Venus stood on the Senshi training grounds with her sword in hand. She seemed distracted as she held her sword in front of her prepared to parry a blow from an imaginary attacker. Kunzite watched her mesmerized by the sheer beauty of her pose. Time seemed frozen around her as she held still, not moving once despite the obvious weight of the sword.
“Minako,” Kunzite finally spoke up, walking closer to approach her.
“Kunzite,” she replied dryly still not moving from her pose nor turning her head to look at him.
“Did you defeat your opponent or are you waiting for one?” Despite her tone he kept his voice light.
“Are you offering a challenge?”
“If you see me as an opponent I’m going to assume that you are still angry with me.”
“Well I guess that just shows that neither of us are that naïve.” As she turned her head to look at him he noticed that her eyes were cold and emotionless.
Accepting her words as a challenge, he approached her and withdrew his own sword bringing it up to clang against her own. “I’m not going to leave here today with you angry at me.”
“I would think you’d be use to it by now,” she goaded him, swinging her sword with a downward motion so that the tip rested out against the ground. He matched her action and they stared off for a moment before he made the first move.
“And how long will you be mad at me this time?”
“Until you decide that you are done being pig-headed.”
“Pig-headed? That’s a new one from you.” They continued to exchange blows with their swords. “You’re leaving yourself open in your attack.”
She frowned in response and picked up the intensity of her attack. “Then beat me.” His response came in the form of a smile. He watched as she repeated the sequence of her attack and as soon as she swung her blade wide he lunged his sword at her side, the edge slicing the side of her fuku. She spun away too late, realizing that had he really been attacking her she would be dead. Her finger quickly raised and a beam of light shot from her finger. “Crescent Beam!”
Kunzite jumped out of the way gripping his sword tightly in anger. “I thought this was going to be a fair fight.”
“And I thought that you promised to stop trying to ‘protect’ me as you put it.”
“For the sake of our kingdoms -.”
“Stop! Don’t tell me about our kingdoms! This is about you and me. I am Serenity’s guardian – I don’t need one of my own. What you are doing is too much, it’s overwhelming.”
“I’m trying to do the right thing.”
Venus walked over to him and shoved him so that he was pushed back several steps. “The right thing?”
“We can’t let ourselves be distracted….”
“You pursued me. If not for you we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”
“For me? I’m sure the feeling was mutual at the time.”
“And it still is,” her voice notably softened. “I have given you a choice. I want all of you or none of you. It’s up to you which one it will be.”
With a shake of his head he walked around her, watching her from each angle. She turned her head as far to each side as she could, keeping her eyes trained on his. “You favor your right side and expose your left. When you attack with your sword you need to break your pattern and make it less predictable instead of moving in a cycle.” He came to a stop in front of her and brought his sword back up to eye level. Hesitantly she brought her sword back up as well. Again he made the first move and watched as she cycled through her usual pattern. ‘Stubborn,’ he thought to himself and he moved in to make his finishing blow to her undefended side. Although this time when he lunged she spun around from her opposite side and swung her blade down to rest along the side of his neck. “Better.” He could hear her breath coming out fast and ragged from their work out, her frustration was written clearly on her face. She stood silently with her blade still pressed to his neck and he wondered for a moment if she was considering pushing the blade further. “Minako….” he started.
She shook her head signaling for him not to continue. “I don’t want to hear your answer Kunzite. Perhaps it’s best if you leave now with the rest of your party.” Slowly she lowered the blade from his neck and took a step back.
He sheathed his own sword and in turn stepped forward to place his hand over her sword hand. His other hand moved to cup her face and she attempted to turn away from him, not wanting to hear his words and promises. “Minako,” he started again bringing her face back to look at him. “You’re right. It is unfair of me to act as your protector, you don’t need me in that sense.”
“Don’t explain yourself to me,” she pleaded.
“I’m not going to; I just wanted you to know that.” He pulled her close and kissed her. “I want all of you Minako and I know it’s only fair to give you all of me in return.” Her eyes looked up at him full of hope at his words and he pressed his forehead down against hers. With a loud clang, her sword fell to the ground forgotten as she wrapped her arms around him. “When I return next, we’ll try again.” She nodded her head and he leaned forward to capture her lips in a kiss.
