Week 1G: Celebration
Sailor Raspberry
621 words

She disappeared out onto the balcony, basking in the moonlight and resting her pale forearms on the rail.

Inside, the guests chattered and clinked glasses as the clock clicked down. Usagi twirled the stem of her glass between her fingers, watching as the thin golden liquid licked up the side.

Somehow, her sparkling cider turned sour in her mouth.

On the floor below, people cheered, and her expression pinched into revulsion. She could imagine all of their happy smiles as they prepared themselves for a New Year kiss. Usagi scoffed at the thought, and stomped a heeled foot. She did not like feeling lonely and jealous.

The squeaking of the glass door nearly sent her tumbling over the railing. She grabbed the iron and held tight, suddenly overwhelmed and nervous. Through the cold air, she felt him. Like she always did.

Mamoru leaned against the threshold, arms crossed and hand full with a glass of cider. He wore that crooked, cocky grin, dimples flashing in the darkness. Her heart pressed against her ribcage.

"Now, what would a pretty little girl like you be doing out here all alone?"

Usagi's cheeks flushed, embarrassed that his words flattered her a bit. Her jaw worked for something to say, but when nothing came, she settled for the thick silence.

His grin bloomed into a smile. "It's cold out here. Come inside?" He checked his watch. "Besides, there's only about two minutes let until midnight. Don't you want to see the New Year in with all your friends?"

She decided not to respond, because he was right. She should be in there with her friends, having fun. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. And she wasn't sure why.

Mamoru stepped over to her and sat back against the rail. When she peeked up at him, his eyes looked warm. Tender.

A new blush reddened her neck.

And the countdown began.

Her throat tightened as he flashed a mysterious grin at her, holding up his glass. She could see the stars reflecting in his eyes.

Below them, excited cheers flooded out an open window. "Five! Four! Three! Two! One!"

"Happy New Year!"

And then Mamoru kissed her, tender and soft and as sweet as the cider he had been drinking.

Her glass slipped from her fingers and landed with a twinkling crash, breaking into a thousand sparkling diamonds as she twined her arms around his neck. He pressed her against a sharp point on the railing and spanned a hand across her spine. She could only hope he wouldn't feel the tremors there.

Her head was swimming when he finally pulled away, misted breath mingled between their barely-brushing lips.

His smile was gentle. "Happy New Year."

Usagi gulped, searching his twinkling irises, looking for some sign of a joke, a trick. But she couldn't find one; all she saw was endless anecdotes of... of something. She couldn't think of the word.

Love, maybe?

He kissed her when she didn't respond, and her heart fluttered in tune with his. Fingers entangled with one blonde ponytail, and the sensation made her smile against his lips, delighted and bubbly. Just like the cider.

Mamoru pressed a flurry of kisses on the corner of her mouth, and then on the expanse of skin just below her jaw. His breath fanned over her ear as he spoke, "I've been waiting all year for an excuse to do that."

Usagi regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "All year?"

"All year."

She smiled, threading her fingers with his. "Well, come on, people might start to worry." And as she led him away, feet crunching over the broken shards of glass, she couldn't help but wonder why he had waited so long.