#95: RSVP
"Ow! Usagi, that's my foot!"

"And that's my hair. Help me get it out of your bracelet before we get inside. People might start thinking you're some freak who wears people on your bracelet like charms. Not that I'm not charming, right?"

"Give me a break Odango Atama. Will someone knock already?"

Makoto gave the apartment door a smart knock. It opened with a creak and the girls were immediately met with techno music, coming from within and a copper-haired man. He was grinning so goofily that they suspected he was drunk.

Attempting to wink, which actually resulted in a squint, he said, "Hey, Maemi-chan, how 'bout a kiss?" With that, he collapsed to the floor.

Definitely drunk.

"I wish we hadn't come."

"Oh, come on Ami. People gatecrash parties all the time. Anyway, this isn't exactly one of those events that merit black ties and an RSVP," said Minako.

"And here's living, drunken proof," muttered Rei as she nudged the fallen man out of the way, allowing the girls to sidle in as one.

"Now what?" asked Usagi, rather in awe at her dim, sultry surroundings and the (mostly inebriated) University students surrounding them.

"We start spouting ritualistic chants, Odango."

Usagi may actually have done so if she had not suddenly said, "Stop breathing down my neck, Rei."

"That's not me."

"Well then, stop it, Mako-chan."

"Not me."

"Is it you Minako?"

"..."

"Minako?"

Makoto pointed to the hard-to-miss, ebullient, blonde girl, who was busy chatting away with a man whose hair was so pale, it appeared to be white.

"Then, Ami?"

"No."

Silence. Which was suddenly broken by a husky, "Hello, ladies."

There were a few gasps and hushed screams, followed by frantic scrambling.

"It's a monster! Get it away!"

There was a low chuckle and the "monsters" came into the light.

"Mamoru-baka!"

"Motoki!"

"Oh well, I was close when I said monster."

"Ah, Odango, what a wonderfully sharp tongue you possess."

Motoki grinned good-naturedly at the four girls. "Hi, girls. I didn't know you knew Michio-kun."

"Uh..well..."

Mamoru arched an eyebrow. "We seem to have encountered some gatecrashers."

"So what?" Usagi shot back defiantly.

"So, an ickle girl like you doesn't belong at a party like this."

Before Usagi could retaliate, Motoki pushed Mamoru away playfully. "Don't listen to him. He's mad because all the drinks are gone."

"No, I'm annoyed because wherever I go, Odango Atama always seems to turn up like a bad penny and get in my way. I can never get rid of her."

"I think I'll go see what Minako's doing," Ami murmured. She was followed by Makoto, who was dragging Rei along with her.

"But I want to see what happens," protested the miko.

Uneasily, Motoki looked between the smirking Mamoru and Usagi, who was swelling up like a balloon, face going red. "Uh, I'm gonna get some chips." As he turned around, he muttered, "And a hose. They say that shocks dogs out of fighting, so why not them?"

Just as Usagi was ready to explode--

"How about we forget the fighting for a while?"

"What!"

Mamoru was amused at the almost-scandalized look on the girl's face.

Why would he want a truce? though Usagi. He's probably trying to avoid being smacked with my shoe, like he was at our last meeting. Well, it might be nice...

"We could talk as if we were the best and dearest friends in the world."

"And then I suppose we'll have a nice game of Scrabble on the sofa, amidst the drunken people and vomit?" she drawled, not sure she was hearing right.

"Exactly," he chuckled. Also, it would keep her away from some of the university creeps he knew...

A heavy, pensive silence followed. Usagi looked at the expression on his handsome face (I'll give him that much credit, he is cute) and half-thought she detected sincerity in it.

"All right," she conceded.

"Okay. What's your favorite school subject?"

"Art."

"Really? I thought it was lunchtime."

"Mamoru-b...Mamoru," she said warningly. "This was your idea."

"Okay, okay. But, art, I wasn't expecting that. You should show me some of your art."

"I might if you model for me sometime."

Mamoru choked on the breath he'd started to inhale. "H-how did you--"

With mischievously glittering blue eyes she said, "Know? I know more about you than even I realized."

"So...now I'm weirded out."

Usagi giggled. She explained: "I saw you at a big event for an advertising company; they called you up and talked about your very impressive modeling career and such."

Recalling, Mamoru grimaced and said, "Yeah, I felt like a baboon at the zoo."

"Hey guys, I brought you some snacks." Motoki had popped out of nowhere, extending the plates out as if they were peace offerings. "How are we doing? Any bones broken yet?"

"Don't be silly, Motoki," said Mamoru. Putting what was meant to be a friendly arm around Usagi's shoulders he told the blonde man, "Usagi and I are the best of friends; we cherish one another with all our hearts."

Motoki's jaw fell slack and his eyes widened so comically that Usagi tried not to laugh. A little awed, he backed away. "I see you've been going at the beer," he muttered. Then he turned and scrambled over to the girls, hissing something and pointing at the black-haired man and Usagi. After an earnest conference, Minako said something that sounded like, "Pay up, everyone."

Usagi looked up at Mamoru, whose strong arm was still wrapped around her. It made her feel warm and protected. She felt herself falling dreamily into his touch, suddenly feeling saddened at the thought of his arm slipping away from her shoulders. But eventually, it did.

With a grin, Mamoru looked at the odangoed girl. He ignored what had just happened with Motoki and continued their conversation. "So, did you crash that advertising party, too?"

"Mamoru, believe me, I had to RSVP that time. How else could I get in your way, turning up like the bad penny that I am?" she asked him with a smile. "You'll never get rid of me."

Who said I wanted to?


It's not quite what I wanted, but I tried. I know, it's long for a drabble. Forgive me?