A Walk on the Side
By Cassandra Sisenta
A/N: Oh my Gooooooood! I loooooooove Kira and Aoi and I missed them sooooooooo much! I couldn't take it anymore so I had them sort of get together now. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!! The number they would play for the ball (I hope you don't mind me doing this Sena-san, creating a scene that you haven't made for "Walk a Mile") will be postponed for next chapter.
DISCLAIMER: Senashenta owns "Walk A Mile" which is the fic where this one was spun off as well as Hikaru, Josei, and Amai Kou, the "New" Starlights. I don't own anyone aside from Kira and Aoi, the Mentor Starlights (Miku, Yuri, Satsu) and the Imperial Knights of Knimoku (Akai, Rui, Tohma, Kitto, Kagami, Endo, Akuma, Ren) who make cameos or were mentioned in this chapter.
Chapter IV
Someone Who Could Love You
Kira was watching Aoi very closely. He had started doing so since he had heard Satsu speak his cryptic words. He had been trying to find what it was he had missed that his mentor had to actually speak to let him know.
Satsu Kou had never been known to waste his words on trivial things.
Ah yes, he had reverted back to his male form, intent on causing chaos and thus issuing his revenge on a certain annoying, blockhead Starlight leader. The moment he had entered the ballroom in his black tuxedo with Aoi on his arm and made his presence known to the Starlights and the Earthian senshi had caused the inevitable chaos.
He had provided the missing link that the Earthian senshi had unknowingly sought. He had made it known to them that they could most certainly change back and once more he had successfully thwarted Seiya's plans.
As proud as he was of his accomplishment, his mood was dampened a bit when he was discreetly asked to apologize by Kakyuu-hime and nudged to it by an equally upset, but otherwise amused Aoi. They got the closest thing to an apology from him and that was his explanation. He had planned on going to the ball as a man and Aoi's escort. Who were they to change his well-made plans anyway?
Of course that last part wasn't spoken out loud. He could never be so rude in the presence of his Princess.
Quite an escort he was being to Aoi though. He had clearly distressed Aoi with his stunt though she never breathed a word of it. Then there came the matter that he still didn't know what it was that bothered her. He was there when she almost collapsed in their private music room due to her intense playing. It was he who was reached by her music.
Her violin's song reached him beyond the walls that separated them. He had felt an overwhelming, crushing heaviness in his chest that could have easily wrung tears from his eyes. She was that sorrowful and he wanted nothing more than make it all go away.
She must really be tormented, whatever it was that had to be bothering her. Never had he heard her violin's song so thick with unbridled emotion. She was obviously longing for something she found almost impossible to reach. She wanted it so badly that she was afraid of her own need for it.
Aoi wouldn't tell him what it was that had made her play like that. They had sat in the music room for some time. He had her in his lap as if she was a frightened child and he held her close. She didn't protest to his treatment. She even allowed herself to rest against him in her usual trusting way. She was exhausted and he didn't push her for answers, but he had been waiting for her to tell him what it was that was plaguing her.
He watched her now as she spoke to Makoto, who was back to being a woman, about things that interested them both, namely cooking and baking. Kira knew Aoi had gotten quite fond of the girl. Makoto had this warm and welcoming air to her, which could easily attract anyone who bothered to see beyond that intimidating façade of hers.
A while later, Makoto excused herself to speak with Rei, who seemed quite alone by the side and he found himself alone with Aoi once more.
"Pleasant isn't she?" Aoi remarked, a sincere smile on her face as she watched their new friend walk away.
"That she is." Kira said in agreement.
Aoi sighed and he turned to look at her. She looked clearly amused at something.
"You like her, Kira-chan?"
Kira's eyes lidded slightly s he glanced at Aoi beside him. She was holding on to his arm and she stood closer than should be permitted among polite society, but neither of them cared.
The music around them was alive as Hikaru, Josei and Amai enjoyed themselves.
