Disclaimer: I do NOT own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing... But I definitely wouldn't mind it. No... Not at all. Mmmmm. Duo's sexy. :)

...

Fueseiseki : Failure

Chapter Nine : The Tides of Change

...

Usagi stood in the shower for a long time. It took awhile, to wash the dye from her long tresses. When the water ran clear, she stepped out and wrapped herself in a towel, drying her hair by running her fingers through it slowly. She finished with a blow drier Duo had given her. His own personal one. He had made her promise not to tell.

For a moment, she stared at her self in the large mirror. Her hair was the black of empty space. It was a hard contrast to her pale skin, and made her steely grey eyes pop in a way she enjoyed. It was different. She was reminded of a tiny Saturn. She smiled at the memory of the small girl, sucking in a breath as it led to the thought of Chibi-Usa. How she missed her littlest ones.

Pushing the memory away, she hung up the towel, and spun, looking at her naked back. The wounds from her transformation were light scars on her shoulder-blades. She had never scarred before. She was almost proud of them. Reaching a hand up to feel the marred skin, she sighed, and carried herself back into the room.

There, she put on a lavender sun dress from one of Quatre's many sisters. 29 he had told her. Minus Iria. His parents were busy folk. She paired this with black sandals, looking at her reflection one last time in the mirror of her dresser before stepping out the door to her room.

As she closed her door, Hiiro's opened. She had thought he was away, but it seemed he had been in his room the whole time. She blushed when he stared at her with his hard Prussian eyes, and could do nothing but lean against her door as he stepped close to her, reaching to touch her newly cut an died hair.

He was so close she could smell him. And the scent made her tingle in delight she couldn't hide. Not like Duo, who smelled of oil and crisp summer air. It was a musky scent, of winter's embrace and pine. So subtle, yet strong. When he breathed out she felt the air on her cheek, and shivered.

"Clever." He said huskily. Goosebumps raised on her skin and her heart beat faster. She was praying he didn't notice.

"It was Duo's idea." She found her voice, but it was shaky. She cursed inwardly. He was still so close. Kami why did this man do this to her?

She was saved by Quatre appearing in the hall, looking rather confused at the closeness of the two. Hiiro stepped back from her with catlike grace. And she had to try hard not to show the disappointment that stung her heart.

"I... wanted to tell Usagi we were planning on going shopping today." He looked back and forth between the two, and settled on Usagi. "Your hair."

She smiled. "Do you like it?" She asked. Pleased with the distraction, and Quatre's avoidance of questions. He nodded.

"It's different. I barely recognize you."

"That was the plan." She touched her hair where Hiiro had, and fought another shiver. At least the goosebumps had gone. "I thought you already went shopping."

"For food, yes." Quatre said. "But we could all use new clothes. We brought the bare minimum in our hurry. And we are running low." His eyes turned to Hiiro. "You'll join us, won't you Hiiro?"

"Hn." The man turned and walked down the hallway, and Quatre called after him. "We leave in half an hour!"

He turned back to Usagi then, and she was pleased to see his warm smile. He asked no questions, just held his arm out for her to take. She took it happily.

"Shall we grab a snack before we leave?" He asked. "Trowa is making cookies."

"Cookies!" She laughed. "I'm totally in."

...

She was in the car with Quatre and Duo. They had taken the Van and the SUV, Since Quatre anticipated coming home with alot of bags. She sat in the back, listening to the songs Duo played on the radio. A metal band he liked. The singer's voice, a male, and the lyrics he sang were wonderful. ^Until the day I die...I spill my heart for you. Until the day I die... I spill my heart for you... ^ Duo said it was very old. Something he did in his spare time was dig up old music.

She was watching the people on the streets as they passed by them in the car, when Quatre turned the music down and turned to look at her. "Usagi... I hate to ask..."

"There's nothing going on Quatre." She said with a short laugh. Somehow she knew he couldn't resist. But this didn't satiate him. He looked like he was searching for something to say, when Duo cut in.

"What Quat-man means Usa, is it's the end of the world, right? Why not? Trowa and Quatre are finally getting it on, and believe you me, that tension has been as thick as a knife for years."

