.:Seiya :.

The odango-atama is...interesting, to say the least. If it isn't for the fact that she works with my cousin, I could swear that she appears to be eighteen, if that, considering the reindeer accessories, Christmas shirt, and, hell, even her purse has Christmas trees and wreaths on it! The only people who decorate themselves this much are either kids or seniors. She's an anomaly of something in between.

My cousin, Taiki, is a nurse, like Usagi, plus Taiki has a kid, and even she doesn't go around looking like a walking Christmas tree. Well, at least outside of the ridiculous scrubs she wears to work.

What the hell was Taiki thinking to send me the antler-wearing, apparently-Santa-believing Odango? She even fucking smelled like Christmas - a mixture of sugar, cookies, and cinnamon. I should have stuck to my guns when Taiki first brought this up, but no, if I have a soft spot for anyone, it's my cousins: Taiki and Yaten. Nine times out of ten, I find myself doing shit that I really don't want. Like letting Taiki's overly festive friend live in my damn home.

I step forward, but Usagi doesn't move. "I'm trying to go back to the living room."

She smiles sheepishly and presses herself against the wall. "Oh, right. Sorry."

The sound of her pristinely white sneakers are swallowed up in the carpeting, but I can feel her trailing behind me. I really hope she isn't the kind that needs constant entertaining because that isn't what I want to do when I'm home. Once downstairs, I pick up the remote to un-pause the television.

Usagi, once again, stands awkwardly at the entrance of the living room. "Well, erm... I'm gonna go. I need to check out of the hotel and get my stuff, plus run a few errands. I'll be back later."

I don't glance in her direction but nod, signaling to her that I've heard what she says.

"Do you want me to pick up anything on my way back? Lunch, or any groceries you need?"

I pause my show again. "Why would I need you to bring me lunch?"

She shrugs. "I dunno. You said you didn't cook, so I was just trying to be helpful. I want to be a good roomie while I'm here."

I hit play, and return my attention back to the show. "I'm good, Odango."

"Oh, okay... Well, guess I'll see you later, then."

I suppress my eye roll and, again, nod my head in acknowledgement, waiting for the blessed door to click, indicating that she's gone and I can return to watch the television uninterrupted.

I try to think back to some reason my cousin could be mad at me enough that she would inflict this woman—the embodiment of what years I spent trapped in retail has made my loathe—upon me. The people who start buying Christmas decorations in fucking September. And play holiday music a month too early. It wouldn't surprise me if Usagi has one of those damn red noses on her car, or the antlers...or, hell, possibly both.

I love my cousin, but what the fuck was she thinking?

Not to mention Usagi talks, and talks, and talks. If that is her normal, I'm going to have to start wearing my noise cancelling headphones around the apartment because I like my quiet, which is why I don't want a roommate. But, in Taiki form, she doesn't give a shit about what I want. She knows best, or so she likes to think.

And now I have an odango-atama. And if a name ever fit a person, it's that one.

On the upside, she's easy on the eyes. Her long, honey-golden hair is styled into two hair buns, parallel to each other on her head. That damn cotton tee she wears fits perfectly, hugging her ample breasts and narrow waist. The hem of it stops at her light-washed jeans which are snug to her slightly rounded hips. Top it off with the light makeup, which draws attention to her bright azure eyes and plump lips, and Usagi Tsukino is my catnip.

I have no idea how long she'll be staying, and it's probably a question I should ask, but frankly I'm concerned that it will lead to another long, rambling explanation, and I don't really want to hear it. Either way, I'm stuck for however long, but at least I have some eye candy while she's around.

I have a fucking roommate...

I do find it interesting that Taiki told Usagi that my last roommate moved out instead of actually saying it was an ex-girlfriend. I can only assume the oversight is somehow to make the odango feel less like she's imposing.

I'm deep in my game of Destiny 2, enjoying my peace, when the door bangs open and scares the shit out of me. I rip my headphones off and jump up from the couch. "What the fuck?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! ...Hmm, I don't think that left a mark."

My new roommate shuffles noisily into the apartment, pushing two suitcase and with bags hanging from her arms. She half closes the door so she can check the wall behind it. "Okay, good. No dents, but sorry for the disturbance. My hands are kind of full."

With a heavy sigh I glance at all her stuff, then go over to the couch and pick up my headset. "Hey, I need to get off for a while. See you guys later." After a little more back and forth with my online buddies, I exit the game and toss the controller on the couch.

