Astone

The change began in their exchanges with one another, slowly at first.

A backhanded compliment one day became a slightly concealed smile the next.

Neither would admit to any thing other than deep seeded resentment for the other to anyone.

There are those times, brief in their existence as they may be, that let's others glimpse the undercurrent of affection that builds in each confrontation.

That is where the story, finally, begins it's fated nascent.

It began as any other for our illustrious duo. Each separately going about their day as usual, which of course means that Usagi was late for classes and received detention from Haruna-sensei first thing.

Mamoru on the other hand, punctual to a fault, had an uneventful day.

The norm to any that knew the two.

It seemed that fate had ideas for them they could not deter from.

(Ever wondered how Usagi always got detention that extended her day at school, placing her time of arrival at the crown just moments behind Mamoru's)?

It was blindingly bright in the afternoon sun. Even the birds hardly made a sound, cloaked in the heat of the day. Heavy footsteps clomped down the sidewalk on the path to the Crown game center. A sigh escaped as soon as she faced the sliding glass doors of her daily escape. Motoki turned when the sound reached his ears.

"Usagi-san, sorry the arcade is closed today." Motoki said with an apologetic smile.

Usagi's face fell as she closed her eyes for a moment. "Oh? What happened?"

Motoki stood back to look at his sign on the door. "We are having it repainted. It should only take a few days. I will be working with Unazuki at the Fruit parlor until then."

She nodded her head. "Well I guess I can live without Sailor V for that long." she said with a short laugh.

Motoki's eyes crinkled when he smiled back and another sigh almost slipped past her lips, although for a completely different reason that the first. He's just so cute! Usagi thought with a smile.

"Come on up and I'll buy you a soda." He offered

"Really? Thanks' Motoki-onii-san!" Usagi squealed as she jumped into the air. Just then the hold on her satchel went lax and it flew into the space behind her.

She heard a thunk and then "Ouch!" Usagi cringed at the voice.

"Oh no."

"Odango!" Usagi ran without looking back at the infuriated man stalking after her.

Motoki turned and grabbed Mamoru's upper arm as he sped by.

"Let go Motoki." He said darkly.

"Mamoru calm down. You know she didn't do it on purpose. It was an accident."

Mamoru glared at him. "Nothing is an accident with that girl. She is going to give me brain damage."

"You can't damage what you don't have!" Her voice floated back to them from around the corner, safely out of sight.

Mamoru's face turned red as his eyes narrowed. "Just wait until Motoki let's go you little brat!" A mocking pfff was all he got in response.

"Come on Chiba, lay off." Mamoru's shoulders slumped as he realized just what he was doing on a sidewalk in front of passers by.

A harsh "Fine." was forced out as Motoki let go of his arm. He brushed the wrinkles out of his deep blue shirt while Motoki closed the gate on the shop front.

"Come on." Motoki said turning to the direction Usagi had run off in. "I was going to treat Usagi to a soda, how about something to cool your bruised ego… Uh head?" Motoki laughed patting Mamoru on the back.

He shot a dirty look at his blond friend. "Yeah why not."

As Mamoru turned the corner he dropped Usagi's bag into her hands. "You might want to keep a tighter grip next time, you spazed out Odango Atama." He growled from between his teeth.

Usagi glared and followed them up to the fruit parlor, sticking out her tongue at the back of his head.

The three strode in and sat at the counter, Motoki sitting in the middle to prevent another bout of violence from the two antagonists.

Motoki's sister came over to take their orders and began a conversation with Usagi after placing drinks in front of them.

Unazuki leaned over the counter whispering something to the other girl making her laugh.

Mamoru's eyebrow shot up as he glanced at her.

Shaking his head he scoffed. "Motoki I don't understand how you can put up with that kid every day. Doesn't she drive you insane?"

Motoki just smiled as his friend ranted.

"I know you have a sister, but I don't see her acting like Odango over there." He went back to sipping his drink with a sigh.

"She's getting to you huh?" Motoki grinned.

Mamoru nearly sprayed him in soda. "You can't be serious!" He choked out. "You and your asinine beliefs."

"She's getting to you." He stated with a nod. His green eyes sparkling with humor over his friends incredulous look.

"Usagi-Chan!" sounded a chorus of voices from the entrance.

"Mina-san!" A group of girls came through the doors with smiles on their faces for the blond headed ball of energy bouncing toward them.

"Ne, I thought you all had things to do today."

Rei flipped her raven locks over her shoulder. "Grandpa let me go early. He said my negative thoughts were driving away all the girls from the temple."

