(Hi everyone. Here is another story, also posted on another forum. I figured I would try here. Please read all tags/warnings. Please read notes above and under this chapter. Please review! Thanks! ~TRP~)
NOTES -
Firstly, I want to thank and dedicate this story to the AMAZING Moon Bunny who has been a FANTASTIC support throughout this ENTIRE work. She is always there for my fic related craziness, and I would NOT be writing the way I am without her. She's also willing to be my beta as I slowly post chapters sporadically. But she can confirm this story IS complete! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
I'm very proud and impressed that I have been able to write a whole story in pretty short time. That hans't happened before I feel, not to this degree.
Secondly, this story is fast moving, but HEAVY. Please read ALL tags and warnings.
ADDITIONAL WARNINGS:
Triggers, Alternate Universe, Anxiety/Depression, Dreams & Nightmares, Flashbacks, Protectiveness, Self-Esteem, Trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Asexuality Spectrum, Break Up, Consent Cuddling & Snuggling, Dating, Falling In Love, Feelings, Female Relationships, Fluff, LGBTQ Themes, Love, Making Out, Sexual Inexperience, Slow Build, Teasing, Angst, Confessions, Dark, Drama, Female Characters, Fights, Fix-It, Friendship, Friendship/Lov,e Misunderstandings, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Secrets, Tension, Language Implications of past trauma to character, nothing active/graphically depicted),Sexual content (described/moderate, but imo nothing too graphic).
Original Title; Drinks Between Strangers
OC Character (See my work "Senshi of the Sun" as well).
Kokoro Sato (Co-created with Moon Bunny.
She is known as Sailor Phoenix and has powers of the mythical songbird (even at times in her civilian form).
She is the resident therapist to the Senshi only, because they need to process all they've experienced as Senshi, and Kokoro understands.
History: Kokoro coexisted with Queen Serenity, and they were close friends and allies, with zero competition for the galaxy. She was present in the Silver Millenium, but was only ever called when needed, similar to Saturn. She is the Senshi of, and Queen of the Sun. (I'm aware of Helios, don't worry).
See notes at the bottom.
CHAPTER #1 -
Clubs and bars weren't necessarily Makoto's scene, but today she didn't care. She needed something different.
She's known she was at least bi when she started dating Usagi. When Usagi disappeared, it took her a solid 5 years until she could open her heart and actually try to date again at the behest of the other girls.
She wasn't sure it was possible, because that's how much losing Usagi meant to her. That's how much losing Usagi hurt.
Motoki lasted about a year and was the relationship she regretted. She knew that Motoki knew going in, that Makoto's heart may not have been in it entirely. She wanted her heart to be in it, and part of it certainly was. He'd been there for her for all the difficult moments. But somewhere, deep inside of her, she had promised her heart to Usagi. She and Motoki would have been very, very happy together. That was why she regretted it. He was the best thing that's happened to her since Usagi. While she appreciated that, it hurt her; him, and both of them together that she wasn't involved emotionally like she tried and wanted to be.
After Motoki, Makoto found herself aimless again. Motoki always kept an eye out for her, just in case she spiraled out somewhere, a thunderstorm into a tornado. Any relationship after Motoki fetl much more like, a game of pretend, the motions of dating projected from the void left behind when Usagi had gone.
She didn't even want to try to date, she just wanted to feel something.
Which is why she pushed open the wooden door to the bar and walked inside. The music was fast, but not too loud, a space set up for a bit of flirting and intimacy, nice cozy corners tucked in between larger dancing spaces.
Makoto searched around. She drew plenty of attraction and attention from plenty of other women, but nothing or no one that caught her eye. Except for one: a single redhead nursing a drink with an empty seat next to her. The women had short curly hair that fell into her eyes just so, sunken eyes, high cheekbones, and a thin frame. Makoto assumed she often got mistaken for a small man, not that she'd look like she'd bother to correct anyone on the matter.
She's honestly not sure why this woman suited her fancy, but she did. Shrugging to herself, Makoto moved forward. "This seat taken?"
