A/N: Hello, everyone! I hope you're all doing well. I have been called back to work so I haven't had as much time to write as I did before, but this has been a welcome distraction from the chaos. I tinkered way too much with this chapter (I was going to post it at about 4,000 words and now it has 7,600+... oops), so I'm just going to have to take the plunge and post it. Warnings for language and sexuality.

Thank you to everyone who takes time to leave comments (they really make my day), to follow, and to favorite!

This chapter is full of angst and drama. Enjoy! :) -Amethyst

CHAPTER 16: FRICTION

When Usagi had learned of Chibiusa's disappearance from her timeline, she had gone home with a heart full of anxiety and guilt. With a pain in her chest and sickness in her stomach, she had thought of the little girl with pink hair and bright eyes that she loved so much, and she blamed herself. She didn't think it was possible to feel worse than she did on that day, but as it turns out, she was terribly wrong.

Grieving the loss of Chibiusa was hard and far from over, but this was somehow more painful. She felt like she had done the worst thing a partner could do. She had betrayed Mamoru, and in the process, had most likely ruined any chance she would have of bringing their future daughter back.

Would he forgive her?

No, she thought. I don't think he would.

What am I going to say to him? I have to tell him...

She wanted nothing more than to sit at home and cry, but as she eyed her sullen reflection in her vanity mirror, she knew she couldn't break another promise to someone she cared about. Besides, she wasn't creative enough to make up an excuse that would placate Minako for missing her album release party.

She wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole. Maybe that would be a good enough excuse.

Usagi's frustration grew as she tried to get her makeup right. First, it was the thought of Seiya, his soft panting and pleasured whispers that distracted her from her task. She closed her eyes and took a selfish moment to enjoy the memory, but soon it was invaded by the sound of Mamoru's imaginary voice ringing throughout her brain.

Why would you do this to me? It asked.

Her hands trembled as she tried to wing her eyeliner, and after three attempts of rubbing the wobbled lines away, she decided to simply wear mascara instead.

When she made it down the stairs, dressed in a peach cocktail dress with lace that hugged her bodice and chiffon that teased the skin just above her knees, she walked up to her friend's sensible but cute electric car and gave a pathetic smile.

"Usagi-chan! You look beautiful!" Ami-chan gushed. Her chin-length hair had been curled and brushed out to create soft waves that reminded Usagi of a calm sea. A dash of shimmery bronze eyeshadow and a flirty navy blue dress accentuated the cobalt-blue of her eyes.

"You do too, Ami-chan," Usagi responded softly, though she truly meant it.

"And I love your necklace," Ami added, leaning in a little bit more to get a better look at the charm that rested against the blonde's smooth décolleté. "You wore that at Seiya's concert, didn't you?"

Usagi brought a hand to touch the delicate silver rabbit. She had debated leaving it at home and pushing any reminder of Seiya out of sight, if only for the night, but she had hesitated in her bedroom doorway. With a sigh and a wry smile, she picked up the little silver object that often brought her comfort. She wondered if anyone had noticed that it didn't appear on her neck until the end of that concert.

"Yeah, I did. Thanks," she answered before quickly changing the subject. "Is anyone there yet?"

"I just got a text from Mako-chan that said that they're inside already. The line is massive, but she says we can just skip it. She said it looks amazing in there! There's lots of food, a photo-booth, and ..."

Usagi would normally grin at the her usually quiet friend's excitement, but all she could muster up was a stupid half-smile. As they rode together with the radio turned down low, she tried her best to make small talk, but it was painfully uncomfortable. All she wanted to talk about was what happened the other night between her and Seiya, but she couldn't. Not to Ami. Not to anyone. The only person who she felt comfortable enough to talk to was the one person she was trying to stay away from.

Ami's eyes glanced her way.

"Is something wrong, Usagi-chan?"

"Hm?"

"You seem a little quiet today."

She shrugged. "I'm just tired," she said before giving a soft smile. "I'm sure I'll perk up once we get there."

"Oh, okay."

There was a pause and then, "Is Seiya going to be there?"

Ami's voice was light and warm-she was just making conversation, but Usagi's stomach suddenly felt like it was full of rocks. She tried her best to relax her jaw and narrow her widened eyes before her friend could notice her reaction.

"Uh, I ... I don't know."

Is he…?

She didn't think about that.

