Dancing Angel Lady Starra Alternate Address Rating:PG

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon was created by Naoko Takeuchi and is property of Kodansha, Toei Animation, Mixxine, and DIC Productions. I don't own any of it.

Hey, minna-chan! Welcome to my first short story! This takes place in the first season of Sailor Moon. Thank you to everyone who has been e-mailing me on "Playing Matchmaker," you guys are the greatest! I'm sorry I couldn't get part 6 out this week, but it'll be done next week, for sure. Also, I'm sorry I took so long to respond to some of your e-mails or if I didn't at all. I have been SO busy! Thanks a bunch to Alicia Blade for her continuous support! READ HER STORIES! You will not be disappointed! Now, on with the show!

"I look ridiculous in this thing!"

"Darien, come on! Let us see!"

Andrew and Rita were impatiently waiting for Darien to emerge from his bedroom. Later that night, they were all going to Tokyo's Annual Midsummer Costume Ball. At the last minute, they'd convinced Darien to go, and Rita had nearly busted her tail going around town trying to find a costume for him. When she saw it, it had his name all over it. She could easily see Darien in that outfit...then again, she couldn't, not with the way he was being so stubborn about showing himself.

"Sometime this century, Dar!" Andrew cried.

"UGH!" Darien replied, finally emerging from the bedroom, his arms crossed stubbornly over his chest. "Well, how do I look?"

It was a knight's costume, black and dark blue with silver trimmings, complete with a suede swordbelt and a fake sword, although the hilt looked like it belonged to a real sword. The colors of the costume brought out his features, enhancing those midnight-blue eyes and coal-black hair. A dark blue and silver cape finished the outfit.

"Dude, you look great!" Andrew said enthusiastically.

"I KNEW it was perfect for you, Darien!" Rita beamed.

"I feel so self-conscious in this thing," Darien said nervously.

"At least you don't have to wear tights," Andrew muttered.

"Hey, they were cute on you!" Rita said sweetly.

"Well...I'm only wearing them because you like them on me!"

"Anyhow, you shouldn't feel that way, Darien. I'm telling you, you're dashing! Every girl at the ball will be after you!" Rita said.

"JUST what I need," Darien muttered.

"Chill out, Dar. Just have a good time tonight. ANYTHING is better than you being stuck in this apartment," Andrew said.

"Yeah, especially during the biggest social event of the season," Rita added.

"I'm really only doing this to get you guys off my back, you know," Darien said.

"Hey, you're coming, that's all we wanted. It's just too bad you don't have a date, Darien," Rita sighed.

"Well, we've still got six hours before it starts. Better start going through your little black book, Darien!" Andrew teased.

"Very funny."

5 hours later, in another part of Tokyo...

Serena Tsukino stood in front of her mirror, gazing at her reflection. She was wearing a long, slender white sleeveless dress made of billowing chiffon, with a pearl-embroidered bodice. Feathery white angel's wings were attached to the dress, and she wore her hair in the usual style, with strands of pearl beads tied around each bun. Crystal earrings dangled from her earlobes, and a matching crystal charm, shaped like a crescent moon, was on a silver chain around her neck. Her makeup was soft, yet noticeable, and she had dabbed some glitter on her cheeks and hair to give herself that angelic look.

She sighed. 'Here I am, all dressed up to go to the biggest event in Tokyo, and I don't even have a date. Life can be so unfair sometimes,' she thought. All of her other friends had dates. Lita and Ken, Greg and Amy, Raye and Chad. 'I just hope there are a lot of cute guys there!'

The doorbell rang then, and Serena rushed down the stairs to meet her friends. After the ball, they were all spending the night at Lita's for a sleepover, just to gossip about the aftermath of the party.

"Wow, Serena! You look great!" Lita exclaimed.

"Yeah, not bad, Meatball Head," Raye teased.

"Don't call me that! Sheesh, I get enough of it from that jerkwad Darien!" Serena said as she took the last step off the stairs.

