patch's AN's: oysh, so umm, yes, the next chapter is out....
FINALLY! ^^;; *huggles mizu-momma* But look, now
you guys get to beat my wonderful momma over here to
get the next part out!
mizy's AN's: woo hoo! kana got another chapter out! ::does
a mizu jig:: and lookie! part of a plot is finished! isn't kana
*wonderful*? (hai, kana, I'm trying to embarrass you. ^_~
what are momma/poppa/gurus for?)
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon Belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. We
claim no ownership to it. (figured that we could stand
something normal, b/c the disclaimer's going to be the most
*sane* phrase in this entire chapter ^_~)
Cupid's Wayward Arrow
Chapter 6: Of Ferocious Kitties & Airbrushed Muscles
Authors: Mizu & Patch
"Wow… this is a *really* nice place, you've got here."
"Thanks, I decorated it myself. Have a seat. Do you
want anything to drink?"
"Just some cold water, thanks."
Usagi left Mamoru in the living room and walked to
her kitchen. When she was sure he couldn't see her, she slumped
against the fridge and took in a deep breath before exhaling
slowly. She passed a hand through her hair, which had become
loose from the car ride over. Who would have thought Mamoru
to have a beautiful, red convertible? With Mamoru speeding
down the highway, she had had the biggest urge to sit up on the
headrest of her seat and do one of those wild dances… just for
him.
You little hentai, her mind chided. She shook her
head roughly and headed for the cabinet that contained her
prized Lennox fine crystal glass set. No one needed to know
that she had found the set at a garage sale near her parents'
houses. It had been a steal, a bargain she had been proud of.
And the set was a darn good looker too. It was something that
could easily be found on the shelf of a pricey department store.
"Hey Usagi, need help in here?"
*CRASH*
And now she was short one glass. She stared at
the broken shards dumbly, her mind woefully lamenting her
clumsiness. Well hell.
"Oy, Usagi, be careful!"
She saw him pick up the larger pieces and turned to
him to ask him a question. "When did you start calling me by my
first name?"
"Since you began staring at a broken in glass
without doing anything about it," he replied tactfully. He threw
the pieces in the trashcan and turned back to her. "Are you
planning on standing there or will you give me the drink I asked
for?" His face broke into a teasing grin and her eyes widened
slightly. If he continued to smile like that she would willingly
stand there all day.
ACK! Thinking like this was not good for her. She
smiled sheepishly at him. "Gomen, it's just that that glass was
part of my favorite set. I'm still in shock, you know?"
His expression turned sympathetic. "I'm sorry. It's
eally funny though. My aunt has a set just like yours and she
was selling them at a garage sale a while back. Want me to
check and see if no one bought them? She might still have the
set."
Usagi blanched. Coincidence? She didn't want to
dwell on that one. "That's… okay," she croaked out. "You
wanted a glass of water, ne?" She reached for a glass, a
plastic one, lest there were any more 'accidents' waiting for
her in the future. She filled it with ice-cold water from the
fridge and handed it to him. "Do you want anything to eat?"
He shook his head and she watched in silence as
he drank. Not a very good idea, for reasons which could go
unexplained. Her face was turning red again, she could feel it!
Looking away, she tried to find something to occupy herself
with.
"So did the shoot go well in your opinion?"
At his voice, Usagi turned back to him so fast, she
heard her neck crack. She winced and rubbed the area. She
hated cracking any parts of her body so why today, of all
days, were her bones rebelling against her?
"I thought it went well," she answered, "but it's up
to the Powers that Be to give the final word."
"Maybe they'll be in such awe of my good looks
that they'll let the commercial air," he said, handing the glass to
her.
She dropped the glass.
They both watched it bounce to the floor and spin
in a circle a few times before coming to a stop. The fact that it
wasn't one of her prized glasses had her happy beyond
comparison. The fact that she had actually dropped another
glass in Mamoru's presence had her mentally weeping in
embarrassment.
"Are you nervous?"
