My
Best Friend's Brother
Written
by: Jill Annette
CHAPTER TWELVE – COMPLICATIONS
After Kakyuu impressed the entire room with her siren-like voice – and after a few more songs – Seiya took Usagi home. The day was not a total waste, even if it was not what they had planned. Seiya parked his car on the curb outside her house but Usagi did not move to leave. Instead she turned to Seiya.
"Kakyuu is amazing."
Seiya nodded, he looked at Usagi though his mind seemed elsewhere. "She's what we needed. Taiki was right for a change."
She smirked. Folding one hand around her purse, Usagi opened the door with the other. "Let me know when you're first appearance with her will be. I'll make sure to get to Neptune early just so I can get close to the stage."
"You bet."
Usagi stepped out of the car, took a couple steps towards her house then turned back around to Seiya, still sitting in his car. He waved at her and, hesitating, Usagi waved back. They were just friends; she had to keep repeating to herself. However, she could not ignore the tension, whatever it was, that filled the spaces between them.
She had been in her room for a while, the only productive thing that had been accomplished was her changing into something more comfortable. The nagging thought that she should be telling Rei everything the evening showed its presence. Usagi glanced at the alarm clock on the end table next to her bed: 7:30. It was too early to go to bed. With a heavy sigh, Usagi rolled off her bed and walked out of the house. Flipping her phone out of her purse and with quick strides Usagi dialed the familiar number and informed Rei that she would be arriving at her house in promptly fifteen minutes. She better be home.
At 7:47, Usagi was walking up the stairs to the Chiba residence. Usagi rapped her knuckles against the door (it was locked) and waited for someone to answer. Another minute passed before Usagi knocked again and she finally heard movement on the other side of the door. Unsurprisingly, Mamoru opened the door, disheveled – a seemingly new look for the dark headed handsome man. Usagi could not deny his admirable body.
"Hi," she said.
Mamoru nodded but was silent.
"Rei?" Usagi attempted to peer around Mamoru and into the house.
Mamoru opened the door wider and gestured upstairs.
Usagi passed him with a quizzical look. His silence bothered her. "So is this what it has come to?"
He shrugged and shut the front door.
Rolling her eyes, Usagi took the steps two at a time to Rei's room. She slung open the door, ready to give Rei her opinion about how Mamoru was acting, only to find it empty. Downstairs she heard Mamoru shuffling about and decided to try some sort of conversation, try to see if she could get some kind of information out of him; for instance, where Rei was.
"Mamoru!" Usagi called as she ran down the stairs. "Where's Rei?"
"Out."
"Why didn't you tell me she was out?"
Another shrug.
Usagi growled, "You're being ridiculous! Say something."
He smirked, "You ignore my sister and me for weeks and expect to be able to come in here and everything be exactly as you left it?"
She cringed, her blue eyes found another spot to focus on besides his face.
"You hurt people when you ignore them."
The stool next to the bar looked supporting enough and Usagi slouched right into it is embrace. How could she explain? He knew her promise, she had told him. Did he know Rei's side of the story? "People get hurt for other things too," she whispered.
Mamoru reached into the refrigerator and pulled out two waters. He placed one in front of Usagi, opened the other and drained a third of it in one gulp. "Don't I know it."
"Rei gave me permission."
Usagi bit her lip after those words slipped passed her lips. God, she wasn't supposed to tell him that. Again, she looked away from him. The blue label on the water bottle became increasingly interesting.
He came closer to her, testing her. "So that's what the fight is about this time."
She gave him a curt nod.
"Yet you've ignored not only her, but me as well."
"There's Minako still."
"You don't understand what Minako and I are."
Usagi's eyes snapped to Mamoru's, "She thinks there's something there. Even if you say there isn't anything truly going on between you two, she thinks you guys have something."
"What makes you so sure?" Mamoru placed his elbows on the counter, leaning closer to Usagi.
"I can see it in her eyes. The way she acts when she's around you."
"Maybe we'll have to have a talk then."
Usagi shrugged. "If you think so."
"I do." Mamoru said. "There's this girl that has been driving me crazy since I came back. I mean, I'm not entirely sure if she feels the same way, but I have a pretty good idea. Minako needs to know that this girl is not her."
"What about the other girl?"
He was always leaning in closer to her it seemed. Even if she tried to back away from him, he would try again to close the gap. Their relationship was a constant tug of war. Pushing and pulling each other further and closer to the center that would release them from having to try so hard. The problem was, neither of them could get to the center together, both of them on opposite ends of the rope.
