Author's Notes: This story was at least in part inspired by Christmas shopping for my boyfriend. Now, I had left his present to the last minute, but that wasn't my fault. I'd been away on vacation for a large chunk of the month before Christmas, and he is simply impossible to shop for. Pondering that on Boxing Day led me to this idea for a story, which I dutifully wrote up. I know it's late, but Merry Christmas, everyone. Oh, and for the record, my boyfriend's present ended up coming from the 'Hello Kitty' shop, because I wasn't as lucky as Usagi in my search.
Thanks to James for helping Usagi in her quest.
Thoughts That Count
by Sailor Coruscant
"Would you please stop picking on me all the time?" My voice rose to an unusual high, even for me. Stupid Mamoru had crashed into me again, and it wasn't even my fault. But then he had the nerve to just stand around and tease me incessantly about how I'm clumsy and a bit of a crybaby. I repeat, it wasn't my fault. I was fast losing my temper, and he was to blame.
"But it's so easy when you're such a klutz, Odango Atama."
That did it. Retaining a semblance of calm even as my insides screamed at me to tear him limb from ugly limb, I surreptitiously reached into my bag and withdrew my weapon of choice. "How would you like it if I stuck this candy-cane where the sun don't shine?"
He winced. Sometimes I have that affect on him. But hey, we'd made it through most of an argument without me dissolving into tears, that had to mean I'd almost won this one. Taking a step away, Mamoru-baka turned his back on me and headed out of the Arcade, waving a hand as if I was his best friend. "See ya tonight, Usagi", he said in parting, and I just knew he was up to something from the way he said my name, "when we exchange gifts at Motoki's Christmas party." Then he was gone as completely from the Arcade as if he had never been there, but I kept hearing his voice in my head.
"...when we exchange gifts..."
For a long time, I stood there, dumbfounded. What on earth was going on here?
"Motoki!" I screamed at the top of my well-developed lungs, turning around to find the Arcade manager standing right behind me with a grin on his handsome face.
"You bellowed, my Lady?"
"Don't you start", I warned him, before going on in the same breath, "Did Mamoru-baka really get me something for Christmas?"
"Yup", Motoki grinned in that particularly evil way he has sometimes. It was enough to make me want to tiara action that smile right off his face. I would have done it too, except that it would have proven to Rei that I have violent tendencies. While I was inwardly debating what to do with him, Motoki moved on, knowing that his part in Mamoru's evil plan had been completed, no doubt, and leaving me with a dilemma.
Mamoru-baka had gotten me a Christmas present, and was planning on giving to it me tonight at the Christmas party. Plus, from the way he'd said it, he expected me to get him something too. It would be the nice thing to do after all, but what on earth did one buy for their worst enemy for Christmas?
Oh, this is completely insufferable, I thought. What kind of horrible prank was Mamoru trying to pull on me anyway? He'd probably just gotten me something cheap and nasty from the reject shop anyway. Or picked me up some crappy second-hand manga that he knew I'd hate but would read because it was manga and I always read manga. Hmm… Maybe I had time to visit the manga café before going home to prepare for the party… No. Focus Usagi.
What on earth could I buy for Mamoru-baka? I'd spent most of my allowance on my friends, and only had a few thousand yen remaining. And I'd have to get him something that was perfectly suited to him, something that would totally outshine whatever terrible gift he'd gotten me.
I sat down alone in one of the booths, ignoring the looks of those other people in the Arcade who thought I was acting more oddly than normal, and munched on my candy-cane. I had to plan this out carefully before I moved my search to the mall.
What did I know about Mamoru-baka? He was a jerk, he was insensitive, he was horribly mean to me but nice to Rei, which wasn't fair because I'm a much nicer person than she is and I was getting off track again. Mamoru-baka was nice to Rei because she had a crush on him and she was nice to him. It wasn't my fault that he never gave me a chance to be nice to him. Oh wait, I could get him a nice Christmas present, and then he'd see that I was a nicer person than Rei.
I suddenly stopped my musings, appalled at my train of thought. For all intents and purposes, I sounded as if I was jealous of Rei's relationship with the baka. Which simply wasn't true. I didn't want to have a crush on Mamoru-baka, and I certainly didn't need him being nice to me.
Okay, back to basics. Mamoru: what did he do with his time?
He hung around at the Arcade, determined to make my life miserable. No, I was sure that wasn't the reason he hung around the Arcade. He hung around because he was friends with Motoki, they'd revealed that when I was looking for advice on what to do about Naru's relationship with Nephrite. So, he must be not a bad human being, since I trust Motoki's taste, right?
