Chapter One

"He selected some music and thought that he would dance, but he failed. Instead, he turned up the music until it smothered the sound of the dead woman weeping in his heart."

-Aminatta Forna, Happiness

This was it. True bliss. She had her stretch book, beautiful scenery, fresh air, and bright warm sun. This was what all artists craved. Of course, the solitude wasn't her favorite, but if she wasn't alone and left that way, she'd never get anything done.

Spring had sprung, and the flowers were too bright to ignore. So Usagi didn't, feeling restless that day anyway. Leaving her acrylics behind, she only grabbed her sketching stuff and ran out the door. Not really knowing what she was looking for, she wandered around her neighborhood, letting her feet take her wherever they wanted until she ended up at an endless green park with a huge rose garden.

Her fingers were cramping; it'd been a long time since she sketched like this. It was going on two hours, and she still hadn't stopped. Her soul never led her wrong, taking her to just what she needed for some inspiration.

Although, she partly stayed so long because she was lost.

"You're really good."

Jumping, it was lucky Usagi didn't mark across her current work, a bundle of daylilies. If she were to paint them, it would look like they were on fire.

At some point, a young boy had happened upon her and had watched her work for an unknown time. "Um...thanks."

It wasn't that Usagi didn't like kids; she just didn't know kids. She babysat once back in High School, and… let's just say she only did it once. But this wasn't a baby; Usagi wasn't sure how old this kid was. Old enough to appreciate her work but not to be all alone.

So she searched for an adult to go with him.

The kid's dark hair wasn't a rare color in Japan, but his bright blue eyes were, meeting too many eyes for her to feel comfortable with. "So...Um… where's your adult?"

The boy had come around the bench she occupied and sat down next to her. His eyes were focused on her hard, and it had her very confused. "Are you an angel?"

Blinking a few times, Usagi let his question settle before bursting out laughing. She was lucky again cause the kid didn't appear to be offended. "No, I'm not. I'm Usagi."

The kid didn't need her last name; he could call her Auntie for all she cared. He complimented her art and herself, so she didn't mind if he lingered. But if he started to cry, that would be a problem. So Usagi looked around again for someone to claim him, and he caught on. "I'm not here with anyone."

Now she scowled back at him. "Aren't you a little young to be out on your own?"

"I could say the same to you."

"I'm twenty-three years old. I don't need a chaperone."

"I'm eight. So why do I need one?"

She rolled her eyes at the incredulous boy. "Eight isn't anywhere near twenty-three!"

"I know that I'm not stupid!" He pouted like a six-year-old. "I just meant that age doesn't have anything to do with it. I can take care of myself, so what does it matter how old I am?"

"You can take care of yourself? I highly doubt that!"

He had his little arms crossed over his chest and an indignant look on his face. "Like I'd listen to your opinion! You just told a stranger your name."

Her mouth popped open in response but then in shock. The kid hardly counted as a stranger-danger in her book, but she had given him her name without prompting. And he had yet to tell her his name. "Okay, kid, you got me there."

"Don't call me kid then!"

"Well, I don't have a name for you now, do I? I'm just a stranger!"

His strong man bravado slipped a little as he hesitated. "Alright...I'll tell you, but only because I'm far smarter than you and could get out of anything weird you tried to put me in." Usagi didn't take the bait and waited patiently. "Toru. Chiba Toru."

oOo

Boxes were everywhere, and it was overwhelming. Why did he move again? Oh yeah, big empty house and depressing air. Too many memories and needing to move on. Something like that. Now it just all seemed too inconvenient, especially with him starving and his entire kitchen boxed up. Serenity was the cook in their family…

"Toru! I'm ordering something!" There was silence from the hall Mamoru last saw his son disappear down. "Toru?!"

He was supposed to be setting up his new room. Maybe he had switched to one of his puzzles? Once Toru was focused, he was impossible to get through to. A little habit he inherited from Mamoru.

Giving up on searching 'places that deliver' on his phone for a minute, he checked on the boy, knocking and everything but got no response. So many times, he had knocked, gotten no answer, and walked in only to get fussed at by the adorable kid who, Serenity swore, was a mini Mamoru. But this time, he knocked, got no answer, walked in, and found the room empty. A frantic and rushed search of the small two-bedroom apartment had him empty-handed too.

As he made it to the front door, it took the freaked-out father three steps from the back bedroom; his mind raced over just where the child could be? With Toru, it could be anywhere. He was very resourceful. Would he have gone back to their old house? Toru had been very reluctant to leave. But it was a family home in Serenity's family.

And they never liked him in the first place.

His son's voice filtered up from somewhere below, gripping the railing of their landing tight as he nearly threw himself over it with worry. There, walking with carefree steps, was his son. "TORU!"

He jumped and looked up, the woman with him less scared but still worried if he went by how wide her eyes went. Really wide… and bright blue like cerulean. Her arm was casually draped over Toru's shoulders. As much as it could with their height difference, but it wasn't much; she was a short girl. He took in her long gold locks before refocusing on his Houdini.

"Where the hell did you go?!"

The pair slowly made their way to stand just below him, looking up. "Just to the park…."

"JUST? You didn't say anything to me about going anywhere…."

"You were busy."

The tone was clear, and even if it wasn't, Toru had voiced his opinion about the move many times over. But there was nothing either of them could do about it; they had to leave that house.

