Chapter thirteen
Ikuko opened the oven door, and picked up the potholders. She pulled the pie out, setting it down on the rack, before shutting the oven door. She turned the oven off, and ended the timer. Glancing at the clock, she sighed. 'Nearly two...'
Turning, she tossed the potholders to the counter, and left the kitchen. "Shingo!" She only waited a few minutes, before the twelve-year-old boy came down the stairs. "Hai okaasan?"
She frowned, as she crossed her arms over her chest, causing the boy to freeze. "You forgot to make your bed this morning." The brown haired boy winced, knowing full well he was in trouble. She shook a finger at him, "How many times do I need to remind you young man? Now I want you to clean your room top to bottom."
Sulking, he nodded, and hurried back upstairs. She waited till she heard his door close, before turning back into the kitchen. She found her husband tasting her fresh baked pie. "Kenji Tsukino!" He touched the pan the pie was in, and cursed, jumping back with a loud yell.
Stalking towards him, she placed her hands on her hips. "You're worst than the kids. Kenji, I just baked that, couldn't you wait till I dished you up a piece?" The older man, pouted, "Gomen honey, but it smelled so good, and I missed lunch."
Narrowing her eyes, Ikuko replied curtly, "That's no excuse. Now go to your office, and clean it!"
"But..."
"March!"
Without another word, Kenji took off to his office in the basement. Sighing, Ikuko moved to the counter, and put the potholders away.
She heard the front door open, and shut. "Usagi is that you dear?"
"Hai okaasan."
Ikuko wiped her hands on her apron, and moved to the living room. She spotted her musume, as the young blonde stepped from the entry hall, and into the room. Ikuko raised an eyebrow, at her musume's attire. "Don't let your otosan see you like that."
Usagi looked up, startled, to see her okaasan in the room. "Hai okaasan." Ikuko frowned, and studied the blonde, "Is something wrong Usagi chan?" The girl flushed, shaking her head.
Knowing her musume well, Ikuko replied sharply, "In your room right now young lady. I'll be up there in a minute, and you can tell me exactly what's on your mind."
She watched, as her musume took off up the stairs, and heard the door shut. Nodding, a smile slowly appeared on her face, "Oh fun, an okaasan and musume talk!" Rubbing her hands together, she hurried to get cleaned up, before going upstairs.
?????
The bells jingled, as he stepping into the arcade. "Afternoon Squall." Startled to hear his name, he looked up, only to find Motoki. He nodded in the blonde's direction, and asked, "Can I get a coffee, black please."
Motoki nodded, "Hai, sure." The blonde haired man left to the kitchen, leaving Squall alone.
With a sigh, he fell into a booth in the far corner, so he could be alone with his thoughts. He ran a weary hand through his already tousled hair, and groaned with disdain.
Dropping his face into his hands, he massaged his scalp, trying to ease the tension building up, since he left his apartment, minutes earlier.
"Here you go."
He jerked his head up, and stared at the coffee inside the cup, before looking up at Motoki. "Thanks." Motoki nodded, "iie problem." He moved, leaving to the counter.
Squall found himself staring at a digital clock. By now, Usagi was at home, most likely talking with her mother, and afraid to tell her everything. Shaking his head, he grabbed the cup, lifting it to his lips, and took a long swallow.
The door to the arcade slid open, and a jingle filled the silence in the air. He didn't dare look up, having the oddest feeling, he knew who it was.
The last person he wanted to see at the moment sat in front of him, a frown on her face. Her hair, unlike usual, was pulled back into a high ponytail, the long dark locks, falling down, and curving in, at her butt. Her dark eyes stared at him, assessing him closely.
She was dressed in a pair of black slacks, and fancy dark brown halter-top, and on her feet, where a pair of styled black leather, high heeled platforms. "Hello."
A thin eyebrow rose, and she held up a finger to Motoki, asking for her usual. They waited in silence, till he came by, with a cup similar to his, but filled with green tea, and left.
Taking the cup in both hands, she lifted it to her lips, and took a small sip, before setting it back down. Finally, she met his gaze, and clasped her hands in front of her. "So did you have fun?"
