4/30/01
By the River
By: Lelu
PG
E-mail: leluh16@yahoo.com
[Insert Standard Disclaimer]
Thank you to everyone who beta-ed this for me!
**
Holding you close to me,
It is then I realize
How much your warmth
Means to me. *
Sighing, Usagi placed her head on the cool window,
staring out the window. Glancing down briefly at the
notebook she held in her hands, she thought to
herself, 'I can't stand researching for these haikus.
What good do they have for me? After all, these
writers are all deceased…why is everyone so
obsessed with reviving the dead's work?' Her
thoughts were immediately halted as a familiar
mocking tone reached her ears.
"Do my eyes deceive me? Could that possible be
Tsukino Usagi in the library, on a Saturday?"
Heart pounding, mouth drying, she turned slowly,
and met the cool blue eyes of one Chiba Mamoru.
Oh, how her heart ached at the sight of his
impeccable dress. He was dressed in a black tuxedo
that emphasized his broad shoulders [and the
shininess of his polished black dress shoes. She
wondered where she could get such nice shoes in a
more feminine style.—MM put that in there… I
found it funny, so I let it be…^^;;] Sighing, she
braced herself for the barrage of insults that she knew
would come, as soon as she opened her mouth. 'Well,
might as well get the game started', she thought.
Snapping back, she said, "Unless you're blind, you
baka, it is me in a library! Why is that so hard to
believe?"
"Hmm…of course it was you, Usagi. I mean, who
else has those odangos on top of their head?" he
answered, his voice as smooth as silk.
Usagi glared at him, wishing that there were a knife
handy to throw into his hard chest. 'Why does he
always have to insult my hair?' she thought, idly
twisting a golden strand around her fingers. 'What's
so disturbing about it?' Out loud, she replied, "And
what are you doing, Mamoru, dressed in broad
daylight in a tuxedo?" Flipping her hair, she added
sarcastically, "Got a hot date or something?"
Smirking, he replied, "Why, are you jealous, Miss
Cow-tails??"
Her heart gave a violent wrench, noting with irony
how true his statement was. She would be jealous if
he really were going out with another woman. As
strange as it sounded, Usagi was head-over-heels in
love with this rude, older sempai. It was crazy, she
knew, pure craziness! After all, how could she have
fallen in love with such a man?
"Hey, are you deaf, too?"
Point taken- again she questioned herself, 'Why me?'
But already, she knew the answer. She had fallen in
love with him because she had seen the nice side of
him, the compassionate side of Mamoru that did
come out when he thought that no one was watching.
But she was always watching him- sweatdropping,
she hastily told herself that she hadn't been watching
him in a stalker-type way. She couldn't help that
every time he entered a room, her eyes were
automatically drawn to him. She couldn't help that
every time he made some small gesture, she could
notice it immediately. She couldn't help it that every
time she saw him smile so charmingly to another girl
that she felt like crying. She couldn't help that she felt
the way that she did for him. After many excruciating
nights of wondering just exactly what she did feel for
him, she had decided that there was just one answer:
"Darnit, Usagi, pay attention to me!"
She was in love with the idiot. 'Eesh, what a
depressing thought.' Suddenly, she felt herself being
shook. "Nani?!" she snapped at him, forgetting that
she was in the library.
"Ssssh!" he replied, placing his finger over her lips
for emphasis.
Shocked, her eyes grew large, her blue eyes turning
transparent. Her senses faded away, until the only
thing she could feel was his finger pressing against
her lips. 'What a warm sensation', she thought. 'How
could it come from just a simple touch?' But then
again, he just wasn't anything simple. He was
Mamoru, her Mamo-chan.
Mamoru watched, amazed, as she responded so
tenderly to his action. Her lips were so soft under his
finger, and he wished that it just wasn't his finger that
had been pushed against her mouth. 'I wonder how it
would feel to…to have her kiss me…' Abruptly, he
stopped his train of thought. 'Iie,' he thought. 'Don't
wish for the impossible.' Slowly, he removed his
finger- he noticed his whole hand was shaking- and
brought it down to his side. "You…you shouldn't talk
loudly in the library, Odango," he said. "It could get
you in trouble."
