AN: Back again! Thank you for the reviews, the faves, the follows and the patience!
Forever thank you to Aya Faulkner and SailorMoon489 for betaing my first story! And after adding a few things to this chapter today, I have to say thank you thank you to Beej88 for doing a last minute beta request on this chapter for me. I love you all!
One more chapter after this and then the Epilogue. I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 9
Carrying the bundle of daisies in one hand and grabbing one daisy at a time with the other, she handed one to each passing woman. Third day of flowers from Seiya; she didn't want to take them home and see that look on Mamoru's face again, so she decided to give them away. It made her way home enjoyable, watching each woman's face light up from the flower in hand.
Handing the last flower out, she punched in the code to her building and made her way to her condo. The smell of stir fry reached her nose as she pushed open the door. Mamoru's head peeked around the corner and he smiled when he saw her, "Hey, Usako."
"Hey! Are you cooking dinner?"
"Yeah, Motoki will be home late tonight, so I thought it'd be nice to have a home cooked meal with you."
She followed him to the kitchen and peered over his shoulder at the stove. "It looks so good, Mamo!"
He chuckled and turned off the stove. "Get us some plates?"
Opening the cabinet, she pulled out two plates and two glasses. "Water?"
"Of course," he smiled over at her as he made their plates up.
She set the glasses of water down on the kitchen table and took her seat. Mamoru placed both of their plates down and sat across from her.
"How was work?"
"C-Section on mama bulldog went well. How was yours?"
"Had to call a couple parents to come get their kids today because of fighting, but great otherwise." Using her fork she played with the food on her plate. She felt guilty like she was hiding something.
"Usako...what's wrong?" He took another bite, watching her through his eyelashes.
"Seiya sent me flowers again today."
His fork dropped, and he forgot to chew for a second. Finishing his bite, he wiped his mouth with his napkin and leaned back in his chair. "Third day in a row."
"I don't know what's changed, I mean, yes, he tried getting my attention before, but this is a whole new level."
Standing up, he walked into the living room and grabbed his phone. "Mamo, what are you doing?"
Mamoru: "Dinner, or drinks, or both, this Saturday night?"
"Mamoru."
He looked up at her turned in her chair watching him, "Making plans with Seiya."
"What?"
"I'm telling him Usa. No more putting it off."
She gave him a soft smile, "If only it were that easy. He's your friend."
Seiya: "Let me know the time and place!"
"I need to do this. Now, let's go back to enjoying our dinner."
Once they were finished, Usagi grabbed their plates and rinsed them off in the sink. Mamoru went to the fridge and pulled out a chocolate cake.
"Did you make that?!"
He smiled as he cut them each a piece, "I did. You love dessert."
"How did you have time to do all this?"
"I had a half-day." He moved his thumb into this mouth to clean the chocolate off. Grabbing two plates he set them on the table and held her chair out for her.
Sitting down, she grabbed her fork and popped a piece in her mouth. Moaning and closing her eyes as she chewed. He watched her reaction with a half-grin before taking a bite himself.
"So good!"
"I'm glad. So, I was wondering…"
She paused and looked up at him, waiting for him to go on.
"If you wanted to make our sleeping arrangements more permanent."
A smile graced her lips, "Like us staying in one room?"
"Yeah," his fork cut into another piece, "we'd still have our own rooms, but maybe you could keep some things in my room to make staying with me each night easier?"
"Or, you could keep some things in my room?"
"Maybe we can make it where we stay in my room?"
She raised one eyebrow at him, "Uh-huh, and what's wrong with mine?"
"Well…" He took a quick bite to give him a minute to think of the right words. Her fork was down while she waited, not taking her eyes off of him.
"Your things...are well, everywhere."
She nodded, and waited for him to continue.
"And my room is orderly. There's a dirty clothes basket….not pile. There's a bookshelf for books and magazines, again, not a pile on the floor."
The smile on her face was making him nervous. Maybe this was a bad idea to bring up.
Cake was smashed onto his face before he could think another word. Blinking open his eyes, he stared at her and her laughter filled the condo. "How's that for messy, Mamo?"
Jumping out of his chair, he ran after her into the living room. Her screams replaced her laughter, and he grabbed one of her arms, spinning her towards him. Picking her up, he wiped his face along her neck and chest. "Stooooooooppppppp!"
