Family Day Out

Author: leni84

Rated: PG13

TITLE: Family Day Out

AUTHOR: Leni

DISCLAIMER: Neither characters, settings or situations are mine.

WORDCOUNT: 1621

SUMMARY: Chibi-Usa has come for a visit.

FEEDBACK: It's a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Seriously unbetaed.

"Come on, Mamoru!" Chibi-Usa pulled on his right arm with all her strength.

Mamoru would have told her that big girl didn't make scenes in public, but Usagi's hand had clamped around his left wrist, and even though she didn't say a word, the arch of her eyebrows communicated effectively that she was determined to drag him into the store if he didn't start walking of his own volition. Mamoru capitulated. "Fine. But I don't want to hear about stomach aches later."

Both girls gave him twin looks of disbelief.

He chuckled, mostly to himself. "Right. Gotta remember who I'm talking to."

Chibi-Usa smiled widely and let him go so she could run ahead of them. She'd said that she was twelve - soon to be thirteen! - but sometimes she behaved like the six-year-old they'd met not so long ago.

"Be careful with -" Usagi called after her to no avail. A businessman yelped as the pink-haired girl stepped on his foot, and a young mother hurriedly moved her toddler out of Chibi-Usa's path. The young couple stared after her helplessly. "Don't say it," Usagi said, rolling her eyes at their future daughter.

Mamoru, who'd been wincing in sympathy as he remembered past run-ins into the blonde at his side, wisely kept the smile to himself and stayed quiet.

"At least we know she'll grow out of it," Usagi grumped as she linked her arm through his and advanced towards the ice cream parlor.

"Eventually," Mamoru agreed, still caught in the memory of a fifteen-year-old girl crashing against him in every corner of Tokyo. He turned a little to look at her fully; she noticed. Four years later and her blue eyes still widened in curiosity when she discovered him staring at her.

"Mamo-chan?" she asked self-consciously, pulling a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Mamoru reached out and grasped her hand in his.

"Mamo-chan?" Usagi said again, eyes flitting to their joined hands.

Was it really so rare that he'd initiate contact in public? Mamoru rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand as a silent answer: yes, and sorry. But he himself was at a loss as to what had prompted this moment - and he didn't have time to find it. They were pushed forward, and they realized that standing still was unthinkable in a street this busy. So forward they walked, still hand-in-hand, and neither paid much attention to the passers-by around them. Usagi kept stealing questioning glances at him; Mamoru kept studying the contrast between their joined hands.

Years ago (so many battles ago) he'd done exactly this. Mamoru remembered thinking that Usagi was so fragile, so deserving of his protection. Now the same hand still spoke of fragility; but Mamoru was able to look beyond that. "You need to be more careful, Usako," he said as he traced the edges of a small burn. Hot oil had sprung when she'd been making fries for him and Chibi-usa last night.

Usagi turned her head to examine the mark. "It's almost gone already," she shrugged it off.

Four years ago, she'd have taken the chance to make a big production out of her injury. No, Mamoru decided, four years ago Usagi would never have come near stove to make them dinner. "Don't grow up too quickly, okay?"

Usagi glanced up at him in disbelief, eyebrows raised and ready to laugh at the idea. But her expression shifted, softened, when she noticed his. Her hand tightened around his, and he had a second to wonder who protected whom, and from what. "According to Luna," she said with a smile, "That's the last thing you need to worry about."

He started to smiled back, but a familiar jubilant voice caught their attention.

"I want Peanut Butter and Wild Strawberry!" Chibi-Usa announced as she saw that they'd finally reached her.

Noticing the same, Usagi practically whirled out of his grasp and pasted herself to the smaller girl's side, giving a loud whoop as she read through the long list of ice cream flavors at the window shop. "Oh! Say they have Nutty Cream?"

Chibi-Usa nodded and pointed at it.

Obviously, there was little of her father's tastes in ice cream in that girl. Mamoru shook his head, amused.

"There it is!" The happy squeal once used at every joyful experience in Usagi's life was now reserved for especially tasty desserts. Out of their sight, Mamoru felt it safe to grin at the sound. Chibi-Usa wasn't so engrossed in the flavor listing, though, because she turned around and rolled her eyes at Usagi's behavior - an unconscious mimicry of his girlfriend's earlier reaction at the younger girl's actions.

The grin widened, and in an even more uncharacteristic show of public affection than hand-holding, he threaded his arms around Usagi's waist and pulled her to him. "Any chance you'll make your choice before sunset?"

