Chapter Text
Loud screams weren’t unusual for the emergency room, especially as the evening drew to a lull and a few bored patients grew frustrated with the level of care they were receiving.
“As if they expected this to be a hotel,” Mamoru often thought after seeing a difficult and demanding patient.
But loud screams and crashes was unusual, which is why Mamoru found himself hurrying to the ER waiting room, where a youma had wandered into the entrance. The youma was making its appearance known by shooting power everywhere, zapping civilians with bolts of lightning it used as chains, forcing its victims to be shackled to pain. Mamoru, unable to transform amidst the chaos, instead started to grab patients and push them aside, away from harm’s way. Staff and patients were helping each other run towards the back part of the ER, away from the front door, where the youma stood, as an unfortunate few remained fettered to the monster’s gold chains.
A young boy tripped and fell while trying to run away, and the youma immediately refocused its concentration on him, his sharp teeth glinting as his lips formed a terrifying smile. Mamoru ran over and took the boy’s arm, pulling him up while keeping an eye on the youma, but the boy cried out.
“My foot! It hurts!”
“See if you can climb on my back.” Mamoru tried to pull the boy’s arms around his neck in an attempt to pull him onto his back, but the boy just cried out again, his hands shaking as he looked back at the youma.
“C’mon!” Mamoru yelled, trying to refocus his attention, but the youma was now towering over both of them, its smile now widening. Oh, if only he could transform…
“Hold it right there!”
And there she was, hands on hips, shining bright like a star. The crescent moon on her forehead gleamed in the fluorescent lights as her bright blue eyes glared at the youma from the ER entrance.
“Sailor Moon!” the young boy exclaimed, relief in his voice, and Mamoru couldn’t help but feel the same.
“A hospital is where people come to receive treatment and get better! It’s where people’s loved ones are cared for by the nurturers of the world! To attack one is absolutely unforgivable, and in the name of the moon, I, Sailor Moon, will punish you!”
The youma let out a growl and lunged for her, but she jumped up, landing beside Mamoru and the boy instead. She stood up and stepped in front of them, facing the youma. “Mam-- Dr. Chiba, you two have to leave now!”
“Where are the rest of the senshi?” Mamoru asked quietly, standing up with the boy on his back.
“Uh.” She glanced around her. “They should be here any moment, I think.”
“Usa, this isn’t safe,” he whispered, but she shook her head, now turning to them both.
“I’ll be alright!” she winked at the young boy, “I’m Sailor Moon, after all.”
Concern gnawed at his stomach, but he knew he had to get this civilian out of here. He nodded at her and turned, running towards the back of the ER. He had to quickly drop the kid off safely and transform -- Sailor Moon couldn’t fight alone, he wouldn’t do that to her.
“Here.” He knelt down in front of the nearest nursing station, where a few staff and patients were hiding. The boy slid off his shoulders. “You should stay here and hide with the others. I’m going to go find some--”
A loud crash from the front interrupted Mamoru’s thoughts and he found himself running back without a second thought. He arrived back at the ER’s entrance to see Sailor Moon twirling her wand, magic gathering in the baton and causing it to glow. Her focus was entirely on the youma, who seemed ready to charge at her despite her glowing wand, and let out a guttural roar.
He hadn’t seen her fight in years; being abroad (and technically dead, thanks Galaxia) had put Tuxedo Kamen on a temporary retirement, but there was something different about how she fought now from what he remembered. She still jumped around, waving her arms in surprise as she dodged the enemy’s attacks like a hopping bunny, but Mamoru felt like there was more….grace to her moves this time, and he couldn’t help but watch her with awe and pride.
“Mamo-chan, watch out!”
He barely registered her calling out to him before he felt a large blow hit him on his side, the force pushing him to the side of the waiting room. He felt someone’s back press against his front, and he glanced down.
How on Earth did she get to him so fast?
“Sailor Moon!” he called out, regret filling his chest as kneeled down, helping her up. “You shouldn’t have protected me, I--”
“You should get out of here,” she said worriedly, brushing off some debris off her knee. She had a small abrasion on her knee, but Mamoru didn’t trust her to not hide any other injuries she might have gotten. “It’s not safe, Mamo-chan.”
“I’m not leaving you.” He jammed his hand into his scrub pocket, rummaging through it. Where was that damned rose--?
“I’ll be fine!” she held up her scepter, which was continuing to glow. “You’re not transformed yet--”
“I can heal! You can’t!!”
“You’re wearing a white coat for protection, for fu--”
“Venus Love-Me Chain!”
The monster let out an angry growl as golden hearts formed a chain around its neck and attacking arm, pulling it back towards the owner of the chain. “Have no fear, Sailor Venus is here to save the lovers!”
“Minako-chan…” Sailor Moon grumbled, but a small smile formed on her lips as she gently pushed him, “Go, Mamo-chan.”
Mamoru just barely made it back to where he had dropped off the young boy before he heard Sailor Jupiter’s attack thunder down the front hall. A few of his attendings and fellow residents pulled him down to where they were crouched behind the desk, asking if he was okay, to which Mamoru just nodded, trying to hear the battle. He wanted to head back, make sure Usagi was safe, even if Minako had appeared.
But it was only seconds later that Sailor Moon finally yelled her signature attack, the monster’s final shrieks echoing throughout the corridor. A few moments later, she arrived, a tired smile on her face but her eyes shining kindly. “Everyone is safe! The monster has been taken care of, and we thank you for your patience.”
A chorus of “thank you”s buzzed around them as patients and staff alike started to shuffle out of the nursing station, but Mamoru stood still, still in awe. He hadn’t seen her fight in so long that it felt like she had become a different fighter, a different leader that knew how to talk to people.
Like a queen speaking to her subjects.
“Mamo-- erm, Dr. Chiba?” she turned to him, smiling, “Are you alright?”
Mamoru didn’t know what had come over him, but he strode over to her in two large steps and pulled her into a hug, ignoring the surprised squeak she gave. “I am now,” he whispered. “Now that Sailor Moon saved the day.”
Sailor Moon’s surprise gave away immediately and she hugged him back. He wanted to apologize for being gone for so long, for making her fight without him, but he wanted to tell her how proud he was of her, to let her know how amazing she was. He let his face sink in her shoulder, not wanting to let go of her. “Usa, I--”
Someone cleared their throat loudly behind them, and Mamoru jolted back to reality.
“If Sailor Moon would like to stop hugging random civilians, ” Sailor Mars said, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. “We have to get going.”
“Right!” Sailor Moon pulled away, her giant wings hovering over her arms and indicating that she didn’t want to pull away. “I, um, wanted to thank you for helping me evacuate, Dr. Chiba.”
“Of course.” He nodded. “I’ll…see you later.”
Sailor Moon turned to head out after her fiery companion, pausing briefly by the end of the corridor to face Mamoru. She held up her hand and winked, a giggle escaping her lips. “Adieu.”
Mamoru’s cheeks flushed deeply and he jammed his hands in his white coat’s pockets, looking down at the floor. How was he supposed to react to that?
“Damn, Chiba.” His co-resident Kenichi walked over to him, elbowing him. “Does Usagi know you’re on speaking terms with Juuban’s local superhero? Let alone hugging terms?”
Mamoru covered his face with his hands.