendship finally found with the rest of her sisters in arms, it was the guileless love and acceptance of her Princess that melted the ice like the summer sun. The thought of depriving herself of that warmth, even for Usagi's sake alone pricked the selfishness in her heart. She remembered the bitterness she swallowed as she watched the easy friendship between Naru and Usagi, hating herself for feeling even remotely jealous and yet yearning to have Usagi for herself all the same. She had thought that she had buried that jealousy the day Naru died in her hospital, her blood loss from childbirth complications too great for even Ami's genius to thwart. Usagi had been devastated to lose her closest friend and Ami had blamed herself in the aftermath, yet that loss had kindled a closeness that Ami had always yearned for, but didn't know how to request. When Usagi's heart healed at the loss of her friend, the unusual closeness remained, but Ami now wondered if she'd inadvertently took advantage of her friend and liege.
Was she so weak so needy that Usagi had made it her life's goal to tend to her even into their ageless adulthood?
Sighing and full of self-recrimination, the doctor put her face in her hands and bit her lower lip to keep the tears at bay. She mired in her pain for several long minutes only stirring when her vidline alerted her that she had a call. She looked at the interface, seeing Usagi's name and image pop up and she stood up and walked out of the room. This had to stop. She had been a burden upon her liege for too long. After that, the doctor attempted to ignore her Queen for anything barring senshi business, and even with that she left as soon as their meetings or training was done. She felt like she was punishing her sisters in arms as well, but unlike their tie to Usagi, the four of them were ok with their somewhat disparate lives. Usagi however, was persistent, Ami's structured nature working against her for once as the future Queen easily found her due to her consistent schedule. She'd never had the strength previously to refuse Usagi except in matters of education. So, when Usagi showed up with seemingly random consistency to have Ami try a new place for lunch, she went. Or if Usagi had ordered food and suddenly wasn't hungry enough to finish her meal but happened to have a full serving left over for Ami to eat since she was in the neighborhood, Ami had accepted the gracious offer.
How could she be so stupid? Usagi had no reason to be anywhere near the hospital district except on the weekends when she visited the sick children.
Her own loneliness had bowed her will and shackled her princess to her unworthy self. This time she would do better, this time Ami refused to be swayed. She filled up her schedule so that she wouldn't be forced to lie when she rebuffed Usagi and her work, already highly lauded, entered a level of recognition that would see her immortalized beyond her divinity as a senshi.
Even her devotion to her work didn't deter Usagi, as the future princess kept restocking her fridge and meal prepping for her in her absence. Ami couldn't bear to let the food go to waste and deep within her heart was grateful for even this small connection to Usagi still. It was selfish and unbecoming, but Ami couldn't completely relinquish her tie to her beloved liege and friend. Ami sat on her couch drinking tea, looking out at the softly falling rain as it cloaked the city in her element. Abe had assumed that Usagi was her wife, and Ami began to wonder at her own motives. It was true that since Usagi spent so much time with her that she had stopped dating and she had rebuffed all opportunities presented to her. She hadn't questioned it at the time, but it meant nothing to reject those other women because she had all that she'd ever wanted…
The cup tumbled from suddenly slack fingers and shattered against the floor, tea spreading like blood over the hardwood flooring. Azure eyes shuttered closed and Ami was bombarded by her flawless memory. The pride she felt when Usagi complemented her genius, usually a source of embarrassment, under Usagi's regard her brilliant mind finally made her feel special, noticeable. The joy she felt as Usagi played and joked and laughed, always including Ami, always seeking her out and inviting her into her mischief. The warmth she felt when they spent time together, Usagi had been her plus one for years at academic functions despite the other woman's personal disinterest. Ami felt understood and appreciated when Usagi listened to her talk about her work or when she just wanted to speak about her own thoughts and fears as simply a woman. She let herself see Usagi in her mind's eye, not as a friend or a sovereign but instead as a woman and she felt her heart break as the truth of her heart was revealed.
The closeness and pride she felt when Usagi showed her a new book or drawing that she'd completed. The awe and yearning at her beauty, bewitching and earnest both a source of soothing warmth and passionate flame. The honor that warmed her soul as she watched Usagi slowly grow into her destiny. Ami knew that destiny didn't involve her, Usagi and Mamoru had split up shortly after Galaxia's defeat but Ami knew that her path lay with him. She had no right to interfere with that, no right to entertain these poisonous dreams that made her hope for the unobtainable. She could bury it down, but first she needed to state her intentions. No more attempting to avoid Usagi; only a clean break would allow them both to heal. She could perform her duty as expected, she wouldn't let her lapse become a burden on her sovereign. Resolve strengthened, she opened up the vidline and called Usagi. If her hands trembled as she entered in the numbers on the holographic interface, she ignored it.
Usagi's cheerful face immediately greeted her and Ami drunk in her appearance like a woman stranded in a desert and presented a refreshing oasis. "Ami-chan! Hey, how are you!" Ami smiled softly at Usagi's greeting. Not even a hint of reference to her long avoidance, instead her beloved leader greeted her as normal. "I'm fine, Usagi-chan and you?" Usagi grinned at Ami's well-honed manners and she leaned back in her chair, and Ami forced her gaze to remain on Usagi's face, internally cursing the awareness that her introspection had granted her. "Not bad, I think my butterfly stroke is improving! I can't wait to show you!" Ami winced slightly at the innocent reminder and she cleared her throat, steeling her soul for the carnage that she was about to inflict.
"That's good to hear, Usagi-chan but I don't think I'll be able to meet up with you for a bit. Things are getting rather hectic here at the hospital and I am needed here." The words were absolutely true so long as Ami ignored that she'd been taking extra shifts and projects to keep her schedule packed, plus she was tutoring her goddaughters on the side as well.
Asami and Azami were Naru's twin daughters, the last decision that Naru made as her life slipped away, was to name her children after the woman that saved their lives. Ami felt unworthy of the honor, but she took to her role as their godmother earnestly. Both girls were in medical school although not in the same discipline. Azami was studying biomedical engineering, while Asami was more interested in neuroscience. Usagi had also been named godmother and the two young women blossomed under the guidance and love of their mother's most cherished friends. Even still, Ami was certain that even with the bond of the twins between them, she could avoid Usagi long enough to heal her broken heart.