"…Trouble…" she echoed, not really hearing him,
only wishing for more of his warmth.
"Hey, Usagi, wake-up…It's not fun when you don't
pay attention to me."
At his command, she looked up at him, blue eyes
slightly glazed over with happiness. "Hai, Mamoru-
baka?"
Mamoru glared down at her, inwardly recoiling by
the look in her eyes. He knew that look; it was the
look he so often got whenever he thought of Usagi.
Shock penetrated his numb brain: Usagi was in love.
'But she couldn't be,' some part of him protested.
'She has to love me!' But he couldn't deny what he
had seen in those crystalline eyes of hers. Her eyes
were so easy to read. He wanted to shake his head in
denial, but knew he couldn't. 'I finally realized
exactly what she means to me, and now I see this…'
He braced himself, and mentally built up his walls
again. This could not happen. He would take down
Usagi for doing this to him…and he would find out
exactly who was the man who had captured her
fancy.
"Usagi," he said, straightening his suit jacket, "why
*are* you in the library? Such an empty-headed girl
doesn't belong in this type of place." When she
didn't respond, it made him angrier, and he
continued, not even thinking about what he was
saying. He focused his anger on his words. "You
shouldn't even be here! Only some-what intelligent
people should be allowed on here, and you…" he
gave her a withering glare. "…you come no where
near that list. And furthermore-"
A tiny pair of hands, clenched into fists, slammed
onto the table. "Enough!" Usagi shouted, gathering
everyone's attention. "I've heard enough!" She stared
rebelliously at Mamoru, eyes shimmering with tears.
"You don't think I know that?" she yelled back at
him, ignoring the whispered, 'ssssh's,' around them.
" Do you think that I actually *want* to be here? To
waste a beautiful day like this?" she gestured wildly
toward the window, where the sun shone down about
the ground, kissing it with its sunlight.
He gazed at her mindlessly, all his anger forgotten
when he saw her blue eyes flashing dangerously at
him.
"What is wrong with you, Mamoru?!" Usagi was
steamed, incensed, angered…just about any word
could describe her at that moment, including
lovesick, which made her *truly* sick to her
stomach. "You yelled at me when I don't pay
attention to you and then you yelled at me when I
did! And now, you're making fun of my study
habits? Again?" She thrust back her chair, stood up,
and grabbed her books carelessly. "It was ridiculous
of you to come and pick a fight with me for no
reason. But to say such things as you did before…"
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands,
ashamed to have Mamoru see her like this, "that was
just unacceptable." She marched around him, her
white dress flaring to mid-thigh. "I suggest, Mamoru-
san," Usagi coldly said, "that you do not speak to
me…unless it is an apology." With that, she walked
out of the room and out of the library, leaving
Mamoru to the uncomfortable stares from the
witnesses of the fight.
She ran past so many things…stores, people,
signs…they were all a blur to her. Her feet pounded
on the pavement, his words echoing over and over in
her head. Still angry, she thought, 'How *dare* he
have said those things to me! Why…I…I…I should
have…'
'Should have what, Usagi?' came a little voice in the
corner of her mind. 'Should have thrown yourself at
him and kissed him passionately and forgiven him for
everything that he had said?'
'No way!' she argued. 'Never!' But a pang of
longing came over her and she stopped running,
blinking. She looked around and realized where she
had ran to…
She had run to her secret little place; the place where
she came every time she needed to think. She looked
at the river…The surface of the water sparkled from
the sun, clean and unpolluted. Sitting down on the
ground, she removed her socks and shoes, dipping
her feet into the water. Tipping her head back and
shutting her eyes, she leaned back on her arms and let
the sun shine upon her face, warming her soul to no
end.
His eyes devoured her body; her neck was so slender,
her face blissfully pure of any and all emotions.
Golden hair trailed down by the side of her body,
pooling on the ground. Usagi was so beautiful, how
could he have missed it before? Mamoru's heart
tightened in his chest, realizing, again, that he had
fallen in love with her.
