Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long to update, but here it is! I had to break this chapter into two, b/c iI wasn't done with the rest, so chapter five is actually the other half of this one. I'll post it soon. Also, I know this is a Christmas flick, but U think It's turning out good. Do you? R&R please! Oh, and thanks to everyone who did! I LOV YOU ALL!!!
I do not own Sailor Moon, or Darien. (sigh)
Christmas Shopping…Serena Style!
" … Oh Come on Andrew!!! It's not that fun-…" Darien was interrupted by the merciful roaring laughter of his best friend. Andrew dried his tears on the corner of his apron, took a couple breaths, and looked into the face of the, well, now annoyed, wet haired man in front of him.
"I'm sor-sorry Dare, (chuckle) but that's one of the funniest (haha) things I've EVER HEARD!!!"
He shook his head, still smiling, and added in a softer tone, " Plus, the added fact that it happened to you of all people! It's just crazy!!!" Darien coldly glared at the sandy blonde haired man in front of him. He had just finished telling his best friend, (Some BEST FRIEND! HA! Laughing at me like that! I should slap that childish smirk off his face!) about his ordeal at the mall.
He told him about running into his (emphasis on his) beautiful Meatball Head, and how he almost slipped up and told her of his feelings toward her. He told him about picking up her necklace, and about the nice attendant, who rather forwardly prodded him to tell her not only who his gift was for, but also why he bought it. He painted a frightening picture of the boding evil, other known as the Mall's gift-wrapping station. (It made Andrew turn stark white when he heard of the punch-wielding Granny, and sent shivers up his spine. Unknown to almost everyone but Darien, Andrew had a great fear of aggressive little old ladies. This fear was tripled especially around the holidays, and 'Early Bird' breakfast specials.) And finally, about his dim-witted attempt to avoid his beautiful bunny, which lead him to literally crash land, face first, into a wishing fountain, only to be escorted out of the Mall by security. When it seemed that it couldn't get worse, he, thoroughly drenched, got into the parking lot, took ten minutes to find his car, and another five to find his keys. By the time he got into his vehicle, he was literally a human Popsicle.
Now sitting on a stool at the Arcade, Darien sipped his delicious black coffee, welcoming the hot liquid into his refrigerated insides, and willing it to chase away the chill in his bones. A warm smirk graced his face as the burning hot java thawed him out. Hmmm…good ol' dependable coffee! I can always count on you!
"Well, my friend," started Andrew, still with an amused look on his face, "It could have been worse! That nice lady at the jewelers could have turned you away and sent you to be pummeled by…(cringe)…a militia of deranged elderly women!" The thought of this scene alone made the glimmer in his eyes turn into icicles of terror. Shaking the thought off, he added with his familiar friendly grin, "Or, you could have been arrested for attempted robbery and swimming in a public fountain!" The friendly grin bubbled up into a fit of chuckles again. It really was comic vision of Darien being hauled away in handcuffs with quarters and dimes sticking out of his hair.
Taking another sip from his cup, he ran his finger though his wet locks. "Thank goodness the officer was in ' The Christmas Spirit' and let me off with a warning! I don't think I could handle spending this awful holiday in jail! Not only that, but I don't think Serena would let me live it down!" He took another sip, and looked up into his friend's eyes, "…or you for that matter."
He put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Aww…but at least you know I'd bail you out!" He said with a teasing smile. When he removed his hand, he added in a more serious tone, "Did Serena see you…swimming?"
Darien took a moment, he thought back on her, and how she had looked over at him in the fountain. "No Drew, I don't think so. Well, I know she saw somebody, but I don't think she realized it was me." He smiled at the thought of his perfect bunny, and chuckled, "…otherwise, she would have probably ran back to go into hysterics at me." Even with the happy expression on his face, Andrew could see the sadness in his friend's eyes. He knew how much Darien cared for the girl, (even if he didn't show it to often). Even though Darien loved her laughter, Andrew knew, the thought of Serena laughing at him, not only marred his pride, it broke his heart. Andrew's emerald eyes softened, he laid his hand back on his friend's shoulder, and looked into his ocean blue's. " I seriously doubt she'd laugh at you. If anything, she'd probably be worried sick about you catching pneumonia, and scold you for being so careless! I can almost hear it now!" Andrew cupped his ear, and cleared his throat. In his best female voice, he said, " DARien!!! What were you thinking?!? It's the middle of winter!!! You can't just go swimming whenever you feel like it!!! You could get sick!!!…" He then brought his hand away from Darien's shoulder, and cover his forehead , trying to looked shocked. "Oh NO Dare! Do you have a fever?!? Quick somebody!!! Get chicken soup…"
Darien shook his head, but had a small grin. This brought a smile to Andrew's face. Obviously, his antics perked up his friend's mood.
