(no subject)
Title: Gifts
Author: Raya
Theme: Motoki / Bubbles
Genre: General / Fluff
Version: PGSM (R)
Rating: G
Word Count: ~1069
Disclaimer: Motoki, ChibiUsa, and Nephrite belong to Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai. I have merely scrounged the imaginary internet of my mind and pulled out pictures of them to use in this crude homemade movie. ^-^
Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya
Gifts
Motoki juggled the overfilled bags of party supplies for the karaoke bar, trying to find an easy way to carry them without spilling their contents across the sidewalk. The glow necklace containers were the hardest to hold on to. They were so tall, the plastic bag barely came to their midpoint.
He stopped beside a small wall and set his heavy burdens down so that his arms could rest while he reconsidered the bag placement. A squeaking sound caught his ear, and he looked up curiously. He recognized one of the local playgrounds, and smiled in amusement at the children running around. How he wished that he could play with them. But, he had a job to do.
As he was turning his attention back to the bags of supplies, a solemn, forlorn figure caught his gaze. He paused, studying her. A young girl, maybe four or five years old, was sitting on a swing close to him rocking herself slowly back and forth. Unlike the other children, there was no smile on her face or air of happiness about her. He could not tell for sure from where he was standing, but he was certain that she was silently crying.
He frowned and absently reached out to catch one of the toppling bags as his eyes skimmed about the park looking for her mother. Although several women were about, none of them seemed to show any interest in the child.
Another bag tried to spill, and he reluctantly turned his attention to his packages. And then, a sudden idea made his face brighten. Nodding quietly to himself, he began to search through the bags for a small pink bottle. He found it and held it up with a triumphant smile. Then, gathering his bags, he began to walk down the sidewalk once more, looking for the entrance to the park.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
ChibiUsa rocked her swing slowly as the events of the previous week rolled through her mind. Meeting Shin at this park. Shin pushing her in the swing, distracting her from the thoughts of her mother and the confusing situation with Usagi and Mamoru. Finding Shin at the Hikawa Shrine festival. Shin paying for fried shrimp and noodles and ramune and taiyaki. Shin standing in front of her surrounded by black flames. Shin lying on the ground, horrible burn marks on his back. Shin lying so pale and still on the hospital bed. She was so caught up in her depressing thoughts that she did not see the tall, thin man approaching her with determined steps.
As Motoki carefully placed his bags down beside the swingset, he looked at the little girl more closely. She was not crying after all. That surprised him a little. Her face was stiff and sad, but what he could see of her tanned cheeks through her black ponytails was dry.
She did not seem to notice him as he opened the little pink bottle and drew out the plastic ring. Taking careful aim, he sent a flurry of glimmering soap bubbles streaming past her face. He gave her a surprised look when she did not react to their beautiful playfulness. She had seen them. She had to have, she was looking straight at them. Deciding to try again, he renewed the coating of soapy water and blew through the ring once more.
ChibiUsa started in surprise as something airy and wet hit her cheek. Focusing her eyes on her surroundings, she blinked and stared wide eyed at the shimmering bubbles flowing past her face. “Aren't they pretty?” a man asked cheerfully from her left. She gasped, spun around, and looked at him uncertainly.
Motoki smiled at her reassuringly, then held the bottle out towards her. “So, want to try?” His face dimmed a little as the child shook her head slowly. “Ah, but it's fun. See?” He dipped the wand in the solution again, tapped it on the side of the bottle, and blew gently through the ring again. “Right?” The girl's eyes grew wider, and he smiled encouragingly at her. “Your turn,” he said as he squatted down and held the bottle out to her again.
Several long seconds passed before ChibiUsa slid slowly off of the swing and walked cautiously towards him. There was something reassuring in his sympathetic expression and his gentle brown eyes. He did not make her feel as safe as Shin or Mamoru or those other three gentlemen, but he did not seem dangerous either. Tentatively, she took the wand and bottle from his hand.
“Just dip that part into the bubbles,” Motoki urged as he let his hands fall to his knees. The little girl tilted her head to the side, and then carefully did as he said. “Now, tap it gently against the side. Ah! Not quite that hard! You want the soap to stay inside the ring. Hmm, maybe you'd better dip it again. There you go, now gently... Gently... That's it. Now, carefully... Blow.”
Following his instructions, ChibiUsa puffed a little bit of air towards the ring. The man laughed at her gently as the soap film popped once again and she glared at the wand irritably. She did not need his urging to try again. This time, a whole stream of small bubbles flew from the wand. They bounced their iridescent way across the playground and made some of the other children squeal with delight. ChibiUsa smiled happily and quickly repeated the process.
“There, you got it,” Motoki said brightly, relishing her smile as he stood back up. He loved to make people smile, especially pretty girls. He watched her blow several more streams, and then turned back to pick up his bags.
Hearing the noise, ChibiUsa turned to look at him in surprise. “Ah! Mister! Wait!” Hastily, she began to screw the wand and lid back onto the bottle of bubbles.
Motoki shook his head as he picked up the last bag and smiled at her. “A present,” he said as he bowed politely towards her. “Please enjoy it.”
The little girl looked at him uncertainly, and then returned his bow. “Thank you very much,” she replied politely. He grinned at her, and then turned and began walking back towards the playground entrance.
Standing unnoticed under a nearby tree, Nephi smiled wryly at the two figures. It seemed Jupiter's turtle-loving fiancé was just as soft-hearted as ever.
