Hold Me by the Heart
By: Xhibit B
Chapter Two – Mamoru's Plight
.i do not own sailor moon.
Mamoru Chiba was, for lack of a better word, pissed off. How, honestly, had he let Motoki talk him into this? He groaned, running his fingers through rich, ebony hair in frustration. He'd been all too happy to learn that Usagi actually held feelings for him, just as he did for her. But now that he knew, he wasn't so sure that acting on them, especially after everything that he'd put her through, was the best idea. Even though Motoki insisted vehemently that it was. He wasn't even sure how he would go about telling her how he felt, which did nothing but piss him off further.
Being the socially awkward dork that he was, he'd asked for Motoki's help. Which had been smart at the time but now he was seriously regretting it. Though the advice that the blond male had given was sound, he wasn't so sure that he'd even be able to do it. Never mind the fact that he hadn't seen the blond all this centered around for several days now, ever since he'd seen her in the supermarket glaring at Valentine's Day treats and muttering curses at the insufferable jerk that never noticed anything… himself. It was time to change tactics or give up completely.
Of course, if he decided to change tactics, he'd have to go to Motoki and ask his advice on what he should do now before executing said plan. Maybe he'd even enlist the help of the blonde's little sister… just to get a woman's point of view on the situation.
Mind made up, Mamoru stood from his couch, grabbed his keys and left his apartment for the arcade. He knew that both Motoki and his sister, Unazuki, were working at the moment, and there was no better time to talk to the siblings than the present. He had to get everything set into motion, pronto. Otherwise, he would have to give up all hope of ever telling Usagi how he felt.
The drive from his apartment to the arcade didn't take long, the raven hair making it there in record time. He'd parked, making sure to lock the doors behind him before making his way into the arcade. When he did, he was met by the sight of long, blond hair. His heart skipped a beat, was it her?
The mini panic attack subsided when he realized that it wasn't, in fact, Usagi, but her best friend Minako. The missing twin buns at the top of her head was a clear indication that she was not the woman of his desires. Not to mention the platinum blond that sat at her side. He sighed a breath of relief before quickly making his way to the counter. He slid into a stool several seats away from the blond duo, motioning for Motoki to give him his usual cup of coffee. The mug was placed in front of him with a bowl of sugar packets a minute later. He didn't miss the dazzling smile Minako shot him when she turned to look at the raven hair that sat on her left.
"Good afternoon, Mamoru," Minako purred, the corner of her mouth lifting into a smile. "Fancy running into you here."
"Good afternoon, Minako, Kunzite," Mamoru said greeting the couple as he dumped several sugar packets into his coffee. He stirred it with a drink stirrer before lifting the mug to his lips. He took several sips. "I could say the same for the two of you, you haven't come here in months."
"Minako was insistent that we catch up with Motoki," Kunzite replied as said blond refilled his coffee mug, "Since it had been a few months since she stopped in to see him. It is good to see an old friend."
Mamoru nodded, swallowing a gulp of the dark liquid. He and Kunzite were around the same age, the platinum blond male only a year older than he was. He had attended the same university as Mamoru and Motoki did and inevitably was introduced to Minako and the girls when they'd invited the tall male to the New Years Eve party Motoki always hosted at the arcade.
"So, Mamoru," Minako chimed suddenly, turning to look at the raven-haired male. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rising at her intense crystalline stare. "Do you have a date for the Valentine's Day masquerade party that Motoki is going to be throwing next Thursday?"
Valentine's Day masquerade party? He hadn't even known about it. "I wasn't aware of the party. I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day honestly." Then a brilliant idea popped into his head. He could get hints from Minako and Kunzite on what to get for Usagi. Of course, he wouldn't outright tell them that he was talking about her, but he could at least try. "Besides, don't you need a Valentine to enjoy that sort of party? I don't have one."
He could see, from the corner of his eye, that Motoki was eyeing him suspiciously. He made a gesture as if to tell him he'd tell him what he had planned later.
Minako was hooked the moment he mentioned not having a date. "Well, is there a girl that you like at all that you wouldn't be opposed to taking to the party? Maybe I could give you some advice on how to win her over. With my expertise, you'll have the girl of your dreams in no time."
