ONE NIGHT IV
IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES:
MINAKO'S POV

DISCLAIMER: This will retroactively apply to this entire series, but Minako and Rei do not belong to me, only the circumstances in which they find themselves.

THE PLANE:

I rested my head against the window of the plane, remembering bits from two nights ago. Lucid scraps and flashes… covering my mouth with my hand, as if it could keep everything I was feeling safely inside me. I wanted to keep her, to tuck her away…

She loved me. I had been waiting for what seemed like forever… wondering if she had answer…if it was better I didn't hear it… but she loved me too. I didn't know what to do next because there was never a next with us, only moments. Outside of her heart-bursting confession, there was also the fact that I had tied Hino Rei to my bed and blindfolded her…that she had let me, that I had liked it, that she had liked it, that I had even thought of it the first place because of those dreams. I couldn't process a single one of those things, let alone all of them. It still made my heart race to think about.

"Minako…"

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright?" I looked over at my assistant. She was sitting across from me, glasses on the tip of her nose, probably checking my appointments and appearances. It had taken forever to get her to call me by my first name.

I flashed her my famous smile. "Just tired"

She didn't look convinced. "Can I get you something eat? You must be hungry…" I hadn't eaten anything yet today, never was hungry in the morning.

"Sure."

"What would you like?" Whenever I was tired I just wanted sugar, but I could picture the look she would give me…fine, you win Miko. "Some fruit would be nice and some water."

Sara's head tilted a bit and she smiled at me almost warily. "Of course." I would need to work out when I got to whichever hotel I was staying in. It had been a few days. I'm sure my trainer had cooked up some 2-hour nightmare by now.

A tray of grapes and melon slid in front of me with a cool glass. "Would you like me to clear some time when we arrive? Maybe enough for a nap?" I heard her ask as she sat back down.

I knew she worried about me. That she knew I didn't sleep as much or as well as I needed to, but she never pushed. I would love to take a nap especially if I could have her with me… but there was no time and there was no Rei. "No, no. I'm fine. We'll be heading back to Japan in two months, I'll sleep then." I joked.

She shook her head at me. "You should try and rest, there are a few more hours till we land… but it's nice you have something to look forward to… going home I mean." I watched her looking out the window. I wondered if she was still seeing that same guy. "Did you at least get the chance to have some fun before you left?"

"I always like going home." The reasons for that had changed… or had they? Maybe I wasn't being honest with myself. I took a piece of melon, happy to find it cold and ripe. It was no starburst, but I could deal.

We were headed to Sara's home a month after we hit Japan. She had grown up in some small town I'd never heard of in a place called Montana. It sounded crazy when she described it…to be so far away from everyone else and everything else. It wasn't on the tour, but I didn't feel right about her missing the chance to go home.

Just like the last time I left, I had wanted to beg Rei to come with me, but I didn't want to seem…crazy? Desperate? Either. She was the one who brought it up; suggested she should visit me on tour sometime. I kept myself from asking if now was too soon. We had decided to meet in a month… while I would be in Cambodia. I knew I was smiling too much right now, that we were…whatever we were, still didn't seem possible. I dropped my sunglasses over my eyes and tried to fall asleep, hoping she would follow me into my dreams.

THE PICTURE:

As soon as a turned on my phone I received way too many text messages most of which were from Usa. I felt my heart drop into my stomach as I read the first one… and I felt sick reading the last.

Usa: y didn't u tell me u were here?

Usa: r u and Rei-chan dating?!

Usa: y wouldn't u tell me that?

Usa: Rei won't pick up her phone! What a meanie!

Usa: How long?!

Ruka: I knew it

Usa: OMG this is so exciting!

Usa: And totally romantic I can't believe it! :D

Usa: I'm still mad at u though

Usa: Where r u?

Usa: MINA CALL ME!

Mako: There's a pic of u and Rei-chan floating all over the place they are making out like you two are an item

I also had three voicemails from you know who, one from my publicist, and one from my manager. I was immediately on my phone scrolling through pictures on the web and there it was. Rei and I were sitting in the park, my head cuddled up in the crook of her neck, hers turned down, hair covering just enough to hide most of her face. Some ridiculous part of me wanted to smile at how good we looked together and I nearly slapped myself. Headlines scrolled across the mini screen…"Mina's new mystery girl"… "Pop star's brunette beauty"… "Dating again: Mina's new love" oh god. How could I have been so stupid… to think I could just waltz around, pretending like I didn't get followed everywhere. I was instantly panicked at the thought that they might be able to figure out who she was… that they would swarm the shrine. I wasn't careful at all, I got caught up. I didn't care if the world knew but Rei was intensely private, she wouldn't want this… who would? I felt like I had violated this thing between us…and I had no time to fix it.

Sara looked my way as her phone blew up as well. "Mina…"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash go off and then photographers seemed to explode from the walls.

