See! Consistency! I am back in what was only a week's (ish) time! So enjoy this chapter!
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"Usagi!"
She stared at the two of them, eyes wide with surprise. That was all Rei and Minako could understand from the expression she had on her face. Her jaw dropped, leaving her mouth wide open and her eyelids refused to blink as her mind soaked in the moment she just walked in on. Her face held that position as her mind processed the whole scene. The two could only look at each other, unsure of how to even approach this situation.
Rei began to open her mouth, but she didn't know what words to say, so she closed it right back. She sent Minako a concerned look before looking back to Usagi. She was nervous. She didn't think that this talk would happen at this very moment, so soon after the previous conflict had been resolved between her and Minako.
"Usagi, I'm so sorry we…" Minako started, but began to trail off. She looked at the floor when she didn't know how else to continue. Usagi started shaking her head, as if in disbelief.
"How… Why didn't you…" Usagi looked at the both of them, they both had shame in their eyes. Rei finally found the words to respond.
"We didn't know how to approach you, let alone start this conversation. We're sorry we should have come to you please don't be mad- "
"I'm not mad!" Usagi proclaimed defensively. They both looked towards her, less scared now and more confused. "I just wish you two would have told me and the others earlier! I mean, that would totally explain why you two have been acting so weird lately."
"What do you mean?" Minako stepped closer to Usagi, in anticipation of her response.
"I mean, I feel hurt is all." Minako and Rei cringed at those words. They should have known this was coming.
"We are so sorry Usagi. We let our feelings come before duty and I know that that isn't what we as soldiers should be - "
"Wait, now I'm confused." Usagi looked at Rei. There was a pause as they all exchanged glances until Minako said,
"What exactly are you upset about, Usagi? And please, explain in detail so we aren't confused. This whole constantly being confused thing is getting really repetitive." Usagi breathed in slowly through her nose, collecting her thoughts while doing so.
"So what I meant to say was that if you two have been dating this whole time, I just wish I would have known earlier. Me, Makoto, Ami… we're all your friends, so you can trust us. I'm just hurt that you didn't, especially since you two were so blatantly weird about it. Please don't feel like you have to hide anything from me because I will always love you two, okay?"
Minako took another step closer to Usagi, with Rei right behind her.
"Well we haven't been…" Minako started, but she decided that clarifying the fact that they haven't been dating this whole time wasn't the most important detail at this very moment. " So… you aren't upset at all by the idea of us being in a relationship? At all?"
"No, not at all." Rei took two more steps forward before saying,
"Even if it meant we were tossing aside our duties as soldiers to you?"
"What? Now what do you mean by that?" Usagi stared at Rei, eyes squinting, brows furrowing in confusion and concentration.
"Just that… we both made vows to you to protect you. We took vows that tossed love aside in favor of serving you, in the name of your safety as well as the safety of all those in your realm. And tossing those vows aside doesn't upset you at all?"
Usagi took a moment to process what was just said before softly smiling at the two of them. Rei tilted her head like a confused puppy and Usagi chuckled lightly at her response.
"Rei, Minako… I love you two and you know that, right?" The two slowly nodded and she continued.
"I'm so proud and honored to have the two of you in charge of caring for me and protecting me, I hope you two know that. It truly makes the hard times I may have in the future as queen seem a lot easier knowing that I have such dedicated people so close to me. But… even though I may be your future queen, and even though I may be your current princess, above all of that, I am your friend."
Usagi pulled both of their arms to get them to come closer before drawing them into a hug.
"Of course I want you two to be together if that's what you two want! I want every single one of my dear friends to be happy."
Once this exclamation left her mouth and entered their ears, both of them squeezed her tighter. Minako swore her mouth couldn't smile any wider than it was doing at that moment.
"So you aren't worried about us being involved with each other interfering with - "
Usagi put her hand up to stop Rei from continuing any further.
"I honestly do not think that would be a problem for either of you. Look at Haruka and Michiru, they function perfectly fine in their situation, flaws and all. I believe in the two of you."
Rei, at that moment, finally let go all worries she had. It was silly of her to even think Usagi would have thought any different. She smiled to herself, thinking of how much trouble she went through when she had nothing to worry about on Usagi's end.
"I'm glad that we had this clarification. But just so we're clear, we didn't mean to hide anything from you, let alone a relationship. We've just been trying to figure things out for ourselves these past couple of weeks, not hiding anything except our struggles between our duty and such. We've barely just told each other how we felt."
"Well, that makes more sense then," Usagi replied, "If this is how you two acted without telling each other, I would have been more worried if you two didn't act on what you guys were feeling. At the rate you two were going, your awkwardness would have gotten in the way of getting anything done."
"Haha, we weren't exactly the most functional people these past couple of weeks, now were we?" Minako chuckled. In all honesty, were they actually worried about what Usagi would have thought?
'I was probably just scared of the actual pursuit, the possibility of rejection and the strangeness that comes with unreciprocated feelings.' She took Rei's hand and gave it a squeeze, smiling at her. Rei squeezed and smiled back. Rei could feel it; everything was good now. Nothing to worry about.
"Oh you two are already so cute!" Usagi beamed at them. She didn't know how to contain the happiness she felt for the two of them; the urge to pinch their cheeks at their cuteness suddenly overcame her. So she did.
"What the hell, Usagi?" Rei responded. Maybe she spoke too soon about having nothing to worry about.
"I'm sorry! I'm just so happy for the two of you," she said while jumping on them to give them hugs. "I promise I'll leave you to alone soon, just let me get my happiness for the two of you out right now!"
Rei sighed, but resigned to her princess. The three of them hugged while Usagi nuzzled into the both of them. Minako couldn't help but keep giggling at her princess.
'Honestly, what was I worried about?'
Short and sweet. The next and FINAL chapter should be out next week. Until then, have a good week!
