Enjoy, y'all :)

(Beta'd by AnxietyAvocado)

"Warm Water" by Banks

Showered, dressed, made-up, and re-caffeinated, Usagi strutted down the stairs in her strappy black romper to the evening crowd, which was not even halfway assembled. She could hear some chatting from one of the bedrooms while noticing Mamoru and Motoki sitting outside on the porch as Olive was laid out busy with a bone. But then Usagi was able to pick up on voices from the kitchen, coming from Makoto, Ami, and Seiya. Her buzz from earlier in the day had all but disappeared and, naturally, after hearing Seiya giggle, she soon felt all the nerves. She would have preferred to have a small level of inebriation already established before having to face the Starlight, but of course, she should have been used to the universe screwing her over by now.

And speaking of—despite treading lightly, the open concept of the downstairs made her easy to spot before she even reached the kitchen.

"Hey, sleepy-head!" Makoto looked up from her task of skewering raw chicken with bamboo sticks whilst her hands were covered in plastic gloves.

Seiya and Ami stood on two other sides of the island, also wearing the same plastic gloves and skewering. While Ami had to turn her head to the side to catch sight of Usagi, Seiya had to turn around. As Usagi's eyes locked with hers, she could have sworn to have detected a blush on Seiya's cheeks as she smiled her way. Perhaps she was just as nervous to face the bunhead knowing that she might have heard her and Motoki earlier.

But at least Usagi could explain her own blush as embarrassment for Makoto calling her out for napping during the beach festivities. With her face in a grimace, she raised her shoulders to her ears while giving everyone a wave as she claimed a corner of the island between Ami and Seiya. She picked up on a familiar floral scent floating in the air but was then distracted by the food.

"Hey, guys! What's going on?"

"Assembling the yakitori for tonight." Makoto sang as she twisted her hips while placing a full skewer of chicken in a glass casserole dish. "It's gonna be so good."

"Yum! Do you need any help?"

"Not from the birthday girl." Ami shouldered Usagi with a wink. "Go on and get a drink. You have some catching up to do!"

"Are you sure?" Granted, it was her birthday weekend, but her longtime friends were usually never ones to pass on her offering to help.

"Yes! Get something!" Makoto aggressively seconded, pointing at the fridge with a naked skewer.

"Okay!" Their offers now feeling more like threats, Usagi stiffened as she shuffled over to the fridge. She had just grasped the handle when she heard the voice from the only person in the room who mattered.

"Odango?"

She turned to look at Seiya and watched her flick her head in an attempt to move her dark bangs out of her eyes without using her hands. The movement gave Usagi a temporary spike in body temperature as she felt her palm perspire against the stainless steel. She didn't mean for a simple action like that to be enough to affect her, but then again, Seiya could make even brushing her teeth look sexy.

"I made a cocktail that's chilling in the fridge," she grinned and pointed with her chin. "It should be good by now if you want to give it a try."

Usagi nearly nodded her head off her neck before opening the door to be presented with a glass pitcher filled with the most beautiful pink drink she had ever seen. The backlight of the fridge that shone behind it made it practically glow while not being too murky or transparent either. Usagi couldn't help but become so touched and excited about the evidence of Seiya's time and energy put into the concoction that she made a secret resolution to keep it hidden to drink it all for herself.

She grabbed the pitcher and walked it over to place on the island. "Seiya, this looks great!"

"Thanks! It's like what Minako made except instead of using a whole handle of vodka, I only used half."

Both Ami and Makoto involuntarily gagged once they were reminded of the memories of drinking the night before.

"Really?" Usagi studied the drink. "It looks a lot different than Mina's."

"Yeah, Mina's was like… a pukish orange." Makoto raised an eyebrow.

"Well… I didn't use orange juice or blue curacao… or tequila… or rum… and I went a bit easier on the pineapple juice, but I added some guava…" Seiya trailed off as she went over the ingredients in her mind.

"Y'know what, it's not even the same thing." She laughed as she rolled her eyes at herself. "Do you want me to make you a drink, Odango?"

"Of course!"

With a giant smile, Seiya removed her gloves and walked over to a set of cabinets. Usagi intently watched her grab a short glass before moving to the fridge where she filled it with ice at the ice- maker while opening the door to reach for an already-open bottle of grenadine.

