And welcome back. Now I know the first chapter was rather typical first season scene, right? You can all wave good-bye to that now. Oh I feel so devious. And it'll only get worse with every chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
Warnings: Not much really.
Jade: The Monkey Wrench is about to be thrown in!
Voice offstage: STOP CALLING ME THAT!
Jade: ^_^!
Close Your Eyes
Chapter One
She was waking from a wonderful dream. It was so warm and happy that she didn't really pay attention to the alarm clock next to her. She hit what she hoped was the snooze button but she had missed and turned her alarm off. This was a rather bad thing to do as she had enough trouble getting up on her own. Her blue eyes finally opened lazily as she glanced out the window at the sunlight beginning to peak through her curtains.
"OMIGOD! I'M LATE!" The blonde yelled as the thought dawned on her. The clock told her that she had five minutes to get to school on time. Things were definitely working against her that morning. Usagi prayed silently as she dressed as fast as possible that this would not be the start of a bad day.
"Here's your lunch-" Ikuko was cut off as her daughter went running by, not grabbing the lunch bag from her. "Er, I swear, one of these days I'm going to buy her an alarm clock that you can't turn off."
Usagi was off at top speeds to get to school. She didn't see Luna trying furiously to catch up with her, forgotten lunch being held in the feline's small mouth. She couldn't yell out to Usagi with her mouth full. She couldn't warn the blonde that she was about to run straight into someone.
And so of course, Usagi ran into the person so hard that both of them went falling backwards, sitting down rather hard. The sunglasses that the person had been wearing went clattering on the pavement, somewhere near Usagi's dropped briefcase.
"I-itai…" Usagi murmured as she stood up, hoping that she hadn't done any serious damage to the other person. She could fell the bruise welling up on her own bottom.
"Ow." The person said at nearly the same time. Usagi looked down and at first she thought that she had run into Mamoru and opened her mouth, ready to start barraging him with various insults. Then she realized that the person's hair was a little bluer then Mamoru's dark locks. Their eyes more of a blue similar to her own.
"I'm really, really sorry!" Usagi apologized immediately. "See, I'm late for school and…" She trailed off quickly feeling embarrassed.
"It's okay." The young man got up, smiling at her. "I understand."
"Really? Are you sure you're not hurt?" Usagi examined him quickly. "I hit you pretty hard."
"It must be my lucky day." The dark haired man commented thoughtfully.
"Huh?" Usagi was just thinking of how unlucky she was for running straight into some cute guy who probably thought she was a total klutz.
"I said it must be my lucky day, a beautiful girl running into me like this." His smile only widened as her face turned red.
"O-oh…" Usagi felt herself swooning. There was a nudging around her ankles. She looked down at the black cat that spat out the lunch bag and gave her a glare. "Thanks Luna! I totally forgot!" Usagi reached down and grabbed the lunch bag. She stood up again and saw that the dark haired young man was getting his sunglasses off the ground before picking up Usagi's briefcase.
She watched him dazedly as he took a few steps closer to her, pushing her briefcase into her hands and pausing before speaking again.
"My name is Kou Seiya." The dark haired young man introduced himself, the words coming smoothly out of his mouth. "It'd be a shame to run into a pretty girl like you and not catch your name." Usagi suddenly found it very hard to breath. His dark blue eyes reminded her of something that she couldn't quite place. Something faraway and long ago.
A nudging at her ankle nearly made her jump five feet in the air as it sent her rushing back into reality. Luna was giving her a look that she couldn't quite read but she realized that she had forgotten just what she had been doing that morning.
"AH! I'm so late!" Usagi suddenly rushed around the startled Seiya, who was obviously not expecting this turn of events. Usagi realized that she was probably being rude by not saying her name. She paused before rounding the corner, turning to yell at him. "My name's Tsukino Usagi! Arigotou Kou-san." With that she left the slightly defeated looking young man standing on the sidewalk.
"Tsukino Usagi, it was very nice meeting you." Seiya whispered to himself with a grin.
* * *
"Really?" Makoto's green eyes sparkled as Usagi told her and Ami about what had happened to her on the way to school. They were finally getting out of school for the day and heading towards the Crown Arcade where they could all hang out and gossip. "Oh Usagi-chan you're so lucky!"
"He seems very polite. After all, the speed at which you were running probably would have hurt him pretty bad upon impact." Ami added in.
"Plus, you said he's cute." Makoto got a far off dreamy look. "It could be true love…"
"It's a little too early to-" Ami was cut off by Usagi squealing.
"You think so Mako-chan?" Usagi asked her.
"Of course and…" Makoto paused for emphasis. "You can introduce me to one of his friends or something, right?"
"Why one of his friends?" Ami looked confused, which was something they didn't often see in the ice senshi's expression.
"Cute guys always travel in packs." Makoto made it sound like it was a well known fact. Ami blushed.
"Wait 'till Minako hears about this!" Usagi ran ahead of them into the arcade, too excited and cheerful to walk at what she deemed the slow walk that Makoto and Ami were coming along at. Usagi waved at Minako and Rei, running over with a big silly grin almost from ear to ear.
