~Wavering Destiny~
by Strawberry Moon Rose

ASiriusWriter01, I couldn't stop laughing at your comment XD So I had to add it in the story, hope you don't mind ;D

Enjoy! :)

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

Chapter 11: Tug of War

"My gosh! What happened? Fighter! You two are soaked!" Kakyuu exclaimed when everyone stepped inside of the palace, shaking off the raindrops from their hair. The tall entrance doors shut behind them.

Seiya rolled her jacket into a ball. "Well, we started to downpour on our way back, and we lost our umbrella," she explained.

Kakyuu eyed poor Usagi, dripping wet. "That is terrible! Why didn't you call the palace? We would have sent a car."

"Taiki assured us that we'd make it back before it started again..." Seiya grinned over at her fellow Starlight.

Taiki closed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "Don't try to blame this on me, Seiya. I offered to call."

"Oh, whatever." Yaten closed her and Makoto's umbrella. "Taiki, you're the one who said it was only going to sprinkle this morning. And that we'd make it back in time before it started to rain again. You shouldn't be a weather girl, that's for sure!"

Minako chuckled at her comment.

Yaten glanced over at her and suppressed a smile. She looked away before anyone noticed.

Taiki's eyebrow twitched, irritated. "Drop it, Yaten."

"Either way, it's done," Kakyuu interrupted their bickering. "We must get you two changed!" she said to Seiya and Usagi. Kakyuu motioned to a worker standing nearby. The boy nodded and walked off down the hall, returning a few seconds later with maid who appeared to be in her early twenties.

"Ria, please take care of her," Kakyuu nodded to Usagi, who stood shivering.

"Yes, Princess." The short girl bowed. She smiled politely at Usagi before taking her hand. "Please come with me. I shall show you to your bath."

Usagi followed the maid down the hallway. She glanced over her shoulder at Seiya as she was led away.

Seiya held up their shopping bags. "I'll bring these to your room later!" she called after her.

Kakyuu turned to Seiya. "Fighter, please change out of those wet clothes immediately. We do not need you to be ill before the party."

"Yes, Princess."

Usagi lowered herself into the steaming water of the bathtub. "Ahh," she moan, completely relaxed. The toasty-warm water defrosted her frozen body. Her personal bathroom was connected to the guestroom. It wasn't a large room, but the claw-footed tub was roomy enough for two people.

This feels so good! So warm. I feel bad that I lost our umbrella. I didn't mean to drop it, the thunder just startled me and it slipped out of my hand. Rei's right, I am a klutz. And a crybaby too for freaking out like that. Usagi untied her space buns, letting her hair cascade over her shoulders and dip into the ends into the soapy water. She closed her eyes and lolled her head back while running her fingers through her tresses.

Oh no! Usagi frantically patted the top of her head. Where's the flower? It's not here! The rozamoku - it must've fallen out somewhere! What am I going to do? Seiya gave it me...

Usagi's chest felt tight when she thought of her. I wonder if it fell out in the downpour. The rain reminded her of cuddling close to Seiya under her jacket. The way the raindrops slid off her bangs... The way her piercing blue eyes seemed to look right into her heart... And the way her warm lips felt gently pressed up against her cheek.

Usagi brought her hand to the side of her face. She chewed on the inside of her lip. What's going on? I...I don't know why I'm acting this way. Every time Seiya gets close to me...or touches me... It's the same as last year, all those times then too...

Usagi strained her ears, listening for any sign of distant thunder. All she could hear was the sloshing of the bath water. Thank god it's not storming any longer. She blinked. Oh that's right, I guess I won't have to sleep in Seiya's bed if it's not storming anymore. Usagi reached for a bottle of fruity shampoo that read "Cherry Blossom & Peach" and began to lather the pink goo into her scalp. But that's good, isn't it? Her stomach told her otherwise. A part of her was looking forward to sleeping in her room, even though she couldn't bring herself to admit it. I didn't want to sleep with Seiya anyway.