After it seemed like everything was collected, Seiya stationed herself next to the bunhead at the island before filling the glass with the pink drink. And then came the red syrup which sank perfectly to the bottom without mixing with the rest of the liquid. Such simple science came off as such magic to Usagi that she bounced and clapped her hands.

"Ta-da!" Seiya held out her arms to show off her basic mixology skills.

"It looks so beautiful! I don't want to drink it." She put her palms to her cheeks as she stared at the gradient art.

"You're too sweet, Odango." Seiya smiled as she reached for an unused skewer to substitute as a stirrer, ultimately ruining the ombre aesthetic so Usagi didn't have to.

"There. Now it's ready." She placed the skewer on the marble countertop before grabbing the cold glassware to offer it to the blonde.

As if presented with the elixir of eternal youth, Usagi accepted it with two hands and immediately puckered her lips on the rim to take a large gulp. Its taste was everything perfect that a summer drink should be—fruity, refreshing, light, crisp, not too sweet, and void of the burn of too much alcohol. It gently grazed and invigorated her taste buds while making a smooth descent down her throat and then straight into her brain and bloodstream. The mere act of consuming the drink was an experience in and of itself that represented the perfection that was Seiya, and Usagi wanted more.

"Seiya, this is amazing." She took another swig, even bigger this time.

Seiya's eyes crinkled from a proud giant grin. "Great! I'm glad it turned out okay!"

"More than okay. I'm not drinking anything else tonight!" She then pointed at her with a wink. "But... you gotta make it for me every time."

"It's a deal." She winked and pointed back. "It's the birthday girl's special reserve."

"What?!" Makoto chimed in—or rather screamed in. "That's not fair! I can't survive another night of Minako's poison again!"

"Please. Everything she makes qualifies as an antiseptic." Ami's eyes were pleading for mercy.

"I'll make another one," Seiya assured as she carried the pitcher and grenadine back into the fridge. "We should have enough guava left."

And then just as she closed the door and turned back around to face Usagi, Seiya noticed her glass was now significantly emptier than half a second before. The drink had fallen far below the top of the ice level and now looked transparent within its last half-inch of height; the ice cubes hadn't even begun to melt yet.

"Wow… you were thirsty, huh?" Her dark eyebrows shot up, impressed with the bunhead's speed of consumption.

Usagi released a dainty burp as she covered her mouth with her fingers, her cheeks now as pink as the disappearing cocktail. "I'm sorry. It was just so good!"

"I won't complain." Seiya grinned as she went back into the fridge to retrieve the pitcher and grenadine and begin the refill.

Within her movements, Usagi was hit again with the familiar floral aroma from earlier. She sniffed the air a couple of times, sensing it was coming from Seiya.

"What's that perfume you're wearing?"

Seiya picked up the pitcher. "Oh, it's not perfume. I did put on some scented body lotion, though." She then began pouring.

Usagi didn't even give it a second thought; not that she would have anyway for anyone else. But for Seiya, she made sure to milk it for all its subtle inappropriateness. Leaning toward the Starlight, she planted her nose on the soft, tanned skin of her shoulder as she slowly inhaled the intoxicating fragrance. Her mouth also brushed up against her skin and parted slightly as her top lip adhered to the firm, kissable silk. The different notes of the scent mixed with the natural smell of Seiya's skin gave Usagi such a rush of excitement and hunger that it took everything within for her not to include a sensual nibble.

Before any impulsive moves could be made though, Usagi pulled away. She was still close enough to Seiya's arm that she could still feel her warm breath every time she exhaled, inspiring goosebumps in both women.

"It smells so good. What's that scent?"

She looked up at Seiya, who was frozen in place with her mouth hanging open. It had felt like a long time since Usagi was this close to her, and it was only now she noticed how thick her eyelashes were, creating a natural eyeliner around her dark ocean eyes that were glinting with a confused and cautious adoration. Usagi gladly sunk into them to bask in every wave of fantasy and memory of her, wanting to use this time to tell her everything she felt with one look. However, Seiya seemed as if she kept telling herself to wake up.

"Uh… um… it's—"

Suddenly the sound of liquid hitting the countertop brought both women out of their shared trance as they noticed the glass was overflowing.

"Oh shit!" Flushed and flustered, Seiya set the pitcher down and ran to the other end of the kitchen to grab several paper towels.

