Hello, hello. Now that I have the computer to myself I will write a new chapter. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I AM evil. So I can commence with my plans to become just like Akito and throw people on the ground by their hair. ^_^ Have fun.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon
Warnings: Mild cussing; more monkey wrenches.
Seiya: I thought I was your monkey wrench!
Jade: Well, you were. You're still THE monkey wrench.
Seiya: **Singing** Don't wanna be your monkey wrench, one more indecent accident.
Close Your Eyes
Chapter Three
"Tuxedo Kamen-sama…" Usagi breathed as he put his arms around her.
"Usagi-chan…" Tuxedo Kamen trailed off, his hand going to the side of her face.
"Who are you really?" Usagi asked earnestly.
"I think you already know that." Tuxedo Kamen reached up and took the mask away. She was suddenly staring up into Seiya's eyes. "I'm so glad we met."
"Seiya-kun?!" Usagi's eyes looked ready to pop out of her head. "But…"
"What?" Seiya leaned down to kiss her. Suddenly he disappeared and she saw someone walking away from her.
"Where are you going?" Usagi called out. But it wasn't Seiya, the eyes were different, the hair, everything was different.
"Usagi-san."
"EARTH TO USAGI!" Minako yelled and Usagi sat straight up. All the other senshi were looking at her with varying expressions. Minako was peering at her curiously, Rei looked miffed, Ami looked like a teacher disciplining a student, and Makoto was blinking at her with wide eyes.
"Gomen! Gomen!" Usagi hit herself on the head.
"This is a senshi meeting, in case you forgot! And you're supposed to be our leader!" Rei told her off. "You know-"
"Can't you be serious?" Luna asked Usagi sharply, cutting into Rei's lecture.
"I said I was sorry; please don't yell at me." Usagi tried not to sniffle. Why did they always have to go on and on about how irresponsible she was? She was trying after all. "Besides there's nothing new to talk about."
"We still have to discuss strategy." Ami folded her hands in her lap. "And a good deal many other things. Such as where the enemy's base is and who Tuxedo Kamen is."
"Usagi's right though, we don't really have anything new to say about any of that." Minako agreed with the other blonde in the group.
"She still shouldn't fall asleep!" Rei protested.
"Of course not and she apologized." Minako made the subject sound closed. "How about we end it for today?"
"That sounds like a good idea." Makoto added on. Rei threw her hands up in the air.
"Sure! Fine! Why not?" Rei stomped off.
"Rei sure looks like she's in a bad mood today." Usagi commented. "I wonder why that is?"
"I call it Post Heartbreak Syndrome." Minako told them all. "Obviously getting over the whole Mamoru thing is a little hard for her."
"Getting over Mamoru? Why?" Usagi looked around quizzically at their faces.
"Never mind Usagi." Minako put a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go to the mall!"
"Okay! That sounds like fun!" Usagi cheered. "Do you guys wanna come?"
"I've got to study." Ami gave them a smile for trying to include her even though she almost never went shopping with them.
"I'd love to go, but I think I'm going to help Rei through…er…P.H.S." Makoto nodded her head before leaving the room.
"It's just you and me partner!" Minako declared happily and Usagi cheered with her. The two girls headed to the mall to take their minds off of current events. They had been looking around the mall for about an hour when they spotted a certain young man.
"Seiya-kun!" Usagi waved wildly as soon as she saw him. Minako ran with her up to the tall dark-haired young man, who was with his two friends.
"Usagi-chan, how are you?" Seiya smiled warmly at her. Then he saw Minako. "I don't remember if you introduced your friend to me yet."
"I'm Aino Minako!" Minako shook his hand exuberantly. "Who are your friends?" Usagi could tell from Minako's pinked face that Minako wouldn't mind getting to know either one of the two friends.
"Oh, this is Kou Taiki." Seiya introduced a brunette who was taller then himself next to him. "And this is Kou Yaten." He gestured towards a silver-haired young man who was shorter then the other two and was giving the two blondes a contemptuous look.
"Hello." Taiki looked the friendlier of the other two. Yaten didn't bother saying anything to the two but instead addressed the other two.
"I've got to get some more art supplies." Yaten told the two. "I'd rather not join this party."
