Disclaimers: The characters in this story aren't mine. 
They are owned by Naoko, DiC, Toei animation and many 
big companies.



Room-mates and Soul-mates - Part 3
By: Roo
E-mail: roovel@aol.com


	Darien felt her lips on his, and couldn't get
out of her embrace. Not that he wanted to...
	Serena slowly eased her lips away from his
after her breath ran out. She giggled. "You look
funny with lipstick on."
	"Serena," he said, a little angry. He looked
at her, sitting on the couch silently. It felt so
right, he thought. The kiss...it felt familiar.
"Good night," he said, walking away.
	"Good night! Have a nice sleep!" she said,
getting up, and walking to her bedroom.



	"Major hangover," Serena mumbled as she got
up from bed the next morning.
	There was a knock at her door as she
laid back on her bed again.
	"Serena! Hurry up! We're running late,"
Darien said, as he walked in.
	"I don't feel like going today," she mumbled
as she pulled the covers up. "I'm tired."
	Darien then remembered last night and what happened
at the party. "So little Meatball Head has a hangover,"
he teased. "I told you not drink so much."
	"You did not," she said with her eyes closed.
	"Well, I'll be back this afternoon. I suggest
you start typing up the story on the computer."
	"Hmm..." she said as she fell asleep.
	He took one look at her and then left the
room.


	"News flash!" the man on the radio said. Serena
had turned on the radio as she typed up the report
on the computer. The news reporter continued to
say, "There has been a monster on George street. Many
people have lost consciousness..."
	"Great!" she said, annoyed. She stood up, took
her locket and transformed into Sailor Moon. Sailor
Moon ran to the balcony and jumped off, heading toward
George street...

	"All right Negasleze!" Sailor Moon said, facing
the seven foot monster with grey slithering arms, fang
like teeth and long dark hair. "I've had enough of--"
Her speech was suddenly cut off as she was pushed by a
black clad figure... They landed in a tangle heap on the
side-walk. 
	"Stay alert, Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Mask said.
	"Hmm-mm..." she hummed dreamily as he helped
her to her feet then dashing off onto the battle field.
	As he dashed off, she saw something golden fall out
of his pocket. 
	What's this? She thought as she picked up a 
golden star locket and opened it to listen to a soft
melody.
	"Sailor Moon, now!" Tuxedo Mask shouted.
	"Huh?" she said, looking up. "Oh." She ran to
the weakened monster and said, "Moon Tiara Action!!!"
	The monster screamed as it turned into a young
man with a cap on. He was unconscious.
	Then out of no where, Malachite materialised.
He laughed an evil laugh. "One more crystal to add to
my collection," he said, holding up a yellow crystal.
	Sailor Moon with her tiara in hand, threw it
to Malachite's hand, causing him to drop the crystal. She
dove for the priceless treasure before it would reach
the ground and shatter. "Got it!" she said triumphantly.
	"I want that back, moon brat," Malachite said,
heading towards her.
	Of course, Tuxedo Mask came to the rescue again,
sweeped her up, carried her on the roof-top of a
building. Once they reached the roof-top, he placed
her onto her feet. 
	"Thank you," she said softly, facing him.
	"Be a little more careful next time."
	"You dropped something," she said, showing
him the locket.
	He looked at it. "I always drop it. You keep
it."
	"Really?" she said with a smile.
	He looked at her. She's beautiful, he thought.
Then he came back to his senses. My mission, my Princess,
he thought. "Yes. The crystal," he said, putting out 
his hand.
	She looked at him weirdly.
	"I want the crystal."
	"I want the crystal too."
	He took one look at her determined face. "Fine,
keep it," he said coldly. "But I *will* have it," he
said as he jumped off the roof-top.
	She gasped as she ran to the edge of the roof,
fearing the worst. She looked down, but there was no
trace of him.
	"What?!"


	What a day, Darien thought as he wondered the
Sydney streets after school. 
	He looked through the windows, displaying 
clothing, home ideas, artwork... The list went on.
	He stopped abruptly as something caught his
eye in a window. It was a painting of a woman
with pigtails and a man in a tuxedo...
	"Daariieen!" Serena said, trying to get his
attention for the last five minutes. 
	"Huh?" he said, taking is eyes off the 
painting. "Oh hi, Meatball Head."
	She wore a short pink skirt and a white
top with a bunny printed on it. Her 
hair was up in the 'Meatball' style.
	"Finally! What's so interesting there? It's
just a painting," she said after she had looked at it.
	"Has the hangover passed? I hope you don't 
repeat what you did last night."
	"What did I do last night?"
	He chuckled. "You can't remember? You kissed
me! And you even said I was gorgeous. Sheesh, 
Meatball Head, didn't know you had the hots for me,"
he said with a quirky grin. "I thought you said you 
didn't fantasise being with me?" he said, raising
an eyebrow.
	"I did *not* say you were gorgeous! And I 
*definitely* did *not* kiss you!"
	"I wish it were true, Meatball Head."
	"UUGGHH!!! I *despise* you, Darien Chiba,"
she said, trying to control her anger.
	"Excuse me?" a quiet voice said.
	Serena and Darien turned around to see a 
lady with a brown plait over one shoulder. She
wore a pair of glasses.
	"Would you please pose for one of my paintings?"
she asked Darien.
	"Sorry," he said. "I'm kind of busy."
	"Please?" she pleaded.
	"C'mon Darien," Serena said. "Do
something you've never done before. Be nice and pose
for a painting."
	"And you," the lady said, turning to Serena.
"Can you pose for a painting?"
	"Me? I'd love too!" she squealed.
	"Quieter, Meatball Head. You're going to
break the windows," Darien said.
	"Can you please?" she asked Darien again.
	He sighed. "Sure, why not." He smiled.
	"Thank you!" she said. "Could both of you 
meet me here tomorrow?"
	"Sure," Serena and Darien said in unison.
	The lady walked back into her gallery. 
	"Is that Lonny Lanai?" Darien asked.
	"Probably," Serena said with a shrug.
"She's a good artist, don't you reckon?"
	"Yeah," he agreed.


