The Snow Falls Gently

Summary: Usagi is gone. Now, two people who fell deeply in love with her must come to terms with themselves, each other, and their emotions as they struggle to live on without their angel.
An Usagi/Seiya/Mamoru romance, paired every way you can think of. Based on the manga series, but you can read it just knowing the anime version. (Just know that Seiya is a woman.) Takes place after the end of Stars but before Crystal Tokyo.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon. If I owned Sailormoon, Seiya would be with Kakyuu, Papillon would be in the anime, and Minako would get more screen time ^.^ That being said, I offer my humble tribute to a great series. If you've never in your life even remotely considered a Seiya/Mamoru pairing... good.

Chapter 1

Usagi sighed contentedly, leaning against her lover's arm as they strolled along in comfortable silence. Around them, snow fluttered down from the skies in big, soft flakes. Usagi reached out and caught one on her tongue.
"They're yummy, Mamo-chan!"
"I'll take your word for it."
Usagi looked miffed, but shrugged and kept walking. Mamoru cast a nervous glance at her. Maybe he should've...
"Do you want me to try one?"
" 'S okay." She sighed, snuggling closer to him. "It wasn't really important." She wrapped her arm firmly around his.
"Usa, you're cutting of my circulation," he said when he felt his fingers growing numb.
"Sorry," she murmered dreamily. She didn't loosen her grip.
They walked on under the tranquil winter sky, time seeming to sleep around them; the soft glow of the snowflakes was the only other sign that the world had not passed into a pleasant stasis. Usagi cast her gaze upward, into the endless tapestry of the night sky, spangled in beautiful discord with silver stars.
"Aren't they lovely, Mamo-chan?"
"Yes," he whispered, his voice low and smooth. "The most beautiful thing in the world."
"Mamo-chan?" She realized he wasn't looking at the stars. He was staring intently into her eyes.
"I'd really like to know what a snowflake tastes like."
She blushed. "Okay."
He felt her smile as he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

Kakyuu stepped softly into the main Control Room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. From the central computer, the frenzied "clack-clack" of keys echoed throughout the vaulted chamber. A tense, haggard figure, barely recognizable, sat hunched over the desk, typing and moving the mouse frantically.
"Fighter? What are you doing?" the princess murmered. "It's three in the morning."
Fighter looked up wearily. "Sorry to keep you up, Princess." She turned back to her work.
"Don't try to shoo me away, Fighter. What's bothering you?"
The raven-haired woman sighed, shoving her chair away from the desk with a raccous scraping sound. Kakyuu winced, thinking of the damage to the expensive marble floor. "I'm sorry, it's just..." She sighed guiltily. "It's Odango."
"Oda... who?"
"Serenity."
Kakyuu nodded. "Ah, yes, I am quite aware of your relationship with Serenity, but honestly, at this ungodly hour..."
Fighter grinned playfully. "Now if I didn't know better I'd think you were jealous." She ran a hand through her unruly locks, becoming solemn again. "Kakyuu-hime, there's... there's something wrong about the Moon. Something's looming in the near future. I felt the soul of that planet flicker, as if the Moon itself were afraid... And there was a sharp drop in the energy level surrounding the Ginzuishou."
The princess raised an eyebrow. "Fighter, since when is it your duty to keep tabs on their affairs?"
"I know, I know, but... don't you think it's disturbing?"
Kakyuu nodded. "Yes. But is it really disturbing enough to--"
A sharp gasp from the senshi cut her off. "Good God..."
Concern darkened Kakyuu's crimson eyes. "What just happened."
"The Moon's sephiroth has just disappeared." Fighter swallowed hard. "Which means..."

"Mm..." Usagi murmered, snuggling into the warmth of Mamoru's embrace. "Thanks, Mamo-chan."
"For what?"
"For always being with me."
He kissed her forehead. "It's easy."
Usagi pouted. "Now what do you mean by that? Do you mean that I never go away? Am I a nuisance?"
"Now Usa, I never said--"
"Tell me, Mamo-chan! Am I annoying to you? Well, am I?"
"Of cou--"
"Honestly, now!" she demanded. "Am I?"
He shook his head. "You're not annoying."
She gave him a cute grin. "Except when you're demanding to know whether or not you're annoying," he added.
Usagi tossed her head in a cute pout. "So I am annoying sometimes!"
He sighed. "Oh, Usa..."
"What?"
"Nothing." Mamoru slipped an arm around her shoulders.
"You mean you said my name just to say it?" Usagi batted her eyes.
"Maybe."
"Oh, Mamo-chan!"
"What?" he asked, his mouth fluttering in a half-grin.
"Nothing."
He laughed then, one of the rare laughs that were real and hearty, and always for her. Her voice joined him, clear and bright, and their laughter rang out under the stars.
They laughed like that for a long time.
Suddenly Usagi froze, a hand clutching at her breast. Her heart was pounding, a vague, sickening pain growing in her chest. Her fingers closed around her brooch.
"Usa-- Usako!" Mamoru gasped, his eyes falling on the compact she clutched. Light was pouring from beneath her fingers. As he watched, horrified, the Ginzuishou emerged, hovering before her chest.
Usagi drew a trembling breath, stepping toward him. "Mamo...chan..."
Slowly, a jagged fissure crept across the shining quartz. Another and another snaked over the crystal's surface like menacing spiderwebs.
"Mamo-chan..." Usagi gasped bitterly. "Tell me you love me."
He stepped foward, catching her as she collapsed. "I love you, Usa! I love you, I love you..." He cried out those words over and over, as if his saying so could calm her ragged breathing, could soothe the pain he saw wrack her thin frame...
She smiled up at him, the last smile she ever gave him, beautiful and heartbreaking. "I'm glad I knew you, Mamo-chan." With a soft sigh she closed her eyes. The Ginzuishou exploded into shards of light.

"USAKO!!!"