Usagi nodded in understanding but Ami didn't miss the flash of sadness that entered her eyes briefly. "Of course Ami-chan! But please try to get some rest ok? I know you are going to save the world but you don't have to do it in one day, alright?" The smile Ami offered in response was warm, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'll try Usagi-chan. Oh, I will need to cancel the going to the department party this year as well." Usagi did frown at this, but she quickly covered it up with a weak laugh. Usagi could understand lack of free time due to work, but this party was a company event and Ami tended to win numerous awards and usually had to give a speech. Usagi had been her plus one for nearly a decade now and her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Ok, but won't they miss you there?"
"It will be fine…look I have to go. Have a wonderful day Usagi-chan!"
Ami ended the call before Usagi could respond and she doubled over clutching her sides as she began to sob helplessly. She was doing the right thing. Usagi would turn her attentions to another wounded bird and eventually this unrequited love would scar over in Ami's heart. She was used to being apart from others and she could do so again until she could return to Usagi's side as Mercury, her friend and protector…and nothing more.
She didn't expect that the loss of Usagi in her life would leave her feeling so adrift and desolate. She had to lessen her contact with the other senshi as well so that they would not attempt to plead Usagi's case. Yet surprisingly they said nothing and Ami knew her sisters well enough to know when Usagi's hand was at work. What she didn't expect was how the loss of her touchstone changed her own personality. Abe, the young doctor whose careless remarks had started all of this watched as the confident but approachable mentor that he admired became more sterile and her professionalism grew sharp rather than warm. Dr. Mizuno was always kind, but the warmth of her office had drained away, leaving the staff uncertain and confused.
Ami ignored all of it, but she new that with the department party only a few days away she needed to find someone else to take. Exhaling softly, she decided to call in a favor. The line connected instantly as if her call was expected, and she guessed that it likely was given the powers of the one she was calling. She smiled at him kindly, pleased when a blush lit his features, hoping that this meant that her request wouldn't be too unwanted.
"Ryo-kun, it's good to see you!"
"You as well Ami-san. I enjoyed your recent publication on lymphatic cancer treatments by the way."
Ami smiled, relaxing as she and her old friend began to talk shop and for one moment, she could almost forget that she was trying to use him. Still, she could not put off the reason for her call forever, and she asked him to be her plus one. She felt a little sick twisting his long-standing affection for her to her own gain, but she reminded herself that this was for the greater good. She hadn't expected Ryo to see right though her and she cursed herself for underestimating her friend.
"Don't you normally go with Usagi-san?"
"She's… indisposed. Besides, it will be fun to go with a colleague and I haven't seen you in person since the WHO conference last year. I'll even take care of your tuxedo since it's short notice."
Ryo grimaced a little into the vidline. He'd worked hard to earn an honest place in the medical community. He wasn't anywhere near the level of Ami's natural talent but his psychic powers and his hard work made him an excellent ER surgeon. He could afford a tuxedo on his own, and quite frankly he would have given nearly anything to be seen on Ami's arm, as he'd only fallen deeper in love with her as time passed. Yet he didn't need his powers to know the truth, even with the vision that had shattered the last of his dreams of earning Ami's regard.
"Uh, let me get back to you on that. Put a pin in it for now ok? Look I have to go. Have a good day, Ami-san!"
"But I-"
Ryo cut the line before Ami could finish and he felt his hands shaking as he brought them to his face to rub against his eyes. The vision assaulted his mind once again and he jumped up and kicked at his coffee table, sending the expensive furniture careening into the nearest wall. He didn't try to stop his tears then, dismayed that for two lifetimes the Warrior of Wisdom was out of his reach.
Ami stared at the disconnected communique in confusion, but mildly feeling the sting of karma as she had done the same to Usagi previously. The water senshi started to rise when she heard a knock at her door. Confused as she was expecting anyone, but not feeling like checking the intercom, the doctor moved to open her door. When her eyes locked with those of her beloved Princess, Ami suddenly wished she'd bothered to check first after all.
Usagi barged in with a somewhat hollow smile on her face and Ami had no choice but to let her in. They stood at the entryway so that Usagi wouldn't have to remove her shoes.
"Usagi-chan, what are you doing here?"
The blonde warrior of the moon let out a hesitant laugh, her smile looking slightly dismayed for a moment. I called the hospital, Ami-chan, you are winning an award. Why don't you want me to go? I bought a new dress and everything…"
Ami felt as if her world was crashing down all around her, but she had to stay the course. This was for Usagi's sake. Clearing her throat to buy time to collect her thoughts, Ami looked into the eyes of the woman she had pledged her life to serve.
"I said…Usagi-chan, it's not necessary. Look, I'll pay for the dress that you purchased. Please. Besides, I have a date." It wasn't entirely true, but Ami knew that Ryo would come around, and worse case scenario she could call upon an old lover. She was grateful that she'd never ended a relationship acrimoniously and that her past lovers still considered her a good friend and more than a few would be more than happy to rekindle their former association. Ami looked away briefly as silence filled the space at her declaration and she tried but barely succeeded to hold back a flinch when she heard Usagi sniffle. Ami chanced looking up and she nearly took back her words at what she saw. Usagi was blinking rapidly, on the verge of tears, but it was the look of utter betrayal in her eyes that gave the Water Senshi pause.
"Oh…uh, sorry Ami-chan. I'm pretty sure it's a smart doctor type right? I won't get in your way."
Usagi moved to the door quickly and left without looking back. As the door clicked shut, Ami sunk to knees wondering if all of this heartache was worth losing her closest friend. Sighing softly, the doctor rose and went to her next appointment.
