Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, its themes, characters, etc., but thanks for the vote of confidence ;)
AN: Rated T for sensous/suggestive material.
The Moonlight Becomes You
"Why didn't anyone wake me up?" wailed Serena in the highest pitched frequency she could master. She zoomed down the stairs like a tornado to find her father sitting with a newspaper, her mother serving him coffee, and her little brother, Sammy, playing with two toy cars on the kitchen table.
"Gee, airhead, tone it down, will ya?" Sammy stuck out his tongue at her disagreeably.
"I don't have time to deal with brats like you," Serena shot him a look filled with annoyance. "School starts in ten minutes and I will get detention again if I don't hurry." She grabbed a piece of toast, still warm from the over, and dashed madly for the door.
"Don't forget your lunch, dear!" called her mother to the sound of the front door slamming.
"Teenagers," mused Serena's father before taking a sip of his coffee.
"More like a space mutant," corrected Sammy under his breath, chuckling at his own wit.
Serena chewed the last of her toast, wishing time had allowed her to spread some jam over it. She was ever so fond of sweet things and was often rebuked for eating them in such large quantities. Speaking of which, her homeroom teacher would surely wreck her day by lecturing her on the importance of being on time. Serena would definitely have detention if Ms. Haruna was in one of her moods again, which was as sure as the rising of the sun, and her friends would tease her about her "childish ways" yet again. After all, being a sophomore in high school did bring about new responsibilities, they would remind her promptly.
Continuing her daily run around the corner, Serena dismissed such notions and started thinking of the new video game at the arcade she would tackle after detention that afternoon… WHAM! Her body came into contact with a hard object obstructing her path and she fell to the ground in shock.
Darien yawned on his walk to work. Mornings were so uneventful, he thought, shoving his hands in his pockets. He was not looking forward to yet another predictable day, which started off with a tedious job in front of a computer and followed with University classes in the afternoon. He had stayed up most of the night to study for a physics exam he did not feel like writing. I wonder if the universe would notice my absence, he reflected bleakly.
Turning the corner, his senses jolted wide wake as he collided into someone. As a result, sprawled on the ground before him was a young girl with impossibly long blonde hair flowing from two round buns ontop of her head. A pair of soft blue eyes set off a delicate porcelain face, and full red lips shined under a coat of lip-gloss. Darien noticed her perfect, slim legs as she regained her composure and slowly lifted herself off the ground.
"I'm sorry," she was the first to speak, blushing like the rose she was. Serena's eyes coyly met the stranger's hypnotizing blue ones, where a strand of his black as night hair had fallen. He had a strong jaw and his lips were pursed in a strict line. Bumping into him had sent her flying because he was well built and tall, she noted, all the while mortified at her carelessness.
"Watch where you're going next time, Meatball Head," Darien shot back, unkindly. She could have easily hurt someone! he thought, irritated, while another part of him pronounced him clever for the nickname, which suited her nicely. She, however, did not seem to think so and her eyes clouded with anger and defiance. Darien scolded himself for thinking her adorable.
"I will when you learn some manners," Serena fumed, brushing the front of her skirt with trembling hands. What a pompous creep! she thought, ignoring his good looks, which would have sent any other woman's heart in a frenzy.
"Why don't you hurry on to kindergarten, huh, Meatball Head? I'm sure they're all waiting for you," was Darien's smug reply, listening in shock as the words rolled off his tongue. Since when did he think harassing total strangers was great fun?
"Ugh, get out of my way, you obnoxious jerk!" exclaimed Serena in frustration, pushing past him and running at an impressive speed as if to compensate for lost time. Darien watched amused as two golden ponytails disappeared from his sight. A chuckle escaped his lips and he continued his walk. The way that girl had reacted to him had been different, he reflected. Genuine. Upon seeing him, most women would giggle incessantly and bother him for attention, to the point where he wished he did not posses such charming looks. Romance was definitely not for him, Darien knew. High maintenance in a woman turned him off and he simply could not be bothered with the aggravation that was dating. Therefore, he had decided that it was a better idea to bury his attention in his studies. Really? his mind slyly asked. Then why are craving spaghetti and meatballs all of a sudden? Darien gave in to a hearty laugh and shook his head at such nonsense.