It still had his anger waning, feeling every bit remorseful as his younger self did. Mamoru switched gears again, looking at the woman leading his son around and up the stairs. Their apartment was in the middle of sorts; the long 'balcony' or landing was shared among their neighbors and felt as if it stretched on forever -especially while waiting for the pretty girl to deliver his son.

Now, standing before him, he felt a little tongue-tied. It'd been a long time since a person made him struggle like this. "I, uh, I'm sorry. Sorry, my son troubled you… to come all this way…. Out of your way…."

Her smile rivaled the sun, and he felt blinded. "Actually, Toru-bo helped me out." She turned her attention to the enamored child. "I was totally lost. Thankfully, he knew the way home." She stuck out her hand to Mamoru, and he took it without understanding. "Guess we're neighbors?"

"Huh?"

"She lives in the apartment next to ours, Dad," Toru explained.

Mamoru still felt as if his brain wasn't working right. Neighbors? He had to live next to that? Suddenly, this move was a terrible idea. He should have researched more, checked out the other tenants. Anything to keep him from slobbering like a… well, like his eight-year-old was at the blonde goddess before him.

"Oh uh well, thanks? I mean, thank you so much for bringing him home safely," he bowed deeply to her and instantly felt like a boob, "is there any way that I can...repay you?"

She giggled and ruffled Toru's hair affectionately. "I should repay you guys. I'm not sure I ever would have found home again!"

"You're too kind…."

"No, really! Sometimes I… well, I wander. And I forgot my phone when I rushed out this morning, so no GPS or friends to call and come find my a...butt."

Reflexively, Mamoru glanced at the ass his son had saved but then smacked himself internally. Instead, he took note of the large pad she held and the dark smudges on her fingers. "Are you an... Artist?"

She followed his gaze and grinned broadly back up at him. "Nope. Conman. Or is it Conwoman? I trick people into thinking my work will be worth MILLIONS later when I'm dead. Works every time."

Mamoru actually chuckled. He couldn't help it; she was just so… charming. But he instantly looked to Toru to see his reaction, but the boy just looked pleased. "I should thank you somehow. I can offer you…" he thought back to the current condition of his home behind them, "water? In your hand, unless I can find our glasses."

She giggled again and unwrapped her arm from Toru. Who looked sad about it until she ruffled his hair again. "No thanks. You have plenty to do without worrying about me. Feel free to knock if you guys ever need anything." Before leaving, she fixed the hair she messed up and smiled down at Toru. "You're a cool kid, Toru-bo. See you around." She faced him with another blinding smile. "Nice to meet you…."

"Oh, uh Mamoru. Chiba Mamoru." He said awkwardly and put out his hand this time.

She took it, and this time, he noticed just how small and soft it was. "Usagi. Tsukino, Usagi. I feel like we're spies."

Usagi whispered the last part like a secret, and he chuckled again. Toru still didn't look bothered by his interactions with another woman. So Mamoru took it as a good sign that he could be friends with a woman.

"Have a good night, boys."

When Usagi turned (god help him), he looked at her ass. Plump, heart-shaped, and far too perfect and young for his stodgy ass. A friend and eye candy, his new neighbor, would be nice to look at.

oOo

"I got a new neighbor."

With a large mug that was more like a bowl, Usagi carefully sat with her -very hot- Chai latte across from her dear friend and spilled her news right away. Minako's brow arched in interest. "Oh? Is he hot?"

"He's eight."

Minako tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Huh?"

"It's a father and son pair. I'm guessing divorce because the father screamed sad."

"Not all divorce is sad," Minako said, shaking her head, "my parents were far happier after they split than they were together."

"Well then, maybe it's something else? There was definitely no woman in the picture."

"Oh?" She had Minako's interest again. "Then I ask again, is he hot? The dad, of course?"

"He's… cute. In a frazzled and flustered sort of way."

"Cute is good. Cute we can work with."

She choked a little, the drink still too hot and Minako's words far from appropriate. "He's my neighbor."

"So?"

"Don't shit where you eat, Minako."

Minako purred into her cup of creme brulee flavored latte and grinned around it. "Okay fine. Then maybe one of our friends?"

She shrugged, the conversation suddenly making her very uncomfortable. "I only exchanged names. I don't know anything about him, so I have no clue who would be a good fit."

"Alright… then get to know him." Usagi glared at her friend over her cup, but Minako didn't let up. "He's your neighbor; you should get to know him anyway! And then you can set him up with a friend when the time is right!"

There was no arguing with Minako when it came to things about love. So she didn't bother; the love goddess would forget and move on in a week or so. "Fine. I'll get to know him because he's my neighbor!"

Usagi hadn't gotten to know her previous neighbor in that apartment. It housed a couple of college boys the last time, and they moved out when they joined a frat. She'd never been happier because they listened to their music as loudly as possible. Her headphones helped block it out, but they vibrated her walls with it! Twice she tried to talk to them, and both times they ignored her words and hit on her. It had her a bit off on getting to know her neighbors.

The others in the building were two or three times her age and sweet. Except for Mrs. Holtz, an old German woman who believed all single women were hookers, including Usagi and all her friends when they came to visit. Makoto had flirted with Mr. Holtz right in front of her out of spite, so yeah, not friends with Mrs. Holtz.

But Usagi did really like Toru. He was brilliant, and it showed in his annoyance with her a few times. He never made her feel stupid, and she liked that with intelligent people. Ami was the same way, far too smart to have a real conversation with Usagi, but she did anyway.

Maybe Usagi would get to know her neighbor? Her neighbor Toru-bo.