Her mouth dropped open, and he raised his hands with a grin. There was a moment when Quatre scrambled for the steering wheel simultaneously glaring and blushing with a force Usagi had never seen, but Duo only laughed and corrected the van. "Duo." She chided, only half surprised. Then she turned to Quatre. "Quatre I..."

He waved a hand, still furiously blushing. "As blunt as Duo is, he's always right, and he never tells a lie. Don't worry Usagi." Duo laughed again, and Usagi was surprised to see Quatre punch his arm. This only served to make the braided pilot laugh harder. When the fit subsided, he wiped the tears from his eyes and spoke.

"Usa. Do you think we're stupid? That we don't see the way you react around him? That we don't see how hard he tries to avoid you? Gods, it's Relena all over again. Except you're not begging him to kill you."

"Huh?" Now Usagi was confused. Quatre glared at Duo, and smiled at Usagi.

"A story for another time." He said. "The point being, if you feel something for him, you should go for it. All of us see how good it would be for both of you. And honestly, I think you might be the only one in the world who could bring Hiiro out of his shell. We've all changed since the Eve Wars. All except for him."

She sighed. Was it that obvious? She really needed to work on the whole hiding her emotions thing. To her relief, they did not press her further, but she figured in this moment, was the best time to ask a question she'd been burdened with since meeting the stoic pilot. "Why aren't there any emotions in his eyes?"

Duo glanced and Quatre, who nodded quickly. "Out of all of us, Usagi." Quatre said. "Hiiro had it the worst. He had no childhood. Was raised only to be a soldier. And, though he won't say it out loud. I don't think he's forgiven himself for his part in the war."

"I got that much." Usagi said softly. The mall was before them. They were pulling into the parking lot now. "Who is... Relena?"

Duo unlocked his seat belt and turned to smile at her. "I'm sure you'll meet her soon. I'm surprised actually that you haven't heard of her yet. You'll like her, I think. But like Quatre said, that's for another time. For now... We go shopping!"

His enthusiasm was contagious, and she for the moment, she logged the information she had gotten away, living in the moment. The world could end tomorrow. Nothing was certain. So she would live for right now.

...

He hated shopping. He hated malls. He hated being around crowds of people. And he still hadn't found anything about the locket that had materialized from his dream. But Quatre had promised him a new gun if he took this trip with him, and he had his eye on a Ruger LCP. Usagi was leading the way, her arm hooked with Duo's and Quatre's as she marveled at all the stores. He tried to keep his eyes off of her, but it was proving more of a task than he could handle.

In fact, he noticed it seemed to be a task no one could handle. The girl drew glances everywhere she went. It was as if there was a beacon she broadcast that just said 'look at me'. The interesting thing was, that she wasn't trying. Her smile drew strangers in with no thought on her part. It made him feel only the slightest bit better.

Why was he thinking of her anyway? He had accepted the mission of protecting her before Mamoru had even asked, and he never failed a mission. But these thoughts... they were beyond that of a protector. He saw the way she looked up at Duo, her eyes glittering, and felt that pang of... what had Mamoru called it? Jealousy. But wasn't it better this way? Duo was good for her. He did not deserve to be the focus of such grace.

Lost in his own thoughts, he was surprised when the center of them was suddenly in front of him. "Hiiro." His name from her lips made his heart beat faster. "Quatre says we should all get bathing suits. Come on!"

Her arm was on his then, and she dragged him into a store that supplied beach clothing and accessories. "Hn." It was barely managed. Her touch made his chest tight.

"Oh come on Hiiro." She smiled at him and he attempted his best glare. It did nothing. She dragged him to a rack of suits, picked three, and then dragged him over to the fitting rooms. "Sit here."

He did as he was told. But did not look happy about it. She only laughed, and spoke to him through the door as she undressed. he tried hard not to watch her sundress hit the floor. "You have to tell me if everything looks alright, ok?"

"Hn." Why wasn't Duo or Quatre doing this? He had a strong feeling they had done this on purpose. He had been so involved in his own thoughts he wasn't even sure where the other pilots were.

If he had been a weaker man, his jaw might have hit the floor when she stepped out in the first suit. He could hear Duo in his head, whistling in appreciation. It was a one piece, cut low in the front and with no sides, in a simple black with large yellow sunflowers in a block print.