"Ami-oneesan!" Ami smiled as Asami and Azami greeted her, the energetic redheads having inherited their beauty from their mother wholesale…only they managed to inherit Umino's horrible vision as well. At least they had better taste in glasses than he. While Ami and the rest of the world was jumping the medical community ahead by lightyears thanks to the power of the Silver Crystal and the adaptation of Silver Millennium tech, not everyone could reap the benefits or was comfortable undergoing the procedures to do so. Always happy to see her goddaughters, she took them out shopping for books and school supplies, rounding out the trip with ice cream and a special purchase for each of their favorite hobbies.
"We saw Usagi-oneesan a few days ago, she seemed down. Is she ok?"
Ami started at the question, feeling her palms break out into a cold sweat and she nodded to the inquisitive twins encouragingly.
"Of course, but you know how busy she is right now with preparing for the throne. I'm sure she'll be back to her old self in no time."
Asami nodded in acceptance, but Azami remained quiet for the rest of the trip. Ami was too lost in her own thoughts to notice the change although Asami did her best to keep the conversation going between them. When they parted Azami grasped Ami's shoulder, preventing her from leaving.
"Ami-oneesan, why don't you head up to the lake cabin for a few days? You've been working so hard lately…it might do you some good."
Ami nodded at the thought, trying to remember the last time she'd gone to the mountain lake that Usagi had cleansed of the heartbroken maiden's spirit. It had become a retreat of sorts for the senshi, although most of them didn't have the time to visit anymore. The cabin was a modest hotel with five suites, enough to accommodate the Inner Senshi when they chose to visit as a group but otherwise it had fallen out of notice of the public eye. Each senshi donated a portion of her wealth to maintain the area and the attendant's family that worked there.
"You're absolutely right Azami-chan. I think I'll drive up tonight. I don't have any patients scheduled for tomorrow anyway. Thank you for the suggestion. Call me when you both get to your dorm rooms and tell your father I said hello!"
The two twins agreed and bowed in farewell to their godmother. As they stepped on the train, Azami pulled out her phone and started texting someone. Knowing her sister's personality, Asami bumped shoulders against her. "What are you planning?"
"You'll see…if it works…"
Ami checked her phone as she exited the hospital, finding the majority of the notifications from Usagi. None of the messages were urgent; most of them merely wishing Ami a good day or pictures of the bento that she'd left for Ami to consume. The medical expert had taken to giving away her lunches and picking up something from the cafeteria, needing to break her tether to her princess in any fashion that was not linked to her senshi duties. Guilt haunted her, but she was doing this for her sovereign's sake. Her pain didn't matter and Usagi would get over the slight soon enough.
She stopped home briefly to pick up her weekend bag and to lock up. Usagi had a key of her own, but it looked like she was finally taking the hint, as Ami didn't see any new food in her refrigerator. Sighing at the empty relief that she felt, she quickly tidied up and packed her car. Within the hour she was on her way to the lakeside retreat.
The small mountainside lake was about a two-hour drive away and she passed the time listening to an audiobook written by a colleague of hers. Soon enough she was pulling into the quaint retreat parking lot and within moments she'd checked in and was following the attendant down the hall. There was something familiar about the woman, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She didn't think that she'd seen her working at the cabin before… Perhaps she had been a patient at some point. Thanking the attendant for her help, Ami entered the room and set her bags near the door.
The attendant lingered briefly, looking as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she nodded and her somewhat familiar crystalline eyes shuttered before she wished Ami a good night and moved away. Confused and slightly drawn to the quiet pain she saw in the attendant's eyes, the Senshi of Wisdom nearly went after the other woman, but she ultimately decided against it and turned back to her belongings, shutting the door quietly behind her. Sighing softly, the doctor began the process of unpacking and she took a quick shower before changing into her bathing suit and covering it with her yukata. The moon was beginning its accent into the sky and its ethereal beauty tugged at her heart. Ignoring the feelings that the celestial body caused, the senshi padded towards the lake and dropped her yukata and stepped out of her zori at the water's edge before carefully entering the cool waters.
She dove into the sacred lake, intent on clearing her head. She began to swim a lap, only to pull up short as a figure shot up from beneath the placid waters, looking like a mermaid dappled in moonlight. Ami's eyes widened as she realized it was the attendant, and she blushed as she noticed that the inn worker was not wearing a bathing suit. The attendant nodded, her demeanor unperturbed by encountering a guest during her nocturnal swim. Not wanting to be rude, Ami moved a bit closer and treaded water at a distance that would be respectable. Clearing her throat, the water senshi nodded towards the moon.
"A beautiful night is it not?"
The woman turned and looked at the moon, and for a moment Ami was awestruck at her beauty. She embodied the ideal of the Yamato Nadeshiko, with her long blue-black hair and soft, crystalline blue eyes. Yet there was something familiar and something pained about the woman that tugged at Ami's heartstrings. There was a sadness about her that seemed vaster than the heavens themselves, and Ami, a healer by nature, felt compelled to help her in some way. After a few moments of observing the moon, the attendant turned back to Ami and she smiled a bittersweet smile.
"I don't know, the moon seems lonely to me."
Ami turned and looked at the celestial satellite and she thought of the blonde goddess that drew strength from it. Unbidden, she drew closer to the attendant and pointed towards the horizon.
"Perhaps right now… but shortly before the sun rises, Mercury will be visible near the Moon." Somehow Ami forgot to state that Venus would also be visible, but the attendant didn't protest. Yet the words seemed to cause the attendant even more pain. "When the sun rises, will Mercury abandon the Moon?" The pain in the attendant's voice, two shades away from familiar, shredded Ami and like a woman compelled, she moved closer still to the attendant. She didn't touch her, but she was close enough that even within the cool waters they could feel each other's body heat. "Mercury will always stand by the Moon, even when others can't see it, even when the Moon's gaze is focused upon another." The pain of the woman and the solemn beauty of the evening tugged at the romance within Ami's soul, shaping a wistful answer rather than a scientific one. Yet the woman would not be comforted as she abruptly turned towards Ami with angry, tear filled eyes.
"Liar!"
