Patch AN's: Welps, another chapter out, another
chapter down, MUHAHAHA. Hope you're
enjoying it so far. Did we mention this was an
alternate reality? *Grins* Well, now ya know,
be happy.
Mizu AN's: ::grumbles a la mizu:: happy? Mizu is
*SO* dead now…means I have to crank up a chapter
asap…::give kana a meaningful look as mizu pops up
from a pile of homework assignments::
Cupid's Wayward Arrow
Authors: Mizu & Patch
E-mails: patchkhan1@hotmail.com
& tokiya_ensui@yahoo.com
Chapter 2: The Coffee Needs a Drinker
insert a few o.O;; faces here
Disclaimer: now, if we *did* own sailor moon,
we'd be rolling around in a whole bunch of dough
and whatever we wrote would probably become fact
instead of fanfiction…(you wouldn't be surprised
if evil endy fell in love with someone named
"kana" ^^;;) but ya know what? Naoko Takeuchi
owns sailor moon, not us…(to kana's
disappointment… ;) )
After Mamoru had left, Motoki stared
at the mug his friend had drunk his coffee in.
With a start he realized that the mug was still
half full with the black liquid that Mamoru liked
best.
Motoki leaned forward and resting his
forearms on the counter, took hold of the white
mug and contemplated it. Man, he thought, his best
friend was just like his coffee; you could be put
off with the first taste, it was that bitter, but
after some time it became something you could
depend on, in a good way.
Mamoru had been like this drink when
Motoki had first met him. Cool and aloof, he made
people *want* to stay away. But Motoki had
broken through the walls of the coffee mug and
found what he knew he would find all along. The
tall, dark haired man that always seemed to carry
a cold presence around him was actually... decent.
He was reliable, warm, and really not that
unfriendly. Just like the coffee...
And now all the coffee needed was
someone to drink it. His face broke into an unholy
grin at the thought but quickly fell away when the
temperature began to rise drastically. Darn
teenage girl hormones. He couldn't even smile
around here without feeling the heat (AN: no pun
intended ^_~).
He turned on the small fan he kept
behind him on one of the shelves and sighed.
Mamoru definitely needed someone, a special
girl, one that wouldn't be scared away at the
first encounter. But who? He pursed his lips in
concentration.
So entangled in his thoughts was he,
that he didn't see the parlor doors slide open or
hear the small 'ding!' that followed. He didn't
even notice the person who had entered sit
directly in front of him until they spoke.
"Ne, Motoki, instead of striking a
sexy pose for your fans, could you get me a
tall glass of Coke?"
He snapped out of his musings in a
flash when he realized someone was speaking
to him. He looked to see a beautiful woman in
an expensive business suite sitting on a bar
stool across the counter and right in front of
him. Bemused baby blue eyes met his and
full pink lips began to form a pout as finely
manicured nails drummed on the countertop in
impatience.
"Toki-chan?"
Motoki's mouth dropped open when
the woman spoke again. No, it was not the
informal nickname that had been spoken by her,
that was something old. No, it was the
realization he had hit upon. He continued to stare
in amazement at Tsukino Usagi, advertising agent
extrordinaire for the Toshiba Advertising Agency.
Young and right out of college, she was already
well known in the entertainment world for her
commitment and determination to see her clients
find their places in the entertainment industry.
A few of them had moved from making small
commercials to being cast into sitcoms and
movies. Experts said she had the knack for
finding future stars.
But Motoki ignored all of this and in
an instant had half climbed over the counter to
grab Usagi's shoulders in a tight grip causing her
to shriek slightly.
"Usagi! You are the drinker for the
coffee!"
Usagi: o.O;;
"I'm serious Usagi, you are just what the coffee
needs! You are going to break down the mug's
walls and experience true love! It's absolutely
perfect!"
Usagi: o.O;;
Usagi, who was more than shocked to say the
least, tried to slip out from Motoki's grip, but
failed dismally. She tried not to be obvious
about it but when he continued to hold her with
a look on his face that said he had reached an
epiphany, she knew she had to be direct.
"Motoki, can you please let go of me now?"
