A/N: Well then. This has been a slight epic. Originally a one shot (and is written as such - it's only 2 chapters on here because of it's length), it came about when I read a few Seiya/Yaten fics. I fell completely in love with the pairing, and got the idea for this fic. That's why the majority of this focuses on those two.
Then I remembered a Chibiusa/Helios fic idea that I'd first got a couple of months beforehand, and decided to slip that in here.
But that meant I had to get Haruka/Michiru in there. And then I decided to throw in the Senshi/Shittenou, because I could.
And then it just grew and grew and grew until I was half way through typing it up and realised that it was over 5,000 words.
The finished thing comes out at 11, 628 words, the longest fanfic (or at least, one shot) I've ever written. So. Please read, enjoy, and review.
OH. And the Starlights are there...because I want them there. They were around the Silver Crystal a lot, weren't they? So...that's why.
Any questions will be answered. Any that can't be answered will be swept away, as no doubt it is simply that I hadn't really thought that bit through.
It was the orange sunlight streaming through the gauzy curtains that woke her up. The national bird of Kinmoku was squawking outside their window. In around five minutes, she's have to get up, but for now she savoured the feeling of a sleeping Yaten in her arms
She usually woke up first – Yaten was not exactly a morning person, and the sniping began as soon as the smaller girl had opened her eyes. But still, no matter how often it happened, she was still filled with a strange, happy sort of feeling when she had her arm wrapped around a slim waist and Yaten's head buried in the crook of her neck.
The sunlight shifted over her face and onto Yaten. She stirred and pressed her face closer into Seiya's shoulder. "Five more minutes, darling. I'm having a nice dream." She murmured. Seiya moved closer to the ear peeping out from under silver hair.
"I hope it was about me," she whispered. She felt soft lips curve upwards against her skin.
"Of course not," said her lover loudly. "It was that guy I met at that ball last time we were on Earth."
If Yaten wanted a rise out of Seiya, then she very almost got it. Seiya opened her mouth to talk but then reigned it back in. She remembered the guy – he'd hung over Yaten like a lost limpet all night, even after some very cutting turn downs, and hadn't even left when Seiya had threatened her. Minako had had to dance with him while the other two escaped.
"His hips are amazing."
Seiya's hand tightened around Yaten's waist warningly. Yaten shrugged it off and sat up, the sheet pooling in her lap. She rubbed sleepily at her eyes and then slid gracefully off the bed. "You're so gullible," she complained, "it's just too easy." She glided over to the bed post, what she took to be a safe distance, and swung around so she was facing Seiya with a feral smirk on her face. "Of course, he's a much better kisser."
She made it to the cupboard before Seiya caught up with her, tackling her to the ground and twisting so that the dark haired girl hit the floor first. She didn't go down quietly – she screamed loudly, but was soon cut off as Seiya kissed her hard. They rolled over so that Yaten lay underneath, effectively trapped, with her wrists held above her head. She found that she didn't really care, no when she was being kissed like that.
Suddenly, there was bang and she opened her eyes to see a red faced maid standing in the doorway, no doubt come to see what the shouting was about. She let out a muffled squeak, and Seiya looked up and turned to the door to stare. Unfortunately, Yaten chose that moment to sit up. Their heads cracked together and Seiya fell back with a yelp. Yaten turned a dull red, jumped up, raced into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.
Seiya stood up slowly, rubbing at the increasingly big lump on the side of her head. The maid was stuttering about knocking and screaming. She smiled at her. "It's fine," she said. "Forget about it. We should be more careful." The maid nodded.
"Erm. Her Majesty would like me to tell you that breakfast is being served half an hour earlier, as she has an important meeting to attend this morning."
Seiya nodded, and the maid retreated quickly and thankfully. She could hear the shower running, and she tried to rid herself of vision of wet Yaten, and instead began searching in their wardrobe for the trainers that she'd seen only a couple of days beforehand. She wondered briefly if Yaten has done as she'd threatened and thrown them out, before she spotted them tucked away in the corner, out of sight, definitely Yaten's doing. She was just pulling them out when Yaten came out of the bathroom, steam rushing out to meet the cool air. She was dressed in just her underwear, towelling her hair off. Seiya let out a low whistle and grinned at her lover. Yaten flashed a smile and walked into her arms.