Author: Raya
Theme: Motoki / Bubbles
Genre: General / Fluff
Version: PGSM (R)
Rating: G
Word Count: ~1069
Disclaimer: Motoki, ChibiUsa, and Nephrite belong to Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai. I have merely scrounged the imaginary internet of my mind and pulled out pictures of them to use in this crude homemade movie. ^-^
Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya
Gifts
Motoki juggled the overfilled bags of party supplies for the karaoke bar, trying to find an easy way to carry them without spilling their contents across the sidewalk. The glow necklace containers were the hardest to hold on to. They were so tall, the plastic bag barely came to their midpoint.
He stopped beside a small wall and set his heavy burdens down so that his arms could rest while he reconsidered the bag placement. A squeaking sound caught his ear, and he looked up curiously. He recognized one of the local playgrounds, and smiled in amusement at the children running around. How he wished that he could play with them. But, he had a job to do.
As he was turning his attention back to the bags of supplies, a solemn, forlorn figure caught his gaze. He paused, studying her. A young girl, maybe four or five years old, was sitting on a swing close to him rocking herself slowly back and forth. Unlike the other children, there was no smile on her face or air of happiness about her. He could not tell for sure from where he was standing, but he was certain that she was silently crying.
He frowned and absently reached out to catch one of the toppling bags as his eyes skimmed about the park looking for her mother. Although several women were about, none of them seemed to show any interest in the child.
Another bag tried to spill, and he reluctantly turned his attention to his packages. And then, a sudden idea made his face brighten. Nodding quietly to himself, he began to search through the bags for a small pink bottle. He found it and held it up with a triumphant smile. Then, gathering his bags, he began to walk down the sidewalk once more, looking for the entrance to the park.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
ChibiUsa rocked her swing slowly as the events of the previous week rolled through her mind. Meeting Shin at this park. Shin pushing her in the swing, distracting her from the thoughts of her mother and the confusing situation with Usagi and Mamoru. Finding Shin at the Hikawa Shrine festival. Shin paying for fried shrimp and noodles and ramune and taiyaki. Shin standing in front of her surrounded by black flames. Shin lying on the ground, horrible burn marks on his back. Shin lying so pale and still on the hospital bed. She was so caught up in her depressing thoughts that she did not see the tall, thin man approaching her with determined steps.
As Motoki carefully placed his bags down beside the swingset, he looked at the little girl more closely. She was not crying after all. That surprised him a little. Her face was stiff and sad, but what he could see of her tanned cheeks through her black ponytails was dry.
She did not seem to notice him as he opened the little pink bottle and drew out the plastic ring. Taking careful aim, he sent a flurry of glimmering soap bubbles streaming past her face. He gave her a surprised look when she did not react to their beautiful playfulness. She had seen them. She had to have, she was looking straight at them. Deciding to try again, he renewed the coating of soapy water and blew through the ring once more.
ChibiUsa started in surprise as something airy and wet hit her cheek. Focusing her eyes on her surroundings, she blinked and stared wide eyed at the shimmering bubbles flowing past her face. “Aren't they pretty?” a man asked cheerfully from her left. She gasped, spun around, and looked at him uncertainly.
Motoki smiled at her reassuringly, then held the bottle out towards her. “So, want to try?” His face dimmed a little as the child shook her head slowly. “Ah, but it's fun. See?” He dipped the wand in the solution again, tapped it on the side of the bottle, and blew gently through the ring again. “Right?” The girl's eyes grew wider, and he smiled encouragingly at her. “Your turn,” he said as he squatted down and held the bottle out to her again.
Several long seconds passed before ChibiUsa slid slowly off of the swing and walked cautiously towards him. There was something reassuring in his sympathetic expression and his gentle brown eyes. He did not make her feel as safe as Shin or Mamoru or those other three gentlemen, but he did not seem dangerous either. Tentatively, she took the wand and bottle from his hand.
“Just dip that part into the bubbles,” Motoki urged as he let his hands fall to his knees. The little girl tilted her head to the side, and then carefully did as he said. “Now, tap it gently against the side. Ah! Not quite that hard! You want the soap to stay inside the ring. Hmm, maybe you'd better dip it again. There you go, now gently... Gently... That's it. Now, carefully... Blow.”
Following his instructions, ChibiUsa puffed a little bit of air towards the ring. The man laughed at her gently as the soap film popped once again and she glared at the wand irritably. She did not need his urging to try again. This time, a whole stream of small bubbles flew from the wand. They bounced their iridescent way across the playground and made some of the other children squeal with delight. ChibiUsa smiled happily and quickly repeated the process.
“There, you got it,” Motoki said brightly, relishing her smile as he stood back up. He loved to make people smile, especially pretty girls. He watched her blow several more streams, and then turned back to pick up his bags.
Hearing the noise, ChibiUsa turned to look at him in surprise. “Ah! Mister! Wait!” Hastily, she began to screw the wand and lid back onto the bottle of bubbles.
Motoki shook his head as he picked up the last bag and smiled at her. “A present,” he said as he bowed politely towards her. “Please enjoy it.”
The little girl looked at him uncertainly, and then returned his bow. “Thank you very much,” she replied politely. He grinned at her, and then turned and began walking back towards the playground entrance.
Standing unnoticed under a nearby tree, Nephi smiled wryly at the two figures. It seemed Jupiter's turtle-loving fiancé was just as soft-hearted as ever.