"Nope. Go for it." Replied the redhead, sullen and staring into her drink as if it were a crystal ball or witch's cauldron.
"Hey Mako! What are you doing here?" Smiled Kokoro, who was bartending that night, and an old friend. She beamed a bright smile, while wiping the bar in front of them both. Perhaps Kokoro looked out of place in the bar, long wavy hair flowing around her, a bright reddish orange so striking, even in the dim light. But she bartended well and it was part of the charm of this place.
Makoto shrugged. "Figured I could use a change of scenery...And perhaps take your advice. 'Ruka & Michi are always saying I should come here once; and it is one of their favorite spots,"
"Glad you came. What can I get you?"
Makoto glanced toward the redhead. "I'll have whatever she's having."
"Excellent. One house sangria coming up."
"Good taste." Makoto said to the redhead.
"Thanks." Murmured the woman more into her drink than to Makoto.
"What brings you here? I feel like I've seen you around town."
The woman (who at the right angles still looked like she could be in her young 20s) looked up at her, Makoto was caught by dark eyes on a pale face. "I come and go...Bit of a hermit. But, I guess like you, I needed something else?"
Kokoro served Makoto's drink. "So, what's your name?"
"No offense, but you could talk to any other woman here, who holds much more attraction or personality interest than I do. So, why are you talking to me?" The woman looked back down.
"I've got this one.." Kokoro replied sort of humorously at Makoto's surprised face "Because she's really good at seeing those who need a friend, and she doesn't even know she does it. That about sum it up, Makoto?"
"Um…" Makoto could only blush because Kokoro was 1,000% right with everything . (Not that Makoto thought of herself that way). No one has ever quite told her that either, until now. But, for some reason the statement got the woman's attention, because she looked back up.
"Thanks, but to be honest I'm not looking for friends."
"Liar."
"Kokoro..." The still nameless woman said tiredly, taking a rather large sip of her drink.
'Not this conversation again' was written all over her features.
Kokoro knew that this woman didn't trust anyone; it was basically her entire modus operandi. The redhead started coming into her bar once a week, about 3-4hrs at a time. Once a week had settled into twice. This was the first time Kokoro saw her for a third time in a single week.
From what Kokoro had gleaned from the little the redhead had said, she never truly settled in one spot and was often on the move.
But she came to Tokyo for a reason.
She hid her reasons, and hid herself, both literally and in plain sight.
"You've been here, not often but when you do, you get the same thing, and you don't interact . You barely interact, even with me . I've observed a lot in this bar. You go unnoticed, which is exactly how you want it. But your eyes convey great loneliness. Interact with Makoto. She's perfect for you to have that gentle push; to trust someone .'
The woman glared hard at Kokoro. "No. I don't trust anyone ."
"I know. Which is why I'm telling you that you can trust Makoto."
"Are you trying to set us up? Just so we end up in bed?" The woman asked.
Kokoro secretly adored the redhead's bluntness and hoped Makoto would too. "Of course not. You know that's not what I do. If I comment at all about who hooks up with who, it's to make sure everyone is safe and that no one gets into a bad spat or relationship because they sleep together after a night of drinking. I know everyone in this bar, and it's all the new faces I vet."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Kokoro, if she-" Makoto wasn't sure what was happening, and when interrupted, just took a sip and watched the two.
"Because Rin , it's not good to be so alone like this."
"What if we were to hook up? What if it would make me feel worse?"
"I can guarantee you, Makoto is not the type of person who would have you go through something, nor would she put herself through something, if either of you would end up worse for it the next day. She is very very good about boundaries."
"Maybe you should learn a thing or two." Rin muttered.
Makoto almost laughed, but managed to raise an eyebrow towards Kokoro instead. That didn't mean she could keep the smile off of her face though either.
Kokoro merely chuckled with a knowing look in her eyes. " And , sometimes, yes, sex is just sex. But sometimes it is comfort, sometimes it is more…"
"What?" Rin asked as Kokoro trailed off. Rin finally looked surprised, and damn it was adorable.
"And sometimes it can even be love."