"I think we scared the maid." Seiya mumbled against Yaten's lips, her hands resting on the smooth skin of her waist. "I think we'll be the talk of the kitchen."
"I'm blaming you!" Yaten snapped. "You jumped on me!"
Seiya pulled away, grabbed a towel and made her way into the bathroom. "Breakfast's in fifteen minutes," she called over her shoulder. "You'd better hurry if you want something."
This was, of course, a rather useless thing to say. Yaten would take her own damn time getting ready, and be very happy about it too.
Breakfast passed without incident, the three Starlights laughing and chatting with their Princess. There was to be a Ball on Earth that night, and they finalized their plans, deciding to stay an hour later than usual. Kakyuu left early – Taiki watched her go wistfully.
After they had eaten, the three senshi went to the arena to train. They had found that the army was perfectly willing to assist them in any way. Today, they decided to surprise them. Fighter let a bolt of energy shoot into the seats around the outside. The men scattered. The three girls let a few more attacks hit the clear concrete. It took the men a record thirty seconds to return fire – they were getting faster. The Starlights dodged and ran, sending spiralling to the ground. Fighter dodged a bullet and shot past Healer, before suddenly dropping to the ground with a yell. "Fighter!" Healer screamed, and darted over to her leader. The shooting stopped.
Fighter was lying still. "Where's it hurting?" Healer asked frantically. There was no reply. "Ne, Fighter!" Her vision swam with tears, when Fighter opened her own eyes and grinned at her. She got a slap around the head for her trouble.
Healer stood up slowly and Maker let off a barrage of shots into the mass of men watching. They all turned their attention to her, and one of them got a stun blow to the back, courtesy of Fighter.
"You're going to pay for that tonight." Healer told her leader as they rejoined the battle.
"I look forward to it." Fighter grinned.
"It wasn't funny!" Healer darted behind a pillar just as a ray melted the seat she'd been standing in front of.
"It was pay-back for this morning!" Fighter landed in front of her. She had just enough time to say "It's not my fault you're so gullible!" Before she jumped off onto the pillar.
The 'battle' had to be stopped because Healer was too busy shooting at her leader.
After training, the three walked across the broken arena which officials were trying to salvage. The Starlight's didn't need to worry about it – they knew their Princess would be down in a few hours to fix the entire thing with a wave of her hand. They parted at the doors: as the official Royal consort, it was necessary for Taiki to sit in at the lunches held, something she did without complaint. Yaten and Seiya weren't so sure they could do the same, as they were "terrible boring", as Yaten herself had put it. They were slightly grateful for the less stressful dinner date they had planned.
They were headed to a small café two streets away, an enclosed but brightly lit place, where the owner knew them and didn't allow any hounding, either by fans or the media.
They were shown to their usual table – a booth in the corner – and ordered their food (rather like the girls at the Crown, they knew the menu off by heart). Their meals appeared quickly, and it was with small talk that they were eaten.
"I'm looking forward to tonight." Yaten said impulsively. Seiya looked at her, her expression confused and wondering. "I just – I think something is going to happen." She struggled to put the feeling into words. "Something good. Like everything is going to fall into place."
Seiya's face softened into a smile. "If anyone knew, it would be you." Yaten nodded, glad that she'd been understood, and they returned to less serious talk.
They were outside their rooms within the hour. Yaten checked her watch – there was still half an hour until Taiki was to be released and at least two hours until they needed to get ready. "We still have a couple of hours, if there's something you want to do."
Seiya looked at her coolly. "I can think of something that we can do." Her voice was low and husky. Yaten went to say something by then Seiya was kissing her. She tried to remember what it was, but it was hard when Seiya's hand was sliding under her peasant top and she was being pushed against a wall. One of her legs came up hook around Seiya's knee.