"Serena, don't tell me you had detention again!" groaned a pretty brunette that afternoon, sitting in a booth of the nearly empty arcade.
"Poor Serena!" laughed a ravishing blonde over a tall vanilla milkshake.
"I was so close to making it to school on time," sighed Serena dramatically, taking a seat beside her blonde friend, Mina.
"Well, what happened?" asked Raye from across the table.
"I ran into this jerk who kept teasing me and calling me Meatball Head. I wish I could have slapped that arrogant grin off his face!" Serena passionately narrated, a glint of anger passing through her eyes.
"Meatball Head?" laughed Raye, and Mina raised her eyebrows alarmingly at the brunette, as asign of warning.
"I mean, what a creep!" Raye quickly added, stifling a giggle.
"Was he cute at least?" cut in Mina, always the one to manifest her boy-crazy behavior.
"What does it matter when he was such a jerk!" replied Serena, unwilling to admit that he had been as much gorgeous as he had been annoying. Her two best friends examined her with suspicion and Serena rolled her eyes.
"Let's change topics," she proposed, tossing her head a bit. "How was your math test, Raye?"
"I think I passed!" squealed Raye in delight.
"I knew you would," smiled sweetly Mina.
"Well, thanks to you guys. I really appreciate you helping me study."
"I'm afraid I wasn't of much assistance. I can't do any math at all."
"Serena, you helped more than you know," Raye assured her with rare tenderness. The two friends were best known quarrelling, since Raye's persona was quite fiery and Serena's stubborn.
"You cheered me up when I was feeling down yesterday and you're always there for me all together."
"I cannot believe my ears!" Mina stated with a smirk. "Raye actually complementing Serena? What has the world come to?"
"I rather like it," laughed Serena, emanating rays of sunshine.
"Well, don't get used to it," Raye playfully stuck her tongue out.
"I knew it was too good to last," said Serena, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, Mina, I'm still helping you get ready for your date tonight, right?"
Mina turned to the blonde beside her and eyed her affectionately. "Are you sure you can, Serena? I thought you said your mom wanted you to clean the house tonight."
"I promised her I would get up early on Saturday morning and do it then. I'm all yours."
"But you hate getting up early," protested Mina. "I'd feel guilty."
"I'll survive," Serena winked at her good-humored. "I want to help you look beautiful for you boy tonight, not that you need any help."
"Serena, you're the best!" Mina spontaneously hugged her. "Thank you!"
Serena hugged her back, the entire room as if coming alive with the brilliancy of her smile, a sight enchanting to watch.
This was going through Darien's mind as he sat on a nearby stool, nursing a cup of coffee. He had been amused at first by Serena's description of him, and then moved by the love and devotion towards her friends.
As a small child, Darien had lost his parents in a tragic car accident and had considered himself somewhat of a loner ever since. He had no close friends except for Andrew, whose father owned the arcade, and was deeply anxious about letting anyone in, for fear they would vanish from his life just as his parents had. Even though the loneliness became unbearable on numerous occasions, he was rather accustomed to being alone and had no plans to change his current situation.
"Hi, Andrew!" a cheerful voice distracted Darien from his thoughts. Serena was standing a few feet away from him and he watched as Andrew's face lit up behind the counter. The little Meatball Head seemed to have that kind of reaction on quite a few people, noticed Darien silently.
"How's my favorite customer doing today?" smiled brightly Andrew, shoving his hands in the front pockets of his apron. Serena had always thought him cute with his sandy blonde hair and friendly green eyes, but Andrew was like a big brother to her and she was thankful for his friendship.
"Splendid since it's Friday," chirped Serena. "No school or Ms. H for two whole days! Why, I feel light-headed at the mere thought of it!"
"Do you have any plans for the weekend?" inquired Andrew, already getting a glass to prepare her a double chocolate shake, her daily favorite.
"Not really. Unless…well, the girls and I have heard that there is going to be a big party tomorrow night. You wouldn't know anything about it, would you, Andrew?" She batted her eyelashes in a charming manner, a lethal move no one was able to resist. As expected, Andrew shrugged and answered, "it's mostly for college students."
