Forces of Attraction

By Aislinn Cailin

AN: Not surprisingly, this came to me while I was studying for my Physics Magnetism Test. The entire fic is actually finished – I swore I'd finish it before posting it because I am notorious for starting new things and not finishing them – but it's too long to post as a huge one shot, and the ending needs some pretty heavy revision anyway. Part 2 should be out in about one to two weeks.

Please review! I'd love to know what you'd think. Criticism is very much appreciated.

Motoki clucked his tongue and sighed at his friend. The arcade wouldn't function properly without a daily row between Usagi and her despised Baka. Sometimes, Motoki secretly thought that the real reason so many people crowded around after school was to watch one of their battle of the wits – or in this case, milkshake cups, since Usagi's had gone flying across in a great swooping arc, and missed its target by a few centimeters.

Fortunately for Motoki, the milkshake glass was both plastic and nearly empty, so minimal cleaning was required before he could return to his original task of admonishing his friend.

"Why do you always take her side?" Mamoru asked, irritated.

Motoki smirked. "Because you never furiously storm out of here."

"So? How does that justify anything?"

"She's just a kid, Mamoru," Motoki said, replacing the now dried and spotless milkshake cup back on the shelf. "Let up on her, will ya?"

"Just because she acts like a kid doesn't mean she is a kid," Mamoru countered. "She should be old enough to control her temper."

"Andyou should be old enough to know better than annoy her. Why don't you just leave her alone?"

Mamoru shrugged and finally cracked open his Physics textbook. "I don't say anything to her, she starts everything with her ridiculous comments. Dipoles are all random …"

"What?"

Mamoru looked up. "What?"

"You said something about her dipoles."

"Oh, no, that's the textbook. Magnetism."

"I see." Motoki took the cue and went to take care of other customers. He was still a bit irritated at Mamoru, and unnerved by his ability to open a book and focus as if nothing else was important in his life. No doubt that Usagi was probably at home crying right now. She would be too exhausted to focus on her homework for the rest of the night.

He disagreed with Mamoru on a large part. He really didn't understandwhy Mamoru couldn't leave Usagi alone. Sure, Usagi did her part to provoke Mamoru, but those were usually unintentional comments. She didn't test his patience nearly as often as he did hers. It was almost as if there was some force of attraction keeping them together, so that they had to interact on a daily basis.

Amused, he shared this theory with Mamoru.

"I seriously think you guys have some weird attraction force making sure you always interact."

Mamoru raised his head. "Who? Usagi and I?"

"See, you can pronounce her name! Now, why do you call her Odango?"

Mamoru ignored that last comment. "Motoki, I'm sure hate doesn'tattract two people together."

"Hate is a strong word."

"Fine,strong dislike."

Motoki grinned. "I disagree. I think you guys are polar opposites who can't help but be attracted to each other."

"What are you talking about?" Mamoru said. A vein throbbed in his right temple.

"It's like …" Motoki glanced down at Mamoru's textbook "… like magnets! You guys have an electromagnetic force of attraction going on between you two, and since you guys are opposites, you are naturally attracted to each other. You're North, because you provide the insult or comment that travels along the field lines, and she's South, because she receives them."

Mamoru almost gawked at him. "Motoki, that is, without a doubt, the single most ridiculous thing I have heard all my life."

Motoki laughed. "Call it what you want, but it's true."

"It is not!" Mamoru said hotly. "If we have any force of attraction, it is strong repulsion."

Motoki thought about this for a minute. "Well … considering that opposites attract, and likes repel … are you implying that you are very alike to Usagi? That you talk, think, and act like her?"

Mamoru was silent, glaring at him.

"See, I have a point!"

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Okay, what do I have to do to make you believe that I am not attracted to her? Stay away from her for a day?"

"You wish!" Motoki snorted. "That's too easy. I dare you to stay away from her for a week. Seven days. Today … which is a Tuesday?"

"Wednesday."