She eyed all of her friends' costumes thoroughly. Raye was wearing a red Arabian girl costume trimmed with gold, which went well with her dark hair and olive complexion. Lita had on an outfit that made her look like something out of 'Titanic,' complete with the long gloves and dressy hair accessories, which, Serena had to admit, was a nice change from her usual tomboy look. Amy wore a 1920's flapper outfit, which also surprised Serena. It was so "not Amy" but it looked awesome on her. And the guys...well, one of them thought it'd be funny for Chad, Greg and Ken to dress up as the Three Musketeers. It was quite comical, to say the least.

"You guys don't look bad yourselves. I just wish I could've found a date," Serena sighed.

"Hey, don't worry, Serena. You look great. Guys will flock to ya tonight, take my word!" Chad said, winking.

"You really think so?" she asked.

"Hey, no doubt! You look awesome, girl!" Lita agreed.

"I hope so, 'cause I'd really hate to be there without anyone to dance with," Serena said, remembering how bored she'd been at the Diamond Embassy Ball. Well, at least until Tuxedo Mask came along! 'I wonder if he'll be there tonight?' Serena thought dreamily. 'Oh, wouldn't that be wicked cool if I could dance with him again!'

At the Costume Ball...

The Grand Palace hotel in downtown Tokyo was swarming with people. Serena was overwhelmed by the grandeur of it all, "oohing" and "ahhing" at every little thing. People were already dancing and the ball had gotten off to a good start. There were people there with some pretty creative costumes, no doubt about that. It was so humorous, Serena wished she would've brought her camera.

"Well, let's not waste any time, ladies," Ken said. "Shall we?" He took Lita's hand and led her to the dance floor, followed by Raye and Chad.

"Aren't you going to go, Amy?" Serena asked.

"Serena, I don't want to leave you by yourself," Amy said.

"Don't worry about me, Ames. Look, there's a refreshment table over there with my name on it! You and Greg go ahead. I'll be fine," Serena assured her.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Go on."

Greg and Amy went on to the dance floor, and Serena went straight to the refreshment table.

"Oh, wow!" she exclaimed, looking at all the delicious treats. Eclairs, cream puffs, chocolates, tarts...Serena was on Cloud 9. 'I'd better be careful, though, don't want any of this to get on my dress,' she thought. With all the delectable goodies in front of her, Serena didn't care if she danced at all that night!

However, before she could take one sip of punch or even stuff a single chocolate in her mouth, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Serena turned to see a handsome youth standing there, dressed in some kind of regal costume. He had hair almost as black as Darien's, and sharp, piercing green eyes.

'Ooh, what a hunky guy!' she thought.

"Excuse me, miss. May I have this dance?" he asked.

Blushing, Serena eagerly accepted his gesture.

Meanwhile, Darien, Andrew and Rita were standing on the sidelines, relaxing and simply watching the people as they danced. Andrew and Rita wore their matching Robin Hood/Maid Marian ensemble, with Andrew complaining about how itchy the tights were, and Rita told him to stop whining.

"Aren't you guys gonna dance?" Darien asked them.

"Nope. Not 'till YOU ask someone to dance, Darien," Andrew smirked.

"You guys never stop, do you? Don't neglect the dance floor on my account," Darien said.

"Darien, you are going to have fun tonight if it kills you!" Andrew said.

"Is that a threat?"

Rita interrupted their conversation when she saw a familiar figure whirl across the dance floor.

"Oh my, isn't that Serena over there?" she said.

"Huh?" Andrew and Darien said, looking up.

Darien froze. He watched the vision before him in total awe. Serena was dressed in a beautiful white gown with angel's wings on her. Her hair was done in her trademark style, only it seemed brighter, more golden. Specks of glitter were on her cheeks, making her angelic face sparkle and shine beneath the ballroom lights. She danced with a grace and beauty he'd never seen before, and seeemed to carry herself as if she truly was the bright angel she had dressed up as.