"Uh oh, what happened?" Ami asked as she noticed the spill while pressing a chicken piece down on her skewer.

"Just a small accident. I'm sorry, Odango." The Starlight shook her head as she returned and began to sop up the spilled liquid with the towels.

Usagi bit her lip as she fidgeted with her hair. "It's okay, Seiya. That was my fault." If anything should take the blame, it should be the stupid spill that spoiled their moment.

"Not at all." Seiya flashed her a smile but more or less kept her gaze downward on her cleanup task. "I just got distracted trying to remember what that scent is. It's some kind of flower… Not jasmine but the other one…"

"Lily?" Makoto raised an eyebrow.

Seiya smacked her tongue. "No… not that one either…" She followed up with a shake of her head as she transitioned to cleaning the glass itself with the last dry remnants of paper towel.

"Rose? Lavender? Lilac? Violet? Plumeria? Fresia? Tuberose? Ylang ylang?"

Seiya snorted so hard she nearly spilled the drink again. She didn't know what half those flowers even were but for sure knew they weren't the right ones.

"No, none of those. I'll have to check later—"

"Sure! Let's go!" Usagi beamed in eagerness. "I'd like to put some on too."

Seiya's eyes fixated on hers once again, clearly still trying to collect and process their bearings. Usagi maintained an air of perkiness in an effort for Seiya to lower her guard; to show her it was okay to talk to her, or touch her, or take her right there on the kitchen island… whatever she was comfortable with.

After a few moments, Seiya handed the full glass back to her with a paper towel wrapped around it and a smile wrapped on her face.

"Sure. It's in the bathroom."

Usagi never thought she'd enjoy walking behind someone so much; her only complaint was that it had to be through the very bedroom where she witnessed Seiya and Motoki doing the deed. Her eyes started toward the bottom of the raven-haired goddess's body, noticing how she wore her cut-off denim shorts like she knew her ass and legs were made for them. Her white ribbed tank top hugged her lean figure enough that the outline of her bra strap showed through the material. And though her hair was mostly taken in a side messy braid, various locks cascaded in perfect randomness around her neck and shoulders, exuding a magnetic feminine allure. She embodied such an effortless beauty that Usagi coveted it… and also coveted it. Her resentment for Motoki managed to multiply two-fold in record time.

Once at their destination, Seiya began rummaging through a small overnight bag sitting on the long vanity, producing an off-white squeeze bottle after half a moment.

"Gardenia!" She exclaimed with a sigh of relief. "I can't believe I forgot that!"

Usagi gasped. "Oh! I like that scent! I have a bunch of gardenia stuff too."

Seiya nodded as she offered the bottle to her. "Makes sense. The scent seemed familiar."

Usagi placed her drink on the counter before accepting the bottle and clicking it open to squeeze its contents into her hands. Once she deemed the swirl of white cream high enough on her palm, she then set the bottle next to her drink before she began applying the lotion all over her arms.

"Well, it is a beautiful scent." Usagi brought her wrist to her nose for a sniff. "I love it."

"I can't believe I couldn't think of the name. I probably needed a nap today, too." Seiya released a breathy giggle as she shook her head. "How was your nap, by the way?"

"It was good." She cleared her throat trying to keep her cheeks from reddening. "Had some very good dreams."

"Oh really? What about?"

"Uh…" More throat clearing. "Can't remember them exactly."

Seiya nodded before looking down as one hand grabbed her arm while the other began to fidget with the tail end of her braid. Whatever else she had in mind to say seemed to need some mental coaxing to come out, but Usagi stayed silent and patient as she sensed her pensiveness. She even detected the blush from earlier appearing on her cheeks again.

"So… when did you get to the house, exactly? Motoki and I didn't see or hear you come in."

Usagi bit into her lips as if to keep from bursting into laughter, feeling her whole head catch fire. That was a good enough answer for Seiya in and of itself.

"Shit, I knew it." She covered her face with both hands as her shoulders relaxed. Though embarrassed, she was thankful to have her curiosity quelled. "I'm so sorry, Odango."

"Don't be! It's fine!" If that wasn't the lie of the century.

Her hands moved up and through her wavy black hair, revealing her light pink face smiling through the pain. "When we got back to the beach and heard you were at the house, I just wanted to sink in the sand."

"Aww, why?" Usagi asked with a shocked smile. Though she couldn't lie that she was a teensy bit delighted that Seiya was ashamed.

