~Wavering Destiny~
by Strawberry Moon Rose

I've had this chapter in mind from the beginning ;)

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi.

Chapter 7: Pushed into Love

After dinner, Usagi was combing her hair in the vanity mirror of her guest room when there was a knock on her door. It was Seiya.

"Hey," Seiya said with a crooked smile. "I just wanted to swing by and see how you were doing. Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, thanks." Usagi motioned for her to come on in. The maids had come by earlier and left all the necessities for their stay including pajamas. Usagi hugged the silk nightgown close, loving the way the material felt on her skin.

"Beautiful sunset," Seiya commented. The sun's rays touched everything in the room with a mystical glow. It reflected orange on Usagi's hair, which was out of her normal updo and down around her shoulders.

Usagi turned around. "Oh, you're right. It is pretty."

"Come on," she said.

Usagi followed her and stepped out onto the balcony for the second time that day. Seiya slid the glass door shut behind them.

The evening air was cool, but comfortable. The ocean rolled towards them in the distance, bringing a faint breeze. The waves crashed against the rocks below them with a salty fizz.

Seiya leaned against the edge of the balcony, putting her elbows on the cold, hard surface. She exhaled, the moist air exploding from her lungs.

Usagi joined her. The sky was painted a beautiful blend of orange and pink. "It's so nice to see the sunset without buildings in the way," said Usagi, thinking about Tokyo. She realized that it was not the same sun she saw on Earth. Kinmoku revolved around its own star. She really was a long way from home. Yet she did not feel homesick.

"Twilight is my favorite time of day," Seiya said. The wind swayed her black bangs into her eyes.

The sun dipped further into the lapping ocean. Usagi watched her out of the corner of her eye. The warm colors washed over Seiya's face, making her eyes sparkle the same color as the blue water.

Seiya seemed deep in thought. Usagi sensed it.

"You didn't come by just to check on me, did you?" Usagi said it like it wasn't a question.

Seiya remained quiet for a moment, as if contemplating her response. "No. I just wanted to be with you," she admitted.

Usagi felt color heating her face. Under normal circumstances, she would have figured Seiya was just messing with her, but she could tell she meant it. Usagi couldn't bring herself to say anything witty back.

Seiya looked over at her, finally taking her eyes off of the sunset in front of them. "I've missed you, Bun Head."

Usagi met her gaze. Right in front of her, she saw one of her very best friends. They had been through so much. From the day Seiya had transferred to her school, to the moment she bid them farewell on the rooftop, and the tangle of emotions in between. They shared a special relationship, and Usagi knew deep down that it went somewhere past the lines of friendship.

"Seiya..." It was all she could say back.

Seiya closed the distance between them and pulled her into an embrace. Usagi didn't object. Seiya pressed their bodies against each other tightly. Usagi wrapped her arms around the taller girl. "I really missed you too, Seiya," she whispered into her chest, feeling all sorts of emotional.

"Bun Head..." Seiya ran her hands along Usagi's back.

"I kept waiting, but you never came. I thought you might've forgotten about me," Usagi heard herself mumbling.

"There's no way I could ever forget about you, Bun Head." Her voice was solid.

Usagi breathed in her rosy scent. It was sweet, with a hint of pomegranates. She turned her head and rested it on Seiya's chest. Her ear was to Seiya's heart. Thump. Thump. "Then...why? Why didn't you come?" she whispered.

Seiya rested her chin on Usagi's forehead. She wished they could stay like that forever. "Because it would only have hurt me," she murmured.

"I...don't understand."

"That's okay, I wouldn't expect you to."

Usagi's fingers clenched the back of Seiya's shirt. "I felt so alone for so long. After you left, it was hard to go back to normal."

"But you weren't alone. You had all of your friends, didn't you? And you had your boyfriend back too."

"Yeah..."

Seiya could sense her distant tone. I wonder if something happened between her and Mamoru...

"Did you...tell everybody that you're here?" Seiya asked into her hair. There was a weight in her words that implied more.

Usagi pulled away from her embrace and stared at her feet. "Sort of..."

Seiya raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell Mamoru?"

Usagi shook her head quickly. "No, I told Mamo. I don't think he could've cared less, actually. I just left it a secret from Haruka and everyone."

