Heat

^_^ The reviews just keep coming and coming and coming! I'm revelling in
this, people! Keep reviewing! **hugs you all** Thanks to Moon-Daisuke,
NightSkyLight(kawaiineko), Deep Serenity, Seera Sutaa Meikaa and Anon for
reading and reviewing, it's really helping me out! ^_^ Oh, yes, and Naru-chan
too. Don't worry, I didn't forget you! ^_^

I still have no idea how I'm actually going to end this off. I mean, I could
end it off after Yaten has her baby, but that wouldn't be fun, now would it?
Well, it might be, but I just love putting the Starlights, and especially these
two, through absolute hell. It makes my life seem rather dull in comparison.
(Which it is, but it's also getting very confusing and annoying at the
moment. x_x)

Oh, and yes, Deep Serenity, normally one would not know that they were
pregnant for a while after conception. But during the course of the StarS
season, Yaten is portrayed as being able to sense when a star seed is taken.
Wouldn't it stand to reason that she could also sense one being created?
**wink** Just to give you some food for thought. ^_^

Ooookay, well, now the Princess knows, too. Poor Seiya's the only one
left in the dark. Wonder how he's going to react? Hmmm...well...we just have
to find out, now don't we? **grins**

Of course, I don't own Sailor Moon or the Starlights. If I did, wouldn't I be
torturing them on the small screen rather than through writing? Ah, well...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*Heat*~

~Chapter Four: Discovery~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You're WHAT?!"

"Seiya, please, calm down. We've mostly got this under control."

"MOSTLY?!"

Yaten winced at the tone in his voice. "Stop yelling, baka! Didn't we tell you
that we know what we're doing?"

"Didn't I TELL you this would happen?! DIDN'T I?! Holy Goddess of the
Cosmos, you two are so FOOLISH!" The black-haired teen rounded on the
two lovers, fisting his hands in his hair, frustrated and angry.

"Seiya, I think they've been scolded enought today. She's pregnant, she
doesn't need to be yelled at." The Princess's calm voice overrided his raving
as she put one hand on his shoulder. He took a deep, slow breath, calming
himself, unfisting his hands from his hair and dropping them to his sides.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, "You know I don't want to hurt you...especially
now that you have a tiny Kinmokuseijin senshi growing inside you. I...I...
...I just..." He sat down hard on the bed, head in his hands.

Taiki sat down beside the youngest Light and put and arm around him. "Just
say it, Seiya."

"It..it feels like you two are...I don't know...drifting away from me...you're
spending more time with each other now than you are with me..." He flushed
guiltily, "I feel so many things at once...jealousy....sad for myself...happy for
you two, of course." He looked up and smiled briefly, but then lowered his
head again. "But at the same time...this hollow feeling in the pit of my
stomach...like loneliness...only worse..."

"Baka!" Yaten cried, sitting on the black-haired Senshi's other side. She put
her arms around him. "You fool! Do you honestly think we would stop
caring about you because of this?! Never! Seiya, you're our best friend, like
a brother to us both!"

He sniffled slightly, "I know...but..."

"But nothing!" She hugged the youngest Light, then suddenly pressed a hand
to her stomach.

"Are you okay?"

"What's wrong?"

She smiled at the concern in the two's voices. "I'm fine. Just...adjusting...I
suppose."

The Princess sat down in front of the three. "So.....what are you two going
to do?" She asked Taiki and Yaten, who both turned to stare at her.

"You're not punishing us?" Taiki asked, eyes wide with surprise and
confusion. Kakyuu laughed, waving a hand. "No, no. Why would I punish a
couple in love? Just because you've been a little foolish doesn't mean I'm
going to punish you. You made the choice, now you must decide what you're
going to do."

"I'm keeping this baby." Yaten replied, defiant. She pressed a hand to her
stomach as if to shield the fetus inside. "As long as I'm sure of how much we
love each other," she reached for Taiki's hand, grabbing and holding it. "and
as long as I know he feels the same way about it, I want to keep her."

Kakyuu turned to Taiki, who nodded. "We talked about this when we
suspected she was pregnant, and yes, I do feel the same way."

She smiled. "The Crown will support you, of course, considering you are
both in full-time, non-paying jobs." Her eyebrows wiggled in amusement.
"If this is really what you both want, I'm behind you one hundred percent."

"So am I." Seiya inclined his head slightly. "You two must be meant for
each other. Why mess with destiny?"

"Thanks, Seiya." Yaten's eyes filled, touched by the words from their Princess
and leader. "You too, Princess. I didn't think either of you would really
understand...but you do..."