A slight breeze went through the air. 'It's getting
chilly,' she thought. Opening her eyes, she spied a
large rock on the bank to her left. She stood up and
walked over to it, barefoot, and sat down, basking in
the sun. it. The water wet up to her calves now. It was
too cold, she decided, and drew her legs up
underneath her, crouching on the rock in a precarious
position.
And then she heard a twig crack.
She spun around quickly…which proved to be a bad
move. Headfirst into the water she went, white dress
flailing around her in all its glory.
Mamoru's eyes widened. 'Oops,' he thought, looking
down at his foot, where, indeed, the twig was under
the sole of his shoe. 'My mistake.'
Usagi emerged out of the river, the white dress stuck
to her skin, emphasizing every curve of her young
body. Scowling furiously at herself, she looked
down.
And blushed.
'My dress! Oh god…why did I have to wear white?'
But then she remembered the reason for her accident.
Immediately alert, she scanned the area around her. It
seemed like there was nothing there, but she knew
she had heard something.... And then she saw *him*,
her jaw dropping. The man who made her heart
pound furiously every time she saw him; the man
who could infuriate her yet make her so wonderfully
happy…
Mamoru had followed her here.
Finally finding her voice, she called to him,
"Mamoru…how did you find me?" But the distance
between them was too far apart, and he couldn't hear
her. He emerged out of the bushes, brushing the twigs
off of his tuxedo, and walked towards her
"Ano…Mamoru-san…" Usagi really didn't know
what to say to him, now that he was less than 3 feet
away from her. It was the most bizarre situation she
could think of. They had fought, as usual, and had
both said things they didn't mean—it was what
always happened. "I don't even know what to
think…And *don't* say whatever it is you were
planning on saying!" She had caught the twinkle in
his eyes when she had made the remark of not being
able to think.
Grinning, he replied, "I wouldn't never, Usagi."
Arching an eyebrow, eyes doubtful, she shot back,
"You have many times before." When he threw her a
sardonic look, she added, "As I have, too…But you
don't have to be so mean about it!"
"Gomen nasai."
She blinked at him, disbelieving the words that had
just come from his mouth. "Excuse me?"
Pained, he glared at her. "Go*men*, na*sai*," he
repeated, stressing the syllables of each word. When
she continued to stare at him, fascinated, he said
sarcastically, "Do you need me to repeat that again?"
Usagi stood there for a few minutes, shocked. Then,
slowly, she reached out and poked him. And poked
him. And poked him. And…
Mamoru grabbed her hand and held it in his. "Would
you please stop that?"
"I was just checking to see if you were real. And if
you are, would you mind telling me what you did
with Mamoru-baka?" She extricated her hand from
his- instantly regretting the incredible warmth that he
had given to her ones- and tapped her foot
impatiently, crossing her arms over her chest.
Laughing, (he was always so amused by her!), he
reached over and ruffled her hair affectionately. "I
am the real 'Mamoru-baka,'…I'm just more…" he
searched his mind for the word he wanted,
"…aware."
Usagi's eyes opened to an incredible width when he
spoke his last word. His voice had gone down to an
incredibly sexy pitch, and her youthful heart was
pounding erratically. "Um…" she squeaked, "could
you please define aware for me?"
Mamoru could feel it- this was his opening line, the
one he had been waiting for. Gathering his courage,
he took a few breaths and said, "Usagi, I think…no, I
*know* I lo-"
She sneezed.
He stared.
Mamoru couldn't believe it. He had waited patiently
for so long to tell this bunny that he loved her, and
when he had finally gotten his chance, she had
sneezed! Sneezed for god's sake! And not only that,
but…his mental rant trailed off when he noticed that
her skin was turning a faint shade of blue and that her
body was trembling…no, she was shivering. "Oh my
god," he mumbled, reaching his arm out towards her,
inwardly pleased when she didn't draw back, but
continued to stare at him with large blue eyes.
"Usagi, are you all right?"