"They have that new single together so I thought he might. Besides, I'm sure he was invited," Ami explained.

"Yeah, I'm sure he was. Wow, it's so stuffy in here. Do you think so? I think so. It's hot right? You know, don't worry about it, I'm just going to open a window," Usagi babbled, quickly pressing down on the button as the window went down with a whirr.

When the girls arrived at the door of the nightclub (after suffering through dirty looks from a line full of strangers as they skipped to the front and told the bouncer they were "on the list"), Usagi found that her nervousness had grown so much that she actually felt sick. With trembling fingers, she showed her ID card to the stone-faced bouncer and hoped she didn't look suspicious. He didn't seem to notice. He placed a neon bracelet around her wrist and unhooked the velvet rope with a nod and a smile.

"Enjoy your night, ladies," he said. The girls gave each other a glance before they stepped through the doorway and into the moody blue lighting of the club.

It was easily one of the nicest places Usagi had ever been in.

The furniture and walls were black with a soft, silky-looking quilted pattern, and chandeliers were suspended from the ceiling. Soft, blue light emanating from above created a sultry, mysterious feel to the high-end bar. Not one to miss the food, Usagi could see small tables with finger foods and bite-sized desserts. Attractive servers dressed in black moved skillfully around the floor, collecting abandoned plates and serving drinks to well-dressed guests in roped off booths. Minako's album cover - an artsy photo of her looking off-camera with thick black eyeliner and disheveled hair - was large and prominently displayed in sleek black frames around the club. She looked up to see balconies on either side of the room with overhead views of the stage, but they were so high up and dimly lit that she couldn't see into them. A flash of light distracted Usagi, and she turned toward it to see a group of girls getting their photo taken in the photo booth. At the front of the room was a stage, quiet and concealed by a black velvet curtain.

She was distracted from her gaping when Ami tapped her arm.

"Over there, Usagi-chan," she said, pointing to a familiar head of wavy brown hair that stood a few inches above most of the other women in the crowd.

Usagi glanced at Makoto and then at the large bar in the opposite direction. Alcohol probably wouldn't help the anxiety that rumbled in her stomach, but she desperately wanted something to hold in her hand to stop herself from fidgeting.

"I'm gonna go get a drink first, I'll meet you over there," Usagi called out.

She was leaning against the bar signing her name onto the receipt when she felt a hand on her lower back. Even though she expected to see him, when she turned her head she couldn't stop her breath from hitching in her throat. She managed to fight the smile that begged to form on her lips because no, no, no! Usagi, you shouldn't be so happy to see him, she chided herself.

Seiya stood close to her, dressed in a fitted white suit with a crimson shirt peeking out from underneath. When she inhaled deeply through her nose, she could smell the spicy scent of his cologne.

He shouldn't take her breath away like this.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, taking in her strained expression. The sound of his voice sent a buzz throughout her body and it took every ounce of self-control she had in her not to press herself into his touch. God, she wished they were alone.

Wait, no! No, Usagi! You can't be alone with him!

She noticed a small, yellowed bruise on his cheek and wanted to ask about it, but instead she found herself saying:

"Move your hand, please. Everyone's here and I don't want them to suspect anything."

He did so and put his hand on the bar. Instantly, she missed the feel of him. She wished she could reach out and pull him close; to breathe in more of his scent and soak in his warmth. The two stood beside each other, their heads tilted close so that they could speak without being heard.

"I'm trying so hard to stay away, Usagi, but I can't stop thinking about you," he said, his voice thick with ache and longing.

She knew that he could always see through her. There was no point in lying.

"I can't either, Seiya-kun, but what I did was wrong. I need to figure out how to fix this."

"Come over tonight," he said bluntly. With a frustrated sigh, he brought his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. "Damnit," he muttered. She almost laughed. She could see on his face that he had not planned to ask her that. Typical Seiya, she thought to herself. Speaking before he thinks.

He recovered and added, "I don't mean to do anything like that," he implied. "I mean to hang out. I just miss being around you."

She wished she could say yes. The thought of curling up with him on the couch after a long night of dancing and listening to him talk until she fell asleep was so appealing to her.

But she couldn't.

Eyes wide like a deer in headlights, Usagi shook her head. "I can't."

"Can I come to your place?"

