Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All rights to respective owners
A/N: Hello readers! Welcome to my first attempt of a one-shot, sorta. It was originally going to be a one-shot but I think it flowed better as a multi-chapter fic. The rest of the story is done, just needs to be released. There are three parts in total, this being the first one! I was debating whether or not to post this Halloween fic since I don't think it's very good but it was burning a hole in my documents so I was like "What the heck!" I hope you guys like it even though it's not the best. I wanted to try my hand in holiday writing so let me know if my attempt was decent! Go ahead and read below my first Halloween fanfic!
Chapter 1
"We have costumes that range from policemen, vampires, witches, werewolves, ghosts, doctors, tv show characters, movie characters, celebrities, firemen, an angel, animal creatures-"
"Yes, yes thank you," Mamoru cut off the babbling salesgirl. "I just asked if you had policemen costumes."
"Yes, of course. I can show you to them if you want?"
The gleam in her eyes and the teasing tone affirmed the dark-haired student's suspicions that the brunette teen was in fact flirting with him.
"Um, no I'm okay," he refused as politely as he could. The tall man hurriedly walked away from the ready-to-talk-again girl, making a beeline to the numerous costume aisles in the large store.
Mamoru always became embarrassed and annoyed when girls would flirt shamelessly with him, it was just not a good time to be in a relationship with the whole finding the silver crystal, finding out who he is, battling hellish monsters and a group of galaxy warriors who both want that crystal for their own unknown purposes.
'Yea the single life is definitely the way to go,' the secret heroine thought as he realized just how absurd and serious his situation really was.
The eighteen-year-old could surely handle finding a Halloween costume with no hitch, right?
Looking up and down the tall filled shelves, Mamoru rethought that last notion. He could thankfully, for once, pick his own costume without the interference of a certain dirty blonde arcade worker.
"Mamoru-san, it's Halloween where's your spirit, your cheer, your gusto," the dark-haired man imitated in his mind. "You are not allowed to the party unless you have a suitable and fun costume!"
Holiday-obsessed Motoki was Mamoru's least favorite Motoki to experience, right after sugar-high Motoki (the blonde once had to have his stomach pumped due to the high levels of sugar).
Yes, Mamoru hated the interval of October through December due to the ridiculous holidays that would come with it. So the handsome man would do nothing those months, well attempted to do nothing, no thanks to his best friend. As each holiday rolled around, holiday-obsessed Motoki would show his ugly head, his one target being Mamoru.
Each holiday came with it's own obstacle: Christmas came with the obstacle of forcing Mamoru to show some kind of spirit and jolliness, Thanksgiving would be the hurdle of getting Mamoru to come to Motoki family thanksgiving dinner, and Halloween would lead with the difficulty of getting the dark-haired student to dress up.
Unfortunately, this last encounter with holiday-obsessed Motoki did involve the discussion of Mamoru actually dressing up for this year's blow-out Halloween party for their senior class at the arcade.
The dark-haired student, knowing his best friend all too well, proposed something, more specifically a bet. 'I swear he acted like I asked him to be the best man at my wedding.'
After beating the bet-obsessed Motoki, Mamoru was able to gain the right to pick his own costume, as long as it met the qualifications that Motoki made for it to be actually called a costume. The ideas of being himself, a high school student, nothing, and a boring person were all sadly shot down. 'Honestly I think being myself is very creative and original…'
So, here he was now, in a Halloween store looking for a suitable costume that would help keep his dignity intact for the rest of the school year. Figuring that a policeman costume wouldn't be too ridiculous, plus it would meet the qualifications, Mamoru went with that dress-up idea. Now if only he could find one policemen costume that he didn't hate.
"Sexy policewoman, sexy policeman…," he read out loud while his eyes shifted through the rows of hanging costumes.
"AHA!," he exclaimed, picking up a FBI Agent outfit. 'Not what I was going for but it'll definitely be enough.'
"Comes with FBI vest and black shirt, camo cargo pants, black boots, sunglasses, black baseball cap, belt, and official badge to make you the perfect FBI agent for all your Halloween fun," the tag attached read.
"Looks good enough," Mamoru concluded, happy that he could pay for the thing and leave quickly.
As he turned, his mind set did a 180 as his dark blue eyes caught the sight of two golden odangos bouncing in between the shelves.
'Maybe Halloween is the happiest time of the year? Or is that Christmas?'
"Bunny costumes, bunny costumes, bunny costumes," Usagi mumbled to herself, eyes scanning the colorful shelves of animal hides.
