Disclaimer: Do you really need to hear it again?
AN: Hey! I'm finally back! Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter posted. Hopefully the next one will be out in a week or so. Much thanks from here to the end to Sacred Rose, for coming up with the idea. ASMR RULES SAILOR MOON FANDOM!
Tranquility: Chapter Ten
By Jewel of Venus
By the time her birthday arrived, Sere had calmed down considerably. Her reasoning was this: Just because Darien had kissed the girl's hand didn't mean that they were dating. Darien did silly stuff like that to HER and SHE certainly wasn't dating him.
Even though it was summer vacation, Sere had an odd habit of waking up at 6:30 every morning and making breakfast for Darien. Today, however, she woke up to birds and sunlight...and no alarm clock. Thinking that it was just Darien's way of telling her to sleep in, Sere smilingly pulled on a robe and slippers and went out to make breakfast.
"SUPRISE!!!" Sere stared at the five familiar faces that filled the kitchen. Mina and Seishi had gigantic smiles of their faces. Darien stood off to one side, laughing quietly, as if he thought everything a good joke. And lastly, looking very happy, were Fuu and Ami.
"Happy Birthday, meatball head." Darien walked over and hugged the shocked girl.
"We made you breakfast." Ami stated, her eyes glowing with pride.
"Oh, guys..." Sere's eyes filled with happy tears. The girls all hugged her and told her happy birthday, then hurridly set the table.
Breakfast was wonderful. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and orange juice were set on the table, and the happy group talked and laughed for an hour before they were done.
"Alright, Sere," Seishi said as she pushed her empty plate back, "It's time to open your presents."
"But shouldn't I do that tonight?"
"Nope." Mina pulled out a pink package and handed it to Sere. "Here, mine first."
@-----
"Thank you all SO much!" Sere smiled at the people she loved the most. "The presents were great!"
"Alright, now!" Mina jumped up. "You need to go get dressed! We'll do the dishes." Sere gathered up her presents and went to her room.
She had no trouble choosing what to wear. The white shorts and pink shirt that Mina gave her, the silver crescent moon earrings and necklace from Seishi, and the tan backpack purse from Fuu (which would contain the Sailor Moon hairbrush and mirror from Ami.). She'd put her hair up in 'odangos' with the midnight-blue hair ties (with crescent moon charms) that she got from Darien. Once she was satisfied with her appearance, Sere went back out to the living room.
@-----
Darien was the first to see Sere come out of her room; the girls were all busy washing dishes. The moment he saw her, he was lost to everything around him. He drank in the sight of her as if he had been wandering in the desert and she was a fresh stream. He was unable to move; unable to breathe. He fingered a small black box in his pocket. It held a small silver ring set with a moonstone, the profession of his love for this glorious angel. She looked at him curiously.
"Hey, Dare, you alright?"
"Huh...what?"
"You bozo!" Sere giggled. "You are such a dreamer! No WONDER you've been working on that book for so long!"
"A book? I didn't know you write." Ami walked up to them, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Are you getting it published?"
"If he ever finishes it!" Sere snorted. Darien raised his eyebrow.
"If?" He turned and went into his room quickly, ignoring Sere's curious stare and the sounds of the girls asking her about his book. He grabbed something off of his dresser and went back out, his hands behind his back.
"Darien?" Sere got a devilish look in her eye. "What have you got there?" Darien smiled.
"Absolutely nothing, dear."
"Yes you do!" Sere tried to get around behind him. "Let me see! Let me see!"
"As you wish." Darien handed her a book.
"'The Rose's Thorns: A Mystery. By Darien T. Sheilds'" She read. "Is this your book?"
"Just read the inside cover."
"Ok..." Sere opened the book and read the hand-written inscription. "'To Serenity, for her 17th birthday. You are always in my heart. Much love, Darien.'" The girls all started to tear up at the sweet note. "Oh, wait! 'P.S. You are a meatball head.'" Sere blinked and tried to decide whether to be touched or insulted. Darien smiled as the girls held their breath.
"DARIEN!!!!"
@-----
As night fell over Tokyo, six teenagers laughingly collapsed on the sofa in Darien's apartment, just home from a trip downtown. They had spent the day in parks and shops, with a stop at the Crown Arcade after lunch. About half an hour before, they had called for pizza from a pay phone, then proceeded to race to the apartment as fast as they could so that the pizza guy wouldn't get there before them.
"That was SO fun!" Sere gasped. "Thanks, guys!"
"You're welcome!" The girls chorused as the doorbell rang.
