Chapter 8: Comfort
Night fell upon the castle sooner then Hotaru had hoped. She didn't want to sleep. She knew she couldn't. Looking out over the countryside she saw a glistening in the distance. 'A lake?' The air was warm, and lake was probably warm too! She had a wonderful idea. A moonlight swim would be so nice.
She smiled with delighted. Practically running towards one of the doors she slipped out and into the night. Dressed in a black silk nightgown she padded softly along. The shadows hid her from all that passed. Darkness had always welcomed her into its embrace. Her lithe movements were so quiet and fast she was at the lake in no time.
She touched the cool water and shivered. It was perfect. Checking to make sure no one was around, she slipped out of her gown. Stepping into the water she sighed. In one quick motion she had dived completely under the water. Hotaru swam around in the blue water letting the cleansing purity of the water take her way from the world.
Yaten felt uneasy. He couldn't sleep, he felt restless. Getting up he went to the window. He looked into the night; something was calling to his soul.
A silent plea for. something. He needed to get away, Yaten decided.
"A walk, I'll go for a walk." He left silently and walked along one of the less used paths. Coming into a clearing he saw the lake that had been one of his favorite spots to come for years. Getting closer his breath caught in his throat.
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I'm gonna let mi amiga Neko take over. She practically begged me, so ya.
Yaten watched as a goddess stepped out of the water. The water washed down her pale skin. The light from the twin gibbous moons glowed so bright that her skin seemed one with the light and her hair was blending with the night. Her violet eyes glowed like nebulas and supernovas.
This girl was a beauty, a woman straight from the heavens, an angel formed of the night. This girl was none other than the scout of silence and rebirth, Sailor Saturn, Hotaru.
'Hotaru.' His breath rushed out and his heart raced. That's when she noticed him. Her naked body flushed and her cheeks went pink.
"Yaten." She whispered his name in such away that he found himself walking through the water towards her. His pant legs were soaked and he was close enough to kiss her. He pulled her hair away from hiding her breasts and his lips went dry. Her breath came more rapidly and she let him look at her body.
'What is this overwhelming feeling in the pit of my stomach?'
His lips covered hers. Then it seemed that fireworks were exploding around her and that it was dead silent. Time seemed to stop and all that existed was the two of them.
They stood, holding each other for what seem like an eternity. Hearts racing, bodies clinging together in desperate need. There was an urgency to be unclothed in him that was amazing. His tongue touched hers in intimate ecstasy. She unbuttoned his shirt and touched his chest as it fell off into the water.
'What am I doing? This isn't like me?' Hotaru's eyes slid shut as a soft sigh escaped her lips.
Yaten breathed in her scent of lilacs, violets, and heather. She ran her fingers through his hair and a chill went up his spine. That's when his fingers entwined in her midnight night tresses and yanked her away from him.
The force from his hand was so surprising that she stumbled back into the water. Landing on her bottom with a splash she looked back up at him with the same sad eyes that he'd always known her to have.
He wanted to make love to her almost as much as he wanted to kill her. This destructive, threatening, senshi of death. this tenshi of the night. this princess of darkness. this goddess of silence. and yet she just took away whatever breath he had left.
He couldn't stand to look into her eyes anymore; he had to get away! Turning around he broke out into a run.
Tears spilled over from her eyes and she forced herself to her feet. Watching him disappear into the darkness of the night she cried and then screamed out his name, "YATEN?!" 'Why did I let him touch me?'
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I'm taking back over.
Tears, a blinding flood of tears. She sat staring at her reflection in the water. She felt cold, and hot all at the same time. An hour ago she'd been kissing him. Now she was still sitting in the middle of a lake crying tears that should have run out long ago.
The moons were starting to make their descent. And Hotaru knew she needed at least a little sleep. She pushed herself to her feet and moved towards shore. But she stopped when something caught her eye.
A shirt. His shirt. It floated only an arms length away. New tears came rushing from her eyes. 'Why do I keep crying? I don't usually cry? I only like him, right? I just can't lo..'
Hotaru sobbed as she picked up the shirt. She buried her face into the wet material. 'I do love him..' Cradling it in her arms like a treasure, she stepped onto the shore. Dressing quickly she started for the palace, tears still streaming down her face.
