10. Sweet Sixteen
Sailor Raspberry
1,262 Words (ouch!)

It was a simple mistake, it was. Saying that there was not one thing pleasant about Usagi was not my fault.

It was a simple slip of the tongue.

And I refuse to have a grudge held over my head for whatever may have come out of my mouth, or may have been written, at that moment.

Because it's plainly obvious that it wasn't my fault.

And Usagi should just move on, because I was forced to say those things. Forced.

I could still remember Motoki standing before the two of us, arms crossed. I would have said something about him looking like a mother if it hadn't been for that crazed gleam in his eyes.

"You two are unbelievable," he said, now pacing back and forth. "Are you trying to drive me insane, hm? Is that it?"

At that moment, I stole a glance at Usagi. Her face was scrunched together in determination; and if I hadn't known better, I would have to say that she was not going down without a real fight.

Although, she did look adorable with her lips formed into a pout and her-.

Did I just say that? Because that wasn't what I meant.

I meant to say that she looked like she just bit deeply into a sour apple. Yeah, that sounds about right...

Anyway, Motoki was ranting about how we always disrupt the tranquility of his arcade and how he always gets the biggest headache after our little spouts. To be honest, I didn't really care about what he had to say. Didn't he know that our catfights were the highlight of my day?

...

Scratch that – Didn't he know that Usagi was just so annoying that I had to figure out a way to get her to shut her trap?

Usagi slammed her fist down onto the counter top, chest heaving. "Motoki-onii-san, you don't understand!" she wailed, withdrawing her hand so she could cross it over her chest. "Mamoru-baka deserved to be slapped after what he said to me!"

Oh, did I forget to say that she slapped me? Well, if I did, then all you need to know is that it felt like heaven...

Motoki turned accusing eyes on me, and I could have sworn I heard his foot tapping.

"What did you say to her, Mamoru-kun?"

I couldn't help the rolling of my eyes. It just seemed appropriate at the time. "It was nothing big, Motoki-san. Odango is just overacting because she knows that I was-."

Motoki growled. Yes, he growled at me.

I sighed heavily, slumping back against the barstool. "I told her that there wasn't one thing pleasant about her," I mumbled, crossing my own arms.

Motoki's expression was, to say the least, astonished. "You are mean," he stated matter-of-factly.

My jaw dropped. Just dropped. And I could feel Usagi shift happily on her own stool beside me. "Who's best friend are you anyway, Motoki?"

But he never answered, because he began rummaging through one of the drawers behind the counter. About a minute later, he was back, carrying a piece of lined paper and a pencil with him.

He slammed it down before me, a determined look on his face. "You're going to write sixteen things about Usagi that are nice."

I stared at him, eyebrows arched. "Sixteen? Why that many?"

Motoki crossed his arms, "Because I said so, and there are many, many, things about Usagi-chan that are likeable. And you're going to list sixteen of them that you like the most."

I heard Usagi giggle, and I shot her a glare. "And what about her? She slapped me. Are you going to do anything about that?"

He simply shook his head, "You deserved it."

I sighed loudly, shifting noisily in my seat before I grabbed the pencil from the counter top. Mumbling the first few things that came to my mind, I poised my pencil against the paper.

Usagi was right up next to me, a goofy smile on her face.

"I'm not going to be able to think of anything with you breathing down my neck like that, Odango," I hissed, curving my arm around the paper.

When she didn't move, I rolled my eyes, scratching out sixteen numbers.

At first, I couldn't think of where to start. Motoki was right; there were way too many things about Usagi that I could like. But, I would never say that out loud.

Never.

I began my list, scribbling out whatever came to mind. It just started flowing.

And flowing.

And flowing.

I even forgot that the subject was hovering over my shoulder, warm breath tingling the base of my neck. And before I knew it, the paper was snatched out from beneath my arm, and Usagi was walking throughout the arcade, reading the paper carefully.

After about two minutes full of gasps and small giggles, she was standing before me, odangos and all. "Do you really think all that, Mamoru-baka?" she whispered, digging her foot into the tiled floor.

I stared dumbly at her, trying in vain to ignore the fluttering of my stomach or the fact that Motoki was watching us like a guard dog.

Before anything registered in my mind, or in her mind, I slipped my arms around her waist and pressed my lips against hers.

The list slipped from her fingers as she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck. I didn't even notice as Motoki snuck up next to us and snatched the paper from the ground, but I didn't really care. Obviously, I was a little preoccupied.

Motoki scanned the list quickly, both eyebrows arched in amusement.

That's was happened.

Seriously, that's exactly what happened.

She had it coming to her, she did. It was her fault I had to write that list. It was her fault I didn't think twice about kissing her. It was her fault that she's just so darn kissable, and we kissed for who knows how long, standing there in the middle of the arcade, holding onto each other.

Her fault; not mine.

Because she's lovable in many, many ways. Way more then sixteen...

You certainly know how to slap a guy, that's for sure.

I like your odangos; they're cute.

You have a pretty laugh.

You'd be a good sprinter; to bad you're such a klutz.

I've felt your hair once or twice, it's pretty soft. Make sure you tell me what conditioner you use.

Your eyes are such a vibrant color of blue. They always amaze me.

For some odd reason, I like how you can drain ten milkshakes at once and still maintain such a gorgeous figure.

You have a kind spirit, despite the fiery tongue you adopt when you come within hearing distance of me.

How can you be so tiny, and yet have such long legs? You'll have to tell me one day.

You have a 100 watt smile that could make a guy melt.

You bring out a different side of me that I didn't know I had. Remind me to thank you one day.

Have you ever told a lie before?

How can you keep such long hair so perfect? If you ever cut it, I won't forgive you.

You smell like strawberries. (I kind of like strawberries...)

You have this way of making me hate you, but still, I can't stand to not see you every day.

You made you fall in love with you... And I have no idea how...