The attendant pushed at Ami's shoulders and the senshi flailed backwards briefly before steadying herself, only to find the attendant was swimming away. Distraught by both the attendant's reaction and the fact that she didn't see a spare set of clothing, the Water Senshi surged after her retreating companion. The woman was a fair swimmer but she was nothing compared to Lady of Water and Ice herself and Ami caught up to her easily, snagging a wrist and forcing them both upright. Luckily, they had moved to shallow enough waters that they could stand freely, but the woman's modesty was still intact. The woman was crying, the tear streaks visible even within the lake waters and pain and confusion lanced Ami's soul.
"Please, what is wrong? I didn't mean to upset you. Don't go, where are your clothes?" The woman struggled to pull away, but Ami let the strength of Mercury keep the woman within her grip as she pulled her closer, worried that she might harm herself. Had Ami been anything less than a consummate professional, she might have noticed the tantalizing press of the woman's naked body against her swimsuit clad one but her mind was set on calming the upset woman. Yet as she contained the attendant's struggles under the gaze of the moon, the woman began to change. As if they had been shrouded in a fog that was now lifting the woman's hair brightened to glittering, nearly silver blonde and features that were those of a compelling stranger became all too familiar. Within moments, the woman gave way to the Lunar Princess as the disguise magic faded, shattered by Usagi's distress.
"Usagi-chan?! What…what are you doing here and why were you in disguise?"
Usagi, hair unbound, water pearling against her skin like diamonds, stared at Ami with scorned fury within her normally gentle eyes. In this moment she was a goddess of seduction and pain, a siren of beauty and indignation and her fury and beauty moved Ami's aching heart. "It was the only way you would see me! The only way you would talk to me!" The accusation stabbed painfully at Ami's soul, but the sight of her beloved liege in pain lacerated it. On instinct, she shushed Usagi softly and pulled her mildly stiff form into her embrace, feathering kisses into her hair. "No…no, I'm here Usagi-chan, I'm here…" The words were intended to soothe, but they had little effect as Usagi clutched her closer and she half sobbed, half buried herself against the warmth of Ami's skin.
Be it the light of the moon or the beauty of its Princess, Ami felt the stirrings of desire begin to churn within her soul, promising a tempest of irresistible magnitude. As she held the woman in her arms she nuzzled against soft, fragrant hair and the urge to feather back the thick, vibrant locks so that she might kiss and suckle against Usagi's ear and neck or that she might move her hands from a soothing embrace to an inflaming caress battered at her heart. Realizing that the slumbering dragon of her desires might be wrongfully directed at her friend and liege Ami abruptly broke the embrace and began to wade to the shore, gently tugging Usagi behind her. She couldn't bear to look at Usagi right now but she had to see her safely to her room. Picking up her yukata when they reached the shore, Ami handed it to her friend, blushing slightly as she refused to look at her.
The lunar princess said nothing, but Ami could feel her curious gaze. "Usagi-chan we can talk about this tomorrow. Please let me take you back to your room." Now dressed, although she bore no footwear, Usagi tugged at Ami's hand to force the doctor to meet her eyes. Ami looked more composed despite the rosy stain to her cheeks, but there was something hidden behind the cool ice of her gaze. Something rolling and cresting and surging with powerful emotion, yet the veneer of demure politeness threatened to freeze the broiling tempest over. Usagi nodded and she moved closer to Ami, only to let out a yelp as her senshi called forth her power and swept Usagi into her arms in one movement. With barely a word spoken between them as Mercury's blush returned in full force, the blue haired senshi leapt into the air, quickly returning Usagi to the resort. She offered her liege her own zori and she knelt regally as she assisted Usagi in stepping into the footwear.
"What room are you in?"
Usagi looked down at her warrior of Ice and Wisdom, kneeling at her feet and she reached out and cupped her cheek before smiling weakly. Softly, she gave her room number and Mercury nodded, rising and pulling away from the hand that would hold her as she walked Usagi to the room. There was something charged between them, something half formed but longstanding, but Ami would see it die. Usagi couldn't allow that. "Usagi-chan, I'll meet you for breakfast tomorrow, ok? Pleasant dreams." Mercury let her transformation fade and she moved away, clad only in her swimsuit, the elegant and powerful lines of her body on full display unaware of the gaze of her sovereign following her until the shadows engulfed her form.
The night found Ami's dreams embroiled with forbidden desire as her body recalled the press of Usagi's naked form within her embrace. Pleasant dreams of belonging and camaraderie heated to passionate embraces and torrid kisses and devoted caresses. At first her lover was shrouded in shadow, but flashes of platinum blonde hair and twinkling crystalline eyes and soft, enrapturing moans teased and tantalized her weary spirit. With a cry, the water senshi surged awake, running her hands though her hair as she sat in her bed panting. Annoyed by the slick she could feel between her legs and the now too hot bedding, she kicked the covers away even as her overcharged nerves still sang with need for a phantom lover.
"Ami-chan? Are you alright?"
Usagi didn't wait for Ami to respond as she quickly opened the door, her brooch in hand in case there was some sort of youma attack. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary aside from Ami herself, Usagi quickly palmed her brooch and reached behind her to lock the door to offer them some semblance of privacy. Ami for her part hadn't moved, still somewhat trapped in the space between waking and not, her overcharged nerves stealing away the sharpness of her intellect and awareness. She burned as Usagi's eyes swept over her, no longer assessing injuries but instead there was a warmth and yearning within the crystalline gaze that pantomimed the phantom lover of her dreams far too close for comfort. She imagined she must look a sight, her hair disheveled from her tumultuous sleep and running her fingers through it, her yukata half bearing a shoulder and part of a breast, her nipples painfully erect. She could feel the air brushing against her legs and she felt herself clench at the desire she could see kindling within the blonde woman's gaze. Her mind had not yet reconciled this beautiful intruder with the liege she was attempting to avoid and her body cried out with a yearning that even she didn't quite comprehend.
