'Cath'
----------------------------
"I've met someone."
Rei tightened her grip on the receiver as she struggled to keep her tone impassive. "Oh?"
"Mm." The miko closed her eyes. She could almost see Minako stretched out on a hotel bed, cradling the phone with her shoulder as she idly wound an index finger through the coils of the cord. "His name is Hiroyuki. He did security for a few of my shows."
"Sounds fantastic." she mumbled lamely.
"Don't sound so excited."
The raven haired woman scowled. "What the hell do you want me to say?"
"I don't know." Minako replied quietly. "I just thought you should be one of the first to know."
"Why?"
"Rei..." Minako sighed. "We're getting married."
---- three months later -----
"What, you're not going?" Haruka demanded quietly, crossing her arms and leaning against the door frame.
"How many times do I have to say it?" Rei growled out. "No! It was a no when Usagi asked me, it was a no when Ami pleaded with me, and it's still going to be a no even if you threaten to kick my ass from here to the moon."
"She's going to want you there..."
"I don't care."
"Don't say that! I know that's not true!" the blonde tried again.
Violet eyes squeezed shut. "Get out."
"Rei..."
The miko slammed her fist down on the kitchen counter and lashed out in anger, glass shattering as dishes crashed to the floor.
Haruka's breath caught in her throat as the taller woman froze, suddenly unsure. The situation was rapidly spiraling downward, especially now that that Rei's volatile temper was flaring.
"Get. Out." The words were calm, but after years of battles, Haruka could easily detect the threat beneath them. The blonde however, was not one to be so easily deterred.
"So you're giving up, just like this then?"
"I already gave up, remember?" Rei laughed, but it sharp. "I had my chance. I blew it."
The racer sighed wearily. "If you hadn't spent so much time acting like a spoiled child, like you are now, it wouldn't have come to this!"
The miko spun on her heels, and had it not been for her years of training, Haruka would have never seen the fist that collided with her right cheek. She immediately braced herself, the blow doing little more than causing the soldier of wind to take a step back. Rei's features, once snarled into a mask of loathing and anger, immediately softened. Her arms dropped to her sides limply as she sank to her knees amongst the shards of glass, hanging her head in shame.
"Haruka. I...I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."
The blonde shook her head. "No. I pushed you. That makes it my fault." she knelt down beside the miko, wincing as glass crunched beneath her sneakers. "Lucky for me though, you still hit like a girl."
"I don't even know what to say to that." Rei admitted blankly.
"Do you still love her?"
"I never stopped." the fire soldier sighed. "Everything just happened so fast. I just got so scared. I pushed her away. I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't stop myself."
"How about you just come with me?" Haruka's tone softened, and she placed a reassuring hand on the miko's shoulder. "I know how it feels. You'll regret it if you don't."
"I don't think I can do this."
"We've faced a hell of a lot worse."
"This is different." Rei replied in a near whisper. "I...I messed up. Badly. I had her. I had everything I wanted, but I was too stupid to see it."
"That's why you need to do this. Closure."
Rei swallowed hard. "I don't understand."
The racer glanced at her watch and grimaced. "We should go. You'll see for yourself." she rose to her feet and offered the miko a hand.
"This still seems like a horrifically bad idea." Rei muttered as Haruka pulled her up.
"You're the psychic one here. You tell me."
"I wish it were that easy." the miko mumbled under her breath, gingerly brushing away the shards that clung to her jeans.
"Here's an idea. Go change. If need be, I'll call Usagi and have her stall the wedding."
Rei's eyes widened. "You're joking."
Haruka shrugged. "I'm not really too fond of the guy myself, but no surprise there."
--------------------
The miko paused before the entrance to the church, one eyebrow raised as Haruka began to ascended the steps. Sensing her comrade's hesitation, the wind soldier halted. "Hey. Don't chicken out now."
"Who's a chicken?" Rei growled. "I'm just saying it again. This is a horrible idea."
"Do you always have to be so negative?" Haruka muttered, taking a firm hold of the miko's arm. "So help me, I will drag your sorry carcass in there by force if I have to."
"Alright. Alright. Damn, does Michiru know about these violent tendencies of yours?"
Surprisingly, the racer flushed. "Shut up."
