Disclaimer: Sailormoon Stars and concepts belong to Takeuchi Naoko-dono, Toei and Kodansha; Ren Akari and the Imperial Knights of Kinmoku belong to Cassandra Sisenta; Tsuko/Neo-Keeper and Kuroi/Neo-Striker also belong to Cassandra Sisenta; the Neo-Inner Starlights (Taiga, Yukiko & Suta) belong to Senashenta, as do the "New" Starlights (Hikaru/Hunter, Josei/Dancer & Amai/Dreamer).

Notes: Bua ha ha ha ha!

...what?

EIEN NO YUME NI MUKATTE

Night 3: Twilight

Eleven thirty.

Eleven thirty at night, and Suta and Taiga were still up and watching a movie.

Damn it.

Yuki was lying on the floor of the living room, playing with Maemi and trying not to look as if she was losing her patience. Which, of course, she was.

Rolling over onto her back, she watched Maemi stretch against the carpet and pitched her voice to sound as innocent as possible. "So... are you guys going to go to bed any time soon?"

Neither of them bothered to answer right away.

"Ne... Taiga-san? Suta-san?"

Suta scowled, her eyes fixed firmly on the television screen. "Would you be quiet, it's just getting to the best part!"

"I was just wondering..."

Taiga's eyes flicked to her. "When the movie's over, Yuki."

And then Suta added with a smirk; "you can just go to Ren-san's place now, you know. You don't have to wait until we go to bed."

Yuki yelped something indignant but completely unintelligible that ended with a very whiny "Suta-saaaaan!!"

Maemi's ears went back and she gave her mistress a disgusted look.

Even Taiga snickered, though, and made a vague gesture toward the door. "Just go. You're always back before morning, anyway. And I bet Ren-san is expecting you. Don't let us hold you up."

Already well on her way to turning the of a beet, Yuki scrambled up from the floor and made a mad dash for the door before they could comment any further, slamming it behind her as she all but leapt into the hallway.

And once she was there, she felt really... really... really silly.

Maa...

She had been feeling better, but once she was alone, her doubts began to resurface. Ren wasn't even expecting her... he probably didn't want to see her, anyway, considering what had transpired over the last two days.

But, realistically, there was only one way to find out...

She headed—slowly—nervously—toward the Knight's Wing.

xOxOxOxOx

Butterflies were dancing a choreographed ballet in her stomach.

She hadn't been so nervous about seeing Ren since...

...well, never.

Pink eyes stared at the door in front of her while she tried to screw up enough courage to actually reach up and knock, but her arms, hands, limbs in general didn't seem to be up to cooperating. Her fingers twisted at the edge of her shirt, wrinkling it beyond redemption.

Come on, Yuki. Just... just knock on the door. If he doesn't want to see you, he won't answer.

Tentatively, she raised a hand and rapped at the door.

The knock was barely loud enough for her to hear it—

The door swung open.

"Yuki."

It was like that every night. Always the same greeting. Always the same expression. Always the same—

Tears welled in her eyes and threatened to spill down her cheeks, and before he could say another word she half-ran the three steps between them, flinging herself at him and hugging him as tightly as she possibly could.

For a moment, he just stood there...

And then hesitant arms encircled her, and while she was burying her face in his shirt and whispering reverent apologies through tears that she hadn't known she was going to shed, he lowered his head to murmur a litany of comforting words into her hair.

"I'm so sorry... I'm just... I'm so... so sorry..."

"Aa... it's alright, Yuki. It's alright..."

xOxOxOxOx

The only light in the room came from the moon, shining in through the glass of the window.

Whispered voices sounded in the darkness.

"I think I'm glad... I'm glad that I'm here."

"Hai..."

"Why do you let me do this?"

"Do what?"

"Stay here. Why do you let me stay here at night?"

"I really don't know..."

"Oh."

Yuki sighed and closed her eyes. She was, as with half the nights in the previous few months, lying on her side in Ren Akari's bed, facing him, arms curled up against her chest, head tipped downward and her forehead pressed lightly against the base of his throat. Ren himself had one arm up and folded under his head, while the other rested against her side. His fingers toyed absently with the ends of her hair.

"I like it here."

"So I gathered."

"Can... I come back tomorrow night?"

"I never turn you away, do I?"

"Iie..."

The clock in the living room chimed four. Four a.m.

Time for her to go.

She shifted—and so did he. His arms moved, wrapping around her and holding her in place. "Ah—"

His arms tightened around her.

"Stay."

Stay?

The single word triggered a flush of to her cheeks, and she knew she was a very bright red. She had never spent the whole night in his room before. Again, she moved—only about an inch or so—and still, he refused to let her go.

"I-I can't!"

Somehow—with all the nights that she had spent with him—with all the nights they had shared a bed—with all the nights he had comforted her—with all the nights he had chased off the nightmares that plagued her—with all the times she had fallen asleep in his arms—

—she had just—

—never imagined—

—that some night, she might not leave before dawn—

—that some night, she would choose to stay—

—that some night, he would ask her not to go—

"Tell me why you can't stay."

"Because! Ah—because—Akai-sama, and—"

"He already knows." No further explanation was offered. "So stay."

"But—what if—he does one of those bed checks, or—"

"Let him. Yuki."

Her breath was coming in gasps, and there was no way for her to pretend otherwise, but he didn't seem to care. Her heart was pounding in her chest, spurred into frantic activity by the sudden realization of how—of how—of how close he was to her. Why had she never noticed before? In all the nights... how... how had she not noticed how close he was?

"Yuki, don't make me beg."

"Beg..." Her voice came out as barely a whisper. "R-Ren—"

"Don't make me beg," He repeated. His own voice was hushed, and his breath tickled against her ear as he spoke. "Please. Yuki."

She wanted to ask "why". She wanted to ask, but—

"Ren, I..."

A moment of hesitation. Just a moment. Then his lips brushed against her forehead, gently, and he tipped his head back down, returning it to the pillow in front of her. Resigned, his arms loosened and he released her, rolling onto his back.

"Go, then. If you're not sure, then you shouldn't be here. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable."

He wasn't holding her any more, but Yuki found herself hesitating.

"I..."

Her hands were shaking, she was sure.

"...don't want..."

Reluctantly, she pushed herself up—and then paused to look at him. His deep violet eyes were closed, his hands clasped across his chest. For a moment—just a breath of time—she couldn't seem to speak anymore, and then—

"I don't want to go."

Ren opened his eyes, and they focused on the ceiling for a few seconds before flitting toward her.

"Ren-kun... is it really alright if I stay?"

"Hai."

"Sou ka," still blushing brightly, she smiled. "Then I'll stay."

His eyes closed again, slowly, and he raised one hand. Giggling, she reached out and clasped it with her own, and then flopped back down onto the mattress, making it bounce lightly. What could almost be viewed as a smile tugged at the corners of his lips as she brought his hand up and planted a gentle kiss against one knuckle.

"Only for tonight, though!"

"Aa."

They both knew she didn't mean it.

"Ne, Ren-kun," she murmured happily, and settled herself against his side once more, "oyasumi nasai."

"Hmm," he replied, a barely identifiable ring of contentment in his own voice. "Oyasumi."

Owari.