Disclaimer: Nothing related to Sailor Moon belongs to me.
A/N: Okay, I'm determined now. I WILL finish my stories. I will, I will, I will! Because I can! Like the Little Train… Okay. Done now. Seriously though.
To Body Cast a Broken Heart
Chapter 1:
(Seiya's POV:)
I was almost happy that day, when I told Usagi I'd love her forever… or did I say remember?
I don't remember my exact words that day, but I know what I meant. And Odango, of course, didn't. I laughed at the thought. She could be so dense, sometimes, but I guess that's kind of one of the things I loved about her.
In the months since we've returned home to our own planet, our days have fallen into a pattern. Get up every morning and eat breakfast, usually as a group, but every once in a while, one of us Starlights would sleep in.
We were free to do pretty much anything we pleased for a while, until about noon, then we'd train for an hour. Normally my free time before training was spent at the park, playing American style football with some of the guys, in my room, reflecting on Odango, or talking to Taiki and arguing with Yaten. After training, lunchtime would come around. Sometimes, we'd eat together, other times we'd go off on our own or hang out with other friends, then spend the afternoon doing whatever it was we had planned for the day, and closer to night, of course, return home. We rarely ate dinner as a group, but every once in a while, it would happen.
Today was like any other. As I leaned on the tree behind me, gulping down some water.
"Kou!" yelled a tall boy, around my age, as he ran in my direction. I registered my name, but not that he was calling me, so I turned to pick up my bag. I was so used to being called by my last name, it was hard for me to remember to actually reply to "Kou." I guess that's what happens when your two housemates share your first name.
"Kou!" he called me again, and I realized this time I was being spoken to.
"Yeah?" I replied, turning to face him as I unzipped the backpack. Kisho was running in my direction. I could hardly hold back my laughter, but I managed. For one, he looked pretty damned funny running towards me. His warm brown eyes seemed to defy the nature of his rash and harsh looking run, which seemed to send his medium length blonde hair flying behind him, somehow giving him a girlish effect. My other reason, simple: Kisho had a crush on amazing, sexy, Seiya.
Now don't get me wrong, he's a really nice guy, and not bad-looking either. But… guys don't normally look at me in that way. Yaten is more their type. It's not that there is anything wrong with me, but most of them figure out soon enough that girls are more my type. They always have been. And, of course, Kisho didn't understand that my heart belonged to a certain blonde named Usagi… whether she wanted it or not.
"I was wondering," he began, and my stomach seemed to twist, knowing exactly what was coming, judging from his tone, "if you were heading anywhere in particular just now?"
Okay, so it wasn't exactly bad because that could just be a friendly gesture. But, I knew.
"Because maybe we could go eat or something? I don't know about you, but I'm always starved after playing here everyday."
I tried to think up something. I really did. There was nothing wrong with lunch, because, despite his little er… crush… we were friends, right? But telling him the truth, which was that I had to go train, just in case, you know, I had to save the planet anytime soon, simply just wouldn't cut it for an excuse.
"I…" my voice seemed to get caught, seeing as there was a net catching all my words before they could reach my brain for comprehension. And, of course, that could be taken as a bad thing, seemingly enough proof for Kisho that I was trying to find an excuse not to go.
Which wasn't the case. I just needed to tell him that I couldn't go right now. So that I could, a., train, and b., convey to him that I am a lesbian.
Yeah, so… where was I? Right, words, not reaching brain, not leaving mouth, Kisho being offended. I get it.
"Don't worry about it," he sighed, giving me a small smile.
"No, wait! I-"
Come on Seiya, you can do it! Speak!
"-am not able to go right now, but maybe later on today? We can meet around six o'clock? Here, and then we can walk, and talk, and find a place to eat. Or something."
My sentences seemed all chopped off and nervous. Almost like I wanted to take him out. But… I didn't.
"Sure. That'd be nice. Would it be easier for me to pick you up, though?"
No, that would be a bad idea. I don't exactly want you to know that I am one of the princess's bodyguards.
"No, it really, really wouldn't," I replied, urgently. How do I get myself into these things? Oh, right, I forget how to use my voice properly.
"Are you sure? Why not?" he pressed. Eh. Stupid Kisho. Getting me into trouble like this.
"Because, because, my driveway… it's… broken."
Whoops.
"Your… driveway… is broken?"
"Well, not broken. But, you know. There's work being done on it. Improvements."
Kisho continued to stare at me, blankly. I really, really, really am not that great at this. So I continued to explain. Not because, you know, I wasn't great at this, but because of the blank stare.
"So, if you were to pick me up, you wouldn't be able to go on the driveway. Which would be where you… drive. Then you'd block the road. And people don't like having the road blocked. Because I know that I don't like having the road blocked and-"
"Kou, no offense, I promise, but, you are really bad at lying. You don't have to explain."
"I-"
My throat seemed to kind of freeze up. Which it tends to do at awkward moments. Like when you should apologize for lying. And for seeming an incredibly awkward nutcase. With a "broken driveway."
Thankfully, I managed to finish my sentence without too much pause.
"-am sorry."
Offering a smile, I hoped we could leave it at that, seeing as I had to go train. We departed from there, waving and finally coming to an agreement. My smile faded to dread at the prospect of oncoming training and after that, lunch.
Not because they were bad, just because they never changed. Parts were good. Like lunch. And the satisfaction after training. Other parts were bad. Like the fights with Yaten. And… well, the deep down empty feeling you get after losing in an argument about whether to sit indoors or outdoors at the restaurant a few blocks down when it's time for lunch.