The shampoo bottle slipped out of her hands and plopped into the water. It bobbed up and down for a second before Usagi hurriedly put it upright on the shelf. W-w-wait just a second! Sleep with Seiya?! That's not what I meant! I meant sleep next to her. Geez, why did I even think of that? Ahaha, maybe I'm just overtired... But I did nap all day yesterday...

This is bad.

Usagi nervously laughed to herself and continued to lather her hair into suds. Besides, two girls can't sleep together anyways, right? How does that even work? She remembered Haruka and Michiru, her important friends. Judging by the way they talked...

Usagi shook her head quickly, erasing any mental images. Seiya doesn't think of me that way, does she? I know she had a little crush on me back then, but I can't imagine us actually doing stuff like that...

Usagi quickly submerged herself below the water, trying to drown her dirty thoughts. She resurfaced and reached for the conditioner.

What's wrong with me? I have a future husband! I can't possibly be thinking of her in that way. We're just friends, aren't we? Although I'm never this nervous around Rei or the others...

No, this is definitely different.

I've gotta stop this tug of war right now. I have a promised destiny, and I can't let my feelings get in the way. Whatever those feelings are... This can't go on any longer! I don't care what the weather does, I'm sleeping in my own bed tonight, by myself!

An hour later...

"Usagi! It's lunch time! I know you're hungry!" Makoto pounded on the outside of Usagi's bedroom door. "Guess what's for dessert? Chocolate chip cookies! I made them myself-"

The door flung open before Makoto had even finished her sentence.

"Yay!" Usagi cheered. She hugged her curly-haired friend. "Did you say cookies? What's for lunch, Mako?"

"I helped the cooks make a traditional Japanese meal. Rice-balls too!" Makoto smiled proudly.

"Sounds yummy!"

"Well, come on! I want you to tell me how it tastes!" She led her friend down the hall. They spotted two shorter girls ahead of them, walking side-by-side. One had long, light-blonde hair tied back with a bow. The girl beside her had a sliver ponytail swaying with every step she took. Her arms were behind her head leisurely as they strolled.

"Hey Minako! Oh hi there, Yaten!" Usagi greeted them.

"Oh, Usagi! Mako!" Minako jumped nervously. She turned around and sighed. "Ahaha, you scared us!"

"What's up?" Usagi couldn't read Minako's expression.

"N-nothing! You...didn't overhear our conversation, did you?"

Yaten sighed. "Smooth..." she muttered.

Usagi shook her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Minako, but guess what? Mako said she helped make lunch for us!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's eat!"

The four girls continued to the dining room. They approached the long table, which was set for nine, but the room was empty.

Minako happily lowered herself in the chair beside Yaten. It was harder than she expected to pretend that there was nothing going on between them. But a promise was a promise and she intended to stick to it and keep her mouth shut and the flirting to a minimum.

"Oh, where's Seiya?" Usagi looked around the room. The lead Starlight was nowhere to be seen.

"Ami and Taiki aren't here yet either," Makoto noted. She glanced at the empty seat beside her.

Minako piped up. "I thought they said something about playing chess again in the library. And Rei was in our room a while ago."

A server appeared carrying bowls of miso soup. The salty, tangy aroma made Usagi's mouth water.

"Where were you two at?" Usagi asked, looking at Minako and Yaten.

"Eh? Ahaha, just hanging out, Usagi," Minako gabbed. "Nothing suspicious or anything. Just the two of us...alone...doing nothing, though! Why do you ask? Ahaha..."

Yaten face palmed. What have I gotten myself into?

"I see..." Usagi said. She sensed something off, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"What about you?" Minako shot back. She nervously folded her napkin while staring at her soup. "Did you get any more 'dancing' lessons from Seiya?" She bit back a smile.

Yaten raised her eyebrow, curiously.

"Minako!" Usagi whispered, embarrassed. "All I've done since we got back was take a bath!"

Minako raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Alone?"

