Love Potion No. 19: Chapter Five
Alicia Blade
No big ANs, other than the usual. Everyone should absolutely check out smfanfiction dot net and their multiple writing challenges going on (featuring real prizes) and usakomamoru on livejournal which has an upcoming icon challenge and a new "secret" writing challenge.
Thanks to Stormlight and all reviewers! I appreciate you times a thousand!
Chapter 5: Love is Insults (Every Ten Minutes)
"Yes, I realize these things normally take a couple days. But wouldn't it be possible, just this once, to have it clean by tonight? I mean, can't you pull a few strings? What if I bribed you? Would that work?"
The woman behind the counter rubbed her temple. "I'm not going to let you bribe me, sweetheart. But if we started letting our customers pick what day their garments were ready, we'd be backed up in no time. I can't start making exceptions!"
Usagi whimpered. "But this is really important!"
The woman raised an eyebrow and looked down at the hideous green jacket. "Is it really?"
Knowing where the woman's train of thoughts was headed, Usagi nodded vigorously. "Yes! You see, this is the favorite jacket of this guy that I am so madly in love with and I'm trying to show him what a great girlfriend I would make! But, you see, I… er… accidentally spilled something on it," she gestured to the dark stain around the collar, "and now I really owe it to him to bring it back as good as new. And the faster I can do that the faster we could be… you know…"
The woman sighed. "Fine, fine! You can pick it up at four. But don't go making a habit of this!"
Usagi grinned at her and impulsively reached across the table to give the woman a hug. "Oh, thank you! You're the best!"
As Usagi skipped from the dry cleaner, the woman couldn't help but smile and shake her head. She could remember being fourteen and so madly in love. She kind of missed it.
Usagi was even more scared this time than she had been the night before. Again, she stood outside of his door, frozen with fear. Again, she felt sick with terror. Again, she couldn't bring herself to knock and she couldn't bring herself to run away.
The problem was that this time she didn't have an excuse. No plate of cookies to lead the way. No props to be distracted by. Just her. Just her in front of Mamoru's door wondering what on earth she was going to say when he opened it.
For the eighteenth time she raised her fist to knock, and for the eighteenth time she withdrew it against her stomach before it could. She shook her head, feeling on the verge of weeping.
"Oh, why is this so hard?"
The door swung open.
Usagi screeched and threw herself against the wall.
Mamoru yelped and jumped back, clutching a hand over his heart. "Gods, Odango!" he yelled. "You have got to stop doing that!"
"Sorry," she breathed, desperately trying to steady her own pounding heart.
"How long have you been standing out here?"
"Er… just got here," she lied.
Mamoru dragged both hands through his hair. "And what is it this time? Cheesecake?" He was suddenly smiling and Usagi felt her voice clump up in her throat. She slowly shook her head.
Feigning disappointment, Mamoru shrugged. "So why are you here—again?"
She pursed her lips together, forcing herself away from the wall. "Um, if this is a bad time—"
"Naw, I was just going to see what Motoki's up to. Er . . ." He looked back at his apartment. "I guess you want to come in."
She lowered her head and looked up at him through her eyelashes as he stepped aside. She entered and surveyed the immaculately spotless living room as the door shut behind her.
"So?"
She turned to him. "So?"
He raised both eyebrows in a silent prompt.
"Oh! So! Um… Well, I was just thinking, maybe… maybe there was something I could help you with?"
He frowned. "Like what?"
"Like, like, what every bachelor living alone needs help with! Like laundry."
"Laundry?"
"Yeah, or… dusting? Vacuuming?"
"Housework?"
"Mmhmm." She looked around again, feeling her stomach sink. The man could give Mr. Clean a run for his money. "There must be something…" Looking into the kitchen, she caught sight of a single mug sitting beside the sink. "Or dishes! I can do dishes!"
Mamoru watched, stunned and confused, as she charged into the kitchen. By the time he snapped to his senses, she had already filled the sink half way with warm water and suds and was busy scrubbing out the empty coffee mug. Walking up beside her, he put one hand on the counter and leaned over to analyze her determined expression.
"Odango, why on Earth do you want to do my housework?"
She didn't pause from her scrubbing. "To make up for yesterday." To show you I'm the kind of girl you could settle down with.