With a soft blush, she averted her gaze to the drink she had just ordered and hadn't touched. She put her hands to the glass, hoping the coolness of the condensation on the outside of it would help ground her.

"No, I... I don't trust myself alone with you," she answered, her eyes focused on the pale drink of ginger and vodka.

He was quiet as he studied her face. She could feel his navy eyes looking her over, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Her heart skipped a beat when he reached over and tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. She looked up, then quickly glanced in the direction of her friends. She couldn't see them and hoped they couldn't see her.

"What do you want?" He asked gently.

She was silent. What did she want? She wanted Chibiusa. She wanted Mamoru to be happy and to not hate her. She wanted the people of Earth to live long, peaceful lives. She wanted to go home with Seiya. She wanted to listen to him sing and play guitar, to hear his laughter, and to snort at his stupid jokes. She wanted to cuddle with him in the night and tell him her deepest, darkest secrets. She wanted to touch his skin, to be underneath him…

The feel of Seiya's hand on hers jolted her from her musing. Her eyes were wide and questioning as he picked up her drink with his other hand and asked gently, "Come with me?"

She craned her neck, looking for Ami's blue hair in the crowd, before she turned to Seiya and gave a short nod. Her heart pounded as he lead her away from the crowded bar area and toward the hallway where the bathrooms were. As they got closer, she noticed a dimly lit staircase that she didn't see earlier. At the bottom was a thin but muscular bouncer, his arms folded in front of his chest as he stood at his post.

"Is the lounge open?" Seiya asked, dropping his companion's hand and raising his wrist to show off the plastic wristband.

"Yes, sir," the bouncer answered as he moved aside. Usagi found herself looking at her own wrist and wondering what other perks she had that she didn't know about. Once they were at the top of the stairs, she realized that this was one of the private balconies she had eyed when she had entered the club.

The space was larger than she had thought when she was looking up from below. It was more of a room, but had a large opening protected by a railing so that guests could watch the stage below. It was cozy, with plush leather furniture and small tables decorated with flickering tea-light candles that added a bit of warmth to the blue lighting of the club. The empty ice buckets and upside-down, unused champagne flutes told her that no one was using the room yet.

She noticed right away that she couldn't see the crowd from where she stood near the top of the staircase. It was also much quieter than it had been downstairs on the main floor, and now the loud conversations of the people below were more of a murmur. She was tempted to walk to balcony opening and peer over the rails, but before she could, Seiya had set her drink down on a ledge and stepped in front of her, his taller frame pressing her back against the wall. She could feel the gentle pulse of house music through speakers behind her.

She couldn't resist him. She closed her eyes and let out a shallow, shaky breath, feeling his thumb brush against her bottom lip.

"I miss you," he murmured. "Do you miss me too?"

She looked into his blue eyes, getting swept away in his vulnerability and obvious lust.

"More than anything," she admitted.

His lips curved into a small smile of approval as his finger touched the silver rabbit charm he had given her weeks before. She couldn't speak, so she just closed her eyes, enjoying the buzz that flowed through her body as that same finger traced the top of her cleavage. When he lowered his head and began to place gentle kisses along the side of her neck, his hand cupped her breast, and his thumb teasingly brushed over her nipple through the lacy fabric of her dress. She breathed out a soft, pleasured sigh.

"Seiya, this isn't a good idea," she moaned faintly, moving her fingers along his spine.

"I need you," he murmured into her skin, inhaling the scent of her light, fruity perfume. She hoped he wouldn't leave a mark on her shoulder, but the feel of his lips and teeth against her skin was too good to stop.

"We can't," she breathed out. Her hand slipped beneath the jacket of his suit, hoping to feel his skin, but challenged by his tucked undershirt. She gripped him tight, frustrated by the lack of contact, and by the feeling that swelled and pulsed throughout her body.

"I love you," he whispered. She wasn't sure what caused her stomach to flip or her breath to catch-his admission that he loved her, or the way his soft, warm hands found their way beneath the skirt of her dress, caressing the outside of her thigh. He looked at her, waiting for her to say something, but all she could do was move forward and catch his lips with her own. She could feel him melt into it, his lower body pressing against hers, and his hand gripping her bottom and pulling her closer. She wanted to wrap her legs around him and let him take her right then, right there, but knew she couldn't.