"MINA… over here"

"Who's the girl?"

"What's her name?"

"ARE YOU IN LOVE?" I walked fast, trying not to run, keeping my head down. This was terrible… I slammed the car door, seeing them still snapping away. I forgot what it was like every time they thought I met someone. I had been laying low until… Rei… she was probably ready to kill me. I would be. I let this happen, because why? I wasn't thinking, I never think. I wanted to cry, I never felt like that before….not with any part of being famous. The cameras, in the beginning, I had even liked it… but suddenly they seemed to be ripping away pieces of my life that mattered… taking my beautiful secret and hauling it out into the light.

"Mina… I'm sorry." Sara said.

"Did you recognize her?" I asked. They had met once before, only for a minute, but Rei makes a memorable first impression… that worked against her in this case.

"…yes." Of course, she did.

"This is bad," I whispered to no one. I hoped to whatever or whoever was listening I hadn't ruined anything. I needed a minute alone to call her, to try and calm the storm in my belly.

THE PHONE CALL:

She hadn't answered. I had already called her twice… once before the brutalizing my trainer called a workout and once after. I had tried to take a nap, but I couldn't sleep. My sound check was in less than an hour. Sara wasn't even around to distract me because I had told her I needed some time as soon as we got to the hotel. I hadn't seen her in almost five hours. I stared at my cell phone for a full minute, trying not to throw up or scream. I wanted to call her again… I was going insane not hearing from her. I couldn't believe how … stupid, there wasn't a better word, just stupid...maybe I was blowing this all out of proportion, maybe she was busy. I needed to calm down. Taking a deep breath I reached for my cell, jumping about a mile when it vibrated…Usa.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN! I've been trying to call you for hours!"

"I was on a plane."

"…Mina…how could you not tell me?" I heard the near sob in her voice… we had always told each other everything, but no one else knew about this besides Sara. My assistant had been the only one who saw us alone together, saw me afterward. My face I'm sure, said it all because she somehow just knew.

"Usa… we … " what could I say that wasn't a lie? "It's kinda new."

"Oh my god! When? Mina… I'm so happy for you two! We need to get together… "

"No… I mean… I don't…"

She paused as soon as she heard the seriousness in my voice. "Mina-chan, are you okay?"

"Do they know it's Rei?" I asked.

"Who?"

"The magazines, have they said her name anywhere?" I felt my stomach turn inside out.

"No. They're calling her your 'mystery girl.' It's super romantic." At least I could breathe again.

"That's good."

I still couldn't believe I hadn't thought this would happen "What about Rei?"

"I thought you would know."

"What do you mean?"

"She's been totally ignoring me. I thought…" I guess not… she didn't want to talk to me either.

"Usa… I have a concert in a few hours. Can I call you tomorrow?"

"Only if you promise you will!"

"I will."

"Mina?"

"Hm?"

"Don't be sad okay? She'll understand…" I smirked a little through my misery. I wasn't so sure she would. This was such a strange, indefinable thing between us… it seemed so fragile… I didn't know how to even begin keeping it together… but if it fell apart… if I let it… I didn't know.

Imagining myself strutting around on stage as if my heart wasn't shriveling to nothing inside my chest seemed like crazy talk. I wanted to just cancel the show, forget it… hop a plane and fix whatever damage I caused. I knew I couldn't, but some part of my brain, that part that takes pleasure in making you feel like a terrible person, whispered that I was making a choice. I found myself wondering if it was true… if I was actually drawing a line in the sand right now. It was the first time I had even thought about quitting… about something else being more important to me. This had always been my dream, the thing I wanted most. Abandoning my fans wasn't something I would have ever thought would cross my mind, I couldn't. Besides, I didn't even know where she was, what she felt… I'd be running right into the cameras like some desperate girlfriend, pointing the paparazzi in the right direction. There were no good choices…god, I hated that.

THE WAIT:

I finished my last song, holding my microphone up toward the sky. All I could hear were my fans screaming and all could see were lights flashing. At the end, my audience and I always seemed to be feeling the same thing, a joy that was like nothing else in the world. In those last few moments being on stage, I felt connected to them, one of them, like we were cheering for something else, something bigger than all of this. I blew them one last kiss and made my exit, wiping the sweat from my forehead. It had been nice to pretend for a few hours that I hadn't... no time for that. I rushed back to my dressing room, nearly running to find my phone… by now she had to have responded. It had been 12 hours since I heard from her. I had texted her to tell her I wouldn't be done until late… the time difference between us was huge… she would be 12 hours ahead of me. I almost collapsed when there was no message. My costume and make-up people finally caught up with me in my dressing room. They were all huffing and puffing…they must have run down the hall to find me. I want to shove them out, to lock the door and dissolve into the mess I felt like inside, even if they were my friends. A few messages from Sara were there but I couldn't bring myself to check them.

