The Snow Falls Gently

[yumecosmos]

Partly inspired a bit by recent debates, I decided to post a fic that centers around Usagi, Seiya, and Mamoru. I bet this is a pairing you never thought you'd see from me...

The Snow Falls Gently

Summary: Usagi is gone. Now, two people who fell deeply in love with her must come to terms with themselves--and each other--as they struggle to live on without their angel.
An Usagi/Seiya/Mamoru romance, paired every way you can think of. Based on the manga series, but you can read it just knowing the anime version. (Just know that Seiya is a woman.) Takes place after the end of Stars but before Crystal Tokyo.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon, I'm simply offering my humble tribute to a great series.

Chapter 1

Usagi sighed contentedly, leaning against her lover's arm as they strolled along in comfortable silence. Around them, snow fluttered down from the skies in big, soft flakes. Usagi reached out and caught one on her tongue.
"They're yummy, Mamo-chan!"
"I'll take your word for it."
Usagi looked miffed, but shrugged and kept walking. Mamoru cast a nervous glance at her. Maybe he should've...
"Do you want me to try one?"
" 'S okay." She sighed, snuggling closer to him. "It wasn't really important." She wrapped her arm firmly around his.
"Usa, you're cutting of my circulation," he said when he felt his fingers growing numb.
"Sorry," she murmered dreamily. She didn't loosen her grip.
They walked on under the tranquil winter sky, time seeming to sleep around them; the soft glow of the snowflakes was the only other sign that the world had not passed into a pleasant stasis. Usagi cast her gaze upward, into the endless tapestry of the night sky, spangled in beautiful discord with silver stars.
"Aren't they lovely, Mamo-chan?"
"Yes," he whispered, his voice low and smooth. "The most beautiful thing in the world."
"Mamo-chan?" She realized he wasn't looking at the stars. He was staring intently into her eyes.
"I'd really like to know what a snowflake tastes like."
She blushed. "Okay."
He felt her smile as he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

Kakyuu stepped softly into the main Control Room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. From the central computer, the frenzied "clack-clack" of keys echoed throughout the vaulted chamber. A tense, haggard figure, barely recognizable, sat hunched over the desk, typing and moving the mouse frantically.
"Fighter? What are you doing?" the princess murmered. "It's three in the morning."
Fighter looked up wearily. "Sorry to keep you up, Princess." She turned back to her work.
"Don't try to shoo me away, Fighter. What's bothering you?"
The raven-haired woman sighed, shoving her chair away from the desk with a raccous scraping sound. Kakyuu winced, thinking of the damage to the expensive marble floor. "I'm sorry, it's just..." She sighed guiltily. "It's Odango."
"Oda... who?"
"Serenity."
Kakyuu nodded. "Ah, yes, I am quite aware of your relationship with Serenity, but honestly, writing letters at this ungodly hour..."
Fighter grinned playfully. "Now if I didn't know better I'd think you were jealous." She ran a hand through her unruly locks, becoming solemn again. "I wasn't writing a letter. Kakyuu-hime, there's... there's something wrong about the Moon. Something's looming in the near future. I felt the soul of that planet flicker, as if the Moon itself were afraid... And there was a drop in the energy level surrounding the Ginzuishou."
The princess raised an eyebrow. "Fighter, is it your duty to keep tabs on their affairs? I care for the Earth as much as you do, but we can trust Serenity to protect it."
"I know, I know, but... don't you think it's disturbing?"
Kakyuu nodded. "Yes, and we will contact Earth in the morning. But is it really serious enough to--"
A sharp gasp from the senshi cut her off. "Good God..."
Concern darkened Kakyuu's crimson eyes. "What just happened?"
"The light of the Moon has completely disappeared." Fighter swallowed hard. "Which means..."

