AN: Hey! ^^ Hi, Minna-chan, I'm BAAACK! Miss me? Well, don't pelt me
with rotten fruit
 yet, I'm back, ya know! Well, it's getting mushier and gushier by the
minute. Also, those
 of you out there who are reading Sere and Dare together, no way, I'd
love it if you voted for me at http://www.lunap.com/smt25.html
Also, I have a new email addy! ^^ I'll still answer to the breeze13
one, but I'd love letters to the new one!
Thanks all who are writing me on this! I know, it hasn't come out till
now, but forgive 
me, I barely got back on the comp! Thanks Starlite, like I said before,
and I'll say it 
again: Drink Yoo-hoo for the BETTER spokesman! (uh... inside joke...
you don't wanna 
know!) Thanks Alexis-chan, I'll clone a Mamoru for you in a while!
Thanks Firestar, 
you're an awesome friend, and thanks Sidnei, and Ely-chan for their
wise input and awesome nuttiness that makes us all get together for our world's
stupidest chat's. 
Also, thanks Europa-chan, hope that you don't mind the fact that wedrugged your 
monkeys... again! (no, they're not that useful to you anymore, gomen!)
okay, finally, the normal disclaimers apply to this fic, enjoy the show!
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Title: Magic Tricks
Part: 3
By: Mako-chan
Rated: PG
Email: makochan@comic.com
----------
I sat down, tired, and stared at Serena. She was busy jerking my arm
around, trying to
 win Sailor V. "Oooh, this stupid thing!" she yelled, punching the
machine with our joined arms.
	"OW!" I shouted in pain as my hand connected with the metal game a lot
 harder than I expected. 
Serena turned to me, "WHAT, MAY I ASK, ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" then she
 remembered our wrists were joined, blushed sheepishly, and said, "ohyeah..."
	I rolled my eyes, exasperated as I watched Andrew focus on more of his
tricks. "Andrew, if you're going to be doing nothing, ANYWAYS, why
don't you just help
 us loose?" I demanded. Having the blonde next to me, wasn't exactly
helping my mood
 any. I mean, most people know me as NOT being mellow on a GOOD day!
	Andrew sighed, "Darien, I already told you. I can't help you, so whydon't you
 just sit back, relax, and try to..."
	I pounded my fist loudly against the table, "I don't WANT to sit backand relax
 while I let the next few weeks of my life slowly deteriorate! I want
to be free of this...
this Meatball Head and go home to my apartment, and possibly lock
myself in for a few
 days!" I ran my free hand through my thick black hair. Then Andrew
tried to pull a rabbit out of his hat. He got a monkey instead.
	Then, a girl rushed in, glared at him, and said, "leave my monkeyalone!" she 
grabbed her monkey and rushed out, muttering something about a "Fox
Mulder clone." (AN: Just for you, Sailor Europa! ^_^) 
I chuckled as I watched a stunned Andrew say, "how did... I just..."
	I shook my head, "how should I know? Probably one of those teenagers
 playing a trick on you." I sipped my Pepsi, "besides, you couldn't do
magic tricks if you tried!" I absently held up my joined wrists, "see?"
	He nodded and sighed, "I know, and I'm still sorry about that."
	I rolled my eyes and stared blankly at my little meatball head....wait a minute
 MY little Meatball Head? What was I thinking?! I shrugged.
	"Penny for your thoughts, Dare?" asked Serena, concerned at mytroubled
 expression.
	I shook my head, though I was really thinking how nice and caring shecould
 be. She didn't even LIKE me, and was worried about me! I sighed. Being
chained upwith Serena was definately affecting my concentration! I shook my head
again, blankly staring at our wrists.
	How long had we been together? An hour? A moment? One day? One entire
 day? No, that wasn't right. If it was one day, we would've already had
to do sleeping
 arrangements. I still had to hold my breath that I wouldn't have to
get Sailor Moon and her friends out of a scrape during this week.
	Serena looked at me, "come on, Darien, if I'm going to be chained toyou, we
 might as well get to know each other."
	I raised an eyebrow, "YOU want to get to know ME, Meatball Head?!"
	She scowled, "well, I did before you started calling me Meatball Headagain!"
 she grinned and took a quick sip of my pepsi.
	"Hey!" I protested, pointing at the half-empty glass, "that was almostall the 
way full!"	She rolled her eyes, "whatever, I just needed a drink, so I took one
off yours. It's not big deal, don't go crazy." She stared into my eyes. "you
don't mind... do you?"
	I gulped and blinked a couple of times. My mind continued to scream atme, 
"kiss her kiss her kiss her kiss her..." like an ancient chant
repeating itself over and over
 again. I managed to somehow shake my head, and as she averted her
intoxicating gaze
 I slumped in relief and began to wonder how I was going to survive
being chained to her for MAYBE two weeks.
Serena pushed her blonde bangs out of her eyes. "Darien... let's checkout your
apartment. I need the grand tour, ya know," she giggled.
