Advent Drabblender, Day 9
Part 9 of 24
Author: verisimilitude9
Prompt: Present-Giving
Characters: Venus/Kunzite
She had it on good authority that it was a traditional, appropriate thing to do for the Yule.
That was to say, Jupiter-- who had found a new best friend in Zoisite, who was the absolute authority in All Things Celebratory In Terran Winter-- had asked her, green eyes innocent and yet mischievous as a kitten’s, what she was going to give to the leader of Endymion’s guard for the holiday.
“I’m supposed to give him something?” Venus’ face had fallen quickly from its usual gracious smile into a perfect pout in the space of a quarter of a second. It wasn’t so much that she had a problem with Kunzite. Actually, that was the least of the problems. The man was intense and chivalrous and an incredible warrior and when he actually smiled... Venus quickly stopped that train of thought before Jupiter noticed her blushing.
“You’ve known him for quite some time, and he has always been helpful and courteous whenever you two meet,” Jupiter pointed out. “Not everyone would take kindly to being disturbed at all hours by intrepid roving princesses and their guardians.”
Yes. Helpful and courteous. That was how she’d put it. It was not a lie, after all. Pout still firmly in place and now further aggravated by Jupiter’s knowing look (what had Nephrite, or perhaps Zoisite, been telling her anyway?), Venus left for her personal quarters with a flounce in her step. Presents!
What could she get the man, anyway? She wasn’t all that familiar with the proper protocol about this sort of thing. And she did not want to give him anything that would be improper, or give off the wrong impression. There was always weaponry-- Venusian daggers were as much works of art as they were functional and perfectly balanced-- but in her culture, it was a social faux-pas for blades to be given as presents between a couple or to newlyweds. Bad luck.
Not that she and Kunzite were a couple, exactly. But still.
When she went down to Earth, the sun was setting, and she allowed the sky one grudging smile that it finally had some colour amidst the gray-and-white world that was the Earth’s cold season. Wrapped up in a fur-lined cloak and trying very hard not to slip on the slick, icy walks, she reached Kunzite’s quarters just in time.
He looked startled to see her, but not unhappy, and that was something, and if her cheeks were red, that could easily be attributed to the cold outside. He let her in, looking at her quizzically as she blew on her fingers to warm them before reaching into a pocket of the cloak.
“I made this for you. Mercury had several books on Terran technology and handicrafts, and Jupiter and Mars gave me some advice on the construction.” Her words were coming out too fast and she couldn’t meet his eyes, but she rambled on. “Mars said that it is traditional for you to light one of these every night in this season. I wanted to thank you for your assistance and understanding when we keep on dropping by at all sorts of times and... well, I hope you have a happy holiday and stay warm.”
The candle was small and plain and slightly crooked, no thicker than the slim, pale fingers holding it out to him, but Kunzite didn’t reach for it. Instead, he reached up and tilted Venus’ face up so that he could look into her eyes, and they widened in surprise as he smiled. Venus came from the planet of love and lust, and yet now, as his fingertips caressed her cheek and his eyes gazed into hers, she felt as nervous as a girl about to receive her first kiss. And because she couldn’t stand the tension, she broke it herself, reaching up and brushing her lips against his for the space of a single heartbeat. It was just a taste, and not nearly enough, but she could think about that later when her heart was not racing any more.
“I hope you have a happy holiday, Kunzite,” she whispered as she pushed the tiny candle into his hand. “I need to go before I’m missed. Jupiter can only cover for me for an hour.”
She left before he could say anything, but as she prepared to teleport back to the Moon, she saw the faint, soft, telltale glow coming from his window. That, and the tingle of his mouth against hers, was enough that she didn’t even feel the cold ground underneath her feet.
Author: verisimilitude9
Prompt: Present-Giving
Characters: Venus/Kunzite
She had it on good authority that it was a traditional, appropriate thing to do for the Yule.
That was to say, Jupiter-- who had found a new best friend in Zoisite, who was the absolute authority in All Things Celebratory In Terran Winter-- had asked her, green eyes innocent and yet mischievous as a kitten’s, what she was going to give to the leader of Endymion’s guard for the holiday.
“I’m supposed to give him something?” Venus’ face had fallen quickly from its usual gracious smile into a perfect pout in the space of a quarter of a second. It wasn’t so much that she had a problem with Kunzite. Actually, that was the least of the problems. The man was intense and chivalrous and an incredible warrior and when he actually smiled... Venus quickly stopped that train of thought before Jupiter noticed her blushing.
“You’ve known him for quite some time, and he has always been helpful and courteous whenever you two meet,” Jupiter pointed out. “Not everyone would take kindly to being disturbed at all hours by intrepid roving princesses and their guardians.”
Yes. Helpful and courteous. That was how she’d put it. It was not a lie, after all. Pout still firmly in place and now further aggravated by Jupiter’s knowing look (what had Nephrite, or perhaps Zoisite, been telling her anyway?), Venus left for her personal quarters with a flounce in her step. Presents!
What could she get the man, anyway? She wasn’t all that familiar with the proper protocol about this sort of thing. And she did not want to give him anything that would be improper, or give off the wrong impression. There was always weaponry-- Venusian daggers were as much works of art as they were functional and perfectly balanced-- but in her culture, it was a social faux-pas for blades to be given as presents between a couple or to newlyweds. Bad luck.
Not that she and Kunzite were a couple, exactly. But still.
When she went down to Earth, the sun was setting, and she allowed the sky one grudging smile that it finally had some colour amidst the gray-and-white world that was the Earth’s cold season. Wrapped up in a fur-lined cloak and trying very hard not to slip on the slick, icy walks, she reached Kunzite’s quarters just in time.
He looked startled to see her, but not unhappy, and that was something, and if her cheeks were red, that could easily be attributed to the cold outside. He let her in, looking at her quizzically as she blew on her fingers to warm them before reaching into a pocket of the cloak.
“I made this for you. Mercury had several books on Terran technology and handicrafts, and Jupiter and Mars gave me some advice on the construction.” Her words were coming out too fast and she couldn’t meet his eyes, but she rambled on. “Mars said that it is traditional for you to light one of these every night in this season. I wanted to thank you for your assistance and understanding when we keep on dropping by at all sorts of times and... well, I hope you have a happy holiday and stay warm.”
The candle was small and plain and slightly crooked, no thicker than the slim, pale fingers holding it out to him, but Kunzite didn’t reach for it. Instead, he reached up and tilted Venus’ face up so that he could look into her eyes, and they widened in surprise as he smiled. Venus came from the planet of love and lust, and yet now, as his fingertips caressed her cheek and his eyes gazed into hers, she felt as nervous as a girl about to receive her first kiss. And because she couldn’t stand the tension, she broke it herself, reaching up and brushing her lips against his for the space of a single heartbeat. It was just a taste, and not nearly enough, but she could think about that later when her heart was not racing any more.
“I hope you have a happy holiday, Kunzite,” she whispered as she pushed the tiny candle into his hand. “I need to go before I’m missed. Jupiter can only cover for me for an hour.”
She left before he could say anything, but as she prepared to teleport back to the Moon, she saw the faint, soft, telltale glow coming from his window. That, and the tingle of his mouth against hers, was enough that she didn’t even feel the cold ground underneath her feet.