Warm Hearts
Part of The Circlet Project's Quick Write Challenge for May 2009
Theme: Comfort Food
How many of us in Jnr. High, ever stop to think we’re not the center of the universe? I did not, could not, see the pain in Chiba Mamoru’s eyes until such a time as I stepped outside of my self-absorption. Oh, I caught glimpses now and then, though so busy sparring with him was a distraction, a wonderful distraction. I couldn’t explain it.
Baka , I mean Mamo-chan was such a guilty pleasure of mine. Even then, though I would have been loathed to admit it, even to myself. He was , nonetheless, the reason I Started thinking about who and what I was. Yup, me the crybaby and having the mantle of Senshi thrust upon my young shoulders, the best thing that ever happened to me without a doubt next to winning the heart of Chiba Mamoru.
As Sailor Moon and Princess of the Moon and future ruler of the Crystal Kingdom, I found myself pulled out of my adolescent emotions, and thrust into a whole new reality. I had to grow up and fast. I was grateful to my friends, including a certain adorable black cat for helping, me mature into a competent warrior and young woman fit to reign over Crystal Tokyo one day.
“Baka…”
“Hmmm, err, Odango?”
“I’m hungry!”
“Want breakfast?”
“Mmm, no, I want, you!”
“You’ve got me Usako!”
“Meow!” I said, straddling him, with some effort on my part, but my carnal appetites would not be denied, even if I felt as if I were the size of the Starlight Tower.
Stroking my bared stomach, he blessed my rotund immensity with tender kisses. As we lost ourselves in our pleasures, I watched as his face changed and eye color deepened the precise moment I felt the fountainhead of his need filling me with pleasure as my own climactic desire peaked.
Later, after bunny got a little frisky with her man, a very big bunny I might add, I soon found myself looking down into his deep blue eyes. My hair, untied, adorning my legs and flowing over his muscular chest. I tried hard not to squash my muffin and giggled as he slapped my thighs in a rhythmic tattoo as a hint I was getting a bit heavy for my dear sweet husband. I lifted myself off his hips. Soon, we’d have to forego these pleasures and this was something I would miss for a while, but would more than make up for again after our baby was born and I had recovered. As I kissed my Mamo-chan, I moaned with the pleasure of his touch on my body in the afterglow of our passion. I then curled up next to him, and fell asleep.
~*~
Rubbing the tired from my eyes, I stretched like a cat as the sun peeked into our bedroom. I hauled myself out of bed. Mamo-chan was already in a bathrobe.
He smiled, “Good-morning sleepy head!”
“Morning baka!” I giggled.
He grabbed a towel and took the first shower. I stumbled into the lounge. Luna stretched and yawned, nudging her feline partner to wakefulness.
“Luna, I was dreaming of grilled salmon and piles of-“
“Artemis, and I thought Usagi was the glutton!”
“Hey!” I whined.
“Er, whoops sorry, Usagi, old habits, you know!” Luna said, a sheepish smirk on her Mauan face.
“I know, Luna. I’m the princess of Klutzoid, don’t remind me, bleh!” I protested, heaving myself forward and pressing my hands against the small of my back. “A small price to pay for a little extra loving. I’ll be all right. Hope we didn’t wake you guys!”
“No way Usagi, we were out like lights!” Artemis blushed.
I smiled at the cute couple and made my way to the kitchen, fed the guys and then eased myself with adept skill, well practiced I might add, into a nearby chair. I felt more than just a little sluggish in my movements to put it mildly.
“Oooh! Bunny can’t see, let alone reach her little toes!” I exclaimed.
To tell you the truth, I felt like a large obelisk heaved up by a super sized crane to be hoisted into position to complement the Great Pyramid or Sphinx. Oh, yes! At any moment now, the Space Shuttle, Atlantis would appear over the horizon of my planet-sized abdomen and the sun would rise behind it any second now! I laughed at the analogy, but I was freak’n huge!
“Usako, what’s so funny?” I looked up to see Mamoru drying his hair; he was so scrumptious.
“N-nothing, just my voluminous bulk, my sizable girth, I am thinking of hiring myself out to Toei as a prop in an animation version of ‘Around My gut in Eighty Days!”
We both laughed as he cradled me in his arms while sipping his coffee. Then we heard Luna and Artemis chuckling in the lounge room.
~*~
Juuban Prefecture was its glorious best on this sunny Tokyo day. I wore a pink and gold dress, it’s dimensions a little modified given my current state. I had so much to be grateful for, and not only that, it was the Cherry Blossom Festival, my favorite time of year.
Naru and Umino were meeting me after Mamoru left for work at the hospital to take me to the park and enjoy the festivities. As we stood under the beautiful tree as the petals fell in a cascade of wonder and fragrant beauty, I found myself awestruck and enchanted by the colorful setting as others gathered under the trees with us to enjoy the breathtaking spectacle.
