With Galaxia defeated, the Starlights make preparations to leave Earth. Seiya however, is struggling to let go and leave something important behind. Mixed Manga/Anime Canon. Written for Rare Pair Week 2023.
A/N: This fic was written for Rare Pair Week 2023. It is a mixed anime/manga canon, but only slightly so. It is set during Episode 200 of the original anime.
This fic is a gift for my friends a href=" /users/Heavenly_Pearl/pseuds/Heavenly_Pearl" Heavenly_Pearl/a and a href=" /users/k8tj17" k8tj17 /a.
As a heads up, I am using male pronouns for Seiya in this story because that was what was used in the Viz dub of the 1992 anime, whenever Seiya was in civilian form, as is the case in this story.
Jûban Municipal High School was bathed in a burning amber glow as the Sun began its descent amidst the sky. Leisurely pacing the roof of the school, Seiya gazed down at the front gate, his eye roaming across the sporadic stream of students departing their after-school clubs.
Coming in alignment with the Sun, Seiya halted and, squinting, averted his gaze before fishing out his sunglasses. It was then that he saw it, its crimson colour standing out despite the orange light that was enveloping the school.
Crouching down, Seiya stretched out his left hand and plucked the item that was embedded in the granite, holding it up to his eyeline. Despite being exposed to the elements for a few days, it seemed to Seiya that the rose hadn't lost even a single petal.
"Mamo-chan!"
Automatically, Seiya's body turned left, standing parallel with the front gate in the distance. Below, bouncing across the school yard, were a pair of golden streamers. The streamers stilled and a wondrous serenity came over their owner as she wrapped her arm around the tall, black haired young man in the green blazer.
The rose suddenly felt very heavy.
Seiya's arm slumped down and the flower fell from his fingers.
"It's not easy, is it?"
From the corner of his eye, Seiya noted the tall, dark skinned woman with long dark-green hair. Fleetingly, he wondered when she had come to the roof, and how he hadn't noticed her. As Usagi giggled below, the pang in his chest was enough of an answer for the latter.
"What isn't easy?" His tone was perfectly polite, but he was all too aware of his own belligerence in feigning ignorance.
"Loving someone who doesn't love you back. Being happy that they are happy…even if it isn't with you."
Seiya's chest panged again.
"How would you know?"
Seiya regretted the words almost as soon as they slipped out. In the silence that followed, it gradually dawned upon him that he had swivelled to half glare at Setsuna.
By contrast, she remained perfectly composed, calmly meeting his eyes, before slowly shifting her own. Following her gaze, Seiya's eye fell back to the yard below where the black haired youth stood a few feet behind Usagi and the four girls she was babbling to. When Seiya looked back at Setsuna he couldn't help but notice the small sad smile upon her lips.
"It's never easy," Setsuna reiterated, "But, in time, which is something I know a lot about, it will get easier."
With that, she bent down, picked up the rose and extended it to Seiya. Somewhat tentatively, his focus positively consumed by the flower, Seiya reached out.
It still felt heavy. It still hurt. But, perhaps it was just his imagination, but it seemed somehow ever so slightly less so.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
However, by the time he had looked back up from the rose he was once again alone on the roof, save for Setsuna's comforting words still echoing through his heart.
A/N: First of all thank you to a href=" /users/Heavenly_Pearl/pseuds/Heavenly_Pearl" Heavenly_Pearl/a for running Rare Pair Week for everybody.
This was not ORIGINALLY my contribution for Rare Pair Week. But learning of another Sailor Moon writing event this year I decided to reserve that fic for that other event and do something else for Rare Pair Week.
I was stuck on what to do however, not least of all because of the myriad of ships to explore and ways to explore them. Seiya and Usagi are probably my second favourite ship in Sailor Moon so I considered something with them, but couldn't think of anything that particularly intrigued me.
The only ideas that hit me were the pair getting together (which I had already done back in 2021 with 'Enough?' and Seiya being sad he/she didn't wind up with Usagi. Which, whilst ripe for storytelling, wasn't something I could come up with a story for.
I then considered doing something set in Sera Myu canon, which I have been exploring as of late, with my favourite Musical thus far being Eternal Legend. I particularly loved Beryl's depiction in that musical and was considering something about her and Endymion, when I recalled one of the highlights for Beryl was her duet with Setsuna about their unrequited love for Endymion.
It was then, as a bona fide shower thought, it hit me that Seiya and Setsuna were essentially in the same boat, albeit pining for different halves of the Miracle Romance Power Couple. I literally slept on the fic, woke up and cranked it out in about an hour or two before work hijacked me for the day/forthcoming weeks. So if it is good I guess I am an auteur genius. If it is mediocre to bad, that is why, lol
Also, just to let you know I am involved in a discord called 'Moonlight Legends' which is dedicated to sharing all sorts of Sailor Moon fanworks, including other fanfics. If you would like to join so you can share your own work, get help with your current projects or just connect to other fan creators shoot me a PM and I'll send you an invite. All are welcome!