Author's Notes: Hi, guys! Thanks for the reviews, they were wonderful... -wipes a tear- I'm not much of an author, but the amounts of reviews really surprise me and make me SO happy! Anyways, well - the end! Who would have thought... This was going on forever. Well, the end is here, and what other thing do I say but -
Enjoy!
Title: Love So Far Away - Chapter Seven
Rating: K+
Author: Sabreen
Her half-drunk milkshake kept melting while she stared at the table in front of her. She hadn't seen him since the dreaded confession had occured and she was slowly getting nervous. It seemed like every day she became more and more aware of what the confession meant to her - but, beside that, she couldn't hide her happiness for finally finding her long-lost childhood mystery man who used to fill her with incredible amounts of joy and childhood cheeriness which she had desperately needed and which she had kept even to now. Now, she was utterly confused, torn between doubts - should she be happy for finally finding her Mamo-chan? Should she be happy that it was Mamoru? Should she be sad that it was Mamoru? What should she do now when he didn't want to see her again...?
"Nee, Usagi-chan, why so blue?"
"Yeah, there're no more tests you could fail for a whole week!"
"Rei-chan, stop torturing her."
"Well, it's not my fault she doesn't study!"
"Oh, jeez, just quit it, you two."
"What? You're telling ME to shut up! And what about you and your..."
Her best friends' bickering was lost in her ear as a voice spoke to her gently.
"Usagi-chan, what's wrong?" Ami's big blue eyes looked gently and sadly at her. She just shook her head slightly.
"C'mon, there's certainly a solution for it. I'm not used to see you like this..." Usagi closed her eyes, sighing.
"Mamoru confessed something big to me... And now, I have no idea what am I supposed to do about it... I mean, he had been so kind back then when I was little,and a few days ago he reminded me so much of his fatherly comfort and caress, but I just don't know how to behave or anything..." She said those things although the girls (as far as she knew, of course) didn't have a clue about the little... visit to Mamoru's place when she was little.
On the sound of her voice, no matter how quiet it was, other girls stopped bickering and listened to her closely. They all felt sad for Mamoru especially since they knew how he had treated her as a little girl.
"Oh, don't take it so hard on him! He was really nice and did everything he could to make you happy!" Minako blurted out.
Suddenly all stares were fixed to her. Some were terrified,some were annoyed, and some were thoroughly surprised.
"What...?" Usagi asked, deathly pallor slowly draining all color from her face. "You... you know about it?" She looked at other faces, which were looking away with nervous expressions. "You all know about it! And you didn't say a word!"
"Look, Usagi-chan," Makoto started, "It all happened very sudden, it didn't really give us any time to think about it..."
"What do you mean? It happened when I was eight years old! that was six years of thinking!" Ami then shook her head.
"No, no, Usagi-chan, it happened recently. Something went wrong in one of the fights and you were turned into a little girl, that's why you probably remember that it happened when you were eight years old. Mamoru took you in almost right after the accident, and a little bit after that you were turned back to your normal self and continued to live normally," Ami explained.
"He was really kind to you," Rei repeated Minako's thoughts. "We would see you when you'd come to the arcade with him, and you always had an ear to ear grin on your face..." Se sighed dreamily. "Her treated you like you were the only precious thing on this earth for him. You should have seen the way he cradled you gently in his arms when he'd stay in the arcade too late and you would fall asleep..."
"Or when you'd talk about school, he would listen to you so carefully, you'd think he's gulping in every word you say..." added Makoto.
"And I think he's fallen in love with you," Minako blurted in unexpectedly, winking. "I'm amazed how you've never seen how he looks at you secretly, or how his face lightens up whenever he hears your name. And I'm the senshi of love, don't let that slip your mind! I've actually done some research on that! I came to him once and started talking about the new candy store that is opening in the13th Street and how you can't wait for it to open, and how your face always brightens up when you hear about candy and I described you in so many other situations, and his face totally brightened and he got this dreamy look on his face and I can TELL you that love just POURED out of every particle of his being and-"
"Okay, that would be it from you, Minako-chan," Makoto said, with one hand over Minako's mouth.
"He... he loves... m-me?" Usagi said, looking at Minako's face as though she'd told her she was the queen of the world. Suddenly all the girls' faces with their eyebrows raised looked at her.
"Duh," Rei said.
"No he doesn't," Usagi said matter-of-factly looking strangely at all of them.
"Yes he does, Miss I-Obviously-Need-Two-Inches-Thick-Glasses-To-See-Things-Properly!"
"But... I love him too."
"Huh?"
Suddenly, all the girls gasped as Usagi swiftly got on her feet with a determined look on her face, and ran out of the arcade.
Minako giggled happily. "There'll be some serious making out soon, I tell ya!"
Mamoru watched Sailor V, his Usako's favourite anime in the silence and peace of his lonely apartment. He laughed inside when he imagined Usako's reaction to the episode that was just being aired...
'She'd probably sit here with her mouth wide open and her eyes wide,' he chuckled to himself. 'And I'd be next to her watching her, having the best time of my life...'
Suddenly, something squeaked and a breeze flew about the rom, disappearing quickly. He got up and bent to his right side so he could see the balcony door better, but he noticed nothing. Frowning in wonder, he slowly got into his thoughts again, watching the anime.
Suddenly, the TV went blank and before he could think or search for the remote, two little warm hands covered his eyes. He went still. After a few moments, when he got himself together, he smiled. A warm, gentle, true smile. He wasn't surprised a bit when he hard a gentle whisper on his ear.
"Give me one perfect first kiss and I'm yours forever."
He licked his lips and opened his eyes despite the hands that were covering them, brushing his long eyelashes against the tender softness.
