N/a: Thanks SomeoftheFame for helping me as a BETA reader!

MORE THAN THAT

By: Deyo-chan

…

MINAKO'S POV

I always thought that Hino Rei was the most interesting and beautiful girl one could ever meet. Of course, some people thought differently after Haruka and Michiru walked into our lives. BOOM! And once they actually talked to you it turned out they were even more interesting. Maybe it was that both girls were older than us, maybe it was that they were more mature, given the weight of their previous mission, but every time I talked to Michiru I couldn't help but think about how similar she and Rei were… but Rei, she's different at the same time and that's what draws me to her. With Haruka,everything was a joke and or playful comments. I love the wit of that blonde.

It took time for me to create a real connection with the couple. They were so alike, but so different from us… until one day it hit me, and it hit me hard. Rei connected with them first because she was the first to talk to Haruka. The day I saw her interact with the sandy-blonde it hit me, Rei talked to Haruka like she used to talk to me when we first met. Haruka even made Rei giggle! Then I thought about it, if Rei was using the same technique she used with me, maybe I can do the same with Michiru. Surprisingly it worked! I don't know if the couple took pity on me and my stubborn attitude towards them, or that aside from them, Rei and I were the only other same-sex couple. I don't care, what I care about is what came after that. Rei connected almost immediately with Michiru and shortly after with the sandy-blonde. I suppose sharing the clairvoyance gift and a huge spiritual strength, greater than any of the Inner Senshi, made it easier to emphasize with the quieter half of the happy couple.

I have so much to thank these two for. I know that if they had not started meddling long ago during that existential crisis Rei had, we may not be together now. Although, I think that somehow I would had managed to get into her heart. But I'm thankful every second of my life for the moment Rei ran out the Crown Arcade and ran into Haruka and Michiru. I never found out, from either of them, why Rei ran away from me that day in the arcade. I still think that it has something to do with the proposal of moving in together. It was the Rei herself who told me, well actually spoke dreamily and I just had to pull a little more info from her in her sleep. And the reason was simple: She was afraid to repeat the same mistakes of our past, Mars' and Venus', by rushing things. But c'mon, by that time we had a three year long relationship! Although we did not have the same amount of enemies to fight nowadays we still quarreled with some Youmas, one or two a month.

I smiled while listening how they spoke of the beauty of this lovely act, the importance of the same... but in my head I just kept repeating to itself, Kami, she looks so beautiful. Now I felt bad that almost everything this guy was talking about went unnoticed for me. And he was talking just in front of us!

A discreet push from Usagi-chan made me realize I missed my cue; people around us were waiting for me to speak... Shit, why did this guy choose to go alphabetically? "You go first Miss Aino," I heard him said. Damn! Ok, the sooner I speak the sooner I will get my answer...

I cleared my throat before I spoke... Despite never being afraid of speak in front of crowds, this time it's just… different. A horde of feelings gathered inside me, trying to take control over me.

I know we're not in the land where we were born and grew up in. I know that Scotland was not the place you had ever contemplated for carrying this out with me, but I know you love this magical place ever since the first time I brought you here with me. Besides, Japan does not offer us the options we're looking for.

Oh Kami, this is it. The moment has come. With a deep breath I started my speech, "You know Rei? The first time I saw you I knew you were the one. I knew and wished that someday my life would end and begin by your side. And we know that in a literal sense some time ago it didn't..." I smiled slightly letting the sentence go unfinished.

A few nervous coughs and soft throat clearing could be heard behind me and I stopped my small speech. A small sob escaped my mother, which surprised me. I thought she rather not be here, she didn't take it well, what I have with Rei. Apparently Rei's grandfather had word or maybe two with my mother; I had a lot to thank him for. She's here…that's all it matters to me, to Rei.

She was here, next to my best friends and close relatives, waiting for the most stressful time of my whole life, and I'm not saying it literally. At the time I thought that the most stressful moment was the day that Rei was struggling to decide whether she wanted a relationship with me or not, after that the most stressful time was Rei's sudden unexplained crisis at the crown, she even told me she thought about breaking up with me! Luckily the Senshi, now behind her, convinced her to think twice about it. And here we are... almost five years after the beginning of our relationship. Slight ups and downs, but nothing of them seem too serious to me.

"I promise to love you wildly and properly, although we both know that there's going to be more wildness at the end."

