SM November 9th Challenge: Waltz
After a much too long hiatus, a new one-shot that definitely could use a lot of work, but was the only thing that managed to be written.
Title: True Protector
Author/Artist: AngelofNight91
Medium: Fanfic
Theme: Waltz
Genre: Drama
Version: Anime
Rating: G
“Lower,” Rei commanded him as his hand settled lightly along her back. He shifted his eyes toward his hand before moving it a quarter of an inch downward.
“More”
He gulped slightly before doing so- again moving it in a way that could barely be considered lower. He regretted coming to the community center to learn the waltz. He should have just stuck with dancing in his Tuxedo Kaman form- it would be less of a hassle to deal with hordes of attacks coming at him then to do this ever again.
“I said,” Rei narrowed her eyes at him, “Lower”
“Rei, are you sure this is a good idea? I’m sure I could get another instructor-” he stopped as he almost saw the fire shoot out of her eyes to focus on his. For reasons unknown, Mamoru found he was scared of Hino Rei- or was he more afraid of having to talk to her?
For a second he wished it was the priestess’s best friend in his arms, the blonde odangoes twirling behind her as she danced, her eyes narrowing at him. Then he shook his head and the image was gone, only to be replaced with the nightmare he was in.
“Do whatever you want,” she spat, her fury almost tangible as she yanked from his arms. He looked at her speechlessly, noting the pain in her eyes. The violet eyes spoke of pain he could never understand, and a longing that he could but chose not to.
“Rei-” he said before he could stop himself, “I’m sorry”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes as she made to turn away, “Sure you are. You’re just sorry every single time.” Despite the angered tone, he could hear the pain in her voice and he was truly sorry for it.
He remained quiet as she began to walk away, watching her clenched form. He knew the manly thing to do would be to talk to her about it- to explain to her that he just didn’t like her like that- but who had ever said he was manly? He would take the easy way out if he could, and here it was as she walked away.
It was almost as if she heard his thoughts, for she stopped. In that second before she turned around, he wished he could disappear, to not have to cause the young girl the pain he knew she would feel after she got her answers.
She didn’t even turn around when she asked her question. “Do you even like me, Mamoru-san?”
He swallowed.
“No…you don’t, do you?” She asked quietly, her body shaking ever so slightly as he almost heard the tears in her voice.
“I’m sorry, Rei. It’s not you-”
“Don’t say it,” she whispered, “Don’t use that stupid cliché line. How can it not be me? You don’t like me because I’m me, simple as that,” the anger was back but this time it wasn’t directed at him- something he would actually welcome now.
“No, don’t think that,” he said encroachingly, “You’re a great girl, I’m just…” he didn’t know what to say. He had thought he had when he had started his stupid, weak sentence, but it just droned off. He honestly didn’t know why it was that he didn’t like Rei. She was a fiery girl, very passionate about things she liked, strong in ways he could understand and she was so similar to him. Being with her was among the nicer dates he had been on for she had never expected too much from him.
“I’m not the guy for you,” he finished finally
The shaking consumed her body and before he could blink she was walking away from him as fast as she could. His shoulders dropped as he began to follow her, unsure of what he could possibly do or say to make her feel better. But he had to try, didn’t he? Wouldn’t that be the right thing to do?
What had Motoki said? That Mamoru had the tact of a cockroach when it came to girls? Was he supposed to back off or should he explain himself further?
Her speed increased, and he wasn’t sure if it was because she realized he was following her or just because she couldn’t wait to get out of there.
“Rei!”
She didn’t turn, but took off running faster than he thought the girl could run in sandals like hers. They both ignored the stares they got as she ran through the ballroom and out the main door. He followed uselessly, not knowing what else to do. The least he could do was to make sure she stayed safe; Juuban wasn’t safe anymore since the Dark Kingdom had come to roost here.
He followed behind, staying a safe distance from her so that when she looked behind her, she had been unable to spot him amongst the other people walking down the street. Her face had been streaked with tears, and once again, he caught a glimpse of that pain he had caused.
