I am now using Yahoo messenger for their customized internet radio service. I'm not really doing anything wrong…heh. It's kind of nice, so now I don't have to get up and change the radio or listen to someone else's 80's radio station where Depeche Mode is played every other song. (Not that that happened to me…) Oh well, really where I'm going with this is that I have good music for writing which does not involve having to cross the room. .
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
Warnings: Angst, very major angst.
Close Your Eyes
Chapter Sixteen
He can't really be evil…
She had said it to herself for the thousandth time that day. The last time she had seen him, he seemed so different. It was like it wasn't Mamoru at all. Just some horrible copy.
The girls had all tried to comfort her which was the only thing they seemed to do now a day. It was too horrible to think of. If Mamoru had been turned against them…what if they brainwashed all of them? Usagi couldn't beat it. She felt like she had failed.
She knew Makoto asked to meet her after school the next day but she didn't feel like meeting her. It felt she had to have an escort with her at all times. Usagi ran quickly out of the school building and down the street before slowing to a normal walk.
Sorry Mako-chan…I just want some time by myself.
It didn't take a rocket scientist to know the others had purposely made sure that one of them was always with her. It made her feel weak, as though she couldn't do anything on her own.
She was busy thinking and not paying attention at all, so she bumped right into someone.
"Oh, gomen!" Usagi felt bad for not paying attention. When she looked up at the person, for a split second her heart leapt as she thought she had run into Mamoru. But it was not Mamoru, it was Seiya. "Seiya…"
"Usagi-chan." Seiya gave her a smile. "We always run into each other."
"Yeah…I guess so." Usagi knew her smile wasn't genuine but she couldn't tell Seiya if something was bothering her. At least, not this thing.
"Is…something wrong?" Seiya seemed concerned and Usagi wondered if it was really that obvious that she was sad.
"No. Not really." Usagi denied.
"How's everyone?" Seiya questioned amiably. "How's Mamoru?"
"He's…he's…" Usagi bit her lip as a lump rose in her throat. She couldn't start crying. Not right here.
"Did…something happen?" Seiya questioned, looking even more worried.
Something did happen.
Mamoru…did you really start working for them?
She felt tears welling up and she tried desperately to push them down. She couldn't cry here too. It felt like she had done nothing lately but cry. Seiya put a hand on her shoulder.
"Usagi…if something happened…" Seiya trailed off as Usagi felt a tear fall. Another one followed it. "If Mamoru…can't take care of you, I will."
It's not that he can't take care of me…
"You…you don't know anything!" Usagi pulled away from him. "Why do you always assume the worst about Mamoru? Do you really hate him that much?" And with that, she turned and ran away. Was it fair to just yell at Seiya?
But sometimes he says things that make me doubt Mamoru…
And I can't doubt him now…
-----------------------
Seiya trudged home. Hadn't he said the right thing? Hadn't he just been trying to comfort Usagi? And she had just pushed him away. Because he wasn't good enough.
I'm sorry Usagi…
He opened the door, not bothering to call out that he was home before shutting the door. Seiya went into the living room to see that there was someone already sitting on the couch which he hadn't been expecting.
It was Tomoe Hotaru. She seemed surprised to see him as well. She blinked her large lavender eyes a few times.
"Konnichiwa Kou-san." Hotaru greeted him.
"What are you doing here?" Seiya asked, sitting on the couch next to her.
"Oh well, I was just hanging out with Yaten." Hotaru explained. "What have you been up to?"
"Nothing." Seiya shrugged though he was a little surprised. Yaten? Yaten hated everyone, why was he hanging out with Hotaru? Taiki had mentioned that Yaten had a model for his paintings. "Well…kind of…"
"You look…a little sad." Hotaru spoke hesitantly. He looked at her curiously. "Sorry, I just…"
"No, I guess you caught me." Seiya gave her a half smile. "I'm sure you don't want to hear this story."
"Go ahead. I'm a good listener." Hotaru encouraged.
"Well, you know Tsukino Usagi?" Seiya began. Hotaru nodded. "I really like her…a lot. So, I tried to get her to fall in love with me but she's in love with this other guy. No matter what I do…I don't think it's going to work out. But like an idiot, I keep trying."
"That doesn't make you an idiot." Hotaru told him comfortingly.
"It doesn't?" Seiya looked up, half disbelieving this girl.
"No. Think about it, it just means that you have hope. Maybe nothing will ever happen but you're hopeful anyways." Hotaru pointed out. "Hope isn't a bad thing and it doesn't make you less of a person."
She's right…
Hotaru's a good person.
"You'll find the girl for you one day." Hotaru told him helpfully. "Maybe it won't be Usagi-chan but it'll be the right one."
Seiya stared at her, wondering how this girl could know so much. She was giving him a smile that made her eyes light up. It was so comforting. Like Usagi was there…or…or…
"Seiya…I'm sorry…it's the way things are…"
Seiya wasn't sure what he was doing but he suddenly leaned forward and pressed his lips up against Hotaru's. For a moment the small girl froze completely and then pulled away quite suddenly.
Her lavender eyes were wide with shock as she stared at him for a few minutes.
"I…" Seiya knew he shouldn't have done that but he couldn't help it.
"Gomen, I-I have to go." Hotaru apologized before getting up and practically running from the room. A second later the door closed, announcing Hotaru had left the house.
Good job Seiya.
Strangely, neither Hotaru nor Seiya saw the person standing in the shadows of the other entrance to the living room. Chartreuse eyes narrowed dangerously before the person turned on their heel and went to their room.
---------------------
Taiki pushed open the door with one hand as he tried to juggle several bags. He should have taken someone along on this shopping trip but he hadn't originally meant to just go shopping.
"Some help here please!" Taiki finally got the door open just as a bag of oranges slipped from his hands and the oranges began to roll away.
"I'm coming." Seiya came up to the door. He saw the oranges and Taiki trying to chase them with the bags in his hands and started laughing.
"If I wanted that sort of help, I'd ask Yaten." Taiki raised an eyebrow at the dark haired young man.
"I'll go get him." Seiya walked away and Taiki fell over tripping over a bag and trying to stop Seiya.
"No, come back…gah." Taiki pulled himself into a sitting position. "Really wonderful how we all come together as a team, isn't it Taiki?"
Seiya went through the living room and into the hallway. He went past his and Taiki's room and stopped at Yaten's.
"Hey, Yaten! Come on, Taiki needs help with the groceries." Seiya knocked on his door. The door opened and Seiya was about to drop some remark when something stopped him.
A fist connected with his jaw and Seiya hit the wall behind him with the force of it.
"What the hell Yaten?!" Seiya rubbed his jaw. He looked at Yaten who was wearing a dark expression.
"What's going on?" Taiki had heard a thump and abandoned trying to get his groceries back in the bags to see what had happened.
"You deserve it." Yaten told Seiya in a dangerously low voice. "Why can't you think of someone else for once in your life? Is that so hard?!" And then Yaten slammed the door shut, leaving a stunned Taiki and Seiya staring.
"What…what was that about?" Taiki asked the dark haired boy.
"I don't know." Seiya shook his head, wondering just what had happened that had made Yaten so emotional.
Could it be…?
-------------------------
Sorry the chapter is short this time…but the next one is longer! I promise! So please review!