Her chest heaving with labored breath, she rasped out, "We can't do this here. Someone might see." The air filling her lungs brought her down to earth, and the sound of Mamoru's voice invaded her mind again. It was like a bucket of cold water being thrown over her body.

"Seiya, I really can't do this with you," she said more firmly this time. "I won't. I'm saying no." She put her hand on his chest and gently pushed him away from her. He didn't argue.

He took several steps back and nodded quickly, his eyes closed as he tried to catch his breath. Usagi's own desire pulsed and intensified when she noticed his hardness pressing against the unforgiving fabric of his tight pants.

"I'm sorry. I really did mean to give you space," he murmured ruefully, his dark eyes looking down at the floor. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't be sorry," she said, frowning. "It's my fault too."

She looked over her shoulder to the staircase that led to the party below. "I have to go back downstairs," she said.

"Fix your makeup first," he said, gesturing toward a closed door on the other side of the staircase. "There's a private bathroom over there."

With an amused huff, she raised a curious eyebrow and asked, "Have you brought girls up here before?"

"No, but I've been here and I've definitely thought about it," he answered with a lop-sided smirk. She could see a small smear of pink gloss near his freshly-kissed lips.

"You should clean up too," she said, motioning to her own mouth. As he wiped at the smudge and looked down at his fingers, Usagi turned away to find the mirror before his voice stopped her.

"You haven't said it back, but I know you feel it too."

She couldn't look at him. She made her way into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

When Usagi emerged from the bathroom with glossy pink lips, she noticed that the balcony was empty. With a frown, she made her way down the stairs and passed the bouncer, who only acknowledged her with a nod. She was grateful that no one noticed her as she stepped back onto the main floor. The crowd was quiet now as they trained their attention onto the stage. There in the spotlight, her taupe dress glittering beneath the bright stage lights, was a famous pop-star by the name of Kiki introducing Minako onto the stage. If it were any other time, Usagi would be excited. She loved Kiki's music, but all she cared about at that moment was finding her friends and pretending like she wasn't just a few fondles away from letting her best friend bang her in the VIP room of a crowded nightclub.

"I've been watching Minako's career and I'm so proud to be introducing her today at the release of her newest album," the woman announced into the microphone, her cheery voice spilling from the speakers and filling the room. Usagi continued to snake around people she didn't know, her eyes searching for familiar faces. As the crowd erupted into loud cheers and claps, she spotted the unmistakable wavy, blue-green tresses of Kaiou Michiru. Her wife stood beside her, a hand resting comfortably on the smaller woman's waist.

Usagi winced inwardly and hoped that Haruka didn't have anything snarky to say about Seiya today. She didn't think she could handle it.

"There you are, Koneko-chan!" Haruka's voice called out loudly as the band began to play. Usagi thought that she looked more feminine than usual, dressed in a short, tight black dress that hugged her slender form. She wore more makeup than Usagi was used to seeing her in, and when she looked closely, she could see a healing cut on her lower lip concealed mostly by nude lipstick. The smudged, jet-black eyeliner she wore made her eyes look sultry and piercing.

"I was just asking about you," Michiru said as she quickly stepped forward and gathered Usagi's hands in her own. She leaned in and placed a chaste, posh kiss on each of the blonde's cheeks.

"Oo, you smell nice, Usagi-chan," she commented.

At once, Usagi was all too aware that her girly, fruity perfume was peppered with the smell of Seiya's masculine cologne.

"Thanks," she said with a slight blush.

"Where were you? I went to the bar to find you but you weren't there," Makoto asked, her voice laced with worry. "You've been gone for awhile."

Before Usagi could answer, she felt someone step into the group beside her. She looked over to find Seiya with a casual smile and two fresh drinks in his hand.

"I think I got your order right," she heard him say over the loud music. With a shy smile and a beet-red blush, she accepted the drink into her hand. She had forgotten that her entire reason for separating from Ami was to get a drink, which now sat upstairs, watering itself down with melting ice.

"Hey, Seiya! We were wondering if you were here tonight!" Makoto greeted him with a warm smile. "I guess that answers all my questions," she joked, though Usagi didn't miss Rei's questioning glance or the way the two outer senshi tensed.

"I'm sorry, guys. I caught her on my way in and was showing her around. I've played a few shows here," he answered, raising his voice to be heard over the sound of Minako's dramatic vibrato. "It's a beautiful venue."