Aoi and he were among the few couples who were staying by the sides. Most had gone to the dance floor. Kira saw Miku enjoying herself in Satsu's rather impassive arms. Satsu was looking bored of the whole affair, but was otherwise graceful as he led Miku around the dance floor. Further along, Kira was able to spy the most elusive member of the Mentor Starlight trio. Yuri Kou, also known as Sailor Star Weaver.
Presently, the dark-haired, maroon-eyed Weaver was dressed in a deep yellow gown that bared her shoulders and arms. Her straight hair was free of its Starlight ponytail and it swished smoothly with each movement she made. She had been turning heads all evening, but she barely seemed to notice as always. She was now in the arms of one of the Queen's former Knights, Akai Akari.
Akai was tall and underneath his formal attire was a hard and chiseled body. He had spiky blood red hair and perpetually laughing golden eyes. He had helped train Yuri, Miku, and Satsu and they regarded him as an annoying, but otherwise well-meaning elder brother.
Kira had seen most of the Queen's former Knights around that night. The feminine-looking Rui was conversing by the side with his fellow former Knight Tohma and other fellow advisers to the Crown. Kitto, ever one of the most sought out bachelors in court, had been around the floor with numerous ladies already. He never could really say no to them.
Akuma was standing with Ren, looking strange in their finery and yet seeming to blend in anyways. They were speaking about something serious it seemed and Kira could only surmise that they were talking about battle strategies. Those two brawled enough that they had been given positions of taking care of Kinmoku's army.
Kagami and Endo weren't around for different reasons.
Endo was away in one of his long journeys again. The man couldn't really stay in one place far too long.
Kagami, meanwhile, wasn't really one to mingle in such gatherings though certainly Kakyuu-hime would have wanted him to. Kagami just had this very disconcerting effect on people so he was sure to create quite a stir. It would have been interesting to see what the mind reading former Knight would do with the Earthian senshi though.
Yaten was in a debate of sorts with Minako and it was quite entertaining to watch. How the silver-haired Starlight allowed Minako her liberties with her was interesting.
Taiki could be found miling around the floor dressed in his Three Lights suit, obviously thinking of how to approach Ami, who had also changed to her original female form. He had changed for her and Kira wondered briefly if Taiki had really gotten over Yuri-san. Taiki had been known to have affections for the Mentor Starlight and this new development with Ami Mizuno was certainly intriguing.
"Would you like to dance?"
Kira watched as Aoi lifted her gaze from the dance floor to him and his offered hand. She smiled in answer and placed her delicately gloved hand over his. His eyes were only on her as he led her to the dance floor.
They stopped somewhere near the middle of the dance floor as he took her hand that had been in his and placed it over one shoulder. Finding his hand free, he pulled her closer, basing his hand on the small of her back. He took hold of her other hand and paused slightly.
She was still smiling at him and he wanted nothing more than have her smile all the more sincerely. He could see a strain there for some reason.
Then they moved.
They had been told once that they matched each other perfectly as dance partners, neither really dominating, neither far too dependent. They moved with a grace that knew of what the next step was without telling.
It also helped that they had known each other for years and made quite the stunning couple.
"You never answered my question."
"Was I supposed to?" He asked, his voice quiet.
"I just wanted to know." She told him, her eyes averting slightly from his gaze that wouldn't wander off from her own.
"Why does it matter? Who is she to me anyway?"
"Kira, I just want you to get someone special for yourself."
"Why the sudden concern for whether I would settle down with someone? You know its impossible for us senshi."
Her voice was a whisper when she spoke again. "I just didn't want you to go on with your life and not find the happiness that love could give."
He paused before answering, mauling over her words. "And you think she would give me that happiness?"
"Not exactly…"
"Aoi, what do you mean?"
"I just…"
All this talk about love and happiness would have usually sent Kira into another one of his cynical and cold speeches, but not this time. Everything was just different when it came with Aoi. He could never bring himself to be harsh with her. It was as if he wanted to be a different person when she was around: someone who was gentler, someone who understood everything, someone who would be happy with her with no worries
Someone who could love her…
His eyes caught the flash of red and black.
