25. Caramel Apple
Sailor Raspberry
371 Words

It was gloriously windy outside, he noticed, basking in the delightful feel of the breeze at it sifting in through the open window. The clouds churned, threatening rain, sparking with bursts of lightening. Some stray beams of sunlight found its way through breaks in the clouds, and as he sipped the hot liquid from his mug, he couldn't help but feel at ease.

Something in the kitchen clattered to the floor, followed by a squeal of protest. Mamoru winced, clenching his jaw as he slowly pushed the cup back onto the table. Motoki was peering at him from over the top of a magazine.

"This is your fault."

Motoki rolled his eyes and disappeared behind the paper again.

Peering into his kitchen, Mamoru watched with disdain as Usagi fought with a spoon, hot caramel sticking in globs to the tiled floor. Her friends paid her no heed.

As she stood to her full height, she scooped a bead of caramel from the spoon and pressed it between her lips. The expression that adorned her face proved that the homemade treat was, indeed, tasty.

She reached over the counter and clunked an apple into the steaming syrup. She was dipping her finger back into the bowl of the spoon.

"Ah... Hm. Odango, you should really clean that mess up."

Usagi looked up, guiltily withdrawing a curved fingertip from her mouth.

He suddenly wondered what she would taste like, if he kissed her. If she would taste as good as the caramel she was eating.

"I was going to get to it. Eventually."

"What?"

"I was going to clean it up when I got to it. Goodness! Don't be a nag."

Mamoru relaxed against the doorframe, watching her grab a sponge from the sink. He would be the last to admit that she had a bit of caramel smeared across her cheek.

She pranced back to the counter, removing a glazed apple from a pot and plopping it down on a sheet of wax paper. Her tongue peeked out to lick excess caramel from her fingers.

His laugh wasn't mocking. It wasn't mean, and as he turned to leave to room, she found herself wondering what he could have possibly found so funny.