[Scene: Outside Motoki's place. Zoi realizes that Mamoru's acting strangely because he's delirious with fever. Zoi realizes he needs to get medical help as soon as he can.]

Zoi: Mamoru, no wonder you are acting so deranged right now. You've got a really high fever.

Mamoru: [oddly lucid] Oh… huh. How high? Over 106?

Zoi: Probably. It feels dangerously high. Higher than Motoki's. I think it's even higher than Minako's. Maybe critically high.

Mamoru: Oh…Then…I probably won't remember any of this tomorrow…will I?

Zoi: Let's hope not.

[And even if he does, he won't trust his recollections. Which works out in Zoi's favor, since it leaves him free to use his powers as a Shitennou right in front of him.

Zoi: Come on, we need to get you to a hospital as soon as possible.

Mamoru: [panicking] NO! NO HOSPITAL!

Zoi: Mamoru-

Mamoru: [agitated] You don't understand! My aunt is a consultant! She's self-employed! We only have the bare bones in terms of coverage! If you take me to the hospital they'll keep me for observation for three days and that will ruin her financially!

Zoi: Calm down, Mamoru. I can help with the money. You need medical treatment.

Mamoru: [more agitated] NO! IT'S JUST THE FLU! They'll just hook me up to an IV to keep me hydrated and give me a few extra strength Tylenol to bring down my fever! I can take care of all that at home!

Zoi: Fine. We'll go back to your apartment. Give me the keys to the van.

Mamoru: [near violent] NO! YOU'LL TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL! YOU DON'T HAVE A LICENSE! YOU'RE A TERRIBLE DRIVER! YOU GO THROUGH GUARDRAILS! WE'LL GET KILLED ON THE WAY THERE!

[Zoi looks around Motoki's neighborhood and he sees a few busybodies peeking through the curtains. He needs to teleport away with Mamoru, and quickly, without anyone seeing them. But to do that, Mamoru's going to have to hold on tight, and Zoi can't think of a graceful way to suggest that. Not in Mamoru's deranged state.]

[Unless…he employs a bit of seduction.]

[Hardly an ideal solution, but Zoi can't think of a better way to put the bell on the cat at this moment.]

[At least Kunzite doesn't mind if he teases Mamoru a little. Or so Zoi hopes.]

[Zoi sighs. He looks around and sees a garden shed nearby with it's door partly open. Perfect.]

Zoi: [gently] Mamoru. Give me the keys to the van.

Mamoru: NO!

[Zoi places his hand on Mamoru's chest, rests his head against his shoulder and flutters his lashes up at him]

Zoi: [in a breathy whisper] Oh, Mamoru… I really want you to give me the keys to the van.

Mamoru: [smiles] Oh. Ok.

[The keys jingle as Mamoru hands them to him. Zoi puts them in Motoki's mailbox. Then he leads Mamoru by the wrist over to the shed.]

Mamoru: Where are we going?

Zoi: [gives him a suggestive look] I want to try something.

Mamoru: [his face lights up] All right.

[They go into the shed and Zoi closes the door. He pushes Mamoru against the wall and wraps his arms around him.]

[Mamoru tightens the embrace and nuzzles Zoi's neck and softly kisses Zoi's chest above the collar of his t-shirt.]

[Zoi teleports them back to the door to Mamoru's apartment before he pushes him away and composes a stern look on his face to make it clear to Mamoru that ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED.]

[Sure enough, Mamoru takes it all in stride. He looks about, disoriented and confused, but not startled.]

[Zoi rings the doorbell. There is no answer. He rings again.]

Zoi: I don't think your aunt is home.

[Mamoru pulls out his keys and opens the front door, staggering in. Zoi follows him.]

Mamoru: I think you might be right about the fever…I'm starting to feel a little strange…I don't feel sick yet, just… wrong. [He looks around] Wait, I don't remember the drive home.

Zoi: It's ok. That's just the fever. Now you'd better get in bed.

[Mamoru staggers around opening closet doors, as if he doesn't know the layout of the apartment. Zoi steers Mamoru into his room, and pushes him onto the bed, fully dressed.]

Mamoru: [grinning] Aren't you going to undress me?

Zoi: [leaving] You can undress yourself. After you've had a little nap. I'm going to find some Tylenol.

[Zoi goes into the kitchen and gets a cold bottle of Gatorade. Then he goes into the bathroom and searches the medicine cabinet. Fortunately, it is well stocked with generics so he picks up a bottle of acetaminophen.]

[Mamoru's tucked himself into bed. His face lights up when he sees Zoi]

Mamoru: You're here. I thought you'd abandon me.

Zoi: You're too sick to be left unattended. I'm not abandoning you until your aunt gets here.

[He gives Mamoru the acetaminophen, then the Gatorade to wash it down]

Mamoru: Are you sure it's me that's sick? Your skin is as cold as ice. We should huddle together under the covers. For warmth, you know.

Zoi: Easy there, hot pants. Drink your electrolytes.

Mamoru: [serious] Zoi…I have to tell you something important.

Zoi: What?

Mamoru: [looks at Zoi with sad eyes] After high school, I have to go away to college. And after that, I have to go to medical school. I'm going to be gone for a very long time.

Zoi: Yes. I know.

Mamoru: I want you to wait for me. Because when I come back, I'm going to marry you.

Zoi: [bursts into laughter] No, you're not…I thought you wanted to marry Usagi.

Mamoru: [dead serious] I do. I'm going to marry both of you.

Zoi: [still laughing] That's not exactly legal, you know.

Mamoru: I'm going to join an ultra orthodox sect that allows for polygamy.

Zoi: I hate to break this to you, but those sorts religions frown on people like me.

Mamoru: Huh? Why would anyone frown on someone like you?

Zoi: Because I'm a hot little tamale and they consider me too much of a distraction from their brainwashing. Now finish your Gatorade and go to sleep.

Mamoru: I can't get to sleep unless you give me a kiss.

Zoi: [fighting the temptation to stab him to death with a crystal] Absolutely not.

Mamoru: Oh, come on. I won't be able to get to sleep without one. [Taps himself on the cheek]

Zoi: [stern] Mamoru. You're being very bad right now. How can you do this to Usagi? Don't you love her even a little?

[Mamoru's smile vanishes at once]

Mamoru: Of course, I love her. I love her with all my heart. I love her more than anything. I love her far more than I could ever love you.

Zoi: You don't know how happy I am to hear that.

[Mamoru's lip quivers and tears spill from his eyes before he buries his face in the pillow.]

Mamoru: I love Usagi. [sobbing] And Usagi loves Motoki.