Author: Princess Destiny
Email: In Profile
Author's Homepage: destinysgateway DOT com
Rating: M 15 (For swearing, some adult themes and violence)
Summary: 'One Hour Challenge' #1 and 657 Combined: Response Fanfic. Eleven years ago, Mamoru's father married Usagi's mother. It's now almost Usagi's sixteenth birthday and she has to juggle her secret life as Sailor Moon, on top of school and a job at Motoki's shop. Her life is turned even more upside down when she begins to suspect the masked hero she is falling in love with is actually her awful step-brother! Genre: Romance/UST/Comedy/Adventure/Action/Angst
Couple: Usagi/Mamoru
Category: SMTK
Chapters: 21/?
Status: Unfinished
Year Completed: N/A
Size: 536 KB
Comments: Hi everyone! I know it's been a few months since I posted for this Fanfic, but a lot has been going on in my personal life and I was depressed and couldn't write a thing. But I was thinking about this storyline that whole time, and I finally began to write again today. I knew what scenes had to come, but had to figure out what order I should do them in. This Chapter turned out way more emotional than intended, but it's all good.
Things are really heating up for Mamoru and Usagi, and they finally admit their attraction to each other. Well, their alter egos. Be prepared for a whole load of angst, with a battle or two thrown in before the Fanfic ends in a couple of Chapters. I can't say exactly how many, but some things will be partly resolved before I start the sequel. :)
Note: For those who have asked why this Fanfic is rated M. Well, it was T, but someone suggested that I raise the rating because of some of the suggestive adult themes. There will be violence in the next Chapter or two also. The M 15 rating I have above is the old rating system, which basically covers the same as FF DOT net's rating. If I have a lemon, which it will be in the sequel, then I'll put the rating above as NC 17 . :)
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A KISS IN THE DARK
By Princess Destiny
Chapter Twenty-One
Mamoru had a relaxing coffee and a cheerful conversation with his mother. And then he headed up to his room to get in some studying.
About two hours later, he realised that he had been irritably scratching the side and back of his neck. There was a feeling there as if every hair on his skin had risen. "Hair-raising-what do they call that? A foreboding of something to come? A bad feeling that something is about to happen?" He murmured to himself, a little perplexed. He put down his pen and stretched his arms over his head to relieve the weird feeling, and the tenseness of his muscles.
Because his sister and he had finally-sort of-made up, the upperclassman was able to totally focus on things again. Like homework.
Blue eyes glanced sideways towards the window, where it was up and a nice cool breeze blowing inside. It was a sweltering day, but somehow soothing. "I really should-talk to Usagi about things." He mused aloud, blue eyes thoughtful. He picked up a pen from the table and twirled it about on his hand for a little while as his mind went over what they would discuss.
Definitely, nothing should be mentioned about his lousy behaviour towards someone he had always considered as his sister.
Although, lately...he had also been thinking hard on the fact that they were not actually blood-related. And if their father had anything to do with it, they may not be even a family for too much longer. His mother knew it too. But Shingo and Usagi were oblivious. They were happy in their family, and didn't see disaster heading their way. It would break Mamoru's heart to be the one to tell them, if their parents would not.
"Mom, I think I'll go and meet Usagi," He called out, getting to his feet. He headed into the closet for his favourite green jacket-a jacket that Usagi said made her ill, but that was one of the reasons he wore it, just to annoy her-and then he went downstairs and left the house and headed towards the temple.
Certainly, if they didn't discuss their strained relationship, then they could at least talk about their lives as superhero's. He wanted badly to know just how she had become Sailor Moon right under his nose. How had Mamoru not even had a clue that his step-sister was the young girl he rescued in battle? Most likely, it was because when he felt Sailor Moon in danger, she was already transformed. Usagi had never been around at the time, but now that made perfect sense.
His alter ego was something that he had always intended to hide completely from his family, but now things had changed. Mamoru had to keep it all bottled up inside, not even able to tell Motoki, his best friend. Now that he knew his sister was Sailor Moon, he would finally have someone to talk to! The relief he felt was tremendous.