"Fine, starting tomorrow, on Thursday, until …" he counted on his fingers. "… until next Wednesday night."

Mamoru was about to protest and say that was too long, but he stopped himself. What was he doing? Staying away from Odango Atama would be heaven on Earth.

"Fine. And my reward?"

"Your reward? The satisfaction of knowing that you can stay away from her?"

"I don't think so. It takes effort not to insult her, so I deserve a reward."

"Fine. I'll buy your next two textbooks."

Mamoru considered. "Deal."

He reached out a hand to shake on it but his friend stopped him. "We haven't gone over the guidelines yet." With a flourish, he took out a pad and paper from his apron and set it down on the table.

Mamoru waited. "And they are …?"

"Bystaying away from her, you can't come into contact with her. You can't even talk to her —"

"What if she starts talking to me?" Mamoru interjected.

Motoki started scribbling all this information in neat, printed letters on the page. "Then you ignore her. You cannot respond to her. You cannot give her the impression that you know she exists."

"Well, what if she says something really stupid?"

Motoki glanced up from his page and smirked. "I think you're using all of this as an excuse to get some way to talk to Usagi."

Mamoru almost blanched. "Kami-sama, no. She is, what, twelve?"

Motoki was amused. "Fourteen." He wrote something else on the page. "You can't touch her, hit her, bang into her …"

"And if she bangs into me?"

"Take a different route to school. Stay well away from her. She is not naturally violent – "

"I'd like to argue that," Mamoru muttered.

"- so if you don't provoke her, she won't throw or hit you."

Mamoru watched as Motoki ripped out the sheet he was writing everything in, and transferred all the information on there to a separate sheet on the same pad. Mamoru read the 'rules' while Motoki copied them.

"So that's basically it? For real? I can't talk to her or touch her for a measly week and you'll buy two textbooks. You know they're not too cheap, right?"

Motoki shrugged. "Sure. If you stay away from her. And if you lose …"

Mamoru held his breath. When Motoki didn't continue, he sighed, and asked, "… and if I lose?"

Motoki tapped the pen against his chin and tilted his head upwards, thoughtfully. He murmured something to himself over and over again, and then suddenly had a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"If you lose …" he said slowly, "… you have to admit to Usagi that you are naturally attracted to her. You have to say those exact words."

Mamoru almost laughed. Almost. "Sure. Except, I'm not, so I won't."

"Fine, but if you do, you have to say, Usagi – and it has to be 'Usagi', not 'Odango' or any variation of that. You have to say, Usagi I am naturally attracted to you. Okay?"

"Sure," Mamoru agreed. He watched Motoki copy down these final requirements onto both sheets of paper, and then draw two lines. Motoki signed one line on each paper with his name, and then shoved the papers and pen at Mamoru. Mamoru quickly scanned them over – it was exactly what Motoki said, no strings or unexpected rules attached – and then signed it too.

Motoki pocketed one of the papers and left it on the desk. "We both get a copy. For security purposes. So, shake on it and be done?"

Mamoru nodded. They shook on it, and it was done.

Or rather, it began.

If Motoki's speech had established nothing else, it had an unfortunate byproduct in Mamoru: he could no longer study magnetism without cringing. Whenever he thought of North and South poles, he thought of Motoki's ridiculous argument. Granted, Usagi and Mamoru were polar opposites, but an attraction was highly unlikely. Whoever said opposites attract in relationships was an idiot.

He actually did take a longer way to school that morning, and it was refreshing. Somehow, he was always paranoid that Odango would come and bump into him just for the sake of making him lose his bet, but she never did. In fact, he couldn't glimpse any blonde pig tails no matter how hard he tried. Not that he was trying, of course.

He got to the arcade an hour and a half hour earlier than Usagi, as usual, and ordered his afternoon coffee. This would be the hard part: trying to keep a hold of his tongue, and not make any sarcastic jokes, or retorts. He sat on the stool at the far end of the arcade, doing his homework on the counter. If he knew anything about Usagi, she would sit right dab in the center, so as to attract Motoki's attention. It annoyed Mamoru a little that Motoki could put up with her over-the-top flirtatiousness and still find her incredibly charming. Sometimes, he questioned if Motoki too had a functioning brain.

