Author's Note: Ah I'm sorry for the late update! I caught a bit of writer's block so I've been adding bits and pieces to the story. There's a lot going on with the characters and their personalities in this chapter. I am so honored to see the interest in this story! I've received many new subscribers and reviewers. I hope my writing style has improved dramatically! Feel free to leave a review. I don't bite, I promise! I've also been receiving visitors to my site, Static-Romance[dot]Org, from this story. You guys can add me on Twitter as well: missneela.

Also: The Cuteness – In reply to your review or anyone else if they're confused, besides the accident that Mamoru's parents were killed in years and years ago, the only accident directly involving Usagi was the one in which killed her parents. There is a reason why Usagi chooses to forget certain events in her life and I'll get into that later. Looks like I have a lot of explaining to do!

Oh Pee. Ess. – Are you guys still interested in drabbles? I was thinking of writing a few more drabbles for my drabble story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, concepts, characters, and etc.


Bruises and Chocolate
Chapter 8

Makoto felt guilty. She had distrusted Motoki and Usagi. She could not sleep all night and called them both to apologize. In response, she didn't receive an answer and it made her feel worse. She didn't know what she was thinking allowing Minako and Rei to drag her off into the deep end. She was embarrassed to have put Motoki in such a bad position and she was sure he wasn't speaking to her ever again. How was she supposed to marry him if he weren't speaking to her?

She put her sleepless hours to rest and decided to bake both of her friend's apology cakes. As much as she loved Motoki, and she loved Motoki; she wanted to deliver Usagi's apology cake first. After reaching the Tsukino residence to find it completely empty, Makoto was beginning to regret the entire idea. She was now carrying two mini-cakes in her tote bag without a clue as to where her best friend was. She held her head down as she completed her walk of shame, standing in front of the Orange Blossom. Makoto sighed and lifted her head up. She had to be confident! Motoki was always a sucker for her confidence. "Speaking of the devil." Makoto whispered as she caught a scene that would drive her back into shenanigans of Minako and Rei. Somebody had to deliver the news! After the confirming click sound of her phone's camera rang in her ears, Makoto was off in a speedy escape.

"You guys do know that there was a girl just at the window taking pictures of us." Mamoru stated plainly raising an eyebrow at the scene he just witnessed. Usagi and Motoki both turned their heads to see the streets outside completely empty.

"I think you're seeing things." Motoki whispered to his old friend.

"I wouldn't put it behind me." Mamoru mumbled taking a sip of his black coffee. Usagi scrunched her nose as he plainly sipped the coffee.

"I don't know how you drink it black." She said, holding a vanilla iced latte in her hands. "My dad likes- liked to drink his coffee back as well." Her eyes shifted downwards to her latte as reality set around her once again. She would never see her father drink another cup of coffee in her life.

"I'm sure Mamoru got it from him." Motoki said before receiving a sharp jab to the ribs from Mamoru's elbow. "Fucking ow." Mamoru responded by stepping on his toes. "I get it." Motoki hissed.

"I'm sorry, did you say something Motoki?" Usagi asked, stepping out of her personal mourning zone. Motoki only forced a smile, rubbing his sore ribs.

"Nope, nothing. Didn't say a thing." He said before whistling. Usagi looked at her friend curiously and shrugged her shoulders, returning her interest back to the window. Mamoru relaxed in his seat. How was he ever going to do anything with Motoki around? How did he end up in this position in the first place? Three days ago, Motoki was trying to find his esophagus with his fist. Now he was having coffee with him and Usagi of all people. Fate had its sense of humor. Maybe he was getting another chance to be something more than a washed up American superstar. Maybe chances did exist. He looked over at Usagi who appeared to be lost in thought. He just wanted this to end well.


"Guys." Ami groaned. "I want to go to class now."

"You'll live if you miss one day. We're bonding." Minako stated as she painted Ami's toenails. Ami shot Rei a look, who in return laughed nervously.