"Are you planning on going?"
"Maybe…I have to check with Rita first."
"So, you wouldn't mind if Raye, Mina, and I were to tag along with you guys?" Serena asked hopefully, excited at the prospect of attending a sophisticated party with plenty of good-looking boys.
"I don't think that's such a good idea," Andrew shook his head as he placed the drink in front of her.
"Oh, please, Andrew? We'll be good, I promise," pleaded Serena, sticking out her bottom lip a little.
As if torn over what to do, Andrew excused himself to go help two customers who had walked up to the counter. Happily, Serena sipped her milkshake, knowing that Andrew would easily give in to her requests. Now, if only she could figure out what to wear…
"Those parties are no place for a Meatball Head like you," a stern voice shattered her thoughts, and Serena turned to see the familiar blue eyes she had encountered that morning.
"Who asked you?" she snapped, her eyes reflecting an ice-like property uncommon for her sunny disposition. "Are you following me around to simply aggravate me?"
"You wish," replied Darien, taking a leisurely drink from his cup. "Take it easy or you might pop a meatball." He was utterly surprised at the twisted pleasure he felt in teasing this girl. It was just too easy and her reaction was priceless.
Andrew returned to find his two close friends staring each other down in what could only be described as glances of dislike.
"Oh, Serena, I see you've already met my friend, Darien," Andrew spoke up, scratching his head in confusion. "Darien, this is Serena."
"Charmed," they both replied in stormy unison.
Deciding that ignoring Darien was the best strategy at the moment, Serena turned her full attention on Andrew. "So, can we please come to the party? We never get to do anything exciting," whined Serena, pulling on Andrew's sleeve.
"I guess it would be okay for you girls to join our group," he finally gave in, unsurely.
"Are you out of your mind?" Darien voiced his disapproval, which won him a hateful look from Serena. "Andrew, you know the kind of people that attend those parties are wild. It's no place to baby-sit three high school girls."
"Excuse me," cut in Serena. "For your information, we are three young women who can take of ourselves. We don't need you or anyone else babysitting us, let alone your approval."
She turned to Andrew and blew him a kiss. "I'll go tell the girls the good news. Thanks, Andrew!"
Darien watched as she skipped over to her friends' table in sheer exuberance, before turning his attention on Andrew, who was hiding a smirk.
"I can't believe you just did that!" Darien shook his head in frustration. "Guys are going to be all over her - uhm, them, I mean - and I do not intend to play bodyguard."
"Aw, come one, lighten up," Andrew shrugged with a smile. "They'll be okay. It will be fun and maybe Serena will find a nice guy to hang out with."
Sensing that Andrew was saying such things to simply annoy him, Darien rolled his eyes and stared at the reflection in his cup of coffee, which had turned cold by then.
Serena felt awkward entering the party as the odd girl out. Andrew was faithfully accompanied by his girlfriend, Rita; Mina had dragged her date along, and Raye was by Chad's side, a good friend of hers. Serena sighed and reminded herself that things could be worse. She could get stuck with that conceited jerk, Darien, the whole night.
Darien threw a disgusted glance at the couple making out beside him on the zebra-striped sofa. Andrew always dragged him to these parties, which Darien despised, for the alcohol was flowing, the women scantly dressed, and the music too loud. He newly rested his attention on Serena, who was dancing with either her fourth or fifth guy, Darien had lost count. Clad in a simple denim short skirt, which showed off her glorious legs, and a black fitted top that subtly alluded at the inviting size of her breasts, she resembled a lovely angel. Make-up was faintly applied to her face while her hair was in a long ponytail, bringing out her cheekbones. There was a sense of unpretentious beauty surrounding her, something that could not be resisted, reflected Darien, crossing his arms over his chest. Her dancing partner pulled Serena closer to him and casually lowered his hands down her back. Darien could not explain why this irritated him so and why the thought of punching that guy square in the jaw brought such immense satisfaction. I can't possibly be attracted to Serena, can I? Darien questioned himself, thoughts flooding his mind. She was merely a high school student, a child! He stole another quick glance at her, admitting to himself that there was nothing childish about her sensual figure. Still, he reasoned, she's way too young. What would people think? Her parents would probably hunt him down and kill him, chuckled Darien to himself, before realizing the danger of his thoughts. He should not be thinking such things about her, should not be dwelling on a certain Meatball Head all together.
