Trapped Together till Halloween, Another Outcome
By: Reba Jean, 9/18/02
Email: rjean@ghg.net or rebajean@Stories.Com
Webpage: http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/prairieskye
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Rating: R
Usual Disclaimer: Characters are based on Sailor Moon copyright 1992
by NaokoTakeuchi/Kodansha, TOEI Animation, English language
adaptation copyright 1995 by DIC Entertainment. This story is not
intended for monetary gain or tangible profit, but purely for
entertainment of the readers.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 2
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As they spent the rest of the morning exploring the small island,
Usagi kept a wary eye on Mamoru. From time to time the unexpected,
and somehow dangerously appealing, new side of his personality came
into play. He made no attempt to disguise his admiring gaze when she
frequently caught his attention. It didn't take a genius to figure
out that his body found her unclothed state to be extremely and
almost unbearably appealing. Mamoru noticed that Usagi often
surreptitiously glanced his way as well, when she thought he wasn't
looking. A silly grin spread across his face as he marveled to
himself 'she wants me'. She may think that he was her enemy and that
they hated each other, but he would wager that she wanted him as much
as he wanted her.
They had to find some clothes for that girl before her fair skin
burned to a crisp. And if he wanted some relief from his now almost
constant state of sexual tension and increasing frustration, he
thought wryly. The voice of his conscience's evil twin added, she
probably wouldn't respond favorably to any direct advances . . . at
least not yet.
After exploring the beach for some distance in both directions, Usagi
and Mamoru retrieved the sleeping bag, now their only possession,
from the sand. Mamoru shook out the sand from the folds and draped
the bag over Usagi's shoulders, "Here you take it."
Giving him a dirty look, she retorted, "Gee, thanks! Let me carry it
up the hill."
Mamoru's face reddened slightly, "You're starting to look pink on,
ah, the areas that don't usually get exposed to the sun. I wouldn't
want you to get all burned."
She sniffed, "Oh." He was actually being considerate, not just lazy.
Usagi used the excuse to look his way. "What about you?"
Mamoru ran his hand through his hair, unconsciously preening. "Oh,
it's ok. I've been running out in the sun all summer. I don't think
I'll burn any."
"What about the where the sun don't shine?" Usagi asked glancing
pointedly at the parts in question.
"Ah, the running shorts I wear don't do much to block the UV. I
wouldn't want to get any tan lines that somebody might see, ya know,"
he added with a grin.
"Just who would want to look at you anyway? As if," Usagi rolled her
eyes.
Mamoru stiffened, "Lots of girls. Rei. You. You've been doing a
lot of looking today, anyway."
"Have not!" Usagi retorted in embarrassment, a blush betraying her
guilt.
"Have too. I saw you looking at me!" Mamoru crowed. "You're
looking at me now."
"Am not! There's NOTHING much there to see anyway," Usagi replied
insultingly.
The two continued their meaningless argument until they reached the
crest of the hill and could finally see the rest of the island. As
far as they could see, there was more sandy, rocky beach and more
scrubby vegetation. A stand of weedy-looking saplings, not really
either bushes or trees, grew beside a three-sided concrete block,
tin-roofed building. A single pier extended into the water below.
The two marooned castaways ran down the hill to investigate. On the
other side of the shed was a concrete picnic table and benches next
to a fire pit. The top of the table was piled high with boxes
covered by an olive drab tarp labeled "U. S. Army" over stamped with
"surplus". Another picnic table occupied the interior of the
shelter. On one exterior side of the shelter was an additional L-
shaped concrete block enclosure about 2 meters high. A pipe with a
single tap extended out of the wall at about a 1-1/2 meter height and
the floor sloped toward a single pit privy hole at the back.
While Mamoru looked around the shelter, Usagi began tearing into the
boxes. "Food!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Mamoru began examining the boxes not already destroyed by Usagi.
Usagi watched him from across the table, her cheeks stuffed with the
contents of the three army ration packages now littering the ground.
Mamoru tallied the inventory on his fingers: seven crates of surplus
army rations and other preserved food, one box of camping supplies,
one box of fresh cheeses, bread, fruits, and vegetables, a barrel of
wine, and one basket. He picked up the basket and eyed it
suspiciously.