Andrew and Rita looked at Darien's awestruck state and quietly laughed to each other. Once Darien got over the initial shock, he also noticed the young man she was dancing with. He suddenly felt jealousy wash over him like a flood. It didn't help when another young man came and cut in on Serena and her partner. Darien watched in bitterness as they danced, until yet another guy came to dance with Serena. Darien was now extremely irritated. Then the original guy she'd been dancing with approached them, apparently irritated himself.

"All right, Todd, enough! I saw her first and I would like to have her back now, please!" Darien heard him say.

"No way, Rick! She is perfectly content dancing with me. Aren't you, beautiful?" the blonde boy said to her, winking.

"I..." Serena started, but was interrupted.

"I saw her first!" Rick cried, taking Serena's arm.

"Hey! I'M the one dancing with her now!" Todd shouted as he grabbed Serena's other arm.

"I'm telling you, she said yes to ME!"

Serena found herself in the middle of a tug-of-war game between two guys she didn't even know. She had wanted guys to notice her, but this was getting WAY out of hand!

Darien was fuming. How dare those guys toy with her like that?

Andrew and Rita had been watching the entire spectacle as well, and were surprised when Darien marched across the dance floor, anger flashing in those deep blue eyes.

"I said, get lost!" Todd shouted at Rick.

"Hey, break it up! She's not just a piece of meat you can throw around, you know!" Darien shouted at them.

"D-Darien?" Serena exclaimed, surprised. She looked at the costume he was wearing and the way his eyes gleamed. She was sure she felt her knees go weak. 'He's so handsome...' she thought mutely.

"Hey, this is none of your business, pal! Stay out of it!" Todd yelled.

At the time, Darien wasn't sure why he said what he did next. Maybe it was just to get them away from Serena, maybe he did it to dance with her. Or, perhaps it was to make sure no other guys would approach her. He didn't know. But he said it.

"Excuse ME, but this girl happens to be MY date, so I do believe that this IS my business!" Darien said, taking Serena's arm and pulling her to him.

Serena was dumbfounded. She looked up at him wide-eyed.

"Just play along," he whispered in her ear, slightly amused at her shocked expression.

"Yeah? Well, if you're her date, why weren't YOU dancing with her?" Rick challenged.

"I'm here now, that's all that matters. Come on, Serena."

With that, Darien led her away from the two steaming boys and began to dance with her himself. Serena, still a bit stunned, was at a total loss of words. What was she supposed to say to him? She looked up at him, and he saw the confusion in her big blue eyes. Already, the sweet, fruity perfume she was wearing was intoxicating his senses. Everything about her that night was astounding. It took every ounce of control he had just to keep from kissing her.

"You looked like you needed some help back there," he finally said quietly.

"Uh...thanks. I guess it WAS a little out of control."

"Hmm. I didn't know you could dance so well, Meatball Head," he said teasingly.

Serena frowned.

"Am I supposed to take that as a compliment?" she grimaced.

Darien chuckled as they continued to waltz around the dance floor.

"Well, would ya look at that? I thought those two hated each other," Rita said to Andrew, bewildered. Andrew laughed.

"I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for this to happen for months!" he exclaimed.

"HUH?" Rita said.

"Rita, darling, it is SO obvious! I have never seen Darien act so enthusiastic over a girl, even if he was teasing her. Yes, they bicker a lot, but you should see the faraway look he gets in his eyes after he talks to her. It's like he goes off into his own little universe!" Andrew told her.

"And when were you planning on telling ME all this?" Rita cried, her hands on her hips.

"All in good time, my sweet. All in good time. Now that Darien has found his dancing partner," he said, taking her hands in his, "shall we join them?"

"Oh my...this can't be!"

"What is it, Raye?"

Raye and Chad were dancing when she noticed two familiar figures whirling around the dance floor together.

"Serena is dancing...with DARIEN!"

"NO WAY! Where?" Chad exclaimed, looking around.

Amy saw them too, and she and Greg found Lita and Ken as they danced around.

