Marmalade Mercury: Ep 11a

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	*_* MARMALADE MERCURY *_* EP 11a: CELEBRATION! THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS PRESENCE. <opening theme>

Ami snapped her eyes open. She sat up with a start - and pressed a hand to her forehead. She'd had trouble getting to sleep last night and had experienced some troubled dreams... it was not unlike the time Greg had first kissed her. Except this time it was Ami's own actions which had caused the trouble.

She turned to the window. She hadn't seen Greg since the previous night, after he'd left her room. Ami had remained in her room herself after she had hit him. She couldn't believe what she'd done. Not just the slap, but worrying needlessly, jumping to conclusions... plus she felt like she'd had some sort of revelation that had been utterly forgotten in the shock of the incident. What would Greg do now?

"Nothing," Ami murmured. And she knew it would be so. Another similarity to the time he'd kissed her.

There would be no changes, no mention of anything - unless Ami brought it up herself, perhaps. And she didn't know if she could do that.

The guilt she felt was coupled with complete embarrassment. She'd acted like a complete fool the previous day, just because she had been alone in the house with a guy. She resolved not to let it happen today. Perhaps this was how Greg had felt after the kiss? Was that why he'd closed himself off? Who knew?

Ami got out of bed and headed for the bathroom, trying to forget what had happened there last night. She thought she heard Greg downstairs in the kitchen, but by the time Ami made it down, he was gone.

Yet breakfast had been laid out and Greg's food was untouched; he must be returning shortly. There was also a piece of paper on the table - a note. Ami blinked. Could it be... maybe Greg WASN'T just going to pass off what happened?

Feeling hopeful, Ami seized the paper and started scanning. He had written it in his native English, but Ami was pretty well versed in that language. It read:

('My father?' Ami wondered.)

'It's not from Greg, it's to him!' Ami abruptly realized, tearing her eyes away. A letter from Canada! Indeed, as she looked around the room she now saw the opened envelope over on the counter. But her curiosity piqued, somehow her eyes fell back to the page...

It appeared to be signed by Greg's mother. Ami lowered the letter and looked back up - right into the surprised, then amused expression of Greg. She blushed deeply.

"S-sorry! Gomen nasai!" she apologized in both languages, feeling like an idiot. So much for her resolution of this morning. Switching back to Japanese she continued, "I didn't realize who this was for, I d-didn't mean --"

"Don't worry about it," Greg interrupted with a wave of his hand. "It's only a letter I got a couple days ago that I hadn't gotten to reading until this morning. Nothing important in it."

Ami blinked. Nothing important? "But you won some award and everything," she exclaimed automatically. "That's wonderful!" She glanced down at the letter again. "Though you kept your course secret from your parents?"

Greg shook his head. "It wasn't really by design... they're just a little oblivious. They knew the place I was going in the evenings, they just missed the significance." He shrugged and took a seat. "Our family doesn't make a big deal out of things like this anyway."

"But that's not right!" Ami blurted, resisting the urge to stamp her foot. How could he always be so calm? Especially while she couldn't seem to stop talking; she wasn't sure if that was to hide her continued embarrassment or to keep last night's incident from coming up. But either way, well, a person's parents shouldn't act vacant!

Even her own mother, often too busy to spend much quality time with her daughter, would do a little something when Ami came out with top grades (again) at the end of a term. A new pencil set, special dinner, SOMETHING.

Was this why Greg was so hesitant about relationships? Because he wasn't used to people taking an interest in him? Could he be worried about abandonment? Or that others wouldn't approve of his family? Maybe it was his family atmosphere that made him like this? Or was Ami just reading too much into things again? She should really stop doing that.

Ami abruptly realized she was now just staring at Greg, who was looking back at her curiously. It was the silence that she'd been hoping to avoid. Ami flushed.

"Well, thank you for saying so," Greg finally observed. There was another pause. "But your breakfast is getting cold," he added, starting to eat.

Ami blinked. Sliding into the seat opposite, she began eating quietly. But her mind was working doubletime. She'd made a bit of a mess of this weekend so far. (In fact, after last night that was an understatement.) But most of her nerves had calmed now that one day had passed.

She resolved to redeem herself! Greg had won something? Then she would take an interest. They would celebrate! She could make a dinner, and do it right this time; maybe with a cake?

