SPIN THE BOTTLE By Princess Destiny [princessdestiny@hotmail.com] Chapter Four "Ugh! Everything is your fault! This is YOUR party! And I didn't deliberately aim for you anyhow!" The screech from Usagi was heard clearly over the loud music. Makoto grinned towards where Rei and Reika were standing. The priestess in training looked much calmer now. Almost-at peace with herself. As if she'd come to a decision. "Wow, hear them going at it? I hope they don't murder each other!" Makoto said, grinning from ear to ear. "Is this a normal occurrence or what?" Steve said, from his position against the door. "Those two have the perfect situation to make out-and all they cane do is fight?" He looked incredulous. Brad looked ready to kill someone. "Yes, it is. Unfortunately" Ami said, walking over to stand near Rei. "Every single day" Makoto added. "They LOATH each other. It was hate at first sight" Rei said calmly. "Some day, I want to hear ALL of the details about our esteemed patron" Michael murmured, looking thoughtful. "How is it possible to hate someone that much?" a girl wondered. She looked worried. "Are they going to hit each other?" Makoto shook her head. "Nah. It hasn't come to that" She said, with certainty. "Usagi and Mamoru might hate each other, but she's really very gentle-and I can't see Mamoru hitting a girl" "You're right about that!" Rei said emphatically. Usagi shrieked again and Mamoru bellowed something back. Then, there was silence. "Okay-now I'm worried" Makoto said, staring at Mamoru's bedroom door in concern. "Maybe you underestimated Mamoru's gentlemanly nature" Brad sneered. "Meaning what, exactly?" Rei glared. "Mamoru wouldn't hurt a fly!" "Are you sure about that little girl? He's probably hiding quite a temper under that cool veneer" "Shut up, Brad" Makoto said, all set to bash the guy. Steve checked his watch. "Well, the five minutes are up! Either they're alive-or they've killed each other" he grinned, opening the door carefully. Personally, he was hoping to find the two kissing and use it to his advantage! Cold Mamoru-kissing a girl. Ha! What a juicy piece of gossip THAT would be. Mr. cool never dated. The moment that Usagi felt Mamoru's lips touch hers-her whole world exploded into liquid electricity. She felt her eyes go impossibly wide, then close languorously. Her whole being was focused on one point-him. ["Is he-really kissing me?"] She asked herself dazedly, only half- forming the coherent thought. Mamoru's body moved even closer to Usagi's-if possible- crushing her between the wall and his tall body. She shivered lightly at the sensation, mind going into overdrive. This was Mamoru! And he was kissing her as if she was the last woman on earth. ["So sweet"] Mamoru thought, mind barely functioning. What had possessed him suddenly to kiss the Odango Atama-was beyond him. He knew that he'd regret it later, but her words had fuelled him. Little did she know, that her words had been a challenge-innocent though they had been. And before Mamoru could think, he'd acted. He pressed closer to her, lips devouring Usagi's hungrily. It was like coming home. As if- suddenly, everything was complete and right in the world- ["This is Chiba Mamoru!"] her mind shrieked at her, trying to escape the seductive web that the man had weaved for her. She just couldn't THINK! Mamoru stiffened abruptly, as his ears caught the faint sounds of someone trying-not very successfully-to enter the room and sneak up to the closet. Then, Usagi also stiffened, which made him wonder. Mamoru immediately pulled away from Usagi's lips, practically flinging himself back the bare foot that could be spared between them, in such cramped quarters. Usagi's stiffened as she heard someone. Perhaps it was her increased senses that she had gained as Sailor Moon-but she knew that someone was trying-and not very well-to sneak up to the closet. ["No doubt to see what Mamoru and I are DOING!"] She flushed in the darkness, as Mamoru flung himself back away from her. Obviously HE had heard the person too. Which made her wonder. Usagi frantically reached up, straightening her hair and clothes and hearing Mamoru do the same in the darkness. The door was abruptly wrenched open, a slightly drunk Steve stood there, eyes suspicious. He saw Usagi and Mamoru standing a foot from each other and groaned. "Oh come ON! Tell me you did more than STAND there?" He practically growled at them, disappointed. "I TOLD you" Mamoru said curtly, eyes like shards of blue eyes from the light spiling into the closet. "We HATE each other, Steve" "Right" Usagi said, voice trembling slightly. She was shaking from head to foot from the aftermath of the kiss-but if that jerk wanted to play the 'nothing happened game', then SHE could too! Mamoru stepped out of the closet easily, throwing Usagi a quick look. But