A/N: ohmygoodness you guys are all so amazing! Every single comment has been so wonderful and kind that I think at one point I clutched my chest and fell over.

I'm very sorry that I haven't been updating properly - college has resumed, some personal stuff has messed me up, so updates may not be too often. But don't worry, I 100% intend to finish this story, as I definitely have plans for it. Thank you all for your support, it really means a lot ^^

Warning: This chapter is pure fluff. Like, no plot at all. Just fluff. I'm so sorry.

That said, enjoy chapter 4!

Chapter 4

Mamoru was unable to meet Usagi again for a while due to his new position in the research lab and midterms rolling around, causing him to feel a bit uneasy everytime he had to tell her he couldn't make it to her proposed dates. Their schedules never lined up again after their date, and he felt as if he was leading her on, giving what he assumed to be flimsy excuses. It wasn't until two weeks after their first date that he saw her, on a rainy Friday afternoon when she showed up at his apartment unannounced, dripping wet but smiling brightly at his surprise. He stared at her, shocked, his mind a mixture of the multivariable calculus he was studying and the algorithm "Usagi+wet+here=cold?". Eventually, he shook his head and closed the door behind her, watching her enter his apartment.

"Did you have an umbrella?" he asked, glancing at her drenched clothes, and Usagi shrugged.

"I didn't see the point of bringing one."

"Usa, that's not good for your health, and-"

"Yes, I did!" Usagi giggled and left a wet peck on his cheek, "It's drying outside, right outside your door. You're really gullible."

Mamoru took his glasses from the coffee table and put them on, crossing his arms, "That's not funny - you could get sick."

"I drink tea everyday, Mamo-chan. My immune system has probably already built itself a second army by now."

Mamoru frowned. "That doesn't explain you showing up at my apartment unannounced."

"Oh, right!" Usagi clapped her hands, "The Arts and Humanities school's theatre club is doing a 'Best of the Classics' show on Saturday night, so I was wondering if you wanted to go together?"

"You couldn't have just texted me?" Mamoru asked, raising an eyebrow, but headed to the kitchen, pouring himself another cup of coffee, which he raised to Usagi, "Coffee?"

"Nah, I'm good. I would've texted you, but my phone died, so-"

"Wait, Usa - your phone died?"

"Yeah, it ran out of battery," Usagi took out her small pink phone, waving it in her hand, "I brought my charger, though, so I can just charge it here."

Mamoru just stood there, coffee in hand, staring at her. "Wait, you're going to charge it here?"

"Yes?" she tilted her head in confusion, "Why are you repeating everything I'm saying today?"

"Are the outlets at your place not working?"

Usagi blinked and then burst out laughing, doubling over, her arms wrapped around her waist, "O-Ohmylord, Mamo-chan," she managed out, "Y-You- ohmygod,"

"What?" Mamoru felt slightly offended now. Was there some joke he was missing out on? "Was it something I said?"

"I'm here to spend time with you!" Usagi said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and plopped down on his sofa, leaning forward to glance at his laptop, "'Ethics of medical insurance for lower-income families' - are you doing your homework?"

Mamoru frowned and turned to walk into his room, leaving Usagi in the living room. He returned a few minutes later with a large sweater and a towel and threw both at a confused Usagi.

"Why are you giving me these?"

"Because you're soaking wet," Mamoru explained, sitting on the couch, "and you'll catch a cold if you stay in your wet clothes. If you're staying here, then you might as well change into something warm."

Usagi shrugged. "Alright."

Mamoru pulled his laptop forward on the table as Usagi stood up and walked into his room to change, closing the door behind her. His mind finally processed the fact that he had just let Usagi, his girlfriend (is that what they were now?) of two weeks into his bedroom to change into one of his large sweaters so that she wouldn't catch a cold.

Yet she showed up unannounced at his place.

. . .

Wait, what?

"Mamo-chan," Usagi spoke from the other side of the door, "You're not peeping, are you?"

