Everything: A Mini-Series of Drabbles
Chicken
Stirring and stretching, Darien loosened the muscles in his back that had become stiff during his afternoon nap. It was yet another lazy Sunday, and he was over at his parents' for an early dinner courtesy of his mother. She'd called just last night to invite him over for his favorite, slow-cooked herb-roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and creamy Mac and Cheese. There was just something about Southern cooking that got his stomach growling.
He rolled over and frowned, thinking how in a few months, it would all be over for him. In just three short months, he and Serena would be husband and wife and all culinary wonders would be out the window save for the occasional holiday or special occasion at Mom's or Mrs. Tsukino's. He could hardly manage to think too long about his fiancée's lack of kitchen expertise, but smiled in spite of himself. He loved her even if she couldn't scramble a single egg. Come to think of it, he was missing her today. The grin on his face faltered, wishing she'd been able to make it. He understood when she'd declined; she'd made plans with her girlfriends to have a spa day, and his mother had sprung this on them suddenly. As he milled over it, Darien was beginning to think that Serena and his mother really hadn't spent much time together throughout their relationship, and he was honestly wishing it otherwise. They got along well enough, but they didn't really know much about one another, and for some reason it disturbed him, being that they were the two most important women in his life. He sighed.
'Oh well, too late now,' he thought, finally sitting up and rubbing at his eyes a bit. He picked up the button down which he'd strewn over the back of the sofa and began re-buttoning it over his white tank; that morning's Sunday best for church was not necessarily nap time appropriate. Pulling on his black dress socks but disregarding his loafers, Darien took a deep breath, inhaling the delectable aroma that was beginning to gravitate his way from the kitchen.
"Looks like I woke up just in time," he muttered as he stood from the couch and made his way towards the bathroom. A quick check of his appearance and some shuffling of his hair and he was ready to see what his mother was up to. He could hear the oven timer going off, and he nearly drooled just picturing that perfectly cooked chicken coming out of the oven.
But when he entered the kitchen, he nearly drooled for another reason. To his surprise, there in his mother's kitchen, stood Serena, looking adorable in an oversized kitchen apron covering her outfit from earlier in the day, and a pair of huge, bright red oven mitts on her small hands. His mom's kitchen attire overwhelmed her small figure. But what nearly made him lose all resolve to be chaste in his mother's presence was the sexy way she bit her lip as she looked down at the chicken, a nervous habit of hers that he'd grown to love.
He looked to his mom, as neither of them seemed to have noticed his presence in the room, the older woman completely absorbed in cutting a slice of the chicken into bite sized pieces. A glance back at Serena and he knew she was worried about something as she fidgeted with her hands, still nibbling her bottom lip ever so temptingly as her eyes fixed on his mother. Another look at Mom and she was bringing a bite of the chicken to her mouth, pushing a few strands of short gray hair behind her ear. She seemed to contemplate as she chewed, closing her eyes.
"Well?" Serena finally stated, unable to contain the nerves any longer, finally giving her lip a rest as her eyebrows knit together in concern.
Mrs. Chiba opened her eyes and glanced at the young girl that would soon be marrying her one and only son, and her eyes instantly softened. She was a stern woman, especially in the kitchen, but the young lady before her made her son happy, and that was all she'd ever wanted for him.
"Mrs. Chiba?"
She broke from her reverie, and Darien saw her expression grow a bit more serious, but she kept some gentleness in it.
"Well, Serena," she paused for effect, "you cooked the chicken way too long."
Serena sighed, defeated, huffing her bangs out of her face in frustration. That teasing lip biting began again.
Mrs. Chiba chuckled then, so much like her son that Serena couldn't help but smile a bit, still tugging on her lip.
"Other than that my dear, it's perfect. And more than wonderful for a first-timer," the older woman told her future daughter-in-law, a huge and somewhat proud grin spreading across her face.
Serena's eyes widened, and the lip again was left alone, much to Darien's disappointment.
"Do you really mean that, Mrs. Chiba?" she asked, anticipation and excitement evident.