"You know how she gets." She mouthed to Ami. Ami's expression did not change. She was far from amused. A loud knock came from the other side of the door which startled the three friends.

"I'll get it. You two are playing beauty shop." Rei snickered. Ami scowled as Rei walked towards the door. Her nearly violet eyes peered through the peephole and she saw Makoto standing in the hall. "Oh look Mako-chan's here." Rei announced before opening the door.

"Gees, Rei, what took you so long?" Makoto asked hurriedly, placing her tote bag on the nearest flat surface.

"Did she bring food?" Minako asked in the other room. Rei peered into Makoto's bag.

"She brought us cake." Rei announced. Minako squealed in delight and Ami growled.

"Makoto, they're holding me hostage!" She pleaded. Rei, Minako, and Ami then erupted into a quarrel about Usagi, boys, pedicures, and Ami's split ends.

"Hey hey hey! That's enough! We've got more important things to worry about. Stop bickering like primary school children." Makoto said, stepping in between the two.

"It'd better be something good because these two are driving me insane." Ami announced. Minako stuck her tongue out at her and Rei shrugged her shoulders.

"Is this good enough?" Makoto asked handing Ami her cell phone.

"The probability of you being able to Photoshop such a picture in a short period of time and upload it onto your cell phone's data card is very low. I would say this constitutes for some of the torture I've endured this morning." Ami responded, holding the phone in her hand.


Usagi stood outside of the Orange Blossoms as the skies above settled despite their gray shading. It has been gloomy the past few days. She awaited Mamoru so they could head off. However, she was beginning to feel uneasy about this entire endeavor. Sure, he was Motoki's friend in a past life, but what did she really know about this stranger? He was tall, awkward, and withdrawn. He never spoke much about anything. Hell, she didn't even know his last name. She mentally slapped herself for allowing this to continue so far. Here she was weak, tired, fragile, and broken and she was foolishly allowing herself to just be thrown at this person. Was her brain clogged? She looked behind her to see Mamoru and Motoki discussing something into great detail. She took a deep breath and walked away. She wouldn't allow herself to be caught up again.

"I'm not sure I want to do this." Mamoru sighed, leaning against the counter. "You've said it yourself. I'm a dick. I don't deserve this at all. I can't. I'd hurt her. I couldn't live with that." The boy sighed and reached into his blazer pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

"I guess. She seems genuinely interested in making you happy, or something. Usagi's a bit different than other people, so to speak." Motoki stated as Mamoru lit the drag in his hand. Mamoru only shrugged.

"Some things are best left without me."

"Well you have her interest. You can't just walk off now." Motoki stated. Mamoru heaved and exhaled a small cloud of tobacco smoke. Motoki coughed as the smoke traveled up his nose. "You could pretend to give a damn every once in a while. You're lucky you're even getting this far with any of us. We don't exactly trust you. I sure as hell don't." Mamoru lifted his eyebrows in response and took another puff of his cigarette. He could calmly pretend not to listen to a thing Motoki was saying; but on the inside, Motoki was only confirming his fears about himself.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm trying. You could give me a little effort for trying. She picked me. I didn't pick her. I was just a bit curious." Motoki only snorted in retort. Mamoru shrugged and looked outside of the window to see Usagi no longer on the sidewalk. "I guess we'll have to finish this discussion a bit later. Seems like Bunny's gone." Motoki looked out the window to see a couple walking in the spot where Usagi was standing.

"Maybe she took the hint." Motoki stated. Mamoru mentally rolled his eyes and walked away.


Usagi looked down at her cell phone and contemplated making a phone call. She was sure the girls were all freaking out by now. However, she did owe Ami the courtesy of telling her she was okay. Being an adult meant there were all of these crazy rules you had to follow to be responsible. Usagi hated that. She dialed a few numbers and waited patiently as the phone rang.