She lifted her head to meet his gaze and nodded
vigorously, her blond head bobbing up and down. "I always
get nervous before having to present my work before the
board." Yes, that was it. She was not looking forward to
meeting with the high authority and it was giving her a bad
case of nerves. A most logical explanation.
"And here I thought it was my attractive presence."
She nearly fainted. "Don't let your ego get the
better of you," she retorted quickly. "Your head might burst."
He laughed and turned to walk back into the
living room. "So do you live here by yourself?"
She raised her eyebrow at that question. "Just me
and my cat, who's probably around here somewhere."
"My cat and I."
Usagi rolled her eyes in response. "Whatever.
What about you? Pets? Family? Girlfriends?" She kicked
herself hard for that last one. As if it were any of her business.
Oh but it is, it is, an evil voice in her mind cackled.
He turned his head and gave her a small smile.
"I'm afraid I have to say no to all three."
She was surprised to say the least. Mamoru not
be in a relationship? Well, after the airing of that commercial
on public television, he wouldn't have to worry about that
problem. Naturally, you'll be first in line, that same evil
voice gleefully told her.
They sat on the sofa and discussed little things
about their lives. As they were talking about how surprising
it was that they both knew Motoki, a little mewl was heard.
The talking stopped and both turned to see Usagi's cat
behind Mamoru, licking her paw daintily, her tail curled
around her.
"Luna graces us with an appearance," Usagi said
dryly.
"Cute name," Mamoru replied, getting up to pet
the cat. Usagi saw him and his intentions and jumped off the
couch.
"Mamoru, no! She's very-" her words died in
her throat when Luna suddenly backed up, her tail bushed up
and twitching violently. Her ears pulled back, she shook her
little rump, a sign that she was going to pounce. Usagi knew
that when Luna pounced, she pounced with all claws bared
and poor Mamoru was the target. She couldn't have her star
with a scratched up face so she did what she thought was
best.
She leapt towards him at the same time Luna
sprang forward. Luckily, Usagi reached the startled Mamoru
first and they crashed to the carpeted floor. And where did
Luna go? She went flying over the couple, over the coffee
table and landed on all four paws on the other side. She then
frizzed down, turned her tail up and walked away as though
nothing had ever happened.
Something had most definitely happened for the
couple on the floor however. Mamoru lay stunned on the
plush carpet, not comprehending what had just happened.
Usagi on the other hand knew very well what had happened,
she was just dying of mortification at the moment. It was
kind of hard not to miss the fact that she was currently on
top of her client in a very, very compromising position.
"What… just… happened?" Mamoru's voice
reached her ears and she shut her eyes for a moment,
knowing what she was going to say would sound so very…
lame.
"I tried to warn you that Luna is quite the anti-
social feline. One of those special breeds, as the pet store
owner told me. I love the cat dearly despite that flaw but
I couldn't have you go in tomorrow to the meeting with
red scratches all over your face."
"So you did the equivalent of saving my life?"
She nodded against his chest and then turned
her gaze upwards slowly. She met those cobalt-blue eyes
of his and found herself smiling weakly. "I'm really sorry."
"Don't be," he answered, sitting up. Realized
the awkward position that move put her in, Usagi ducked
her head and tried to get off of Mamoru. However his
hands clamped around her waist and she was forced to
look at him.
Their faces were so close to each other and
that observation had her breath quickening. Fire alarms,
the kind you could hear miles away, were going off in her
head but she didn't pay any attention to them. What she
was paying attention to though, was the way Mamoru's
head was slowly bending towards hers. His lips were
perilously close and if she had the guts to make the effort,
she could most certainly capture them in a long awaited
kiss.
Long awaited?
And at that moment, a tiny mewl interrupted
them once more.
"Oh Kami…"
Usagi heard Mamoru mutter that much and
then she didn't know what happened next because in the
next moment she was sitting on the floor on her knees
and Mamoru had placed himself 20 feet away from her.
She hadn't thought he could move that fast.
"I'll see you at the board meeting, Usagi. Ja!"
And with the slam of the door he was gone,
Usagi still sitting on the floor. Luna meowed again and
hopped onto Usagi. She petted the cat absent-mindedly,
still going over what might have happened moments
before. Would she have allowed Mamoru to kiss her?