That didn't keep Mamoru from trying. "I'm hoping she'll come around."
It was quick and surprising. Completely unexpected the kiss was. She should have known it was coming; he was awfully close to her. Mamoru was always trying to stay close to her. Now, they were fused together – lips melting into one another, hands caressing and groping. This kiss was fiercer than any Usagi had ever experienced.
There was nothing holding them back now, no one to interfere. Of course, there were still some unresolved issues between Mamoru and Minako but he said they would talk. And there was Seiya. Seiya?
Usagi groaned. Mamoru mistook her aggravation for pleasure and grinned into their kiss. He had lifted her from the stool and sat her on the counter top somewhere during the meeting of their lips for better access. It took a moment for Usagi to will her self to lean back away from him, supporting herself on her elbows.
Breathing deeply, Mamoru stood straight up but stayed positioned between her knees. "What?" he asked.
"You have a Minako."
Mamoru ran a hand through his already tussled black hair. "We've talked about this. I'm going to make it clear to her that she isn't the one."
Usagi scoffed, "Like I am?"
He pushed away from her then, agitated. "What do you think?"
With a sigh, Usagi looked away from Mamoru. "I have a Seiya."
"What?"
She sat up. "My complication is a Seiya." She explained, "I met him a few weeks ago. We kind of hit it off."
"You kind of hit it off?" Mamoru mocked.
His verbal slap hit home. "We're just friends. I think."
"You think?"
Strike two. "I mean, I know. I just don't think he does. Not really." Usagi sighed. "It's complicated."
"So here's the thing, Usagi." Mamoru said, closing the gap between them again. "I want you. There, I said it. You're the one that's driving me out of my mind."
"I –"
"You kind of thought so already I'm sure. I wasn't denying it and kissing you didn't help deter the fact but I'm saying it outright. No more of this guessing shit."
"Okay."
"Do you like me?"
The waves of the emotion in his eyes were intense, their undertow pulled her in.
"Yes."
"Do you want to be with me?"
Usagi nodded.
"Then be with me."
"There are loose ends that need to be tied," Usagi murmured. "I need closure."
"Fine make your closure with whoever you need to." He pulled her close again, smothering her in his warmth. "But remember this," he said and kissed her again.
This time the kiss was slow and tender. Much like the kiss they first shared. Their kiss was short lived as they heard footsteps outside and the front door opening. Quickly they jumped apart and smoothed their rumpled clothing. Rei walked into the kitchen to find Mamoru once again searching through the fridge and Usagi sitting on a stool sipping her water.
"Usagi, what are you doing here?" Rei asked, setting her purse on the table.
"Waiting for you to get home."
Rei looked from her friend to her brother then sniffed the air. "I smell something fishy."
"Gumbo," Mamoru called from the behind the door of the refrigerator, holding a container of brown sludge.
Rei sighed, "That's not what I meant."
"I have to tell you about my date with Seiya." Usagi started. "Although, it wasn't really a date at all."
"Seiya?" Rei asked.
"A guy I met when I went out with Makoto."
Rei glanced back at her brother. Now he was motionless behind the door, contemplating what she was not sure.
"We have a lot more to talk about than that, Usagi," Rei stated. "Like, how you think you can ignore me for weeks and weeks and then decide when you come back everything will be normal."
"Trust me I know it won't be normal."
Usagi shot up the stairs. Rei followed slowly behind. Mamoru slammed the door to the refrigerator shut once the coast was clear. A burst of laughter floated down from Rei's room and Mamoru knew that Rei and Usagi would be okay again. However, he wondered, how long would it take for Usagi and him to be okay.
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I'm done with school. I have the entire summer off. No more college for three months!!! Finally a break after three years. If I passed Chemistry I graduate. If I don't pass ... I don't graduate. Either way, by August, I will still be going back to school.
I know where this story is going. (I've said that before, I'm sure.) I have a list of what has to happen in a slapped together order... this was not supposed to happen first. However, it did. Which puts another TWIST in the story. Sort of. Grr. Well, good.. really. For you guys. Because it'll make the story longer. Unless you're starting to think it's dragging a little now. Let me know if it's dragging. I could wrap it up quick if I have to. If not, I'm thinking (at the moment) at least three or four chapters more.
My head hurts. I burned myself today out in the sun. My part is red! (As well as my arms and back.) I guess that's what happens when you play on the beach instead of staying indoor with a chemistry book and study. Oh well.
You guys have a nice evening (day). Whatever it is when you read this. ) I'll be seeing you next chapter.