Author's Notes: For Matt, who won't let me have any peace till I finish this.
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Just Like a Dream
XTsukimiOdangoX
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Serena eyed the glass double doors in front of her with worry. One more step forward and the sensor would detect her presence. Then those doors - those blasted automatic doors - would open for her. The little bell dangling about those damned doors would ring, announcing a new customer. All eyes would swing to her; kids playing at the video games, teens eating triple hot fudge sundaes, the waitresses, Andrew… And Darien.
Serena gulped.
Darien… her mind cried wistfully. Oh God, Darien… What have I done…?!
The blonde gasped. Andrew had noticed her standing outside the arcade and was waving to her. A signal for her entrance to the very pit of hell… She sighed.
Serena, desperately trying to throw caution to the wind, took a determined - albeit shaky - step forward. The cursed doors played their routine. Before she knew it, Serena was placing her book bag on the ground and took a seat next to Darien at the counter.
"Why were you just standing out there like an idiot, Meatball Head?" the raven haired man drawled. "Oh wait…" Darien stared to the ceiling in mock thought. "That's because you are an idiot!"
The usual sting of hatred never came to the said blonde. On almost all occasions her ego would be slightly bruised and she would bark back some witty comment. Then Darien would scowl and…
But it didn't happen. Not today. Today Serena was too frazzled. Just sitting so close to Darien was driving her mind.
"Hello?" Darien waved a hand in front of Serena's face. Her spine straightened in surprise. "You in there?"
Serena's head swung to Darien's direction, eyes wide. She had never blushed so deeply in her entire life.
"I…!" she began in a quivering voice. She took a deep breath, quickly regaining her composure. Just act normal… He doesn't know…"I'm fine!" she bit out, trying to fall back into the routine of argument.
"You don't look too 'fine'," Darien retorted quickly, raising an eyebrow. "You're brain must be fried from all those video games."
The blonde crossed her arms, jerking her head in the opposite direction, chin tilted upwards, letting out a small "humph!" This was good. This she could deal with. As long as she didn't think about last night…
Oh God, that kiss… Her heart fluttered. I never wanted it to end…
Serena's mind drifted. Drifted back to feel of having Darien's hand pressed against her cheek, her body plastered against him, her lips crushed to his… It felt like her whole body was burning with an unquenchable passion. She had felt it around him before, but never to such an extent. Now her body hungered for his touch. Her tongue missed dancing with his, her neck missed the feel of his kisses trailing down it. Lust was making her greedy. Or was it love? She didn't know… But whatever it was, it was driving her crazy… She couldn't get last night off her mind. She knew it shouldn't have happened, but still… Couldn't she just relish in it? Darien was so romantic, so desirable… As if he isn't always desirable, she muttered mentally.
She recalled how his hands traveled up and down her sides and back. Never had she felt so… alive. She wanted it so badly it scared her. She had no choice but to push away. She had to end it right then and there, before she did something that could change her life forever, and most likely not for the better. So she left him there, confused. Wondering why his dream was tormenting him by departure.
Serena let out a heavy sigh. Not only did finding out Darien's alternate identity - plus breaking into his apartment, finding out that he might have some hidden caring for her, and kissing him with such a passion it made her head spin - scare her, but the fact that she was digging her own grave. Her final words to him were not ones she was proud of in the slightest.
"Please, don't go!" Darien had called out, reaching for her blindly in the dark room.
"I have to..." Serena had blinked away the oncoming tears. "Please, just trust me on this…"
"Will you… come back tomorrow night?"
Serena frowned, remembering her response.
"Yes."
Oh no, she was most definitely not proud. But, it was too late to turn back now, wasn't it? She gulped. She had to tell him the truth…
"-- that wound, anyway?"
Serena's ears perked up. She had been so lost in nostalgia that she had tuned out the arcade around her.
"Oh, this?" Darien pointed to the bandage on his left arm. Serena's eyes flew to the wound in question. She sucked her breath through her teeth. The wound Tuxedo Mask got! How was he going to explain it?!
"Yeah." Andrew eyed the bandage warily. "Is it serious, what happened?"
Serena watched him carefully, waiting impatiently for a response. What would he say…? To her shock, he just shrugged nonchalantly.
"I burned it in the Chemistry lab," he answered smoothly. Serena blinked.
"The Chem. lab?" Andrew stared at his friend quizzically. "I thought you were in Physics."
"And Forensics," Darien added with a grin. "I was bored during lunch."
Serena watched him in awed silence. Curse him and his ability to lie so well…
"So," Serena snapped, her lying-ego bruised, "you decided to pour liquid nitrogen on your skin?"
Darien glared at her "good-naturedly." He rolled his eyes. "I'd be surprised if you even knew what liquid nitrogen was…" he sighed. Serena scowled. "Well, if you must know, I was trying to neutralize boric acid with bases - bored out of my ever-loving-mind - and some sophomore knocked over the graduated cylinder." He pocked at the wound. "Stung like a son of a bitch."
Andrew winced in sympathy. "Yeah, that's got to kill."
"That was your solution to killing time?" Serena bit out. "You loser! Don't you have any friends?!" She laughed and shook her head in humorous disbelief.