An agent involved with her client? Oh, the scandal that
would erupt. She could just see the headlines, "Cupid
Boy & Agent in Steamy Affair; Body Oil Believed to
be Cause."
She shook her head and got up, carrying
Luna with her. "I'm in big trouble, Luna. Big trouble."
"Everyone, quiet! It's coming up!"
Everyone in the studio gathered around the
large television set, eagerly awaiting the commercial
they had all worked so hard on. Minako, Mamoru and
Usagi were there up front, each anticipating the one-
minute show with a different set of emotions. All three
had smiles on their faces, but if one looked closely,
one could see the varying levels of… happiness.
Usagi's smile was strained. It was a now
or never situation. The board had given the a-okay on
the airing of the commercial and this was to show those
big shots on the top floor of the office building that she
was worth her mettle. They would know that Tsukino
Usagi had an eye for picking out future stars. She had
the knack for picking out the good ones, oh yes she
did. The good, handsome and sexy ones…
*THWACK*
"Itai!" Usagi rubbed the side of her head and
glared at her best friend. Minako smiled back teasingly
and nudged the other woman in the ribs.
"You're drooling, babe."
Usagi unconsciously wiped at the side of her
mouth and stared straight ahead, focusing her mind on
innocent and clean thoughts. Minako looked at her
again and stifled a giggle. Ah yes, her smile was a proud
and happy one. Minako knew *her* superiors would
be very proud at all that she had accomplished so far.
The planned events had been set into motion and now
it was up to nature to take its course. Oh, but Minako
knew nature had its way of taking its time which is
why she had helped pushed it along.
"Kami, all my co-workers at the lab will
never let me live this down." She looked at Mamoru and
quietly told him to shush his mutterings. His smile was
nervous and probably as strained as Usagi's. He kept
pulling at the tie he had worn today and she couldn't
wait for his and Usagi's reaction on the commercial.
"I'm sure it can't be that bad…" he mumbled.
Minako shot him a sidelong glance and
couldn't help but let that small evil giggle escape. Oh,
how she loved the technological advances of computer
graphics.
"Here it comes! Everyone, quiet!"
The whispers died down and as everyone
got to view the first airing of Hershey's commercial of their
newest product just in time for Valentine's Day: dark
chocolate bon bons in the shape of cute little hearts,
each individually wrapped in special red foil.
First came the box of candy. It floated
amongst puffy white clouds in a blue sky. Funky music, a
nice light show and then came Cupid, anxiously awaiting
a boon from his mother Aphrodite that would help spread
love all over the world. And what ever could that precious
gift be? Why, Hershey's Dark Chocolate Bon Bons, of
course!
And then there was that nice close up scene
of Cupid taking the first, luscious bite. The viewer could
see how he rolled that piece of chocolate around in his
mouth, savoring the sweet taste, before swallowing it.
Following that, Cupid slowly ran his tongue over his lips
and pondered for a moment. There was a pause and
then Cupid's grin of approval and a thumbs up. These
delectable treats would be just the thing to help in his
mission.
The commercial was over and the next came
on, but no one had moved to resume their duties. They
were somewhat frozen in shock. One woman dared to
turn her head to look at Mamoru and then to the TV
screen and then back to Mamoru again, her eyes
practically undressing him, although his outfit was
conservative. A few other women followed the first's
actions, their eyes wide with amazement. Those same
pairs of eyes then narrowed in what could only be
described as expressing carnal lust.
A strangled gasp escaped from Mamoru's
throat and he turned to Usagi who's eyes were still wide
open with disbelief. She looked at him also, unable to
say anything. However, her mind was running at full
speed. She had known Mamoru was one good looking
guy, but damn, that commercial had made Mamoru
look sizzling hot! She had heard that the camera added
10 pounds of weight but in Mamoru's case, it had added
10 pounds of lean muscle. She hadn't known he could
look so buff!
Her mouth moved up and down but still, no
sound came out.
