Confess to Me

by Dawn of Chaos

Being in love with someone is simple - it doesn't take much more than the heart knowing what it wants. But when Usagi overhears the person she has feelings for talking about love with someone else it's enough to crush her.

No matter what the weekend is always Usagi's favorite. Especially since a new game just arrived at the arcade at the beginning of the week. She's practically beaming with happiness as she leaves; her pocket book a bit lighter but all the stress of the week gone as well. She settles her hands into the pockets of her jean skirt, of which looks more like overalls with how straps clip together over her white and black striped shirt.

She's intending to go straight home. Well, except for a pit stop to get something sweet. Usagi is about to turn to the left when she notices two familiar figures in the other direction. They had both told her they couldn't join her today because of prior obligations and yet there they are! Usagi, pouting just a smidgen, begins in there direction - planning to surprise them.

Minako and Rei stop just before a shop window, one that shows off all the shiny and silky gifts one can buy for their significant other. It's getting close to that time of the year after all. But it's not that act that has Usagi stopping a short distance away from them and sticking behind various other passer-byes. It's the conversation.

"Aren't those just lovely though?" swoons Minako. She turns to Rei, giving her a small nudge, "Wouldn't that be the perfect gift for a lover?"

There's an added wink that has Rei giving a smile and a soft roll of her eyes, "You really couldn't be more blunt about it."

That only makes Minako laugh, "But I didn't ask for you to buy it. Unless you love me that much."

Rei shakes her head but the small smile never leaves. And it has Usagi freezing in her spot. She doesn't know what to do. Even more so when Rei finally replies, "Well… there is someone I love."

"Me too," says Minako with another wink.

It's all Usagi can take. She takes two steps back before spinning around and running in the other direction. Thankfully there's no one behind her and she's free to escape the situation without either seeing her. She just can't believe what she heard. Not to mention the way her heart breaks knowing that the one person she loves is already in love with another.

While tears well up in her eyes, Usagi goes to the one place she knows she'll feel safe. To the one person who will protect her and calm her down better than anyone else - Makoto Kino. She doesn't so much as slow down until she's standing before Makoto's closed door, prodding at the doorbell with the utmost of urgency.

"Coming!" comes the call from the other side shortly before it opens.

Makoto always has her door open to her friends when they want to come by. Although most of the times she has some sort of notice. Not that she minds when she sees the first hints of Usagi's long hair. She's all smiles as she places one hand on her hip and opens the door the rest of the way.

At least, she is until she sees Usagi's face. The poor girl is flushed with tears dripping down her cheeks. There's so much confusion and anger that flares up inside of Makoto that she almost doesn't know how to handle it. Besides, who would dare make Usagi cry when they know they have to deal with her?

Giving a tug to the bottom of the short brown vest she dons over a dark green, long-sleeved shirt, Makoto reaches out Usagi. She's gentle as she ushers the girl inside, "It's alright, Usagi. Let's get you inside."

She stops Usagi right inside the door to bend down and help her out of her shoes before they continue further. All the while she's rubbing Usagi's back and brushing the stray hair from her face, keeping them from sticking to the skin thanks to the endless amount of tears.

Makoto's brown shorts hike up about her thighs as she sits down on the couch. Usagi quickly follows as Makoto hands her a pillow, allowing the blonde to squeeze it to her chest as she sniffles and tries to stop the tears. Patting Usagi's head, she urges her to lay down on her lap, something that usually calms Usagi rather quickly.

"Alright, Usagi - it'll be okay. Do you want to talk about it? What happened?"

Usagi squeezes her eyes shut as the words tumble from her lips like a rock slide down a mountain. Makoto can only stare down at Usagi as the girl recounts her day up to the point where she ran all the way to her. From the start where she was leaving the arcade and saw Minako and Rei. That she wanted to just surprise them by running up and saying hello but quickly decided against it. Even more so by hearing the two talking about how they love one another.

