Tell Tale Marks
By Cynic X
Hi, Everyone, this is my first Sailor Moon story that I am posting. (If you like X-Men, check out the stories I wrote about them) I don't own Sailor Moon, and am making no money off of this. This piece is supposed to be humorous, so laugh! Anyway, enjoy reading! Feedback would be appreciated.
The sun shown brightly in the sky, and illuminated Serena's hair as she walked to the arcade for her daily visits after school.
'It's weird' Serena thought, 'me and tuxedo had been getting really close lately, perhaps a little too close. We still have no idea of who he is, let alone if he really was a friend or foe." She thought back to their last couple of battles. Tuxedo would linger a while, telling her how much she was improving. She was thrilled that he was complementing her, but she was starting to get a little suspicious. Maybe he was trying to make her drop her guard, or maybe he was genuinely trying to be nice.'
"Yeah, just like at our last fight" Serena said out loud to no one in particular with a sigh. Thinking back to the last fight, she played the events over in her mind once again. Her communicator had gone off about midnight. She had just gotten to bed, but was woken to go down to the pier. She shivered as she remembers the next part. When she had gotten there, the scouts were trying to fight the monster. She tried to block an attack from hitting Venus, but was almost caught taking the attack herself. She had almost died. The nasty looking nega-monster came really close to hitting her with its attack. Tuxedo, like always, swooped in and grabbed her out of harms way, but she did wind up getting a gash from the attack. Seeing that it was no big deal, she turned to thank Tux for the rescue, but to her surprise, he pulled her closer to him, and pleaded with her to look at him.
"Promise me Sailor Moon, that no matter what happens, I won't lose you"
Serena cursed fate that she couldn't look up into his eyes at the moment. Did he care for her, or was he toying with her emotions.
"I'd like to promise you that Tuxedo Mask, but I have a job to do. I have millions of lives to protect, and if that means loosing one to save many, then that might be something I have to do one day"
"I understand" Tuxedo said turning away, "We should get back to the fight."
"Right" Sailor Moon, said, as she ran to join the other scouts. Once the monster was moon dusted, the Scouts said good night, and started to go their ways home.
"Sailor Moon, may I talk with you for a moment?" Tuxedo Mask said, drifting out of the shadows.
"Oh my God, you scared me! How did you do that?" Sailor Moon asked with surprise.
"My secret" Tuxedo said with a smile.
"What do you wanna talk about?" she asked, as the two walked towards the end of the pier.
"The crystal, and the princess" Tuxedo mask said, looking out at the ocean, the moon made the waves shimmer, as they crested gracefully off shore.
"Did you find something out?" Sailor Moon asked, turning to face him, as the breeze blew off the water, and played with her hair.
"Not really, but I have been having dreams about the princess." Tuxedo Mask said calmly, as he turned to face her.
"Really, what happens?" Sailor Moon asked.
"She asks me to bring her the crystal"
"Do you know where it is?" she asked him.
"No, I was hoping you might have a lead" Tuxedo Mask asked.
"No, sorry, I would tell you, but we really don't know all that much, except that the princess will be revealed once all seven rainbow crystals come together." Sailor Moon said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Sailor Moon, I haven't been honest with you" Tuxedo Mask, said turning away from her.
"What do you mean?" Sailor Moon asked, her guard going up a hundred percent. 'Maybe he does work with the nega-verse after all.' She though.
"I didn't really want to talk to you about the princess or the crystals, in fact, I don't want to talk at all" Tuxedo Mask said, turning back to face her, and taking a step closer. On instinct, Sailor Moo took a step away from him.
"I'm not going to hurt you Sailor Moon, I couldn't, it would tear me apart to see you in pain" Tuxedo Mask said, once again closing the gap between them. Sailor Moon didn't know what to do. She always had a crush on Tuxedo, but there was always a part of her that told her to be careful around him, that he was a little too mysterious for his own good. Yet, here, on the pier, she didn't feel threatened. She didn't know why, but she knew that deep down, she felt he would never hurt her.
"Sailor Moon" Tuxedo whispered her name.
"…Yes…" her reply was barely audible.
"Don't hate me" Tuxedo replied, as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.
"For wh…" But she wasn't able to finish the last word, as his lips came down upon hers. It was ecstasy and bliss all rolled into one. She doesn't remember how long they stayed like that. His kiss was gentle, but searching. Without thinking, she returned his kiss, and within seconds, she was numb, not from pain, but from happiness. Everything seemed so right, that this was supposed to be.
