Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Usagi was laying in the bath as Demande massaged her shoulders.
It was nice to have someone else taking care of her for once. And Prince Demande was good at it.
He knew just where she needed to be touched, to loosen up her body and ease the tension in her shoulders.
She closed her eyes and let him work his magic. She was already starting to feel better, filled with more energy.
The thing about his touch was that it was also distracting, making her think about other places where his hands had been in the past…

She tried to ignore those thoughts and focus on the present, but once she’d started having such thoughts they were hard to ignore.
He must have sensed the change in her because he stopped what he was doing for a few seconds and she just knew that he was smirking, even though she couldn’t see it.
And then he started massaging her shoulders again, like he had before, before going lower, and massaging the space between her breasts.

Usagi found herself becoming short of breath as he did this, so close to where she wanted to be touched.
It was amazing how innocent moments between them like these could suddenly turn into something else, in just a few seconds.
He continued to torture her there for a while, before moving his hands to her stomach, massaging her where tension had begun to linger.
It felt nice and she found herself leaning backwards, so that she rested her head against his body.
He took this as encouragement and continued to knead her tense muscles, but it didn’t take long before she became restless, and began moving her legs a little.

That’s when he lowered his hands to the place where she ached for his touch the most.
She moaned as he touched her there, not bothering to be quiet since she no longer felt embarrassed to show him how much she enjoyed his touch.

He breathed into her ear as he continued to massage her flesh, making sure to touch her everywhere, leaving no spot untouched.

”Enchanting.” he purred into her ear. ”I will never get tired of seeing you like this.”

”What? Melting into a puddle?” She joked, causing him to smile as he pressed a kiss against her hair.

”Mmm. Exactly.”

She loved these little moments between them, when he let down his guard around her.
It didn’t happen very often, which was why she treasured every one of them.
To the rest of the world he put off a tough exterior, which was why he could sometimes give an intimidating impression.
But she knew there was more to him than that.

When they were with her friends she could sometimes feel Mamoru’s eyes on them, more out of concern than anything else.
She wasn’t sure why but he seemed to have a hard time letting go of his worry for her,
even though she had told him that her and Demande had told each other everything and had no secrets between them anymore.
It had been a lot to take in and deal with, but she had eventually come to peace with it, deciding that it was in the past,
or in this case in a future that would never come to pass.

Both she and Demande had decided to let go of old grievances, and since she was not going to become a queen in the future,
they would never become enemies. Besides he was no longer the same person he was back then, yes he was still possessive at times,
and selfish, but he no longer wanted to attack her and her friends, and had no interest in the people who lived here on earth,
they were nuisances at best and he had no trouble tolerating them as long as Usagi was by his side.

She only had eyes for him these days. The more time they spent together the more amorated she became by him.
They do say opposites attract, and in this case it was definitely true.
With him by her side she managed to enjoy life in between finishing school and her time as Sailor Moon.

She also felt safer with him next to her, because she knew he would always do whatever it took to protect her,
no matter who stood in his way. She admired that about him, his strength and determination, and the fact that he always stood up for her.
If Luna or Rei were being too hard on her, he immediately told them to back down, which they did.
No one had ever done that for her before, chosen her above all else.
It felt good to have someone by her side who would always put her first, as selfish as that may sound.

It was good, because she could sometimes use another’s opinion, someone who reminded her that she was also important,
and that perhaps there could be another way, a safer way, where she wouldn’t have to get hurt or risk her life unnecessarily.
They also balanced each other out in the sense that she was a doer whereas he was a planner,
who spent a long time planning his moves before he took any action.

He made her go over the facts once again to see if there was anything that she could have missed or if there was an angle that she had not considered before, instead of panicking and throwing herself into something without being properly prepared.
The best part was that he never made her feel stupid or said anything negative about her as a person that made her question her own worth, instead he tried to focus on her strengths and told her about things that she could work on,
that would improve her chances when facing another enemy.

All in all, she was satisfied with her life at the moment, and was glad that he had decided to return to her, and that he had brought his brother Sapphire with him.

No, being Sailor Moon wasn’t always fun, but it was important, and she was glad that she could help people,
and make sure that others didn’t get hurt.
Hopefully their lives would become more quiet and peaceful in the future.

Chapter Text

Usagi watched from across the room as another woman approached Prince Demande and leaned in closer, while twirling a lock of her hair.
It was so obvious what she was trying to do.
She was annoyed at this presumptuous woman, who was making moves on her boyfriend, hadn’t she seen that the two of them had come here together? Or was she one of those women who didn’t care, who thought it was alright to flirt with someone else’s boyfriend?

She watched as the other woman laughed at something Demande said, clearly smitten by his charm.
As far as she could see he wasn’t doing anything to encourage her, then again he didn’t need to, with his good looks and that powerful personality of his. Not to mention that smooth voice of his…

That made her think of things she shouldn’t think about, especially not here in public in a room full of other people.
She forced herself to think about something else and returned her attention to the woman again who was doing her best to get Demande’s attention. Usagi wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take, that woman was really starting to get on her nerves.
In the beginning she had just been a little annoyed but now…now she wanted to tear that woman away from him, tell her to go away and find someone else because this man was already taken, he was hers.

Well, why not? With that thought she downed her drink for courage and then walked across the room to where the two of them were standing. Demande looked up when she approached, appreciating her form as she came closer, and she walked over to him immediately, giving him a proper kiss. She didn’t turn around to look at the crest-fallen look on the other woman’s face, but kept her attention on Demande, who seemed a little amused by her behavior.

”Hi.” Did that breathy voice really belong to her?

”Hi, darling.”

”Would you like to dance?”

”Sure.”

