Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its characters… :D
A/N: Hi everyone! Here's Rei's POV… :D Actually this was supposed to be the first chapter but I stopped at the middle when I thought of Minako's POV… Ha-ha… :D Hope you all like this… :D Here is Rei's POV about what happened… Thanks to Da Pyro's Love, jedicaro, sailor-ice, honulicious and LastAngel22 for the reviews and thanks also for those who read this! :D
"Why in hell is Minako flirting with that guy? She knows you're here," Makoto said irritably and then she sipped her milkshake.
"What the fuck? Is that guy groping Mina's ass? Why I oughta…" Haruka hissed as she tried to get up but Rei stopped her.
The miko just smiled.
"And why are you smiling? You're girlfriend is being groped by that ape and you're smiling?" Haruka asked and arched one of her eyebrows.
"Because I know that there's nothing to worry about," Rei answered trying to hide the hurt in her eyes.
"She's having sex with other people and then she goes to you? You accept that? Oh come on, dude. Are you sure Mina hasn't driven you crazy?" Makoto looked at the miko and frowned.
"Just let her be. Please. For me. I know what I am doing," sighed Rei.
"But Rei…" Haruka couldn't continue as Rei cut her off and said, "Please. I know she loves me too even though she doesn't say it. I can feel it every time she goes to me. Please guys. Just do it for me."
"Fine," Makoto and Haruka sighed. The two knew they couldn't win the argument. Because they know when Rei makes a decision, she sticks to it.
….
Rei stirred as she awoke from her slumber. The miko took a deep a breath and opened her eyes. She looked at her side hoping to find someone still lying beside her. Unfortunately, she was all alone in her room. Again. She then sighed, sat up and thought, 'I guess she left again before I woke up. Well, what did you expect? Ugh. This is getting really hard, Mina,' as she put her palms on her face and tried not to cry.
It happened one night, a couple of months ago, a slightly drunk Minako went to the shrine and passionately kissed Rei. The miko was taken aback by the drunk idol's action but was elated to know at least now, she knew that the blonde wanted her that way too. The next nights began to be more heated as the kiss lead to another and until they made love. At least it was to the miko, she considered it making love to the idol even though she didn't know if Minako looked at it in that way, maybe because the idol had always snuck out before Rei woke up. No matter how drunk Minako was that evening, she had always woken up before the miko did and left without a note and just shrugged everything that happened when they met again during the day. The miko was patient enough to wait for the idol to confess her feelings for her even though Rei knew that Minako was sleeping with other people. Rei knew Minako fooled around with anyone she wanted but she knew that the blonde will always come back to her no matter what happened.
But that morning was different. The miko felt that she wanted to give up waiting for something she is not sure that will come. After sulking for a few minutes, she heard Yuuchi walking outside her door to start the chores for the day. She then composed herself, got up and got ready for her daily routine.
….
Nothing unusual happened during the day. Well, nothing really happens anymore for years now after defeating the last villain when they were still in High school. The miko would usually just be at the shrine after she graduated from college. She took up journalism and worked as a freelance photographer and writer to some local newspapers and magazines. She made sure she had a backup plan just in case the shrine can't find sponsors anymore and she told her grandfather that she was not intending to be a full pledged priestess in the future and she finally confessed that she loves Minako and is intending to do something about her feelings once the blonde got back from her work. To her delight, the priest happily accepted her decision about her not being a priestess and said he already knew about everything and he supported her, months before he died. Usagi was married to Mamoru and is happy at just being a house wife, Ami was in no surprise a doctor and is living with Makoto, as the brunette opened her own restaurant, Michiru traveled different countires as a famous violinist while Haruka was still racing around the world. Then there was Minako. The blonde became a famous idol all over the world and worked for 4 straight years just doing concerts, interviews, dramas, commercials and what not. She kept in touch with everybody especially Rei. She just moved back to Tokyo a couple of months ago and was on hiatus for 1 year.