I smiled at my friends. Umino had just won the Nobel Prize for science in the field of nanotechnology less than a month or so back and Naru was now managing two jewelry stores: the first the family’s original premises, and the second in Juuban Plaza, a new shopping complex. Naru and Umino were to be married in a month and I was so happy for them.
I remember how much fun we had on opening day for the jewelry store a week beforehand. Little girls in pastel pink kimono, their hair long, flowers woven into their dark tresses as they danced in the traditional way looked so kawaii. Then older girls dressed like Senshi had the onlookers whooping and clapping and singing along to a few popular Japanese chartbusters. Minako and Kunzite were doing a duet and leading the troop as they began to entertain their audience with some cool moves of their own.
I squeed and hugged Mamoru as a group of boys drummed upon their Bento Boxes and sang as the older girls, reminding me of a cross between a ballet performance and a display of marshal arts, whirled around the dancing children. All this with the accompaniment of the melodic tones of Michiru’s cello and Aneka’s flute, and the Bento Boys as we dubbed them, sensational. It was lovely. Aneka was Umino's cousin. She was really good, too.
~*~
I sat in the park with Artemis and Luna, and we were soon joined by Minako and Rei.
“Usagi! You look great woman, let me look at you!” Minako gushed as I shook my head, laughing and handed her a sandwich, and gave one each to the cats and the last two: one for me, and the other for Rei-chan.
“I can feel Chibi-Usa kicking, Usagi!” Rei beamed. “Oh I am soooo jealous, I think I’d love to be a mother!”
“Rei-chan,” Minako giggled, “Jad hinted at any-“
“Maybe…” she winked, “I will have my way yet, you know, I do love him. I know he loves me and I think since the Shitennou were resurrected we have bridged a gulf that stretched over eons! That, I think tells me Jad and I have something special as do you and Kunz, Minako.”
“You bet!” Minako chirruped.
“I know you guys will make a fine couple and good parents!” I told Rei and she bowed her head, blushing.
I breathed in a lungful of the sweet morning air. I then broached the subject of the future. We all knew it was coming. We had a couple months up our sleeves, but talking about Chibi-Usa was a topic all were happy to do. Today was a good day.
~*~
I shared my private girl stuff with Minako at a café on Tokyo University’s campus. “I got on top, you know, and it was good, very good!” I said, giggling at her facial expressions, “Kunz might like that if you get pregnant, Minako-chan!”
“Usagi! Shh!” she giggled. Minako blushed and I laughed. “Usagi, you won’t squash him to death now, will you?”
“Don’t be silly. He’s a strong guy and Small Lady may look big, but she’s not going to kill her daddy, you know...”
“I don’t know about that,” Minako laughed, winking as she patted my sphere.
“Anyone would think you thought the way I put away my snacks and add the extra kilos more dangerous than a rampant fast food youma?” I grimaced at the thought of an ice-cream youma, “No, I won’t picture comfort food in that way… What would I say to such a youma?”
“How about, ‘Angel Food Cake Elimination!” Minako howled in laughter. I couldn’t but help joining in her mirth, even though it was at my own expense.
“How about Grilled Fish and Spiced Potato Wedges attack!” laughed Artemis, “I would go for that, mopping up operations would be so much fun!”
“Artemis, you’re almost as bad as Usagi with the food thing; then again, grilled fish… Hmmm,” Luna giggled and we all laughed this time.
~*~
“I will require your assistance in the shower my dear husband, got a bit of territory to cover, I said, winking as I patted my belly, “She’s feisty, like her mother, and she’s kicking, come feel.”
Tears filled his eyes as my Mamo-chan beamed and his facial expressions told me he and our little princess were conversing by touch.
“Only a month or so to go now Usako!”
“I think she’s chiseling her initials inside my womb and setting up an on-line game parlor in there!” I laughed as both our hands pressed with gentleness upon my pregnant belly.
~*~
How often is it you get to look at your life in hindsight and feel good about it all, especially when there was a time you refused to consider the idea? Oh, I feel good, but my tummy is soooo, big!
I had no idea I would feel so happy, as I slurped on a blueberry ice-cream sundae in Crown Arcade, Motoki winking at me as he bowed and placed another plate of cheese and pumpkin scones in front of me.
“For the lady!” he said with flare and twirled the tea towel like a living thing and I giggled. “Thank you so much, Usagi for being the Guinea Pig to try my first home baked menu as I usually get Mako-chan to bake for us. But as she is away with her boyfriend, Nephrite, I needed to break out my mother’s old recipes. Reika helped a little , but I did most of this on my own,” he gushed, grinning from ear to ear.
I batted my eyelashes at the savory treat in a seductive manner, making Ami giggle, and opened my mouth ever so slowly, making sure I was thinking about Mamoru as I bit into the buttery scone. I closed my eyes, and gasped, "Oh Motoki! This is delicious!”
After I had my fill I went for a walk with Ami and after a little reading and chatting with my friend, I felt my water break.
“Ami! She’s coming! Call Mamoru!”