"Wow, that's really cool. I'd love a tour too," Makoto said sweetly, taking a moment to sweep her eyes over the swanky club.

"There's a VIP lounge upstairs. We all have wristbands, I can show you all where it is," he offered, as if he and Usagi hadn't just been there.

"Will we be able to see Minako-chan better?" Rei asked, looking toward the stage. She definitely wasn't as short as Usagi (not many adults were), but it was still a little hard to see. She stepped on her toes to see past the man standing in front of her.

"Absolutely, you can see everything from there."

With furrowed brows, Usagi realized that Haruka was still watching Seiya with an icy glare that never faltered. Once the long-haired singer finally caught Haruka's look, the smile fell from his face and the two were locked in a tense staring match.

This was worse than she had thought it would be.

Michiru placed her hand onto her partner's arm and whispered something into her ear that Usagi couldn't hear over the music. It didn't seem to have any effect. The wind guardian's eyes were just as hard as they had been just a moment ago.

Nervously, Usagi placed her hand on Seiya's wrist and gave it a gentle tug.

"Why don't you lead the way, Seiya-kun?" Usagi said, leaning in. The music was so loud now that she still found herself shouting. He looked to her, a little surprised that she would show so much familiarity in front of her friends, and then nodded his head.

As he began to move toward the stairs, Usagi released her hold and let herself fall behind him with the rest of the group. Immediately, Rei was beside her with inquisitive eyes and asked, "What the hell was all that about?"

All she could do was shrug. She looked back over her shoulder to see Haruka and Michiru engaged in a heated conversation, their bodies close and hands moving frantically as they tried to speak to each other over the applause of the crowd. She didn't expect them to join, but soon they were climbing up the stairs behind the rest of the girls.

Seiya wasn't exaggerating about the view from the balcony. They could see Minako clearly as she sang into her microphone and moved her body with practiced, choreographed steps. Two dancers dressed in complimentary costumes danced behind her and the bright, colorful stage lights moved and flashed along to the beats of the music. Maybe their group of seven was a little too much for the small railing of the balcony, but they made it work.

Usagi stole a glance to her right. The tall, sandy-haired blonde looked her way, but not at her. She was looking at Seiya. Turning to her left, it didn't surprise Usagi that he was looking too.

She leaned toward him and asked loudly, "What's going on between you and Haruka?"

"We'll talk about it later," he answered shortly before turning away, a pensive look drawn on his face.

It was as Usagi was leaning more heavily against the sturdy railing, her feet beginning to ache in her heels, that Minako left the stage for a short interlude. As the blonde singer bounced into the darkness of the backstage area, the stage lights dimmed and a video documenting the making of her album began to play on two screens that hung on either side of the stage. Usagi realized that she had already seen it yesterday. Minako was so thrilled when the editor had finished it that she sent it out in a group text message.

"Oh, look," Makoto observed, gesturing to a screen on the wall behind them. Earlier it had shown a live feed of the stage, but now it was playing the same video.

With a grateful sigh, Usagi plopped onto the leather sofa. Of course, Seiya sat down right beside her. They were so close that their legs brushed against one another, and the blonde quickly moved her leg away. She sat stiffly with her hands on her knees and prayed that she wasn't being noticeably awkward.

"Don't be so awkward," Seiya whispered, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Damn. She rested her hands in her lap instead. Suddenly, she felt too hot. Was she breathing normally? Was she breathing at all? She clenched her hands and tried her best to act natural. She stiffened and looked down when she noticed Seiya had moved in a little closer, his white pants pressed against her bare knee again. She wanted to say something but realized he had made room for Rei as she squeezed herself onto the leather couch.

She sighed. Of all the people. Looking at her raven-haired friend, she wasn't surprised to find Rei giving Seiya a long, thoughtful look.

Is she checking him out?

She looked from Seiya to Usagi, and then turned away.

Oh no. That can't be good.

"This is cool! I'm glad we were all able to get together tonight," Ami said cheerfully.

"Two years ago we all wouldn't have been spending time together like this," she added, a good-natured smile on her face as she casually reminded everyone of the past tension between the Starlights and the Outer Senshi. Makoto, Rei, and Usagi all looked at the blue-haired girl with wide eyes. That's when Usagi realized that the usually perceptive genius had been so engaged in watching Minako's performance that she had missed the tense exchanges between Seiya and Haruka.