This was her third Halloween store today, her search for a cute, beautiful Halloween costume coming a dead end in each store. One of the bubbly blonde's plans was to dress up as a cute bunny rabbit, a pun on her own name. Minako (being Minako) had suggested dressing up as a slutty bunny rabbit. Obviously, that costume was shot down, but Usagi didn't mind the idea of dressing up as a cute animal.
'It would certainly get a chuckle from him,' she thought, a small smile gracing her blushing face. All of this stress and searching was just for one person to see, the most important person in her life. The person who she desperately wanted to think that she was cute and beautiful in her costume. 'I need to find the right one I have to!'
"Eukekia," the fourteen-year-old gasped with giddiness at her gem of a discovery. She pulled the bundle of plastic from the back, her eyes staring at the beauty it was.
It was a bunny rabbit costume for teens, the package coming with a long-bunny-eared headband, a fur-covered off-the-shoulder long-sleeved shirt, lacy leggings, and knee length lace-up street shoes. It was sexy but cute, perfect for the small girl.
She knew that this costume would be the perfect costume to get his attention in the right way; it wasn't too exposed, she knew that he didn't like girls who would go out and put themselves out there. It wasn't too modest, so it would hopefully reveal to him how beautiful and mature she could really be. Plus, he would most definitely get a laugh out of it.
'This is it, this is the one that will help change everything.' The blonde had long determined that tomorrow night would the night that she would finally, so to speak, "seduce" the tall handsome high school student.
The only solution she was able to come to was to wow him with her non-existent beauty since charming him with her personality wasn't going all that well. It needed to work, it had to work. 'He's going to college next year! I will have even less of a shot being against experienced college girls!'
'But no, I will win the heart of one Mamoru Chiba tomorrow night, even if one of my own Odangos pop from the stress of it all!'
The blonde was determined more than ever now that she could actually have a shot at finally getting noticed by him. Well getting noticed in the way she wanted, not the teasing way she was currently stuck in with him. Her heart beat faster as the image of his gorgeous face became front and center in her mind.
As she clutched the plastic package close to her chest, Usagi imagined how her big entrance would unfold.
'The automatic doors to the arcade would open, allowing the glowing girl to enter. Every person in the room would turn and gasp at the absolute beauty that she was. But one particular person, him, would be especially perplexed at the girl's beauty, scolding himself on how he had missed this ravishing creature of all the times they had interacted. The man would shamelessly let his eyes roam over her figure, drinking in her delicious curves. His intense gaze would land on her light blue eyes, blue would clash with blue. His cobalt eyes, the ones she would always avoid in fear of getting lost in them, would stare intently into hers, and this time, she could allow herself to look into them and hopelessly get lost in them. Those dark blue eyes that would be solely focused on her, and her alone-'
'TRICK OR TREAT, SMELL MYYYY FEEEETTTT!'
"AAAAAAAAHHHH!"
The very awoke blonde jumped five feet in the air and slammed her back into the shelves behind her, heart hammering against her chest.
"Oh my god, that was truly magnificent Odango!"
Usagi's unfocused eyes finally zeroed in on a hysterically laughing form in front of her, a certain tall dark-haired, blue-eyed, laughing form.
"Ohhh, that was amazing," Mamoru breathed out, attempting to recompose himself after the laughing fit. "Maybe I should buy this."
Heart still racing, the blonde looked to see a skull with a pirate's hat in his large hand. He quickly brought it up to eye level and hit a button on the side.
'TRICK OR TREAT, SMELL MYYYY FEEEETTTT!'
Usagi gasped. "You jerk, I could have fainted!"
"Oh relax Odango, your Odangos would have softened the fall."
She scoffed at his joke, annoyed already. "Just leave Mamoru-baka, I'm shopping."
He gestured to the store around them. "Well, obviously Odango. Did you wound up your Odangos too tight today? Circulation of blood to your head being cut off?"
"Hilarious, baka!"
"Ahh, so you do think I'm funny. And here I thought all my jokes were just going through one ear and out the other."
"Shut up!"
"Sorry I forgot you can't manage talking and using your eyes at the same time without getting a headache Odango."
"JUST SHUT UP!"
Mamoru was seriously taken back at that outburst, most of the time she would join in on the insult battle, but lately...lately was somehow different. He noticed their relationship has been more tense as of late. The tension coming mainly from the pigtailed girl, who used to have the same fire and passion that he would have in their arguments but now no longer did. He missed the blue fire he was so accustomed to.
"Are you okay? You've seemed rather tense and out of it lately with our little argument battles."