"And there's the pizza!" Darien stood up and took some money out of his pocket. A few minutes later, the girls were sitting all over the living room, eating pizza and watching a Sailor Moon marathon on TV. Quietly, Darien slipped out of the apartment and down two flights of stairs, stopping at one of the apartments. Looking around to make sure Sere hadn't followed him, he rang the doorbell. The door opened to reveal a pretty girl, about his age.
"Hi, Reika."
"Darien! Hi!" Reika smiled at him. "I was wondering when you'd get around to coming over!"
@-----
Sere had seen Darien slip out after the pizza came, and being the curious female she was, Sere followed him. Down two flights of stairs, and to an apartment. Sere didn't want him to see her, so she stayed in the stairwell, where she could JUST see him. After looking around, Darien rang the doorbell, and the door was answered by...the girl from the park. He said hi to her - Sere could just make out the name 'Reika' - and she smiled and said something back.
Unfortunately, she was too far away to hear them, but Sere watched the pair carefully. As she watched, Darien took a box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a ring. Reika's eyes went wide and she put the ring on her finger before pulling Darien quickly into her apartment.
@-----
Reika closed the door quickly and looked again at the ring Darien had bought.
"Darien, it's beautiful." she said, handing it back to him. "Sere will love it."
"I hope so." Darien put the ring and box back into his pocket as he nervously licked his lips. "You don't think it's...well...too forward?"
"Absolutely not!" Reika exclaimed indignently. "Why, if my boyfriend did something like this for me, I'd be the happiest girl alive!" Darien sighed deeply.
"But that's just it!" he said, sitting on the couch. "I'm NOT her boyfriend. If I tell her that I love her, and that this ring is a promise of my eternal love and maybe even a promise to get married in the future, won't I scare her away?"
"No. Not if she loves you. And," Reika silenced Darien's slight protest, "She may love you and not even realize it yet."
"Well, thanks, Reika. You're a life saver. A cherry one." Reika laughed.
"Anytime, my friend."
@-----
Sere was quiet when she walked back into the apartment. Her thoughts were no longer on her wonderful birthday, but on her lost love.
"Hey, Sere, what's wrong?" Seishi looked up from the TV.
"Oh, um, nothing." Sere faked a yawn. "I'm just tired, that's all." Suddenly, all the girls had reasons why they needed to be home. With a few rushed 'happy birthdays' and 'goodbyes', the girls were suddenly gone. Sere sat for a moment, then decided what she had to do. Quickly, she stuffed all her clothes and possesions in a suitcase and put her money in her purse. She took all the money from the savings jar that Darien put under the sink and slipped an IOU in, to let him know who had taken it all. As she was about to leave, her eyes rested upon a picture of the two of them in the park, and the book Darien had given her that morning. Hesitantly, she stuck both in her suitcase, then ran out the door and down five flights of stairs.
When she got outside the building, she turned and headed to the airport.
@-----
Darien was smiling as he headed back up to his apartment. That is, he was smiling until he saw the door hanging open. With worry in his eyes, he rushed into the apartment, looking for his roommate, his angel, his love.
"Sere? Sere, are you here? Ser-" he stopped short when he entered Sere's room. Her drawers were all pulled out, there were hangers on the floor, and there was no sign of any of Sere's things. The suitcase was gone from the closet as well. Eyes wide with fright, Darien raced to the kitchen, where his savings jar laid on the floor, a single scrap of paper inside. He picked up the paper, took a deep breath, and read it.
IOU your money.
Sere.
Realization of what had happened hit Darien all at once. Sere was gone. She had left. Slowly, Darien sank to the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees as tears flowed down his cheeks.
"Sere..."
@-----
"Final boarding call for flight 4826 to Los Angeles International Airport."
Sere barely registered the announcement made over the airport's PA system as she looked at the discount ticket she held in her hand. She had bought a ticket for the farthest destination she could afford: a red-eye flight to Los Angeles/LAX.
"Miss, are you on this flight?" Sere looked up at the gate attendant.
"Oh, yes..." Sere handed the girl her ticket and slowly walked down the passageway that led to the airplane...and her new life."
@-----@-----
O.o She's GONE! And right when Darien was going to profess his love! Well, now we know who's hand Darien was kissing in the park! And if it wasn't clear, Darien was talking to Reika in the park to ask her advise on what to do about loving Sere. I know it's all illogical (especially that Sere would have enough cash to buy a ticket to LA) but it's ONLY a story, after all. ^-^
THUS ENDS TRANQUILITY!
O.O
No, the story's not over, just this part! The rest will be in "Eternity Song Part Two: Serenity". Well, I hope you're liking it! Once again, much thanks to Sacred Heart for helping me!