"Minako-san, so sorry to chase after you…but, let us help you get that off…" My make-up artist spoke first. Misa had been with me from the start. We were close; I trusted her in the same way I trusted my assistant. I saw the questioning look in her eyes… I needed to be okay, everything is okay.

"But I wanted to keep this one." I pouted, cracking that smile, all white teeth, and laughing eyes. It was almost painful.

"Mina… you were fabulous tonight." Rich said, working at the buttons that held this outfit together. "But you can't steal this, it took me forever to make." The pins held between his lips muffled his expressive voice. I normally would have giggled, but I couldn't seem to force it.

"So much emotion…" Misa said, as she nearly chiseled off my eye makeup. I felt her subtly squeeze my hand. She knew I was upset and I tried to reassure her with a quick look, but I could see she wasn't convinced. The emotion was easy. I had more than I could stand at the moment. I thanked them for their kindness, barely able to hold it together through greeting my fans, through the throngs of people shouting their love, for the ride back to my hotel. There was only one explanation at this point. She saw the picture and decided she couldn't do this. She blamed me, and with good reason. She'd probably never speak to me again. I had to steel myself for seeing her, knowing that this entire thing fell pieces because I was such an idiot. When my door closed behind me and that empty sounding click echoed in the perfect white of my ultra modern room, I lost it. I must have checked my phone 800 times…nothing except Sara again which was so disappointing I threw my phone across the backseat like a child throwing a temper tantrum. I felt awful for ignoring her. It was her job to keep track of me, but I wasn't myself. Sad I could do, angry I could do, but this not knowing, this overwhelming anxiousness… I just cried and cried… embarrassed, scared, sinking and heartsick. When I finally stopped, I hauled myself up, tearing off my clothes like I hated them and lay on my side in the silly square bed. I didn't want to look at myself in the mirror, I felt ugly and lost. I placed the phone beside my nightstand, I turned the volume up all the way and I stared at it, trying to force it to ring, until exhaustion took me.

I opened my eyes, feeling as though each lid weighed about thirty pounds. I was sure I looked like hell, I felt like it. I kept waking up, thinking I had heard a noise, checking the phone to find a blank screen. It was 8:30 in the morning here, which meant it was 8:30 at night in Tokyo. I had to call Usagi or she'd never let me be. As it was I didn't have my second show for 11 hours and I planned to spend most of them in the dark, hiding under my blanket and hoping this was all some sort of nightmare.

"Mina!"

"Usa…"

"You sound awful. Are you sick?"

"No…"

"Oh, Minako…she hasn't…" She didn't finish her sentence…she didn't need to.

"She hasn't talked to you?"

"No… it's like she disappeared."

"No pictures?" I was sure the photographers had camped out all night in Tokyo, waiting for a glimpse or a clue. Worry started to build inside me. I hated feeling helpless…and right now I was absolutely and completely powerless to do anything. I didn't even know what needed to be done.

"None…they are saying she's some famous model or something." I half-laughed half-sobbed. "Mina-chan… I'm gonna let you go so you can sleep, no? I'm sure everything will work out."

"Yeah."

"It will." I sighed. I found it hard to believe in anything right now.

How had things gone from thinking of her on a plane to this? Not hearing from her was causing me physical pain, like someone was boring into me, digging a hole straight through me. I wanted to yell out loud, as loud as I could to make her hear me. Where are you? Why aren't you talking to me? She couldn't at least tell me what was going on? Had I really made this so bad she was outright ignoring me? I forced myself up and dug through my bag until I found the sleeping pills I never used. If I was going to perform tonight…which I had to really… I needed to rest at least for a little while. Reluctantly, I swallowed two down. I grabbed my computer and scoured the web for pictures while I waited for them to kick in. There was just that one of us in the park and then speculation that I was dating everyone from famous athletes to DJs to one of my backup dancers. I was nauseous. I wondered if I should have listened to myself before Ami's wedding, that I had no right to ask her to be a part of any of this in the first place. My body itself was rebelling against the combination of jet lag and emotional overload… I suddenly felt incredibly sleepy.

THE VISITOR:

I woke up to a strange smell, one I remembered but couldn't place, almost floral. I opened my eyes, which felt slightly less swollen. Looking up, I saw what I knew must be a dream standing by the window, a hot cup of jasmine tea held in both hands.

"Surprise." She said flatly. I stared at her.

"Rei?" My voice was shaking. "How…"

She smirked at me, probably because I looked like a train wreck, but I immediately lost control and started sobbing. Her eyebrows nearly shot off her face and in a second she was by my side clearly startled.

"Mina?" She tried, obviously having no idea what to do with me. I didn't know what to do with me.

"I'm so sorry…I didn't mean for this to happen I…" Oh my god, was that even my voice? Did it really just crack?

"For what to happen?" She asked, sounding confused and slightly panicked.

"All of this, the cameras, the picture… I…" She backed away just enough to look at me.

