Title: Overture
Author: Amarylis Cemetery
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: All Sailormoon characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko and Toei, etc.; this piece of fan-written fiction intends no infringement on any copyrights.
Fandom: Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon
Pairing(s): Usagi/Mamoru?
Word count: 2060
Feedback: Would be lovely. But I'm not going to hunt you down if you don't.
Summary: AU, U/M Aware of her status but not of her past, Usagi struggles against the Dark Kingdom, unwilling to allow the senshi into her heart. Will she succeed on her own, or will she be forced to accept their help - and their friendship?
Notes: Beta-ed by Nell. I like this chapter, and yet I don't. It feels off. And just generally weird. I think it was because of my impatience to put some romantic crap in here somewhere. Ah, well. After a certain upcoming chapter (chapter... five?), there won't be as much for awhile, I think. Mostly because of Usagi's new attitude. : D cough Er. Enjoy, or something.

Chapter Three:
Stranger

With an 'oof!', she tumbled to the ground hard, wincing as her shoulder scraped against the pavement. A curse on her lips, she moaned. "Ow, ow, ow!" A hiss broke through her teeth as she sat up, clutching her arm. As luck would have it, she would fall on her injured arm, wouldn't she? Usagi looked up through eyes hazy with pain, and mumbled a quick 'I'm so sorry' as she struggled to her feet.

The man she'd run into was giving her a dark look, and she glared back. "Hey, I said I was sorry," she said self-consciously, picking up her bag with her wounded arm, not daring to let go of the bandage. She could feel the palm of her hand becoming damp, and she would not let anyone see her bleeding. Not right now, at least.

"You shouldn't have been running anyway!" the man was yelling. "What are you, some kind of idiot? You could've pushed someone into the street!" His words stung and that, coupled with the sharp spikes pressing against her torn shoulder, caused tears to rise in her eyes. She tried to blink them back, but it only served to assist them in falling down her cheeks.

"I said I was sorry," she repeated lowly, voice thick. "You don't have to be such a jerk about it." Usagi turned, swaying as she started walking home again. She nearly ran into someone else, muttered a quiet 'excuse me,' and moved closer to the buildings where there was less traffic. Her vision was blurred by tears and pain, so she was caught off guard when someone took firm hold of her elbow and started leading her away from the pedestrians.

When she looked up, she saw the fuzzy profile of the man she'd run into, and her face heated. "I don't need your help," she told him quietly, and he glanced down at her before looking back up.

"Sure you don't," he replied sarcastically.

Usagi blinked, unable to discern where she was and asked, "Where are you taking me?"

"To my apartment. You need that arm bandaged." He looked down at her again. "Otherwise, it'll get infected." At her scandalized look, he snickered. "Don't worry. I'm in med school; I'm not taking you there to perform illegal things on you."

She bristled. "You don't have to help me," Usagi assured, annoyed. "I can bandage it again after I get home."

"Again?" Usagi froze, then cursed herself for telling him that. "When did you hurt your arm before?"

"It's nothing!" He gave her a look, and she sighed heavily. "Fine, I'll let you bandage it. Then I'm going home."

He smiled wryly, "So nice to have your permission, princess."

Usagi tried to not tense at the sarcastic insult, but she couldn't help it. There was no way he could know, she assured herself. I barely even know that, let alone some guy I've never seen before. Her face became red again. God, she had to get away from him. Just a little longer, she comforted. He'll change my bandage, and then I can go home, and I'll never see him again.

Hopefully.

She looked up in surprise as the strange man started leading her into a building. It was large, and seemed very prestigious. She was a little shocked that he lived here. She watched as he nodded to the doorman, giving him a smile of her own as the man dragged her inside. She tried not to stare in awe, wondering how on earth anyone could live here, let alone some med school student.

Then again, she mused, he is a med school student. His parents probably have a lot of money, and can afford an apartment in a building like this.

Her thoughts were halted as the elevator jumped and rose, snapping Usagi back into the present. She felt ashamed of herself for not noticing she was already in the elevator before she had; some soldier she was. For that matter, why was she trusting this man? He could do anything to her, she realized, and she wouldn't be able to stop him without revealing her secret identity as a super hero. Why was she letting herself feel so safe in his presence?

A chill ran through her body, a shiver down her spine. She was too vulnerable, how did she let this happen?

"Don't worry," the man assured. Usagi looked at him in surprise, then realized he must have felt her shudder, since his hand was still firmly grasping her elbow. "I'm not going to hurt you. You can run out of here like you're being chased by death, after I do something about that arm." He seemed to smile at her, but there was a trace of something in his blue eyes that caused them to darken.

"Why should I trust you?" she found herself stating. "I don't even know your name."

"Well, in that case," he was definitely grinning now, "my name is Chiba Mamoru. It's nice to meet you, though you might want to keep from running into people in the future. It's not exactly the greatest way to meet new people." Mamoru's tone was teasing, and Usagi felt her face heat again.

"My name's Tsukino Usagi," she returned. "It's nice to meet you, too. Even though you might want to keep from being so rude to people who apologize to you." She huffed, and looked away, though some deep part of her was amused by what was going on.