"Nani? Oh, yeah, yeah. Gomen."
He released her shoulders and she
sank back down into her seat. After brushing off
her shoulders, she looked at him curiously. "What
has gotten into you? You scared me there for a
second. Wait, have you been sniffing those
coffee beans again?" she asked playfully.
He shook his head slowly as he filled
a tall glass from the soda fountain for her. "Iie,
I was just, umm, spouting poetic nonsense," he
told her, sliding the glass over to her. "It's
been a habit of mine lately... to spout... stuff."
Usagi looked at him strangely before taking
a long sip. "Okay Motoki, whatever you say," she
murmured. A moment of comfortable silence passed
between them before he spoke.
"So anyway, enough of about me," he
said cheerfully, "how's it going with you?" Too
cheerfully.
Usagi sighed and rubbed her forehead
wishing she could be a teenage girl. At least then
her only worry would be impressing cute guys
like the girls behind her were doing. But she was
twenty, too old for such a thing, had a career to
maintain and desperately needed a miracle. She
spun the glass between her fingers, taking in the
dark amber liquid, the bubbles rising to the top,
the ice cubes clinking against each other, before
looking at Motoki helplessly.
"I'm doomed," she half wailed, letting
her head drop into her arms.
Motoki paused in mid-wipe of the
counter and leaned forward, resting his elbows
on the already too clean top. "What's the matter
Usagi-chan? I'll try and help any way I can, you
know that."
Sighs and a few more thuds to the floor
were heard following this statement, accompanied
by comments like, "Hubba hubba, he can help me
any day," and "Where's the line to sign up?"
(AN: Mizu & Patch *sweatdrop*)
But these all went unheeded by Usagi
who had other concerns at the moment. She really
needed a miracle, she realized.
"You already know about it," she finally
said unhappily, "It's the latest demands from that
candy company, 'Sweets and Stuff'. They want a
Cupid to start shooting their Valentine's Day
commercials, even though that holiday is *months*
away. And Kami help me, but I've looked
everywhere but I can't find a darn Cupid
anywhere!"
Motoki turned around in the guise of
getting something from the shelf but it was really
for the ear-splitting grin that he couldn't show
Usagi. Oh, life was certainly going well these
days and it was only about to get more
interesting. If he had his way he would have done
a little jig but that would be quite... abnormal
so he contained the urge to do so. (mizu AN: not
funny kana… ^^;;)Instead, he composed himself and
turned around coughing slightly before smiling
widely.
"Usagi! Is that all you're worried about?"
She gaped at him as if he had just
transformed into the ugliest man alive. "Is that
all? Motoki, how can you even ask such a question?
My job is depending on this and if I can get the
right person, not only will my client be getting
big bucks, so will I! And if I don't I'm in for
it! It's a heck of a lot to worry about Motoki!"
She crossed her arms and glared at him.
"Usagi-chan, you're getting too stressed
over this. You said you needed a miracle and I've
got it. I know someone who's perfect for the part
and he could use the money too. I think he's the
Cupid you're looking for," Motoki finished with a
wink, smiling a little too brightly.
"Does he have any acting experience?"
"Well, not really," at Usagi's
disappointed look, he quickly hastened to add,
"but he's a model and you and I both know models
can act as well as any other actor or actress.
Give him a try, I'm sure you won't be
disappointed." In more ways than one, Motoki
thought, secretly pleased with himself. The fact
that he had lied straight through his teeth about
Mamoru being a model did not bring him down at
all. He reasoned he was doing it for a good cause.
He wanted to bring the coffee to its drinker, he
thought adamantly.
Besides, Mamoru *looked* good enough
to be a model, surely that counted for something.
Half those sighs and thumps he heard on a regular
basis usually occurred when Mamoru was in the
vicinity. There had to be some sort of connection
to that and Mamoru was just too daft to even
realize it.
"Fine, I'll give him a chance, what's his
name?"
"Chiba Mamoru. He's a great guy, a bit
standoffish at first but a real teddy bear once
you get to know him." He winked and Usagi graced
him with another odd look. Motoki continued to
smile, even though it hurt to do so. He heard
Usagi mumble, "I don't want to know," but ignored
it, his smile becoming even wider.