Oh, Ami-chan, why?

Haruka was quick to huff and respond with, "Kou and I actually spent some quality time together a few days ago."

"Huh?" Usagi blurted with a scrunched, confused face. She turned to Seiya.

"That's … interesting," She added slowly. Alarm bells were going off in her brain and pounding throughout her chest.

Why would he and Haruka be together?

Did… did Haruka know about them?

Usagi wished Seiya would look at her and catch her glance, but his eyes were focused on the tall blonde across from him. They looked like enemies ready for battle and it set her on edge. She wouldn't have been surprised if Haruka pulled out Uranus' Space Sword at that very moment.

"Are you and Michiru doing another joint concert?" Ami asked, her eyes wide and voice filled with excitement.

Before Seiya or Michiru could say anything, Haruka said bluntly, "No, he dropped by the track to start a fight with me."

"Oh," Ami said quietly, and then promptly pursed her lips together.

"Haruka, be nice," came Michiru's soft plea.

"What?!" Usagi gasped out. Suddenly the fading bruise on Seiya's cheek and Haruka's split lip made sense.

"You know I didn't start that," the singer retorted, narrowed eyes boring into Haruka's. "I came to talk. You wanted to fight."

"So when you showed up at my job and yelled at me for being controlling and not knowing my place, you weren't trying to start a fight?" Haruka asked, raising her voice with anger.

Michiru gripped her partner's arm and said gently, "Not now, my love."

"And I meant every word of it!" Seiya stood, standing up quickly. "You're the one that put your hands on me! Maybe you didn't like what I had to say because it was true."

"Hey!" Rei yelled, standing up as well and putting a hand to Seiya's chest. "Sit down! This is Minako's night. Don't ruin it." She shot an angry glare to Haruka across the table. "And you too. This isn't the place."

"You both sound like children," Makoto chastised, shaking her head.

Seiya sucked in a short breath and quickly stormed away from Rei. Usagi stopped herself from reaching out and following him. She wanted desperately to take his hand and comfort him, but she knew how it would look. Instead, she watched him as he leaned against the railing at the top of the staircase, clenching the metal tightly.

"I've had it with him," Haruka said angrily, her attention now focused on the wide-eyed, pigtailed blonde.

"Haruka…" Michiru warned, her voice no longer soft and pleading. It was tense, like a mother scolding a child.

"No! He needs to go back to his planet!"

"This is his planet now. Just, stop. Stop!" Usagi snapped the words angrily as she closed her eyes and shook her head. She had enough. Frustrated, she brought her hands to her face and took in a deep breath to stop herself from screaming.

"What do you mean this is his planet?" Haruka countered.

"I can't talk about this right now," she said, her words muffled slightly behind her hands.

"No, I want to know what you mean!"

"She said to leave it alone, Haruka," Rei said. Usagi looked up with stinging eyes full of tears, grateful to have someone defend her. "We'll have a meeting at the shrine tomorrow to talk about this. Let's have a good night for Minako," she added, her violet eyes shooting a stern glare at Haruka.

Usagi glanced over to where Seiya had been standing, a deep frown on her lips when she realized he was gone. As the stage lights turned on and Minako stepped back into the spotlight, Usagi found her place against the balcony railing. Though she tried her best to keep her eyes on Minako, she couldn't stop herself from looking down into the audience, her eyes scanning for a white suit and long black hair. There were just too many people.

You're here for Mina-chan, she reminded herself as she tried her best to listen. But as Minako's voice echoed throughout the club, speaking about her gratitude for her friends and family, Usagi's thoughts were clouded by Seiya.

She wasn't used to this. She wasn't used to being in the same place as Seiya but not being next to him. She wanted to share hors d'oeuvres, sip each other's drinks, and take pictures together. She wanted to slide her fingers between his, dance, and sing the night away. With a sigh, she watched as her friend sang a final song on the stage - a sweet ballad about the love she has for her friends - and she tried her best not to cry.

Minako's set had been short, and when the venue was full with the sounds of chatter and clinking glasses, the girls made their way downstairs to join the rest of the party. Seiya had effectively avoided their group for so long that Usagi had wondered if he'd gone home, but she forced herself to push that thought aside when Minako joined them.

Dressed in a shimmering red dress, Minako took a moment to hug each girl and thank them for coming.