So, what exactly did Mamoru do when he wasn't at the Arcade? He doesn't seem that old, so he must be a student, I realised with a shock. He never wore a school uniform, so he must be attending university somewhere. Proud of my detective skills, I realised that I had no idea where next to go with my thoughts. I would have to call for help.
"Motoki, what's Mamoru-baka studying?"
By some miracle, the Arcade manager was hanging around nearby. I hadn't been thinking aloud for the first time ever, so he couldn't have been eavesdropping. Still, his earlier behaviour had made me suspicious, so I resolved to keep a closer eye on the blonde and monitor his movements. If he did one more thing to aid Mamoru-baka against me, I would have to take back his Christmas present.
"He's studying medicine at Tokyo University, Usagi." With that and a grin, Motoki disappeared, dishcloth in hand, to clean a table further down the Arcade.
Tokyo University? Medicine? Mamoru was both smarter and richer than I thought, if he could manage that. No wonder he thought I was an idiot. I couldn't even pass eighth-grade English. Well, it was entirely possible that I could pass if I studied occasionally, but fighting as a Senshi meant I didn't have much time to myself of an evening. I bet he wouldn't appear to be that smart if he had to spend every night fighting the Dark Kingdom.
So, maybe I could get him a book? But I don't know what type of books he would like, and anything that sounded intelligent enough to be his I probably couldn't afford at the last minute.
Baka Mamoru, not being helpful at all.
I sighed loudly, causing a few people to give me odd looks. I chose to ignore them, looking instead to think of what else I could give to a terribly smart university student. Nope, the Arcade was not conducive to creative thought.
I reached into my bag, thinking that there was nothing for it but to call the other Senshi and ask them for help. Of course, Rei no doubt had already gotten Mamoru something and would demand to know why I was shopping for him, but that could not be helped. I was just about to press the all-call button when I suddenly remembered. We'd promised not to get in touch today except for emergencies, so that everyone who hadn't already could get their Christmas shopping done in peace. And I guess that shopping for Mamoru-baka didn't really count as a Senshi emergency, mores the pity. I could really use Ami's help with this one.
But I guess it was up to Sailor Moon to save the day and come up with a brilliant idea all by herself! I was up to it, wasn't I?
Half an hour later, I was feeling the first twinges of despair creep into my heart. I had walked past every shop in the mall, and had yet to think of a single thing in any of them that could even possibly suit Mamoru. That idiot was impossible to shop for!
What was his problem anyway? How dare he do this to me! Didn't he know that it took me months to find the perfect gifts for my friends and family and that I normally didn't have time to shop for my worst enemies? Especially not an enemy who seemed to know everything about me while I knew next to nothing about him.
He knew I was clumsy, bad in school, had a crush on Motoki and generally was the exact opposite of any girl that he would normally waste any time on. Which made me wonder: exactly what type of girl would Mamoru hang around with? She would have to be smart, like Ami, pretty like Rei and strong like Makoto. Someone like Reika, Motoki's girlfriend. Only cooler and less interested in bugs.
It suddenly occurred to me that I had never seen Mamoru with a girl before. Well, aside from Rei, but he really did seem to just be indulging her crush. Could it possible be that Mamoru was not interested in girls but boys instead?
For a long moment I pondered this, standing outside a toy store. Then I shook my head. I hadn't seen Mamoru with any boys other than Motoki either, so I would just continue to believe that he was interested in girls until someone showed me otherwise. Sighing theatrically, I headed into the toy store, hoping to find relief there for just a few moments from my quest.
There were many wonderful toys within, but it was the stuffed animals that caught my attention, as always. Maybe I could buy Mamoru a nice big bunny rabbit? Who wouldn't like a nice white rabbit? No, Mamoru was too mature for such things. He'd just tease me more and point out that my Odango could be mistaken for rabbit ears if they were more pointed.
If I had more money, I could buy him a nice jacket to replace that green one he always wears, even if he only wore it once to be polite. There was no way he could tease me for my taste if I got him good clothes, right? It was a pity that I'd bought Shingo that extra packet of chocolates, otherwise I might have had enough to get Mamoru a nice shirt or something. Oh, he'd probably find a way to make me feel miserable if I got him clothes too.