"Oh pretty!" Usagi snatched the pink basket from his hands and tore
open the red foil covering the contents. A heart shaped card
described it as the "Honeymoon Suite Sampler". A short note
scribbled at the bottom of the card said only, "Hope you two Love
Birds enjoy your tropical island "Honeymoon". See you on Halloween!"
Usagi screamed in rage, "Mina! I'm going to kill her!" She blushed
as she passed the note to Mamoru.
Poking through the basket, the nature of its contents dawned on her.
She angrily threw a pair of black ten-centimeter high heel sandals
against the wall. Fishing out some scraps of red and black lace and
netting, she dropped them to the floor in disgust. The remainder of
the basket was filled with scented oils, candles, and bath soaps.
"Oh, look at this!" Usagi exclaimed delightedly as she retrieved a
tiny box of fresh strawberries, chocolate candies, and a bottle each
of whipping cream and chocolate syrup. "More food!"
Mamoru picked up the scraps of cloth from the floor. A rather
bemused expression crossed his face as he held up a pair of black
fishnet stockings and accompanying bits of see-through lingerie.
Turning back to Usagi, he quipped, "Hey, Odango! This outfit and
those shoes would look great on you! If you didn't trip over your
own feet and fall and break your neck, that is." Mamoru was the only
one laughing at his lame joke as Usagi glared at him angrily.
Returning to pawing through the basket, Usagi found the last item. A
rather plain box, marked ultra large economy size, 100 units, was
nestled underneath the loosely packed soaps. Usagi quickly tore open
the box and pulled out a small foil wrapped square. Holding it up,
she stared at it curiously. "What's this?"
When Mamoru saw the item she was holding, he collapsed on the floor
laughing uncontrollably. "You. Don't. Know. What. That. Is?" He
grinned sarcastically at her, "I'm embarrassed to have to explain it
to you. Have you ever heard the story about the birds and the bees…"
He began, in between bouts of gasping laughter.
"Oh shit!" Usagi exclaimed and dropped the package in horror. She
glared at Mamoru and threw the box at his head. Mamoru easily caught
her throw a few inches from its target. "Mina must have thought you
were gonna get lucky. Don't count on it! Don't even think about
it!" Usagi shot over her shoulder as she stalked outside.
If only he could STOP thinking about it, Mamoru sighed. Resuming his
search, he still came up with one necessary thing missing - there
were absolutely no clothes in any of the boxes. And it wouldn't help
his "problem" at all if Usagi actually wore the things Mina had
provided. Mamoru grinned wickedly. He didn't care about himself;
there was no one there to see him anyway except Odango. And she
certainly deserved every bit of "teasing" he could inflict on her.
Of course if it really became necessary, a simple transformation to
Tuxedo Kamen would provide more garments than the two of them needed
in the balmy island climate. But there was no need for Odango to
know his secret, not just yet anyway.
Usagi stalked up and down outside the shelter fuming. She would kill
all the senshi. What was Mina thinking? As if she would touch . . .
that THING, named Mamoru.
For some reason, the discarded army tarp caught her eye. It was that
disgusting shade of green; the one that seemed to be Mamoru's
favorite color. It certainly was a large amount of . . . cloth.
Usagi had an idea. "Hey, Mamoru-baka, did you find anything in there
to cut with?"
A little while later, Usagi looked dubiously at the "poncho" that
Mamoru held up in front of her. He handed her a short length of rope
and tossed the green cloth over her head. Usagi twirled around,
covered from shoulder to mid-thigh in the latest creation from "La
Maison de Mamoru". "I don't think it will win any awards but it will
keep the sun off until your skin tans," Mamoru commented.
"Aren't you going to make yourself one?" Usagi asked.
"Nah," Mamoru grinned, "I'm already tan."
"Well could you at least make some sort of covering so I don't have
to stare at that tiny excuse for a . . ." Usagi smirked.
Mamoru whirled angrily, "It's NOT tiny! Nobody asked you to look
anyway. I guess I could use something to keep the sand off my butt
when I sit on the ground."