The dark-haired man made his way through the town, lost in thought. After half an hour, it occurred to him that he had not asked Usagi just where the heck she had gone for this meeting. "Damn it." He muttered, running a hand over his face. He stared about him in surprise when he realised he was in the thick of the shopping district; he had wandered there without thinking.
Mamoru reached for his cell phone and then paused. He was Tuxedo Kamen, right? He was able to track down Sailor Moon when she was in danger, no matter where she was. Was it possible that he could sense his step-sister if he really concentrated and she wasn't transformed? Since finding out her secret identity as the girl he had uncertain, yet romantic, feelings for, it had crossed his mind that he found her and the battle awfully easy. Without thinking about it, even.
"So..." He said hesitantly, eyes narrowing. "I have a bond with her, and I should technically be able to hunt her down without the Dark Kingdom attacking."
Sure, easier said than done. The upperclassman reached out with his senses, and searched bit by bit over the city. He had a few false starts, and had walked in three different directions until he felt a familiar tug on his heart. It hit him like a freight train and he gasped, clutching at his chest. Oh yeah, that was Sailor Moon alright!
The thing was, he could have done this at any time, but their unspoken agreement to not find out each other's real identities had stopped him dead. The Senshi and he had a deal, that they would not try to follow him after battle, and he would do the same.
But the bets were off now. Usagi was his to protect-! His little sister, that is. "As a brother," He said hastily, striding in the new direction that he was sure was her presence. "Completely as a concerned brother, and as Tuxedo Kamen protecting Sailor Moon." Mamoru ground out through clenched teeth, as if he had somehow betrayed himself again. Yep, their bond was purely platonic, and sibling-like.
He dwelt over that fact for a few moments, valiantly trying to keep his mind blocked from the memory of his lips on hers. It was a part in their lives that they would always deny happened, and always be smothering feelings about.
His internal battle with himself lasted for another twenty minutes, and then to his surprise, he found himself at the bottle of Rei's Temple.
Mamoru gazed up the many stairs, completely poleaxed. "Surely, the Senshi meeting isn't over? And if that is so, then this is where the meeting is," The dark-haired man muttered, feeling incredulity fill him. "So, if this is where the meeting is...then Rei must be a Senshi, or knows the Senshi." Which meant, well damn, it should have been obvious to him already.
Usagi's best friends were the other Senshi! Ami, Rei and Makoto. When he thought about it, they did match their Senshi counterparts in looks and personality. But until you knew their real identities, it was all hidden.
"And I want to be a doctor?" He berated himself, with a sardonic look in his dark blue eyes. "Wonderful deductions there, Watson! Of course, if Usagi were Sailor Moon, the friends she hung out with had to be the Senshi!" No doubt, it hadn't been obvious before because of some sort of glamour. He had it to hide his identity from the Senshi, and he now knew that they had the same thing.
Mamoru hesitated and then sat down on the bottom stair. If the other Senshi knew that he was aware of their secret, they would not be pleased at either Usagi or himself. Maybe he should go back to town and meet her there 'accidentally'? No, if Usagi and he were to be completely open about their secrets and the Dark Kingdom, then this was a good start.
Usagi felt the presence of her step-brother a few seconds before she saw him. Her feet faltered on the stone steps and their eyes met for a long moment. Damn it, how had he found her here, and what did he want?
She wasn't a stupid girl, despite her air-headed nature, and it clicked immediately that if Mamoru was there, then he was aware of who the Senshi really were. If he had followed her, it would have occurred to him right away that this was Rei's Temple, and if a meeting were there for the Senshi...
Her expression darkened and she skipped down a dozen steps to him, using her superior height to loom over him threateningly. "What the hell are you doing here, brother?" She demanded, crossing her arms.
Mamoru's mouth quirked in amusement. The blonde had stopped a few steps above him, and seemed to be taking some delight in being the one to stare him down from above for once. Oh well, if it made her happy. "Odango," He murmured, raising a hand to block out the sun. Unfortunately, she had the brightness right behind her shoulders.