"Why would I lie to you, Serena?" his mother said with a smile. "And honestly, how long do you intend to insist on calling me Mrs. Chiba? I've told you at least a dozen times, it makes me feel old and senile! Call me Margaret, really," she added, placing an arm around Serena's shoulders.
Serena smiled and blushed, still shy to call her fiancée's mother by her first name.
"It will take some getting used to, M-Margaret," she finally said sheepishly, smiling. "Thank you so much for helping me with this surprise for Darien and offering me your help in the kitchen! It means a lot to me, and I think it will for him, too."
Margaret smiled down at the young girl. "Oh, dear, I think it will mean more to him than you know! And thanking me is nonsense; anytime you feel you need a cooking lesson, you'll know where to find me."
Darien, who had been standing by completely unnoticed and observing quietly, smiled widely. To think he'd just been wondering if Serena and his mother knew each other enough or had enough in common to get along for the rest of their lives. Here they were, getting along famously and Serena already working on the cooking he'd so much been dreading, all to surprise him. He was so lucky to have each of these two gorgeous women in his life. His heart swelled as he walked into the kitchen, making himself known.
"Well, well, well, now, what do we have here?" he drawled as he wrapped his arms around Serena from behind her and rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Well, look who finally decided to join the living!" his mother responded in quite the same fashion, her voice full of laughter as she rested a hand on his shoulder.
Serena blushed under his embrace, slightly embarrassed by the display of affection in front of her mother-in-law-to-be.
"What happened to your spa day, hm?" Darien asked mischievously, placing a kiss on top of her head before releasing her, realizing she would probably dematerialize from the humiliation if he didn't end it soon.
Mrs. Chiba, on the other hand, took the girl's blush as her cue to leave the kitchen. She smiled at both of them before placing a kiss on Darien's cheek and caressing Serena's in a very motherly way, and then disappeared into the living room, on her way to call her husband to dinner.
Serena turned and smiled up at Darien. "No spa day, sweetie! I thought I might surprise you by proving you wrong, like I always did in the good old days!" she said with a giggle. "Behold the fantastic meal I made, with minimal help from your mom, all for you."
She gestured to the meal spread out on the kitchen island grandly, a proud smile spread on her face.
Darien chuckled. "Yes, well, it looks good, but can it pass the taste test?" he asked, beginning to serve himself little bits of each dish. "Let's find out, shall we?"
He began tasting little bits of each, and everything tasted wonderful, nearly as good as when his mother made it. He knew that with enough practice, she would perfect each just as Mrs. Chiba had, and was just about to tell her that.
Until he looked up.
And there she was. Biting that lip again.
Darien couldn't resist.
The food forgotten, he quickly stepped over to the other side of the island and pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing her so ferociously she was breathless, not to mention the gasp she'd let out in surprise as he began to nibble her bottom lip, the same way she'd been just moments ago. She kissed him back with fervor, and just a minute later they broke apart, breath heightened.
Once she'd regained some composure, Serena smiled and snuggled into his embrace, looking up into his eyes. "What was that for, hm?"
He smiled. "Sere, I'm begging you. Be careful what you do and say. It's not fair to make me want you this way," he answered huskily, resting his forehead on hers.
She giggled at the sexy tone in his voice. "Especially with the wedding still three months away, hm?"
He laughed again, enjoying her innocent attempts to be vixen-like. "Everything you do just turns me on," he added with a smile.
Ta-da! So I know that wasn't much of a drabble, it is pretty lengthy, but I promise that most others will be much shorter! This is the first of a short series I'll be writing. Inspiration, you ask? The lovely song, "Everything", by the ever so sexy Billy Currington! But don't listen to it or you'll totally spoil the premise of the other drabbles to come! Hope you all enjoyed that, and I have no rights or ownership to "Everything" or to Sailor Moon, just to my beloved plot lines. =)
The next chapter of Exchange will be up very soon, so worries aside! And make sure you REVIEW if you liked this, and I'll keep the other drabbles coming!
Love you all!
-Rosie