"Mm..." Usagi murmered, snuggling into the warmth of Mamoru's embrace. "Thanks, Mamo-chan."
"For what?"
"For always being with me."
He kissed her forehead. "It's easy."
Usagi pouted. "Now what do you mean by that? Do you mean that I never go away? Am I a nuisance?"
"Now Usa, I never said--"
"Tell me, Mamo-chan! Am I annoying to you? Well, am I?"
"Of cou--"
"Honestly, now!" she demanded. "Am I?"
He shook his head. "You're not annoying."
She gave him a cute grin. "Except when you're demanding to know whether or not you're annoying," he added.
Usagi tossed her head in a cute pout. "So I am annoying sometimes!"
He sighed. "Oh, Usa..."
"What?"
"Nothing." Mamoru slipped an arm around her shoulders.
"You mean you said my name just to say it?" Usagi batted her eyes.
"Maybe."
"Oh, Mamo-chan!"
"What?" he asked, his mouth fluttering in a half-grin.
"Nothing."
He laughed then, one of the rare laughs that were real and hearty, and always for her. Her voice joined him, clear and bright, and their laughter rang out under the stars.
They laughed like that for a long time.
Suddenly Usagi froze, a hand clutching at her breast. Her heart was pounding, a vague, sickening pain growing in her chest. Her fingers closed around her brooch.
"Usa-- Usako!" Mamoru gasped, his eyes falling on the compact she clutched. Light was pouring from beneath her fingers. As he watched, horrified, the Ginzuishou emerged, hovering before her chest.
Usagi drew a trembling breath, stepping toward him. "Mamo...chan..."
Slowly, a jagged fissure crept across the shining quartz. Another and another snaked over the crystal's surface like menacing spiderwebs.
"Mamo-chan..." Usagi gasped bitterly. "Tell me that you love me."
He caught her as she collapsed. "I love you, Usa! I love you, I love you..." He cried out those words over and over, as if his saying so could calm her ragged breathing, could soothe the pain he saw wrack her thin frame...
She smiled up at him, the last smile she ever gave him, beautiful and heartbreaking. "I'm glad I knew you, Mamo-chan." With a soft sigh she closed her eyes. The Ginzuishou exploded into shards of light.

"USAKO!!!"

[a_drop_of_the_moon]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! How can you end it like that? o.O That was really good.........I need more please! I'm begging you! That was totally awesome and then you just left me in the dark! Leaving me here not knowing what happens to Usagi and Mamoru and Seyia! That is so completely evil...Okay, maybe I should shut up now.. ^_^;; Well I hope you write more soon. I'll be waiting...

[yumecosmos]

((Glad to see you liked it! And don't worry, it will get less depressing.))

The Snow Falls Gently

Chapter 2, Part 1
The sky was fittingly ashen on the day they buried Usagi. Minako read what she could of the eulogy before she broke into tears and could no longer speak. The hired priest took over, though no one was listening anymore. The words seemed dried out, meaningless. There was nothing to be said for their grief, they simply talked to fill the awful silence that was slowly settling on them. Later on it started to rain, a fine mist that soaked through everyone's clothes and chilled the air.

Chiba Mamoru sat, disheveled and nearly comatose, in a rusted folding chair in the front row. He was barely recognizeable with dark circles under his eyes and a tangled mess of hair falling over his downcast face.
It shouldn't be like this, he thought. The ceremony was so... unglorious. She should have become an angel and flown away, taken up into the clouds in a moment of ecstacy. God Himself should have reached down out of heaven and plucked her up. No lesser hand was worthy to touch her. He winced as clods of dark earth fell on the casket with a dull thud.

His Earth.

It had been this way the first time, ages ago in the Silver Millenium. And even when they'd been given a second chance, the curse of his planet had dragged her down again. Back then they'd been saved by a miracle, one that she's created with her tremendous love. But there was no one to save them this time. There was nowhere left to go, in a world without a messiah, except straight to hell.

As far as he was concerned, this counted.

When Mamoru could no longer bear the sight of the grave, he looked up at the others. Usagi's family, seated in the front row, were inconsolable. Naru, her longtime friend and classmate, was solemn and tearful. Luna was not there. She and Artemis had disappeared along with their princess the moment the moon's light had faded from the sky. Selfish though it was, Mamoru thought, he envied them.
And then his eyes fell on Usagi's loyal friends and protectors. They stood in a tight circle, like sheaves of wheat struggling not to topple under the weight of the rain. Hotaru was wimpering softly, Michiru and Setsuna were trying in vain to find words of comfort. There was a deadly glare on Haruka's tear-streaked face, and her fist was clenched so tightly that blood ran from beneath her nails. Ami sat crumpled and shivering, still not quite able to grasp it all. Rei's eyes were blank and empty as Mamoru's own. Makoto was fumbling, trying to embrace them all though she was falling apart herself. But the worst by far were Minako's cries, wild, raw wails that made him wish he were deaf. Finally she threw back her head and screamed, and it seemed that sound alone could have killed him. He wished it had.
In their misery, none of them saw the shooting star that flashed briefly across the sky.

[a_drop_of_the_moon]

Thank you so much for updating! But once again, you leave me hanging. I loved it though, how the characters seem just like they are in the manga/anime. You're very talented and I can't tell you how much I love this story. ^_^;;. I can't wait for the next part!