an Alternate Reality Sailor Moon Romance
by Time Guardian
Chapter 8 - Feelings Revealed
Shock flooded Usagi's senses as the man who had pledged his help to her leaned forward and kissed her full on the lips.
What is he doing?Is he crazy?
She moved to break away from him when he grabbed her shoulders and turned to whisper hotly in her ear. "Play along. They wont be able to see us if we stick close."
Usagi felt a slow burn creeping over her face. Sticking close was one thing, but the heat of his body was evoking feelings she had not felt since-
"Hey! You two!"
Turning, they looked up to find a very angry arcade attendant staring down at the two of them.
"I don't run this arcade for people like you to make out in. Get out!"
Looking around, Mamoru saw that the two reporters that were in the doorway of the arcade earlier were now walking out and down the street.
Smiling, he got to his feet and helped Usagi stand up. "Sorry. We will leave now."
Mamoru pulled Usagi behind him until they were just outside the shop. His plan had worked like he thought it would, and he kept Usagi safe.
He stopped for a moment, leaning heavily against the building to catch his breath, and to tamp down the dizzying feeling he had.
Keeping his feelings in check had been increasingly difficult over the days, and when he had kissed her, it had opened a literal Pandora's box of possibilities. However, he was sure that this wasn't the type of situation to take advantage of.
Mamoru told himself that he did it help Usagi, nothing more.
Trying to quiet the dissenting voice in his head, Mamoru did his best to reassure her. "Well Usagi-chan, we gave those reporters the slip at least."
Only when he turned to look at her did Mamoru notice that Usagi's face burned a bright crimson.
"Are you all right, Usagi-chan?"
Words failed her. Her brain was finally getting back on an even keel, but it was still hard to contain her shock.
"You...kissed me."
Usagi noticed a slight look of surprise on Mamoru's face before he replied. "I saw a sign posted on the door-the owner apparently doesn't appreciate public displays of affection, so I figured to draw them off meant drawing attention to ourselves and-"
The rest of his words were lost in a rush of her thoughts. He didn't mean it. It was just a distraction.
Part of her was relieved, but still-
His worried voice cut into her thoughts. "Usagi-chan, you are looking pale, let's get you back to my place."
Shaking off her thoughts, she looked up into his worried glance.
"Y-yes, I think that would be best."
As Usagi let Mamoru lead her back to his bike, she was surprised to find a wave of disappointment flood through her.
It was silly, it was just a kiss - or was it?
When they arrived back at the apartment, Usagi sent Mrs. Chen home, then holed herself up in the bedroom with Chibi-Usa. She had told him that she was going to start writing right away, so for the next few days, Mamoru didn't see much of Usagi at all. Even at breakfast when they ate together Usagi seemed to be off in her own world with pencil and paper in hand.
So it was with some surprise that Mamoru came home from classes one evening to find his living room awash in a sea of crumpled paper, and Usagi-chan laid sound asleep on the sofa, her golden blond hair mussled around her head like a golden halo. In the playpen beside the sofa, Chibi-Usa was also sound asleep, her tiny fists bunched tightly towards her angelic face.
Two perfect angels, Mamoru amended to himself.
Putting his stuff down, he walked over to the sofa and gently shook Usagi on the shoulder.
Mumbling, she opened her eyes. "Oh, Mamoru-san!" She scrambled into a sitting position and looked around wildly. "I am so sorry, I was hoping to have time to clear out this mess before you came home and all.
Chibi-Usa wouldn't sleep though, and I had to keep her occupied and-"
Mamoru raised a hand. "Never mind that, I will be more than willing to help."
He leaned down and started picking up the crumpled paper, until Usagi slapped his hand away. "I'd rather you didn't."
Mamoru backed off in surprise. "I just wanted to help you clean it up, Usagi-chan, I wasn't going to read them or anything."
Usagi gave him a wary look. "When I am writing a song, I don't want anyone to see my work."
Mamoru looked around the room before he replied. "By the looks of things it looks like you need help. Why don't you call the songwriter that they told you about?"
"Because this is something that I need to do by myself," she replied stiffly. Leaning down, she began picking up the crumpled paper around her.
Mamoru sighed in resignation. "You can't take on the world alone, Usagi-chan."
She stood up straight and regarded him with a cold stare. "Who says I am? This is just the way I work is all. I have been writing my own lyrics now for the past three years. I'm just having a little trouble with my muse right now"
Of course Usagi wasn't going to admit it, but he was the cause of her rebellious muse. For days, she had tried writing a simple love song, but when she tried conjuring up Toya's image as inspiration, Mamoru's face kept coming to mind.
Ah yes, she was in too deep. Her priority was supposed to be to get back on her feet and face her fears, not to fall in love with Mamoru.
"It sounds like you need to go with your strongest feelings," Mamoru commented with a smile, "When you sang to Chibi-Usa to sleep the other night, I could feel love and emotion from your words."
That did it. "Is that what you did when you kissed me, you went with your strongest feelings?"
The words tumbled out as a retort and it was too late to take them back.
She was rewarded for her efforts by a look of surprise and then an amused smile on Mamoru's face. "You mean when I kissed you like this?"
Before Usagi could react, Mamoru leaned forward and kissed her full on the lips.
Mamoru had the satisfaction of seeing her eyes widen.
He lingered for a few sweet moments before finally pulling away from her.
"Does that answer your question, Usagi-chan?"
Usagi's face turned as red as it was when they were outside the arcade that day.
"Mamoru-san, I-"
The shrill ring of the telephone interrupted her.
Mamoru sighed. Of all the timing- "Hold that thought."
He turned and grabbed for the cordless phone on a nearby sidetable.
He pressed the 'talk' button on the fourth ring. "Hello?"
The voice on the other end was deep and scratchy, making it completely unrecognizable to him.
"He who kisses the great Aria Aure doesn't deserve to live."
Mamoru's senses were on high alert. Was someone watching them? "Who is this?"
The voice was positively gloating. "Her one and only betrothed. Don't get in my way or you will die like Toya. He didn't get in my way and neither will you."
Mamoru's blood chilled as he heard an audible click on the other end.
More to come soon.
Until next time,
Time Guardian