"I… Well, I just… Because it's you and—"

"'Because it's me?' What does that mean?" She somehow felt both offended and honored at that expression.

"Nothing! I just know you don't want to hear that."

"But you didn't know!"

"Still! I'm really sorry, Odango. We were drunk and… horny and stupid."

"It's okay. Me too—I mean... it happens to all of us!" That was close. "But we're all on vacation and I want everyone to have fun!"

Seiya relaxed, her fingers slipping into the small pockets of her shorts. "Yes, I'm having a lot of fun. And not only because of… that."

"Good!" Usagi's demeanor then calmed as her expression softened. "I'm glad you're here, Seiya."

Seiya smiled, her tension now waned. "Me too."

It was quiet for a few moments between the two. Usagi picked up her drink and looked into it as if trying to find words to keep their conversation going. This was the first time in a while they had been alone together without being pressed for time, and she wanted to take advantage of it in so many ways and say so many things. She had to let her know that telling her that 'that night' was a mistake was the only mistake made; that if maybe Seiya still wanted her she could have her again, and even again after that; that she needed more confirmation that she still liked her… If it wasn't now, Usagi would only be subjecting herself to a series of more awkward assumptions and rejections. Now was the only chance she had to make everything right and tell her everything she had been feeling…

But Seiya read the situation differently and stepped in the direction toward the open door. "So, um, I should probably head back to the kitchen."

Please don't go. No, she couldn't go—the chance of being alone with her again was only going to get slimmer as the night would go on… and as the weekend or week or month would go on. It had to be here and now.

She gulped to quell her pounding heart and the swirling anxiety within her chest. And despite it, her brain, heart, and body fell in sync as Usagi grabbed Seiya's arm.

"Actually, Seiya…" Her eyes glinted with her plea that she not take another step. "I was hoping I could talk to you about something."

Worried, Seiya nodded as she turned her body to face her. "Sure."

"It's not… bad. I don't think…" Usagi's mouth twitched in a small smile before she took a large gulp of her drink to swallow some courage. She noticed her hand was still on her arm, by now squeezing it with a force that gave away her nervousness.

"Sorry," she tittered as she released her, darting her eyes downward. Though Seiya remained still and maintained her acute attention on the fumbling blonde. Usagi pulled a lock of hair behind her ear before grabbing the other side of her glass to keep both hands occupied, and then looked back up at her with a sigh.

Here it goes.

"I, um… I've been thinking about that night… when we—"

"Hey, did I leave my beer in here?"

Both women nearly jumped out of their skin when Motoki poked his head in the bathroom while announcing his entrance. Usagi's widened eyes transformed into a leer that was almost enough to cause blindness in both her and Motoki. Not long after, Olive came trotting in with her chewed-up treat in her mouth.

Seiya looked over at the vanity before locating a lone beer can sitting in the corner of the countertop. She walked over to grab and inspect it.

"You mean this half-empty can of room-temperature grossness?"

"Yeah, that's it! Thanks, Seiya!" Motoki walked in and took it from her hold before taking a giant swig of the hours-old opened beverage. Seiya watched him with a look of disappointment and disgust while shaking her head.

"Why do you put yourself through this?"

Once the beer was swallowed, he released a refreshed 'ah' and wiggled the can. "This stuff was expensive. I'm not letting it go to waste!"

Still not a good enough excuse for her, she shuddered and walked back over next to Usagi. "You're a literal garbage disposal."

"One man's trash is my treat." Motoki spouted proudly with a wink. While laughing at his own joke, he then made himself comfortable by planting his bottom on the edge of the vanity. "So what are you ladies up to?"

Usagi took more gulps of her drink to keep her facial expressions in check, allowing Seiya to do all the talking.

"Just chatting," she answered with a demure smile. "Girl stuff."

"Ah! What kind of girl stuff—wage gaps? Dismantling the patriarchy?"

"Girl stuff like… secrets ." Seiya raised her eyebrows and tilted her head.

"Ah!" He picked up on the hint she was dropping, pushing himself off the vanity. "Well, I won't keep you then!" He raised his beer. "Makoto has enlisted us to help with the yakitori. Thought to multitask while I do it."

"Oh yeah, we'll join you in a bit." Seiya smiled.

"Sounds good." He walked up to the doorway and looked down at Olive who was waiting for his next move.