"I supposed we…can manage that," she gasped as they fell through the door. It was shut firmly behind them.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, most of the palace were running around like headless chickens, trying to get everything ready. Serenity and Endymion were stuck in the throne room listening to the Japanese Seaweed Association and so were completely unaware of the mayhem outside. Makoto was desperately trying to get the food completed. Minako was trying to keep the media away, helped by Haruka, who was increasing the number of guards on duty. Michiru was listening to the musicians practise in the ballroom, along with Ami, who was sorting out (with the help of Palla Palla) the decoration. Rei was praying for good luck, a ritual she did every ball. Hotaru and ChibiUsa had disappeared somewhere, and Setsuna was wandering mysteriously. And the Shitennou had locked themselves away somewhere, refusing to come out until it was all over.
Well, they reasoned, as least they didn't need to worry about what to wear. They had decided to go with their Silver Millennium Princess gowns, not from any longing for that time, but rather because the girls had been holding an unofficial competition, whereby the most outrageous outfit of the night won. The whole thing had come to a head at the last dance when Minako had tried to go out wearing a hula outfit and Kunzite had had to stop her by literally tying her to the bed (or so he claimed – Nephrite still referred to the incident as 'Kunzite's Kinky Time').
And so the hour before the start found the girls in Serenity's large dressing room, putting the finishing touches to their make-up. Everyone moved out of the way as Minako approached one of the mirrors with a blusher brush in one hand and a tube of lip-gloss in the other.
"You know," she said, brandishing the brush like it was a lethal weapon, "I always look forward to the nights when the Starlights come."
"Why?" Makoto asked, expertly applying mascara. "They aren't any different to the other balls."
Rei was blowing desperately on her wet nails, but still found air to say "No, Minako-chan has a point. It's like they add something to it. I always look forward to seeing them."
"Well, I don't." Haruka said from where she was lounging on a chair in the corner. She had foregone the traditional dress and was instead wearing a navy blue suit with gold trimmings. Two thousand years had not changed her cross-dressing tendencies one bit. "Seiya is still trouble if you ask me."
"She says that," Said Michiru loudly to Makoto, "but I think she secretly likes fighting with Seiya-san. I'm rather jealous."
"Oi!" Haruka look irritated as the girls giggled and her lover smiled at her, not in the least bit sorry.
"Well, you know what they say, dear." Michiru turned her attention back her mirror and foundation. "Fighting is the first sign of love." Haruka simply snorted and turned her head away.
Serenity stood up and straightened her tiara. "Why do you still dislike Seiya so much, Haruka-san? It's not like she's a temptation for me or Michiru-san now that she's with Yaten-chan."
The dirty blonde flashed her a grin. "Old habits, Kitten, old habits."
"And besides, Seiya-san was never a temptation for me anyway." Michiru pointed out without looking away from the mirror.
"I should hope not." Haruka huffed. A call of "jealousy doesn't suit you, Haruka!" Only caused the scowl to deepen.
Minako paused from applying layer after layer of bright pink gloss. "Anyway," she said with a laugh, "Rei and Jadeite are the fighting couple. You can't take that away from them."
"Don't mention that man's name!" Rei snapped as she accidentally smudged her red varnish.
"Oh no, Rei-chan!" Serenity moaned, looking at Rei with wounded eyes. "Not another fight!"
"No," said Rei snidely, "it's just that if you say his name, he's likely to do something stupid."
The others laughed – even Haruka, who forgot her anger – until Makoto said, in a kind voice, "Oh, yeah. I heard you and Zoisite had a fight, Ami-chan."
Everyone turned to stare at the blushing girl, who set down her book and nodded. "Yeah," she said quietly. "It was about Taiki-san."
"Taiki-san?" Minako asked, her face screwed up in confusion. "How could he have a problem with Taiki-san?"
Ami was now positively crimson. "He still thinks I like her."
"But you haven't liked her since you found out she was a her!" Rei pointed out while simultaneously pointing at Ami with her eyelash curler – she had given up on her nails.