Rin scoffed, even looking a bit incredulous. "A one-night-stand? Really Kokoro? I think the pot smoke has gone to your head over the last few months…"
"Not necessarily with one-night-stands Rin. But I'm not saying it's impossible. Nothing is impossible. What I'm saying is love could develop."
"Do you seriously have any research to back that up? Like ' How Many One Night Stands Wind Up In Love? '"
"Rin, you're missing my point. No matter what happens tonight, you might just make a much needed friend, even if you're not looking to make any, and you deny wanting any."
Before Rin could reply, Kokoro smiled and walked away, leaving Rin to sigh.
Makoto wasn't necessarily any more comfortable either, but saw how Rin chewed her inner cheek, seriously taking into consideration Kokoro's words.
"Sorry...About her; about me. My name is Rin." Rin made little eye contact out of the corner of her eye and did not extend her hand.
Makoto smiled, lifted her glass as if in a toast. "Nice to meet you."
"Look uh...I'm not much of a talker. Ask Kokoro."
"So I've noticed. Being as you don't trust anyone, would you want to ask me questions?"
"I feel like you're only doing this because Kokoro practically said to. Kokoro, can I get another?" Rin yelled across the bar, after downing the rest of her drink.
"I"d say you've already had too many and I'm cutting you off-"
"This is only my second drink!"
Kokoro made her way towards them as she answered. "And you're lucky I serve you at all with how you glare at other patrons and sulk in the corners. But the drinks seem to help a tad ."
"Did you hear that, Makoto? Kokoro's encouraging me to drink."
"Rin ." Kokoro glared, annoyed.
Rin gave the softest of smiles. "And you say I never have any fun."
Makoto burst out laughing. "Good find , Kokoro! I'll gladly be friends with anyone who gets under your skin."
"Careful Mako…" Kokoro warned.
"You love me."
"Not at this second." Kokoro teased, before leaving the two again.
"So...You doing this because she practically said we had to?"
"No. I probably would have asked anyway, to be honest."
"Oh?"
"Sorry to disappoint." Makoto flashed a smile.
Rin snorted despite herself.
"So, the offer still stands. Do you want to ask me questions?"
"What brings you here?"
"Meh. To be honest, and this has nothing to do with what Kokoro said, I was kind of looking for a hookup."
"Really?" Rin looked bewildered, and Makoto instinctively started to apologize. "Sorry."
Rin shook her head, "No judgement here, despite what I said earlier. Kokoro...She's just too damn hopeful for me sometimes."
"She's like that with everyone. Especially when she cares."
"She's barking up the wrong tree then."
"What do you mean?" Makoto took a cautious glance at Rin before sipping her drink.
"You say she does that for people she cares for? Why me?"
"My guess? You've grown on her."
"Great. But she's making a mistake."
"Is she? I've known Kokoro for years. She is a fantastic judge of character."
Rin scoffed. "No. Just..No."
"Does she know anymore about you than I do?"
"Nope."
"So...Can I ask why you're here, why you're really here?"
"I told you-"
"No...You merely repeated my first answer. I told you the real reason I was here. Your turn."
"I didn't think this was 20 questions."
"We're only at two-"
"Three."
Makoto shook her head, smiled, and internally rolled her eyes.
Rin sighed. "Real Answer: I have no life. So I'm attempting to not drown my sorrows in alcohol…Well, considering who the bartender is, I just like to pretend that's what I'm doing. It also helps keep people away when you pretend to be lost in the bottle."
"Kokoro is really good about cutting customers off when one needs."
"She's cut me off after one." It was a grumble, and somehow cute.
"She has not …" Makoto said in disbelief.
"She has. Except that time was just a very bad night."
"I'm sorry."
"It doesn't help that I'm a lightweight. But the first, of maybe two times, I had 5. I tend to walk home, but she called me a cab and had one of her friends to make sure I got home safely. Usually, she'll let me average about 3 drinks at the most."
"You're only on two, that's good."
Rin cast a glance towards Makoto; it wasn't readable but Rin also didn't verbally elaborate.
"You like to pretend you're lost in the bottle-to keep people away. You're protecting yourself aren't you?"
