Author Note: It was hard to put into words how exactly I wanted to portray this chapter. Whenever I pictured these scenes in my mind, it was mostly driven by feelings and sensations that I imagined the characters having rather than by words. The perfectionist in me may tinker with it a bit more later, but I just wanted to get it out now so as not to possibly hold up future chapters.
On another note, when I first started publishing this story through my old account, I was really proud and humbled by the fact that it had received over 10,000 views by the end of Chapter 30. Now, a new account and 2 years later, I've finally broken the 10,000 views mark again after posting Chapter 35. ^_^ Thanks, everyone, for reading!
Pop-Quiz: 1 Question
1 - What's the rating of this story?
ryobu kuji = [Japanese] Shinto version of the "nine symbols"
Kuji-in. (2017, March 13). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from . ?title=Kuji-in&oldid=770162277
I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.
Takeuchi, N. (1991). Sailor Moon. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.
King, J., Slade, I., (2008). You Found Me [Recorded by The Fray]. On The Fray [CD], Seoul, South Korea: Epic Records.
Chapter 36:
It was well past 7:30pm by the time Minako finished receipts from the day's sales and was in the process of closing up the small gift shop. The shrine had seen a steady stream of visitors throughout the day and she was kept occupied for most of the time by various middle-school and high-school students anxiously purchasing items that would give them any sort of assistance in performing at their best for upcoming exams. She only had small intervals of time for quick snacks or bathroom breaks. Occasionally, she would catch brief glimpses of Yuuichirou in the courtyard tending to visitors. More sparingly, she would see Rei out and about, but it wasn't very long before she would disappear back into the shrine or the fire room to perform some ritual or another.
"Need any help?," Yuuichirou asked as he approached while Minako was exited the gift shop.
"No, I'm good. Thanks," Minako replied as she locked the door behind her and turned to face the young man who was carrying a khaki rucksack and wearing jeans and a dark-blue blazer over a white, button-up shirt with the buttons undone, revealing the black shirt he had underneath, "Heading out?," she asked, taking into account his change of clothes.
"Mmn," the apprentice nodded, "Hino-san said I could go once I finished putting everything away in the shrine." A half-smile appeared on his lips as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder, "She was a pretty tough sensei," he said with a soft chuckle, "But…wow...she really knows her stuff! She made me realize just how much I still have to learn before I'm ready to take over a shrine on my own."
"Do you…know where she is now?," Minako asked hesitantly.
"Last I saw her, she just finished dinner and was heading to the fire room," the young apprentice replied as he turned and gestured towards that direction.
"I see," the gorgeous blonde responded with a soft nod, her melodic tone carrying a touch of apprehension.
"Well," Yuuichirou said as he turned his attention back towards the make-up artist and bowed politely, "It was nice meeting you. Have a good night and I hope we see each other again."
"M-Mmn, likewise," Minako replied as she bowed politely in return and gave him a half-smile, trying to be as friendly as possible given her solemn mood, before he turned and headed towards his car which was parked next to the house.
Minako's anxious cobalts were trained on the shōji doors of the fire room that flickered and danced with orange-colored light from the fire within. She could almost make out the silhouette of a certain, raven-haired miko along its edges against the translucent material. Reaching up to fiddle with the locket, she took hesitant steps across the courtyard towards the fire room.
Once she was halfway there, an uneasiness began creeping into her chest and she slowed until she came to a stop. Maybe I should give her some space, she thought to herself. Though she wanted to see the beautiful miko, see if she was ok…if they were ok…perhaps it was best to allow Rei some time alone. She herself felt a bit tired from the day, she couldn't imagine what Rei must be feeling given all the interactions she had to deal with, let alone the intense interaction the two of them had at the beginning of it all, I'll…go see her after I freshen up.
And, with that, she turned and headed instead towards the house to shower, change, and have dinner, subconsciously hoping the delay would give her some time as well to emotionally prepare for whatever interaction, good or bad, that would unfold with the devastatingly beautiful archer who she cared so much for.
SNAP!...snap! pop!...