Compelled, drawn and enraptured by Ami's seductively flustered state, Usagi moved forward with quiet steps, overcome by the sight of her senshi bathed in moonlight. "Oh, Ami-chan…" the word was whispered like a benediction as she carefully perched upon the bed, placing her brooch upon the nearby nightstand. Ami seemed as if her ability to speak had been spirited away although her fever bright azure eyes drunk in the sight of the Lunar Princess before her greedily. Her eyes fluttered closed as Usagi cupped her cheek warmly, softly feathering her thumb against her Ami's lips and her breath hitched when Ami softly suckled the digit into her warm, silken mouth. Compelled by the doctor's reactions, Usagi parted her yukata and carefully straddled Ami's prone hips, keeping her movements easy and slow so as not to break the tenuous spell that wove them together. Ami's eyes snapped open at the feel of Usagi's body pressed close and the phantom lover of her dreams reached out from her subconscious to arrest the rational part of her mind. Be it a fever dream or a moment of madness, Ami could not turn Usagi away and she moaned softly around the thumb still enclosed within her own lips.
Usagi's eyes widened at the sweet sound and then lidded as desire set her gaze to a sultry smolder. Biting back her own groan, terrified that Ami would come to her senses and refuse her, she carefully extracted her thumb from its glorious haven, even as she moved her hand to trail upon the elegant slope of Ami's swanlike neck. How she longed to lay lingering kisses and nips upon that delicate flesh, how she hungered to finally know the taste of her, the warmth of her. The moonlight illuminated the glistening skin, dappled with sweat and partially freed from the confines of the yukata and Usagi felt her yearning keenly. The succulent pertness of a breast called to her, the barest glimpse of a pebbled areola and nipple pushing her sanity to its limits. She leaned forward, her lips ghosting close to Ami's but still allowing her to see the other woman's brilliant eyes easily. For a moment they shared the same breath as Usagi paused in askance, her body angled towards her senshi, with the desperate need to press closer still.
"Ami-chan?"
It seemed that was the only word that her mind could utter, yet Ami heard the question nonetheless as she bridged the distance between them, pressing her lips to Usagi's. The Lunar princess groaned deep and long as she felt not the hesitant kiss of a virginal maiden, but instead the demanding, consuming kiss of a talented lover. Her mind was set ablaze as the hints of passion that lay dormant beneath the limitless depths of Ami Mizuno's calm and poise began to churn like a caldron. Years of carefully hidden envy at watching the few but hopelessly enamored lovers of the woman within her arms unraveled to relived, tempestuous passion that after being overlooked for so long; the lover she'd longed for was finally hers to love and cherish. And love her she would; Usagi took her weight onto her knees, trailing a hand down Ami's yukata to tug the loosely cinched obi free. She allowed herself a few more moments of bliss as Ami laid devastating kisses upon her mouth; her skill promising satisfaction and nearly unbearable delight. Almost reluctantly, Usagi pulled back and suckled Ami's kissed bruised bottom lip briefly before she drew back enough to take in the sight of the woman beneath her.
Ami embodied her element in this moment, seemingly innocent, delicate beauty yet there was a rolling tempest of sexuality and sensuality setting the womanly dips and curves of her well-honed body to bold and alluring strokes. They weren't teenagers anymore, and had long since past into the threshold of womanhood, with experience, wisdom and grace shaping them both. Yet it was not Ami Mizuno's polite gentleness that tugged relentlessly at Usagi's libido and heart; instead, it was the promise of partaking of the passion of this sensual woman that made her breathless and wet with want. Somewhat fearful that Ami would change her mind, yet oddly charged with the confidence and certain possession of a woman ready to lay claim to a new lover, Usagi's warm hands trailed down Ami's shoulders to reach into the open yukata and twin moans filled the room as Usagi cupped glorious breasts, delighting in the feel of them beneath her touch even as her thumbs carefully chaffed turgid nipples. When the heady scent of a ready, yearning woman wafted to Usagi's delicate nose, she was lost as she leaned forward at began to suckle and kiss at her newfound lover's neck. When Ami clutched at the silken fabric of the yukata at Usagi's back, both women surrendered fully to the spell that the moonlight had cast upon them.
Pants and sighs filled the room as they divested each other of clothing and Usagi gently guided Ami to lay upon her back as she covered the other woman's body with her own. The moon bore witness to the love they made within the tranquility of the night, their touches sure and rife with raging desire, yet gentleness and love guided their motions as they rocked together and fingers and tongues plunged deeply into the sweetest of heat. Sleep and contentment came upon them in the small hours of the morning, when their bodies could sing in pleasure no longer. Usagi only had a few hours of slumber when she felt her lover move away to sit upon the edge of the bed. A lover's pride curled warmly within her core as she noted the bruises in the shape of her lips and fingers and the scratches that raised red furrows over delicate skin. She had done those things; she had been the one to make Ami Mizuno lose herself in the grip of irresistible pleasure. Yet Ami looked pensive, as the normally posture perfect doctor slumped haggardly, her face pressed into her hands. It did not seem like she suffered from love's exhaustion, for their senshi constitution made such weariness rare even under the loving touch of a fellow senshi. Usagi feigned sleep as Ami rose and padded softly to the nearby ensuite. She could hear the shower running and she longed to join her lover under the decadent warmth, but something in Ami's demeanor warned her away.
When Ami emerged from the shower, Usagi feigned a soft awakening, praying in her heart that she was wrong about Ami's behavior. She rose to a lounging position in the picture of seductive innocence, allowing the bedsheet to fall away to pool at her waist. No matter her affinity to her element, Ami was not made of ice and she blushed and coughed into her hand briefly before looking away. Usagi moved one foot to the floor, preparing to rise and tease her lover, only to pull up short when Ami turned back to her. The same azure eyes that had been cast in passion's light, warmly immolating her with demanding, arresting, consuming desire were now cold and lifeless; the passion submerged in an icy tomb.
"Ami…." There was no need for the honorific between them now. There was nothing that they could not see through together.
"Usagi-san. I am…I am so sorry."
Usagi felt as if she'd been slapped. Ami had not used the san honorific since they'd first met. She felt her very soul cry out as Ami drew in upon herself, denying them both this glittering love that shinned brighter than the stars. Still, Usagi would not leave it at this, not now, not when Ami had finally given herself to Usagi and had joyfully taken Usagi in turn. Yet the fear that was quickly eroding the desire she'd woken up with choked the words before they could reach her throat.
