Pirates, Popes & Sword-fighting Hats; Calculating Chocolate; ...to attempt or endeavor; Library Love
First time I've ever finished a challenge in the allotted time
A couple days & I'll be back to posting some sen/shi drabbles that have been sitting around
Title: Pirates & Popes & Sword-fighting Hats
Theme: Fourth Period: Art_Paper (4c), usako_mamoru, 2010 anniversary challenge
Genre: Fluff
Rating: G
Mamoru used to have a routine.
Every Sunday, he would wake up at least an hour before Usagi. He would make himself a strong cup of coffee. He would eat fruit and toast and drink bitter coffee and read the news section of the paper in blissful silence before his wife woke up. It was a relaxing, calming way to end his weekend. It allowed him to clear his mind for the upcoming week as well as to mentally regenerate and remain informed at the same time.
It had been his routine since he’d first started getting the paper. He meant to continue it for a long while yet.
It was his quintessential way to spend a Sunday.
Somehow, however, Chibi-Usa had sped up Usagi’s internal clock. Now, the two were apt to be up and about before him, which meant no more simple breakfasts and never any quiet reading time.
This Sunday it meant pirate sword fighting and popes and hats.
In the living room, both Usagi and Chibi-Usa held paper swords. While Usagi’s held hers somewhat delicately, Mamoru could see that the handle of Chibi-Usa’s faux weapon had been crushed in her tiny, chubby fist; half of it dangled sadly where it had torn. Usagi sported a newspaper headdress whose half diamond top resembled the pope’s, while a simpler triangular sailor hat covered Chibi-Usa’s wild, bright curls.
Running up to Mamoru, Chibi-Usa offered him another type of hat that Usagi had managed to make. It was square, small and flat on top and settled more atop his head than on it.
Nevertheless, he grabbed the sword that looked like it had been the front page and growled fiercely at the two. They squealed and ran away, scrambling to the other side of the couch.
Mamoru stalked them predatorily, pages of unused newspaper crackling and wrinkling underneath his steps. He leapt towards them roaring once more and chased their shrieks into the bedroom and underneath the covers.
After all, what were Sundays for if not for this?
---
Title: Calculating Chocolate
Theme: Third Period: Math_Problem (3a), usako_mamoru, 2010 anniversary challenge
Genre: General
Rating: G
Notes: Rain Man reference
When Usagi and Mamoru married, they, like many young couples, were blissfully happy.
Until reality set in and Crystal Tokyo did not.
So, while they waited for that new age to come around, they struggled, mostly financially.
Between the two them attending school and working without much experience, their earnings were just enough.
But they wanted to save. They wanted to travel. They wanted to invest.
It kept them up sometimes, and so Mamoru was not surprised to find Usagi clicking away on a calculator in the middle of the night.
Lightly massaging her shoulders, Mamoru sleepily said, “Usako, let’s do this tomorrow. I can help you with it.”
Instead of responding, Usagi remained focused, determinedly marking a piece of paper by her side and entering numbers into the computer where’d they created a worksheet of their expenses.
Mamoru closed his eyes and rubbed her back, content to sit with her if she would not come back to bed. He’d actually almost managed to fall back asleep when she announced, “There!”
Mamoru jerked his head up. “Where?” he murmured, swiping at the side of his mouth reflexively.
“I did it, Mamo-chan.” Usagi’s eyes shone with pride. She tilted the laptop towards him.
Blearily, Mamoru’s eyes scanned the numbers. “What did you do?”
“I found out where can we save some money and,” her voice rose in excitement, “not have to give up chocolate.”
Though they’d parted with it unwillingly, chocolate was the one thing they’d both agreed they could do with less.
Reading the number a little more seriously and seeing them make sense both surprised and amused Mamoru.
This was the girl who took out her cell phone to calculate a 20% tip. Take away her chocolate and all of a sudden she was Rain Man.
---
Title: Essay: to attempt or endeavor
Theme: Second Period: Literature_Essay (2g), usako_mamoru, 2010 anniversary challenge
Genre: General
Rating: G
Serena rubbed her eyes, setting the small novel down in exasperation and flipping through the pages of the thick dictionary.
She felt like she’d been reading for less than a minute since the last time she’d had to look something up.
But Darien liked it, so she was determined to at least try.
When he found her half an hour later, she was asleep on his couch, the smaller book open on her stomach. Shaking her awake, he was rewarded with the sight of her sleepy, sweet smile.
“The Scarlet Letter?” he questioned, taking the book from her and holding it up.
Serena pouted, pursuing her lips and still only mostly conscious. “I wanted to read something you liked so we could talk about it.”
Darien laughed, maneuvering so he could sit on the couch while she cuddled in his lap.
“Serena, I hate this book. I had to read it last year for class.”
“Oh, thank god! It’s so boring! No one says anything, and it’s all description, and I have to look up every 10th word.”
Darien stroked her hair softly. “You know you’re probably going to have to read it next year.”
Serena groaned. “Can I borrow your copy so I just have to buy the Cliff Notes?”
---
Title: Library Love
Theme: Second Period: Literature_Books (2a), usako_mamoru, 2010 anniversary challenge
Genre: Fluff
Rating: G
Notes: I’m pretty pleased with this one mostly because it went through about seven different ideas - all of which got written before I chucked each of them. And I'm glad, 'cause one's much better than all that other crap I wrote.
Darien had a lot of books.
As someone who was introverted and laid-back without any other obvious interests, books were a safe bet for the man who liked to read.
His apartment housed a variety of bookshelves, each full to the brim.
He actually had two next to his desk. Each two-tiered oak shelf was short and took up very little space comparatively. Each was stuffed with the textbooks he used and the ones he could probably throw away.
The one in the living room was more aesthetic. It was divided into 16 separate compartments, all open-faced. Had Darien not had so many books, it probably could have housed more collectibles or DVDs or other household things. As it was, it held all the classics (from Shakespeare to Salinger), more contemporary pieces (Tolkien, Gaiman, Pratchett, and generally books that showed up on the NY Times Bestseller List), and a bit of popular literature (Meyers and Sparks, generally being Serena’s contribution and mostly being towards the bottom levels).
There was no actual shelf in their bedroom. Instead, the open bottom portion of his nightstand was lined with more philosophical and religious texts about Taoism, Shinto, and Confucianism among others.
So, when Serena gave him a bag from the large bookstore retailer around the corner, he wasn’t surprised. He just smiled and said, “Thank you,” and kissed her like he was supposed to.
It was only when he withdrew the book that he understood her excitement.
This book wouldn’t fit anywhere with his current books.
This book would need a place all to itself, a new shelf, a new room.
It would only be months before Darien passed the book along to someone else - unheard of for someone who notoriously collected books. But the shelf that he’d gotten for that new book - the low to the ground, three-tiered one - became full rather quickly with an assortment of other things.
Books made of cardboard. Filled with colorful pictures. Marked with teeth and drool. Pages torn apart and taped together. Soft, hard, fuzzy, and smooth.
Plastic toys. Furry dolls. Wooden blocks. Rainbow shapes. Things that whirred and buzzed and sang. Things that danced and tumbled and twirled. Things to hug and things to throw. Things to push and things to tug.
It was a busy, active shelf. So, Serena did not mind when he gave the book to one of their friends after only a year, and Darien cared more for the contents of that bookshelf than any of the others holding words of wisdom and stories of old.
Additionally, Serena and Darien were able to find a book they both agreed was a favorite.
After all, it didn’t get much better than Love You Forever.