SPIN THE BOTTLE
By Princess Destiny
[princessdestiny@hotmail.com]




Chapter Eleven



Luna stared into Usagi's face-so close to her own-for a long moment, as 
if trying to perceive whether she HAD told the girl before or not. 
Coming to the conclusion that, no she hadn't told the Senshi about the 
Princess Serenity, Luna sighed and her eyes softened. "Perhaps I was 
remiss, Usagi" the cat admitted graciously, eyeing her charges still-
startled blue eyes. ["Why does she look as if she just learnt something 
huge-oh. I suppose that the Senshi HAD wondered at one time or another, 
just exactly who they were looking for"]
"This is the first you've ever said her name" Usagi noted, biting her 
lip with unconscious worry. The name 'Serenity' had hit her like a 
lightning bolt. She threw a sidelong look at Mamoru, who had managed to 
recover his composure somewhat and was looking cool and uncaring. She 
frowned at him, wishing that she could read his mind again. ["Of 
course, then I'd have to explain to Luna and mom, why I transformed 
into Sailor Moon to go to bed"] Usagi giggled, holding Luna closer.
"Come on Usagi, it's time to settle down" Ikuko said indulgently. She 
looked at her daughter with considerably more favor, since she had 
discovered Usagi's secret. She had always known that her daughter was 
hiding SOMETHING, but nothing to compare with what she had discovered 
that night. Her daughter was Sailor Moon, she was bonded to a very 
handsome young man and-their cat Luna talked. Ikuko looked down at Luna 
as the four entered Usagi's comfortable room. "You don't mind being 
chaperone for them, Luna?" she asked politely, determined to accept the 
bizarre situation as any good mother-of-a-super-heroine would.
Luna padded over to Usagi's bed and leapt up lithely, then sat and 
turned her face towards Usagi's mother. "No. Not at all" she said. 
Luna's eyes swung towards a frozen Usagi and Mamoru, who stared at her 
icy look. "In fact, I would have insisted" she finished, red eyes 
glinting with disfavour. "I dislike this situation as much as you, 
Ikuko. But it cannot be helped. Usagi must be kept safe-so that we can 
fulfil our mission to find the Princess and the Rainbow Crystals-"
"Thanks, Luna" Usagi muttered, flushing dully. So that was all she 
meant to the cat and the others? It hurt. She blinked back tears, then 
smiled widely at Luna's next words.
"Of course, that isn't the main reason" the cat went on, looking at 
Usagi with soft eyes. "Usagi is important to us all and her safety 
means much to me-" she glared again at Mamoru. "Especially against you, 
Tuxedo Kamen!"
"Me?" Mamoru said, taken-aback. His eyes hardened into blue chips. 
"Hey! Exactly who always rescues Sailor Moon from danger? Are you 
really trying to tell me-"
"Us" Usagi cut in, glaring at her guardian also and crossing her arms 
haughtily.
"-US" Mamoru went on, after throwing the silver-haired girl a quick, 
startled look. "That you don't TRUST me with her life?" his words 
finished on an almost-yell, incredulity in his blue eyes.
"I'm sure she didn't mean that" Ikuko said calmingly, moving to stand 
beside her daughter. All three looked at Luna with varying expressions.
"Well...no. Not with her LIFE" Luna uttered. looking taken-aback. "I 
meant with Usagi herself. In her room. Alone" she emphasised, looking 
pointedly at Usagi and Mamoru as if she could psychically SEE what had 
happened between them at Mamoru's apartment...in his closet.
Usagi stiffened, blushing brightly. "Luna!" she gasped out, 
embarrassed. She pointed a finger sideways at Mamoru, vaguely in the 
direction of his muscular chest, which was an inch away. "I don't even 
LIKE him!" she protested.
"You could have fooled me!" Luna growled back. "You forget, Usagi! I 
was standing at the top of the stairs and saw everything"
"Then you must have heard me yelling at him for being a jerk!" Usagi 
snapped, huffing. She rolled her eyes towards her mother curiously to 
see what she was thinking. Ikuko had a slight smile about her mouth, 
watching the two teens and the cat with amusement. Usagi grimaced. 
["She probably thinks that this is romantic!"] she groaned inwardly.
"Now, now-" Ikuko began soothingly to everyone.
"So-let me get this straight, Luna" Mamoru drawled suddenly, eyes as 
amused as Ikuko's had been a moment before. He also crossed his arms 
casually, then leant against the side wall of Usagi's bedroom, looking 
for all the world as if he owned it.
Usagi swallowed hard as her blue eyes skimmed over Mamoru's body 
subconsciously, absorbing everything. She could see the muscled in his 
chest and arms and longed suddenly to throw herself at him and kiss him 
senseless. She gaped and stepped a few feet from him discreetly, not 
trusting herself not to jump him right in front of her mother and Luna. 
["Am I crazy?"] she gasped mentally, groaning. She firmly drew her eyes 
from his body and looked into Mamoru's eyes-then promptly wished that 
she hadn't.
He was watching her with a knowing expression in his eyes, along with a 
familiar hunger that made the bottom of her stomach drop out. "-You 
trust me with Sailor Moon's life-but not with HER?" he said slowly, 
eyes incredulously centered now on the black cat.
"Right" Luna said, sniffing haughtily. "I will stand guard over her 
EVERY hour of the day and night! If you so much as touch her, I'll 
scratch your eyes out" she announced importantly. Completely serious.