Ami stood out on Rei and Minako's balcony catching some of the cool late morning air. The temperatures were dropping daily. It wouldn't be too long before snow fall. She felt her iPhone vibrating in her pocket. With a few taps of the touch screen, Usagi's voice came on the other line. "Moshi moshi girlfriend." Ami joked, imitating Minako. Usagi only managed a giggle.

"I'm sorry for not returning your phone call earlier Ami. I got a bit caught up." Usagi rubbed her bangs as she continued to walk.

"It's fine. You know I don't mind Usa-chan. I was just worried a bit." Ami buttoned up her sweater as the breeze ran through her short blue locks.

"I know. I know. Ami, I think I've gotten myself into a mess." Usagi sighed. She continued to rub her bangs, a trait that showed her nervousness.

"Not as big as the one I got myself into." Ami muttered.

"Say what?" Usagi asked. Ami only laughed it off.

"Oh nothing, I'm just stuck at Rei and Minako's with Makoto. You know how our friends are. Did you find the guy?" Ami asked, already knowing the obvious answer to the question.

"Yes. Well actually, I found him on my doorstep. It was awkward. I sort of slept with him." Usagi started.

"WHAT?" Ami exclaimed on the other end, catching the attention of Rei and Minako's neighbors who were smoking on their balcony. She nervously waved to them but her heart rate wasn't calming down any time soon until Usagi explained.

"Oh no no no, not like that Ami. Oh goodness, no. I mean I fell asleep last night with him at my house. Motoki let him in and told him to watch guard. I'm so confused. First Motoki is breaking his nose; next he's making him my legal guardian. I can't keep up! I just don't want to get hurt." Usagi said all at once. Ami let out a huge sigh of relief. She wondered what Motoki was up to herself. He knew something that they didn't know.

"I mean if Motoki trusts him, he can't be too bad of a guy. Maybe they had some unsettled differences. Men are brutal with each other. They express emotions a lot different than we do. You know that." Usagi mentally slapped herself for throwing her University's education out of the window in her emotional crisis. The Emotional Woes: Ode to a Psychology major. She made a mental note to blog about her lack of rationalization in a controllable situation. Men were not as difficult as she was making them appear to be. She just had to take control of her emotions and think of this as a class assignment. When did she start becoming so emotional? Oh yeah, after her parents were killed. "I wouldn't worry too much. I think you can handle this Usagi. I really think you can. I'm not going to make you feel as if you're handicapped from emotional stress. I want you to be okay; but I don't want you to be sheltered for the rest of your life. Your parents would hate it. They would hate what you're doing to yourself. You're losing touch with all of us and it's killing you." Ami had a fine way of delivering the truth.

"I know. I haven't been an adult about this. Mom would have known what to say about this guy. Dad would have object. Shingo would have teased me. I miss them. I'm making them my entire life when they're not here anymore. I'm stuck in the past. I guess I'm scared of this guy because what if he'll be gone too. What am I saying? Am I digging this far into the future? Somebody drug me." Ami laughed at her friend, imagining the blonde slapping her forehead.

"You know, you said he needed you. You know what you see in this guy. Make his life brighter. The way you've been doing for us. We're perfectly fine. Somebody else needs you now, Usa." Ami smiled.

"I think a future with the both of us looks pretty bright if you ask me." A voice stated behind Usagi. Mamoru mentally slapped himself for using such corny comic book lines. He spent too much of his lifetime in Los Angeles. Usagi quickly said goodbye to Ami and ended the call.

"Were you eavesdropping?" She asked, hoping he would answer truthfully. She hated liars.

"Of course I was. I don't what it is about you and Motoki. I don't do people very well. I don't do social at all. However, if I have to, I guess I'll do social with you." Mamoru ran his hands through his black locks before placing them in his pockets. Usagi cocked her head and smirked.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" She asked crossing her arms.

"It's a privilege." Mamoru retorted. Usagi looked at Mamoru as though she could see right through him, and he prayed she couldn't for his sake.