"So, what did everyone think?" Minako's
loud and cheerful voice broke everyone out of their
stunned reverie.
"Minako, who let you near an airbrush?"
Usagi asked, running a hand through her hair shakily.
"Oh how dare you insult Mamoru-san like
that, Tsukino-san!" one of the women reprimanded,
sidling up to one very red Mamoru.
"That was an all natural Mamoru we saw,"
another woman chimed in, placing herself on Mamoru's
other side.
Usagi rolled her eyes, threw her hands up
in the air and walked away, muttering, "Give me a break,"
under her breath.
Two days later found Mamoru again at the
studio. He had been called to come in and do a couple
more versions of the commercials, so that there would
be a little variety for the producers to air. It was the last
shooting and because there weren't many workers
around, he was helping the staff clean up the studio.
He was about to pick up a bow and its
arrows when he saw Usagi walking past him.
"Usagi, hey!" He hadn't talked to her since
the day they had seen the commercial for the first time
and he missed her… as much as he hated to admit it.
She had become a part of his daily life because he was
now used to seeing her. And since he hadn't seen her in
what seemed like forever (no one had to know how
cliché that sounded), he had the biggest urge to just
talk to her.
"Yes, Mamoru-san?" She was standing in
front of him, waiting patiently for him to speak. The
problem was… he didn't know what to say.
"Erm… how have you been?" he asked
lamely.
She smiled slightly. "Fine, thank you. And
you?"
She sounded so formal. It bothered him. "I'm
good." A moment of silence passed between them and
Mamoru scrambled to think of something to break it. "So
what did the Powers to Be say about the commercial?"
"Oh, they liked it very much and it seems that
I'll be getting that promotion I've long awaited for."
"That's great! Congratulations." Kami, he was
getting nowhere today.
"Thank you. And I must give you my congrats.
I do believe you're the first person ever to acquire 10 fan
clubs, on-line and off-line, in a two day period over a
candy commercial."
Ouch. He had forgotten about that. It was an
unpleasant after effect of the commercial. The day after he
had been called by at least five modeling agencies and
walking down the street suddenly became an adventure.
He hadn't thought that many people watched TV!
Especially young girls! The day after, yesterday, he had
actually received mail from these teenagers. It still boggled
his mind of how they could have gotten his home address.
It didn't sit well with him at all. The commercial, to put it
simply, had been a big success.
"Well, that. Believe me, it hasn't exactly been a
fun experience." She looked at him doubtfully and he rushed
to explain. "Sure, being recognized is okay, but having
someone yell, "Look, it's Cupid boy!" from across the street
is somewhat embarrassing. And the girls!" She raised an
eyebrow and he turned beet red. "Okay, so I did lack
somewhat in that department, but really, I don't recall ever
giving out my number to fifty women all looking for a date
with me."
"And have you gone on any?"
He blinked. "Any what?" he asked dumbly.
She sighed. "Dates! Have you gone out with
any of those fifty admirers of yours?"
"What? No! Of course not, they're complete
strangers." He suddenly grinned as a thought came to him.
"Why do you ask?"
This time, it was she who blushed. "For no
reason. I was just curious."
He leaned closer towards her, so close that
she could feel his breath across her face. "Would you like
to go on a date? I think I could fit you in," he whispered
huskily.
She whacked him with the folder she was
holding. "Fit me in? I don't think so. Try again."
He rubbed the area on his arm where she had
hit him and smiled. "Fine, I will. Usagi, I would be most
pleased if you would have dinner with me this Friday night."
She looked at him, not expecting his words.
"I… I have to think about it. Excuse me." She quickly
walked, practically ran, away from him. Mamoru frowned
slightly, wondering if he had said anything wrong.
Minako, who had been standing nearby, also
frowned. Usagi wasn't letting nature take its course. She
was supposed to have said yes. And Mamoru wasn't
helping either by acting this way. At the rate he was going,
he would never get anywhere. Now what could she do to
help? She saw Mamoru pick up the bow and arrow,
inspect it and then play around with it. He strung an arrow
and before she could stop him, he had let the thing fly.