"Olive, you're a girl. Do you wanna stay for girl talk?"

Managing an impatient boof despite her mouth being full, Olive waddled out the door and toward the kitchen where the delicious smell of raw chicken was located. Even Usagi broke through her annoyance with a giggle.

"The lady has spoken." Motoki laughed and then took his leave. "See you out there!"

Once they heard his footsteps fade into the living room, both women sighed concurrently as if they had been holding their breaths.

"Sorry about that." Seiya winced as she scratched the top of her head.

Usagi shook her head. "Don't apologize. That wasn't your fault."

She bit her lip as she slid her hands into her back pockets. "Um… maybe we could go outside or something? It might be more private than a bathroom that eight people share."

"Yes. Let's do that."

They stepped out into the outside, the warm air of the evening not as suffocating as during the day, allowing them to release the tension of being within earshot of the group. Mamoru had also been voluntold by Makoto to start skewering so they had the whole porch to themselves. While Seiya intended to sit in the chair Motoki was in last, Usagi had other plans and stepped down the stoop and onto the sand.

She wanted to guarantee no more interruptions.

"Let's take a walk."

They sauntered near the tide on the wet sand for a handful of minutes. It was silent, save for the sound of the waves and the remnants of a few beachgoers still taking advantage of the last rays of sunset. With every passing second, Usagi kept trying to imagine what she would say and how the conversation would go. She had to remind herself that this could very well not go her way—Seiya could very well reject her. She had obviously moved on to someone more mentally steady and available, and what could Usagi—a married anxious mess—ever offer? But despite the possibility that Seiya already had closure in her own mind, she knew she needed to have closure for herself.

And with that consideration, she decided to ease Seiya into the conversation instead of coming right out with it.

"So you and Motoki seem to be doing well."

Seiya shrugged. "Yeah, he's a nice guy. He's fun."

"So is it serious, or…?"

"Not at all," she replied through light laughter as she shook her head. "He's still working his way over his ex. We're just having fun."

"You both seem good together, though."

More head shaking. "I mean, sure he's a good guy, but he's not at all ready for a relationship. And of course, you know our situation with Kinmoku."

Usagi looked away toward the dark water, contemplating for a few moments on how she should continue to approach this, tapping into the tranquility of the waves to help guide and streamline her thoughts.

"Well, does he make you happy?"

The lightheartedness now disappeared, Seiya shot a glance at Usagi, which she returned with an equal amount of seriousness. Usagi could tell she was sensing that she was up to something but still lost as to where she was going with it.

"Uh, I don't know. I haven't thought about it. Why do you ask?"

"I've… noticed… there's been a difference in you since he's been around."

Her eyes now peered curiously at her. "There has?"

"Yeah… I've… noticed you've changed more or less since you started seeing him."

"How have I changed?"

Did she say ' ease into the conversation?' She meant shove. The shift in Seiya's tone now demanded answers, and Usagi had to mindfully keep her own emotions neutral while still trying to make her understand her reality.

Be honest, Usagi. Seiya will understand.

"Since he's been around, it feels like we don't talk much anymore and you've been unavailable since you're always with him."

Seiya stopped just as the tide moved in around her ankles, her forehead wrinkled in disbelief. "Odango, I don't… What are you talking about?"

Usagi herself halted a couple of steps ahead, turning slowly to face Seiya and continue her explanation.

"It has just felt so… hard to get some time in with you. It's like you're trying not to be alone with me or let me in. You're always busy with everyone else but me. Motoki gets to spend time with you, and even Minako. I'm the only one sitting around alone all day, but I feel like I'm the only one left out. I had to find out from other people that you were with Motoki and that you got an Instagram and..." she paused as she felt her voice begin to shake, as well as to focus on keeping the tears inside. "And I just don't know why you didn't tell me those things. I really wanted you to tell me those things."

The wind picked up as the tide moved in again, a little stronger this time in that it came up to their mid-calves. Seiya opened her mouth as if she had a quick reply, but no words would form. Instead, she looked down to internally analyze everything while struggling with her battling emotions of hesitancy and honesty.

Usagi took a step closer to her, enough that their hair fluttered against one another from the wind. While her eyes glinted with the suppression of a thousand tears, she mustered a small smile in an attempt to gain that little bit of trust to push Seiya over and open up.