"I see..." Seiya agreed it was probably best they didn't know she was here. Seiya could still remember the fierce grip the tall dirty-blonde gave her when they first met. Although they weren't really on bad terms when they left, they weren't exactly friendly either.

"Did something happen between you and Mamoru?" Seiya asked before she could stop herself. Don't go there. It's none of your business and you know it, the voice in her head echoed.

Usagi frowned. "Not really..."

"That doesn't sound too convincing."

"Nothing happened. But that's the problem. Everything has settled down since Galaxia, and we both finally had the time to be together for real, without something tearing us apart again. I was so excited to finally be a normal couple." Usagi's gaze fogged over. "But..I've come to realize that what we have is kind of empty." She looked up quickly. "That sounded wrong! I mean, I still love him, of course, but..."

"But...the spark's gone?" she guessed.

Usagi furrowed her eyebrows. "The spark..?"

Seiya cocked her head to the side. "You know what I mean, don't you? The chemistry at the beginning that turns into... well, love."

Usagi's features turned down. "I'm not sure we had that to start. Now that I think of it, Mamo and I didn't fall in love like normal people," she concluded.

"Huh?"

"He was always a real jerk to me, I didn't even know him. And then one day we were told of our sailor guardian fate and our past lives. I mean, what other choice did we have? It's not like we could have told each other 'no' when the future of Earth depends on it." Usagi was more talking to herself than Seiya. "It's just fate."

Seiya watched her ponder among herself. They never had a choice? Is she serious? That isn't falling in love. That's being pushed into love. "I think you should always have a choice who you love," Seiya said softly.

"I think so too. And I do love him. But I think he still sees me as a child. I think he always will, no matter how old I get. I noticed a long time ago that we've always had more of a brother-sister love. Mamo always seems annoyed when I'm around."

Usagi gave a nervous laugh. "Oh what am I thinking anyways? I shouldn't be worrying you with my silly problems... Anyway, I'll figure it out somehow."

The sun dipped into the ocean. The sky grew darker and the air grew cooler. Stars began to flicker like tiny fireflies. A breeze cut through them, making them both shiver.

Seiya said in a low voice, "I think you can change destiny."

"What do you mean?"

"Destiny isn't a matter of chance." Seiya looked Usagi right in the eyes. "It's a matter of choice."

The words sank in while she studied Seiya's expression. Her eyes were strong and unwavering.

After a long pause, Usagi finally whispered, "You could be right..."

Seiya broke her gaze. "Come on, let's go inside." The Starlight gently put her arm around Usagi, guiding her back indoors. The quiet was loud without the ocean filling their ears.

Seiya scratched the back of her head. "I had better get going."

"Oh, okay..." Usagi pushed up the sleeves of her pajamas nervously.

"I'll see you tomorrow. We can show you around our town if you'd like?"

"Sure."

"We can leave right away after breakfast," Seiya added. "There are some nice stores downtown I think you may enjoy."

"That sounds great. Thanks, Seiya."

Seiya hesitated. She didn't want to leave, but she knew she couldn't stay. She was probably already being too overbearing.

She took a step towards Usagi and playfully ran her fingers through her bangs. She wanted to sweep her off her feet and take her to a place just for the two of them. But there was so many reasons why she couldn't do that, including the fact that Usagi's heart belonged to someone else. At least, she thought it did until tonight.

Seiya leaned in. She closed her eyes, parted her lips, and gently pressed them against Usagi's forehead, giving her a soft, sweet kiss. "Good night, Bun Head," she whispered into her ear as she pulled away.

Usagi felt her cheeks grow hot. "Goodnight, Seiya," she murmured. Her heart was starting to race again. Why...does this always happen?

Seiya gave her a wink before closing the door behind her. With that, she was gone.

Usagi stood in a daze. Her heart was thumping in her chest, and the spot on her forehead where she was kissed tingled. "Seiya..."

Usagi walked over to the vanity where she had set the rozamoku Seiya gave her earlier. She cradled the flower in her palms. It was similar to a red rose, but more enchanting, with softer, playful edges. Usagi raised it to her face. The petals were soft and tickled her skin. She breathed in its fragrance. It was sweet and gentle. Just like the person who gave it to me.