"Did you follow me?" Usagi glared at him, looking right into his eyes for the first time in a week. It seemed childish now for them to avoid all contact. After all, it had been an accident-sort of-and they were both adults. They had bigger things on their shoulders, such as the Dark Kingdom.
Her expression of ire faltered and she stumbled down another two steps till she was right in front of him, and their faces were on level. "Is there trouble?" She asked him, almost whispering. She threw a look over her shoulder to make sure that none of the others had left yet.
The dark-haired man's eyebrows rose and he eyed her consideringly. Her words had been very telling. Even if she was still angry at him, she now viewed him as Tuxedo Kamen and trusted his instincts. "No, nothing like that," He said, smiling at her. "Although I have been getting this weird uneasy feeling all morning." He went on, tilting his head to the side as he once again went through his senses.
"You too?" The blonde blurted out. She frowned, and stepped about him, heading towards the street. She paused to allow him to catch up, and the two of them turned towards home absently. "A sort of tingly feeling around the neck and shoulders, like...someone is watching you, or something?" Usagi added, trying to make sense of the feeling herself.
Mamoru nodded, walking slowly by her side to allow her shorter legs to keep up. She didn't need to the help though, since she was called 'the bullet' due to her unnatural speed, especially when rushing to school. Now that he knew she was Sailor Moon, her running speed made complete sense, as well as her ability to leap over high objects in a single bound, such as the school gate. Boy, that one had shocked the heck out of him!
The Senshi of the Moon bit her lip, looking concerned. "Did we slip up?" She whispered, paling. Her blue eyes flittered about her nervously and she took an unconscious step closer to Mamoru. To her shock, his warm arm slid about her shoulders. She flinched, but a quick look at his hard expression revealed that he had meant it to be comforting. They had to get over what had happened the other week. Their close relationship as siblings depended upon it. And so, she relaxed into his side, feeling comforted. It wasn't like he had never hugged her before.
He was more delighted than he could ever had expressed that she didn't fling his arm off. The dark-haired man had felt his step-sister's flinch as his arm closed about her shoulders, but then she had relaxed. "I'll protect you." Mamoru told her gently, despite the ice-cold look in his eyes as he looked about. The Dark Kingdom was somewhere around and the both sensed it.
It wasn't any mistake that Sailor Moon was usually the one to stumble onto a plot by the Dark Queen to collect energy, and she was sure that Tuxedo Kamen had also always felt that pull. The other Senshi, to lesser degrees, were the same. "Should we check it out?" She asked her step-brother, not liking the idea, but knowing that she had a duty.
"I can't quite pinpoint it, can you?" Mamoru replied, with a frown between his brows. Actually find the Dark Kingdom before they openly attacked people? What a novel idea. He hadn't thought of using it before. "You have Rainbow Crystals, right?" He asked Usagi tentatively, not sure if she wanted to be this open with him. Until recently, they had been on opposing sides of the fence, and they were on a sort of truce right now.
Usagi glanced up at him with a sidelong look. He looked determined and completely serious. She hadn't tracked down the Dark Kingdom on her own before, but since he was with her... "I have two, and you have three." She murmured, hoping she wasn't betraying her Senshi. But even if he was the unknown mystery man who rescued her, and stole their Rainbow Crystals, he was her brother. "It won't be for energy, I don't think. They must be after a Rainbow Crystal." She went on. "I can use the Moon Wand to try and track it."
"The Moon Wand? It tracks Rainbow Crystals?" He said in surprise. His mouth fell open as she made a reaching movement and the wand dropped into her hand from thin air. The Senshi had those little spacial pockets too, huh? Well, he was leaning more every day.
"Well, it tracks the Crystal Carriers," Usagi corrected her brother lightly. She waved it about left and right, trying to get a reading. "You know, the humans that the Rainbow Crystals are in?"
"Right," He nodded, eyeing the wand with unfeigned interest. Her movements became rather irritated after ten minutes, and Usagi finally put it back into her sub-space pocket, giving a deep sigh. "Nothing at all?" Mamoru was rather dismayed at the results. Both he and his step-sister were sensing Dark Kingdom agents about in the city, but were unable to pinpoint it exactly. This meant that until Zoisite wanted them to know she was there, they would not be able to find her.
