Title: Stolen Moments

Summery:

This is a series of one shots following Usagi into her first semester of college. U/M. They all tie into one another and it's just a refreshing journey into a different way Usagi and Mamoru become friends. Enjoy!

She shifted on her feet, her arms adjusting the load she was just handed as she uneasily made her way down the four steps from the Campus Bookstore. She blew out a breath, her bangs fluttering in the ending summer sun. Thirty-eight thousand yen for books? No wonder her dad didn't want her to go to college. Why were they so heavy? She whined a bit as she forced her feet forward. Thankfully the small dorm she shared with Minako was only a few… hundred yards away. She groaned and re-adjusted her arms and eeped when the large Western Literature book fell helplessly to the ground with a large thud.

"Crap," Tsukino Usagi hissed as she uneasily bent down to try and grab the spine of the three-inch thick book that had landed open on the dirty pavement.

"Odango," a voice suddenly said and Usagi jumped up, her books jarring and a hysterical cry left her lips. Strong arms instantly wrapped around her, steadying her books and frame and for a long moment she stood there silent, hoping against hope that the heartbeat against her back was that of a really hot college student that was not Chiba Mamoru. "Are you all right?" His voice wafted over her ear and she sneered. Damn. He released her and quickly bent down grabbing the book from the ground. "Western Lit? You don't have Yushimo do you?" He questioned and she planted her feet, happy once more for the secure grip she had on the books, yet her eyes stared at him with a bit of wonder. She gulped. Who the hell was this? Did all college men look like Chiba Mamoru? That wouldn't be too bad except for that they would all look like Chiba Mamoru!
"I uh… I thought you graduated um from this University already," Usagi said quickly and Mamoru's deep cobalt eyes looked up from the book in his hands to her and he smiled a bit.

"Yeah. I did with my bachelor's a while ago. I'm a third year Med student now. The school is on this campus. Plus I live in the apartment complex off Cherry right around the corner," he finished slowly and she nodded. Perfect.

"Great," Usagi mumbled and turned away from him, making her way a bit easier towards her dorm.
"You know if you have Yushimo I can help you out a bit. He's horrifying at first but pretty predictable," Mamoru said, quickly catching up to her and Usagi raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

"Uh, thanks. I'll keep that in mind," Usagi mumbled and was a bit alarmed he was still following her. What was his problem?

"Odango." He tried and she spun on him. This niceness had to end.

"You know I hate that name! What the hell do you want?" She spat at him, her eyes annoyed as she unloaded all of her frustration of moving out of her childhood home, having to take three courses she couldn't correctly pronounce and just discovering her childhood enemy was now going to be a daily occurrence once again in her life. He pressed his lips together silently, a smile forming on them as he held up the large book.

"Western Literature," He mumbled quietly and her eyes widened and she huffed, a bit of embarrassment flushing her cheeks. She reached for the book and slapped it back on the top of the stack.

"Arigato," She grumbled quietly.

"See you soon," Mamoru said quietly, his hands going back into his jeans and he tipped his head to her. She watched him go and furrowed her brow and turned. Now she felt like a jerk. She only hoped she wouldn't see him on a regular basis… the University was huge with thousands of students. She should be fine. Besides, this was her new start… her new life and with the Negaverse and every evil thing finally dead and Sailor Moon on a personal hiatus until Crystal Tokyo… maybe this time she could make good grades. A small smile flickered to her face at that thought. Yeah, Tsukino Usagi… Honor Roll. She could do that. And when she did that… than she'd love to run into Chiba Mamoru and show her grades off. Ha.