9. Stolen Kiss
Alicia Blade
500 words
"It's just such a sweet idea!" Usagi said dreamily, tenderly kissing a tiny thimble sitting on her pointer finger.
"I don't know, it seems like cheating to me," Makoto commented, swirling a straw through a milkshake.
"I agree," added Minako. "Why kiss a thimble when you can have lip-on-lip action?"
"Maybe Usagi realizes kissing a thimble is the closest she's ever going to get?"
Glaring at Rei, Usagi crossed her arms, clenching the little silver thimble in one hand. "You guys don't get it. You're completely missing the romance of it all! Peter Pan and Wendy were just kids, so to share a kiss through a thimble was really endearing and innocent! And Peter thought that's how it's done—he didn't know any better, which just makes it even cuter!"
"Maybe the author was just trying to keep it G-rated," suggested Ami, leaving Usagi to throw her hands up in exasperation—and promptly smack Mamoru's nose in the process.
"Ow! Odango!"
Gasping, she whirled around, coming face to face with a red-faced Mamoru who was gingerly rubbing his nose. She started to apologize, but caught herself just in time.
"What are you doing here?"
"Getting assaulted, evidently," he muttered. "What on earth were you muttering about anyway? Peter Pan? Don't tell me you've become literary all the sudden."
"I saw the movie last night," Usagi responded through clenched teeth. "Not that it's any of your business."
"That makes more sense. God forbid you put away your manga in order to read a classic."
Usagi huffed. "I read classics all the time, I will have you know. I read Alice in Wonderland, and Wind in the Willows, and… and that one… with the bear… and the donkey…"
"Winnie the Pooh?"
"Yes! Winnie the Pooh!"
No longer able to restrain his laughter, Mamoru just about doubled over. "Odango, those are all children's books!"
"So? They're classic children's books," she refuted, ignoring his chuckles and pointing her finger in his face, dangerously close to the sore nose. "And some of us have what's called a social life, unlike you with your War and Peace and Moby Dick and complete lack of real friends!"
Mamoru quirked an eyebrow in amused curiosity, but instead of responding, a sly twinkle entered his blue eyes and he casually puckered his lips and kissed the little silver thimble Usagi was ignorantly holding before them.
Her eyes widened and she snatched her hand back as if he'd burned her. "Hey! I kissed that first!"
"So?"
"So! So… you just kissed me!"
Mamoru snorted and held back another bout of laughter, sliding his hands leisurely into his pockets. "I agree with Rei. Maybe kissing a thimble is the closest you're ever going to get." Smirking, he turned and sauntered his way out of the arcade. Usagi, fuming, threw the thimble at the back of his head, but it bounced off and clattered innocently to the tile floor.
When her anger had faded slightly, Usagi couldn't help but murmur, "Lucky thimble."