"My Queen?"

Usagi turned to see Rei, looking solemn but with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She gave a polite smile to the dignitary she was speaking to (whose name escaped her - hey, she can't be perfect) and said, "Excuse me, I must speak to security," before going off for a little bit more privacy.

"Not that I don't appreciate the save," Usagi murmured wryly to her friend, "but did you need something or was that just to help me?"

Rei, who was the most skilled in subterfuge and acting the part of Scary Serious Senshi, was clearly trying very hard not to laugh. "It's not you who needed help," she said under her breath, strained with mirth.

"Oh?" Usagi raised a queenly eyebrow (she'd gotten pretty good at acting Mature and Dignified after a few centuries as queen, even if it was exhausting).

"No. But your husband, on the other hand..."

Rei gestured subtly and Usagi followed with her eyes. Mamoru was across the ballroom, surrounded by...

Oh, no.

Usagi bit her lip and covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile.

Of course her Mamo-chan was surrounded by fawning men and women. Why wouldn't he. Usagi swore he was like some kind of human catnip. Peoplenip. Desperate-please-love-me-nip.

To his credit, he didn't seem uncomfortable to the average observer, but Usagi could tell even from this distance that he was tense and, likely, unflinchingly polite and diplomatic. Usagi composed herself and lowered her hand after a delicate cough and slid her eyes to Rei.

"So instead of rescuing him, you came to get me?"

Rei raised her eyebrows slightly. She said, loftily, "Saving the King from clingy suitors isn't my job. I'm pretty sure that's yours, or have you forgotten?"

No. No, Usagi had not forgotten. She spent practically her entire adolescence and young adulthood saving Mamoru from poor souls that had fallen in unrequited love with him. Or saving him from being brainwashed. Or saving him from being kidnapped.

It was kind of their thing.

(Of course, he'd done his fair share of saving and helping her, but the sheer amount of times she'd had to rescue him from someone's clutches was bordering on exasperating.)

"I'm telling him you left him to the wolves."

Rei just raised an eyebrow.

Usagi rolled her eyes. She schooled her face into Warm but Stern Gentility (and, ugh, the fact she even had to know what that word meant drove her up the wall sometimes, when she was missing just being Mamoru's wife) and headed across the room to slay a few dragons.

With kindness.

As she approached, Mamoru's eyes met hers over the heads of his aspiring harem, pleading with her. It was very hard for her to keep from laughing at him - she remembered a time when Mamoru was more oblivious to the flirting and attention but apparently her jealous streak as a teenager had opened his eyes and he's been uncomfortable ever since. She knew that if it was truly horrible, he would make excuses for himself, but Usagi's husband was entirely too kindhearted for his own good.

And so, Sailor Moon was to his rescue once more.

(In the early days, when she was still in her first century with a baby on the way, she'd been appalled and angry at the overt flirting and propositioning. She'd caused more than a few incidents before Mamoru sat her down for a Talk which ended up with her working through her jealousy issues once and for all. That wasn't to say she didn't still have problems but she could find humor in it, now. Her centuries-long marriage and unshakeable faith in their love helped.)

She parted the crowd of men, women, and other gendered people with ease (perks of the job). Her hand slipped into the crook of Mamoru's arm and she turned a beautiful, blinding smile to his gathered audience. (A few swooned. Another perk of the job.)

"I apologize but I must steal my husband away for a moment. I do hope you're all enjoying your night." With that, they swanned out, Rei dogging their steps to discourage any of the ambassadors from stopping them.

Usagi pulled Mamoru into a vacant side room and locked the door behind him, Rei wordlessly standing guard.

He let out a long, tired sigh and collapsed onto one of the (surprisingly comfy) sofas. Usagi smiled fondly and went around the back, massaging his tense shoulders. He tipped his head back to squint blearily at her.

"This wouldn't be such a problem if you weren't so wonderful and handsome," she teased gently. His groan at her words turned into a pleased moan as she dug her thumbs into a particularly stubborn knot.

"Remember when you threw a fit whenever someone started hitting on me? I miss that."

Usagi finally laughed. "No, you don't. You definitely don't miss having to clean up my diplomatic messes, either."

His lips quirked upward. "But tearing off a general's stars and bars does make for a hilarious story."

Usagi frowned and muttered darkly, "He deserved it."

Look, Usagi might be queen of the whole planet (and a few besides) and the messiah and holder of the holy grail, but she wasn't a saint.

Mamoru's eyes crinkled with affection as he stared up at her. He was, she thought, entirely too handsome. She leaned down to kiss his forehead, stroking his cheek as she pulled back.

"I think I can guarantee us ten more minutes of peace before we have to go face the wolves again."

Slumping down further, Mamoru covered his face with his hands. "As long as you promise not to abandon me again," he said, voice muffled and plaintive.

Suddenly overcome with love and fondness for this ridiculous man, Usagi slid onto the seat beside him and curled into his side, uncaring of the wrinkles she was most certainly putting into her dress. "I have never abandoned you," she whispered against his neck, pressing her lips into the skin above his collar. She pulled one of his hands from his face and laced her fingers through his, kissing the back of his hand and the inside of his wrist. "I will always save you."

She felt his free hand cup her cheek and guide her head up, tilting her head back to kiss her softly, gently, gratefully. "I know," he breathed against her mouth. "You always have."

Sometimes, Usagi couldn't believe her own love for him, how it bloomed in her chest, overwhelming at times and always bright and warm. And other times, his own devotion to her was devastating, how he always matched her and never faltered. Even when they argued and fought, she never once doubted he loved her.

They didn't have time for anything, but she pulled him down, covering her with his body. It was comfortable and comforting and heat spread up her spine. She contented herself with just kissing him, carding her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck, slipping her hands inside his jacket and up his sides. He held himself over her on his elbow but still clutched at her waist and hip.

The delicate silk of her dress was most definitely wrinkled beyond all hope but Usagi didn't care. It was one of her looser gowns, already intentionally creased in the style, so at least some of it wouldn't be obvious.

There was a knock. She heard the latch unlock and pulled her lips from Mamoru's to look upside down at the door. Rei had inched the door open so there was only enough space for Usagi to see her judging eyebrow.

"You've been in here twenty minutes and your daughter is very unhappy about having to entertain on her own. You have two more minutes before I drag you out." And the door shut again.

Usagi looked at Mamoru with a pout. His face was flushed, only partly from embarrassment, his eyes dark and hooded. He kept his gaze on her pushed out lower lip for a long moment before grudgingly sitting up. He buttoned his jacket again and stood, holding a hand out to help Usagi up.

When she was vertical, she smoothed his hair to look more presentable, ran her hands down his shoulders and cloak. He did the same for her, his hands slower and more intent.

She pulled him down one more time, the kiss wet and lingering. Then she squared her shoulders and headed to the door.

"Can't we just stay here? Small Lady can handle it by herself," Mamoru muttered under his breath as she tugged him along.

"Don't worry, Mamo-chan," Usagi told him, with a gentle squeeze to his hand. "I'll protect you."