Till Someone Comes Along Chapter 9. Don't own SM or SLY. Please R&R.
La dee dah...
"Let me get this straight-your best friend works at G Magazine, and she doesn't know a thing about Dr. Mason?" Mamoru asked me as we went down in the elevator.
"That's what she said," I said, shrugging.
"I don't believe that. What's she hiding?"
"She's not hiding anything!" I cried, exasperated. "I swear to God. It wasn't even her story anyway."
"Really. Why don't I call her and find out?" Mamoru said, grabbing his cell phone as we walked out into the street.
"How do you know her number?" I asked.
"I kept it,"
"Why?"
"Well, she works at one of the top magazines in the city, so you never know when her expertise might come in handy."
"Oh, so now I know you're a slut that works in high places," I said, waving my arm for a taxi. They drove past me.
"Not necessarily," he said, searching for her number.
"Well, she won't have anything to say, plus, you'll never reach her anyway. She's at Kokuiyo Gym," I said, trying for a taxi again.
"At what?"
"Kokuiyo Gym. She plays volleyball with a group of friends from work every Tuesday."
Mamoru, looking incredibly confused, dialed some number on his cell phone. "Operator? Kokuiyo Gym, please. Oh, hey, Youko."
I groaned. "You screwed the operator too?"
"I need the number for Kokuiyo Gym." He looked at me and walked down the street.
"Mamoru!"
"I meant to call you, really I did," he said to his former lover. "What's so hard about finding a number for a gym?"
"Mamoru, you are such a butt-head!" I cried, running after him.
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"Minako!" Mamoru called as he walked through the door.
"You're not going to find her!" I cried. I stopped in front of him, and he looked resigned, until he faked a move and walked around me. I started running after him.
"Whoa! You have to sign your name, Miss!" said one of the attendants, stopping me. Mamoru got away, stepping into the closest room-which was built with glass-so I could see what he was doing until I was escorted away. He looked around as I signed my name.
To tell the truth, I hate gyms. I'm always afraid that the instructors will take too many steroids and start attacking the non-athletic, which would be me.
"Damn bastard! She is MY best friend, and I would-" I mumbled, running after him.
"Usagi?" Minako cried, walking out of the volleyball court.
"Aaugh! Get back! Get back!" I screamed, pushing her back inside the court, and running to the room where Mamoru was looking for Minako.
"Minako?" Mamoru asked while people were running on their treadmills. "Minako!"
"Excuse me, sir, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave," said a supervisor.
"I know, I-" he said, bumping into someone, knocking them over. "Sorry," he said, helping them up. "I'm just looking fo-"
He ran into someone on their treadmill, causing them to slip and fall, then causing a whole line of people hard at becoming fit to lose their balance and slip. I covered my eyes in disgust as he walked around clumsily. He looked at them, embarrassed. "Sorry, I'm really sorry," he kept apologizing.
A girl stopped her machine, looked over at my clumsy roommate, and said softly, "Mamoru?"
Mamoru froze, and turned around slowly, as if in a trance. "Hey, Mitsune."
Immediately, I felt sorry for him.
"W-what are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.
"I-I have no fucking idea." he said, and turned on his heel to leave. As he walked past me, I could see tears welling up in his eyes.
"Okay, class, keep stretching. Ignore the disturbance and keep your pace," said the instructor. I turned and ran to keep up with him. "Mamoru? Come on, Mamoru, talk to me."
"I have nothing to say," he said curtly, his voice thick. "Hi, Minako," he said to a very bewildered Minako walking out of the volleyball court again. I caught her arm and said, "You'll never believe," She was even more bewildered as I ran off.
Mamoru hit the elevator button with his fist, and it opened to reveal Natsumi and Shingo. "Hey! Usagi!" they cried.
"Oh, hi! Um-Mamoru, this is my brother Shingo, and his wife Natsumi," I said, surprised to see them.
"Oh, so you're Mamoru!" Natsumi cried.
"Yeah," Mamoru said.
"Are you two exercising together?" Shingo asked.
"No!" I cried hurriedly.
"No," Mamoru said, just as hurriedly. He slammed his fist into the elevator button again, making me wince.
"Oh, well, you two are here together, and-" Natsumi said.
"We just started the pregnancy class," Shingo said, cutting off a very awkward situation.
"Oh, yeah. Congratulations," Mamoru said, scrambling in the open elevator and hitting the 'close door' button.
"Thanks, she's a great breather," Shingo said proudly.
"It was nice to meet you, Mamoru," Natsumi said.
