Birthday Surprises

A/N: I totally spaced that August third is Mamoru's birthday! Forgive me, Mamo-chan! ;~;

Tied loosely to Usagi's birthday ficlet just 2 updates ago! Maybe go back for a refresher? Maybe? Just a recommendation!

. . .

When I walk into the arcade I do a quick scan of the place before deciding it's for the time being safe to enter. Though it's been a little over a month since my fifteenth birthday I can hardly stand being in a room with Mamoru. Since he played gentleman for once and took me to go get ice cream for my birthday things have been awkward. Not really between us considering we still bicker-but the people around us makes it awkward.

Motoki thought it was brilliant to inform Rei and Ami about what he claims to be a date. They told Naru-chan who proceeded to spread around the whole school that I was dating a boy in high school. No matter where we are, if Mamoru and I are together, people start making jokes about us being such a strange couple.

Explaining to Mamoru why all these middle school students were gaping at us was even more embarrassing.

I know he laughed it off but since I told him, sometimes he just looks at me...differently. Like he's thinking about something he wants to say to me, but refuses to speak up.

As silly as it may sounds I don't want anything to change between me and the baka.

"Good afternoon, Motoki-onii-san!"

"Usagi-chan! I knew you'd be here today!"

Stopping cold I look the blonde arcade worker up and down. He looks as if he has a whole bag of tricks up his sleeve. I start to back away. Coming here was a mistake. Out of all of my new tormentors, Motoki can sometimes be the worst. But as I take another step, I feel my back make contact with something hard. And...warm.

"Oi, watch where you're going, Odango."

The sound of Mamoru's voice causes me to flinch. I whip around and cross my arms over my chest. "Maybe you shouldn't stand in the middle of the-" As I stare at him I notice something's missing. The fire behind his eyes-the one that makes it fun to argue with him-is gone. And come to think of it his tone just a second ago was bored, empty. Did I do something wrong. "Are you okay, Mamoru-san?"

"I'm fine, Odango. Don't worry about me." I turn to watch as he gloomily stalks past me and over to the stools by the counter. "Good afternoon, Motoki."

"Don't pull this crap with me again, Mamoru. It's not happening this year."

What? Mamoru doesn't even respond to Motoki and instead slumps down against the counter. Very unlike Mamoru. But something still bothers me. What crap? Again this year? There are not many things that only happen once a year. Considering Mamoru wasn't this depressed yesterday, it has to be something tied to this date.

I pull my lips together. Today's not a holiday that I know of. Which means...

"Mamoru-san, is it your birthday today?"

The glass Motoki holds in his hand drops, shattering, and Mamoru shoots up and he spins around to face me with his eyes wild. "H-How do you know that?"

Anger in his voice causes me to flinch and take a step back. I was right and I wish I could be happy that I actually guessed something right. However, the look on Mamoru's face alone makes me wish I had guessed wrong. "L-Lucky guess?"

He rises from his stool and approaches me. His figure looms over mine and I shrink back away from him. The fire is back but it's not the good fire. It's a scary fire. "I suggest you forget this day and just get out of here. Forget whatever Motoki told you to tell me and just leave before things get worse for you Usagi." His words are growled out and I flinch.

"I didn't tell her anything!" Motoki protests, and I look towards my friend to see him shaking at Mamoru's behavior. Not in laughter, but fear. He must be just as scared as I am.

"Quiet!" Mamoru roars and I take another step back. I was right I shouldn't have come here today.

But, still. Whatever's upsetting Mamoru today, it isn't me. What happened on his birthday? I open my mouth to pose the question but he stops me, holding his hand up. "Just leave, Usagi. Please."

As he chokes on the last word, I give in. Not to his wants, but mine. I wrap my arms around his figure and squeeze as tight as I can. Seeing Mamoru in this sort of pain is unnerving and I hate it. I may fight with Mamoru but I never, ever want to see him hurt as long as I live.

It feels like everything freezes. Mamoru tenses under my touch. I can hear Motoki few feet away hold in his breath. The chatter of the arcade seems to cease and for now, it's just me and Mamoru.

"It's going to be okay, Mamoru-kun."

Nothing else matters. All our fighting, all our laughing, all our everything. We're friends, just a little different from other friendships. And we need to stick together, no matter how upset he may get.

"Let's go get you ice cream, okay? My treat," I whisper softly to him. This way I can reciprocate the favor he paid me on my birthday. I scan my head trying to remember how old he is now. Motoki said something about how much trouble he and Mamrou get into as seventeen year old high school students. "Happy Eighteenth birthday, Mamoru-kun."

And then, everything changes. His arms wrap around me and he returns the hug, hesitant at first before holding on to me as if for the sake of his life. "Arigato, Usako," he murmurs into my hair.

I smile. Usako? Maybe our relationship can change.

After all, Mamo-chan sounds like a good name for him to me.

. . .

A/N: Like? I like. I REALLLY like.

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