Lolita
Started here:
I Don't Wanna Wait
Continued from:
Take Me on the Floor
Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me while I took a hiatus (a year and a half, yikes!). Special thanks to my most wonderful beta Sugarcross who almost literally pulled teeth to get these words on paper. Make sure you check out her amazing story Interlude!
Endymion stood by the windows, his forehead resting against the cool glass. Sprawling out before him was the inner court, the higher ranking soldiers, council members both past and present, and a sparse collection of Earth's royal family. The ship carrying the delegate of the moon was in the process of touching down on the hastily built landing pad. Never before had Earth had any need for such a contraption, or perch as many had taken to calling it. All previous liaisons had required the Senshi to travel to Earth with discretion so that early discussions could take place before the rest of the kingdom was allowed to know what was happening. Had the discussions failed, life would continue on with no change, all being none the wiser of what almost was and could have been. But when Endymion set eyes on Serenity, he knew that he couldn't allow that to happen.
Kunzite approached his prince, choosing to stand with his back against the windows so that he would not have to watch what was going on outside. The time to go out there was fast approaching and he felt unsure of what would happen when he saw the Venusian. Their meeting had been far from what he would have expected, her departure sudden, and then his….whatever it was that happened to him. His memory was etched in blackness, small flashes of memory seeping through, but then fading back into nothingness. "Despite popular opinion, royals being late are still considered to be rude, not regal."
Endymion sighed, the glass glazing with fog as it met his warm breath. "Surely you are not feeling self-righteous this early in the day. What ever will you do with the rest of the afternoon?"
Images of the blond goddess flashed through the soldier's mind. "Assisting you with nursing your hangover apparently."
A sound between a snort and a laugh was the brief response. "The glass is doing a fine job of that on its own. Perhaps you could have joined us instead of partaking in whatever secret activity it was that kept you up most of the night."
"I never sleep well in the palace."
"Funny, I would think that all of the interactions around here would leave you exhausted. But yes, that's right, Jadeite has always been the one to do all the talking. I guess slipping through the grounds like a ghost is not nearly as exhilarating." He glanced over at the pale haired man next to him, his opposite in nearly every way. "I spoke with Zoicite. He told me that he saw you this morning."
"Zoicite is a gossip."
"Ah," Endymion mocked understanding, "it is gossip when you-."
"When I say it is," Kunzite interrupted him.
"Funny, I thought I was the one who made up the rules. But do accept my apologies if I'm mistaken. The weight of the crown, sometimes it does funny things to my mind. Why just the other day-."
Kunzite pushed away from the wall, pulling the prince away from where he was still resting against the window pane, towards the door. "I was obviously busy defending your honor, what else would keep me from your company."
Endymion walked a few steps, shaking his head and squinting against the bright onslaught of sunlight as they passed through the grandiose doorframe and into the courtyard.
A red runner connected the palace doors to the platform where Sailor Venus was exiting from the spaceship. The breeze ruffled her skirt, giving it the appearance of twirling as the pleats alternated flashes of white and orange. Blond hair hung down her back in shimmering waterfall of fair strands. Her face reminded him so much of his own Serenity and it pained him to think of how many days had passed since he had last seen her, or held her. Beside her stood a soldier with features so much like her own. It was clear that he was strongly of Venusian descent with his delicate features and golden hair.
A flare erupted from the sun, timed in this exact moment, when emotions were at their strongest point, all of these people together - fear, curiosity, anger, hatred, love. Humans were often at their weakest while consumed by such thoughts, especially those who harbored so many at once. Two men standing on opposite sides of the courtyard, so few yards separating them, yet light years from each other, both blinked against the glare of the sunlight. Neither felt, nor knew, nor understood, what was beginning to brew and fester from within.
"I will be departing this evening," Kunzite murmured to Endymion as they walked down the runner. He knew that the Prince would be grinding his teeth at having to hold his tongue in this crowd of people, which made this all the more better of a time to say the words. Some time away from the palace would help him to clear his head. But looking at the blonde again, noticing the way that her eyes failed to meet his, almost caused him to miss a step.
Light blue eyes remained downcast, oblivious to the shift in the light around her. A child of other worlds, protected by the moon, could not be touched by the energy radiating from the flare. The unusual heat of the midday went unnoticed by one who was from a place where temperatures had saturated her planet to temperatures that forced them to take refuge in the sky.
Sharp green eyes saw not a girl humbled by her passions, but a warrior in disguise as a princess. A warrior who feigned innocence and shyness to meet whatever ends may be.
Introductions were made in the public setting to give the appearance of first time meetings. Endymion introduced himself to the young soldier at Venus's side. Kunzite couldn't help but to notice how close the man stood to the Senshi. Was he her protector? Her lover? Anger filled Kunzite's mind, his focus shifting again from where it belonged. When it was his turn to face the soldier, he performed the action he had seen Venus do last night, his arm crossing over his chest as he bent at the waist. The instinct to do this overwhelmed him, though he didn't know why. He barely remembered her completing the movement in the shadows of his room, faintly backlit by the waning moon. Yet it was the right thing to do as the blond man repeated this back to him.
As their eyes met again, Kunzite noticed what appeared to be a flash of gold slip over the other soldier's eyes. Just as quickly, the man blinked, and Kunzite wondered if he had imagined it.
No words were spoken between them as he then moved to stand in front of Sailor Venus herself.
Plump pink lips curled inwards, trying to find the right words to say to the tall soldier before her. Throughout the whole transport, she dreaded this moment when she would have to look into his eyes and see that there was nothing there. No teasing glances or desire filled stares.
"Thank you both for coming," Endymion announced, his voice loud enough for those around him to hear. "Please, join me inside the palace and we can begin our talks."
It was all for show, as was everything on this day.
The young prince needed to move everyone inside. The lingering silence between the two lead soldiers could only cause the onlookers to think that they failed to have the Shitennou's approval.
As Kunzite turned and Minako stepped forward, he felt the lightest brush of their pinkies touching. Neither acknowledged the moment, rather they followed after Endymion and Adonis as they made their way down the red runner and into the palace.
A brief moment, a touch of intimacy, neither planned nor escapable.
"Where have you hidden your princess today?" Kunzite asked. Other questions pulled at his mind, but this was the safest that he could ask. After all, Endymion would be content to know that he was making efforts to be polite to Venus, even if he was teasing her over Serenity's whereabouts.
He need only to make it through this moment.
Her eyes turned to look to him as if she had secrets of her own that morning. "I figured that as long as I'm here to keep a proper eye on your prince, my princess will not be so easily distracted."
Her heart beat heavily in her chest.
"He can't be blamed alone for his actions."
Ten more steps.
"My princess would never have known these actions if not for him."
Nor would I, she found herself thinking.
"You are saying that he has corrupted her?"
The conversation felt as if it was turning in on him.
"That is what men do to rational women."
And when all ration is gone….
Continued in: Did Ya Think