With a cringe, she watched it hit a woman
FINALLY! ^^;; *huggles mizu-momma* But look, now
you guys get to beat my wonderful momma over here to
get the next part out!
mizy's AN's: woo hoo! kana got another chapter out! ::does
a mizu jig:: and lookie! part of a plot is finished! isn't kana
*wonderful*? (hai, kana, I'm trying to embarrass you. ^_~
what are momma/poppa/gurus for?)
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon Belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. We
claim no ownership to it. (figured that we could stand
something normal, b/c the disclaimer's going to be the most
*sane* phrase in this entire chapter ^_~)
Cupid's Wayward Arrow
Chapter 6: Of Ferocious Kitties & Airbrushed Muscles
Authors: Mizu & Patch
"Wow… this is a *really* nice place, you've got here."
"Thanks, I decorated it myself. Have a seat. Do you
want anything to drink?"
"Just some cold water, thanks."
Usagi left Mamoru in the living room and walked to
her kitchen. When she was sure he couldn't see her, she slumped
against the fridge and took in a deep breath before exhaling
slowly. She passed a hand through her hair, which had become
loose from the car ride over. Who would have thought Mamoru
to have a beautiful, red convertible? With Mamoru speeding
down the highway, she had had the biggest urge to sit up on the
headrest of her seat and do one of those wild dances… just for
him.
You little hentai, her mind chided. She shook her
head roughly and headed for the cabinet that contained her
prized Lennox fine crystal glass set. No one needed to know
that she had found the set at a garage sale near her parents'
houses. It had been a steal, a bargain she had been proud of.
And the set was a darn good looker too. It was something that
could easily be found on the shelf of a pricey department store.
"Hey Usagi, need help in here?"
*CRASH*
And now she was short one glass. She stared at
the broken shards dumbly, her mind woefully lamenting her
clumsiness. Well hell.
"Oy, Usagi, be careful!"
She saw him pick up the larger pieces and turned to
him to ask him a question. "When did you start calling me by my
first name?"
"Since you began staring at a broken in glass
without doing anything about it," he replied tactfully. He threw
the pieces in the trashcan and turned back to her. "Are you
planning on standing there or will you give me the drink I asked
for?" His face broke into a teasing grin and her eyes widened
slightly. If he continued to smile like that she would willingly
stand there all day.
ACK! Thinking like this was not good for her. She
smiled sheepishly at him. "Gomen, it's just that that glass was
part of my favorite set. I'm still in shock, you know?"
His expression turned sympathetic. "I'm sorry. It's
eally funny though. My aunt has a set just like yours and she
was selling them at a garage sale a while back. Want me to
check and see if no one bought them? She might still have the
set."
Usagi blanched. Coincidence? She didn't want to
dwell on that one. "That's… okay," she croaked out. "You
wanted a glass of water, ne?" She reached for a glass, a
plastic one, lest there were any more 'accidents' waiting for
her in the future. She filled it with ice-cold water from the
fridge and handed it to him. "Do you want anything to eat?"
He shook his head and she watched in silence as
he drank. Not a very good idea, for reasons which could go
unexplained. Her face was turning red again, she could feel it!
Looking away, she tried to find something to occupy herself
with.
"So did the shoot go well in your opinion?"
At his voice, Usagi turned back to him so fast, she
heard her neck crack. She winced and rubbed the area. She
hated cracking any parts of her body so why today, of all
days, were her bones rebelling against her?
"I thought it went well," she answered, "but it's up
to the Powers that Be to give the final word."
"Maybe they'll be in such awe of my good looks
that they'll let the commercial air," he said, handing the glass to
her.
She dropped the glass.
They both watched it bounce to the floor and spin
in a circle a few times before coming to a stop. The fact that it
wasn't one of her prized glasses had her happy beyond
comparison. The fact that she had actually dropped another
glass in Mamoru's presence had her mentally weeping in
embarrassment.
"Are you nervous?"
She lifted her head to meet his gaze and nodded
vigorously, her blond head bobbing up and down. "I always
get nervous before having to present my work before the
board." Yes, that was it. She was not looking forward to
meeting with the high authority and it was giving her a bad
case of nerves. A most logical explanation.