"Yeah," Mamoru said, and the doors shut.
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I got up to the apartment late that night, and found it surprisingly quiet. I hung up my coat and walked to Mamoru's door. No noises came from the inside. I knocked on the door lightly and said, "Mamoru? Are you okay?"
There was no reply. His keys were hanging up on the key rack, so I knew he was home. I tried again, but still there was no reply. I turned around sadly and walked to my room.
Mamoru preferred to leave things unsaid. He preferred to let things be, and go back to his 'sexual release', hoping it may one day just release him from life altogether. I just hoped he was okay.
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Christmas Day was the annual celebration party at our studio. It was a formal affair, with a lot of people coming, including workers, dates, and the owners of our corporation. Everyone was milling about, talking, laughing, and smiling. All except one person, who was standing by the bar, staring at everyone.
Yeah, me.
I was surprised that Mamoru had recovered after a few weeks. But he had. He left his date to get some drinks at the bar. "Two champagnes, please."
"Shouldn't that be a champagne and a bottle of milk?" I asked. Mamoru didn't even look at me. We'd had a fight one day after the whole Mitsune incident, and we hadn't spoken a lot since then. He just stared straight ahead, but put both hands on the table.
"I'm sorry," I said.
He was silent for a moment, picking the right words. It seemed like he was fighting the urge to call me a bitch. He let out a little chuckle. "No you're not," he said, refuting my words.
"You're right," I admitted. "So, who's the twelve year old?"
He was silent again. "When do you ever shut the fuck up?" he asked silently.
I didn't say a word.
"She's Ami's roommate, if you must know."
"Ami? As in the Ami I made scrambled eggs for last Saturday?"
He nodded, and grabbed his drinks.
"Isn't that complicated?" I asked him.
Another urge to call me a bitch was suppressed. "It's never complicated." He turned and walked away.
That was the most Mamoru had said to me since the whole Kokuiyo Gym incident a month ago. He'd been having more girls that ever in his room, and one night, I was so fed up with the moaning, I spent the night at Minako's. Seeing Mitsune had really taken a toll on him. To him, the more girls he fucked, the more cured of his depression he'd be.
"I said HISTORY, not MISERY!" Setsuna said. There was an eruption of laughter, and Motoki looked over at the bar to catch my eye. I turned away, but he had already left the group to come over to where I was sadly watching the crowd, like a wallflower in high school.
"Hey," he said softly.
"Hi," I said, wondering whether to be nice or civil.
Silence.
"So, did you hear Setsuna's joke about Rudolph?" he asked. "Funny." he said with mock laughter.
I smiled and turned my head.
More silence.
He stared at me, and finally said, "I miss you, Usagi."
I turned back to him, my eyes opened wide.
"I miss you," he repeated.
I couldn't move, or respond. I was worried about what might come next. Dr. Mason couldn't save me now.
He looked at me, then said, "Am I supposed to walk away now?"
I shrugged. "I don't know," I said softly. I couldn't look at him. "You can stay if you want."
He took his fingers, and moved my chin. "Hey, I'm really sorry."
I shrugged again. He kept talking. "How about I call you for dinner? How about Tuesday? No, Wednesday?"
With a shaky breath, I said, "Wednesday is New Years Eve."
"Oh," he said. "You probably have plans."
"Don't you?"
"Yes. Yes I do. Yes, I do - no. Nope, none come to mind." he said. I smiled, but felt a little apprehensive. I mean, here was a guy that took advantage of me. How was I to know that he wouldn't do it again?
Those green eyes took me. They captured me. I was drowning, and I couldn't wave the white flag of surrender.
He must have sensed my apprehension, because I heard him say, "I just want to talk. No sex, nothing like that, okay? Can I call you?" he asked.
I guess I had said something along the lines of 'yes', because he kissed me gently on the cheek, gave me his cell phone number, and walked away. He was still staring at me as he stayed with Setsuna and her motley crew.
I was back in the bullpen. I didn't know if I liked it or not.
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I sat at home, wondering about the article, when Mamoru walked in, with no girl in tow. This was a rare moment.
"Hey," he greeted me. I didn't respond. I was on thin ice already. "You okay?" he asked.
"I dunno." I said. I was treading enough as it was. "Mamoru, can we talk?"
He scratched the back of his head. "I don't know-"
The ice was breaking, but, foolishly, I kept going. "Why won't you talk to me?" I asked.
"Because it's always going to be the same analyzation."
"What do you-what are you-"
I had sunk.