I read in a book once that girls could buy guys cologne, but as I walked into the perfume shop I realised that it was probably too intimate a gift for Mamoru-baka. Either that or he'd think I thought he stank, which he does, but that's hardly the point. Actually, I realised as I thought about all the times I'd crashed into him, he normally smells of roses. Dismissing the attentions of the girl at the counter, I reasoned inwardly that no scent I could find in here would compete with the cologne he already wears, so I set out once more, looking for a new idea.
Sitting down in the food court wishing for an icecream, I found myself thinking about Mamoru-san, trying to figure out what to get him based on what I thought was special about him. There had to be something special about him, right? Surely he wasn't one of those guys that only a mother could love.
Well, what did Rei like about him? He was tall, with dark hair that glistened like the places between stars, and skin that was not too horrible. He dressed appallingly and his manners towards me were atrocious, but I'd seen him be very nice and supportive and even friendly around other people.
Maybe it was just me he couldn't stand. Maybe he really was a good guy rather than a jerk, and I was just an annoying kid, Odango Atama, who he couldn't stand for personal reasons. God knows, he brings out the worst in me; maybe I do the same to him. Could it be possible that Mamoru-san really was a nice guy underneath his meanness?
As I walked around the mall for the umpteenth time, I found myself pondering Mamoru-san's eyes. They were different from the rest of him. Even when he was arguing with me, those beautiful eyes never really seemed to get upset. There was something about them, some kind of old sadness that never left him, that suggested that even in a crowded room of people Mamoru-san was alone. I found myself wondering what had caused it, and what on earth I could do about it. Even if Mamoru-san was always teasing me, if he had gotten me a Christmas present then a truce had been declared and it was up to Christmas-Angel-Usagi to cheer him up.
Grinning despite myself at the mental image the nickname inspired, of myself in a little Christmas dress complete with red hat and angel wings, I almost danced my way into the next men's fashion store.
Three hours later, as the time approached when I would have to go home to get dressed and do my hair, I found myself utterly miserable. I hadn't found a single thing in the entire mall that would even suit as an "I couldn't think of anything to get you" present.
I was tired, my feet hurt, I couldn't even afford to buy myself something cheery and I'd run out of time. Rejecting the contents of the 'Hello Kitty' shop as all being too girly, I sighed theatrically, realising that I would just have to write Mamoru-san a card, and maybe wrap some of my mother's gingerbread cookies for him. Maybe he'd like a homemade present.
The streets were lined with people, all with a set destination in mind and in a hurry to get there. Some were no doubt heading home from work, while others were just setting out to get some after-work shopping done in these last few mad days before Christmas, when the shops were open all night and the people working in them full of false-cheer. Well, maybe it was real cheer, but I doubted it would be that authentic at closing time in some of these stores.
If Motoki wasn't holding his Christmas party at the Crown Function Centre tonight, he'd probably be required to work until midnight or so, and that was just for a video game arcade. Those places that actually fostered shopping would no doubt not close almost until sunrise, at which time they'd be opening again to accommodate those people who liked to shop before work.
Standing on the street corner, a red-clad Santa rang a bell, calling the passers by to give a few dollars to the charity he was sponsoring. Rustling in my bag, I withdrew a few of my smallest coins and dropped them in his tin, knowing that Mamoru-san's non-existent present wouldn't begrudge me that small donation.
It is funny how Christmas made everyone all nice for a change, I thought, when it's not Christmas people are just meaner to each other. I wondered if that made the Christmas season somehow fake, as if people were not embracing the true spirit of the season if they only did it for one day of the year. But still, I skipped along, dodging the people of the crowd in a display of agility that would have stunned Mamoru-san, deciding that it was best to believe in people, to hope that they would each carry a part of Christmas with them throughout the rest of the year.
The window displays at this time of year are beautiful, shining with tinsel and paper stars. Some of the bigger department stores had set up windows telling stories, with small moving robots and music repeating familiar legends and fairytales. But I only spared them a glance this time, my thoughts still on Mamoru-san and what I could possibly do for him.
Feeling an aching sadness in my heart, I slowed, tears threatening to overcome me. It was hopeless. No matter what I did, every idea that occurred to me would never in a million years be good enough for Mamoru-san. Nothing I did would ever be good enough for him. I stopped, pondering the emotions I was feeling.
When had Mamoru-baka come to mean so much to me that the thought of not giving him a Christmas present could almost reduce me to tears? Surely he was just that stupid jerk who plagued me at the Arcade? Why was I so miserable? I'd already decided that he was only going to give me a joke present, something that would no doubt humiliate me in front of my friends, plus he'd probably be giving a really nice present to some girl who was his date for the evening. A smart college guy like him would no doubt have a beautiful girlfriend.
