The End of the Affair
My face stung. I put my hand on my cheek where she had slapped me. I stood there in disbelief. I had been there only fifteen minutes, just long enough to tell her that it was over. I don't know why I was surprised she slapped me. I knew what was coming when I decided to end it.
She swung to hit me again and my hand caught her wrist before it could connect. She swung with her other hand and again I caught it in mid-swing. We stood there, my hands holding her wrists, breathing heavily and looking at each other with fierce determination, my expression unusually calm.
I could feel my face change as tears fell down her cheeks. My hands let go of her wrists and gently wiped away her tears. She sighed and let me continue drying her cheeks. Her eyes were sad, sad and trusting.
"Raye," I whispered. "Raye, please don't hate me."
The tears started to fall faster. "Endymion, I could never hate you. The only I will really hate is knowing that now this is all over I've lost you."
"We'll still see each other, Raye."
Raye nodded. "That's what makes it hurt. Seeing you everyday and not being able to touch you, not being able to hold you."
"I love my wife, Raye. She doesn't deserve this."
"Yes, Serena. I know. You were mine once and I lost you to her. I had you again and I lost you to her once more."
"I love you, Raye, you know I do. But I love Serena more."
I had hurt her. I had never wanted to hurt anyone. But I had and it nearly tore me in two. All because of my own weakness and stupidity.
Raye and I had dated briefly in the 1990's. I was a college student, she barely 14. Raye says she loved me the moment she saw me. I admit I never really felt the same way. Raye was beautiful and I loved her temper, on anyone else it would have been annoying. But when I began my relationship with her, I wasn't looking for love - just someone to makeout with. And I'm glad. Because the second I saw Serena, I fell madly in love with her, in turn breaking Raye's heart.
She never forgot how she felt about me and though I loved Serena, I never forgot about Raye and our relationship. Even after I married Serena Raye's touch was burn in my mind. Raye is an extremely hard person to forget and her touch, so unlike Serena's gentle and giving touch, is full of fire and passion.
After the purification of Crystal Tokyo, I began to feel restless. I was almost 4,000 years old with the body and energy of my 21 year old self.
So when I went to Raye that morning, I don't know what I was looking for. Raye had been a part of my daily life since I could remember, reporting with Lita on all things military. But I wound up missing every single appointment I had that day. And Raye and I ended up walking every inch of the Crystal Palace, inside and out. We ended up in her chambers. She'd made me unusually happy, being able to share a part of myself that I'd hidden since being crowned king, part that Serena had forgotten existed and part of myself I missed.
We sat on the edge of her bed, joking and laughing til we cried, sitting much closer than two friends should. I joked, she nudged me in my sensitive spot in my ribs, and I tickled her, like children do, causing her to fall back on the bed and me lean over her- still tickling. She laughed at me, her amethist eyes sparkling and the next thing I knew I was kissing her, my hands everywhere....
The need for Raye became and obsession, as well as making sure Serena never found out. I washed my clothes separately from hers, making sure she never recognized the mysterious perfume that was Raye. I had a hard time concentrating on my tasks and found myself like a moodly teenager in love. Serena had no idea and I had every intention of keeping it that way.
But after the birth of my daughter, I went through a horrible guilt trip, almost going to Serena and confessing everything. I realized what a terrible husband I'd been. I loved Serena, she was my soulmate and I had had an affair. I had not loved myself enough to love my wife.
And that's how I found myself standing there, my face burning from where Raye had slapped me. I had told her it was over, that I was going back to my wife to be a good husband and a good father to my daughter.
"Raye?" My arms were out to pull her to me, to hold her.
"I can't let you comfort me, Endymion. Not now, not ever. If I don't walk away now I never will."
I nodded and leaned in close to her. Raye's eye's closed and for a second my lips hovered over hers, then settled on her forehead, in a gentle goodbye kiss.
Raye smiled sadly and put her hand on my still red cheek. "Sorry about that. I hope it goes away quickly."
"Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine." She turned to leave. "Raye?"
"Yes?"
"Take care of yourself."
"You too. Good bye, Darien."
I stayed there after she'd left, much longer than I expected to, just thinking about things. I loved my wife, sincerely loved her. And I had loved Raye deeply, loved her enough to spend six months with her. But I think it's because I loved those two women I ended my affair with Raye. I lost a friend and gained more, a wife and friend and soulmate all over again. I miss my friend.
~The End~
Author's note:
Written and completed on 3/8/01 I don't own Sailor Moon or the characters, this was just written for fun.
I wrote this after "When One Door Closes" because I like the sound and tone of the fic. And I'm very pleased with what came out of it. To be honest, an affair between Raye and Endymion isn't so much a bad idea. In a lot of cases it works, done the right way. I hope you enjoyed it. Ciao! Duchess ^_~