"I'm sorry I can't chat long, I gotta mingle, but I'll try to say hi again soon," she said before she blew kisses and moved on to greet her other guests.

As they stood near a table of desserts and talked about summer plans, she finally spotted him.

With a drink in his hand, Seiya was standing near the bar. The woman he spoke to - a petite, purple-haired woman in a pastel dress - was leaning in and laughing at something he had said. Usagi pursed her lips together tightly.

It's totally fine that he's talking to her, she grumbled to herself.

It was when the cotton candy-haired woman took his arm and led him toward the photo-booth that Usagi felt a hesitant tap on her shoulder. She glanced over to meet the large, blue eyes of Michiru.

"Can we talk in private for a moment?" She asked. If it was socially acceptable, Usagi would have groaned.

Instinctively, she glanced at Haruka. Blue-grey eyes watched the two with a frown, but she didn't make any move to say anything.

"Uhhh… sure, I guess." Usagi said, shooting one last look at Seiya before she followed Michiru into the hallway. They passed the bouncer, the staircase, and a line of girls waiting for the bathroom before finding a place to stand near the emergency exit.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Usagi asked. From where she stood, she could see an opening in the crowd. She couldn't see much, but it still distracted her. She did her best to keep her eyes on Michiru.

"Seiya did come to the track the other day," Michiru began.

Usagi swallowed nervously and asked, "What did he say to Haruka?"

"That's her part to tell. But… he did talk to me too."

The aqua-haired woman who usually looked so composed looked down at her heels with tears in her eyes.

"Did he say something mean to you?" Usagi asked, confused.

Michiru gave a sigh and shrugged her pale shoulders. "I don't know how to explain, Usagi-chan. I… I just want to say," she reached forward and took the girl's hands. "If you are hurting because of the burden of the future… if all of this… behavior is because of that, then I'm sorry."

"Uhh… what?"

"We have a lot of expectations for you, Usagi-chan, but I hope you know that our intentions are good. We want what's best for you and what's best for our Kingdom. I didn't realize that it affected you so much. It may be hard to see now-you'll understand when you're older-but being a leader means making sacrifices..."

Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of Seiya's white suit glowing under the blue lights of the club. He was walking toward the exit.

She knew it was rude, but at that moment, Usagi decided that didn't have the time for Michiru's backhanded apology. She pulled her hands out of the woman's soft grasp.

"I can't talk about my sacrifices with you right now," she said quickly before she turned and slipped away, leaving a wide-eyed, stuttering violinist in her wake.

She tried her best to move gracefully through the crowd, but it proved to be difficult as her aching feet moved in high heels across the hard and sometimes sticky bar floor. She stumbled once or twice, throwing quick apologies as she continued on her mission toward the exit.

When she reached the doorway, she spotted a familiar lanky man in a chic black suit holding open a car door as Seiya climbed into the back seat.

"Hold it, Arashi," Usagi shouted quickly, her feet now jogging toward the vehicle. Before the driver could react, she slipped into the car after Seiya, her body pressed to him firmly and half of her bottom hanging off the edge of the leather seat.

"Scoot over," she demanded. Without a word, the musician moved his body toward the opposite window, allowing enough room for Usagi to slide all the way onto the seat and firmly pull the door closed. She could see the brightness of flash bulbs outside of the window, but she didn't have time to worry about how any of that would look.

"What happened with Haruka?" She asked, the frustration and fear finally bubbling to the surface. She paused when Arashi sat down in his seat, buckled his seatbelt, and then turned to look at the pair in the backseat.

"I'm taking you home, sir?" Arashi asked, his eyes apologetic.

"You're dropping me off at my apartment first," she said sternly. The driver glanced at his client who simply nodded. Usagi leaned forward quickly and pressed her hand against a button that she knew was there but had never seen Seiya use. Slowly a partition rose between them and Arashi.

"I need you to tell me what's going on because I was completely blindsided in there," she said, tears pooling in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Usagi. I didn't think she was going to be there or that it was going to be like that. I went to talk to Haruka a few days ago and it got out of hand," he answered.

"Talk about what?" She cried. "Does she know? Is that what the fight was about?"

"No, of course not! Do you really think I would do that to you?"

"So, you tracked her down to talk about what then?!"