"Sailor Moon" Tuxedo whispered once again.
Her reply was kissing him harder, and one thing lead to another, and within second, emotions held back by months of restrains were let out.
"Tuxedo Mask, I have to go, my parent's will be worried" Sailor Moon said, as she gulped for air.
He kissed her once again, and then melted back into the shadows like he did before. 'That is one weird guy' she thought, as she ran home, 'but he is definitely one hell of a kisser.' She could still feel his lips on hers, and as she climbed into her window. She feel asleep with a smile on her face.
Now, this morning, she was faced with the task of trying to decipher if last night really did happen, or if it was all just a dream with her imagination acting up again. She
pushed the thoughts out of her head as she reached her destination of the arcade, and walked through the sliding glass doors. She went and sat in the back booth while she waited for the girls to show up, oblivious to the conversation taking place at the counter.
"Gosh Darien, that's one nice mark. I assume you had an eventful night, no?" Andrew said with a knowing smirk, as he whipped the counter.
"Leave me alone Andrew!" Darien said, pulling his collar over the fresh black and blue mark on his neck.
"So, Mr. Cold, who was the lucky girl that got frosty to thaw, and leave a hickey as proof?" Andrew said.
"Shut up Drew, just shut up!" Darien said, as blush ran across his face at the embarrassing remark.
Seeing that the girls hadn't come in yet, Serena decided to go over to the counter and annoy her enemy. Coming up behind them, she took the seat next to Darien, and was about to start the taunts that each threw at each other, when she noticed the mark on his neck. With wide eyes, she stared at the black and blue on Darien's neck, which was partially hidden by his collar. 'Why does Darien have a hickey?' She thought, 'Does he have a girlfriend? Oh, I'll kill her!' 'WAIT! Where did that come from, I don't care about Darien, and could care even less about what he does with his girlfriend. Still, I'm not going to let a perfectly good chance at making fun of the jerk pass me up' Serena thought with a smile.
"Is it true Darien" Serena said as she pulled down his collar and pointed at the hickey, "How much did you pay the girl?"
Turning around on the stool, Darien faced the blond, who had some how snuck up behind him. "Oh no, not you too, and I didn't pay her anything! Meatballs for brains!" Darien said, staring Serena in the face.
"Yeah sure Darien, lemme see" Serena said, as she tugged even more at his collar, exposing the bruise, "So, tell us Prince Charming, who was it?"
"Leave me alone" Darien said with pain, almost as if he had been struck, but Serena was too caught up in the moment to notice.
"It was probably his cousin" Serena said jokingly.
Darien just started at the girl, with fire in his eye's, and fists clenched. "No Meatball Head, it was not my cousin!" he said, and then with a sudden change of emotion, "and that's disgusting!"
"Who even said you weren't?" Serena asked, but then turned to face the door as the bell's chimed, announcing the arrival of her four friends. Jumping off the stool to greet her friends, Serena pulled them all to the counter.
"Hey guy's, you gotta come see this! Darien has a huge hickey on his neck!" Serena said, as she went for his collar yet once gain.
"Serena, Shut up!" Darien was now blushing with embarrassment and ripping the collar out of Serena's hands, pulled it up even higher then before.
All the girls started to laugh with amazement, as questions went flying as to who the girl had been.
"Oh Darien, spill, who is she?" Rei asked, trying to sneak up behind him to get a better look.
"Why won't all of you just leave me alone?" Darien asked, as he threw his arms up in the air, and tried to get up to leave, but was surrounded by the five girls.
"You're not going anywhere mister, not until you tell us every juice detail!" Mina said with a smile.
"Fine, Fine" Darien said as he sat back down, realizing that escape was futile. "She has long blonde hair, and the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen" Darien said, getting a dreamy look upon his face.
"No, idiot, don't describe her!" Serena said with a wail, "We want to know her name!"
Darien turned pale as a ghost and started stuttering; "Well…you see…umm…I kinda don't know her name."
"WHAT!" was said in chorus from the girls and Andrew.
"You went at it with a girl you don't even know?" Serena asked, a flush coming over her face.
"No, no…I know her, I see her all the time, I just don't know her name" Darien replied in a nonchalant manner. He was surprisingly calm for a man who had kissed a girl he didn't even know.
