Disclaimer: I do not own either series. So don't sue me.
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The Hikawa Shrine looked beautiful in the afternoon setting. The sun high, sky blue and pink cherry blossom trees at full bloom surrounded the large wooden structure. Flowers from the trees littered the long concrete steps that led up to the peaceful haven that many locals and tourist visited for the comforting atmosphere. In front of the temple, in the main area, tourist and locals milled about. Some folks buying charms to take home or tie to a tree for good luck and some to visit and pray to the dead in comforting peace.
Further past the main gates and into the living area of the residences, which was a funny old man and his granddaughter. Beautiful Eastern architecture was seen in every corner of the building. Sliding dark rooftops, wooden porches one could easily step up or down from and sliding screen doors. The area just felt ancient, like one was being taken back to their roots where technology, todays worries all just fell away.
Today, someone really needed her worries to just melt away.
In the middle of the living area of the shrine there was a giant courtyard, a large oak tree stood in the middle with its branches reaching for the sky, ready to touch the stars with its large green leaves. Around the trunk of the large oak was a large stone bench that circled around it, with a bunch of women huddled together on the bench. In the middle of this huddle was a woman with lustrous blonde hair and cornflower blue eyes, crying those cornflower blue eyes out.
"Awe, Minako it'll be okay." Ami cooed soothingly beside the girl, running her fingers through the beautiful girl's long hair. On the other side of Minako was Rei, also combing her fingers through Minako's hair and holding her hand in comfort, "You know we always have your back, right?" Ami continued, hoping to calm down the crying girl.
"I know." Minako wailed on a broken sob, leaned her head on Rei's shoulder as she continued to sniffle, "I just never thought I'd find myself in this situation, you know? I mean, I'm just twenty-one and," Minako sniffed again, licking her dry lips, "he's got his whole life. Why would he want to be tied down like that?"
To the left of the courtyard of where the three sat, one of the sliding doors was left open and out came Makoto carrying a tray of lemonade and cookies. She set the tray down on a nearby table before moving close and kneeling before the upset Senshi of Venus. She shared a glance with Ami and Rei before speaking up, "Hey now, it's not like you're forcing him into marriage or anything, sweetie. You both made an adult decision and the condom broke."
All three girls winced when a loud, screeching wail was pulled out of the blonde's throat. Rei and Ami sent Makoto rebuking looks, making the brunette smile back nervously. Ami shook her head, "Minako, just tell us what happened? You and Trowa have been dating a year now. You love him and he loves you." Ami tried brightly, but then frowned worriedly when Minako shook her head frantically.
"He's never said it." The blonde clarified in a broken voice, fighting back her cries, "I know he's not talkative and he's very sweet and caring, but I don't know if he loves me." A harsh cry resounded through the courtyard, Minako closing her eyes and her whole body shook with the newest wave of tears.
Her three friends looked at each other helplessly for a moment, unsure how to help the distraught blonde. Minako usually took things head on, a fearless leader on battle and a happy girl when off. This, this was new.
Ami licked her lips, looking at Rei over the golden head and let out a long breath of air as she prepped to ask her next question, "How long, Minako? How far along are you?"
The question had snapped the blonde out of her latest bought of crying. Minako straightened up, sniffing. She took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself enough to answer, "Seven weeks." Her chest heaved with her latest fight to try and not burst into more tears. She reached up, wiping the tears from red-rimmed eyes, "I saw the doctor this morning."
"Minako," Rei sighed out the blonde's name, hugging her into her side. Minako easily fell into the miko's hold, "you're going to have to tell him."
Minako sat up straight, eyes wide in panic, "Oh, please no, Rei! I don't want to put him in something like that. What if he thinks I'm trying to trap him? He's in the prime of his life, young, good-looking and with a job." She wailed again, face scrunching up.
"He's unsociable." Makoto muttered loud enough for the others to hear her. Minako hadn't as she cried into Ami's shoulder now.
