Dark to Light

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Chapter Three

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I walked inside my apartment at a quarter till six, hearing the banging of pots and pans in the kitchen. I cringed. I love my wife, I do. I love her with all my heart, but I'm not exaggerating when I say that she is the worst, and I mean the worst, cook on the planet. I was so very, very thankful that Usagi-chan had promised to come over and help with dinner. Without her, I might be spending a few nights in the hospital.

"Mina, darling? I'm home." I said, dropping my books on the couch before striding into the kitchen, where Minako was busily chopping a carrot.

She looked up and grinned, and then turned back to her task. "Hey, hon. How was work? And class?"

"Work was the same. Class was the same. Oh, but Mamoru and Usagi have finally met. Usagi's still coming over for dinner, and Mamoru may be coming too."

"Oh, really? That's great! Did they hit it off?"

"Well, I know that Mamoru is already in love with Usa, even though he barely knows her. I've never seen him act that way around any girl. Ever." I walked up to a steaming pot of… something, and took a tentative sniff.

And then I took another sniff. And another.

"Mina, what is this?"

"Veggie soup. You like?"

"It smells wonderful!" I'm not kidding. It really did smell great. The taste was the only question.

She beamed and turned around, wiping her hands on her pink apron. "I'm glad. I've worked hard on it all day." She came up to me and pecked my lips. "Usa and Mamoru would make such a cute couple. I'll talk to Usa about him, and we'll try to set them up on a date or something… what do you think?"

I frowned. Mamoru would kill me, I know he would. He's very temperamental, especially about setting him up. "Well…Mamoru may not like that."

"But I thought you said he liked her."

"True…"

"So we got nothin' to lose! C'mon, he really needs a girl."

"Alright then… we'll try. But if Mamoru gets mad, I'm blaming you."

She wrapped her arms around my neck. "I'll gladly take the blame. Now go freshen up before our guests arrive!"

I nodded, and left the kitchen.

Well, maybe I won't get sick tonight from the soup. I mean… if it smells alright, it's got to taste fine, too…. right?

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Usagi smiled graciously to the man who opened the apartment complex door for her. "Thank you, sir!"

The elderly man nodded, smiling back. "You're welcome, young lady. Such a pretty thing."

Usagi blushed and walked away, hurrying towards the elevator. She glanced around the foyer, noticing how it had changed since she'd last visited Motoki and Minako. 'It was always a nice place… but since the remodel it just looks fantastic.'

Someone behind her cleared their throat very softly, and Usagi turned her head and saw Mamoru standing behind her, his face slightly red. She thought about it for a moment, but put it aside in her thoughts. 'He probably walked her or something… it is a bit hot out for this time of year.'

"Hello, Mamoru! So glad you're coming too!" She turned around and gave him a dazzling smile. She gave him a once over, appreciatively noticing that when he wasn't wearing the hideous dark green jacket, he had rather nice clothes. He wore dark brown dress pants and a light blue button up shirt, and she noticed that he had recently gotten out of the shower, because his black hair looked slightly damp.

"Well… the tour didn't take as long as I thought it would, so I decided I might as well join you all…" He said, averting his gaze from her eyes.

She smiled. "Well, I'm sure it'll be fun." The elevator doors opened, and she turned to go inside, when she noticed that Mamoru wasn't moving. She gave him a funny look. "Aren't you coming up?"

He blushed. "Um… actually, I think I'll take the stairs."

She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I always take the stairs. The exercise is… nice."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself, hon. Goin' up!" She pressed the button to close the door. Mamoru stood and watched her until the door closed completely.

Usagi shook her head, laughing slightly. "What a strange guy."

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You keep blushing as you watch the doors close, and you find yourself thinking for the umpteenth time about how beautiful Usagi is. The white dress she was wearing makes your skin cover in goose bumps just thinking about it, not to mention the way her slender legs seem to lengthen every time you see her.

You know you gave her a lame excuse as to why you didn't ride the elevator with her, but it was all you could think of. You would never be able to be alone with her in that small a space. You've never felt a strong impulse to kiss any girl until now, and you had to find some way to fight it.

So you take the stairs instead.

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Usagi reached the door to Motoki and Minako's apartment before Mamoru, and she knocked on the door several times before Motoki opened it.

He grinned at her and gave her a peck on the cheek when she walked in. "Hey, Usa-chan. How are you?"

