A/N: I felt like Michiru needed to just let go, but maybe that stemmed from my horribly bad mood this past week and this one wasn't inspired by a song. It just happened.
Anyway, here we go. And I tried my hand at first person, something I struggle with. Forgive me. I'll probably never do this again.
How dare she? That barbarian was nothing short of infuriating. Intolerable. Insane. Wrong. She was dead wrong.
Some part of me registered that I had stormed into the common room and an insistent noise made me blink as I relaxed my jaw. When had I started clenching my teeth? The noise repeated, more forcefully, and I registered it as Haruka's voice. "What is it," I snapped, not really caring how I sounded. My mind was still on that insane notion that absurd, Martian barbarian had.
"You look like Rei happened to you."
Of all the possible things, she sounded amused. It made me turn so quickly that my hair whipped around, blocking half my vision. "Excuse me?"
Hands locked behind her head and legs dangling off the arm of the chair, Haruka shrugged as she stared up at the ceiling. "How long have I known you? Trained and fought beside you?"
"We met ten years ago and have been partners for six," I replied automatically, moving to sit in a chair across from her.
"That's a long time," she drawled. A long, exasperated sigh escaped me as I focused on my breathing in an effort to calm myself, though I already knew it wouldn't work. Just when I thought I would slip and demand her to continue, Haruka did so of her own accord. "In all that time, I've only ever seen Mars Rei get under your skin."
No. People have irritated me before, and often. My brow furrowed. "You know I don't like many people."
"You know who else doesn't like many people?" Haruka laughed, sitting up as she did so, and leaned forward. It's a wonder my glare didn't burn her, considering her words ran the same line as that barbarian's. "Anyway, what'd she do this time?"
I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and swallowed for the first time in a few minutes, my dry throat protesting slightly. My teeth ground against each other for a moment as I stared at nothing in particular. It wasn't surprising that the Neptunian and Martian princesses didn't much care for people. It was logical, but that had to be where the similarities ended. My gaze focused on Haruka once more. Her green eyes openly displayed interest and concern. "What do you mean?"
Haruka tilted her head curiously and leaned back. "About?"
"You said that barbarian was the only one to get under my skin."
She held up a finger. "For one thing, you've never had a problem with Martians, but you call Rei a barbarian when she's perfectly civilized."
"Martians are fine. She's a barbarian with a slightly civilized mask."
The way Haruka chuckled only worsened my mood. She was treating this so casually, but, then again, that was Haruka. "As if you don't put on an act for people." She stood, stretching. "Maybe you should work off some of that anger."
"I'm not angry," I snapped, realizing at once what a lie it was and how childish I sounded.
"I imagine Rei would call you a Neptunian brat and smirk while you openly glare." The comment threw me off guard and I blinked at her. Haruka only smiled. "You hardly ever break that calm manner of yours, but Rei makes it happen any day she sees you and has done so for almost a year."
She was right, but I didn't care to think about it. I needed to clear my mind so I could focus. "Spar with me?"
Haruka shook her head, sandy hair falling into her eyes. "The last time I sparred with you when you were like this, I couldn't breathe properly for a few days."
A small sigh escaped me and I moved to touch her arm. "Thank you, Haruka."
"For?"
"Everything," I whispered, not looking at her.
She moved away from my touch and before I could do anything, arms wrapped around me and lifted me off the floor. Haruka swung me back and forth in a half circle as if I couldn't blacken both of her eyes or lead armies to war. Arms pinned to my sides, I struggled against her grip somewhat as the room rocked back and forth rapidly and thought I heard something, but I couldn't tell. "If you don't put me down, I will drown you!"
"I love you too," she cooed.
Unrestrained laughter I didn't recognize filled the room, much to my absolute horror. This was hardly a way for a Neptunian princess to be stumbled upon. For me to be stumbled upon. I might have to have someone killed just to preserve my status. Haruka grinned, winking at me, and stared behind me, likely at our laughing visitor.
"Hey! I thought you were at the training grounds. What brings you here?"
"No one was there to spar with me."
Rei. I recognized her voice anywhere. Any and all feelings I had before evaporated into irritation and it definitely reflected in my voice. "Let me go."
Haruka unceremoniously deposited me in a chair and faced Rei. "I'd go with you, but I have to head out for some business on Uranus pretty soon." She jerked her thumb back toward me and I immediately knew I wouldn't like what she was about to say. "But Michiru was just about to head down there."