Rei chuckled triumphantly, but her victory was short lived as a sense of impending doom flooded her senses. Wordlessly, she allowed Haruka to drag her through the chapel, past the hundreds of bustling guests and down a cramped hallway. Her heart surged wildly in her chest as she watched her friends dart in and out of a door ten feet away and closing, and now her mind raced along erratically as the hand that had such a firm grip on her released. She became dimly aware of the fact that Usagi was speaking to her, and it seemed incredibly important, but all she could focus on was the door that was now before her. Minako was here. She could feel it. Her blood rushed hotly through her veins and her body was humming, burning and alive. All of her fears and apprehensions slammed into her, full force, and she wasn't surprised to find her legs had begun to tremble. Rei swallowed, and ran her tongue over lips that had become impossibly dry.
Run moron. Now would be the perfect time.
But her chance came and went, the door was flung open, and a pair of hands roughly shoved her over the threshold. She stumbled blindly for a second, trying to protest, but the words died in her throat. Wild violet eyes landed on the figure before her, elegant and beautiful, looking every inch like a fairytale princess in a long white wedding dress. Minako turned from the mirror, crystal blue eyes widening in shock. Clearly Rei was the last person she had expected. She rose to her feet, adjusting the folds of her dress and tilting her head. Golden hair spilled across one shoulder, and the fire solider could swear that the heart that had been hammering so hard before stopped cold.
"Rei." her voice was warm and soft, and it numbed the miko to her core. "I wasn't sure if you'd come."
The raven haired woman struggled to find her voice and keep it steady. "I wouldn't miss it."
"I was starting to doubt that."
"...I'm sorry." For everything.God. Just let me say it.
"I'm sorry too." Minako murmured. "I know there were times when it was difficult to get along."
Rei forced a smile onto her face, cringing inwardly as cold fingers gripped her heart. "It doesn't matter now. You look beautiful." Blacking out the friction.
"Thank you." The blonde beamed, and the miko could feel her stomach twist painfully. "I thought I would be more nervous." she shrugged lightly. "I should just count my chickens."
The fire soldier cocked an eyebrow. "....I think you mean blessings."
"Hush. My day. I can say what I want." Minako scowled, but the miko could see laughter dancing in cerulean pools, and it twisted her soul in a way she hadn't expected.
"Is he a good man?" Rei asked quietly.
"He is."
"If he hurts you..."
"I know." Minako cut in gently.
"As long as that's clear."
"I know you won't like him, no matter what I say."
"Probably not."
"He's sweet. He treats me well, and I think I can be happy with him."
"Well whatever, you know I'm happy for you." Rei murmured, feeling awkward and clumsy, though the words were surprisingly sharp.
Blue eyes widened and Minako's face fell. "Rei..."
The door creaked open, and an odangoed blonde mop poked around the corner. "Hey, guys? I'm sorry to interrupt, but..."
All at once, a change came over Minako. Her expression became one of grim determination as she squared her shoulders back and sighed. "It's alright Usagi. I'm ready."
Ready? Ready for what, war? Who has a face like that before they walk down the aisle?
Rei opened her mouth to say something, anything, but her vocal chords refused to cooperate, and she could only stand there, dumbfounded and blank, as the girl of her dreams left the room to marry another. Usagi watched Minako go, and fixed the miko with a strange look.
"Rei. You okay?"
"Huh?" The miko shook her head, trying to clear her disjointed thoughts. "Yeah. I'm, yeah.
"Come on." the princess murmured, taking the fire soldier's hand. "You're going to miss the ceremony."
She felt disconnected and hollow as she followed the blonde down the hall and past the rows of pews, mechanically sliding into the first row beside the rest of her friends. Blankly she stared up at the pulpit and fixed her gaze on the man in the black suit, who was now fidgeting nervously with his cufflinks. He was good looking and tall, but pretty average all around. She decided that he didn't look anything like she had imagined he would, judging by Minako's tastes in the past.
"Is that him?" Rei asked numbly, though she was already sure she knew the answer.
"Yeah." Makoto murmured. "We've only met him once before. He seems nice enough."
"Doesn't this seem rather sudden?" Ami said quietly.
"Minako has always been a rather sudden individual." Makoto deadpanned.