"Darien, come dance with me!" A somewhat tipsy redhead was taking his hand, attempting to pull him to his feet.
"Sorry, I don't dance," he mumbled, half lying, to get out of the dreadful task of holding that thing close to him.
"Are you gonna sit here all night and stare off into space? Come on!" she attempted again, giggling irritably.
"I said no!" Darien raised his voice in such a way that caused the girl to walk away, sulking. Satisfied, if not a bit guilty over his behavior, Darien's eyes swept over the dance floor in search of familiar honey colored hair, only to discover that Serena was nowhere to be seen. Alarmed without knowing why, Darien stood up to search for the missing damsel. Somehow, he knew that she would not be alone.
"The moon looks beautiful," Serena sighed peacefully, letting the cool breeze caress her cheeks out in the spacious balcony.
"Not half as beautiful as you, baby," smiled Craig, the cute guy she had been dancing with for the past while. He took her hands and she blushed slightly. "I'm glad I asked you to dance before all those other guys got to you," he was grinning, moving a little closer to her.
"What other guys?" Serena asked innocently, for in all honesty, she never pronounced herself as attractive as everyone else around her proclaimed.
Craig laughed at her sincere expression and cocked his head to one side. "You're funny, Serena," was his reply, cupping her face and bringing it closer to him. "But I rather like your game of playing hard to get. Let's just say that it adds to the excitement."
Serena froze as she felt his lips go to her neck, where he placed urgent kisses. "What are you doing?" she demanded, pulling away from him only to discover that his arms were tightly wrapped around her waist and keeping her in place. "Let go right this second, Craig!"
"What's wrong, baby?" he smirked, his hands traveling to her hips. "Don't act as if you haven't done this before."
Aggravation and humiliation filled her senses and she pulled her hand back to slap him. Craig caught it easily, holding it between them like a trophy. Her heart pounding madly, Serena realized he was going to kiss her and she could do nothing to stop him. Her first kiss, with a repulsive low-life! she thought, caught between panic and the solace of tears.
"Get your hands off her or I'll push you right off this balcony where, conveniently, there appear to be no witnesses," threatened a voice and the pair turned to look in its direction. Darien! Serena was both relieved and distressed that he should be the one to save her from such an awkward situation.
Craig instantly backed away, his hands up in the air, as he looked Darien over with a scorning smirk. Turning to Serena, he stated cruelly, "you're just not worth it." He stalked off and Darien watched him intently until he was completely out of sight.
Her eyes welling up with tears, Serena ran out of the balcony and swiftly left the party unnoticed. She had been so foolish, so damn naïve! screamed her mind as she ventured into the dark street, wiping bitter tears from her cheeks. What if Darien had not come to her rescue? On second thought, she had not deserved his help! He should have left her to her own devices, to learn the bitter ways of the real world. Stupid, stupid, stupid! went on her mind without mercy.
"Serena!" a voice called her name, as if coming from the depths of a dream, and she slowed down her pace.
"Hold on!" the voice came again, confirming its realness, this time by her side.
Darien knew she had been crying by one look at her face and instantly felt something stir inside of him. She looked so fragile and desolate that he inexplicably wanted to hold her in his arms.
"Where are you going?" his tone softened a little and she stopped to face him.
"Raye's house," she remarked, looking down at her shoes, half-afraid he would yell, scold, tease, or do all three simultaneously.
"Do you have the keys?" he inquired instead, pragmatic as always. Dejected, Serena shook her head. She was supposed to spend the night over at Raye's, but had no desire to walk back into the party and bother her friend. Besides, Raye would know that something was wrong and Serena would have to explain everything.
"Fine, I'll go home, then," spoke up Serena with a tired sigh.
"Somehow, I don't think your parents would appreciate you coming in at one in the morning, without an escort, nonetheless." Darien looked around him for emphasis. "These dark streets are no place for a young lady."
