Title: Secret Admirer

Theme: Red

Genre: Romance

Version: Anime

Rating: G

Secret Admirer

Red roses.

Dozens upon dozens all around her bedroom.

Serenity's eyes widened in shock as she took it all in. It was almost as if she was in the middle of her own private rose garden.

"Where did these come from?" she asked her faithful guardian cat Diana, who looked as surprised as she did.

"I-I have no idea, my lady," Diana said with a shake of her head. "They must have come in while you were at your lessons.

"They certainly are beautiful…"

Plucking one of the blood red blooms for a nearby arrangement, Serenity brought it to her nose and took in the sweet scent. It was then that she noticed the small red envelope practically hidden among the blossoms.

"Look, there's a note," she said, taking the envelope and opening it with her fingernail.

"What does it say?"

After slipping out the card inside, Serenity read it aloud: "These roses can't hold a candle to your beauty, although they certainly come close. I will be holding the last one at tonight's ball. I hope you will accept it. Love, Your Secret Admirer."

"A secret admirer? Who do you think it could be?" Diana asked.

Serenity placed the note back in the envelope and shrugged. Suddenly, she wasn't quite as excited about the flowers as she was before. "Your guess is as good as mine, Diana. Ever since my parents decreed I was old enough to receive suitors, men have been sending me gifts like they were going out of style. I have to say that this is one of the more elaborate ones, though."

"Will you meet with him at the ball?"

"Probably not," Serenity said, falling back on her bed and sighing. To please her parents, she had been making a half-hearted attempt at dating, but the truth was, only one man was destined to be the Prince Charming of whom she always dreamed, and none of her suitors could ever possibly take his place.

"You know, Serenity-sama, he may have forgotten about you," Diana gently suggested. "After all, to you, it's been only a few years since you returned to from the past, but you have to realize over a thousand years have passed for him."

Serenity shook her head. "Helios wouldn't have forgotten me," she insisted. She had to believe that. His promise that they would someday see each other again had been one of the only things that made his absence in her life bearable.

Sitting back up, Serenity opened her nightstand drawer and pulled out the bell Helios had given her to call him while they were fighting Queen Nehelenia and the Dead Moon Circus. It had broken for no real reason right after the final battle, but she still rang it, anyway, the words "Twinkle Yell" on her lips.

Of course, as had happened all the other times she had tried it, he didn't come. Frowning, Serenity put the bell back in the drawer and stood up.

"Well, I guess I'll go take a bath and get ready for the ball."

The Crystal Ball was held every year to celebrate the founding of Crystal Tokyo, one of the most elaborate events of the year. Everyone from servant to noble was invited to join in the jubilee, and it was usually one of Serenity's favorite balls.

This year, however, she couldn't really enjoy it. It seemed like every eligible bachelor in Crystal Tokyo wanted to have a dance with her, and she had the blisters on her feet to prove it. When she finally got a break during the traditional Moonlight Dance between her parents, Serenity snuck out onto one of the empty balconies and slipped out of her high-heeled ruby slippers.

"Ah, that feels good," she said to herself, leaning against the balcony railing and looking up the starry sky.

At least she hadn't had to deal with her "secret admirer," who apparently never showed up. Out of mild curiosity, Serenity had looked around the ballroom for a man holding a red rose, but she never saw him. He must have been too shy to show his face.

She wondered what Helios was doing at that very moment. If he had been there, she would have gladly danced through the pain if it meant she could be in his arms again.

Turning around to rest her elbows on the railing, Serenity shook her head. She had to stop doing this to herself. Helios had not come, and she had to accept that.

Upon hearing the applause signaling the end of her parents' spotlight dance, Serenity slipped back into her shoes and was about to go back inside for another endless round of dances when somebody came up behind her, his arm outstretched so that she could see the perfect red rose he held in his hand. Serenity froze as the man asked, "Will you accept my rose, maiden?"

Maiden? It couldn't be him, could it?

Her heart pounding, Serenity slowly turned around, her face breaking out into a smile when her suspicions were confirmed.

"Helios!" she exclaimed, instantly falling into his arms. "I can't believe it's you! You were my secret admirer?"

"Not-so-secret anymore," he said, smiling as he held the rose again out to her. "Now, you didn't answer my question. Will you accept this rose?"

Serenity didn't have to pause to think about it.

"Yes, yes, and a thousand times yes!"

DISCLAIMER: "Sailor Moon" is the property of Takeuchi Naoko.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Written for the smmonthly community at Livejournal.