The distinct crackling of wood filled the space of the fire room as Rei knelt seiza-style in front of Seika. She had come here after having dinner and freshening up from the day, wearing a set of dark-green, satin pajamas. Her brow furrowed in focused concentration as her brooding violet orbs stared down at her hands which were folded on her lap.
Since walking in on Minako and Yuuichirou earlier that day, she had plunged herself into work and managed to keep busy enough to distract herself from having to deal with anything related to that incident, including avoiding interacting with Minako at all and only interact with the young apprentice when necessary.
Her logical mind knew she had no right to feel resentment or anger towards the young apprentice. He was just an innocent bystander. He actually seemed like a genuinely good person from what she could tell. Just a little naïve and a lot of sincere. She felt sorry for him if she were being honest, given it still took nearly everything in her to stave off that initial aggressiveness she felt towards him and not let it slip too much into her encounters with him.
But, in the end, here she was. Alone to face her thoughts and emotions without any distractions.
"Seika," Rei whispered quietly, her voice carrying such heaviness. The word caused the earthly element to flare slightly in response, as if acknowledging the name, "I-"
'Mmmm, that feels really good.'
The archer shut her eyes tightly. Her elegant hands balled into fists in her lap as she shook her head, chasing away Minako's haunting melodic words and the image of Minako straddled over Yuuichirou on the floor of the gift shop while saying them. She took meditative breaths to calm herself, making conscious efforts to release the tension in her being, allowing her hands and countenance to return to their relaxed state, before she was able to open her distraught lavenders again. After a pause, Rei opened her mouth to speak again, only to close it and allow the silence to continue.
She didn't know where to begin. On some level, she wasn't even sure if she…wanted to begin verbalizing her internal process with her long-time and wise, fiery companion. She wasn't sure if she was ready to say the words aloud…to hear them as she spoke…making them…tangible…real.
Stunned. Stunned was the first thing she felt when she opened the door of the gift shop to find the make-up artist in the position she was in. The shock of it caused her abilities to waver so much so that it was difficult for her to really focus and get a read on the situation properly at that moment.
Then there was the jealousy. Such scorching jealousy she had never known before that flared up from the depths of her being and directed itself towards the young man before her who Minako was helping to his feet. The very idea of him…him…pinned beneath her gorgeous blonde, his hand on her blonde goddess, causing her princess to moan in the way she did…it nearly drove Rei to madness!
And that was when everything within Rei came to a screeching hault.
As Minako rambled on, struggling in her attempt to clearly explain the situation, the raven-haired woman came to a sobering epiphany:
Aino Minako…wasn't…'hers'.
That night when Rei asked Minako to be her girlfriend and rescinded, she promised instead to be with the gorgeous blonde for as long as she wanted. And Rei was ok with that. The act itself was driven moreso by selfishness really, given it would prevent Minako from leaving and allow her to be with Minako and have her in her life. It was also to alleviate the smaller woman's intense trepidations of being abandoned and allow her the freedom to not have to commit given her anxieties on that as well.
Which is exactly where the gorgeous blonde was in relation to Rei at this moment:
Uncommitted.
Rei had no claim over this blonde woman with whom she had fallen so in love with. Nor did she even have the right to make such a claim on her given their situation.
Minako wasn't hers…all by her own consent.
This astronomical realization rapidly vanquished the raging jealousy within her...only to replace it with a humbling heaviness. She was devastated by this realization and had no choice but to accept the facts of her reality. The smaller woman was free to do whatever she pleased with whomever she pleased.
Rei knew by that point that nothing had happened between the two people standing before her, could see it in their auras as her abilities began coming back to her once she had calmed significantly down from her fury. There was really nothing at all between Minako and Yuuichirou.
But…the facts still remained just so.
Minako…the woman she loved…wasn't hers.
The thought never really crossed Rei's mind. Given her abilities and who Minako was, she trusted Minako with every fiber of her being right down to the depths of her heart. She knew their relationship wasn't perfect. Whose was? But she knew it wasn't anything to lose sleep over when it came to determining whether being with the smaller woman was worth it. They had already made so much positive progress together.
Now, for the first time, a microscopic chink in her proverbial armor had begun to take shape.