"I wish I had never come to this stupid party!" expressed Serena, crossing her arms over her chest.
"It's not your fault the place was infested with jerks," shrugged Darien with a small smile.
Perplexed, Serena wondered why Darien was acting so amicably all of a sudden. Shouldn't he be delivering an 'I-told-you-so' speech right about now? She was not sure exactly what was happening, but she felt reassured by his presence all the same.
"Tell you what," he went on, casually shoving his hands in his pockets. "My apartment is just a couple of blocs away and if you want, I can give you a ride home when we get there."
Serena readily shook her head no at his proposal. "Thank you, but I don't want to cause you any trouble."
"It's no trouble," Darien quickly explained, desperately wanting to be alone with her and not understanding the reasons behind this new turn of events. "I don't want to go back to the party, anyway, and I just can't leave you here. I think there might be a storm coming, too."
"Really?" Serena wondered aloud apprehensively, as she was very much afraid of thunder and lightning. The dark, heavy clouds looming in the distance confirmed Darien's words and Serena knew she had run out of options. Although, spending time with Darien did not seem so dreadful now as it would have hours ago, she reflected, confused at her sudden change of heart.
"Make yourself at home. I'll prepare some tea," announced brightly Darien upon stepping into his apartment. Serena smiled and watched him disappear into kitchen. The surroundings were tidy and immaculately clean, she observed, walking around the elegant room, which hosted a couple of sofas, a large TV set, and an encompassing bookcase. Books on physics, biology, astronomy, and chemistry occupied the space, leaving Serena impressed.
"Darien, you go to University, right?" she called out, running her finger along the spines of the books.
"Yes," was the expected reply from the other room.
"What are you studying?"
"I'm planning to get into medical school."
"Wow," breathed Serena, curiously examining the rest of the room. "How did you meet Andrew?"
"We were in the same math class during our first year," answered Darien, carrying a tray before setting it down on the coffee table. Still scanning her surroundings, Serena felt something was amiss, something important.
"Darien, why is it you don't have any photographs anywhere?" she observed in an astute manner, innocent eyes settling on him.
Darien pretended to busy himself by pouring the tea and shrugged. "My parents died a long time ago and I don't have many relatives or close friends."
He very much disliked having to tell people of his family situation because he could not stomach their pity. He did not want any special treatment just because he did not have a family like everyone else.
"You must get very lonely," Serena replied in a soft tone, her eyes reflecting admiration for his inner strength. She could not even imagine her life without her parents or her two best friends to keep her level.
A longing expression in his eyes, Darien looked her over, a compassionate refuge he wished he could run to…
Shaking himself out of his nonsensical thoughts, Darien shrugged. "I get by. Come have some tea and tell me about your family."
Serena took a seat beside him on the sofa and accepted the cup he was offering her. "Well, my dad is a computer programmer," began Serena with a smile. "He likes to think he can cook but he's as much of a disaster in the kitchen as I am. It's just not pretty. He worries a lot over which boys I associate with. He says I'm not allowed to date until I'm at least twenty, but I'm sure I can change his mind. One evening, Andrew walked me home and my dad came out with a rifle from his collection. I've never seen Andrew run so fast in my entire life!"
At this, Darien laughed so hard that some of his tea spilled on the saucer. "He never told me about that."
"I don't blame him," grinned Serena, taking a small sip of her tea. "My dad is quite overprotective of me, but he's a good guy, otherwise. My mom is more laid back, thank goodness. She is a regular sweetheart and can cook like a dream. I wish I had inherited her predisposition for cooking."
"You can't be that bad," smiled Darien, watching in amazement as her hair caught glints of the lights and shimmered like gold.
"If there's a way to burn something, I'll find it," disclosed Serena with a roll of her eyes. Funny, how she was not uncomfortable sharing such parts of her life with him. "Anyway, I also have a little brother named Sammy who lives to make my life miserable. But I guess I love him despite everything."
"It sounds like a lovely family," concluded Darien, with a thoughtful nod. He did not admit it to Serena, but in moments like these, he wished he had tales of his own family to share. She distracted him by politely asking him if he had any chocolate, and he excused himself to visit his 'secret stash', as he liked to call it, and returned with a couple of chocolate bars for her. He watched fascinated as she contently bit into the chocolate and reclined back on the sofa with a satisfied sigh. Such small things could bring her happiness, he reflected, his spirits lifted by her presence.
