Ramifications

Prologue

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon

Summary: Darien takes Serena into his home after she is attacked. What happens when love quickly begins to blossom between the two housemates?

Author's Note: Please read and tell me what you think.

I

I

Sullenly, Serena stared at herself in the mirror admiring the change in her appearance. It was two months until her eighteenth birthday and she had a grand total of two weeks until she finally graduated from high school. Her mother, as a pre-graduation present, gave her enough money to go to the newest spa that opened up across town yesterday. Aware that she would be going to college in less than three months, she allowed the beauty consultant at the spa, a pretty middle aged woman named Mary, free roam on her hair. She had worn her distinctive hairstyle since she was a kid, and had firmly decided that it was time to let her meatballs go. She hadn't imagined that the psychotic woman would cut off half of her hair.

She sighed in the mirror, tugging at the back length, blonde, layered waves that tickled her ivory skin as they brushed against her flesh. Sure she looked older, more mature and maybe a little sexy even, but that woman cut her god damn hair! Quickly, she glanced at the clock realizing that she would be late for school if she didn't hurry and get dressed. She grabbed her uniform, a short red and black pleated skirt and white button up blouse before throwing them on, grabbing her back pack and running out of the door.

"Oh my god!" said Raye, continuously running her fingers through Serena's newly trimmed locks. "It looks so good."

All the girls were rallying around her during lunch as she discussed her disastrous appointment with Mary at the spa. "No it doesn't," she cried. "I said get rid of the hairstyle, not cut off all my freaking hair."

"No really," began Amy, looking up from her history book and studying Serena. "You look amazing. It's just in time for college Serena. You can't have had that hairstyle forever."

"Yea," agreed Mina, poking at her own shoulder length hair that she had cut upon entering twelfth grade. "Change is good."

Lita giggled. "You know who's going to have a field day over this?" she asked, pausing. "Darien. He's totally going to freak out."

"Why?" asked Serena.

She and Darien's relationship had been the same since she met him that fateful when she threw her test paper onto his head. They were constantly fighting, constantly bickering, and her hatred for him had grown over the past four years. He was 22 years old, a senior in university and he still made time throughout his day to pick on her. Needless to say, Serena hated him.

"What's he going to call you now?" asked Mina, chuckling. "Meatball head is obviously out of the question."

Serena snorted. "He's such a jerk, I'm sure he'll figure something out." Startled, Serena jumped as the bell ring. "Come on, Mina, we've got cheerleading practice.

"I'm so tired," said Mina, collapsing onto the dewy grass after completing their cheerleading routine for the fourth time. "Sarah is a Nazi! We got it already."

Serena laughed at her friend's response. Mina, sitting up abruptly, stared at a large figure behind the gate. "Serena, look, it's that same guy whose been coming up to the school for the last two weeks!"

Stealthily, Serena glanced at the tall man before turning her attention back to Mina. "Maybe he's just homeless or something," she replied, taking down her hair and running her fingers through it. Little did Mina know that Serena had seen the same dark haired, greasy looking man sitting at the bus stop a couple of blocks from the Crown Arcade.

"Maybe," she said. "He's just so creepy looking."

"Yea," Serena said absentmindedly. "He is."

Serena quickened her pace as she left the bus stop and headed toward the Crown Arcade for a chocolate milkshake after school that day. Her friends all had various things they needed to do and were unable to join her. Her heart began beating faster than usual as she broke into a fast pace, her eyes darting to the man that was walking slowly behind her. It was him again, the man in the brown, dingy trench coat, his sallow skin and beady eyes glistening as he began to sweat under the summer sun. Sighing with relief, she stepped into the arcade, the man following her inside and sitting in a booth in the back.

"Hi Andrew," she said, breathing hard and wiping the perspiration from her brow.

"Hi Serena," he said, staring at her oddly before smiling. "Nice hair."

"Thanks. Can I have a large chocolate shake and some fries?" she asked politely, placing her money on the table.

"You really can pack it in can't you meatball head?" said Darien, swerving around in his stool to face her. The sides of his mouth twitched as he looked at her oddly. Darien had thought Serena pretty before, even with her stupid hairstyle but today…she was breathtaking. Her short red skirt was resting against her upper thighs, and he was very aware of how lean and long her legs were. Her cheeks were rosy from the warm summer day and her eyes were shining with fire as she glared at him. And her hair, usually pinned up in her weird, signature smile was shorter, and was hanging down her back in lose waves. She looked…beautiful.

"What happened to your hair?" he asked distastefully. Regardless of what he thought about her new appearance, he was going to let her know how pretty she looked.

Serena rolled her eyes but chose to ignore Darien's comment. Everyone else liked her new hairstyle and if he didn't then he could just shut up. "Go away Darien," she said, fanning herself. "It's too hot and I'm too hungry to play verbal Kung-fu with you today."

Darien chuckled. "Is that right? Can't find time between shoving food in your mouth and hanging out the mall with your airhead friends to come up with a good comeback?"

"Very funny. Speaking of airheads, no fawning brunette on your arm today? I would be sure that your newest sexual conquest would be here clinging to you like she always does. What's her name again? Cokie? Cookie?"

"Keiko," he replied grimly, sipping his cappuccino.

"Trouble in paradise already? What, she not putting out enough for you?"

Andrew laughed at her response; Darien glared.

"Leave it to a child to assume Keiko's and my relationship is only based on sex."

Serena grinned. "Considering the fact that you have nothing else to offer to the relationship, I'm assuming the only reason that's she's with you is that you're well endowed and good in the sack, which is nothing to be ashamed of. However since you are dull as dirt, stuck up and a pain to be around for more than five minutes, it's best you work with what you've got," she said, patting his crotch and smiling triumphantly.

Darien smirked. "Any chance to feel me up you take, don't you Serena."

"You wish, I wouldn't touch you down there, if you were the last person on earth and it was up to us to repopulate the earth," said Serena, standing up and saluting. "We'd just have to say good bye to the human race. See ya, Andrew."

Waiving gingerly, Andrew watched as she took a seat at a booth near the front. "I think she won this time," he said.

"Won what?"

"Your verbal Kung-fu, as she calls it."

"Sure, she did."

"So what's up with you and Keiko, I haven't seen her around?"

"She's back at my apartment. She must be tired after last night," said Darien, smiling smugly as Andrew shook his head. "Thanks for the coffee. See you later."

Slowly Darien rose from the seat, watching out of the corner of his eye as Serena pulled out a history book. "Don't study too hard, mush for brains," he said, winking at her, "you might give yourself a coronary."

Serena grimaced. Stupid Darien, always had to have the last word.

Out of the corner of his eyes the older man watched the blonde goddess sip jovially on her drink, her lush pink lips wrapping around the straw and sucking vigorously. What he wouldn't give to have those young, inexperienced lips wrapped around him. Getting up from his chair and rushing out of the door. He realized that he would be waiting to touch her for much longer.