The miko tended to the shrine that day as she didn't take any freelance jobs for 2 weeks because she was to go to Kyoto for an indefinite span of a of couple days to talk to a friend of her deceased grandfather. The priest has invited her to coax the miko to be a full pledged priestess and Rei knew this. She was going just to be respectful and to finally deter any notions on her being a priestess.
After going through her typical day at the shrine, sweeping, tending to the shops, checking up on the other apprentices and making Yuuchiro (now the head priest of the shrine) some food, just like she did with her grandfather, she headed to her room, took some clothes from her closet and went to the bathroom to get cleaned up.
She opted to have a shower than a bath that night. As warm water gushed from the shower head to her hair after she has cleaned herself, she bowed her head, her hands stretched out and were pushing against the wall tiles, she thought, 'I'm feeling that this will be night. There's no turning back after this…' The miko then smirked at herself as she thought of Minako. She then closed her eyes and jerked her head upwards and felt the warm water on her face. The miko was now smiling as she thought of making love to Minako again tonight but she suddenly frowned and thought, 'I wish I could make love to her when she's not drunk. I want her to remember this night. I guess I won't let myself sleep tonight so I could talk to her in the morning.' After a few more minutes she got out of the shower, put her shorts and a tank top and went out of the bathroom and made her way towards her room as she dried her hair.
Rei was reading a book about photojournalism when she sensed Minako at the door. She looked at that clock, it read 10pm, smiled and thought, 'I wonder why she can be on time every night for the last couple of months and be late every single time when we were in high school?' The miko then walked to door, opened it and smiled at Minako.
"Always on time nowadays," chuckled Rei as she hugged Minako. The miko felt the blonde's heart rate become faster as the latter hugged her back.
The blonde jumped at the miko and kissed her passionately as she pushed Rei inside the room. Rei was surprised when she heard the door shut and she smiled thinking, 'She's so cute when she does that,' and then she noticed that she did not to taste any kind of alcohol on Minako's mouth for the first time ever since the blonde kissed her. Instead she tasted Minako's strawberry lip gloss. The miko internally chuckled as she put her hands on the blonde's face, cupping it as she kissed back.
"Did you drink?" asked the miko as she tasted Minako's lips once more. Internally thanking all the gods of her fortune tonight. 'Now I know she will remember tonight,' Rei thought.
Minako suddenly kissed Rei, making the miko forget what she was thinking. Then all of their clothes were thrown everywhere as they hurriedly undress eachother.
The miko then kissed the blonde again while shifting her feet so that she was leading the blonde to her bed. Minako pushed herself backwards on top of the bed until she came in contact with the headboard. They were still kissing as Rei pushed Minako to the end of the bed and straddled the blonde after. The miko then slowly stopped kissing Minako, looked at the blonde lovingly and parted the blonde's thighs as she positioned herself in between them. The miko carefully and gave her all being as she made love to Minako several times that night. The blonde screamed the miko's name after every release Rei gave her. The miko screamed the blonde's name in return when Minako took her turn on Rei.
Rei fought herself not to sleep as she spooned next to a very contented sleeping Minako. When she saw the blonde in a deep sleep, she focused her mind on the clock and it read, 3:21am. She usually gets up about 6 in the morning so Minako probably wakes up around 5pm. She tried so hard not to fall asleep, internally cursing herself as her head sometimes drops due to exhaustion. She didn't even know she had slept until she felt sunshine on her face. She shot her eyes open. 7 in the morning. She dreaded to know if Minako had snucked out again until someone put her arms around the miko's waist and cuddled her face on the crook of Rei's neck. The miko stiffened a little bit and looked at the sleeping blonde. She was dumbfounded. Minako didn't snuck out this time. Rei then thought, 'I could definitely watch her sleep for hours on end. Kami, I so love her.'
Rei was still grininning as she was gazing at Minako as the blonde slowly opened her eyes. Minako smiled but instantly frowned as she felt panic rush to her veins. She knew what Minako was thinking, the blonde didn't wake up early and hadn't snuck out.
