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Friday the Thirteenth by AngelMoon Girl

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~Friday the Thirteenth~

Chapter 9: "Lights Out, Shadows About"

"Usagi-chan," Makoto said patiently. "Do you think I would have accepted Minako-chan's kiss if I'd had a say in the matter? No. It's the same for you as it was for us, hon."

"But-" Usagi started to sob, only to be broken off by Ami's chary suggestion that it would be easier if she just got it over with. The blonde sighed miserably, looking up at Mamoru bashfully through her eyelashes. She could already feel heat emanating off her cheeks. Mamoru, for his part, looked rather nonchalant about the whole ordeal, though Usagi swore there was a constriction to his emotionless features. His apathy irked her; she wanted to know if he was disgusted, anxious, or even eager at the prospect. Dammit, why did the man always have to wear a mask!?

Unbeknownst to Usagi, Mamoru was having a mental discourse of his own as he slipped off the coach and knelt down in front of the delicately blushing fourteen-year-old. He took a deep breath as Usagi cleared her throat awkwardly, hands clenched into fists and eyes averted in embarrassment. How the hell should he go about this? Damn, why had the bottle chosen *her*, Odango, of all people? He liked their relationship just the way it was! This kiss...

Would it... change everything?

And-

How would she feel about him after this? Mamoru's fingers trembled ever-so-slightly as he gripped Usagi's shoulders and moved in. Her face was warm, and Usagi looked close to hyperventilation as his lips, soft and feathery, touched her own. And then, it happened, for the second time in Mamoru's life:

A fantastic pyrotechnic display. Brilliant white light, exploding into his mind and spreading a tidal wave of tingles down his body. It was magical. It was erotic.

And, in the midst of sensation overdose, Mamoru realized... it was Usagi. He was experiencing a kiss of heart-pounding proportions with *Odango Atama*. Not some random party guest who looked like the princess; no, this time... it was Odango. The girl he tormented daily, whom destiny seemed to have thrown into his path every morning. His bane, his nemesis, his bugbear.

Surprised, but refusing to end such an unexpected rush of pure bliss, Mamoru deepened their connection. He was undeniably taken aback when Usagi, previously stiff as a rod, relaxed into his grasp. Could she feel it too, this powerful link that seemed to exist between them? Was her pulse performing erratic flips like an overzealous gymnast; was fire racing through every vein beneath that creamy, velvet skin?

Unfortunately, all good things cannot last forever, and the pair had to sever their mind-blowing kiss for oxygen eventually. Mamoru appraised Usagi, still reeling, and saw that she too had a dazed expression marring her countenance. With great reluctance, he pulled away from her and slunk back to the coach. The college student could sense more than see the stares of the others.

"Well that was awfully long," Rei commented airily, as if she were capitulating a fact of little significance to the group. Mamoru ignored her, watching Usagi for some sort of reaction other than shock.

"I hope I didn't offend you," he muttered in apology, seeking out her azure orbs. "I just... I wasn't sure how long we were supposed to draw it out... I-"

"You're... a pretty good kisser," Usagi finally spoke, traces of bewilderment still lingering in her voice. "... for a baka."

And Mamoru smirked, suddenly glad their relationship had not been compromised... too terribly, at least. There was something strangely amusing in how he could rile that girl up with but a few well-chosen words. Perhaps he was addled in the head, finding entertainment in the way beautiful splotches of color rose in that particular female's cheeks. Or maybe just perverted, because he thought a teen vastly younger than himself was cute when she fell prey to anger, even... *attractive*, at times. Either way, Tsukino Usagi had somehow and inadvertently crept past the wall he'd placed protectively around his heart, and he did not want to let what they had- or even what they *didn't* have- go.

Loneliness was no longer an option.

The mood was shattered when an insistent wailing sounded from high above. Mamoru and Usagi shared a glance, sighing.

"Koto-chan," they stated simultaneously, and Usagi graced Mamoru with a funny eyebrow cock.

"What?" Mamoru queried, nonplussed.

"You owe me a soda, pal."

"What!?"

"Haven't you ever heard the expression 'Jinx, you owe me a soda'?"

"No," Mamoru answered stonily, a little affronted. How the hell did she expect him to keep up with current fads among the youth? He *did* have a life, you know. "I'll see to Koto-chan. You stay with your friends."

"Okay," the fourteen-year-old responded, unconsciously licking her lips. She could still taste him as Mamoru ambled up and from the room, intent on maintaining that little piece of what had been brief, unadulterated rapture. It had been like chemical reaction; like discovering two corresponding parts of the same puzzle.

Could she and Mamoru be a... romantic match?

Usagi stifled a gasp, shielding her features in an attempt to hide her latest crimson flush. The idea seemed so far-fetched, but people always *did* claim opposites attracted... she just never thought the aphorism would apply to her and the jerk! Or... could it? The blonde wanted to groan; to ruminate this new development... *anything* but sit here and wait for Mamoru's return in the middle of four achingly curious Senshi.

Too bad her ebullient companions had other plans. Usagi shrank back in a sudden onslaught of claustrophobia as she looked up and realized the girls had completely surrounded her, leaving no possible space for escape.

"Usagi-chan," Minako chirped, entirely too sweetly. Usagi cowered a little more; it was never a good sign when Minako's eyes simmered with the ghost of a plot. Not. at. all. "We've all got a *burning* question to ask you..."

Was sinking into the floor humanly achievable yet?

oOo

Mamoru released a breath with a tremendous whoosh of air, trying to clear his mind of all things Odango. Thinking about her had only succeeded in sending his brain winding in circles, boggling the man to the point of impending migraine. He had finally realized it was better to just stuff the issue of the kiss into a shadowy recess somewhere, leaving it to fester until he had time to sort out the foreign emotions regarding one Tsukino Usagi. It had to be healthier than simply stewing... right?