"I know. But he doesn't like how I talk to her during the balls."
"But you talk about science." Minako said with a shudder. "It's hardly words of love. In fact, I've heard Kakyuu-Ouhi wonder why she bothers coming if her consort is going to talk about neutron stars all night."
They all shared a quick laugh before Michiru returned to the topic at hand. "What happened?"
"He got roaring drunk, apologized profusely and wouldn't let me leave our rooms until he'd made it up to me."
The half-blush on her face was enough for Minako to start screaming "TELL US!" This caused Rei to clamp a hand over her mouth and groan "Don't tell us, we don't want to know!"
There was a moment of silence as Rei nursed a bitten hand and Minako flounced back over to her dressing table. "Speaking of jealousy," started Minako, ignoring Rei's glare, "wait until you see Chibiusa-chan. Helios is going to flip!"
"You didn't go too over the top, did you, Minako-chan?" Serenity looked worried, having visions of bright pink PVC, much like the dress Minako had worn to her 18th birthday party.
"Setsuna-san made it," reassured Minako. Serenity visibly relaxed. If Setsuna had designed it, it would at least be decent.
"I must say," put in Haruka as she got up to help Michiru with her hair, "your daughter has grown up well, Kitten." She got a slap on the arm from her girlfriend.
"Of course," sniffed Serenity, "she takes after me." Rei snorted. Suddenly, Serenity looks around, as if realising for the first time. "Where is the little rascal anyway?"
"She's with Setsuna-san and Hotaru-chan. They're putting the finished touches to it." Minako's voice was slightly muffled, as she spoke around the red ribbon in her mouth.
Serenity opened her mouth to ask what the dress looked like but was cut off by a knock at the door. "Sere, can we come in?" Endymion's voice floated into the room.
"Don't come in!" Minako shrieked as everyone covered their ears. "Rei's naked!"
A head of tightly curled blond hair immediately popped around the doorway, his wide grin fading as he took in his wife's angry face. "Oh," he said, coming further into the room. "That's no fun. Guys, the coast's clear!"
The other men filed into the room. "What would you have done if one of our wives had been naked too?" Zoisite asked quietly as he walked past Jadeite.
Jadeite scratched his head worriedly. "Erm. Compliment you on your beautiful wife?"
"The hell you would," growled Nephrite. Kunzite nodded in agreement.
Only Endymion went to his wife – the Shitennou lined up against the wall near the door, shuffling nervously. Haruka laughed at them. "You look like you're about to be shot," she remarked, earning her a filthy look in reply.
"You don't have to worry about," retorted Nephrite bitterly, "but watching his wife get ready to go out is one of the worst points of a man's life."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Makoto asked, watching her husband through the mirror, her eyes narrowed.
"It means," Haruka said, resting her head on the bare skin of Michiru's shoulder, "that Michiru always looks beautiful, so she never asks me what she looks like."
Michiru made an amused noise of disbelief and shoved Haruka off. "Ara? I only don't ask you, Ruka-chan, because you're about as much use as a man." Everyone laughed as Haruka made cat claws with her hands and hissed.
Minako sidled up to Kunzite stealthily, smiling slyly. "Ne, Kunz?" She asked her slightly apprehensive husband. "Do you like my dress?"
His face showed none of the terror that lurked behind his eyes. "Yes?" He attempted.
She scowled at his for a few seconds before laughing. "Don't worry, love," she said, patting on the cheek fondly. "I was just joking. I know I look perfect." And with that she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room, looking rather like an orange-yellow whirlwind.
"Sometimes," said Nephrite after he had finished laughing at his leader, "I wonder why someone like Minako ever went for old Kunzie."
"He'd skin you alive for calling him that." Makoto slipped an arm around Nephrite waist and smiled when he returned the gesture.
Endymion stood up, pulling his wife up as he did so. "They do have the right idea, though. We should be really getting to the ballroom."