"What are you talking about?" I sniffled a bit, realizing I was still totally naked and trying to regain some of my lost dignity. I pulled the sheet around myself, knocking my computer to the side… apparently, I had fallen asleep with it on my lap.

"The picture of us… the one in all the magazines… " There was no recognition on her face as I tried to explain. How could she not know? "You didn't… I texted you and called you…"

"My phone is dead… I didn't bring my charger when I stayed with you… I haven't been able to turn it on…then the plane ride…" She spoke in a monotone that instantly scared me.

"How did you get here?"

"Sara helped."

"What?"

"You gave all of us her number way back…" Still that same quiet voice. Those texts I never read… "You said I could trust her."

"But… "

"…I wanted to get you back for surprising me…"

"I'm…" My brain couldn't seem to wrap itself around the words she was saying.

"It was the only way I could think of to keep you from paying for my ticket…" I would be fixing that later.

"But it takes over a day to fly here…"

"I know, I left the day after you did….early in the morning." She was speaking barely above a whisper. "Do they know who I am?"

"No."

She said nothing as she sat next to me. I heard her sigh; saw her set her jaw and I wanted to hide, to burrow inside the bed. She steepled her fingers, resting them on the bridge of her nose, elbows on her thighs. This was all my fault. I had been so careless.

"… Usa must be going crazy." Her fingers slipped down her face a bit, dragging at her bottom lip. My mind was going a mile a minute, coming up with all of the terrible things she would say, all the words that would cut me in two. My lungs felt like someone was pulling down on each one as I struggled to breathe. I had expected her to be angry, furious, maybe hurt. Not quiet… thoughtful. It made the skin on the top of my head tingle, like my nervousness was a living thing, running over me. "I'm not shocked I guess… it does get kinda hard to ignore the fact that your face is…" I glanced sideways and her eyes met mine for a second before she finished. "Everywhere."

"Are you…mad at me?" I had to ask. I rubbed at my arm as I waited.

She didn't answer right away. There was something in her expression almost like the question bothered her, hurt her feelings, but the look was gone in an instant. "No."

"I wanted to keep you a secret..." I whispered.

"A secret?" She looked at me strangely, as if she didn't know how to respond, as if she wasn't sure how to take that. I wasn't saying the right things at all.

"I didn't want you to have to deal with all of this... It isn't fair." I wouldn't cry again, I had cried enough. The embarrassment I felt for my meltdown was keeping me right on the edge of breaking down again. "I … got caught up," I added.

Silence filled the room and she looked down at her feet as if they had answers. She never knew what to say, was hyperconscious of it I knew, I actually found it adorable…usually. I didn't want to want to change her, but I wanted her to say something, anything to take away the feeling that I was suffocating. It seemed like forever before she turned to look at me with those deep violet eyes. "I think we both did… " My heart finally fell back into place when she blushed. Her response … and those eyes… I still was.

I wanted to explain myself…but how could I put into words my life, what it was like, what I was afraid it would do to her? to us?

She leaned in slowly and I met her the rest of the way. I wanted to crawl into her lap the second our lips met. We pulled back, both watching each other. A look I couldn't place painted her face until a slow grin broke out in the corner of her mouth. I was confused. "Mina… you are such a mess right now…" She said, shaking her head and wiping the corner of my eye with her thumb. Tears were still waiting for something else to go wrong apparently. She eyed me almost shyly, as she touched my face with the back of her hand.

"I guess I should probably take a shower…" I said, my breath hitting her fingers.

"Good idea." She whispered, dropping her arm. I pretended to be offended and stuck out my tongue, walking off toward the bathroom in a make-believe huff. Now if I could only get my heart to stop pounding.

THE SHOWER:

The hot water felt amazing and I let it roll down my back, trying to wash away the emotion that was still coursing through me. I had been on edge for so many hours now, unable to sleep really, and I couldn't seem to calm down. I had texted Sara, diffused that situation. Everything seemed to be okay. I was slowly letting go of the nightmare I had carved out of pure emotion, letting the things I had spent last night convincing myself were true fall away. Now there was the excitement of her here, actually here with me, nibbling at my nerves. Had I even told her I was happy she came in the midst of all my humiliating craziness? I clenched my eyes shut, trying to will myself to relax.

I heard her walk in, putting something on the vanity across from me. It was directly opposite the shower. It seemed like every fancy hotel had glass showers. I heard her turn on the faucet, washing her face probably. A large double mirror extended almost half the length of the room. I wondered if she would watch me... if she would be tempted. If it was the other way around, I would… but Rei was more polite than I was on my best day. I concentrated through the sound of the running water, listening for little noises, little cues, glad for somewhere to direct my energy. She was definitely washing her face… probably keeping her eyes down deliberately.