"Oh boy." Rei commented wryly. "Why are you so happy?"
"You'll never guess." Usagi's grin only widened if that was at all possible.
"I, Aino Minako, the Goddess of Love know exactly what is going on here!" Minako announced as Makoto and Ami walked up to the table. "Usagi-chan's in love!"
"Minako-chan!" Usagi wailed. "Keep it down!"
"Spill." Minako immediately sat Usagi across from her so that she would have the best possible seat for the story. She immediately fixed Usagi with a very concentrated look, obviously prompting her to explain.
"See I was late for school and I was running to get there in time, but I bumped right into someone. Instead of being like Mamoru no baka, he was very polite and told me it was his lucky day." Usagi blushed as she thought of the look in Seiya's eyes as he said that. "I've never seen him before though; I think he was in high school."
"Was he cute? What did he look like?" Minako questioned eagerly.
"He was really cute! He had dark hair that seemed short but he had a long ponytail in the back and blue eyes." Usagi sighed, as she thought of Seiya.
"He sounds like Mamoru…" Rei commented thoughtfully.
"He's nothing like that baka! For one, he's good looking!" Usagi immediately defended.
"This coming from the Odango Atama." Mamoru seemed to arrive just in time to counter Usagi's insult. "I'm sure whoever this guy is, he was charmed by her clumsiness." Usagi's face scrunched up and she looked ready to start sticking her tongue out at him but someone got in there first.
"A real man never insults a girl." A smooth male voice told Mamoru.
"Kou-san!" Usagi exclaimed happily before going red in the face as he smiled at her.
"Oooh, Kou-san, huh?" Minako had a devious look on her face as she nudged Usagi with her elbow.
"A friend of yours Odango?" Mamoru was eyeing Seiya coolly. The look was mutual.
"Uh well…" Usagi began. Seiya sat down next to her, surprising her by taking her hand into his.
"She's a very good friend of mine." Seiya told him with a superior expression. Usagi's eyes were wide and she was in too much of a daze to really say anything. Makoto and Minako were both swooning. Rei was stirring her drink meditatively as she watched the whole scene unfold and Ami opened up a book, not wanting to see a confrontation between the two boys.
"Oh, and I'm sure between the two of you there's a lot of intelligent conversation." Mamoru shot back.
"Chiba-san! Lay off!" Makoto glared at him in defense of her blonde friend who was still dazed. "Why do you always have to make fun of her?" Minako was now fixing him with quite a look too.
"Yeah, what kind of guy are you?" Minako joined in. Usually this sort of moment was followed by a response from Mamoru, usually insulting, Mamoru's eyes just narrowed slightly before he walked off. Everyone seemed a bit confused by this turn of events.
"Oh Mako-chan! You were so cool!" Usagi sighed in admiration. Then she looked at Seiya. "Kou-san…" He let go of her hand and stood up.
"Forgive me Tsukino-san but I was trying to get that guy to stop bothering you." Seiya bowed his head slightly.
"It's okay." Usagi told him breathlessly. "Thank you Kou-san."
"Please, call me Seiya." Seiya once more gave her a smile.
"Okay Seiya-kun!" Usagi nodded her head. "You can call me Usagi. Do you want to join us?"
"Actually…" Seiya's smile faded a little.
"Hey! Seiya!" A silver-haired young man yelled from the entrance. Next to him was a tall brown-haired young man with glasses. "Are you going to take all day in here?"
"Coming." Seiya called back. "I'll see you again, Usagi-chan."
"Ja ne!" Usagi waved enthusiastically. As soon as Seiya left, conversation broke out all at once from different sides of the table so it was a little hard to understand.
"He's so cute! How come you have all the luck, Usagi-chan?"
"Did you see his friends?"
"I told Ami they traveled in packs!"
"Then what about Mamoru-san?" Rei asked Makoto. "Is he a lone wolf?"
"Who cares? He's a jerk." Makoto sniffed.
"Seiya-kun is so nice! Oh, Mamoru's face when Seiya was holding Usagi's hand was priceless!" Minako giggled. "I think Mamoru-san is jealous."
"Jealous?" Usagi said the word in disbelief. "Mamoru-baka?"
"Now that she mentions it…Chiba-san did not look happy." Makoto chewed pensively on her lip. She noticed the dark look on Rei's face. "Oh Rei-chan! I'm sorry, what was I thinking?"
"I think you were right Makoto." Rei tried to keep emotion out of her voice.
I've always wanted to be able to read him and I finally did…I know what I saw.
"Mamoru-baka should be jealous that Seiya's way greater then him." Usagi crossed her arms.
"Usagi-chan, they're saying that Mamoru-san is jealous because Seiya was so close to you." Ami explained quietly.
"What are you guys saying? I'm just Odango Atama, the big idiot to him." Usagi stated in an odd tone. She stood up. "I'm going home now."
"Usagi-" Minako interjected.
"I promised my mom that I'd be home early today." Usagi faked a smile. "I'll see you guys tomorrow." She walked out of the arcade before they could protest.
"Do you think we should go after her?" Makoto asked as she watched the blonde haired girl go worriedly.