He took her hand and led her to the dance floor and pulled her closer, so that there was barely any space between their bodies,
allowing her to feel the heat from his body against her own.
Immediately her annoyance disappeared as the only thing she could focus on was the two of them, and how well their bodies fit together.
He looked at her with a knowing smile on his face.

”Jealous?”

”No.” Her voice wasn’t very convincing, not even to her own ears.

”You have no need to be.”

She lifted her eyes at his words, meeting his gaze.

”I couldn’t care less about that woman, whoever she was. Frankly, I don’t even remember her name. The only one I see is you.
And it has been that way since the first time I saw you, since then there hasn’t been anyone else and there never will be.”

She couldn’t help but to smile in response, as her worries left her.
She knew it was silly, but sometimes she would feel insecure, especially considering he was a little older than she was,
and had had his fair share of women before they met.
It was good to know that she was special to him, that he felt the same way about her as she did him.

He leaned in close and whispered against her ear:

”You look ravishing tonight.”

”Thank you.”

She couldn’t help but to feel pleased at his comment.
That out of all the beautiful women in this place she was the only one he couldn’t take his eyes off.

”In fact you look good enough to eat.”

Usagi could feel her heart starting to beat faster at his words.
She had never been able to resist him, especially not when he used that smooth voice of his.
It brought back memories of what they had been doing a few nights ago and many times before then.
She could feel the heat rushing to her face and knew she must be blushing.

Prince Demande continued to tease and torture her with promises of what he would like to do to her once they were alone.
She bit her lip to stop a moan from coming out as she tried to block out his words, but it was no use.
The ache and tension in her body was becoming difficult to ignore.
Finally when she felt like she couldn’t take it anymore, she asked:

”Can we leave?”

”Never thought you would ask.” Demande said and smirked at her as he led her out of the room towards the exit.

For once Usagi didn’t feel like being polite and staying to get to know these people.
All she wanted in that moment was to get home as soon as possible so he could fulfill his promises to her.

Chapter Text

When Usagi opened her eyes everything was black around her.
She had no idea where she was or how she had ended up here.
Just as she started panicking she could feel someone else’s presence nearby.

”You ruined everything.”

”What? Who are you and what do you want?”

”Everything was going exactly as planned. I had him right where I wanted him. And then you got to the prince and destroyed all my plans. ”

”Are you talking about Prince Demande?”

Slowly her panic and confusion was disappearing, making it possible for her to think clearly again.
Whoever this person was, he must be connected to the future that Demande had left behind.
She knew that if she could just get him to keep talking for a while longer, it would give her friends and Demande a bigger chance of finding her. She knew that Prince Demande wouldn’t give up until he found her, of that she was certain.
The question was only how long it would be until she was found.
She didn’t know what this man was planning to do, but he was dangerous.

She tried to remember what Demande had told her, he hadn’t gone into specifics, she imagined it was still painful for him to speak of it, especially to her. She believed he was still afraid that she would judge him and change her mind about the two of them.
He did say that he and his brother had collaborated with someone, could it be this man?
Was he back for revenge because Demande had left and abandoned their earlier plans?
Wiseman. Yes, that was the name he had said, she was sure of it.

”Are you Wiseman?”

She could tell she had caught him off guard with her question and from the way he froze she knew that this must be him.
The fact that she now could put a name to her enemy made her calmer, even if she hadn’t come up with a good plan yet.

”So you are not as stupid as you look.”

”Earlier you said…something about how you had him where you wanted him? I take that to mean you were never going to honor your promise, were you?”

Wiseman only laughed in response, it was cold and frightening, devoid of any human feeling. It made the hair on her back stand up.

”Yes, you’re right. I was never going to help that stupid, pompous prince who thought the world of himself and was unable to see what was going on right in front of him.”

”You were just using him, weren’t you?” Now she was getting angry on Demande’s behalf.

”Yes. I thought that brother of his might be on to me, and had decided to eliminate him, but they both disappeared before I could act.”

The fact that he spoke of murder so casually made her feel sick.
It appeared this man was far more dangerous than she had imagined.
It seemed he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.
She had to stop herself from blurting out what she really wanted to say.

Demande had taught her that you always needed to treat an enemy with caution.
No matter how despicable, it was always better to stay polite, and not anger them unnecessarily.
Because an unpredictable enemy is the most dangerous enemy of all.

Chapter Text

”Surrender now and your death will be less painful.”

She ignored him and continued to move around in the darkness. It was so dark it was hard to see anything at all.
But she knew that if she kept moving around, there was less of a chance that he would be able to hit her with his power.
And since she couldn’t defeat him on her own, she didn’t really have any other choice.

”You’ve been abandoned. Your so called friends have forgotten you.”

She knew it wasn’t true. Her friends would never abandon her, just as she would never abandon them.
He was just trying to get her to lose hope. But she wasn’t going to let him get to her.
Once her friends got here they would probably be able to defeat him together. She just needed to hold on until then.

”Stop resisting, its utterly futile. You know you can’t hide from me forever.”

As long as she stayed hidden she would be ok. The problem was she wasn’t sure where she was.
She wished she had more light so she could see better but that would give away her position.
So she would have to stay in the dark, regardless of how creepy and unpleasant it was.

She was also afraid of hitting something in the dark, that would cause a loud noise, and tell him where she was.
But so far she hadn’t encountered anything here except for herself, and him.
It seemed like they were the only ones here.

She wasn’t sure how long he had been chasing her but suddenly she could hear the sound of a door opening somewhere.

”Usagi! Are you there?”

It was Prince Demande. She could feel how her body immediately relaxed as she heard his voice.
He was here which meant that her friends couldn’t be far behind.
She didn’t call out for him out of fear that Wiseman would be able to hear her.