Mamoru-san didn't care about me, he'd shown that often enough over the past few months. So why did it feel so bad to think about him shunning me, to imagine the coldness that his eyes could convey so cruelly? And why did my chest tighten every time I heard him call out "Oi, Odango Atama"?
Could it possibly be that I had a crush on Mamoru-san?
No, I realised, self-knowledge darting through me painfully, I was in love with my Mamo-chan. And yet, despite all that I'd discovered about him this day, I still knew very little about him, other than his loathing for myself. Not being able to find him a last-minute Christmas present was just the final acknowledgement that what I felt for him could never be expressed.
That didn't matter, I decided, wiping away my tears in a show of bravery that would have made Tuxedo Kamen grin with delight. No matter what Mamo-chan's feelings for me were, I was still going to do my best to alleviate the sadness in his eyes, if only for tonight. In the morning, I'd do my best to suppress what I felt for Mamoru, and comfort myself with dreams of my masked hero. But for tonight, I would do my best to cheer up Mamoru, just so I could see him smile.
A sparkle of silver flashed in the corner of my eye, and I turned my head to gaze in awe at what was sitting in the window of an antiques store. Surely what I was seeing had to be a mistake? Closing my eyes and saying a quick prayer to whatever gods might happen to be listening, I stepped inside.
"Usagi! You're late!" Rei called out to me as I stepped over the threshold into Motoki's apartment. I was only a few moments late anyway, having taken time out to wrap my last-minute Christmas present.
I took a deep calming breath, determined to not let her dampen my Christmas spirit. "Hiya, Rei-chan", I called enthusiastically, waving a hand before smiling up at Motoki who had opened the door for me. "Thanks for inviting me, Motoki-san."
"I'm glad to see you, Usagi-chan. Your friends are all over by the food waiting for you." He smiled warmly, and I was at little surprised to notice that my heart didn't flutter when he spoke to me. I took a quick glance around the room and grinned.
"And Reika is waiting for you under the mistletoe", I giggled, "you'd better go oblige her while I put these presents under the tree." Motoki didn't need to hear the instruction twice, practically floating across the room towards his girlfriend. It was then that I noticed the boppy Christmas carols that were playing, and the noise of many people talking animatedly and generally enjoying themselves.
A large Christmas tree stood tall in one corner, presiding over the room and the proceedings with an air of majesty and grace. It was sparsely decorated, a poor starving student like Motoki had probably barely managed to get the tree he wanted for this party, let alone all the decorations he could imagine, however, it seemed complete as it was, without tinsel and with just a few hanging ornaments, as if this tree were all that was needed to make this Christmas perfect.
Not that it could be, I thought morosely, as I unpacked the plastic bags in my hands to scatter the presents I had brought beneath the tree. No matter what gifts I was given, no matter what wishes Santa Claus would grant me, no Christmas miracle could ever be powerful enough to grant my one true desire.
Gazing surreptitiously at the other presents, I tried to spot one from Mamoru, to see if I could find out what he had gotten for me. My hand strayed to the small box hidden in the deep pocket of my skirt. No, I couldn't put it under the tree yet, I was too nervous for that. Having spent too much time down under the tree as it was, I stood carefully, avoiding the crush, and turned to finally join my friends.
"Hello Odango", I fought down the snarl that rose instinctively in my throat to smile winningly at the tall, dark and handsome man before me. I would not let him have the thrill of upsetting me, not now, not ever. Whatever prank he was planning, I would prove myself the equal of it. But no foe I had ever faced, in normal life or in the Dark Kingdom, had ever frightened me as Mamoru did now.
"Hello, Mamoru-baka", I said in a delicately sweet tone, "Merry Christmas." I bounced up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, surprising myself with my daring. If only the others had been watching me then.
With a silent grin, I skipped off towards my friends, delighted by the confused expression that had suddenly appeared on Mamoru's face.
"Hey guys, should we open the presents now?" Motoki's voice was raised above the general noise level of the room with the aid of a microphone plugged into the stereo system. Around the apartment, eyes turned in his direction, and I giggled to see that he was wearing one of those Santa hats that always seemed to be in fashion at this time of year. I'd never worn one because of my hair, of course, but everyone else seemed to think them a good idea.
The general consensus of the murmurs that answered him seemed to be in agreement with the plan, so Motoki grinned and suggested that everyone sit down in front of the Christmas tree so that some form of order was maintained. As they moved to do so, Motoki and Reiki moved to the front of the group, Reika's hips swaying slightly as she walked. A part of me analysed the movement, wondering if I would ever be able to move that gracefully without tripping over.
