Sidewalk Pileup

It's a very warm sunny afternoon after school, a little too hot for loitering in the park but perfect for going to the air-conditioned arcade. The streets are full of school uniforms! Kids in pairs and small groups head all different ways, some toward destinations other than that Mecca of social gaming, but some definitely for those famed double doors--

--one absurdly tall boy in Infinity's high school uniform's headed straight for those doors, glasses on and book in hand, school bag held up over his shoulder along with his jacket, and he's more or less watching where he's going in his peripheral vision, but people who are too short to be spotted over the book are definitely in the hazard zone. He hesitates just in front of the doors in order to finish reading the paragraph he's in the middle of, which is decidedly poor planning on his part.

If anyone else should happen to not be looking where they're going, and if anyone should happen to be behind him and not notice in time that he's stopped short--

Usagi Tsukino, for once, /isn't/ in detention. Almost entirely through Ami's efforts and relentless nagging by her fellow senshi, she's managed to pass a test! Granted, it might be just English, but it's a minor miracle. Thus it is that there's a smiling, laughing Usagi barreling her way towards the Arcade without any thought for anything but games, Matoki, and change in her pocket! Little details like obstacles in her way mean positively nothing right now!

"Laaa laaa la la laaaa!" She sings off key as she skips, twirls, and generally makes merry. Smart people get out of her way. A certain moon cat following along looks close to just crying at her antics.

Then the cat sees what's about to occur, opens her muzzle, and then shuts it close. No. She can't yell out right here. Two paws cover Luna's face, one eye peeking out as the girl makes to slam right into Mamoru!

Breathe, Naoko. Don't stress out. Everything's going to be okay. Nobody's going to recognize you: this isn't where you usually hang out. So it's going to be okay! So don't panic!

Long story short, Naoko really isn't paying a lot of attention to anyone around her, being a bit absorbed in her own headspace at the moment. Which means that when Mamoru stops short of the door, she's not going to notice...

Book, bookbag, jacket, Mamoru, Naoko, and Usagi ALL go flying: it's objects get dropped more or less on impact, because while Mamoru's gotten accustomed to recovering from collisions with Usagi, the simultaneous crash from the back throws off his balance.

Half a second later and the bookbag's opened and spilled its contents across the sidewalk and atop the three semi-tangled people; a sheet of looseleaf with, of all things, sketches of a girl in a gown settles on Usagi, and calculus notes bedeck poor Naoko, while jacket is under someone and book has landed open and is in immediate danger of having its spine broken. "Odango," groans Mamoru from the bottom of the pile. "I am so sorry, whoever you are, other person, I am so sorry-- please, would you two get off me, I'm dying--"

The weight of the world is on Mamoru. Or perhaps, just one moon bunny and a Naoko. At least he should be used to moon bunny crashes! Limbs akimbo, all tangled up, she slowly manages to get off of Mamoru.

"Ahhh! S...Sorry Chiba-san! I did so well on the test and I was just so happy! Are you two okay!? I'm so sorrrry!" There's tears in her eyes as she quickly (and clumsily) starts sweeping up notes and drawings, getting them utterly out of order.

Her eyes land on the drawing, though, and she pauses. For a moment, she's transfixed.

Why does that person look so familiar?

But the question is dashed, as she sniffles and tries to help Mamoru up! Given how tall he is, and how weak she is, she's not likely helping much. Then it's Naoko's turn to get Usagi's 'help'. Somewhere along the line, she manages to trip up /again/, spilling those gathered papers.

Naoko rubs her head. "Ow..." She's around Usagi's height, so she comes up with relative ease. But as soon as she's standing she takes a quick step back and bows repeatedly. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Her voice is on the quiet side despite her panic. "Let me help with this..." She crouches down and starts picking up papers, which at least helps keep her face out of view.