Usagi came in at exactly four fifteen, well past the time of the other junior high students. Usagi, of course, got detention, so she had to stay an extra hour late. By that time she entered, a couple of students already filled the seats between Mamoru and Usagi's center position. He tried to focus on his Chemistry coursework, but he saw Usagi sigh happily when Motoki came over to them.

"So, how was your day Usagi-chan?" Motoki asked, whipping up a milkshake while still keeping pleasant small talk.

Usagi sighed happily once more. "Terrific! I got detention again, but that's nothing new. But, oh, Motoki-onii-san! I didn't bump into the baka once. Isn't that fantastic?"

"Really?" Motoki murmured, looking towards Mamoru. "Yeah, that does sound pretty fantastic …"

Mamoru smirked at him, and then went back to studying. Usagi followed Motoki's gaze. She furrowed her brows. "Why is he sitting all the way over there?"

Motoki glanced back at Usagi and shrugged, fighting to hide a grin. "I don't know. You can go ask him, though, if you want to."

Usagi grimaced. "No thanks!" she said, putting two hands out in front of her face as if to shield herself. "I would rather not spoil my day by having anything to do with him."

Motoki stepped out from behind the counter and went to serve other booths. Usagi looked around, bored, trying to find something to do.

It was definitely an odd day. Usually, the arcade was Usagi's main source of entertainment, yet today was especially dull. She could not, for the life of her, pinpoint why. She considered playing one of the games, but the machines were already full, save the cracked one near the back that apparently ate all your change.

She twirled her straw in her empty milkshake glass and sighed, wondering what everyone else might be up to. Ami had cram school, she knew that, and Rei was busy with priestess duty. Where were Mako-chan and Minako-chan? They hadn't formed plans without her, had they? Maybe she could ask Motoki to see if they had come in.

"Hey Motoki," Usagi began when he came back to the counter, but Motoki interrupted her.

"Sorry, Usagi-chan," he said apologetically. "There was some big problem with an order near the back, I need to take care of that before I can talk to you."

Usagi was slightly annoyed by this piece of news. Did nobody have time to do anything with her today?

She swiftly glanced at Mamoru, who was still sitting at the far end of the arcade, intensely focused on his work. Work, work, work. Did he have nothing better to do? Maybe he could be her source of entertainment today. She briefly rifled through ways she could annoy him – screaming, yelling, throwing another drink at him – and then decided against it. She wanted to have at least one baka-free day.

No, maybe she should just go home and sleep. She wasn't getting very much of it these days with her Senshi duty.

Usagi had hopped up off her chair and had gathered her belongings when Motoki came back.

"So, what was it you wanted to say?" Motoki asked.

Usagi waved a hand. "It's nothing. I wanted to know where Mako-chan and Minako-chan were, but I'm going home anyway, so it doesn't matter."

"Already?" Motoki said, a bit surprised. He glanced at the clock. "It's only five. You usually stay here until closing time."

She shrugged, adjusting the weight of her bag on her shoulders. "I guess I'm really tired today." Or really bored. But she didn't say the last part aloud, for fear of hurting Motoki's feelings. "Bye, Motoki-chan!" She glanced once more at Mamoru before leaving.

Motoki watched her for a second, frowning, and then went to talk to Mamoru.

Mamoru didn't even look at up him when Motoki got there. "What are the energy levels for phosphorous?"

Motoki blinked. "What?"

"Never mind," Mamoru said, exasperated. He dug out his periodic table from his backpack, and then stared up at Motoki accusingly. "Clearly,you haven't been doing any of your homework."

Motoki laughed nervously. "Sorry, man. I've been really busy."