Mamoru busily cut and ripped another small length of cloth from the
tarp. Punching a couple of holes on the corners, he wrapped it
around his hips and laced a cord through to hold it in place.
Adjusting his garment fastidiously so the slit was up the side of one
leg, he took the knife and cut a corresponding slit on the other side
to just below his hip bone. His "kilt" covered the back of his butt,
just barely. He strutted up and down the shelter imitating a model
on a catwalk, while Usagi laughed hysterically at his expressions and
gestures. She looked down at her tent dress. "Mamoru-baka, you
gotta make me a bikini top and I want a skirt like yours too. This
thing is too hot to wear all day."
At Mamoru's insistence, they spent the rest of the afternoon stowing
their supplies inside the shelter, gathering a pile of grass and
weeds to cushion the sleeping bag, and looking for edible plants.
Their luck held when they found an abandoned vegetable patch nearby.
Mamoru finally gave in to Usagi's pleading. She napped away the rest
of the day while he fished off the pier for their evening's dinner.
Usagi and Mamoru stuffed themselves on baked fish and fried taro
roots and greens. They collapsed contentedly next to each other on
the tarp spread on the beach by the remains of their fire. Mamoru
idly poked the embers with a stick and muttered, "I'm going to
mutilate Motoki and all your friends." He spun yet another wild plan
for vengeance. Usagi agreed absently during the pauses in his rant,
watching the play of light and shadow across the planes of his face
and the outline of his body. He was as lean as a long distance
runner, but not gaunt or emaciated. His musculature showed the
strength and grace of a martial artist or gymnast without the bulk of
a body builder.
Mamoru poked Usagi. "Huh?" she responded.
"You asleep or just spaced out?" he teased. "Let's take a dip and
cool off. We've worked pretty hard today; or should I say at least I
have," he added.
"I've done just as much as you have. Don't give me any crap about
fishing being hard work. You were propped against the dock asleep
most of the time anyway," Usagi returned. Adding, "You could use a
good soaking. There's been quite a smell coming from your direction
since the wind changed."
Mamoru rolled over close to Usagi and sniffed exaggeratedly up and
down the length of her body, "Umm, yum, the odor of hot, sweaty,"
adding, "horny female," as he quickly rolled away again.
Mamoru jumped to his feet and ran into the surf. Usagi was not
following. She just sat there looking at him with a bored
expression. "Aren't you going to chase me?" he taunted.
"Whatever for?" she replied loftily. "I'm certainly not interested
in catching YOU."
For once Mamoru was left without a flippant comeback. He stalked
back up the beach, reached down and grabbed Usagi's hands and bodily
towed her toward the water without a word. "Let me go, you
Neanderthal!" Usagi dug in her heels, leaving two furrows in the
sand as she was dragged into the water. When the water reached waist
high on the tiny girl, Mamoru swept a leg behind her knees, knocking
her off balance and dunked her under the water. He shoved her up and
down several times as if she were a lump of laundry being washed.
Finally ceasing, he smiled broadly at the sputtering, fuming girl.
"There all clean." Mamoru dived under the water and disappeared as
she approached with murder in her eyes. Usagi searched futilely for
Mamoru. As soon as she turned and headed back toward the beach,
Mamoru shot up from beneath the waves, grabbed her around the waist
and tossed her over his shoulder.
Stopping on the beach to grab the torch that he made from a bundle of
grasses and twigs, and kick dirt over the fire, he stooped to
retrieve the tarp. Usagi ceased her futile attempt to pummel Mamoru
senseless and struggled loose. She dropped with a thud on to the
tarp. She folded her arms stubbornly and refused to move. "I'm not
going anywhere until you apologize," she hissed.
"For what?" Mamoru asked "innocently".
"Insulting me, manhandling me like some caveman, dumping me in the
water, carrying me upside down, getting us stuck on this stupid
island because of your stupid arguing, . . ." she was just getting
started on the list.
"You insulted me first," he replied blandly.
"Urrrgghh!" Usagi screamed. "I do NOT feel like arguing now. I'm
tired and I want to go home!" she cried out, on the verge of tears.