"Lita, did you see Serena?" Amy asked.

"No. Why?" Lita said.

"You'll never believe who she's dancing with!"

"Who?"

"Darien!"

"SAY WHAT?!"

They all stared in utter astonishment as they watched Serena and Darien dance together, as if they were the only two people in the world.

"Well, whaddaya know? We leave her alone for five minutes and she ends up falling for the one guy she can't stand!" Lita said. "We are gonna have to keep an eye on them tonight!"

"So...you didn't come with a date?" Serena asked, stunned.

"Why does that surprise you?" Darien said.

"Well...um..."

"And you didn't come with one, either?"

"No. I guess it was bad luck," she said.

"What, that you ended up with me?"

"Oh...no! I didn't mean it like that, Darien. It's just...I guess I'm not really used to you being..."

"Being what?"

"Well...nice."

"Gee, thanks, Meatball Head," he chuckled slightly.

"Well, I'm not!" she said. "After all, you are the one who started it all."

"ME? How's that?"

"When you first called me Meatball Head!" she pouted. He smiled. Wow, she was cute when she did that!

"You're the one who hit me with your test paper!" he reminded her.

"It was an accident! You didn't have to be so mean," she said.

Darien sighed. "Would it help if...I said I'm sorry?"

Serena was stunned. "What?"

"I'm sorry."

"You're...actually apologizing to me?" she asked in surprise.

"Uh, well...yeah, I...guess I am," he said warmly, smiling.

'Wow,' Serena thought. 'Never thought I'd live to see this.'

"I...I accept your apology Darien," she said. "But...if you go back to teasing me tomorrow, then I'm taking it back!"

He laughed. "C'mon, Serena. What would my days be like if I couldn't tease you?"

"I don't know, but it would sure make MY days a lot less irritating," she teased.

"You'll always be Meatball Head to me, no matter how much that irritates you," he smiled.

They kept dancing, and talked about everything and anything. They were so caught up in their conversation that they didn't realize just how long they'd been dancing.

"Wow, it's getting stuffy in here," Serena said.

"I have an idea," Darien said and stopped dancing. "Let's go outside. I've heard the gardens here are amazing."

"You mean...leave?"

"Just for a few minutes. It's only outside."

"I guess..."

"Come on, let's look around."

"They've been dancing all night! Can you believe this?" Lita whispered to their group as they stood by the refreshment table. Rita and Andrew joined them, both happy for the new "couple."

"Who would've thought that Serena would end up with Darien of all people?" Raye said wonderingly.

"Well, Andrew here wasn't so surprised," Rita said, nudging Andrew on the side.

"What?" everyone asked.

"Oh, you know what they say. There's a thin line between love and hate!" he smiled, winking.

"Hey, they're leaving the dance floor!" Raye said.

"Looks like they're going outside," Rita said.

"Let's follow them guys!" Lita exclaimed.

"Are you sure we should? Maybe we should give them some privacy..." Amy said, until Raye cut her off.

"We have to make sure Darien's good enough for her, right?"

"Right. Let's go!"

Outside, Darien and Serena found the gardens. They admired all of the different kinds of flowers, and Serena fondly began to pick the really pretty ones, inhaling their precious scent. It began to grow quiet between them, and somewhere along the way, Darien had taken her hand into his as they continued to explore the grounds. They finally came upon a wooden bridge over a small stream in the garden. They stopped there, looking at the glorious full moon and the clusters of brilliant stars.

"Darien, look!" Serena shouted suddenly, pointing.

A shooting star darted across the evening sky, making them both gasp in surprise.

"Oh, that was so beautiful!" Serena exclaimed.

'Not nearly as beautiful as you, my angel,' Darien thought, smiling at her. "What did you wish for?" he asked her.

"Hmm?"

"You did make a wish, didn't you?"

"Darien, I CAN'T tell you what I wished for! If I do it won't come true!" she said.

"Well, I guess you could be right. So I guess you don't get to know what I wished for, either," he sighed.