"I think," Rei's violet eyes swung as she watched someone leave right after Usagi. "Someone already has."
* * *
They must be crazy…Mamoru-baka doesn't think of me like that at all…
Usagi walked along the sidewalk with her hands behind her head. She looked up at the sky and sighed for the millionth time that day. She stopped walking immediately, trying to get a hold of herself.
"Oh this is stupid!" She stomped her foot, her arms dropping to her sides. "I don't care what that baka thinks!"
"They say talking to yourself is the first sign of schizophrenia." Mamoru's voice commented. Usagi turned to face him with her hands on her hips.
"Didn't get in enough torture for the day?" Usagi asked, obviously on her last nerve.
"Don't blow a fuse Odango." Mamoru stopped a couple feet from her. "And here I was thinking of apologizing."
"You? Apologizing?" Usagi made the word sound foreign and strange.
"You really hate me right?" He wasn't saying it in a sad tone just stating it as if it was written somewhere.
"I don't hate you. I just hate the way you're always mean to me." Usagi told him slowly, wondering when the insults would start flying.
"Come on, you have to hate me. I'm always making fun of you." Mamoru sounded like she was trying to tease him.
"I've never hated a person before. I can hate things about them but never the person because they one day may change their ways." Usagi explained. She studied his face. "You think that's dumb don't you?"
"No." Mamoru looked at her strangely, as if she might not be real. "So you're saying I could be the most horrible person ever but if I mend my ways, you'd like me?"
"Yes." Usagi nodded.
"Suppose I kill a bunch of people." Mamoru raised his eyebrows challengingly.
"Then I would punish you!" Usagi struck a pose. Mamoru looked a little startled for a few moments. "What?"
"Ah, nothing…" Mamoru shook his head.
"So what are you doing? Why are you being nice?" Usagi looked at him suspiciously.
"What about you? I don't think I've heard one 'Mamoru-baka' in this conversation." Mamoru smiled a little, as if it were an accomplishment.
"But you still called me 'Odango'! So just in repayment," Usagi paused for emphasis. "Mamoru-baka!"
"I guess I deserve that." Mamoru shrugged. Then he began to walk away. "I'll see you around Usagi-san." He quickly walked off.
Usagi waved a little and then scratched her head. What a weird day it was becoming. She kept walking, for some reason there was an extra spring in her step. The blonde decided it was from Seiya and went with it. Suddenly she stopped in mid stride as realization came instantaneously.
"He called me Usagi!" She exclaimed loudly.
* * *
Mamoru opened his door, closing it behind him and throwing the keys on the glass coffee table. He stood there and leaned against the door for a few moments. After the loud jangle of the keys there was not a sound in the apartment. Except for the quiet hum of the appliances and his own breathing. His ears strained for a sound. It was a weird habit of his. Every day he'd stand there, waiting for some sound that never came. He wasn't even sure what he was listening for.
He took off his coat and sat down on the couch, trying to tell himself it was nice to live alone. What a lie that was. If he liked it so much, why did he have to list off the reasons? But he did anyway. There was no one distracting you when you wanted to study, no one eating all your food.
Of course he had no one else to live with anyways. His parents died when he was young leaving him with only one realization: You couldn't rely on people; they were just going to leave. It wasn't a good realization and yet, he had come to terms with it, despite his young age. No matter how hard he tried, he could never remember anything from that night. A piece of him was missing and lying by itself somewhere.
Sometimes he remembered a flash of color if he strained his memory. He could never say what the color was from. Was it a table cloth or a dress? Maybe a curtain or some article of clothing he had just happened to see one day in passing. The problem was that there were so many maybes. And he wanted to keep those to a minimum in his life.
Yet his walls were slowly being torn down, someone was chipping away at them without even realizing what they were doing. Although he always told himself that people were all the same, he couldn't help it. His parents had left him in the world to live, the cruelest of punishments. How could he possibly think this one person would somehow change his outlook?
Even through all this, he still found himself being drawn more and more to the arcade with this hopeful feeling. Oh, he didn't understand it at first but when he did, he tried to mend it. He tried being mean and driving them away on his own but somehow, he was being sucked into her kindness.
Usagi was so…he wasn't sure there was a good enough word for it. He'd do anything she'd ask in a heartbeat and it would make him happy even if it was some terrible deed. Why? What was so special about her? Even that couldn't be put into words. She knew some great secret to happiness that no one else in a million years would begin to decipher. If only she would tell him!
That wasn't the way things worked. Mamoru knew that it wasn't some fairy tale romance and he couldn't just be happy and live with her in some castle forever and ever. There were just some things that could not happen. Why should she have to be with someone as pathetic as him? No, it was so much better if she would just hate him but she didn't.
"I don't hate you."
It was almost torturous. Was he being punished for something? Had he done something wrong in a past life? He'd almost understand it if he had.
Especially now that this "Kou-san" had come into the picture. Just who was that guy? And why was he sitting so close to Usagi and holding her hand? Mamoru leaned back on the couch. Now was not the time for that. At least as far as he thought.
* * *
What do you think? Oh, I've read those first season with Seiya in them fics and I think mine will be a unique interpretation of that. Please read and review.