"We'll miss you Yaten." Seiya quirked his eyebrow at the silver-haired man as if he was biting back a few choice statements. Yaten walked off quickly.
"He's an artist?" Minako was practically squealing.
"Oh yeah, he's got a big show coming up in a few months I think." Taiki informed them. "He's a little moody so you'll have to excuse him."
"Right…" Minako was watching the retreating back of Yaten that was disappearing into a shop.
An artist? I bet he needs models…maybe I can convince him to let me model for him! He's so cute, that beautiful hair and those green eyes…I'm melting!
"Minako…this is central control, are you in?" Usagi waved a hand in her face.
"Oh, whoops, sorry, what?" Minako blinked her large blue eyes.
"We were going to stop in a bookstore; Taiki wants to buy some more books." Seiya explained.
"Um, okay." Usagi shrugged. "I hear that the newest volume of Hana Yori Dango is in!"
"Don't get Taiki started on manga; he doesn't think its quality reading." Seiya mock whispered to Usagi and Minako.
"Now, I didn't say that. I value all forms of reading, I just prefer books with a little more…substance." Taiki defended his views on the matter.
"Our friend Ami is like that." Minako supplied. "Hey, you two would probably get along great." Usagi could see the gears going in Minako's head. She was probably planning to try to fix the two up already. They walked into the bookstore together, Minako, Seiya, and Usagi going straight to the manga section while Taiki wandered off to a different section.
"Oh…the new volume is more then I thought it would be…" Usagi looked at her almost empty wallet with pure dismay.
"I'll buy it." Seiya offered immediately.
"Wow, Seiya-kun, you're such a gentleman." Minako told him unabashed while Usagi blushed a deep crimson.
"How about you pick out one too, Minako-chan?" Seiya offered her. When all their stuff was bought and paid for and Taiki finally came out with two bags full of new books, the group went and got ice-cream.
"Do you think Yaten will come and join us?" Minako asked eagerly.
"I don't know, he probably went home knowing him." Seiya said absently.
"Does Yaten use models?" Minako inquired. Taiki and Seiya both choked on their ice-cream and then shot each other a look.
"Well…um…no." Taiki finally answered for the both of them. "I've only ever seen him have one person model for him and that was kind of a birthday present for her."
"Who modeled for him?" Minako didn't realize that the talk had become rather hesitant.
"A…a friend of ours." Seiya said weakly. It occurred to Usagi that it looked like he was almost lying, though she had no idea why he would feel the need to.
"I bet she's really cool." Minako sighed. She looked at her watch. "Ahhh! I promised my mom I'd be home by now!" She jumped up and gathered up her stuff. "Bye you guys! See you later; call me Usagi-chan!" And with that she raced off.
"I wonder where she gets all that energy." Seiya mused. Yaten wandered up to their table, putting some bags on their table.
"Are you guys ready to go home yet?" Yaten asked in an annoyed voice.
"Yes, I'm going to take Usagi-chan home. See you guys." Seiya waved to the other two as he stood up. Usagi stood up, looking a little surprised.
Why does Seiya-kun want to take me home?
"Nice meeting you." Usagi bowed her head before walking away. Yaten turned to Taiki.
"That's really smart, trying to replace her with…that." Yaten said to Taiki. Taiki sighed loudly.
"I don't really think he's trying to replace her. I think he's trying to distract himself. I hope he sees the difference." Taiki looked curiously at Yaten's bags. "How was shopping?"
"It didn't help. I still don't feel like doing any new pieces." Yaten grumbled.
"Why don't we get something to eat?" Taiki stood up and deposited his remaining ice-cream in the trash. "Or we could go grocery shopping; I noticed there's no caviar left."
"Seiya's been eating it all!" Yaten defended himself right away. "If we buy more, I'm hiding it from him."
"Fine." Taiki didn't care one way or another.
* * *
Rei straightened her jacket once more. It had taken forever to convince Makoto that she really was over it and she didn't need any comfort, not that she said no to Makoto's promise of a huge platter of chocolate goodies. There were some things that even Rei couldn't resist.
Don't be nervous Rei, it's for the best.
Rei cleared her throat and knocked on the door. It took a few moments before the door opened. Mamoru looked as though he had been sleeping, his hair was tousled and he had to blink several times to focus on her.