She simply looked up at him and smiled.

"Can I tell you something else, though?" he whispered.

"What?"

He paused. "You...really look beautiful tonight, Serena."

Serena could not believe her ears. 'He didn't just...say what I think he said, did he?' she wondered. She began to blush, lowering her head slightly. "Th-thank you," she stuttered softly. "You...don't look so bad yourself."

Darien was stunned. That certainly was not the reply he was expecting. Still, it made him happy to hear her say it. "Thanks...but I'm no match for you," he said, bringing his hand to her face. "My dancing angel."

Slowly, he lowered his face to hers, closing the gap between their lips. Serena's heart began to pound like mad in her chest, her head going light at the scent of his musky cologne. He slighly nuzzled the tip of her nose with his, and barely he brushed his lips across hers, and they stayed like that for a moment. Finally, he pressed his lips harder against her, his thumb grasping her chin to part her lips. Serena breathed in sharply as she felt his tongue slowly sliding into her mouth, sending a tremor down her spine.

Serena had never been kissed like this before, never felt so warm and safe before, even when she had been saved countless times by Tuxedo Mask. She let her arms wrap themselves around his neck as she began to follow his lead, and his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her close. Her mouth was sweeter than anything he'd ever tasted in his life, and he deepened the kiss, drinking her in.

They didn't know how long they'd been out there, nor did they care. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, Serena thought, 'God, the others are probably wondering where I've gone...but what would they do if they knew THIS was going on?!'

"Chad! Will you move that ridiculous feather in your hat? I can't see ANYTHING!" Raye whispered from behind the bushes.

"What are they doing now?" Rita asked, trying to see past the thick bushes.

"They've stopped on a bridge," Andrew said quietly.

"Oh, I just know they're gonna kiss!" Lita whispered as she watched Serena point something out do Darien. "Any minute now..."

Darien and Serena chatted for a few moments, and the suspense of it all gnawed at the spying friends.

"He's facing her! Any time now..." Lita said.

Darien's hand came up to Serena's face. They all took deep breaths.

"Here it comes..." Lita went on.

They all gasped quietly and held their breaths as Darien's lips began to inch closer to Serena's.

"Yes! They're gonna do it!" Lita whispered again.

When the couple's lips finally met, everyone exhaled, and all the girls sighed dreamily.

"This is definetely not what I thought would happen tonight!" Raye said.

"And to think that Darien didn't want to come. Gosh, what would've happened if he'd stayed home tonight?" Rita said.

"Well, I think maybe we should let the lovebirds have a little privacy now," Andrew said, taking Rita's hand.

"Yes, I think so, too," Amy agreed as she joined Greg.

"Ah, I suppose so. Besides, we've already seen the best part, right?" Lita winked.

"No doubt, dudes. Well, let's go see if there's any food left! C'mon, Raye, babe," Chad said, taking Raye's hand.

"Serena had better give us all the juicy details tonight, or else!" Raye said as she walked with Chad.

As they all returned to the hotel ballroom, Amy said, "Uh, guys...it's past eleven o'clock! Are you sure we should let them stay out there? I'm sure they're not keeping track of the time."

"Don't be such a party pooper, Amy! This shindig doesn't end until one o'clock, and since we're all going to my place after, I wouldn't worry about it too much," Lita said. "Wow. Serena and Darien, in LOVE! This is wicked cool!"

When the kiss finally broke, they just stared at each other in total awe. Finally, Serena spoke, unable to control her incoherent stuttering. "Does-does this m-mean that y-you don't-don't hate me?" she asked nervously.

"I could never hate you, and I never have. And Serena...my wish came true," he whispered.

"It-it did?"

"Yes."

She blushed. "Darien...so did mine."

Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Meatball Head."

"And I love you...Mr. Conceited Jerk."

He laughed, and they kissed again, under the beautiful glow of the full moon.

The End! Hope you liked! Please e-mail me, ladystarra@angelfire.com! Ja ne!

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