Hi! I'm Kyoshi & I've come back to the fanfiction-writing world! I was working on a Dead or Alive story, but alas, had to take a hiatus when I went to school without taking a copy of my newest chapters from my parents' computer. I haven't been home since, but I'll get that going again when fall semester is over…

I used to write in my LiveJournal a lot, but I've pretty much switched to Xanga once I hit college. I was re-vamping my LJ when I ran into the Usagi and Mamoru: A Love like No Other group and joined, inspired by the AmAzInG fics I read by the users in that group. So0oOO mad Propz!

I decided to join in on the drabbles until I can get back into my main DOA fic, and to my surprise, they came very easily. And (at least I think) somewhat decent. I'm a long-time Sailor Moon fan (11+ years), and this brings back many memories! As great as the anime is, I do have my qualms with it, so my writing will mainly deal with the manga (you know, with Tuxedo Kamen being NON-emasculated, none of that Doom Tree break-up crap, and so on…).

Please feel free to comment as you like, and give me a holler if you want to talk. I'd like to think I'm a pretty cool chick and a decent writer. This is my first attempt at Sailor Moon fiction, and writing drabbles at that, so don't be surprised if they tend to run long. Now, on with the show!

"Wow," gaped Usagi. "This place looks so elite."

The blonde girl felt like a dwarf next to the massive concrete building before her. Azabu Institute of Technology. This was Chiba Mamoru's university. Suddenly, the wooden doors at the end of the walkway burst open. Usagi leapt to the side, hiding her tiny frame behind a pillar of bricks. She blushed as she glanced down at her high school uniform to the students pouring out of the building. They weren't wearing matching uniforms, but rather nice business-casual wear: smooth skirts, button-down shirts, crisp slacks. Just another difference between his world and hers.

Usagi clenched her fists at her sides. "This is so useless!" she sighed to herself. Usagi put a foot forward, determined to walk away from the university when Mamoru walked past her with his leather briefcase slung over his broad shoulder. He walked silently and confidently, striding along the concrete with his gaze forward. He didn't notice the school girl nervously pressed against the pillar. Usagi narrowed her blue eyes and darted after Mamoru.

The two made the trek to the heart of the city of Juuban, Mamoru in the lead with Usagi trailing a few feet behind. Usagi kept her eyes on the back of his head, Mamoru's dark hair shining in the afternoon sun. Her fingers fiddled with a small wrapped package.

"You know it's rude to follow people," Mamoru said loudly.

Usagi snapped her head up. Did he just say something? She stopped walking for a moment, but Mamoru kept moving.

"I'm talking to you, Odango," he continued. Mamoru stopped several feet ahead of her, but this time, he turned towards the shocked girl. There was neither a smile nor a frown on his face, but Usagi could never really read his expressions. She could only counter his stone gaze the only was that came naturally.

"You know I'm not rude, only cute!" she replied with a broad smile. Usagi skipped ahead merrily, nudging Mamoru with her shoulder. "But of course, you're the expert on what's rude, Baka!"

Mamoru continued to stare at the younger girl, but Usagi's smile never wavered under his piercing blue eyes. Underneath, however, Mamoru used all of his might to resist the contagious charm.

"I only know what is rude because I have to deal with you everyday," he retorted. Mamoru proceeded to turn and continue on his way. He secretly hid his grin that spread over his face when he saw the pout on Usagi's pink lips.

Undaunted, Usagi ran after her tormentor. "Hey old geezer, you're an old Baka now, right? Isn't it your birthday?"

"Yes."

Usagi struggled to keep up with Mamoru's stride, but kept following him. "Aren't you going to celebrate?"

"No."

She let out a sigh. "Don't you have any friends?"

"More than you."

"Then why don't you throw a party?"

"Don't care," came Mamoru's short reply.

Usagi snatched the crook of his arm, turning Mamoru around. She had that deadly smile on her face again. "Even though you're such a Baka-head, I'll treat you to video games at Crown then, if you have no intentions of celebrating today, this glorious day!" she cheered giddily.

"No thank you, Odango," Mamoru protested, trying to pull his arm away from Usagi. For a tiny girl, he discovered, Usagi was rather strong when she had her mind set on something. "I really need to get to studying for my exam next week."

"So think of this as a quick break for your brains, Mamoru!" she insisted, tugging harder on the sleeve of Mamoru's black turtleneck. "For what little amount of brains you have, Baka."

Mamoru tugged back on his arm even harder. "Seriously Odango, I would love to baby-sit you at the arcade, but I don't have time right now!"

"Stop being so stubborn and at least come with me to say hi to Motoki-chan!"

"Stubborn! You're the one who's been following me all this way," he retorted.

