Oh boy, it's been a while. Hope you guys like the latest chapter!
"Let's give this another try," said Mamoru, wiggling the doorknob.
His shoulder pushed against the doorframe, trying to slightly raise the door upwards as he angled the knob downwards. His other hand was still holding the candle in his other hand; the flame followed his body's shaking movement.
"Do you want me to hold your candle?" asked Usagi, already reaching for it. "The flame might go out if you keep moving like that."
"Please." He nodded his head, handing over the light source. "Just be careful."
"What? Afraid I'll klutz-out and set the apartment on fire?"
"Only slightly," he chuckled. "But I was talking about your hair—don't burn off any trying to manage the candles."
"Do you like my hair?"
Mamoru stopped fiddling with the door and looked at her.
"What?" he asked.
"My hair—do you like it?"
"Why're you asking me that?" She couldn't seriously not know how he felt about her hair—could she?
"You always make fun of it—call me names about it. I was just wondering…"
She glanced up at him through her eyelashes. His face looked surprised at her question. Usagi wondered what he was thinking—possibly that she was acting like an idiot asking him this question…
"Never mind," she said, moving back. She shrugged and gestured for him to continue with the door. "It's nothing; don't worry about it."
"Wait," he said, turning to her. "It's not nothing."
He took a step forward towards her.
She took one back, trying to regain her distance from him. It was no use. He stepped forward, crowding her. Cornering her in the already small closet.
"Ow!" she cried, her head hitting one of the shelves.
"Careful," Mamoru whispered. He wanted to move closer but the candles she was holding kept him just a few inches away from her. "You okay?"
"Hmm, yeah," she said, rubbing her head against the shelf to alleviate the pain since both of her hands were currently busy. "I'll be fine."
"You don't think I like your hair?" he asked, turning them back to the subject.
"Do you?" she countered. "I mean, I just figured with what you say about it—"
"I love it," he interrupted. "I've always loved it. Whenever I see it, I just want to…" to run my fingers through it, grip it hard and crush you against me. Hold you tight and never let go. Make you mine.
"To what?" she asked, her voice a strained whisper. Her eyes couldn't look away from him; begging him to finish the thought.
He saw her throat swallow.
"Mamoru?"
Raising his hand, he reached out to touch the blond strands. His hand froze in mid-air, waiting for her permission.
Usagi didn't know what to do. One minute they were fighting about whether they were even friends, and the next she felt closer to Mamoru in some ways than even the girls. Now he was telling her things he loved about her.
Like her hair.
The hair he seemed to want to touch but then changed his mind about. It looked like he was about to touch it, but now his hand just floated there.
She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Breathing here was the best. His scent was everywhere. She already missed the bed she was cuddling in moments before. Wrapping herself in his blankets felt so personal. It was a memory she knew she'd always hold dear to her heart. Reliving when she got back home as she lay in her own bed.
Gasping, she opened her eyes as she felt his hands on her hips. His long, slender fingers grasping her tightly as his thumb gently caressed her in a soothing motion. She could feel the warmth from his hands through her school shirt. Usagi felt a slight blush on her cheeks as her mind suddenly wished her shirt were no longer there.
Mamoru stared down at the girl, holding her gaze. His eyes inched lower as he saw her blush. Usagi responded his action by sliding her tongue over her suddenly dry lips.
"We," he breathed, licking his own lips, "really need to get out of here…"
The blonde stared back at him, not knowing what to say. Should she admit that staying in such close quarters with him would be her preferable choice? Did she get a choice? Surely she got a choice.
Looking down at the candle in her hands, she was worried she was about to drop it. It was quite the opposite, in fact. Her fingers strained as she gripped the waxed rod tighter. Her body stronger than her mind, she surmised. While her mind shied away at every turn, her body was busy fighting to stay upright.
She rocked into his hands as his fingers caressed her more forcefully. They hadn't gone any higher or lower on her body, and they didn't need to. It felt as if a combination of heat and shivers traveled from his fingertips to the rest of her, settling from down to her toes all the way up to her cheeks.
Glancing up at him, she looked into his dark eyes. His eyelids were lowered as he stared at her, a certain strain present in his face.
Usagi had never felt so warm in her life. Biting her lower lip, she stifled a slight moan. His fingers were rubbing her in a way she hadn't existed and she couldn't get enough.
"Mamo…"
"Stars!" he cursed.
The blonde bit back a groan of disappointment as his hands dropped from her sides.
"You stopped…" she let out with faint distress. "Why—"
He turned away from her to stride back to the door. "We need to get out of here," he said firmly. "Now."