The miko then leaned over to the blonde and pulled her so that they were both sitting up. She felt Minako stiffen a bit as she pulled her closer and kissed her passionately. Rei then looked at Minako lovingly as she whispered, "I love you, Mi-chan… I…" But before she could finish what she wanted to say, she saw Minako get out of the bed and said, "I don't." Rei could hear her heart break, she stood up, trying not to cry as she saw Minako look for her clothes and walked away as she put them on. Rei clenched her fists and said, "Then you give no choice," as Minako closed the door.
The miko then took something from her table and sat the edge of her bed. She opened the box and held the engagement ring to the air, she intended to give the ring to the blonde that morning. "You give me no choice, Minako. I don't care what the others will say but it's you I need to be with. I tried to be with other people but I always end up just thinking about you. I would be just lying to myself if I get a relationship with other people and it would be a lie to them as well. I don't care how long I will wait for you. I love you, Minako. Only you. I shall wear this ring as a reminder that I shall only be yours," the miko said as she slid the ring to her left ring finger. Rei then cried as she clutched her kness to her face.
After an hour, Rei tried to find the courage to get up and do her chores. She knew that Yuuchi had already done half of her part of the cleaning as the head priest knew about Minako. The miko then took her robe, wore it and headed to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.
The miko looked around before fully going out of the bathroom. When she noticed nobody was around, she got out and walked towards the meditation room. She sat there for a full hour trying to meditate but all she can think about was Minako. She finally admitted that she can't fully meditate right now so she got up and planned to sweep the entire vicinity of the shrine.
Unfortunately as she got her broom, Yuuchiro saw her and walked towards her. "So how was last night? Did you give it to her?" asked the head priest as he wriggled his eyebrows.
"No. I didn't have the chance to give it to her. She said she didn't love me when I said I did," Rei fought herself not to cry. She cursed herself when a single tear flowed down from her eyes. The miko wiped it with her left hand.
"Then why are you wearing the ring?" Yuuchiro asked as he saw the ring on Rei.
"I don't want to be with anyone else. I'll wait if I have too because I know deep inside she loves me too," replied the miko.
"Haven't you waited eno…" Yuuchiro was cut off as Rei said, "Please Yuuchi. Not now. I know you care about me but… I know what I'm doing. I swear."
"She better talk to you tonight and do something about this," Yuuchiro said sadly as she patted Rei's head.
….
Rei just sat on her bed, waiting for Minako to go to her room. She looked at the clock and sighed, "It's already 1am. She's not coming." The miko held her knees towards her chest and cried.
"Why are you being stubborn, Mina? I love you and you know that. I don't care how many people you slept with because I know it's in your nature to do that. I gave everything to you and yet you couldn't give me anything. This is making it harder for me. Please Kami, give me strength to see things through. I really love her and please just make sure she's okay. I'll wait here until she returns," Rei spoke to herself in between sobs.
Rei then backed up to her bed's headboard and hugged the pillow that Minako always uses. She nuzzled her face on the pillow as she smelled the strawberry scent of Minako's perfume.
The miko stayed like this until she heard shuffling of feet outside her door. She then got up, put on her robe and went to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.
Rei started sweeping the grounds near the stairs as Yuuchiro walked towards the miko.
"She didn't go to you, did she?" asked Yuuchiro.
Rei nodded.
"I don't want to see you like this. You're like my sister Rei, if you hurt, I hurt too," Yuuchiro continued as he leaned and put his forehead on Rei's.
"I know. But I already made my decision. I have to wait for her," Rei answered as she gripped the man's robe.
Yuuchiro hugged Rei as the miko continued, "Thanks for understanding, Yuuchi. I know she'll come back. I can feel it. She just have to do admit it to herself first," as she hugged the man back.
They faintly heard someone cry and fast heavy steps going down the shrine steps.
"Did you hear that?" Rei asked as she pulled out of the hug.
"Not really," shrugged Yuuchiro. He then patted Rei's head and said, "She's so lucky to have you. I just hope you're right."
….
"Hey Rei!" Usagi shouted as she saw the miko sweeping the grounds of the shrine. Rei just smiled at Usagi.
