Why Me?
Heavy footsteps broke the silence of the Hikawa Shrine, startling the two crows perched on the tree. If anything, the sight of the birds caused the blond man to walk faster until he reached the Room of the Sacred Fire. In contrast to the urgency he felt when he was making his way to the temple, he slowly slid the screen door and peered inside. His instincts proved correct, and he saw the dark-haired young woman sitting in the center of the room. He was struck again by the love and awe he felt when he saw her, and then he sighed to himself. He never could get enough of being in her presence, but this task was something he could have done without.
"Rei? Endy and the Queen are looking for you. I know you hate being bothered while you're meditating, but they said something about a cer…" he had just begun speaking when he realized that the woman he was talking to was not in fact meditating, but staring into space. Her tightly clutched hands on her lap was the only hint of the tension she was feeling, but Jadeite knew her well enough to recognize it, if not its cause. He immediately strode over and kneeled beside her. "Firefly? What's wrong?"
Rei looked at him then, and Jadeite was struck anew at the beauty of those violet eyes, but he felt bothered when he recognized the pain and vulnerability in them. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, but he knew her well enough to understand that doing so would make her push him away from her, so he contented himself with sitting close to her, his hands open and near enough Rei to offer support when she needed it.
"Why me?" The soft whisper coming from the bowed head would have been inaudible to a normal person, but the Shitennou's ears were able to catch it, and even then, barely, especially after the long silence that followed his question.
"What do you mean?" He asked, just as softly.
"Why did you choose me, Jadeite? Why, out of all the women in the world, did you choose me? You said it yourself. I'm crabby, violent, and a snob. Why did you pick me?"
"What can I say? I like challenges," Jadeite said, meaning to make it a joke, but the flash of pain in her eyes made him immediately regret his words. Inwardly, he cursed at Senator Hino, the one who was responsible for most of Rei's insecurities and distrust. He hated the man even more because he spited the King of the East by dying before he could get his hands on him.
"Is that all I am to you?" she asked softly, and Jadeite wanted to kick himself at the sound of hurt in her voice. No matter how tough and confident she showed to the world as Sailor Mars, he knew just how vulnerable and delicate the person behind the title is, and he cherished the fact that she allowed him the privilege of seeing her like this, something she rarely showed even to her senshi sisters.
"Of course not, Firefly. I was just teasing. What brought this on?" He asked gently.
"Nothing. It's nothing," Rei tried to brush off the question, but Jadeite looked at her intently. "Firefly?" Rei finally quailed back from the steady gaze, and sighed softly. "It's just… I just think that you could have chosen someone better, that's all."
"There's no one better, Rei." The quiet conviction silenced Rei, and she bit her lip. Her worries still hovered over her, and after a while, she asked, "What about Ami?"
Jadeite gave her a puzzled look. "What about Ami?" he asked, not intending to parrot her.
"Well, she's smart, sweet, and gentle, and she doesn't speak ill of anyone. Not like me," she added the last part under her breath, but Jadeite caught it. His lips twitched upwards slightly, and reaching out to her, he cupped her chin with one hand and lifted her face.
"Well, no offense to our friend Ami, but I'd prefer my woman to have enough fire to be able to fight with me and tell me what kind of idiot I am," he drawled.
Rei's lips threatened to twitch, but she hastily forced the smile breaking through. How many times have they had that kind of argument? "What about Makoto? She cooks really well, she's built like the women you used to go for," and Rei gave him a look at this, and Jadeite had the decency to blush, "And she…"
"She can break my bones into a million pieces if I said something wrong. I don't think so," came the quick response. This time, it took more effort for Rei not to smirk at that. She remembered Nephrite's bandage-laden body yesterday all too well. Thank goodness the Shitennou healed almost as quickly as the Senshi, or Endymion would have been one guard short.
"What about Minako? You have so much in common with her. She's happy, she's funny, and she's always optimistic. "
"Honey, if I wanted to marry someone like me, I would have gotten engaged to my mirror a long time ago," he said, and this time, he was rewarded by a full smile. Wanting to see it last longer on her lips, she continued, "And don't ask me about Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru, those women just scare me. And don't," he added, interrupting Rei as she opened her mouth, "even bring up Luna or Diana into this. I don't go for cats. Besides, Artemis will probably skin me alive if I even tried to pat them," With this, Rei finally gave a laugh, and Jadeite took the time to bring her to her feet and pull her close to him.
"Feeling better?" He asked her, running his hand lightly over her hair.
"Much," Rei answered back, giving a slight squeeze before letting go.
Jadeite stepped back, but not without letting one of her hands go. He pulled her gently to the temple steps, where they sat side by side. "Care to tell me what brought that about?"
"I just don't want you to have any regrets, that's all," Rei said softly. "I wanted to give you an out while you still can. I can just imagine you having to suffer from me when I'm old and ugly and cranky maybe have a huge hump on my back!" Rei blushed scarlet at the implications of what she said, and she hurriedly looked at Jadeite to see if he'd noticed.
In fact, he had, but he studiously kept his face impassive even as his heart soared upon knowing that she was thinking of their relationship as something long-term, where they can grow old together. "Firefly, I'd love you even if you're old, have a huge hump on your back, missing all your teeth, and have hair even more colorful than Endy's or Chibiusa," he vowed. Rei gave another chuckle. Heartened, Jadeite took her other hand again, and brought it to his lips. "Rei, I love you. I've always loved you, even back then, when I first saw you at the Moon Kingdom." When Rei opened her mouth to speak, Jadeite cut her off by putting a finger across her lips. "And no, I don't love you just because of what happened in the past. I admit, I did chase after you before because you were a challenge but," and he looked at her straight in the eyes, "You became something more to me than that. Rei, you're beautiful, inside and out. You're courageous, not just because you've fought hundreds of youma, but because you managed to live for yourself on your own two feet. I love how you care so much for people that you'd be willing to give everything you have in an instant to protect them. I love how you're so loyal to your friends. I love how you're so devoted to this temple. I love how you're so passionate and spirited and loving and gentle, even if you try to hide your emotions behind your tough image. I love you even without the titles. Even if you're not Rhea, the Princess of Mars. Even if you're not Sailor Mars, second in command of the Inner Senshi. I love you, Hino Rei. You, and no one else. You can't chase me away. Even if you threaten to burn me to a crisp, I won't leave your side."
"Well, that's creepy," Rei quipped, but she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, which he willingly reciprocated. After a while, he spoke up. "Now it's my turn to ask the question."
"Hmm?" Rei murmured on his chest.
Tilting her head up, he asked, "Why me, Rei? Why, of all the men, did you choose a lowly worm like me yet again? Why did you dare to give me a second chance?"
Rei gently disengaged from his arms. "Why, my Lord Jadeite, who said anything about me choosing you?"
Jadeite stood shell-shocked at her words, and then he caught her impious grin and his own wide smile broke through. "Why you little minx!" He grabbed her and began tickling her.
The sounds of her laughter fed the Sacred Fire, which burned more deeply, pleased that its daughter finally achieved the happiness long denied her.