Big kisses to Astraearose-silvermoon, Deadly Aura, Nebelflecke, FloraOne, CassieRaven, kera69love, jessielee14, Neahmalik25, UglyGreenJacket and eskalations. I LOVED hearing about your favorite parts from last chapter. I was rather inordinately proud of how it came out. Angst is kind of like my own personal heroin. You'll find there is a lot more of that in our future... Don't forget Setsuna's haunting last words! *eyebrow wiggles*
This one is a lot more dialogue-based. I just adore the witty banter between our girls!
The Bun-Head in the Oven
Prompt: "Nudge"
It happened out of the blue, but when it did, Usagi knew immediately what it was she was feeling. She clutched her stomach with a gasp.
"Usagi! What is it? Are you alright?" Rei demanded, crossing the shrine room to come grab Usagi's shoulder. Usagi turned a blinding smile on her raven-haired companion.
"She kicked! She actually kicked and it wasn't just a quickening!"
"I have no idea what that means but shove over, Cinder Breath, Auntie Minako wants to feel!" the rising starlet cried, checking Rei out of the way with her hip.
"'Quickening' is the term used to describe the first flutterings of fetal movement a pregnant woman feels, generally early in the second trimester," Ami explained, but her attempt at educating fell flat, as it was drowned out by Rei's hollered,
"Watch who you're calling Cinder Breath, Three-Holes-No-Wait Barbie!"
"You two," Ami rolled her eyes, while Makoto snickered.
Usagi sucked in again, sharply.
"Oh wow. Oh wow, wow, wow!"
The girls all gathered around their bun-headed leader as she stared with lovestruck enthrallment down at her bump. Four hands pressed against her stomach; they all were waiting with unerring hope for their newest princess to announce her presence once more.
"What does it feel like?" Makoto wondered curiously, an adorably innocent expression gracing her countenance as she gazed up at her friend.
"Weird," Usagi said after a moment of consideration. She scrunched up her face. "Like there's an alien poking around inside me!"
"She's twenty three weeks now, right? That's a very active stage. She can even hear outside sounds!" Ami gushed excitedly.
"Mamo-chan says that too. He reads to her at night," Usagi recalled fondly. "And I sing to her, sometimes."
"Dear God. The child has hearing damage already?"
"Meanie Rei-chan!"
Rei stuck out her tongue, and Usagi was about to respond in kind, when she felt it again - a nudge against her ribcage that sent shockwave ripples across her stomach. The mother-to-be grunted at the sensation; the very mild discomfort of her daughter's limbs railing against her organs.
The Senshi all squealed.
"You guys felt that!?"
"That. Was. Awesome!" Minako whooped, fist-pumping the sky. Rei looked indubitably proud.
"Figures she kicks only after I tease her Mama."
"The little brat," Usagi growled, but the warm glow in her eyes negated the scoff in her voice. "That's just like Chibi-Usa!"
"Aw, I'm sure it's just a coincidence, Usagi-chan," Makoto mollified, with such poorly hidden dubiety that it earned her a look from everyone present. She shrugged and grinned sheepishly.
Usagi's crystalline blue eyes roved over each Senshi in turn. "Er... guys... if you don't mind... please don't mention this to Mamo-chan. He'll be really upset if he finds out he wasn't the first to feel Chibi-Usa kick."
The Senshi as one nodded solemnly. Of course, the serious air did not linger long, not when Minako was in attendance.
"Why would she wait for him? Sheesh. She knows who's really gonna be wrapped around her cute little baby pinky," the effervescent blonde quipped, waggling said appendage. "I guess this confirms it... Chibi-Usa-chan really does love us best!"
Next Prompt: "Midnight"