In the Buff

Chapter 2:  *HOW* embarrassing!!!!

AN's:  *nat-chan laughs hysterically* Hope ya like my cruel fic, gomen 
for putting such a 
naughty twist in....but I couldn't resist!  Can you IMAGINE??  Heh 
heh....hope ya like where
I take it now....??

Rated:  PG 13

Genre:  First Season Romance

Disclaimer:  I wonder what Naoko would think of me throwing her two 
characters naked in a lake?
                Hmmmmmm.....don't tell her kay? kay.

Thanks:  Silver Bunny, Grace-chan, Lady Spring, Alicia.....love you 
guys!  

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Whence last we left our fav couple.....they were naked in a lake (I 
love writing that...ha ha ha)

"What are you doing out here?!"  Demanded Darien.

"I could say the same for YOU Jerk!"  She snapped, looking desperately 
through the darkness
for some sort of magical escape route.

Suddenly Rei's voice cut through the night, shouting, "Hey Serena, 
watch our for the EELS!!!"

Darien and Serena's eyes widened together, and Darien tried in vain to 
stop her,

"Serena there's no ee--"

But it was too late.

"EEEEELLLLLSSSSS????!!!"  Shrieked Serena and lept blindly into Darien 
arms, wrapping her arms
about his neck tightly, "AIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Darien was forced to take her weight, and fortunately could touch 
bottom or they would have
drowned.  He put unsteady arms around her and discovered with terrible 
shock that she had 
nothing on either.  He cursed Truth or Dare forEVER in his mind and 
tried vainly to untangle
her before she realized he was....he was...

"Serena!  She's kidding!  There's no eels in the lake!"  He said 
desperately.

Shocked by the use of her real name, Serena stopped screaming and 
realized eXACTLY what kind of
a predicament she'd gotten herself into.
Flushing bright red she quickly let go of him, "Oh, S-sorry Darien I--"  
She pulled out of his 
arms then and could not help but slide down, wet body pressed against 
his.
And the sensation was far from unpleasant, they both realized.
Darien tried to step back but to no avail, it happened too fast....and 
then she knew....quite
suddenly....that he was naked too.
She jumped back and they stared awkwardly at each other.

"I, uh, sorry D-Darien....I've gotta go..."  And then she dove off as 
fast as her legs could
kick.

Darien stared after her, still in shock.  To his own choppy 
recollection, he had never in his 
life been naked around ANYONE.  And now, just moments before, he and 
the Meatballhead had been..
had been.....he began to feel faint and headed back to shore, before he 
passed out and drowned.
Though thinking of facing her after this made drowning seem a kind 
escape.

The boys never realized what happened--though some kind of shriek had 
made it's way back to them
they assumed it came from the girl'scamp--not the lake.  Darien was at 
least thankful for this.
But he was deadly quiet after that and was the first to go to bed.  But 
he lay awake long
long hours in a strange new torture.  The sensation of Serena's slender 
body, soft and smooth
against his own was somehow impossible to dispell--or even dim a 
little.  

Serena, for her part, swam back and fairly flew into her tent.  The 
girls assumed it was Rei's
ridiculous eel joke and rolled their eyes.  
But she never reemerged and feigned sleep with remarkable skill when 
they peered in.  They
shrugged and left her alone, shaking their heads at how she really 
could sleep anywhere, anytime.

But Serena was far from sleep.  For the first time in her life she lay 
awake for hours as it all
sunk in.  First the fact that she had crashed into Darien--her dreaded 
enemy--NAKED!  To be 
naked was one thing.   To be naked in front of one's arch nemesis was 
an entirely different
matter.  

Second, and quite shocking in it's own right, was the fact that *he'd* 
been naked.  She figured
some sort of Truth or Dare was the reason (since he didn't seem the 
type to skinny dip for the 
fun of it...she muffled a laugh at the thought) but STILL!!!  She 
wondered if it had been
just as embarrassing for him as for her.  Probably.  That was some 
comfort.  Although *she'd*
been the idiot to jump into his arms at the mention of eels.  
~Note to self, dust Rei next battle.~
They might have escaped without all that if she hadn't freaked out.  
Sigh.
Then there was the thought that they had been naked together.  This was 
a shock of it's own.
The things it eluded to still made Serena blush.  