"Right," Mamoru muttered under his breath. With Mamoru's own studies and his Tuxedo Kamen duties, he found it a bit hard to imagine that Motoki was 'really busy'. He couldn't say any of this aloud, for obvious reasons.

"Anyway," Motoki said, trying to change the subject, "So." He leaned down on the counter with his elbows and grinned. "Did you notice that Usagi left the arcade about two hours earlier today because you didn't talk to her?"

"Oh?" Mamoru said, trying to sound disinterested. "I really hadn't noticed." Which was an outright lie, of course. Because of that stupid bet, he was suddenly very conscious to Usagi's actions. He hadn't noticed that she left earlier, but he had definitely noticed she had just left.

"Well, she did," Motoki said matter-of-factly. "If you talked to her, you guys would've fought, and she would've either stormed out, or stayed until later. See, you do have an influence on her life."

Mamoru was slightly annoyed, slightly amused. "Motoki, I highly doubt that Usagi left earlier because of me. She … probably has other things to do."

"Like what?" Motoki challenged. "You're always accusing her of never doing anything."

Mamoru grinned. "Okay, maybe she went home to sleep."

Motoki considered this. "Well, she did say she was really tired."

"See? There you go."

It was actually a very good day for Mamoru. He left at closing time, but he found he got a lot more work done – almost double the amount he got done when he talked to Usagi. In fact, he felt so relaxed that day that the entire challenge of avoiding Usagi seemed almost ridiculously easy.

It was a good day and a bad day, for various reasons. It was a good day, because after finishing his work last night, Mamoru actually goteight hours of sleep. That had been near impossible for the last few months, especially since his first run in with Usagi, and since undertaking the role of Tuxedo Kamen (which, he just noticed now, oddly happened on the same day). It was a bad day, though, because he was going to go insane from the amount of work.

Mamoru found this to be a startling revelation. Generally, he had no problem coping with work. He loved taking things on, loved throwing himself into projects, loved the satisfaction of a job well done. He found it peculiar, and a little bit disturbing, that he was exhausted from spending so much energy on work. He was never one to relax much. He racked his brains, trying to think of the last time he watched TV, or went on the Internet. It had nearly been a month ago, so he couldn't imagine why he was feeling so worn down that day.

He got to the arcade a bit late that day, taking his time walking. He was not particularly eager to sit down and work for another entire day, and the thought that he wasn't happy about it annoyed him so much that he had to keep himself from stomping furiously down the street. I like work, he told himself repeatedly. Work is good. I like the rigorous study methods I use in school, I like the competition, and I like striving for perfection. But no matter what mentality he tried to have, he couldn't make himself look forward to it.

"Coffee?" Motoki asked when he came in the arcade. Once again, Mamoru sat at the far end.

Mamoru shook his head. "Uh … milkshake, I think."

Motoki was surprised. "Since when do you drink milkshakes?"

"I don't know. I just had this craving for one today."

Motoki eyed him with a curious expression while preparing the milkshake. Mamoru was unnerved.

"What?" he asked.

Motoki shook his head and then grinned. "I think I know why you want a milkshake today …"

Mamoru raised his eyebrows. "You do?" he asked, sipping it gingerly. The cold was a soothing change from the day's heat. He couldn't remember why he preferred coffee most days.

Motoki nodded. "I think it's because you're avoiding Usagi."

On cue, Usagi entered the arcade. Both Motoki and Mamoru glanced up at the clock in unison – she was an hour earlier than her usual time. She must not have had a detention, Mamoru thought, slightly amazed. He hadn't thought that he would live to see the day.

Too bad he couldn't express any of this to her.

Usagi glanced at both of them, and then sniffed haughtily before taking her usual center seat.

"I want a milkshake because I am avoiding Usagi?" Mamoru repeated, turning back to Motoki's earlier comment. He kept his voice down a bit so that the object of their discussion wouldn't hear anything.

"You need a bit of her brightness in your life, so to remind yourself of it, you're drinking her favourite drink."