This time, he raised an eyebrow, wondering what she was trying to get at. "Sure. I danced with Minako enough times, to remind me never to again, and danced with Usagi a couple of times." He shrugged it off, and took another swallow of the hot liquid in his cup, before setting it down.
Her lips formed a straight line, and she leaned across the table. "Cut the crap, I know what happened." Why wasn't he surprised? Feeling guilty, he tried to speak, but she caught him off. "Couldn't you have found another way, to take her mind off that kono yaro?" He narrowed his eyes, and slowly it dawned on him, that the woman in front of him, had mistaken what he had done with Usagi, as his way of easing her pain. Disgusted, he slammed the cup, he was holding, when he had tried to drink more, onto the table. Coffee splashed over the rim, and onto the tabletop.
"Who the hell do you think you are? What happened last night, had nothing, nothing to do with..." the woman raised her hand, her eyes glanced from Motoki, who was staring at them with disbelief. She shook her head, and slowly smiled. She then whispered in a hushed tone, so that Motoki wouldn't over hear, "good. I almost feared that, that was the reason."
She pulled back, resting against the back of the booth she was sitting in. Squall frowned, "what?" He shook his head, trying to figure out her meaning, but couldn't find one.
She sighed, waving her hand out in front of her, "what happened last night, between you and..." she paused glancing at Motoki. "Well, I had begun to fear, that last night, was just your way of trying to ease her pain. But now I see, that I had nothing to worry about."
She lifted the cup, and took another sip, before setting it down. Squall frowned, "wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me, that you knew all of this was going to happen?"
She shook her head, "iie, I'm not telling you anything. Well except, that I hope you plan to stick this out. I mean if you don't, you'll have a lot of enemies." Her eyes flashed, proving her point.
He sighed, falling back against the booth. "What do you think I am, an asswhole? No, I don't plan on leaving her alone, like that bastard, what's his name."
The woman nodded, "That's all I wanted to know." She stood, setting down a couple of yen, before she left the arcade. Squall sighed, mentally kicking himself. 'What the hell have I gotten myself into now?'
He shook his head, and looked out the window watching Setsuna's retreating form. Looking away, he once again, dropped his head into his hands, and inwardly groaned.
Motoki wiped the table with a damp rag, and shook his head. 'Damn, who needs a soap opera, when all you have to do is listen to people talk while you work?' He shook his head again, and tossed the rag into a bin, before leaving to the kitchen.
?????
Usagi tugged the shorts down, feeling them ride up a bit, and sighed with frustration. The doors opened in front of her, and the bells jingled. She stepped into the Crown Arcade, feeling a pair of eyes land on her.
"Usagi?"
Flushing from head to toe, she bowed her head, loose hair curtaining her face. "Gomen nasasi Motoki kun, for being... late."
Motoki rounded the counter, and walked up towards her. He bent down, trying to see her face, "Usagi is that you?" She looked up, still red from embarrassment. She nodded her head vigorously, blonde hair whipping at the air freely.
"You look great."
She blinked, "Honto?" He nodded, "What happened? Why the sudden change?"
She followed him to the counter, sitting down in the stool, and scooted herself closer. "Well, my okaasan said I needed a make over...after I told her a few things." She swallowed hard, trying to fight down her embarrassment. "I think she went a little far."
Motoki shook his head, and slid a chocolate shake towards her. "What did you tell her, that made her do all of this?" He pointed to the hair. Usagi instinctively touched it.
It had once been as long as her knees, but now the golden strands fell loosely over her shoulders, resting neatly against her breasts. She gnawed on her bottom lip. "I found out something last night..." She looked away, staring down at her lap.
Her okaasan had gone crazy, after finding out, taking her shopping getting her hair done, and make-up bought for her, before dropping her off at the arcade. She flushed, and took the shake sipping at it.
"I told her what happened at the dance." She held up her hand, causing Motoki gasped. "Kuso, Usagi what the hell happened to you?" Wincing at his choice of words, she looked away, "I punched a mirror."
"Nani?"
She smiled foolishly, "I got upset that's all, and lost my temper. You know how I am?" Motoki shook his head, "not as much as I thought." Frowning, she dropped down from the stool, "well I'm here to work, not dawdle." Cheerier, than she had been all week, she skipped behind the counter, grabbing an apron, before disappearing into the kitchen.