Makoto and Nephrite were the first out, his arm around her waist and her head resting on his shoulder. Next were Endymion and Serenity, the blonde woman clutching his arm and chattering nineteen to the dozen about the upcoming night. Zoisite put out his arm for Ami and she too was swept out the room. Rei ignored the arm similarly held out for her by Jadeite, but could not help but give a yelp with he smacked her lightly on the behind as she passed. They could still hear her protests of "pervert!" up the hall.
Haruka sat down on the edge of the dressing table as Michiru put the finishing touches to her make-up, staring into space, a slight smile on her face. Michiru lay down her lipstick and touched her softly on the thigh, bringing her out of her trance. "I'm sorry for teasing you before." She said softly.
"Hmm?" Haruka's smile changed into a dangerously sexy smirk, and when she spoke her voice was the huskier tone of flirting. "You'll just have to find some way to make it up to me then, won't you?"
Michiru's hand trailed further up her thigh. "I supposed I will," she purred. She stood up and Haruka pulled her between her legs. They shared a quick kiss before Michiru pulled back, span away and curtsied deeply. Haruka stood up, dusted herself off and bowed. "Princess?" She asked, holding her arm out at an angle. Michiru took it, batting her eyelashes and giggling in an admittedly good impression of a teenager. And thus, they, too, left the room.
The start of balls were always so mind-numbingly boring that everyone wondered why they'd been so excited. Before any dancing began (or drinking, for that matter), there were officials, ambassadors and various people, who they would never remember, to meet. Serenity always felt like she got the worst deal, because the others were able to go dance much earlier than she could, not being Queen of the whole planet. She was just making her way over to Endymion to claim a dance before she was forced to speak to another boring man when she heard someone call for her.
"Odango!"
She spun around quickly: Seiya was grinning at her, Yaten hanging off her arm. Taiki and Kakyuu were slightly behind, talking quietly, but they still managed to smile at her.
"Seiya! Yaten-chan!" The two were accosted into a flailing hug by the blonde, something they returned wholeheartedly. Her squeal drew the attention of the other Princesses, who promptly left their husbands standing on the dance floor and rushed over to the group.
"Yaten-chan, I love your dress-"
"Seiya-san, I need to ask you about-"
"Taiki-san, can I talk to you-"
Seiya looked at the sea of faces around her. "You'd think we never saw each other," she said in an amused tone.
"Oh, hush," retorted Serenity, hitting her lightly on the arm. "We don't see you nearly enough."
Taiki turned to Kakyuu and gestured towards Ami. "May I?"
"As if I could stop you," was the laughing reply. Taiki smiled back, kissed her lightly on the cheek, and then she and Ami wandered off, talking about Kami-sama only knew what. Kakyuu watched them with a fond smile.
"Princess," said Seiya, bowing low, drawing her attention back to the group, "now that your date has gone off with another woman, the shameless hussy, perhaps you would care to dance?" Kakyuu agreed with a laugh, and they retreated to the floor.
After watching them begin to dance (they never shared the first dance, but always the last), Yaten smiled at Minako. "Shall we talk, Minako-chan?"
"Lets," replied the blonde with a giggle, and they left for a far corner.
The three left looked at each other. "I hate it when they do that," complained Rei. "They don't let us get a chance in."
"Ah, well." Makoto sighed. "We can always get them back later." After a shared smile, the parted – Rei and Makoto to placate their estranged husbands, Serenity to actually find hers.
Endymion was talking to Helios in a covered balcony that overlooked the main part of the ballroom. They were talking about nothing in particular, something about Elysion and the new dreams that were appearing there. Helios nodded at something his King said, took a sip of his drink – and choked.
Chibiusa had just entered the ballroom on the arm of the Uranian Princess, the other Outer Princesses behind. Their presence barely even registered – his eyes were drawn to his Maiden.
She had exchanged her usual gown for a new one of sugar pink silk. Fitted and tight at the top, with a plunging neckline, it hugged her every curve before swirling away to the floor. Her hair was let loose from its odangos and fell down her back in glorious waves, its shade almost exactly the same as her dress. Ribbons trailed up her arms, held in place by gold bangles. She turned to laugh at something the Saturn Princess had said, and he was given a view of the back of the dress: it dipped dangerously low and he couldn't help but stare at the skin on display. She looked simply stunning and infinitely sexy for her sixteen years (well, 1600 years).
