35 millimeters 
Chapter Eight - No Doubt
Lady Aishiteru  

Disclaimer: 
Nelson: The thing about huckleberries is once you've had fresh, 
you'll never go back to canned.
(Skinner walks up to the table)
Nelson: Nuh...um...so, anyways, I kicked the guy's ass!
(Satisfied, Skinner walks away) 
Nelson: Now if the berries are too tart, I just dust them with 
confectioner's sugar.
- The Simpsons, Nelson talking to some friends. 
REAL disclaimer: I don’t own Sailor Moon. I don't own The Simpsons 
either.
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It had been a long day over at the shop, and it wasn't even completely
over yet. Well, it was almost over. Normally, I break at 12:00 on the 
dot, but it was really busy today. I hadn't even gotten the chance to 
eat yet, and my stomach had been growling insistently for hours.

But I was cautiosuly optimistic. After all, it was Saturday, I thought
as I watched the rain fall outside my window. In a few short minutes, 
I would be out the door and I would have all of Sunday to do with as I
pleased. I planned on heading straight home, instead of to the Sweet 
Shoppe, and taking my customary bath early.

It was times like this, when I wondered, why, exactly had I gotten 
into this business? I mean, don't get me wrong, I was making money 
hand over fist. I was even able to move into a bigger residence, a 
condominium instead of my apartment. Zoisite calls my new condo, 'the 
bachelorette pad.' I smiled at that as I chewed on my sandwich on the 
way to the door. I flipped the sign over from open to closed and 
thought, ' I love his quirky sense of humor.'

All too soon, the bell rang on the door. I rubbed my hand down my face
and groaned. Couldn't they see the 'Closed' sign? When the bell didn't
stop ringing, I reluctantly put down my pastrami on rye and ventured 
to kill the jerk who had dared interrupt my peaceful snack.

My anger faded as I saw a sopping wet Zoisite standing outside the 
door, a pitiful look on his face. "Zoisite!" I said, opening the door 
and ushering him in. "What brings you here?"

"Do I have to have a reason to see the most beautiful woman in Tokyo?"

"Oh, stop. You're going to give me a swelled head. You want something 
to dry yourslef off with?"

"No. I'm told that doused men on rainy days are romantic," he said.

"Maybe, but hypothermia isn't. Here, let's go inside my office. I have
some spare towels there."

He smiled and followed me in. I could feel his eyes on me, even though 
I wasn't facing him, and a strange feeling came over me. 

Once inside the office, he shucked his shirt and threw it in a corner, 
revealing a torso that would have had Michaelangelo's David green 
with envy. "Wh...what are you doing, Zoisite?"

He smiled at me, a slow, sexy grin that made my heart jump up my 
throat. "My shirt will take longer to dry off than me."

I chuckled nervously. "Yeah...don't want you getting pneumonia on my 
account."

"So where is that towel you promised?" he teased.

"Right here. Um...you can use the washroom over there," I said, 
gesturing feebly towards my private bathroom.

He followed my lead, but left the door slightly ajar.

"So, do you have any more changes to make to your photo?" I asked.

"Hn, you know me too well," he said, and I heard him running the hand 
dryer. 

I waited for him to finish drying his hair and I spoke again. "What 
do you want changed?"

"It's no big deal, really," he said, and I heard the sound of a zipper
opening. I blushed and turned around to allow Zoisite some modesty, 
although the temptation to see if the rest of his body was as amazing 
as his torso was nearly overpowering. Soon, he peeked his head outside
the door. "Can I have another towel?"

"Sure." I grabbed two, just in case, and walked backwards towards the 
door, still blushing profusely.

"Thanks. Anyways, I have one more change I need you to make."

I laughed. "You said that last week," I said, surprised at how his 
words were so platonic.

"Well, this time I mean it," he said, and I heard him zipper up the 
pants.

"Right."

"Oh, come on. You don't think I came in here just so I could take my 
clothes off?"

I rolled my eyes. "I would never accuse you of that."

"You're blushing, Ami," he said, buttoning up his shirt.

"Am I?"

"Anyways, I wanted to know if I could borrow your camera. It won't 
take long."

"Zoisite! You know I need that for work."

He waved his hand as if to show it was a mere trifle. "You won't even 
miss it."

Reluctantly, I agreed.

"So, where do you keep it?" 

"Over there," I said, gesturing towards the tripod in the corner.

I heard some clicking noises coming from the corner, and soon my 
curiosity got the better of me. "What are you doing?"

"I would think that would be fairly obvious."

"It isn't. Want me to show you how to set it up?"

"No, no, you stay right there.......got it!"

With that, he whirled the tripod, camera, flash, and all, to face me. 
After a few more clicks, he ducked down a little to peer through the 
lens, then he pushed the cable release.

"There. All set," he said, grinning as if some momentous task had 
been accomplished.

"Okay..." I said, as he fished for something in his pants pocket.

I didn't know what to expect at that point. Nobody ever does, not 
with him. Whatever I might have guessed flew out the window when I 
saw him getting down on one knee. It was then that I saw what he 
had in his hand, a small black box.

"Ami, from the day I was born, a picture of the perfect woman was in 
my mind. Then I saw you, and you blew her away. I have loved you from 
the moment I came in here six months ago. I want to spend the rest of 
my life with you, waking up to that sweet face every morning, until 
we're both old and wrinkled."

My lips moved a little, but no sound came out.

He opened the box, and a ring that shone like the sun stared up at me.
"What I'm saying is this; my picture won't be complete unless you're 
in it with me, forever. Ami, will you make me the happiest man in the 
world and marry me?"

I looked him straight in the eye. All of this was so new to me, even 
after six months of being in love with him. A million emotions swam 
around in my head, and the room began to spin. Then I did the first 
thing that came to mind. I fainted.

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"Ami?"

I looked up, and saw that we were in Zoisite's apartment. A cool 
washcloth was on my forehead, and a concerned Zoisite was looking down 
at me.

"Z..Zoisite? What happened?"

"You fainted," he said, frowning. "Let me ask you something. Have you 
had anything to eat today?"

"I had a few bites of a sandwich before you came in."

"I thought so," he said. "I'll make you some soup."

Confused, I wondered if all that had happened between us at the photo 
shop had been a dream. Then I saw a manilla envelope on the table. 
Curious, I opened it up, and I gasped at the sight of the photo I 
held in my trembling hands. There I was, staring right back at myself,
a surprised but happy expression on my face. 

"See something you like?" he asked, bringing in a bowl of tomato soup.

"So...it really happened, didn't it?" 

"What wasn't?"

"Do you have it? The ring, I mean."

"Maybe," he said, giving me that teasing grin of his. "Though you're 
not feverish..."

"I don't know if it wasn't really just a wonderful dream...maybe I 
was only dreaming."

He took the box out of his pocket and opened it, and staring back at 
me was the ring I had seen before.

"It..it's real!"

"So is this," he said, setting the soup aside and kissing my temple. 
"So, what is your answer?"

I looked up into his green eyes, the same eyes I wanted to greet me 
every morning for the rest of my life. Really, I had loved that man 
ever since I had first laid eyes on him. Overcome with emotion, I 
dragged his unresisting face the last few inches towards mine. If he 
had any doubts about what I would answer, our kiss put them to rest. 
Panting, he broke the kiss and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear.

"Yes, I will marry you," I said between gulps of air.

Just when I though he was completely serious, he licked his lips and 
said, "Save some for the honeymoon, will you?"

I blushed and threw a pillow at him. 
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The End