"Of course alone! Who else would I be taking a bath with?!"

"Um, should I go check on everybody?" Makoto interrupted, half-standing from her seat. She felt left out from the conversation.

"Sure, why not?" Yaten put her feet up on Seiya's empty chair across from her.

Makoto nodded and stepped out into the hallway. A couple minutes later, Seiya entered.

"Hey, sorry I'm late! The Princess wanted me to tell everyone to go ahead and eat without her. She wanted to apologize for missing one of Makoto's homemade dishes-" Seiya cocked her head to the side. "Wait, where is everyone?"

"Not sure," said Usagi. "But Mako just went to check."

"Hopefully she doesn't get lost," Minako said. "I have already, once or twice. This place is huge and all the halls look the same."

Seiya lowered herself beside Usagi, who seemed to be avoiding eye contact with her. "Hey, look at you! Kinmokian fashion looks cute on you."

Usagi gave a small smile. She had changed into an outfit they bought earlier - a short pleated white skirt and pink top with ruffled shoulders.

Seiya reached over to muss her bangs. "You should come shopping here more often!"

Usagi flinched away from her hand, then regretted it. I'm sorry Seiya. I just can't right now. I'm so confused...

Seiya was taken aback. "What's wrong, Bun Head?" she asked in a low voice so only Usgi could hear.

"Nothing..." She avoided her blatant stare.

Seiya frowned. "You're not upset about earlier are you?" she whispered.

"No, not really," Usagi mumbled. You've got it all wrong, Seiya... But I can't keep leading you on. Oh, where are Mako and the others?

Seiya turned back to her seat and sighed dully. She looked up at the two girls across from them. Yaten was staring off, wearing a bored expression as she dug into the soup, not even bothering to wait for the others. Minako was studying her nails. Seiya suddenly got an idea. Maybe I just need to try a different approach...

"Oh Minako, there's something in your hair," Seiya said.

"Ew, it's not a bug, is it?"

"I don't think so. C'mere, let me see." Seiya stood and leaned across the table towards her. She brushed Minako's bangs back ever-so-slowly and gazed into her eyes, really over doing it.

"There," she said. "Just a leaf. I got it."

"Thanks."

"Hey, I just noticed, your eyes have flecks of grey in them," Seiya told her. "It's pretty."

Minako was taken aback. She flushed at the compliment. "Oh, yeah they do. Uh, thanks, Seiya."

Usagi shifted in her seat. They're so close! Back up Minako! Don't look at her that way, Seiya! Usagi chewed on her fingernails. Where are the others at anyways!? Hurry up.

"Hey!" Yaten sat up in her seat when she realized what was going on. She grabbed Minako's wrist and yanked her back into her seat. Yaten gave Seiya a dirty look.

Seiya wrinkled her nose. "Is something wrong, Yaten?" She was usually so indifferent about everything. It was odd to see her getting worked up. And for what reason?

"Nothing, just leave her alone," Yaten grumbled, sitting back and folding her arms across her chest. She stared off, her cheeks were visibly turning pinker by the second. "Where's the rest of the food, anyways?" she muttered, changing the subject.

Seiya peeked over at Usagi. She was bouncing her feet under the table. Anxiously, perhaps? she wondered.

Secretly, Usagi was thankful for Yaten's intervention. Seiya flirting with someone else, especially right in front of her, hurt worse than getting her heart crystal stolen by the Death Busters.

Minako glanced between Yaten, Seiya, and Usagi. She didn't fully understand what was going on, but she could feel the tension hanging thick in the air. Yaten glared at Seiya. Seiya eyed Usagi. Usagi watched Minako. Minako sneaked a peek at Yaten. It was awkwardly silent. The only sound was the faint ticking of a grandfather clock on the other side of the room. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock

"Hey guys, sorry we're late!" Ami called, making everyone jump and turn at the same time.

"It's about time!" Yaten complained.

Usagi breathed a sigh of relief. I was just thinking the same thing...