"Hello, Mamoru-san." Rei greeted him in the most natural way she could.
"Konnichiwa Hino-san." Mamoru seemed to be awake now. "Is there something you need?"
"Can I come in?" Rei asked him.
"Sure." Mamoru opened the door for her to come in and she slid in. She was surprised to see a rather neat apartment; she knew he lived by himself. Mamoru came into the apartment, shutting the door. "What is this about?"
"Well, it's like this…" Rei pursed her lips for a moment so she could gather her thoughts. "It's about Usagi."
"Usagi?" Mamoru's brow furrowed. "What about her?"
"I know you like her." Rei told him outright.
"You sound just like Motoki." Mamoru laughed. "I'm not interested in her."
"Oh really?" Rei arched her dark eyebrows. "Do think about who you're trying to fool here, Mamoru-san. I'm the resident 'freaky psychic girl' of the Hiwaka Jinja. I know you like her."
"Even if I did…" Mamoru hesitated. "Why are you here?"
"I want to help you." Rei proposed simply. "Because I know that it'll work out for the best."
"Help me?" Mamoru questioned.
"Help you get Usagi." Rei clarified. "First of all, try being a little nicer to her-"
"I'll admit that I…but she'd never want to be with me." Mamoru affirmed. "Why do you want to help me? I mean…well, I thought you er…"
"Had a thing for you?" Rei supplied. "Well, I did but I've gotten over it." Rei glanced away from him for a moment before going back. "As for why, you have to swear to me that you aren't working for the Dark Kingdom."
"Dark Kingdom?" Mamoru's eyes grew huge but then they went normal again and with a fake laugh. "What are you talking about Hino-san?"
"Well, Chiba-san, I'm talking about Tuxedo Kamen. I want you to swear that you aren't working for the Dark Kingdom or it's no deal." Rei had just about enough of Mamoru playing stupid. Maybe he wasn't playing…
"How did you…?" Mamoru shook his head a little. "Psychic, huh? There's not really a point trying to hide anything from you, is there?"
"No there isn't." Rei held out a hand towards him. "Now swear and we can be friends."
"Okay…I swear I'm not working for the Dark Kingdom." Mamoru shook her hand. He held onto it, frowning at it. "You must be one of them…one of the Sailor Senshi."
"Now I never promised to disclose that." Rei wagged a finger at him. "If you can figure out which one, I'll give it to you." With that, she straightened her jacket and headed towards the door. She had just opened it when Mamoru stopped her.
"Sailor Mars." Mamoru guessed with a sense of surety.
"Congratulations, you win the prize." Rei bowed and walked out the door.
That went well.
* * *
"Seiya-kun, why did you want to walk me home?" Usagi asked as they turned onto her walk. Seiya was quiet for a few moments. When they got to the door, he spoke again.
"Because…" Seiya leaned in closer to her. "I thought that was obvious…" He looked into her deep blue eyes but for a moment, didn't actually see her.
"Why are you being like this?"
"Why does it make you so angry?"
"It is?" Usagi looked even more puzzled but her heart was thumping. Seiya took her chin in his hand. He had to shake away those thoughts. He had to.
It doesn't matter now.
"Sayonara, Seiya."
Sayonara…
I've got to forget you.
"I really like you Usagi-chan…" Seiya leaned down and kissed her softly for a few moments.
Wow…Seiya-kun…likes me?
My first kiss!
Oh, wait, no it wasn't.
Tuxedo Kamen-sama…he was my first…
She said good-bye to Seiya, something troubling her mind very deeply. Usagi had thought that maybe, just maybe, Tuxedo Kamen was Seiya. But now she knew that wasn't true.
It felt different…
Tuxedo Kamen's kiss was different.
Usagi went into the house, not noticing the tall woman watching her from across the street.
The woman's garnet eyes were narrowed and she looked worried from the way her mouth was twisted into a frown. She didn't like what she saw, that was for sure.
"The timeline…" She murmured to herself.
* * *
Yahhhhh! I had to re-type the ending of this chapter because my computer is the DEVIL! No, I didn't mean it Hermes P-ball! I meant Ishamael! Ishamael was the devil! (Yes, I'm the sort of dork that names my computer.) I also have to re-type the next two chapters. Wish me luck!