What Men Want by Lady Aisheteru Email: Lady_aisheteru@hotmail.com Website: http://www.oocities.org/anniemaniac_99/index.html Lady Aisheteru: I just went sledding today!  My hair is nappy, my mascara is streaky, and...I’m a coughing mess.  But I had FUN, minna! Also, I got to go with some friends and the guy I like!  SUGOI!  What does this have to do with my fic?  Well, you’ll see.  Ja minna!  ^_* Standard disclaimers go here. ~*~ around a person's name denotes point of view.  For example, ~*~Mamoru~*~ denotes Mamoru's POV. ' ' denotes thought. Chapter 3 - You Made Me Love You ~*~Usagi~*~ Bored.  Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored. Hey, ever notice that if you say a word enough times it starts to sound weird?  ......... Well, anyways, where was I?  Oh yes.  I was bored. “Ugh!” I said to Luna.  “There’s never anything to do around here on Sundays!” Luna opened one eye, regarding me with a less than loving look. “Well, you COULD do your homework.” “Humph.  Nice try, catnip for brains, but I already did that.” “Catnip for brains, hn?  Your insults are getting better.  Been hanging around Mamoru?” Luna asked skeptically. “Actually, yes.” “Meow?” asked Luna.  She acts more like a normal cat when she gets caught off guard or nervous. “Yep.  He tutored me last night.” “You went out without telling me?  There could have been a youma attack, or you could have been hurt, or...” “Relax, Luna,” I said, scratching behind her ears.  “It went okay.” ‘No need to mention that I fell asleep at his place.  But how I woke up here is a mystery to me...’ “Well....be more careful,” said Luna, tucking herself into a little ball.  ‘How do cats DO that?’ I thought.  I tried that once, and it REALLY hurt!  Humans just aren’t as flexible as cats, I guess. Out of the blue, an idea struck me.  I dialed Minako’s number. “Moshi moshi,” said Minako. “Moshi moshi.  You doing anything?” I asked.  “I wish,” said Minako. “Wanna go sledding at the park?” “Yeah!” “OK, you call Ami, then she can call Rei, and Rei can call Makoto, then she can call me back!” “Why?” I smacked my forehead. “So I can know everyone’s been called.” “Oh.  OK, I’ll get to it.” Half an hour later, the phone rang again. “Moshi moshi.” “Moshi moshi.  What took you so long?” “Gomen, Usa-chan.  Ami got into this long boring talk about ‘the wonders of Calculus.’” I giggled.  “’I’m only 5 chapters ahead!’” mimicked Minako. “Yep, that’s our Ami.  So, is everyone in?” “Yep.  We’ll meet at Suicide Hill, okay?” “Oh no!  Not Suicide Hill!” “Yep, Suicide Hill.  Don’t worry, you got a new snowsuit, right?” “Well, I kind of had to!” I said. Minako was referring to the last time I went to Suicide Hill.  I had decided to be especially daring and took a saucer.  Unfortunately, I hit a bump, and when I landed, I was flat on my face.  As for the snowpants...I was wearing snowpants that I had since the 4rth grade.  They were trusty things, and hadn’t failed me yet.  Unfortunately, I had forgotten to account for the wider hips and other...body changes ...that came with puberty.  When I attempted to get up, somehow, my trusty snowpants had decided to split the seams of my backside, giving the entire park a lovely view of my polka dot underthings.  Oh well. At least I was wearing clean underwear. “Well, I’m sure that won’t happen to you again.  Besides, I got a new inner tube....” “SUGOI!  Well, ja ne!” “Ja!” said Minako, then she hung up the phone. ~*~Mamoru~*~ “Snap.” “Click.” “Snap.” “Click.” “Snap.” “Click.” I sighed and put the pen down.  I had been clicking my pen for half an hour, and it was getting old fast.  There is NOTHING to do on Sundays. Just then, the phone rang. “Moshi moshi.” “Moshi moshi.  Are you as bored as I am?” said Motoki. “Probably more,” I said. “Well, let’s do something about it, shall we?” “No way, man.  Remember what happened last time you said that?  I’d rather risk boredom.” You see, Motoki’s amusement ideas often started with an *innocent* drink, then ended with an all-out drunken brawl and a trip to the Tokyo police.  “Oh, come on.  That llama was pretty happy,” he said, chuckling.  I groaned.  “God, don’t remind me!” “Oh, man, that was a hoot!” he said, breaking into hysterical laughter.  “Your expression when I took that picture...that was priceless!” He was referring to the last time he had decided to ‘do something’, which, of course, resulted in me getting rip roaring drunk.  Motoki had dared me to drink seven beers in an hour, and, baka that I was, I did it.  Next thing I knew, I woke up next to a suspiciously happy llama, wearing a garbage bag tied around my waist and a pair of pantyhose on my head, with a hundred angry monkeys pounding on my caving skull. Worse yet, Motoki had taken a picture...but fortunately, I found it later and burned it. (Lady A: I don’t know WHERE I dig this stuff up. Honest!) “Well, this time I had something a little...calmer...in mind.” “Reika?” I asked. “Yep.” “You are SO whipped.” I said. “Shut up.  