Title: Our Child
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon and any of its character.
Author's Note: Because of the COVID-19, I was inspired to revise my previous story "Our Child". This is the new version of that story and I hope that this will give much more clear view of the entire story. Hope you are all in good health! Enjoy reading! And PLEASE leave reviews 3
Pairing: Haruka/Amara (21) and Seiya (21)
=Chapter 1 The Secret=
"We can run away..." a tall man with a long black hair tied lowly in his back muttered quietly to the woman beside him.
The cold breeze of moonlight air blows the short blonde hair of the woman. Glancing on her left, she saw the determined eyes of the man beside her.
Haruka Tenoh, the fearless senshi who countlessly protected her princess in order to keep the peace on Earth, can't believe the situation unfolding in front of her. If she was told that this will happen a year ago she would have laughed hysterically just imagining it. However, standing there in the middle of an empty field, in the middle of the night with the man who makes her feel like she was travelling through clouds every second, proves her wrong.
"Why, Seiya?" not waiting for any response she continued. "Can we hide away from this for all our lives?... Can you possibly leave and never return to your duties?..." afraid to continue talking, Haruka moved to stand in front of Seiya and look straight into his midnight blue eyes. "Can we risk be happy and turn away from all of this?" she whispered fear lingering in every word she spoke.
Seiya catch her gaze with the same intensity and full of courage and confidence. "I can... for you, I can turn away from all of this. I can quit fighting for what is right if it meant being with you forever." he answered without hesitation. He slowly placed his hands on her shoulder, holding her firmly in place, he continued. "And it will be worth it. This is not a crazy fantasy in a fictional world Haruka... Anytime, anywhere we could die. We will one day leave this world and no one, no one, will even realize that we are the reason for their happiness. So for now, lets just be selfish and ran away from all of this!... We could have our own lives and have a family that we will never regret of having... We can escape from this destiny that we don't have any choice but to follow... We can rewrite our own fate and no one will say that it is wrong. I love you Haruka, please come with me..."
His eyes, full of determination and love, is the reason why she fell for him. Several months ago this was the same eyes that made her writhe in anger, and regret ever meeting this man. However, a coincidence of being drunk and brokenhearted changed the emotions that those eyes elicit. Over the 3 years that pass by after their battle with Sailor Galaxia many things changed. The Starlight came back to their own planet and helped Princess Kakyuu to restore its beauty. The Starlights would often visit the Earth in order to catch up with the Sailor Senshis, and to strengthen the treaty between the two royalties. Aside from these, there have been a change on the lives of some senshi.
The Inner Senshi are having the time of their lives. Usagi and Mamoru are still in their loving relationship that happens to get stronger through time. The moon princess decided to apply for a communication course for university, considering her bubbly and passionate personality the others think that this kind of profession suited her. Rei still manages the temple and gives herself time to have fun and meet a few guys that peaks her interest. Ami seems to develop some kind of relationship with Taiki, but they always claim for it to be platonic that they are just friends. She enrolled in a prestigious university in Tokyo and currently finishing her pre-med course of nursing with a dream to someday study medicine that majors neurosurgery. Makoto enrolls in a university that majors culinary arts. She aims to become a well-known chief and always joins contests that will soon become her stepping stone to popularity. Minako decided to stop and give herself to the spotlight. She models different not-well-known brands and earns money and enjoyment from it. If the starlights are in town Yaten would shot her pictures, make her pose, and teach her expressions that she uses in her actual modelling.
As for the Outer Senshi they live almost the same as they did before. Hotaru is now a 18 years old lady and will soon enter the life in a university. As for now she still have small issues regarding the course that she will pursue, nevertheless, she will be supported by her adopted parents at any cost. As for Setsuna, she stays the same, between guarding the Gates of Time, and being a parent, she performs her senshi duties with excellence. Popularity still suits Michiru, thus she is very busy with travelling for her violin recitals. Although she is always on the move, this does not affect her duties both as a parent and senshi. The only major change in her, and Haruka's, life is the change in their relationship that started 3 months after the battle with Galaxia. They both know that there is no way to fix their connection... to bring back time and change the choices that they have done. Haruka knows deep in her heart that she still harbors feeling to the senshi of the deep waters, though unlike before, she considers it as platonic between them. Both parties know that they no longer have the ability to give love, as lovers, to the other. They are still confused as to how and why it happened, but they just woke up one day realizing that they cannot label the woman beside them as their lover. Their decision to be separated did not affect the relationship that they have with their adoptive daughter. Hotaru had been very understanding with the situation that her parents are in and is happy with their decisions, as long as they are happy with it too.