"What?" Mamoru said, nearly choking on the frothy liquid. He coughed and was gasping for breath when he answered. "Motoki, you need to realize that my life does not revolve around Usagi. Actually," he corrected himself, "I am not even remotely concerned with Usagi."

Motoki shrugged. "Suit yourself."

He went over to serve Usagi, who was now glaring at them impatiently. Since she was early that day – or rather, on time with everyone else – the seats separating the two of them were empty. Mamoru could clearly hear her conversation with Motoki.

"Is the baka drinking a milkshake?"

Motoki chuckled. "I know, I was stunned too."

"Isn't he allergic to sugar or something?"

Motoki laughed outright. Mamoru's nostrils flared. Ha-ha, how hilarious.

"Would you like to try coffee, Usagi-chan?" Motoki suggested. "You know, keep the balance so that one of you is drinking coffee and one of you is drinking milkshake."

Usagi made a face. "No thanks. I don't want to drink coffee and turn out all bitter like him."

Mamoru rolled his eyes and pushed his milkshake away in disgust. Fine then, if that was how she wanted to play it. He didn't want to consume too much sugar either, and turn out to be a ditz like her.

It was very hard to concentrate that day. For one, the more he tried to convince himself that he was enthusiastic about his work, the more unfocused he became. For another, he could have sworn that he caught Usagi staring at him sometimes, though so discreetly that he couldn't really tell if she was or not. Maybe he was just imagining it.

Kami-sama, he was going crazy! Since when had he imagined Usagi staring at him?

Furious with himself, he packed up his things and decided to head home. Maybe he could get some work done today.

"Where are you going?" Motoki asked, surprised for another time that week.

"Home," he muttered. "I can't concentrate here."

Motoki stared at him. "Why? You always could before …or have you finally realized you're attracted to Usagi, and she's too big of a distraction?"

Mamoru could hear the smile in Motoki's voice and glared at him before stalking out. He did not say a word to Usagi, but he could see – no, feel – her staring at him when he left. And it was very distracting.

Mamoru got up at five thirty that morning, refreshed and finally looking forward to finishing all his homework. He was so relieved that he had reverted back to his old mentality that, even though he wasn't feeling too tired, he decided to brew a pot of fresh coffee just for tradition's sake.

It was a Saturday, so, after going for his morning jog, he stayed home to work. It was much easier avoiding Usagi when he couldn't see her, he decided. No doubt she would be at the arcade that day, her and her entire posse of giggling girls, and that would be beyond annoying. She would probably come up to him and make some rude comment about his habits, or his coffee, or his tastes. He would probably insult her back, about her habits, and her tastes, and her milkshake.

Or not, he remembered, catching himself. He would be avoiding her, so she would dish it all out, and he would have to sit there and take it.

He was spending way too much time thinking about Usagi.

By noon, Mamoru had finished most of his work. He got up and stretched, checking his agenda for everything else he had to finish that weekend. There was still heavy revision to do, and he had to study for his Psychology test on Monday. He was supposed to get started on his research for the Viral Therapy assignment too.

He checked his supplies next: he was running low on computer paper, and his Chemistry notebook was nearly full.

He headed to the mall, taking the longer, winding route. It was an overcast day, the clouds converging into great hulking masses, but a cool breeze was blowing, and it was a refreshing change from his stuffy apartment.

Mamoru was not particularly fond of the mall, with its crowded atmosphere, and a large horde of girls grouped together at every corner. It was an ironic thought, because, while he hated the mall, he enjoyed spending time at the arcade, even though both had the exact same environment. Probably because of Motoki,he thought to himself. At least he had someone to talk to at the arcade.

Thankfully, the store he went into was blissfully empty. Only a few stray patrons like himself were shopping for items. Nobody really went to buy school supplies on a Saturday.

He went to the notebooks aisle, and almost groaned out loud when he saw Odango Atama standing there, staring intently at two notebooks, one held in each hand.

