Christmas with the Girl Next Door

A Sailormoon Fan Fiction by nishikaze

Chapter 2: Just Plain, Ordinary Me

Mamoru closed the door of his apartment behind him and leaned against it heavily. He rubbed his face with both his hands and pushed back his silky black hair from his face. So… the incredibly lucky neighbor of his was a girl. A girl. Not some suave play boy or rich socialite woman. A girl… She was just a normal, unimpressive, average girl. The concept boggled his mind. That can't be right… There had to be something special about her, or why would so many exceptional people gravitate to her?

Mamoru pushed off his door. Well, I solved one mystery… I met my neighbor, and now I have another mystery on my hands. What made this chick so popular?

Two days later he was still pondering that very question when he was interrupted by a knock on his door. Tossing the book he hadn't really been reading aside, he answered the door.

"You ran off before I could thank you properly for your help the other day. I should be mad at you, but I figured you were busy, so I decided to forgive you." There she was the source of his confusion in all her glory… Usagi, his neighbor. At least she wasn't bundled up knee to noggin this time and he could get a good look at her.

He was right about her size before. She was petite with a slender figure, but her breasts were full and her hips flared out nicely. Her hair, shiny and blonde, was gathered up at the nap of her neck in a hap-hazard way. She was wearing a slightly flattering pair of stained jeans, (Is that ink?) and a beat-up sweater, pushed up to her elbows. Glad to see she dressed up. She was attractive, no one could deny those clear blue eyes of hers or that mega-watt smile, but she was much too sweet to be sexy.

He couldn't help himself though… There was something about her that made him want to smile. So he did. "It wasn't any trouble, honestly. But I am sorry to have left so soon. I had a lot of work to catch up on." That was a lie. The truth was he wanted to get away before he made a fool of himself, but he'd rather work a double in the ER on the overnight shift then to admit it.

"That's ok. I understand, but I still owe you a favor."

Mamoru shook his head, "No, it's alright. You'd have done the same for me." He knew it was true. She radiated kindness and unpretentious charity.

"Maybe… But I'd still expect a thank you." She waggled her eyebrows comically. "Don't you want to know what kind of 'thank you' I have?"

Well now that was a loaded question. "You're not going to let me go on this are you?"

Her expression fell and she turned serious, "If you want me to I will." The transformation was a shock to his system. So different from the bubbly blonde she had been just moments before. He could have punched himself he felt so low… as if he had just kicked a puppy.

"I was just teasing." He said softly, and watched the transformation of sad puppy to happy blonde with awe. Damn those eyes are lethal. "I think I could use a good thank you. What did you have in mind?"

She smiled again. "Well my friend Mako-chan wanted me to try out a new recipe for her. You've met Mako-chan? She's the chef. Anyway she sent enough over for two and I thought that maybe you would like to stop over and give me your honest opinion."

"Now wait a minute." He teased, "Isn't this supposed to be a thank you for a favor? It seems I would be doing you another favor by helping you out with the food."

She laughed, "Believe me, eating her cooking has never been a chore."

"Well then." He pulled his door closed and followed her next door. "Mako-chan… She wouldn't be the Amazon who owns Kashiwa? I love the food there."

She opened her door and motioned for him to follow her inside. "That would be her."

From the moment he followed her inside, Mamoru was taken aback. The layout of her apartment had to have been exactly like his at one point, but had been altered a considerable bit. Just inside the door to the left was the traditional bathroom, on the other side of which was the kitchen. If you kept going straight you hit the living room, with double glass doors opening up to a balcony. That was where the similarity ended. He had two bedrooms in his apartment, one next to the living room and across from the kitchen and another master bedroom down the hall. The smaller he used as his office.

She had knocked down the wall separating the second bedroom from the living area, making one large room. That wasn't what really had him shocked, however. What really threw him for a loop was the fact that her living area had been converted into a studio. There were four large drawing tables, complete with storage and lighting in the center of the room and she had placed another, more elaborate drawing table along the wall. Along another wall was a small desk with a laptop computer on it and a small printer. The second bedroom area had been made into a lounge area with comfortable looking chairs and a large television. No wonder she had so many people coming and going, he thought. She lives and works in the same place.

So she was some sort of artist or graphic designer; a fairly successful one too, if she could afford to live in such an expensive building. She led him into her into the kitchen where a small dinette set sat next to a breakfast bar. She had two place settings already set out and she motioned for him to sit down at one. She walked around the bar and into the kitchen, pulling two take out tin bowls from the oven where they had been keeping warm. "What would you like to drink?" She asked as she set the bowls down on the table. "I have coke, ice tea or I could make hot tea. I'm sorry I don't have any wine… I don't drink all that often."

"Do you drink?" He asked.

"Sometimes… Why?"

"Are we having chicken, beef or fish?" He thought of the two bottles of wine sitting in his fridge. Already having eaten at 'Mako-chan's' restaurant he knew the food would warrant a decent wine.

She pulled off the top of a bowl and looked inside. "Chicken." She answered. The smell made his mouth water.

"I'll be right back." He left her apartment and popped back over to his place. Two minutes later he was back with a bottle of a chilled white wine in one hand and two wine glasses in the other. He shrugged and gave her a rueful look. "Humor me."

She smiled, "No… I suppose it's for the best." She had served up the plates while he had been gone and he got a good look at the food while he poured the wine. It looked to be a chicken and fettuccini Alfredo dish, but he detected the scent of lemon.