"And here I thought it was my attractive presence."
She nearly fainted. "Don't let your ego get the
better of you," she retorted quickly. "Your head might burst."
He laughed and turned to walk back into the
living room. "So do you live here by yourself?"
She raised her eyebrow at that question. "Just me
and my cat, who's probably around here somewhere."
"My cat and I."
Usagi rolled her eyes in response. "Whatever.
What about you? Pets? Family? Girlfriends?" She kicked
herself hard for that last one. As if it were any of her business.
Oh but it is, it is, an evil voice in her mind cackled.
He turned his head and gave her a small smile.
"I'm afraid I have to say no to all three."
She was surprised to say the least. Mamoru not
be in a relationship? Well, after the airing of that commercial
on public television, he wouldn't have to worry about that
problem. Naturally, you'll be first in line, that same evil
voice gleefully told her.
They sat on the sofa and discussed little things
about their lives. As they were talking about how surprising
it was that they both knew Motoki, a little mewl was heard.
The talking stopped and both turned to see Usagi's cat
behind Mamoru, licking her paw daintily, her tail curled
around her.
"Luna graces us with an appearance," Usagi said
dryly.
"Cute name," Mamoru replied, getting up to pet
the cat. Usagi saw him and his intentions and jumped off the
couch.
"Mamoru, no! She's very-" her words died in
her throat when Luna suddenly backed up, her tail bushed up
and twitching violently. Her ears pulled back, she shook her
little rump, a sign that she was going to pounce. Usagi knew
that when Luna pounced, she pounced with all claws bared
and poor Mamoru was the target. She couldn't have her star
with a scratched up face so she did what she thought was
best.
She leapt towards him at the same time Luna
sprang forward. Luckily, Usagi reached the startled Mamoru
first and they crashed to the carpeted floor. And where did
Luna go? She went flying over the couple, over the coffee
table and landed on all four paws on the other side. She then
frizzed down, turned her tail up and walked away as though
nothing had ever happened.
Something had most definitely happened for the
couple on the floor however. Mamoru lay stunned on the
plush carpet, not comprehending what had just happened.
Usagi on the other hand knew very well what had happened,
she was just dying of mortification at the moment. It was
kind of hard not to miss the fact that she was currently on
top of her client in a very, very compromising position.
"What… just… happened?" Mamoru's voice
reached her ears and she shut her eyes for a moment,
knowing what she was going to say would sound so very…
lame.
"I tried to warn you that Luna is quite the anti-
social feline. One of those special breeds, as the pet store
owner told me. I love the cat dearly despite that flaw but
I couldn't have you go in tomorrow to the meeting with
red scratches all over your face."
"So you did the equivalent of saving my life?"
She nodded against his chest and then turned
her gaze upwards slowly. She met those cobalt-blue eyes
of his and found herself smiling weakly. "I'm really sorry."
"Don't be," he answered, sitting up. Realized
the awkward position that move put her in, Usagi ducked
her head and tried to get off of Mamoru. However his
hands clamped around her waist and she was forced to
look at him.
Their faces were so close to each other and
that observation had her breath quickening. Fire alarms,
the kind you could hear miles away, were going off in her
head but she didn't pay any attention to them. What she
was paying attention to though, was the way Mamoru's
head was slowly bending towards hers. His lips were
perilously close and if she had the guts to make the effort,
she could most certainly capture them in a long awaited
kiss.
Long awaited?
And at that moment, a tiny mewl interrupted
them once more.
"Oh Kami…"
Usagi heard Mamoru mutter that much and
then she didn't know what happened next because in the
next moment she was sitting on the floor on her knees
and Mamoru had placed himself 20 feet away from her.
She hadn't thought he could move that fast.
"I'll see you at the board meeting, Usagi. Ja!"
And with the slam of the door he was gone,
Usagi still sitting on the floor. Luna meowed again and
hopped onto Usagi. She petted the cat absent-mindedly,
still going over what might have happened moments
before. Would she have allowed Mamoru to kiss her?