His laughter joined her screams, and he set her down. She looked down at herself and back at him, "I love this shirt!"
"Well, if you were better at laundry, all would not be lost."
Her eyes lit with fire and her mouth slacked. Mamoru ran the opposite way from her while she ran back to the kitchen for more cake off her plate. He was laughing while trying to avoid her hands, neither of them had noticed the condo's door open. She cocked her hand back and released the cake. He ducked and a gasp followed. They both froze and slowly looked over to the door.
Motoki stood there with his eyes closed and chocolate cake covering his face. His tongue licked his lips, "What a waste of perfectly good cake."
Usagi and Mamoru couldn't help their laughter now, Motoki on the other hand, was not amused. He stepped around them and pointed around the condo, "Clean this up."
She giggled, and turned towards Mamoru, "Yes dad!" Motoki groaned, and walked to his bedroom to clean himself up.
"Usako...I don't like that look." She grinned, and ran after him with cake-covered hands.
O.o.O.o.O
Motoki had been watching them, and he noticed a change. They had been close before and he knew how Mamoru currently felt about her. He knew something had happened before he left, even Reika had noticed it, but he wasn't sure what. Now, since he'd come back, they seemed more 'coupley.'
Motoki watched as Mamoru made her dinner, and she would set the table for them. He noticed the little touches between them, his hand grazing her back, and her hip bumping his. He knew Mamoru was in deeper than he should be. Supposedly, he was meeting with Seiya this Saturday and would finally talk to him about being in love with his ex-girlfriend.
Since that was still a few days away, and it was their usual Wednesday movie night, he was going to be there. He'd watched in the past as they'd sat against each other on the couch; her head in his lap, his in hers, her legs across him. Basically, they would touch someway on those night even before Mamoru knew his feelings for her. Well, not tonight. He was going to stop this just until Mamoru finally talked to Seiya.
Grabbing the popcorn off the coffee table, Motoki squeezed in between them on the couch, "Hey, guys! What are we watching?"
Usagi gave him a huge grin before she grabbed a few pieces of popcorn, "Oh, just Fifty Shades of Grey."
Motoki coughed out the popcorn in his mouth, and Mamoru laughed, "You just love making people choke on popcorn, don't you, Usa?"
She giggled, and patted Motoki's back, "I'm kidding! Gangster Squad, it was Mamo's turn to pick."
Mamoru gaped at her, "It looked like it would be good!"
Motoki set the bowl of popcorn down, and went to grab a glass of water, "I'm just happy Usagi didn't get to pick."
Usagi grabbed a handful of popcorn and threw it at Motoki as he sat back down, "I have great movie taste, Toki!"
"Fifty Shades would make me disagree."
"It was a joke! Oh shut up, the movie is on."
By the second movie Motoki was struggling to stay awake, he didn't know how they did this with work the next day but it was their ritual. He was trying to be a good friend, but he just wanted to sleep. Just as his eyes were starting to drift shut, Usagi screamed. Motoki jumped, and looked around for danger, Mamoru wasn't in the room, so he wasn't sure what caused her scream.
"SPIDER!" Usagi was jumping on the couch, and Motoki looked at the coffee table where she was pointing. A little black spider was crawling his way, making him jump on the couch with her. They both started screaming bouncing on the couch with their arms wrapped around each other.
"Kill it, kill it, kill it!"
"You kill it!"
"You're the boy, Motoki!"
Mamoru came out of his room changed into low hanging pj bottoms and a white tee, "What the hell is going on out here?!"
"Spider!" Usagi screamed, again pointing at the coffee table while clinging onto Motoki for dear life.
"Really?" Mamoru raised his eyebrow, grabbed a tissue from the end table and picked up the spider.
After the toilet flushed, Motoki and Usagi both audibly sighed with relief. Mamoru walked back in, chuckling at them. They looked at each other, and jumped apart.
"Disappointed in you, Motoki. It was a little spider. Clinging to a poor girl like that."
Motoki's cheeks reddened, and he crawled off the couch, "Shut up, I was half asleep. I'm going to bed!"