Around her, the group laughed, and Rei couldn't help but noticed how forced it felt. She twisted her hands nervously in her lap, and her princess, noting her discomfort, rested a hand on her arm.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Usagi murmured.
She tossed a worried glance back up to the front, and then back to the blonde beside her. But before she could voice the doubts that plagued her, music swelled in the background, effectively cutting her off. The congregation rose, and Rei immediately felt her eyes drawn to the only individual in the room that could make her this crazy.
She was beautiful. So beautiful it just hurt.
As Minako floated past them down the aisle, she paused for the briefest of seconds, locking eyes with the fire soldier. Rei tensed, and had it not been for the strong grasp of Makoto, holding her where she stood, she would have caused the biggest scene these people could have ever witnessed, groom be damned.
"Steady." the thunder soldier murmured softly.
Minako looked away, and the moment was lost forever. Rei dropped back to her seat, visibly shaken, and her stomach twisted in pain and fear as she watched the blonde take the man's hand and smile.
"Don't do something you'll regret later." Makoto whispered, and the miko could only nod dumbly.
Too late for that.
----------------------
I do. Never in her entire life had two words easily caused such anguish. I do. Dear God, she was going to kill someone.
Flashbulbs popped, washing the room in wave after wave of blinding white. Rei stood stiffly at the back of the room, feeling miserable and dejected. A glass of champagne was handed to her, and she gratefully accepted the offering.
"You looked like you needed it." Haruka murmured quietly, leaning against the wall beside her.
"I'm sorry about earlier. How's your face?"
"A lot better than you are, I'd imagine."
"I screwed up, huh?"
"It happens." she raised her own glass and took a sip, watching the distraught miko from the corner of her eye. "Do the others know how you feel about her?"
"I'm not sure." Rei breathed. "I figured the two of you would be the best ones for advice on the subject."
"Some help we were. I'm sorry Rei."
"It's my fault." the raven haired woman sighed. "I got scared. Again."
"Hm." the racer fixed her attention on the scene playing out before them as Minako's husband pressed a hand to the small of her back, dropping a kiss on the top of golden locks as the sea of flashbulbs started anew. "Look at her."
"I'd rather not." Rei murmured, already feeling as though she were going to fry the poor bastard where he stood.
"I mean it." Haruka pressed. "Look close."
The miko begrudgingly complied, violet eyes tired and strained. "She looks happy."
"What is it with you Inners?" the blonde groaned. "She's miserable. Just as miserable as you are."
"How can you tell?"
"I've never seen anything so fake."
"That's probably just your extreme dislike for men talking." Rei scoffed.
"Just look at the smile. Look at it and tell me that she honestly looks like it's the happiest day of her life."
The miko looked again. All her years of watching the blonde flittered through her mind as she focused on the newly weds, and suddenly she found it difficult to breathe. There. Right there. In the brief two second interval between photos Minako's smile fell for a fraction of a second, and she suddenly looked much older than her twenty three years of age. The smile reappeared, and Rei could finally see how forced and tired it was.
Then it hit her, and it hit her hard. All this talk of marriage and weddings and not once had the miko heard Minako say the word love. ' I think I can be happy with him.'
Her words.
' I think.'
Suddenly, those blue eyes she had adored so much fixed on hers, and everything else in the room seemed to vanish. The blonde was miserable, and she could see it at last. Rei sucked in a shaky breath and the glass in her hand slipped from her grasp, shattering on the tiled floor.
"Took long enough." Haruka muttered.
"Oh my God." Rei pushed herself off the wall and prepared to make a beeline for Minako, but a firm hand on her shoulder halted her in her tracks.
"Just wait." the blonde murmured gently.
The wedding party was shifting now into the reception hall, and the miko turned to the racer, eyes wild. "I think I've waited enough, don't you?"
"You'll have your chance. Just wait." the blonde promised. "Trust me."
"This has to be the longest day of my life."
------------------------
The bride and groom were seated at a long whit table surrounded by friends and family, and the fire soldier found herself seated at a table in the back with the Outers. Already people were rising, glasses in hand, and toasting the new couple. Haruka cast a questioning glance at Setsuna, who only nodded serenely.
