Title: Christmas Magic Chapter 7
Author: Azn Angel
Email: silver_dragon12@excite.com
Rated: PG

Hiya, minna! I'm working my butt off to finish this fic! It's after the
holidays, so I need to finish this ASAP, or else forever hold your peace
until next Chirstmas!

*bows head* I'm so sorry I didn't finish in time for Christmas. Gomen nasai.
But, hey, I'm using up my only day of the whole year so far (which,in
reality, has only been four days) to type this up! The last few days at 
school, I had homework, homework, homework!

Oh, well, enough of my endless rambling! If you're actually still here, and
reading this, arigatou! I'll try to make it a good chapter!

Disclaimer: Ay, I ran out of ideas, and I'm bone-tired. I don't own Sailor
Moon.
~*~*~*~*

I heard a weak groan. His head lifted. I found myself face to face with...

"Motoki?!" I gasped.

"H-hey, Usagi-chan." he said weakly.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" I helped him up. "Are you OK?"

"I think so." he winced.

"Hey! Motoki!" I heard someone call.

I turned to the voice. 'Oh no!' I thought. 'MAMORU!'

Mamoru jogged up to us. "So, Odango," he smirked. "You're starting to crash
into other people, ne?"

I stared at him, fully seeing the similarities of him and Tuxedo Kamen.

He raised an eyebrow. 

The hair, the eyes, the aura, the personality...

"Odango?"

Scratch that.

I remained staring though. I imagined Mamoru with a top hat and white mask,
and Tuxedo Kamen without his costume, but an olive green jacket, a black 
shirt, and khakis.

The result?

A Mamoru and a Tuxedo Kamen at a costume party dressed like eachother.

Hoo, boy...

I realized Mamoru was waving a black leather gloved hand in my face. I 
blinked. "Huh?"

"Ah, so she speaks." Mamoru said, sliding his hands into his jacket pockets.

"So, Usagi," Motoki smiled at me. "I hear you're going to the masquerade with
the ol' Grinch here."

I blushed. "Nani?"

He nudged me. "Eh, eh, you're going with Mamoru?"

I looked at Mamoru, who was looking at his feet and grinning slightly. Hey,
is that a blush I see?

"Well?" Motoki asked. "Is it true?"

I remained silent. I knew if I said a word, I'd tell Mamoru everything.

I looked to my feet also. Suddenly my boots were very interesting.

"Usagi?"

"Why don't you ask him?" I shot back, meeting Motoki's gaze.

He looked surprised, then said, "I already have. He said to ask you."

I glanced at Mamoru to find him gazing at me. 

What to do, what to do...

I swallowed nervously. "Um, hai..."

"Ha!" Motoki declared. "I KNEW it!"

I did a doubletake. "Wh-wha?

He pointed at the silent Mamoru. "You've ALWAYS denied me, but I KNEW it! I
knew it was true!"

Mamoru glared at Motoki. "I don't know what you're talking about." he said
simply.

Motoki grinned crazily. "Oh, quit your act, I know you do!"

"Do what?" I asked.

"Of course not." Mamoru said with ease.

"Oh, stop lying!" Motoki said, frustrated. "I know the truth now!"

"Nope." I saw a slight hint of nervousness in Mamoru's eyes.

I guess Motoki saw it too. "A~HA! You're nervous!"

Mamoru blinked, and the small show of emotion was gone. He rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, Motoki."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I told Usagi that..." he turned to me.

"IIE!" Mamoru cried.

"...that Mamoru has a crush on you, Usagi-chan."

"I... I..." Mamoru's voice died away as Motoki gave him a triumphant grin.

My eyes widened. "What?" I asked. 

"You heard me!" Motoki said. "Everytime you leave the Crown Parlor, Mamoru's
eyes follow you until you're out of sight."

That's why I felt like I'm watched whenever I exit.

"He stares at you when you and your friends are talking and laughing and
eating and playing games." (AN: OK, OK, I'm making Mamoru sound like a 
stalker, but I don't mean to!)

I looked at Mamoru for his reaction. He was blushing furiously.

"He talks about you and asks about you everyday."

I blinked. Was this all true?

"He gets an insanely jealous look on his face when he sees any guy, even me, 
talk to you or look at you."

"Motoki..." Mamoru finally said quietly.

"Whenever someone walks into the Crown Parlor, and he hears the jingle, 
jingle of the bell on the door, he never looks up. Strangely, he only looks
up when you come in."

"Motoki..."

"And whenever he enters, he looks around the place to see if you're there
yet."

"Motoki..." Mamoru growled.

"And he has that pet name for you, Odango Atama. You may see it as an insult,
but it's really a kawaii 'lil pet name."

"Motoki..." I looked at Mamoru. He looked fiercely angry.

"And-"

"Uh, Motoki, I think you better stop now." I interrupted him.

"Huh?" He took one look at Mamoru, and nodded understandly. "Oh, OK."

"Thank you, Motoki." Mamoru gritted out icily. "Now, if you would excuse
us..." He took my arm and walked off with me. I looked back to Motoki. He 
winked suggestively at me. I blushed.

I turned to look at Mamoru. 'Great, now I'm stuck with my savior/mortal 
enemy/crush-'

'CRUSH?!'

While my brain tried to register that thought, I studied Mamoru's face. It
was hard and stern and angry. Questions filled my mind. Was it all true?

"Um, Mamoru?" I said timidly. "I kind of have to get somewhere..."

He glared at me. I automatically shrunk back in fear. Well, maybe not fear,
but something close.

He let out a sigh. I looked around, suddenly finding the white powder harsh,
for no one was around. 