Tears began to form in the beautiful woman's distraught lavenders. Not only could she begin to feel her steadfast trust in Minako wavering ever so slightly, it started to make her question…her abilities. This gift or this curse was something she never knew how to live without, was trained even by her beloved grandfather to use it and, to an extent, even depend on it to survive given the cards that life had dealt her.
Try as she might, she couldn't even read whether Minako felt even remotely the same way back at all. Hell, from what she could see, Minako didn't even want to allow herself to know how she felt about Rei. All she knew for sure from that warm, orange-gold color, confirmed by the smaller woman's words that night she made her promise was that Minako did want to be with Rei.
But…why? And for what? To what extent? Who was she even to Minako? A friend? Just someone she's dating? Possibly something more?
…or perhaps just an idiot and a good fuck to keep her company until the next person comes along…
A quiet groan, nearly a whimper, came from the back of the beautiful miko's throat as she shook her head hard to chase away the path her thoughts had begun to form. Kami-sama! Where the fuck did that even come from!? Minako wasn't like that! She was kind, generous, warm, caring…
And the direction Re's mind was taking was starting to become darker by the second. As if it were beginning to unwravel everything she ever believed to be true and in what she knew about her relationship with Minako. She needed a distraction, an interruption, anything to keep her mind from drowning in an abyss of sorrow and tinting every thought it touched towards self-loathing and doubt.
This was why she kept herself so busy all day, though it now seemed to be backfiring at this very moment given how drained she felt and her inability to keep herself composed and in check. It seemed she was now at the mercy of her traitorous thoughts and emotions as they festered within her, conjuring up infinitely more thoughts and emotions as they tumbled inside of her.
WHOOSH!
Rei jumped slightly at the sound of the roaring fire before her abruptly flaring. Her head shot up as her rare amethysts darted towards the holy flame, which had now doubled to nearly twice it size. It danced erratically, as if violently trying to escape its cement containment, before returning to its original state.
…pop! pop!...snap!
Rei couldn't help the small smile that began pulling on the corner of her alluring lips as she relaxed back onto her heels, "Thanks for snapping me out of that, Seika," she said gratefully, her voice slightly hoarse from not having been used in a while. She brought a hand up to wipe away the wetness that had formed in her clear violets, "I really needed that."
The flame flickered in reply before leaning slightly forward, its delicate edges reaching out towards the miko sitting before it. Rei chuckled as she leaned forward a bit and reached her hand out to allow a part of the fire to lick the edges of her pale fingers, drying the stain of tears left on them. She enjoyed the feeling of its warmth against her skin, "You're wonderful, you know that?," she said softly with endearment.
The earthly element danced playfully, causing Rei to smirk and roll her eyes in response before she dropped her hand and returned to her seat while the flame also returned to its natural state. Rei watched as it dimmed slightly and swayed questioningly. She sighed heavily in response, "If I'm being totally honest? No…no, I'm not ok. But I…I don't really want to talk about it."
The fire swayed softly for a moment before Rei nodded in response, "Mmn, I think that's a good idea. Just for a little bit to clear my head. While I do that, can you watch over me and help keep me focused?"
The blaze flared in response to the miko's request. Rei adjusted slightly and settled into her seiza position before she brought her hands up before her, "Rin. Pyou. Tou, Sha. Kai. Chin. Retsu. Zai. Zen." As she spoke, she formed her hands into the appropriate seals for each word, reciting the ryobu kuji the way her grandfather taught her so long ago as a means to help her manage her young, volatile temper and calm her mind.
Once she finished, she brought her hands together in prayer and allowed her eyes to close so she could begin meditating and cleansing herself from her emotional turbulence. The holy fire gently grew stronger, warming the space as if to comfort the raven-haired miko and ward off the chill from her heartache.
- Lost and insecure, you found me. You found me. Lying on the floor, surrounded. Surrounded. Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? -
After having dinner, showering, and changing into a white, silk nightgown, Minako was just finishing up arranging Rei's room for bed, moving the table and zabutons neatly to the side, while listening to music from her online radio station streaming from her phone.