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Serena lay on the big bed not yet wanting to sleep. She'd dream if she slept. And dreaming meant seeing them again. She shuttered, 'I feel so alone now.' Even surrounded by friends she didn't have anyone. At least not in the way she wanted. A single tear fell from her eyes. 'I want to be held.'
Looking at the vase near her bed she saw a dozen red roses. Feeling the need to destroy them she ripped them apart with her hands. Blood dripped from her hands as the small thorns stuck. Shreds of the red roses fell to the floor like rain.
Down the hall Seiya heard the sound of muffled crying. He followed the sound and found himself outside of Serena's room. He knocked and got a muffled go away. He peeked in and found Serena, with her face flushed and her dress soaked. "Ser.ena?"
She didn't respond but just looked at him with the saddest eyes he'd ever seen. On her lap were ripped pieces of red roses. The same kind of roses he'd known Darien to always give her. "Bunny?"
"Seiya!" She cried and launched herself into his arms, sobbing harder. He held her for a while. Letting her get her tears out. "I hate them. I trusted them, and they betrayed me! I loved him and he broke my heart!" She cried out. Seiya ran his hand through her blonde hair in a comforting gesture. "Seiya, will you hold me tonight?" He looked down into her blue eyes. "Please?"
'What can I say? If I stay with her I'll hurt myself. But if I don't.'
"I'll stay, Serena. I'll stay." He scooped her up into his arms and deposited her on the bed. He climbed in and rapped his arms around her. "Goodnight, Ser." She snuggled against him, his warmth a welcome comfort.
"Thank you Seiya. Night, night." She sighed and drifted off into a dreamless slumber. One in which only god could wake her from. 'I love you.' Was Seiya's last conscious thought before drifting off into the abyss of sleep.
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In another part of the castle Setsuna sat watching a sleeping Hotaru. She wandered into her room to make sure everything was all right. And found the girl crying in her sleep. Looking closely found Hotaru to be clutching a shirt, maybe hers, maybe someone else's.
The Time guardian didn't know. All she did know was that Hotaru was suffering now. "Firefly." She whispered. "What's wrong little one?" She knew she wouldn't answer but sometimes you just have to ask, even if you're asking yourself.
Night fell upon the castle sooner then Hotaru had hoped. She didn't want to sleep. She knew she couldn't. Looking out over the countryside she saw a glistening in the distance. 'A lake?' The air was warm, and lake was probably warm too! She had a wonderful idea. A moonlight swim would be so nice.
She smiled with delighted. Practically running towards one of the doors she slipped out and into the night. Dressed in a black silk nightgown she padded softly along. The shadows hid her from all that passed. Darkness had always welcomed her into its embrace. Her lithe movements were so quiet and fast she was at the lake in no time.
She touched the cool water and shivered. It was perfect. Checking to make sure no one was around, she slipped out of her gown. Stepping into the water she sighed. In one quick motion she had dived completely under the water. Hotaru swam around in the blue water letting the cleansing purity of the water take her way from the world.
Yaten felt uneasy. He couldn't sleep, he felt restless. Getting up he went to the window. He looked into the night; something was calling to his soul.
A silent plea for. something. He needed to get away, Yaten decided.
"A walk, I'll go for a walk." He left silently and walked along one of the less used paths. Coming into a clearing he saw the lake that had been one of his favorite spots to come for years. Getting closer his breath caught in his throat.
***************************************************************************
I'm gonna let mi amiga Neko take over. She practically begged me, so ya.
Yaten watched as a goddess stepped out of the water. The water washed down her pale skin. The light from the twin gibbous moons glowed so bright that her skin seemed one with the light and her hair was blending with the night. Her violet eyes glowed like nebulas and supernovas.
This girl was a beauty, a woman straight from the heavens, an angel formed of the night. This girl was none other than the scout of silence and rebirth, Sailor Saturn, Hotaru.
'Hotaru.' His breath rushed out and his heart raced. That's when she noticed him. Her naked body flushed and her cheeks went pink.
"Yaten." She whispered his name in such away that he found himself walking through the water towards her. His pant legs were soaked and he was close enough to kiss her. He pulled her hair away from hiding her breasts and his lips went dry. Her breath came more rapidly and she let him look at her body.
'What is this overwhelming feeling in the pit of my stomach?'
