Here's a short I wrote whilst in the midst of, oh, I dunno...a ZILLION fics, sigh, I'm a fic addict (writing AND reading!) Anyways, it's a song fic based on the ONLY Counting Crows song I like- found it by chance on the 'Cruel Intentions' soundtrack-called Colorblind. It may seem vague in some places and painfully literal in others but oh well! Rated G Standard disclaimers: Nothing in this fic belongs to me save for the fanciful and sap-saturated writing style! Enjoy! Annnnd ofcourse (you saw it coming didn't you? I though so) E-MAIL MOI!!! natia_99@yahoo.com peoples! Colorblind Serena brushed her long, long hair slowly. Sitting at her night table, facing herself in the mirror, in the dark of night, she felt overwhelmed. Her every fear alive and breathing. Her every doubt biting at her heart. I can't do this. I can't be a leader. I can't save the world. I can't fight anymore. I can't stand the mystery and danger and terror and frustration of this anymore! Who am I? I'm so far in to this I can't tell anymore. At the thought of mystery an image of Tuxedo Mask swam across her mind. She struggled to sort out her feelings for him. Her mysterious hero. Her cold protector, so hard on her, so quick to hit her with harsh words-and yet so willing to risk his own life for hers every dangerous moment of battle. Why does he arrive at every battle? How does he know? She sighed and rose to sit at her window. The Moon was slowly fading and the sun's faint hue edged the horizon. Another sleepless night. Serena threw on some clothes and headed out her window for the park. Just like every other morning. Catching the sunrise, creeping back home and trying to capture the night's sleep-her mother yelling for her to get up and face the day. I hate facing the day.... She walked slowly through the park to the lake and gazed out at the horizon. The beautiful trees, washed by the sun, perfect, blinding.... ********************************************** I am colorblind.... ********************************************** Darien sat in the arcade. He gazed unseeing at the paper, trying to distract himself. Trying to wash down his feelings with strong black coffee and breakfast. *********************************************** ...Coffee black and egg white Pull me out from inside... *********************************************** He'd never gone to bed. Still couldn't shake an eerie sense of another's melancholy. Couldn't bite back the urge to seek her out and comfort her somehow...? How can I go searching for her when I don't even know who I am? Who I am feeling? Sailormoon? The Princess? Why can I feel her like this? He shook his head a little bitterly, And doesn't she ever sleep? A couple entered chattering lightly and giggling as they sat down and ordered breakfast. He looked past them out the door. The park.... He tried to fight back the urge to go but lost. It was more than instinct. More than him. It was her. Serena stared out unseeing, trying to tell herself to be strong. Trying not to be afraid. Trying to gather enough courage to face the day. One day at a time... *********************************************** I am ready I am ready I am ready I am... *********************************************** Darien surprised her thus-well surprised might be a poor choice of words for he watched her some time before she noticed. She stood with her hair long and loose, the morning mists off the lake coiled round her ankles, her posture firm. She reminded him so much of the girl in his dreams that he froze and stood silent and still watching her. She was sad and afraid. The fact that it was Serena missed him completely. Somehow, in the reverie of such early and isolated morning, when every trick of reality was far away, it was no surprise to him at all. He ached to comfort her somehow but feared it. ************************************************* ...taffy stuck and tongue tied Stutter shook and uptight... ************************************************* Nothing had prepared him for this. In fact, everything had led to his isolation. Death, memory loss, an almost complete eliminating of his identity-save for fleeting dreams that Serena was now resembling. Save for the unstoppable need to protect a brave, unsteady young hero. Save for the strange connection to someone that had brought him to this park, aching to comfort her. It all sounded very romantic in the silence of his mind but reality was too closely attached to actually approaching her and making the connection in the real. At this moment she turned slightly, the sad, lost look in her eyes like his dream princess, the brave, determined turn of her chin so like Sailormoon....did she see me? He stood merely feet away, behind her, frozen. He watched her and decided, once and for all what to do, about everything. It had all come to making the decision, either to pursue or deny. His own, embittered upbringing had made him reluctant, but seeing Serena..... Terrified or not Unprepared or not Ready or not Here I come.... ************************************************** (....Pull me out from inside I am ready I am ready I am ready I am fine... ************************************************** With every step he took closer her thoughts echoed clear-though whispery-in his mind. I can't do this anymore. I'm not strong. I'm not brave. I don't know who I am anymore.... Darien came up beside her. Long gold hair spilling silent down her back, mist creeping round her skin, blue eyes sad and distant, she was a sight much lovelier than any sweet dream or mystery.....and still she was... He took her hand, reminding himself to breath, feeling the connection at last come home. Yes you can. She looked over startled but stayed silent at the sight of him. For all at once she knew. All at once, it came home. At that moment, no matter who he was in the real world, at that moment he was here for her. Soothing with his soft touch, blue eyes softer and careful, posture nervous and afraid. So the proud facade came crashing down and a pure soul lay beneath. She shivered at so intimate a reach from his heart to her own. I'll always protect you. I'll do anything to free you. Why does fate keep bringing us together? She heard his thoughts soft and insistent. One promise for Sailormoon. One promise for his Princess. One question for Serena.... The sensation of his hand, the echo of his thoughts, at last someone had reached her, found her, soothed and caressed the part of her kept hidden. And she knew by instinct that she had done the same for him.... *************************************************** I am covered in skin No one gets to come in Pull me out from inside I am folded, and unfolded and unfolding I am.... *************************************************** And so, in the deep of morning, in the dreamy mists of daybreak, a simple exchange. Darien soothed Serena. And Serena searched herself for what it was she could return and found the answer surfaced from a place in her heart she did not recognize... I can tell him who he is..... He turned her to face him slowly and raised a rose to her face, brushing the petals softly up her cheek before tucking it carefully in her hair. She smiled and caught his hand on the way back down, holding it to her face, shutting her eyes, searching him for the question and the answer. He watched her face intently....putting it together at last... Serena, Sailormoon....Princess? Are you all the same person? Her eyes opened slowly and he knew the truth. I've found you at last. Impossible to tell whose though it was, made purely between them. He drew her in close as the last of the moon faded away, the sun sifted smoothly through the clouds. The light bright and blinding.... ******************************************** ....colorblind.... ******************************************** He leaned down and laid a soft kiss on her lips. She felt herself returning it without realizing. Felt her arms slip round his neck as though it were familiar..? Am I in love? He held her tightly a moment, vulnerable, letting everything go, every defense down... She caught her breath at the rush of him so sudden.... Beautiful... Did I think that or did he? I can't tell anymore.... They pulled away gently, breathless, perfect. He caught her hand and led her back to the arcade. They sat down, still silent and he ordered breakfast... ********************************************** ...coffee black and egg white... ********************************************** The he walked her home, stood beneath her windowsill stroking her hair lightly, wondering what to say....how to bring it into the real... ********************************************** ....pull me out from inside... ********************************************** Serena searched his face, found his fears, and carefully, with ease and grace, gathered him up and soothed him with one, sweet touch. A kiss. When she pulled away his eyes were a very satisfying shade of dreamy. She smiled, which made him smile. She turned to climb back in but he stopped her, taking her arm, speaking words from his mouth for the first time, "I'll see you at the arcade later?" She grinned and nodded, "Ofcourse!" He returned the grin and released her, "Sweet dreams...." He never saw the flushed smile cross her face but walked away contented all the same. Hands in his pockets, walking as though he were suddenly lighter... ********************************************* ....I am ready (I am ready I am ready I am fine I am fine) I am fine.... ********************************************* Her thoughts pressed gently into him as he strode away... You're the sweet dream.....