Valentine's Day: Secrets Revealed
Part One
by ACJ Leveille

Author's Note:
Well, I hope the formatting on this comes out okay -- my HTML program is messed up, so I have to do this by hand. It's been a while, so, as I said, I hope this comes out okay. I didn't mean to post this until I had finished it, but Valentine's Day crept up on me quickly, and I really wanted to get it at least started by today! So... I'm going to post a section and keep posting until it's done. I hope everyone enjoys. Oh... it follows the timeline I started in "Resolutions". Thanks everyone to the comments about Resolutions, btw, they were really encouraging! So... nothing of Sailor Moon belongs to me, you've been warned. Again, I hope everyone likes this!


"Usagi! Over here!" Makoto called, waving her hand.

"I've been looking everywhere for you guys!" Usagi grumbled as she sat down on the grass beside her friends. Amy looked up, sparing the blonde girl a smile, and went back to reading her textbook.

"What's up?" Makoto asked, passing a plate of small sandwiches over to Usagi, who squealed in delight and took two, stuffing one in her mouth and chewing industriously.

"Not much," she garbled out. She finally swallowed. "These are awesome! Want some of my lunch?" She offered, holding out her box of rice balls and squid.

"No thanks," Makoto said easily.

"What are you doing for Valentine's Day?" Amy asked, taking a sandwich when Makoto offered her one.

Usagi looked startled for an instant. "Valentine's Day? When's that?"

"Umm. Next week. Five days from today." Amy said, savoring the sandwich. She licked her fingers clean. "I thought you and Mamoru would have plans made already."

Usagi shook her head. "No..." She trailed off.

Makoto noticed her despondent look. "Are things okay between you and Mamoru?"

"Everything's fine!" Usagi said brightly. She smiled, then let the façade fall. "I don't know. He's fine... it's just...."

"Just what?" Makoto asked. "He does make you happy, right? He's not trying stuff with you?" She asked suspiciously.

Usagi laughed. "He's perfect. I love him so much! It's just that... well... I'm lying to him, and I hate it!" She burst out.

"Lying to him?" Amy asked, at first confused. Then she understood. "You can't tell him you're Sailor Moon, Usagi. He'll be in danger. We'll all be in danger."

"I know," Usagi sighed. "But he's so honest with me, and here I am hiding a huge part of my life from him! Do you know how that feels?" She lifted anguished eyes to meet those of her friends. "I guess not," she said bitterly.

"Now that was unfair!" Makoto said strongly. "We'll have to deal with it, too, all of us."

Amy nodded her agreement.

"Sorry," Usagi muttered. She picked at her meal, pushing the rice around. The squid slid with a dry rasping sound.

"That's okay." Makoto said. "I'm sorry about Mamoru, but you have to see how dangerous it could be. What if he gets captured by the Negaverse, or tells someone and our secret gets out? You just can't tell him!" She grabbed Usagi's hand for emphasis.

"I know," the blonde girl sighed. "He wouldn't understand anyway, would he?"

"I don't think he could," Amy said gently. "We're here for you, though. Keep him safe, huh? We don't want you getting all upset!" She smiled.

Usagi forced a smile in response. "Yeah." She looked up as the bell rang. She gathered up her uneaten lunch and tossed it in the garbage on her way into the school building. Amy and Makoto saw, looking at each other with wide eyes. Maybe this was more serious to Usagi than she was letting on!


"What's wrong, Usa-chan?" Mamoru gave in and asked.

She pulled her hand from his loose grasp, not looking at him. She folded her arms across her chest. "Nothing."

Mamoru frowned. He stopped, pulling her to a halt right there on the sidewalk. "Look at me, Usagi," he commanded.

She refused. He put a knuckle under her chin and forced her to look at him. Her eyes were hurt and lost. "What's wrong?" He whispered, scared suddenly.

She wrenched her chin from his grasp. "There is nothing," she said. She gave him a smile that convinced him more than anything else that something was indeed wrong.

A coldness settled in his heart. He had known better, he told himself. He wasn't cut out for love, or romance, or any of those things. He pulled his hand from her wrist. "What have I done?" He asked, trying to sound unemotional but wincing at the pleading so clear in his question.

Usagi looked at him, and tears spilled from her eyes. She threw herself into his chest. "No, Mamo-chan, no! It's not you!" She sobbed, clutching his coat. Mamoru felt the ice-block that had congealed around his heart melt away. He held her to him tightly.

"Shh," he said lowly. "It's all right." Slowly, she responded, calming. "Now, what is this, Usa-chan?" He asked sternly. "And no games, please?"

She stood, and Mamoru noticed for the first time the light that he had stopped under. It bathed her, illuminated the wet cheeks and hurt eyes. "I can't tell you." She said quietly, not looking at him.

His mouth fell. "What...?"

"Please," she said, "Don't ask me."

He was silent, digesting her plea. Finally. "I'll take you home." He held out his arm for her to slide her into. She did, hesitantly, staring at him. He looked straight ahead, walking her to her door without speaking to her again.

"Mamo... Mamoru, are you all right?" She asked before she opened the door. "You... understand... don't you?"

"I'm fine, Usagi." He said, turning away without leaning in for a kiss. No, I don't understand! He wanted to scream it to the sky, but he didn't. "I'll see you tomorrow." He told her. "Don't worry about me."

She nodded, looking stricken. Mamoru fought the urge to run to her, to hold her to him and demand she tell him what was going on. With a frustrated grunt, he shoved his fists into his pockets and walked away.


TO BE CONTINUED........