Repeat after me: Ely-chan is a procrastinator....*sweatdrop* well, when the 
chance to attend AX calls, you can't exactly ignore it. So I offer to you the 
rest of this story which I had planned nearly a month ago to be a Usa-day 
story...

Omedeto (okureta) tanjobi, Usagi-chan!
(Happy belated birthday)


The Way You Love Me
Time: after Stars, pre Crystal Tokyo
rating: aww, leaning towards PG this time....



A knock sounded on the door, but Mamoru didn't look up from what he was 
doing. Then as the knock came again, he looked up from his paper and sighed. 
"It's open!" He had been hoping for a quiet day, something that was now few 
and far between.

As the door opened and shut, Mamoru glanced over to see who had stopped by. 
His eyes widened in shock. "Setsuna-san! This is a surprise. Did you come here 
to see Usako?"

The tall green-haired woman smiled slightly and her eyes darted around the 
room quickly. "Is the Princess here, Mamoru-san?"

He smiled at the title Setsuna always gave his Usako, formal or informal 
occasions. She'd been referring to her that way ever since the two of them 
had been married. The loyalty these eight women showed to his wife was 
remarkable. "No, she left about an hour ago with the other girls. I think they 
planned to go shopping or something. You know how those girls are, ne?"

Setsuna nodded. "They took her shopping for her birthday, right? I hope you 
haven't forgotten about that."
	
Mamoru paled, then recovered quickly. He *had* remembered this time, 
unlike that one time when she was fifteen. The memory of that day still stung 
like the slap she had given him. After that incident, he promised himself he 
would never forget her birthday again. This would be the first birthday they 
celebrated together since their wedding two months earlier, and Mamoru was 
determined to make it special and memorable. But what in the world could he 
get his Usako?
	
As if she could read Mamoru's thoughts, Setsuna held out a small parcel 
wrapped in tissue paper, no bigger than the palm of her hand. "If you haven't 
gotten her anything yet, why don't you give her this. I have special permission 
to give it to both of you. The Princess will know what to do with it when you 
give it to her, Mamoru-san." She placed it gently in his hand, then bowed 
gracefully. "Tell the Princess hello for me when she returns home."
	
Mamoru returned the gesture and showed Setsuna out. As he closed the door, 
he glanced down at the wrapped package. Well, if Usako would know what to 
do with it, all he could do was wait until then.




Mamoru was in the kitchen preparing dinner when he heard the front door 
creak open. Taking a dish cloth and wiping his hands dry, he stepped out to 
greet his wife.
	
Usagi set her handful of shopping bags down and stretched, relieved to finally 
be home where she could relax. A day full of shopping with the girls always 
tired her out, even if she was usually the one with the most energy.
	
Two arms suddenly enfolded around her waist and Usagi jumped. "Welcome 
home, Usako," a low, warm voice whispered in her ears. "How was your day?" 

She grinned and turned around in her husband's embrace, placing her arms 
about his neck. "Just fine, but it's nothing compared to coming home to you." 
She leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him, and he welcomed it gladly.
	
As they broke apart, Mamoru ran a hand through Usagi's hair and smiled gently 
at her. "What did you do with the girls today?"
	
"They took me shopping for my birthday," Usagi giggled. "And Mako-chan made 
the most wonderful lunch for everyone."
	
Mamoru leaned over and picked up her bags and followed Usagi into the living 
room. "Why did they take you shopping today if your birthday is tomorrow?"
	
Usagi whirled around, and smiled at Mamoru sheepishly, wrapping her arms 
around him again. "Well, they didn't come right out and say it, but I think they 
did it so you and I could spend all day together." She fell back onto the couch, 
pulling her husband down with her. "How does that sound to you?"
	
Mamoru grinned. He never could resist his darling Usako.



	
The morning sun peeked through the windows and onto the sleeping newlyweds. 
Two months had passed since the actual wedding, but there was no sign of their 
love slowing down. After all, they had been together for a thousand years, 
through thick and thin, and according to Setsuna, they'd be together well into 
the future. That fact was reassuring, though they knew they would have to work 
at it anyway.
	
Usagi leaned up on one elbow, and gazed down on her sleeping husband. 
Mamoru was so cute while he slept, his facial features resembling that of a 
little boy. She wondered what their children would look like. Of course, they 
already knew about Chibi-Usa, but in the back of her mind, she was curious 
to know if she and Mamoru would have any more children in the future. Even 
though her attempts to be a mother to Chibi-Usa while she was here in their 
time had nearly failed, it made Usagi stronger in the end. She wanted to be 
the best mother to her children, and she already knew Mamoru would be a 
wonderful father.
	