Realization hit Motoki like a brick wall. Now he understood what Mamoru was up to. The raven hair was thankful that he wouldn't have to explain it after all. "Well, there is one girl that I do have my eye on. But, she probably doesn't even realize that I exist. And I'm not sure how to get her to notice me."
"Ooh, secret admirers, how romantic," Minako gushed before she moved closer to the other male. Her hands grasped his, Mamoru didn't miss the narrowed eyes of her boyfriend before he turned away again. "Mamoru, I'm going to help you. How any woman wouldn't know you exist is beyond me but, I'm going to help you get your dream girl. Because no one deserves to be alone on Christmas."
"Wrong holiday," Kunzite pointed out gently.
"Valentine's Day," Minako corrected herself.
Mamoru shot her a wry glance. Kunzite snorted, "She's been watching The Grinch on repeat lately. Poor thing is stuck on Christmas for some reason."
Mamoru 'ah'd', nodding his head in understanding. That makes sense, he guessed.
"Any who," Minako said waving her boyfriend off. "Tell me about this girl you like Mamoru and I'll come up with a course of action for you. That way you can win her over with those devilishly handsome looks of yours and the perfect gifts."
"Well, she's a few years younger than I am; almost three years to be exact," Mamoru counted off, glancing up at the ceiling of the arcade. "Really sweet girl, makes friends with everyone that she comes in contact with. She goes to my university, I believe she's studying to get her degree in Public Relations? And she's always happy."
Minako sighed whimsically while Kunzite looked at him subjectively, Mamoru could practically see the gears in his head turning as he thought about what the raven hair had said. That description sounded vaguely familiar to him. Like he knew who he was talking about. His thoughts wandered to Usagi. But he quickly dismissed the idea. There was no way in hell Mamoru could have been talking about her. The two of them couldn't get along to save their lives.
"Well, she sounds like a lovely girl," Minako said beaming. "And lucky for you, I'm going to help you. Now, this is what you want to do…"
Mamoru listened intently to the self-proclaimed love guru's advice, committing every detail to memory, down to the last gift to get her and how to reveal that he was the secret admirer.
…
Usagi glowered as she walked into the Arcade that afternoon, tired from a long day of classes and despising the Valentine's Day decorations. Her cerulean eyes landed on Motoki who stood at the counter, smiling at her. He looked like the cat that ate the canary. She didn't like it one bit.
She made her way to the counter where there was a mug of hot chocolate placed on the counter for her. She sat down, fingers wrapping around the handle before she lifted it to her lips. She took a slow sip, still studying the blond. He was up to something, she could tell. But what it was, she wasn't completely sure. Her brows furrowed when he continued to laugh at her (what she hoped was a) quizzical look. He seemed to be enjoying the glower that she was throwing at him.
"What's with the look, Usagi," Motoki asked, continuing to laugh. "You look like I did something wrong."
"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Usagi pointed out. "You look like you're up to something, but what it is, I'm not sure of. What are you up to, Motoki? You have this look on your face like you're the cat that ate the canary."
"No, I don't," Motoki refuted. "I'm just in a good mood. Is that a bad thing?"
"Well, no, it's not," Usagi hummed thoughtfully. "It was just kinda weird. You had this huge grin on your face the second that I walked into the arcade, like you knew some big secret and it involves me."
"If I knew anything, I would tell you Usagi," Motoki chuckled, wiping the access water from a glass he'd just cleaned not long before. He placed the glass away for later use. "Especially if it concerned you. What kind of friend do you take me for?"
Usagi sighed, offering an apologetic smile, "You're right, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have just assumed like that. Anyways, how has today been? Anymore potential love birds sign up to come to the Valentine's Day masquerade party you're going to hold?"
"Yes, actually, Minako and Kunzite stopped in earlier today," Motoki recalled, tapping his finger against his chin. "They're going to come to the party. Mako called, she, Nephrite, Ami, Zoicite, Rei and Jadeite will all be attending as well. Maybe you should come too, Usagi! It could be fun. I know there will be plenty of single guys and girls you can mingle with."