Each word that leaves Usagi's lips is one less tremble that passes through her body until she's completely still. The entire time Makoto can only rub Usagi's back, allowing the blonde to cry herself to sleep - to find some form of peace amongst her feelings. In fact, if Usagi wasn't on her then she'd be marching to find those two and demand some answers.

Although not for entirely unselfish reasons either. She has her own little ball of feelings brewing up a storm in her stomach; making it knot up and her anger grow by the second. Of course sadness blankets it all even while the fury remains in the driver's seat.

She's happy that two of her friends are happy with one another but it leaves Usagi and herself sitting there. Wallowing in their feelings and unsure of what to do with them.

Just as she managing to pick up the pillow, that Usagi had discarded at some point, without waking the blonde, Makoto's phone pings. Makoto is as careful as she possibly can be when sliding away from Usagi and standing up. The pillow is the perfect replacement that allows her to make it to her phone before it pings again.

Makoto can feel her shoulders tense at the fact that the text message is from Minako. That she's out and wants to come by, of course Rei is with her though. Eye twitching, Makoto takes a deep breath before she bothers replying that she'll see them then. Half of her doesn't agree with that choice but the other wants to make them see what they've done immediately. It's just convenient that they're coming to her.

She stretches a little, contemplating what exactly she wants to say to them when the doorbell rings. Makoto hadn't expected them so soon, not that it matters to her.

Makoto takes a deep breath while glancing one last time at Usagi's sleeping face. The last thing she wants to do is have the poor girl wake up in the middle of the two love birds eagerly gushing to her about their relationship. At least that's why she suspects they're coming over. In her mind that's the only explanation.

Her bare feet softly pad across the floor, careful not to do anything that might stir her friend. She's at the door before she cares to be, hesitantly idling before it. There's so many thoughts and emotions that are welling up to the surface that she knows she should have just said she wasn't home. But the stubbornness couples with the need to confront all of this head on and has her grasping the knob and opening the door in one fell swoop.

Rei and Minako's happy faces is the last thing Makoto wants to see as she tries to play nice. When in fact all she wants to do is rip them limb from limb for making Usagi cry like that. She doesn't even get a chance to usher them in. Although she had intended to take this outside as to not disturb Usagi.

Minako is surging forward, practically bursting with happiness as she takes Makoto's hands and enters the small abode. "Sorry for the sudden visit, but I just couldn't wait to tell you!" There's a small giggle at the end of her sentence that precedes a roll of the eyes from Rei, who follows them both further into the entryway.

Once the door is shut Rei places a hand on Minako's shoulder, "Calm down, Mina."

Makoto can only see red as Minako slowly lets go of her and returns to Rei's side. It's more than furious that these two can be so happy when Usagi is in pain. Of course if she had, had time to calm down maybe she wouldn't blurt out just how she feels like scatter shot.

"What are you two thinking? It's one thing to hide your relationship but to do it from your friends? Did you think we'd be upset?"

Makoto doesn't pay attention to how Minako's eyes widen or how Rei's hand falls away from Minako's shoulder. She merely gives a solid wave of her hand, gesturing toward her living room where Usagi lies.

"Usagi knows about you two and it broke her heart. She ran all the way here in tears because she's in love with you then cried herself to sleep. And before either of us can be happy for you both, you need to fix things with her immediately."

Her gaze is initially lingering on Minako as she speaks but quickly jots over to Rei before giving a glare back at Minako. Not that either are concerned with the way she's burning holes in their foreheads with her angered stare. Rei's eyes are wide and her mind is reeling, "Usagi is… upset?"

Makoto's fingers curl into fists at her side, "Damn right she's upset." She tries to take a deep breath to steady herself, calm her nerves even. "So if you're going to just come in here and be happy together, right now is not the time. Just leave and give her a chance to recover first."

Minako immediately draws up her hands before her in a defensive move. "No, no, that wasn't our intention at all. We never wanted to hurt Usagi." Rei gives a nod in agreement and is about to butt in after her but Minako continues, honestly curious about one thing. "But, Mako, who is Usagi in love with? We really need to talk about this now because you have it all wrong."