"Not a damn thing!" The blonde girl growled, unamused. So much for initiative! Looking for the Dark Kingdom on her own did exactly zip. Ami would have been very handy right about then, but she would have had to learn about Mamoru. Usagi looked up into his face appealingly. "Do we really need to hide all our secrets now? We could use the other Senshi. Mercury's computer is amazing."
Mamoru's face closed up, and he reluctantly slid his arm from about her shoulders. Were they going to argue again? Not that they didn't do this all the time anyway, but the more serious fight of the last week was still a sore point. When his sister didn't want to have anything to do with him,she excelled in a way that she had never in school. He sighed deeply. "I'd rather the others not know who I am for now," He said curtly, stopping right in the middle of the sidewalk and turning to her.
"But why? You're my brother. The Senshi are my best friends!" And she had totally just given away their secret identities by admitting this. But Usagi was sure that Mamoru had figured it out already since he had been at Rei's Temple waiting for her to emerge from her Senshi meeting.
"And they have never trusted me," He answered back rather heatedly. "If they knew it was me, they would be even more wary about me. How on earth can I protect you, if your Senshi are keeping me away? Not to mention we have to live under the same roof."
The blonde stared at him mutely. He had a valid point. But she still didn't like it at all. "You've been keeping secrets from me, and I've been keeping secrets from you." Her lips firmed. "I think we should have a long talk, Mamoru." Her tone was hesitant.
Mamoru nodded. "How about we go to the park and get an ice-cream?" He offered, with a grin.
She eyed him askance. Her jerk of a step-brother was offering to treat her? "How suspicious." She murmured, following after him obediently when hesitated walking again. Was the world ending tomorrow?!
But at least their relationship seemed to be back to normal. Sort of. With additions, that is, considering that she knew he was the superhero she had been crushing on for the last few months. Oh dear, what a mess that was. She'd have to give him up and find someone else.
'Someone better than Tuxedo Kamen? Is that even possible?' How completely depressing that the guy she had a lot of feelings for turned out to be her step-brother. Damn it, why hadn't there been any clues? How the heck did one become attracted to a sibling, even if his face had been hidden. Shouldn't there have been some clue that he was 'hands off'?
Mamoru glanced down at Usagi's expression, and he saw that she looked rather peeved off about something. Had it been something he'd said? "You don't look happy, Odango Atama." He teased her, bumping his hip into hers deliberately.
The blonde broke out of her depressing-and very revealing-thoughts, a guilty look in her eyes. "Umm, just thinking. Nothing important." She lied smoothly with a shrug. His eyes showed that he didn't believe her, but to her relief, he didn't push it. "So umm, how long have you been Tuxedo Kamen?" She asked him, wondering how she could ever have mistaken Mamoru for anything but the superhero who rescued her. He had the same eyes, the same build, the same same dark hair. Heck, even their voices were similar, although Tuxedo Kamen's tones were usually a little deeper. Was this on purpose?
"About Seven months," He said absently, wondering how long she had been Sailor Moon.
"Same here," She murmured back in surprise. "About the same time, huh? But then, that's when the Dark Kingdom first attacked. That we know of."
"Naru's jewellery store? Or should I say, her mother's." He remembered that night well, although it had been another two months before it all became clear. His blackouts had wiped his memory for a long while, until the day he held the Rainbow Crystal in his hands and all became clear. It had been scary to him, not knowing why he did not remember being somewhere, or doing something. Mamoru had blamed his migraines for a lot. How stupid that had been! "Was that your first time?" He blurted out.
"The jewellery store and that Youma? Yeah." She smiled as she recalled how supportive Tuxedo Kamen had been. "Luna gave me this broach and told me to transform. Then she threw me in to face the youma without even a manual!" Usagi put a hand over the golden broach attached to her chest to indicate that this had been the one her cat gave her. She flushed slightly as his dark-blue eyes followed the movement, an indefinable look in his eyes that made her body heat up for some reason.