"It's barely two!" Usagi protested in indignation; but when he'd have pulled back and returned her to her browsing, she put her hand over his to hold it in place. "I was almost done," she sighed. "Now I'll have to begin all over again."

Mamoru had no choice but to tighten his arms and casually read through the list over her head.

"You done already?" Chibi-Usa hissed and then heaved a big sigh. "Don't you ever change?"

Mamoru smiled at that bit of information. "Nope," he informed the morose pre-teen.

Chibi-Usa gave a huff and crossed her arms over her chest, turning her back to them to pretend she didn't know the embarrassingly affectionate couple at her side. No matter that the hair style gave her up at first glance. "Just hurry up," she muttered.

"Brat," Usagi groused, but in a low voice. "If I ever tell you to send our sulky daughter to the past, please stop me?" She was whispering now, and finished her request with a sigh just as big as the one from that 'sulky daughter'.

"You sure about that?" he responded in a whisper against her ear. "Maybe she's here because she acts like this in the future." He spied the twelve-year-old from the corner of his eye. Chibi-Usa definitely wasn't happy at being ignored. As much as they loved Chibi-Usa, after the first week of her visit they'd realized that they needed time alone as a couple. Mrs. Tsukino understood that, and tempted the girl into small shopping trips - even if Mr. Tsukino kept insisting they took Usagi's 'cousin' with them. "Your parents are happy to watch her when we go out." At his girlfriend's look, he amended, "Your mother is happy. But, anyway, who'd distract her in the future?"

Usagi considered that. Then she made a small sound. Warning enough to remind Mamoru to ground his feet against the pavement at the same time her weight fell squarely on his chest. "We're doomed," she breathed. Three seconds later she was back on her feet, clapping in delight. "Oh they have Tropical Madness!" In her new position, she'd discovered one of her favorite flavors at the bottom of the list. "I'm having that. Motoki hasn't been stocking up properly these last weeks, you know?"

Mamoru laughed at the ecstatic look in her eyes. Thoughts of doom had been eradicated by the promise of pineapple-tangerine-lima goodness. No, there was no danger she'd ever lose that enthusiasm.

"Finally." Chibi-Usa gave them an impatient look and pointed to the entrance. "Can we go in now?"

"I haven't chosen yet," Mamoru protested.

Two pairs of blue eyes blinked in confusion.

"Kidding," he admitted. "I'll have -"

"Double chocolate with chocolate sprinkles on top," they chorused, then looked at each other in amusement.

"Does he ever change?" Usagi asked hopefully.

"Not a chance," the younger girl answered, adding a mournful shake of her head.

Keeping one arm around Usagi, Mamoru bent slightly to tug on one of the pink pigtails. "Be nice," he warned, "or there's an extra grounding in your future." Before Chibi-Usa could defend her actions, he grasped her shoulder and motioned her through the doors of the ice cream parlor.

"No threats for me?" Usagi asked playfully.

Her lively eyes made him bold. "If you ask nicely, maybe."

Usagi blushed, but rested her cheek against his arm.

Chibi-Usa groaned audibly and put her hands against her ears. "Ew!" The younger girl had retreated a couple of steps and was glaring at them. "Not in front of the children!" she whined. "How far in the past do I have to go so you start acting sane again?"

"I'm sane." Usagi pouted. "Aren't I sane?"

Mamoru could feel the unwelcome attention from some of the patrons. Thank God he'd quickly gotten used to it when he took these two girls out. "Yes, Usako," he said; simultaneously Chibi-Usa stuck her tongue out - "As if!" It was Mamoru's turn to sigh heavily. Yes, doomed indeed. In a flash of inspiration, he looked around and having caught sight of an empty-handed waiter, he gave the boy a subtle nod.

Thankfully, the waiter took this hint and came quickly. "Good afternoon," he chirped, distracting the girls from their mutual glaring. "My name is Seiko. How may I help you?"

"We'd like some ice cream," Mamoru answered.

As he'd expected, those were the magic words. The reminder of dessert pulled both girls back to reality as they bounced up to the waiter with matching beams. Poor Seiko never had a chance. The two girls were already barreling him with their orders, and how many different toppings could they have in the largest version?

Mamoru regarded the scene with a fond smile. Doomed to raise a girl who was too much like her mother, maybe. But he wouldn't change a moment of it.

The End

18/04/08