Sailor Moon is not mine.
Warnings: Yuri, angst, emotional conflict. Fan stuff, etc.
NA: So, there's gonna be a new anime, and I was thinking on how unfair it is that we only have 26 episodes to go (by now) and no Starlight in sight. But I just wanted an excuse to writte Sunny (Seiya/Bunny).
The Bridesmaid
One
The screen flared awkwardly before the signal was connected correctly, the image switching from a kaleidoscope of color to a display of the living face of Seiya Kou. She stood, as usual, with the view of the magnificent gardens of the Fireball Palace at her back.
"Odango, hey…" she said. Bunny only flashed a look of recognition before her eyes took in the large window and the sight that outstretched on no end. Every time they communicated in the past four years, she'd had the chance to witness the progress of the rebuilding of the planet while listening to the news or sharing her owns. And Seiya knew she enjoyed not having to ask for it.
On the background, some construction of sorts was aiming inquisitively skywards, at a very far distances. It was so that Bunny could only make out the line of two columns above Seiya's left bare shoulder.
She was about to point that out when she caught the expression on the woman's face.
"Oh! Hello Seiya, it's everything okay?"
Seiya. Nowadays, even when she was wearing her outfit, morphed into Sailor Starfighter, she would be Seiya to Bunny. She stared, blinking slowly once before exhaling a sigh. Of relief or tiredness.
"Yes, we're okay. But I thought something was wrong when I read in your message that 'it was urgent'" she said.
Oh, Bunny thought. A day before she'd sent a message straight to Seiya's terminal asking for an 'urgent video-call'. There was a significant time difference between Earth and Kinmoku, and she could easily picture Seiya worrying out the inexplicable 'immediacy' until it was a decent hour to make a intergalactic call. Bunny felt suddenly guilty and equally embarrassed.
"Um, about that. It's not 'urgent' you see. Nobody is trying to conquer the world again," she answered in what hoped to be a reassuring manner. Seiya was looking at her intently, the way she always did and made Bunny think the screen was just a part of her imagination. "Sorry for worrying you, though."
Seiya shrugged quietly, and pulled out a kind smile. "It's okay, as long as you're safe."
That, if anything else, made Bunny smile in return. She left her chin rest on a hand and bought the cup of tea closer, just for the warm. Her eyes wandered across the desk, stopping only once they'd found the letter.
"So," and to catch her attention, Seiya moved her fingers in the air. Bunny blinked, coming out her daydream, and turned towards her. She then realized she'd been chewing on her bottom lip and stopped. "If there's nothing trying to kill you," to anyone else, it might as well sound like a joke, but Bunny could hear the real concern underneath the light tone. It was endearing, to an extent. "Then what is it?"
Seiya wasn't exactly impatient, or trying to get done with the conversation in a way any other person might. It was just –and Bunny felt once again totally immature for forgetting– that Kinmoku was still a planet-to-be. Everybody's been making their best on helping, but being not only a Starlight but their leader, it was –unreasonably– expected from her to do twice as much. Every little failure was accounted on her, and every little detail had to be strictly supervised.
And by the looks of it, Seiya was awfully tired. Bunny wondered how much sleep she had had last night. That, if she slept at all. She left the mug away in one single move, and leaned against the chair. Her eyes went to the piece of paper, the invitation and the fingers of her right hand followed suit like an extension of her sight. Touching the corner, she thought how white the paper looked, almost translucent, moon-like.
She glanced at Seiya. "I had to send you something, but I couldn't find a way," she shrugged. Luna was still working on it, but for the meantime, there was no intergalactic post mail. "And anyways I wanted to say it by myself."
Seiya tilted the head to one side, silently asking for an explanation. Bunny took the invitation as it were a fragile thing and raised it in the air. It was laced with a lilac knot, and she disarmed it carefully. She looked at the words momentary before turning the invitation towards the screen.
As Seiya eyes followed the lines of soft silver imprint, Bunny recited the exact same words one by one to herself.
«Chiba Darien and Tsukino Bunny cordially invite you to celebrate their marriage…»
The silent stretched out for too long. She said, then. "We're getting married, in a few months. I wanted to tell you personally," or as much as personally as it could be.
Seiya appeared lost in some deep contemplation, eyes glued to the invitation. Bunny took the time to contemplate, in return, the straight, slightly relaxed posture of the Starlight. She waved the paper gently, and it had the effect of snapping fingers. Seiya blinked repeatedly. Then something changed on her, and loosening on the shoulders and a softening on the face. She finally cracked a wicked smile.
"Aren't you too young? Or is there something else you have to tell me? Should I get you a crib?"
Shivering internally at the prospect, Bunny promptly denied. Unaware of the way Seiya smile turned to something more melancholic she pulled out her most immature side and made a mean face, tongue and all.
"Of course not!"
This made Seiya laugh, eyes sparkling through the screen. Bunny had, by then, tossed the invitation away like it just burned her fingertips. Seiya's comment reminded her of the moment they told her parent about the wedding. They argued that a pregnancy was the only explainable reason behind the incoming nuptials, and thus had refused to give them their blessing until they were absolutely sure there wasn't a baby.
It'd been a horrible week.
Bunny waited until Seiya went quiet to speak. "Should we wait? When we know everything it's going to work in the end?"
That, of course, was a question she'd only dared to make to herself. Why was she being so honest now was a mystery on itself.
"I don't know. I guess not," Seiya said, pressing her lips tight. She looked in a direction out the screen, so Bunny could not know what it was. She saw her move the head imperceptibly, maybe not.
"So, will you –not just you, of course. Yaten, Taiki and Kakyuu too– come?
Darting her eyes towards Bunny again, Seiya smiled. "I think it won't be a problem," that meant yes, but officially she had to get the approval of the Queen first. Which gratefully wasn't a problem to consider. "Congrats, by the way," added.
"Thank you," Bunny answered, truly grateful this time. "And," she paused, making and insignificant inflection on the word to catch Seiya's attention, "there is something more."
"What is it?" asked her suspiciously.
Chewing on her lip or playing with her hair would not make a difference, so she just said it. "Would you be my bridesmaid?"
There was a moment of total silent that weighed a ton. Behind Seiya's slim frame the sky was turning a bright orange mixed with the clearest blue Bunny'd ever seen. It was the most beautiful sight.
"Uh-hu. Can you repeat that? I think I misunderstood you," Seiya said.
If she wasn't so nervous, Bunny might've laughed at the incredulous face at the other side of the universe. "You didn't. Will you?"
Now clearly uncomfortable, Seiya moved from one foot to the other. "But I'm sure you have a good bunch of bridesmaids, I mean… Why me?"
Yes, she had exactly five bridesmaid already.
"Because you're my best friend. That's why."
And that was the absolute truth.
"Pretty please?"
For a moment she actually thought Seiya would say no. She saw her go completely serious, standing on all her stature, and then she released a sight of submission.
"I'll talk to Kakyuu later," was all she said. Though it, of course, meant yes.
"Thank you!" Bunny clasped her hands together, suddenly feeling uplifted.
Seiya grimaced, but not unkindly, more like resigned in a comically way. She stretched her arm out to the far end on the screen. "Sure. See ya" and the video-call ended.
TBC?