"No."
Serena's cynical laughter immediately stopped. Andrew eyed Darien carefully. She turned to the man four years her senior in surprise. Darien was staring at her, a small grin on his lips, but his eyes were dull.
"Andrew's the only one who can semi-stand me." Darien's grin spread. He turned to Andrew and chuckled lightly. "Key word: semi."
Andrew and Darien both laughed lightly, but Serena continued to stare at this raven haired beauty in shock. Was he serious? Did he really have no friends? Her heart sunk.
"Well," Darien began, slamming a five dollar bill on the counter for his long-gone-cold coffee and standing, "I got to go."
Andrew's face fell in slight disappointment, and - unbeknownst to Darien and Andrew - so did Serena's. The two seniors exchanged goodbyes and short plans to meet up the next day.
Serena blinked as Darien patted one of her "meatballs." She scrunched up her nose like a little kitten that ate something sour. Darien smiled - not in his quirky "I'm an egotistical moron" smile. It was more of an "I'm going to now melt you into a puddle" smile.
"See ya around, Meatball Head."
Serena flushed. "B-bye."
The blonde didn't even realize she had bee holding her breath until she let it out in one, big whoosh once Darien was out of sight.
Andrew just grinned.
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Sailor Moon squinted, trying to adjust to the lack of light. Her eyes wandered around the room nervously. She was soon able to make out the faint outline of a figure, Darien's figure, sleeping on a bed.
The blonde heroine gulped. Being back in this room… It was the same thing last night. Her standing there, just waiting quietly, and Darien, softly asleep on his bed, sheets tossed everywhere.
Her heart sped up.
Oh, Darien… she cried mentally, tears blurring her vision. What have I done…?! I'm so sorry to be leading you on like this…!
A sob broke past Sailor Moon's lips. Darien stirred slightly in his bed to her chagrin. She had to calm herself… She couldn't break down now… She had to just breathe… Just breathe and tell him what really happened last night…
"Sailor Moon…?" Darien managed out groggily. He rubbed his eyes once, and then realization slowly dawned on him. "Serena…! You came back!"
Sailor Moon touched her brooch lightly, her body shimmering. Serena then took the super hero's place. She smiled shakily, faintly making out Darien's features in the dim moonlight. He was sitting up now, tossing the sheets aside. The moonlight shone on his bare chest magnificently. She absentmindedly noticed the bandage still wound tight around his arm.
"Darien…" Serena eventually whispered. It was so hard to form words past the lump in her throat… "I… I have to tell you something…"
He was in front of her now, the same stances as last time. He pressed his fingers to her lips. "Don't talk."
Serena attempted at opening her mouth to rebut but was caught off as Darien brushed his lips against hers. She blinked, lips parted in surprise. Darien took that as the perfect opportunity to intensify the kiss. The blonde's body shuddered lightly.
No, her mind yelled. No, no, no! This isn't supposed to be happening!! I'm here to tell him the truth, not repeat last night all over again!
But it was too late.
Serena could feel herself falling into the kiss, deeper by the second. His hands were wrapped possessively around her waist, pulling her closer and closer. Despite how close she was to him, how she could feel his heart pounding against her, she still couldn't get enough. She didn't think it would ever be enough… Not like this… Not in this dream…
Tears made there way down her flushed cheeks. Serena griped Darien's sides roughly, trying to keep back the oncoming sobs. He pulled away in surprise, her shoulders beginning to shake. He looked down at her, confusion evident in his deep blue eyes.
"What's wrong…?" he whispered quizzically. "Why… why am I dreaming you're crying…?"
Serena let a sob break past her lips. She buried her tear streaked face in the crook of his neck.
"I'm so selfish…!" she sobbed. She gasped for air past the sobs. "I'm so… so sorry!"
Darien merely stood there, holding the crying blonde in his embrace. He had immediately turned from hungry and possessive, to soft and gentle. The act made Serena cry more.
"Shhh…" he whispered, unsure of what to do. "What's wrong…?" Serena clung to him harder.
"I…" she choked out, "I don't want you to wake up…" Darien blinked. "I don't want you to ever wake up from this… dream." The word stung on her lips. It's all a lie! "I'm sorry…!"
Darien stumbled back a step as he was hastily pushed away. Serena hung her head; shoulder's shaking with uncontrollable sobs. She took shaky steps to the balcony, face glimmering with tears.
"Serena…!" Darien reached out to her. "Wait, please…! Why are you leaving?!"
Serena faltered slightly. A trembling hand hovered over her transformation brooch. She stood there; mere centimeters form her get away, unsure of what to say.
"Serena…"
However, Serena no longer stood before the raven haired man, for Sailor Moon had taken her place.
"I'm sorry…" her words were so soft they were nearly inaudible. Tears blurred her vision.
Before Darien could say or do anything more she was gone, bounding off into the night.
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Author's Notes: Ta-dah!! I finished! Only took me a million years… Ha-ha. Oh well. I'm gonna have to bump the rating of this from PG to PG 13. Steamy scenes are ahead. Thanks a lot, Matt, ha-ha.
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