"Alright, that's enough," Mamoru grabbed the cup from her soapy hands and unplugged the sink. Rinsing it out a few times, he set it back on the counter and handed Usagi a dishtowel. She took it fearfully, wondering if she'd made him angry.
"You have made up for the milkshake. We're even. I've already forgotten about it, okay? Just… act normal. Please."
"Normal?"
"Yeah, you know, insult me or something."
She bit her lip and scrunched the towel up in her fists. "But… I don't… what do you want me to say?" You're perfect.
He laughed and looked up at the ceiling, leaning back on his elbows. The position was almost vulnerable and he looked like a little boy, with his eyes twinkling and one leg casually crossed in front of the other. She wanted to hug him and rub the bridge of her nose lovingly up against his neck.
"Okay, let's try this. I say, Hey Odango, fail any tests today? And you say…" He looked at her sideways.
Speaking of tests, I have an anatomy quiz on Thursday. Want to help me study? She blushed. "I say, don't call me that, Baka! And for your information, it's Saturday, so of course I didn't fail any tests!"
He grinned, and then laughed again, and Usagi hugged the towel to her chest in delight. There was simply no better feeling in the world than being the cause of his laughter. The elation and contentment she discovered in that sound made her feel as though her heart was about to explode.
"Better. So, you want to walk over to Crown with me?"
Her eyes widened and she wasn't sure her smile could get any bigger. "Sure!" Is this turning into a date?
"But on one condition," Mamoru said, pointing a finger in her face so that it almost touched her nose. His eyes were still twinkling, and though he didn't fully comprehend the look of utter joy that had come over Usagi's face, he found that he couldn't help smiling back at her. It was addictive. "No more doing me favors, and no more apologizing. Oh, and you have to say something mean or annoying to me every ten minutes. Deal?"
She giggled and nodded her head excitedly. "Deal."
Usagi was slightly, but not entirely, surprised that Rei was still sitting at the Sailor Scout Universe game when she and Mamoru entered the arcade.
"Has it been ten minutes yet?"
Mamoru checked his watch. "Twelve, actually."
"Oh, okay, um… What are we doing at the arcade, Mamoru? I thought we were going to the zoo. You know, to visit your family!"
Mamoru laughed. Usagi's heart danced. Whoever thought she would enjoy insulting him so much?
They both sat down at the counter and noticed Motoki standing with a coffeepot in his hand and his jaw hanging open. He looked back and forth between his two close friends. "Wh-what… how… who are you two and what have you done with Usagi and Mamoru?"
Still chuckling, Mamoru reached forward and took the pot from the clerk as he noticed Motoki's grip loosening. "Here, let's set that down, shall we?"
"Did you guys just come in here… together?"
"Usagi! There you are! Where did you run off to, without even saying goodbye?"
Usagi swiveled around to see Rei watching her with hands on her hips.
"Er, I had some errands to run, and you seemed so intent on the game, I didn't want to pester you…"
Rei shooed away her excuses with a hand and claimed the seat on the other side of Mamoru. "Hi, Mamoru-san!" she cooed. "I would like to take this opportunity to apologize for my friend's behavior yesterday with the milkshake. Some people will just never grow up, will they?"
"Hey!" Usagi felt blood flushing her cheeks, angry at Rei for belittling her in Mamoru's presence, but even more for how Rei was leaning toward him suggestively, her long legs sexily crossed. Usagi clenched her fists until her knuckles were white.
But Mamoru seemed completely oblivious to Rei's advances and only held up a hand. "Please, let's not bring that incident up. Ever again."
Usagi's glare leveled on her friend, but Rei hardly seemed to notice, so intent on taking up every ounce of Mamoru's attention. The blonde was simmering in her seat.
"Sure. I don't blame you for wanting to forget about it. So, anyway, there's a new film opening up at the cinema." Rei only said film, rather than movie, because she was talking to Mamoru. "Would you like to go see it with me tonight?"
Usagi gasped. "No!" she shrieked. Rei, Mamoru, and Motoki turned to her in surprise.
Rei was the first to regain composure. "Excuse me, Odango?"