”So we meet again.”

”Wiseman.”

”You didn’t think I was just going to let you leave, did you?”

”Where’s Usagi? What have you done to her?”

She slowly crept closer, making sure to do it very quietly. She hoped Demande would be okay.
She knew he could take care of himself, but she was still worried.
She remained hidden, studying them closely, while they continued to talk.

She was glad that Demande had not lost his temper yet, because that could be disastrous.
She knew that Wiseman could lash out if provoked, and since he had been ready to kill Sapphire, it probably wouldn’t take much for him to do the same to Demande.
If Demande managed to keep him occupied for a while longer, she and the rest of her friends would probably be able to take Wiseman out together. Hopefully.

A few minutes later their intense conversation was interrupted as her friends finally arrived.
It caught Wiseman off guard and gave them the opportunity they needed to defeat him.
With all of their powers combined he was no match for them.

☆☆☆

”How did he find us?” Usagi asked later as she was recuperating on her bed.

The girls had been tactful and left them alone after making sure she was ok so that her and Demande would get a chance to talk.
With everything that had happened lately she hadn’t had a chance to think or process what had just happened.

”He must have followed us to the past.”

She noticed the guilty look on his face.

”Hey. It’s not your fault, you couldn’t have known.”

”Still…if I had been a few minutes late…”

”But you weren’t. Why do you think I stayed brave and continued to fight for so long? Because I knew that you wouldn’t give up until you found me.”

He nodded and exhaled, trying to ease the tension in his body. He had never been so afraid before in his life.
Afraid that he’d be too late, and that whoever had taken her would hurt her before he could get there.
When he had seen Wiseman he had wanted to kill him, for hurting someone that was his, one of the few people that he loved in this world.

He had protected her to the best of his ability until the other Senshi had arrived and then they had defeated Wiseman together.
He was glad that Wiseman was gone especially after Usagi had explained what he had been planning to do to Sapphire.
So it had all been lies, he couldn’t say he was surprised.

He had never payed much attention to Wiseman, at the time he had been too preoccupied with his own plans and goals.
Which he now realized had been a mistake.
He tightened his arms around her, glad that she was here with him, the proof that he hadn’t been too late, that Wiseman had not been able to outsmart him this time.

He bent forward and kissed her, needing to know that she was really there and that he had not lost her.
She kissed him back, allowing him to plunder her mouth, making her moan.
It didn’t take long before they were both breathing heavily.

When she was completely caught up in the kiss, he pulled down the zipper and slid his hand inside her underwear.
Moans continued to fall from her lips and she was glad that there was no one else here except them.
Throughout all of this he never took his eyes off her. They seemed to burn into her soul, stripping her of all her defenses.
Her vision went hazy and the only thing she could focus on was his eyes and the movements of his hand, that brought her closer to the edge, until she came with a shout.

He smiled at her before bending closer and kissing her again.
He started to undo the buttons of his pants, but she stopped him before he could go any further.

”Wait. I have to tell you something first.”

”What is it?”

Usagi took a deep breath before telling him something that she had realized today, when she hadn’t been sure if she was going to get out of there.

”I love you.”

At her words, he nearly stopped breathing. He had wanted and desired it for so long that he wasn’t sure if he had imagined the words coming out of her mouth.

”What?”

She had never seen him so shocked and defenseless before.

”I love you.”

He stared at her for a little while, studying her features closely to make sure that she was being serious.
Then he swooped in and took her breath away, showing her with his mouth, his hands, and his body how much those words meant to him. She was powerless to resist him and allowed the waves to crash over her again, to take her to that place where she felt like she must have reached a new plane of existence.

She almost couldn’t believe that this was real, it almost felt like a dream, except that she could feel that it was real as he rested his body against hers. Now, looking back, she was glad that she had ended up here with him, and not with somebody else, despite all the pain and the heartache she had been through. He was hers and she was his, and that’s the way it should be.

Chapter Text

As soon as Usagi had left the room, Mamoru walked over to the table where Prince Demande was sitting.
He had clearly been waiting for the right opportunity to approach him without her being present.

”I don’t trust you. You may have Usagi fooled, but I know who you really are.”

”Is that so?” He said coldly.

”Yes. This game that you’re playing, it won’t last. Eventually you’ll grow bored of being with her and playing pretend, and your true colors will show.”

”Really? If you think Usagi and I are bored when we spend time alone together, then you have no idea what’s really going on.”

He saw Mamoru clench his fists in response to his words.

”It bothers you, doesn’t it? All the time she spends with me at night, the sounds she make as I touch her, as I kiss that delicious mouth of hers…”

”Shut up!”

”She chose me. I suggest you get over it, if you know what’s good for you, you fool. Now run along like the good little boy that you are,” Prince Demande uttered with a sneer and watched as the black haired man next to him tensed at his words as if preparing for a fight.

Then Usagi returned and Mamoru was forced to retreat and return to his own table.
On the surface Demande put up an indifferent facade as Usagi asked him if everything was alright, having noticed Mamoru’s presence at their table, but on the inside he was gloating. It was so easy to get to him, almost too easy.

Chapter Text

Everything was normal and quiet. It was nice especially after the long day she’d had.
Being Sailor Moon was exhausting sometimes.
Not that she would ever admit that to anyone, because she knew it wouldn’t earn her any favors, especially not since she was already considered by Luna to be lazy and a screwup most of the time.

She was brought out of her musings by a sudden awareness, a sense of danger.
She turned around and her breath caught in her throat as she found herself staring into a face she had never seen before.
He looked majestic and regal, almost unreal because there was nothing ordinary about him.
He was very handsome, probably one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen.
He couldn’t be called a boy, because he was older than that.
If she had to guess she would say that he must be at least eighteen or older.