Kotono's crying escalated as Mamoru reached her door, and he quietly eased himself into her bedroom so as to not frighten the child.

"W-w-who's there? Mama?" Kotono bawled into the darkness, and Mamoru quickly flicked on the light.

"Shh, it's just me, Koto-chan. Mamoru," aforementioned ebony-head elucidated, gesturing to his face with a soothing disposition about him.

"Mamo-chan?" Kotono sniffed, blinking rapidly to adjust her eyes. Her fists chafed at belligerent tears still pouring down her ruddy pink cheeks.

"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Mamoru asked, coming over and perching himself beside the two and a half year old.

"No. I woked up and saw shadows on the lawn," Kotono hiccuped, pointing toward her window that showcased a small patch of backyard and the sprawling forest beyond. Mamoru pat down her messy brown locks with a paternal smile.

"You don't have to be afraid, Koto-chan. I'm sure it was just a nighttime animal," he assuaged. Kotono shook her head passionately, eyes wide.

"It was big!" she explained in hushed tones. "Not like raccoon. Mama shows me raccoon. They little. Shadow was *big*."

Mamoru furrowed his brow, but then he made a noise of revelation. "You probably saw our figures from the downstairs windows, then. See how the lamplight floods onto the grass? We probably walked by the window and you saw our shadow."

Kotono still didn't appear swayed, but she let Mamoru lay her back down against the pillows. He continued stroking her hair as she yawned sleepily. "It's late, Koto-chan. Your Mama will be home in a few hours. Just close your eyes now, okay? Everything's-"

Suddenly, the lights flickered, once... twice... and then failed entirely. A chorus of screams resounded from below, drifting up through the floorboards in mockery of horror movie wont. Mamoru tensed, frozen in the parturition of utter fear and worried sick about what had just occurred beneath his feet. Surely... surely they were only being typical scared females? Nothing... nothing terrible was happening...

'... Odango...'

Kotono bolted up, shaking and sobbing in fright renewed. She clawed at Mamoru's arm, yelling for her mother as Mamoru tried to make sense of it all in his own haze of anxiety. "Koto-chan, calm down, it's... it's just a power failure, but I'll need to fix it for the lights to come back on. Sweetheart, you need to let me go... I'm going to fix it..." Kotono complied, but her tremors refused to cease. Mamoru rubbed her shoulders consolingly. "Shh, it's alright, it's only the dark... hide under the covers if you're afraid and I'll be right back once I see what's up... I can send one of the girls to watch you, huh? Koto-chan?"

Instead of replying, Kotono threw the sheets over her head, bed now a shivering mass. Mamoru took this for compliance, touching the girl one last time before standing. Gulping down his own dread, Mamoru scolded himself for the way his legs shuddered. He was Tuxedo freaking Kamen, he could hold his own in battle and power outage alike. 'Stop behaving like a baby, Chiba!' Mamoru steadied himself with a strained inhale, crossing the room and stumbling upon the door by memory. It discomfited him that all had gone eerily silent downstairs, and the creak of his exit made the eighteen-year-old even more wary. Images of Usagi in the clutches of her elusive "serial killer" were, oddly, the first that jumped to mind as Mamoru sneaked out into the hall. He braced himself for attack, spurred by concern as Usagi struggled in his mind's eye. Mamoru mentally chided himself for conjuring the fatalistic fantasies when the solution was simple: Check on his partner, examine the electrical box, be the hero as luminescence returned, then comfort poor Kotono. Cut and dried. So... why was he making a mountain out of a molehill? Why did the scene of Usagi and a murderer in voracious skirmish continue to plague him? What was this premonition of looming danger?

There was a loud reverberation from what sounded like beneath the stairwell itself. Mamoru started, nearly bounding a foot in the air. His breaths came in startled gasps and he had to quell rising terror in his gut a second time.

'Dammit, what is it now?' Mamoru inched over to the banister and peeked into the entrance hall-

Nothing, only three shafts of moonlight pooling upon the ecru-hued rug from the front door's windows. Knowing the risk involved in calling out, Mamoru decided he would use the quiescence to his advantage and soundlessly descend the stairs. 'Search out the girls, fix the electricity, reassure Koto-chan,' Mamoru repeated to himself. It was becoming his mantra. 'Cut and dried.'

Again, a bump pierced the foreboding quiet. Mamoru jerked his head over the railing, astonishment throbbing through his veins. It was coming from the small closet beneath the stairs... someone was *in. the. closet*!

"Holy shit," the man hissed, wasting no time wallowing in the maelstrom of shock that followed. "Holy shit!"

Mamoru hastened over to the cupboard-esque space within seconds, fingers quivering like leaves heaving in a searing gale as he fiddled with the latch. To hell with serial killers... One of the girls was trapped and a damsel in distress *always* came before enemy thrashing! With an almighty wrench, Mamoru flung the closet door open and a limp body toppled straight into his arms.

"Odango!?" Mamoru exclaimed harshly, forgetting the fact that he was supposed to be making as little extra noise as possible. Nothing else registered but the warm figure draped face-down in his lap. Terrified beyond words at what he would find, Mamoru turned Usagi over with a frantically pounding heart. An alarmed and very emotional cry rent loose from his throat at the sight of Odango Atama- the girl he had kissed only twelve minutes before- lying unmoving, face slack... eyes closed... and throat slit.

~o~o~

A/N: *Cough* This is why you do not know where my house is. Otherwise, I would fear for my life tonight :P

Reviews would motivate me to give all you breathless readers a meaning to my madness... But, er, no death threats hahaha! I will update as soon as possible, for fear of sending one of you Moonie fans into cardiac arrest or something from the suspense XD

Until next time,

~AngelMoon Girl

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