Wavering Destiny

Chapter 17: Calyx

I've been super busy with graduation, but I've managed to write as much as I can!

04/01/21 - Me and my ig friend, mxndana collaborated on a fan art piece for this chapter! It's the cover image of this story, but you can see it on my instagram, "taylorlynn.art" dated April 1st, 2021, as well as more SeiUsa art!"

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"Watch your step, Odango." Seiya helped her maneuver down the rocky, sloping ground."Watch your step, Odango." Seiya helped her maneuver down the rocky, sloping ground.

Usagi stepped cautiously. The incline wasn't too steep, but she was sure she could find a way to fall flat on her face.

Crunch went the gravel under her sandals. The night insect's song was drowned out by a whooshing white noise. Usagi wasn't sure what the vaguely familiar roar was. She squinted ahead to see something rolling and crashing in the distance.

"The ocean," she breathed.

The salty taste lingered, an exhale of warm, moist air exploding from her lungs. The water looked black in the dead of night, the moonlight shimmered over the stirring waves. It seemed to go on forever. It was a pretty view from her bedroom balcony, but it paled in comparison to it up close.

Usagi was so caught up by the sight, she stumbled. "Uah!" She fell forward, only to crash into Seiya's warm torso.

"Whoa, I told you to be careful, didn't I? I knew that would happen."

Usagi's face turned red and she quickly pulled out of her arms. "Don't touch me so casually..." she muttered.

Memories resurfaced of her skinning her knee at the park and falling down the stairs with that concert conductor. If Seiya didn't think she was a klutz before, she did now.

"Feisty, aren't we?" Seiya teased.

"Hmmph." Usagi considered pulling her hand out of the Starlight's, but she didn't. Seiya was risking getting in trouble by bringing her to the beautiful place, she figured she shouldn't give her such a hard time. And if she was being entirely honest, it kind of felt nice.

"So, this is the magical place you wanted to take me?" Usagi asked. Little by little, the rocks got smaller and gave way to tiny pebbles of sand. They were strolling along the long shore now, their shoes sinking in the soft dust.

"Yeah. I thought you might like to see it up close," Seiya replied. The moonlight gave her hair a blueish tint. She glanced over. "Are you disappointed?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, there's another reason too..."

"Huh?"

Seiya let go of Usagi's hand and knelt to the ground as if she was searching for something. The spaces between Usagi's fingers felt cold and empty. She wiped them on her dress nervously and squinted into the darkness. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Seiya continued to eye the shore, walking a couple steps away. After a few seconds, she waved for Usagi to come join her.

"What is it?"

Seiya gestured at the rocks. Leafy, green grass poked up through them.

"Oh...?" Usagi didn't see what was so interesting about blades of grass. They didn't look that special or out of the ordinary.

"No silly, not the grass."

Usagi squinted. It was too dark for her to see much.

"Come closer," Seiya beckoned, "I'm not dangerous."