"Are you okay?" asked Usagi as she saw Rei's eyes were quite puffy and red. The miko looked liked she hasn't gotten any sleep at all for days.
Rei just nodded.
"Anyway, we were planning to drink later. You know the bar near Minako's apartment? They serve great drinks and food there!" said Usagi enthusiastically. She didn't push the miko to tell why she looked like hell because Usagi knew that the miko wouldn't spill anyway. She knew that the miko would tell her when she's ready.
"I can't. I have to prepare something for the shrine," replied Rei flatly as she turned her back from Usagi and started sweeping again.
"Are you sure?"
Rei just nodded.
"Because Minako would be there."
Rei froze for a moment but continued to sweep again.
"I can't."
"Okay. Well just call me if you change your mind," replied Usagi. She then hugged the miko at the back and whispered lovingly, "You're my bestfriend, you do know that right? Whatever's bothering you, you can tell me. Just tell me when you're ready."
Rei smiled, pulled out of the hug so that she can face Usagi. The miko then kissed Usagi's forehead.
Usagi smiled and said, "Call me if you change your mind, okay?"
The miko nodded and Usagi began to walk away from her.
Rei then continued to do her chores for the day, hoping it will distract her from thinking about Minako but to her dismay, it did not work. She just kept on thinking about that certain blonde's action after they made love.
Minako would sometime look at the miko with her cerulean eyes, expressing love and almost everything that Rei thought she couldn't say to her. But it made Rei sad also as she also that Minako was scared underneath that loving gaze. Everytime Rei felt that Minako had the hint of the miko reading her mind, she would suddenly hug her and the blonde would nuzzle the miko's neck and kiss it before going to sleep.
"Hey! You're day dreaming again," teased Yuuchiro as she patted Rei's head. The miko didn't notice the man sit beside her at the steps before their quarters.
Rei just smiled.
"I left you some food in the kitchen, if you want to eat. I'll go to bed early tonight, I'm really tired," Yuuchiro said as he yawned.
"Thanks but I don't think I'm hungry," Rei sighed. Suddenly her phone rang.
RING RING RING
She saw the name on the LCD and answered it.
"Rei?"
The miko sat there petrified. She didn't expect Minako to call her. She also noticed that Minako slurred a bit.
"Rei, are you there?"
Rei just gripped the phone. Yuuchiro looked at her and the priest was puzzled.
"Rei, please say something… About the other morning… I'm so…"
"Who's on the other line, Rei?" asked Yuuchiro and grabbed the phone from the miko's ear.
"Fuck you, Yuuchi!" he heard Minako shout as he was about to put the phone on his ears.
"What the hell? Was that Minako?" Yuuchiro said and gave the phone to Rei without looking at the LCD to know who called. "It's okay, Rei. It's okay," the man tried to comfort the miko as tears swell from her already red and puffy eyes. "Maybe you should go to bed already and have some rest. I know you haven't gotten any sleep these days," the priest continued.
Rei nodded, stood up and tried not to cry as she walked towards her room.
Rei sighed as she touched her neck where Minako liked to kiss her. She then plopped herself on the bed and hugged Minako's pillow. She didn't even know she dozed off as she smelled the scent of Minako on the pillow.
"REI!"
The miko stirred from her sleep. She opened her eyes thinking that someone must be calling her outside.
"FUCK YOU, YUUCHI! WHY… WHY DID YOU… TAKE AWAY REI FROM ME?"
Rei froze as she recognized the voice.
"REI! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME! PLEASE! I HAVE TO TALK TO YOU!"
She tried to fight tears as she stood up from her bed and stood at the door.
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!"
"REI! I'M SO… SORRY… I… LOVE…"
"I LOVE YOU REI!"
Rei froze as she heard the scream when she opened her door. The miko then smiled.
"I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND IT SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR? I LOVE YOU! I LOVED YOU EVER SINCE WE MET AND THE NIGHT WE FIRST MADE LOVE… I'M SORRY I WAS A LITTLE DRUNK… I HAD TO… I DIDN'T HAVE THE GUTS TO WALK UP TO YOU… I…"
But the smile faded when she saw Minako slumped on the ground, her hand bleeding, her ankles looked like it was swollen and the fact that Mamoru, Makoto and Haruka was scowling at Yuuchiro who was only wearing his boxers as he stood in front of Minako.