His lips covered hers. Then it seemed that fireworks were exploding around her and that it was dead silent. Time seemed to stop and all that existed was the two of them.
They stood, holding each other for what seem like an eternity. Hearts racing, bodies clinging together in desperate need. There was an urgency to be unclothed in him that was amazing. His tongue touched hers in intimate ecstasy. She unbuttoned his shirt and touched his chest as it fell off into the water.
'What am I doing? This isn't like me?' Hotaru's eyes slid shut as a soft sigh escaped her lips.
Yaten breathed in her scent of lilacs, violets, and heather. She ran her fingers through his hair and a chill went up his spine. That's when his fingers entwined in her midnight night tresses and yanked her away from him.
The force from his hand was so surprising that she stumbled back into the water. Landing on her bottom with a splash she looked back up at him with the same sad eyes that he'd always known her to have.
He wanted to make love to her almost as much as he wanted to kill her. This destructive, threatening, senshi of death. this tenshi of the night. this princess of darkness. this goddess of silence. and yet she just took away whatever breath he had left.
He couldn't stand to look into her eyes anymore; he had to get away! Turning around he broke out into a run.
Tears spilled over from her eyes and she forced herself to her feet. Watching him disappear into the darkness of the night she cried and then screamed out his name, "YATEN?!" 'Why did I let him touch me?'
**************************************************************************
I'm taking back over.
Tears, a blinding flood of tears. She sat staring at her reflection in the water. She felt cold, and hot all at the same time. An hour ago she'd been kissing him. Now she was still sitting in the middle of a lake crying tears that should have run out long ago.
The moons were starting to make their descent. And Hotaru knew she needed at least a little sleep. She pushed herself to her feet and moved towards shore. But she stopped when something caught her eye.
A shirt. His shirt. It floated only an arms length away. New tears came rushing from her eyes. 'Why do I keep crying? I don't usually cry? I only like him, right? I just can't lo..'
Hotaru sobbed as she picked up the shirt. She buried her face into the wet material. 'I do love him..' Cradling it in her arms like a treasure, she stepped onto the shore. Dressing quickly she started for the palace, tears still streaming down her face.
***********************************************************************
Serena lay on the big bed not yet wanting to sleep. She'd dream if she slept. And dreaming meant seeing them again. She shuttered, 'I feel so alone now.' Even surrounded by friends she didn't have anyone. At least not in the way she wanted. A single tear fell from her eyes. 'I want to be held.'
Looking at the vase near her bed she saw a dozen red roses. Feeling the need to destroy them she ripped them apart with her hands. Blood dripped from her hands as the small thorns stuck. Shreds of the red roses fell to the floor like rain.
Down the hall Seiya heard the sound of muffled crying. He followed the sound and found himself outside of Serena's room. He knocked and got a muffled go away. He peeked in and found Serena, with her face flushed and her dress soaked. "Ser.ena?"
She didn't respond but just looked at him with the saddest eyes he'd ever seen. On her lap were ripped pieces of red roses. The same kind of roses he'd known Darien to always give her. "Bunny?"
"Seiya!" She cried and launched herself into his arms, sobbing harder. He held her for a while. Letting her get her tears out. "I hate them. I trusted them, and they betrayed me! I loved him and he broke my heart!" She cried out. Seiya ran his hand through her blonde hair in a comforting gesture. "Seiya, will you hold me tonight?" He looked down into her blue eyes. "Please?"
'What can I say? If I stay with her I'll hurt myself. But if I don't.'
"I'll stay, Serena. I'll stay." He scooped her up into his arms and deposited her on the bed. He climbed in and rapped his arms around her. "Goodnight, Ser." She snuggled against him, his warmth a welcome comfort.
"Thank you Seiya. Night, night." She sighed and drifted off into a dreamless slumber. One in which only god could wake her from. 'I love you.' Was Seiya's last conscious thought before drifting off into the abyss of sleep.
************************************************************************
In another part of the castle Setsuna sat watching a sleeping Hotaru. She wandered into her room to make sure everything was all right. And found the girl crying in her sleep. Looking closely found Hotaru to be clutching a shirt, maybe hers, maybe someone else's.
The Time guardian didn't know. All she did know was that Hotaru was suffering now. "Firefly." She whispered. "What's wrong little one?" She knew she wouldn't answer but sometimes you just have to ask, even if you're asking yourself.