Reika looked especially beautiful dressed in a red gown that sparkled slightly. She was every inch a princess, and Motoki could barely keep his eyes off her. Every girl in the room sighed at the romance in the glances that were frequently being exchanged, and the men sighed at just how "hen-pecked" Motoki had become in the past few months.
"Now", Motoki said with a big grin, "with the aid of my lovely assistant here, we are going to start giving out the gifts. There are a lot here", he gestured, "so I won't bother with reading the cards out aloud, and just help Reika hand them out one at a time so that we can see what people are being given and tease them about it later on."
There were a few chuckles at this, I guess some people had been bought presents only intended to be jokes rather than serious gifts. Motoki sat down next to the Christmas tree, still holding the microphone in one hand as a couple of conversations had continued even as people had relocated to the Christmas tree.
"This first one is for Hikaru-chan from Shin-kun."
The pile of presents under the tree was rapidly dwindling, and there was still no sign of a gift from Mamoru. What if he had been lying to me in the arcade? Had I made a fool of myself by shopping all day for him? No, I realised softly, even as I watched Mako-chan tear apart some wrapping paper to discover the cookbook and new sushi mat I'd bought for her when I remembered my mother saying that you could never have enough sushi-rolling mats. I was glad I had found a gift for Mamoru, and it didn't matter if he hadn't gotten me anything. It never had mattered, for Christmas wasn't really about the presents, though they were nice. It was about doing something good for your fellow man, even if he was baka.
I looked around my neat little pile of presents and wondered what had happened to my plastic bag. It would have been helpful in carrying all these home. Rei-chan had given me the complete set of Sailor V manga volumes and Ami-chan had gotten me a cool book about manga. It was probably as close as she'd ever come to buying manga before, and I thought it a very clever gift, for Ami knew I'd read it, and she was always going on about how I don't read enough real books.
Another present was passed to me and I grinned to see that it was from Mako-chan. In a movement so fast as to defy the eye, I removed the wrapping to find a box of chocolates, all home-made and carefully decorated so that they looked better than any shop-bought ones I had ever seen.
"Oh, Mako-chan, they're wonderful. Can I try one?" She grinned and nodded at me, and I took a few moments to choose carefully before biting into the most delicious cherry chocolate I had ever tasted. "Would you like one?" I offered the box to her, but she shook her head with a grin.
"I had a few too many as I was cooking them. Had to make sure I was going to poison you, after all." We laughed together as Rei opened her gift from me to find her very own copy of the complete set of Sailor V manga volumes. One startled glance from the priestess at the gift on the floor in front of me and all in our group were laughing as only good friends can. Even Ami had looked up from her new book on advanced quantum physics to join in.
"I guess we're done then", Motoki said, and I looked up, surprised. Surely there was one more present? Anger soared in me as I realised that Mamoru had lied after all. People were getting to their feet, heading for the bathroom queue or the food tables, organising their gifts into piles near their coats and bags and some people were leaving already, pleading other engagements this evening. Ignoring the curious expressions on my friends' faces I got to my feet and walked out to the balcony, pleading that I needed a few moments fresh air to clear my head.
For some reason the balcony was deserted, leaving me alone with the cityscape laid out before me. The breeze was cool on my face, and I could barely hear the noise of the party, let alone that of the cars passing on the busy street below me. It was nice here, I decided, reaching up to straighten one of my ponytails. No one to bother me, harass me about how I had been stupid enough to fall for Mamoru's prank or make me feel more miserable than I already felt.
Which was probably just as well, I thought, as a single tear started to trace its own path down my cheek. I didn't bother to brush it off, turning my face upwards to gaze at the just-past-full moon. Silver light illuminated my face, sparkling off the moisture there. I could feel it taking away my sadness and replacing it with calm. The moon never seemed to worry about the traumas of my life, why should I? I thought peacefully, and smiled.
I turned around to rejoin the others, and crashed hard into someone who had been standing silently behind me. Losing my balance, I fell to the ground with a grunt.
"Careful, Odango Atama", a smug voice said, challenging my new-found calm, "I wouldn't want you to go falling over the edge."
Deep breath, Usagi. Now, for a snappy comeback. "It would be a shame if you had to go out and find yourself someone new to annoy." Close enough, I sighed inwardly. So much for my calm outlook. Oh well, better anger than letting him notice that I had been upset.