"You're awake awfully early, Usako. I thought you would take advantage of 
your birthday and sleep in most of the day."
	
Usagi smiled back at Mamoru, kissing the tip of his nose. "It's too beautiful of 
a day to spend it all sleeping."
	
He leaned over her and gave her his most daring smile. "So what do you want 
to do first on your birthday, my darling Usako?"
	
"Trying to read my mind?"
	
"Is it working?"
	
Usagi gave him a goofy grin. "Not quite, unless you were about to say I want 
breakfast in bed. Was that what you thought?"
	
He ran a hand through her loose blond hair and let it slide through his fingers. 
"Well, I figured it would be something like that." He kissed her again, lingering 
a moment longer this time. "One breakfast in bed, coming right up."
	
"Is there anything else you have in mind for today, Usako?" Having long since 
finished her wonderful breakfast, she pushed aside the bedcovers, stepped 
over to the window, and gazed out on the warm summer day. "Can we go to 
the park, Mamo-chan? I feel like playing around like a little kid again."
	
Mamoru smiled tenderly at his wife and joined her at the window. Even if it 
was her 22nd birthday, she would always be a child at heart. He suddenly got 
an idea, grabbed Usagi's hand, and pulled her out the door amidst her protests.




	
"Mamo-channnnnn!" Usagi wailed loudly as he dragged her down the street to 
the park. What in the world was he doing? She had wanted to go to the park, 
but instead planned on a nice leisurely stroll snuggled up to her love and not 
running down the sidewalk like she was now.
	
Finally he stopped in a secluded area of the park, and Usagi leaned over to 
catch her breath. "Why did you drag me here, Mamo-chan?"
	
Turning to his wife, Mamoru took her hands in his and smiled his certain smile 
that Usagi claimed to have melted her from the very beginning. And not 
surprisingly, it was working very well. "I wanted to give you your birthday gift, 
Usako. Or did you not want it after all?"
	
Her eyes widened and she practically jumped into Mamoru's arms. "Are you 
kidding? Of course I want it! Although you're the best present in the world, 
Mamo-chan, I'd love to see what you got me," Usagi crooned, batting her 
eyelashes.
	
"Close your eyes," he told her, and he pulled out the small parcel from his 
pocket and gently placed it in Usagi's palm. She opened her eyes, quizzically 
stared at it, looked from it to Mamoru and back down at her hand again. Then 
without warning, she tore into it, removing all the wrapping to reveal a small 
key, one that looked very familiar to Usagi.
	
"Mamo-chan, is this what I think it is?" She held it up for closer inspection.
	
He nodded. "Setsuna-san stopped by yesterday and said I should give you 
this. She also said you had full permission to use it. I guess you know what 
she meant by that."
	
Usagi stared at the key a little longer, then smiled. "I know exactly what to do 
with it." Closing her eyes, she held on tightly to the key and whispered softly, 
so soft that even Mamoru couldn't hear what she was saying. Then Usagi 
opened her eyes, raised the key and repeated the words they had heard 
Chibi-Usa use so many times in the past. A flash of silver light then burst 
from the sky, surrounded Mamoru and Usagi and in the next instant, they 
were gone.




As the light dissipated, they found themselves standing on a street corner in 
the early evening. Mamoru looked at his wife curiously. "Where are we Usako?"
	
"Maybe you should say, 'when are we?'" She smiled and pointed to a tall 
building in front of them. "Does this look familiar to you?"
	
He stared at it for a moment, then recognition hit. "This is my old apartment 
building. Why are we here?" he asked as another beam of light engulfed them 
again. The next moment, Usagi and Mamoru were inside the apartment, and 
he looked around the stark room with a rueful smile. "Sometimes I can't 
believe I lived here for so long all by myself." Usagi slipped her arms around 
his waist and hugged him. Mamoru leaned over and kissed the top of her head 
gently, then rested his chin comfortably in between her two odango. "But that 
all changed when I met you."
	
Usagi lifted her head and grinned. Pointing out to the small balcony, she said 
softly, "Look like we're right on time." Mamoru followed her gaze, and to his 
surprise, two figures were standing outside, talking. One was taller and the 
other short and thin, had a hairstyle that was unmistakable.
	
His mouth dropped open. "Is that... us?"
	
Usagi giggled. "You're quick today, Mamo-chan. Think back to about 7 years 
ago, right around the time we first met Haruka and Michiru."
	
"You mean, the same time the DeathBusters and Pharaoh 90 were a threat?"
	
Usagi nodded soberly. "You do remember."
	
Mamoru ran a hand through his hair. "How could I forget? Chibi-Usa's heart 
crystal had been taken by Mistress 9, and I used my life-force to keep her 
alive. She was so helpless... all of you were at one point... and I couldn't do 
anything to help."
	