She didn't pay much attention to it though as she took her time performing her tasks. Her delicate hands brushed the fabric on the surface of the futons carefully, smoothing the material out meticulously as she laid the twin futons side-by-side. It wasn't that she wanted them to be perfectly tidy, she actually could care less about the state of her bedding before slumber given she knew she would merely make a mess of it come morning. No, the gorgeous blonde was purely procrastinating at this point.
Once she had sufficiently made the room look pristine, she knew the time had come for her to face the inevitable. She reached for her phone and flipped it open: 8:57pm.
It getting late, Minako thought to herself pensively, I should go see if she's ok.
The gorgeous blonde flipped the phone closed and placing it on the floor. As it continued to stream music, she got to her feet and nervously made her way towards the fire room.
…ssssshuck…
Minako made sure to softly close the sliding shoji door once she had entered the fire room and quietly made her way closer to a certain raven-haired woman who was currently kneeling before the fire, deep in meditation. She sat seiza-style on one of the avaiable zabutons just a couple feet away from the miko's right. Bringing her hands up in prayer, she nodded towards the flames in the manner Rei had shown her when she was given the tour of the shrine. The fire swayed slightly, as if acknowledging the young woman who had recently joined them.
Once the make-up artist had respectfully greeted the holy flames, she lowered her hands to rest in her lap and turned to her left to look at the raven-haired woman with anxious sapphires. She didn't wanting to disrupt the miko while in such deep concentration, wanting to give her as much time as she needed for herself. In any case, Minako was certain that Rei probably sensed her presence already so there was really no need to disturb her.
Instead, she took the opportunity to study the taller woman in the light of the roaring blaze. Given she had barely seen her at all that day, sitting in her presence now she took her time in savoring the beautiful raven's beauty, realizing just how much she missed her. The only thing she found herself disappointed with was the fact that she couldn't lose herself in those intense lavenders that were so distinctly Rei.
She pursed her alluring lips and brought a hand up to palm the locket around her neck. The last time she saw those captivating eyes, they were full of…anguish…shock…anger…possibly even betrayal?
The very thought of being the cause of it made her heart ache unbearably. Even if she was truly blameless in regards to the events that led up to the moment Rei entered the shop, right now it didn't matter. What mattered most to her at this moment was making sure the devastatingly beautiful woman before her, who she had come to cherish so much, was ok.
It was a bit selfish, really. No matter how much she knew that whatever this was between them was still so new and with so many pitfalls, deep within her soul she couldn't bear the thought of Rei not being with her.
To some extent, that was one of the reasons she continued to be so hesitant in their relationship with each other. Having been in so many relationships before, she was more than aware of all the ways this could possibly end, had already mapped out in her mind every single reason she shouldn't be with this woman, predicting that it would most likely end anyway given how much it was too good to be true, had on many occasions even been close to ending it herself given this rationale.
But…she just…couldn't.
And after today, after getting just a taste of what it might be like not having Rei in her life, she was sure that that was not something she wanted or was even prepared for.
With all that time she had away from Rei to ruminate on it by herself, she started to toy with the idea that possibly…maybe…just maybe… her feelings for the beautiful archer were stronger than she cared to admit.
The hand she had on her locket tightened just a bit more as that same petrifying, hesitant feeling she felt while staring at Rei's back before she left the gift shop returned. She couldn't shake it. Where was it coming from? Why was it there?
The hand she had wrapped around her locket shakily came up to brush through her golden locks anxiously. As she carefully combed through to the ends of her mane, a strand of hair broke off and thredded itself between her elegant fingers. She absently flicked it away so that it fell by her side as she took a deep breath in through her nose and let it out through her mouth subtly, trying to ease the uneasiness that was forming within her.
Unbenownst to her, the puff of air she released caused the lone strand of hair to tumble away and become airborne. It hovered lightly for just a moment, before it gently danced its way towards the fire…where it caught and sizzled into nothingness.
And that was when she noticed the beautiful miko's form stiffen as she sat up and took a sharp intake of breath through her nose.
Rei was standing in a dark, familiar, void of space.