"What?!" Mamoru demanded, his face flushing as he glanced at his closed door, "No, of course not!"

He heard her muffled giggles from the other side of the door, and he could imagine her laughing at his embarrassment, "I was just joking!" she exclaimed, and then opened the door, twirling around, "What do you think?"

His large grey sweater reached her knees, and the university logo was crumpled, half-visible through all the washing and drying Mamoru had put it through. Usagi raised an eyebrow as she used the towel to dry her ears, her wet ponytails now falling apart into messy strands.

"Now you look warm." Mamoru smiled, but Usagi rolled her eyes.

"You just wanted me to wear your clothes. I bet you were peeping." she said, plugging in her charger and connecting it to her phone.

His face flushed again and he shook his head, "I wasn't-"

"Relax, relax," Usagi sat next to him and wrapped her arms around his, "So, what's the agenda for today?"

"Erm," Mamoru blinked, trying to remember what his plan was for today, "Well, it's Saturday, so I suppose multivariable calc for an hour, and then finish the rest of my papers. . .maybe some organic chemistry practice problems?"

Usagi frowned, "I meant for us. What is our agenda for us?"

"I wouldn't know." Mamoru put his laptop back on the coffeetable, crossing his arms, "You arrived at my apartment without even telling me. Is that one of the 'dating rules'?"

Usagi laughed and scootched closer to him, now resting her head against his shoulder. "No, but it should be."

"I'm pretty sure that's considered 'stalking'."

"Mmm I don't think so."

Mamoru rolled his eyes and glanced at her. She was all but in his lap, her eyes closed, and she seemed so relaxed. Why was she so relaxed?

"Don't you have homework to do? Or like a test coming up?"

Mamoru realized the damage his words could have inflicted after they escaped his mouth, and immediately pulled away, his expression one of shock, "Wait, no, I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't worry about it," Usagi grinned, taking his arm back, "I'm still debating between Political Science and Child Development, and since it's pretty early in the semester I don't really have a lot of assignments to do." she glanced down at Mamoru's laptop and frowned, "When are your papers due?"

"Two weeks from now."

"What?!" Usagi put her hands on Mamoru's face and turned it to face her, "Mamo-chan, that's a whole two weeks that you have, and you're doing it now?"

Mamoru shrugged and turned back to his laptop. "I'd just want to keep my schedule clear for that weekend, then - what if some emergency pops up? Then I'll have no time to work on the assignments."

"But what about two weeks from now, when you'll have more assignments?" she asked. "Instead of relaxing, you'll be working on those, creating a chain of never-ending work, and you'll never have some free time."

"That's just how it is, I guess."

Usagi just stared at him warily. "You're just like Ami." she replied, and then glanced down at the sweater she wore, "Mamo-chan, we need to really change your fashion sense."

Mamoru frowned. "What's wrong with that sweater?"

"It's so…." she was briefly at a loss for words and then sighed, "...normal."

"'Normal'?" he laughed softly and rolled his eyes, "Usa, what do you want me to wear around campus? A tuxedo?"

Usagi brightened. "Yes! Tomorrow you should wear a tuxedo to the show on Saturday!"

"I-"

"Oh, please?" she turned and knelt on the couch, holding his hands in hers, "Please, please, please Mamo-chan!"

"I-"

"And wear your glasses, too!" she winked, "I think you look great in them."

Mamoru laughed, pushing his laptop away. "I know, you've mentioned that several times."

"Only because it's true." Usagi said and kissed him.

Again, Mamoru was caught off-guard by the sudden invasion of personal space, but smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist in order to make sure she didn't fall off the sofa. Usagi instead moved forward on the couch, her arms now around his shoulders, leaning forward and moving her lips along his. Mamoru suddenly felt like an idiot, wondering how he had lasted two weeks without remembering how amazing it felt to be with Usagi - the way she seemed to expertly know how to throw him off-guard, how she always remained upbeat, how she constantly had an adorable smile on her face.