Pink once more made an appearance on her face, something that did not go unnoticed by Mamoru. "I'm fine, it's just I've been confused. Why are you so concerned?" 'Aren't I just some girl that you tease. Some girl that has the hugest crush on you and prays that one day you will look at me in a different light.'
"I'm just concerned, I have a heart Odango."
'Then how come I can never seem to win that beautiful heart?' "Could have fooled me," she uttered instead.
Mamoru's gaze landed on the package that she was still clutching tightly to her chest. "What costume did you get?"
"None of your business baka," she spat out, a blush dusting her cheeks once more. He of all people could not know what she was wearing to the party.
"Well it is my business technically," he went on, "You see, I'm your, what did you call it last week, "tormenter and mortal nemesis" so it is my duty as that to know your costume and insult ,as well as, tease it."
She narrowed her eyes at the high school student. "You can remember that, but not the fact that my name is Usagi?"
"I call it choosing to not call you by that specific name," he defended. "Odango Atama fits you so much better."
Huffing she got her back off the rack and went to leave the aisle. "Whatever baka, I have to go pay for this, so bye!"
As she passed him, a long arm snaked into her embrace and grasped the bundle of clothes, pulling it out of her arms.
"Hey! You baka, that's mine! GET YOUR OWN!"
Mamoru couldn't even really register Usagi's words, his mind was more focused on the costume currently in his hands. A revealing costume at that.
His mouth gaped at the amount of skin that could be exposed in this outfit, how much Usagi's skin that could be seen if she were to wear it. Her narrow delicate shoulders and collarbone would be barred as well as her shapely legs would be outlined greatly in the tight leggings.
'The tight lace leggings,' he corrected himself. There was no doubt in his mind that Usagi would look incredibly sexy and innocent in this costume, completely no doubt. The older teen went so far as to actually picture Usagi's face over the model's that was wearing the outfit on the cover.
But of course, what else that popped into his lustful mind was the fact that others will think the same thing, have the same feelings and sensations that he was having right then.
Anger and jealousy bubbled inside of him at the notion someone else would look at his Odango in that way. "Odango, where are you wearing this thing?"
Taken back by his gruffy and partially angered tone, she responded timidly, "To the arcade Halloween party tomorrow."
"WHAT?!" For the second time in the last ten minutes, Usagi jumped in the air at his exclamation.
His classmates would see Usagi….like this? Mamoru knew his graduating class all too well and knew the middle-schooler would not last through the night unscathed.
Contempt evident in his voice, the dark-haired student seethed, "Odango, you are not going to that party."
"Why?"
"Because it's only for high-schoolers, specifically seniors from me and Motoki's school. You are a middle-schooler so furthermore you can not go to a high school party."
The girl pouted angrily. "Well Motoki-chan said I could go and he's the one hosting the party which means I can go! He invited me and all my friends!"
"Well I'm co-host and I say you are disinvited to it," he spat back. "Especially not in this scrap of clothing."
Shock and hurt crossed her small features. "You don't like the costume?"
"Of course not!," he hissed through his teeth, images of his classmates drooling over her flashing in his mind. "It's a distasteful, ugly, horrible costume."
'He doesn't like the costume…,' Usagi thought grimly. The whole point of this shopping spree was to acquire the most beautiful costume that would grab his attention and finally make him see that she was more than Odango, the stupid silly middle-schooler. That she was Usagi, the beautiful and mature girl who's had a crush on him for months.
"Oh," she uttered quietly before a great idea came to mind. "What do you think I should buy as a Halloween costume Baka?"
"Well not this, that's for sure," he repeated once more. "How about this one, it looks like it suits you."
"Really?," she raised an eyebrow at the plastic package he had just handed her. It was a bunny rabbit costume alright, but it was a full bunny rabbit suit, the only thing that would be visible was her face through the head hole. "You would only see my face."
"I'm sure your Odangos would still be outlined, don't worry Odango," he joked mirthfully.
Usagi's eyes dropped back to the picture. 'Is this really how he thinks of me? As an immature little kid?'
Noticing her saddened look, he smirked. "What Odango Atama, don't approve of my choice?"
"No, I mean it's just..," she trailed off.
"Just what?"
"It's just...I wanted to wear something pretty and cute," she finished. 'Something that would get you to notice me as pretty and cute.'
Mamoru immediately caught onto her motive, red hot anger shot through his veins. "Who are you trying to impress Odango?" He couldn't keep the threatening tone out of his stern question.