There was something off about him, it was hard to tell exactly what it was, but there was a certain aura around him that told her he was dangerous, and still she felt drawn to him as if by some unseen magnetic force.
She should have been terrified, and a small part of her was, but another part of her was curious.
She wondered if his silver hair was as soft as it looked. It was a crazy thought.
One she shouldn’t have been having.

He seemed to be just as curious about her because for the past couple of minutes he had been staring back at her without blinking,
taking in her features and letting his eyes rest on certain parts of her body a little too long for it to be purely co-incidental.
There was a hungry look in his eyes almost as if he wanted to devour her.
It made her cheeks flush and she wondered what it was about her that he found so interesting because she had certainly never received this kind of attention from a guy before. He seemed pleased by her reaction and allowed his lips to form into a playful smile.

He stepped closer, never taking his eyes off her as he slowly raised her hand to his lips so he could press a soft kiss against her skin.
Usagi couldn’t hide how her body reacted to his touch, ignorant of the fact that her mind was wary of his presence.

”Who are you?”

She heard Ami call her name and turned away for a few seconds, when she looked back he was gone.
If she hadn’t still felt tingles from where he had touched her, she would have thought that she had imagined the entire thing.
She shook her head to clear her mind and decided to forget about it for the moment, seeing as she already had enough things to worry about. She turned and walked away, putting the strange encounter behind her as she went to join her friends.

Chapter Text

He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.
This was the most gentle he had ever been with her.
If she hadn’t felt and witnessed it herself she probably wouldn’t have believed it.
She had viewed him as a villain for so long, as the one person who had destroyed her life and removed her from her friends and family.
She wasn’t ready to forgive him, not sure if she ever could, but it made her soften slightly towards him.
Made her think that perhaps he wasn’t a monster after all.

Chapter Text

Later when they were both satisfied and exhausted, Usagi told him something that had been on her mind for a while and that she had only started to realize recently:

”I love you.”

Demande froze as his heart almost stopped beating.
Even from the beginning, when he saw her for the first time, he had known that her love was unattainable, something that she would never bestow on the likes of him, a prince that belonged in the darkness.
To finally hear those words from the only woman he had ever wanted made him speechless.
There weren’t enough words in the universe to describe what he was feeling now.
This was better than conquering another kingdom, better than any previous feat he had ever been able to accomplish.
This was everything.

Chapter Text

☆☆☆

He was lounging in his seat, looking like he belonged there, reminding her of a tiger; at ease and calm while secretly waiting for the right moment to strike.

The first few buttons of his white shirt were open, giving her a clear view of his well-shaped chest.
She tried to keep from staring but sometimes her gaze would be drawn there anyway, as if by some unseen force.
She would glance at him quickly and then turn away in the hopes that he wouldn’t notice.

Even with the way things were between them, it still bothered her.
He was awful, of that there was no doubt, but even she couldn’t help but to admit that he cut a nice and powerful figure next to her,
with his chiseled and manly features.

He was smiling a little bit now, it unnerved her; she crossed her arms in front of herself as a defense.
All of a sudden the room seemed too small.
Like there was nowhere for her to escape, no way for her to hide what she was feeling or thinking.
It was too intimate.

Usagi looked away into another direction, hoping that he would understand the silent message.
She wasn’t interested in getting to know him better, she didn’t want the defenses between them to be broken.
He seemed to be of a different opinion.
He made no attempt to hide his interest and would often follow the contours of her body, before he looked into her eyes.
At those times his desire and longing for her were plain for her to see.
She never knew what to say or do when that happened, and would mostly look a little to the side so she wouldn’t have to look directly at him when they talked.

As much as she disliked indulging him, talking was safe and meant that there was still some distance between them, no matter how small. She would take whatever little she could get.
He seemed to have taken a particular interest in her for some reason; and wanted to know about her life and her habits.
They were harmless questions so she couldn’t see the danger in answering them, but she still didn’t know why he was so intent on finding out everything he could about her.

Why her of all people, when there must be so many other beautiful sophisticated women out there?
Because even she, inexperienced as she was, could tell that he was worldly and must have had his fair experiences of all of what life had to offer. And yet, here he was, spending every evening with her, trying to get to know her, a teenage girl, who had yet to find her path in life and who was still trying to figure out who she was.
What was it that had drawn him to her?

She wanted to ask but at the same time she was afraid of the answer.
Afraid of how it would make her react.
Her heart was set on one and one person only but there were moments, such as now, where she could no longer deny that he had started to get to her, that he had an affect on her.
It was only physical, but it still felt like a betrayal.

In those seconds she could admit that she was curious, that she wondered what it would be like to be closer to him,
what it would feel like to be kissed by him.
It was only for a second or two before her brain had managed to catch up with who he really was and she would turn away in disgust,
but it was bad enough. She could only imagine that it would get worse with time.
She hoped that her friends would find a way to rescue them soon, to save her from herself before it was too late.

Because going down that road would be a mistake; the instant gratification would only last for a moment.
She knew that once he’d had a taste of her he would never be able to let her go.
No matter how tempting it was, she knew she didn’t belong here with him, not when her heart belonged to another.

It would be unfair to get tangled up in something with him especially when she didn’t feel the same way.
She wasn’t sure if she believed that he really loved her, but she did know that what he felt for her was much more intense than what she felt for him. To lead him on would be wrong, not to mention cruel.
She needed to speak to him, to clear the air between them.
It wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation but she needed to be honest with him even if the truth would hurt him.

”You know my heart belongs to someone else, don’t you?”

She tried to soften the blow a little while still being firm.

