A/N: Oho it's been some time hasn't it~? Sorry about that. Grad school. Best friend getting married. It's been a bit of a whirlwind year. I've been meaning to write this out for a while. It sort of came together as I'd walk to campus listening to my music. I guess FF doesn't let you use lyrics in your fics? Crud. There goes my main idea for this story. After some editing, I suggest just listening to "How to save a life" by The Fray to get the right mood for this fic. And! It's more than a one-shot for once! Hallelujah!
Yes, it will be a UsaxSeiya ship. Sorry folks. You'll never see Usagi with Mamoru in my fics. Don't like it, don't read it. Lyrics are not mine. Sailor Moon is not mine. I'm just a lifelong fan. Hope you enjoy after my far-too-long hiatus! Reviews always welcome!
"Waaa?!" The blond-haired woman yelped to step out from the movie theatre and into a downpour. "The weather never said anything about rain!" She wailed, her arms looping around her boyfriend's. "What are we going to doooo~?" Big blue eyes stared up woefully at her date. "We were going to have a picnic, and take a walk through the rose garden…now what?!"
The man beside her gave no response, just looked out from under the awning at the rain coming down in sheets.
"Mamo-chan? Did you hear me?" Usagi huffed, giving his arm a tug. "What are we going to do for our date now?"
The tug to his arm pulling out of his thoughts, Mamoru smiled down at his unhappy girlfriend. "Why don't we walk to the gazebo over there?," nodding with his head to the one in the little park across the street. "We can wait out the rain there. If it wasn't in the forecast, it shouldn't last long."
Satisfied with this solution, Usagi nodded. Pulling out her pink umbrella (a sailor senshi is always prepared!), she opened it and offered it to Mamoru before leaving the protection of the awning. He was taller. It just made sense for him to carry it to cover them both.
Crossing the street carefully to avoid stepping in the deepest puddles, they ducked under the gazebo. "The roof is leaking," Usa complained, making a face a big, fat raindrop plopped right in the middle of her eyes. "I wonder when it was repaired last."
"Probably has been a while," Mamoru commented, closing the umbrella and propping it against a bench. His voice sounded absent, like he was far away.
"Mamo-chan?" Blond eyebrows furrowed as the moon princess walked back over to her future king, her head tilting to the side as she looked up at him. "What's wrong? Did the movie make you tired?" Smiling, she playfully elbowed him. "At least you didn't fall asleep and snore like that man behind us!"
"No, the movie was fine," he said simply, stepping away from her touch and turning to look out at the rain-washed landscape. "It's not letting up…"
"Well that's okay!" She said cheerfully. "Not going to let a little rain ruin our date, right?" Beaming at him, she side-stepped as another trickle of rain dripped down from the leaky ceiling. "You went to all the trouble to take the day off from the hospital, we have to make the most of it." Nodding, Usagi tapped a finger to her chin in thought.
"We might have to cancel our date."
"There's lots to do inside. We could go to the arcade, karaoke…," Her ideas went on full-steam ahead for a few beats before she paused, his words catching up with her. "Eh?" Looking over at him, she frowned. "Why? There's still plenty to do. Not going to let the rain get in your way, are you? C'mon Mamo-chan, we've been looking forward to this all month!" A pause, filled with nothing but the sound of thunder rolling in. "…I've been looking forward to this all month."
"Usagi."
Her full name. Not her pet name. Not a nickname. Usagi.
He only called her that when she was in trouble. Or he was trying to get her attention when she was distracted.
"Mamo-chan?"
"I'm sorry, Usagi, but-."
The rain was falling so heavy now that no one passing by would be able to hear what the two apparent lovers were talking about.
But it only took one look to be able to tell the whole story.
His face was drawn, lips set into a stubborn line as if delivering a well-thought out argument. It was a face he'd perfected in medical school. Stoic. Stone. Expressionless so that the ones judging you wouldn't know you were nervous. And wouldn't be able to pick at the cracks in your façade.
Her face was the exact opposite. Open. Full of emotion and questions. Try as she might to keep her lips locked into a steady line, they quivered under the threat of falling tears.
"M-Mamo-chan-" Her voice cracked on his name, as if it already felt strange to call him that.
"I'm sorry, Usa-ko. It's for the best. For both of us."
His dark eyes locked with her, held their gaze for just a second before he looked away first. The pain in those big blue eyes was obvious, and the constricting feeling in his chest was too much to bear. He had to look away before he lost his nerve and took it all back.
"Don't forget your umbrella," he said, moving past her. Pausing when they were shoulder-to-shoulder, he turned and placed a kiss on top of her head. "Take care of yourself."
However long she stood there under the gazebo, she didn't know. The ceiling dripped down on her, but she didn't even notice. Blue eyes fixed, unblinking on his retreating figure as if suddenly he would change his mind and come running back.
But he didn't.
Slowly, the rain let up until it was only a light drizzle. People started venturing back outside now that their umbrellas could withstand the light wind.
Usagi stayed under the gazebo, her hands clasped in front of her.
A block away, a monocycle cut its' engine. It was the only sound to register in the blonde's mind. Maybe he had come back.
This engine was quieter than Mamoru's, and the driver just a little too lithe to be Tuxedo Mask – though did still look quite dashing in a tuxedo.
Walking through the drizzle, the taller blond didn't seem bothered. What was the saying? A little rain makes for beautiful flowers? Something like that. She didn't always pay the closest attention in class.
Seeing all of the happy people milling about made the senshi of wind smile. It seemed people were always excited to get outdoors after a hard rain.
Except it seemed, for one person.
That long blond hair was hard to miss, even through the clearing haze of the storm. But why was she standing there alone under the gazebo? And what was she staring at?
Glancing over her shoulder, in the direction Usagi's eyes were locked on, Haruka frowned. There was nothing there. Not that she could see anyway.
Taking the few steps up into the gazebo, the taller woman looked over the moon princess with a mix of amusement and confusion. "You know, you're supposed to take cover to stay dry. Not get wet," she chided, moving over closer to Usagi. "Did you stand right under one of the leaky spots?" she teased.
But still, Usagi's eyes stayed fixed on the spot behind Haruka's head making her glance one more time behind her to make sure she wasn't missing anything.
"Koneko-chan?" She questioned, eyes narrowing when she picked up on the glossy sheen to those blue eyes and the way Usagi's hands were clasped so tightly in front of her that they were shaking.
"What happened?" Taking a step closer, she set a gloved hand on Usagi's shaking shoulder.
Just that simple touch was enough, and in a blink Haruka had her arms full with a sobbing, shaking princess.