"As tempting an offer as that would be, I'd rather not," Usagi stated dryly. "I'll be spending that day in my bedroom and not coming out until the following Friday."
"Aw, I would have loved to have you there," Motoki pouted, a pleading glance cast her way.
"Maybe next year, Motoki," Usagi hummed before she finished her hot chocolate.
She moved to pay for the drink before Motoki stopped her, stating that it was on the house. She'd tried to insist but he wouldn't take the money and sent her on her way. She had to get home, her Aunt and Uncle and their children on her father's side of the family would be stopping by to visit later and she'd promised her mom she would help with dinner. Thanking the blond for his kindness, she quickly left the establishment and made a beeline for home.
It didn't take long for her to reach the family house, noting that her father's car was not parked in the drive way as it normally was. He must have been out doing something for her mother. She shrugged, making her way up the small set of porch stairs before she entered the home. Her shoes were quickly replaced by her bunny slippers at the genkan before she was heading for the kitchen where her mother was hard at work on the dinner to come. She smiled when Ikuko glanced at her over her shoulder, "Welcome home, Usagi! You're just in time, the roast is just about to come out the oven. Why don't you set the table and get the serving dishes out? I'll finish the last of the food."
"Of course," Usagi said as she gathered the dishes for dinner.
She'd set eight places on the big dining room table, arranging them accordingly when there was a knock at the door. Her brow furrowed as she turned to look at the door, who could have been knocking at this hour? Surely her Aunt and Uncle weren't there yet, dinner wasn't for another hour or so, give or take a few minutes. She wiped the sweat from her palms on her jeans as she made her way to the door and opened it, only to be greeted by the sight of a delivery man holding a beautiful arrangement of roses and a small package. He glanced up at her with a smile, "Usagi Tsukino?"
"Yes, that's me," Usagi answered.
He held out a digital clipboard and stylus to her. "Sign here, please?"
Usagi did, signing her name before the flowers and the box were handed to her. The delivery man tipped his hat to the blond before he pivoted on his heel and made his way back to his truck. Usagi watched from the doorway as he disappeared before finally realizing how cold it was and that the snow that had begun to fall was being blown into the house. She closed the door, shuffling back into the house. She placed vase of roses down on the table, followed by the box. Her mother peeked her head out.
"Those are beautiful, who sent them," Ikuko asked, curious.
"I'm not sure," Usagi answered, ruffling gently through the flowers until she found what she was looking for. She pulled the little card from the card holder and flipped it over. "Usagi. Have I ever told you, how much that I love you? I do my sweetest angel. Oh yes, I really do. Have you ever noticed? This love light in my eyes. It tells you, love's forever. And it can never die. Signed, Anonymous."
"How romantic," Ikuko gushed, grinning widely at her daughter. "You have a secret admirer, Usagi! And you thought that no one cared enough to send you Valentines."
"Yeah, but who the heck is it that sent this is what I want to know," Usagi murmured, flipping the card over between her fingers before her eyes cast over to the small box that had come with it. Her teeth worried her lower lip as she reached for the box and pulled opened the lid. She gasped when she saw what was inside. "I gotta find out who it is that sent this!"
"What was in the box, sweetheart," Ikuko questioned, coming to stand beside her daughter as she dried her hands on a kitchen towel. When she saw what Usagi held in her hand, she gasped as well. "It's beautiful and is definitely fit for you. I know how much you love moons and apparently, they know too."
"I know, it looks expensive too," Usagi said admiring the pendent. It was beautiful, a white gold chain that would allow the pendent to reach her collarbone. The moon shaped pendent was also white gold, embedded with seven different coloured gems with a diamond in the middle. "I'll keep it, but I'm going to find out who sent it and the roses." Her fingers grazed over the slightly bloomed petals, a soft smile pulling at the edges of her lips. "And when I do, I'll thank them for the beautiful gifts."
Ikuko hummed her approval, taking the roses from the table and arranging them on the end table in the living room where they would best be put on display. Usagi clipped the necklace around her neck, her fingers coming to rest over the moon shaped pendent.
Coming Up Next: Chapter Three – Code Name, Secret Admirer