"There's nothing to talk about," replies Makoto as she crosses her arms under her bosom with a shake of her head. "You did this to her and you can fix it later. She's in no condition to figure it out right now."

This has Rei exasperated. She's been trying to figure it out in her head while those two go back and forth. The last thing she wants is to hurt Usagi and that means she has to make it up to her - fix things now rather than later. But before she can do that she has to know. Rei steps closer, daring to move past Makoto if she must, "Just tell us who Usagi's in love with."

Minako follows suit, "Please, Makoto, just tell us."

Makoto shakes her head and gesturing back to the door while giving Minako one final glare. "Look, I have to take care of Usagi. You two need to leave." She gives them her back and intends to walk away, figuring neither would dare go up against her.

But neither are willing to back down at this point. Even as Makoto goes to step back into the living room, Rei is right after her. "Dammit Makoto, would you just tell us?"

At the same time, Minako reaches out and stops Makoto from moving. It allows Rei to go past her while Minako firmly grasps onto Makoto's wrist. She looks up at Makoto, disheartened that the taller woman won't meet her gaze. "Please… we can explain. We just need to know who Usagi's in love with."

Makoto grits her teeth and is prepared to usher them out by force if need be - she won't be having them disturb Usagi now. But it's too late. Everything goes silent after a small moan and a yawn, one that has all their eyes turning to the couch where Usagi is slowly sitting up.

Usagi rubs at her eyes with one hand while clutching the pillow to her chest with the other. She's in mid yawn when she realizes that there's three sets of eyes staring at her and two of them are Minako and Rei. They're the last people she wants to wake up to at the moment. Her eyes go wide as she sinks back into the couch ever so slight, "What's going on?"

Makoto merely smiles sweetly and gestures back toward the door, "Nothing, they were just leaving. Right?"

Rei isn't scared of Makoto int he slightest, not compared to how Usagi must feel about them. She slips around the taller woman and makes a beeline straight for Usagi. "We know you overheard our conversation and that you think Mina and I are dating."

Bringing the pillow up to her face, Usagi presses her forehead against it and allows her bangs to hang over the side. Her face is beet red and she can't dare make any type of eye contact with Rei. If she could curl up into a tiny ball and disappear she would. Usagi pinches her eyes shut even though the pillow hides her countenance, "I'm sorry I eavesdropped! I didn't mean to!"

Neither woman on the other side of the room has a chance to say a word. Rei claps her hands down onto Usagi's shoulders and bends down, speaking as softly as she can to reassure the blonde, "Usagi, it's alright. There's nothing to be sorry for."

Usagi dares to lift her face and Rei can see she's about to cry again. Rei lifts one hand to brush beneath her eyes, scaring away another thought of tears. "This is all just one big misunderstanding. I'm not in love with Mina. I'm in love with you and always have been."

For a moment Usagi can only stare. Finally she blinks and there's hope in the depths of her bright sapphire eyes, "What?"

Makoto is just as confused, even more so when Minako finally releases her wrist. She glances back at the other blonde as Rei nods to Usagi, giving her a smile. "I'm in love with you and I was going to confess," she relents as she glances over to Minako. "I was looking for ways to do it because I wasn't sure if you felt the same."

While Usagi is practically bubbling over with happiness, she's still a little unsure about one thing. And it's what, or rather who, she looks to over Rei's shoulder. "But then why did Mina say she was in love too?"

Rei straightens up as Minako laughs nervously, "That's because I am." Makoto isn't sure why she turns to Minako but when she does she finds both of her hands clasped in Minako's. Their eyes lock and for a moment it feels as though it's only them in the room. Minako smiles up at her, "I'm in love with the most amazing woman I've ever met and was trying to find a way to tell her."

Makoto is in pure shock as she stares back at Minako and the way those eyes draw her in, never letting go. Noticing this, Rei plans to give them their alone time to sort it all out. But she does need to know one thing before she drags Usagi out of here to leave them be, "Who are you in love with, Usagi?"