A few minutes passed, and she came back out, her hair pulled back up into a high ponytail, and he noticed the silver highlights that intermixed with the gold. "Did you get highlights done, to?"
She glanced at him, shaking her head, "iie, just cut, shaped and thinned why?" Frowning, he shook his head, "Nothing." He slid a rag to her, and asked, "Could you wipe down the tables for me?"
"Hai."
She took the rag, and moved to the tables, and started cleaning them one by one.
?????
Squall walked out of the bathroom, and let the door shut quietly behind him. It didn't take him long to see that Motoki and him weren't alone anymore.
She was standing over a table next to his, washing it. He recognized her; even though she looked completely different then she had when he dropped her off at her house.
He could only stand there, looking at her, afraid to approach her. His eyes swooped over her, drinking in her image like wine. Her hair, had been cut, and thinned. She tossed her head to the side, and her ponytail slipped over her right shoulder, as she leaned against the table with one hand. The ends brushed against her shoulder blade, before she pulled back, and it whipped the air, hitting her neck.
His eyes roamed down to her body. She was dressed in a short pair of loose black cloth shorts that barely covered her rump, and exposed her long toned legs. A long white dress shirt, fit loosely around her torso, and the sleeves had been rolled up to her elbows. A black vest covered it, but was left open, underneath the apron, that tied around her neck, and around her slender waist. His eyes swept down her long legs, and found on her feet, were a pair of white socks, and a pair of black sneakers.
She sighed, moving to his table, and picked up his empty cup, and moved to the counter, "want me to clean this?"
Motoki nodded, "hai Usagi chan, if you want." She nodded, a smile on her face. She moved behind the counter, stopping at the kitchen doors. "Motoki kun."
"Hai?"
She turned looking at him, "I wont be able to come into work three weeks from now."
"Why is that Usagi chan?" He looked up her, stopping from wiping the counter. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, "I'm going to the doctor."
"Nani? Are you alright?"
She giggled, "Hai Motoki kun. I'm just going in for a check up is all. I'll be able to come in the next day." He nodded, and let her enter the kitchen. Squall came out of the small hallway of the bathrooms, and moved to the counter. He stared at the doors, with a frown.
Motoki looked at him, "Something wrong?"
He blinked, looking at the blond haired man, "Yea." He shook his head, looking away with a frown. Motoki tossed the towel into a bin. "If you want to talk with her, go ahead." Surprised, Squall looked at him, before nodding gratefully. He rounded the counter, and walked into the kitchen awkwardly.
"Motoki kun, you don't trust me with the dishes do you?"
She turned around, and the smile disappeared from her face. "Squall?" She dropped the dishrag, and leaned against the counter for support. He moved with ease towards her, crossing the kitchen, to reach her, in only a few long strides.
Before he could say anything, she moved against him, her arms wrapping around his neck, and pulled his face to hers. Once their lips touched, he swept her up into his arms, and off the floor. Her legs wrapped themselves around his waist, and she tilted her head under his.
He groaned, and took a step to one side, and the counter ended. He stumbled forward, her back hitting the wall, and his hands moved down her sides, before they gripped her thighs.
She gasped, opening her mouth against his, and he darted in, unable to hold in his greed for her. Her fingers lost themselves in his hair, and she latched onto the thick locks, as the kiss deepened.
He pulled back, needing air, and time to think. Her hands slid down to his face, and she kissed his lips, and whispered, "I can't stop thinking about you." She kissed him again, and he groaned. His hand came up, and grabbed a hold of her wrists, pinning them above her head.
He couldn't control the built up want that poured out, when ever she kissed him. He couldn't stop the passion that licked his veins, and pushed him over the edge, whenever he was near her. And he couldn't control the need for her.
"Motoki kun, is Usagi chan around?"
"Hai, she's in the kitchen, I'll get her for you."
"Domo artigato."
He ripped himself away from her, and let her slid down to her feet. He looked away, and it took every effort in him, not to go back to her. He stumbled back, trying to regain control of his betraying body.
Usagi leaned against the wall, knowing her legs weren't strong enough to hold her up.