”Yes.” His voice was colder now.

”I don’t love you.” The pain that crossed his face at her words was only visible for a moment but it still made her feel guilty.
”Perhaps if you and I had met first…”

He didn’t say anything for a while, he just looked into the fire while thinking.
She didn’t want to disturb him, so she stayed silent, giving him time to process her words.

”But you want me.”

”W-what?”

His voice caught her off guard and she could feel her heart start to beat faster in her chest.
She had thought that she had been discreet, that he wouldn’t notice…

As he turned towards her he was just as proud and stoic as usual. His confidence threw her off.

”I’m no fool, so stop denying it.”

Her face was turning red and the room was getting warmer all of a sudden. She tried to think of something to say, something that would make him back away:

”You’re not wrong, ok? But nothing can happen…”

”Shhh…”

”I can’t promise you anything. I don’t even…”

”I understand.” His eyes were glittering now with purpose, and he did not seem as dejected as he had been earlier.
”No promises.”

She swallowed but this time she did not look away.
He had occupied her thoughts more and more lately, which perhaps wasn’t that surprising since there wasn’t anyone else here but them. Spending so much time with him on her own in close quarters had made her life back on earth seem more distant.
She still missed her friends and Mamoru of course but they weren’t here and couldn’t help her in any way.

She could admit that it hadn’t been as bad here as she had feared it would be.
In fact, Prince Demande had been very useful at times.
Without his help it would have been much harder to survive.
That didn’t mean that she had forgiven him though for his past actions.
But she was starting to believe that perhaps he had a few redeemable qualities, that he wasn’t completely evil.

He held her stare and there it was again, as so many times before, except this time she wasn’t running.
Instead she stood still and waited for him to make the next move.
He did not seem to be in a hurry.

He slided up to her slowly and lifted his hand so he could touch her cheek.
Usagi couldn’t help but to lean into his touch, watching as he brought his face closer and closer to hers.
Finally their lips met; it was not sweet or chaste at all, quite the opposite.
Her lips burned were they touched and she felt as if he was branding her as his own.
That he was making sure that this night would be forever burned in her memory, something that she would never be able to forget.

His kisses were making her dizzy, she put her arm around his neck so she could have something to hold on to.
She had never been touched like this before, with such fervor.
He let up slightly, giving them both a chance to breathe.
She rested her forehead against his while panting, she couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so alive.

She was so caught up in him and how he was making her feel that she could barely remember anything else.
At this particular moment all their troubles seemed very far away.
He lit up a fire inside her; and here in the almost darkness she could let go of her inhibitions, her limitations,
everything that was holding her back. Because there was no one here to judge her; no one here but the two of them.

She allowed him to sweep her away to a place where the only thing that seemed real where him and her and his lips and his hands and the silk sheets that were wrapped around them.

She’d never noticed before how beautiful the night could be in its stillness, but as she rested her head close to his, all she could feel was contentment, and for once the dark did not scare her.
It felt like a warm blanket, a comfort that softly lulled her to sleep.

Chapter Text

There was a package lying on her bed.
It was wrapped in an exclusive paper.
Usagi had never seen anything like it before.
It looked expensive and wasn’t something that she and her friends would ever have been able to afford.
She was a little hesitant at first but soon her curiosity took over.

She approached it and slowly opened it to see what was inside.
Inside laid a single enchanting black rose.
There was no message except for a short note with the words:

“I saw this and thought of you.”

Usagi couldn’t help but to smile as she read it.
No one had ever given her such a thoughtful gift before.
She lifted it to her face and smelled the flower.
It had a soft and sweet smell.
As she inhaled, her head became a little foggy, and she couldn’t help but to giggle.

Chapter Text

He was watching her so intently, almost as if he could never get enough of her.
It frightened her, made her want to run, but her body wasn’t listening.
She stood there, too scared to move as he slowly circled closer.

Her fear did not seem to bother him, in fact he almost seemed amused by it.
But even though she was scared she refused to cower. She narrowed her eyes at him and stared back.

“And there it is.”

“What?”

“Your contempt.”

Usagi swallowed, his words making her feel uneasy.
She was not one to look down upon others very easily and to hear him describe it as if this was a common occurrence did not sit well with her.

“Oh yes. You hate me, don’t you?”

“I don’t know you well enough to hate you.”

“Hm.”

His silence bothered her more than she would like to admit.
It made her uncertain of what his next move would be.
He leaned in closer, so close that she could feel his breath against her ear as she tried to hold back a shudder.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

Chapter Text

She had never been so close to him before.

His aura was dark and oppressive, but at the same time alluring and seductive.
It had a sweet fragrance that reminded her of roses in bloom, hard to the touch but still so very beautiful.
It surrounded her completely, like a warm blanket, keeping her cut off from the rest of the world.

It was impossible for her to focus on anything but him at the moment.

Her thoughts were muddled, muted somehow.
If she didn’t know better she would have thought that he had caused it.
But he wasn’t using his third eye, so that couldn’t be it.
Perhaps it was just him; his very presence that affected her so.

Chapter Text

Usagi found herself gasping as she sat up in her bed.
She hadn’t expected…She’d never had a dream like this before.

She didn’t know whether to be mortified or shocked, she’d never had such an intense reaction to a guy before, and he hadn’t even touched her!

She’d seen him earlier today when she’d been transformed into Sailor Moon and he had appeared out of nowhere.
He’d just looked at her from across the room, with those eyes of his, that seemed to stare into her soul.

He was gorgeous, and she couldn’t stop herself from admiring his features, taking in how elegant he looked.
She could tell that he was from a well-to-do family from his posture and how he carried himself.
He was probably used to the best of everything, and having everything he wanted.