"So," said Darien casually, taking place beside her again. "Why is it you haven't told me anything about yourself yet, aside from your family?"
Serena opened her eyes and peeked at him through long eyelashes, a sight that nearly caused his heart to skip a beat, before replying, "probably the same reason why you haven't told me anything about yourself."
"Okay," smiled Darien, resting his head on his hand and looking at her. "I have the perfect solution. Let's see…chocolate or vanilla?"
"Chocolate, of course!" declared Serena, reaching for another bar. "You?"
"Chocolate, as well. I don't know, I always thought vanilla was too…girly."
Serena giggled and shifted her body so that she was facing him.
"Summer or winter?" continued Darien.
"Neither,"came the reply with a shake of the head. "Spring is my favorite. I love the smell of flowers in bloom and watching sweet little birds in flight."
"I would have to go with winter. I like watching the snow fall and transform everything as I sit inside and sip hot chocolate."
"Yummy!" Serena nodded in agreement with a dreamy smile. She twirled a strand of her long hair around her finger, seemingly lost in thought. "If you could be an animal, which one would you be and why?" she was the one to pose the question this time.
"Probably a tiger because they're strong and graceful. They are able to keep others away without much effort."
"I don't think that's always the case," Serena offered, clever for reading into his intentions and innermost feelings. Darien broke eye contact, focusing on his hands instead. She knew him better than she gave herself credit for, he reflected, both frightened and strangely content at the discovery.
"You won't laugh at my answer, will you?" she asked, biting her lower lip.
"What? No!" Darien truthfully answered, hurt that she would think him that insensitive. Then, again, he could not blame her after the way he had treated her.
"I love bunnies and I think it would be neat to be one. I mean, they're always being cuddled and people always smile around them. No one could possibly hate a bunny, well, not unless you're allergic or something."
Darien smiled at her sincere way of speaking and the beauty of her thoughts. Serena was every bit of unblemished love left in the world, he decided in admiration. How could anyone resist her infectious ways?
"Listen, Serena, I want to apologize for the way I behaved when we first met," Darien announced, shaking his head a little. "I was rude and way out of line."
Serena smiled at him, glad for his words. How she had wished they could put their differences aside and attempt being friends! He seemed so lonely and in need of someone to make him smile that she had found herself worrying about him despite everything.
"I'm sorry for giving you a hard time, as well. I guess being called Meatball Head wasn't so bad, after all."
Darien laughed, the grey clouds inflicting his heart dissolving in one of Serena's smiles.
The telephone rang, distracting Darien from his thoughts. It was probably Andrew, checking up on things and making sure he had arrived home safely. Darien stood up and made his way down the narrow hallway, announcing to Serena that he would be right back. She, in turn, nodded, wondering how late it was getting to be and whether it was appropriate being alone in a boy's apartment at that hour of night. Shrugging, she was comforted by the thought that Darien could be trusted and readily noticed what a delightful time she was having. She could not help but adore Darien's soft way of speaking, his genuine smiles, and the way he quietly examined her in awe, like a precious treasure. Not to mention how handsome he was, smiled Serena with a small sigh. Mina and Raye would simply be appalled at the fact that she was starting to develop a crush on the person they considered her nemesis…
A loud roar of thunder caused Serena to jump and her heartbeat to accelerate. Oh, no! she thought, with a groan. Why did the weather have to be so disagreeable just when she was in such an elated state of mind? As a response, bright lighting flashed across the sky and thunder seemed to shake the apartment walls. The lights went out, leaving Serena not only in total darkness, but in a sense of shock as well. Shivering, she stood from the sofa and made her way towards the room Darien had disappeared to minutes earlier. More thunder resounded in her ears as if laughing at her anxiety, causing Serena to whimper. The surroundings were unfamiliar and she picked up her pace, longing for Darien's presence. Entering what she assumed was his bedroom, she faintly called out his name, her lips quivering.