Motoki's bedroom door slammed, and Usagi covered her mouth to stifle her giggle.
"Ready for bed?"
She nodded and turned off the tv, "Now that our chaperone is going to bed?"
Mamoru grinned and grabbed her hand, leading her to his room, "You noticed that too?"
O.o.O.o.O
The last couple of days went by way too fast. He was not looking forward to this, but he wanted to move forward with Usagi. He wanted them to define exactly what was going on between them, but how could they do that before things were settled with her ex. With his oldest friend?
The idea of possibly losing Seiya after tonight knocked the air out of his lungs, and he wasn't able to breathe it back in fast enough. He walked into the little bar and scanned the crowd.
"Mammmmooorruuuuu!"
His head jerked to the right and he noticed Seiya standing and waving his arms. He wasn't sure what weird Universe he'd just walked into, but Seiya seemed way too enthusiastic. Finally finding his legs again, he made his way over to Seiya's table.
"Heeeyyyy, man!"
"Hey Seiya, are you doing okay?"
"I'm FANTASTIC! Had two beers, and…" He started counting under his breath and then grinned, "I lost count of the shots."
"You're wasted?"
"Oh yeah! It's been a loooong week."
Mamoru sat on the barstool across from him, "What's going on?"
"I sent Usa flowers everyday this week, I heard nothing back. I think my next step is jewelry, and just showing up at her job." He threw back another shot, and grinned at Mamoru.
"Um, I don't know?"
"What do you mean? Mamoru, man, I love her, like, LOVE HER. I need her back. Have you ever needed someone that much?" Seiya watched his expression closely, and Mamoru started feeling uncomfortable.
"I...I um, I don't know."
"What is with you? Have a drink. Barkeep!"
Mamoru chuckled, "I think you've been drinking enough for the two of us."
"Nonsense! Barkeep we'd like four shots!"
"Do you really need anymore?"
"Oh no, they're all for you. You need to catch up."
Mamoru watched the four shots set down in front of him, and looked over at Seiya who was nodding for him to start. He sighed, and downed all four shots. Please don't get so drunk you open your damn mouth. Now is not the time for a drunken confession to a drunk friend.
O.o.O.o.O
"Usa," he called before tripping over her pile of manga, turning towards the stack he whispered, "shhhhh."
"Mamo?"
"Usako," he looked up to see her sitting up in bed, looking down at him.
"What are you doing?"
"I missed you."
She sat up on her knees as he stood and made his way over to her, "What?"
"I missed you so much," he threaded his fingers in her hair. "I am always thinking about you. About the way you sneeze with your whole body, how you laugh uncontrollably when you're stressed. How you make Luna dance with you in the mornings before work, and how your nose wrinkles when you're mad. You've invaded my thoughts." He leaned his forehead against hers and rubbed his hands against her shoulders with his fingers still threaded in her hair.
"Are you drunk?"
"Yes, but it doesn't make what I'm saying any less true." He pulled her shoulders towards him as he kissed her, her squeal getting lost against his mouth. She grabbed the front of his shirt with both fists and tugged. He fell forward, his balance still off from the alcohol, he was able to put one of his hands out keeping most of his weight from landing on her.
He pulled his lips back a centimeter from hers, "Fuck...Usako I want you."
She grinned against his mouth, and pulled him tight against her. Their hands roamed against each other wherever they could reach. His fingers found the hem of her shirt, and pulled up, leaning off of her to pull it over her head and threw it across the room. She didn't waste a second stripping him of his shirt. Her hands roamed across his chest and abs, her eyes following them.
"Mamo."
"Yes?"
"I missed you, too."
He smiled down at her and kissed her again, pressing her naked chest against his. Dragging his lips down her neck and to her right nipple he pulled it in his mouth and twirled his tongue around it.
Throwing her head back, she let out a small gasp. Her fingers pulled at his hair and her legs wrapped around his waist. Letting go of her nipple with a smack he continued his trail down her stomach.
"What about Motoki?"
He groaned against her stomach, "What about him?"
"He's here." Her head lifted up to look down at him.
He grabbed the elastic of her shorts and pulled them off her legs, "I don't care, I just want you."
