There was a soft knock at the door.
“Come in!”
The door opened and he peered around the door, familiar cat eyes. “You wanted to see me, Small Lady?”
Usagi spun around on her stool and clapped. “Zoisite! You’re awake!”
“As you see,” he said, stepping into the room with a smile. “You could have woken me.”
“No. Doesn’t matter how advanced technology gets, nothing is going to eliminate jetlag. You needed to sleep. How are you feeling?”
“Well rested,” he assured her, walking forward and perching on the end of her bed. “Now, why did you want to see me?”
“I wanted your advice.”
“Mine?” He looked faintly puzzled. “I will do my best to help you, Small Lady, but why not one of the senshi –?”
“Because I need a man’s opinion,” Usagi answered decisively, getting up and going to her wardrobe. “This is for my 1000th birthday and… and someone special is coming for the celebrations.” She blushed, her cheeks turning the colour of her hair.
Zoisite looked at the floor and smiled to himself. “I see.”
“And you’re the only one who’d take me seriously,” she added, glancing at him over her shoulder. “There’s no way I could ask Jadeite or Nephrite and Kunzite…” She paused. “Well, he’s not here. He’s never here.”
There was a definite touch of resentment there and Zoisite was once again struck by Small Lady’s resemblance to her father. It was the exact same tone that Endymion had used back in Elysion when Kunzite was gone.
“You know that’s not fair, Small Lady,” he said gently. “He has a lot to do.”
“He’s never here,” Usagi insisted, knowing that she sounded childish, but she couldn’t help it. “And even when he is here, he’s with Papa or with Venus…” She stopped. “Not that I mind him spending time with Venus! I mean, it’s good that they’re happy. I’m glad! But…”
“Small Lady, he can’t be everywhere at once.” And it didn’t help that Venus tended to monopolise Kunzite, but he wasn’t going to say that. “Kunzite will be here for your birthday, no matter what. You know that. Now, shall we concentrate on the matter at hand?”
Usagi took a deep breath and nodded. She picked two dresses out of the wardrobe and laid them on the bed. “I can’t decide.”
“I thought you liked pink.”
She rolled her eyes. “I do, but it’s not the only colour in the world and… sometimes I think I’m too pink.” She tugged at a lock of hair to illustrate her point. “I’ve always worn it and I… I don’t want to look like a little girl,” she confessed, sitting down.
“But black?” he murmured, touching the other dress. It was chiffon, whispering seductively against his fingertips. “It’s a lovely style but I wouldn’t have thought…”
“It makes you seem older!” Usagi said, her chin jutting out defiantly. “And that’s what I want.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that…” He knew that he couldn’t explain. She didn’t remember that period of her life, she was lucky. Unlike them, she didn’t have to deal with any memories. And therefore she did not know why wearing black was such a bad idea. He could just imagine the looks on her parents’ and friends faces if she wore this dress and it was not a pleasant vision. “Black is too extreme, Small Lady. And I don’t think it would suit you anyway. It would drain you, make you look too white. No black. If you want to appear a little older, I would mix a little colour in with the pink.”
She looked dubious. “Such as?”
“Well… lavender, perhaps.”
Usagi blinked. “Lavender and pink?”
“Lavender would look lovely on you and it would also be a nice tribute to your father. A nod to your Earth heritage. Most importantly, it goes with pink and it will bring out your eyes.” He nodded. He could just see it: a pink dress with a pattern of lavender sprigs picked out over the bodice and a lavender sash tied up to echo the bow of her senshi uniform.
“Do you really think that would work?” Usagi asked hopefully.
“Yes, I do. It will be a nice surprise for your parents and this… special guest.”
She blushed again, rosy and wholesome. Zoisite resisted the urge to pinch her cheek.
“Anything else?” he asked.
“Did you see Mercury in Paris? She went there for a doctors’ conference, so I thought you might have… I know it’s a big city.” Her eyes were so full of hope that he had to look away.
“We bumped into each other briefly, yes, but she was busy.”
“Oh,” she said, disappointment palpable. She wanted so badly for them to understand each other. “I suppose that’s not surprising. She’s always busy with something…”
Zoisite reached out and gently tugged a strand of hair, bringing her attention back to the present. “Don’t give up pink, totally, Small Lady. We like you being romantic.”
She giggled. “I promise I won’t ever stop being romantic, Zoisite.”
“That’s a relief.” He got up. “Let me know when you’ve had the dress altered.”
“Of course!” She grinned at him. “You’re my official Dress Approver.”
“Now there’s a title with prestige. I can already see the doors of the fashion world opening to me. Make way for the Princess’s Official Dress Approver!”
She was still giggling when he shut the door.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters. They both belong to Naoko Takeuchi, as does the rest of Sailor Moon.