"To talk about the way they treat you, Usagi. The way they make you-"

"No, Seiya! I did not confide in you to have you go run to Haruka and try to make it better! You're ruining everything!" She cried out. Their shouting was so loud that she was sure Arashi could hear every word. With a red face and clenched fists, she didn't think she'd ever had such a heated argument with anyone like this in her life. Well, Rei, maybe.

"I don't care if I ruin everything if it means that they treat you better."

"It's not your place to interfere..."

"Well you're not standing up for yourself, so someone has to!"

"I don't need you to fix everything, Seiya. You can't fix everything that's wrong with my life!"

"Then you fix it, Usagi! For fuck's sake. Do something about it. Stop wallowing in your fucking self-pity and take some control of your goddamn life!" He yelled.

The blood running through her veins suddenly felt cold and she had to clench her teeth to keep from trembling. As she looked at Seiya, the tears running freely from her eyes, she couldn't find words to respond with. She stared at him for a painfully long, tense pause before she leaned over toward the partition.

"Stop the car, Arashi!" She called out, lowing the window. "I want to get out!"

"Here? But-"

"Just stop the car!"

As she fumbled with her purse, Seiya closed the partition again. When Usagi could feel the car slow to a stop, she turned to say something to Seiya, and he quickly moved to cup her face in his hands. With an angry scowl she tried to pull away, but he tightened his gip.

"Let go of me, Seiya!"

He leaned in and whispered fiercely, "Not until you listen to me! There are things you can't change, but there are so many things that you can, Usa-chan. If you don't start taking control of your life you'll never be able to accept the things in the past that hurt you. The past is done but you can change your future."

Something about the desperation in his voice made her throat dry and tears spill from her eyes.

"But," she croaked. "I have to do what's right for everyone."

"No, you don't. Not at your expense. I'm telling you this because you need to hear it. It's okay to grow up and not want the same things that you wanted when you were a kid. It doesn't make you selfish. It makes you human. It just means that you're growing and changing, and that's okay. You don't have to force yourself to marry someone for the good of everyone else."

"But the future-"

"You said it already, Usa. The future has already changed. The future is always changing. You broke the rules and saw your future and got fooled into thinking that was the only option. It's not."

Usag's body shook as she sobbed. With shoulders slumped she wanted to look away, but she couldn't. She was so captivated by those blue eyes that bore into her soul.

"I know I'm supposed to just let you figure things out, but I can't. I tried that tonight and it lasted about thirty seconds. I can't offer you 'Crystal Tokyo' or a perfect future because I have no idea what the future looks like for me, but I can love you. I can make you happy. I can be enough. I know I can because I know you. I know that you don't want to be stuck in a castle with a prince who is waiting for you to be someone else. I love you for who you are now and I'll love you no matter who you'll be in the future."

She took Seiya's calloused hands and pushed them away from her, then in defeat, laid back against the soft leather seat. Her eyes looked out the opposite window as tears streamed over her rosy cheeks.

"Do you want me to take you back to the party?" He asked gingerly.

She sniffed and shook her head, sure that her eyes were red and swollen.

"No. I just want to go home." She said in a small voice.

Seiya leaned forward and cracked the window, instructing the driver to continue the journey to Usagi's apartment building. Just as the car began to move again, the ding of an incoming message cut through the thick silence of the backseat. Taking her phone out of her purse, she read the message from Rei with a deep sigh:

Where are you? Ami said you were outside but we can't find you anywhere!

"Is everything okay?" Seiya asked with a soft, concerned voice.

"Yeah," was all she said as she quickly typed out a message to her friend, explaining that she wasn't feeling well and was on her way home. Once that was done, she sent one to Minako.

I'm soooo proud of you, Mina-chan! You are amazing! Sorry to leave without saying bye. I think I drank too much and I don't feel good at all :( Let's get together soon.

As her fingers tapped against the screen of her phone, she could feel Seiya's eyes on her.

The silence was incredibly uncomfortable and Usagi couldn't wait to get out of the car. The moment it rolled to a stop, her hand was on the handle and she quickly jumped out.

"Wait," Seiya urged before the blonde could slam the door. "I know you think I'm just being an asshole, but please think about what I said."

With a scowl drawn onto her pretty features, she looked him over. She took in his stylish suit, glossy blue-black hair, and his sad, dark blue eyes. She didn't understand how it was possible to be this angry with someone she cared about so much.

And without a word, she closed the door and turned away.