"I think I'll call you Odango Atama," Mamoru mused to himself, but she could see him grinning out of the corner of her eye. It was obvious that he found the whole thing amusing as well. "You know, for your dumpling-shaped hair."

Slighted, she turned back, a frown on her lips. "They do not look like dumplings! They're buns!"

Mamoru opened his mouth to retort, but just then, the elevator stopped, binged, and the doors slid open. Usagi gave him a triumphant smile at the startled look on his face. He looks like he completely forgot where he is, she gleefully commented to herself. A little sheepish, Mamoru tightened his grip on her elbow and tugged on it to make her trail behind him.

"This isn't over," he commented lightly as he unlocked the door to his apartment, and she just grinned.

"Sure it's not." Like we're even going to see each other again after this, Chiba Mamoru.

"Quiet, you," he responded, amused. He pushed the door open and nudged Usagi inside, shutting the door behind him. Finally, he released her arm, and cold air kissed her sleeve and skin where warmth had previously been. She almost felt like a part of her fell away along with his hand.

What are you thinking she admonished herself. Crazy girl!

She stood in the entry way awkwardly as he moved around in what must have been his kitchen, by the sounds of it. She didn't dare enter, not without changing her shoes, of course. So, instead, she leaned against the door, and waited. A few moments passed in silence, and she felt out of place, only able to see hints of his living room around the corner of the hallway.

"Make yourself at home," she heard him call, and she hesitated.

"What about my shoes?"

There was a short pause. "Take them off, then, and leave your socks on. Sorry I don't have more slippers; I don't generally have people over." Frowning, she leaned down, letting go of her injury, and carefully slipped out of her street shoes, placing them next to Mamoru's own. Some significant emotion passed through her veins, but she didn't understand it. Not that she would bother to, finding it unnerving to be feeling anything just by looking at two pairs of shoes.

Unsurely, she walked down the hall, socked feet padding softly against the wood flooring. She looked into his living room, which consisted of a sofa, coffee table, television set on top of a chest, and two bookcases nearly covering one wall. Books were packed in the wooden cases, and more were piled near them or strewn over the glass table. Gingerly, she sat down on the surprisingly plush couch and fingered one of the book covers. Most of them were medical or technical books, from what she could tell - for school, obviously - but there was also a lot of science fiction.

She'd just begun to flip through one of the novels when Mamoru entered the room. Usagi dropped the book in surprise, and hastily placed it back on the table. "Sorry," she mumbled, feeling uncharacteristically shy.

Instead of responding, Mamoru unloaded the stuff in his arms. There was a bottle of alcohol, cotton swabs, a bowl of water, hand towel, cotton pads, and a large roll of gauze. He uncapped the bottle while instructing Usagi to either lift up her sleeve or take off her shirt, if the wound was too high.

Red at the suggestion, she merely rolled up the arm of her shirt as high as it would go, holding it at the top of her shoulder. Carefully, she unwrapped the bandage, startled at the size of the bloody spot that had soaked through. The edge of the wrap was taken out of her hand, and she glanced up to see Mamoru focused on his task. Her blush, which had faded completely away, came back, though not nearly at the force it had been before.

Silently, Usagi watched as Mamoru tossed the old bandage and cleaned her arm, then rewrapped the injury after liberally applying the alcohol to the gash. His touch was surprisingly gentle, though she didn't really think that he'd treat her wound roughly after all he'd done already. No words were exchanged between them and, other than her sharp intake of breath when the alcohol-drenched swab met her arm, neither were sounds made.

She'd wondered more than once during the ordeal of whether or not she should feel uncomfortable in the situation. She didn't, strangely enough, feel anything but comfort and safety.

That, in and of itself, worried her immensely, and the logical part of her mind wanted to leave as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there was a part of her that didn't, and that worried her even more.

Some soldier I am, Usagi thought, disgusted. I should be concentrating on finding more youma or whoever's behind this, not pining over some guy I'll never see again.

Wordlessly, Mamoru stood, gathered his used equipment, and disappeared down the hall again. Usagi stared after him for a moment, before she realized that she could finally leave. Wanting to go immediately, but unable to bear the thought of disappearing without a goodbye, she tore off a piece of paper from a notepad that was on the table and quickly scribbled a grateful farewell. As an afterthought, she drew a little chibi of herself and a heart, then shoved the pen back in her bag. She put the scrap of paper where she'd been sitting and quickly fled the apartment.

As she hurried down the stairs, the urgency to leave convincing her to not wait for the elevator, she knew that any second, he'd find her note. Somehow, she was saddened by the fact that he probably wouldn't bat an eye at it.

Get a grip on yourself, she told herself harshly as she escaped the front doors of the building. You spent too much time around that man, and the sun's set. Mama is going to be angry, and then you'll have that on your conscience when you sneak out to look for attacks. Moron. Stop feeling so weird.

No matter how much she told herself she shouldn't, her mind kept returning to the apartment way up in the sky.

Had it been a dream? She shivered as she tore down the streets. No, of course not, not if the twinging pain in her arm had any say.

But her mind felt muddled and sluggish, so she barely registered her house looming before her. Usagi stood outside the door as the sun continued to set, and a chill crept over her body.

"Where is that girl?" she heard her mother's voice demand angrily.

At the sound, Usagi snapped out of her stupor and steeled herself against her mother's rage.