"How do I look Hiiro?" She asked. He grunted. For once, really at a loss for words. She smiled, and rushed in to try on another.

He wished his heart would stop beating so fast. The second number was a red two piece, with a skull an crossbones on one side of the top, and one on the.. Oh why wasn't Duo doing this? She was beautiful. He wanted to punch himself. Why was she even trying anything on? She made everything look good.

She posed a few times in the mirror, laughing, before trying on the last suit. It was a one piece shaped like the first, but this one was black with silver zebra stripes.

"Hiiro?" He realized he's been staring, and glared up at her from his seat. She laughed. "I guess this is the one!"

"Hn." Shoot me now.

She bought the suit, a gauzy wrap in black, and sunglasses with the card he assumed Quatre had given her, and at her persistence, he too picked out some navy blue trunks with black accents that she insisted brought out his eyes.

Duo had a smile on his face that made Hiiro want to pull a gun on him when they met the rest of the pilots at a smoothie shop. It had been his plan all along. Now he was sure of it. He and the braided baka would be talking later.

The rest of the shopping trip was quiet. And Quatre had taken him to buy his prized Ruger, so he guessed the trip was not wasted. He just wished he could get the smell of her out of nose, the feel of her skin out of his mind. She was slowly driving him insane. And for once, the perfect soldier had no idea what to do about it.

...

Usagi was humming as she put her clothes away, smiling a the memories of the shopping trip. It had been like old times, with the girls. Wufei reminded her of Rei, Trowa of Michiru, and Quatre of Ami. Duo had been flirting in pure Minako fashion, and Hiiro.. well Hiiro was his own. Perhaps it was what drew her to him.

She gasped when her door was flung open, and there he stood, his eyes wild in a way that made her knees weak. When the door closed behind him, and he moved closer to her, all she could do was stand there. And when he flung her to her bed, atop the clothes she had been organizing, she could not breathe.

"Hiiro.." It was a whisper, a question, just managed through force of will.

"You didn't tell me you had a daughter." Her eyes widened. She could feel it.

"How?" It was all she could say. The hurt that welled in her heart at the onslaught of the thought was paralyzing.

"I want to understand." She could feel his voice rumble in his chest. "What it is you do to me."

He looked at her with hard Prussian eyes, and she stared back, lost in his pools of blue, drowning. "Hiiro I..." And then his lips were upon hers. They were rough at first, searching for something. With fervor that seemed to come from nowhere, she fisted her hands in his hair. Understand? She didn't. Didn't know why she needed this so badly. The kisses grew softer, he nibbled lightly at her bottom lip, and she moaned with the intensity of the feelings he induced.

They were both breathing too hard when he broke away, and he floated above her, his forehead to hers. "I just want to see your eyes light up Hiiro." She whispered. Because it was the truth. "You deserve to be happy. Just like everyone else... I don't know what happened to you to make you this way... But stop. Stop blaming yourself. It doesn't hurt to be human."

He shook his head. "No." She couldn't help the sigh of disappointment when he sat up, leaning against her bed post, looking down at her with cold eyes. There had been a spark in them a moment ago. She wanted it back. Wanted to pull him to her again. "I have so much blood on my hands. I don't deserve something so full of light. I can't afford a distraction."

He was looking at his hands, so she sat up, and grasped them in her own. She turned them palm up, and kissed each palm gently, looking up at him when she finished. "We are at an impasse. Because I don't see what you see. And you obviously don't see what I see. But I won't give up on you Hiiro. You would deny yourself having me because you see your hands stained with blood? How do you think I see mine?" She raised them before him.

"I killed my friends with these hands. Lost my daughter. They were not strong enough to save the ones I loved."

"You did what you had..."

"Do not make excuses for me that you will not make for yourself!" Her eyes were wild, she knew it. He looked mildly surprised at the outburst. "We've all killed Hiiro. We've all sacrificed. Maybe you more than I. I don't know. Because you won't let me in! But can you say it wasn't for good reason? It wasn't for the greater good? Stop fucking blaming yourself! Look at me!"

He had been looking down, but his eyes snapped to hers at her insistence. She raised a hand to his cheek. "I don't know if we can win this." She said softly. "Do you want to die saying you never tried?"