What the…, Rei consciousness thought to herself in confusion, finding it a bit strange that Seika would pull her into a vision so urgently at this very moment, What am I doing here?
She knew where she was, having seen this vision just yesterday. But there was something else that caught Rei's attention. The vision felt…different.
In most, if not all, cases, her visions were more dream-like with a bit of haziness to it. Her consciousness would merely inhabit her own or someone elses' body as she watched or experienced what was happening before her.
But, this time, the vision felt a bit more…solid…clearer…definitive in a way. As if she were actually experiencing it in real-life. She noticed the familiar space she was standing in was more defined as some sort of large room. Though there was still nothing else to help her distinguish where she was, the familiarity of it was still very apparent.
A silky sensation between her fingers brought her attention back to events of the vision and she found herself again holding the shadowy woman whose orange-gold glow was still so faint. Rei noticed this time, as she held her close, that the shadowy woman was only a couple inches shorter than herself.
"…Are you ok?," she heard herself verbalize softly and full of worry. Her eyes widen as that same heavy, painful sensation began seeping into her as it did when she experienced the vision before.
This time, she was able to read it a bit better. It exuded so much sadness with a hint of…guilt? She also noted there was something else within the faint orange-gold colors. A sort of…conflict…within it. As if it were warring with itself.
The smaller woman within her arms lifted her head and Rei could again sense the despair in her shadowy countenance as she allowed the woman to pull her into a gentle, chaste kiss.
When the shadowy woman ended the kiss and Rei slowly opened her worried amethysts, the woman pulled away from Rei's embrace and took a step back, just out of reach. The shadowy presence turned her head slightly, averting her gaze to the floor.
"…I'm sorry," were again the only words Rei could hear. Though they came out as barely a whisper, they seemed to echo throughout the silence.
It felt like time had stopped. She suddently felt cold…so very cold…almost to the point of shivering. The silence in the space seemed as if to increase in volume.
Wha…What's happening?, Rei's consciousness thought worriedly as an ominous, foreboding feeling began taking over.
That was when she began struggling to breathe, as if the air from the large room had been sucked right out. The silence now rang so painfully in her ears it was disorienting.
No…stop! STOP!, Rei's consciousness yelled in panic. She felt trapped, unable to combat the overwhelming sensations that were happening to her as a black emptiness that seemed to be spreading from within her started to bleed into her vision, eating away at the images before her eyes as if she were slowly going blind.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Minako jumped back away from Rei and scrambling to her feet, startled by the miko's sudden, bloodcurdling scream.
Once the initial shock of it wore off, her terrified azure eyes took in the image of Rei's form, still sitting in the same position in front of the flames, but now with a pained look on her countenance as she continued to scream as though her life were in danger.
Without thinking, mostly acting on instinct, she swiftly went to the miko, grabbing her and pulling her out of her meditative position, half-cradling her in her lap.
"REI-CHAN!," Minako yelled as the raven-haired woman continued to scream. She held the taller woman tightly as she brought her form as close to her own as she possibly could. She brought one of her hands up to tuck the miko's head underneath her own into the crook of her neck protectively, "REI-CHAN! IT'S ME! WAKE UP!"
The beautiful archer's screaming gradually faded until all that was left was the sound of labored breathing from both of them and the sizzling sounds of the flames.
"Shhhh," Minkao cooed softly, "You're safe, Reiko. You're safe."
"…Don't go," the gorgeous blonde felt the whispered words against the skin of her neck, "Stay with me. Please." Her smooth tone came out almost in a whimper as she spoke. Minako held the taller woman tighter as she began gently stroking Rei's silky, raven-colored tresses.
"I'm right here, baby," Minako replied comfortingly.
"…Mina?," the beautiful miko's tone had changed. It was a touch more audible now and sounded as if she were speaking just after waking up from slumber.
"It's me, Reiko," Minako responded as she kissed the top of Rei's head, "It's ok, I've got you."
"…Yes. Yes, you do," the beautiful miko sighed. Though the words were soft, Minako could almost detect a bit of…defeat…in her smooth voice. She felt the archer begin to stir and she reluctantly released her hold on the taller woman to allow her to move.