To change the subject, Darien asked Andrew, "SO Drew, what did you get Mina for Christmas?!?" That ever-so-famous grin gracing his lips. Andrew's smile faded, and a crimson blush came to his cheeks. He looked down and started to play with the edge of his apron. "Oh, n-no-nothing special…" He all but whispered. He looked back up at his friend's all-knowing glance. He knew that Andrew had been gone over Mina for a while now. He had been talking for months about finding "The Goddess" (direct quote for Andy) the perfect girt, to show just how much he cared.
Andrew then corrected himself, "…well, nothing as special as what you got Serena, but I did get her something…nice." He said with a small smile, and a dreamy look in his eyes. Darien waited for him to continue, but he just kept looking out into space.
"Well…are you going to tell me what this 'nice' thing is Drew, or are you going to keep me in suspense?"
Andrew was snapped out of his reverie, and looked back at Darien. "Oh…you'll see at the party. It's…a surprise." With the look on Andrew's face, Darien decided not to press him for more information. Instead, he held up his, now empty coffee cup, out to Andrew. He gladly took it, and filled it up again.
But before he gave him the cup, he looked his friend up and down, with a suspicious look on his face. "Uh…Dare, you still didn't tell me everything, did you?"
Darien tilted his head, and looked up at his friend. What did I leave out? "What are you talking about Drew?"
With the same curious look on his face, he once again scanned his friend. "Well…uh…(chuckle)…like why on EARTH you're dressed in a Santa suit?!?"
Darien looked down at his (ahem) attire. He was dressed in a very baggy red felt suit, trimmed in faux white fur, with a pleather belt around the middle. A groan escaped his lips. I had almost forgotten about that. ALMOST…
Running his fingers though his hair, he exclaimed, " I was suckered into being the hospital Santa this year. My clothes where wet…I had to change into SOMETHING!"
All Andrew could do was laugh. I mean, come on, the proud, arrogant, Darien Chiba, clad in a cheap Santa suit?1? This was priceless. But seeing the evil glare that Darien was sending to his friend, Andrew cleared his throat, and let the laughter die now. " Don't worry Dare, I have some spare clothes in bac-" He was interrupted by the door chime. To Darien's horror, (and to Andrew's delight) in walked Andrew's personal Love Goddess. Mina, at first didn't even notice Darien was in the room.
"Hey Andrew! Got a minute? I have the funniest gos…si…p." Mina's sentence trailed into silence at the sight of Darien. She continued, "Umm…Darien, aren't you going into extreme with the Christmas Spirit?! I mean, I didn't think you even liked Chris…"
"I don't" Darien finished for her. Her golden eyebrow shot up, and she turned a very perplexed glance toward Andrew.
Blabbermouth Andrew let the whole story slip. Well, only the part after the jewelry store. Mina's eyes widened. "Yo-You're the lunatic swimming in the Mall fountain?!?" She pointed at Darien. He narrowed his eyes. When he didn't answer, Mina burst out into a fit of giggles. This only brought a warm smile to Andrew's face, hearing her laugh, until he was smacked in the arm by a very peeved Darien. At that action, Mina instantly calmed down, and looked at the both of them.
"Th-that's what I came to tell you about!!! Serena was telling the girls and I about how crazy the mall was, and how some (cough) guy…" she eyedDarien, "…was in the mall fountain!" All the sudden, a bright smile came across Mina's face! "Oh-my-gosh! Sere's going to flip when she hears mphum…" Darien placed his hand over Mina's mouth. "Don't you tell her a thing." He hissed. The then removed his hand. Andrew gulped rather loudly, and Mina nodded. "Ok Dare, not a word."
Darien smiled. "Good." Then he turned to Andrew. "Did you say something about clothes Drew?"
Andrew absently nodded, and pointed his thumb towards an Employees Only sign.
Before Darien got to the door, Mina asked, " Can I at least tell her about the Santa suit?"
"NO!" Came from both men. Although, Andrew's more a plea, and, well…Darien's wasn't.
"…ok…" she meekly stated. The proud ebony haired man, feeling triumphant, walked though the door. Peering over the counter, making sure he was out of earshot, she whispered, "…then I'll just have to show her…"
Andrew raised an eyebrow at this. She looked back at him with her mischievous grin, and signaled her eyes down to her right hand. He looked down to see a cleverly concealed cell phone in her hand. It was the type that could take pictures. Upon a closer look, he saw a picture of Darien on the screen…clad in his Santa suit.
Andrew's grin followed suit. Man, I LOVE THIS GIRL!!! He thought.