She gave him her white shoulder wrap to hang up, and grinned back. "Good, darlin'. Mamoru's on his way up, by the way. He took the stairs instead."

As if on cue, Mamoru showed up in the doorway. He gave Motoki a nod. "Hey."

Motoki smiled happily and reached over, hugging the black-haired man, whose eyes widened. "Great to see ya, man! Glad ya could come!"

"Er… you're welcome?" Mamoru gave him a funny look and pulled out of his embrace.

They all walked into the dining room, where Minako was placing a large bowl filled with soup in the center of the table.

She looked up and squealed, rushing over and hugging Usagi. "OH, sweetie, you look so great! How's school?"

"Great. Madame Birshoff is letting me help her design a gown for Demi Moore on Oscar night. Of course, she'll do most of everything, but still… it's a huge start!" Usagi's entire face lit up happily.

"That's amazing! Well, let's all sit down and eat while it's hot! Oh, I have to go get the bread out of the oven… well, everyone, don't just stand there, sit! Mamoru, it's great to see you again! Now hurry up, everyone, before it gets cold! I worked hard on this today! I'll be right back!" The blonde girl whisked away into the kitchen.

Everyone stood around dumbly until Usagi finally shrugged and plopped down into a seat.

Motoki took the chair across from her, and Mamoru was about to sit beside him until the blonde man gave his best friend a stern look. Mamoru sighed inaudibly and sat beside Usagi. Motoki grinned to himself.

Usagi peered into the soup bowl and then up at Motoki. "Is it edible?"

Motoki shrugged. "It smells fine."

Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "There's a big difference in taste and… smell."

"Yeah, I know." Motoki cringed. "You try it first, man."

"She's your wife. You eat it first."

"No way. I am way too busy to have food poisoning again."

"And I'm not? I just started interning!"

"Boys, boys! Hush!" Usagi waved her hand in the air. "I'll taste it first." She picked up her bowl and the soup ladle, pouring the vegetable soup into her bowl. She picked up a spoon and rose it to her lips, with Mamoru and Motoki both looking on with eagerness and… fear.

Slurping it down, she licked her lips and dabbed her mouth with a napkin. "It's fine. Needs salt, but otherwise, it's fine."

Motoki let out a breath of air and reached for the ladle. "Great, because I'm starving."

Mamoru grinned. "Now you'll eat it, after you almost sent Usagi to her death?"

Motoki gave him an evil look. "I'm hungry, man."

Mamoru laughed at his friend, shaking his head. Usagi grinned, slurping again at her soup.

Minako rushed back into the room, a basket full of rolls in one hand. She plopped down in her chair beside Motoki and handed the rolls to her husband. "Here, darling, they're fresh from the oven."

Motoki smiled nervously and took one. "Did… did you make these yourself, sweetie?"

"Nope. I bought them this morning at a bakery and heated them tonight. I can't do it all, you know." She shook her head as if her husband was a madman.

"Oh… okay." Motoki bit into the roll happily.

Mamoru rolled his eyes, thinking to himself about the craziness of his friend.

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I'm not going to die! Yippee! Usagi says the soup is safe, and Minako didn't make the rolls! I feel like bursting into tears, I'm so happy!

I chowed down on the rolls, I have to say. I stuffed like five in my mouth at one point. Mamoru kept staring at me like I was insane, and Minako kept going back into the kitchen for more rolls, complaining that I was usually not this hungry.

As I happily ate my rolls and slurped my soup (and I mean slurped) Minako and Usagi chatted about fashion school.

"Does everyone miss me?" My wife asked. She left school after we got married. I've told her to go back anytime she wants, but as of yet, she hasn't.

"Yup." Usagi nodded, taking a bite of a roll. "Madame asks about you all the time. She always liked you best, you know."

"Oh, I do miss it sometimes. But it's just a lot different now. I don't really know if I'll go back. I mean… Moto and I plan to have children."

I choked on the bread, coughing up a storm. Mamoru gave me a grin, while Minako started beating me on the back.

"Darling! Are you okay, honey? Stop eating so fast…" She said, beating and beating…

'Damn it, woman, stop hitting me!' I was dying to scream.

But it's a bit hard to scream when you have chewed up bread lodged in your throat.

Finally, after an entire glass of water, it went down, and I turned to my wife with a stare. "Children, love…? So… so soon?"

Oh, great, I thought, as I watched her entire face turn into a bright smile.