"I already did," he whispered back, catching one of the little hands and not letting it out of his grasp.
"That doesn't count. I can't remember it, right?" She walked to him, going around the couch, her hand in Mamoru's firm grasp.
"So you've finally figured it out, haven't you?" he said softly when she was next to him, blushing a bit.
"Figured what out?" she faked, batting her eyelashes.
"That I love you," he whispered with such clear and innocent honesty that she felt her heart tremble.
"With a little help," she smiled impishly.
"Aah, Motoki?"
"The girls."
"Ooh... Oh, right, about your little condition," he said vaguely, getting up and pulling her to his bedroom.
"What about it?" she asked, confused.
"Well, I've got to do it, ne? And I have just the perfect thing," he exclaimed brightly.
Usagi watched as he searched his wardrobe throughly with a touch of vivaciousness never seen before. Like he had become an entirely different man. Maybe it's because it's just his day and he's happy. Maybe he always had something like that inside of him that came out every now and then but she was never around to see it? And maybe...just maybe... it's because he got what he wanted - her...
"Ahh, here it is!" he exclaimed happily. He pulled out a beautiful sleeveless satin azure-pink gown, two straps at each side holding it on. It was tight-fitting, and with a gentle pink scarf tied around the waist.
"Do you remember this?" he asked with a certain glimmer in his eyes. "You were so mesmerized with it and so sad you couldn't wear it. I remember how you swore that you'll wear it once and be more beautiful than any other girl..." he chuckled again and that glimmer flared for a moment. Usagi took the soft fabric in her hands and stared at it, wide-eyed.
"I remember it..." she could hardly say since her throat choked the words.
"I want you to wear it now." She looked up at him quickly, with a totally dumbfounded expression.
"What?" Shechoked out and he nodded with a boyish chuckle.
"Yes." And he lefther to change.
"B...But why?" she cried.
"You'll see," he said, flashing her one of his most charming smiles.
The elevator door opened and one of the most beautiful scenes stirred Usagi's soul thoroughly. She gasped loudly as soon as she saw what he had brought her to, and she ran to see everything better and examine it.
He had brought her to one ofthe highest towers in Tokyo, the tower which was owned by one of the most powerful computer engineering companies in Japan and which Mamoru worked for. On the top there was a glass dome which served as both the walls and the roof to the top floor which they were currently in.
Since it was a cloudless night, the scene was truly magnificent; millions of stars were their ceiling and beautiful lights of the city surrounded them. It was the perfect contrast - peace and tranquility of the black sky above and the countless lights and life below, and there was even some ocean visible, reflecting the silver moonlight. The room they were in was warm, and there were some tables and recliners scattered about. It gave away a feeling of perfect comfortability and elegant pleasure.
Suddenly, soft violin music started to play in the background filling the room with soft sounds of beautiful masterpieces.
"Oh my god..." she whispered, enchanted with such beauty in front of her eyes... "This is wonderful..." she choked, her emotions getting the best of her. He came from her back and took her hands in his.
"I'm glad you like it," he said with a soft smile upon his features, feeling incredible joy that he had managed to make her so happy. She turned around, looking up at him with such bright eyes and happiness that he felt his knees go wobbly. Partly to make them still and partly to impress her, he got down on one knee, kissing her delicate hand.
"May I have this dance, please?" he said silently, never taking off that gentle smile of his. She just giggled and nodded happily.
"Hai, my prince," she curtsied. Gently, he got up and wrapped his arms around her waist, and she slipped her arms around his neck.
But the problem was that she only knew how to do that, to slip her arms around his neck since she'd watched millions of romance movies but, what now? Mamoru felt it, how her hands started to tremble and her nervous composure. He just smiled, knowing that she was quite inexperienced. So he pulled her closer and started to move in slow circles, holding her tight.
"Don't worry," he whispered in her ear, "Just relax and enjoy." She nodded slightly and tried to relax.
"Good girl." he smiled, together with her.
She was intoxicated with his already familiar scent. He smelled so nicely and it was something she had never felt, and she enjoyed it thoroughly. It stunned her, and she was barely aware of where she was or what she was doing, all that existed was them two, locked in a firm embrace and rocking in the rythm of the music.
"Usako?"
She felt his deep voice from his chest, from where it seemed even deeper and... well, sexier. She smiled devilishly to herself.
"Hmm?"
"Do you love me?"
"Of courseI do, silly Mamo-chan. Now hush, I'm trying to enjoy dancing with my boyfriend." He chuckled slightly. Mmm, even better.
While he held the young girl in his firm embrace, he never once fantasized about anything. He spent his time savoring the sweet scent of her soft hair, the feeling of her in his arms, her small body pressed against his. He watched the dreamy look on her face, her small rosy cheeks, her pinkish lips, her small nose, her long eyelashes... He felt her slender fingers playing with his hair. What an incredible feeling it was...
Slowly and almost out of his control, his right hand raised and traveled up her body. He parted them just a few inches, and tipped her chin gently turning her face softly so she wasn't lying on his chest but facing him. She didn't even bother to open her eyes, and before she was aware of what he was doing, their lips met tenderly. He let his lips on hers a bit, not demanding anything, while she understood what was happening. When she did, her heart fluttered and she started to tremble in the surge of emotions that his kiss encouraged. He felt it, and traced a finger alongside her face to calm her down - and succeeded.
Finally parting, he opened his eyes, dying to see the face of his love again. She opened her eyes groggily and blinked a couple of times. He smiled.
"Well, then? Are you mine forever now?" he whispered. She giggled.
"Hai. I'm yours forever."
End of story -
Whew, finally over! I hope you liked the story, and see ya next time!
Sabreen