	"Have you started the report?" Darien
asked, as he and Serena walked home.
	"No, I haven't," Serena said sarcastically.
"I've just been lazy and slept the whole day."
	"For some reason, I can imagine that," he
said with a grin.
	"Do you always have to be so mean?!" she 
said, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm not so
mean to you!"
	"I'm sorry, Serena," he said in mock-
sympathy, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
	She suddenly came aware where his arm was.
It feels good... she thought.
	"Don't touch me!" she said, jerking away
from him.
	"I'm being nice to you," he said with
sympathy in his voice an face, but his eyes were
filled with humour as he wrapped his arm around her
again. He seemed to enjoy it...
	"Hey, Darien," a girl with long blonde
hair and blue eyes, said.
	Darien turned around, his arm still around Serena.
	"Hi, Serena-look-a-like," he said, wracking
his brains for this girl's name. He knew it...
	The girl giggled. "My name's Mina," she
said with a smile.
	"Oh yeah! That's right--"
	"He doesn't know because he has a *very*
small brain," Serena said.
	"You must be Serena," she said. "Darien
told me that you look a lot like me. I can see
it's true."
	Serena nodded and smiled.
	"You two look great together you know. You
look like a real couple in love," she said. "How
long have you two been an item?"
	"An item?!" Darien and Serena said in unison.
Darien immediately dropped his arm from her.
	"Oh, God," Serena said, placing her hand on
her forehead. "I'm gonna be sick..."
	"You're not an item?" Mina said, blushing
a little.
	"We are *far* from friends!" Serena said,
annoyed. "How can you say we are an item!?"
	"Calm down, Meatball Head," Darien said.
"I'd be dead by now if I was *your* boyfriend."
	"Well," Mina said sheepishly. "I've...
gotta be going now. See you tomorrow," she said,
walking the opposite direction.
	"I think I'm going to throw up..."




	"Home sweet home!" Serena said as she
entered their apartment.
	Bring! Bring! The phone rang and Serena
got at it first. "Hello? Hi, Bradley!"
	On the other end, Bradley was on his couch.
"Have you told Darien that you'll be his partner?"
	"Huh? Oh! I forgot completely."
	"Okay, then. Tell him now."
	"Hmm..." Serena hummed, looking at Darien
who was sitting on the couch listening to her.
She smirked and walked in to her bedroom, closing the
door behind her.
 "You tell him," she said softly.
	"Why? And why are you are you whispering?"
	She giggled. "Never mind. But don't tell
him that I told *you* to tell him," she said with
a cheeky smile. "Okay?"
	"Er...whatever, Serena."
	She walked to her door and as soon as she
opened it, she bumped into Darien and dropped the
phone.
	She groaned. "It's a bad habit to be
eavesdropping," she said, picking up the phone.
	"A habit that I haven't grown out of,"
he said with a grin.
	She groaned as she passed the phone to
him. 
	"Hi, coach! Really..." he said, eyeing
Serena who sat on the couch. "Okay. Bye."
He clicked the phone off. "Thanks for being my
partner," he said, simply, sitting on the couch
and turning the television on.
	She dashed into her bedroom and fetched 
her professional Polaroid camera she used for
photography in her art classes. "I didn't
know I was being your partner," she lied. "I
don't think I wanna any more..." she said, as
she sat down again.
	"What?!" Darien exclaimed, standing up.
"You have to be! There's nobody else!"
	"Ask me nicely," she said sweetly.
	"Serena, can you please be my partner?"
he said.
	"Nuh," she said, shaking her head. She
enjoyed this very much... "Plead."
	"Serena," he pleaded. "Could--"
	"On your knees."
	His eyes narrowed at her, but he still
dropped to his knees. "Serena, please be my partner,"
he pleaded, showing how much he wanted her to be his partner,
in his face and eyes too.
	Serena grabbed the camera beside her and
took a picture of him on his knees.
	After the quick flash, Darien was a bit
startled as his eyelids blinked. 
	"Thanks for posing for my picture!" Serena
said, very happy. "I've just completed my art
assignment," she said, happily.
	"Why in the world did you do *that* for?!"
he demanded.
	She shrugged. "Part of my art assignment
to do different facial expressions."
	"You mean you're developing that?!"
	"Duh! It might even go into the art gallery."
	"What the hell!?" he shouted, trying to grab the
camera, but not succeeding since Serena moved
quickly. She stood up, camera in hand with a huge
smile on her face.
	"Don't ya won't to be famous?"
	"Serena," he said between clenched teeth. 
"Give me the film roll."
	"AS IF!" she ran into her room and Darien
followed her, but had the door slammed into his
face.
	"You're going to pay big time for that, Meatball
Head!" he said, pounding on the door.