He stared at her for a moment, and his hand raised as well, fisting in her hair. And there it was. The spark she wanted back. She sighed as his lips met hers once more in a gentle kiss, and though neither of them knew it, in Hiiro's room atop his desk, the star locket opened, glowing with an ethereal light, and played it's haunting melody once more. In a plane that was far beyond anyone's reach, Mamoru Chiba shed a tear.

...

Usagi awoke to the light of morning. Hiiro lay on her bed with his clothes and his shoes on. They had fallen asleep that way. It had been a comfort just to hold him all night. Clothes still littered the bed, and for a moment she stared at him from her position, lying on his strong chest. She had no idea what they were doing. Only knew it felt right.

She smiled when his eyes opened and laid on hers. They were different now. There was a soft light in them for her that warmed her heart.

"Ohayo." She said softly. She was rewarded with a smirk and then a glare, as if he thought better of the twitch of his lips afterwards. "I will get you to smile Hiiro Yui." She said with a smile, and moved to peck him on the lips.

"We'll see." He said in perfect monotone. And she sighed. He was a hard one to crack. And she'd cracked Puu and Haruka.

She jumped at a knock on the door, and smirked at the glare Hiiro threw at the interruption. Getting up, she opened it to a somber looking Duo. He raised an eyebrow at Hiiro sitting on her bed, and smiled.

"Usa..." He said suggestively. She hit him on the chest, so hard she heard him oomf, and laughed.

"What did you come here for Duo?" She asked. He looked serious again as he remembered.

"You might want to come downstairs and check out the TV." She looked at Hiiro, who nodded, and practically flew down the stairs, trying not to worry to much. She couldn't help hearing the exchange of the two men behind her as she walked towards the living room.

"So Hiiro..."

"Omae O Korosu Baka."

...

Usagi could do nothing but stare. There sat her adversary on a red throne. Mocking her with his mere image. Wufei had filled her in quickly on what she had missed. He was declaring war on the Earth Sphere. He had taken under his wing what was left of the faction called Tenshu, and was offering money and power to all that would join him. "I am Kuro Taiyou. Soon to be ruler of the Earth Sphere."

He was so charismatic when he spoke. It was disheartening. It would not be long before the corrupt and the hopeful would join with him.

"And Serenity?" She gasped as he called out to her. "This is just the beginning. I look forward to your ultimate downfall."

The transmission went dead, switching back to whatever show had been on.

"We need to call Relena." Quatre said quietly.

"Guess you get to meet her sooner than you though Usa." Hiiro glared at Duo, who just laughed. She admired his ease at the situation. And wondered vaugely why Hiiro looked so miffed.

"And the Preventers." Trowa said. "We'll go now." He led Quatre towards the communications room in the back of the house, where Usagi knew there was a vid-phone and other weapons. She'd stumbled in by accident a week ago. Remarkable how close the tech was to her senshi tech. Ami would have loved it.

"I'll call Sally." Wufei said.

Duo smirked. "And I'll call Hilde. Man she's gonna be so pissed." Usagi smiled lightly at this. He'd told her of Hilde. A fiery brunette he owned a scrapyard with. He hadn't called her since their escape from the mansion.

When the frenzy was over, she was alone in the room with Hiiro. He gazed at her for a moment, before speaking.

"Daijoubu?"

"Daijoubu Ka." She said softly. "I trust they have a handle on things."

"They are the best at what they do." He said. She liked his voice. Was glad to hear him speak more. Such an irrational thought at the time. But she clung to it.

"It's really starting now." He looked unsure of what to say. Instead, he took her hand, and she let him lead her. She had no strength to ask questions. Too many were already invading her mind.

"Come with me." He said. And there was something beneath it. Like an echo. It said 'Trust me.' And she did. Goddess she trusted all of them. She had to. It was starting. With the weight of the world on her shoulders, she let him lead on.

...

Chapter Nine... Finito. So Usagi and Hiiro have finally admitted their feelings for each-other... kind of. Can Usagi succeed in bringing him out of his shell? Will it matter... with the impending doom floating in the distance? Find out in the next chapter of Fuseiseki. And please... remember to review!