Good god, he had not just checked out his step-sister's breasts. Nope. Mamoru slapped a hand over his eyes, almost crashing head-first into a light-pole in the process. A vision of two creamy mounds riding over her pink shirt burnt into his retinas. His blood burnt for a moment, and he had completely forgot he was staring at his sister's breasts. She was really beautiful, Usagi.
"Shit! Shit!" He growled, turning away from her. It was just like the other week! Had he leant nothing? Damn it, what was wrong with him? Was it because he knew she was Sailor Moon? No, he had started to be 'aware' of Usagi for weeks now. There had to be something seriously wrong with him.
The small blonde watched all of this with wide eyes. Surely he wasn't beating himself up over an accidental glance at her chest? "Mamoru?" She said quietly, putting a hand on his arm. Was he having as much trouble with her being Sailor Moon, as she was him being Tuxedo Kamen? She had never been entirely sure if he had feelings for her alter-ego until that kiss. Perhaps he was now viewing her differently than a brother, as she was as a sister. This was...a big problem.
"I know it's hard-" She began. To her shock, he jerked away, eyes wide with horror.
"Excuse me?" Mamoru choked out, shifting surreptitiously away from her. Was she really referring to...? Good god, no Usagi would never say something so crude. It was just his overactive imagination getting away from him. The look in her eyes was bewildered, and suddenly he was very ashamed for his stray dirty thoughts. This was his sister for crying out loud!
"It's hard forgetting what happened in your room when I gave you the rose," The blonde went on after an uncomfortable long moment. Mamoru's eyes had seemed to burn into her for a few seconds there, a completely unfamiliar look in his blue eyes. It rooted her feet to the spot and made the blood rush to her cheeks, though she had no idea why. "But not impossible, right? We just go on as we did before. Odango Atama and the jerk." Her look was almost pleading.
It wasn't possible that...they were attracted to each other, even though they knew they couldn't be? The two stared at each other in disquiet, the same thought crossing their minds. As one, they both turned and started to walk again, silent as the grave. This was a problem. A big messy problem.
"It was hard alright," Mamoru muttered to himself, cursing his weakness. Damn it, but he was really just a horny teenager after all, and unfortunately Usagi was Sailor Moon. The girl he had a big thing for. It would take a while to get used it. "I'm sorry," He said abruptly to his step-sister. "It's more difficult than I considered, since as you know, I have feelings for Sailor Moon. She just happened to be you under that glamour."
And if she had been any other girl, things might have progressed to dating by now.
Usagi choked on that one. He had come right out and admitted he had feelings for her alter ego? Before now, they had both been avoiding the topic. Why was Mamoru being so open? Surely it was embarrassing the hell out of them both. Or was he turning over a new leaf by setting out all their problems on the table, and then making an effort to go on with their lives?
'How much feelings did he have for Sailor Moon exactly?' She blushed despite herself, and inched away slightly when her hand accidentally brushed his at their sides. "Yeah," She said awkwardly, a hand going to the back of her neck in a nervous manner. "I sort of have the same problem for Tuxedo Kamen." So it was a problem now? Her crush on the older man had never been an issue before, since she was sure he would never act on anything between them. The hero was cold as ice sometimes, but other times, they way he looked at her...
And it was horrid that it was Mamoru under that mask! Completely unacceptable and well, heartbreaking really. He was the first guy she had ever really adored, baring that slight crush on Motoki many months ago. As soon as the dark hero had come onto the scene, her heart was lost. Usagi really wanted to cry right about now.
And poor Mamoru was having the same dilemma. It was sort of like Romeo and Juliet, with a really bizarre twist thrown in.
The two muddled over that big confession on their part for a few minutes, uncertain about what to say. It had been sort of good to clear the air though.