But although these thoughts were strange and disturbing, truth be told, 
they were *not* what
kept Serena up most of the night.  No.  It was lastly, when the 
sensation of it all returned to
haunt her that sleep ran off screaming into the night.

The sensation of Darien's arms on her bare skin.......the feel of his 
bare, wet body pressed 
against hers....the smooth slide down into his arms....Serena hadn't 
even been kissed prior to
this and her mind was still catching up to what these sensations even 
were.  But as they washed
hotly over her words began to surface all too clearly to match them.  
The whole experience had
been....had been....her mind balked at the word 'sensual' but it fit.  
Whatever hate she may
try to cherish against Darien, the feel of his body against hers had 
been absolutely beautiful.

She shivered in her sleeping bag, hair still damp.  She'd have to wash 
it tomorrow.  What did
this all mean?  That she should crash into this man everyday was one 
thing, but naked in a lake?
What kind of cruel fate was this?  

She felt herself blush hotly, alone in her tent, as she remembered 
slipping down and discovering
first hand, that Darien was quite naked himself....along with a lot of 
the mystery about guys
in general.  Even reeling from shock and embarassment, she realized she 
knew far too much about
Darien now to keep up the teasing front between them.  It was too 
innocent and childish.  And
unfortunately, they no longer were.

The irony of her first experience of anything physical being with her 
enemy missed her completely.
But I'm the author so *I* can mention it!  ^_^hee.

And when our lover's finally drifted into tumultous slumber it was only 
to be haunted by
vivid dreams of soft skin and warm arms and delightful caresses. 
(courtesy of the cruel nat-chan,
*laughs madly then dodges shoes thrown by Serena and Darien*)

The next morning the girls all washed up and laid by the lake to dry 
and tan and just laze
about as only the beautiful senshi that protect the planet can.  They 
had snacks and cold
drinks to cool off and books to read....all was well in the Universe.  

Serena was the last to wash her hair--it was quite an ordeal since it 
was so long.  She scrubbed
it and combed and and then head back to lay it out in the sun to 
dry....

In the meantime, the boys had also gotten up and washed and were hiking 
round the lake.  They 
headed for where the girl's camp site was to eat lunch with them.  
Darien was reluctant but
Andrew dragged him along.  They spilled onto the dock  to find the 
girls in all their 
lovliness, laying out in the sun.
Mina ordained to tip down her sunglasses and acknowledge them, "Hello 
boys, can we help you?"

The boys stood speechless.  Finally Darien grew impatient, "Andrew 
wanted to know if you guys
wanted to eat lunch with us?"

The girls sat up, "Sure!"  They giggled, coming to life suddenly.  The 
tense boys all sighed with
relief and then filtered into the group to chat.  

Darien made for an escape down to the beach by the dock before he ran 
into....

Serena came up the beach slowly, long golden hair spilling down behind 
her, damp and windblown.
Darien caught his breath.  She was beautiful, this was nothing 
new--though her hair...
but after last night there was something else that came with it....he 
swallowed hard.

Serena hadn't spotted him yet, her pretty sundress brushing her skin, 
her hair long and free
she walked contently, oblivious to everything--even protecting the 
Universe.  But she looked up
before Darien could dive into some sort of nearby bush.

Her eyes widened and her face paled, "D-Darien..."

She noticed he had paled considerably as well.

~What now?~

They stared at one another until she came to a stop just in front of 
him, blue eyes fixed on his.
He felt himself blushing.  But then, the mixture of 'lost' 'confused' 
'embarassed' and could it
be 'hopeful'!? in her eyes somehow reached in and squeezed his heart.  
She was waiting for him
to somehow decide what would happen between them.

He tried to steady his suddenly trembling legs and held out a hand to 
her, 
"Uhhh....truce?"

And to his complete astonishment she suddenly brightened and a 
delightful smile twitched at the
corner of her mouth, "Friends?"  
She asked, holding out her own hand.

And--Serena discovered--the most shocking thing in the Universe, he 
smiled gladly back.

"Friends."

And they shook on it.  

So off our two new friend went to lunch and all seemed well ne?  
But things were not so simple as they appeared.  For starters, Darien 
had been hedging around 
the conclusion that had hit him head on when he saw Serena on the 
beach, looking like a goddess,
he was rapidly falling for her....perhaps he'd fallen for her that 
first collision?  He shook 
his head helplessly as she pulled him towards the smell of hotdogs with 
very familiar
enthusiasm.