Dropping down to his knees, he threw her legs over his shoulders and slid his tongue along her sex. Not being prepared, she let out a loud moan before clamping one hand over her mouth. The volume didn't stop Mamoru, his lips pulled at her clit while his hands moved up to her breast. Using the tips of his fingers, he made circles around her nipples and dipped his tongue into her.
Usagi's hands gripped the top of his hair as she bucked her hips towards him. Grabbing her hands, he moved them to the bed. Standing up he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants before pulling them off. His eyes didn't leave hers as he crawled over her. Reaching down she guided him to her entrance.
He leaned down, licked her bottom lip and pushed slowly into her. Their lips molded together, effectively swallowing their moans. His hips rubbed hard against her before he pulled back out. She pushed against his shoulders making him pull back and look down at her through hooded eyes.
"Let's roll over."
He pushed back inside her before wrapping his arms around her waist and rolling them over. Pressing her hands against his chest, she slowly moved on top of him. Stopping every now and then, she grinded down on him, making her toss her head back.
Feeling the way her spine shivered under his fingers, he could tell she was close but needed help being pushed over the edge. He moved his thumb against her clit, and his other hand wrapped around her hip, helping her move up and down on him.
"Usako."
She brought her head back up and looked down at him not stopping her pace.
"I love you."
He heard her gasp, and felt her walls clamp around him as her whole body started to shudder. Moving his other hand to her hip, he continued to push in and out of her until he met his own end inside her. She collapsed on top of him, panting, and he pushed her damp hair away from her forehead.
Did you tell her you love her during sex?
"Mamo?"
He gulped and opened his eyes to her bright blue ones.
"I love you."
His breath left him, and he kissed her forehead. Pulling her back down to him, he rested his cheek against her forehead and took in a deep breath, "I am in love with you, Usako."
He felt her grin against his chest and it looked like it lit up the entire room, or at least that's what it seemed to his drunken mind, "I am in love with you, Mamo."
O.o.O.o.O
He was still hungover, he drank way too much last night, but he needed it to face his so-called friend. Knowing Mamoru, he'd probably backed off by now, seeing all the flowers and hearing his confessions of love. They'd known each other for fifteen years, and when had Seiya ever told him he was in love?
Grabbing the door from a leaving resident, he skipped the elevators, wanting to get to her as fast as possible with the bouquet of calla lilies in hand. Motoki opened the door with a confused look, "Hey, Seiya?"
Seiya breathed heavily from his trip up the stairs, only four flights but still enough to leave him winded. "Hey Motoki, I've brought these for Usagi."
Motoki opened the door and stepped aside, allowing Seiya in. He turned back and looked at the blonde for directions to Usagi's room. Motoki pointed to the left, "Second door."
He tried to breathe out his nerves as he walked to her bedroom door, knowing she wouldn't be awake this early, he opened it and stepped in. The smile on his face instantly dropped along with the flowers. Looking at the bed that contained two bodies, a sheet covered Mamoru's waist, but his bare chest and stomach held a sleeping, seemingly nude blonde.
His vision vibrated and his body shook, everything turning red. Fifteen years...he knew...and he slept with her anyway.
A noise similar to a growl escaped his throat as he grabbed Mamoru's arm and yanked him off the bed, Usagi jolted awake with the loss of her pillow, and Mamoru jumped up after hitting the floor. They both turned and noticed the ponytailed man standing in the room. "Seiya…" Mamoru held his hands up trying to calm his friend. Usagi looked at Mamoru, and was thankful for the boxer briefs currently covering him, glass of water in the middle of the night to the rescue.
Seiya jumped towards Mamoru knocking both of them into her dresser. A lamp crashed to the floor along with her music box. Usagi gasped and jumped off the bed, her back pressing flat against the wall, and a sheet fully wrapped around her. With a couple punches to Mamoru's face Seiya wasn't feeling any satisfaction, Mamoru grabbed around his waist and pushed him into the wall. A photo of her and her four girlfriends fell from the wall and shattered on impact.
"You slept with her Mamoru! You knew how I felt, and you slept with her!" Seiya managed to push Mamoru off of him and connected his right fist to Mamoru's left cheek.
You deserve this.
Mamoru stumbled back and moved his jaw back and forth. Seiya stalked forward, rearing his fist back again but Mamoru grabbed it before it collided against him again.
