A fluffball written for a holiday fic-exchange.
Usagi bounced down the stairs, humming loudly. She was greeted by her mother in the kitchen, who had a mountain of pancakes already on the table.
Ikuko greeted Usagi "Good morning sweetie, you're up early"
"Morning mama. You know, it's a beautiful day, of course I'm not going to spend it all day in bed!"
Ikuko rolled her eyes at her daughter, choosing not to comment that today was Sunday, a day her daughter would waste away while sleeping.
Ikuko looked like she was ready to head out, though it was hardly even eight.
"Did you go somewhere this morning mom?"
"No, why dear?"
"You're kind of all dressed up.."
"Well I am going out with your father when he gets back, he left pretty early with Shingo this morning"
Usagi stacked about a dozen pancakes on her plate ready to eat while her mother continued telling her about the boys' departure to the lake
It was a tradition they had, though the lake was probably close to freezing they would fish for a little and end up eating breakfast at a diner when they couldn't stand the cold.
"Oh by the way Usa there's been an early delivery left for you"
Usagi glanced in her direction as Ikuko handed the plain brown box to her.
"Maybe it's snacks from Mako, she sent me some from her baking school in the city!"
She bounded up the steps to her room eager to open the box expecting delicious snacks. Mako was on an intense baking retreat Academy during winter break and had previously sent her and the girls a box of goodies. Usagi was ripping through the packaging only to find something that resembled an advent calendar. It was shaped like a giant green present box and as she looked closer she could see the outlines of 24 panels on the front.
The only other thing inside was a note. She read it about five times before it could sink in.
"Usagi, I wanted to show you that you mean so much to me. Words won't be able to prove my feelings to you so until I can speak to you I hope you will begin each day with a gift from me. I hope my feelings can reach you this way and I foolishly hope that you may also share this feeling"
She folded the note into her pocket. She wasn't sure if she should tell the girls but decided she would head to the crown arcade. She was in such a rush she almost forgot to open day one, it was December 1 after all. The pocket was about the size of a credit card and she opened it only to find a miniature bottle of syrup inside.
Thoroughly confused she entered the Crown Arcade. Only Ami was there working on her notes. Usagi plopped down in the booth across from her. She anxiously waited, relieved that only Amy was there so she could confide the latest development to her.
"Usagi..?"
"Ami I have to tell you something but you can't tell anyone the girls especially" Ami lowered her glasses, interest piqued.
Usagi usually run to Rei first so she wondered what was up. She waited until Usagi finished rambling about her eventful morning.
"So where's the note, if you don't mind me seeing it"
Usagi reached for it and handed it over to Ami. Instantly, Ami felt herself smirk involuntarily. She recognized the handwriting of a certain chemistry tutor.
"Usagi, was that all?"
"Yes Ami do you have any idea who it could be? What if it's some crazy stalker or someone pulling a prank?!"
Amy wanted to reassure her friend but did not want to give away the identity of her secret Santa.
"Usagi, I don't think anyone with the intention of hurting you could write such a letter or even be able to deliver it. I am sure they only wish to remain anonymous because they hope you will come to understand their feelings. My conclusion is that it's someone whom you don't see romantically and they hope they can express their sincerest feelings to you without confessing, most likely because they fear you will reject them.
As Ami's words sunk in, all Usagi could do was ponder over who she knew that could think of her romantically. Umino was the only boy who consistently used to try to woo her but he had Naru. The only other men in her life were Motoki... and Mamoru!
Soon enough Minako and Rei had shown up and dragged Usagi and Ami with them to the mall. Minako was hoping to find a gift for her hot new biology teacher hoping to somehow wind up under mistletoe with him and Rei and Ami were much too happy to tell her everything that was wrong with her scenarios while Usagi mulled over her thoughts.
They had spent most of the day shopping and Rei and Ami had gone home. One had studying to do and the other claimed she had a blonde induced migraine. Usagi and Minako were getting ice cream ready to head home. On the bus ride home they both got off near the crown arcade.
Hoping to cook up a full proof scheme Minako headed home while Usagi on the other hand walked into the arcade hoping to squeeze in a milkshake before dinner
Mamoru's ears seemed to be attuned to the chimes on the door. As soon as he spotted a familiar blonde head he hid himself behind a book hoping to eavesdrop any conversation Usa would have with Motoki. He heard Usagi telling him about their shopping trip but nothing he had hoped to hear. He was getting impatient, she had yet to look in his direction and he hadn't been able to jump in on their conversation without looking like an eavesdropper. Eager for his daily dose of Usagi, he approached the two on the counter leaving his mug and ordering a latte, hoping to keep Motoki occupied.
"Ugh the smell of that stuff is all over you"
"Smell? What do I smell like Odango?"
She turned bright red. If that hadn't been embarrassing enough he was teasing her by scooting closer, as if giving her a chance to smell him. She was inclined to hold her breath and look away but his proximity was too much. His smelled intoxicating, she could catch a faint trace of coffee but also of roses and Cedarwood. His scent was deliciously disconcerting and she realized she'd better mask her approval before he commented anything of it.