You don’t even HAVE a girlfriend.” “Stop rolling your eyes at me.” “How did you know?” “I know you well.” “Well, what did you have in mind this time?” “How about a trip to Suicide Hill?” I sighed in relief.  ‘That sounds pretty harmless.’ “Great.  You wanna drive?” “You crazy?  In my old jalopy?  Last time, I had to jury rig the windshield wipers and you had to pull the wires.” That was one scary drive.  My Ferrari had been in the shop, and, true to form, the last working part of Motoki’s dilapidated rust bucket had broken.  He had attached wires to the windshield wipers to clear the view for driving.  Unfortunately, nature had decided to turn into a nasty blizzard, and by the time I got to my apartment, my arms felt like they were going to fall off. “Hey!  I got that fixed, remember?” “Yeah, then your headlight blew out and I had to hold out a flashlight when you drove for a week.  Let’s take my car, okay?” “Humph,” he said, feeling emasculated. “Oh, come on.  It’s okay,” I said.  “It’s not your fault they pay you jack.” “Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Well, see you soon.  Ja!” ~*~Usagi~*~ About half an hour later, I arrived at Suicide Hill, Tokyo Park, dragging my tube sled.  I felt all decked out in my pink bunny snowpants, my pink goose down jacket, my cute, fuzzy white earmuffs, my white scarf and my white gloves.  I scanned the park for my friends, and I wasn’t disappointed.  Minako, Makoto, Rei and Ami waited for me at the top of the hill.  “Hey minna!  You up for some serious sledding?” “You know it, Usagi.” said Minako, grinning. “Hey, I’ve got an idea!” said Makoto.  “Why don’t we all link arms and go down in a line?” “SUGOI!” Minako squealed. “Oh no, that wouldn’t work for me,” I said.  “I have to hold on to this tube with both hands or I’ll fall flat on my face!” “Oh, don’t be such a baby,” said Rei, dragging me down to my tube and linking arms.  Someone gave us a push from behind. “Wait, you guys!  I don;t want to do thiiiiiiiiiiis!” I screamed, but I knew it was too late as we careened down the hill. At the first bump, Rei panicked and wrenched free of my deathgrip. Fortunately, when the ride was over, I was still sitting flat on the inner tube, on my bottom. “Yea!  I wanna do it again!”  I squealed.  But I was alone.  “Aw, MAN!” I said.  I gathered my tube and began my slow march up the hill. “Hey odango!  It doesn’t matter how slow you walk.  It’s still a hill!” said a voice from the top of the merciless mountain. “Shut UP, Mamoru.  Don’t you have anything BETTER to do than to ruin my fun?” ‘Nope,’ he thought. “Actually, I’m here with Motoki.” he said, grinning. I grinned.  This could be interesting.  “Boy’s day out, ne?” I asked. “Hai,” he said, still grinning that sexy grin of his. ‘STOP IT!  That’s your enemy you’re talking to!’ said my brain. ‘Riiiiiiight.  You keep on telling yourself that, sweetheart.’ ‘B...but...’ ‘But nothing!  Do enemies offer to tutor you?  Do enemies have wild fantasies about kissing the daylights out of you?  Those don’t sound like the thoughts or actions of an enemy.  They sound like the thoughts of a man very much in...’ “Penny for your thoughts, odango?” “Hn?” “Oh, THERE you are!” he said.  “I was getting kind of worried there.” “Humph,” I said. I looked around the top of the hilltop, which I had somehow reached without collapsing or wanting to vomit.  No sight of the girls anywhere. Uopn laying eyes on me, Motoki ran to Mamoru’s car, turned the keys in the ignition, and sped off. “HEY!  BAKA!  COME BACK HERE WITH MY CAAAAAAR!” screamed Mamoru.  ‘Oh, he is SO dead,’ he thought. “It’s all right, Mamoru.  It’s not that far a walk.  Let’s forget about it and have some fun, okay?” I said, smiling reassuringly. “Okay,” he said. I linked arms with Mamoru and we walked to the top of the hill. ~*~Author~*~ “Geez, get a load of THAT!” said Minako. “Mamoru and Usagi an item.  Who would have guessed?” asked Makoto. Rei just smiled that mysterious smile of hers.  The one that said that she knew something and had no intention of sharing it. “Ooooh, you know something, don’t you?” said Makoto. “What is it?  Spill!  Spill!” exclaimed Minako. Ami smiled.  “I think they make a cute couple,” she said. Rei smiled again.  One night, Rei was sitting in front of the Great Fire, and had ran out of questions to ask it about youmas, crystals and generals.  On a lark, she had asked what the future held for Usagi, and a vision of Mamoru appeared in the fire.  Curious, she prodded further, and found out the whole story.... “I agree,” said Rei.  But she knew how much her friends liked to meddle in the love lives of others, and she had the feeling that, as usual, it would do more harm than good.  “Let’s go get some hot cocoa, okay?” she asked. “I could go for some of that,” said Ami, cathing Rei’s subtle hint. Smiling, they walked to the snack hut. ~*~Usagi~*~ I got a wicked idea. “Mamoru, let’s go sledding!” I said. “But we’ve only got one sled.  