"Whatever Darien" Serena said as she started to walk away from him. He wasn't going to tell them anything else, and she was starting to get frustrated.
"Hey guys, let's go sit and order, since Darien suddenly has a case of amnesia," Rei said as the five slid into the last booth. After orders were taken, the girls broke out into conversation.
"That reminds me Serena, where were you last night? Luna whispered into Serena's ear, "you didn't come home after the battle, is everything all right? What happened?" the feline asked her charge.
"Umm…, nothing Luna" Serena said, as a blush creeped upon her face.
"Hey, what are you guys whispering about? Spill!" Lita exclaimed from across the table.
"Serena did not come straight home after the battle last night" Luna said softly so she wouldn't be heard by others.
"Where did you go Serena?" Amy asked, taking her eyes off the book that was in front of her.
"Well…umm…you see, I took my time walking home,…thinking about the umm…the algebra test tomorrow" Serena said, trying to make her friends believe the lie she was telling them, but knew that she was failing at it miserably.
"Yeah right Meatball head! You thinking about a test! Serena what were you really doing?" Rei asked as she smirked at the girl sitting next to her.
"I was…I was…" Serena said, as she recalled the events of last night. The Pier, Tuxedo, the kiss, the kiss, the kiss, THE KISS! "OH MY GOD!" Serena said as she jumped a foot in the air. "It can't be! No, oh God no!" Serena was screaming with surprise and disappointment.
Four faces turned to look at Serena with concern. Sure she was a dits, but she wasn't usually this bad.
"What's the matter Serena?" Lita asked as she went over to her.
"Nothing, Everything, I mean, nothing really" Serena said as she shifted in her seat. "I forgot, I have to get home. I have a lot of homework to do, see you guys later" Serena said, jumping up and running out of the arcade, leaving four girls with there mouths wide open.
"Serena, doing homework! There's definitely something up," Rei said, as they all watched Serena run down the street.
"I can't believe it" Serena whined as she slowed down. She was far enough from the arcade that she didn't have to worry about anyone finding her. "It just has to be a coincidence that Darien has a hickey, it has to be! He could have made out with his girlfriends, just like Tuxedo and I did. Darien can't be Tuxedo Mask, he can't be. That would ruin everything!" Serena wailed the last part, and caused her to get some unwanted glares. She looked around her, and at the people watching the little display she was putting on. She gulped, and continued on her dash home.
Later that night…
"Come in Serena" Amy's voice came in over the communicator.
Serena put her manga down on her bed, and opened the communicator that was on her dresser.
"Yeah Ames, what's up?" Serena asked, as a picture of Amy filled the little video screen.
"Negaverse attack at the park!" Amy replied in a rush.
"See you there, Moon out!" Serena said, as she grabbed her broach, said the words, and transformed into the super hero known as Sailor Moon. 'Gotta get to the park, and fast' Serena thought, as she jumped out her window, and ran down the deserted street to the park.
After making a few turns, she heard the noise of the fight.
"Guys, come on, we have to work together" Jupiter said as she did her attack, giving the scouts a few second to regroup, but when the monster came to again, it let out an attack, that caught Sailor Moon off guard.
"Watch out Sailor Moon!" Venus cried, as she ran to her fallen friend.
Shaking her head, Sailor Moon, looked up at her friends, gave them the "victory" sign to show that she was all right, and said "I'm sorry guys, I just can't concentrate"
"Like you ever can Meatball Head" Mars said. They were too busy arguing to notice the figure that had joined the fight, and was taking on the monster alone.
"Tuxedo Mask! NO!" Sailor Moon said as she saw the monster let lose an attack that she knew would have killed Tuxedo. Without a second thought, she ran straight into Tuxedo, knocking him to the ground, the attack just missing them by seconds.
"Sailor Moon?" Tuxedo Mask, as he tuned over to see her face.
"Yeah, figured it was about time I start repaying my debt" She said with a smile, as she got up, used the moon wand, and dusted the monster that had almost claimed Tuxedo's life.
"Sailor Moon, that was good thinking" Jupiter said, as the scouts approached them.
"Yeah" came a chorus of replies.
"Well, I think I'll call it a night" Mars said with a yawn, as she walked off with Mercury, after saying good bye.
"I agree, time to catch up on some sleep" Venus said, as she too left.