It sent a fury trickling through him, pure self-hatred for himself. It wasn’t enough that he made himself miserable, now he had to make this innocent girl feel pain that shouldn’t even be there?
As he followed, he realized they had ended up in the suburban part of town, the opposite end from Rei’s house. Where was she going?
It wasn’t till she slipped through a gate and knocked on the door of a medium-sized house and the door opened to reveal the odangoed girl he couldn’t seem to get along with, did he realize what was happening.
“Rei-chan!?” Usagi caught Rei as she collapsed in a heap on the doorstep. His heart twisted in loathing as the soft sobs of the young girl were heard through the quietness of the street.
He watched as Usagi comforted Rei, somehow knowing that with Usagi there, Rei would be okay. His belief was both for their friendship, which was so unlike anything he had ever seen before, not to mention something he longed for, but also because he knew Usagi could make anything better.
Before he could turn and walk away, now knowing that Rei was safer than she could ever be in his hands, blue eyes looked up to meet his. Usagi’s eyes were wide as they looked at his, and he saw the lights click on in her brain as she figured out why Rei was there.
He expected her eyes to narrow, to show the anger he was so used to seeing in the beautifully expressive eyes. But the eyes remained on his, sorrow within them. The stunning blue reflected pain for her friend, but at the same time, forgiveness and understanding for him.
“I’m sorry,” he said so quietly that he wasn’t even sure sound had come from his lips.
She nodded once before she turned her eyes away from him and back to Rei, who was still thankfully wholly unseeing of him. She spoke words to Rei that he couldn’t hear no matter how much he strained to. He watched as Usagi coaxed Rei inside. She turned to close the door, and once again their eyes met.
There was maturity in those eyes he hadn’t seen before, maturity he had somehow missed whilst verbally sparring with her. The feeling of self-loathing slipped a little as she smiled sadly at him, as if assuring him it would be all right.
The door closed and he was left outside, staring at the door of the warm home. He turned and trudged away, left to himself and his mind in the darkness of the night.
Title: True Protector
Author/Artist: AngelofNight91
Medium: Fanfic
Theme: Waltz
Genre: Drama
Version: Anime
Rating: G
“Lower,” Rei commanded him as his hand settled lightly along her back. He shifted his eyes toward his hand before moving it a quarter of an inch downward.
“More”
He gulped slightly before doing so- again moving it in a way that could barely be considered lower. He regretted coming to the community center to learn the waltz. He should have just stuck with dancing in his Tuxedo Kaman form- it would be less of a hassle to deal with hordes of attacks coming at him then to do this ever again.
“I said,” Rei narrowed her eyes at him, “Lower”
“Rei, are you sure this is a good idea? I’m sure I could get another instructor-” he stopped as he almost saw the fire shoot out of her eyes to focus on his. For reasons unknown, Mamoru found he was scared of Hino Rei- or was he more afraid of having to talk to her?
For a second he wished it was the priestess’s best friend in his arms, the blonde odangoes twirling behind her as she danced, her eyes narrowing at him. Then he shook his head and the image was gone, only to be replaced with the nightmare he was in.
“Do whatever you want,” she spat, her fury almost tangible as she yanked from his arms. He looked at her speechlessly, noting the pain in her eyes. The violet eyes spoke of pain he could never understand, and a longing that he could but chose not to.
“Rei-” he said before he could stop himself, “I’m sorry”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes as she made to turn away, “Sure you are. You’re just sorry every single time.” Despite the angered tone, he could hear the pain in her voice and he was truly sorry for it.
He remained quiet as she began to walk away, watching her clenched form. He knew the manly thing to do would be to talk to her about it- to explain to her that he just didn’t like her like that- but who had ever said he was manly? He would take the easy way out if he could, and here it was as she walked away.
It was almost as if she heard his thoughts, for she stopped. In that second before she turned around, he wished he could disappear, to not have to cause the young girl the pain he knew she would feel after she got her answers.