Mamoru smiled again into the kiss, and Usagi pulled away, a confused smile on her face.

"What? Is my kissing that bad?"

"No, no," Mamoru shook his head, holding her hand, "I just realized that I missed you."

Usagi blinked, her cheeks tinging a bright red and then she smiled, turning and sitting next to him, laying her head on his shoulder. "I missed you too."

The two sat in silence as Mamoru pulled his laptop into his lap and opened his assignment again, typing up his paper. Usagi wrapped her arms around his again, patiently watching him type before opening her mouth to speak again.

"So you will wear the tuxedo, right?"

"You're asking me to dress formally while you're wearing my old, raggy sweater?"

"Oh, that's just a coincidence."

"Usa, it's a show by the Arts and Humanities school."

"Minako is going to be in it, and Kunzite will probably dress up too."

"Kunzite won't dress up."

Usagi pouted, crossing her arms. "How do you know that?"

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Usa, I've known him since middle school - he will not dress up."

"Minako will convince him to, then."

"How?"

Usagi raised an eyebrow and then winked at Mamoru. "She has her ways."

Mamoru blushed slightly and then shook his head, looking back at his laptop. "Alright, understood."

Usagi scootched closer to him and kissed his cheek. "Is there any way that I can convince you to wear a tuxedo?"

Mamoru blinked and quickly glanced down at her, suddenly nervous. "How?"

"Mm, I know of a few ways."

He gulped and quickly got up from the sofa, his nervousness now increasing exponentially. "Usa, I, uh-"

Usagi crouched and leapt forward, tackling Mamoru to the ground. He let out a small yelp as he fell back and she tickled him mercilessly, her fingers moving around as he laughed, clutching his stomach.

"N-No, Usa, st-stop!" he managed to get out, laughing, "Stop!"

"So you will wear the tuxedo, right?" she asked again, laughing along with him, "Or do I need to persuade you even more?"

"U-Usa, I won't wear- s-stop-"

"I'm going to ask again, Mamo-chan: will or will you not wear a tuxedo tomorrow?"

Mamoru gasped for air and then grasped Usagi's hands to pull himself up. He turned on her and then started tickling her, and Usagi let out a surprised shriek, now falling back and laughing loudly.

"Mm, what was that, Usa?" he asked, "What was that about me wearing a tuxedo?"

"M-Mamo-chan, no-" she managed out, tears now forming in her eyes as she tried to swat his hands away, "I'm not g-gonna give up!"

"What?" he asked, feigning innocence, stopping momentarily, "I didn't quite hear you."

Seeing an opportunity, Usagi grabbed Mamoru's hands and pulled him forward, causing him to tumble on top of her, his glasses now askew as he lay on top of her.

The two stared at each other at the sudden closeness, one on top of the other, but then started laughing, both now exhausted from the ticklefest. Mamoru smiled at Usagi and leaned in to kiss the top of her forehead but she tilted her head, causing him to kiss her lips instead. Mamoru blinked at the change but then smiled, cupping the back of her neck-

"Hey, there's an umbrella outside our door." Kunzite greeted as he opened the door, but then held his hands up as he noticed Mamoru on top of Usagi, the two kissing, "Whoa. Was I interrupting something?"

"No, no!" Mamoru quickly scrambled off of Usagi, shaking his head, causing his glasses to go further askew, "We were just talking about the theatre production this weekend."

"Oh yeah." Kunzite nodded as he took off his wet jacket, shaking it above the doormat, "You should dress up - Usagi and I are."

Usagi giggled and used one hand to fix Mamoru's lopsided glasses and the other to hold his hand, "See? I told you, Minako has her ways."

"Since when do you wear formal?" Mamoru frowned at Kunzite, who just shrugged.

"I figured it wouldn't be so bad to wear a tuxedo once in a while."

Mamoru felt betrayed; his own best friend - who he thought he had known for years, who was never afraid to get his hands dirty - was going to wear a tuxedo to a formal event. And here, Usagi was staring at him, all bright-eyed and hopeful, that he sighed and nodded.