"You going to be okay Sailor Moon?" Jupiter asked her leader.
"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow" Sailor Moon said with a smile and a wave good bye. Once the scouts had left, Sailor Moon tuned to Tuxedo, was had started to leave as well.
"Hey Tux! I need to ask you something!" Sailor Moon yelled, as she ran to catch up to him. He slowed down and tuned around to wait for her.
"Umm…okay" Tuxedo Mask said with a shrug.
Sailor Moon grabs Tuxedo's collar, pulling it down to reveal the hickey.
"Oh no" Sailor Moon whispers, a sinking feeling entering her stomach.
"What?" Tuxedo asks, as he pulls his collar back up.
"N…nothing." Sailor Moon says, still in shock. Getting her act together, she replies "Thanks for helping us. See you later" She runs off down the street, enters her house, powers down, and lays down on her bed. Looking at the moon outside her window, Serena thinks about that night's revelations.
'Gosh, Darien probably IS Tuxedo Mask, what am I going to do? If I tell him I know, he will know my secret too, that I'm Sailor Moon. There goes my plans for Tuxedo, now that he's really Darien. Tuxedo Mask likes Sailor Moon because she's brave and noble, Darien hates Serena because she's a crybaby and a klutz. Complete opposites.' With a tear sliding down her cheek, 'Once Darien finds out I'm Sailor Moon, he's going to want nothing to do with Sailor Moon, let alone me.'
Next Day…
"Hey Andrew" Darien called as he walked into the arcade after school. Taking his usually seat at the counter, he order the same cup of coffee he does everyday.
"Hey Dar. Hey, did you see the way Serena ran out of here yesterday? I wonder what's wrong with her?" Andrew asked his friend while he finished up a couple of orders.
With a laugh, Darien replied, "The Meatball head probably forgot she had detention!"
Andrew gave him a dirty look, and said, "I don't think so, Mina said that the girls were worried because she got home real late two nights ago and was really secretive when they asked her abut it"
"Hmm…two nights ago…"Darien said as he was thinking back two days. "I wonder why Serena was so quiet, it's not like her to keep a secret at all. Maybe she snuck out of her house to go make out with her boyfriend or something?"
"I don't think so Dar. She doesn't even have a boyfriend." Andrew replied as he shook his head, worried about what was going on with his friend.
"I bet it's something retarded, like finding out that the boy at school she likes, doesn't like her." Darien said.
"You think so? I know Serena really likes Tuxedo Mask, even though no one knows who he is, maybe it has something to do with him?" Andrew asked his friend as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Serena and Tuxedo Mask, get real," Darien says with a blush.
"Hey, it's possible man, he's like her idol, and miracles do happen, you even made out with a girl, so anything is possible!" Andrew said joking around.
"God, don't you guys ever drop anything?! That happened like two days ago, get ov…WAIT!" Darien said, as his face suddenly fell.
"What's the matter Darien?" Andrew asked his friend with concern.
"T…t…two d…days ago?" Darien said, as reality started to sink in.
"What happened two days ago?" Andrew asked.
"Nothing" Darien said a little too fast, leading on that something most definitely did happen. "Oh my God…" he muttered under his breath.
"Darien, you're scaring me, what is it?" Andrew said, as he started to shake his friend, who was now in a trance like shock.
"I don't believe it. It can't be, she's-" But Darien was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the doors opening, and a familiar voice filling the arcade.
"You don't believe what Darien? What an egotistical pig you are?" Serena said, falling into old habits.
"Ha Ha Ha, very funny Serena. Bet it too you all day to think that one up!" Darien said.
"Right, at least I can remember things, unlike you who can't remember who you swap spit with." Serena said as she threw up her arms in frustration.
"Actually Serena, I did find out who she is. In fact, I think you know her quite well" Darien said with a smirk.
"Really, Who?" Serena said as if she didn't believe a word he was saying. She still acted like she suspected nothing.
"You know her really well, that's all I'm going to say. Let's see just how smart you really are Meatball head. Anyway, I have to go, I got a paper to write for tomorrow." Darien said as he got up to leave.
"Wait Darien! Who is she?" Serena called after him. Darien turned around, and replied, "Think really hard Meatball brains, think really hard." The chimes on the door signal his exit.