Rin shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not."
"What makes you say that?"
"The only one who can protect me is me."
"No friends, no family to help protect you?"
"I'm an adult. Gotta protect myself."
"That's not a no."
Rin finally turned and fully glared at the taller woman. "No. I've got no one."
Makoto didn't need to ask why; it was written all over her face.
"How'd you manage to get more out of me in 10 minutes than Kokoro has in the three months I've been at this place, with she keeping me (or me keeping her) company that I didn't want?"
"I don't know but if you take a look at Kokoro, she's staring at us, as if to ask the same exact question." Makoto grinned.
"Wonder what prank I can pull on her tonight."
"What?" Makoto asked, half thrown off by the statement, and half in surprise.
"I pull minor, harmless pranks on her. Mostly to just cause her inconvenience. But they are fun."
"Like what?"
"Duct taped the coasters to the bar. I also had the other bartenders help me out on that one. She was so annoyed. It was pretty brilliant, if I do say so myself. Another time, I dyed all the white cloth napkins deep red with food coloring; just so she'd have to explain why the change and work extra hard to see if she can even get it out."
"Oh, I'd LOVE to have seen both of those reactions!"
"Gotta find my humor somewhere. But I can't show you. I swore to her on my life (she made me) that I wouldn't put it on social media, or share them with anyone else. Besides, she only thinks I deleted them."
Makoto honestly looked like a kid in a candy store, all wide-eyed and all but drooling at the anticipation of one day watching these videos.
"I left." Rin sighed; half begurding that she found herself opening up so damn easily or quickly to this woman, who was a total and complete stranger.
"What?" Makoto was definitely thrown off by the sudden, sharp turn at not only the conversation took, but Rin's tone of voice.
"For why I don't have anyone to help protect me; for why I don't want to, and can't rely on anyone: because I left."
"What for?" Makoto asked.
"I made some choices and some mistakes. Some I don't want to take back; others I can't...And others still, I just don't know how to fix?"
"Do you feel like you don't deserve to be cared for; protected?"
Rin shrugged, drinking about half of her drink.
"Almost everyone deserves to be protected, Rin."
"I'm the 'almost.''"
"Highly doubtful. But I digress-"
Rin down the rest of her drink. "I wouldn't doubt. Not when the mistakes were so great that..." Rin shook her head, scoffing at herself. "Kokoro?! Another one?"
Kokoro arched an eyebrow before glancing towards Makoto with both eyebrows raised.
"This is three. No more tonight after this." She said.
"I can hold my liquor."
"No you can't; not really. I give it 10 more minutes for the alcohol to settle into your system and you start slurring your words. Mako, you want a 2nd?"
"Sure."
"Same thing?"
"Please."
Kokoro slid the drink over to her, taking a cautious look towards both of them before tending to the opposite side of the bar.
"What of those mistakes? So great that what?" Makoto asked, curious as she encouraged Rin to finish both her sentence and her thought process.
"What if the mistakes were so great, that they were unforgivable?" Makoto could barely even hear her.
"Short of innocent murder, potential infidelity on a loved one with one of their loved ones, and other, more unspeakable crimes, anything less than those things are all forgivable."
"I wouldn't be so sure. Look...I'm running from my own stuff sure, but my friend has it worse. I've at least settled here. She's...out there somewhere new one day to the next. Won't settle down. Too scared. She's too afraid of not being forgiven either. " Rin shrugged as if this was some after thought.
Makoto was pretty sure this was a poor attempt at a cover, and went right along with it. "What'd she do?"
"Slept with people she shouldn't have. Two of them."
"Two ?"
"One of them...Had it been other circumstances and if he were not such a jerk, then maybe…" Rin shook her head. "She left the drama of her own making to protect those she actually loved. But she feels she betrayed them one in the same."
"And you?"
"Me? Please. I tried out as a sex worker, I didn't get past vetting without wigging out. Plus when they found out I didn't have basically any experience, they said no. Can't even do that well." She said bitterly.
Before Makoto could comment, stunned by what Rin just told her, Rin turned to Makoto. "You sure you don't want her job?" Rin asked, indicating Kokoro.