"You'll drive me nuts, and we'll never get anything done, okay? You wanted open honesty? You are an annoying, analyzing bitch!" He walked to his room and slammed the door.
That was two weeks ago.
After the party, I went home to think about Motoki's offer. I sat on the couch, and thought. Suddenly, in the middle of something (totally unrelated to the 'Motoki Topic'), Mamoru walked in. His date was nowhere in sight. "Usagi?"
I didn't respond. I was afraid to. I hadn't made a good impression at the party - and I was sick of fighting with him. I didn't want a repeat of two weeks ago.
Suddenly, his head peeked over the top of the sofa. "You okay?"
I nodded, then shrugged. "I'll be fine."
He nodded, then went to his room.
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"...and talk radio's having a field day! You have to do more!"
"I said, 'only once', you blonde ditz." I said, teasingly.
"Look who's talking! Usagi, don't you want to be a post-feminist icon?" Minako asked. I scrunched up my face.
"Okay, I'll let you think about it. Come on, let's get something to wear at Rei's party."
"I-" She turned around. "I forgot to tell you." I rushed. She looked at me expectantly. "I made other plans."
"Other plans?" Minako cried.
"Yeah. With-"
"Other plans?" she reiterated.
"With Motoki." I said, staring at her.
She stared back, her mouth open in disbelief. "With Motoki. As in Motoki Furuhata? As in 'Spawn of fucking Satan'!"
I nodded, rather embarrassed.
"NO! NO! I forbid it! You should fucking know better!"
"Minako, I-"
"He slept with you AND me! He's a sorry ass fucking coward, and you're going out with him!"
"Minako-"
She looked at me one last time, then walked away. I sighed and watched her retreating back. Suddenly, she turned around, and ran back to where I was standing. She grabbed my shoulders and started shaking me.
"Are you fucking NUTS! This is the devil incarnate! He's going to make you cry! He's going to steal your soul! He'll steal your pure heart! Listen to me!"
"I-I-I-" was all I was able to say with all of the shaking.
Minako screeched at me for a few more minutes, with pedestrians staring and avoiding us. Then, she let me go. All of the shaking made me so dizzy, I fell over on the sidewalk.
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I walked into the building, and into the penthouse, when the phone rang. Wednesday was our date, and he would pick me up at nine. He promised he would call before he came to pick me up.
I had made up my mind. Yet something felt wrong. And I couldn't identify it.
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I walked out of the bathroom, after my nice long shower, clad only in a bathrobe. Mamoru entered - stage left - and got a drink in the kitchen. Upon seeing my arrival, his jaw dropped, then went back up. He walked over to me, and held me close.
"You have my attention. What do you want?" he asked, his voice low and husky.
"What do you want?" I asked him, one of my fingers playing with his earlobe.
"I want you," he said. His lips, again, descended upon mine-except then he started using his tongue, and licking me on the nose.
"Mamoru, stop it," I giggled, but he continued his licking. He licked my nose, my eyelids, and even my ear. He sniffed for a few minutes, until I felt a tugging at my bathrobe sash.
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I opened my eyes to find myself looking into two other eyes, and a big, wet nose. I screamed.
"Whoa! It's okay!" Mamoru said, grabbing the 'thing'. It was a cute little Jack Russell Terrier puppy, and he placed it on the bed.
"Awwww!" I squealed. "Whose is he?"
"He did belong to the Itos on the second floor," Mamoru said. "They decided that they couldn't keep him since their kids are grown and gone, so they asked if I'd like him. You like dogs, right?"
"Of course I do!" I said, holding the puppy in my lap. "They're right up there with my favorite animal."
"And that would be?"
"Bunny rabbi-"
I knew exactly what kind of image Mamoru was getting in his head, especially by the smile on his face. Disgusted, I turned to another subject. "Why don't we pick a name?" I said.
"What do you want to call him?" he asked.
"Nothing sexually related, thank you very much," I said.
"Okay. So?"
I thought for a minute. "Inu-chan."
"Inu-chan?" Mamoru asked, surprised.
"Inu-chan."
"Okay," Mamoru said, smiling. "I guess that would be okay. I guess 'Playboy' would be-"
"Inu-chan," I said firmly.
"All right." He broke into a really wide grin.
Why was Mamoru smiling? Because Inu-chan had just peed in my lap.
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Inu means 'dog' in Japanese. I wanted to name my new puppy Inu-chan, but my parents wanted to name it Mackie. So, I decided to name this puppy Inu-chan.
Thank you all! See you at chapter 10The Big Date.
EternalSenshi