She sneezed again and brushed her fingers under her
nose. "H-hai, Ma…Mamoru…" Almost
instantaneously, she found herself in his warm
embrace. His arms locked behind her waist, pinning
her arms against his chest. Her head nearly rolled off
her shoulders. What was he doing? Was he aware
that she loved him and just being so nice to torture
her? This was horrible! Her eyes began to swim with
tears, and she turned her face to the side so he
wouldn't notice the shimmering wetness of her eyes.
"Usagi…Usagi-chan, what's wrong?"
She was wrong; he had noticed. She felt his arms
tighten around her waist again to an almost painful
hug…but it wasn't. "Mamoru…I…She buried her
head in his chest and mumbled to herself, "Why are
you doing this to me?"
He stared down at the woman in his arms. "I didn't
hear you," he said gently, bringing one hand up to tilt
her chin back, alert when he noticed her tears. "Could
you please repeat what you said?"
Her mouth gaped like a fish, and he desperately tried
to restrain from laughing at her comical expression.
He took his finger and shut her jaw, tapping her on
the nose and saying, "You know, you look like a fish
when you do that."
Usagi scowled at him, but turned her face away
again. Curiosity, however, made her stare him
straight on and say, "Ne, Mamoru…what were you
going to say to me?"
"I…um…I forgot."
His answer had been blurted out so quickly that
Usagi was nearly positive that he was lying. That and
because his heartbeat, which she could hear and feel,
had sped up. Deciding in that split second to risk it
all, she pulled one of her arms out of his grip and
began to trace a little circle on his chest. "Care to try
again?" She grinned devilishly as she felt his back
straighten.
"Usagi…"
His eyes had faded to a dark blue that reminded her
of sapphires…an indescribable look masked his
feelings…but she knew… she knew what he wanted
to say…
"Hai, Mamoru?"
"Usagi…"
He was so nervous…so incredibly nervous. Just a
few moments before, he hadn't been…but his chance
was taken away so quickly that he was almost
positive that the Fates had made it that way so he
didn't have to be nervous. But now…she was
pressuring him with such a look on her
face…pleading…
Her blue eyes pleading to him to say what she
thought she already knew…
Beautiful azure eyes…
Mamoru reached out to her…and drowned in his
emotions…everything spun…the world spun…but
she was still in his arms…he would hold her
forever…
"I love you."
His eyes opened wide. She had…
"Mamoru… I love you."
He gaped at her, shocked. Finding his voice, eyes full
of hope…"Do you really think it's possible, Usagi?"
he asked. His arms tightened around her petite form,
crushing her to him, yet the embrace was suprisingly
tender. "Is it possible that you could really love me?"
Trying to keep from bursting into tears, she answered
from her heart. "Yes, it's possible, you baka! I already
do!"
He craned his head down towards her, positioning his
mouth by her ear, his deep voice sending tremors
along her spine. "Usagi…I love you, too." He pulled
back a bit, and focused on the look of her face:
Joy.
He smiled beautifully at her ('There was no other
way to describe it, she thought), and began to slowly
move towards the direction of her lips…
But just before his kiss was delivered, she pressed a
finger on his mouth. He looked down at her curiously
while she stared up playfully at him.
"What is it, Usagi?"
She pouted and looked away. "You made me fall in
the river!"
His laughter echoed throughout the clearing, but
halted when he looked at her again. "Gomen nasai…"
Usagi blushed fiercely as she noted the intent in his
gleaming eyes. "Ne, Mamoru…I…"
He stopped, tilting his head. "Hai?"
"I…"
Mamoru grinned- that was the hesitation he had
needed. Gently, he pressed his lips to hers…
She smiled against his lips, reveling in her very first
kiss. And when he pulled back, she blinked a few
times, then found the words that she felt would best
describe her feelings:
"Magic, Mamoru…You're magic."
He quirked his eyebrows at her, soft mouth arching
upwards.
"I feel magic whenever you're around, Usagi. You're
the magic. And do you know what happens when two
people make this kind of special magic together?"
"What?" she questioned breathlessly.
His eyes twinkled boyishly, happy she had fallen for
the bait.
"They live happily ever after."
**
*My poem.