Usagi doesn't hesitate in the slightest. She surges forward and wraps her arms around Rei's shoulders. Although in the processes she ends up knocking their heads together, both grinning and giggling softly as the pain ebbs away. The second the pulsating behind her eyes stops, Rei pushes Usagi back before helping her up. She glances to the two who are finally pulling away from one another - at least Makoto is.

"I'm going to walk Usagi home then. We'll see you both later."

Moving past Makoto, Usagi briefly stops to smile up at her. "Thank you Mako. I'm… sorry for being a bother," she says with a laugh.

Makoto shakes her head, finally moving through the blissful fog in her mind, "You're never a bother, Usagi. Be safe on the way home."

The door shuts with a soft click as Usagi and Rei leave. All of the emotions has Makoto moving to and slumping down onto the couch, her head tilting back against it as she sighs. She's exhausted from having to deal with that mess. To the point where she could simply just go to bed. Her mind is still reeling from it all and it doesn't help that Minako is still here.

The blonde lingers at the furthest end of the coffee table; she's a little anxious about being alone with Makoto. If only for the reason that Makoto is usually bursting at the seams with excitement when there's anything to do with love around. Especially if it involves her to begin with. So to have her looking so tired and remaining quiet, Minako can only worry her bottom lip between her teeth.

Minako is more than happy for Rei and Usagi but it does cause her to walk forward. She wants to make sure Makoto accepts her feelings. Anything short will be devastating. She wants what they're bound to have. She stops just before the couch, so close to Makoto. "Mako…?" she starts.

The brunette brings her head back upright, raising a brow at Minako, "Hm?"

The simple response is worse than the silence in Minako's opinion. Makoto surely loves the concept of love even more than her. To have this be the response is deafening and worrisome. Which is why Minako immediately kneels one leg onto the couch and sits down, the other foot flat on the ground. Minako reaches out, taking one of Makoto's hands in both of her own.

"I love you, Mako."

Pink cascades over Makoto's cheeks as her free hand draws up to her face, lingering before her mouth. She cuts her eyes away, almost afraid to look Minako in the eye. If only for he fact that she can swear her heart is about to beat out of her chest and that her fingers are quivering. It's all too real for the one person she loves more than anything to be so close and after having confessed her feelings.

"Mina.. I.. I mean…"

Minako's brows furrow and she leans a little closer. Her hands slip away from Makoto's and dip down to propping herself up on the couch. "You don't like me back?" she finally asks.

It has Makoto deadpanning, unable to believe the words. Especially since that's the complete opposite of how she really feels. All of the shock leaves her body in an instant as she suddenly sits up. Her back leaves the couch as her hands clap down onto Minako's shoulders. That is before her hands slip down and around to embrace the blonde, pulling Minako close to her chest.

Blinking several times, Minako isn't allowed to do anything other than allow her face to nuzzle into the crook of Makoto's neck as a blush decorates her cheeks. "M… Mako?"

"I love you, Mina. More than anything in the world! I just… didn't think you'd feel the same. And I didn't want to ruin our friendship because of it."

Makoto slowly pushes Minako back some, her hands returning to Minako's shoulders. There's stars in Minako's eyes as she gazes up at Makoto. She never thought she'd hear the brunette utter those words. The pure happiness has her surging forward; arms wrap around Makoto's shoulders, body practically falling into Makoto's lap.

Their lips crash together in a messy kiss, one that's slightly off mark. But it doesn't matter to them. They get it right the second time and the third after that. Minako peppers Makoto's lips with gentle pecks to the point where Makoto has to push the girl away with a laugh.

"Easy Mina, you're going to smother me."

Minako pouts as she settles down onto Makoto's lap. She's about to hide her face away against Makoto's shoulder but the latter stops her. Makoto takes a hold of Minako's countenance, one hand on either side, and holds her steady. Slowly, painfully so in Minako's opinion, Makoto dip hers lips down to give her a passionate kiss.

It doesn't last nearly as long as Minako wants but she's nothing but filled with bliss when Makoto ends it. She smiles, proceeding to press their foreheads together. Between their chests their hands meet, fingers intertwining, "I really do love you too, Mina."