his eyes were indefinable. She watched him walk out of the room, then stepped out herself. Usagi looked up at Steve, hoping FERVENTLY that she didn't look like a girl who had just been kissed almost senseless. "Thank the gods THAT is over! What a creep" She groaned, rolling her eyes and glaring at nothing. ["I have to say that I'm a little miffed that Mamoru pretended nothing happened"] She admitted to herself, stepping lightly out of the room and into the main swing of the party. The music was still blaring- which would explain why no one had probably heard a thing. She sighed in relief. Steve shook his head, looking disgusted. "They did NOTHING but yell!" He announced to the waiting room. Their were groans from all over. "Oh well" Makoto said, shrugging. "At least they didn't kill each other" "Right" Rei murmured, watching Mamoru and then Usagi carefully. Was it her imagination, or did both of her friends look really shell-shocked? Mamoru watched through half-closed lids as the blonde exited the room. His eyes went immediately to her lips, which looked more inviting than ever. ["But, it will NEVER happen again"] he told himself, glaring at Usagi unconsciously. She was more trouble than she was worth! And worse-if anyone ever hear of what happened, neither of them would EVER hear the end of it. ["Besides. She's fourteen!"] he told himself fiercely. Usagi looked at Mamoru, who was leaning against the kitchen counter and staring at her. No-GLARING at her. She blinked, unaccountably hurt for a moment-but then she glared back fiercely. ["FINE!"] she shouted mentally. Who needed the upper-class jerk anyway?! The kiss had been a fluke. "Wow, Usagi! You look like you're still in one piece" Makoto's voice said from somewhere below. Usagi looked down to see that she was standing near the brunette, who was still sitting amongst the circle of party-goers playing the game. "Sure I am" Usagi almost growled, casting one more glare towards Mamoru. Their eyes met and locked for a long moment, then both of their glares faded simultaneously. Usagi flushed, wrenching her eyes from his deep blue gaze. She plopped back down beside Makoto and stared around the circle. "Like I'm going to let THAT jerk ruin my night?" She announced loudly. "I CAN'T believe that you're going to play again, you Odango Atama!" Mamoru growled from above her. Usagi tilted her head back, eyes startled as they met his. Mamoru was right behind her, looming like some hunting wolf. His form was stiff, she noted absently. As if he were holding in some emotion furiously. His eyes glinted at her with barely-hidden rage for a moment, before it was hidden behind the usual mockery. "Haven't you done enough damage for one night?" he said, only his double meaning was known to her. She blanched, eyes growing huge. ["That's all it was? I damaged him? But-he kissed ME!"] Usagi was suddenly furiously angry. her eyes became fiery with an equal rage. "How DARE you, you jerk! What about MY mental damage?" She shouted at him, half-turning to stare up at him properly. He flinched slightly at the emotion in her eyes. ["Does she really care that much that I scorned the kiss?"] he wondered. It meant nothing to either of them-right? "Oh grow up!" He snarled at her, walking away from her. He went back to his place in the circle and sat down resolutely. "Way to go, guys" Makoto said, surprised. "The game goes on!" Michael grinned. "Next?" Steve added. Usagi stared with wide eyes, spinning to follow Mamoru's process around the circle. He sat down exactly where he had been before. "YOU'RE playing again?" She said incredulously, nibbling on her bottom lip. "If you are, then I am, Odango" He told her cuttingly, eyes drawn to her lip, where her white teeth were nibbling unconsciously. His chest tightened with an unknown emotion. Mamoru summoned the energy and flashed her a mocking smile. "Why should I let YOU ruin my party? Hmm?" He reached up to run a hand through his dark hair. "ME? Ruin your party?" She shrieked at him furiously. Well, it was mostly fury. His motion of running his hands through his dark hair made her chest tighten. In some way-his small unconscious movement had touched her. "Get a life yourself!" Mamoru's hand dropped back into his lap. He threw the blonde an infuriating smile. ["Back to business as usual"] he thought wryly. Despite the fact that the kiss had been absolutely shattering to his senses-he would forget it. What were the chances that it would ever happen again anyway? ["A billion to one?"] Mamoru shook his head. "Grow up, brat" He told Usagi. "Brat?!" She yelled, fuming. "You CREEP! I ought to-" "Guys please!" Ami said, walking over. She looked hideously embarrassed-thought the rest of the room was highly entertained. "Hello all!" A cheerful voice called out, announcing his presence. Usagi