	In the evening, Serena decided to come out of her
bedroom, after a nap and after she hid her camera in her bedroom so
Darien wouldn't find it.
	"How are ya, Darien?" she said, yawning a little
after she had seated herself on the couch.
	He ignored her, eyes on the television.
	She grinned. "Still angry at me, huh?"
	He gave her a quick, irritable look and turned
his head to the television again.
	She giggled. "I just love it!"
	"I can see you've had fun today?" Darien asked.
	"Yep! The best day ever!"
	"When are you developing the photos?"
	"Hmm...tomorrow, probably."
	"At the art block?" he asked, eyes on the t.v.
	"Yes."
	"Photography room?"
	"Yeah..."
	He nodded.
	She was suddenly angry. "If you even *think* 
about going there and destroying my photos..." She left 
it hanging.
	"Is that a threat supposed to be a threat, Meatball
Head?" he said with a smile as he turned to face her.
	She huffed. "Maybe, maybe not," she said, crossing
her arms.
	He laughed. "Oh, you are a funny person, Meatball
Head."
	"What are you laughing at?!"
	"You!" he laughed harder.
	"Why *you*!" she said, pushing him on the couch.
	He grabbed her to keep steady, but instead she
fell on top of him.
	He couldn't stop laughing.
	"Shut up, you moron!" she said, on top of him
and hitting him.
	"Get off!" he yelled, still laughing.
	There was a knock on the door, but the pair
couldn't hear it. The person knocked louder, then
gave up and turned the knob and entered the apartment
to see Serena and Darien on the couch.
	"Ahem," Mina said. "If you two were going to
make out...you shouldn't have invited me in the first
place."
	"Make out?!" Serena and Darien yelled in unison.
Darien got to his senses and pushed Serena off. She
landed on the floor with a thud.
	"Do you want me to come back another time?"
Mina asked.
	"No, it's okay," Darien said.
	"Are you sure?" Mina asked. "You can go back to
what you were doing--"
	"Mina," Serena said, sitting on the floor, "get
the idea that we were making out, OUT OF YOUR HEAD!" she
shouted angrily.
	"You mean you weren't?"
	Serena got up. "Of course *not*! So what are you
doing here?"
	"Oh, Darien invited me so I can catch up on
some stuff."
	"Fine!" Serena said, walking toward the door.
"I'll be back soon." The door shut behind her.
	"Is she always like that?" Mina asked.
	"Yep."




	"Hello?" Serena asked as she entered the apartment.
	"Hey, Serena!" Mina greeted from the couch.
	"Where's Darien?" she asked as she unpacked the
shopping bags in the kitchen.
	"He's out on the balcony."
	Serena nodded.
	"You're *so* lucky to live with a hunk like
that," Mina said, hearts in her eyes.
	Serena groaned. Another Darien fanatic, she thought.
	"Do you know if he's got a girlfriend?" 
	"He doesn't," Serena replied.
	"You mean he's free?"
	"Yes."
	"Well then--"
	"Hi, Meatball Head," Darien greeted as he walked
from the balcony to the couch.
	Mina watched every step of his.
	"Are you staying for dinner?" Serena asked Mina.
	"Hmm?" Mina hummed, breaking out of her
trance. "Oh! No, it's okay. I better be going now."
	"Good choice," Darien said. "Do anything to
get away from Meatball Head's cooking."
	"Shut up, creep."
	He chuckled.
	"Well, see ya tomorrow," Mina said, walking to
the door.
	"Bye."


TO BE CONTINUED...

	Eeek! I'm so sorry this was short, but I got a
whole bunch of stuff to do. Even though I'm on school
holidays now.
	There's no cliff-hanger this time. ^_^ Sorry
you didn't get to see that mysterious woman with
long blonde hair. But you should all know who that
is. ^_^ 
Next week you get to see who the mysterious person
is and the painting of Serena and Darien and see
them ice-skate together. And of course, what happens 
the photograph Serena took. ^_^

Visit my webpage! http://members.xoom.com/roovel/roo.htm
You can read the previews of my up-coming fics
Hidden Love II and Falling in Love Again.