Rei gently pulled away from the gorgeous blonde so that she came to sit seiza-style in front of her. Though it was in fact Minako's warm, intensely protective, orange-gold aura that shot through the darkness of the vision and shattered Rei out of it, she just needed to get her bearings without having it muddled by outside influences.
The raven-haired beauty brought her entreating amethyst eyes up to meet anxiously concerned sapphires, "But," she began slowly, her smooth tone eerily calm though it carried hints of both helplessness and hopefulness, "Do I have you?"
Given her tumultuous emotional state before the vision and the upsetting vision itself, Rei's very foundation had been splintered. Topped with her inability to come back to herself on her own, she felt…powerless…vulnerable.
She could still feel it. Remnants of that black emptiness that threatened to consume her within her vision. It felt as though they had found themselves a home in the dark corners of her heart, waiting in the shadows for an opportunity to take over completely. She wanted, no, desperately needed to feel some sense of security, some form of safety and banish them from her being. She needed to fill the emptiness with something real, something tangible and secure, something she could believe in at this very moment when there was so much she was already beginning to question and doubt.
And, for a small moment, she felt that in the form of orange-gold rays while the gorgeous blonde held her so protectively. She had truly become her light, her Evening Star, guiding her away from darkness to safety on so many occasions.
Yes, Rei was agreeing with Minako when the gorgeous blonde said that she had her. Minako had her all the way down to her soul.
And now…it was time for Rei to find answers to her earlier questions. Ones that could either save her sanity or dash her to pieces from the inside out.
"What?," Minako asked in confusion, concern underlying her tone, unsure exactly as to what the beautiful miko meant by the question that seemed to come out of nowhere. She started to think that perhaps breaking Rei's focus from her meditation may have negatively impacted the beautiful raven's mental state, "What do you mean? I…I don't understand."
"Mina," Rei continued in the same entreating tone, "What am I to you?"
Rei didn't need to read the shock that vibrated through Minako's orange-gold glow as the make-up artists' countenance plainly showed that she was taken aback by Rei's words.
"…Reiko," the stunned, gorgeous blonde's melodic tone came out as a mix of a gasp and a whisper. She could feel a heavy uneasiness beginning to develop in her chest as her cobalt gaze went to the ground, unable to hold those intense violets that silently pleaded for a response.
She knew why Rei was asking the question, had been contemplating that exact question all day and it led her to realize that what she felt for the taller woman was perhaps more than what she allowed herself to believe. She knew that the beautiful miko deserved an answer as well given the events from earlier that day.
But…to be asked so pointedly…so directly…it took her off guard and caused her to revert back to her habitual response to such topics: she wanted to run.
"I…I have to-mmm," As Minako began to speak, to make up some excuse to slip away, her alluring lips were captured in a kiss that was both inviting and imploring. She felt herself melting into it, the uneasiness fading a bit as she allowed her eyes to fall closed as it began to deepen.
Rei gently ended the kiss, much to the Minako's dismay, leaving the smaller woman panted slightly. The miko brought her forehead to rest on Minako's, sensing the apprehension that was still apparent in her warm, orange-gold aura. "Mina, please," she whispered softly as if praying to the gorgeous blonde before her, "Tell me. What am I to you?"
"Rei-chan," Minako's melodic tone cracked as she felt the uneasiness beginning to creep back into her chest stronger than before, "I…I don't know what you want from-mmm."
Her words were silenced again by alluring lips, this time with a touch more urgency, pulling Minako's attention back again into its inescapable influence. A delicate and wavering gasp breached the barrier of Minako's lips as Rei gently captured the gorgeous blonde's bottom lip between her teeth, pulling on it softly, allowing it to slowly slip back to its owner in a provocatively seductive way.
"Then show me," she heard Rei's smooth voice whisper quietly. Minako's breath hitched. Her sapphire eyes fluttered opened, revealing astounded and concerned cobalts.