Usagi's laughter behind me eased my sudden nervousness, just a bit. Your restless smile is what encourages me to continue, I'm here in front of you exposing myself before you and those we love, I'll do this as I always dreamed it would be. You are here with me and you deserve to hear it again from me, "Risking on the forbidden, I will love you. With an open heart although I'm not perfect, I will love you. More than I do now."

Someone behind me contained a sob again, Usagi-chan must be more than frustrated waiting, she probably wants to jump right to the end of this. Haruka and Michiru behind you are looking at me with a mixture of amusement and pride in her eyes, while nodding slightly at me, inviting me to continue.

"I will love you as if it has never been allowed. I will love you beyond the known, beyond the galaxies of the universe. I will love you like nobody has ever dared to. "

Her eyes widen at my firm statement. How beautiful it is to see those amethyst eyes open wide in surprise. A cute blush is adorning your cheeks and it makes my heart beat faster, I love to share my romantic side with you, a side that only you are fully allowed to know.

"To give a small example, let me tell you, that even if you have controlled OCD and a tendency to scold me for my spellings mistakes... With flaws and foibles, I will love you."

I have to fight the urge to reach out and caress her face, to touch her cheek gently with my knuckles. Her lips look so tempting that it takes all of my self-control not to stop talking and kiss her before I finish my speech. That nervous grin on her face while trying to hold back tears of emotion that fight to roll down her cheeks... Kami, I'm reaching my limit, you're so beautiful...

"You're extremely reserved, me on the other hand... I'm a little less quiet and..." I said nonchalantly. An abrupt laughter spread among our friends at my own description.

"Wouldn't you rather say that you are in extreme extroverted woman, Minako-chan?" Mako-chan's voice echoes behind me along with the laughter of those watching us.

"Ahem, okay," I agreed pouting a bit with indignation at the correction, Rei's smile widened even more, "although I am very outgoing, I promise to love in an even more intense and passionate way this life allows me. You are the most important person in my world, in my life."

A series of soft sobs can be heard behind us, I grinned and took a shaky breath once more, I'm about to finish my little speech and I feel Usagi-chan discreetly handing me a small item I brought for you to seal this important moment. I hold it inside my closed hand.

"We have a common responsibility, which is extremely important..." Usagi-chan gasped and after a slight push on my back allowed me to smile at what I'm about say, I made a fist with my left hand, waiting for the right moment to give her what's inside it, "... and I'm glad to know that both of us know what will be the final decision when the time calls for it. Duty."

I heard Usagi-chan growl behind me, discontent with my last statement. If I was proud of something, it was of the enormous sense of duty I shared with Rei. I once thought that my liability would make me live alone for the rest of my life when I choose duty over love. But then… she comes into my life, the headstrong and logical Miko. She makes me understand that the secondary reason I fell for her was that my primary responsibility turns out to be the same one she would choose... To protect Usagi, our future Queen until our last breath just as we have done for almost ten years by now. The main reason that puts me at her feet was her elegant way to behave, all calmness and cool logic, always so focused in a difficult situation. I think we are an opposite attacks case.

She would never dare to make me choose between her and Usagi. Hell, she'd kill me if I dare to help her instead of fulfill my duty as leader of the Senshi and save Usagi, Serenity. The most comforting of this all is that, I myself would do the same to her if she chose my welfare in battle before Usagi's... That's something I could never forgive to a common human being, but again, we are not ordinary beings. "You can have both Minako, it is not necessary to choose between love and duty, because I feel same way our princess goes first. Not me and not you."

"I will love you more than the memories we have, it is impossible to deny that there is a written past between us and at the same time the joy of knowing that's not what makes you want to be with me, but your free will makes me love you even more every second I am by your side."

At this point I could no longer hold my restless hands; I reach slightly behind me to give Usagi-chan what kept me from holding your hands. When I held you I caressed your knuckles with both of my thumbs over the cute white gloves you're wearing this day. I started pulling slightly the glove out on your right hand.

Kami she looks so beautiful... I can hardly control my breathing and nervousness, at the same time I want to stop talking and kiss her before I cowered but I also want to make clear that she is the only one I belong to, the only one I COULD belong to, and let her know that she is and will be the only love of my life. I wanted to express in detail what she means to me.

