Thanks to Irritablevowel for being my beta, soundingboard, coming up with so many hilarious ideas for future chapters (this is gonna be so good yall I s2g) and being my fandom friend. Thanks to Floraone for chatting UsaMamo anytime, anywhere. (by anytime I mean 'when she's around' and by anywhere I mean 'on the tumblr app').

This is a short chapter, it's actually meant to be a prologue but I realized I hate having prologues because it screws up the chapter numbers and I'm very easily confused

heh


Chapter 1

When Usagi found out her boss - her boss the famous manga artist (she'd never be over that, to be honest) - had given Usagi the opportunity to stay in her posh Juuban condo for free for seven months while she toured China for inspiration on her next series, Ami had suggested making a list of pros and cons. Ever the optimist, Usagi had insisted there could be literally no possible downside to the arrangement. Minako, having just come off a binge of all the subtitled Sex in the City DVDs available in the little video rental store near her house, was equally aghast that Ami dare to question Usagi's chance to live the single city life so glamorized by television.

"This is a literal dream come true!" Minako had insisted. Usagi had to admit, living in Tawase Yui's apartment for free would be dream enough, plus it gave her time to work on her own secret project - a manga of her own which she'd been fiddling with since high school. She'd put it aside while finishing up the inking work for Tawase's Lonely Kiss, which had just wrapped up its last volume to massive success. It'd been made into an anime, and there were talks of live-action drama, and the royalties had been pouring in. Usagi hadn't seen much of that money, but Tawase was a lovely, almost shy person, and fun to work for, and Usagi didn't begrudge her the success. But oh, it'd be fun to see her own work in the comic book stores she loved to frequent!

Minako continued, "I bet Tawase-sama's apartment is ah-may-zing!"

It was. Really, really nice.

Not too over the top, but clean and spacious with a gorgeous view of the city. The balcony wasn't just for laundry, not with washers AND dryers right downstairs, but big enough to actually go out onto, even put a chair or two. Tawase's furniture was clean and pretty, although things like her bedding and clothing were packed away in storage; Usagi was bringing her own things with her own personal moving service - 4 good friends, paid with cold beer and take-out bento.

"See?" Usagi said out loud, dropping a heavy box on the floor and spreading her arms wide. "No downside!" Well, she missed a Luna bit. Her pet cat had to stay back with her parents and Shingo, although Usagi knew she'd be home plenty to visit - and eat her mom's cooking.

"We got you a present," Minako said later, handing Usagi a pretty bag adorned with colorful tissue paper.

Surprised at how heavy it was, Usagi almost dropped it before she pulled out a fire extinguisher.

"In case you decide to try to cook something," Rei said, smirking a bit.

"Aw," Usagi said. "Thanks... I think."

The kitchen was pretty nice, but Usagi was pretty sure she'd be sticking to take-out. She'd gotten a temp job to help supplement cash flow for things like food and fun stuff, and Monday was her first day. It was just office admin, something she'd done plenty of after high school before landing the job with Tawase, but after so long working doing something she loved, she was nervous about starting an office job again.

After the girls left, Usagi looked around at the mass of boxes and cringed. Although her bedding and toiletries had been set up, there was still quite a bit of unpacking to do, and the smart and responsible thing to do would be to get started on that right away. At least to pull out her clothes for Monday and set up her alarm clock, so she could give herself plenty of extra time to learn the new commute to work.

But! It was Saturday night, and her first night in her new place and she was too excited to stay still. Flitting out of her door, she fingered the now-empty nameplate by her door (she'd have to get one from the building manager, but he was very difficult to get in touch with it seemed), tried out her key a few times, and then rode the elevator to the roof, basement laundry room, and a few other floors, just to wander around.

It was a quiet, clean building and Usagi felt like she'd inherited a palace. In some small part, it was hers. Or at least, she could pretend.

She'd written her name in marker on a white sticker, and went to place it above Tawase's on the mailbox in the lobby - temporarily, at least, they'd both be getting mail there. Standing back to admire her handiwork - and the charm of having 'Tsukino Usagi' on her very 'own' mailbox - she blinked for a moment at the box next to hers.

She was 11C, and 11B there was a printed sticker with the kanji 'Chiba Mamoru'.

Usagi hurried back to her apartment as fast as she could.

"There could be plenty of people named Chiba Mamoru," Usagi said to herself, a few moments later, kicking a box slightly across the kitchen floor. "It's not like it's a rare and unusual name." She wasn't even sure the kanji was right. Maybe it said Chijou Ei on that mailbox. How could she know?! She'd failed kanji twice before passing with a C-.

Heck, maybe the mailbox was wrong. Or, maybe 11B wasn't even next to her, or maybe she'd read it wrong or maybe...

It was close to ten o'clock at night, Usagi realized. There was probably no harm in checking the nameplate on the neighboring door, just to see. Just to see if it really was his name.

Not that that even meant it was him, of course.

She opened her door and peered down the hallway, which was quiet on both sides. Someone on the other side, by 11A, had parked a bike. 11D across the way, next to the elevators, had a welcome mat outside their door. 11B had none of those. Quietly, she stepped up to the door, careful to stay away from view of the peephole, just in case.

Sure enough, the nameplate held the same kanji as the mailbox. Usagi went back to her door, not going inside, but leaning against it and looking at the buzzing ceiling lights. There was no way, though. Right? Because honestly, Tokyo was huge. What were the chances?

The elevator dinged, and she looked up, right into his eyes as he stepped off. He still had an hospital ID badge on a lanyard around his neck, she wondered if he realized he'd forgotten to take it off. Otherwise, in his dark blue button-down shirt and slacks he could be anyone off the street. Except for the intensity of his blue eyes. Except for the surprised spark of recognition when he looked at her, recognition she hadn't realized until just then she'd been terrified wouldn't be there.

"Odango Atama?"

Dammit, Ami. Usagi thought. I found that downside.