Motoki opened the door, and poked his head in. "Hope I'm not interrupting, but Makoto is here." Usagi nodded, and found strength. She pushed herself from the wall, and started across the kitchen. She moved passed Motoki, and ducked out into the arcade.
Squall let out a breath of air, feeling all his senses come back in waves. He stumbled back against the wall, and slid to the floor. Groaning, he latched fists full of his hair in his hands, and held on.
Motoki shook his head, and stepped into the kitchen, letting the door shut behind him. "Having problems?" Squall looked up, and nodded, "Yea." Motoki smiled a knowing smile, and moved to the frustrated young man on the floor.
He took a seat next to him, and stated, "I have a feeling I know what's going on. At first, I suspected you and Setsuna, but now..." he looked at the door, and shook his head.
"I can't say, that I know what you're going through, or that I've been there, but I know that it must be something." He grinned, and patted Squall on the shoulder. "I think your perfect for her."
Squall looked at him with a questionable look. Motoki leaned his head against the wall. "I had a feeling what Mamoru was doing in America. And her new look, and you, just proved what I had begun to believe. At first, they made I nice couple, but there was something missing in their relationship."
He smirked, "something that the two of you have." Squall flushed, feeling foolish, that they were talking about him and Usagi. He sighed, easing the tension inside him, "But what if I have to leave?"
Their eyes met, and Motoki replied calmly, "She'll follow you."
Squall shook his head, not sure, "What if she cant?" The blond haired man grinned, "She'll find away."
Squall sighed uneasily, and climbed to his feet. He helped Motoki up, and they left the kitchen. They found Usagi surrounded by all of her friends, who were fussing over her, about her hair.
He stared at her, and she looked up, her eyes glowing with spirit once again. He glanced around the girls, counting heads, and found eight. Frowning, he added Setsuna into the group of friends, and got nine in all.
Usagi giggled, flipping her hair off her shoulders, and showed a V for victory to Haruka, since their conversation switched to track. She glanced over her shoulder, catching his eyes. Suddenly realization dawned on him, and the answer to his question stared him in the eye.
Ikuko opened the oven door, and picked up the potholders. She pulled the pie out, setting it down on the rack, before shutting the oven door. She turned the oven off, and ended the timer. Glancing at the clock, she sighed. 'Nearly two...'
Turning, she tossed the potholders to the counter, and left the kitchen. "Shingo!" She only waited a few minutes, before the twelve-year-old boy came down the stairs. "Hai okaasan?"
She frowned, as she crossed her arms over her chest, causing the boy to freeze. "You forgot to make your bed this morning." The brown haired boy winced, knowing full well he was in trouble. She shook a finger at him, "How many times do I need to remind you young man? Now I want you to clean your room top to bottom."
Sulking, he nodded, and hurried back upstairs. She waited till she heard his door close, before turning back into the kitchen. She found her husband tasting her fresh baked pie. "Kenji Tsukino!" He touched the pan the pie was in, and cursed, jumping back with a loud yell.
Stalking towards him, she placed her hands on her hips. "You're worst than the kids. Kenji, I just baked that, couldn't you wait till I dished you up a piece?" The older man, pouted, "Gomen honey, but it smelled so good, and I missed lunch."
Narrowing her eyes, Ikuko replied curtly, "That's no excuse. Now go to your office, and clean it!"
"But..."
"March!"
Without another word, Kenji took off to his office in the basement. Sighing, Ikuko moved to the counter, and put the potholders away.
She heard the front door open, and shut. "Usagi is that you dear?"
"Hai okaasan."
Ikuko wiped her hands on her apron, and moved to the living room. She spotted her musume, as the young blonde stepped from the entry hall, and into the room. Ikuko raised an eyebrow, at her musume's attire. "Don't let your otosan see you like that."
Usagi looked up, startled, to see her okaasan in the room. "Hai okaasan." Ikuko frowned, and studied the blonde, "Is something wrong Usagi chan?" The girl flushed, shaking her head.
Knowing her musume well, Ikuko replied sharply, "In your room right now young lady. I'll be up there in a minute, and you can tell me exactly what's on your mind."
