Mamoru and Usagi followed Ami's gaze, up 1 story, 2 stories, 3 stories up to the top of the water slide. It was a mass of loops, drops and terrifying darkness.
"So Coooooool!" They chorused, their eyes shining. Behind them, the others watched with a mixture of confusion and amusement.
"My" Motoki said with no lack of amusement as he saw the pair of "enemies" nearly vibrating with barely contained enthusiasm
Nearby, Ami stifled a giggle. They had made it plain they were not here together yet had spent the entire day doing things together since no one else could keep up with them. You didn't need a prodigious intellect like her, or second sight like Rei to see where this was going.
"Well I never," Rei huffed with a flick of her hair over one shoulder. "She's just flaunting her adorable little romance, isn't she?"
"Don't tell Usagi-chan that, Rei-san. She'd just deny it more fervently."
They watched the pair arguing over which who got to be on which side of the tube going down before Usagi picked up the double tube and started sprinting towards the slide entrance, Mamoru following close behind, cackling.
If you asked Usagi at that moment, she might not have denied it as hard as the others imagined it. Sure, he could be obnoxious, and he seemed to derive way too much pleasure from poking fun at her, but he was tall, handsome, he seemed like a good guy when other people (anyone not her or Motoki) were involved, and she loved having another person who could keep up with her in her misadventures.
Suddenly, a thought came to her, causing her to come to a dead stop. Mamoru, who was a step behind her almost plowed her over, and managed a face full of water as a reward for not. He came up from the water, sputtering and mad
"Hey! What's the problem, Bun-head?!"
"Where's Naru-chan?" Usagi asked to no one in particular. She had disappeared some time before Ami mentioned the water slide. Umino too
Suddenly, a sound registered to Usagi, followed by Mamoru. Their eyes followed the sound to the slide. Where from one of the tunnels came Naru in a tube with Umino. The sound was Umino's high, boy voice as he screamed in terror behind a laughing Naru.
"Naru-chaaaaaaaaaaaaan! I'm gonna fall oooooooooff"
On the ground, Usagi and Mamoru stared, first in shock, then in competitive irritation.
"Those jerks beat us to it!" They chorused.
This is set very early on in the first arc. I wanted to use scenes like this to establish WHY Mamoru and Usagi are a couple. I was never satisfied with his role as a bland romantic ideal for girls to latch onto. I wanted to establish him as a separate person with tastes, personality flaws and goofy traits to play off Usagi. I also wanted him to share tastes with Usagi. This is the beginning of what is forming because of that