He had thought he was teasing her but as she was engrossed with him, he too had been close enough to smell her perfume. He saw her reach for her milkshake and their moment was broken. Motoki appeared with his latte and soon he was talking about school with him. Usagi was uncharacteristically quiet and he couldn't think of anything to say to get her talking. He supposed he could call her Odango to her face or comment on how many milkshakes she'd had but he bit his tongue. He had to be on his best behavior or he knew she'd never believe his sentiments were real.
As Usagi sat there finishing her shake, she couldn't figure out how to join Mamoru's conversation without attacking him. She didn't hate him and they had been getting along rather okay recently that she didn't want to fall back into old patterns. She excused herself and headed home, hoping in her heart that her feelings for him could somehow be reciprocated. She was close to falling asleep when she thought of her advent calendar and fell asleep dreaming of its contents.
The first few days passed by pretty uneventful he she had grown fond of her advent calendar dutifully opening it as soon as she awoke she had gotten trinkets mostly but they were all endearing to her. Her favorite so far was a charm bracelet that she had been adding charms to every other day.
On day 18 she had received a charm that was a carbon copy of Luna. Usagi had a few hunches but she could not confirm anything yet. Day 19 she opened the advent calendar to find a note with the address of the crown arcade. It was a Friday morning and as soon as she got there Motoki was waiting for her with a grin as wide as his face.
"What's up Motoki?"
"Morning Usa, not much just making you your favorite shake"
"But I haven't ordered… and how did you know I was coming?"
"I've been entrusted with some information for you. It seems you have a secret admirer. Well you can rest assured I put this person through my patent pending Usagi Inquisition. They're honest and I agreed to help them out a bit, the only thing I can tell you is that today's gift is your favorite milkshake, oh and that they hope you figure their identity out"
Usagi didn't really know how to respond to all of this so she accepted the shake from Motoki and sipped slowly, her face scrunching in concentration. So they do want to me to figure out who they are…
"Usa, I hope it works out for the best, have they left you any clues? Do you have any idea who it is?"
"Well I know you won't tell me anything else about their identity or..?"
"You got me I can't, scouts honor"
"Well I have a guess but it's more like an intuitive guess or like a hope" she whispered her last words too softly for Motoki to hear. Their conversation came to a halt as Mamoru walked in headed their way.
He sat down on the counter next to her. They were his only customers at the moment and Mamoru ordered some coffee hoping Motoki could play wing man and leave him with her for a moment.
Motoki knew what that look meant and retreated to the back room muttering something about switching the coffee to decaf.
"Morning Odango" He couldn't help himself and new she hated that name but was astonished he didn't hear an immediate outburst.
Usagi wanted to admonish him for using that name but she couldn't find it in herself. His words had sounded like an endearing nickname, as if he had called her sweetheart. She felt her blush rising and barely uttered a response.
"Luna got your tongue?"
He knew he was pushing it but she only rolled her eyes at his lame joke.
"Say Mamoru, have you seen the white patch on Luna's fore head?"
"Isn't it gold"
"Oh yeah, duh"
Her phone beeped, she saw it was her mother asking why her room was a mess.
"Oh this isn't good ,I gotta go! Tell Motoki I said bye! Later Mamoru!"
Her signature whirlwind ensued and Mamoru wondered how fast she could actually run.
On day 23, she opened the advent calendar to find a note that had a time and date written on it.
Usagi was nervous. She knew that at noon, her secret santa would show up. She was at the park at eleven am. Usagi couldn't figure out how or why she was an hour early but she quickly spotted Mamoru feeding ducks. He did not hear her approach him and before he could figure out who was sitting down next to him she was asking him why he was there.
Mamoru had been feeding the ducks, trying to calm his nerves. He was a wreck at home and had gone to Motoki's but his friend had kicked him out when he couldn't stop talking about Usagi and all the worst scenarios to his current predicament.
"Odango.."
She was hoping he would say the words she was so anxious to hear. She didn't know what she would do if he wasn't really her secret santa.
"I'm meeting someone here. In a bit now, actually. I kind of really love her and I've been kind of a jerk face to her and I know she kinda hates me but I hope she might somehow feel something other than hate towards me. So what do you say Usagi?"
Usagi thought her heart would surely explode. Mamoru was confessing to her. She was speechless. She tried to answer but all she could do to let the love of her life know that she didn't hate him was to throw herself at him, hugging and squeezing the life out of him.
"You stupid jerk face of course I love you too."
Usagi was meeting her now official boyfriend. Day 24 of her advent calendar had been a note with the time, and at the time written on the note, a dress had been delivered to her house. She had a date scheduled for the 25th of December and was so giddy and deliriously happy she almost forgot that there was another day left on her advent calendar. She was primping when she saw the last unopened panel. The square resembled the one from day one and inside of it was a small piece of a certain familiar icky green cloth.