And Serena?  She was still in heavy denial--but her body kept betraying 
her.  The touch of his
hand giving her goosebumps--why would THAT be?  Fortunately the hot 
dogs made for a welcome 
distraction.  She hauled Darien towards the barbecue near the girl's 
campsite and grabbed a hot
dog before walking down to the dock to eat.  By now everyone had paired 
off to read, or chat
or argue....and Darien found himself quite alone, hotdog in hand.  He 
headed down after Serena.

She stood at the end of the dock, hair still trailing golden after her, 
hot dog long since
demolished, staring out at the lake.  Her sundress blew about her legs, 
she turned a little
and he caught his breath....she was like something out of a 
dream....his dream....his princess.

He walked slowly towards her, staring without blinking and walked right 
into the pole with the 
rope, knocking himself over backwards.

Serena turned around suddenly, "Oh Darien!"  She ran over and bent over 
him, "Are you alright?
Yeesh, I though only *I* klutzed out like that."

He simply stared dazedly at her.  She flushed a little under his gaze 
and offered her hand to 
help him up.  

He struggled up and for a moment they stood frozen, inches apart.  
Serena felt her stomach
tighten....why was he looking at her like that?  He couldn't....he 
didn't....NO!  This was
just the tension from last night!  He was uncomfortable!  Wretched 
Truth orDare....wait a second...

"Hey!"  She whispered suddendly and shoved him down onto his stomach 
with remarkable strength. 
She threw herself down next to him and shimmied over to peer over the 
dock.
"I forgot!  My dare's done, but Rei's still got one to go!"

"What do you mean?"  He asked recovering peeking over with her.

Down on the beach Rei and Chad sat eating lunch, Rei looking 
desperately around to see if anyone 
was watching.  She looked up at the dock and they quickly ducked back.

"I dared Rei to kiss Chad!"  Serena giggled and Darien chuckled.

"He'll be happy!"

"I know!  So will she--though she'd never admit it!"

They peered over just in time to catch Rei half desperately grab Chad 
and kiss him squarely
on the mouth.

Chad sat frozen with bliss for some moments until Rei giggled--actually 
giggled.

Serena muffled her laughter in her hands and Darien had to smile at her 
enthusiasm.  Then
*he* remembered, "Hey, over here!  Quick!"

They shimmied over to the other side of the dock and peered over at 
Mina and Andrew who sat
eating quietly, Andrew looking the picture of discomfort.

Darien grinned wickedly, "I dared Andrew to ask Mina out on a date!"

Serena raised an eyebrow at him, as if to say `I'm impressed` which she 
was.

"Let's watch."  He whispered and they lay, shoulder to shoulder 
watching events unfold.

They ate in silence for sometime until finally, Andrew leaned over and 
stammered something in
earnest to Mina and she blushed and nodded back.

"Score!"  Whispered Serena--much to Darien's surprise and then she high 
fived him.

"We make pretty good matchmakers."  She observed with a grin.

He nodded.

They lay back and she spread her hair out behind her to dry, watching 
the sky thoughtfully.
She glanced over at him and noticed the bug bites on his arm.

"Hey...you're pretty badly bitten."  She said.

"You were right about the bug spray."  He muttered bitterly.

She didn't reply.

They lay in silence some time longer.  Serena wasn't sure how to 
continue with this odd
truce or face what had happened.  But then she brightened.  They were 
friends now, and she could
just avoid ever bringing it up.  I mean...what were the chances of 
anything like that ever 
happening between them again?

(nat-chan:  I'm glad you asked that question.....bwaahahahahahaha ^_^)

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That's it compadre's!  E-mail e-mail e-mail!  I'd love some more ideas!  
I'll work on "Each Other
For A Day" next I promise! ^_~

p.s.  I have to add a writing credit here to my "Anne's House of 
Dreams" novel.  She has a 
beautiful neighbor in it with long golden hair, and this man Owen Ford, 
falls in love with her
and tells Anne about seeing her with her hair down once and how 
beautiful it looked, and that
gave me the idea for the whole 'seeing Serena with her hair down' bit!  
;p