My mind began murmuring things to me, letting them bounce around inside my skull. I tried to control the thoughts as they popped up, tried to push them down, to focus on washing myself, which was doing nothing for my self-control anyway. I imagined her taking off her clothes slowly, seeing just the flashes of color, suggestive shapes through the heat. I could even hear the sounds in my head, of cloth hitting the tiled floor. I imagined her opening the glass, stepping into the shower and her dark hair covered her face, her chest. I pictured what she had described in that breathless voice, her trapped beneath me… pinning her to the wall, holding her wrists by her head, my lips on her neck. I tilted my head back to rinse the conditioner, while the noises I knew she would make grabbed at my insides. My hand followed the curve of my own neck. I heard her take a towel from the ring, the distinctive sliding of fabric against metal. I wondered if I was taking this too far, envisioning my thigh between hers, our breasts touching and the hot water between us… always running over us.

"I felt a little gross after the plane ride." Her quiet voice startled me. I opened my eyes to see her stepping into the shower with me, rubbing at her arm, covering her chest, nervous. She was seriously considering that I might not be okay with her joining me?

I thought about making a joke, but instead, I reached my hand out, pulling her to me, nuzzling into her neck. She hesitated for a second before wrapping her arms around me. I whispered against her skin, "I'm giving you money for the plane ticket."

I felt her smirk against my forehead. "Go ahead and try." I sighed. Despite my thoughts from before, I didn't want anything more. At this moment, just her body touching mine, her here, was perfect. I lifted my head enough to kiss her, draping my arms over her shoulders, the water hitting our sides, falling between us.

THE MAKEOVER:

"Mina's new toy?" She said to no one, staring at the laptop. "They make me sound like some kind of lovesick puppy."

I didn't answer, but I had a hard time keeping the grin from my face.

"Model, athlete, celebrity… make up your minds!" She grumbled, clicking away. "There is only that one picture, how the hell can they tell anything? You can't even see my face!"

I climbed up on the bed, lying on my stomach next to where she sat propped against the headboard, shooting the computer death stares. "At least they have no idea who you are." I chimed in, playfully. She was adorable when she got all worked up.

"True. Though I'm sure grandpa would be having a field day with all those reporters at the shrine."

"Especially if they were young female reporters." I laughed. She rolled her eyes.

"So have any of our friends…"

"Yeah…" I said, somewhat nervous.

"Who?"

"Well, Mako-chan was super polite about it, basically just telling me the picture was out there."

She smiled a bit at that. I knew she had always appreciated the other woman for being so respectful.

"Nothing from Ami-chan. Ruka said she knew it." Rei scoffed but grinned. "I figured she did after she texted me that pic of you from Rini's birthday..."

"What picture? How many pictures of me are there floating around that I don't know about?"

I smirked at her. "Pink frosting looks good on you..." She almost growled.

"What about Usa.."

I took a deep breath in. "Totally flipped and then wouldn't stop talking about how romantic it was."

She shook her head. "Maybe I shouldn't go home… I don't even wanna turn on my phone."

I smiled. "Usagi is definitely scarier than paparazzi. I'm sure no reporter is gonna guess I'm dating a Shinto priestess anyway." As the words left my mouth, I realized it was the first time we had named this, dating… did that make her my girlfriend? I was almost afraid to look at her. I kept my head down, trying to act as though I hadn't said anything totally presumptuous. We weren't doing things in the usual order. First, we were best friends, then I fell in love, then we slept together, and then we admitted we loved each other, now I wasn't sure… but we might be able to call this dating. If we were dating, then she was my girlfriend. I could feel the stupid smile on my face almost immediately.

"Not with your reputation." She teased and then eyed me suspiciously. "What?"

"Usa's right, you are a meanie." That eyebrow lifted and her lips tightened. I couldn't tell if she was just pretending or partly serious. Sitting up, I moved the small computer to the side table and straddled her lap.

"A meanie?" She repeated, violet eyes meeting mine, speeding my heartbeat.

I nodded. "Sometimes…but I like it." I said, repeating her words from the last time we were together, kissing her again. She was reluctant at first, trying to hold onto the game we were playing, but she let go quickly. I couldn't seem to get enough of her lips, the sighs, her eyelids falling closed. Her fingertips slid beneath my shirt, running over my stomach, tracing my ribs. I was floating and anchored all at once. I tried to calm myself, not take this further, just enjoy the feeling of it, her arms around me. She was the one that eventually pulled away, both us breathing noticeably heavier.

"When do you have to leave?" She asked.

"…like 10 minutes." Her head fell against my shoulder. "I have to go to an after-party too…"

She glanced up at me. "Have to?" She grumbled.

"Have to," I answered, trying not smile at the whine in her voice. "Come with me…"

She opened her eyes, they were dark and hazy, and my stomach flipped. "How?" She asked. How… she couldn't be seen, the only option was to disguise her. I had a few wigs with me…but Rich and Misa would take care of it if I asked. They'd do a way better job than me. I smiled, this would be fun.