Don't fight back.
"Calm down, Seiya. Let's talk." Mamoru let go of Seiya's fist and raised his hands in front of him again.
"Screw you! You've had plenty of time to talk!" Seiya threw his body against Mamoru's again, knocking both of them into the wall next to Usagi. She screamed for Motoki and squeezed the sheet tighter to her chest.
Seiya pulled back, hovering over Mamoru, but before he could get another punch in Motoki had his arms around Seiya. "Usagi, get dressed! We're leaving, and these two can stay and talk or punch it out."
Seiya and Mamoru both looked at Usagi then, cowering in the corner with tears streaming down her face. Mamoru reached for her, "Usako…"
"Don't you fucking touch her! Don't you dare touch her!" Seiya flailed in Motoki's hold and Mamoru took a step back away from her.
She moved to her dresser grabbing panties and a bra, then a dress from her closet. Hurrying out of the room around Motoki and Seiya she kept her eyes on the floor.
O.o.O.o.O
Mamoru walked into the living room from the kitchen holding a washcloth with ice on his cheek.
"Does it hurt?"
Mamoru glared at Seiya and sat down on the opposite side of the couch.
Dropping the ice pack on his jean covered leg, he sighed and ran his hands down his face, "I don't know where to start, Seiya."
"How about I tell you I've known for a while now? I saw you two kissing outside of the condo. So how long before that?"
Surprise crossed Mamoru's face for a quick second before he moved his eyes to the ground, "Really it depends on which time."
"Seriously, Mamoru?"
Mamoru groaned, and laid his head back against the couch, "I mean we first kissed on New Years Eve, but she was drunk and things kind of just escalated from there. I never planned this Seiya….and I definitely didn't want to progress without telling you."
Seiya clucked his tongue and shook his head, "Yet somehow you forgot and I had to pretend not to know you were making moves on my ex-girlfriend this entire time."
"Trust me the guilt has been eating me alive."
Seiya jumped from the couch and scoffed, "Not enough to not stab me in the back."
Mamoru lifted his head and stared at Seiya, "Telling you I'm sorry won't help, and to be honest I'd be lying. I don't regret anything with her…"
Seiya glared at him and pointed at his own chest, "She is MY ex-girlfriend, Mamoru! My ex! Who I've been trying to get back!"
"Except you weren't trying very hard until recently. Why is that? Why now? Because I want her? For months you were both just going through the motions of a relationship!"
Seiya shook his head again and threw his arms out, "How would you know?! You weren't even here for the majority of our relationship! You let yourself see what you wanted to see, to justify your feelings."
"For those few months of your relationship that I was there for…." Mamoru swallowed, and looked around, searching for the right words, "..I never saw her come alive with you, the way she does with me."
"We were….are meant for each other. It's been me and her for almost three years, Mamoru. We were happy."
Mamoru's eyes turned to slits, "Happy people don't cheat."
"And real friends don't go after their friend's exes! Real friends would back the hell off!"
Standing up, Mamoru crossed his arms, "That's what you want? Me to give her up for you?"
Seiya's shoulders slumped and he sighed, "I'm in love with her. I've never stopped loving her."
"Well guess what, Seiya…..I love her too."
"Is this how you want fifteen years of friendship to end? Over a relationship that will never last?"
"And it will last with you?"
"I plan to marry her."
O.o.O.o.O
He opened the door and almost ran her down.
"Mamo?" She looked up at him confused, and he visibly gulped. "Is everything okay? What happened?"
"I'm fine, we just talked, and he left a little while ago."
She reached up and touched the bruise on his cheek. Leaning back, he continued to avoid her eyes.
"Does it hurt?"
"Not really, Seiya never really could punch."
Her lips moved into a small smile, "Want to talk about what happened?"
"Actually, I need to head to work."
She scrunched her eyebrows and tilted her head, "But it's Sunday…"
He squeezed around her and walked backwards to the elevator, "I know, but it's towards the end of the month...need to look at the books. I'll see you later!"
She watched him disappear in the elevator before she closed the condo door. He's never gone to work on a Sunday…
Grabbing a blanket off the back of the couch, she wrapped herself in it and turned on the tv. After a few minutes Motoki walked through the door with the bag of her leftovers, "Hey Usa, I saw Mamoru leaving?"
