First Truths

Even If

It was hard to tell who was more shocked, Mamoru or Usagi. Usagi stared at her fist as though it were something alien, some foreign object placed at the end of her wrist where her real hand usually resided. Because surely, surely she had not just punched Chiba Mamoru in the face.

It took a few more seconds for her to realize that her hand hurt like hell.

"OWWW! Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch." She danced around slightly on one foot, clutching her abused fist to her chest. Yet another point against Chiba: he had a head as hard as a rock. Probably to shield the mush he had for brains, she thought angrily. But no matter how insulting he had been, she had totally crossed the line. She had no right to hurt him. She had never been violent and now was completely ashamed at herself.

She finally stopped dancing long enough to stand still and ignore the pain in her right hand. Mustering the courage, she looked up at his face.

Mamoru had blanked out for a second. Yes, he'd been completely out of bounds saying such things to her. If he had heard another man say the same, he would have no respect for him. But, in all fairness, they'd been exchanging insults freely...and Odango Atama had just smashed him royally. It was a novel experience being socked squarely in the jaw by a girl who barely came up to his shoulder. It also brought back, however, disturbing memories of earlier times when older kids and even adults had thought that violence was an easy way to get a lesson through to him.

He slowly reached up and wiped at the small trickle of blood that had dribbled from the side of his mouth. The inside of his bottom lip was pulsing painfully from where it had been ground against his teeth. He touched it lightly with his tongue and could feel where the skin had split. She sure did pack a punch, he reflected offhand. Should he give in to the pulsing anger that was clawing at his insides, or compliment her right arm? Since he feared he was much closer to giving in to the former, he decided it would be much safer to get the heck away from her. Fast.

He spun on his heel and walked away, not glancing back. Usagi stared with dismay at his retreating back. Oh, no no no, this was no good. Better that he scream at her, call her all sorts of stupid names, than just draw that cold shield back over his face. Though she could honestly say that she didn't much like the guy, the prospect of his truly hating her sent her into a panic.

"Sata-I mean, Mamoru-san...wait!" Usagi trotted quickly after him, managing to run around in front of him, where she promptly clasped her hands together and bowed low at the waist. "I'm sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry. I'm awful, I'm despicable. I really didn't mean it!"

She chanced a peek at him. He stood tall, aloof, unforgiving. His frame tensed and jaw clenched, she saw the glimmer of blood by his mouth and gasped. My god, she'd actually drawn blood! She could see it would take more than an apology to get through to him again.

"Alright." Straightening, she took a few brave steps forward and lifted her chin in invitation. The cold silver in his eyes made her quake, but fair was fair.

Mamoru clenched his fists, doing his utmost to ignore her yet failing miserably. What was with this girl? Why was she taunting him when he had let it go so easily for her? "Go away," he said through clenched teeth.

"No, really, it's only fair. Though you WERE being particularly nasty, it wasn't right for me to hit you. Go for it." She stepped closer.

Mamoru decided she had simply lost her wits. That would explain why she had had the gall to hit him in the first place. He attempted to step around the crazy woman. She moved left and blocked his path. He moved the other way and she moved with him. Frustrated, he flung his hands outward and vented his anger at her. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?"