E-mail me.
leluh16@yahoo.com
By the River
By: Lelu
PG
E-mail: leluh16@yahoo.com
[Insert Standard Disclaimer]
Thank you to everyone who beta-ed this for me!
**
Holding you close to me,
It is then I realize
How much your warmth
Means to me. *
Sighing, Usagi placed her head on the cool window,
staring out the window. Glancing down briefly at the
notebook she held in her hands, she thought to
herself, 'I can't stand researching for these haikus.
What good do they have for me? After all, these
writers are all deceased…why is everyone so
obsessed with reviving the dead's work?' Her
thoughts were immediately halted as a familiar
mocking tone reached her ears.
"Do my eyes deceive me? Could that possible be
Tsukino Usagi in the library, on a Saturday?"
Heart pounding, mouth drying, she turned slowly,
and met the cool blue eyes of one Chiba Mamoru.
Oh, how her heart ached at the sight of his
impeccable dress. He was dressed in a black tuxedo
that emphasized his broad shoulders [and the
shininess of his polished black dress shoes. She
wondered where she could get such nice shoes in a
more feminine style.—MM put that in there… I
found it funny, so I let it be…^^;;] Sighing, she
braced herself for the barrage of insults that she knew
would come, as soon as she opened her mouth. 'Well,
might as well get the game started', she thought.
Snapping back, she said, "Unless you're blind, you
baka, it is me in a library! Why is that so hard to
believe?"
"Hmm…of course it was you, Usagi. I mean, who
else has those odangos on top of their head?" he
answered, his voice as smooth as silk.
Usagi glared at him, wishing that there were a knife
handy to throw into his hard chest. 'Why does he
always have to insult my hair?' she thought, idly
twisting a golden strand around her fingers. 'What's
so disturbing about it?' Out loud, she replied, "And
what are you doing, Mamoru, dressed in broad
daylight in a tuxedo?" Flipping her hair, she added
sarcastically, "Got a hot date or something?"
Smirking, he replied, "Why, are you jealous, Miss
Cow-tails??"
Her heart gave a violent wrench, noting with irony
how true his statement was. She would be jealous if
he really were going out with another woman. As
strange as it sounded, Usagi was head-over-heels in
love with this rude, older sempai. It was crazy, she
knew, pure craziness! After all, how could she have
fallen in love with such a man?
"Hey, are you deaf, too?"
Point taken- again she questioned herself, 'Why me?'
But already, she knew the answer. She had fallen in
love with him because she had seen the nice side of
him, the compassionate side of Mamoru that did
come out when he thought that no one was watching.
But she was always watching him- sweatdropping,
she hastily told herself that she hadn't been watching
him in a stalker-type way. She couldn't help that
every time he entered a room, her eyes were
automatically drawn to him. She couldn't help that
every time he made some small gesture, she could
notice it immediately. She couldn't help it that every
time she saw him smile so charmingly to another girl
that she felt like crying. She couldn't help that she felt
the way that she did for him. After many excruciating
nights of wondering just exactly what she did feel for
him, she had decided that there was just one answer:
"Darnit, Usagi, pay attention to me!"
She was in love with the idiot. 'Eesh, what a
depressing thought.' Suddenly, she felt herself being
shook. "Nani?!" she snapped at him, forgetting that
she was in the library.
"Ssssh!" he replied, placing his finger over her lips
for emphasis.
Shocked, her eyes grew large, her blue eyes turning
transparent. Her senses faded away, until the only
thing she could feel was his finger pressing against
her lips. 'What a warm sensation', she thought. 'How
could it come from just a simple touch?' But then
again, he just wasn't anything simple. He was
Mamoru, her Mamo-chan.
Mamoru watched, amazed, as she responded so
tenderly to his action. Her lips were so soft under his
finger, and he wished that it just wasn't his finger that
had been pushed against her mouth. 'I wonder how it
would feel to…to have her kiss me…' Abruptly, he
stopped his train of thought. 'Iie,' he thought. 'Don't
wish for the impossible.' Slowly, he removed his
finger- he noticed his whole hand was shaking- and
brought it down to his side. "You…you shouldn't talk
loudly in the library, Odango," he said. "It could get
you in trouble."