Yes! The two of them would enjoy this last day. Maybe it would even spark an emotional reaction from Greg?

*****

Minako absentmindedly clicked back and forth between the sports match and the cheesy movie on her television. What a boring weekend. Even Artemis had wandered off somewhere by himself this morning.

Finally tiring of both shows, Minako switched off the television and tossed the remote aside. Maybe she should call one of her friends, see what they were up to.

Pulling the phone over, Minako started punching in a number. She checked herself - that was Urawa's number. Why call him about anything? Redialling, Minako listened to the phone ring at the other end.

"Hello?" came Makoto's voice.

"Hiya!" Minako said brightly. "What's up?"

"Minako! Not too much really, just have some cookies in the oven... what about with you?"

"Absolutely nothing. Very dull day. Er, feel like getting together?"

"Sorry, I can't really," Makoto apologized. "Have these cookies now and a doctor's appointment later. Regular checkup time."

"Ah... that's all right," Minako replied, hiding her disappointment. She twirled the phone cord around her finger. "Know what any of the others are doing?"

"Nope, can't help you there either I'm afraid. Oh - except Ami's busy making a cake."

Minako blinked. "A cake?"

"Yeah, she called me for some cooking tips before. Apparently Greg won an award or plaque for something and they're celebrating at her house. She refused to go into detail, but wanted to make sure she had the right instructions for making a cake."

"Oh," Minako answered, momentarily nonplussed. She made a mental note to congratulate Greg herself for whatever it was at her earliest opportunity. Even though he didn't seem interested in her now, it couldn't hurt to keep a foot in the door.

"Usagi or Rei could be free though," Makoto concluded, as Minako heard what sounded like an oven timer in the background.

"Right... well, I'll let you get back to your cooking then," Minako responded.

After a few parting words, she hung up. She then paused for a moment, debating calling one of the other Senshi. Finally deciding against it, Minako rose to look out the window. It was a nice day after all, maybe she should just go out and see who she ran into. As long as it wasn't Sewaya.

Hurrying downstairs, Minako said a quick goodbye to her parents as she departed. After brief consideration, she headed for the Game Centre. There would probably be people there; plus with all the confusion on Friday, she'd never had a chance to play that new Sailor Moon game.

There was still a small lineup for that game when she arrived. Waiting her turn, Minako glanced around - she didn't see anyone she recognized. Perhaps on a subconscious level she'd hoped Greg would be in?

Oh well. Motoki was here though. Minako gave him a friendly wave, and he wandered over.

"Hi!" Motoki said amicably. "Back to try your luck now that there's less commotion?"

"Something like that," Minako replied. "Don't suppose any of my friends have been in today?"

Motoki shook his head. "Nope. Usagi was by yesterday though. Kept asking me about Kato."

Minako nodded. "And I guess Greg doesn't work weekends?" she found herself saying.

"Well, not usually," Motoki admitted, scratching his head. "He actually was planning on coming in, but then something else came up... oh, saw him yesterday too actually. He was helping Ami shop while her mother was away."

Minako nodded again as a commotion started up in another part of the arcade. "Excuse me," Motoki said, quickly moving off to arbitrate. Minako turned her attention back to the Sailor Moon game.

It hit her about a minute later. *Ami's mother was away??* But that meant it was just Ami and... Minako's eyes became as wide as saucers. Both of them alone in the house? Now Ami was making a cake? Wait, just what was going on over at the Mizuno household???

*****

At the Mizuno household, Ami was staring at her cake suspiciously. It didn't look as light and fluffy as the picture. Even though she'd followed Mako-chan's instructions to the letter, ensuring that she allowed time for the oven to cool down before removing it.

"Probably looks better with icing on it," Ami ultimately justified.

That said, she began icing it with the batch she'd just mixed up. Yes, that was an improvement. Amazing what she could accomplish when she put her mind to it!

Ami glanced over at all the sandwiches she'd readied. She'd figured they were a safe choice, and something she was good at making. There was tons of variety there too. She also had some chicken salad. And now the cake was almost done. The whole process had ended up being a little messier than she expected (good idea to have tossed on that apron), but the final result was very satisfying.

"Ami, still working in there?"

Ami charged to the door. "Don't come in!" she shouted quickly before Greg could enter. "Dinner's almost ready; I'll call you."

