Episode 96

Recap: Haruka nearly runs over Usagi and Makoto, and Mako goes all starry-eyed at Haruka just like Minako did (sheesh). Michiru and Haruka find out Makoto is the next pure heart target, so they "borrow" her to keep an eye on her. When she's attacked, they get the Inner Senshi out of the Daimohn's clutches, but Makoto overheard that Uranus and Neptune are just trying to find the talismans like the Daimohn, and tries to fight Uranus. She gets punched in the gut instead. Luv ya, Uranus (said in my best valley girl voice).

Sorry these are short-ish. Blame my US History class. There were too many stupid tariff arguments and stupid presidents and stupid Gilded Ages. Well maybe just one of those.

"I think they were overreacting," said Usagi stoutly. "Minako can't talk at least, since she thought Haruka was a boy. Which is a little different from being attracted to her, even knowing she's a girl, but the point is, Haruka-san's attractive. There's no doubt about it."

"Mm," said Mamoru, his eyes intently scrolling over physics notes.

"But Mako-chan wasn't attracted that way to her, really. Any normal person would look at Haruka and think she's beautiful."

"Including you," Mamoru added, his eyes darting back and forth as he copied a problem from his book.

"I have good taste." She hoisted her nose in the air quite primly. "And it's not that way, like I said. Rei-chan shouldn't have been so judgmental."

"When is Rei not judgmental?"

Usagi growled. "Yeah, you're right. She ought to back off my grades. The last time they were her business, the world was… I mean… they were never her business. So there." She chewed on her thumbnail for a moment. "And it's not like there's something wrong with it, if Mako-chan was attracted to her that way. She could still like boys fine, and like Haruka-san too. Haruka-san's just as good as a boy in most ways. Did you know she drives, and she's only in the tenth grade, Mako says. She might even be illegal. Michiru's so sweet, she would never say anything to anyone. I should be more like her, but I would be too afraid if you had an illegal license. Not that I think Michiru is Haruka's girlfriend, or anything, but they do seem like that, don't they? They're always around each other, and not just like playful friends way – they can be so quiet around each other. I think that's more of a deeper relationship thing."

"Do you now," Mamoru muttered through his teeth.

"Mmhm… oh. You were being sarcastic, weren't you? Well, Mamoru-baka, maybe I just won't talk at all then." She crossed her arms and huffed deeper into her chair.

"Don't you have homework?" he asked her accusatorily.

She shrugged. "Yes." Idly, she traced patterns over the arm of the chair with her fingertip.

After a few moments of tense silence, Mamoru groaned and rubbed his temples. "Dammit Usako, just talk, alright?"

"But I'm distracting you." She sounded quite sour.

"I like the background noise," he admitted. "But don't expect me to be listening."

She hoisted her legs up over the arm of the chair; he could feel her watching him thoughtfully. "I know the kind of admiration Mako-chan has for Haruka-san, I think. The kind when you meet someone you admire so much you can't help feeling silly in front of them, and wanting to impress them, and you can't help thinking about them constantly…"

"Just like me," Mamoru interrupted with a smirk.

"What?"

"Just like how you used to feel about me," he repeated, glancing up at her, his eyes dancing. "You admired me so much you couldn't help bumping into me."

"Oh, you baka, you've got it all mixed up," she grumbled. "I didn't admire a thing about you, you were so stuck up and rude. I didn't obsess about you in the slightest."

"Really now."

"Really. One hundred percent really."

Their eyes met and they stared each other down momentarily.

Usagi said tetchily, "Respecting someone of your same gender is much different from constantly running into and fighting with someone of the opposite gender. I don't know how you can compare them."

"Tension," Mamoru replied casually, noticing that his pencil had started to write her words instead of numbers. That was what he got for multitasking.

She frowned at him for long enough that he knew he'd have to be explicit. "Sexual tension," he repeated, as if talking to a five-year-old.

"Oh, Mamo-chan, don't group Mako-chan in with – "

"I'm not grouping her anywhere. It's true. Makoto is attracted to Haruka. What's grouping about that?"

"Never mind," Usagi groaned. "You just don't get it."

"I think you're the one grouping people, Usako. There's no even division between heterosexual and homosexual and bisexual. It's all muddled up."

"Yeah," Usagi giggled. "That magazine Rei had…"

Mamoru bit his lip with a twisted smile. "I probably don't want to know about that… but the point is, she might just find herself attracted to women like Haruka more than the average girl, and that doesn't make her any less straight."

"But that's what I was saying," Usagi complained.

"Imagine that. We might actually agree on something."

"Weird," Usagi agreed. "I might have to run into you again to solve that." She looked up at the clock on the wall. "Oh, I've got to run, Mamo-chan. Ja ne." She stood and darted over to him, gave him a quick peck on the lips, and flurried out, her school bag smacking against her back. Just as she reached the door, she hollered back, "And your reading glasses are adorable!"

He really marveled at how, fifteen minutes after she'd gone, he was still smiling.

Things to note:

1. I screwed up the storyline a little by having Haruka and Michiru accompany Mamoru & girls to dinner a few chapters ago, which I found out this episode. Haruka and Makoto don't really know each other, or don't as well as they would had they spent an evening together. Whoops.

2. I kind of like the thought of Haruka and Makoto banding up as the tomboys of the Senshi. I never thought about it before rewatching this episode, but they're quite similar in many ways. That's sort of cool.

3. Reviews keep me healthy and happy and alive. Thanks for reading!! (:

(4. I still need a title suggestion for this story! I - can't - come - up - with - titles. Seriously. I've gone through like 472 for my novel and still haven't found one that works well. *pulls out hair*)