"Helios?"
Endymion was looking at him wonderingly. Helios swallowed noisily. "Could you excuse me?" He asked faintly, setting down his drink. "There's something I need to do."
Endymion looked down to see what could possibly have caught the young man's attention. He noticed a certain pink haired girl dancing with a dark haired man. Like Helios, he started. That couldn't be-
Endymion span around to face his wife. He made quite a picture, she thought, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. "Sere!" He cried. "Tell me that's not our daughter!" She simply smiled at him and came to join him at the side. "No," he insisted. "My Chibiusa is still a little girl who plays with dolls."
There came a ladylike snort from his wife. "She hasn't played with dolls for over 100 years."
"Still."
She sighed deeply. "She's growing up, Endy." She watched as Helios swept in and claimed her for a waltz. "I can only hope she can make the right decisions."
She felt a presence by her side – Seiya was practically hopping in anticipation, but was unable to say anything while Serenity was talking and Yaten had her hand on her arm. "Odango!" She blurted out when she realised she could talk. "That's never your daughter!"
Serenity laughed and nodded. "She looks just like you did at that time, but with pink hair. You should be proud, Odango." The last word was said loudly as a court official went past, earning her a look from both the man and Yaten. There was a time, around 500 years earlier, when Seiya had simply gotten too much for the council and they had been calling for the dark haired woman's head on a platter. Her constant use of 'odango' in reference to their Queen, they claimed, was nothing short of blasphemy, and the only fitting punishment was execution. Serenity, who couldn't stand capital punishment and therefore had abolished it one year into her rule, had been horrified by this, and it was one of the few times anyone had seen how truly angry she could get. She had screamed that it was simple prejudice, just because the Starlights came from outside their Solar system. Seiya had always called her that, and she didn't complain, so they shouldn't. She also added that without the Starlights, there would be no planet left. Therefore, they would be staying.
It appeared that many people had not forgotten the incident, and it didn't help that Seiya chose to remind them of it at every opportunity.
"Anyway," Seiya continued after she gave Yaten an innocent look, "in celebration of your daughter's beauty, would you care to dance?"
This was the part of the night that Yaten hated, the part that she dreaded all day – when the blonde Queen and dark Princess took to the floor. She hated the sight of it, she hated that it showed what could have been, but most of all she hated how jealous it made her.
She could still sense Endymion next to her, quiet and calming. "Doesn't it bother you?" She asked cautiously.
"What?" He asked, his tone kind.
"Them." She gestured towards the two; they were laughing as Seiya spun Serenity straight into Minako.
"Should it?" His voice was even. She looks at him in surprise. He looked straight back, his eyes lending confidence.
"There was a time when I would have given the world to have Seiya look at me the way she looked at Serenity-san." Her voice was quiet and slow, as if she was thinking carefully about what she said. "Even that first time on Earth I was slightly jealous. The second I could barely look at them. But slowly, she began to see me in a new light."
She took a deep breath, and her voice was stronger when she continued. "About two months after we started dating, Seiya came to my rooms to find me drunk. I don't drink anyway, so it hadn't taken much, but I was completely wasted, crying, shoving her away, screaming that she didn't love me. Worst of all, I wouldn't tell her what had made me so upset. She still doesn't know – she simply dropped the subject. It nearly ruined what we had. And it was because of this."
She gestured again to the couple, who had just bumped into Haruka and Michiru (Haruka and Seiya getting ready for the tradition sniping). "It was knowing that every time we came here, Seiya would dance with the woman she once loved beyond belief, and I would have to watch, wondering what if you hadn't come back, what it I was still shouldering the burden of unrequited love."
Endymion looked at her, at the way her eyes were not really there, and said "Follow me, Yaten."