It was Seiya and his darling Odango.
It was pretty easy to slip back into their expected roles of ever-smiling Aoi and charming Kira in a heartbeat.
Aoi smiled and nodded her head cheerfully towards their direction.
Kira turned and appreciatively gazed at the lovely Usagi in black with an added bonus of a flattering wink. It had the desired effect and the Moon Child was blushing to the roots of her Odango hair.
They were just about to retreat back into the crowd when Seiya's curt words reached their ears.
"Concentrate on your own date, Kira."
They hadn't expected a comeback and were both taken off guard by it. So much in fact that they hadn't been able to control the blush reflex that usually accompanied those kind of barbs pertaining to their relationship.
Aoi's cheeks were burning and Kira wasn't doing any better, which was a surprise.
They had fallen into an uneasy silence and their conversation was forgotten. They spent some time trying to gather their bearings.
"Seiya-san and his teasing. Really." Aoi managed to say with the appropriate giggles, but they fell lame to Kira's ears. It looked like he hadn't even heard.
"What's he talking about?" Kira suddenly demanded in a rough whisper. "I was concentrating on you."
His tone had made her pause and he didn't even seem to realize that she had steered them to a stop. His eyes were unfocused but they were on her and he kept on speaking as if he thought no one was around to listen to him.
"I've been trying to find out what made you pour your heart out like that. I had held you in the music room and waited for you to say something but you never did. Then I worried about you all night, trying to think of what it was.
"I didn't want to see you in pain. I had said I would protect you and I don't know what it is I should be protecting you from. It infuriates me."
If Kira had snapped out of it, he would have seen the horrified, amazed look on Aoi's face as he talked on and she caught on his meaning.
"You mean so much to me, don't you know? I don't want to see you sad and I would rather die than see tears fall from your eyes. I don't know how it all happened, but I think along the line I just wanted to change from what I was.
"I wanted to be someone different. I wanted to be someone who would bring real comfort to you. I wanted to do more than protect you. I wanted to be by your side always and be there for you, to be the one to catch your tears. I wanted to be someone who would understand and know your fears, wants, and sadness as well as happiness. I wanted…I wanted…"
"Kira?"
The sound of his name on her lips seemed to have made him pause and wake up from whatever trance that he had succumbed to. His eyes suddenly widened when he saw her face. She had stepped closer to him, close enough to kiss, to listen to him more closely. Her face displayed a myriad of different emotions, which he couldn't distinguish from one another. Her blue-green eyes were gleaming like gemstones.
He couldn't stop himself from running the back of his fingers down her cheek in fascination of her.
"Kira?" Her eyes looked unsure and confused. "What--?"
"…I wanted to be someone who could love you…"
It came out in a hushed, breathless whisper that only she could hear and one she could feel deep within the depths of her fast-beating heart.
Shock and fascination was her eyes.
Warmth and longing in his.
"Anou…Kira-sama, Aoi-sama."
Silver and blue-green turned to acknowledge.
The usher actually froze at the feeling of a passing storm once those two pairs of eyes fell on him.
"You are about to go on."
"Aa."
"Arigato."
Kira turned his silver gaze at her, ignoring the usher completely. He had only eyes for her now. As if bewitched, he held out his hand for her to take.
"Shall we go? Aoi?"
His voice was hushed and so full of veiled and quiet promises.
Aoi couldn't refuse him. She never could.
"Hai, Kira…"
Blue green eyes fell half-lidded as those silver eyes connected with hers as he pulled her hand to his lips in a reverent kiss.
Then as he always did in such formal functions, he tucked her hand into his arm and led her away to the stage where they were to play their special number. But things were different now.
Kira turned his head to look at Aoi.
His Aoi.
Everything was different when he was with Aoi.