I shivered, cold and slightly afraid of the hard angry man who held my arm.

I think he felt my shiver, for he glanced at me all of the sudden. Without
warning, he pulled me closer to his warm body and wrapped his arm around me.

The heat spread through me to the tips of my toes. My cheeks and ears felt
hot. My fear of Mamoru vanished.

"Uh, Mamoru?" I asked in a very small voice. "Where are you taking me?"

He gave a small grunt, then said, "You'll see."

We trudged through the snow. I eventually grew tired. I leaned against him,
snuggling into his embrace. He pulled me even closer to him. I breathed in,
scenting the smallest trace of musky cologne.

I yawned. He looked at me, smiling a little. "We're almost there." he said
into my ear. I giggled a little. It tickled.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, we reached... somewhere. All I knew
was that we were in an elevator.

It was warm again, so I wasn't as cold. Mamoru knew it, too, but he didn't 
let go. Happily accepting that I was in my savior's arms, and admitting to
myself that I had a crush on him, I looked up at his face to smile at him.

He gave me a megawatt grin. I nearly melted.

The elevator doors opened. He led me to some door. #1339. He stuck a key in
the lock, and opened the door, guiding me in.

"Oh, is this your home?" I questioned.

"Hai." 

"Oh, it's very nice." I looked around the room, full of impressive tech 
things, like a sterio, a VCR, a boombox, a 26" TV (Impressive!), a DVD
player, and a very comfy looking black couch. There were also many paintings
on the walls, and I recognized a few.

"Oh," I exclaimed softly, walking over to an extraordinary painting that
caught my eye. 

I heard him walking over to me. I looked over my shoulder to see him taking
off his coat. I started to take mine off too, realizing I was slightly hot.

"Here, let me take that." Mamoru said softly, sliding my coat off of my 
shoulders with a surprisingly gentle touch.

I shivered, feeling the warmth of his hands through my shirt. I quickly shook
away that thought. "This is a beautiful painting!" I exclaimed, releasing the 
tenseness in the air.

"Yes," Mamoru agreed. "It is."

We were admiring a crescent moon over an ocean. The colors were remarkable
and so vivid and birght, making me feel like I was seeing the real thing! I
also recognized the style of the piece. "It's a Kaioh..."

"Hai." Mamoru confirmed, sounding surprised. "How did you..."

"How did I know?" I laughed. "I keep up with things too. I'm not as stupid as
everyone thinks I am."

Mamoru remained silent, then left to put up our coats. I walked around the
room, recognizing more Kaioh pieces. She always painted with great colors, 
and something to do with an ocean or water, so any baka with an eye could
recognize her works.

Mamoru came back into the room, asking me if I wanted anything to eat or 
drink.

"Iie." I replied. "Arigatou."

He sat on the couch, and patted the place next to him. I joined him, slightly
further away from him.

"OK." Mamoru sighed. "I guess you're probably wondering whether or not all
that stuff Motoki-baka said was true."

I remained silent, staring at him, waiting for him to go on.

"Well... It... It is." he said just above a whisper.

I let out a breath. 

"I hope you're not angry or anything, but I do really..." Spots of color
appeared on his cheeks, and he seemed to be talking nervously.

I smiled gently at him, and scooted next to his side. "Mamoru... I do too."

He looked at me in wonder. "You do?"

I nodded. 

"Demo, how could you like such a mean, crabby ol' guy like me?" he asked in
slight amazement.

"Don't feel so badly about yourself!" I excalimed. I took his hand in mine.
"You're a great person! Serious, a perfectionist, maybe, but you're so smart,
a-and handsome, and you're a good friend to Motoki..."

I was blushing scarlet red by then, with Mamoru smiling at me. He squeezed my
hand a little. "Thank you." he said quietly.

I understood. No words needed.

He stood up. "Didn't you say you had somewhere to go?"

My eyes widened. "Ohmigosh!" I jumped up. "The sen..." My eyes darted to his.
'Maybe I should tell him?'

"The sen...?" he asked.

"A... A meeting with my friends." I finished weakly.

"Oh." He gave me a strange look.

"Rei-chan gets really angry when I'm late." I explained. 

"Oh..." he nodded. "Well, better let you go, then."

"Yeah..." I said on a wistful note. I wanted to spend more time with him.
But I was already half an hour late.

As I put my coat on, he asked casually, "So, are we still on for the 
masquerade?"

I looked at him. "I don't know. You tell me."

A slow smile spread over his face. "I guess it's a date, then."

I felt myself grinning also. "I guess so." I turned to leave. "Ja ne, 
Mamoru-san."

"Matte!" I turned back around. He gave me a smirk. "Do you even know what day
it takes place?"

I blushed. Again. "Oops."

He gave a laugh. "It's tomorrow."

"TOMORROW?!" I almost shrieked. "I have nothing to wear!"

"Oh, but I do!" Mamoru said smugly. "I have a great tux I can wear."

"I'll bet." I muttered.

A suspicious glint came within his eye. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" I said nervously. 

"Well..." he said. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at half past five. The
masquerade starts at six, and it's a slightly long drive to Motoki's aunt and
uncle's place."

"OK." I agreed. "My address is 2389 Tenshi Path. It's the blue house with
the two decorated Christmas trees around it."

"Tenshi?" Mamoru's voice lingered on the word. "It fits."

I blushed. ~Again~. "Ja ne, Mamoru."

"Ja ne, Usagi-chan."
~*~*~*~*

No cliffhanger! ^_^

Email me! silver_dragon12@excite.com

~*~Azn Angel~*~