Mamoru sighed tiredly, "I know." He picked up Usagi and the tarp in
one motion and carried both back up the hill to the shelter. After
setting her down on the bench he took the tarp back out, shook it,
and dropped it on the table. Gesturing toward their sleeping bag, he
said, "We're both tired. Let's get some rest."
Usagi stared blankly at the candle Mamoru lit before extinguishing
the torch. Her eyes widened as she watched him strip off his wet
wrap and drape it over the bench. "What? It's wet. I wouldn't sleep
in that stiff scratchy thing anyway." He grinned as he added,
"Neither will you."
Mamoru sprawled lazily on half of the sleeping bag and patted the
side left. He questioned, "Tu veux coucher avec moi ce soir, n'est-
ce pas?"
Usagi looked at him blankly. "Isn't that a line from Moulin Rouge?"
"I don't get it."
"It pretty much goes, You want to sleep with me tonight, don't you?"
Mamoru fluttered his eyelids as if flirting.
Usagi answered, "No I don't and I don't know if you can be trusted.
You've been coming on to me all day."
Mamoru pouted, "I can be a good boy. I don't bite, unless you want me
to. I promise to behave and not try anything unless you say that's
what you want, ok?"
Usagi finally agreed halfheartedly. She pulled the heavy poncho off
over her head and tossed it over the table. Watching her
appreciative audience out of the corner of her eye, his interest was
apparent and he made no effort to conceal the fact. Usagi warily
joined her nemesis in the sleeping bag, scooting to the far side and
turning her back toward him. Mamoru rested, hoping that sleep would
soon come.
Although Usagi tried to remain quiet, Mamoru could hear the quiet
whimpers and sniffles as she cried. She had reached the end of her
endurance. Mamoru instinctively reached for Usagi and pulled her
close. He stroked her hair and back and murmured meaningless, but
soothing nothings. "Sh, don't cry, Usako. We're safe and well.
Nothing will happen. Go to sleep little one, don't cry."
After a time, her frantically beating heart, like that of a little
bird or frightened rabbit, slowed as she calmed. Her breathing
quieted and she drifted into sleep. Mamoru imagined that sleep would
be a long time in coming to him. It was his last thought as he
drifted off as well.
By: Reba Jean, 9/18/02
Email: rjean@ghg.net or rebajean@Stories.Com
Webpage: http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/prairieskye
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Rating: R
Usual Disclaimer: Characters are based on Sailor Moon copyright 1992
by NaokoTakeuchi/Kodansha, TOEI Animation, English language
adaptation copyright 1995 by DIC Entertainment. This story is not
intended for monetary gain or tangible profit, but purely for
entertainment of the readers.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 2
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As they spent the rest of the morning exploring the small island,
Usagi kept a wary eye on Mamoru. From time to time the unexpected,
and somehow dangerously appealing, new side of his personality came
into play. He made no attempt to disguise his admiring gaze when she
frequently caught his attention. It didn't take a genius to figure
out that his body found her unclothed state to be extremely and
almost unbearably appealing. Mamoru noticed that Usagi often
surreptitiously glanced his way as well, when she thought he wasn't
looking. A silly grin spread across his face as he marveled to
himself 'she wants me'. She may think that he was her enemy and that
they hated each other, but he would wager that she wanted him as much
as he wanted her.
They had to find some clothes for that girl before her fair skin
burned to a crisp. And if he wanted some relief from his now almost
constant state of sexual tension and increasing frustration, he
thought wryly. The voice of his conscience's evil twin added, she
probably wouldn't respond favorably to any direct advances . . . at
least not yet.
After exploring the beach for some distance in both directions, Usagi
and Mamoru retrieved the sleeping bag, now their only possession,
from the sand. Mamoru shook out the sand from the folds and draped
the bag over Usagi's shoulders, "Here you take it."
Giving him a dirty look, she retorted, "Gee, thanks! Let me carry it
up the hill."
Mamoru's face reddened slightly, "You're starting to look pink on,
ah, the areas that don't usually get exposed to the sun. I wouldn't
want you to get all burned."
She sniffed, "Oh." He was actually being considerate, not just lazy.
Usagi used the excuse to look his way. "What about you?"