Rei was about to ask just what in the hell was going on, but before she could get the question out, the wind soldier rose to her feet and tapped her glass. All eyes in the room turned towards them, and the miko suddenly had a sense of impending doom.
"Um...Haruka?"
The blonde winked slyly, and Rei felt her heart plummet. She dropped her head into her hands and groaned, "This isn't going to end well, is it?"
Michiru responded by patting her shoulder gently. "Desperate times..."
"You finish that sentence, and I'm going to kill someone."
The violinist laughed lightly. "My my, aren't mikos supposed to be sweet and caring?"
Haruka cleared her throat, and any scathing retort Rei had reserved was lost. As their table became the center of attention, she was all too aware of the blue eyes that were boring holes into her back.
"I'm not one for public speaking, really." the wind solider started. "But I couldn't let an opportunity like this pass by. Weddings are joyous times, a uniting of two people in love and commitment for the rest of their lives. They say it's a mistake you're only supposed to make once."
Her audience chuckled, and the fire soldier sighed wearily. Oh yeah. This was going to end badly. She chanced a glance over her shoulder towards the object of her affections, and saw an unreadable look cross her features.
"Marriage is supposed to be about true love, and the wish to be together forever." the blonde raised her glass in quiet salute and fixed green eyes squarely on the bride. "Minako, this is your forever, and I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't wish you every happiness."
Rei groaned inwardly. That was laying it on a bit thick. Minako, on the other hand, was starting to look rather squeamish.
The crowd cheered and toasted the apparently less than happy couple, and the moment Haruka beamed at the miko wickedly, Rei knew it was the moment she was told to wait for.
"Now, before I shut up and sit down, I want to turn the floor over to one of Minako's oldest friends. She's rather shy, so take it easy on her."
A wave of quiet laughter rolled across the room, and the fire soldier had to take a deep breath to steady herself. This was it. One shot. This was either going to be a happy ending, or the biggest damn mistake of her life. Now she was the one feeling squeamish.
From a table near the front, Makoto snickered quietly into her fist.
Ami cocked an eyebrow and glanced at the brunette curiously. "What's wrong?"
"Absolutely nothing. This is going to be awesome."
Rei rose on surprisingly steady legs and turned to face the wedding party, champagne glass in hand.
"Minako." she stated calmly, nodding her head slightly at the bride. Minako's cheeks were immediately dusted a light shade of pink, and the miko was treated to a warm smile.
"Pyro."
The raven haired woman held up the glass in her hand. That smile said it all. This was the right choice, wasn't it? "I know you're supposed to drink it after the toast, but hey, desperate times..."
Michiru giggled softly as Rei downed most of her drink and set the remainder back down on the table. The party grew deathly silent, and she knew it was time to take the plunge.
"I've known you for a long time. Way too long, sometimes. You're stubborn, childish, and you seem to have this innate ability to piss me off in a way no one else can, but I've come to realize something. You have to be, without a doubt, the most selfless person I've ever met. You're sweet, caring, and you've bailed me out of my fair share of troubles. When I think back on it, every time things seemed to be at their very worst, like the very world was going to end, you'd take my hand, and we'd find a way to pull through it."
"All this talk of forever and love, it's been making me crazy. I've tried to hide it for far too long, and I know I've hurt you in the process."
Rei swallowed hard and cast a nervous look back at her table. Michiru nodded and Haruka shot her a thumbs up, and the miko couldn't help but smile. She locked eyes with the bride once more and steeled her soul.
"Minako, I love you."
The crowd burst into gasps, but Rei ignored them and plowed forward. "I spent so much time looking for something I already had, and I was too stupid to see it. I refuse to stand here and toast to a future where you'll be unhappy. It's funny. I was never looking for something like that with you, and by the time I realized it, I had already heard the two most painful words I had ever heard in my entire life."
"I do."
"Part of me wanted to die when I heard you say them, because something inside me knew they would never be for me."
"I don't know what your reasons are for doing this, but know this. I'll love you forever in this lifetime, and even longer in the next."
Minako leapt to her feet, knocking her chair back in the process. She slammed her hands down on the table in front of her, tears streaming from her eyes.
"You moron!"
The room fell into a stupor, and Rei could only stare back, dumbfounded.