He handed her a glass and poured one for himself. "To neighbors," He toasted sipping the wine. She smiled tipped her glass and took a sip herself.

The food, as he had expected, was fantastic and the wine complimented it perfectly. The conversation was light and he found himself talking about his job and she told him all about her amazing friends and how they had all met. "We all lived in the same area and Mako-chan, Ami-chan and I went to the same junior high school. Mina-chan came to our school later and Raye-chan used to live at a local shrine. We all met and clicked. I guess that despite our differences we were destined to be friends!"

He smiled, he couldn't help himself. She was just so… bubbly. Joy just seemed to pour out of her seeping its way into him. Was this why she attracted so many exceptional friends? He couldn't help but wonder.

The evening turned out to be both puzzling and revealing at the same time. He knew her bright and innocent personality attracted people, after all it worked on him, but what did she do for a living and why hadn't he met her before?

They talked for an hour before Mamoru realized the time. He was about to take his leave when her phone rang. Her face was comical as she apologized. "That's probably a business call, just give me a minute." She sighed as she reached for the receiver, "I really do have a love-hate relationship with this thing."

Curious he stood and made his way to her studio, intending to catch a glimpse of her work and therefore get a better idea about her. He knew it was intruding and probably rude but he was past the point of caring. The more he seemed to learn about Usagi the more he wanted to know about her.

Most of the tables were bare, save the largest of them. He glanced down at what looked to be a preliminary pencil drawing for a page of manga. She's a manga writer? Her style was loose and not very detailed, driven more by the story than by the art. Not that the art wasn't good, it was, but her style was shojo and character driven. It also looked really familiar even though he himself didn't read much manga; he knew he had seen the characters on the page before.

He was still studying her work, trying to remember when her voice cut into his thoughts. She sounded distressed about something and he turned around to face her.

"… But I really don't think I can do this. I'm not very good at making first impressions! I'm better off just letting them make the decision solely on my work." She paused, "No… I would probably fall flat on my face right in front of him. Then where would we be?" She paused again, "Oh, please don't make me!" She begged. Finally after another long pause she finally sighed, "All right…" She sighed, "I'll do it." The conversation ended shortly after.

She replaced the phone on the charger with another sigh and there were tears in her eyes. Mamoru felt uncomfortable but still he asked, "Is there something wrong?"

She sighed again, her shoulders slumping. "My editor wants me to go to this fancy Christmas party that this big-time producer is holding. I don't want to go, I hate social events like this, but he's making me."

Mamoru felt a spike of anger. Despite only having known her for an hour, he couldn't help but feel protective of her. The thought made him feel uncomfortable, so instead of analyzing his protective surge, he pushed it aside and asked, "Why would he make you?"

"Because this producer is thinking of funding an animated series based of my new serial. I tried to tell him that introducing me to him was the worst thing they could do to promote my manga but they won't listen to me." She sighed again and sat down.

"It's a party, don't you like parties?"

"Well yeah I do, but only with friends who understand me and won't judge me. These people are going to put me under a microscope and I'll be there alone. I'll probably klutz out like I always do." She sighed. "I'm not half as glamorous as they like to make me out to be. It's kinda embarrassing."

Mamoru swirled his wine and watched her closely. "I guess I can understand that. Maybe one of your friends can come with you, to boost your confidence."

Usagi shook her head, "They're all busy with family stuff. Christmas is coming and I couldn't possibly ask them to abandon family plans for me." She laid her head down, dejectedly on the table. "I guess I'll have to go alone."

"What about your boyfriend?" The question was out before Mamoru could stop it.

She lifted her head and gave him a funny look. "What boyfriend?"

Mamoru smiled and shook his head. His subliminal question had been asked. She's single…. for some reason that pleased him. "What about taking a friend as a date," Before she could answer him he raised his hand, "One with no family obligations?"

She gave him a puzzled look, "But all my friends have family."

He smiled, feeling nervous for the first time since high school he said, "I don't."

Usagi's eyes got real big, "But I couldn't…"

He smiled, "If you don't want me to be your date I understand… You barely know me. I just thought it would be fun." He slyly continued, "I really don't have anything to do and it would be a distraction. Oh well…" He sighed and tried to look dejected. "I guess I'll just stay home and watch TV…"

"May I join you?" Usagi's face was so eager, Mamoru had to laugh. Usagi smiled, "You really want to go?"

"Yes," Mamoru answered plainly.

"Ok…" She answered hesitantly. "The party is in two days. If you really want to go, meet me here at 6:30. The dress is formal." The last statement sounded more like a question.

Mamoru smiled, pleased with himself. "No problems there… It's been awhile since I've worn my tux. It'll be fun."

She looked at him as if he'd grown a second head. "If you say so…"

Later, when he was alone in his apartment Mamoru wasn't quite sure what had come over him. He just finagled his way into an invite for what promised to be a dull party. Why? Because you want to see her in a dress…

One thing was certain in Mamoru's mind… It was going to be a night to remember.

Next time: A Night to Remember

Sorry it took so long to release this chapter. I'm afraid I have been inflicted with writer's block and a full time job run rampant. Thank you to all who reviewed. This story will be slow in coming, but hopefully worth the wait.

P.S… Sorry about the fake out in releasing a revised version and not a new chapter. I don't have the luxury of a beta reader, so sometimes I have to recall and revamp a chapter after I've posted it. Perfectionism is a burden I deal with on a daily basis (sigh).