"Out of all the places in the world …" he muttered angrily. "Stupid, stupid, cursed luck!"

Her back was turned, so she didn't see him, but he could hear her talking to herself, debating between the two books. One had a design of pink flowers on a white background. The other had a design of white flowers on a pink background.

Actually, she wasn't talking to herself, he realized. She was talking to her cat.

How she had managed to sneak a cat in here when the sign outside clearly said 'No pets allowed!' was something Mamoru did not want to waste time considering. Instead, he arranged his face into a stoic expression and went to stand beside her, searching for his preferred brand of notebook.

The cat meowed when he approached, and Usagi instantly stopped talking, turning to him instead.

"Oh … h-hello, Mamoru-baka," she said nervously.

He didn't want to chance talking to her, even if Motoki wasn't here to watch them. With his luck, she would probably tell Motoki that Mamoru had spoken to her, and that would ruin everything. Instead, he glanced at her briefly before turning back to his search.

She huffed angrily beside him. "Well, aren't we rude? Iwas trying to be polite for once."

He wanted to ask her how it was 'polite' to call him baka.

"Oh, so you're giving me the silent treatment now? Is it because of the milkshake?"

He found his book and left, now going into the aisle stacked with paper. To his incredible astonishment, she followed him.

"Well,I didn't know it would bother you that much!" she protested. "If I did, I wouldn't have thrown it at you." She paused, and then reconsidered. "Wait, actually, I would have, but I would have felt bad about it later."

It was actually very amusing, the way she interpreted his silence. He picked up his paper and went to pay for it.

"So, which book do you like better? Ami-chan says my last book is too dirty for me to do any work properly, so she suggested I buy a new one. Except I can't pick between these two! Here!" She stuck both of them under his nose. "See? Which one do you think is prettier? The pink one with white flowers, or the white one with pink flowers?"

He glanced at her again, and brushed aside the books, before making his way towards the cashier again. She glared at him angrily.

"Fine, which book are you buying?" She grabbed his out of his hands, and he froze, fearing that she had touched him. But he couldn't remember feeling any brush of her soft skin, so he relaxed slightly. Besides, what was she going to tell Motoki? I grabbed a notebook from him and touched his hands accidentally? Mamoru almost snorted with disbelief. He doubted Usagi could even remember such a detail even if it had occurred.

"Oh, but the cover on this one is so plain!" she wailed, and then sighed. "Fine then. I'm sure it'll make Ami happy. Wait for me!" She ran back towards the notebooks aisle, taking his book with him.

Mamoru took his earlier comment back. It wasn't very amusing at all, he decided. It was very aggravating. He was itching to yell at her, or say something, but he bit his tongue and kept silent.

Usagi returned a couple of minutes later, and then shoved his book back at him, clutching an identical one to her chest.

"Okay, let's go!" she said, brightly.

They made their way to the counter, Mamoru desperately looking for some escape route so that he didn't have to stay with her much longer. The worst possible scenario he could imagine was that she would fall, and he would have to catch her, and knowing Usagi, that scenario was entirely too possible.

The cashier smiled at both of them. Mamoru placed his things on the counter, and Usagi placed hers a bit of a distance away from his.

"Will these be together?" the cashier asked.

Mamoru shook his head, and then drew out his wallet and counted the money.

"Hey, are you coming to the arcade?" Usagi asked. "I think it's going to rain, so we better get there quickly."

Mamoru looked at her helplessly. For some reason, he felt compelled not to be rude, not when she was actually being relatively nice. How was he supposed to let her know, when he wasn't allowed to respond to her? The cashier gave him an odd look when she returned his items. She, too, was probably wondering why Mamoru wasn't replying.

He smiled at the cashier, and then, feeling immensely guilty all the while, turned around and left the store.

"Where are you going?" Usagi demanded in a shrill voice. "Why are you still ignoring me?"

He didn't look back. He couldn't, no matter how much he wanted to.

That night was the first time he dreamed of Usagi.