Admit it, the last chapter was great!!! It's not my favorite chapter however. (I haven't written my favorite chapter yet...you'll know it when it comes though...) That means there's GASP better things to come??? Yep! But on with our story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
Warnings: Cussing, other things...cute...
Second Chances
Chapter Eighteen: Much Like Misquitoes, Everyone Got Caught In Sticky Sap And Died
"Nobody knows it,
But you've got a secret smile,
And you use it only for me,
Nobody knows it,
But you've got a secret smile,
And you use it only for me,"
-Secret Smile, Semisonic
Hotaru and Yaten held hands on the bus even though Hotaru could tell that Yaten was about as use to this as she was. They were both weren't looking at each other and Hotaru wondered if Yaten was red like she just knew her own face was. The bus stopped and they got off right outside Hotaru's building.
When they knocked on the door they stopped holding hands. The door opened to Setsuna who immediately hugged Hotaru.
"Thank goodness you're all right..." Setsuna murmured. "You can't do those things..."
"Setsuna!" Hotaru exclaimed in surprise. Maybe she had underestimated her worth with the rest of the senshi. Setsuna let go of her.
"Thank you Yaten." Setsuna bowed her head towards him. "For taking care of Hotaru."
"Whatever." Yaten rolled his eyes. "It wasn't that big of a deal..."
"Sheesh Yaten!" Seiya ran up to the doorway where Hotaru and Yaten were standing. "Admit it, you're the hero."
"Shut up Seiya." Yaten's eyebrow twitched.
"Oh Yaten..." Kakyuu sighed.
"You guys gonna leave them in the doorway all day?" Haruka called from the door. "I wanna hear what's going on."
"Sorry." Seiya looked a little sheepish. "Let's get inside." Hotaru and Yaten went inside. Hotaru took a seat next to Kakyuu on the couch. Yaten was sitting on the opposite of the couch in true fashion to their promise about keeping the whole thing a secret.
"So Hotaru? What happened? We know you went to Metallia." Setsuna told the purple eyed girl. "Metallia left a message that said she would get her vengeance on Sailor Saturn on you're answering machine."
"I decided to sort of...go undercover." Hotaru admitted. "I became Metallia's friend. I knew you'd all stop me if you knew. So I spent the night at her house. She attacked me."
"Wait...so how did Yaten get there?" Seiya asked. Hotaru tried to think of something to say.
"He was out on a walk." Hotaru told them all. "He was out walking and thinking."
"He can do both?" Seiya asked with a sarcastic edge to his voice. "At the same time?"
"It's called multi-tasking you moron." Yaten shot back.
"You two, please!" Setsuna shushed them up. "So are you okay Hotaru?"
"Yes. Yaten saved me before I could actually get hurt." Hotaru explained. "So I'm fine."
"This is all fascinating." Taiki was writing in his notebook. Everyone shot him odd looks.
"What the hell are you writing in here now?" Yaten grabbed the notebook from him. "Let's see, 'Subject male has saved subject girl from certain peril, thus trying to show his-'"
"That's mine!" Taiki grabbed it back from him.
"You guys are crazy." Haruka commented from her position on the floor next to Michiru.
"So now what do we do Setsuna?" Usagi asked the green-haired woman curiously.
"We wait. That's all we can do." Setsuna answered simply. "For now we should all be on alert. More than ever I'm afraid."
"What are you going to do today, Hotaru?" Haruka asked with an odd look on her face, eyeing the girl suspiciously.
"I'm going to go for a walk in the park." Hotaru answered, hoping that a certain silver-haired Starlight would catch on. "Why?"
"Just making sure..." Haruka replied slowly.
"Oh come on, I'm not going to do anything." Hotaru folded her arms, her lips puckered in a slight pout.
"Hotaru, you can't blame her." Michiru said in a calming tone.
"What if Metallia shows up? We know she's angry at Hotaru." Usagi asked, her blue eyes bright with concern. "Maybe someone should go with her?"
"I'm not a little kid. If I see Metallia I swear to not go near her." Hotaru held up her left hand in pledge. "She knows who we are. Or at least she figured out a few of us." Hotaru told them.
"I think Hotaru will be fine." Setsuna stated from her chair. "Just a feeling..." Hotaru smiled gratefully at the garnet-eyed woman.
"So I guess we should get going. We should all be on alert though." Mamoru told everyone.
"Oh! I almost forgot." Setsuna opened up her bag next to her. "I have something for all of you." Setsuna seemed to be pulling out watches.
"Omigod! The communicators!" Usagi smacked her forehead.
"I can't believe we forgot!" Minako shook her head as the watches got passed around, each with it's own respective planet symbol except Kakyuu's and the Starlight's. Kakyuu's featured an olive blossom and the other had a silver star, surrounded by a different color.