"So when do you want to meet him?"
"Tomorrow would be good, say around
three or so. You know where my office is, just
give him the address," Usagi took out a business
card and handed it to her friend. Standing up she
looked at him with serious eyes. "I hope you're
right about this Chiba guy, Motoki. If his first
name means anything, I'll be more than grateful.
Time's running out."
"Oh I know I'm right," Motoki assured
her. "He'll be perfect for the job," he called out
as she left the store, waving at him.
As soon as the doors swished closed
behind her, he quickly grabbed the cordless phone
from underneath the counter and dialed a number
he knew by heart.
"Moshi Moshi," a weary voice answered.
"Mamoru, you, my friend, have got
yourself a job. Show up at the 12th floor of the
Toshiba Building at three tomorrow and you will be
on your way to receiving some major payments."
"NANI?!?!"
Motoki held the phone away from his
ear, all the while grinning. "No need to thank me,
pal, just show up and get your due."
"Motoki," one very angry Mamoru
growled, "what have you done?"
"Nothing at all! Just put in a good word
or two for you. Now you don't want to keep her
waiting tomorrow so make sure you show up on
time, ne?"
"What kind of job is this Motoki?"
"Oh, just a little bit of acting for a
television commercial, nothing much..."
"MOTOKI!!"
"Oh, customers, Mamoru. Gotta go. Oh
and just remember one thing, you were a model in
your past life."
Click.
Mamoru stared at the phone he was
holding. Maybe he could pretend it was his best
friend's neck and squeeze ever so tightly. And
maybe, just maybe, if he concentrated hard enough,
some form of voodoo would take over and
Motoki would feel the chokehold Mamoru had on
the phone. It was definitely a pleasant thought.
He sighed and thought to what Motoki
had said last. He was a model... in his past
life... Did he even want to know?
=======
note: ne, if you're asking why mamoru is still in
school while usagi is off working…err…well, let's
just say that mamoru's course requires him to stay
in school for a while longer (kinda like medical
school…or something or the sort…) ^^;;
Oct 00'
chapter down, MUHAHAHA. Hope you're
enjoying it so far. Did we mention this was an
alternate reality? *Grins* Well, now ya know,
be happy.
Mizu AN's: ::grumbles a la mizu:: happy? Mizu is
*SO* dead now…means I have to crank up a chapter
asap…::give kana a meaningful look as mizu pops up
from a pile of homework assignments::
Cupid's Wayward Arrow
Authors: Mizu & Patch
E-mails: patchkhan1@hotmail.com
& tokiya_ensui@yahoo.com
Chapter 2: The Coffee Needs a Drinker
insert a few o.O;; faces here
Disclaimer: now, if we *did* own sailor moon,
we'd be rolling around in a whole bunch of dough
and whatever we wrote would probably become fact
instead of fanfiction…(you wouldn't be surprised
if evil endy fell in love with someone named
"kana" ^^;;) but ya know what? Naoko Takeuchi
owns sailor moon, not us…(to kana's
disappointment… ;) )
After Mamoru had left, Motoki stared
at the mug his friend had drunk his coffee in.
With a start he realized that the mug was still
half full with the black liquid that Mamoru liked
best.
Motoki leaned forward and resting his
forearms on the counter, took hold of the white
mug and contemplated it. Man, he thought, his best
friend was just like his coffee; you could be put
off with the first taste, it was that bitter, but
after some time it became something you could
depend on, in a good way.
Mamoru had been like this drink when
Motoki had first met him. Cool and aloof, he made
people *want* to stay away. But Motoki had
broken through the walls of the coffee mug and
found what he knew he would find all along. The
tall, dark haired man that always seemed to carry
a cold presence around him was actually... decent.
He was reliable, warm, and really not that
unfriendly. Just like the coffee...
And now all the coffee needed was
someone to drink it. His face broke into an unholy
grin at the thought but quickly fell away when the
temperature began to rise drastically. Darn
teenage girl hormones. He couldn't even smile
around here without feeling the heat (AN: no pun
intended ^_~).