"We had an electrical malfunction while studying. All the computers crashed. I think some one uploaded a virus." Ami said with a frown. Usagi thought she heard a muttered "Ingrates." from the blue haired girl but couldn't be sure.

"I ditched practice. There wasn't any one there that posed a challenge. Weak little collage kids." Makoto scoffed.

Mamoru and Motoki blanched a bit after overhearing her statement, Motoki's shoulders slumped as he leaned over his drink. Usagi laughed and grabbed her arm.

"That's too bad, but now we can get a booth and gossip!" She glanced at Mamoru.

"Motoki-san, Thank you for the soda!"

"No problem Usagi." He said as she made he way over to the booth her friends had piled into.

Mamoru shuddered. "Great now they're all becoming like her."

Motoki rolled his eyes. "Do you always have to insult her Mamoru? You know she's a very nice young lady."

Mamoru stared at his friend for a moment, then shook his head with a scoff.

"Motoki, listen to your self for a second. Odango is not a young lady. She's a whining, lazy kid! If she ever applies herself Japan would probably sink into the ocean."

"Let's hope you are the only one left in Japan when that happens!" Said a voice behind them.

Motoki had a pained look on his face as Mamoru slowly turned in his seat to face the irate girl standing there with her arms crossed.

"Oi! Odango, don't you know it is rude to listen to others conversations?"

"Well, Mamoru no Baka, since I only came over to order sodas for my friends I would say I wasn't eavesdropping." She said with a jab of her thumb over a shoulder. He watched as her hair slipped around her like silk. Mamoru shook himself mentally 'what the hell!'

"There are a lot of things you say, Odango that aren't true." He growled.

A look of shock crossed her face. "How dare you! I do not lie."

'Well, not well anyway." Rei snorted as she came up to stand beside the small blond who stood with her hands planted on her hips.

Which drew his attention once again to the short white skirt she was wearing that skimmed her thighs.

He drew his lips into a thin line at that thought.

The other girls came up behind Rei as Usagi sputtered.

"See even your own friends say so." Mamoru smirked, trying to cover his traitorous thoughts.

"Rei only agrees with you because she thinks your cute." Usagi steamed as Rei's face turned red.

"But while we are on the subject, my friends like me. Funny but the only friend I ever see you with is Motoki-san! Maybe your egotistical, sour, standoffish ways see to that."

Every one looked stunned at the words pouring from Usagi's mouth. Mamoru paled slightly as she continued to rant.

"You might have intelligence and ambition in your life to be something I could never hope to reach for, but you are letting that overshadow actually living said life!

If you want something good to happen you should stop pushing away people that can help you come closer to that goal with love and support.

Maybe then you would stop getting clunked in the head by my stuff all the time.

Karma is definitely trying to tell you something Chiba. Only you don't want to listen. Stubborn Jerk!"

Usagi was almost out of breath and her face was warm, but she had finally told him off.

Then she began to feel anxious thinking she may have hurt his feelings.

Mamoru blinked and cleared his throat. "Well, you know what Uasagi-san?" He stood up and leaned in closer to her. Usagi blushed as her eyes grew bigger.

"You might just have me there."

Gasps came from the four girls, and Motoki, at his proclamation.

"What… did you just say" Usagi said stepping closer with a strange glimmer in her eyes.

Motoki shot his friend a speculative glance. Mamoru started backing away with his hands up, waving as he shook his head. "Now, don't take it the wrong way Odango." He said quickly.

"How am I supposed to take that comment Mamoru-Baka?"

"Are… are you saying you were… wrong?" Rei said in disbelief.

Mamoru let out a soft growl as he grabbed his books off the counter and backed to the door. "I'm saying maybe, this… one time, that Odango might not be too far off from the truth." He turned and ran for it.

Usagi looked perplexed for a moment before her eyes lit up and her finger stabbed the air.

"Ah ha! I've got you now Mamoru-Baka. Oh ho, you will never hear the end of this!" Usagi shouted flying out the door behind him, her hand still raised in triumph.

Ami giggled "She really is quite exuberant." Makoto snorted back a laugh.

Rei still had a funny look on her face as she went to sit back at the booth. "I can't believe it." She said softly.

"Well, in all probability, it was just a matter of time before Usagi-Chan got something right in perspective." Ami said sitting down to open her study guide.

Makoto sighed along with Motoki.

"What a day."

A/N: I want to know what situation the readers want to see these two get into for the continuing chapters, so let me know! Hope you all liked it how ever brief it was. Thanks!