Back again with another little one-shot, written for Mamoru's birthday (8/3)! Happy birthday, Mamo-chan (fictional though you may be)! Here's hoping a little craziness and Usagi-chan come floating your way!
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Benefits of Insanity
A one-shot
By Natsudori Lina
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There were times when Mamoru took Motoki's jesting suggestion to visit a psychologist under serious consideration.
"Seriously Mamoru," he said with a joking grin on his face, green eyes bright with mirth. "You've got a total case of insomnia, you practically live off of coffee, you--"
Mamoru waved his hand negligently, allowing Motoki's ramble to continue uninterrupted. He turned glazed blue eyes to stare away, letting them wander around aimlessly for a bit. Counter was a bit spotty, he'd have to needle Motoki about it later. Someone was taking a turn at the crane game, so he'd have to wait a bit to try and get the Tuxedo Kamen plushie. And—he frowned. There was a flower sitting on the end of the counter and could have sworn that it had just—
The stem weaved, and… yes, there! The leaf on the stem, it was… no. Absurd. Impossible. He looked away, only to glance back hesitantly. There was no denying it now.
That stupid orchid was waving at him.
He felt his eyes widen fractionally in surprise, hardly daring to move. Slowly, the orchid bent itself in half; a position that would have broken a normal flower's stem. Was it—
It was bowing to him! That—it was mocking him, dammit!
He turned away from it resolutely, and interrupted Motoki's joking spiel on the merits of mental health care.
"Oi… Motoki-kun? …I'll think about it."
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Later that morning, Mamoru found himself walking a strangely empty sidewalk, hands in pockets, when his eyes lit upon a tiny figure with two long streamers of golden hair trailing behind her. It was Usagi, sprinting as fast as her long legs could carry her, blue eyes wild with worry. "I'm so late," she wailed to herself, half-wishing that Luna or her mother had actually been home to wake her that morning. "I already missed the whole first period, and Haruna-sensei's gonna kill me."
Mamoru stepped into her path, hoping that she'd manage to fall into him. He wouldn't go so far as to trip her, no, but perhaps… He cast hopeful eyes on the tree shading the sidewalk. The flower had done it—just that morning too! he thought. Maybe—
He shook his head. No, this was crazy! He was crazy! But…
The gentle sound of gravel shifting reached Mamoru's ears. He looked down to see the cement split as one of the tree's thick roots crept up through the sidewalk until it lay there innocently as if it had always been there.
Mamoru grinned—a big, stupid one, he might have noted with disgust if he'd had a mirror handy-- and sent a silent prayer of thanks to whoever it was that looked out for the crazies these days. Usagi continued on obliviously. "And she's gonna make me stand out in the hall and stay after school in detention forever and—oh, hi Mamo—gah!" This last was as she tripped over the aforementioned tree root and went spilling into Mamoru's arms, limbs flailing.
"Arigatou, Baka-san," she wheezed, slightly winded, moving to straighten herself but finding her body held in by immobile bands of steel. "Mamoru-baka, what are you--" Her breath caught at the look in his eyes. It was almost… devious… almost… crazy, her mind whispered.
Crazy, huh? Mamoru thought defiantly, lips curving. Well, he may as well act the part. He bent to capture her lips with his, eyes closing slowly.
Usagi's eyes widened momentarily before she hesitantly mimicked him, closing her eyes, and dropping her schoolbag to the ground so that her arms were free to entwine about his neck. Oh well, she thought with the equivalent of a mental shrug, followed shortly by a sigh. It wasn't like she'd have been on time for second period anyway.
Mamoru straightened her from her tipped over position (neither of them had moved since she'd fallen) before deepening the kiss. He braced her back against the tree and smirked into her mouth.
He was beginning to discover that insanity held some very distinct perks in store for him.
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Owari.
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