"…Trouble…" she echoed, not really hearing him,
only wishing for more of his warmth.
"Hey, Usagi, wake-up…It's not fun when you don't
pay attention to me."
At his command, she looked up at him, blue eyes
slightly glazed over with happiness. "Hai, Mamoru-
baka?"
Mamoru glared down at her, inwardly recoiling by
the look in her eyes. He knew that look; it was the
look he so often got whenever he thought of Usagi.
Shock penetrated his numb brain: Usagi was in love.
'But she couldn't be,' some part of him protested.
'She has to love me!' But he couldn't deny what he
had seen in those crystalline eyes of hers. Her eyes
were so easy to read. He wanted to shake his head in
denial, but knew he couldn't. 'I finally realized
exactly what she means to me, and now I see this…'
He braced himself, and mentally built up his walls
again. This could not happen. He would take down
Usagi for doing this to him…and he would find out
exactly who was the man who had captured her
fancy.
"Usagi," he said, straightening his suit jacket, "why
*are* you in the library? Such an empty-headed girl
doesn't belong in this type of place." When she
didn't respond, it made him angrier, and he
continued, not even thinking about what he was
saying. He focused his anger on his words. "You
shouldn't even be here! Only some-what intelligent
people should be allowed on here, and you…" he
gave her a withering glare. "…you come no where
near that list. And furthermore-"
A tiny pair of hands, clenched into fists, slammed
onto the table. "Enough!" Usagi shouted, gathering
everyone's attention. "I've heard enough!" She stared
rebelliously at Mamoru, eyes shimmering with tears.
"You don't think I know that?" she yelled back at
him, ignoring the whispered, 'ssssh's,' around them.
" Do you think that I actually *want* to be here? To
waste a beautiful day like this?" she gestured wildly
toward the window, where the sun shone down about
the ground, kissing it with its sunlight.
He gazed at her mindlessly, all his anger forgotten
when he saw her blue eyes flashing dangerously at
him.
"What is wrong with you, Mamoru?!" Usagi was
steamed, incensed, angered…just about any word
could describe her at that moment, including
lovesick, which made her *truly* sick to her
stomach. "You yelled at me when I don't pay
attention to you and then you yelled at me when I
did! And now, you're making fun of my study
habits? Again?" She thrust back her chair, stood up,
and grabbed her books carelessly. "It was ridiculous
of you to come and pick a fight with me for no
reason. But to say such things as you did before…"
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands,
ashamed to have Mamoru see her like this, "that was
just unacceptable." She marched around him, her
white dress flaring to mid-thigh. "I suggest, Mamoru-
san," Usagi coldly said, "that you do not speak to
me…unless it is an apology." With that, she walked
out of the room and out of the library, leaving
Mamoru to the uncomfortable stares from the
witnesses of the fight.
She ran past so many things…stores, people,
signs…they were all a blur to her. Her feet pounded
on the pavement, his words echoing over and over in
her head. Still angry, she thought, 'How *dare* he
have said those things to me! Why…I…I…I should
have…'
'Should have what, Usagi?' came a little voice in the
corner of her mind. 'Should have thrown yourself at
him and kissed him passionately and forgiven him for
everything that he had said?'
'No way!' she argued. 'Never!' But a pang of
longing came over her and she stopped running,
blinking. She looked around and realized where she
had ran to…
She had run to her secret little place; the place where
she came every time she needed to think. She looked
at the river…The surface of the water sparkled from
the sun, clean and unpolluted. Sitting down on the
ground, she removed her socks and shoes, dipping
her feet into the water. Tipping her head back and
shutting her eyes, she leaned back on her arms and let
the sun shine upon her face, warming her soul to no
end.
His eyes devoured her body; her neck was so slender,
her face blissfully pure of any and all emotions.
Golden hair trailed down by the side of her body,
pooling on the ground. Usagi was so beautiful, how
could he have missed it before? Mamoru's heart
tightened in his chest, realizing, again, that he had
fallen in love with her.