"Serena?" his voice finally came from a corner of the room. The thunder grew louder, silencing all other sounds in its path. Impetuously, Serena ran to Darien, but managed to trip when she was merely inches away from him. Being caught off guard, Darien tumbled down to the floor with her.
"Serena, are you okay?" he quickly asked, ignoring the pain in his elbow the fall had caused.
"No, I hate thunder," she replied in his shirt, lying on top of him and holding on for dear life. As if to mock her, both lighting and thunder took turns animating the night sky.
Darien felt Serena's body tense on top of him and he circled her waist with his arms to comfort her. "It's all right," he remarked softly in her ear, unsure of the way his body was reacting to her nearness. She was as soft as a kitten and her curves were pressing into him in a way that nearly made him lose his composure.
"Why are you so afraid of storms?" he gently inquired, finding himself playing with strands of her long hair that encircled them both.
"I was born on a dark and stormy night and my mom says that I didn't stop crying until the storm cleared. I've been terrified of them ever since I can remember," shared Serena, relishing the warmth of Darien's body. The way he was holding her could be compared to heaven she could not help being confused by such strange, new feelings.
Darien's mind went blank, distracted by Serena's regular breathing against the skin of his neck. The temperature in his room was rising to uncomfortable levels, he decided, biting his lip.
"Hopefully the power will come back on soon," he shared, hoping more that his sanity would not desert him before then.
"I'm sorry for crashing into you," Serena apologized, lifting her head a little to look into his eyes. She noticed that their lips were a matter of inches apart and wondered what it would be like to kiss him and lose herself in the moment.
Similar thoughts were passing through Darien's mind and he swallowed a knot of anxiety in his throat.
"I think that has become a habit of yours," he teased, laughing a little to lighten the mood. Serena blushed madly, glad for the dimness around them. She was about to reply something in her defense when the storm outside made its presence known again.
"Maybe we should continue our little question game to take your mind off the storm," suggested Darien, nearly chuckling at the tight hold Serena had on him. Strangely, he did not mind one bit.
"Okay," she agreed, faintly, praying the storm would subside so that she could enjoy her time with Darien. Although, she rather liked being in his arms in that abandoned manner.
"I have a question," went on Darien, resting his cheek on top of her head. "Is your rifle-loving father the only reason why you don't have a boyfriend?"
Serena closed her eyes and shrugged a little. "I don't know anybody who would want a klutzy Meatball Head for a girlfriend."
Darien would have laughed at her comment if her tone of voice had not been so solemn. She couldn't possibly be serious, could she?
"Serena, that's ridiculous," said Darien firmly. "Plenty of guys would be more than happy to have you as their girlfriend."
"I don't know," sighed Serena. "Most guys approach me because of the way I look on the outside, and I don't even know why, since I don't consider myself that pretty."
"Are you kidding me?" Darien replied in shock, before he could stop the words from tumbling out. "Serena, I think you are beautiful. How can you not see it? Everyone else does. And it's not just that. I can already see that you are kind, generous, sweet, bright, and the list goes on and on. You have a gift of bringing out the best in everyone around you and that enhances your natural beauty even more."
Speechless, Serena absorbed Darien's words as her heart palpitated rapidly in her chest. With what ease he had analyzed the contents of her soul! Why did she feel as if she were walking on air, so light and free all of a sudden?
"How is it that you don't have a girlfriend when you are able to say such things to a girl?" smiled Serena, looking into his eyes tenderly.
"It's because I don't usually say such things to girls," mumbled Darien, feeling himself blush and not believing any second of it. He had not blushed in years!
"I'm not the type of guy who goes up to a girl and tries to impress her," he stated, regaining his composure a little. Serena was affecting him in a way no one else ever had before.
"Why not?" she questioned, curiously. "I'm sure you could impress any girl."
"You didn't seem too impressed before tonight," he went on, hoping to distract her from where the conversation was heading. He had never ventured on such sacred territory with anyone else before.
"That wasn't the real you," she smiled so sweetly at him that Darien's heart did flips in his ribcage. "Those are just protective barriers you put up to keep people from getting too close to you. You're afraid that others won't be able to help caring for you and you try to push them away before that can happen. Why does that scare you so much, Darien?"
