AN: Sailor Moon and its characters do not belong to me - I just play with them now and then.
"She's taking her time, making up the reasons, to justify all the hurt inside."
Raye Hino lifted her head as the music reached her ears, paying attention to the lyrics for once. They seemed appropriate, if not entirely accurate. She knew why she was hurting inside, she was lonely. Serena had Darian, Mina had Lita. Amy had her studies, which seemed to be enough for her. She was lonely, and being lonely in a crowd was the worst place to be.
"But she knows, from the smiles and the look in their eyes, everyone's got a theory about the bitter one."
That line brought a wry smile to her face. She was feeling bitter, and trying her hardest to hide it from her friends, who all deserved their happiness. She still envied them, though.
"Raye?" Amy slid into the seat opposite, setting down the steaming mug of coffee she'd just bought. "You're looking down, this afternoon."
"I'm fine, Amy. How are you?"
"Taking a well-earned break from my essays. I must have written at least four this week." Amy, naturally, was the only one of the senshi to apply for, and attend, university. Raye had taken over the full time running of Cherry Hill Shrine, Lita was at cookery college, Serena and Mina had jobs. It meant they didn't see each other as often as before, unless there was a crisis requiring their attention. Meeting at this café on Tuesday afternoons, though, had become something of a routine for Raye and Amy. "You know you can talk to me if something's bothering you."
Raye considered it. Of all her friends, Amy was the one most likely to take her seriously, and not just set her up on disastrous blind dates. That had been Mina's solution, a month or two ago, and it had made Raye wish she'd never mentioned it. To buy herself a little more time, Raye lifted her mug, blew on the steaming liquid to cool it, and sipped cautiously. Amy liked her coffee so strong it could melt things, but Raye didn't. Raspberry latte, like this one, was her favourite.
The other thing about Amy was that she never pushed you to talk. She let you take your time about things. A good trait for a soon-to-be doctor to have.
"Serena and Darian. Mina and Lita. Everybody's paired up, it seems, except for me."
"I haven't." A very matter of fact tone, pointing out that she, too, was single.
"I know, Amy, but you'll meet some handsome doctor and fall head over heels in love at some point. And until then, you're busy studying. You've always said you don't have time for a relationship."
Amy winced. All through school, she had indeed said that, though it was mainly just an excuse. She hadn't had a boyfriend because they were all either intimidated by her intelligence, or she hadn't felt any kind of attraction. When Mina and Lita announced they were a couple, Amy had begun to explore her own feelings, wondering if she'd been looking for love in the wrong places. "I could make time, Raye. I always make time to see you, don't I?"
That was true. "There's one other thing, though. We are who we are - it's hard enough keeping it secret from Grandpa, let alone a..." Raye fumbled for the word. Nothing seemed to fit, not properly.
"I had considered that, too." Amy would, of course. She thought of everything. It was what made her such a brilliant tactician.
"So, where does that leave us? Dating the enemy or each other?" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Raye regretted them. She'd made it sound like a joke, when it was no laughing matter.
"Would that be so terrible?" A twinkle in Amy's eyes gave Raye the courage to smile, and lean across the table.
"No. It wouldn't."
What had been intended as a soft, affectionate kiss turned into a full-on, passionate liplock. It felt as though it was meant to be, as though they belonged together. Memories of the Silver Millennium began to fall into place, released from whatever corner of their minds they'd been locked in. Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars had been together then, and Queen Serenity had approved.
Expresso and raspberry latte flavours mingled as their tongues caressed each other, hands sliding into hair - Amy's short blue locks and Raye's long, dark waterfall of hair. They didn't care that they were sitting in the window of one of Tokyo's most popular cafés, it just didn't matter. They'd found the one they were meant to be with, the one they'd been overlooking for so long.