A blush painted her cheeks, getting brighter at the fact that the person she was trying to impress was right here, in front of her. "No one, it's just for fun right," she lied straight through her white teeth.
'There's someone she likes? How is this possible!? It's someone that's going to the party, but Usagi doesn't know anybody from my school! Maybe she's doing it for Motoki, but wait her crush ended months ago for him! No! Usagi can not have a crush on anyone! It's not acceptable! Not in the slightest! I will kill whoever comes into contact with her!'
The ebony-head had grown rather fond of his sparring partner in the recent time they have spent together. He started to notice the little reactions his body and mind would do when he was with her.
His heart would beat a little harder when she was close, his palms would get sweaty when her gaze would land on him, his thoughts would conjure up images of her smiling and laughing at random times, the way a laugh bubbles up in his chest whenever she's up to her antics, his blood would get hotter when the sight of her legs under her skirt would come into view, a desire to crash his lips against hers waging a war within in his mind…
Mamoru couldn't change his feelings so he decided to surrender and admit that he might, might, (most definitely absolutely) have a small (massive) crush on Usagi. He always tried to snuff out the little infatuation in his heart, having the dead mindset that his feelings would never be returned, so why hope for misery and rejection.
Of course, this did not stop him from discouraging other suitors to stay away from his bunny.
And right now, the entire male population of his class would become suitors. Tuxedo Mask or not, even Mamoru knew that was too many suitors to fight off at once. He needed to snip this at the bud.
So he did what was natural: insult
"Well I can tell you right now," he began, "Nothing, no matter how beautiful or expensive it is, will ever make you, Odango, beautiful or even cute in the slightest. I mean you're Odango, it's not in your nature to be pretty." It pained him in the heart to say that to her, because if he was being honest with himself, she was one of the most angelic looking girls he had ever laid eyes on, always keeping his eyes on her when she was in the room.
But what really tore his heart out of his chest was the way the light faded from her eyes almost immediately after he said that.
"Really," she croaked, the sting of tears pricking her eyes.
More hesitantly than last time but nevertheless, still stern, he responded, "Yes, nothing. I believe that you are just cursed to be a little immature kid, Odango. No shame in it, you just can never be desireable to guys, especially high school seniors," he emphasized. He knew, without even knowing who this guy was, that he would be unfit and undeserving of Usagi's affections. He was saving her from heartbreak.
Each word burned into her mind, each cruel insincere word. 'That's what he thinks of me, an immature little kid who doesn't need a second look. I knew it the whole time, but he's really saying it. Nothing will change him on his views of me…..nothing….'
Eyes drooped, body slumped and defeated, Usagi bit back tears and looked straight into his blue depths with her own. "You're right Mamoru-san, I guess I will stay an immature little girl. No guy will ever look at me as the most beautiful girl they ever met...I shouldn't even try."
"Yes," he blurted out in happiness. "I mean, yes, no guy will like you that way ever. It'll take a miracle." 'It worked. Now I can be at peace knowing that the entire football team won't be eyeing her like a piece of meat.'
"I should just not go to the party tomorrow. You're right. Thank you Mamoru-san for your insight," she mumbled, tears threatening to fall. Saving herself the embarrassment, Usagi speed walked out of the aisle and the store, hot tears making their way down her cheeks.
'He will never love me back. I wish I can change, stop these feelings, but I can't. I will never stop losing my breath when he looks at me, never stop from getting dizzy when he stands close, my heart will never stop pitter-patting whenever I see him smile or laugh.'
It was then Usagi came to a horrifying realization as she ran home: 'I will never stop loving Mamoru Chiba.'
As he watched the pig-tailed blonde fly out of the store, Mamoru felt his blood ice over.
'All this over a guy she likes, a guy who has to be shown how amazing, beautiful, kind, funny, and wonderful she is. I already know these things but she chooses to adore someone who doesn't.'
He had been too harsh, but it was necessary in this situation. Usagi would get hurt going after whoever she had in mind. That was the question that was still very much present in his mind though: Who was Usagi Tsukino trying to impress?
"Usagi! Are you okay?!"
The running blonde ignored her mother who was the kitchen baking Halloween cookies and sprinted up the stairs to her room.
Slamming the door, Usagi flopped down on her bed with a sob escaping her lungs. She had cried throughout the whole run here, her throat and blue eyes becoming raw and red from the stress.
"Usagi-chan, what's wrong," a female voice echoed.
The girl's feline mentor jumped onto the bed, looking at her weeping charge through her red eyes. "Usagi-chan! Are you okay?"
Placing a small paw on the blonde's arm, she heard mumbled words.