"Nah." Makoto laughed, somewhat nervously. "I'm happy at my bakery."
"What I wouldn't give for…" Rin trailed off, without thinking.
"What? I could probably make it."
"It's fine. It's nothing special; just chocolate, basically anything. I'm good to be a glutton and maybe a hookup when I'm interested, I guess."
"That's not what I see."
"You're far too kind. Plus, no offense, I still think you've got a bit of those rose-colored glasses on because you barely know me."
"Tell me something about you."
"I did; a few things: I pull pranks on Kokoro, and I abandoned people I love."
"And you like chocolate. You are in good hands if you stick around. Maybe one day you'll even come into my bakery, instead of just drooling at the window displays when you don't think I see you."
"Y-you've caught me?" Rin blushed slightly.
"Plenty of times. But you're quick. By the time I can get outside or get my other best friend Motoki to actually give you something, you've split. In fact, I'd almost say you had a crush on me, or maybe my food."
Rin froze. Wide eyed and almost stammered, "The food does smell amazing?"
"Does it?" Makoto looked right into her eyes, straightforward flirting.
"Oh...Y-yeah...L-like I said, not very social. And when I do go outside, I kind of prefer the nighttime." Rin initially stammered, before looking away.
"Well hopefully tonight can change that some, and let you not be so vampirish."
"Is that even a word?" If Rin caught the implication, she didn't let on. Makoto was being bold now.
Makoto shrugged. "I don't know, but it sounds good."
"Well, what about you? You like to bake, I assume, and according to Kokoro I can trust you. Why?"
"I think the 'why' part you're going to have to answer for yourself if you give it a chance. As for me, yes I like to bake, garden, and I like martial arts."
Rin nodded, sipping her drink. "Fair, but common knowledge most likely, yes?"
"Touche." Makoto replied, before drinking from her own glass, as she pondered what she could tell this intriguing redhead.
"I did admit I was here for a hookup. I think Kokoro is about the only one I wouldn't have to actually say that to; she could just tell."
Rin nodded. "She's perceptive?"
"Very."
They remained in a somewhat comfortable silence for a few moments. Makoto thought about telling Rin when she came out, but figured that was common knowledge too.
"I grew up in foster care for about 6 years before I vouched for emancipation. My parents died in a plane crash when I was 8. However, while that part is common knowledge, here's something not even my friends really know: because one of our friends also grew up in foster care, he's always been like the older brother I never had."
Rin looked at her curiously and opened her mouth to ask a question then suddenly stopped before saying "Wow...I'm sorry for your loss...Your friend, so you met him in foster care?"
"That's just it, I never met him until I was 14. We never once crossed paths until that point."
It was true, not even Usagi knew that teeny detail that Makoto was longing for a sibling, but most of this Usagi would have already known. That thought stung Makoto, even now; the things she and Usagi never got to share with each other. She took a sip of her drink.
Oh well.
"I guess it is a small world, for as big as it is…" Rin replied softly.
"Can be, yeah. Okay, I think I've got something else for you. My favorite dish. I...I don't even know if my best friend ever knew this about me. Everyone thinks my favorite dish is cherry pie, and while it is one of my favorites, it's not #1. The truth is, it was my best friend's curry. I have zero clue how she made it; rather how much of the ingredients she used. I'm convinced she used something accidentally. But I never got to ask her what."
"Why not?"
Makoto's face went somber. "She disappeared a number of years ago. We don't know why or what happened. We think she's dead, but no real clue, because we can't find her. Goodness we've searched for her. Sometimes I still do."
"You love her." Rin stated simply.
"Never quite stopped, but I know she'd want me to move on. It's hard though."
Rin nodded, looking into her drink as if it held answers to even more questions she wasn't sure she had, or perhaps wanted answered?
"I never could...Not really." Rin continued her thought as if it were her own.
"Could what?" Makoto asked.
"Move on, even if she'd probably want me to, too. She was special. She…" Rin shook her head, and gave a rueful smile. "She's hopefully happy, and hopefully has forgotten about me. All I did was weigh her down anyway."