Usagi groans ad grunts as she tries to get all her belongings in the narrow entryway. Part of me wants to keep listening to the sounds she's making, but I know watching her struggle is an asshole move, even for me. I grab one of the suitcases, push the handle down, and carry it through the apartment.

By the time I return to the front door, she's brought in two more pieces of luggage and five more plastic bags from the local grocery store. She uses her decidedly cute ass to close the front door. "Thanks for helping, Seiya," she says, sounding a little breathless, which has a bigger effect on me than her groaning.

An image of her begging for mercy while my face is buried between her thighs pops into my head out of nowhere... What the hell?

"I left all of my furniture in storage back in my hometown, so I have nothing big, but I did stop at a furniture store and ordered a cheap-ish bedroom set, so that should be coming in a day, or two, which is great. Until then, I had to pick up an air mattress..." Her words trail off as she visibly cringes. "Sorry, I'm rambling again. I tend to do that, but it's just so exciting, don't you think?"

Her incessant talking poofs the inappropriate thought away in a cloud of imaginary dust. It could be worse, she could talk a lot and have an annoying voice, but if I'm looking for a positive, it's that hers is tolerable. Smooth with an almost musical cadence. But that doesn't mean I want to hear it as much as she wants to use it.

I grab two more suitcases and head to her bedroom, with her lugging the biggest one. With each step she makes, she "oohs" and "ahhs", threatening to break my resolve and bring back my earlier thoughts.

"Can you get the rest, Odango, or do you need my help?"

Her smile lights up her entire face. "It'd probably go faster if you helped... I mean... Never mind. I can do it. You can go back to whatever you were doing before. Oh, but wait!"

She whips her Christmas-themed cross body bag around to the front and begins digging through until she produces a white envelope and extends it out to me.

"Here. I went ahead and got rent for the month because I wanted to pay you upfront, so you know that I'm good on my word. There's actually a little more in there, just as a 'thank you' for everything because this whole thing has been so last minute, and I know you didn't ask for it. I'm really appreciative that you're letting me stay here, so you can consider it like a non-refundable deposit for whenever I move out."

Usagi stares at me, her eyes wide and hopeful as she chews on her lower lip. I reach out to take the offered money, blinking slowly. Maybe she's younger than my cousin or maybe not, because Taiki has the same sort of optimistic attitude. I can see how they probably get along.

I shove the envelope into the back pocket of my slacks. "Thanks. I'll let you get settled."

I get get back onto my PS5 when Usagi appears a few moments later and starts gathering plastic bags from the entryway. Moving the other cup so both cover my ears, I'm encased in the blissfulness of noise canceling headphones, with only the sounds of gunfire and people shouting commands, rather than my talkative, new unfortunate roommate.

Even though I try to block her out, I'm acutely aware of every time she grabs a few bags, and goes back to her bedroom, then comes back to take some more. I don't know if she's hoping the multiple trips will entire me to help her, or what, but I do my best to ignore her. And it works... At least, until she comes to stand beside me clutching a white paper bag. She stands there waiting until I finish my mission and removes one side of my headphones.

"Yeah?"

She holds the bag out to me, cheesing from ear-to-ear. "I know you said you didn't want lunch, but I called Taiki to let her know we got things arranged, and I wanted to get you something, so she told me about the amazing donut place you liked. So, I swung by there - she said your favorite were mochi donuts, so I got you a few."

I take the the offered bag of pastries. "You called my cousin and decided to pick me up something, even though I said I didn't want anything?"

Usagi shrugs. "Well, yeah. 'Tis the season for giving, and all. So, anyway, I hope you enjoy them."

She turns on her heel and practically skips out of the room, picking up the remaining bags and sashays her ass toward the kitchen.

I shake my head and open the bag, inhaling the sweet aroma of the mochi donuts from Mama Biscotti's Bakery. The bakery is located on the other side of town, but Usagi has gone out of her way to stop by regardless. I pull one out and take a big bite of the sugary, doughy goodness and glance in the direction she's gone.

She brought me donuts—maybe she won't be so bad to live with, after all.

A/N: I apologize that this chapter isn't as long as the first! But I sat down yesterday and just wrote, and this was the outcome. I have proofread this, but any mistakes noticed are mine.

Hope you enjoy! The next chapter shall be uploaded next Friday, 11/30.

P.S. Thanks for all the reviews/favorite/follows! It means the world to me. :)