Ami rolled her eyes heavenward, asking for patience, "Minako, please," the resident genius pushed the blonde back so she could look her in the face, "I'm sure Trowa doesn't think you're a flaky girl. He cares for you, dear. Wufei's said he's never seen Trowa so alive until he met you." Ami tried to sooth, rubbing her hands up and down the quaking blonde's arms.
"Really?" Minako pouted weakly, looking at Ami from between her bangs with pathetic blue orbs.
"Really." Ami was quick to follow as none of that had been a lie. Wufei had said the Minako was a positive influence on Trowa.
"Yeah, Quatre said that Trowa hardly smiled. You bring out a happy side of him, sweetie." Makoto, seeing the hopeful change in Minako had quickly supplied that tidbit of her memory. Minako glanced at her and back to Ami as if she was unsure if she should really believe them.
"Oh, come on Mina," Rei huffed, "Trowa loves you. He hasn't said it yet because he's not an emotional guy. You knew that going into the relationship. Duo tells me all the time that Trowa had a sucky life, like they all had. Trowa wouldn't be with you if he didn't care for you."
"I know." Minako sullenly agreed, "I just never expected to love him as much as I do. I'm still not sure if he loves me like I love him."
Makoto stood up, slapping Minako's leg comfortingly, "Hey, if Quatre can love a rough gal like me then Trowa loves you." She smiled brightly, hands clasped before her as she bent to be eye level with the blonde, "And Rei's not the easiest person to love either. Duo is probably wondering how he'd ever gotten with someone like her, much less why he proposed." Minako giggled at that with another chuckle following when the Senshi of Mars slapped the tall girl in the arm.
"He had no choice with my charm." The miko sniffed haughtily. Minako smiled slightly at that, shaking her head.
"See, Minako," Ami said, still giggling at the antics, "you just got to tell him how you feel. If he loves you back, amazing. If not," she placed her hand on the non-existent bump of Minako's stomach, "you have us. We'll raise the baby as the adorable aunts." Minako smirked, hugging the blue haired genius.
"And I see why Wufei just can't get enough of you, Ames." Minako winked, making the blunette blush as she playfully shoved the cheered-up blonde. All the girls fell into jokes and easy laughter as Minako made herself look slightly less frightful.
After a moment the girls fell into silence, Makoto sitting on a chair she had pulled over from the table. Each of the girls were sipping from their glasses and eating the cookies. None talked, letting the silence sooth them now that they were having a peaceful moment.
Makoto, though, had to break the silence as she looked at her watch. Green eyes within a pale, beautiful face looked at the blonde wearily, "So, you're going to tell him, right?"
Minako paused, looking at Makoto as she finished chewing her cookie. She swallowed, licking her lips as she looked off into the distance. Her blue eyes blank as she got lost in thought.
Part of her was still scared. What would he say? What would he do? Did he even want kids? She'd seen Trowa with his niece and nephew, he was wonderful with them, but he had never told her if he had ever wanted to hear the little pitter patter of feet. Would he still want to be with her once he knew that they had conceived a child a seven weeks ago on her birthday? Jeez, these were a lot of questions that she had been asking herself since she had received confirmation from the doctor earlier. Course, some other more paranoid thoughts and delusions had also been on her mind, but she flushed those away. She couldn't keep worrying herself over it. Like the girls had said, she needed to tell him. What he wanted to do after that was all on him. She just hoped that all the things they had been through weren't nothing to him.
She could remember when they met, almost a few months before they had even begun dating. There had been a new threat to Earth as an evil monarch, Drakis, from a distant galaxy had shown up and attacked, sending armies to hit the colonies first. He had contacted the vast governments of the world to let them know that surrender wasn't necessary. He was taking it all either way.
Of course, the Preventers were the world-wide government officials that were set to keep the peace. Amongst their ranks were some of the very men that had brought peace to the colonies and Earth. The Gundams had been destroyed, but the blue prints had been saved in the off chance that someone would try and disturb the peace. No one had been prepared for this certain someone.
The boys' Gundams hadn't been able to defeat the magical forces, the very metal they were made of being shred and torn by the forces of darkness. The boys had been unable to understand what they were up against. The girls had though.
