Knowing me, I've never really succeeded in writing SM Fics. But then again, that was three thousand years ago. ....Yes, I'm exaggerating. I'm fairly new to the fandom of Sailor Moon. (Here that is) I didn't ever think about I'd do any other fandoms than the one I usually do. Besides that, I was inspired to make an SM fic that involves Usa/Mamo. Every other idea has probably been taken by many authors which also means that SM has existed for many years that there are no new ideas. I tried to generate ideas and concluded to this somewhat familar yet not plot.

Notice:
1) You're all probably used to authors "wrapping up" their stories. Unfortunately, the way I "wrap up" is more different than others. It's readable though. Not clumped up in any long paragraphs.
2) And no, my name is not Ami because of Ami-chan of Mercury-sama. :D
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HATE

BY: AMI-CHAN
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She 'hated' him.

He hated her.

That she knew.

There was nothing that stood by his own hate. No quotation or apostrophe marks. Nothing of the punctuation chart. Maybe an exclamation point to show how much he detested her. But other than that, it was pure hate.

Unlike him, she had something around her hate. It showed that even though she disliked his insults, she always seemed to find herself in amusement from their bickering. It excited her and it was a place where she could really express her frustrations, may it be towards the Baka or another reason. She just couldn't bring herself to really hate the man. After all, he was incredibly attractive.

Arguments on certain days would seem endless. At other times, it would be rather short. But at the end of their arguments, she was certain, very certain, that the Baka hated her.

She could not and would not fall for him. She made sure of it. She even made a vow to herself.

Thus, her dilemma.

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"So Odango, will it be the chocolate or vanilla that you'll be stuffing yourself with, today?" Mamoru joked, looking up from his book. He only got a simple nod from Usagi as she weakly bounced on her chair. He raised his eyebrow in question as he watched the restless bunny.

Usagi placed her arms in front of her and folded them on the counter. Exhausted, she rested her head on them and blocked anyone's view in seeing her tired cerulean blue eyes by shutting them. She felt golden strands of her hair on the counter fall off and drop to the floor. She mumbled something to herself that was too incoherent. Something about "Motoki Onii-chan." and the "floor".

Feeling a gentle pat on her head, she squirmed in comfort, knowing it was Motoki.
"Usa-chan.. People think you're really sleeping.." Motoki said in a low whisper.
Usagi muttered back, "I am sleeping.." With that, she snuggled deeper into her arms.

Mamoru chuckled, "Much like you, Odango."

Usagi didn't let the name "Odango" get to her today. She had no energy to light the candle called anger and her measly brain wasn't in the mood to extract words from her vocabulary and convert them into insults. She spoke with much desperation and begging in her voice, "Onegai, Mamoru-baka...can you stop calling me Odango...just for today?"

Motoki frowned, "Usa-chan. What's wrong?"
"Tired..can't you tell?" She replied with a strange tone of sarcasm and annoyance. Mamoru took the water bottle nearby him and took a drink of it, "Well, this is definitely different."
Usagi sighed. They were really testing her patience, which she had little of. "I'm..just really tired, okay? School was heavy and I didn't get much sleep yesterday. Don't ask why."

Mamoru smirked, "Why?"
Why did he like antagonizing her so? She sighed and lifted her head off, "I'm going home. Hope I don't pass out in the middle of the street..." She got up and left.

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The next day, Usagi entered the Crown Game Center to find that Mamoru wasn't there. She sighed in relief. She wasn't sure if she could take it if she saw him again. He was the cause of most of her problems. School and youma being the other halves.

"Usagi!" Motoki cried. "What'll it be today?"
Usagi's lips turned into a wide and bright smile when she saw Motoki. Taking the stool that was in front of him, she asked, "A sundae complete with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Please."
Motoki nodded and put down his towel to prepare her delicious treat. In mere seconds, he returned with a large bowl of sweet goodness and a shiny spoon to eat it with. Usagi beamed with joy. But, before she began to eat, she apologized for her behavior of yesterday. "Gomen ne, Motoki Onii-chan. I didn't order yesterday." A bit more satisfied with her guilt trip, she grasped the spoon's end and scooped up a mouthful of the already melting sundae.

"It's fine with me, Usa-chan. Mind telling me why you were so tired?" Motoki picked up his towel and began folding it to make it a perfect square shape. He continued his goal of making the counter absolutely spotless. Usagi let the remains of her third spoonful of vanilla in her mouth slowly slide down her throat. She shivered at the cold feeling. By gulping, she was hoping to speed up the process with the pathetic remnants of her saliva. Then she stuck the spoon back into the bowl. The round and red cherry at the top of the bowl tempted her. She wanted to eat it last, but she fell into the temptation and quickly plucked it off. After making Motoki wait ever so patiently, she answered with a simple reply. "Mamoru-baka."

Motoki dropped the towel he was using for cleaning the counter. He blinked a few times, repeating what Usagi had said several times in his head. He managed to squeak out, "Wh-what?"

Usagi blinked at him as she chewed on the sweet cherry and shrugged. "It's hard to sleep knowing someone hates you. Most people like me. Nothing obnoxious of the sort, though." She took yet another spoonful, not knowing that Motoki was in shock.