He’d stared back, letting his gaze roam over her body, making her flush at his obvious interest.
She wasn’t used to guys staring at her like that, not even Mamoru, who she’d had a crush on for a while, had ever given her such looks.
And now she’d dreamed about that guy, had dreamed about him kissing her, and touching her.
She didn’t even know if he was an enemy or a friend.

Chapter Text

The soft glow from the eerie lights above made her feel like she had stepped back in time.
Here nothing had changed; the decor in the ceiling must have been here for decades and it still looked new.
The calm music that was playing was comforting and lulled her into a sense of peace; that there was nothing to fear.

She hadn’t noticed it until now, but as she looked down she saw that she was wearing a striking blue dress.
Curious, she reached out and touched the fabric, it was smooth and soft against her fingers.
She got the urge to twirl around just to see how it looked but a movement from the other side of the room made her look up.

She stood there waiting, holding her breath as someone approached, her heartbeat loud in her own ears.
At first it was difficult to distinguish any features at all, but as that person came closer she noticed that it was a man.
He didn’t say anything, and her mouth was too dry to form any words.

She swallowed and waited for him to make the first move.
He swept forward and she was certain that if anyone had been standing in his way, they would have moved to make space for him.
It was in the way he walked, how he held himself. He was a force to be reckoned with.

As he came closer, she could gaze upon him more thoroughly.
He was very handsome with silver hair and purple earrings.
He seemed familiar somehow but she was certain that she had never met him before.

”May I have this dance?”

She didn’t know why but she felt compelled to say yes.
She nodded wordlessly and he placed her hand in his as he steered them towards the middle of the floor.
This was every fantasy that she’d had when she was very little, when she had dreamed that her prince charming would come and sweep her off her feet. There was nothing wrong with his behavior and yet…

He was polite, but there was a greed in his eyes, almost as if she was a feast that he wanted to devour.
He hungrily studied her every feature and expression.
Usagi wasn’t used to this much attention from anyone.
It was empowering and a little scary.

They continued to dance in silence.
He didn’t seem to think that there was a need for words.
Their palms touched; a feathery touch that sent goosebumps down her spine.

His gaze was enigmatic; while it did give away his interest for her, there still seemed to be a certain mystery there.
As hard as she tried she still couldn’t read him fully.
Whatever secrets he had he hid them well.

It was difficult to look away. He seemed to be pulling her in, deeper and deeper.
If she weren’t careful she could drown in those eyes and forget herself.
Forget who she was and what she was supposed to be doing.
Forget Mamoru…

As that thought entered her mind, she woke up from whatever it was that had held her captive.
No matter how exciting and enigmatic this young man was, she already had a destiny and a soulmate.
Whatever this was, it couldn’t compare with her destined future.

He seemed to sense the change in her, the moment where her attention went elsewhere.
When he did, he reached out, to grab hold of her. But it was already too late.
She disappeared through his fingers like sand, as unreachable as she had always been.
His hands closed around air, while he mouthed his frustration to empty ears.

Chapter Text

Her breath left her in a gush.
She was on uneven footing, and she knew it. So did he.
Her power didn’t work against him for some reason.
Usagi closed her eyes in despair, waiting for the final attack to come.
For her light to leave her forever.
Except it never did.

Chapter Text

He was immobile, appearing nonchalant as he stood next to her but the mocking smile at the corner of his mouth gave him away.
It spoke of his true feelings.
Of the rush going through his veins; how elated he truly was.
And now he had come to collect his prize, which he had been seeking for so long…

Chapter Text

”Serenity…”

The longing in his voice was unmistakable and it almost frightened her in its intensity.
She had never had anyone long for her like this, with such desperation.
She didn’t know what he wanted from her or why he was seeking her out.

She didn’t know what she could have done to earn his attention like this, or obsession rather.
Because that’s what it was, she realized now.
He was obsessed with her for whatever reason.

There was a small part of her that felt sorry for him, but for the most part she was just afraid.
He was calling out for her. She did not respond.

The silence stretched on and she didn’t move, she waited to see what would happen next.
It seemed he must finally have become tired of her refusal to engage with him in any way, because he was gone.
For now.

Chapter Text

“It’s time someone put you in your place.”

”Esmeraude…”

”You may act all high and mighty but the truth is you’re no better than the rest of us.”

She left before Serenity could even think of a good response; giving her a look full of disdain as she did so.
Serenity sighed, massaging her temples.

It had been like this from the very beginning.
It seemed no matter what she did she was never going to end up in Esmeraude’s good graces.

Chapter Text

Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was helpless to stop them.

“You’re just a sniveling crybaby aren’t you? How pathetic.”

Usagi couldn’t help but to shiver at the menace and hatred that poured out of Beryl.
She was like a pool of darkness with her sharp features.
She might have been beautiful once, but now she seemed almost monstrous.

But Usagi refused to cower, no matter how scared and lonely she was.
She couldn’t let her fear get the best of her.

Because what would life be like if there was no love, no kindness, no friendship?
If the only thing that existed was darkness and greed and the lust for more power?
A world where no one cared, where no one mattered.

Her heart ached at the thought, and despite everything that had been done to her, everything she had lost and all the pain that had been inflicted upon her, she couldn’t give in, couldn’t let herself be filled with only hatred.
Beryl may mock her for it, for her tears, for her weakness, but she’d rather be ruled by her emotions than be emotionless.

Chapter Text

But no, it was not meant to be.
As soon as she reached out her hand, desperate for it to be true, the view in front of her evaporated into thin air, as if it had never been there at all.
And her hopes were crushed again.