"No-- oh my god," Mamoru says, voice starting to edge into exasperation as he gets his bearings and finds out that there are two girls either in tears or near enough, and it's more or less his fault, "calm down. I'm the one who stopped. Don't be sorry. Us-- Tsukino-san, stop crying! Thank you, Miss--?"

This latter is to Naoko as her paper-gathering goes somewhat better; she'll be able to get a good look at the sketches since there are actually a few pages of it, not just the one. But Usagi's so upset--

Mamoru's up on one knee, and as Usagi trips again and spills the papers, he lets them go and catches her before she can skin her knees or her palms, and his hands are so very warm. "Bun-head, stop, it's all right. You're all right. Miss, please don't be upset, it's my fault, and thank you for helping me gather my papers-- I think I owe you both milkshakes."

"Eh? Naoko. Naoko Uneme." She finishes picking up the papers and hands them to the gentleman. "I wasn't looking where I was going either." She does smile, though: "But I wouldn't say no to a milkshake: it's hot today, isn't it?" Apprehension or no, it IS hot and milkshakes are frosty and delicious. "What're your names?"

Sniff! Sniffle sniff! Slowly, Usagi is helped back up. Then she's backing up a step after looking to make sure Naoko's okay! She looks a little better now, but still deeply apologetic.

"R..really?" She asks Mamoru. For the moment, there's not a single look of irritation at the man who so often gets her goat. So, she tries her best, ending up in Mamoru's arms. /That/ stops her from crying, and then she's blushing, and when righted? She suddenly retreats right behind Naoko, looking from across her shoulder, as though the other girl were a shield.

There's a long, awkward pause. She doesn't know what to say, to do. There's innocent guilt in her features, a little worry, some apprehension.

But Mamoru says the magic word! And everything is right as rain, taking Naoko's arm, and trying to pull her into the Arcade!

"Milkshakes~ Milkshakes~ Free free free!" She sings, like the pied piper of sweet confections.

She does pause just as they enter though.

"I'm Usagi Tsukino! Nice to meet you Naoko-san! I love your hair!" Such a nice Usako!

"Motooooki! I want a strawberry milkshake with extra sprinkles! And something for Naoko-san!" She then turns expectantly to a certain Mamoru.

"Mamoru Chiba," the super-tall high-schooler says, not so much formally as akwardly: not nearly as cheery as Usagi, but not stiffly or anything. He's just. A little off-balance, still. "Nice to meet you, Uneme-san." And once Usagi's detached and fled and is hiding behind Naoko, he's also somewhat flustered.

So he spends his attention jamming all his things back into his school bag as he trails into the arcade behind them. "Ah--" he says, on the spot, "--coffee. But. Yes. They're on me," he adds to Motoki, and when the blond man lifts his eyebrows, Mamoru flushes bright red and looks annoyed. "The milkshakes. Are on my tab. Just one each. It's not endless milkshake season," he adds unnecessarily, looking down at Usagi through his glasses and sounding like he's trying to tease her but is still too flatfooted to do it right.

"Ah! Thank you." Naoko rubs the back of her neck: Usagi is... energetic. She blinks at Mamoru's commentary: she feels like there's some subtext going on with Mamoru and Usagi but it's nothing she can decipher. Could they be a couple? No, that's ridiculous: they must be family friends or something.

Motoki, meanwhile, gets a shy sort of half-smile from the girl. "Could I have vanilla, please? With strawberry syrup. Thank you, Chiba-san." Mamoru gets another bow, because that's the polite thing to do.

Usagi pouts just a little as Mamoru shoots down a free line of milkshakes! For all of a second, as soon she has one in her hands, and she's over to a table. Sluuuurp! She's smiling, beaming in enjoyment!

The little exchange is lost on her, between Mamoru and Motoki.

"Thank you Chiba-san!" She beams, then turns her attention to Naota.

"Do you go to Seishou too, Naoko-san?" Asks Usagi curiously, omnomnomming!

"She's wearing a Seishou uniform," Mamoru points out to Usagi, looking almost relieved; he's fishing out his wallet to pay for the shakes and coffee, and has a comfortably arch look on his face, finally. "Ten points from Gryffindor for poor detective work."