He was still having trouble registering the fact that Usagi was having insomnia over his best friend and her practical rival. However, he did manage to hear his other "little sister" saying something about Mamoru hating her. That brought to his attention as well. Shaking his head, he regained his head and smiled knowingly. Usagi, unfortunately, didn't notice.

"I wouldn't exactly say...hate...Usa-chan." Motoki said with a wink.
Usagi blinked in confusion as she held the spoon on her tongue. She placed it back in the bowl. "Wha...?"

Motoki snickered and placed the towel down. His eyes sparkled mischievously as he looked at Usagi. In response, she was terrified and held the bowl close to her to protect her darling.

"Trust me. He doesn't hate you."

Usagi's muscles relaxed when finding out Motoki wasn't planning anything too severe. Hopefully, anyway. She scoffed, "Right. He teases me about several things such as my ability to walk, which isn't all that great if you haven't noticed." She said, adding much sarcasm in it. "He laughs at my odd hairstyle, though I don't see why its so strange. And...well there's too much to list, really. But, if that isn't called hate, I don't know what is." With that, she picked up her spoon again and ate again.

Motoki looked at her and then chose to discard his word of trust that he had given to Mamoru. "Do you...know about...hormones, Usa-chan?"

Usagi blinked, oblivious to the question. "What does that have to do anything with Mamoru-baka? He ha-...." Her azure blue eyes widened as realization of Motoki's words smacked her down. Her grip on her spoon loosened, making it clatter on the counter. She shook her head and tried to sound stern, only to turn out with a hoarse voice. "Hates..me.." Embarrased, she started to stir the ice cream with her spoon. She mixed the colors, scooping up the melted ice cream and putting it on top of the parts where the ice cream had yet to dissolve into liquids.

He shook his head in disagreement, "Nopes. Hormones. All hormones!" He smiled proudly, quite aware that he would be killed by Mamoru for giving away such valuable information. If he found out. Which, of course, Mamoru would. One way or another.

He watched as the still and quiet teenager played with her food instead of eating it. He grinned some more when noticing red and pink specs on Usagi's cheeks.

"What exactly are you smiling at Odango for, Motoki?" The glass doors had opened and entered the handsome raven-haired man. Motoki looked up to see Mamoru and grinned as he looked back at Usagi. 'It seems she hasn't noticed Mamoru-kun yet. This'll be interesting yet.'

"Oi...Odango. You're in my spot." Mamoru said, tugging lightly on a strand of Usagi's hair. He then waited for Usagi to respond with an insult in which he would respond back something to belittle her. He continued waiting and blinked. To somehow provoke her, he captured a few more strands of hair and rubbed it against the rough skin of his fingers. "Odango..." Surely, she would become annoyed? He shivered slightly when he experienced the featherlike threads of her hair. How was it possible it was like this when her hair was in such tangles? He was terribly afraid that the way he touched her hair would ruin the value and soft texture. If her hair was this satiny, was her skin the same?

'Shimatta.' Mamoru thought and shook his head. Regaining control, he let go of the strands, letting them slowly go back to place. He cleared his throat and spoke with much volume to get Usagi out of her trance, "Odango. Again, would you get out of my seat?"

Usagi returned to reality after hearing a rather masculine voice. She was welcomed back by her poor ice cream that was suffering under the process called "melting". She blinked. Had she been in her thoughts that long? She nibbled on her bottom lip as she then remembered why she was stuck in her thoughts. "He simply can't." She muttered to herself, completely unaware that Mamoru was sitting right next to her.

"Who can't, Odango?" Mamoru asked in a whisper. He saw her body jerk slightly. He watched as her small red lips parted to inhale sharply and then exhale shakily. Those very lips spoke in a hoarse reply, "No..nothing.." He noticed she seemed nervous and scared though he had no idea what would make her act that way. Him? Somehow, it seemed reasonable but he had no idea if it was the truth. He became more curious as he continued observing the petite girl. Her whole body was quivering which was odd. But, he found her rather adorable and alluring in her vulnerable state. And being him, he had to keep his self-control at a reasonable level. Once again, being him, it was incredibly hard to fight.

Usagi was close to making a scene by running away, but then she would have to meet up with Mamoru one time or another. That "one time" was apparently now. She was in a position that didn't help her emotions nor her head any good. Everything had become

Usagi glanced at Motoki and shook her head to disagree with him. Motoki simply smirked, "Why don't you ask him, Usa-chan?"
Usagi turned her head to Mamoru, hovering above his textbook, studying obediently. She quickly snapped her head back to Motoki, "Are you kidding me? There..there's..no way!"

'I knew this would happen.' Motoki thought in the back of his head. An invisible light bulb appeared above his sandy-blonde haired head. "Mamoru-kun?"
Usagi immediately caught on the "train" and tried to stop Motoki. "Mo-" Motoki looked at Usagi and then back at Mamoru, "Usa-chan wants to ask you something."

