AN: I realized that in the last chapter I didn't add the disclaimer. So I'm putting it here (even though it's completely obvious I don't own it. I mean, I could never come up with this masterpiece). Read and review, please! :)

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON! (sadly :P)

Theme: #41

PS. This is also before they knew the truth about each other. :)

Fragrance

It was impossible. Her scent would not wash away, no matter how hard I scrubbed. It was like it was branded into my skin. Who the hell smelled like that anyway?

I gave up trying to wash the heavenly perfume away and shut the water off. My skin burned from the extreme scrub down. I dried myself off with one of the towels hanging next to the tub. I don't care whose it belonged to, but from the smell I could tell it was Yaten's. I still didn't care, he didn't scare me and I had too many other things to worry about. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, not exactly liking what I saw. It was me, of course – two of me to be exact. Star Fighter and Seiya; one completely torn and the other, scowling at the male version of herself. I shook my head, washing away the images.

I have a duty to find and protect my princess. But in all honesty, right now, I could care less about her. I watched my mind wash away the image of my princess to be replaced by the golden odango haired girl who captured my heart. It was her that tortured me day after day with her refusal of my love. It was her that had tattooed her fragrance into me as if she were saying she wanted me as much as I needed her. But I knew it wasn't like that – she was engaged. I clenched my teeth and my hands balled into fists as the image of her and a stranger appeared in the mirror.

"Seeeiiiya-kun!"

I stopped in my place, waiting for her to catch up. That was one voice I would always answer to, no matter what.

Usagi skipped her way over to me, chaining our arms together. A gentle wave of warmth engulfed me. I smiled down at the childish girl, ready to ask her what she wanted. That was when her scent smacked me in the face. My question caught in my throat, forming a ball. I gulped it down. She smelled a lot like vanilla and cinnamon, with a small hint of lavender and potpourri.

I felt my heart slowly begin to ooze and I could barely make out what she was saying. So I didn't know if I cut her off when I blurted out, "What perfume do you wear?" She stopped in her tracks, nearly knocking me down. I didn't even realize we had begun walking, either. She hadn't answered my question; I felt my cheeks get hot with embarrassment. "It's just…you know…it's so different. It smells nice."

I mentally kicked myself. I didn't exactly know what to say. I didn't want her to think I just smelled her when we were together. But instead of being repulsed and running away, she laughed her bell-like laugh that always made my knees go weak (though, nearly everything she does has that affect on me). "I'm not wearing any perfume."

Usagi looped her arm through mine again and began dragging me along to the crown.

That night, I tried to erase her scent again. I failed. It was permanently etched into my skin, my mind, my soul (not to mention my clothes). And it was completely obvious – to her and everyone else – that she owned me whether she liked it or not.