"My computer!" Ami cried out joyfully before going red in the face as everyone stared at her.
"How come you didn't give them out before?" Rei asked curiously.
"I only just received them." Setsuna answered simply.
"Well, we do have reservations..." Seiya's face was a little red with his own words. Kakyuu was staring at her feet.
"Seiya's hormones around to have a fit if we don't let him out." Yaten commented snappily from his side of the couch.
"Oh yeah?" Seiya turned to his friend. "What are you doing today?"
"Valentine's Day is for dorks." Yaten put simply.
"Dorks with girlfriends." Seiya said smugly. Yaten started to laugh at the dark haired boy.
"You finally admitted it." Yaten patted him on the shoulder. "I'm glad you're no longer in denial." Seiya looked irked. Kakyuu saw the irritation flashing in the two boys and stood between them.
"Fighting isn't Valentine's Day spirit!" Kakyuu chirped merrily, grabbing Seiya's arm. "We'll be going now..." With that she waved and rushed Seiya out of the apartment.
"I guess we should all be going." Usagi smiled brightly. "Happy Valentine's Day everyone."
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Everybody chorused back.
"Well, I'm going to the park." Hotaru stood up, announcing. She went to get her coat before going out the door. Hotaru kept up a pretty good pace. She was about half way to the park when she could feel someone was following her. "You can come out you know."
"What? Someone could have seen me." Yaten explained, catching up with the lavender eyed girl.
"We all know what a shame that would be." Hotaru rolled her eyes at him.
"That's not what I mean." Yaten fired back. "Don't get all pessimistic."
"What do you want to do now?" Hotaru asked him.
"Let's go to my apartment." Yaten suggested. Hotaru's face went a little pink as she looked up at him in surprise. "I didn't mean that!"
"I-I knew that!" Hotaru protested immediately.
"So, do you want to go?" Yaten asked her, holding out a hand towards her. Hotaru grinned before taking it and off the couple went, completely oblivious to a green-haired woman with her hands in her long coat watching them from down the street.
"I knew it." Setsuna said outloud to herself.
* * *
"So how do you like the restaurant?" Seiya asked Kakyuu with a grin. He had told he had reservations somewhere but had refused to tell her where he had gotten them at. Kakyuu smiled brilliantly.
"I'd say you have exceptional taste." Kakyuu laughed as she took a piece of sushi for herself.
"I knew you'd like it." Seiya added looking very assured.
"Oh really?" Kakyuu arched an eyebrow. "How did you get to know me so well?"
"Years of experience." Seiya answered simply.
* * *
Usagi and Mamoru sat there together, their hands lightly touching as if trying to keep contact no matter what. She laid her head against his shoulder, snuggling closer to him.
"It's cold." Usagi whined slightly.
"How do you think it is when you're not here?" Mamoru asked her, pulling her against him.
"Oh Mamoru..." Usagi smiled up at him. "Do you really mean that?"
"Would I lie?" Mamoru bent his head down, meeting her in a kiss.
* * *
Rei walked along the street side sighing to herself. It seemed like everywhere she went there were couples and she was spending Valentine's Day alone. She thought about just going home to stop torturing herself.
"Rei!" A male voice called after her. Rei turned to see Jadeite running up towards her.
"Hi Jadeite." Rei thought it felt nice to see him right then.
"What are you doing walking around by yourself?" Jadeite asked her.
"Just thinking..." Rei told him.
"Would you mind if I came and thought with you?" Jadeite inquired, his blue eyes looking very hopeful. Rei grinned at him.
"Not at all." Rei took his offered arm and they walked off together.
* * *
"That dish looks gross." Yaten commented looking at the TV as if it were some foreign object. He popped a chocolate into his mouth.
"Tell me about it." Hotaru bit into her own chocolate. "Ew! I hate the ones with pink goo!" She swallowed it grimacing.
"You can have the rest of this one." Yaten offered her a half eaten caramel filled one.
"It's got your drool on it." Hotaru teased the silver-haired Starlight.
"Fine." Yaten popped the rest of it into his mouth. Hotaru reached for another one. "You can't have any then."
"I'll just take these!" Hotaru grabbed the box and took off running.
"Hey! Come back here with those!" Yaten started to chase her through the apartment.
* * *
Okay that was just playing sap. Tree sap in fact. Really sticky tree sap too. Hence the morbid and slightly jaded title of this chapter. Well, I'm going to bed now! Ja ne!
Second Chances Akugis!
Take One!
Hotaru's Answering Machine: Hello, this is the home of Chiba Mamoru and Tomoe Hotaru. We aren't home right now but if you leave your name and number we'll get back to you as soon as possible. **Beeps**
Metallia: I'm going to have my vengeance! **To Herself** How terrifying can I possibly be if I'm leaving a message on her answering machine? Now I know how Eudial felt…