The familiar sight of his black hair and the warmth in his eyes had drawn her in, had made her believe against all hope that he was actually there, next to her, that he had come to rescue her. That the nightmare was finally over.
But it had only been a dream, she realized now as a silent tear rolled down her face.
An image that her mind had created in her dreams to bring herself comfort, a respite from this cold and dark place.
An illusion.

Chapter Text

A ray of sunlight breaking through the dark skies; a glimmer of hope that appeared when it seemed like all was lost.
When she was so tired and weary to the bones she could hardly move.

It gave her the strength she needed to collect what little power she had left and push it all into her silver crystal.
To give it another try, even though they were far from a victory.

To admit defeat was not an option; she could only imagine the horrors that would occur if that were to happen.
So although she felt like she couldn’t take it anymore, she had to fight, for her friends and loved ones and for all the other people here on Earth.
She had to try and save them, to protect them against evil with all she had left to give.

Chapter Text

He reached out and touched her cheek, his touch so soft she could barely feel it.
His features seemed to soften in front of her eyes.
For a moment he almost seemed human and she loosened her grip a little.
Let her guard down.

The moment she did he seized upon it like a starving man who had been waiting for the right moment to strike.
She never got the chance to back away.
He strengthened his hold on her and made it impossible for her to break away.
To look away from him.

From that all seeing eye on his forehead that circled in on her like a viper, attacking before she could move, before she got a chance to prepare herself.
Fighting against it was impossible, she could feel her strength waning with every breath she took.
Could feel how heavy her limbs had become, how every movement made her so tired she could barely hold on.
Could barely keep her eyes open.

It’s alright, he seemed to whisper. Go ahead. I’ve got you.

His voice was comforting, like a lullaby that slowly lulled her to sleep.
That caused her muscles to relax as the fight slowly left her; as she accepted the oblivion and rest that was waiting for her.

Chapter Text

He cut quite the figure, as he stood before her. She lifted her gaze and was mesmerized by a startling pair of blue eyes. His lips brushed her hand, drawing it out for as long as possible, longer than was considered decent.
All the while he never took his eyes off her.
It caused her stomach to flutter.
She’d be lying if she said that a part of her wasn’t flattered by his attention.

”It’s a pleasure to meet you, princess.”

His velvet voice was very smooth and pleasant.

”Likewise.”

The smile he bestowed upon her then seemed kind enough, although she got the sense that there was something more to it.
Something that she couldn't quite grasp, even though she tried.

Chapter Text

He has never encountered such beauty before.
It blinds him, makes it impossible for him to notice anything but her.
She invades his thoughts all the time now.
When he’s awake but also when he is asleep.
There is no escape.

She’s everywhere

Chapter Text

Worship

His hands carefully touched every curve as if to print them into his memory. His lips followed, brushing a kiss here and there as he went further along her body, leaving no place untouched.

Passion

He evoked such strong feelings inside her from hatred to… She didn’t know what to call it, was almost afraid to name it, because that would make it real. As long as she ignored it, it didn’t matter.

Disgust

The look of glee and satisfaction in his eyes made her stomach churn and she wanted to look away, to shrink away from it all. She didn’t understand how he and the rest of them could take so much pleasure in it, how they could enjoy causing others pain.

Longing

He had stood there motionless for what may have been hours. Just staring at her spotless figure; her rose-colored cheeks, long eyelashes and that plump little mouth. His fingers itched with the urge to touch it; to trace the contours of her mouth and brush her hair away from her forehead.

Chapter Text

His hair seemed to shine in the dark, casting illuminating shadows around them. The streets were empty; no footsteps could be heard.
There were no lights on in the houses nearby.

He leaned in closer, towering over her.
Forcing her to give him her full attention.
She kept her eyes on his shirt though, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she found his presence unsettling.

But it was not to be.

He lifted her chin, breaking the stalemate between them, so that she was forced to meet his eyes.
The mocking smile he gave her only increased her ire.
She clenched her fists, forcing a breath through her teeth.
She couldn’t afford to drop her guard, she had to remain vigilant at all times.
She got the distinct impression that he was toying with her.

Neither of them moved.

For a moment they seemed to breathe as one; two beings on opposite sides only having eyes for each other.
So caught up in their feud that everything else seemed to fade.

She tried to keep hold of her emotions, to show as little as possible, so she wouldn’t give herself away.
So he wouldn’t find anything that he could use against her.

It was futile.

He was like a raging storm that destroyed everything in its path, leaving nothing and no one untouched.

Whatever defenses she had intended to keep up broke under the strain of being in such close proximity to him for so long.
She could not hide from him, no matter how much she wished she could.
He had the uncanny ability to see right through her.

It scared her far more than she’d like to admit.

That her enemy could know her so well…

Chapter Text

The veiled eyes lifted and met her own.
Looking into them was like looking into an unfathomable sea.
It almost took her breath away.
She couldn’t help but to wonder about the secrets that lay within, hidden from her gaze.
It held her captive, speechless.

It was as if time stood still, all other movements and sounds around them seemed to have stopped.
All that existed was the two of them.
Those amethyst eyes seemed to be seeking answers of their own; they stared deeply into hers, as if he could see into her very soul.
She’d never been scrutinized so intensely before, it left her feeling unsettled, not sure what to expect, what his intentions were.
If she should prepare for an attack, in case he wished her harm. He made no move at the moment though; seemingly content to just study her.

She stared back, sticking out her chin.
He merely tilted his head in response; as if she was a curiosity that he had decided to indulge for the moment.
Nothing seemed to penetrate that cold shell of his.
He might as well have been made of stone, they way he just stood there, watching her.

She refused to be the first to back down.

Her defiance didn’t discourage him; rather the opposite.
The fact that she proved to be a challenge seemed to amuse him.