He turned on the small fan he kept
behind him on one of the shelves and sighed.
Mamoru definitely needed someone, a special
girl, one that wouldn't be scared away at the
first encounter. But who? He pursed his lips in
concentration.
So entangled in his thoughts was he,
that he didn't see the parlor doors slide open or
hear the small 'ding!' that followed. He didn't
even notice the person who had entered sit
directly in front of him until they spoke.
"Ne, Motoki, instead of striking a
sexy pose for your fans, could you get me a
tall glass of Coke?"
He snapped out of his musings in a
flash when he realized someone was speaking
to him. He looked to see a beautiful woman in
an expensive business suite sitting on a bar
stool across the counter and right in front of
him. Bemused baby blue eyes met his and
full pink lips began to form a pout as finely
manicured nails drummed on the countertop in
impatience.
"Toki-chan?"
Motoki's mouth dropped open when
the woman spoke again. No, it was not the
informal nickname that had been spoken by her,
that was something old. No, it was the
realization he had hit upon. He continued to stare
in amazement at Tsukino Usagi, advertising agent
extrordinaire for the Toshiba Advertising Agency.
Young and right out of college, she was already
well known in the entertainment world for her
commitment and determination to see her clients
find their places in the entertainment industry.
A few of them had moved from making small
commercials to being cast into sitcoms and
movies. Experts said she had the knack for
finding future stars.
But Motoki ignored all of this and in
an instant had half climbed over the counter to
grab Usagi's shoulders in a tight grip causing her
to shriek slightly.
"Usagi! You are the drinker for the
coffee!"
Usagi: o.O;;
"I'm serious Usagi, you are just what the coffee
needs! You are going to break down the mug's
walls and experience true love! It's absolutely
perfect!"
Usagi: o.O;;
Usagi, who was more than shocked to say the
least, tried to slip out from Motoki's grip, but
failed dismally. She tried not to be obvious
about it but when he continued to hold her with
a look on his face that said he had reached an
epiphany, she knew she had to be direct.
"Motoki, can you please let go of me now?"
"Nani? Oh, yeah, yeah. Gomen."
He released her shoulders and she
sank back down into her seat. After brushing off
her shoulders, she looked at him curiously. "What
has gotten into you? You scared me there for a
second. Wait, have you been sniffing those
coffee beans again?" she asked playfully.
He shook his head slowly as he filled
a tall glass from the soda fountain for her. "Iie,
I was just, umm, spouting poetic nonsense," he
told her, sliding the glass over to her. "It's
been a habit of mine lately... to spout... stuff."
Usagi looked at him strangely before taking
a long sip. "Okay Motoki, whatever you say," she
murmured. A moment of comfortable silence passed
between them before he spoke.
"So anyway, enough of about me," he
said cheerfully, "how's it going with you?" Too
cheerfully.
Usagi sighed and rubbed her forehead
wishing she could be a teenage girl. At least then
her only worry would be impressing cute guys
like the girls behind her were doing. But she was
twenty, too old for such a thing, had a career to
maintain and desperately needed a miracle. She
spun the glass between her fingers, taking in the
dark amber liquid, the bubbles rising to the top,
the ice cubes clinking against each other, before
looking at Motoki helplessly.
"I'm doomed," she half wailed, letting
her head drop into her arms.
Motoki paused in mid-wipe of the
counter and leaned forward, resting his elbows
on the already too clean top. "What's the matter
Usagi-chan? I'll try and help any way I can, you
know that."
Sighs and a few more thuds to the floor
were heard following this statement, accompanied
by comments like, "Hubba hubba, he can help me
any day," and "Where's the line to sign up?"
(AN: Mizu & Patch *sweatdrop*)
But these all went unheeded by Usagi
who had other concerns at the moment. She really
needed a miracle, she realized.
"You already know about it," she finally
said unhappily, "It's the latest demands from that
candy company, 'Sweets and Stuff'. They want a
Cupid to start shooting their Valentine's Day
commercials, even though that holiday is *months*
away. And Kami help me, but I've looked
everywhere but I can't find a darn Cupid
anywhere!"
