Chapter Text
It was getting harder to keep quiet. Maybe it was because she was maturing, or maybe it was because she was feeling suppressed.
“Ironic,” she thought with a short huff, filled with regret and longing. Her internal musings were reflective and in that moment her thoughts encompassed her current situation:
“When I don’t need to be suppressed, it’s okay but the moment I am, it feels like I’m jumping out my skin. And they are just doing it because they love me.”
The melancholic air and the single teardrop caused the moon’s glow to diminish and it caused the earth to weep at its partner’s sadness.
Usagi woke up with a start. “No headache this time,” she mused, “or panic”. Instead it was that feeling of dread that accompanied her days. The other side of the bed was cold, noting the lack of its occupant. Mamoru was at work again and this time, Usagi was glad because he wouldn’t have to comfort her through the headaches, and worry, as he always did, about her. Shaking her head from the sad thoughts, Usagi got out of bed and got ready for the day. She was feeling a lot better as she started to fix breakfast when the phone rang. Answering it, she interacted with her husband for the first time that day since he left for work earlier that morning.
“Usako, good morning, how are you doing?” Usagi smiled. His voice always brought a smile to her face. They spent a few minutes talking and as the conversion dwindled, Mamoru reminded her that he loved her. In addition to this spoken sentiment, Usagi felt a soft wave of encouragement and love of the earth’s energy, sent to her by its Prince.
“I love you too, Mamo-chan” Usagi stated as the conversation ended.
Outside was bright and sunny. The air was crisp and the April wind smelled of ripening fruits and flowers. Usagi walked to her college. Her degree had finished that March and now there were preparations for graduation. Usagi had done an associate’s degree in Home Economics, and with her elective classes, she had managed to also finish an extra program in Art, specifically in Painting. Her degree program allowed students to do several associates, but they were given less electives based on the amount of programs they did. Usagi went to the meeting at 10 and by 12:30, she was on her way to the hospital to visit Mamoru and bring him lunch. When she stepped into the hospital entrance, the hustle of the hospital was familiar at this point after a few years of visiting Mamoru at work.
“Usagi-chan!” Mori san called out form the reception desk, “how are you”
Usagi smiled at the woman who felt like a second mother to her.
“ Hello Mori san, how are you?”
“ I’m good and you?”
“ Great. Has Mamoru chan finished his shift?"
“ Not yet but he’s not on call right now, I can call him down?”
“ No not yet, you can call him when his shift officially ends, thank you”
It was about fifteen minutes later when Mamouru’s shift ended. During that time, Usagi sat down in the hospital cafeteria. It wasn’t too far from the research lab where Mamoru was working. It took a few extra minutes while Mori san paged Mamoru. Usagi walked back to the reception area and when he came down, he smiled at his wife.
“ Hey Usako” he called intimately.
Usagi smiled at him, happy to see him for the day before handing him the lunch she brought. She had learned a long time ago that it was best if she didn’t hug him. Several things, even the slightest could upset a patient and her outside germs were not the sterilised environment. Plus, she never really knew what Mamoru was doing right before he saw her. Once there had been a suspicious looking gunk on his lab coat and the sharp, strong scent of bleach. As they stood there taking and catching up as quick as they could, a gurney rushed into the waiting room. The patient, a young male was bleeding profusely from wounds in his stomach.
“Usagi! Don’t look” Mori san called out frantically, not wanting to scar the young woman with the bloody sight. But Usagi did and anyway and her magic unleashed.
The surge of power came almost forcefully and it reached out toward the bleeding man. After that, it was like a dam unblocked and all of the silver crystals’ power was going to the sick, the dying and the already dead. Usage felt the energy boost that came with using her magic and felt that boost build up, and suddenly drop as she came up against a wall. As quick as her impulse to help had risen and spiralled out in all directions, it had been stopped. Usagi turned her head and looked at Mamoru guiltily. This had been happening recently in short bursts every time she felt compelled to help someone. Which was a lot. Mamoru always helped bring her magic back in control. Considering she was on the earth and that she and Mamoru were partners, his magic flowed alongside hers and helped control it when needed.
MAMORU POV
Mamoru sighed a little holding the lunch in his hand. It was tiring for both of them to use their magic like this. Even though the magic came naturally, like an extension of their body, they unfortunately didn’t know how to predict Usagi’s sudden outbursts. The weird thing was, it wasn’t like she had lost control because every time the bursts happened the frequency of the power was lesser in the next burst. It was like the crystal was regulating its power or testing its own power, but he and Usagi were working on these bursts not draining them or magically going out of control like the last incident. Usagi smiled at him sadly interrupting his contemplation
“Bye Mamo chan” she said quietly before blowing him a kiss before leaving the hospital.
Mamoru worked through the rest of his shift, worry about his wife at the back of his mind.
After his shift he tracked her to a small neighbourhood park, close to their apartment, where she was on the swings. Usagi was petting the small black cat in her lap, that watched over her, but she did it absentmindedly as if she wasn’t really there. The park was small and hidden away, a hidden treasure. Mamoru said nothing but sat on the swing next to Usagi. Luna nodded at him and waited for Usagi to indicate if she wanted Luna to leave or not. At times like these, it was best for Usagi to state what she wanted and what would comfort her. When she made no such indication, Luna snuggled into her lap, and enjoyed the petting. She had been at Minako’s with Artemis for the weekend to bond, although Mina had dubbed it their “Feline Romance of Outer Space” with stars in her eyes. She had been on her way back to the apartment when she had felt the energy signature and found her way here.
Mamoru opened the leftover desserts that he hadn't been able to eat and held out a cookie. Usagi took the cookie before saying quietly,
“I'm sorry”
“It's okay Usagi”
“No it is not Mamo chan”
“Usako…”
Tears streaked silently down her face. Quiet tears that held to much bottled up frustration. Mamoru was always accustomed to Usagi’s theatrics when she cried but this quiet, heartfelt pain simply hurt. Mamoru rose from the swing and setting the desserts carefully on the swing, he moved to hug Usagi tightly. He held her close but loosely, aware of Luna, still in Usagi’s lap.
“It's okay Usako, just let it out. It’s better than trying to keep it bottled in. That tends to consume you, and not always in the best way.”
The magic flowed gently, as her tears slowly stopped. Mamoru, through his link to Usagi monitored the Crystal’s magic, he helped it to spread when it needed more reach, to disperse throughout the boundaries of the Earth. Usagi sighed and looked upwards at her husband. The mark of the moon kingdom shone bright and her hair appeared to have silver streaks along with the normal blonde. This lasted for about five minutes before Usagi slowly took control again and her appearance returned to normal. The park was covered in fresh green grass and blooming flora of all classification.
“Thanks Mamo chan. Thanks Luna” The cat licked Usagi’s hand gently before jumping off of her lap.
“Always. Are you ready to go home?” Usagi only nodded, tired but somehow energized by the burst of magic.
As they left, they didn't notice a familiar girl with purple eyes collapsed on the ground, surrounded by one of her guardians while the other two kept watch over their princess and prince to make sure no harm came to them.