Greg blinked at her in surprise then grinned. "Okay, you're the boss." He paused, reached out and wiped some frosting from Ami's nose. "You ARE cute when you cook," he concluded, turning away and going upstairs. Ami knew she was blushing again.

But no time to think about that now, she had to get everything JUST right. Spinning back into the kitchen, Ami finished with the cake and then laid out two places. She stood back, regarding the setup with her hands on her hips.

Didn't seem right. Needed a centrepiece. Ami made a quick search and returned with a candelabra and some blue candles; that should make a nice effect! Ami smiled. Okay, now she should go change.

Cleaning herself up a bit, Ami then pulled off the apron and hurried upstairs. She paused on her way past Greg's door to knock and tell him to go down in about ten minutes. Proceeding to her room, Ami scanned through her closet.

Should she dress up? This was sort of a special occasion, wasn't it? How special? Hmmmmm, decisions, decisions. That blue dress? She'd worn it out in public a couple of times, but not recently. Seemed to convey just the right amount of casualness while still having some sophistication. Good.

Ami put it on. She brushed her hair, hooking errant blue strands behind her ear. She posed. Yes, that looked okay - didn't it? Ami pursed her lips.

She still didn't seem... elegant enough. Of course, she supposed only Greg would see her but... part of her felt like the situation deserved more. Even though this was just a simple celebration to honour Greg's achievements... and to help make him feel welcome, and to make up for how she had been yesterday. And to show Greg that she cared.

Ami paused. That last was the problem; the caring. Which hinted at... what? A kind of date? Ami abruptly couldn't really recall any time she had felt so much anticipation and nervousness at once.

She'd been out with guys before, of course; heck, she had been to an amusement park with both Urawa and then Greg at different times. But this felt different. More intimate, and not in a bad way. Her heart fluttered. If it wasn't a date, how would one define it? And either way, shouldn't she look more... refined? She still had a little over five minutes left.

After a long pause, fidgeting with her hands, Ami finally went to her bureau. She pulled open the bottom drawer. Ami didn't use her cosmetics much - I mean, why put on a mask to look like someone else? - but she had some hidden away, which her mother had given her at her last birthday.

Swallowing uncertainly, Ami picked up what she thought was a box of perfume. Or maybe it was cologne? Either way, it was labelled 'Marmalade Mercury' and seemed somehow appropriate now. Removing the bottle from the box, Ami found it smelled nice too. (Though not like Marmalade... where did they come up with these names?)

Before losing her nerve, Ami dabbed a little on. And after another minute of hesitation, she applied a little lipstick and blush (to help conceal the one she had a feeling would be permanently on her face tonight). Finally satisfied, the blue haired girl stashed her makeup away and scampered quickly out of her room.

Back downstairs, Ami verified everything was in place. Greg would be here any second now. She lit the candles in the centre of the table. After a pause, she dimmed the lights to accentuate the fire's glow. After another pause, she re-illuminated the lights to keep things from seeming TOO intimate. After another pause, she dimmed the lights again so that it wouldn't be as easy to tell if her face turned the colour of a tomato.

Her cheeks felt warm and she was starting to get worried now. HAD she gone too far? Made too big a deal of it? What would Greg think? Would he even react?

Greg's footsteps sounded on the stairs. Too late to back out. Ami dove for her chair and was sitting quietly by the time Greg came in.

She watched as he looked around. He seemed a little taken aback. She fidgeted with her hands under the table. But then he smiled at her.

"You never cease to amaze me," Greg concluded softly. He approached the table.

Ami somehow felt that a response was in order. "I... I thought the table would look better with the candles," she stammered. "As an overall effect. They're very pretty."

"Beautiful," Greg agreed. But Ami saw he wasn't looking at the candles, he was looking at her...

She stumbled to her feet as Greg reached the table. "There's... that is... dinner itself’s mostly sandwiches," Ami said, trying to keep from getting flustered. "I'm sorry, I suppose they don't fit the mood as much, but it seemed right at the time. There’s cake after."

She stopped. Greg was still just looking at her.

They came closer together as Greg took her hand.

"Thank you," he said. "No one has ever done anything like this for me before."

Ami wasn't sure how long they spent looking into each other's eyes. Then as their faces moved closer together, she wasn't sure who had initiated the movement.

But now their lips were coming closer to each other too... and this felt right. Ami knew what was going to happen next...