The tugging of arms continued back and forth, and while Usagi didn't really move Mamoru from his spot on the sidewalk, he swayed with her tugging to ease the strain on his favorite shirt. Finally, Mamoru just decided to give in so Usagi would stop whining at him, and in the process, stop the strange stares from the passers-by. However, his decision came at the wrong moment. Mamoru loosened the arm that Usagi tugged on at the same time Usagi used all of her strength for her final tug, causing her to fall backwards on the pavement with Mamoru tumbling on top of her.

The only sound that escaped her lips was a flat "umph!"

After their tumble to the ground, Mamoru's eyes shot open to meet with the pained face of Tsukino Usagi, who could only cough her pain of being the cushion between Mamoru-baka and the ground.

"Usagi! Usagi, are you alright?" Mamoru asked nervously. He brushed away the golden bangs from her face before resting the palm of his hand to her cheek.

Usagi blinked her eyes, unfamiliar with Mamoru's deep voice calling her name. Then, they stretched wide with surprise. Mamoru – no, Baka! - was on top of her. And her package must have hit the ground with their fall! Mamoru noticed the shocked look on her face and instantly sprang to his feet. His eyes searched everywhere, trying his hardest to not look at the crumpled girl on the ground as he rubbed the back of his neck. Usagi, on the other hand, looked ready to cry. She struggled to her side, her hands searching the gray pavement.

"Do you need help up, Odango?" Mamoru asked, his eyebrow arching as he watched Usagi pat the ground.

Wordlessly, her small hand found the strings to her wrapped package. It was squished, the significance of the contents inside puzzling Mamoru. The heartbroken look on Usagi's face tore at his own in his chest, but what could be so important to the girl?

"Don't look so sad, Odango Atama. I'll forgive you for tripping the both of us this time," Mamoru quipped, but only half-assed. Usagi only furrowed her brows even more. Good one, Mamoru. You really are Baka-head…

He slowly reached for the crushed package. "Hey, maybe I can fix it."

Upon his gesture, Usagi clutched the item closely to her chest. At first, a flicker of fear shone in her eyes, but then died when a bright smile spread across her face. "Don't worry about it, Mamoru-san! Will you come with me to the arcade now and stop being such a jerkface?"

He couldn't help but smile back; her bubbliness was just too intoxicating. Then, regaining composure, Mamoru let his eyes roll and turned back towards the arcade. He was heading there anyway.

The rest of the walk was quiet, but pleasant. From time to time, Mamoru would steal sideways glances at the younger girl walking next to him. She kept fiddling with that crushed package. He could feel a strange calm washing over him with every step they took and felt an urge to wrap his arm around Usagi. Maybe to get her mind off that package, maybe to show her he wasn't all insults and cold inside, maybe to just have someone so refreshing close by his side.

Perhaps I should ease up with the teasing, thought Mamoru.

But not a moment too soon.

Right as the two reached the front doors to Crown Arcade, Usagi was too enamored with the strings of the package that she smacked into the glass doors before they could fully open. Her face hit the surface with a loud thud, and to make the situation worse, Usagi spilled forward onto the arcade's tiled floors with another thump.

In front of everyone.

Spoiling the surprise.

Mamoru's darted between the fallen Usagi and the mass of people gathered in the arcade. There were balloons, "Happy Birthday" banners, and streamers all around the counter with a grinning Motoki brandishing a finely-shaped cake with his name on it. All of his –and inadvertently, Usagi's- friends, Minako, Ami, Rei, Makoto, Reika, and Naru, gathered with pointed party hats and noisemakers in their hands, but gaping mouths also decorated their just as surprised faces. All of these people were there to celebrate his birthday. All of these people were here because of a certain happy-intoxicating-feelings girl…

"Usagi!" he cried, stooping to help that girl up.

She climbed to her feet, slightly embarrassed at her second fall. This wasn't exactly how she planned it... "Surprise!" she cheered, but only after glaring at her friends who had only stared at her fall the entire time since she arrived with the birthday boy.

"Surprise!" they cheered automatically. Then Motoki broke the awkward silence with a hearty laughter. Reika, his girlfriend, hit him in the shoulder as a reprimand, and everyone else joined in with the laughter.

Mamoru couldn't help but smile. This was the first time he ever celebrated his birthday, sans the times Motoki pushed in front of him complimentary chocolate sundaes with a haphazard candle, and it was the best birthday he could have ever imagined himself. Usagi turned to the birthday boy with a sly smile of her own, and Mamoru returned her gaze with playfully suspicious eyes.

"Are you telling me that you, Odango Atama, were capable of keeping this secret and planning this whole party?" he asked.

Usagi only smiled broader. "Happy Birthday, Mamoru-baka."