"Sorry…what…Ami, why are you-"
Ami held up a hand before she wrapped her arms around herself, seemingly overcome. "I failed you, I …twisted everything. I'm so sorry, I can only pray that you and Mamoru-san forgive me." Usagi bristled at the needless reminder; she and Mamoru had decided that they were better off as friends years ago, something that many of the senshi refused to accept. It pained Usagi to find that Ami was among that number even more so when the Mercurian senshi was the one that Usagi had been attempting to court. Fear sparked to anger and Usagi rose to her feet, somehow regal and imposing despite her nudity. "Forgive what exactly? There is nothing that happened between us that is any of Mamoru-san's business, let alone something he should or could forgive." Usagi still normally referred to Mamoru as Mamo-chan, her disinterest in being his bride not dulling her love for him as a brother and protector, but she wanted Ami to be clear on how she viewed him.
Ami sighed ashamed that she had ruined everything. "You say that, but he is your destiny. Your heart will find his, no matter the distance you place between you. And it should, as that destiny is my duty to protect." Usagi felt her fury commingle with terror as if Sailor Mercury had threatened to murder Ami Mizuno in cold blood, taking the woman she'd come to love away from her before she even got the chance to let that love flourish. "Destiny? What about what I want, what about what I feel? What do you feel, Ami? After…after we made love you can't tell me that you feel nothing!" Indignant fury dripped from her words even as she sought to reclaim the lover that Mercury would spirit away from her.
Ami wished that she had the ability to lie with aplomb, wishing she could dismiss Usagi's claim and cleanly break both of their hearts. Yet she knew she would fail utterly if she tried, so she had to hope that the truth would guide them both. She turned away, not needing the temptation of Usagi in her natural splendor and radiating with righteous anger to entice her weak heart. "That is how I failed you; I didn't mean it… I didn't ask for it but I…I love you Usagi-san. And I can't do that." Ami's declaration and the pain that filled her voice called to Usagi, compelling her to offer comfort until the fullness of her words struck the blonde woman like a blow. "You…can't…?" She wanted to feel despair and anger at the thought of being denied such a perfect lover, yet confusion and her own loving heart forced her to consider Ami's words. Not because she believed them, but because Ami did herself. Why would she deny love clearly felt when she…
"Oh, Ami…we aren't your parents. Love doesn't have to end in heartbreak."
Ami turned around angrily, the crux of her refusal revealed, offended that Usagi wouldn't accept her adherence to duty. Wounded that she would unearth something so shameful. Azure eyes brimming with tears even as anger and embarrassment and offense chased their way across her heart and she snarled, marching forward until she was in Usagi's personal space. "You don't know anything. Love isn't a fairytale Usagi-san, just because your parents remained together all these years merely makes them the exception that proves the rule. You know the statistics as well as I do, and with our longevity…it is inevitable. Why prolong something just to watch it die?" Ami's lack of faith in her stung, especially in the face of the fact that while Ami didn't trust Usagi with her heart, she would lay down her life for her without a thought. Even now, this unnatural anger, so rarely indulged by the calm Senshi of Wisdom merely sparked hurt within Usagi's soul. Usagi who fought so that others wouldn't have to, who loathed the weakness that forced her beloved sisters in arms to put their lives on the line for her felt a lover's outrage at the thought that Ami would give her a life spent but not a life lived in love.
Still, the pain, so carefully hidden and yet strangely nurtured, now bleeding raw and viscous from Ami's soul spoke to Usagi and she reached out a hand to cup Ami's cheek. Ami would never strike her princess so she merely clenched her jaw in outrage at the caress that threatened to unravel her anger. "Love isn't a fairytale Ami, but it isn't a tragedy either. It is a living thing, that needs to be cherished, nurtured and protected…if you let me, I can give you that…I need to give you that, please. If you wish to shut me out, let it be because you don't care, not because of a man I don't love or a broken marriage that wasn't yours. You have the right to love, Ami. To want it, to possess it, to keep it…but you have to trust me, and you have to trust us."
Ami struggled, wanting to protect her liege, wanting to prove her wrong… and yet aching for the simplicity of the way their lives had long since folded together. All the ways that Usagi had quietly taken up residence within her lonely heart and all she asked in return was this fragile, fluttering thing that Ami hid from the world. "I…how can you want this? How can you want me?" Usagi had to fight down the incredulous look that wanted to sprint across her features, knowing that Ami wasn't fishing to have her ego stroked. The world-renowned doctor knew of her own accomplishments and beauty even if she acknowledged them modestly, so there was something else that she needed for reassurance. Usagi was not an eloquent woman, but she was an honest one and she hoped that would be enough.
"I've read more books on sandwich making than any woman has a right to, I even make my own bread and mayonnaise now. I sit up with a medical dictionary to read over your published papers because I want a little glimpse into the world that you love so much…even though half of it I don't understand. I pretend that I can't swim because when you touch me to fix my stroke, I feel alive. The sound of your laugh is like oxygen, and your loyalty to me as a friend is like the sunlight. I hate watching you date other women, even though I know they won't last longer than six months…even though I understand why they act as if they've lost a limb now that they aren't a part of your life. I love you Ami, because you are you…even this, you'd run away if you thought it would bring me happiness. But I can't let you do that, you are my happiness Ami, you are the one my heart chooses. All I'm asking is for you to choose me too."
Ami looked away for a moment and Usagi felt her heart drop into her feet, until a wet chuckle broke the charged silence between them. "How am I supposed to say no to that, Usagi-chan? You don't fight very fair…" Usagi smiled even though she truly wanted to sag in relief and burst into grateful tears. She settled instead for preening internally at the return of her proper honorific, even though she swore she would get Ami to drop that even if it was only during the throes of passion. Pulling Ami into her embrace, ignoring the slightly uncomfortable press of her clothing against her bare skin, the Lunar Princess chuckled softly at the doctor's words. "Are you kidding? I have no choice! You'd run circles around me otherwise." Ami snorted weakly before the floodgates opened and happy tears began to stream down her cheeks even as she tucked her face into Usagi's shoulder. Concerned by the feeling of tears, Usagi pulled back to meet Ami's eyes only to drown in desire and acceptance that only seemed to be enhanced by her tears rather than diminished. Before Usagi could respond, Ami pushed forward, cupping the back of her liege's neck and kissing her until her toes curled. Usagi felt her mind devolve to expletives and basic, explicit want as Ami kissed her like she wanted her and no one else in this universe.