Instead of burning a hole in Haruka's head, I looked to Rei. She had the beginnings of a smirk on her face, but something swirled in her eyes I couldn't place, something remarkably interesting. "Perhaps you could accompany me for a duel?" Her voice was softer than usual, as if thinking about something.
Maybe Haruka was right. I inclined my head as I stood. "Of course."
"Nice to see you again, Princess." After smirking at me, she turned to Haruka. "Take it easy on the lovely women of Uranus."
An elbow connected with my ribs and I realized I had been glaring at Rei. Again. This time had to be different. I positively hated being addressed as "Princess." As I linked my arm with Haruka's, she spoke. "Now what fun would that be?"
Much to my irritation, Rei and I answered in unison. "None."
The woman smiled at me for the first time. It wasn't a grin or even a big smile, it was a small one, but not a smirk. Distantly, I realized that my nails were digging into Haruka's arm, but she had the decency to act like it wasn't happening and I couldn't help myself. Rei looked beautiful in some odd sense. From the guarded but interested look in her eyes framed by her dark hair to the small smile, to the way her lithe form leaned against the doorframe like a fierce animal waiting for its prey to walk by, she was undeniably beautiful.
Rei's mocking tone broke me from my reverie. "If you're not fit, it wouldn't be fair to duel with you, Princess."
"I'm perfectly fit, thank you."
"I noticed."
Damned barbarian. It didn't matter how beautiful she was. "You'll walk with us part of the way, won't you Haruka?"
When she didn't immediately respond, I finally looked at her. I was so absorbed in Rei's presence I hadn't noticed that Haruka was attempting not to die of laughter. She always wore that awkward smile, barely biting her lower lip, whenever she was containing her amusement. She choked a bit, keeping back her laughter. "But then I'll be early."
"That's something that wouldn't kill you."
"Unless we were in battle," Rei added.
I cut a glare her way, but Haruka spoke before I did. "Actually, I'll let you guys go on ahead since I'd like to get something to eat first."
Rei tilted her head slightly. "You're not supposed to eat before taking a shuttle."
"Haruka's appetite knows no bounds."
She pulled away from me, hand flying to her heart as if I caused it direct pain. "That isn't true!"
"Yes, why must you abuse your partner that way?"
I rounded on Rei. This was absurd. She had no place in this. "It's not abuse."
"Then what do you call it?"
"Bonding."
Rei smiled that small smile at me again and her playful tone left, leaving that thoughtful one in its place. "Then we must bond a lot."
There was a pulsating beat in my temple and I couldn't even find words to express my anger, which only angered me more. This wasn't something that happened to me, it shouldn't happen to me. And because of that damned barbarian.
"Off I go," Haruka called out suddenly, shooting me a grin and punching Rei's shoulder as she left.
It was obvious Haruka didn't want to be around us, but I couldn't blame her. I wasn't myself when around the damned woman. Or maybe I was-I couldn't be sure anymore. I sighed, rubbing my temple, and debated the advantages of dueling with the Martian as well as the disadvantages. I could work off my bad mood, like Haruka said, but even then the whole thing could end badly. As much as I hated to admit it, she was an absolutely skilled fighter.
Unsuspected silence made me look up. Rei had her hands in her pockets, still leaning against the doorframe, but there was something different about it. Her eyes were troubled and focused in my direction, but she didn't seem to be looking at me. Perhaps through me, instead. The proud air she had was missing, her brow furrowed somewhat and a small frown lingered on her face.
"Rei?" Not even a flicker of recognition in her eyes. I stepped closer to her and her eyes didn't follow my movements. She was hardly even blinking. "Rei," I said, louder this time. Still nothing. It crossed my mind to punch her, but I felt it was more out of spite than a desire to be helpful. So I did the only logical thing and sat in a nearby chair, picking up a book to read. She wasn't my concern anyway.
At least, that's what I told myself. But I found I'd read the first sentence multiple times, not processing any of the words, and as the silence drew on, I became more and more bothered by it. My eyes travelled back to her still form and I bit the inside of my cheek gently. The fact that, if I was being honest with myself, I felt concern irritated me and I huffed out a curse while rolling my eyes.