A slight breeze went through the air. 'It's getting
chilly,' she thought. Opening her eyes, she spied a
large rock on the bank to her left. She stood up and
walked over to it, barefoot, and sat down, basking in
the sun. it. The water wet up to her calves now. It was
too cold, she decided, and drew her legs up
underneath her, crouching on the rock in a precarious
position.
And then she heard a twig crack.
She spun around quickly…which proved to be a bad
move. Headfirst into the water she went, white dress
flailing around her in all its glory.
Mamoru's eyes widened. 'Oops,' he thought, looking
down at his foot, where, indeed, the twig was under
the sole of his shoe. 'My mistake.'
Usagi emerged out of the river, the white dress stuck
to her skin, emphasizing every curve of her young
body. Scowling furiously at herself, she looked
down.
And blushed.
'My dress! Oh god…why did I have to wear white?'
But then she remembered the reason for her accident.
Immediately alert, she scanned the area around her. It
seemed like there was nothing there, but she knew
she had heard something.... And then she saw *him*,
her jaw dropping. The man who made her heart
pound furiously every time she saw him; the man
who could infuriate her yet make her so wonderfully
happy…
Mamoru had followed her here.
Finally finding her voice, she called to him,
"Mamoru…how did you find me?" But the distance
between them was too far apart, and he couldn't hear
her. He emerged out of the bushes, brushing the twigs
off of his tuxedo, and walked towards her
"Ano…Mamoru-san…" Usagi really didn't know
what to say to him, now that he was less than 3 feet
away from her. It was the most bizarre situation she
could think of. They had fought, as usual, and had
both said things they didn't mean—it was what
always happened. "I don't even know what to
think…And *don't* say whatever it is you were
planning on saying!" She had caught the twinkle in
his eyes when she had made the remark of not being
able to think.
Grinning, he replied, "I wouldn't never, Usagi."
Arching an eyebrow, eyes doubtful, she shot back,
"You have many times before." When he threw her a
sardonic look, she added, "As I have, too…But you
don't have to be so mean about it!"
"Gomen nasai."
She blinked at him, disbelieving the words that had
just come from his mouth. "Excuse me?"
Pained, he glared at her. "Go*men*, na*sai*," he
repeated, stressing the syllables of each word. When
she continued to stare at him, fascinated, he said
sarcastically, "Do you need me to repeat that again?"
Usagi stood there for a few minutes, shocked. Then,
slowly, she reached out and poked him. And poked
him. And poked him. And…
Mamoru grabbed her hand and held it in his. "Would
you please stop that?"
"I was just checking to see if you were real. And if
you are, would you mind telling me what you did
with Mamoru-baka?" She extricated her hand from
his- instantly regretting the incredible warmth that he
had given to her ones- and tapped her foot
impatiently, crossing her arms over her chest.
Laughing, (he was always so amused by her!), he
reached over and ruffled her hair affectionately. "I
am the real 'Mamoru-baka,'…I'm just more…" he
searched his mind for the word he wanted,
"…aware."
Usagi's eyes opened to an incredible width when he
spoke his last word. His voice had gone down to an
incredibly sexy pitch, and her youthful heart was
pounding erratically. "Um…" she squeaked, "could
you please define aware for me?"
Mamoru could feel it- this was his opening line, the
one he had been waiting for. Gathering his courage,
he took a few breaths and said, "Usagi, I think…no, I
*know* I lo-"
She sneezed.
He stared.
Mamoru couldn't believe it. He had waited patiently
for so long to tell this bunny that he loved her, and
when he had finally gotten his chance, she had
sneezed! Sneezed for god's sake! And not only that,
but…his mental rant trailed off when he noticed that
her skin was turning a faint shade of blue and that her
body was trembling…no, she was shivering. "Oh my
god," he mumbled, reaching his arm out towards her,
inwardly pleased when she didn't draw back, but
continued to stare at him with large blue eyes.
"Usagi, are you all right?"