Taking in a deep breath, Darien moved his face away from hers and closed his eyes. How had she been able to unlock the secrets of his heart with such ease? he wondered, wishing to be closer yet farther away from her.
With a gentle touch, Serena turned his head so that he was facing her. At the contact, Darien opened his eyes, and blue met blue. His heart gave a little aching cry at such beauty and he sighed, deciding it was time to provide an answer.
"I guess I'm afraid that people will only be interested in me because they feel sorry for my situation, as if I'm some little orphan that needs to be taken care of. Once they get past that stage, there will be nothing left to keep them in my life."
Serena blinked back tears at his revelation and replaced them with a loving smile instead. How little faith Darien had in himself! she thought, moved by the honest glimpse into his soul he had provided.
"You know what will put an end to that fear?"
Darien shook his head, afraid that words would fail him at such a moment. Serena placed a small hand over his heart and solemnly met his eyes. "Darien, no one will ever want to give you up once you show them all the beauty hidden inside your heart."
Darien's entire being softened under her tender words and dismissing all other thoughts, he pulled Serena down for a passionate kiss. A powerful sensation took a hold of him, body and soul, as if he had finally found the key to an ancient treasure chest, filled with riches beyond his wildest dreams. The taste of her honey lips caused his sanity to flee and he pulled her even closer, his solid body and her soft curves creating a perfect fusion.
Serena's mind was spiraling down into ecstatic confusion, for the feel of Darien's lips was too wonderful for her to comprehend. Her blood was boiling at the touch of his fingertips caressing her face and the way his body felt beneath hers. If he should stop now she would simply die! Fortunately, Darien had no intention of stopping, and he tenderly angled her head in such a way that allowed him access to the insides of her mouth. His tongue caressed hers briefly at first, as if to tease her wickedly, but Serena put an end to that and deepened the kiss until a soft moan escaped her lips, which in turn caused Darien to feel slightly dizzy from all the excitement. Oh, what was she doing to him? wondered Darien, all air gone from his lungs, yet continuing to ravish that tempting little mouth as if he would never get enough of it. Eventually, he slowed down the tempo just a bit for fear Serena would drive him to do something hasty, like take off every single article of clothing she was wearing on that body of hers and feel every inch of her velvet skin. Thoughts like those startled him and he slowly pulled away from her, resting his head back on the floor. Serena's cheeks were flushed and her lips swollen from his kisses. When she opened her eyes to look at him, Darien longed for her to be his in a way that was new to him.
"That was my first kiss," she coyly shared, a golden smile spreading over her lips. She could not have been happier to have waited for the perfect prince to come along and deliver it.
"Serena, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have," Darien shook his head, as reality settled in. How could he have lost control so easily? She was too young for the kind of thoughts going through his head…
"It was absolutely wonderful," Serena sighed happily, as if he had not spoken.
"Serena, this isn't right," Darien went on, ignoring the warmth of her body and the longing in his heart. "You're way too young. Your father would kill me on the spot."
In contrast, she laughed merrily and rested her head on his chest. "I'm only four years younger than you and my dad won't mind too much after my mom and I soften him up a little."
Serena listened to the steady beating of his heart and smiled, never knowing such happiness existed in the world. She could not wait to tell her friends and her mother that she had fallen in love with the most amazing man on the planet…
Meanwhile, Darien could not believe Serena had everything figured out already. Things just weren't that easy…
"Honey, why don't we get up from the floor so we can discuss this properly?" he tried to reason with her, until his words registered in his mind. Honey? Honey? Where had that come from?
"I don't want to get up," grinned Serena slyly. She left a trail of slow kisses from his jaw to his ear, where she whispered good-humored, "and I like 'honey' much better than 'Meatball Head'."
Holding back a laugh, Darien met her shimmering eyes, amazed at how much love he felt for the heaven-sent angel in his arms. It was all like a magical dream, one he wished to never awaken from. Reality had never seemed sweeter. At that moment, he was convinced that together, they could face anything.
Outside the window, the moon looked on as the lovers shared a kiss worthy to be labeled as electrifying as the lightning that had previously illuminated the night sky.