"You didn't expect me to understand?" Seiya looked thoroughly
indignant. "Me! The one who fell in love with Odango-atama? Goodness,
both of you. Of course I understand."

Everyone laughed. Seiya winked slyly before standing. "Come on, Princess."
he grinned, walking towards the door. "Let's leave these two to talk things
out."

He opened the door for Kakyuu as she glided out, light on slippered feet, then
walked out and shut the door, winking at the pair still in the room before he
left.

~*~*~*~

Kakyuu's steady gliding suddenly wobbled as she reached the couch.
Reaching her in a moment, Seiya tried to steady her before she collapsed onto
the couch, her face in her hands and her shoulders shaking.

"Princess, what's wrong?" His troubled azure eyes searched her, trying to
figure why she was so upset. He sat down next to her on the couch, gently
pulling Kakyuu's thin hands off her face and holding them in his own.

Sliding her hands out of his, she reached up and clutched at his shirt,
burying her face in it. Realizing she needed comfort and not talk, he gently
slipped his arms around her shoulders, holding her close.

Feeling a wet patch form on his shirt, Seiya realized his princess was crying.
He gently rubbed one hand up and down her back, making soft shushing
noises. Knowing her love of having her hair played with, he carefully undid
the elaborate style before running his hands through it, gently entangling it in
his fingers and smoothing it out. Gradually, she calmed down and stopped
crying.

"I..I'm sorry." She murmured, still pressed up against the folds of his shirt.
"I..I'm happy for them...really...I am...but...the happier they are, the more
lonely it makes me feel."

"Why...?" He voiced his confusion. "You shouldn't feel lonely, Princess.
You have us."

"Not like that, baka!" She cried, fisting her hands in the deep blue cotton of
his shirt. Hot tears rolled down her face. She thought he would
understand! He was the only one who could!

Seiya pulled away slightly, stunned by the anger and frustration he heard in
Kakyuu's voice. He must have said something seriously wrong, because she
never called any of them names...not since they were all little and teased each
other mercilessly. That ended when the Sailor Wars flared into existence, and
they all had to grow up in a matter of days.

"Kakyuu-chan, I didn't mean to upset you." He murmured, gently ruffling her
hair. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

She barely acknowledged the change in title and merely lifted her head,
staring into his azure eyes with her furious crimson ones. "I need someone to
love, Seiya." she murmured, so caught up in herself she barely realized
what she was saying. "I need someone who will always be by my side, not as
a servant, but as an equal. Someone who I can always count on to be there
whenever I need. Someone who understands me more then anyone." Her
hands dropped to her sides, all the anger leaving her. The frustration, however,
remained. "Someone with whom I can let out all my pain, and my suffering,
and my frustration, and have them be able to take it and turn it into something
good, rather than something bad." Her head dropped onto his shoulder, her
fight finished.

"Someone to love, hmm?" Seiya murmured, feeling the inevitable twinges of
pain from his heart sinking to his knees. *So...she doesn't see me as someone
to love...only her friend...*

"Maybe...maybe I could be that person, Kakyuu-chan."

Her head snapped up, and she took a giant step backwards. "You?" Her voice
was incredulous, surprised. His cheeks flushed red at her tone, but he knelt,
taking her hand. "Kakyuu-chan....you must have noticed it by now."

"S-Seiya..." She began, stuttering in surprise. She suddenly yanked her hand out
of his grasp. "Seiya, do you have ANY idea how many laws we'd be breaking?!
Taboos formed over millenia! We would never get away with it!
And...besides..."

"You don't love me?" Seiya laughed bitterly, standing up. "Don't worry, Princess.
I've heard it a few times before. I'm sorry I bothered you." He dropped her hand
and turned, intent on walking away. As he walked, he gently rubbed his hand over
the spot on his chest where his heart was. Damn, he didn't know that being
rejected a second time would hurt worse than the first time...

"Seiya!" Kakyuu ran forward, grabbing his arm and spinning him around. She drew
a sudden breath when he turned to face her.

He wondered why she had stopped him. Apparently he was too close, though, so
he stepped back. "What is it, Princess?"

She just stood there, staring at him. It got him a little nervous. She had made her
position clear...why was she just staring at him?

"Princess. What's wrong?

~*~*~*~*~

MWAHAHAHAHAHA! CLIFFIE! Gomen ne, I didn't want to make this one too
long. I'll try and hurry with the next chappie, though, I promise!

Please, please, please R+R ^_^