Usagi slumped lower in her stool, hoping to somehow disappear. She hid herself in her golden tresses and small hands. She whimpered helplessly in distress.
"Motoki....Odango can ask herself, you know." Mamoru said as he closed his book, keeping his index finger at the same page as a bookmark. He placed his elbow on the counter and leaned his head against it, supporting him. He blinked at Usagi. "Well..?"

Usagi hesitantly drew away her drapes of hair and whimpered again as she looked at Mamoru, waiting for her "question". She didn't even know what question she wanted to ask! She took a moment to glare darkly at Motoki to somehow prepare him for his doom that she would enforce in the near future. In the very near future.

"Uh...." She pathetically began.
"...I'm patient, Odango. But not that patient."
Usagi snapped back, "I know! I..know. Just. Wait."

Though Mamoru was rejoicing in the fact Usagi was talking to him, he was still the abnormal scholar. He wanted to understand the material of his class. He looked back at Motoki who was obviously amused. "I thought you said she wanted to ask me a question?"
Motoki nodded eagerly, "Trust me, Mamoru-kun. It's worth your time." Then, Motoki went outside of his post to the booths to take orders.

Usagi kept running plans through her head to somehow get out of her situation. 'Punch the living daylights out of the Baka, causing him to become unconscious and away!'
'Except...You forget the problem where the Baka will get pissed at you.' Her inner-voice reminded her.
'Damn you.'

And then she figured it out. It was so simple! So easy! She could be finally free!

"I...forgot."
"Forgot? Odango, you forgot?"
"Yes. I forgot." She straightened up her posture and smiled, proud that she had accomplished something today.
Unfortunately, Mamoru had to destroy her plans. "I don't believe you."
She stared at him, "You don't believe me?" She clutched her blue uniform skirt tightly. 'Why can't he make it easy? Why..?'
"Yes. Now. Tell me."0

She glared at Motoki who was nearby, taking orders from a man and a woman. 'He knows the Baka a little too much..' Usagi looked back at Mamoru whom was pretty intent on not believing her. She licked her dry lips, tasting a bit of chocolate. It was a sure thing that if she tried to delay the question, Mamoru would continue being persistent.

'Get it over with.' Her conscious advised. Usagi nodded, knowing she'd look weird that she was nodding out of nowhere. Her adrenaline caused her to speak rather fast and incoherently. "Doyouhateme?"

Mamoru blinked at her. He understood the question through her fast-paced talking. He also understood why she would ask and think that. But....why now? He looked to Motoki who was looking at them from a faraway booth, ignoring the orders of his customers. Then, he watched as Motoki whipped his head back to the people and his lips forming a question of "What was that again? I'm sorry." Hopefully, Usagi didn't know too much. Either way, Motoki was screwed and he was going to die. Slowly.

Usagi waited for his answer, anxiously. She nibbled on her lip, trying to find any more remnents of ice cream. It had been a few seconds now that the silence had dominated the atmosphere. For the first time, actually. She felt pain emerge but quickly pushed it aside. She couldn't feel that. Why would she? She didn't like him either.

Right?

Ohh, things were definitely getting confusing.

"Its....its okay if you don't want to answer. I just..I just wanted to know, really. Sorry." Slowly, she loosened the strong grip of her skirt, causing creased lines appear. She flattened them with her fingers. She planted her feet on the floor and was ready to leave.

Mamoru noticed the strange strain of her voice and then realized he hadn't yet answered. "Wha? Uh...No. Usagi, I was just surprised, that's all." He hoped that his words had somehow encouraged her to stay a bit longer. Mamoru was rewarded when Usagi relaxed back into her stool and crossed her legs. He thought about his answer only to come to the conclusion that this would be a part of his "confession" and then Motoki wouldn't have to continue bugging him again and again and again and...again.

"I don't hate you."
Usagi looked so innocent with her blue eyes batting at him with much confusion. She wanted to hear the words again. To affirm it. "Excuse me?"
Mamoru smiled warmly at her, "I don't hate you."
"Oh." She shivered as he continued smiling kindly, for once, at her. She turned back to her ice cream and stirred it as she tried to hide her blush, hoping Mamoru had gone back to his studies. Which of course, he did.

Correction:
She 'liked' him.
He liked her.

And she was beginning to fall. Hard.

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I probably should've shown more romance to show the relationship was getting closer to intimacy. I was going for a feel that their relationship was developing really slowly. Nothing immediately to romance as most fics do. It portrays the couple getting to that area but not quite there. You hardly get to see that. Orr...maybe it's just my excuse for not wanting to write kiss scenes. I had plans to just make it all Usagi, but then I needed "romantic" details in which Mamoru had to help me. Though he rebelled against me. shrugs Doesn't matter. All the male characters in my fics seem to do that. Maybe its because I seemed a bit threatening when I went "Damn the Bishies!!" and then chase them with a weapon of my choice. Eh..whatever. It all worked out in the end and that's what matters. Anyway, review, won't you? :D

Muchos Love,
A M I - B A K A- C H A N

NOTE: NO BISHOUNENS WERE EVER IN REAL DANGER DURING THE CREATION OF THIS FIC. THAT IS, UNLESS YOU COUNT AMI.