A Bit of a Surprise (Except Not)
Verse-Kid
When-after Meeting Again for the First Time
Makoto could not help but spy just the tiniest bit. She wanted Mamoru to be happy, knew that the Shitennou were to him what she and the others were to Usagi, but she could not help but be wary. Even as her eyes had lingered on the form of a man she’d missed longer than she could have ever imagined, she wanted to transform.
She sighed as she sat in the shrine, sharing her observations with the others. “I’m not Rei… I can’t make any claims about auras or anything, but… they looked… fine. They looked happy, and Mamoru looked happy.”
Usagi gently reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. “I’m sorry. To all of you. I… know this is difficult. I’m…”
“Stop it, Usagi.” Ami’s voice was sharp, causing all of them to fall silent and stare at the usually quietest one of their number. “It’s not your fault. And it’s not even a bad thing, necessarily. We all knew we’d have to deal with this someday.”
Rei nodded, “As long as they leave us alone, if they really are no threat, I see no reason to worry about it.” The miko shrugged, “Regardless of how we feel, Mamoru needs them as much as you need us. We can be civil.”
“Um…” Usagi smiled sweetly at the raven-haired Senshi of Fire, “Define ‘leave us alone’?”
Ami sighed as her phone went off for the third time, the ring tone suggesting that it was not a number she knew. Rei took the phone from her, pressed the red button to reject the call and looked at Usagi, “That would be exactly what I don’t mean by it.”
“She’s just trying to apologize and set the record straight…” Usagi turned her attention to Ami, “She did not mean it the way it came out. And I told her she had to fix it. You were hurting. I’m sorry.”
Before Ami could answer it was Minako who spoke up, her voice hard, every bit of her the commander. “So you gave her Ami’s number? That was stepping over a line, Usagi.”
Usagi shook her head, “I didn’t!”
Ami shrugged, “It’s all right. Mamoru probably did. But… could you tell her that I don’t really feel like speaking to her?”
“Yeah… um… so um…” Usagi played with the end of one of her pigtails, “Could… you all… tolerate in the same room next month? Maybe?”
“Why?” Rei’s eyebrow was raised and the hard look on Minako’s face didn’t help matters any.
“I uh… I’m hoping to move the wedding up.”
Makoto, ignoring the tension grinned, “Don’t want Chibi-Usa to be obviously in the wedding photos?”
No words were needed as Usagi’s face turned bright red and she smiled.
Immediately, the tension in the room faded, the problem of the Shitennou momentarily forgotten as five girls squealed in excitement.
When-after Meeting Again for the First Time
Makoto could not help but spy just the tiniest bit. She wanted Mamoru to be happy, knew that the Shitennou were to him what she and the others were to Usagi, but she could not help but be wary. Even as her eyes had lingered on the form of a man she’d missed longer than she could have ever imagined, she wanted to transform.
She sighed as she sat in the shrine, sharing her observations with the others. “I’m not Rei… I can’t make any claims about auras or anything, but… they looked… fine. They looked happy, and Mamoru looked happy.”
Usagi gently reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. “I’m sorry. To all of you. I… know this is difficult. I’m…”
“Stop it, Usagi.” Ami’s voice was sharp, causing all of them to fall silent and stare at the usually quietest one of their number. “It’s not your fault. And it’s not even a bad thing, necessarily. We all knew we’d have to deal with this someday.”
Rei nodded, “As long as they leave us alone, if they really are no threat, I see no reason to worry about it.” The miko shrugged, “Regardless of how we feel, Mamoru needs them as much as you need us. We can be civil.”
“Um…” Usagi smiled sweetly at the raven-haired Senshi of Fire, “Define ‘leave us alone’?”
Ami sighed as her phone went off for the third time, the ring tone suggesting that it was not a number she knew. Rei took the phone from her, pressed the red button to reject the call and looked at Usagi, “That would be exactly what I don’t mean by it.”
“She’s just trying to apologize and set the record straight…” Usagi turned her attention to Ami, “She did not mean it the way it came out. And I told her she had to fix it. You were hurting. I’m sorry.”
Before Ami could answer it was Minako who spoke up, her voice hard, every bit of her the commander. “So you gave her Ami’s number? That was stepping over a line, Usagi.”
Usagi shook her head, “I didn’t!”
Ami shrugged, “It’s all right. Mamoru probably did. But… could you tell her that I don’t really feel like speaking to her?”
“Yeah… um… so um…” Usagi played with the end of one of her pigtails, “Could… you all… tolerate in the same room next month? Maybe?”
“Why?” Rei’s eyebrow was raised and the hard look on Minako’s face didn’t help matters any.
“I uh… I’m hoping to move the wedding up.”
Makoto, ignoring the tension grinned, “Don’t want Chibi-Usa to be obviously in the wedding photos?”
No words were needed as Usagi’s face turned bright red and she smiled.
Immediately, the tension in the room faded, the problem of the Shitennou momentarily forgotten as five girls squealed in excitement.