"Mamoru-kun," Motoki says disapprovingly as he takes the high-schooler's money and opens the register with a ding. That's all he has to say to get the 'you're being a jackass again' point across, but Mamoru misses his expression, because he's looking for Usagi's reaction. If she poofs up in indignation like a Miyazaki character, he's done well.

Much more politely and much less disparagingly, he asks Naoko, "What grade are you in?"

Motoki may actually be making a point with the fact that he gives Mamoru his bitter black coffee in a to-go cup.

Naoko sips at the milkshake. It's good! But now Usagi and Mamoru are asking her whether or not she's a student and what grade she's in. "Ah, y-yes! I'm seventh grade." She pales a little: what if she says too much? What if they do some checking and find out there's no Naoko Uneme in the school directory? WHAT THEN?!? "Uh, excuse me, b-but I should really get going! It was nice meeting you both: thank you for the milkshake! Baibai!" WHOOSH! There goes Naoko. And there's like three fourths of a milkshake she just left on the counter, too!

Arms cross! Sucking on her milkshake, there are /rabbit eyes/ being offered to Mamoru! She pouts with great meaning as Mamoru speaks!

"You...you jerk! I was just being polite!" Complains Usagi, finally settling into sad eyes at being once again disparaged! Then she sticks out her tongue at him! Ptttttbt!



She's definitely puffing up like a big ol' puffer fish, peering at Mamoru.

But then Naoko is gone in a flash! Zooooom!

"Ah...goodbye Naoko-san..."

There's a look of pure confusion on her face. For once, the duo might be on the same page.

"Is she okay, do you think?" She asks quietly, Usagi turning worried eyes to Mamoru! Stare! Staaaare!

And yet, that milkshake is already being devoured once left behind. It won't last long. Slurp!

There is a brilliant return of the smug that was so lacking the other week; it seems the jerk is back to himself, whatever it was that cost him so much at least having abated somewhat. Mamoru's eyes crinkle at the edges, though, and he absolutely relaxes once he gets the outrage from Usagi. The raspberry clinches it. She's so bright and alive--

--and Naoko's... not only gone, but leaving her milkshake?

Yes, they are on the same page. Mamoru looks completely bewildered. "Ah--" he starts, then shuts his mouth and frowns.

Argh, those huge blue eyes staring at him in concern for another person, looking for empathy in his--! And it's there, if buried deeper than it would be for someone else. And maybe he lets Usagi see more of it than he would if SHE were someone else. But the worry is tempered with reserve and politeness and an unwillingness to pry:

"She probably just remembered she had to be somewhere," he reasons. "And the milkshake wasn't to... go... you're already finished with yours and drinking hers? Odango atama, I find it suspicious you don't get brain-freeze~" This is added almost sing-song as he takes his own blessedly to-go cup and scoops up his things, then starts for the back. And probably the back door. And probably to avoid /still more awkwardness/, because: "I see your friends coming up the sidewalk, go surprise them with no detention."

Mamoru is being /smug/. It infuriates her, and she wishes she had a way to truly respond, to fight back! But all she can do is offer pouts and words! And yet, seeing that spark again makes some part of her heart feel lighter, more secure. He doesn't look so hurt. Her gaze softens, and for some reason, she just smiles.

She turns, and looks back after the dust cloud kicked up by Naoko fades.

"If you say so." Then she devours the rest of that milkshake. They're both gone. Three minutes flat. Thank goodness he put her on a limit.

Then Usagi stands, leans in, and a brilliant idea hits her. Rather than respond with words as he scoops up his stuff, she takes a finger. Cream covers the tip, then she reaches forward, and dabs Mamoru's nose!

"Goodbye Chiba-san." She ends. There's a pause, and look, and she's off.

Only when she thinks he doesn't see her does she smile.

Why does she feel even better after meeting that jerk?