"Mamoru went to work?"
Motoki furrowed his eyebrows, "Work?"
"Said there was something with the books he had to do."
Motoki forced a smile and nodded, "Oh, I'm sure he just wasn't able to get to it during the week."
Frowning at the floor Usagi moved her legs into her chest, "Of course."
O.o.O.o.O
He quietly opened the door, hoping to not wake either of his roommates. Roommates...is that what she is now? Groaning, he walked to his bedroom but stopped, spotting Usagi asleep on the couch his heart began to stutter.
What is she doing? Was she waiting for me?
Bending down next to her, he brushed back her bangs and looked over her face. One of her legs were over the back of the couch and her hair was spilling onto the floor by his feet. Give her up for Seiya...that's what you're going to do.
Scooping his arms under her back and legs, he picked her up, her head laid against his chest, allowing him to feel her breath through his shirt. As he carried her to her bedroom, he realized he didn't want to put her down, ever, inhaling deeply through his nose he tried to memorize how she smelled, like vanilla and...sugar?
Laying her down in her bed, he stroked her cheek, staring at every feature on her face; her perfect eyebrows, small perfect nose, beautiful pouty lips. Walk away Chiba. Standing up, he walked backwards to her door and left for his room. Once his door was shut, he sat down on his bed and shoved his hands in his hair.
Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, he willed for the tears to stay away. I love her, I can't do this. He got up and reached for his door knob, willing his hand to stop, he dropped it back to his side. You can't go to her...it will make this harder. Pacing the length of the bed with his hands on his hips, he kept his eyes on his door. Please come to me Usako...don't let me do this.
After ten minutes of pacing, he decided to stop torturing himself and changed into pajama bottoms. Jumping on his back on the bed, he stared up at the ceiling and sighed. He grabbed his phone and scrolled through their past text messages until he fell asleep.
O.o.O.o.O
She sat on the couch with her legs crossed, flipping through one of her mangas. Motoki was in the kitchen making dinner when his phone rang, "Hey Mamoru."
Usagi perked up and set her manga on the coffee table.
"Um...yeah she's here."
Her brows furrowed as she leaned forward trying to hear Mamoru's side of the conversation.
"Okay man, but…"
"Alright, I understand." Motoki hung up his phone and went back to his skillet.
"Is everything okay?" She moved to the breakfast bar and watched Motoki's back. He visibly tensed when she spoke.
"Yeah, why?"
"Mamoru's normally home by now, didn't know if something happened."
He turned and put on the worst fake smile she had ever seen on him, "Yeah, he's just working late."
She pursed her lips and nodded, "He's worked late the last couple nights."
Motoki turned off the stove and grabbed a couple plates, "I think it's just a busy week, maybe his tech is on vacation."
Grabbing one of the plates from him she walked over to the table, "Maybe."
O.o.O.o.O
Closing the door quietly, he tiptoed to his room, stopping at his bedroom door he looked over at hers. All the lights were off in the condo, he hadn't seen her in days and it hurt like hell. He just wanted a glimpse….just a glimpse. Walking over to her door, he cracked it open slowly and looked in at her sleeping face. He held his breath and watched her sleeping form.
You told Seiya you would end it...you chickened out and decided to ignore her instead, but whatever.
Closing her door, he walked in his room and changed. Putting his hand against their adjoining wall, he leaned his forehead against it. Usako.
~*~*~Last Sunday~*~*~
"Marry her?" Mamoru stared at him.
"Yes, I even bought a ring two weeks before I made that idiotic mistake." Seiya turned his head away and crossed his arms.
"You were going to propose?"
Seiya sighed, "That was the plan. The night that I got back in town."
"Shit," Mamoru turned away and ran his hands down his face.
"We've known each other fifteen years Mamoru."
Mamoru turned and looked back at him.
"I love her, and I get that you do too, but we have history, and if it wasn't for that mistake you and I both know Usagi and I would be engaged right now."
Mamoru forced the tears to stay back as he moved his hands to his hips, "Okay.."
Seiya furrowed his eyebrows and watched him, "Okay, what?"
"I will end this with Usagi."