"You moron!!"
The miko nodded. "I'll admit it."
Minako burst into laughter while her tears continued to fall. "What took you so long?"
"I've always been a little stubborn myself."
To her delight, and to everyone else's shock, the blonde ran around the table and across the room, launching herself into Rei's arms. "Moron. God, you're such a moron."
"I'm sorry, you know I..." but Minako cut her off, catching her lips in a fiery kiss.
The fire soldier was lost in the depths of something she had never known before, but the moment was too short lived, and rather rudely interrupted by an incessant tugging on her sleeve.
"Um..." Haruka whispered. "I really hate to break this up. Really, I do, but um, maybe you should take this somewhere else?"
The pair regretfully broke apart, and Rei fixed the racer with a glare that would have melted steel.
"What??"
Haruka pointed mutely to the crowd of shocked wedding guests, including Minako's slack jawed husband.
"...oh."
--------one month later-------------
"Is he alright?" Rei asked worriedly as her lover hung up the phone.
"What, you care about his feelings all of a sudden?" Minako teased lightly. "You should have thought about that before you ran off with his bride. Never even got to the honeymoon."
"Sorry."
"No you're not."
"You're right. I'm not. But I know that losing you to someone else would kill me."
"Aw." the blonde joined her on the couch, cuddling up to the miko and resting her head on her shoulder. "if it makes you feel better, he said he understood, and he knew from the beginning that I wasn't happy."
"....he does sound like a nice guy."
"He is." Minako sighed. "But let me tell you something. He's no you, and I'm sure he'll find someone who loves him the way he deserves."
"So why did you do it anyway?"
"What, run off with you? I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that part out."
"Hey." the miko replied, wounded. "Don't tease me like that."
"Sorry." she pressed a kiss to Rei's cheek in apology. "To tell the truth, I felt so empty inside, like my heart had died. The only time I ever felt it come alive was when I was near you. At first I amounted it to all the arguing we seemed to do, but over time I realized it was deeper than that. When I thought you didn't feel the same after so long, I gave up. I guess you showed me, right?"
"Damn right. You never did get your honeymoon though, huh?"
The blonde sighed wistfully. "Nope. You know what a sucker I am for that sort of thing."
"Yeah. I know. Let me up for a second?"
Minako obliged, though she looked adorably confused. Rei made her way to the end table and rummaged through the drawer, producing a long white envelope. She plopped back down beside the blonde and handed it to her, carefully keeping her features blank. Minako tore into the envelope like a kid at Christmas and pulled out two tickets.
"What are these?"
"Tickets."
"I can see that genius."
Rei smirked. "Airline tickets."
"To Paris?"
"Mmm."
Blue eyes gazed up at her. "But why?"
"Think of it as your honeymoon. Granted, we're not married, but I wanted to take you some place beautiful, you know, to kind of celebrate what we've found. I know you've always wanted to go there..." she trailed off when she noticed that Minako had started to cry. "Hey, are you okay?"
"Dummy." the blonde sniffled. "Of course I am. I'm just happy. I never knew you could be so sweet..."
"If it makes you cry, maybe I should stop..."
Minako shifted, pulling herself into the miko's lap and winding her arms around her neck. "Don't. Don't you dare."
"But..."
The blonde cut her off with a deep kiss, and Rei could swear she felt her heart melt just a kittle more.
"Whoa. I should threaten you with that more often." the miko breathed. Minako giggled, and Rei felt a smile tugging at her lips. "Stop that. If I keep smiling like this, my face is going to crack. My cheeks are already getting sore."
"Mmm, how about we start the romantic vacation a little early?"
"Eh?"
Minako laughed again as nimble flingers slid under the fire soldier's shirt. "Wow. You really are slow."
Rei flushed a bright red. "Uh, I think I'm getting it now."
"Good good." the blonde rose to her feet and grabbed hold of the miko's hand, tugging her up as well and dragging her off in the direction of the bedroom, and Rei couldn't help but send a silent prayer of thanks to Haruka, wherever she was.
--------------------------------------------------------
Notes!
ZOMG WOW. I had no idea it was going to be this long. Whoops.
Song : Death Cab for Cutie - Cath
This was so sweet I almost gave myself cavities. BLAH.