0-0

Rei is having mixed feelings as they leave Makoto's. She had simply wanted to tug Usagi out of the situation and get her home safely. But now that it's just the two of them walking down the slightly busy street, Rei is internally panicking. She keeps glancing down at Usagi and the way she's less outward with her feelings.

On the other hand, Usagi is merely reeling from it all. While she's beyond happy to know that the love she feels for Rei is mutual it still feels as though she's unsteady. Everything happened so suddenly that being alone with Rei is making her anxious. Part of her wants to merely cling onto Rei and make the other woman hold her and never let go.

As they walk, Rei steps a little closer to Usagi so that no one else has to overhear her. She licks at her lips before muttering to her, "I'm sorry, again, Usagi. The last thing I wanted to do was put you through that."

"It's alright," Usagi murmurs back.

There's no beaming smile or small laugh that comes with it. And certainly no eye contact. It makes the words less than unconvincing and worries Rei more. She glances off to the side at the surge of people that pass by them. Of course as they come to the edge of the sidewalk they're too late. The light changes and they're left standing alone at the lip, waiting patiently for the green signal to show once more.

Rei misses the way Usagi's hands grasp onto one another, wringing themselves out. Her words come out soft at first but with each syllable they grow more confident, taking Rei by surprise. "I'm actually really glad I misunderstood because I really like you Rei… And it proved that you feel the same way. But," she takes a deep breath and tries to calm the nerves still fluttering about inside.

"I'm just getting over the feeling that you wouldn't be able to be with me. I mean, I'd be happy," Usagi glances up at her with a small smile, "But I'd still be sad too."

Attempting to reach for Usagi's hands, Rei can't help but look over at Usagi with unbridled worry. Her mind has refused to let her think of anyone but Usagi to have at her side. Usagi is the only one for her - no one else, not even a chance. Rei's about to give her another apology when Usagi suddenly shakes her head. As if the single action chases out every hint of feeling that isn't happiness, joy or love.

Usagi spins around, her skirt flaring ever so slightly about her legs as she puts her back to the crosswalk just as it turns green. There's a wide smile overtaking her face along with her eyes puffy from crying and flushed cheeks. To Rei she's the beautiful and the most breathtaking human being she's ever seen. Usagi gives a tilt of the head, "You'll stay by my side right? Because I love you Rei."

Rei almost can't contain the bliss that floods her body like a tidal wave sweeping up a sandy shore - leaving nothing left. To anyone looking on she doesn't seem to react but Usagi knows the tiny signs to look for. From the quirk of her lips to the way her eyes widen just a little. Not to mention the gentle brushing of a blush on her countenance.

"Hmph…" Rei starts, "That's a pretty big demand for someone who rushes into things at the drop of a hat. You plan to drag me along?"

Usagi can't help but giggle and reach for Rei's hand, giving her a tug as she steps off the sidewalk. Rei doesn't dare pull away or stand still. She allows Usagi to lead her off the corner and across the white lines to the other side. Slowly, she lets a smile touch her lips, "I suppose I don't have a choice then, someone has to look after you."

The second they get to the other street corner, Usagi spins back around, hand tugging away from Rei's. Except Rei doesn't let her get away with being so cute. She wraps an arm around Usagi's waist and tugs her in the opposite direction that Usagi needs to go.

It's not that Usagi minds the intimate contact, but she can't help but look up at Rei with a confused expression. "Why are we going this way? Aren't you going to walk me home?"

Rei keeps her eyes set on the path before her as they walk, her grip secure on Usagi's hip. "I'd rather be with you tonight, if that's okay?"

Usagi nods before she leans against Rei's side, "Only if you don't yell at me when I hog the blanket."

"You'll just need to stay closer to me then."

That has Usagi going bright red and trying to look anywhere but up at Rei. Except the latter has a different idea. She stops suddenly and while no one is looking their way, taking advantage of the ounce of privacy, she tilts Usagi's chin up. Before Usagi can even think of asking what Rei is doing their lips meet in a gentle kiss.