Mamoru ran his hand through his hair, unconsciously preening. "Oh,
it's ok. I've been running out in the sun all summer. I don't think
I'll burn any."
"What about the where the sun don't shine?" Usagi asked glancing
pointedly at the parts in question.
"Ah, the running shorts I wear don't do much to block the UV. I
wouldn't want to get any tan lines that somebody might see, ya know,"
he added with a grin.
"Just who would want to look at you anyway? As if," Usagi rolled her
eyes.
Mamoru stiffened, "Lots of girls. Rei. You. You've been doing a
lot of looking today, anyway."
"Have not!" Usagi retorted in embarrassment, a blush betraying her
guilt.
"Have too. I saw you looking at me!" Mamoru crowed. "You're
looking at me now."
"Am not! There's NOTHING much there to see anyway," Usagi replied
insultingly.
The two continued their meaningless argument until they reached the
crest of the hill and could finally see the rest of the island. As
far as they could see, there was more sandy, rocky beach and more
scrubby vegetation. A stand of weedy-looking saplings, not really
either bushes or trees, grew beside a three-sided concrete block,
tin-roofed building. A single pier extended into the water below.
The two marooned castaways ran down the hill to investigate. On the
other side of the shed was a concrete picnic table and benches next
to a fire pit. The top of the table was piled high with boxes
covered by an olive drab tarp labeled "U. S. Army" over stamped with
"surplus". Another picnic table occupied the interior of the
shelter. On one exterior side of the shelter was an additional L-
shaped concrete block enclosure about 2 meters high. A pipe with a
single tap extended out of the wall at about a 1-1/2 meter height and
the floor sloped toward a single pit privy hole at the back.
While Mamoru looked around the shelter, Usagi began tearing into the
boxes. "Food!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Mamoru began examining the boxes not already destroyed by Usagi.
Usagi watched him from across the table, her cheeks stuffed with the
contents of the three army ration packages now littering the ground.
Mamoru tallied the inventory on his fingers: seven crates of surplus
army rations and other preserved food, one box of camping supplies,
one box of fresh cheeses, bread, fruits, and vegetables, a barrel of
wine, and one basket. He picked up the basket and eyed it
suspiciously.
"Oh pretty!" Usagi snatched the pink basket from his hands and tore
open the red foil covering the contents. A heart shaped card
described it as the "Honeymoon Suite Sampler". A short note
scribbled at the bottom of the card said only, "Hope you two Love
Birds enjoy your tropical island "Honeymoon". See you on Halloween!"
Usagi screamed in rage, "Mina! I'm going to kill her!" She blushed
as she passed the note to Mamoru.
Poking through the basket, the nature of its contents dawned on her.
She angrily threw a pair of black ten-centimeter high heel sandals
against the wall. Fishing out some scraps of red and black lace and
netting, she dropped them to the floor in disgust. The remainder of
the basket was filled with scented oils, candles, and bath soaps.
"Oh, look at this!" Usagi exclaimed delightedly as she retrieved a
tiny box of fresh strawberries, chocolate candies, and a bottle each
of whipping cream and chocolate syrup. "More food!"
Mamoru picked up the scraps of cloth from the floor. A rather
bemused expression crossed his face as he held up a pair of black
fishnet stockings and accompanying bits of see-through lingerie.
Turning back to Usagi, he quipped, "Hey, Odango! This outfit and
those shoes would look great on you! If you didn't trip over your
own feet and fall and break your neck, that is." Mamoru was the only
one laughing at his lame joke as Usagi glared at him angrily.
Returning to pawing through the basket, Usagi found the last item. A
rather plain box, marked ultra large economy size, 100 units, was
nestled underneath the loosely packed soaps. Usagi quickly tore open
the box and pulled out a small foil wrapped square. Holding it up,
she stared at it curiously. "What's this?"
When Mamoru saw the item she was holding, he collapsed on the floor
laughing uncontrollably. "You. Don't. Know. What. That. Is?" He
grinned sarcastically at her, "I'm embarrassed to have to explain it
to you. Have you ever heard the story about the birds and the bees…"
He began, in between bouts of gasping laughter.