Still she struggled for clarity when they parted, her sanity hanging on by a thread that her libido had gleefully set on fire. "Wait…are we…ok?" Ami smirked and bridged the distance between their lips again, purring out her answer in between devastating kisses and inflaming caresses upon Usagi's suddenly too sensitive body. "Yeah…we are…ok…" Usagi gripped Ami's shoulders, uncharacteristically cursing as Ami began to suckle at her neck and the blonde's hips rocked forward, seeking purchase upon her lover's body. "…Dinner…?" Ami paused and looked up from her task, knowing exactly what Usagi was referring to. "You'll be my plus one, now and always." Usagi smiled, the gesture made sharp and wolfish by her desire and suddenly frantic she tugged at Ami's clothes needing her to be free of them. Ami chuckled and helped her lover divest her of her clothes, knowing that in this state, Usagi might use the power of Sailor Moon to merely rip them off her body. Finally as nude as her lover, Ami walked her backwards to the bed and toppled her sweetly upon it. The last coherent thought Usagi had for a long while was that still waters certainly did run deep.
The two of them didn't leave Ami's room for some time, only deigning to call for room service when Usagi's trademark ravenous hunger reared its head. Currently the two of them were lying in bed, holding each other and trading kisses as well as catching up on the time missed that Ami's seclusion had imposed upon them. Ami briefly contemplated the gesture of a glutton feeding someone else, and she realized that Usagi had been courting her for some time. After all, Usagi Tsukino would buy anyone a meal without a second thought, but she would never, ever share her own repast with another. The azure maned doctor laughed at the oversight even as it charmed her, until she heard her phone ring. Carefully she extracted herself from Usagi's embrace and leaned over the side of the bed to locate her phone, letting out a mild yelp when she felt amorous hands graze her backside. Silently admonishing her lover, who didn't look the least bit repentant or remorseful, she answered her call, grateful to hear the familiar tones of Ryo Urawa. She greeted him pleasantly and as they moved on from polite small talk, Ami pushed forward to state her case.
"I just wanted to apologize Ryo-kun. I shouldn't have-"
The ER doctor chuckled knowingly, cutting off the grandiose and formal apology Ami was working herself up to.
"-No problem… I knew you'd find your way eventually; you always do."
"…You called to hear my apology, didn't you?"
"Well I am a psychic, although I really hate hearing you sound so contrite… tell Tsukino-san I said hello. And congratulations!"
Ryo hung up the call at that, not wanting to hear any evidence of Usagi Tsukino in the room with Ami, even though he knew for a fact that she'd spent the night there. He wondered if he was a fool for not manipulating Ami's confusion and fear to his favor when she first asked him to help her avoid her heart's desire. He decided that he didn't want to think about that too much, grateful for the longstanding friendship he shared with his idol and unrequited love. If Rikoukeidar in the form of Reika Nishimura or Jiji in the form of Old Man Hino-guji could find love in this new life then surely, he could do the same as the reincarnation of Bunbo. He would just have to be patient and let the future reveal itself to him in time.
No matter how much such waiting hurt.
Ami and Usagi spent the rest of their stay together, luxuriating within their own little world, reconnecting and enjoying each other's company and bodies. When finally, their duties of work and life couldn't be left on hold any longer, they reluctantly began the trek back home. Usagi had driven up separately, so Ami couldn't offer to take her home, so the lingering parting kiss they shared would have to be balm enough before they were reunited again. As Ami navigated her vehicle along the scenic route her phone announced an incoming call. Answering it, the doctor smiled when she saw the face of Azami Umino pop onto the car's vidline interface.
The redhead young woman grinned conspiratorially in a way that reminded Ami strongly of the girl's mother. "Soooo, Ami-oneesan…you look…well rested. Did you enjoy your trip? Meet any interesting people?" Ami frowned good naturedly before a grin cracked her attempt at sternness. "I take it you were the one behind Usagi-chan showing up at the retreat?" Azami positively preened as she nodded before her sly grin returned. Sighing at the lecherous but true thoughts her goddaughter was obviously implying, the doctor nodded. "Yes, yes you little trickster! How did you know?" Azami's face grew sober at the question, knowing what Ami was truly asking. "You and Usagi-oneesan are our second mothers…did you really think we wouldn't notice that something was wrong…or how you two felt about each other?" Laughing good naturedly, Ami finished up the call, with Azami not really wanting to take up more of her time, given that she could be spending it with Usagi. Ami thought of Abe-kun and Ryo-kun and now the Umino twins; everyone had seen what Ami had been trying to fight so desperately and yet they supported her. Even poor Ryo-kun, whom she knew was acting against his own self-interests, pushed her towards the path her heart had chosen. She owed it to those that believed in a happy future for herself and Usagi to do her best to prove them right.
The next week Ami and Usagi broke the news to the rest of the senshi. They encountered no objections although both Michiru and Haruka offered themselves if Ami and Usagi needed to spice up their love life. Ami had blinked at that and Usagi had laughed nervously, both women well aware that the offer was serious if they chose to take it. Neither Ami nor Usagi had any interest in polyamory, but both were aware that with their unique history and longevity, such a relationship might be more balanced and truer than it would have been with a mortal coupling. Uranus and Moon and Mercury and Neptune had always been close, borderline approaching a sentiment that if Neptune and Uranus hadn't already been so happily bonded, they would have pursued their other heart's desires instead. Usagi and Ami respected the maturity required for both women to know that while they loved each other endlessly, their hearts held room for one more beloved, but they had no intention of indulging them.