'Hmm. Think really hard' Serena said to her self as she too leaves the arcade, and walks down the street, thinking to herself. 'Darien is Tuxedo Mask. I kissed Tuxedo two nights ago, and then Darien shows up with a major hickey. Who am I kidding, it has to be a coincidence. Darien can't be Tuxedo Mask, I'm just fooling myself' Serena was still trying to deny the obvious, but was broken out of her thoughts by the sound of her communicator.
"Moon here, What's up?"
"Serena, there's a disturbance downtown, I need back up" Lita said quickly.
"Got it Jupiter, I'm already there" Serena said, as she transformed and headed down town.
Upon arriving, Serena saw Jupiter attacking the nasty looking monster.
"Hold it!" Serena said, as she jumped into the fight. "I am Sailor Moon, and in the name of the Moon, I shall punish You!"
"Serena watch out! This one's really strong, he might be too much for the two of us" Jupiter said as she dodged an attack.
'Oh no' Serena thought to herself, 'this isn't good, we can't fight this monster without help. Where are the rest of the scouts?'
"Need some help?"
"Tuxedo Mask!" Both Sailor Moon and Jupiter cried at the same time.
"Yes, the Scouts aren't here yet, and I can't stop this monster from hurting innocent people" Sailor Moon explained, filling Tuxedo in on what was happening.
"No problem Sailor Moon, we'll fight it together," He said taking her hand, to show her he believes in her ability. "Use you're tiara"
"Moon Tiara Magic!"
"Yeah!" Sailor Moon yelled. "Moon Dusted. You're not so though are you?" She asked, as she kicked at the pile of dust.
"Believe in your self Serena, anything is possible if you believe you can make it happen" Tuxedo said.
"Yeah! And even without the rest of the Scouts, I knew I …Whoa, wait a minute, what did you just call me?" Sailor Moon said, turning to face Tuxedo, confusement all over her face.
"Serena, you are Serena right?" Tuxedo Mask asked with a smile.
"Umm…umm…maybe, but I know something too Tuxedo Mask, or should I say Darien?" Sailor Moon said.
"So you know, huh?" Darien said taking off his mask.
"Yeah, I kinda put two and two together when you showed up at the arcade with the mark on your neck" Sailor Moon said, as she shifted uncomfortably.
"So, Sailor Moon, you ARE Serena right?" Darien asked. He would only believe it when he saw it.
"Umm…yeah" Serena said as she powered down. Following her, Tuxedo powers down too. Trying to break the awkward silence, Darien asks,
"So how is it that a Meatball head like you turns out to be a super hero?"
"Shut up Darien." Serena says as she turns away, so he won't see the tears making their way down her cheeks.
"Look, I know that since I'm Sailor Moon, you'll want nothing to do with either of us. I know you think I'm a cry baby, and am stupid, so I understand if you stop helping the scouts." Serena says, as she starts to walk away from him. She wouldn't admit it early, but she does care for him, and it's tearing her apart that he doesn't return those feelings now that he knows who she really is.
"Serena!" Darien calls after her.
She slowly turns around, and only then, does he understand why she is acting like this.
"I'd appreciate it if you just left me alone"
Running to catch up with her, Darien gentle grabs her arm.
"Who said I wanted to leave you alone?"
"Darien, just stop" Serena cries as she tries to free her arm.
"No Serena, just hear me out. You're not a crybaby, and you're not stupid. I'd never stop helping you.
"But why? You always tease me? I though you hated me." She asks, as the tears fall down her face.
"I really like you Serena, and I didn't know how to tell you." Darien says as he pulls her close to him.
"Y..you don't hate me?" Serena asks, as she is slightly muffled by the material of his shirt.
"How could I? You're everything to me. I love you for who you are. I don't care that you're Sailor Moon, and I wouldn't love you any less. Without you, life isn't worth living." Darien says as he turns her chin up to face him.
"I'm so sorry Darien" Serena says as tears start to fall again.
"Look, I've made you cry again" Darien says brushing a tear away. "I never wanted to make you cry Serena. How about we pick up where we left off two nights ago?"
Serena looks up at him with disbelief. "Really?"
Her reply was a kiss on the cheek. "Really" he says with a smile.
She turns closer to him, as their lips met once again. With a smile, and says,
"Wait until the girls hear about this. Serena and Darien, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon. They'll never believe it.
"That's fine, just as long as I have you all to myself" Darien says, as he once again kisses her softly on the lips.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
The End…
Cynic (X)