(no subject)

[verygassy]

Characters: Minako and OPEN
Content: Minako is frustrated and accidentally leaves something out in the open. Hilarity Surprise ensues - and perhaps some color.
Location: The cafeteria deck.
Time of Day: Late night.
Warnings: Possible angst.

She couldn't do it.

Every time she tried, her hand would suddenly jerk. When she tried to erase, her work would smudge. Every time.

Another attempted picture of her friends back home ruined. And every time she looked up at the clock...aah, it felt maddening. Things that took forever for her to do suddenly took forever. Like in Pluto's time stop. Everything was stopped.

Why was this affecting her so much? She wanted to fight. She wanted to continue fighting, to stop the Mads. It shouldn't have been so hard. She'd been doing it for over a year. And then, suddenly, when things became black and white, it got...harder. She began to feel like giving up. She'd never see her friends again, so what was the point? No. No, she would. She'd remember their faces. She'd fight for the chance for everyone to see their loved ones--

--and yet simple stick drawings of her friends in her diary turned to crud. Even simply writing, she had no control. Five pages of "Everything is swell!" "Everything is shiny!" "I have never been happier!" No matter how hard she tried.

Finally, she'd had it. In frustration and anger, she swatted her diary and her drink away, causing both to fly off her table. The drink shattered; the diary fell on the floor, half open, with bits and pieces of paper falling out of them underneath.

Like a kid with a temper tantrum. A powerless kid. Not like the leader she was supposed to be. The person who saved her friends and loved ones, who was a soldier of love.

Minako stood up, her face in her hands. She needed to stop. She needed some air. She needed to breathe and relax. Take a walk. And when she came back, the diary would go back to her room with her and the glass would be cleaned up as if she were never there. She'd be back to her chipper self in the morning and no one would suspect a thing.

And so she left, certain no one else was up at such a late hour.

The diary - her secret diary, a thing she kept hidden even from Cambot - remained.

Comments

[liefeldisgod]

90s Kids brows furrowed, taking a few quick strides to stand next to her. He almost wanted to reach out to her, but he hesitated. She'd probably cut his hand off.

"Well...if you need someone to talk too, I could...you know..."

[verygassy]

Slap it? Maybe. Cut it off? Now that's just cruel.

But it might stand to note, that Minako steps away. However, its not so much in revulsion, so much as...something else. Perhaps something else that 90s Kid hadn't noticed before what with his glasses making it difficult to see things as clearly.

Fear.

"I don't know if you'd be the right person to talk to."

[liefeldisgod]

He makes a slight, subtle retreat as Minako moves away from him, scanning her cautiously.

"Well...I'm here. And I'm--" he almost said 'I'm your husband,' but he stopped himself. Maybe he could be taught after all.

"I'm worried about you."

[verygassy]

Now that got Minako's attention. She looks stunned.

"Worried?" She almost looks hurt. "After everything, why?"

She shook her head, angrily. No. No no no. This wasn't supposed to be how he acted after all this time! That hug, sure, but everything else--

"Haven't you realized yet? I don't deserve to be worried about by you!"

don't worry Mina, he'll be back to his old stupid self sooner or later <3

[liefeldisgod]

To be honest he wasn't even sure himself why he was acting this way. Maybe the things everybody was saying were finally starting to sink in. But whatever the reason, he drew back again at her interjection, looking baffled, maybe even a little hurt himself.

"How can you say that?"

[verygassy]

"Because I'm not worth it."

Its simple as that.

"If you keep pursuing me...you'll just keep getting hurt."

[liefeldisgod]

90s Kid just blinked again, letting a small smile try to come onto his face.

"Well chya. You're way out of my league, I know that!"

He risked a step closer, still trying to read her.

"But don't you go saying you're not worth it. You're the most amazing chick I've ever met! The things I've seen you do, the sketches you come up with...gosh, I don't know how you do it!"

[verygassy]

"No, you're wrong." Minako shook her head. "I'm not amazing at all. Not like that. I'm the one girl you shouldn't have married or fallen in love with."

At this, she looked out the window. She really couldn't just keep pushing him away. Not without explaining.

"I have...a really bad record when it comes to guys who get too close to me."