She wished she could've mentioned how she didn't mind too much staying here with him for a bit longer, but thought better than to go against his tone. His voice held the same strained quality his face had just moments before. Usagi leaned slightly back and took in a deep breath, letting herself fully experience the last few ruminants of the warmth he left in her body. There was a slight shiver racing up her spine as she exhaled slowly.
Shaking herself off mentally, she moved the light closer to the dark haired man with the magic fingers as he tried again to open the door.
"Almost got it," he groaned.
Once again, he was pushing with his shoulders and upper body to inch the door higher on its frame as he angled the doorknob down. With his now free hand, he pushed against the side of the door, willing it slid just a hint closer to the hinges. The hand holding the doorknob was wiggling as if to find the right angle to align properly.
"Here," said the blonde, as she walked closer to illuminate the area near the doorknob and Mamoru's hand. The hand with the fingers. The hand with the fingers that were just touching her. That she wouldn't mind touching her again. Soon.
"Thanks," he murmured, interrupting her thoughts.
She watched as he wiggled the doorknob a little more to the right, and the move quickly to the left again.
"Should be about…" he said more to himself than her, as his eyes narrowed in on his hand angling the round doorknob. "Almost…"
Usagi saw a slight twist in his wrist as he quickly shifted right and left. Then heard the audible click.
"Got it!" exclaimed the dark haired man. He flung the door open and let out a small laugh of triumph.
"You did it!" said the blonde joyfully with a slight jump. She slightly tapped one hand against the hand with the candle in applause.
"Took long enough." He turned towards her and gestured with one hand. "After you."
She pursed her lips to hide a smile but could feel her cheeks straining and gave up the effort.
"Thanks." Holding her breath, she walked around him. Careful not to get too close in case the flame caught either one of them.
He followed her out and left the door open. Leading them back to the main area, he groaned and scratched the back of his head.
"What do we do now?" she asked softly.
"Sleep, Odango," he said, turning back to her. "Now we sleep."
"We…?" she asked, feeling the heat on her cheeks again. She bit her lip as she stared up at him.
He stared back at her and she could see his chest rising and depressing as he breathed. Slowly.
"Y-you're taking the bed," he whispered out. "I'm staying on the couch. Like before."
"Just like before?" she asked, her voice suddenly sounding smaller.
Mamoru stared at the girl before him. The blonde hair fanning her face making her look both much younger and older in his eyes. No. That wasn't it, he decided. She looked older but much more vulnerable.
Before he could rethink it, he took a step forward and gently grasped on of her cheeks. He could hear her breathing pick up as his thumb rubbed small circles on her cheek. Feeling the soft skin, he inched closer to her. He willed his other hand to stay at his side. To not touch her seize her around her waist and bring himself closer to her. If he had both his hands on her, he wasn't sure he would let her go for the night.
Instead, he leaned down and pressed a kiss on her hair. He made himself not respond to the slight gasp he held. To the way her body tensed for a second and then melted completely like butter. Inching closer to one of her ears, he leaned lower and pressed another peck to her temple.
"Odango," he breathed, rubbing his thumb against her cheek again. He felt her lean closer against his hand. "Go to bed," he said gently, slipping in a final kiss against her temple.
He could feel her soft, golden hair against his lips as she nodded her head.
Dropping his hand from her, he signed as he leaned back. Mamoru held his breath watching the blonde with her suddenly too red and bruised lips—as if she'd been biting and teasing them while he was kissing her earlier.
Not trusting himself to speak again, he nodded towards the bedroom door and watched her move away from him.
Usagi didn't dare look back, knowing she'd run to him if she had the chance. Entering the bedroom, she closed the door and leaned back against him.
He was right there, she thought. Just a few feet away on the other side of this door.
And she may never get another chance to be alone like this with him. Ever again.
She froze at the thought.
No, she decided, shaking her head. She wasn't going to let that happen.
Mamoru had at least liked a little bit. Why else would've he just kissed right now? Right?
But then again, it wasn't on her lips. Just on her hair.
But, she mused, smiling as she blew out the candle and put it on his dresser—counter point: he kissed her three times. She counted each time. Telling herself to not move with each kiss and just let her experience it. Take in the sensations so she could revisit them later.
And now it was later.
Sliding into the dark haired man's bed—the bed that he slipped into each night. The bed with pillows he rested his head on and the sheets that embraced him as she longed to. She breathed in his scent deeply and sighed.
Her eyelids grew heavy as she caressed her cheek where her Mamo-chan had just moments earlier with this thumb. She shivered recounting how his lips felt against her temples as he whispered in her ears.
It's going to happen, she though as cradled his pillow closer to her head. I'm going to make him mine.
It's certainly been a while since I've updated this story. Hopefully I can finish it before school starts up again.
Leave a review screaming at me to update, please.