"No."

"What?"

"Mina…"

"What?" I asked even more innocently this time.

"No. You're not making me a blonde." That would be interesting.

THE LIMO:

I had to make an incredible effort to stay focused during my concert. There were throngs of people sporting backstage passes waiting in the wings and I had no idea what she might look like now. It was strangely exciting to know she could be watching me and without me being able to tell. I had left Rei in Sara's hands. I knew she'd make sure she got over to Rich and Misa quietly. I didn't even see her until I was in the limo heading off to whatever nightclub was hosting the party. When I stepped in, I saw her sitting, looking out the window, long fingers resting on the glass. She was herself and not at all herself. Her hair, I couldn't tell if it was a wig or not, was styled with lighter strands, just little more brown than her own, running through it. It hung loose and slightly wavy, a few locks falling in front of her face. Misa, being the genius that she was, had highlighted and contoured in a way that made her look like she could be any number of people depending on the angle. When she turned her eyes my way, I noticed they were a different shade, a caramel brown. I had never changed my eye color, blue was common enough, but hers was so unique. It was a convincing disguise. Her outfit was perfect, as though it had been lifted off the page of a magazine. Rich was good at that. She looked stunning, important, famous... like someone people should know. As beautiful as she was, I had mixed feelings about seeing her like this. It just wasn't my Rei…

She broke me out of my thoughts. "These contacts are terrible."

"Itchy?"

"Yes," She sighed.

"Is that your hair?" I reached out; it certainly felt like it.

"Temporary color and a curling iron."

"Wow."

She smirked at me. "I do like the dress though."

I looked down at her legs, long muscles flexed lightly as she crossed them. We were alone in this limo. When I lifted my eyes back to hers, there was an expression on her face that was familiar, but only because I still didn't know what it meant.

She glanced at me warily. "Do I even want to know what you're thinking?"

"I could describe it to you," I said as casually as I could manage.

She blushed a bit and shot me a look, which I noticed wasn't nearly as intense with the contacts. "Where are we going anyway?"

"Just a nightclub. One of the new girls from my label is gonna do a small show there." I was realizing she was nervous about this.

"I don't go to places like that much." She said. I didn't think she did really, maybe here and there, but I wouldn't guess it was something she loved to do. That is what scared me about our lives, the idea that they might not mesh, that the edges would be too different to fit.

"It's more promo than for fun," I explained.

She was tracing her fingers across the stitching in the leather seat. "But you do still have fun…"

"Most of the time… do you not want to go?" I wanted her with me, but not if it meant she'd be miserable. Actually, I wanted to take her back to the hotel…

"No, I'm okay with going…"

I was guessing that the idea of being crammed between all those gyrating bodies wasn't very appealing to her. "You don't have to dance."

"It's not the dancing I'm worried about…" She responded in a way I didn't quite know how to take but instantly set my mind working. Did that mean there was even a chance she'd be dancing with me? I didn't want to get my hopes up.

"Okay…"

She seemed frustrated with herself. "… nevermind. I'm being stupid." In fairness, she had warned me she was difficult… but, weren't we all?

"You sure?"

"Yes." She was being deliberately evasive, which meant if I pushed her, she would get angry or upset. I had to leave it alone, but leaving it alone was not something I did well. It took more self-restraint than I liked having to use. I couldn't let her know I noticed either, then she'd feel guilty. I wondered if she felt any of this watching me have a complete mental break when she first arrived. It had surprised her, yes, but it hadn't shaken her, not the way it had my boyfriends. Understanding something that made so little sense, really didn't take away from how bizarre it was from the outside. We really are impossible creatures.

THE CLUB:

"Are you going to say anything to them?" She asked, slightly irritated, whether it was at me or at them or at both of us I couldn't tell. The photographers outside the club had shaken her, so she was extra irritated with the group of well-dressed men staring at us from across the room.

I gave her an amused look, sipping at my drink. "I don't think me telling them that we're together would convince them to stop staring."

She huffed, and then stared at me with those strange brown eyes, not me… my drink. "What is that?"

"Something called Fernet and Coke…the owners sent us a round of them." I didn't particularly like it, but I was being gracious. Apparently, it was popular in Argentina. I was usually a cosmo girl, even if it was cliché. She hadn't touched a drop of alcohol all night. My manager. The tour manager and the rest of our crew were an entirely different story. Oddly enough, I drank the least of all of us, besides our bodyguards. If things went as they usually did, it would be time for shots soon enough. "Do you want to try it?"

I handed it to her and she brought it to her mouth. "It smells like cough syrup."

"Is that a no?" She watched me and took the tiniest taste I had ever seen, followed by a wince she tried desperately to hide. "Do you want something else?" I asked. Taking a few big swigs, she shook her head. I didn't really know what was bothering her, but I knew something was. In the background, I could hear the performance starting.

