Sighing in utter relief, Yaten leaned his head back to stare up spots of yellowed sky visible between leafy green branches. The setting sun cast a bright, and yet intensely serene yellow glow about everything, and patches of dappled sunlight moved as the wind tossed the tree's branches. Lifting his hand above his face, he squinted, blocking out a particularly bright patch of sky which seemed particularly intent on blinding him.
The late spring air carried the scent of crushed grass and rich soil, two things that he had missed sorely while in Japan. The countryside wasn't a place that the Threelights often got to visit- and the city had seemed so very confined, so artificial...
There was something to be said for being alone, certainly. The eldest of the starlights observed the lines on his hand in fleeting interest. There were scars and lines there that hadn't been there before coming to earth- and those were just the visible ones.
I feel old. Old, and worn out.
His life had never really been his own, having been sworn to defend one princess and then another from a young age- every path in his life had been defined by this odd destiny that he had been handed. Now he felt faced with another crossroads, realizing all that he had sacrificed to stand where he was today. Was it worth it? Trapped in a body not his own, far from home and all that had been familiar save for Taiki and Seiya. It was a difficult question.
He dropped his hand down to cover his eyes, sighing again as the wind tossed pale silvery strands of hair against his face. They weren't choices he would have made on his own, no. Every small choice that he had made in his life had led him to where he now was- could he really say that he was happy? If the answer was no, then it was too late- he couldn't change the past. How depressing.
A twig snapped by his foot and Yaten lifted his hand from his eyes, momentarily surprised by a figure blocking the bright sky, the last rays of the sun casting a gentle golden glow to Seiya's smiling face.
The wind picked up, ruffling Seiya's hair and shirt, "Were you planning to spend the whole day up here wallowing in self-pity?"
Seiya...
Yaten snorted, frowning, "I am not."
"Uh-huh." Seiya replied, unconvinced.
A breath of wind rustled the leaves above. Towards the eastern horizon the first few stars had appeared, their silvery light barely visible against the still peach-tinted sky. Seiya hesitated, eyes thoughtful as though he were steeling himself to say something- and then the moment passed and he turned, tucking hands into the pockets of his loose pants. "Well, come join us when you're done doing whatever you're doing then. We do actually miss you sometimes you know."
"Of course you do." Yaten called to Seiya's retreating back, his voice tinged in the ever-present sarcasm.
Without realizing it, he smiled. I know you do.
He watched as the sky grew continually darker and more stars scattered themselves across the heavens. I wouldn't change anything.
Note: I really am working on TFL, I've just trashed my outline a few times and Chapter 8 with it. Heh heh heh..