"Fine, I'll wear a tuxedo."

Usagi and Kunzite beamed at each other.

The next day, when the two men in tuxedos showed up at Usagi and Minako's apartment, they were greeted by Makoto, beaming in a dark violet dress. She let them in and complimented them on their attire; Kunzite grinned and thanked her, stating "it took forever to dress Mamoru - it was like dressing a four-year-old."

Kunzite earned a punch to the arm for that.

"Usagi, hurry up!" Rei called out and walked out of the hallway into the living room, arms crossed over her red cocktail dress and shaking her head. "Minako will be angry if we're late to the production, and she worked hard to get us front-row seats."

"I'm almost done!" Usagi called out, and Rei huffed, her eyes narrowed.

"Doesn't Minako automatically qualify for multiple free front-row seats?" Makoto asked, trying to change the subject, "I mean, you'd think that she would, right? The auditorium is huge."

"Actually," Ami piped up from the kitchen, wearing a yellow cardigan over her green floaty dress, "Minako said that she was originally given only two seats for friends and family, but somehow she convinced the president of the Arts and Humanities' theatre club to give her all the free seats she wanted."

Mamoru frowned. "How did she-"

"Minako has her ways." Rei, Makoto and Kunzite replied, while Ami just nodded frantically before walking to Usagi's room to check in on her progress.

"So, what exactly is 'Best of the Classics'?" Mamoru asked, "Are they doing works of Shakespeare or Beckett, or...?"

"Not exactly," Rei replied, now leaning against a wall, "Minako said that they were going to be doing a few well-known musical numbers and scenes, but not necessarily the 'classics'."

"I think she said there was going to be one song from Rent," Makoto added, but shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure though. She had just texted us 'to be there or be squire'."

"It's 'be there or be square'!" Ami called out from Usagi's room, and those in the living room laughed.

A few moments of silence had passed before Rei groaned, her frown deepening. "Ami, if Usagi isn't ready in five seconds, I swear I will come over there and fix her makeup myself!"

"I'm almost done!" Usagi repeated, but Rei already began storming over.

"The day you're on time is the day that pigs fly, stupid Usagi!" she retorted, and opened her bedroom door, barging in.

"I swear I'm- ow! Rei, you meanie!" Usagi's voice screeched. Bickering began in Usagi's room before Ami's strict voice cut through, claiming that if they couldn't act like adults, then "no one is going to see Minako's production and then there'll be severe hell to pay".

There were quiet, mumbling apologies before the three of them emerged from Usagi's room, Ami smiling and Rei and Usagi glaring at each other. Usagi's frown immediately disappeared as she noticed Mamoru and Kunzite's arrival, and she ran forward, arms wide.

"Mamo-chan! Kunzite!" she exclaimed, and wrapped her arms around Mamoru's shoulders, jumping up as she half-crashed into him. Mamoru took a few steps back in order to stabilize himself from the sudden force and then laughed softly, hugging her back.

"Hi, Usa."

"Nice to see you too, Usagi," Kunzite replied, and the short blond gently hit him on the arm, holding Mamoru's hand with her other hand.

"Shh, you know I like seeing you too."

"Mhm, sure."

"Alright, alright." Makoto grinned, gesturing to the door, "If you guys don't mind, I don't want to be ripped apart by Minako for being late to her 'grand performance'."

The group walked out of Usagi and Minako's apartment and began heading over to the main theatre. Mamoru stayed behind with Usagi while she locked the apartment door, and then smiled as she beamed at him. Usagi stood up on her toes and pecked Mamoru on the cheek, taking his hand again and swinging it back and forth as they walked.

"What was that for?" he asked, and Usagi shrugged.

"I dunno. You haven't complimented me on my dress yet, by the way."

He laughed and glanced at her. She wasn't wearing anything too fancy - a floaty pink dress with round pink earrings to match - and Mamoru suddenly frowned.