Making a typically grand entrance, Rich all but threw himself onto the couch beside us. "She looks a-mazing right? Fantastic canvas." He slung his arm around her, apparently they bonded. "What's with the sour face, honey? Contacts still bothering you?"

"They're awful."

"Take them out… no one can tell the difference in this lighting." He waved his hand dismissively.

"Why not just give her sunglasses in the first place?" I asked. I caught Misa's gaze from where she was leaning on a nearby beam. She shrugged, pointing at the stylist.

"They matched her hair perfectly, Mina… it completed the look. They just popped against that dress." I covered my mouth, trying to hide a laugh, as Rei's eyes nearly rolled out of her head.

"Here, let me help." My make-up artist knelt in front of her. "Look up."

"Kami, that's better." She sighed in relief, blinking rapidly, and smiling a bit for the first time since we arrived.

A tray of some clear, amber colored shots appeared the table in front of us. He looked down at my, well Rei's drink. I was surprised to see that it was half gone. "This isn't working." It was set down on the table. "Mina, you're not taking care of this girl!" He shot me a look of disapproval. Rei was watching him the way you would watch a wild animal... awed, but wary.

"What are those Richard?" I asked.

"Tequila." I wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not.

She looked at me, those eyes I loved seeing straight into me. "Rei…?" I questioned. I never drank the rounds that seemed to pass by endlessly. I preferred to build a slow buzz at my happy little pace. Were we really doing this? Picking up a glass she tossed it back, shuddering a bit. I heard Rich's high pitched squeal of delight as she placed the empty shot glass down… I guess so.

"I love this girl!" He laughed. Me too, I added silently. A tiny glass slid across the wood. I was tempted to suggest a body shot, but if she was worried about the attention she was receiving before, that wasn't going to help. I stared at the liquid as it settled. One shot wasn't going to kill me...blech... or was it? God… even the best tequila tasted like fire to me.

"Minako-san!" I turned to look behind me. "There are some people I think you should meet." My manager waved me over. I caught her eyes briefly and she gave me a small nod. This was not at all what I wanted to be doing right now, leaving her here. With a deep breath, I stood up, throwing on my best smile and followed him back to the group of men in suits. My acting was much more convincing than I thought it would be, given that I kept peeking over at her and my friends. I watched the three of them acting silly, enjoying the fact that she no longer looked so down. It stung that it wasn't my doing. I threw myself into the game, laughing when I needed to, responding with loose commitments, compliments no one really meant, promises made with no intention to keep them. It all seemed so fake and silly right now. I kept turning the same idea over in my mind...that this was all too much, that she'd say she couldn't do it, didn't want it. I was happy when their attention turned toward the stage, the flashing lights and sounds, a fresh face to fawn over. My manager was deep in selling his new talent when I made my escape.

I sat back down, next to her, noticing another few shot glasses, now empty, in front of her. I was a little concerned.

"Done romancing the suits?" Rich asked me, resting his chin on his hands.

"I hope so." I giggled.

"My turn then." He laughed.

"I need another drink!" Misa pouted at him. He was up in an instant, strutting off toward the bar. I nodded a thank you, and she rolled her eyes good-naturedly at him.

I turned my head and noticed she was watching me. "I was nervous about coming tonight." She said.

"I know." Her thumb ran along her bottom lip as she spoke, it was completely subconscious, but I couldn't take my eyes off it. I imagined it running along my own.

"Because I'm not much of drinker."

"Neither am I," I said. "I can never keep up." As if on cue, another round of shouts erupted from off to our left. "You must be so bored..."

"Mina, your friends have been very nice...but" She glanced to the side, her forehead wrinkling, and then looked at me guiltily. "I think I'm a little drunk." I felt my chest tighten a bit.

It was apparently difficult for her to do anything I didn't find endearing. "A little is okay Reiko"

She leaned over, placing her hand on my thigh lightly, whispering into my ear. "I wanna dance with you." It seemed she was still in control of her body.

I turned my head to see her face. "You do?"

She nodded, taking my hand and leading me to the smaller dance floor up in the VIP section. I had never seen Rei dance. She'd never come with Usa, Mako, and me when we would sneak off. I felt strangely nervous when she put her hands on me. Her dress, her body rubbing against me… and those violet-eyes... I wasn't sure I was ready for this. I found myself wishing I had taken another drink, something to calm me down. The way her muscles shifted, smooth and quick beneath her skin, the way the fabric of her dress slid across it… I lost myself quickly, forgetting all the things that had been biting at my brain… let the dim light, the heavy bass, the heat of her surround me. It took all that had not to kiss her, to steal her off to some dark corner when her eyelids fluttered. I could tell by the way she was breathing it was affecting her too. By the time we stopped, I was sure my blood had turned into pure electricity.