Usagi wet her dry lips, as she struggled to maintain her composure.
She was growing weary of their staring match.
Of the heavy silence that lingered around them, that made it nearly impossible to break away.

She was the first to break the silence between them.

”What do you want?”

He smiled then. But his smile did not put her at ease.
It gave her the impression that he had the upper hand.
Like he knew something she didn’t.

”All in due time.”

Chapter Text

His lips were traveling across her neck and shoulder, leaving ghost imprints here and there as he went along.
His shirt brushed against her own.
She couldn’t help but to shudder in response.
This was all wrong, her mind screamed.

They were locked in an embrace as his hand moved further down, touching all the places he could reach, taking his time.
His touch was so gentle it was barely there. Goosebumps rose on he skin.

He cupped one of her breasts in his hand through her clothes.
Rubbed it, causing her eager body to respond. Her nipples hardened.

She turned her head away.
But as usual it didn’t matter, as his eyes didn’t miss a thing.

”What do you say my queen, shall I continue?”

Usagi bit her lip, refusing to answer.

He laughed mockingly at her silence.

”One might say you protest too much.”

He turned his attention to her other breast. Giving it the same treatment.
Usagi bit back a moan, refusing to surrender. He seemed to take it as a challenge.

His hands traveled further south, to the edge of her pants, caressing her skin.
It was impossible to stay quiet now. A gasp escaped her mouth.

It sounded loud in the empty alley.

He was really good at this.
He knew just where to touch to make her body tremble…
To bring her to her knees.

He seemed to sense that his victory was close.
He brought his hand to a place that had never been touched before.
Each stroke and movement filled her with heat, destroying every thought from her mind.
Until there was nothing left but this endless search for something more.

If her mind hadn’t been so overwhelmed by pleasure, she might have cried at the injustice.
It shouldn’t have been him.
He shouldn’t have been her first.

Just when she about to reach her peak, when all her senses were crying out and she was overloaded to the breaking point, he stopped.

Chapter Text

”Don’t cry, my queen.”

Her despair couldn’t be contained any longer.
It flooded out of her like a river.
Making her gasp for breath as she nearly choked on her own tears.
Her arms were starting to hurt from how tightly he was holding onto her.
No matter how much she begged for mercy, to be released, it made no difference.

Her strength and resolve was decreasing. She could feel it.
Could feel her own essence slowly slipping away from her as she gazed into eyes that were devoid of any empathy.

Hope was a slippery thing. Like a bird who’s wings had been cut.
Where once it had filled her entire being, it was now small and fragile.
In all this time there had been no word from her family or friends.
No contact from the outside world.

She was completely and utterly alone.

Chapter Text

He was twirling a black rose between his fingers and a sweet fragrance hit her nostrils.
She had never seen a rose in that color before.
It glittered, almost like it was full of small stars.
It was beautiful.

The self-satisfied look on his face barely registered as her eyes continued to admire its beauty.
Somewhere deep inside her, her consciousness began to stir: no, look away!

But it was very distant. Barely there.

”That’s it.” His voice coaxed, ” Keep your attention on me.”

It was mesmerizing. His voice.
She had never noticed it before.
The fear remained as it always did in his presence, but it was muted.
No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t hold on to it.
It slipped through her fingers.

The distance between them wasn’t so large anymore.
It caused her body to shudder.
She slowly began to panic, trying her best to force her limbs to move.
They were slow, much slower than usual.
The effort it took caused small beads of sweat to appear on her forehead.
She took a small step backwards.

It made him smile in amusement.

”Always so stubborn.”

This time she compelled herself to look away, to stare at his face instead.
His raw gaze roamed over her form, taking in every little feature.
She forced herself to stand still.

”You don’t matter to me and you never will.”

Her words caused his face to harden further and she knew it was for the best.
She was doing him a favor even if he didn’t see it that way.
His obsession with her wouldn’t lead to anything good and it would be better if he let it go.
If he let her go.

”Not only beautiful but also cruel.”

His voice was gentle but the way he said it was almost like a physical blow.

”I guess you and your future self do have something in common after all.”

Her forehead wrinkled for a moment as she puzzled over his words before letting it go.
It didn’t matter. Not anymore.

”And what about you? Huh?”

The words burst out of her before she could stop them.
She got no response.
Not that she was excepting one, or an apology for that matter.
He never apologized.

”Always so righteous.”

”Urghhh…” Usagi glared at him, tired of his accusations when he was the one in the wrong, the one who had caused them all so much pain.

He was the reason why she sometimes woke up in the middle of the night, her body frozen in panic, terrified that she was back under his control again, unable to move.
But she refused to let him have control of any part of her life any longer.
He could make up any excuses he wanted, for how they had wronged him, but that didn’t make up for his bad behavior.

”And there she is, finally…”

She couldn’t stand the familiarity in his tone, the obsessed look on his face.
He had no right to say any of those things.
She didn’t belong to him.

”I want you to leave me alone.”

”Since when do I take your opinion in consideration, princess??”
There was a mocking tone in his voice which irked her.

Her glare didn’t seem to effect him at all.
It merely slid off him in an instant.
Nothing she said seemed to reach him.
He heard her but he wasn’t listening.
She couldn’t get through to him.

Nothing she said or did would change anything.
He was set on this particular path and nothing could change his mind.
Her hope that they could reach a peaceful solution and avoid more bloodshed on both sides had just been crushed.
Instead she was filled with resignation, as of now there was only one thing her and the rest of the girls could do: fight back.

The sound of voices in the distance coming closer interrupted them.
For a moment she saw annoyance flash across his face before it cleared of any emotion.

”Till we meet again, princess.”

And just like that, he was gone without making a single sound.