"Oh shit!" Usagi exclaimed and dropped the package in horror. She
glared at Mamoru and threw the box at his head. Mamoru easily caught
her throw a few inches from its target. "Mina must have thought you
were gonna get lucky. Don't count on it! Don't even think about
it!" Usagi shot over her shoulder as she stalked outside.
If only he could STOP thinking about it, Mamoru sighed. Resuming his
search, he still came up with one necessary thing missing - there
were absolutely no clothes in any of the boxes. And it wouldn't help
his "problem" at all if Usagi actually wore the things Mina had
provided. Mamoru grinned wickedly. He didn't care about himself;
there was no one there to see him anyway except Odango. And she
certainly deserved every bit of "teasing" he could inflict on her.
Of course if it really became necessary, a simple transformation to
Tuxedo Kamen would provide more garments than the two of them needed
in the balmy island climate. But there was no need for Odango to
know his secret, not just yet anyway.
Usagi stalked up and down outside the shelter fuming. She would kill
all the senshi. What was Mina thinking? As if she would touch . . .
that THING, named Mamoru.
For some reason, the discarded army tarp caught her eye. It was that
disgusting shade of green; the one that seemed to be Mamoru's
favorite color. It certainly was a large amount of . . . cloth.
Usagi had an idea. "Hey, Mamoru-baka, did you find anything in there
to cut with?"
A little while later, Usagi looked dubiously at the "poncho" that
Mamoru held up in front of her. He handed her a short length of rope
and tossed the green cloth over her head. Usagi twirled around,
covered from shoulder to mid-thigh in the latest creation from "La
Maison de Mamoru". "I don't think it will win any awards but it will
keep the sun off until your skin tans," Mamoru commented.
"Aren't you going to make yourself one?" Usagi asked.
"Nah," Mamoru grinned, "I'm already tan."
"Well could you at least make some sort of covering so I don't have
to stare at that tiny excuse for a . . ." Usagi smirked.
Mamoru whirled angrily, "It's NOT tiny! Nobody asked you to look
anyway. I guess I could use something to keep the sand off my butt
when I sit on the ground."
Mamoru busily cut and ripped another small length of cloth from the
tarp. Punching a couple of holes on the corners, he wrapped it
around his hips and laced a cord through to hold it in place.
Adjusting his garment fastidiously so the slit was up the side of one
leg, he took the knife and cut a corresponding slit on the other side
to just below his hip bone. His "kilt" covered the back of his butt,
just barely. He strutted up and down the shelter imitating a model
on a catwalk, while Usagi laughed hysterically at his expressions and
gestures. She looked down at her tent dress. "Mamoru-baka, you
gotta make me a bikini top and I want a skirt like yours too. This
thing is too hot to wear all day."
At Mamoru's insistence, they spent the rest of the afternoon stowing
their supplies inside the shelter, gathering a pile of grass and
weeds to cushion the sleeping bag, and looking for edible plants.
Their luck held when they found an abandoned vegetable patch nearby.
Mamoru finally gave in to Usagi's pleading. She napped away the rest
of the day while he fished off the pier for their evening's dinner.
Usagi and Mamoru stuffed themselves on baked fish and fried taro
roots and greens. They collapsed contentedly next to each other on
the tarp spread on the beach by the remains of their fire. Mamoru
idly poked the embers with a stick and muttered, "I'm going to
mutilate Motoki and all your friends." He spun yet another wild plan
for vengeance. Usagi agreed absently during the pauses in his rant,
watching the play of light and shadow across the planes of his face
and the outline of his body. He was as lean as a long distance
runner, but not gaunt or emaciated. His musculature showed the
strength and grace of a martial artist or gymnast without the bulk of
a body builder.
Mamoru poked Usagi. "Huh?" she responded.
"You asleep or just spaced out?" he teased. "Let's take a dip and
cool off. We've worked pretty hard today; or should I say at least I
have," he added.
"I've done just as much as you have. Don't give me any crap about
fishing being hard work. You were propped against the dock asleep
most of the time anyway," Usagi returned. Adding, "You could use a
good soaking. There's been quite a smell coming from your direction
since the wind changed."
Mamoru rolled over close to Usagi and sniffed exaggeratedly up and
down the length of her body, "Umm, yum, the odor of hot, sweaty,"
adding, "horny female," as he quickly rolled away again.