I sighed nervously, "yeah, right... uh... we'll do that later." Like
when hell freezes over,
 I added silently. I did NOT need Serena poking around my bedroom and
kitchen when I'm thinking about kissing her.
I ran an hand through my black hair nervously and sighed. Andrew had
better get us 
unchained and fast! I walked cooly up to the counter and drug Serenawith me.
"Andrew!" I called into the kitchen. He popped his blonde head out andgrinned. I
 heard all the teenage girls behind me sigh dreamily... Serenaincluded.
He came out, washing a glass with his hands and said, "what's up dare?"
"Listen," I said, leaning into it so Serena couldn't hear, "I really
want to get rid of 
Serena. She... well, her perfume is getting to me, and I can't think
right. That must be 
why she flunks all her tests," I said wryly. "anyway, I was just
wondering if I could take
 a hacksaw and cut it straight off at the chain... it could help meout."
Andrew's face lit up horrified, "Dare, you have GOT to be nuts! I spent
like twenty 
bucks on those things, and I still plan to use them on Lizzi's party!" 
I sigh and get closer to him, "what is more important? Learning to be a
really bad magician, and PROBABLY lose half the friends you have, OR letting me
simply cut this chain and being done with it."
He glared at me, "if you cut that chain, Darien Chiba, I will never
speak with you again!
 I really am trying, no matter what you think, to get you loose." He
sighed, "can't you just stay atatched to Serena for a little longer?"
I roll my eyes, "I guess. But you should drop the melodrama, the
auditions for the high school play passed during HIGH SCHOOL."
He grinned, "glad ya see it my way!" he slapped me on the back and made
Serena ram into my back- frontwards so I could feel every delicious curve of her
body ram against mine. I groaned inside. This was going to be a LONG wait.
I turned my head around and looked at her, "come on, Meatball brains.
Let's go get 
something to eat now." I grabbed her joined wrist and pulled her out
the door. "where 
do you want to go, and what do you want, besides the entire store's
stock of food." I growled.
She glared at me, "well, ya know, Darien, I'm not that hungry. Around
you, I lose my appetite!"
I sighed. That actually, to my own amazement, stung. I looked at her,
"sorry, Serena. I'm just sort of irritated that a Jr. High girl knows more about
mythology than I do."
We stopped walking and she looked up at me. "why does that bug you somuch? So I
 have something I'm actually good at... who cares?" she sighed, "is it
just that I can't 
have one thing that I'm talented at? It's not like I'm good at anything
else..." she dropped her head to the pavement.
I grabbed her chin gently and tilted it to me, "Serena, that's not
true..." I looked away,
 "there's a lot that I'm not good at that you're great at... I just
don't want to admit it." 
I glanced down at her beautiful face, "you're... smart, and beautiful,
and everyone likes
 you. Unlike me... I'm a grouchy stiff that no one really likes hanging
around them... you've got a lot more going for you than I do for me." I bite my
tongue. I wasn't
 exactly feeling comfortable speaking my true feelings like this.
	She looked up at me, "Darien, that's not true." She grabbed my handsand 
squeezed them gently, "I know that Raye is crazy about you, and Andrew
would give a vital organ for you!"
	I grin, "Andrew would give a vital organ to save a monkey he pulls outof his 
hat..."	She smiled softly, "and you're smart... way smarter than me, and you
care, deep down inside you, I know you do... but..." she looked into my eyes,
"something must have happened to you," her gaze is revealing, she knows exactly
who I am, even if I'm not certain myself.
	She looks up at me, and her eyes are wide and innocent. Her next wordstell
 what she knows, "you've been hurting, Darien."
	I look at her and sigh, and the tears that had been wanting to spillout for all
 these years finally do. I feel weak in front of her, and I wish now
more than anything
 that she wasn't around. I'm not sure if I'm ready for her to see the
real Darien... I'm not even sure if I'M ready to see the real me.
	She pushes my head towards her softly, and I stare at her kind deepblue 
gems that seem to pull me in like a heavenly abyss. I sigh and suddenly
feel hungry for a
 taste of her beautiful ruby lips, I lean over and softly kiss her
smooth lips, and taste her; she's better than Swiss chocolate.
	I feel her, surprisingly, return the kiss, and slowly my conciousthoughts
 surface again and I understand that she is only kissing me out of
pity... and that's one thing I DON'T want. I pull away unwillingly.
	"Serena," I say, as I stare at her confused face. "let's just...pretend that 
didn't happen. I was... vulnerable, and you're a pretty girl just
waiting to be kissed. I apologize. It won't happen again." 
	My face burns red in embarassment as I see slight disappointment flashacross
 her delicate features and she nodded. "Yeah, I understand. Um, let's
just go eat lunchwhere ever. I'm not really too hungry..."
	I sigh. Oh yes, this was going to be an extremely long partnership...
-----------------------
AN: well, done with yet another chapter! Everyone have fun with this
waffy chapter,
 and I'll be seein this crowd in another two weeks when I get out the
next chapter! ^^ (remember, Sere and Dare is NEXT week) well, ja ne!
-Mako-chan