[liefeldisgod]

The smile he was attempting fell at that. How can she say that about herself? What what did she mean bad record? Didn't every beautiful chick have someone in the past?

"What are you talking about, dudette?"

[verygassy]

A silence.

"...I'm cursed." Beat. "No, I'm...really cursed. Any man who falls for me...or me for them. They will never be able to have me."

[liefeldisgod]

"...what?"

[verygassy]

Minako closed her eyes.

"All men who love me are destined to never be with me. They will find someone else, or...or die. Because I must always choose something more important than love. And my fate is a cruel one."

Just as she was cruel. Cruel and unapproachable goddess of love.

[liefeldisgod]

90s Kid was quiet for a while, looking away.

"But...I've already died," he tried to force another smile, "And here I am."

He let himself get bold again, stepping forward and reaching out slowly to take her hand.

"And anyway, what could be more important than love?"

[verygassy]

This time - this time she lets him take it.

"Duty."

[liefeldisgod]

"Duty?"

[verygassy]

"My duty. I..."

How...could she say it?

"90s Kid...please, if I tell you this...I don't want anyone else to know. Promise me you won't tell anyone."

[liefeldisgod]

90s Kid's eyes went a little wide, looking straight at Minako. What could she want to tell him? Him of all people?

"I-I promise."

[verygassy]

She's quiet, before she speaks again.

"I...back home, I have a mission to protect Earth. This...is the most important thing to me. Because of this, I've been cursed to never have love..."

At this, she looked at 90's Kid.

"And those who do love me...or I them...will belong to another, never love me, or die terribly for my decision."

[liefeldisgod]

90s Kid's face fell.

"But....that's not fair. Why would they do that? I-I mean...they do that in comic books all the time! And look at Linkara and Liz!

It's...it's just not fair. Minako, why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

[verygassy]

"Because that's the price of my mission." Minako wiped her eyes. "I'd have preferred...the day we go home...even now. I wish that you'd think of me as a horrible person who just hated you completely and kept her distance because she was a bitch. Instead of the girl who cursed you to die and didn't have the power to stop it."

She had been devastated that day he was killed. But now, she wasn't going to cry. She wasn't. She wasn't. And still her cheeks feel wet.

"Even if I had told you before, would you have even believed me? Or would you have thought I was just trying to toy with you, that I was just making an excuse to not spend time with you?"

[liefeldisgod]

90s Kid just fell silent, letting his eyes fall to the floor for a moment, biting his lip.

[verygassy]

"...You know you wouldn't have." Minako grabbed her arm. "I wouldn't have blamed you, you know. But...I also didn't want you to get dragged into me problems, if I'd told you. It might have made things worse."

Suddenly, Minako's bow was the palest shade of mauve.

"Especially since...we'll be apart again anyways. We're destined to one day leave this ship. We might never see each other again after we're freed. And then you'll live the rest of your life...wanting something you can never have."

A little more than mauve.

"At least if I could have made you hate me...you'd find it easier to forget me."

[liefeldisgod]

A long silence followed, 90s Kid seeming like he wasn't going to say anything. He didn't even notice her bow changing color.

"...Minako."

He leaned forward slightly to ensure that they made eye contact.

"I dunno what's gonna happen after we all go home. Of course we'll all have to get out of here, I mean, chya! But even if I never see you again...I'd rather that then never knowing you. I'll take my chances; I've already died twice, remember? I've never felt this way about anyone before. Not even Catwoman! I don't care what happens. Even if you don't like me...I'm glad that I've had the chance to meet you, to kinda even know you."

His voice got slightly lower as the slightest hue of blue returned to his own eyes.

"I love you."

[verygassy]

"You-"

There was a long, long silence at this. Minako stared at 90s Kid, a mixture of horror and shock on her face. He loved her?! Even after--

She reacted, after several moments, at last.

She started to cry.

[liefeldisgod]

90s Kid's brows furrowed as she cried, feeling like he'd been punched in the gut. He never wanted to hurt her. The guilt was written all over his face.

He hesitantly stepped forward, resting a hand slowly on her shoulder, his other hand brushing a tear away from her cheek.

"Minako..."