She watched, as her musume took off up the stairs, and heard the door shut. Nodding, a smile slowly appeared on her face, "Oh fun, an okaasan and musume talk!" Rubbing her hands together, she hurried to get cleaned up, before going upstairs.
?????
The bells jingled, as he stepping into the arcade. "Afternoon Squall." Startled to hear his name, he looked up, only to find Motoki. He nodded in the blonde's direction, and asked, "Can I get a coffee, black please."
Motoki nodded, "Hai, sure." The blonde haired man left to the kitchen, leaving Squall alone.
With a sigh, he fell into a booth in the far corner, so he could be alone with his thoughts. He ran a weary hand through his already tousled hair, and groaned with disdain.
Dropping his face into his hands, he massaged his scalp, trying to ease the tension building up, since he left his apartment, minutes earlier.
"Here you go."
He jerked his head up, and stared at the coffee inside the cup, before looking up at Motoki. "Thanks." Motoki nodded, "iie problem." He moved, leaving to the counter.
Squall found himself staring at a digital clock. By now, Usagi was at home, most likely talking with her mother, and afraid to tell her everything. Shaking his head, he grabbed the cup, lifting it to his lips, and took a long swallow.
The door to the arcade slid open, and a jingle filled the silence in the air. He didn't dare look up, having the oddest feeling, he knew who it was.
The last person he wanted to see at the moment sat in front of him, a frown on her face. Her hair, unlike usual, was pulled back into a high ponytail, the long dark locks, falling down, and curving in, at her butt. Her dark eyes stared at him, assessing him closely.
She was dressed in a pair of black slacks, and fancy dark brown halter-top, and on her feet, where a pair of styled black leather, high heeled platforms. "Hello."
A thin eyebrow rose, and she held up a finger to Motoki, asking for her usual. They waited in silence, till he came by, with a cup similar to his, but filled with green tea, and left.
Taking the cup in both hands, she lifted it to her lips, and took a small sip, before setting it back down. Finally, she met his gaze, and clasped her hands in front of her. "So did you have fun?"
This time, he raised an eyebrow, wondering what she was trying to get at. "Sure. I danced with Minako enough times, to remind me never to again, and danced with Usagi a couple of times." He shrugged it off, and took another swallow of the hot liquid in his cup, before setting it down.
Her lips formed a straight line, and she leaned across the table. "Cut the crap, I know what happened." Why wasn't he surprised? Feeling guilty, he tried to speak, but she caught him off. "Couldn't you have found another way, to take her mind off that kono yaro?" He narrowed his eyes, and slowly it dawned on him, that the woman in front of him, had mistaken what he had done with Usagi, as his way of easing her pain. Disgusted, he slammed the cup, he was holding, when he had tried to drink more, onto the table. Coffee splashed over the rim, and onto the tabletop.
"Who the hell do you think you are? What happened last night, had nothing, nothing to do with..." the woman raised her hand, her eyes glanced from Motoki, who was staring at them with disbelief. She shook her head, and slowly smiled. She then whispered in a hushed tone, so that Motoki wouldn't over hear, "good. I almost feared that, that was the reason."
She pulled back, resting against the back of the booth she was sitting in. Squall frowned, "what?" He shook his head, trying to figure out her meaning, but couldn't find one.
She sighed, waving her hand out in front of her, "what happened last night, between you and..." she paused glancing at Motoki. "Well, I had begun to fear, that last night, was just your way of trying to ease her pain. But now I see, that I had nothing to worry about."
She lifted the cup, and took another sip, before setting it down. Squall frowned, "wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me, that you knew all of this was going to happen?"
She shook her head, "iie, I'm not telling you anything. Well except, that I hope you plan to stick this out. I mean if you don't, you'll have a lot of enemies." Her eyes flashed, proving her point.
He sighed, falling back against the booth. "What do you think I am, an asswhole? No, I don't plan on leaving her alone, like that bastard, what's his name."
The woman nodded, "That's all I wanted to know." She stood, setting down a couple of yen, before she left the arcade. Squall sighed, mentally kicking himself. 'What the hell have I gotten myself into now?'
He shook his head, and looked out the window watching Setsuna's retreating form. Looking away, he once again, dropped his head into his hands, and inwardly groaned.