An agent involved with her client? Oh, the scandal that
would erupt. She could just see the headlines, "Cupid
Boy & Agent in Steamy Affair; Body Oil Believed to
be Cause."
She shook her head and got up, carrying
Luna with her. "I'm in big trouble, Luna. Big trouble."
"Everyone, quiet! It's coming up!"
Everyone in the studio gathered around the
large television set, eagerly awaiting the commercial
they had all worked so hard on. Minako, Mamoru and
Usagi were there up front, each anticipating the one-
minute show with a different set of emotions. All three
had smiles on their faces, but if one looked closely,
one could see the varying levels of… happiness.
Usagi's smile was strained. It was a now
or never situation. The board had given the a-okay on
the airing of the commercial and this was to show those
big shots on the top floor of the office building that she
was worth her mettle. They would know that Tsukino
Usagi had an eye for picking out future stars. She had
the knack for picking out the good ones, oh yes she
did. The good, handsome and sexy ones…
*THWACK*
"Itai!" Usagi rubbed the side of her head and
glared at her best friend. Minako smiled back teasingly
and nudged the other woman in the ribs.
"You're drooling, babe."
Usagi unconsciously wiped at the side of her
mouth and stared straight ahead, focusing her mind on
innocent and clean thoughts. Minako looked at her
again and stifled a giggle. Ah yes, her smile was a proud
and happy one. Minako knew *her* superiors would
be very proud at all that she had accomplished so far.
The planned events had been set into motion and now
it was up to nature to take its course. Oh, but Minako
knew nature had its way of taking its time which is
why she had helped pushed it along.
"Kami, all my co-workers at the lab will
never let me live this down." She looked at Mamoru and
quietly told him to shush his mutterings. His smile was
nervous and probably as strained as Usagi's. He kept
pulling at the tie he had worn today and she couldn't
wait for his and Usagi's reaction on the commercial.
"I'm sure it can't be that bad…" he mumbled.
Minako shot him a sidelong glance and
couldn't help but let that small evil giggle escape. Oh,
how she loved the technological advances of computer
graphics.
"Here it comes! Everyone, quiet!"
The whispers died down and as everyone
got to view the first airing of Hershey's commercial of their
newest product just in time for Valentine's Day: dark
chocolate bon bons in the shape of cute little hearts,
each individually wrapped in special red foil.
First came the box of candy. It floated
amongst puffy white clouds in a blue sky. Funky music, a
nice light show and then came Cupid, anxiously awaiting
a boon from his mother Aphrodite that would help spread
love all over the world. And what ever could that precious
gift be? Why, Hershey's Dark Chocolate Bon Bons, of
course!
And then there was that nice close up scene
of Cupid taking the first, luscious bite. The viewer could
see how he rolled that piece of chocolate around in his
mouth, savoring the sweet taste, before swallowing it.
Following that, Cupid slowly ran his tongue over his lips
and pondered for a moment. There was a pause and
then Cupid's grin of approval and a thumbs up. These
delectable treats would be just the thing to help in his
mission.
The commercial was over and the next came
on, but no one had moved to resume their duties. They
were somewhat frozen in shock. One woman dared to
turn her head to look at Mamoru and then to the TV
screen and then back to Mamoru again, her eyes
practically undressing him, although his outfit was
conservative. A few other women followed the first's
actions, their eyes wide with amazement. Those same
pairs of eyes then narrowed in what could only be
described as expressing carnal lust.
A strangled gasp escaped from Mamoru's
throat and he turned to Usagi who's eyes were still wide
open with disbelief. She looked at him also, unable to
say anything. However, her mind was running at full
speed. She had known Mamoru was one good looking
guy, but damn, that commercial had made Mamoru
look sizzling hot! She had heard that the camera added
10 pounds of weight but in Mamoru's case, it had added
10 pounds of lean muscle. She hadn't known he could
look so buff!
Her mouth moved up and down but still, no
sound came out.
"So, what did everyone think?" Minako's
loud and cheerful voice broke everyone out of their
stunned reverie.