"Well, what if I don't want to find someone else to annoy?" There was something in Mamoru's voice that was different, something that made me accept the hand that he was offering to aid me to my feet. His other hand he kept behind his back in an odd gesture, but I thought nothing of it, caught by the intensity of Mamoru's stare. It was then that he noticed the silver trail on my cheek, glistening in the moonlight.
"Why were you crying, Usagi?" His use of my name caught my notice, as did his concern over something he had caused. How ironic, a part of me murmured, though the rest was seeking a phrasing that didn't make me sound like a petulant child. Finding no answer, I turned away from him to look back out over the city that now offered no escape or comfort.
"Did you change your mind about us exchanging gifts?" I asked after a few moments, as if changing the subject. "I noticed there wasn't anything for me from you under the tree."
"I could say the same thing, Odango Atama", there was a smile in his voice, that one he got when he was teasing me but didn't quite mean it. "But in truth I decided that I wasn't quite brave enough to give you your gift in front of everyone." I blinked. This wasn't the reply I had been expecting from him. I turned back to see a shining vulnerability on Mamoru's dark face, which was shadowed by the light behind him.
He brought his hand out from behind his back, bringing with it a large white stuffed rabbit. I smiled as Mamoru passed him over, and then blinked as I saw the red rosebud, just beginning to open, that was held in the rabbit's hands. A rosebud stands for youth and beauty, a part of my mind whispered in astonishment, a red rose stands for love.
I was more shocked than anything else as I hugged the soft toy to my chest, being careful to avoid crushing the fresh flower. There was something about the scent of that particular rose that was familiar to me, but I decided to think about it later as I started fumbling in my pocket for the gift I had gotten Mamoru. After a few moments I had it in my hand and was handing the carefully-wrapped box over.
"Umm, it's not much, but I saw it and I thought you'd like it and I didn't know what else to get you and I really hope you like it", I said as I passed the gift to Mamoru, "I'm really sorry, but you left it so late to remind me to get you something and I didn't have much money left and I'm really sorry that it's such a terrible gift compared to what you gave me and what are you staring at?"
He was indeed staring at me, a fond smile on his face. "I'm sure it's a wonderful gift, Usagi," he said, ripping off the wrapping-paper. The box within was white and after a few moments of wrestling with the sticky tape as I tried to hide behind the bunny rabbit. Then the moment of truth was upon us as Mamoru opened the box.
He withdrew from within a silver pocket watch, its case sparkling with new polish and its chain gleaming in the moonlight. A crescent moon and a single star had been engraved onto the front, and watching Mamoru hold it in his hand made me realise that I had been right in thinking that this gift was perfect for him. But still, the nagging doubts I had felt all afternoon keep pestering me. The stream of babbling began anew.
"Umm, I know it isn't actually working right now, and that the glass on the face is cracked", I said as he opened the case to stare in detail at the face of the watch, "but I promise you that I will give you next months allowance, and the month after's to help you get it fixed. It just looked so nice in the window and I thought that you might like it just a little and I didn't know what else to get you and I'm so sorry that it doesn't work because you got me such a perfect gift and I have no taste at all-"
It was at this point that Mamoru leaned over and kissed me. Just for a second, the lightest touch of lips one could imagine. But it did stop the flow of words from my mouth. I stared at him, dumbfounded.
"Calm down, Usagi.", He turned a knob on the watch very carefully, showing me how the hands moved around. "Look, it just needed winding up. Now it works. And in a few days when the jewellery shops are quiet again, we will go and see about replacing the glass on the face."
"You like your present?" I held the bunny closer, needing reassurance.
"I love my present. It's perfect."
"I'm so glad", I looked in his eyes and believed him.
"Now", he said, attaching the chain of his new watch to his belt and placing the actual clock in his pocket, "perhaps we should go inside and join the party, Usagi?"
I blushed at the emotion in his look, but took his proffered hand in my own with a small smile, still holding the rabbit with the other. "I'd like that, Mamo-chan."
This time it was his eyes that opened wide in surprise, as I gave voice to the emotions that had been plaguing me all afternoon. Then he grinned and pulled me into a rough embrace.
"There's something you didn't notice about this balcony, Usako", he said, holding me close. I barely even noticed the pet name, I was so enamoured by his presence.
"And what's that?" I murmured as he leaned over me, blocking out the moonlight and sending a shiver down my spine.
"That's mistletoe hanging from the roof."
For one brief moment, I considered telling him all that I'd realised that afternoon while shopping, but then I forgot what I was thinking about as his lips drove all thought from my mind and all emotion except love from my heart.