"Please, Seiya. I just want you to be honest with me. I know something's different."

Eventually, she looked up to meet Usagi's eyes with hers. "I'm so sorry I made you feel that way, Odango. I promise that's not what I was trying to do. I've just been… trying to be careful."

"Careful?" Usagi shook her head in confusion. "Of what?"

She sighed, already in figurative pain for having to verbalize it. "I just don't want to fuck things up more with you than I have already."

"What you mean, 'fuck things up more?'"

"Because of that night… I obviously crossed a boundary with you. And the last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable again."

"Uncomfortable? Seiya, I wasn't uncomfortable." Her chest began to ache as if feeling her heart literally beginning to crack. "That's not what I felt."

"How else was I supposed to interpret your reaction the morning after?"

Usagi squeezed the end of her hair, letting it absorb the continuous sweat from her palms. While she could have come out by telling Seiya she takes everything back, she felt there were more layers to the situation given by her behavior, and by now she had passed the point of no return to gloss over everything that was just said.

"I only meant for us to go back to normal."

"But what is our normal? Normal would be for me to return to Kinmoku. Normal doesn't involve me in your life."

With only a blink, a few tears escaped down Usagi's cheeks. "No! Just… normal! Being normal people who have known each other for a long time!"

"But I don't know what that means for us!" Seiya's voice raised with her emotions. "The only real foundation I have is based on that first night we saw each other after twelve years when we got drunk and slept together. And you clearly communicated to me that that was a mistake." The last sentence came out as a whimper, and she had to take a break and a breath to reclaim composure. However, her eyes never strayed from the bunhead.

"I'm so grateful you still allowed me to stay in your life. I'm trying to navigate through this for you as best as I can. I just… really, really don't want to mess up again."

Usagi sniffled, reading between the lines of Seiya's logic. "So you think I'm just waiting around for you to make a mistake? That I'm watching and scoring your every move?"

"No!" Seiya held up her hands to her shoulder height, displaying her palms to Usagi in defense. "No, no, no! It's not like that—!"

"And you really think our friendship is so weak that I will just cut you out of my life? And not want to work things out?"

Her palms lowered in exposed surrender, trying to handle the wave of realization of how her actions revealed her subconscious fear. Her mouth had parted long enough in speechlessness that she had to lick her lips before she responded.

"I know you wouldn't do that but… I admit I didn't want to risk it."

"But you've helped me so much, Seiya. The last thing I want is to lose you."

Her voice deepened into a tender tone. "You'll never lose me, Odango."

"It already feels like I have."

"Never. I will always be here for you for anything."

"But you're not." She sobbed and wiped her cheeks and chin of her fallen tears. "I needed you that day at brunch. Just you, not anyone else. But you went ahead and invited everyone and made plans with Motoki. I wanted to spend time with you."

Hit with the awareness that she truly failed her one true love, Seiya shook her head as her breathing became heavy to match the weight of the guilt on her heart.

"I'm really, really sorry, Odango. I had no idea."

"I mean, I probably should have said something but I thought we were connected enough to know… Because I called you, only you."

"I just couldn't fathom that you would want to be alone with me after that night. I was only trying to protect you."

"Protect me from what?"

Seiya pursed her lips as she put a hand to her chest. "From me."

"Why, Seiya?" This went deeper than what she was prepared for, causing her level of frustration to rise with each word that came out of Seiya's mouth. "You're the one person, even over my own husband, who I trust the most. I know you wouldn't ever hurt me."

Seiya stayed adamant. "But I did, Odango. I hurt you that night. And made you do an awful thing."

"You didn't make me do anything!"

"But you were so vulnerable that night. You were in such a bad place… I know what it's like to be in such darkness that you'll do anything to see light. I should have been more responsible and not taken advantage of you in the state of mind you were in."

"Seiya," Usagi squirmed and pulled her hair in an effort to prevent herself from slapping Seiya out of her delusions. Instead, she put both hands on her shoulders to emphasize her seriousness and maybe shake her out of it if she needed to.

"We were drunk. Both of us. You're not responsible for me."

A tear fell down Seiya's cheek as she grabbed Usagi's wrists. "That's no excuse. I knew what was happening and I should have stopped us. I wanted so badly to help you escape. All I wanted to do was take care of you and make you happy. But I did it in the way that I wanted to—"

"Stop blaming yourself. Please stop, Seiya!" She gritted her teeth and squeezed the Starlight's shoulders to keep from screaming. "It was both of us. I'm not some helpless damsel just because I'm depressed. I know if I had asked you to stop, you would have."