"Minako, who let you near an airbrush?"
Usagi asked, running a hand through her hair shakily.
"Oh how dare you insult Mamoru-san like
that, Tsukino-san!" one of the women reprimanded,
sidling up to one very red Mamoru.
"That was an all natural Mamoru we saw,"
another woman chimed in, placing herself on Mamoru's
other side.
Usagi rolled her eyes, threw her hands up
in the air and walked away, muttering, "Give me a break,"
under her breath.
Two days later found Mamoru again at the
studio. He had been called to come in and do a couple
more versions of the commercials, so that there would
be a little variety for the producers to air. It was the last
shooting and because there weren't many workers
around, he was helping the staff clean up the studio.
He was about to pick up a bow and its
arrows when he saw Usagi walking past him.
"Usagi, hey!" He hadn't talked to her since
the day they had seen the commercial for the first time
and he missed her… as much as he hated to admit it.
She had become a part of his daily life because he was
now used to seeing her. And since he hadn't seen her in
what seemed like forever (no one had to know how
cliché that sounded), he had the biggest urge to just
talk to her.
"Yes, Mamoru-san?" She was standing in
front of him, waiting patiently for him to speak. The
problem was… he didn't know what to say.
"Erm… how have you been?" he asked
lamely.
She smiled slightly. "Fine, thank you. And
you?"
She sounded so formal. It bothered him. "I'm
good." A moment of silence passed between them and
Mamoru scrambled to think of something to break it. "So
what did the Powers to Be say about the commercial?"
"Oh, they liked it very much and it seems that
I'll be getting that promotion I've long awaited for."
"That's great! Congratulations." Kami, he was
getting nowhere today.
"Thank you. And I must give you my congrats.
I do believe you're the first person ever to acquire 10 fan
clubs, on-line and off-line, in a two day period over a
candy commercial."
Ouch. He had forgotten about that. It was an
unpleasant after effect of the commercial. The day after he
had been called by at least five modeling agencies and
walking down the street suddenly became an adventure.
He hadn't thought that many people watched TV!
Especially young girls! The day after, yesterday, he had
actually received mail from these teenagers. It still boggled
his mind of how they could have gotten his home address.
It didn't sit well with him at all. The commercial, to put it
simply, had been a big success.
"Well, that. Believe me, it hasn't exactly been a
fun experience." She looked at him doubtfully and he rushed
to explain. "Sure, being recognized is okay, but having
someone yell, "Look, it's Cupid boy!" from across the street
is somewhat embarrassing. And the girls!" She raised an
eyebrow and he turned beet red. "Okay, so I did lack
somewhat in that department, but really, I don't recall ever
giving out my number to fifty women all looking for a date
with me."
"And have you gone on any?"
He blinked. "Any what?" he asked dumbly.
She sighed. "Dates! Have you gone out with
any of those fifty admirers of yours?"
"What? No! Of course not, they're complete
strangers." He suddenly grinned as a thought came to him.
"Why do you ask?"
This time, it was she who blushed. "For no
reason. I was just curious."
He leaned closer towards her, so close that
she could feel his breath across her face. "Would you like
to go on a date? I think I could fit you in," he whispered
huskily.
She whacked him with the folder she was
holding. "Fit me in? I don't think so. Try again."
He rubbed the area on his arm where she had
hit him and smiled. "Fine, I will. Usagi, I would be most
pleased if you would have dinner with me this Friday night."
She looked at him, not expecting his words.
"I… I have to think about it. Excuse me." She quickly
walked, practically ran, away from him. Mamoru frowned
slightly, wondering if he had said anything wrong.
Minako, who had been standing nearby, also
frowned. Usagi wasn't letting nature take its course. She
was supposed to have said yes. And Mamoru wasn't
helping either by acting this way. At the rate he was going,
he would never get anywhere. Now what could she do to
help? She saw Mamoru pick up the bow and arrow,
inspect it and then play around with it. He strung an arrow
and before she could stop him, he had let the thing fly.
With a cringe, she watched it hit a woman