Pairing: Tsukino Usagi (Sailor Moon) x Seiya Kou (Sailor Star Fighter)

Fandom: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon

Theme: #13. excessive chain

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Tsukino Usagi, Seiya Kou, and any of the other characters that may be referred to in this drabble are not my property, but belong to the splendid Naoko Takeuchi. I'm just borrowing them for this short story, but I promise that they'll come back just fine! A little emotional abuse never really hurt anyone, did it:P

A/N: Hm ... Came up with really angsty stuff this time. I barely recognize it as something I've written. XD Hope it's still good anyhow. :3

Necklace

She keeps the ring on a necklace, saying that the way it gets caught in her hair is bothersome. It now hangs loosely from a plain gold chain around her neck, and yet she continues fiddling with the thing.

He won't say it out loud, but the faint clinking of the linked chains annoys him. She refuses to take it off, even when they are together. It frustrates him, angers him, irritates him, but he refuses to say a word.

He hates it most at night, when nothing but his sheer white sheets and the hated necklace cover her. The moonlight plays upon her body, the pale rays bathing her skin with an ethereal glow. Sometimes, they catch upon the necklace, and the ring glimmers mockingly at him, safely tucked into the curve of her chest. More than anything, he wants to rip the chain from her neck and destroy the loathed ring - surely one "Star Serious Laser" would be sufficient to get rid of it forever.

But he cannot, for she would hate him, and he would rather die than do anything to be hated by her. So he sits in the darkness, watching her, watching it.

Still, it does not relieve the hate. Rather, it fans it - the simple knowledge that he could destroy that one inanimate object that he hates more than anything in the universe, yet can't ... Each 'chink' as two links collide into each other ... Each flash of sunlight reflected by the gemstone that catches his eye ... Each time she reaches up absentmindedly to roll the ring around between her fingers ... Sometimes reaching up just a little bit more to press the golden hardness against her lips ...

It must have been mildly psychotic, but he doesn't care. He reaches for the chain, fisting his hand around the fine gold links, and sharply yanks upon it.

She gasps sharply, watching with wide blue eyes as the chain bites into the soft skin of her neck before breaking into a million pieces. The broken links fly everywhere, shattering upon the pavement like shards of golden sunlight.

The ring, the hated ring, rolls to a stop at her feet. The chain is broken, but the ring remains whole, though he notes with satisfaction the chips that now adorn its once smooth surface.

She reaches down and picks up the precious ring. She rolls it around her fingers, much like she used to when it still hung around her neck, and feels the cracks caused by the impact. She closes her hand around it and carefully pockets it, before turning her eyes up at him.

Was it anger? Disappointment? Sadness? He cannot read the emotions in her eyes - the tears blur them out too much. She does not say a word - instead, she turns around and walks away, leaving him standing amongst the remains of the golden chain.

The next day, she walks past him, talking cheerfully with her friends. She reaches up to tuck a loose lock of hair behind her ears ... Then impatiently shakes her hand away to free the strands from the ring that once again adorns her finger.

He watches her, but she does not see him. Or refuses to, he can't tell.

He closes his hand around the broken golden links that lie in his pocket. The twisted pieces of sharp metal bite into his skin, but he does not feel a thing.

Review Replies:

Counterfeiting Shakespeare - Depraved twits, huh? Yep, that sounds just about right. XD Erk, really sorry about the files, but I'm glad to hear you're inspired again! Will keep a lookout for your updates, as always

LoveSunshinex - Aw, I'm sorry, dear. Didn't mean to make you cry, but I'm glad my story touched you so. Thank you:)

Suki - Yep, too much of either can be a bad thing. Hm ... My latest ideas seem to be taking an angsty mood, though. D: I was thinking that she was feeling guilty about the whole Mamoru-leaving-and-going-off-with-Seiya, but I'll be more than happy to leave it up to the readers to decide. And I see you've spotted my weak attempts at symbolism. XD

Teruna Hime - Exactly how I tried to convey it! Thank you very much. I wish I could post on a more regular basis, but ... Erk, writer's block and real life can be a big pain at times. DX Hope you liked this one!

Cheshiresara - (Belated) Welcome back! Hee, yes, sadness is good in the occasional dose. And I'm glad you agree with me on that. XD

KibaInu - Thanks! I'll certainly keep on writing, even if it takes me ... I dunno, n more weeks/months/years to do so! (Though I really really do hope I'll be able to complete the challenge soon. XD)

Zenze - Wow, I'm glad to hear that someone who doesn't really appreciate the pairing still manages to appreciate the drabble. Really admirable not to let your preference affect how you critique the story. Unrequited love is one of my favorite topics to explore - such a wide variety of emotions to play with. The Seiya/Usagi relationship certainly is an odd one, ne? XD