"If she cared about you; if she loved you, then don't consider yourself a burden."
"Can't help it. She was one of the few who didn't see me as a burden; but everyone else did. It's hard to be basically shunned by everyone else. But it's why she and a select few stood out to me; it's why I kept them close. But even that didn't last long."
"Because you left."
"Because I left."
"You sure you don't wanna get out of here? Forget what I came here for, but perhaps, maybe you might need it more than I do. One night of-" Makoto thought of her words. "Reckless abandon; reckless spontaneousness."
"A hookup?" Rin arched an eyebrow and smiled. Makoto was grateful she was sitting, she felt like her knees would have just given out.
"Not a hookup, or one night stand."
"Then what would it be?"
"Comfort?...Maybe even casual?" Makoto suggested, echoing some of Kokoro's words earlier.
"I feel like we're just using each other then. That's not what I'd want from this."
"What do you want? For one night, what would you want in all the world?"
"Even if you could give that to me….It's impossible. Hell, I couldn't even tell you what I wanted right now."
"Try me."
"To forget. For...6? 8 damn hours I just want to forget my cluster of a life...Even if some things I'm actually not ashamed of."
"Then let's go."
"What?"
"Let's go. Hell, we don't even have to go to my place yet. Let's go run amuck; paint the town some other color than red. Let's go play on the playground, or find sprinklers to run in; go find an open amusement park or something." Makoto stood and offered her hand.
"Break the law; get arrested?" Rin joked.
"If we can sneak a few more drinks from Kokoro, and so long as the lawbreaking is minor and we can make our own bail without a record/jail sentence, sure! Besides, I got a friend, worst case, and I know she's working tonight." Makoto winked.
"Um…" Rin blushed and looked away.
Makoto almost swooned, having to subtly hold onto the back of the barstool she had just gotten up from.
Rin found herself grinning after a moment of contemplation. "Sure."
"Kokoro! Tabs please?" Makoto called.
"Where are you two off to?"
"Paint the town." Makoto said cheekily.
Kokoro smiled.
"Don't you dare tell me you told me so." Rin said, giving her a look.
Kokoro detected a smile, basically the first real smile she's ever seen on Rin in all the time she has spent in this bar. "But I was right."
"Kokoro, gloating doesn't suit you." Makoto replied.
"Yeah, yeah yeah…Here." Kokoro said offering Makoto's tab to the brunette, as Rin spoke up.
"No, please? You were looking for a good time, and all I did was bum you out. Kokoro, please put it all on my tab? I'm also done for the night."
Kokoro smiled, handing Rin Makoto's bill (not allowing Makoto to protest) before attending to others.
Makoto glanced down as the right-handed Rin signed the bill with her own pen. With Rin to her left the entire time, Makoto didn't have to reach across Rin's body in order to take hold of her wrist, with a swift urgency and leaned in.
"I'm not here to hurt you I promise." She said quietly, feeling Rin's wrist immediately tense and she tried to pull back from Makoto's firm grip. "Please, let me go." Rin pleaded, her voice immediately wavering. Makoto just as instantly detected fear.
"I will, but first I need to know where you got this pen."
"What?" Rin breathed before glancing down. A distinctive jeweled pen sat in her hand.
"This pen, where did you get it? It's important. Please?"
"It's mine. " Rin said. She felt Makoto tense.
"But...It...It can't be…" Makoto said aloud in disbelief, drowned out by music. Then in her head. ' Usagi ? Is...Is it really you? ' The ability to mindlink (or speak to each other within their minds) had been a new skill they'd learned about around the time Usagi had left. Makoto had wanted to use it with Usagi dearly, to reach out and share her thoughts. But what had prevented her before now, she couldn't say.
Rin didn't respond, or even indicate if she'd heard. Rin took a glance towards Kokoro. She trusted her more than she'd ever let Kokoro know, and even she didn't know why. But she didn't know who she was and because from Rin's standpoint, couldn't see this. Kokoro was just a human after all.
Rin concentrated on the bill in front of her, as Makoto (with surprising patience) waited for her out. Their bodies shadowed the bill from the lights well. "Tell me...Do you see something on the bill?"