Don't get me wrong. I wanted children.

But not. This. Soon.

"Well, I mean, not yet, of course… but in a few months maybe, or… you know." She gave me on of her innocent smiles… with the batting of the lashes and the twiddling of her fingers.

Damn it. She knows exactly how to get to me.

"Right." I said. "Of course, dear."

Mamoru was staring at me with a wide grin on his face. He knows how easily she can defeat me.

Okay, Mister Wise Guy, let's turn the tables a bit.

I cleared my throat and turned back to the conversation. "Well, yeah… in a few months, perhaps we'll start thinking about that. Speaking of thinking… what about you, Mamoru-kun? Any prospective wives around?"

He gave me a look of pure hatred.

Ah, the look of victory.

"What?" He said.

I grinned. "Well, I mean, you aren't getting any younger, dude."

"I have plenty of time to worry about that, thank you, Motoki." He muttered, staring down at his soup bowl.

I know I should have stopped, but I couldn't help myself. "Ah, come on, man. There has to be at least one girl out there that sparks your interest!"

Evil look again. Oooooh….. he was mad.

Usagi, oblivious of course, piped up into the conversation. "I have a lot of girlfriends that are VERY single, Mamoru." She giggled. "They'd be ecstatic to date a gorgeous guy like you."

Ooooh, now he was furious at me and blushing like mad. This was good.

"Uhh… no thanks, Usagi." He muttered, turning his head away.

Minako, my wonderful, wonderful wife, jumped in at this moment. "Hey, why do you have to set him up with anyone else, Usagi? C'mon, girl, you could have him all to yourself."

BINGO. Usagi goes red. Score One For Minako.

"Wh-wh-what?" Usagi screeched. "Well, I, uh, you see, uh…"

"You aren't dating anyone, Usa, and I know that for a fact!"

Score Two For Minako! C'mon girl, you're on a roll!

"And I personally think that you two look just adorable together. You've been swapping smiles and looks all evening, and don't think that I haven't seen them!"

Score Three For Minako! Almost, almost, so close!

"So how about a double date this weekend? The new Sandra Bullock movie is out, and I've heard that it's really great. We could all go see that and have dinner! C'mon, you know you both want to!"

Oh, how I love the woman. She wants kids? She gets kids! She can have ten if she wants!

….

Okay, so maybe not ten.

But one is good.

Usagi looked out of the corner of her eye, and Mamoru ever so slowly turned his face to glance at Usagi.

"Well… uh…." Usagi stuttered, her pretty face the reddest I'd ever seen on her.

She looked like a tomato.

Mamoru…. now he looked ten times worse. He cleared his throat and looked at the two of us, my dear, dear wife and I. "Motoki, Minako… I'm going to kill you."

Usagi nodded, staring down at her lap. "Me, too."

Now… this next part, I have to say, surprised me. Because I have never seen Mamoru be so bold with a girl. It was great.

"But…" He said. "I'll kill you after I ask Usagi to dinner."

Voila! I accept death happily! Grim reaper, take me to my grave!

Usagi blinked several times, staring at Mamoru in astonishment.

Actually, I have to say that, indeed, we all were staring at him.

Usagi, however, paid no attention to us. "Did you seriously just ask me out?"

Mamoru pursed his lips together and looked down at his soup. "Yup, I think so. Besides, you do owe me for that coffee you forgot about." He looked up shyly, giving her a small smile.

Awww.

Usagi giggled and nodded. "I accept."

Mamoru looked like he was about to pass out. "Really?"

Awww.

Usagi nodded. "Mmhmm. Just don't wear that horrid jacket."

He grinned. "Deal."

Awww. I turned and gave Minako a wink, and she grinned back, giving me a thumbs up.

Of course, the lovebirds didn't notice, because they were too busy starting at each other.

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That night, after we showed Mamoru and Usagi out, I turned to my wife with a daring grin. "Darling…"

She gave me a funny look. "Yes, dear…?"

I swung her up into my arms and twirled her around. "After what you did tonight, I have to say that I have never been more proud of you. C'mon, let's go make those kids you've been wanting!"

She squealed happily, tying her arms around my neck.

Though… I swear, she's only getting one.

One. ONLY ONE.

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End Chapter Three

Okay, reeeeally been switching views a lot. Hope I didn't confuse anybody too much. Lol, and if I did, sorry. It was fun for me, anyways. Hope ya liked. Review, pretty please!