For what felt like an incredibly long moment, the two – Rei, Princess of Mars, and Jadeite, former First General of the Dark Kingdom – could not look at each other. As soon as he had forgiven her, Rei had turned back away to stare out of the window. Jadeite, for his part, began to study everything else in her opulent bedroom. Complementary shades of red glowed from all over every surface, each stick of furniture, and all of her accessories. Each time his eyes shifted focus, a new old memory flashed through his head.
His eyes traveled down the length of her deep crimson velvet curtains, and his mind's eye followed the same path over her ball gown of the same color. Queen Serenity hosted the Milky Way's winter ball and Princess Rei made her appearance escorted by General Jadeite. At first, it had only been an assignment of courtesy, but they hadn't been able to look away from each other all night.
He stared at a red Tiffany-style glass lamp glinting on top of an ornately-carved chest of drawers. In response, his brain supplied him with an image of Rei having dropped a shrimp down the top of her dress. Her cheeks flamed and she tried as discreetly as possible to fish the fried crustacean out of her brassiere! Jadeite could hear her laughing in spite of herself, along with the memory of his own laughter.
Her Eternal henshin wand lay carefully-placed on her bedside table. Jadeite had a sudden memory of the first time he watched her transform. Negotiations with representatives from Charon had gone badly, and the Senshi transformed just in case Princess Serenity needed protection. The Generals had accompanied Prince Endymion, of course, and had all been impressed by their Lunar counterparts! It certainly did not hurt that they shed their entire wardrobes in order to transform, the Generals had agreed between themselves later.
Finally, Jadeite found it in himself to take a couple of tentative final steps towards his princess's bed. He remembered, a bit vaguely, how Rei could be – layer upon layer of complicated personality, the discipline of a monk, a temper like a fiery volcano, and a wall around her like stone. Taking a deep breath, he reached out to place a cautious hand on her shoulder. She winced under his touch almost as if she had expected him to try and hit her… The former General had no idea how to react to that.
"Princess Rei," he addressed her softly. "It seems it has come time for us to forgive each other. I have forgiven you as you have done for me. Your friend Serenity is wise – I am sure she would tell you it is time to forgive yourself as well."
The dark head shook – still she refused to look at him.
"Call me Rei, Jadeite," she told him in her quietest voice. "… just like you used to – don't you remember?"
The blonde man could not help smiling. Of course he remembered. A stickler for royal protocol and correctness, Rei loved passion when the two of them found private time! Taking a chance, he slid his arm around her shoulders and leaned in with his lips by her ear. No matter how upset she had been back then, he had almost always managed to avoid a night on the couch this way…
"Rei, come on – look at me," he half-purred in her ear. "The past is gone."
He could not be surprised by the angry glint in her violet eyes.
"How can you say that?" she hissed, frowning at him. "I was so stupid!"
Though she stiffened, Rei did not try to push him away when he pulled her close to his side.
"Doesn't matter now," he insisted, holding her tight. "All that matters is that we're together again. We have another second chance."
For a second, Rei's eyes glazed as she stared at him, as if she no longer recognized him.
"Another second chance," she repeated, her eyes burning deeply into his. "Second chances only happen once, if that much."
He couldn't argue there, so instead of admitting defeat, Jadeite leaned in until their lips lay only inches apart.
"It seems that doesn't matter now either," he told her with a smile. "Because all I see…"
He kissed her cheek lightly, causing her face to turn pink.
"Is a second chance to do this…"
Next, he kissed her other cheek. Rei only pouted at him, but she could hardly suppress her smile.
"And this…"
She squeaked when he kissed her nose!
"Jadeite!" she all but whined.
The blonde looked playfully affronted.
"Me?" he asked. "Not back for twenty minutes and what have I done this time?"
Her soft pink lips had formed a pout again, yet her eyes danced with light. Rei, the warrior of fire, could not often admit when she had been wrong, but this time she had been defeated! It would do neither of them any good for her to be stubborn now – she had learned this the hard way before. She reached one hand up to slide her palm along his cheek. Jadeite smiled at her in a way she had not seen anyone smile in entirely too long. He leaned into her touch like a cat and she remembered quite suddenly that he had always loved when she touched his face.
"You haven't kissed me properly," she pretended to chastise him. "But, I'm sure I can find it in my heart to forgive you for that… if you make good soon!"
Oh yes, it would be a cold day in hell before she forgot that smile.
"Oh, you will?" he teased, getting so terribly close that she could feel his breath against her lips. "Then allow me…"
Both of them felt fire when his lips came down on hers! The hand on his cheek threaded up into his hair. Jadeite gasped. The two of them could not let go of each other. They kissed again…