"How come I have to wear a tuxedo while you're wearing a semi-formal dress?"

"Oh, Mamo-chan, don't you know the rules?"

"What rules?"

"That you always have to look much more dashing than me."

His frown deepened as he tried to comprehend what she just said, and she giggled, poking him on the nose.

"It doesn't have to make sense, Mamo-chan." she said, and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Also, you look very, very dashing."

Mamoru smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Tsukino. You look quite beautiful yourself."

Usagi giggled and swung their hands again. The two walked in silence, behind the group, hand-in-hand, both smiling widely.

"How did you get to be here?" Minako sang loudly, her voice echoing throughout the auditorium as she pointed at a man, and was then joined by the rest of the cast for "What was the moment?"

Although the last piece, Merrily We Roll Along turned out to be Mamoru's least favorite of all the pieces that the production had put up for the night. A show about how a man had reached the top of the world, but with no family or true friends at the end - what was the point of it?

"Rolling along!" the ensemble sang together, "Rolling along!"

Usagi still had her arm wrapped around Mamoru's, her head on his shoulder. He glanced down and saw her watching the show very intently, her gaze completely focused on what was happening on the stage.

After the play had ended, Usagi's friends, Kunzite and Mamoru stood up and applauded the actors and actresses, and they all let out louder cheers when Minako ran up and took a bow. The lights of the auditorium flickered on and people began leaving in order to meet their acquaintances who were involved in the play.

"Well, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Rei offered, shrugging, and Makoto rolled her eyes as she walked to the stairs, following her friends.

"I heard you sniffling when they did Wicked's 'Defying Gravity'."

Rei stopped and blinked in surprise as she flushed a deep red, shaking her head. "It was a very moving performance Minako did, yes, but I didn't cry." she crossed her arms and looked away, "I don't know what you're talking about, Mako."

Ami laughed softly and descended down the steps to Rei, who was sulking now. "Nothing wrong with appreciating fine art, Rei."

"Easy for you to say, Ami - you know everything about every play ever."

"Well, not every play, I simply-"

"Ami," Kunzite laughed, patting her on the back, "I don't think you're helping Rei's argument."

"Hey guys!" Minako called out, waving enthusiastically at them from the bottom of the stairs, still wearing her stage attire, "Over here!"

"Minako!" Usagi all but flew down the steps, wrapping her arms around Minako once she reached her friend. "Minako, you were so good! Rei cried when you sang 'Defy'-"

"I did not!" Rei interrupted, following behind her on the steps, "Stop spreading lies about me, Usagi!"

Usagi stuck out her tongue at Rei, and then glanced at Minako, shrugging innocently. "The minute you sang about your friendship with Elphaba, Rei thought it was so moving."

"Usagi fell asleep during 'Epiphany' from Sweeney Todd!"

"I did not! I was simply. . .blinking slowly!" Usagi was now the one blushing furiously, crossing her arms. "Rei, you meanie!"

"Blegh!" Rei stuck out her tongue at the short blond, who mirrored her actions, the two frowning at each other.

Makoto sighed and smiled at Minako, shrugging. "We all enjoyed it. You were really great."

"Wonderful, actually," Kunzite added, pulling her close to him with a smile, "Theatre does really suit you."

"Well, of course it does!" Minako rolled her eyes, gently hitting Kunzite on the arm, "Do you think I would've invited you guys to something with no class?"

"That's debatable," Rei muttered under her breath, but Makoto shushed her gently.

"I didn't know your voice could range that much," Ami pointed out, "I mean, you were capable of singing a soprano in Wicked and then an alto in Merrily We Roll Along - that was very impressive."

"Oh, Ami," Minako waved at her friend, but her eyes shone with gratitude, "You're going to make me cry."

"Yeah, it was awesome!" Usagi chimed in, now taking Minako's hands in hers. "It was Mamo-chan's first time seeing a play, so-"

"Wait." Minako interrupted Usagi to stare at Mamoru, "You have never seen a play before?"