She sneezed again and brushed her fingers under her
nose. "H-hai, Ma…Mamoru…" Almost
instantaneously, she found herself in his warm
embrace. His arms locked behind her waist, pinning
her arms against his chest. Her head nearly rolled off
her shoulders. What was he doing? Was he aware
that she loved him and just being so nice to torture
her? This was horrible! Her eyes began to swim with
tears, and she turned her face to the side so he
wouldn't notice the shimmering wetness of her eyes.
"Usagi…Usagi-chan, what's wrong?"
She was wrong; he had noticed. She felt his arms
tighten around her waist again to an almost painful
hug…but it wasn't. "Mamoru…I…She buried her
head in his chest and mumbled to herself, "Why are
you doing this to me?"
He stared down at the woman in his arms. "I didn't
hear you," he said gently, bringing one hand up to tilt
her chin back, alert when he noticed her tears. "Could
you please repeat what you said?"
Her mouth gaped like a fish, and he desperately tried
to restrain from laughing at her comical expression.
He took his finger and shut her jaw, tapping her on
the nose and saying, "You know, you look like a fish
when you do that."
Usagi scowled at him, but turned her face away
again. Curiosity, however, made her stare him
straight on and say, "Ne, Mamoru…what were you
going to say to me?"
"I…um…I forgot."
His answer had been blurted out so quickly that
Usagi was nearly positive that he was lying. That and
because his heartbeat, which she could hear and feel,
had sped up. Deciding in that split second to risk it
all, she pulled one of her arms out of his grip and
began to trace a little circle on his chest. "Care to try
again?" She grinned devilishly as she felt his back
straighten.
"Usagi…"
His eyes had faded to a dark blue that reminded her
of sapphires…an indescribable look masked his
feelings…but she knew… she knew what he wanted
to say…
"Hai, Mamoru?"
"Usagi…"
He was so nervous…so incredibly nervous. Just a
few moments before, he hadn't been…but his chance
was taken away so quickly that he was almost
positive that the Fates had made it that way so he
didn't have to be nervous. But now…she was
pressuring him with such a look on her
face…pleading…
Her blue eyes pleading to him to say what she
thought she already knew…
Beautiful azure eyes…
Mamoru reached out to her…and drowned in his
emotions…everything spun…the world spun…but
she was still in his arms…he would hold her
forever…
"I love you."
His eyes opened wide. She had…
"Mamoru… I love you."
He gaped at her, shocked. Finding his voice, eyes full
of hope…"Do you really think it's possible, Usagi?"
he asked. His arms tightened around her petite form,
crushing her to him, yet the embrace was suprisingly
tender. "Is it possible that you could really love me?"
Trying to keep from bursting into tears, she answered
from her heart. "Yes, it's possible, you baka! I already
do!"
He craned his head down towards her, positioning his
mouth by her ear, his deep voice sending tremors
along her spine. "Usagi…I love you, too." He pulled
back a bit, and focused on the look of her face:
Joy.
He smiled beautifully at her ('There was no other
way to describe it, she thought), and began to slowly
move towards the direction of her lips…
But just before his kiss was delivered, she pressed a
finger on his mouth. He looked down at her curiously
while she stared up playfully at him.
"What is it, Usagi?"
She pouted and looked away. "You made me fall in
the river!"
His laughter echoed throughout the clearing, but
halted when he looked at her again. "Gomen nasai…"
Usagi blushed fiercely as she noted the intent in his
gleaming eyes. "Ne, Mamoru…I…"
He stopped, tilting his head. "Hai?"
"I…"
Mamoru grinned- that was the hesitation he had
needed. Gently, he pressed his lips to hers…
She smiled against his lips, reveling in her very first
kiss. And when he pulled back, she blinked a few
times, then found the words that she felt would best
describe her feelings:
"Magic, Mamoru…You're magic."
He quirked his eyebrows at her, soft mouth arching
upwards.
"I feel magic whenever you're around, Usagi. You're
the magic. And do you know what happens when two
people make this kind of special magic together?"
"What?" she questioned breathlessly.
His eyes twinkled boyishly, happy she had fallen for
the bait.
"They live happily ever after."
**
*My poem.
E-mail me.
leluh16@yahoo.com