"You know that I never viewed you as anything but a sister until last week, right?" Mamoru suddenly said, voice urgent. He still couldn't look into her eyes while saying all this and the air between them was very strained and embarrassed. He had lied though. It had gradually crept into his mind over several weeks now, maybe even a month, that he was finding little things about his sister fascinating. Her beautiful hair that he had always teased her about. Her long legs. Sometimes, even the way she fought with him was a turn on-
'No! It was absolutely not like that.' He thought in disbelief. Damn it, perhaps he needed a girlfriend. Yes! A girlfriend. ASAP. Otherwise he could never live under the same roof as his step-sister again without viewing her differently.
"Same here," Usagi said quickly. But she wasn't saying the whole truth really. For a little while now, she had started to like little things about her brother that a sister probably shouldn't have. His muscled chest had actually made her breath catch in her throat. The softness of his dark hair. The way his eyes somehow softened when he looked at her, although it had been purely platonic. "You're only my brother, and it will stay that way." She said firmly, shoving all the other thoughts of the background. She would not continue to think this way and destroy their relationship as siblings.
He wouldn't be the one to destroy what they had as siblings. It was very clear to him now that he was confused inside, and it was only because of the fact that she was Sailor Moon. On some level, he must have known it was her. Why else would he be feeling this way? It didn't make any sense, since Usagi had been brought up to be his sister. And she would remain as that, no matter what happened to his family situation. Right?
'But once dad divorces mom, we won't really be related any more.' He hated himself right then, for the thought crossing his mind! Loathing filled his eyes and he turned away from her. "I'm sorry Usagi, but can we get that ice-cream later on?" He said without looking at her. There was a silence.
"Sure," Usagi said awkwardly, eyes filling. Things had been looking up, but now they were even worse! Were they going to not talk to each other again? Avoid being around the other?
"Usagi. My dear little sister," The dark-haired man said clearly, a plan forming. "I'm going to get a girlfriend." It was the only way to stop these senseless feelings for his step-sister. He already had someone in mind. Someone who had always had a crush on him, but that he had trampled on any feelings for previously.
"What?!" The blonde's mouth dropped in complete shock and her hands went to her mouth. "You're what?" She stammered out, mind going blank. He wasn't-serious? Mamoru had never dated. He had been waiting for that special someone to come along, just as she had. To have him say this, and do it, just to smother up any feelings they might be developing for each other. She couldn't let him do it. But she also didn't have the courage to tell him not to...
Mamoru laughed without real amusement, finally turning to meet her wounded gaze. Usagi knew he had been waiting for his soulmate to come along some day, but he needed to do this. If only she wasn't looking at him like that! Like she was totally responsible and was saddened beyond repair. "Don't look at me like that. My stupid ideas of the perfect girl coming along have already been dashed." He stopped his words dead then, a little horrified that he had admitted that much. She didn't need to know just how much Sailor Moon meant to him.
"I'll find a nice girl and try my best to fall in love with her." He said wryly. Oh yes, he would try, but his heart wouldn't quite be in it. But he wasn't going to go there, either in thought or deed. "You watch Usagi, we'll totally forget that Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen ever had feelings for each other. Things will go smoother when I'm thinking of another girl, and we can fight the Dark Kingdom more strategically." He was utterly determined!
He was walking backwards, away from her as he said this. Usagi took a step towards him, but then stopped. "Mamoru, you idiot. You don't need to go that far!" She almost shouted at him. "We're both adults and can figure this out." Was it as serious as he was thinking it was? It was-only a crush on their parts, right? Not actual love.
"It's the best thing," He countered, lips twisting. Yes, the best and most honourable thing to do. It was only a fad, this crush on Sailor Moon. He could find a better girl, and stop thinking about his step-sister as he aught not to. "Hey, we'll talk tonight about our secrets over a cocoa or something, okay?" Mamoru told her, giving his usual mocking smile.
The blonde watched as he was swallowed into the crowd of shoppers, and she felt like she wanted to sink down to the ground and bawl her eyes out. Mamoru was sacrificing his happiness. "It isn't fair." She whispered, wrapping her arms about herself. What cruel twist of fate had made her and Mamoru be related by marriage, yet attracted to their alter egos?
To Be Continued...
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Princess Destiny