fluffy...like a marshmellow
"I'm not going to lie. This is going to hurt…a lot."
"Can you just…hurry it up?" Mars seethed through gritted teeth, a gloved hand fisting the grass beneath her.
"I love it when you get impatient." Venus grinned in hopes of lightening the mood.
"Venus I swear to god—"
"Mina-chan can you not agitate Rei-chan for 5 minutes please? This spike needs to come out before it gets infected." Mercury was kneeling beside Mars, white gloves stained red from her blood as she analyzed the wound.
"Hai, hai. Sorry." Venus knelt on Mars' other side, next to Mercury, who gently wrapped her hand around the end of the spike. Mars sucked in a breath.
"If you pass out I'm never letting you hear the end of it, pyro." Jupiter grinned and stood off to the side to give her leader and girlfriend room to work.
"Shove it, Jupiter."
Ami glanced over her shoulder to glare at Makoto. "You to, Mako-chan. Behave."
Venus giggled. "Whipped."
"Any time now, ladies." Mars' usual china-doll pale complexion was taking a turn for the worse, her lips now starting to lose colour.
"You might want to lay back for this Rei."
"Just do it Ami…"
With a firm nod and glance up at Venus, Ami's grip tightened on the thicker part of the spike. "Ready?"
Venus nodded back, her gloved hand emitting a faint, golden glow. She outstretched her palm inches from the wound for when Ami removed the over-sized thorn. Mars whimpered and bit her lip as the heat from Minako's palm washed over her. Anxious violet met pained cerulean and Venus gave her a sad smile.
Closing her eyes Mercury pulled the spike as swiftly as possible from Rei's shoulder with a grunt. Not giving the miko a chance to breathe Venus surged forward, open palm laying flat against the now gushing wound.
Eyes going wide and body trembling, Rei's fingers flailed desperately for some support as her breathing came short and quick. While the heated energy from Venus' palm cauterized the wound, Minako pressed their foreheads together as the normally proud and stoic war senshi whimpered and gasped in agony. "It's ok Rei. I'm here…it's ok." The blonde soothed, pulling the miko against her as she slowly withdrew her hand.
The wound was bubbling as the last of her energy seared the skin closed. Panting for breath and aching all over Rei forced a tired grin up at Minako as the blonde brushed damp bangs from her sweaty forehead. "You alright?" It was a whisper only for the raven haired girl.
"Mm…" Rei closed her eyes and slumped forward into Minako's waiting arms as pain and exhaustion finally set in.
"Rei? Rei! Ami what's wrong?" Minako's grip on the unconscious miko tightened.
The bluenette smiled reassuringly. "She's fine, Mina. She just needs some rest. That had to have taken a lot out of her."
"I knew she'd pass out." Jupiter chuckled, kneeling down to gingerly take the fire senshi from a frowning Venus. "I'll let it slide, though. She took it like a champ." Cradling the miko bridal style Makoto stood, followed by Minako and Ami as they made their way back to the Hikawa Shrine. "I'm just glad Usagi wasn't here for this. I can just hear her crying over her 'Rei-chan' now."
Minako stiffened at the brunette's words. Her Rei-chan? Ami, noting the stiff posture and suddenly brooding leader, gently nudged her elbow into Jupiter's side, careful of the sleeping Mars.
"Mako-chan…"
"Huh? Oh, crap. Mina-chan you know I didn't mean it like that."
Hearing her name snapped the blonde from her musings. "Hm? Oh, no it's ok Mako-chan." She laughed, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck.
"Um, ok…"
The rest of the walk to the shrine was relatively silent, the only sounds being cicadas and other chirping bugs. After properly bandaging Rei's shoulder and getting her settled into bed, Ami and Makoto took their leave (but not after leaving Minako with specific first-aid instructions).
Minako frowned as she watched the miko stir in her sleep. Sweat beaded Rei's brow as she tossed and turned, mewling in discomfort. Minako gently dabbed a cool wash cloth to her forehead, her other hand coming to rest against Rei's fevered cheek.
"Mina-chan?"
"Shh, Reiko. I'm here." The blonde's voice cracked as she laid the cloth back into the bowl of water, both hands now holding onto one of Rei's. Her eyes stung with unshed tears and her body shook, the thought that she almost lost Rei weighing heavily on her. Unconsciously her grip on the miko's hands tightened.
Rei looked up with a lazy half grin. "I didn't think you cared so much, Mina. Stop with the waterworks, I'm fine." She struggled to sit up, gasping when pain shot through arm and fingers.
"Rei! Stop moving, you need to lay down!" The blonde quickly but gently pushed the miko back into a laying position.
Rei harrumphed and wiggled under Minako's loose hold. "I said I was fine, Mina. My back hurts, I just need to sit up for a bit."
"No. Ami-chan said you need to stay in bed for the rest of the night." A scowl marred the blonde's features and Rei chuckled.
"And they call me stubborn."
Mina huffed and went back to the bowl of water, ringing out the cloth. "Yea well I get it from you."
"Mm. I'm a stubborn Martian, ne Mina?"
The blonde smirked as she set the damp cloth back to Rei's forehead, fingers lingering longer than necessary.
"Yes but you're my stubborn Martian."
Rei's cheeks lit up. "Mina-a-a-a." She whined.
The blonde laughed softly and placed a chaste kiss on the miko's lips. "So cute. I think I like you like this."
"Like what? Battered, bruised and helpless?"
"No, although that does add to the whole rugged sex appeal. Not that you need it." She winked. "I meant lying in bed without a shirt on and me on top."
"You're enjoying this far too much. Here I am, bleeding, and you're thinking about sex."
The blonde laughed again and settled herself next to the miko, carefully curling up against her side. "When it comes to you, Reiko, I'm always thinking about sex."
The miko's blushed flared again. "Little minx…"
"Mm, but that's why you love me."
Rei draped her arm around the blonde, pulling her flush against her. "Always, my Mina."