That baka, Motoki, drove off with the rest of them.” “So what?  I’ve got an inner tube,” I said, smiling devilishly. ‘God, the things she does to me,’ Mamoru thought, and I heard his pulse rising in his throat. “Come on, it’ll be fun.  You sit on the bottom, and I’ll sit on top!” “OK,” he said.  He laid back on the inner tube and smiled, but I could tell from his thoughts that he was nervous. I giggled and sat on top of him, smiling.  As if on reflex, he sat up, wrapped his strong arms around me, and I didn’t resist. ‘Hn, I would think that would get me slapped.’ he thought. “Well, here we go!” he said, pushing us down the hill.  I squealed as we turned around, careening backwards down the hill.  He just held me tighter, but not painfully so.  Our tube stopped about ten feet away from a cluster of trees, to my relief. “I wanna do it again!” I said. ‘I can’t wait,’ he thought. After our third trip down the hill, I didn’t get up after we stopped. “Well?” said Mamoru. “I’m tiiiiiired, Mamoru!  I don’t think I can make it up the hill!” “Hn,” said Mamoru, smiling deviously.  “I know what YOU need.” “And what is that, pray tell?” He picked me up and held me over his head.  “You need to cool off!” he said. “Put me dooown!” I screamed as he ran up the hill. “Are you sure you want me to do that?” he asked. “YES!  YES!” “Whatever you say,” he said.  At this, he threw me into an unresisting snowbank. “BAAAAAKAAAAAAA!  You are SO dead!” I screamed. “Well, you’ll have to catch me first!” he said. “Ooooh!”  He may have longer legs than mine, but I was a seasoned marathon runner from my weekday races to Juuban middle school.  Before he knew what had hit him, I tackled him headfirst in the snow. “Surrender!” I said, smushing his face into the snow. “Never!” he said.  While I was faster, he was stronger, and soon he had tumbled us arouund so he was on top and I was pinned on the bottom. Suddenly, I was getting the tickling of my life.  “Oooh!  I give up! Uncle, uncle!” I exclaimed between fits of laughter. He stopped for a minute, and my pulse pounded in anticipation. I don’t know what made me do what I did.  Maybe it was the rush of blood to my head, or the crisp, cool air, or the slim, but strong hands pinning me to the snow.  I reached my arms up and pulled his unresisting face the last few inches towards mine.  I knew from his thoughts that he had wanted this for a long time.  By reading his thoughts, I knew exactly how to kiss him. ‘WOW!’ he thought as we broke the kiss. “Usagi.” “Mamoru.” “I can’t hold back any longer!” Reading his...steamy...thoughts, I blushed a million shades of red. “Mamo-chan!  We’re in a public place!” I exclaimed. ‘Mamo-chan? Does this mean...’ “Aisheteru, Mamo-chan,” I said, rolling out from under him. “But...how did you know?” he asked, his eyes still clouded with passion. “You want the truth?” I asked. He nodded and sat up.  I quickly followed suit. “It happened after the accident,” I began. He nodded, motioning for me to continue. “When I woke up, I discovered that I can see what men are thinking.  I learned a lot about people,” I said.  “But I was most surprised when I learned about you.” “I thought you were just a heartless creep, who picked on me because you hated me, and got pleasure out of seeing me fail and be unhappy. But when I saw into your mind, I saw a caring and compassionate soul, and I saw that you loved me.  I didn’t know what to make of it in the beginning.  At first, I thought you were stark, raving mad.  I mean, who could fall for an ugly baka like me?” “Ugly?  Baka?” he interrputed.  “I may have said some cruel things, Usako.  But I never meant any of them.  You’re not stupid or ugly.  In fact, I have never known anyone more beautiful.  Outside and in.  Look in my heart.  What do you see?” I smiled a wobbly smile.  I didn’t have to read his thoughts to know what he meant.  I could see it in his eyes, which radiated love and warmth. “I see love,” I said. “And what do I want right now?” ‘I want a long, passionate kiss.’ he thought. I smiled and said, “You want to buy me a hot cocoa!” “Ie!  I’ve been misquoted!” he groaned. “Cocoa now, kiss later,” I said, smiling. He sighed.  “Very well, if I must.” “Yep,” I said. Smiling, he wraped his arm around my waist and I snuggled into his embrace as we walked over to the Snack Shack. “Usagi and Mamoru!  Okay, now I KNOW the world’s gone crazy!” exclaimed Minako. “Hey guys!  Where were you?” I asked. “We’ve been hanging around here for awhile, trying to get the feeling back in our toes,” said Makoto. “Ah,” I said.  We all sat down at a table, and we talked for a long time.  The whole while, I saw the expression in Rei’s violet eyes. One that said that she knew this would happen all along and was just waiting for us to come around.  One that said she knew all about my gift. Lady Aisheteru: You like?  Stay tuned for the epilogue!