Haruka's voice echoed through my mind, restating the ridiculous claim that this Martian was the only one to get under my skin, my mask, my façade. To get to me. "That absurdly correct claim," I sighed, looking back at Rei. I flung the book at her, watching it bounce off her abdomen.
Her eyes blinked rapidly and focused on the book lying at her feet. Head tilted slightly with an eyebrow almost imperceptibly arched, Rei looked mildly confused and something else that I couldn't quite put my finger on.
"Cute," I said aloud in quiet realization.
"What?" Rei's eyes snapped to me in surprise, judging from the sudden way her eyebrow shot up. She looked to the book and back to me, an indignant look coming to her face as she pointed an accusatory finger at it. "You threw that at me!"
My mouth moved for a moment, but I couldn't form words. Despite her glare, I couldn't help myself. I laughed.
"Does something about this amuse you?"
She was yelling for the first time I'd ever heard and I thought there was something off about it, a tremor in her tone. When I looked up, angry amethyst eyes burned into my own, but fear-of all things-lurked beneath the surface, disrupting any thoughts I had. Not really thinking, I stood and moved closer to her, laying a hand on her arm. "Rei-"
"If you didn't want to duel, all you had to do was say so, Princess," she spat, yanking her arm away from me.
She turned as if to leave, but I couldn't speak. I couldn't think of anything but that damned Martian walking away from me. This was how she returned my kindness? Before I knew it, a great amount of water came out of nowhere and drenched her.
"And you say I'm not civilized?" Rei stood so still in the hallway I had to guess if she breathed. Steam rose off her right hand before fire erupted in her palm and danced up her arm.
To my own surprise, I laughed. "You only pretend to be civilized."
Rei whipped around, her wet hair spraying water as she did so, and stormed back into the room, stopping just within arm's reach of me. "So says the Neptunian brat." Her chest heaved, the muscles in her jaw twitched, all while the fire spiraled up and down her arm faster.
I wanted her to punch me. Rather, to try to punch me. It was the excuse I needed. "A cute and barbaric Martian, how pleasant."
Her stance shifted, but I was already moving, anticipating her. What I didn't expect was that her fist was a distraction. I cursed as Rei kicked my legs out from under me and my hand jerked, making the water on the floor surge beneath her feet. The Martian flung her hand downward as she began to slide and the fire on her arm shot to the floor, drying the water so she could regain her footing. I more or less threw a wave of water at her, which she caught with a wall of fire, and used the time to get back to my feet.
Rei smirked and I tensed, but she made no move. "So," she drawled, rolling her shoulders.
"So?"
"You think I'm cute."
I felt heat gather in my cheeks that wasn't just from the sudden physical activity and narrowed my eyes. "It was an insult, Rei."
She tilted her head. "That's the first time you addressed me by name."
"Not true." Rei straightened under my hostile gaze, her brow furrowed. "And I never claimed to be more civilized than you."
"Not outright."
I shrugged, throwing a hand up in dismissal. "It's not my fault Martians can't comprehend language."
"There's more to language than words."
Damn her for being logical when I wanted her hostile and fighting. Maybe she did it on purpose. The thought made me glare at her, to which she smirked, as if she knew what crossed my mind.
Rei lunged forward and I barely managed to deflect her fist, stumbling back. She pressed forward, the two of us exchanging blows that were blocked again and again until our arms locked together.
She gave a breathy chuckle as she shook her head, making the strands of hair in her face dance. "I find your character to be interesting."
I exhaled for a long moment, not looking her in the eyes. Rei was so close I wasn't sure if I felt her heart beating or mine. "In what way?"
"In the same way that mine interests you." The comment made me glare at her, but I faltered slightly at her proximity. She seemed to notice, smirking. "You know, if someone were to walk in right now, they'd probably think we were about to kiss."
"Or that I was about to kill you."
A look of mock surprise came her face. "After all our bonding?"
My eyes rolled. "I can't stand you."
"I can't stand you either."
"What did I do?"
All amusement left Rei's face, her smile replaced with a frown. "Nothing yet," she said more to herself than me.
"What did you see?"
"When?"
"Don't be coy. Before I threw the book at you."
"So you did throw it at me."
I tried to move away from her grip, but she wouldn't have it. "We knew that already, now move on." My gaze fell to the small space between us. "And let go."
Rei tilted her head as if considering it. "I don't think I will."
"Stop dodging me."
"You're the one that rages whenever I come close."
