Dear minna, I hope you like this fic. It's pure romance; don't expect to 
find any fighting going on here. Just the TEENSIEST WEENSIEST bit of hentai
in here. Thanks to all, Fushigi, MJ, Jen Wand, Pandora, Crystal, Razzz, 
Lianne, Kim, and a whole lot of other wonderful people. All usual disclaimers
apply. Love ya! - Sue Mei

*****
An Everyday Love
by Sue Mei
*****

Usako
*****
        I snuggle deeper into his embrace and his strong arms, so warm
and protective around me, tighten gently. I close my eyes and breathe
in, breathe in him, his cologne, the still afternoon air. It's one
of those lazy afternoons where there is not a breath of wind, filled
with sunlight like thick honey and dancing with little golden dust
motes. One of the peaceful days where the whole world seems to take a
collective sigh and lean back and relax, sipping sweet ice-cold
drinks and not doing anything in particular. 
        My thoughts drift off on a lazy ocean, just floating and 
flitting from place to place with no particular destination. He
nuzzles my hair gently and kisses the top of my head. We are on his
bed, he and I, cuddled up, lying against each other, arms around
each other, one of our favourite positions. 
        I come over to his apartment almost daily, as often as I can
make it. He may be doing his homework, studying, taking a nap, but
whatever it is, he'll always put his work aside, or take off his
reading glasses with a smile and pull me into his arms.Sometimes, when
I have just had a test, he asks how I did on it, even though he KNOWS
that I've probably failed. Then, I show him my paper and he'll shake
his head disapprovingly at the score, shake his finger at me sternly
and say, "Usako, you MUST study more. I don't know WHY I'm so lenient
with you. What are your parents going to say? Or Luna?" 
        Then, with an expression of interminable, unshakeable 
determination and suffering on his face, he sighs and says, "I think
maybe we shouldn't see each other so much, Usako. It might be 
interfering with your studies, and ..."
        But I never let him get any farther than that. My eyes will
fill up with tears at the hated prospect of spending any time away
from him, and I sniffle slightly, letting my blue eyes go soft and
hurt, brimming with glistening tears ready to fall. He looks up and
into my pleading expression, my eyes, and he sighs, defeated. His
countenance softens and he holds me, kissing me, kissing away my tears
and murmuring, "Well, I guess we could work something else out..."
Then, we go over to the dining room table and we go through my test
paper, question by question, until he is satisfied. And the whole
matter is forgotten ... until the next test.
        Sometimes, on Saturdays and Sundays, I come over and we talk, 
or I help him clean up, and he makes me lunch, then we just cuddle. 
During the afternoons, we sometimes lie down, on the floor, in the 
pool of warm golden sunshine streaming through the sparkling windows 
of his apartment. He likes to turn over on his stomach and watch me,
as I lie there with my eyes closed, just being quiet and still, 
relaxing in the peace. When I ask him why, all he does is laugh and
kiss me lightly on the tip of my nose, saying that I just look so
peaceful and beautiful lying there, like I was floating on a sea of
serenity. Of course, I punch him lightly on the arm for making such a
bad pun, one of his favourite jokes, while he laughs, deep blue eyes
lighting up with fun, and a tickling match ensues, which leaves us
breathless and laughing in the middle of the living room.     
        I hold him tighter to me and sigh. This is what I go on 
fighting for, these moments of peace, the times I have with him. The
happiest, most contented moments of my life.

Mamo-chan
*********
        I kiss her head gently, the golden strands set on fire by the
bright afternoon sun. She tightens her arms around me, almost crushing
my ribcage. But I don't care. Just as long as I'm with her, she can
hug the living daylights out of me and I'd be happy.
        In all reality, I should be helping her study for one upcoming
test or another that's coming up, but I don't want to bring up the 
subject. For one thing, there are billions of other things I'd much
rather do with Usako; having to fight youmas on an almost daily basis
gives you that much more appreciation for life. Then again, Usako is
full enough of life already. 'Nuff said.
        Secondly, when I do venture to bring up the subject, one of
a number of things happen. I've even composed a list *ahem*.

1. A youma attacks.
2. A group of four girls and two talking cats burst in about some new
   fad, trip, enemy info, yadda yadda, blah blah...
3. Usako collapses on the floor laughing hysterically. ["ME!?! STUDY!?!"]
4. She suddenly remembers to check the time and has to go. NOT something
   I like, missing time with Usako.
5. I get, uhh, distracted.

        None of the above exactly appeal to me(except maybe the last one)
so either way it's a lose-lose situation for me. Live and let live, my
philosophy when the subject of helping Usako study arises.
        But AFTER the test is a completely different matter. I always ask
her how she did, and I KNOW she's failed. But I ask anyway. Then I begin
my "we-shouldn't-spend-so-much-time-together-your-studies" speech and she
always melts into near tears. She looks at me with that soft, pleading
expression in her eyes and my heart just melts with that look. She could
kill me right then and there and I'd die a happy man. 
        It's very nice, to just lie here like this, no enemy or youma to
fight or worry about. Just letting yourself lie back and relax, idling the
time away. Idling the time away is something Usako does best, after all. I
had never idled time before; there was always a job or class or appointment
to rush off to. Until I met Usako, that is. 
        I still remember the nights I was kept awake just thinking about 
her, the daydreams I used to slip into. The time I spent going out of my 
way to see her, the sudden moments of being there, completely alive at
that very moment, when a balled-up test paper or shoe chanced to land on
my head. They were the brief flashes of joy I had; it made waking up in the
mornings worthwhile, the thought of seeing her. I'd wake up, look at the
dancing sunlight, the singing birds and morning Tokyo traffic and wonder,
'What's the point?' Then I'd remember her, my Odango Atama, who I privately
called Usako, long before the Starlight Tower. It seemed to make her MINE,
somehow. And I'd force myself out of bed and go through the day,just waiting 
for the moment I could rush off and see her, from behind my tree.
        After that...I don't want to think of after that. After that was the
Starlight Tower, the brainwashing, and finally the Arctic. And then, of 
course, the loss of our memories. THEN Alan and Ann. Through which I fell
in love with Usako all over again*. It was a VERY long time before I could
hold her in my arms, my Usako. 
        And I never wanted to let her go again. I'd miss it if she didn't
come to my apartment for that day, and would mope until she came again, 
lighting up everything with sunshine. She would come to me with arms 
outstretched, eyes laughing, face glowing, and kiss me, my own angel. She 
would apologize for not coming yesterday, and bubble happily into my ear 
about all the things that happened, and I will listen, just to hear her
talk into my ear. 
        Her name for me always makes me smile. "Mamo-chan." Not "my prince". 
I asked her "why not?" Was I not Endymion, prince of the Earth? And was I 
not the "prince of her heart"? And was I not the "dashing, handsome" Tuxedo
Kamen? I smiled at that.

*I'm referring to Jennifer Wand's Darien's View and First Kiss, some of the
best fics I've read. Read them now, K? :) *
        
        She only laughed up at me sweetly, her golden tresses floating 
around her and a sunbeam illuminating her face and making a halo in her
hair like an angel. Her sapphire eyes, shining with stars, smiled into
mine. I don't think I'll ever forget the way she looked then. Or her answer.
        "Mamo-chan no baka. I love you, not because of the prince, or Tuxedo
Kamen."
        And I'm NOT going to tell you what happened next, nor on our 
afternoon together. A guy needs SOME privacy.