an: i've been in a crazy writing slump. like nothing comes to me. zero ideas. zero writing. thankfully my wonderful beta suggested I try to write at least 200 words. so out came this. Thank you so much floraone for your help and constant encouragement to keep going 333 I could so use your reviews and encouragement, so let me know what you think!

oOo

Prompt: Soft Usagi and Mamoru fic

"You're beautiful."

Ocean blue eyes snapped up to meet his from where they'd been looking at the latest edition of a manga.

"W-what?" Usagi stuttered in response, cheeks flushed and pupils wide.

Mamoru could feel the heat rising on his cheeks, and he quickly looked back down at the books spread out on the coffee table, his advanced physics problems appearing blurry.

Not being one for maudlin displays, he hadn't meant to say that out loud.

But watching her sitting on the floor of his apartment, loose hair spilling over her shoulders (her odango had come loose from the particularly...enthusiastic greeting he'd given her) while she giggled and sighed and gasped intermittently at whatever she was reading...it was impossible to describe her as anything but beautiful.

He was so ridiculously, over the moon in love with the girl in front of him that his thoughts spilled out of him without filter.

And really, why he should he regret them? Afterall, when he dared to look back at her, her eyes were shining, her lips beaming at the compliment he'd bestowed on her.

Usagi had taught him many things in their time together. Enjoy life. Love fully. Regret nothing.

"You're beautiful," he repeated, firmly this time, and without hesitation.

She blushed more fully, and it was her turn to look down at the book in front of her.

There was a long beat of silence, before she looked at him slyly out of the corner of her eye, a smile gracing her lips that nearly took his breath away.

"You're pretty beautiful, too, Mamo-chan."