Disclaimer: I've claimed nothing.

AU. American university life. Don't want to create looks, so just imagine the PGSM actresses and actors without the coloured hair. Or keep the hair if you want; always made me laugh. Oh, and be warned that I'm not a scholar of Sailor Moon legit, so the characters may suffer stereotyping or personality adjustments. Just tough it by knowing that Rei x Mina is the ultimate, canon (or real for the believers) couple in existence.

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Chapter I

Aino Minako lounged Venus-style on her new dorm bed, ogling her roommate and lifelong best-friend who was carrying in a mini-fridge, "Have I ever told you that I want your body?" Minako allowed her eyes to wander to every definition in her roommate's lean arms and legs.

"Even before puberty—" Rei's voice deadpanned before she barked, "are you going to help me move this, Mina!?" Hino Rei's head throbbed in anger, but in reality, her arms were certain enough in strength to hold the fridge firmly.

"No," Minako got up to direct Rei to put the fridge where she wanted it. As Rei was setting it down, Minako started her hands at Rei's knees to slowly stroke them up, bringing Rei's already short shorts up more, into a wrap around the fuming girl's waist. "Look at my big, strong Rei!" Minako said mockingly, because she might have been an inch shorter than Rei, and she might have been five pounds lighter at most. Together they weighed maybe 200 pounds, a generous estimate.

Rei relaxed and sighed into Minako's embrace, unfazed by Minako's provocations. Minako had always been a flirt, especially with Rei, and Rei had learned to quell any confused feelings regarding Minako. Specifically, Rei forced herself after Minako started dating Zoicite, Zo for short, in the beginning of high school. It had been nearly four years, long enough for Rei's fire to ice over. Well, she tried her best to not enjoy Minako's excessive touching and groping, "One would think you'd help me, given your athleticism from volleyball."

"Which never got my body as sexy strong as yours!" Minako dragged Rei over to her own bed to rest. Once she had practically knocked Rei down into a trapped, lying position, she spooned Rei, cooing into the slightly taller girl's neck.

"Bet Ami tries to help Makoto with moving in—" Rei said.

"And she can't, because she's so tiny," Minako said.

"It's the thought that counts. Even Usagi will try—"

"But they won't let her, because she'll just break everything," Minako finished victoriously, throwing up her V-sign near her right eye.

It was an old habit borne from their band days. The five Japanese-American girls had been friends from the womb from their parents looking for a first generation community. By middle school, Minako championed the idea that they should start a band. She designated herself band leader, taking lead vocalist, naturally, but Usagi had come up with their names. Usagi had always had her head up in the clouds, so she wanted something ridiculous, "Sailor Planets," sailor scouts who traveled space. She assigned each of them a planet to represent:

Ami was cool and collected, mysterious like the gaseous Mercury. Ami said that Mercury was actually terribly hot, but Usagi had discounted that. Rei was assigned Mars, because she had always been kind of Mars alien in her random temper outbursts. Rei heated up upon hearing this, and Usagi could visibly see the red aura around Rei, perfect. Makoto was easily Jupiter, because Jupiter was the biggest. Makoto chuckled thunderously that Jupiter's storms were like her drum beats. Minako got be Venus, because she had always been obsessed with beauty from a young age. Minako did not argue this assignment as she blew kisses to an annoyed Rei. Usagi named herself Moon, which the other four complained was not a planet. Usagi did not heed them, because she wanted to be the brightest of them all, just like in space. After all, from the earth's point of view, the other planets just looked like bright stars compared to the bulbous moon. Usagi would force her boyfriend to be husband, Mamoru into being Sailor Earth, number one fan of "Sailor Planets." Mamoru hated how he always ended up being one of the girls.

Minako had then taken back her control, reasonably forming the girls into their strengths as musicians. Usagi became back-up vocals and guitarist, Makoto took percussion, Ami did keyboard, and Rei rocked lead guitarist and later did duets with Minako after great demand. There was no base to their sound, making them effectively girly. Also, they sported Japanese, sailor school uniforms in different colors, driving their fans mad.

Minako missed the good old days, as they had disbanded to get ready for applying to colleges, their last concert a tear-fest for fans. She let herself become pensive about the past, until Rei jolted her out of her victory,

"What about Zoicite? Shouldn't he be helping out?" Rei said. Minako's victory hit the same wall her relationship had hit within these last summer months.

"Zo…he's practicing. You know him; he likes to have his alone time," Minako said, suddenly losing all the glitter in her voice, as if Rei had been the one harassing her all day.

Rei mentally panicked as she could easily sense her best friend's unrest. While never fully accepting Zoicite as readily as the rest of the band had, biased no doubt, Rei had acted selflessly all these years to at least ensure Minako's happiness, if not her own, "Ah…you know you guys are so lucky," Rei hoped she didn't sound bitter, "both music majors, piano and voice, there couldn't be a more perfect duet. You guys get to connect at that level that most couples only dream of."

"Yea…it's what everyone says," Minako smiled her best at Rei. How could Minako say that Zoicite and she never talked about music? The only thing that they had in common, but Zoicite refused to discuss music with Minako. She apparently didn't understand his music, music beyond the popular nonsense "Sailor Planets" performed. Minako would ignore this part about their relationship, admiring all the things in Zoicite that she didn't possess, which was everything. She was fun-loving; he was no-nonsense. She was careless; he was meticulous. She was energetic; he was reflective. She was youthful; he acted 50. She didn't know herself, was insecure and impatient in identity; he could wait a lifetime for her, since he knew he wanted her more than anyone else possibly could.

Rei remained stoic—not wanting her face to fall, her feelings to fall, her heart to fall endlessly—genuinely believing Minako's losing front.

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Ew, I don't like it already, haha. I don't normally write for fanfiction, so if you want it to go on, convince me? Or not. Actually, do whatever you want, my inspiration is usually internal. Go Rei x Mina!