The Tsukino family had all been supportive, although Kenji Tsukino gave a very convincing shovel talk to Ami, that would have terrified her had she not been a superpowered ancient warrior reincarnated. The greatest surprise came to Ami via the endorsement of her own parents. Usagi had turned on the charm, and since they had known the blonde woman and the positive impact she'd had on Ami since they were teenagers, they found no fault with the couple. Both had quietly pulled Ami aside and had implored her to hold on to love, each in their own way citing their own regret at having let it slip though their fingers. When Ami revealed that to Usagi, the blonde princess had set her sights on fostering a reconciliation for them in the future, much to Ami's grateful dismay.
The end of the week found Ami putting the final touches on her hair as she prepared to meet Usagi at the department party. She made sure she had her speech cards, the handwritten touch grounding her in this modern world of holograms and vidlines. She thought she cut a beautiful and dashing figure in her pantsuit, knowing that she didn't want to fuss with a dress while walking up the steps to accept her award at the party. The doctor startled slightly as she heard her doorbell ring, surprised and mildly confused that Usagi would meet her here instead. Ami opened the door with a flourish, not even bothering to check the security feed. "Usagi-chan, I can't believe you are early, let alone…my word…"
Usagi stood there looking like the goddess turned queen that she was, her hair piled up in an elaborate style with the rest of the length cascading down her back as she wore a black evening gown that tastefully hugged her body, draping and accentuating her feminine charms with ease. Blue sapphires and sparkling diamonds kissed her ears and throat in a necklace and earring set that had to have cost a small fortune. The blonde waggled her eyebrows and preened slightly at Ami's unabashed gaze, even as she let her eyes rake over Ami's gorgeous form, her crystalline eyes warming with smoldering heat. Ami invited her in and she trailed an arm down the doctor's shoulder, pleased at the delightful shudder that momentarily gripped her frame. Ami may have been experienced in love, but she could still react with such sweet fervor and devotion and it utterly charmed Usagi.
"Sorry Ami-chan, I know we were supposed to meet there but, I wanted to talk to you first. You look, amazing…here." Ami blushed as her lover produced a bouquet of lilies and roses and she moved to put them in water, inviting Usagi further inside. Once the doctor had returned, she found her liege fidgeting uncertainly. Wanting to soothe her, the doctor glided over to her lover and took her hands, brushing her thumbs lightly over the backs of them. Usagi smiled winningly despite her obvious nervousness and she leaned down to kiss Ami's hands where they gripped hers. Ami started to speak when the sight of Usagi gracefully dropping to one knee, revealing the slit up one side of her dress that Ami hadn't noticed earlier waylaid her words. Usagi took a steadying breath before extracting her hands from Ami's and producing a jewelry box. The trepidation and confusion that had been slowly taking root in the Water Senshi's soul faded somewhat as she realized that the box was too large to house an engagement ring.
"Ami-chan, you have been my friend, my defender, my tutor, my advisor, my lover and now I ask if you would take on one more role…would you become my wife and when Crystal Tokyo is ready, my Queen?"
Ami gasped as Usagi opened the jewelry box revealing both an engagement ring and a necklace of diamond and sapphire that she somewhat belatedly realized was an exact match to the one Usagi was currently wearing. Confusion lit her face and Usagi hurried to explain. "Well I know you can't really wear a ring at work, I wasn't sure how traditional you were about an engagement, so I got the ring just in case…but I was hoping if you accepted, that you'd at least wear the necklace. It even fits neatly under your scrubs!" Ami chuckled at the rambling explanation, knowing that Usagi, who had dreamed of being a bride since she was a teenager, would have been meticulous about such things, readily taking Ami's profession and personal taste into account. Speechless, but not wanting to dissuade the princess that was putting her heart on the line, Ami reached out and cupped her cheek, blushing as Usagi leaned into the touch and kissed her palm lingeringly.
Her first thought had been to protest, to proclaim her unworthiness but she knew to do so would be to insult the woman that knelt before her. Her only recourse was to give an honest answer from her heart. "If you'll have me, Usagi and you are willing to put up with my workaholic tendencies, then the only answer I can offer you is…yes. I renew my vow to you as Princess Mercury to protect you with my life, and I amend my vow to you as Ami Mizuno to use that life lived to love you with every fiber of my being." Usagi sobbed quietly, before struggling to compose herself, rising and moving behind Ami to place the necklace around her neck. Kissing the visible skin at the nape of her neck, the blonde moved around to face Ami who held out her hand to accept the engagement ring. With the same grateful reverence that allowed her to offer the necklace, she slipped the engagement ring onto her now fiancée's ring finger. Usagi started to speak, only to be silenced by a deceptively strong hand tugging at her waist and her neck, pulling her into a consuming kiss that left her a bit dazed when they parted. "Well. If I'd known jewelry was the way to your heart, I would have given you these years ago. I have a matching set of posts as well…what do I get for those?" Ami gave Usagi a staid look, knowing the blonde was trying to cover up how flustered she was, and she arched an eyebrow as she gave a quick mental calculation to how much she thought Usagi had spent.
"You know you don't have to buy me, Usagi."
Usagi smirked somewhat slyly even as her eyes warmed with adoration.
"If you are going to ask a princess for her hand, you have to go all out. Besides, you deserve it… and more." Ami decided to let Usagi have this moment, not willing to refute her given the blonde's status as her sovereign, but knowing she would come up with something suitable in recompense in the future. Knowing they needed to get going soon, Ami held out an arm for Usagi to take.
"Shall we go, my love?"
Usagi's brilliant, jubilant smile was all the answer the water senshi needed.
A week later, Abe noted his mentor once again eating the delicious packed bento that she'd briefly abandoned after his slip of the tongue. This time when he commented on her lunch, she blushed a delicate rose and touched the necklace that hung at her neck that he realized matched the triple posts she wore in her ears. The smile she gave him in response was the most beatific visage he'd ever seen. While her response did little to soothe his envy, he was beyond grateful to see that the world was as it should be.
Finally.
Slowly working my way through this series.
R. Niiyama
11/2020