It was one of those days when the three of us, after training, decided to go and eat. You see, one of the greatest things about eating out, the three of us, is the walk there. It's, for the most part, relaxing.
Taiki and Yaten were in apparent deep conversation, walking just a couple of steps behind me, talking about some photograph Yaten had taken, arguing its symbolism. Taiki, constantly defending his position on the psychological aspects of the photo, representing "loneliness and sexual desire." Of what the photo was, I don't know. Yaten, on the other hand, doing a not so convincing job, arguing that it was just a pretty picture. I could see why she would argue, of course, considering that the more simple meaning of Taiki's words summed up that she needed someone because she was horny.
Yeah, that's something you can get pretty defensive over. Though, that was a pretty funny thought, the idea of Yaten being horny. Not that she couldn't just grab some random guy off the streets and bring him over without incident. Er, or at least, without incident until Taiki and me saw her and Mr. Random-Guy-Out-of-Nowhere-to-Fullfill-Department-of-Sex and told them to go somewhere else, where we wouldn't feel quite so awkward. But, yeah, she's the type that could do that. She just chooses not to. Because if there is one thing that I know Yaten can't stand, it's dishonesty. And that would be a pretty dishonest relationship.
Unfortunately, there are a lot more things than just dishonesty that bother Yaten. Like eating outdoors and the smell of sweat. And my music. And at times, even my voice. Or my breathing. But that's beside the point.
Well, not the eating outdoors part. Because this was the moment, just as we were rounding the corner, that Taiki decided to ask the damned question.
"So, do we eat inside or out?"
"In."
"Out!" I countered Yaten's reply. This is what always happens. Every single time. I like the outdoors. It's nicer. And more open. And just… better. Of course, the usual glare is exchanged between my shorter companion and me, before we turn around to face the deciding factor: Taiki. The nervous look flicked across her features, lavender eyes flickering with the guilt that she would have to turn one of our opinion's down. Her lips parted, her mouth opened, and the sound began to bubble. And then, the answer presented itself.
Remember that deep down empty feeling I told you about? The one you experience after losing an argument about whether to sit indoors or outdoors at that restaurant a few blocks down?
Um, yeah, well, that's the one I kind of had in the pit of my stomach as I proceeded to grumble about how the world was unfair to such people like me. Taiki wanted to sit inside. Her reason: we'd sat outside last time we came to eat. But who cares about last time! Ugh. Okay, I'm just a little peeved.
Funny thing is, I'm always bothered by being inside, but… more so, I'm bothered by the fact that Yaten won. The argument, I mean. Inside, this restaurant isn't so bad. It isn't crowded and the oldies radio station they play throughout the day is pretty quiet, just enough to set a mood. It isn't really an annoyingly fancy buffet or anything of the sort, really. It's more of an imitation of some retro diner, in themes of black, white and red. And all… checkers. But, yeah, it's pretty cool. Just on the backside of the restaurant, there are a few tables set out on a pretty, well-kept lawn. Yeah, that's where I prefer to be, but inside isn't so bad. The smug look on Yaten's face is.
As we walked in, a familiar blonde waitress wearing black slacks, a white blouse and a red apron motioned for us to sit anywhere we like. So we did. Sit. Where we liked, I mean. In a little booth, Taiki slid in before me, then I sat next to her, while Yaten sat directly across from me.
Okay, I knew I was being childish, still wearing the sour look on my face, but I continued to do so. Which seemed to annoy Yaten. Then again, what doesn't nowadays?
"Seiya, could you please stop?" she sneered, adding in the "please" for emphasis. Or maybe out of desperation.
Taiki knew better than to comment. He continued to exchange looks between us. Yaten continued to glare. I continued to grumble. The waitress I'd noticed when we arrived, Chimaki, read the name tag strode up to our table, notepad at the ready, and pen ready to strike. We weren't ready. Definitely not. We were to busy in a match of who-hates-who-more-and-what-other-ways-to-show-it. Chimaki seemed to notice the tense air. Honestly, I knew this was stupid. But I couldn't give it up. Besides, I'd already lost my seat outside in the nice, warm, summer sun out on the lawn.
"Would you like me to return in a few minutes?" she asked nervously. Taiki nodded with a "yes, please" and Yaten simply continued to glare at me. Which was starting to get on my nerves. So I did the first thing that came to mind. The look on Yaten's face was really starting to bug me. So I called out to the waitress.
"Yes?" she replied, turning to face me.
"I hate to ask such a favor, but I have a bit of a problem with this lamp," I said, gesturing to the hanging light fixture, "and I was wondering, if it's not too much trouble, if you could lower it a little?"
At this point, both Taiki and Yaten were giving me confused looks.
"I'm sorry? What's the matter with the lamp?"
She seemed perplexed. The truth was, by now, I only half meant what I was going to say, the anger dissipating. The need to piss Yaten off, however, increasing. And the want for a good laugh, most definitely there.
"Well, it's kind of bothering me. I was wondering if maybe you could lower it so I wouldn't have to see her face," I said. To my surprise, Taiki laughed. I never would have expected it, but she did. The waitress did as well. She caught the joke. Yaten, however, growled cutely.
Wait. What?
Growled… cutely… Yaten?
I silently did the math in my head. Literally.
Yaten. Plus growl. Plus cute. Equals:
What the fuck?
Yes, I know, kind of mean for the last word. Anyway, I hope you guys like. Please review, and I shall continue.
Ilu.
-Puffeh.