"Er…" Flustered, she looked from Rei to Mamoru and back, wishing she could turn herself into a tiny, little, invisible flea. She shrank away as far as she could. Mamoru's eyes, which at first were only shocked at her outburst, became slowly suspicious and he tilted his head to the side.
"Is there something wrong, Odango?"
"Uh… well… it's just…" She gulped, desperately glancing at Motoki for support but he seemed even more stunned than the others. "It's just that I heard the new movie is really, really awful. You don't want to waste your money on it, do you?"
The look Rei gave her would have burned holes through cardboard. Usagi could have sworn she heard the priestess growl.
Mamoru stared at her, apparently unconvinced, for a moment longer, before turning to Rei with an apologetic smile. "Can't. I have a big bio test on Monday that I haven't even started studying for. Thanks for the invite, though."
She shrugged, not attempting to hide her disappointment. "Maybe another time."
Usagi exhaled gratefully, and though she felt that she'd been quite inconspicuous, Mamoru gave her a sideways glance, before turning back to Motoki. "Uh, how about a round of…" he paused, evidently debating with the order, before continuing, "hot chocolates? My treat." Motoki looked at Rei, whose disappointment had ebbed and was now beaming at Mamoru's offer, then at Usagi who seemed equally elated, before shaking his head. "Sure thing, bud."
"So, Odango, I think you're overdue."
"Huh? Overdue for what?"
Mamoru grinned crookedly. "Don't you owe me a scathing insult?"
"Oh! Right. Let me think. Um… What kind of a loser stays home to study on a Saturday night, anyway?"
His smile widened, but Rei, who didn't seem to notice the understanding, mutual bond that was beginning to form between the two, scoffed. "It wouldn't hurt you to study, too, Odango Brains. At least once a week, don't you think?"
Usagi's pride at winning yet another adorable look from Mamoru crashed to the floor. Her shoulders sank and she turned to the counter, mindlessly picking at the paneled edging. "I do study…" she mumbled half-heartedly, feeling inadequate beside Rei's brilliance. She wondered if Mamoru liked girls with straight-As, like Rei and Ami. She bet he did.
"Memorizing the love triangles in Soap Opera Digest is not studying."
Usagi once again found herself trying to melt away into the stool. "I don't read Soap Opera Digest. I just lack motivation sometimes." She felt sudden tears pricking the backs of her eyes.
"Sometimes?" Rei snorted.
Usagi was grateful when Motoki set a cup of soothing cocoa in front of her and she had something to refocus her attention on, away from Rei's biting comments. But as the warm liquid settled in her stomach, it felt heavy and hot and oppressive, not comforting. She tried to think that Mamoru was treating her, which made her delighted for a moment, but then she remembered he was also treating Rei. He probably liked her more. She was prettier. And smarter. And more graceful.
She pushed the cocoa away from her and stood up from the stool. "Well, um, I actually have to get going, everyone. Um, thanks for the hot chocolate, Mamoru-san." She turned to leave without looking at any of them.
"Wait, Odango!"
Her breath snagged and she shyly turned back to Mamoru who was looking at her with obvious concern written on his face. She gulped, and felt her heart flutter. She dreamt of putting her hands on his face and giving him a tender kiss, but the wounds to her esteem were too fresh to even begin to think it was a possibility.
"Yes?"
"Uh…" He seemed to be searching for something to say and she thought maybe he wanted to comfort her and take away the hurt and tell her she's beautiful and wonderful and he loves her, even if she doesn't like to study. "How about one more insult? For the road?" His lips twitched, barely teasing, but his eyes were filled with worry. He could see that she was hurt, and she knew that this was his way of trying to make things better. She wanted to wrap her arms around him in an appreciative hug. She wrapped them around her own waist instead and looked up at the ceiling in thought.
"Aren't you lucky? Getting to buy drinks for two gorgeous girls, when even the ugly ones won't come near you with a ten-foot pole."
His lips curled up a hair more and he opened his mouth and she knew he was going to retort with something like "You mean one gorgeous girl and one odango-headed klutz," but he hesitated and looked away.
"Yeah," he said, very quietly, then looked up and winked at her. Winked. Usagi's heart skipped. "Yeah, I guess I kind of am."
. . .
'Til next time, my loves!