Makoto almost bore a hole into the pen before glancing over. There, she saw a faint hint of a crescent moon; a golden one that could in no way be caused by the lighting or reflections of lights.
Makoto's hand slowly released it's somewhat strong hold on her wrist, and moved slowly over the back of Rin's hand; and as best as she could, with Rin still holding the pen, interlaced their fingers. Makoto mirrored her action on the bill. "Do you see what I see?"
"I do." Rin replied, seeing the faint green #4, as Rin then felt a tear drop on her hand that wasn't her own.
"Ladies? You alright?"
Quickly the pair looked up (their symbols gone); nodding and plastering smiles on their faces. Kokoro gave them a skeptical look, seeing Makoto's eyes glassy with what may have been tears, but couldn't inquire more as she had to prevent an argument from getting out of hand.
Rin turned her posture, clutching the pen in her hand before offering it to Makoto who held it between their joined hands, but she pushed it back towards Rin. "I have to go." Rin said, putting her pen in her pocket. She began to move away, but tried to make their physical connection last as long as possible until distance declared otherwise.
But Rin felt a soft tug on her hand when she expected them to part.
"Come to my place? Please? Stay? I think there's quite a bit we need to talk about…" Makoto asked softly, sounding unsure herself.
Rin's face contorted briefly, as if she were attempting not to burst into tears; Maktoo would have missed it had it not been for her reflection off one of the mirrors.
The air of fun evaporated faster than the steam that was created by lava meeting ocean water.
Rin shook her head.
"Your friend...You were talking about yourself, weren't you?" Makoto ever so gently confronted.
Rin's head began to spin. She shook it briefly, before turning around.
"Y-you still want to hookup with me?" Came Rin's question that tumbled out of her mouth. It was the only thing Rin could actually focus on clearly.
Makoto's eyes widened. "That's not-we don't have to-Just talk ."
Rin's eyes closed partially as she bit her bottom lip before stepping forward. Within the same movement, she rose to her toes, placed one hand on Makoto's shoulder, and the other along her face and kissed her.
Kokoro turned when she heard the higher toned, enthusiastic 'ooohs' that she'd normally hear when she used to work in Juban middle & high schools, and her mouth dropped open. "Holy shit." Kokoro muttered from the opposite end of the bar, not that anyone heard her because of all the cheering. Kokoro was grateful she didn't have a glass in her hand, because she would have surely dropped it.
The kiss broke. Both looked a little dazed, and Kokoro was sure Rin was definitely tipsy. Rin nodded her head, mouthing something Kokoro couldn't make out from her viewpoint, before turning and holding Makoto's hand as they began to leave.
All of the women wanted to know how Rin was able to get Makoto to leave with her, yet, what was it about Rin that got Makoto's attention?
Makoto did not miss the warning in her head from the bartender, as Rin led her out of the bar.
MORE NOTES -
Mindlink: Mental Conversational Telepathy between the Senshi
(I'd like to think I coined the phrase, but probably not). I got tired of the Senshi having to use their communicators and actually having to wait for answers.
Usagi has broken up with Mamoru because she fell out of love with him and some other reasons we shall definitely get into. (Sorry Usa/Mamo Shippers. I love them too, I do. Please no flames).
Usagi waited a solid 6 months before she dared to feel comfortable dating again. She didn't want anyone after Mamoru to be a rebound.
Usagi and Makoto begin to date in January of the year Usagi was to turn 17. Both realized they've had underlying feelings for one another, and were quickly falling in love. (These were the feelings Usagi wasn't having with Mamoru).
I've aged Makoto to be 6 months older than Usagi.
Usagi disappeared in the winter before her 17th birthday.
Statistics:
Start Date: Aug 14, 2020: 0 pages, 0 words
1 Months: Sept. 13, 2020: 251 pages, 75,000+ words
2 Months: Oct. 14, 2020: 400 pages. 123,600+ words
End Date: 3 Months: Nov. 4, 2020: 515 pages, btw 156,000-163,800 words.