Taking his hand tightly in hers, Usagi looked sympathetically into his eyes. "I 
didn't mean for you to remember the hard times by bringing you here, 
Mamo-chan. There was something else I wanted you to hear from the past." 
Taking a step closer towards the balcony, Usagi was suddenly held back by 
Mamoru's grip. As if she could read his thoughts, she smiled gently and replied, 
"Don't worry. They don't know we're here." She cocked her head and giggled. 
"Funny thing to say about our past selves, ne?"
	
Before Mamoru could reply to that, the other conversation stopped him and he 
strained to listen in.
	
"Mamo-chan, do you think Chibi-Usa will be okay now?"
	
"Yes, Usako. I think the worst of it is over."
	
The younger Usagi turned to face the moon. "What a beautiful night, but it's 
starting to get a little chilly." She got a sly look on her face. "Ne, Mamo-chan, 
why don't you warm me up?"
	
But the younger Mamoru didn't hear her. He was already opening the door 
and walking inside.
	
"Mamo-chan? Where are you going?"
	
He stopped and turned back. "You said it was starting to get chilly, so I 
thought we should go inside."
	
Usagi watched him go inside and she sweatdropped. Muttering under her 
breath, she said, "Mamo-chan, sometimes you can be so unromantic."
	
Neither Usagi nor Mamoru noticed a sudden flash of light that spirited away 
two figures at that moment.




	
They ended back up the park, back in their own time. With a grin, Usagi tossed 
the little key back and forth while Mamoru gazed at her.
	
"Was I really that bad back then?"
	
Usagi stared lovingly at her husband. "Of course not Mamo-chan, but you 
certainly had your moments. Sometimes I thought you were so dense, that 
there wasn't a romantic bone in your body." She poked him in the side. 
"Remember when we first met Chibi-Usa? We had just discovered who we 
really were and then you dropped me flat because of those dreams."
	
Mamoru whirled around. "That wasn't completely my fault, you know. You had 
the same dream too."
	
"But I wouldn't have turned my back on you so suddenly. When you left me 
without an explanation, I felt as if I had lost my entire world."
	
Hanging his head, Mamoru found it hard to look his wife in the eyes again. 
"Will you ever forgive me for that time? I think I've learned my lesson by 
now." 

Usagi laid a gentle hand on his arm, sending tingles up his spine. "I already 
have."
	
He suddenly swept her up in his embrace, causing her to yelp in surprise. 
"So you prefer spontaneity and impulse over careful planning?" His warm 
breath tickled her ears, and she practically melted in his arms from his 
intense gaze.
	
"Mamo-chan, you know I love anything you do and just about every way 
you do it... except for maybe those cheesy speeches you used to make." 
She started giggling.
	
"My speeches weren't cheesy! They got the point across and distracted the 
enemy!"
	
"No, they confused the enemy long enough for us to dust it."
	
He started to twirl her around, but she kept giggling, even as she got more 
and more dizzy. Mamoru finally collapsed from spinning, and they fell to the 
ground, both of them rolling with laughter.
	
Mamoru stopped to catch his breath, and rolled over on his side to gaze at his 
Usako, who had also fallen silent. Her golden hair pooled around her, creating 
a halo-like appearance around her head. She truly was an angel to him, saving 
him from despair when he thought there was no hope. She had died for him 
countless times over, and he for her. The word 'soul-mate' was truly an 
understatement. They were one, from the past, to the present, and all the 
way into the future.
	
"Usako...." he whispered softly, just enough to grab her attention. She opened 
her eyes and shifted her gaze on his handsome face. "Yes, Mamo-chan?"
	
"Have I told you today how much I love you?"
	
Her eyes shimmed with tears. This was a side she didn't see of him often, 
even though they were husband and wife, not to mention each other's best 
friend. "Tell me again, Mamo-chan."
	
"Even if I could hold all the stars in the sky and fill the moon with them, their 
brightness could never compare with the light you've given me." He placed a 
hand on her cheek, and rubbed the stray tears away with his thumb. Leaning 
closer to gently kiss her, Mamoru took her in his arms and whispered lowly 
into her ear, "Now tell me that was cheesy."
	
Usagi burst into giggles again, breaking the silence that had enveloped them 
only moments earlier. "That was perfect, Mamo-chan. Of all the things I love 
about you, I love the way you love me the most." With that, she pulled him in 
for a longer, more passionate kiss, one that said that this day would rival all 
the birthdays to come.









THE END!

BTW, the scene with the younger Mamoru and Usagi comes from episode 123 
or 124 (I'm not sure which) in the S season.