Mamoru's cheeks tinged slightly as six pairs of eyes gaped at him, and he looked down at his shoes, hoping they wouldn't notice how embarrassed he was. "I mean, I've listened to bits and pieces of classicals and symphonies while studying, but no, I haven't really ever been to a play."

"Well, we're gonna have to fix that." Minako said, and looked up at Kunzite and Usagi. "When it comes for the winter concert, I'm counting on you two to drag him over. Mako," she nodded at the brunette, "use force if you need to."

Mamoru laughed nervously but felt uncomfortable with Mako's order until Ami reassuringly pat him on the arm.

After the play, Usagi and Mamoru returned to Mamoru's apartment, on the account of "it's cold and I don't even wanna know what Minako and Kunzite are doing at our place". Nonetheless, Usagi dragged Mamoru - as well as the blanket on the sofa - to his patio and made him sit down next to her on the patio bench. The soft autumn breeze swirled around the two of them, and Usagi snuggled closer to him under the blanket, holding his hand in hers. Mamoru glanced down at her uncertainly, and the short blond caught his gaze, giving him a questioning look.

"What happened this time, o mighty physics major Chiba?" she asked in a deep voice, and then laughed, glancing up at him.

"I didn't get Merrily We Roll Along," he replied, shrugging, "but you really seemed into it, Usa."

"I mean, yeah!" Usagi scooted closer to him, slightly frowning at Mamoru, "Why didn't you get it?"

"Never mind - they didn't go into a lot of depth because it was just a few scenes of each play, so that's probably why I don't get it."

"No, no, tell me." she laid her head on his shoulder, her lower lip protruding, "Please?"

Mamoru sighed. "At the beginning of the play they showed us this man with so much money, land, and success - but he doesn't have any true friends." he shrugged again, pushing his glasses up his nose, "Then the rest of the play, they go further and further back into his life, just showing us how each event that had lead up to the first scene. I don't get why they had to show his backstory like that - why show us the past when the future is what matters?"

Usagi thought for a moment but then shrugged. "Because although the future is important, it's also significant to know the events that lead up to the present?"

"But the past is gone, and the future is the only thing we can fix now."

"Wasn't the past considered the future at some point, though?" she asked.

Well, she got him there.

"Mamo-chan, the past is important!" Usagi was now smiling, her grasp on his tightening, "I mean, every event, each action, each decision we make - that has all lead us up to here, the present." she thought for a moment, "When I decided to come here for college, my decision lead inevitably lead me to meet you."

Mamoru grinned and nodded. "That's true."

"All three tenses are important," Usagi said, and pecked his cheek. "That's just how I see it."

Mamoru sighed. "They should've done Shakespeare."

Usagi laughed and pulled away from him, her eyebrow raised, "What, like Romeo and Juliet?"

"No, maybe just a few famous sonnets, like 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?' or something."

"No, no!" the short blond waved her hand, wrinkling her nose, "Mamo-chan, summer days are way too hot – besides, aren't sunrays bad for you?"

"What do you propose as a substitute, then, o clever Tsukino?"

"Hmmm," Usagi thought for a moment, "how about 'Shall I compare thee to a warm blanket?'?" she held up the blanket that covered the two of them, grinning, "It keeps you warm, and is great for snuggling."

Mamoru made a mock-buzzing noise, shaking his head. "Sorry, contestant Tsukino – that is not a good substitute."

"How about. . .hot soup?"

Mamoru laughed. "No, not good enough."

Usagi frowned. "This judge isn't fair."

"Alright, alright," Mamoru held up his hands in defense, "I'm sorry – try another one."

She thought for a moment, her mouth twisting as she contemplated her choices, and then grinned. "Moonlight - it's pretty, isn't harmful, and," she glanced up at him, "very romantic."

"And is that your final answer, contestant?" Mamoru asked, leaning in.

Mamoru's question was answered with a kiss.