Note: Episode 109, "A Time of Shock! True Identities Revealed to One Another". Or, "The one with Minako's heart crystal".
Episode 109
He really hated playgrounds.
It was an odd thing to hate. Most reserved their hate for things like rooms with closed windows, or dogs. For him though, the creaking of an old swing chain made the hair on his back stand on end.
She didn't even know she gravitated to them, that was the funny part. But so perfectly in keeping that he had to laugh. She saw everything around her, knew everyone she loved so intimately without even trying, but that keen observation only ever went outward. He'd asked her once, why she went to playgrounds. She'd laughed and said playgrounds were for kids and she'd grown out of them years ago.
He found her there after she'd killed her first youma. Her hands were still shaking, and would tremble slightly for the next few days. He'd tried to be stern with her. Impress upon her about the mission. But she knew all that, had known it from the moment she transformed, and he learned it wasn't duty she needed, but compassion.
Her first real brush with death had sent her back to the swings immediately. It had been a grueling fight and she was so inexperienced that it was pure luck they both walked away. He'd tried to be supportive, to give her love and understanding. But she knew all that, had known it from the moment he came into her life, and he learned it wasn't compassion she needed, but duty.
She needed so much, and he hated that she always, always turned to the swings first.
When she hadn't come home, he'd looked for her everywhere. She wasn't at the shrine, or the arcade, or the ice cream parlour, or the school gym, or the music shop, or the bookstore, or any of the dozens of places he was checking because, above all else, he didn't want her to be there.
But there she was. Lazily pushing back and forth and watching the heel of her boot drag lines in the dust.
She hadn't noticed him yet.
The swing creaked, and his heart broke.
Inspired by kyralih's observation about Minako and swings which has crawled into my head and refuses to leave. That wasn't originally what this BtL was supposed to be about, and then when it was about this it was supposed to be longer. But I suppose this was really all Artemis wanted to say.