"Excuse me," I cried, much louder than I intended, and winced at how much I gave away in that small moment.
"Still want to know what I saw, Princess?"
That was it. I kicked her leg out from under her and we fell. My frustration grew when she laughed and I tried to free myself of her grip, surprised when it was easier than I expected. But then it made irritating sense as her arms locked behind my back, pinning me to her. I braced myself so that I was hovering over her and glared down.
"You really don't like being called that, huh?"
"I hate you."
"More or less than Haruka?"
"You're insufferable." I tried to push myself off of her, but it wasn't happening.
"No more than you."
"You still think I'm just like you?"
Rei smiled, slow and genuine. "You don't?"
I was going to tell her what an idiotic barbarian she was, but a shriek and the sound of someone falling stopped me. Rei shoved me off her before I could see who it was and rolled into a crouch by the time I could glare at her. She wasn't looking at me so I followed her gaze, discovering Minako sprawled out in the hall thanks to the water I drenched Rei with. I grimaced.
"Who did this," the Venusian shrieked.
In place of being a perfectly sane person, Rei bounded out the room and jumped over a cursing Minako, calling back, "Michiru did it!"
Minako sat up, shooting Rei a glance before looking at me in disbelief. "We're going to die."
"Hey!" I sounded as if I was the one that was a mess on the floor and didn't really take notice of Minako's comment. I could kill Rei. Without so much as a glance to the Venusian, I ran after Rei.
I found her just down the hall, laughing so hard she had to use the wall for support. She looked up at the sound of my approach and her laughter stopped when she realized I didn't slow down. Rei took off, but I sent a wave of water after her and she yelped as she slipped, skidding into a wall. For a reason I wasn't too sure of, I tackled her.
"I liked you better when you contemplated murdering me," she grumbled.
We were a mess of limbs, the most infuriating woman in the entire universe was glaring at me and I wasn't playing the part of a dignified Neptunian, but I laughed, at perfect ease. "I'm still contemplating murdering you."
"Can you do it from a distance?"
My lips twitched into a smile. "Why so cold all of a sudden?"
A black eyebrow questioned my sanity. "Maybe because someone keeps dousing me with water."
"I wonder who that could be."
Rei's expression suggested she thought about setting me on fire, but it dissolved into a smirk. "I'm pretty sure Minako's on her way to demand you do something about her ruined clothes."
Not a pleasant thought. "Still care to spar?"
"I suppose."
"Very well." I stood up, walking down a hallway.
"You look like a mess," Rei stated as she trotted to my side.
"I look like you happened to me."
"No, you'd know if I happened to you."
I shot her a sideways glance, but gave no other response to the comment. "So," I began, "there's a ball on Neptune coming up."
"I couldn't care less."
"You should come." Rei stopped walking to look at me as if I suggested we jump into one of the volcanoes on Venus. I continued, "It's political, stuffy and you'll absolutely hate it."
She resumed walking, easily catching up to me. "Then why would I come?"
I smiled. "Because it'd be much more entertaining to watch you hate it than have some dull diplomat attempt to charm me."
"That seems to benefit you."
"You're not going to ask what you get out of it?"
"I already know."
It was my turn to stop and stare at her.
"Vision," she said simply with a smile.
That same smile as before, only enhanced by the amusement dancing in her eyes. I grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her closer to me, but that's when my brain came back to life and I just stared into her eyes like an absolute idiot.
"Conflicted, Princess?"
My eyes narrowed. "I hate when you call me that."
I wasn't really sure if I expected some retort, but I wasn't surprised when she leaned closer to me, pressing her lips softly against my own. Just as my heart threatened to launch into my throat and explode, it was over.
Rei was grinning.
"I'm still contemplating murdering you."
"You'll probably try to drown me at the ball."
"Just to entertain myself."
A/N: I'm not sure if it came across like I wanted it to, but I like it all the same. Rei appealing to Michiru's nature and whatnot, causing her to just relax, despite how irritating she is... And did you notice my awkwardness? I'm not good at fluffy. Like that kiss. I almost died.
ReiFan:Yes, I'm continuing this. In fact, I am determined to have one where they're actually happy and together. Soon. Even if it kills me. (Lol, like four years later)
And one day I'll start that full length story for Rei/Michiru I have mapped out. Like after I finish two of the full length stories I have on here. (Lol also four years later)