turned at the familiar voice, smiling brightly. "Motoki!" She yelled happily. "Hey Usagi" Motoki said, walking over to where Reika and Rei were standing silently in a corner. "Hello beautiful" He told his girlfriend. "I thought that you'd be gone by now" "I waited for you" Reika said, tilting her head up for a kiss. Usagi watched the kiss, heart clenching in her chest. She suddenly got a flashback of the earlier kiss between her and her most hated enemy- and remembered every little sensation. Her breathing altered, becoming more frantic. Usagi turned her bewildered eyes from the couple, to Mamoru, wondering what he was thinking. Mamoru's eyes met Usagi's, both of their eyes filled for the moment with a barrage of emotions, barely hidden. it was a tension-filled moment, as they stared silently across the circle, thankfully ignored by the whole room. They wouldn't have believed what they saw anyway. Mamoru swallowed, eyes darkening as he stared across at the blonde-who was staring back as if she'd been pole-axed. "This-is not good" Usagi murmured under her breath, wrenching her eyes away from Mamoru's. She looked desperately at the floor, her hands clenching around each other. "So-wow, Usagi. I NEVER expected YOU to play a game like this" Motoki said from above her. Usagi's head shot up, looking at Motoki with vulnerable eyes. It was still too soon after the look she and Mamoru had just exchanged. Motoki swallowed, just staring into Usagi's eyes. He saw the naked fear, bewilderment and desire in them. And-despite the fact that she was looking at HIM-he KNEW that the emotions were not directed at him. Motoki looked away, staring around the circle of people. Whoever had caused these emotions had to be there. "How are you, Usagi? Hmm?" He murmured to her, hunkering down on his heels. Motoki spoke to her, but his eyes were skimming all the guys in the circle. His eyes came to rest on Mamoru lightly, studying his friend. Mamoru looked-frankly- CAGED. As if he wanted to do something badly and was suppressing emotions that were tightly held in check. His eyes were darker than usual as he stared beyond everyone and out into the night through the balcony doors. ["I wonder-"] "I'm good, Motoki. Great" Usagi babbled, flushing. Then she went pale. "Spin the bottle guys!" Makoto said, turning back to the circle. Michael smiled, turning to Mamoru. "You know the rules buddy. Spin the bottle" Mamoru turned back quickly, frowning. ["Oh right. It's my turn to spin"] He thought. Inwardly, he was a seething mess of emotions. He HATED the little blonde just down from him-but now...He knew that he desired her too....Mamoru reached out and spun the bottle roughly. He didn't WANT to be stuck in a closet with one of those girls. He'd be required to kiss her-but didn't know if he could. Not after kissing Usagi. He groaned silently. Melodramatic he knew it was-but she had effectively ruined him for anyone else now. "So-I hear from Reika that you and Mamoru got stuck in the closet together?" Motoki said lightly, eyes searching. "It's amazing that you didn't KILL each other" "There was a lot of shouting. We could hear them from out here" Rei said dryly, coming up behind Motoki with Reika. "Yeah, well. We very nearly DID kill each other" Usagi lied. "Ditto on that, Odango" Mamoru said smoothly, eyes on the gradually slowing bottle. It slowed-and then stopped. His heart stopped also-then began to thunder in his ears. Mamoru felt his eyes darken until he was feeling faint. Usagi looked away from Motoki as their came an incredulous gasp from around the room. Her started eyes flew first to Mamoru-and saw that he was looking at her with blazing eyes. In them was incredulity, anger- and something else that she could not define. But it sent a wave of excitement through her. "No. Way" Makoto said, pointing. "What are the odds?" Steve wondered, staring also. Usagi finally moved her eyes from the dark-haired guy and looked to where everyone was staring. Her mouth dropped open, face going as white as a sheet. The bottle had been spun-and it was pointing right on her. Swiftly, her eyes shot up to meet Mamoru's-and her heart almost stopped at the look in his eyes. She swallowed, eyes locking on his. ["Oh no!"] She thought, frightened. ["Not again! I CAN'T be locked in with him again"] ["I can't believe it"] Mamoru thought, looking at the blonde. Were the fates cursing them-or was there something more at work there? "Here we go again!" Makoto groaned. "Just don't kill each other!" Across the circle, Brad glare at Mamoru, then at the bottle. "Unbelievable" He growled. {"I honestly don't think killing each other is an option" Usagi thought frantically, looking into Mamoru's intent gaze. He looked like a starving wolf. If she didn't know better-she'd say that his eyes were almost-hungry...