Mamoru jumped to his feet and ran into the surf. Usagi was not
following. She just sat there looking at him with a bored
expression. "Aren't you going to chase me?" he taunted.
"Whatever for?" she replied loftily. "I'm certainly not interested
in catching YOU."
For once Mamoru was left without a flippant comeback. He stalked
back up the beach, reached down and grabbed Usagi's hands and bodily
towed her toward the water without a word. "Let me go, you
Neanderthal!" Usagi dug in her heels, leaving two furrows in the
sand as she was dragged into the water. When the water reached waist
high on the tiny girl, Mamoru swept a leg behind her knees, knocking
her off balance and dunked her under the water. He shoved her up and
down several times as if she were a lump of laundry being washed.
Finally ceasing, he smiled broadly at the sputtering, fuming girl.
"There all clean." Mamoru dived under the water and disappeared as
she approached with murder in her eyes. Usagi searched futilely for
Mamoru. As soon as she turned and headed back toward the beach,
Mamoru shot up from beneath the waves, grabbed her around the waist
and tossed her over his shoulder.
Stopping on the beach to grab the torch that he made from a bundle of
grasses and twigs, and kick dirt over the fire, he stooped to
retrieve the tarp. Usagi ceased her futile attempt to pummel Mamoru
senseless and struggled loose. She dropped with a thud on to the
tarp. She folded her arms stubbornly and refused to move. "I'm not
going anywhere until you apologize," she hissed.
"For what?" Mamoru asked "innocently".
"Insulting me, manhandling me like some caveman, dumping me in the
water, carrying me upside down, getting us stuck on this stupid
island because of your stupid arguing, . . ." she was just getting
started on the list.
"You insulted me first," he replied blandly.
"Urrrgghh!" Usagi screamed. "I do NOT feel like arguing now. I'm
tired and I want to go home!" she cried out, on the verge of tears.
Mamoru sighed tiredly, "I know." He picked up Usagi and the tarp in
one motion and carried both back up the hill to the shelter. After
setting her down on the bench he took the tarp back out, shook it,
and dropped it on the table. Gesturing toward their sleeping bag, he
said, "We're both tired. Let's get some rest."
Usagi stared blankly at the candle Mamoru lit before extinguishing
the torch. Her eyes widened as she watched him strip off his wet
wrap and drape it over the bench. "What? It's wet. I wouldn't sleep
in that stiff scratchy thing anyway." He grinned as he added,
"Neither will you."
Mamoru sprawled lazily on half of the sleeping bag and patted the
side left. He questioned, "Tu veux coucher avec moi ce soir, n'est-
ce pas?"
Usagi looked at him blankly. "Isn't that a line from Moulin Rouge?"
"I don't get it."
"It pretty much goes, You want to sleep with me tonight, don't you?"
Mamoru fluttered his eyelids as if flirting.
Usagi answered, "No I don't and I don't know if you can be trusted.
You've been coming on to me all day."
Mamoru pouted, "I can be a good boy. I don't bite, unless you want me
to. I promise to behave and not try anything unless you say that's
what you want, ok?"
Usagi finally agreed halfheartedly. She pulled the heavy poncho off
over her head and tossed it over the table. Watching her
appreciative audience out of the corner of her eye, his interest was
apparent and he made no effort to conceal the fact. Usagi warily
joined her nemesis in the sleeping bag, scooting to the far side and
turning her back toward him. Mamoru rested, hoping that sleep would
soon come.
Although Usagi tried to remain quiet, Mamoru could hear the quiet
whimpers and sniffles as she cried. She had reached the end of her
endurance. Mamoru instinctively reached for Usagi and pulled her
close. He stroked her hair and back and murmured meaningless, but
soothing nothings. "Sh, don't cry, Usako. We're safe and well.
Nothing will happen. Go to sleep little one, don't cry."
After a time, her frantically beating heart, like that of a little
bird or frightened rabbit, slowed as she calmed. Her breathing
quieted and she drifted into sleep. Mamoru imagined that sleep would
be a long time in coming to him. It was his last thought as he
drifted off as well.