Motoki turned around in the guise of
getting something from the shelf but it was really
for the ear-splitting grin that he couldn't show
Usagi. Oh, life was certainly going well these
days and it was only about to get more
interesting. If he had his way he would have done
a little jig but that would be quite... abnormal
so he contained the urge to do so. (mizu AN: not
funny kana… ^^;;)Instead, he composed himself and
turned around coughing slightly before smiling
widely.
"Usagi! Is that all you're worried about?"
She gaped at him as if he had just
transformed into the ugliest man alive. "Is that
all? Motoki, how can you even ask such a question?
My job is depending on this and if I can get the
right person, not only will my client be getting
big bucks, so will I! And if I don't I'm in for
it! It's a heck of a lot to worry about Motoki!"
She crossed her arms and glared at him.
"Usagi-chan, you're getting too stressed
over this. You said you needed a miracle and I've
got it. I know someone who's perfect for the part
and he could use the money too. I think he's the
Cupid you're looking for," Motoki finished with a
wink, smiling a little too brightly.
"Does he have any acting experience?"
"Well, not really," at Usagi's
disappointed look, he quickly hastened to add,
"but he's a model and you and I both know models
can act as well as any other actor or actress.
Give him a try, I'm sure you won't be
disappointed." In more ways than one, Motoki
thought, secretly pleased with himself. The fact
that he had lied straight through his teeth about
Mamoru being a model did not bring him down at
all. He reasoned he was doing it for a good cause.
He wanted to bring the coffee to its drinker, he
thought adamantly.
Besides, Mamoru *looked* good enough
to be a model, surely that counted for something.
Half those sighs and thumps he heard on a regular
basis usually occurred when Mamoru was in the
vicinity. There had to be some sort of connection
to that and Mamoru was just too daft to even
realize it.
"Fine, I'll give him a chance, what's his
name?"
"Chiba Mamoru. He's a great guy, a bit
standoffish at first but a real teddy bear once
you get to know him." He winked and Usagi graced
him with another odd look. Motoki continued to
smile, even though it hurt to do so. He heard
Usagi mumble, "I don't want to know," but ignored
it, his smile becoming even wider.
"So when do you want to meet him?"
"Tomorrow would be good, say around
three or so. You know where my office is, just
give him the address," Usagi took out a business
card and handed it to her friend. Standing up she
looked at him with serious eyes. "I hope you're
right about this Chiba guy, Motoki. If his first
name means anything, I'll be more than grateful.
Time's running out."
"Oh I know I'm right," Motoki assured
her. "He'll be perfect for the job," he called out
as she left the store, waving at him.
As soon as the doors swished closed
behind her, he quickly grabbed the cordless phone
from underneath the counter and dialed a number
he knew by heart.
"Moshi Moshi," a weary voice answered.
"Mamoru, you, my friend, have got
yourself a job. Show up at the 12th floor of the
Toshiba Building at three tomorrow and you will be
on your way to receiving some major payments."
"NANI?!?!"
Motoki held the phone away from his
ear, all the while grinning. "No need to thank me,
pal, just show up and get your due."
"Motoki," one very angry Mamoru
growled, "what have you done?"
"Nothing at all! Just put in a good word
or two for you. Now you don't want to keep her
waiting tomorrow so make sure you show up on
time, ne?"
"What kind of job is this Motoki?"
"Oh, just a little bit of acting for a
television commercial, nothing much..."
"MOTOKI!!"
"Oh, customers, Mamoru. Gotta go. Oh
and just remember one thing, you were a model in
your past life."
Click.
Mamoru stared at the phone he was
holding. Maybe he could pretend it was his best
friend's neck and squeeze ever so tightly. And
maybe, just maybe, if he concentrated hard enough,
some form of voodoo would take over and
Motoki would feel the chokehold Mamoru had on
the phone. It was definitely a pleasant thought.
He sighed and thought to what Motoki
had said last. He was a model... in his past
life... Did he even want to know?
=======
note: ne, if you're asking why mamoru is still in
school while usagi is off working…err…well, let's
just say that mamoru's course requires him to stay
in school for a while longer (kinda like medical
school…or something or the sort…) ^^;;
Oct 00'