A year after the defeat of Sailor Galaxia, the Starlights payed their visit on Earth. They learned about the changes on the lives of the senshis and become very open with it. With the truce between the two princesses, the outer senshi (specifically Haruka) tried their best to be in good terms with the three lights, considering that it was also an order from the moon princess. From then on Haruka learned things that she was not able to see on the short time that she spend with the three starlights. Especially on Seiya Kou.
The huge difference with their point of views is what hinders them from seeing the good in each other. After spending a lunch picnic with all of the senshi one afternoon during their first visit, Haruka learned that Seiya is a gentleman to the fullest. She knows that the starlight harbors a romantic feeling for the moon princess, however, she did not expected him to act formally and accept the relationship of the moon princess with the earth prince. The realization that the starlight is actually moving forward for the best made Haruka consider her judgement with the alien man. This was only fired up after their drunken conversation after having too many drinks for their farewell party for the three lights during their third visit on the same year. They are both drunk, but they know what they are doing. That is the first time that Haruka heard Seiya confess how much he love Usagi and how funny it is that though the reality broke his heart into pieces, he seemed to be less hurt than can be imagined with the fact that his love for the moon princess will never be reciprocated. At that time, Haruka opened herself up, after almost 10 months of being separated with Michiru, she never really considered sharinghow she felt... But somehow that time, when everyone around the living room of the outer's household is drunk and asleep with her and Seiya standing on the veranda feeling the cold night air, she found herself telling the story of how she suddenly woke up thinking of Michiru as a friend and not a lover. From then on they would talk, whether it is through their transformation stick and mic or face-to-face during their visit the next year. That was when the unthinkable happened. During the fifth visit of the starlights, they felt the spark between them. At first they both ignored it, labeling it as a confusion for their slowly building friendship.
However, during the early celebration of Seiya's birthday, that was held before they are due to come to their planet, all hell broke loose. The emotions that they both suppressed and neglected, rallied for their freedom. One moment they are looking to each other's eyes across the backyard of the outer's household, the next they are being drunk with the presence of one another. Their lips pressed together in a very passionate and slow kiss. Hands roaming around each other's body, neglecting the existence of their clothing. Feeling their hearts beating too fast under each others palm, that was places above their chest, that they might explode anytime. In the privacy of Haruka's room, being dragged there by the blonde senshi without the others' noticing, they held each other and seek for the long wanted warmth. The kiss stopped, panting like they ran a mile. Midnight blue eyes met the grayish blue eyes that the blonde woman possesses. Right there and then Haruka thought, 'When did he become taller than me?'. There was no exchange of words, they both know what they feel cannot be put into words, they slowly separated from one another and slip out of the room after the other to come back to the party outside. Just like that, they both know, without conversing, that there is something between them. They don't need label, because it won't be enough. They don't need words like I love you because it would be noting compared to the feelings that they harbor. All they needed, and wanted, is the beating of their hearts under their palms whenever they kissed, and the glances that conveys secret messages from one another.
"This is the first time you said that..." raising her right arm, she placed her cold palm on Seiya's left cheek. Giving smooth, slow strokes she leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his right cheek, just beside his lips. Parting, Seiya pulled her closer, placing both his hands on her jaw, he leaned his forehead to her's and signed closing his eyes tightly.
"I'm going to explode from this feelings inside me Haruka. All my emotions are running wild, and I need you here to calm me. I need you here to choose me. I need you to run away with me. I need you to turn around with me. Please..." opening his eyes, he met the grayish eyes of his loving. It was full of love and happiness, but above them is the hesitation and sadness. He felt her palm on his face, slowly stroking him. Right then, he knows... he knows that it was a 'No'. That she will not choose him. That she will choose her duty above anything else, above him.
Slowly exhaling, Haruka smiled, the small smile that makes her look like saddest goddess in the universe. "I love you Seiya. I do. I know you know that. I know you understand me. I know you trust me... so..." breathing slowly, she continued "... so let me go. Let me go and make a peaceful world for everyone. Whether they would know who we are or not. Whether they would remember or not. Lets fulfill our duties as the soldiers of justice and peace... I love you..."
And again, just like that, then and there he knows that he will let her go. That he will let her be the loyal soldier she have always been, and always will be. He knows that they will never be able to held each other again. Not without risking to be found out. Not without hurting her pride, and pulling her away from what she want and need. So, he did. He let her go.
Walking away from Seiya, leaving her beating heart in the cold night wind, Haruka smiled, the most bitter smile she could ever muster. She want to. God knows she want to ran away with him, but the idea of being hunt down and sentenced for breaking the ancient rule of their ancestors is something she cannot and will never afford. She will never, ever, be able to live with a world without him. And she know that he knew about this. That he understands. That he will hurt, like how she is now. And for the last time, then and there she knows, that the empty field is the cemetery of their dead love for one another. Whipping her tears away, she wiped the remains of their secret.