Ja ne!
~J-chan
AN: Hey! I'm finally back! Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter posted. Hopefully the next one will be out in a week or so. Much thanks from here to the end to Sacred Rose, for coming up with the idea. ASMR RULES SAILOR MOON FANDOM!
Tranquility: Chapter Ten
By Jewel of Venus
By the time her birthday arrived, Sere had calmed down considerably. Her reasoning was this: Just because Darien had kissed the girl's hand didn't mean that they were dating. Darien did silly stuff like that to HER and SHE certainly wasn't dating him.
Even though it was summer vacation, Sere had an odd habit of waking up at 6:30 every morning and making breakfast for Darien. Today, however, she woke up to birds and sunlight...and no alarm clock. Thinking that it was just Darien's way of telling her to sleep in, Sere smilingly pulled on a robe and slippers and went out to make breakfast.
"SUPRISE!!!" Sere stared at the five familiar faces that filled the kitchen. Mina and Seishi had gigantic smiles of their faces. Darien stood off to one side, laughing quietly, as if he thought everything a good joke. And lastly, looking very happy, were Fuu and Ami.
"Happy Birthday, meatball head." Darien walked over and hugged the shocked girl.
"We made you breakfast." Ami stated, her eyes glowing with pride.
"Oh, guys..." Sere's eyes filled with happy tears. The girls all hugged her and told her happy birthday, then hurridly set the table.
Breakfast was wonderful. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and orange juice were set on the table, and the happy group talked and laughed for an hour before they were done.
"Alright, Sere," Seishi said as she pushed her empty plate back, "It's time to open your presents."
"But shouldn't I do that tonight?"
"Nope." Mina pulled out a pink package and handed it to Sere. "Here, mine first."
@-----
"Thank you all SO much!" Sere smiled at the people she loved the most. "The presents were great!"
"Alright, now!" Mina jumped up. "You need to go get dressed! We'll do the dishes." Sere gathered up her presents and went to her room.
She had no trouble choosing what to wear. The white shorts and pink shirt that Mina gave her, the silver crescent moon earrings and necklace from Seishi, and the tan backpack purse from Fuu (which would contain the Sailor Moon hairbrush and mirror from Ami.). She'd put her hair up in 'odangos' with the midnight-blue hair ties (with crescent moon charms) that she got from Darien. Once she was satisfied with her appearance, Sere went back out to the living room.
@-----
Darien was the first to see Sere come out of her room; the girls were all busy washing dishes. The moment he saw her, he was lost to everything around him. He drank in the sight of her as if he had been wandering in the desert and she was a fresh stream. He was unable to move; unable to breathe. He fingered a small black box in his pocket. It held a small silver ring set with a moonstone, the profession of his love for this glorious angel. She looked at him curiously.
"Hey, Dare, you alright?"
"Huh...what?"
"You bozo!" Sere giggled. "You are such a dreamer! No WONDER you've been working on that book for so long!"
"A book? I didn't know you write." Ami walked up to them, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Are you getting it published?"
"If he ever finishes it!" Sere snorted. Darien raised his eyebrow.
"If?" He turned and went into his room quickly, ignoring Sere's curious stare and the sounds of the girls asking her about his book. He grabbed something off of his dresser and went back out, his hands behind his back.
"Darien?" Sere got a devilish look in her eye. "What have you got there?" Darien smiled.
"Absolutely nothing, dear."
"Yes you do!" Sere tried to get around behind him. "Let me see! Let me see!"
"As you wish." Darien handed her a book.
"'The Rose's Thorns: A Mystery. By Darien T. Sheilds'" She read. "Is this your book?"
"Just read the inside cover."
"Ok..." Sere opened the book and read the hand-written inscription. "'To Serenity, for her 17th birthday. You are always in my heart. Much love, Darien.'" The girls all started to tear up at the sweet note. "Oh, wait! 'P.S. You are a meatball head.'" Sere blinked and tried to decide whether to be touched or insulted. Darien smiled as the girls held their breath.
"DARIEN!!!!"
@-----
As night fell over Tokyo, six teenagers laughingly collapsed on the sofa in Darien's apartment, just home from a trip downtown. They had spent the day in parks and shops, with a stop at the Crown Arcade after lunch. About half an hour before, they had called for pizza from a pay phone, then proceeded to race to the apartment as fast as they could so that the pizza guy wouldn't get there before them.
"That was SO fun!" Sere gasped. "Thanks, guys!"
"You're welcome!" The girls chorused as the doorbell rang.