THE HOTEL:

The ride back to the hotel was awkward in a way that I usually would have enjoyed. All of us piled into the limo, no one who drove able to drive back...but she was sitting so close, I could feel the warmth of her skin. She was still a bit tipsy, touching me too much, too long, not seeming to notice. My heart was still beating fast as I thought about her dancing, us dancing. It was like I could finally breathe again when the door to my room clicked shut... when it was just the two of us.

I turned around just the bathroom door shut.

I took off my shoes moving into the bedroom to take off my jewelry. As she walked in, she peeled off her dress and stepped out of her shoes. She was wearing a deep purple push-up bra and a pair of matching...god...she was so incredibly... I watched her as she looked up at me, face scrubbed clean, looking like herself again. She came close until our faces were only a few inches apart.

"Mina?" I felt the vibration of her voice against my lips. A blush covered me from cheek to toes as I turned my eyes up to hers. "Kiss me..." She said, low and almost pleading. I brought my mouth to hers gently, letting my hand slide up her neck, into her hair, thumb brushing her earlobe. She moaned softly into the kiss, a sound that twisted and twirled around me.

She undressed me, slowly, carefully as though she were unwrapping a present, never removing the rest of her clothes. I sat back against the pillows propped up in front of the headboard, her parting my legs, kneeling between them. This didn't seem real, like a dream I was having, but then her mouth was on my ear and the sensations came pouring in, wonderful and so very solid.

I moaned, heard myself, barely recognizing my voice, as she bit my neck, hand on my breast, squeezing. My insides were churning as she moved against me, slow and sensual... as if we were still dancing. I found it hard to imagine that this was the same girl, that only days before, I had tied to my bedpost. I gripped her shoulders, her hair as she curled her back, her tongue wrapping around my nipple. My eyes snapped shut, little sounds tore from my throat as her breath blew across my wet skin, her hand at my hipbone. She kissed me as her fingers stroked me, slid inside me, her tongue caressing mine as I gasped. I felt my skin flush as she touched me, my body following her lead, her mouth never leaving mine. I put my palm on her wrist... because I could feel my heartbeat everywhere in my body because once was all I could take tonight. As she pulled back I caught my breath and she touched my cheek, her eyes questioning. I felt myself blush as I nodded, my throat tightening as a small, shy smile broke across her face.

"Reiko..." I gently pushed her onto her back, my hands running over every delicious curve of her body. I kissed along her pulse point, feeling it move beneath my lips, whispering to her whatever came into my head to say. Reaching behind her, I unhooked her bra, pulling it from her body. I let my fingers trail over her chest, circling, watching as her nipples swelled, bending my head to flick my tongue over each one. I traced the side of each breast with my lips, enjoying her hands in my hair. I had never felt the kind of deep pleasure I got from touching her... as if my body was the only way for me to tell her I loved her... as if I felt what she did.

My lips trailed down her legs, kissing every piece of skin I could find, taking as much time as I could stand to. Her calves were incredibly soft, her fists clenching as I tasted the backs of her knees. Her hand slipped down, lower than her navel and I knew it was starting to become too much. Her eyes opened wide as I took her hand and slid it back up her body, a groan tumbling out. Her breath was fast and uneven as I nipped at her inner thigh. Running both my hands along the tops of hips, I looped my fingers in the band of her underwear, removing the last barrier between us. I watched her face... her parted lips. I held her as I ran my tongue along the length of her. She cried out…like she had the first night we were together and it did exactly the same thing to me. Our eyes locked as my lips barely floated across the most sensitive part of her. Even when she pulled me to her, I didn't stop, touching her until she was trembling, until her hips jumped, a sound I'd never heard her make before shooting right through me.

"Come here" She whispered, breathlessly, reaching for me as small tremors still ran through her. I rested my head on her chest, listening to the pounding of her heart, wrapping myself around her. Her eyes were still closed when she spoke. "I'm sorry you were so worried before..."

It took me a minute to realize she was talking about when she first got here. I wondered how long she'd been wanting to say that.

"Thanks for coming out with me tonight..." I said, kissing her shoulder. "...and for surprising me." She didn't say anything, but I saw the embarrassed smile right before a yawn she tried to hide.

"Tired?" I asked gently. It was 4 o'clock in the morning.

"...just thinking."

"About?"

"A lot of things." I waited for her to continue, curling my body even tighter around hers. "Mina...you said something before in the hotel..." I said a whole bunch of things, my mind was swimming trying to pick out what might have stuck with her. "That you're dating a Shinto priestess." She clarified and I froze.

I did say that, yes, but I had no clue how to respond to her right now. I hid my face in the crook of her neck as if I could make myself disappear.

"I guess that makes you my girlfriend." She said softly, more to herself than me. "I've been thinking about it all night...the word... girlfriend, but..." She stopped herself and my breath. I swallowed nervously as she opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling. "It doesn't sound like enough." She whispered, letting her eyes fall closed again. I lay still; searching for words to describe what I understood only because there was a part of me that didn't need them.

END.