Motoki wiped the table with a damp rag, and shook his head. 'Damn, who needs a soap opera, when all you have to do is listen to people talk while you work?' He shook his head again, and tossed the rag into a bin, before leaving to the kitchen.
?????
Usagi tugged the shorts down, feeling them ride up a bit, and sighed with frustration. The doors opened in front of her, and the bells jingled. She stepped into the Crown Arcade, feeling a pair of eyes land on her.
"Usagi?"
Flushing from head to toe, she bowed her head, loose hair curtaining her face. "Gomen nasasi Motoki kun, for being... late."
Motoki rounded the counter, and walked up towards her. He bent down, trying to see her face, "Usagi is that you?" She looked up, still red from embarrassment. She nodded her head vigorously, blonde hair whipping at the air freely.
"You look great."
She blinked, "Honto?" He nodded, "What happened? Why the sudden change?"
She followed him to the counter, sitting down in the stool, and scooted herself closer. "Well, my okaasan said I needed a make over...after I told her a few things." She swallowed hard, trying to fight down her embarrassment. "I think she went a little far."
Motoki shook his head, and slid a chocolate shake towards her. "What did you tell her, that made her do all of this?" He pointed to the hair. Usagi instinctively touched it.
It had once been as long as her knees, but now the golden strands fell loosely over her shoulders, resting neatly against her breasts. She gnawed on her bottom lip. "I found out something last night..." She looked away, staring down at her lap.
Her okaasan had gone crazy, after finding out, taking her shopping getting her hair done, and make-up bought for her, before dropping her off at the arcade. She flushed, and took the shake sipping at it.
"I told her what happened at the dance." She held up her hand, causing Motoki gasped. "Kuso, Usagi what the hell happened to you?" Wincing at his choice of words, she looked away, "I punched a mirror."
"Nani?"
She smiled foolishly, "I got upset that's all, and lost my temper. You know how I am?" Motoki shook his head, "not as much as I thought." Frowning, she dropped down from the stool, "well I'm here to work, not dawdle." Cheerier, than she had been all week, she skipped behind the counter, grabbing an apron, before disappearing into the kitchen.
A few minutes passed, and she came back out, her hair pulled back up into a high ponytail, and he noticed the silver highlights that intermixed with the gold. "Did you get highlights done, to?"
She glanced at him, shaking her head, "iie, just cut, shaped and thinned why?" Frowning, he shook his head, "Nothing." He slid a rag to her, and asked, "Could you wipe down the tables for me?"
"Hai."
She took the rag, and moved to the tables, and started cleaning them one by one.
?????
Squall walked out of the bathroom, and let the door shut quietly behind him. It didn't take him long to see that Motoki and him weren't alone anymore.
She was standing over a table next to his, washing it. He recognized her; even though she looked completely different then she had when he dropped her off at her house.
He could only stand there, looking at her, afraid to approach her. His eyes swooped over her, drinking in her image like wine. Her hair, had been cut, and thinned. She tossed her head to the side, and her ponytail slipped over her right shoulder, as she leaned against the table with one hand. The ends brushed against her shoulder blade, before she pulled back, and it whipped the air, hitting her neck.
His eyes roamed down to her body. She was dressed in a short pair of loose black cloth shorts that barely covered her rump, and exposed her long toned legs. A long white dress shirt, fit loosely around her torso, and the sleeves had been rolled up to her elbows. A black vest covered it, but was left open, underneath the apron, that tied around her neck, and around her slender waist. His eyes swept down her long legs, and found on her feet, were a pair of white socks, and a pair of black sneakers.
She sighed, moving to his table, and picked up his empty cup, and moved to the counter, "want me to clean this?"
Motoki nodded, "hai Usagi chan, if you want." She nodded, a smile on her face. She moved behind the counter, stopping at the kitchen doors. "Motoki kun."
"Hai?"
She turned looking at him, "I wont be able to come into work three weeks from now."
"Why is that Usagi chan?" He looked up her, stopping from wiping the counter. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, "I'm going to the doctor."
"Nani? Are you alright?"