"And there's the pizza!" Darien stood up and took some money out of his pocket. A few minutes later, the girls were sitting all over the living room, eating pizza and watching a Sailor Moon marathon on TV. Quietly, Darien slipped out of the apartment and down two flights of stairs, stopping at one of the apartments. Looking around to make sure Sere hadn't followed him, he rang the doorbell. The door opened to reveal a pretty girl, about his age.
"Hi, Reika."
"Darien! Hi!" Reika smiled at him. "I was wondering when you'd get around to coming over!"
@-----
Sere had seen Darien slip out after the pizza came, and being the curious female she was, Sere followed him. Down two flights of stairs, and to an apartment. Sere didn't want him to see her, so she stayed in the stairwell, where she could JUST see him. After looking around, Darien rang the doorbell, and the door was answered by...the girl from the park. He said hi to her - Sere could just make out the name 'Reika' - and she smiled and said something back.
Unfortunately, she was too far away to hear them, but Sere watched the pair carefully. As she watched, Darien took a box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a ring. Reika's eyes went wide and she put the ring on her finger before pulling Darien quickly into her apartment.
@-----
Reika closed the door quickly and looked again at the ring Darien had bought.
"Darien, it's beautiful." she said, handing it back to him. "Sere will love it."
"I hope so." Darien put the ring and box back into his pocket as he nervously licked his lips. "You don't think it's...well...too forward?"
"Absolutely not!" Reika exclaimed indignently. "Why, if my boyfriend did something like this for me, I'd be the happiest girl alive!" Darien sighed deeply.
"But that's just it!" he said, sitting on the couch. "I'm NOT her boyfriend. If I tell her that I love her, and that this ring is a promise of my eternal love and maybe even a promise to get married in the future, won't I scare her away?"
"No. Not if she loves you. And," Reika silenced Darien's slight protest, "She may love you and not even realize it yet."
"Well, thanks, Reika. You're a life saver. A cherry one." Reika laughed.
"Anytime, my friend."
@-----
Sere was quiet when she walked back into the apartment. Her thoughts were no longer on her wonderful birthday, but on her lost love.
"Hey, Sere, what's wrong?" Seishi looked up from the TV.
"Oh, um, nothing." Sere faked a yawn. "I'm just tired, that's all." Suddenly, all the girls had reasons why they needed to be home. With a few rushed 'happy birthdays' and 'goodbyes', the girls were suddenly gone. Sere sat for a moment, then decided what she had to do. Quickly, she stuffed all her clothes and possesions in a suitcase and put her money in her purse. She took all the money from the savings jar that Darien put under the sink and slipped an IOU in, to let him know who had taken it all. As she was about to leave, her eyes rested upon a picture of the two of them in the park, and the book Darien had given her that morning. Hesitantly, she stuck both in her suitcase, then ran out the door and down five flights of stairs.
When she got outside the building, she turned and headed to the airport.
@-----
Darien was smiling as he headed back up to his apartment. That is, he was smiling until he saw the door hanging open. With worry in his eyes, he rushed into the apartment, looking for his roommate, his angel, his love.
"Sere? Sere, are you here? Ser-" he stopped short when he entered Sere's room. Her drawers were all pulled out, there were hangers on the floor, and there was no sign of any of Sere's things. The suitcase was gone from the closet as well. Eyes wide with fright, Darien raced to the kitchen, where his savings jar laid on the floor, a single scrap of paper inside. He picked up the paper, took a deep breath, and read it.
IOU your money.
Sere.
Realization of what had happened hit Darien all at once. Sere was gone. She had left. Slowly, Darien sank to the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees as tears flowed down his cheeks.
"Sere..."
@-----
"Final boarding call for flight 4826 to Los Angeles International Airport."
Sere barely registered the announcement made over the airport's PA system as she looked at the discount ticket she held in her hand. She had bought a ticket for the farthest destination she could afford: a red-eye flight to Los Angeles/LAX.
"Miss, are you on this flight?" Sere looked up at the gate attendant.
"Oh, yes..." Sere handed the girl her ticket and slowly walked down the passageway that led to the airplane...and her new life."
@-----@-----
O.o She's GONE! And right when Darien was going to profess his love! Well, now we know who's hand Darien was kissing in the park! And if it wasn't clear, Darien was talking to Reika in the park to ask her advise on what to do about loving Sere. I know it's all illogical (especially that Sere would have enough cash to buy a ticket to LA) but it's ONLY a story, after all. ^-^
THUS ENDS TRANQUILITY!
O.O
No, the story's not over, just this part! The rest will be in "Eternity Song Part Two: Serenity". Well, I hope you're liking it! Once again, much thanks to Sacred Heart for helping me!
Ja ne!
~J-chan