1627/Plant Your Hope in Good Soil

Plant Your Hope in Good Soil
Date of Scene:	17 June 2016
Location:	Earth Court Frat House
Synopsis:	Usagi sneaks over to put Mamoru's hand in a jar of faintly glowing ginzuishou-magicked dirt. Inevitably, he wakes up hella confused. Equally inevitably, they are eye-wateringly adorable.
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Usagi Tsukino

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Mamoru Chiba has posed:
After telling Jadeite to buzz off because of a desire for alone-time that can indeed be granted to Sailor Moon of all people (who better to defend Mamoru, after all?), Usagi's faced with her boyfriend fast asleep on the couch he's been occupying for the last, what, two weeks? It's been a while, it's been a pretty miserable while, and since he's spent so much of that time sleeping, he hasn't been very good company.

Just pretty.

Very pretty, and not in such clear pain when he's sleeping-- slender, long-fingered hands idle if curled a little overmuch, face clear and peaceful if too pale, black locks unruly. He needs a haircut. He's wearing very soft pajamas that Usagi got him. The bedspread's been shoved off the couch and is on the floor next to it, for having been too heavy; the coffee table is still full of things, even if it's back to only things for one person, since Endymion'd fixed Nephrite in a hurry.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It should be noted that the buzz off came in true Usagi fashion. Large eyes and a quivering lip. Add in a few forlorn sighs...

For the past several minutes, she hasn't been doing anything other than watching him sleep. Crouched down low, jar of dirt in her arms, she just...gets a much needed wave of relaxation that comes from this.

With Makoto missing, Fiore on the loose, and, well, Sleeping Beauty here, it's been a bit of a stressful couple weeks.

Finally her calves threaten to revolt and cramp.

And, well, relaxing as this is, unlike what the myths say, she does prefer it when he's awake.

Well, actually, this is the perfect time to test a theory! ...Even if Kunzite told her not to.

Careful, quietly, she shifts until she's on her knees. Carefully, quietly, sets the jar of dirt on the floor.

Then, carefully and gently, she takes his hand and lowers it to the jar...

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
And that excessively pretty boy sleeping on the couch is so completely out-- it must be because of all the energy he used up on fixing Nephrite-- that he doesn't even stir when Usagi touches him, moves his arm, takes his hand. His hand is feverishly hot.

She lowers his hand slowly and silently into the jar, and he doesn't wake, he doesn't wake, but the contact with his sleeping self starts to bleed through to Usagi in a way that it never really has before. It doesn't take over her senses, but she'll be aware in stages of a riot of colors and impressions and sounds, of distress and grasping, of frustration and fear, of shivering forests and oceans that sing desperate apologies and ask for help, of threads of awareness reaching and reaching and trying to hold all of it close and safe but weakening and beginning to crumble.

She'll be aware of how all of that pauses to take note when his fingers come in contact with the clean earth, aura silvery-purified, as uncontaminated as moon dust but as vital as any field's rich loam.

And she'll certainly be aware, on more than one level, of Mamoru's consciousness coalescing and rising to the surface in slow, delayed response to her touch and to "--what are you doing?" comes her boyfriend's voice in bleary confusion.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Her throat is tight at the images and emotions that assault her, eyes stinging. She can do something about this, but no one will let her.

She swallows and clears her throat. "Well, if Kunzite asks, I am not planting you."

Suddenly she shifts a bit, nervous because oh goodness this is ridiculous. "I, um, I got you...a jar of dirt. And then...I made it better."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru looks no less confused, but it's probably a cute kind of confused, because he's sleepy and disoriented and not at all annoyed. His gaze slides from her face to his hand, and his brow furrows very slightly. "It's very quiet," he says after a long moment. "And you did... magic it? Dirt--?" It's a breathless, rueful half-laugh, apologetic for its bewilderment.

He withdraws his hand from the dirt slowly, then carefully curls his much larger hand around Usagi's. "I can't have my hand in there... but maybe the jar in the couch? Under the pillow?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi bites her lip and nods. "I used the crystal."

It's a soft admission, and her tone suggests that she realizes this may upset him but for this she doesn't care.

And she doesn't care that she wonders if his hand will scorch her skin if left in contact for too long, because she'd endure it.

She smiles at him and, with careful shifting, manages to squeeze the jar of dirt where it's close by but not too lumpy. "I don't know if it even works, but I had to try something." Her smile turns teasing. "Besides. If nothing else, I got Kunzite to marathon Pirates of the Carribean with me."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"...so that wasn't a dream," Mamoru says with the smallest laugh. His eyes are half lidded, thinking, then. "Can't you use escalation instead of the raw crystal? It's safer for you..."

With Usagi's hands free of the jar, he pulls at her a little. "Come up here," he whispers, "I'll make room for you. I'm just going to fall asleep again, but if you're not busy--"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi shakes her head, eyes glittering with laughter. "Nope, not a dream. And don't let him lie to you, I bet he loved it."

She snorts a little as she joins him on the couch. "It was a slow release. Kind of like...loosening your tummy muscles. But...I could give that a try."

After all, it's probably not healthy for him to be all worried.

"Silly. I chased Jadeite away so I can have cuddle time." She reaches over and grabs the remote before they're all completely settled and puts it along the back of the couch. "And when you do fall asleep, I'll just watch television."

Actually, she'd more likely be staring at the screen as she obsesses and worries over Makoto.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
And with the fragile, shielding bubble of silvery magic contained in a jar of earth, and with Usagi settled on the couch and Mamoru having laboriously pushed himself up and then rearranged himself to put his head on her lap, the prince breathes easier. He still doesn't move overmuch, but she can tell he's less tense even before he falls asleep again. But there are important things he has to say before he does, so he doesn't forget them.

"It'll be okay," he says, voice weightless. "You'll save her. You girls and Neph."

"It'll be okay. And the wand-- it's for focus, it's so you don't waste energy when you use the crystal..."

"I love you so much."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Her lip trembles, but she manages to not cry. But it's at that just barely point, where she needs to hold her breath and blink several times. The 'I know' is mouthed, though. Possibly even breathed.

She clears her throat and turns her focus to watching him drift, focusing instead on, even though it's not enough, the jar of dirt seems have helped, even if only just a touch.

Her smile is warm, affectionate, and her fingers barely ghost over his hair. "I love you, too. Always."

For some reason, that those would be the last words he hears as he drifts off, sends a warm fuzzy.