"I can't help but feel so shameful that I put you in that position with Mamoru. I think about how you must feel having to lay next to him and hold that secret. I've jeopardized your marriage and made you carry around this bad memory with you."

Every single word out of her mouth was another infuriating blow to the already-present cracks in Usagi's heart. The tears now came in uncontrollable waves, hindering her vision and train of thought. Still trying to maintain awareness of the fact that they were in public, she covered her cheeks as she tried to steady her breathing and prevent any loud sobbing.

"It wasn't a bad memory, Seiya. I wouldn't… I would never think that about you at all! You did nothing wrong! You didn't force me to do anything!"

However, Seiya noticed that some bystanders were looking over at them with curious stares, and she made the quick executive decision to put an arm around the tearful Usagi and lead her toward a ramp of a nearby hotel resort.

"Come on, Odango. Let's go over here."

Despite her emotional turmoil, Usagi relished in Seiya's hold and her penchant for taking control. Returning the gesture, she put an arm around her waist as they walked together through the wooden columns and boards underneath the highest part of the structure to stand underneath it, continuing their conversation in relative privacy.

"I'm so sorry, Seiya." Usagi quietly sniffled as her tears began to let up. "I'm so sorry you've felt like this. I didn't mean that at all."

Seiya slinked her arm from Usagi's shoulders to reposition herself in front of her. "Don't be sorry, Odango. I'm not the one who has consequences."

She shrugged, her eyes staring down into the shadowed sand. "But it's been okay. Mamo and I are fine."

Taking a few moments to process her statement, Seiya's fingers sunk into her back pockets. "Have you told him?"

Usagi shook her head with a resolute, "no," before looking up at her with a resolute gaze. "I want to keep that night perfect for myself."

Seiya had to blink through what she just said, preventing her face from showing any obvious emotion. "What does that mean?"

Usagi stepped closer to her, leaving only a few inches between them. It took all of her willpower to keep her hands to herself as she still felt it was too soon to make a move.

"Ever since that night, all I've been able to think about is you and being with you again. That night was the first decision I ever made for myself as Usagi in a long time. I can't take it back and I don't want to take it back."

And there it was—a hopeful twinkle in Seiya's eye. It gave Usagi the strength to continue with the last part of her confession.

"But I do take back everything that I said when we talked afterward. Everything. I felt guilty only because I enjoyed myself, and I knew that it was the right thing to feel because you aren't my husband. But I lied to you… that night was the best I have ever felt in a long time. It wasn't a mistake. And I'm so sorry you had to get hurt just because I couldn't accept my own feelings."

Wide-eyed and frozen, Seiya gulped down any hint of premature excitement while staying silent otherwise. She looked away before waiting a couple of moments to reply.

"So… when you said you wanted to go back to normal, what did you mean by, 'normal?'"

Usagi blushed and bit into her lips. "Back when I knew you still liked me."

Seiya shook her head. "Why does that matter so much?"

On instinct, she grabbed the ends of her hair to pick at while she answered. "Because it makes me feel valuable as Usagi. You like me as Usagi. With Mamo, I have wondered from time to time who he really fell in love with—me, or Sailor Moon, or Serenity… Is he only with me because of destiny? Because it's the easy option?" She released a cynical titter and looked down. "I know deep down he loves me, but your crush on me is the only thing giving me purpose."

Seiya freed her hands from her pockets to gently grasp Usagi's fidgeting digits, stopping them from continuing their torture of her golden locks. The blonde then slowly tilted her head up to look into Seiya's sapphire eyes gleaming with earnestness.

"You're worth so much more than my crush on you."

"I know." Interpreting Seiya's touch as a sign, Usagi nodded and shuffled closer to her, their noses and lips now grazing. "But right now, nothing else matters. Only you matter."

And then ever-so-gently, she planted a kiss on the corner of Seiya's mouth, contrasted with the latter's ever-tightening hold on her hands.

"I need you, Seiya."

She couldn't remember how it happened, or who did it first. All that she knew was that she didn't want it to stop. And before she knew it, her mouth opened to invite her lips and tongue to reclaim their territory.