Rei could see the hesitation and worry in Minako's aura as she began to press the gorgeous blonde on this matter, could see the orange-gold aura beginning to retreat and become dimmer from it. She already knew from their short time together that Minako was the last person who would be able to identify her own emotions, let alone face them or even express them so blatantly, preferring instead to avoid them or even flee altogether.
But Rei needed to know, needed a definitive answer as to where she stood with the make-up artist given her tempestuous mental and emotional ponderings before Minako entered the fire room.
Rei had realized fairly early on in their relationship that Minako used the physical realm as a means of expressing herself in her own way when words or even her emotional limitations brought her to a standstill. In fact, no other means of communication was as honest and revealing of Minako's true emotional state.
So here she was… offering her very self up to the woman before her, hoping beyond hope, taking a leap of faith, wanting desperately to believe in her…in them…and everything she thought she knew to be true.
"Wh…What?," Minako panted softly. Though she was still a bit dazed from the sensual kisses that took her breath away, the shock of Rei's statement required her to look at the devastatingly, beautiful woman. She needed to see, needed to confirm with her full attention what Rei was saying and that it wasn't some sort of trick of the mind. She also needed to see with her own eyes if Rei herself knew what exactly she was asking.
"Show me," Rei repeated softly, responding to Minako's questioning and stunned gaze. Though her words were quiet, Minako could hear the conviction in them, could see in those mesmerizingly intense amethysts that Rei did in fact know what she was saying.
"Please, Mina," she continued as she moved slowly closer to the now cautious blonde. She brought her lips up to the shell of Minako's ear, brushed her cheek lightly against hers in the process. She heard the smaller woman gasp quietly, felt her shutter slightly from the contact, "I need to know what I am to you. And if you're unable to tell me with words," the miko parted her alluring lips and gently nipped the skin of the blonde woman's neck, just below her ear, causing a desperate moan to flow melodically out of the smaller woman, "Then show me...please."
She pulled away from the gorgeous blonde to look at her. Her orange-gold colors were wavering so much that it was difficult for Rei to make out anything definitive in them. It also didn't help that her control over he abilities was already weakened by her exertion from the day and the distressing vision she just experienced.
Azure eyes regarded Rei silently for a moment before turning away as Minako carefully made her way to her feet. The beautiful miko's heart sank and she sat back subtly in defeat in her seiza-style position, preparing herself for the love of her life to walk away. Her distraught lavender gaze fell to the ground, unable to watch and waiting for the sounds of the gorgeous blonde's footsteps to head towards the shōji doors and fade away forever.
But, after a moment, when she was only met with silence, curiosity got the better of her and she willed herself to bring her attention back up to find the smaller woman standing in front of her, her back facing Rei.
The gorgeous blonde looked over her shoulder and Rei could make out a slight tint of red in her creamy cheeks as the smaller woman smiled warmly, comfortingly at her. Her intense amethyst eyes widened slightly. A subtle gasp escaped her lips at the sight of Minako's aura, which had now morphed into that elegantly mesmerizing flame that she had only days before allowed to captivate her being when she had asked Minako to touch her. Rei would have argued this bewitching flame that was now Minako rivaled even Seika's earthly beauty.
Now, at this very moment, there was nothing else in the world that mattered to Rei other than needing to submit herself completely to that intoxicating flame and allow it to baptize her in its overpoweringly warm intensity.
The gorgeous blonde half-turned to face Rei and extended her hand towards the kneeling archer.
"Oide…," she said softly in an inviting melodic tone, allowing the rest of her sentence to fade into the natural sounds of the fire room.
Rei's heart was now pounding loudly in her ears. Not out of fear but of…anticipation...of desperately wanting to feel that aura flow into her…and of whether this very moment was actually happening as she had seen so many times before. She was hesitant, but found herself slowly reaching out to take Minako's proffered hand.
When their hands touched, that soft glow flowed into Rei through their joined hands and filling her soul with a warmth that made her feel so safe, so…complete.
And before Minako silently led Rei out of the fire room, through the shrine, and to Rei's bedroom, Rei knew she had gotten her answer.
Aino Minako…was her soulmate.
Author Note: Do not be fooled, this is not the end of the story. There is so much more to come.
Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.
(updated 03/2017)