Oh, one more thing...these characters aren't mine! I am completely indebted to the immortal Naoko Takeuchi-sama for her amazing work. The only thing I can do is yaoi-ize her world.

Water immersed his body. It flooded his eyes, his ears, his lungs. It coursed through his body, becoming one with him. He was drowning.

Mamoru awoke to a dimly lit room, distorted by the fluid that surrounded him. He shifted positions, floating in the moderate crystal chamber that encased his body. He could move, see, and breathe; he didn't even really feel wet. What had happened to him, he wondered?

"Usako," he murmured, his thoughts drifting back to his beautiful dumpling head. He remembered her in danger...he had moved to protect her...

The squeaking of a door drew his attention away from his predicament, and he slowly focused in on the figure standing just outside his icy prison.

"Mamoru-kun," the figure spoke in a low tone, watching him.

"Fiore," he responded, an edge to his normally calm, deep voice.

Mamoru listened intently as his old friend reminisced about their time together as children, then told him of his evil plan to annihilate the people of Earth.

Mamoru stared in disbelief. Fiore was going to destroy the whole world...over him.

"You can't do this!"

"Why, Mamoru-kun, you sound upset," the young man said moving closer to the glass.

"Upset? Of course I'm upset," Mamoru snapped, "Did you see how you hurt those girls? How you're going to hurt everyone on Earth? Do you even care?!" His voice cracked as he thought of his Usagi, cringing on the ground in fear.

Fiore took a step back, a look of pain flickering across his dark blue eyes.

"Of course I care, Mamoru-kun. I didn't want to hurt them. I only want to repay you for your kindness -"

"By hurting my friends? By attacking the woman I LOVE?"

Fiore's face crumpled at his words.

"But they never really cared for you! They never felt the loneliness we felt!" he grasped for anything he could find, trying to make sense of his twisted, manipulated logic.

Mamoru was taken aback. This just wasn't his friend talking. There were shadows of him, reaching for the surface, but they couldn't break through. It was that flower, that evil, sentient flower! He glared at the tiny, pink weed attached to Fiore's jacket. If only Mamoru could get him away from it, maybe he could free him, and, in turn, free himself. A hundred thoughts raced through his mind. He needed to act fast.

"Fiore," he whispered, "I...I need you. My injuries, I hurt..." he grimaced, for added effect. He placed his hands flat against the crystal surface. Fiore responded, placing his hands against Mamoru's. The thin, clear wall seemed to melt away beneath their touch. Suddenly, Mamoru felt Fiore's fingers lace through his.

"Please, Fiore," he whispered again, "Come back down to my level."

His hands moved down Fiore's arms, to the clasps of his jacket, unhooking them. Fiore watched in silence, his heartbeat quickening. The flower screamed in his brain, realizing what was happening. But Fiore didn't care. He let Mamoru slip the jacket off his body, leaving it outside the crystal chamber.

Fiore slipped completely inside, letting the fluid engulf him. Mamoru slowly detached his cape, then slipped off his black coat. They joined the jacket outside their world.

"Mamoru..."

"See? We're equal now," Mamoru said, allowing himself to smile.

Fiore's eyes scanned Mamoru's body, then his own, a smile creeping across his face.

"We'll never be equal, Mamoru-kun."

Mamoru blushed slightly, staring at the alien boy. He was beautiful when he smiled. It lit up his face. He desperately wanted to touch it, to see if this was all just a dream. He lifted his hand, brushing it gently across Fiore's pale blue cheek. Their eyes met, two shades of blue staring intently at each other. Nighttime sky meets the day. They were frozen, like the crystal surrounding them. Fiore shattered the icy air as he moved to Mamoru, hesitant to be near him. His fingers traced the handsome boy's features, down his cheekbone, gently across his eyelids, along the outline of his lips. Mamoru moved next, pale white on ice blue, beautiful alien face beneath his fingers. His mouth opened slightly as Fiore traced his lips, letting his fingers slip inside. His eyes closed unconsciously as he sucked tenderly on Fiore. He pulled out slowly, leaving Mamoru gasping for him, a soft flush to his face.

"Fiore."

"Mamo-kun."

"You were such a good friend, Fiore. I...I needed you, in the hospital. I was so...so lonely without you..." He leaned closer to him, whispering his words. Fiore moved to meet him, hoping to feel his warm breath against his lips, but the liquid of the chamber sucked all life from the words.

"I loved you then, as much as a little boy could..."

Fiore caught the words in his mouth, breathing them in, tasting them. He leaned in for more, capturing every luscious phrase before it could escape into the heartless fluid. Mamoru felt the soft, blue lips against his own, and pulled back.

"Fiore, I-"

Two words had escaped. He would not tolerate that anymore! He lunged at him, toppling the Earth-boy off balance and claiming his mouth. They floated through the chamber till they reached another wall. Mamoru struggled, struggled half-heartedly, relented. Fiore felt him relax between his body and the crystal wall, felt the mouth respond, felt the arms slip around him, fingers running through his long blue hair. He sucked tenderly on Mamoru's lower lip, escaping into sensuality. He began unbuttoning Mamoru's shirt, running his hands along his chest. His soft blue lips traced a line of kisses down Mamoru's neck, coaxing a low moan from the boy.

"Mm, Fiore-kun," he murmured, before sucking on the tips of Fiore's sexy pointed ears.

"Mamo-kun," he mumbled in response, "suki da."

"Suki da, Fiore-kun."

Mamoru had always wondered if Fiore was blue all over. He was finally going to find out.

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