16 [Voice]

[marsfireignite]

[The voice that comes over the network is soft and hoarse, as if it hasn't been used in awhile. There's a distinct quiver in the tone, as if the person had been crying, but it was now under control... just barely.]

Where is Usagi and --

[And here, Rei's voice catches, but she presses onward, her tone adopting a new form of anger that hasn't been

Comments

[mirroredecho]

[Oh hi there Rei. You were probably expecting him to be happy you're back from the dead right? Well he is, but he also wants to smack you for being so careless. And don't you argue with him. Don't you argue with him.]

Where are you?

[marsfireignite]

[brb Hitsu is bringing her to the clinic. She'll get back to you shortly.]

Unohana's.

[mirroredecho]

I'll be there in ten.

[And if you tell him no so help him Shiva...]

[marsfireignite]

[She won't. She'll simply be quiet. She's busy trying to brush out her hair. It took her a long time to get the blood and Aizen... gunk out of it, but at least she's clean. And in clean clothes. Her blood soaked ones are heaped unceremoniously in a chair.]

[mirroredecho]

[Good, because he's not sure he has the strength to argue with her. Instead, he leaves the house, knowing that Usagi will be safe there with Zack while he's gone. It doesn't take him long to get to the clinic. What takes a while is actually convincing himself that he wants to see her. That'll she look the same, be the same. That she'll still be Rei.

So when he finally knocks on the door, the sound is light.]

Can I come in?

[marsfireignite]

Go ahead.

[She drags the brush through her hair again, cursing how long it's taking. It's enough to make her want to cut it.]

[mirroredecho]

[He sees that frustration on your face, Rei, and for once, he's actually kind of glad it's there. He closes the door gently, not wanting to disturb anyone else before further inside.]

Need some help?

[marsfireignite]

Usagi already brushed it out.

[She rakes the brush through it again. There's really no need to do it again. It's fine. But she needs something to do to focus on something other than the events of the week.]

[mirroredecho]

Then why are you doing it again?

[marsfireignite]

[She pauses, brush half-way raised to go through her hair again, before she drops her arm, allowing the brush to fall onto the bed.]

I can't get him off of me.

[She turns to face him, crossing her arms gingerly across her midsection, her eyes fixated somewhere along the wall.]

It took hours to get it out of my hair. Usagi wanted to help, but I made her go -- back. Thank you. For helping her. [As quiet afterthought.]

[mirroredecho]

[Thesound of brush falling to the bed was almost deafening, and he found himself flinching slightly at the sound, at her words. He moved forward then, foot steps quiet, boots just barely brushing across the carpet.]

I didn't do it for her.

[Instead of choosing to sit on the bed, he choose to kneel beside it, lifting a hand, bring his thumb and fore finger up to cup her chin, forcing her to look at him.]

I did it because I know it's what you would have wanted.

[marsfireignite]

[She very nearly moves away before he touches her -- only Usagi had, since the incident -- but she forces herself to stay still. She had shown enough weakness and cried enough tears over what had happened. It's time to get over it and move on.

Or, at least, until Cloud says the last word.]

She died because of me. I attacked -- [And her voice catches, her eyes close, and she focuses. No. More. Of. That.] It isn't about what I want, it's about what she needs.

[mirroredecho]

[His grip softened sligtly, still not enough to let her move away, but it became gentler, more tender and caring.]

You attacked because you didn't want anyone to get hurt. Because it's your job to protect her. But... you also can't expect her to stand back and let you fight alone.

[marsfireignite]

I wasn't going after Aizen. I would never go after Aizen.

[And this is said fiercely. Rei is nothing but honest and if she gives her word on something? She won't break it. And promising Toushirou that she would stay away from Aizen was something she was intending on keeping.

Not that it did any good, really. He had found her and killed Usagi, used Usagi against her, and then run her through like she was nothing. Leaving her there bleeding on the ground as he absorbed Usagi's energies. And when Sailor Mars had finally faded into darkness, all she could remember was laughter.

She sinks to the ground, tears in her eyes. Soon, they're both kneeling on the ground. She doesn't know what else to say. That's all there is to it, really. Aizen had killed her, killed Usagi, and Aizen had taken something from her. She had been defenseless. The end.]

[mirroredecho]

[For a moment he doesn't know what to say, before he realizes that he doesn't have to say anything. The moment she to sunk to the ground next to him, tears shining like gleaming pearls in her eyes he knew there wasn't anything he could say.

But there was so much he could do. Aizen. He would remember that name for as long as he had to. And if they ever crossed paths, he would hesitate. It didn't matter how powerful he was, he would destroy him if it meant knowing Rei would be safe.

But he chases that thought away, at least for know. He had never been a fan of psychical affection, and he got the feeling that neither did she. But right now, he had a feeling it was what she needed, whether she would ever admit it or not.

His arms were warm and tight as he reached out for her, pulling her towards him, wrapping her in a protective hold. His hand raised running over the softness of her hair, trying to let her know that it was okay to cry, to let out what she was feeling. And that he wasn't going to think less of her because of it.]

[marsfireignite]

[Crying in front of Usagi was strictly forbidden, in Rei's eyes. Usagi was the one who cried, Rei was the one who told her to suck it up and move on and deal with it. The only other person she had seen since coming back to life was Toushirou and crying in front of him, about Aizen, was off-limits. It hadn't taken a genius to figure out that the week had been more difficult on her shinigami friend than on her. And she was the one who had died.]

...

[But Cloud wasn't the one who had to be protected or the one who had suffered the most under Aizen. So crying in front of him could be permitted. Just this once. It's not loud or obnoxious, but quiet. Eventually, her breathing is even and the shaking stops. Suitably calmer.]