She giggled, "Hai Motoki kun. I'm just going in for a check up is all. I'll be able to come in the next day." He nodded, and let her enter the kitchen. Squall came out of the small hallway of the bathrooms, and moved to the counter. He stared at the doors, with a frown.
Motoki looked at him, "Something wrong?"
He blinked, looking at the blond haired man, "Yea." He shook his head, looking away with a frown. Motoki tossed the towel into a bin. "If you want to talk with her, go ahead." Surprised, Squall looked at him, before nodding gratefully. He rounded the counter, and walked into the kitchen awkwardly.
"Motoki kun, you don't trust me with the dishes do you?"
She turned around, and the smile disappeared from her face. "Squall?" She dropped the dishrag, and leaned against the counter for support. He moved with ease towards her, crossing the kitchen, to reach her, in only a few long strides.
Before he could say anything, she moved against him, her arms wrapping around his neck, and pulled his face to hers. Once their lips touched, he swept her up into his arms, and off the floor. Her legs wrapped themselves around his waist, and she tilted her head under his.
He groaned, and took a step to one side, and the counter ended. He stumbled forward, her back hitting the wall, and his hands moved down her sides, before they gripped her thighs.
She gasped, opening her mouth against his, and he darted in, unable to hold in his greed for her. Her fingers lost themselves in his hair, and she latched onto the thick locks, as the kiss deepened.
He pulled back, needing air, and time to think. Her hands slid down to his face, and she kissed his lips, and whispered, "I can't stop thinking about you." She kissed him again, and he groaned. His hand came up, and grabbed a hold of her wrists, pinning them above her head.
He couldn't control the built up want that poured out, when ever she kissed him. He couldn't stop the passion that licked his veins, and pushed him over the edge, whenever he was near her. And he couldn't control the need for her.
"Motoki kun, is Usagi chan around?"
"Hai, she's in the kitchen, I'll get her for you."
"Domo artigato."
He ripped himself away from her, and let her slid down to her feet. He looked away, and it took every effort in him, not to go back to her. He stumbled back, trying to regain control of his betraying body.
Usagi leaned against the wall, knowing her legs weren't strong enough to hold her up.
Motoki opened the door, and poked his head in. "Hope I'm not interrupting, but Makoto is here." Usagi nodded, and found strength. She pushed herself from the wall, and started across the kitchen. She moved passed Motoki, and ducked out into the arcade.
Squall let out a breath of air, feeling all his senses come back in waves. He stumbled back against the wall, and slid to the floor. Groaning, he latched fists full of his hair in his hands, and held on.
Motoki shook his head, and stepped into the kitchen, letting the door shut behind him. "Having problems?" Squall looked up, and nodded, "Yea." Motoki smiled a knowing smile, and moved to the frustrated young man on the floor.
He took a seat next to him, and stated, "I have a feeling I know what's going on. At first, I suspected you and Setsuna, but now..." he looked at the door, and shook his head.
"I can't say, that I know what you're going through, or that I've been there, but I know that it must be something." He grinned, and patted Squall on the shoulder. "I think your perfect for her."
Squall looked at him with a questionable look. Motoki leaned his head against the wall. "I had a feeling what Mamoru was doing in America. And her new look, and you, just proved what I had begun to believe. At first, they made I nice couple, but there was something missing in their relationship."
He smirked, "something that the two of you have." Squall flushed, feeling foolish, that they were talking about him and Usagi. He sighed, easing the tension inside him, "But what if I have to leave?"
Their eyes met, and Motoki replied calmly, "She'll follow you."
Squall shook his head, not sure, "What if she cant?" The blond haired man grinned, "She'll find away."
Squall sighed uneasily, and climbed to his feet. He helped Motoki up, and they left the kitchen. They found Usagi surrounded by all of her friends, who were fussing over her, about her hair.
He stared at her, and she looked up, her eyes glowing with spirit once again. He glanced around the girls, counting heads, and found eight. Frowning, he added Setsuna into the group of friends, and got nine in all.
Usagi giggled, flipping her hair off her shoulders, and showed a V for victory to Haruka, since their conversation switched to track. She glanced over her shoulder, catching his eyes. Suddenly realization dawned on him, and the answer to his question stared him in the eye.