Usagi stared at the cat, startled by Luna's intensity. She stared 
sideways at her crush-what exactly was Luna so worried about? Usagi 
suddenly had a flashback to the closet, her kissing Mamoru like there 
was no tomorrow. ["Oh-right"] she flushed brightly. ["That's why"]
Ikuko looked at the three as if their conversation was completely 
normal and everything had been worked out-which it hadn't. She turned 
to leave. "I'll get Shingo and your father to bring in a mattress for 
Mamoru, while I get blankets"
Usagi, Luina and Mamoru watched the woman until she disappeared out the 
door and her footsteps down the hall.
Mamoru rounded abruptly on Luna, walking forwards and smiling 
mysteriously. "I'll accept your mistrust of me-for now" he said 
silkily. His shoulders went back proudly, an unaccustomed light of 
determination in his stance. "But don't think you can watch Usagi every 
moment of the day-"
"Mamoru!" Usagi gasped out. ["What is he DOING?!"]
But Mamoru went on, without giving Usagi a glance. "-Because I am just 
as much her protector as you and the Senshi. I always know when she's 
in danger and transforms-not you. I carry her away from the Youma. I'm 
ALWAYS there, watching" he went on relentlessly, ignoring Usagi's 
horrified eyes and Luna's enraged one's. Mamoru abruptly relaxed his 
stance and smiled gently at the cat. "Give me a chance Luna. Despite 
Usagi and my dislike of each other, Tuxedo Kamen is very fond of Sailor 
Moon and would never see her harmed" His eyes went distant as he 
remembered Brad stalking Usagi at the party earlier. "Especially from 
myself and others" he finished, with a certainty that shook both Luna 
and Usagi to the core.
Usagi reached up for a piece of her long silver hair and played with 
it, while watching Mamoru closely. ["He's changed too. I'm not sure how 
or why-but we BOTH were affected by that vision"] she was certain of 
it.
Luna's eyes softened as she continued to look at Mamoru. She sighed as 
if feeling very old and then lay down on the bunny and moon quilt. "I 
know that. I just-take my responsibility very seriously" Luna said 
slowly.
Usagi sighed as her parents and Shingo re-entered the room, carrying a 
large mattress and some sheets and blankets. They placed it a discrete 
distance from Usagi's bed-all the way across the room-and then filed 
out and closed the door.
Mamoru immediately went over and began to make his bed, his movements 
methodical and calm.
Usagi moved over to hover anxiously behind him, as thrilled with his 
being in her room as she was scared. If not for Luna, who KNOWS what 
might have happened! "Is that enough blankets?" she said nervously, 
eyes widening as Mamoru removed his jacket and then his shirt. Her eyes 
popped wide at the rippling muscles on his chest, arms and stomach. She 
thought that she was going to faint. ["Oh my GOD! He's trying to give 
me a heart attack!"] she gasped silently, staggering away before she 
threw herself physically at that perfect specimen of maleness. Mamoru 
was DEFINITELY a hottie!
"Mamoru! Cloth yourself this instant! Usagi is only fourteen!" Luna 
screeched from the bed, leaping up with indignant rage at the sight of 
a half-naked male.
Mamoru lifted an eyebrow mockingly in Luna's direction, then grinned 
with open amusement at the widely flushing Usagi-who refused to look at 
him at ALL. "I can't sleep fully dressed, Luna" he dismissed her words 
coolly. He sighed as she looked about ready to leap onto him and claw 
his eyes out. "I'll leave my pants on, for modesty's sake. Okay?" he 
bargained with the cat almost wistfully.
She paused, reconsidering. Her red eyes flashed from the fully-clothed 
Usagi, to the half-naked Adonis standing on the other-side of the room. 
"Fine. But stay your distance, Chiba Mamoru" Luna retorted, turning her 
back on him pointedly, as if to say that his body didn't interest her 
in the slightest. Of course, that was just a facade. Luna HAD once been 
a human girl! ["Oh my! Mamoru is very handsome, just as Artemis was"] 
she thought worriedly, trying to hide a flush on her furry face. ["I 
really hope this doesn't go to Usagi's head!"]
Usagi made her blush fade, then casually reached under her pillow for 
her bunny Pi's. She grimaced when she saw them, holding them against 
her chest to hide them from Mamoru's intent gaze.
"What color are they, Odango?" he drawled from behind her.
Usagi spin, cloth still held frantically to her chest. Mamoru was 
across the room, laying lazily on the top of the blankets. "Er-" she 
gaped, eyes involuntarily going over his chest with hunger. The blue of 
her eyes glazed over. "Pink, with white bunnies" she finished weakly, 
stumbling blindly towards the door. It really couldn't be helped, what 
she wore. It wasn't sexy, but then again-did she really WANT Mamoru's 
attention? Sure they had kisses, a lot, but he was still her enemy- 
["Arrggh! AND my crush!"] she groaned mentally, reaching for the door 
handle.
"Cute" Mamoru said, voice amused. "It's-very you, Odango Atama"
Usagi blinked, straightened and then turned to give the conceited jerk 
a glare. "Thhhhhb!" she stuck her tongue out at him, without thinking.
Mamoru's eyes grew abruptly intent and he half-raised himself from the 
blankets as if to go to her-but then remembered Luna's presence. ["What 
did I tell her about doing that?! Is she ASKING for me to jump her in 
front of her cat?"] he thought with exasperation and anger. The need to 
kiss the silver-haired girl was near-overwhelming. And now, he had to 
spend every night ALL night in her room...a few feet from her 
body...and not do a thing! "I can't take this" he groaned, rolling over 
to burry his face in his pillow.
Usagi flushed brightly, drew her tongue in and hastily exited the room-
knowing EXACTLY what Mamoru had been thinking.