I think Haruka has noticed my anxiety because she smirks and raises an eyebrow directed at me to let me know I'm on the right track. Luckily they are by your side Rei, fortunately Michiru-san is able to whisper something in your ear quietly prompting you to resist until this dumb blonde, who's me, stops talking. I smiled understanding the last thing she had whispered to you, "Rei-chan, Minako-chan loves you, let her express her feelings your turn is coming." Kami, a mischievous smile appeared in the violinist's face and she looks in my direction. It was so alike to her wife's smiles that for a moment almost make me laugh out loud, but my nervousness kept me focused on you, on us.

"Loving you is the strength that leads me, that pushes me and drags my soul closest to yours. It is a feeling, almost an obsession. The strength that makes me feels loved by you, it's a discharge of energy that slowly takes away my reason, I've tripped, and it confused me in the very beginning but, in the end there was more than that what kept me by your side…"

And there you lose it, tears slides down your cheeks. But I'm thrilled to see that they are tears of joy, of happiness that even through several nights I've been telling you what make me feel, how you make me feel, that I feel a better person next to you, those words still manage to shake your world, Rei, as if you were unable to believe that you are worshiped. You deserve my total admiration and devotion. Perhaps passion is her kingdom, but mine is light and love. Being with the avatar of Venus involves dealing with extreme romanticism and as wild as I am I will treat my whirlwind of fire. Oh how I wish to say in front of all these people how sexy I think you are, how much I want to take you out of that gorgeous dress right now, the craziness you unleash in me... Ahem stay focused Minako!

I shake my head a bit and smile, slightly flushed; Rei returns the same embarrassed look. I forget that ever since we got to connect spiritually her aura and mine are able to share the strong feelings that are out of control if we don't pay attention to them and, at this time, given my sudden nerves, I cannot handle more than two things are the time let alone take control over my desires for her. Not to reach her cheeks and held her close to me to kiss her early and finish as decently as possible this vows I write to her the first time I kissed her lips, to later confirmed that I wanted her in my life.

"I will love you for who you are, the way you are, and for who you were. I will not change a single thing about you... As a sign of what it was, you will still very close to me and very deep inside my heart for the rest of eternity. I will always love my Queen of Fire. I will love you until the last second of this life and until the last breath of my life leaves my lungs, in this life and the following... I will love you more than that, Rei. "

That's when I slide the warm ring on your right ring finger. This ring symbolizes the eternal union between our souls and bodies. I couldn't even wait for the judge to say something else and you already had the ring on your hand, a gleaming golden ring with the symbol of my guardian planet within it and writing in perfect Venusian, Minako's wife!

I hear you giggling and I hear Ami-chan say, out of the noise our audience is making, giggling as well, "Minako-chan the wedding ring goes in the left hand." I smiled when I saw you shocking your head smiling; your eyes never leave mines.

"I do." You said loud and clear without even waiting to hear the question. "And it's correct for my wear the ring on the right hand," You smiled while answering Ami-chan question, surely others also had this doubt, "Mina will take hers on the left hand... ancestral traditions." you said softly before gently extend your hand to Michiru-san, who gave you the ring that you will put on my finger. Oh dear Kami can't wait!

Without waiting even waiting for you to begin your read your own vows, my recklessness and impulsiveness made me speak prematurely. You had just held my hand and inhaled air, lips parted when I dropped abruptly, "I DO!"

You chuckled and held out of my reach the ring, your left hand holding mine. Oh my, you are so going to make me pay for my impudence; I see it in your eyes.

"You can have this," You sway the precious white gold ring in front of my eyes while talking with joy in your voice, "You will have it until you hear what I have to say to you, Mina."

Kami I love her so much, I will try and wait a few more seconds…I promise nothing but I will hold myself a bit!

..END..

Hey guys!

I hope you like this fluff story. I can't help but giggle every time I use Minako's POV to tell her side of the story.

Leave a comment or send a MP to let me know if you still interested in more Rei-Minako stories from me! I got like...a bunch of one-shots saved on my pc, they need to be checked of course but if ya' people will like to read them please don't forget to let me know!

As you may noticed I found a BETA reader, you see.. I'm not so good at english writing as i thought I was so to avoid being bullied by my horrifying grammar I got myself some help xD

Thanks again for reading. I hope you let me know what you think about.

¡LATERS!