"I KNOW YOU DESERVE BETTER BUT… YOU SHOULDN'T MARRY YUUCHI JUST BECAUSE… OF WHAT I DID… I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO IF YOU'RE NOT WITH ME… I'M INCOMPLETE…"
The miko continued to walk towards the group.
"THOSE PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN MEAN ANYTHING TO ME! I JUST HAVE SEX WITHTHEM BUT WITH YOU… IT'S SOMETHING MORE… EVERY NIGHT WE HAD, I MADE LOVE TO YOU... AND YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON WHO EVER STAYED AND ENDURED EVERYTHING I DID… YOU STAYED EVEN IF I HURT YOU INTENTIONALLY AND IT SCARED ME… I KNOW I DON'T DESERVE YOU BECAUSE OF THAT BUT… I…"
Rei then tapped Yuuchiro's shoulder. She nodded to him to go to the three and tell the group what really happened. As the man told Mamoru, Rei was kneeling in front of Minako as she cupped the blonde's face. Rei tried hard not to cry in front of Minako as she felt the blonde stiffen a bit from the contact. The miko just wanted to take care of Minako as she saw the blonde looking tired and in pain.
"Rei… I love you… I beg you not to marry him…" Minako muttered as Rei saw her trying not to faint from exhaustion. Rei hugged back.
"I love you…" was the last thing Minako said as she fainted.
Rei tried to carry the girl bridal style but found it hard. She tapped into her senshii powers for strength and gently carried Minako towards her room.
Rei stopped for a second when Haruka shouted, "You better take care of this tonight if you want a real wedding to take place!" and walked again without looking at the group behind her.
….
"You know Rei, you should've told us your decision and Minako should've talked to you about that freaking ring. All of what happened could've been avoided," Haruka sweat dropped as Michiru giggled a little bit as she hugged the wind senshii from the back.
"Definitely," Makoto sweat dropped also.
Rei was sitting on the edge of the bed watching Ami clean the wound of Minako and put some bandage on the hand and on her ankle. The others were standing, also watching Ami on her precision on taking care of the exhausted and snoring Minako. Only Ami and Rei cleaned up Minako, Rei
"I'm sorry guys. I guess I couldn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't approve of it," Rei answered.
"That's true but you should have told us anyway," Usagi said as she got out of the hug of Mamoru and sat beside Rei and hugged the miko.
"Her hand will probably be healed tomorrow but her ankle about after 2 days. Thank Kami of our senshii powers, if not for that, we might need to rush her to the hospital," said Ami.
"Well, everything that happened was probably for the best. Seeing how Minako now confessed her true feelings towards Rei," said Michiru. Haruka then kissed the forehead of Michiru and the latter smiled.
"She's right. Now you can propose to her and she'd probably say yes," Mamoru smiled.
"Thanks guys!" Rei smiled as she stood up, gathered them all and hugged them.
"Just remember to put this ointment on the wound after cleaning it and don't force her ankle too much," Ami said after she pulled out of the hug. "Oh I have to tend to Yuuchiro too!" she continued and went outside the room.
"I'll go with Ami and we probably go home after," Makoto said as she winked at Rei.
"Us too," adde Haruka. Michiru then pulled the wind senshii outside.
Usagi hugged Rei again and said, "Take care of her, okay? I'm happy now that she finally confessed. Make me your maid of honor!"
Mamoru laughed as he patted Rei's head and then the two went out also.
After everyone left, Rei then positioned herself beside the blonde facing her. She then brushed away a hair from the face of Minako and smiled. She dozed off partly hugging Minako.
Rei was roused from her sleep when she felt Minako trying to get up. She then faced Minako, the blonde looked like she was about to say something so she waited.
"Rei… I…" Minako said and she looked frightened.
Rei just continued to wait.
