AN: Hey everyone! I'm thinking of dusting this off for the holidays. Hope you enjoy.
"Stone"
As Minako Aino headed home to her modest apartment she tried to take in the beautiful scene around her.
The seasons were changing, the fun carefree feelings of summer were fading, only to be replaced by the brunt orange leaves of fall.
She'd managed to book several indie films over the summer and had even more lined up for the fall, despite her success she couldn't shake away the gloominess that surrounded her like a dark cloud.
Seasonal depression, Ami and her therapist called it.
But she knew there was more to it than that.
Glancing around she noticed again what she'd been seeing everywhere.
Couples.
Hand in hand with cups of coffee, window shopping, they were everywhere.
She scoffed bitterly and looked away.
It wasn't as though she lacked options.
She'd had her summer flings and even some fall flings, but nothing ever lasted.
As the years had gone by, she learned not to get her hopes up.
It was all superficial.
It always would be.
Because her soulmate was literally made of stone.
And though it may not have been his intention, his decision to remain so was slowly turning her into the same.
AN: Sorry if this brings you down. I do suffer from seasonal depression and the thought of a melancholy Minako speaks to me. Maybe some lighter ones in the future, if anyone is interested.