They left the balcony, went along the crowded hallway, down the grand staircase and stood against the wall where they could watch their loves dance. "Look at them," he told her, "do they look like lovers?" She shook her head slowly. "There have been many times when I have doubted mine and Sere's relationship. I once pushed Sere away, told her that I didn't love her, but she never once doubted me. That is what makes us strong – we trust and believe each other. So yes, Seiya once loved Sere – many have. But now that love is for a dear friend."
"How do you know that?" Yaten asked, her voice suspicious.
"She told me." Yaten looked at him in surprise. "About ten years ago. 'You don't need to consider me a threat', she told me. I told her that I never had. She said that that was good, - you can't be in a relationship always wondering." Yaten stared at the ground, her cheeks a dull red, feeling ashamed of herself. "Seiya would lay down her life for Sere, but so would everyone else here. So would you, no doubt." His tone was gentle and kind, as if he know how much this pained her. "You cannot live in 'what ifs', Yaten. It will destroy you, and keep you from giving your all to the relationship."
"I don't give my all anyway." Her voice was bitter and full of self-loathing. She felt his gaze turn curious, but when she spoke she choked on the words. "There's a little part of my heart that I don't let her have, because then when she leaves me, it won't hurt as much." She didn't add that it was getting harder to keep that part to herself, and she feared that it was too late; she wouldn't be able to live with the pain.
"That's completely wrong!" Endymion told her, his voice emotional. "If you don't give your all, then it will hurt more. Because then you'll spend the rest of your life wondering whether if you'd given your all to that person, if you'd still be with them. You can't live that way either."
They stood in silence for a few minutes until Seiya come running up, pulling Serenity along behind her. The blonde immediately fitted herself under her husband's shoulder. Seiya grinned at Yaten. "Yaten-chan!" She chorused in a sing-song voice. Yaten hugged her impulsively.
As she did so, she felt something give way and break inside of her. In that moment, she gave everything to the girl in her arms. For the first time since she couldn't remember when, she felt totally free, of the doubt, of the worry, and that only made her clutch harder.
"Hey." Seiya's voice in her ear was warm and comforting, as were the arms that curled around her waist. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Yaten whispered.
"Are you crying?" Seiya asked as she felt a slight wetness on her shoulder.
"Mmmm." Yaten pulled back and shook her head. "I'm just happy, that's all."
"I'm glad." The quiet emotion in Seiya's voice made Yaten look at her in surprise. She just smiled and began fussing over Yaten's slightly smudged make-up. Yaten let her, smiling happily, before capturing one of her hands in her own. 'I love you,' she thought. 'I can't tell you, but I do.'
Seiya pulled away but didn't let go of her hand. "Yaten-chan," she wheedled. "Come and dance with me."
Yaten wrinkled her nose and took a step back. Seiya still did not let go of her hand. "But it's so sweaty."
"You weren't complaining about sweat before," was Seiya's cheeky reply, causing a slight pink hint to make its way across her lover's nose.
"I supposed I have no choice then," and Yaten let herself be pulled to the floor, laughing all the way.
"What did you say to her?" Serenity asked as she watched them. "She looks happier than I've seen her in a long time."
"Nothing." He, too, was watching them, smiling slightly. "I just think she learnt to let go."
"She does look happy," said Minako quietly from where she had come to stand next to them along with Kunzite. She sighed suddenly. "They look so beautiful together!"
Serenity was inclined to agree – Yaten was happy and carefree as she spun around, a vision in slinky green silk, complimented by the dark blue lace of Seiya's knee-length dress. Yaten's hair was down and flowing, Seiya's up and curling around her face, the light and dark shades contrasting brilliantly as they lay their heads together.
"Speaking of beautiful," said Endymion as he looked around the room, "has anyone seen my daughter?"
"Last thing I knew, she was making out with Helios in the Rose Garden."
There was a brief pause when everyone turned to stare at Minako, horrified by what she had said, who in turn stared at Endymion who was turning a shade of puce that clashed horribly with his lilac tuxedo. The pause became an uncomfortable, tense silence. Serenity stepped away. Then:
"WHAT?"