"Usagi-chan, I am still learning muffled Usagi language. So please speak up a little more."
Lifting her head up a little, the fourteen-year-old spoke through her croaky voice. "Luna, he told me I could never be beautiful or even cute. He'll never see me as anything more than Odango."
The black feline immediately knew who "he" was, venom entering her body at the mention of him.
"I bumped into him at the Halloween store, and he said awful things," she wept, her voice becoming squeaky and raw against her dry throat.
Ever since Usagi had grown lovesome on the high school student, her mind had been so occupied, distracting the blonde from her guardian soldier duties much to Luna's disdain. "Usagi-chan maybe this is better, you have no time for boys with training taking up all your time. I think quitting this little crush you have on him will be better for yourself."
"But Luna, he's more than just a crush now," she sobbed into her comforter. "Even after all the awful things that he said, I still-still couldn't hate him, really hate him. I think-I think I love-"
"USAGI-CHAN," Luna cut off the dangerous word. "You are too young to realize what that word even means, I am sure that this is phase, just like what you went through with Motoki."
"No-no, no, this is different," the sniffling blonde defended, "Everytime I see him I get this feeling in my heart, deep in my heart. Even when he insults or teases me, I can't stop the feeling from happens because then he smiles or laughs and then-n I feel-I feel….complete for some reason."
The feline mentor unfortunately had the same feeling that Usagi had when she saw the dark-haired student. However the sensation she felt in her body was much different from her charge's. It was a feeling of intense hatred, as if Mamoru had done something or taken something away from the cat. It was a familiar feeling almost but Luna couldn't place it.
"But it doesn't matter," Usagi continued, "He'll never see me as anything more than a girl he likes to tease."
The fourteen-year-old would see countless beautiful girls his age hit on him relentlessly, the feeling of sadness and even anger would settle in the pit of her stomach as she would watch from afar. She craved, desired, for him to look at her in that heart-pounding way, to look at her as if she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. To have his unattainable love that none of those girls even got.
His damaging words echoed hollowly in her mind. "I mean, yes, no guy will like you that way ever. It'll take a miracle."
"A miracle," the blonde repeated. "A MIRACLE!"
"What?," Luna questioned, startled by her soldier's exclamation.
Ignoring her mentor, Usagi, tears now dried and gone, ran to her school bag that was tossed lazily on the floor. She searched through it, feeling for a long thin pink pen until-
"AHA!"
Luna's red eyes doubled in size, fear was evident in them. "Usagi-chan! That's only for missions, to be used for good only!"
"Well, I'll be a good-looking person," the moon guardian retaltiled. "I believe that qualifies, so…"
"USAGI-CHAN! GIVE IT TO ME!"
The wielding blonde moved in time with the black feline jumping into the air, attempting to claw the pen from the girl's hands. The red-eyed cat landed with a "THUMP" on the hard wooden floor of the bedroom.
"Honestly, Luna! You have no fun or romantic bone in your body," Usagi complained. "It's like you want me to end up alone and have four more talking cats."
Wasting no more time, Usagi held up the Moon disguise pen in the air.
"Moon Power! Change me into a cute bunny costume!"
A swirl of lights and ribbons filled the room, finally dying down to showcase a stunning bunny rabbit dressed girl in the place of Usagi.
"What do you think Luna," she asked happily. The newly dressed blonde was wearing a white leotard with a white puffball pinned behind, fishnet leggings, white go-go boots, and a bunny ears headband placed in between her shining buns of hair. She was the very definition of "cute bunny rabbit".
"USAGI, YOU CHANGE BACK RIGHT NOW," the cat wailed with anger bubbling up inside of her.
"Come on Lun, this could save me money and stress!"
"LOOK AT YOURSELF! YOUR FATHER WOULD NEVER LET YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE LIKE THAT!"
Examining herself in the mirror, the cute bunny made a face. "On second thought, I think this is too simple to wow Mamoru-san. I mean, I can be anything that I want."
The girl took on a sinister and devious look as she once more shot the pen in the air. 'If Mamoru-san doesn't think I'm beautiful, I'll make myself the most beautiful in the world!'
Seeing the terrifying display, Luna immediately tried to halt the action, but it was in vain.
"USAGI-CHAN!"
"MOON POWER! CHANGE ME INTO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COSTUME AND GIRL EVER!"
Well, first one out! Will post tomorrow the second part to the story! In the meantime, REVIEW MY READERS! I love them and appreciate each one no matter how short it is! I hope you guys liked the first chapter! Stay tuned in for more!