"I…"
Rei arched eyebrow. She wanted to hear Minako say everything the blonde said last night. She wanted to hear it from a sober Minako.
The miko got surprised when Minako kissed her but she kissed back. Rei felt the love and hope of Minako towards her and their relationship on that one kiss but she still wanted to hear it from Minako. After pulling off the kiss, Minako finally said, "I love you, Rei. I'm sorry about what I did to you and I'm willing to change everything just to be with you. Please do not marry Yuuchi. I promise I'll make it up to you just give me one more chance. Please."
Rei was elated to hear it. She then took off the ring, gave it to Minako and said, "Read the engraving on the inside of the ring, Mina."
The blonde took and became wide eyed as she read the inscription. Minako then stuttered, "The engagement ring… was supposed to be mine? Why are you… wearing it? I don't understand… I saw you and Yuuchi… He hugged you and you… hugged him back…"
"You saw Yuuchi what? Oh. You mean you were there the next morning after we had the fight? He was hugging me to comfort me. I told him everything that happened that night…" Rei sat up and shadowed the blonde.
"I was supposed to give that to you the night you left. After you left me, I decided that I'd wait for you no matter what so I wore the ring as a reminder of my decision. I decided not to be with anyone else because I knew that you are the one for me. I didn't care if I had to wait for you to confess to yourself that you loved me too because I always felt it. When we made love, you made me feel special and like I was the only for you. I'm sorry if you thought that I was marrying Yuuchi. I'm sor…" Rei then suddenly burst into tears. Minako tried to sit up, it was hard for her because of her sprained ankle, and hugged the miko.
"Don't say sorry because you haven't done anything wrong. I am to blame for all of this. And all that I said… All that I said that I can remember… it's all true. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to be a coward anymore. I want to be with you. I need to be with you, Rei. I promise I will make up for everything that I did. Just say it and I will do it for you," Minako whispered to Rei's ear. The miko wiped her tears away.
Rei pulled back from the hug and got the ring from Minako. The miko blushed a little as she took the blonde's left hand with her left hand and the ring on her right hand. Rei faked cough a little and shyly said, "Then will you marry, my tenshii?"
"Yes. I am honored to be Mrs. Minako Hino," Minako answered without hesitation as she beamed. Rei put the ring on Minako's finger and they kissed after. Their foreheads touched each other after they parted, Rei was beaming as Minako smiled as she looked at the ring. The miko saw Minako look at the ring as she looked at it carefully. Rei put their birthstones in the middle of the ring and some intricate designs of roses and hearts intertwined, as a symbol of themselves.
They both then laid down again, facing each other. Rei pushed a strand of Minako's hair to her ears and smiled at the blonde lovingly. Minako cupped Rei's face with her injured hand as she smiled.
"How's your hand?" asked Rei as she felt Minako's bandage laced hand unto her face.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it," Minako answered as she kissed Rei.
"That's good. Ami cleaned and bandaged your hand and ankle as Usagi told me everything that happened. She said your hand would probably be healed tomorrow and your ankle by 2 days, thanks to our senshii powers. Oh and she took care of Yuuchi too. Apparently, your slap made his lips bled," snickered Rei.
"Oh shit. I have to apologize to him about that," Minako blushed as she felt embarrassed.
"Don't worry about it. He said he understood why you slapped him. Makoto and Haruka kept sweat dropping as I told the group the side of my story. They said, you should've confronted me earlier so that all the commotions could've been avoided. But Michiru and Mamoru told them that maybe what happened was the best thing that happened to us. You confessed and now, you're officially my fiancée!" smiled Rei.
"Mrs. Minako Hino… that's sounds good. I have to get you a ring too you know," Minako replied then kissed Rei again.
"Sure. That would be nice," answered the miko after they parted from the kiss. "Maybe, tomorrow? I just want to spend the day cuddling with you… Yuuchi can cook his own food today, I'll just order pizza for the two us," Rei continued as she hugged Minako.
"I'd like that very much," Minako answered as she hugged back.
A/N: I'm following this up with an epilogue… hopefully I would be able to post it by next week… thanks for reviewing! :D