She didn’t even turn around when she asked her question. “Do you even like me, Mamoru-san?”
He swallowed.
“No…you don’t, do you?” She asked quietly, her body shaking ever so slightly as he almost heard the tears in her voice.
“I’m sorry, Rei. It’s not you-”
“Don’t say it,” she whispered, “Don’t use that stupid cliché line. How can it not be me? You don’t like me because I’m me, simple as that,” the anger was back but this time it wasn’t directed at him- something he would actually welcome now.
“No, don’t think that,” he said encroachingly, “You’re a great girl, I’m just…” he didn’t know what to say. He had thought he had when he had started his stupid, weak sentence, but it just droned off. He honestly didn’t know why it was that he didn’t like Rei. She was a fiery girl, very passionate about things she liked, strong in ways he could understand and she was so similar to him. Being with her was among the nicer dates he had been on for she had never expected too much from him.
“I’m not the guy for you,” he finished finally
The shaking consumed her body and before he could blink she was walking away from him as fast as she could. His shoulders dropped as he began to follow her, unsure of what he could possibly do or say to make her feel better. But he had to try, didn’t he? Wouldn’t that be the right thing to do?
What had Motoki said? That Mamoru had the tact of a cockroach when it came to girls? Was he supposed to back off or should he explain himself further?
Her speed increased, and he wasn’t sure if it was because she realized he was following her or just because she couldn’t wait to get out of there.
“Rei!”
She didn’t turn, but took off running faster than he thought the girl could run in sandals like hers. They both ignored the stares they got as she ran through the ballroom and out the main door. He followed uselessly, not knowing what else to do. The least he could do was to make sure she stayed safe; Juuban wasn’t safe anymore since the Dark Kingdom had come to roost here.
He followed behind, staying a safe distance from her so that when she looked behind her, she had been unable to spot him amongst the other people walking down the street. Her face had been streaked with tears, and once again, he caught a glimpse of that pain he had caused.
It sent a fury trickling through him, pure self-hatred for himself. It wasn’t enough that he made himself miserable, now he had to make this innocent girl feel pain that shouldn’t even be there?
As he followed, he realized they had ended up in the suburban part of town, the opposite end from Rei’s house. Where was she going?
It wasn’t till she slipped through a gate and knocked on the door of a medium-sized house and the door opened to reveal the odangoed girl he couldn’t seem to get along with, did he realize what was happening.
“Rei-chan!?” Usagi caught Rei as she collapsed in a heap on the doorstep. His heart twisted in loathing as the soft sobs of the young girl were heard through the quietness of the street.
He watched as Usagi comforted Rei, somehow knowing that with Usagi there, Rei would be okay. His belief was both for their friendship, which was so unlike anything he had ever seen before, not to mention something he longed for, but also because he knew Usagi could make anything better.
Before he could turn and walk away, now knowing that Rei was safer than she could ever be in his hands, blue eyes looked up to meet his. Usagi’s eyes were wide as they looked at his, and he saw the lights click on in her brain as she figured out why Rei was there.
He expected her eyes to narrow, to show the anger he was so used to seeing in the beautifully expressive eyes. But the eyes remained on his, sorrow within them. The stunning blue reflected pain for her friend, but at the same time, forgiveness and understanding for him.
“I’m sorry,” he said so quietly that he wasn’t even sure sound had come from his lips.
She nodded once before she turned her eyes away from him and back to Rei, who was still thankfully wholly unseeing of him. She spoke words to Rei that he couldn’t hear no matter how much he strained to. He watched as Usagi coaxed Rei inside. She turned to close the door, and once again their eyes met.
There was maturity in those eyes he hadn’t seen before, maturity he had somehow missed whilst verbally sparring with her. The feeling of self-loathing slipped a little as she smiled sadly at him, as if assuring him it would be all right.
The door closed and he was left outside, staring at the door of the warm home. He turned and trudged away, left to himself and his mind in the darkness of the night.