The news had been like wildfire. The attacks of monsters also hitting Tokyo, along with Drakis's transmissions over every public station. Usagi had called a meeting, bringing all the girls to the shrine to discuss these latest happenings. The girls did not need to question what the meeting was about. They themselves knew where their duty lay. Usagi would want to stop this evil and save the colonies and Earth. None of the girls were going to stand against her. Usagi was their friend and princess; they would follow her to the ends of the Earth or against baddies.
What was the plan? Get in contact with the Preventers and reveal who they were. None of the girls, but Usagi, had been surprised that the Preventers did have a file on them. Though they were labeled under myths, but it was still funny when they wiped the condescending looks off of half the guys' faces. Hell, seeing Sally Po's jaw drop was certainly worth the price of letting the small group within the Preventer quarters in on their secret.
There had been some controversy that followed, whether Usagi was another tyrant or if they were going to use their powers to control people. All valid, but it had pissed them off. So, bring in the big guns. They let the pilots and Sally live through their memories. Setsuna had to be present, but Usagi had believed in no other way. None of the Inners had been happy with the decision, but they had followed as their princess wished and it had paid off in the end.
Then she had been partnered with Trowa. At first he was just always so silent and she would always talk. She hadn't minded and neither had he. It had just worked; they're personalities complimenting each other. He would sometimes talk, eventually, and she would listen. The more time they spent the more conversations they found themselves in. The more they revealed about each other. And Minako didn't know how it happened, but she began looking at the silent man in a different light. He was just so steady. No, he didn't remember his past and no, he didn't always have the best track record with staying in one place for long, but his silent resolution for a better tomorrow is what pulled her. He said he was incapable of feeling and yet she had watched him with his sister Catherine, attentive of her in his own way. Minako knew she was crushing badly.
The kicker for her was that Trowa was feeling the same for her. Not that she was silent, but that she was bright, happy and also fought for a better future. It was just the start of why they began seeing each other as man and woman, not just fellow soldiers.
Minako didn't know how they had come about revealing their feelings. They had been stuck in his cockpit, looking over controls and discussing strategy. When they decided to leave…the door wouldn't open. The cockpit was small and Minako had always had to sit on Trowa's lap or stand behind his chair in an awkward position. And it grew warm.
Needless to say, tight spaces, constant touching and all the heat had made the two rather snappish. She would make a comment and he'd rebuke her. Or he'd say something and she would be unable to bite her tongue. Then he was biting her tongue and she was touching him some more. It was a hot way to reveal her feelings, sure, but she had been surprised when he had asked her out on an official date.
So, one year of dating and, nights together and here she was, pregnant with his child. Minako rested a hand on her stomach, shaking her head. She knew the girls might have thought she was shaking her head to say no, she wasn't going to tell him but it was more for the benefit of her clearing her thoughts. The past was the past and it wouldn't help her with the issue she was faced with now.
Yeah, Minako finally decided still lost in thought. She was going to tell him.
"Tell who what?" A voice, somberly quiet and soothing to her ears, intruded in the quietness of the courtyard. Minako nearly snapped her neck with how fast she had turned her head to see the owner of that voice.
"Trowa." Minako whispered, almost believing she was hallucinating the image of her boyfriend because of her current concerns. No such luck. The brown haired pilot moved closer into the courtyard, hands buried into the pockets of his Preventer jacket as he glanced at her friends questioningly.
Makoto flashed her a guilty look and Minako finally figured out why Makoto had been looking at her watch earlier. She must have called Trowa. Minako narrowed her gaze on the brunette, feeling slightly hurt that her friends had gone behind her back. Makoto looked away as she stood up. Minako reached out and grabbed the girl's hand, calling those green eyes to look at her again.
Makoto did and Minako smiled softly to show that it was no harm. Makoto seemed to sigh in relief before she turned and followed Ami and Rei inside, leaving Minako outside with her boyfriend. Silence reigned as Minako stared up into his handsome face, noting how those emerald orbs were on a place lower than her chin. Minako blinked, frowning as she looked down herself.
Oh. Her hand was still resting on her stomach. Minako looked back up at Trowa quickly, seeing his eyes now on her face, "How long?" His voice was almost a whisper, features giving nothing away about what he was feeling. Minako knew she could pry by opening herself up to sense his feelings, but she wouldn't. That was an invasion of privacy. Once she had learned to control her abilities she had been sure not to go seeking unless there was a need for it.
"Seven weeks." She answered, feeling the need to stand. She rose off the bench, surprise flashing in her eyes when Trowa moved towards her with his hands raised and concern swimming in his eyes, "Trowa?"
Minako did not fight it when he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He bent his head and buried his face into her hair. Minako's arms wrapped around his waist, inhaling the scent of him as she buried her face into his chest. She didn't know if he was upset, but she rubbed her hands down his back soothingly.
"When were you going to tell me?" Minako closed her eyes at the question, pulling back. His hand, calloused from fighting, pressed to her cheek and she leaned into the comforting touch.
"I was scared earlier," she started, "today, when the doctor told me about my suspicions being true. I didn't know how you'd take it." The pad of his thumb brushed under her eye, probably realizing how red and swollen they were from her tears, "I love you Trowa," Minako announced softly, "and we hardly talk about a future. I wasn't sure if you…I didn't think…" Minako struggled to find words that didn't sound as if she thought him cold and unfeeling.
"You thought I might not want the baby." He supplied softly, leaning down and pressing his forehead to hers. Minako had to tilt her head back for the motion, only able to see his eyes in this position.
"Yes." Minako felt him wince at her blunt answer, hands gripping her waist.
"Silly." Minako blinked, moving her head back. Trowa smirked, barely shaking his head as he swooped down and placed a kiss on her lips, "I love you. I thought you'd know since you're empathic." Minako blinked then, shaking her head.
"I shut myself off, believing you might think it an invasion of privacy." He frowned at that.
"No, don't you ever shut yourself down because of me." He stared at her intently, voice deep with his concern, "I love you just how you are. I'll love our baby because it's ours. We made him or her out of love." Minako smiled at that, leaning in and hugging him. She could feel him chuckle as he placed a kiss on the crown of her head.
"I never want you to think you can't come to me about these things. I hate to think that you worried all this time when I could have easily set your fears aside. I'm not going anywhere." He moved away and Minako pulled back, thinking he might lecture her.
A gasp tore itself form her throat. Trowa wasn't standing. He was kneeling. In his hand a big black box with a square diamond and two blue topaz stones sat on either side of it, stood in the center of the box's inside. Minako could feel a scream coming on, pressing both hands over her mouth to stifle it.
"Minako Aino, love of my life. You're my soul mate in every way. You fight for a better future. You've inspired me in so many ways. You've taught me that my past can't control me. Only I can. You know what I want?" Minako shook her head, though she didn't think she needed to answer, "I want to marry you. I want to wake up to your smiling, beautiful face every day. I want to fall asleep with you by my side. I want to help you in the future peace Usagi will bring. I want to have more babies with you, including the one you carry now." Trowa paused, searching her face, "Will you marry me?"
Minako didn't know why he asked. The silly man was fool if he thought she was letting him get away. She fell to her knees before him, her arms around his neck as she pulled him into a passionate kiss, igniting the fire that had always been between them. Her hands fisting in his hair as his hands tugged at her hips, pulling her closer.
If no one had coughed then the two might have not stopped. Someone did cough though, and the two pulled away to see all their friends there to cheer them on into the next stage of their life.
"I love you Trowa Barton."
"I love you, future Mrs. Trowa Barton." Another kiss and the crowd around them went wild. Or in Heero's case, smirk happy.
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Hmm, I don't feel like it's my best. I lost where I was going with it a bit, but it has inspired another idea I plan for this coupling. Hopefully I won't lose my original plan on that one, but I think it works.
Thank you all for reading. Please review! .