Flashbulbs

....an isabel original!

Rating: Updated to PG-13. Stay wary!

Category: Sailor Moon, Anime

Genre: Romance *so get lost if you don't like it!*

Disclaimer: Oops, guess I forgot this last time! Umm.... I don't own anything, not even my own life, so.... don't sue.

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So, this is the second installment of my little tale of love..... hope you guys are enjoying yourselves! To address a couple issues.....

I will be switching between Usagi and Rei, POV-wise. I know what it's like to be totally clueless about half of a pairing, and I'd like to keep the communication lines open between my readers and both of the little love bunnies featured in this story. ^_^ Good enough?

Also, the rapidity at which I produce new chapters will probably not be consistent. The quickest I'll be able to update is every couple of days -- that's the quickest -- but I'll be doing my very best. More updates means more reviews! ^_^

Now, on to chapter numero dos....

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Chapter Two: Dreaming Reality

Rei slammed her bedroom phone down onto its receiver, visibly frustrated. "Okay, guys, that's the fifth call we've gotten. What do we do?"

She stared pointedly around at the others. It was a week after the lingerie shoot, and they were all gathered in her bedroom, having a semi-tactical, semi-goof-off meeting. Makoto and Ami were sitting two to a chair, deep in conversation about some recent youma encounter; Minako lay on her floor, sprawled out over the pages of some magazine, and was giggling randomly; and Usagi sat on her bed, knees tucked up to her chin and arms locked around her legs. The princess had been gazing out the window, where a soft morning breeze drifted lazily into the room, its scent hinting at early cherry trees already blossoming. She looked up at Rei's words, however, and smiled before saying with an exaggerated whine in response:

"Don't tell me you want us to do another one!"

Minako glanced up. "Another shoot? Wicked idea! When do we start?"

Makoto and Ami now turned ears to their conversation. Makoto immediately went off on Minako for giving the lingerie magazine Rei's home phone number, when it had been the senshi of love that had had her panties in a twist over the idea in the first place. Minako did little to defend herself from this tirade; she took a dainty bite of a cookie, held her hand underneath to catch a few crumbs, and chewed while she waited patiently for Makoto to be finished.

When the brunette was quite out of breath, Minako said, "I don't understand why we even agreed to this shoot to begin with, if we weren't going to agree to any others. Isn't this what we wanted? Publicity? Notoriety?"

Makoto folder her arms. "Oh, come on," she said. "How likely is it that before they attack, all the youma are going to pick up a paper, see us on the front page, and run right back to where they came from? The majority of them aren't even literate!"

Rei glanced over at Ami, who was looking thoughtful. Knowing this was never a bad thing, she asked the blue-haired girl what was on her mind.

"Oh, I was just thinking," Ami answered after a moment. "That shoot got us exactly what we wanted, like Minako said. I mean, didn't it? I honestly don't see the harm that another shoot, perhaps a bit more modest this time, could do."

"Yeah, Ami!" Minako chimed, flashing her a grin. She turned to the others. "Whether or not we're all going to admit it, it helped, and another one can't hurt."

Rei, Ami, Makoto, and Minako looked around at each other, unsure about how to reach a consensus. Finally, Rei said, "Usagi? You've been pretty neutral until now.... why don't you decide for us?"

They all turned to their princess, who was still sitting on Rei's bed, not really paying attention. But at the sound of Rei's voice, she looked over at them. Feeling on the spot, she stammered, "Well, um... do you really want me to make this decision? I mean, you saw me at the last one. I, uh, don't want my embarrassment to get in the way...."

"But do you want to or not?" Makoto demanded.

Usagi sighed, looking from Ami, who was smiling gently, to Minako, who was nodding exhuberantly, and finally Rei, who was just standing there, waiting patiently for the verdict. "All right," she said, "let's do it."





That night, after the others had left, Rei sat up in her bedroom, thumbing through the magazine that they had all posed for. It wasn't due out for another two weeks, but the editor had sent them all rough copies of what it would look like, and Rei's had come in the mail mid-afternoon. She was just about floored at how good they all looked, how naturally they wore those tiny lacy scraps of clothing, and.... oh my! Rei gulped. A shot of her from the back, leaning against the wall, half turned to smile coyly at the camera.... well, she didn't get embarrassed easily, but that angle was extremely revealing. She quickly turned the page.

Very abruptly, she jolted upright in bed. Someone was at the front door.... and it was late. Too late for visitors. Knowing that Yuuichiro and her grandfather were already conked out, she crept from her bed, out her bedroom door, and downstairs.

She yanked the front door open a second before the shadowy figure knocked. Whoever it was gave out a little shriek of surprise. A flash of gold hair caught the temple fire's flickering light.

"Usagi," Rei whispered, the tension leaving her like air out of a punctured balloon. "What do you think you're doing here at this time of night?"

"Please, Rei, don't be angry," the princess pleaded. "My mother and father are out tonight, since it's their anniversary. My stupid brother and his dumb friends are having a sleepover.... and I had to get out."

She didn't elaborate, which was odd because Rei was pretty sure there was more to the story, but the fire senshi left it alone. "It's all right, Odango. Come upstairs, will you?"

Usagi bounded joyfully into the entrance hall, and followed Rei silently up the stairwell. When they reached Rei's doorway, Usagi spotted the magazine laying open on Rei's bed. A low noise issued from the back of her throat.

"Oh, you got one too? I was too scared to open mine...."

"Well, come look at it, silly. It's amazing. We all look... well... just and come see."

Usagi hesitantly approached the bed. The page lay open to a group shot. Minako and Ami knelt, bodies facing each other, staring seductively into the camera. Minako sat with her back to Makoto, leaning against her slightly, a confident smile on her face. Usagi and Rei were in front, Usagi's arm around Rei's shoulder, and Rei's hand resting gently on her friend's waist. Their heads were leaned toward each other, just barely touching. Both were smiling contentedly out at the viewer.

"Oh," Usagi breathed. "Oh!"

"Pretty cool, huh?" said Rei, watching her friend's expression change from nervousness to awe.

"I just.... I never guessed we would all look so.... so grown-up."

The words might have sounded childish to someone else, but Rei knew exactly what she meant. For all their battling, planning, strategizing, and secrecy, all the senshi were still very innocent in.... certain respects. The photos in the magazine, however, did nothing to back this up.

"They are great pictures, though," Usagi admitted. She turned the page, to a series of shots of just one person. "Oops... that's me!"

Rei grinned. "I think yours are the best, Odango. Look at you! You look like a pro."

After a while longer, Usagi set the magazine down again. A silence settled over the room, not uncomfortable, but curious, at least on Rei's part. Finally, Rei just asked it straight out.

"Usagi, why did you really come over? Why not go to Ami's? I mean, she lives way closer, and.... come to think about it, you had to take the bus over here, didn't you? Usagi," she admonished, "that was really dangerous. It's what, a quarter past eleven?"

Usagi looked up; she had been staring at the floor. "If.... if you want me to go to Ami's instead--"

Rei sighed. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Okay." Usagi took a deep breath. Her expression left Rei's bedroom, left the temple, dwelled in some far-off corner of memories. "While I was at home, I was asleep. And I was dreaming."

"Uh-huh...."

"I dreamed you were in pain."

Rei's eyes flashed over to her friend, who was staring at the opposite bedroom wall, eyes unfocused. She looked almost.... haunted. Not knowing what too say, Rei scooted closer to Usagi, and took one of the girl's slender hands into her own. "If it helps you to talk about it.... well.... I'm here to listen," she ventured quietly.

As Usagi continued to speak, Rei heard a peculiar quiver in the girl's voice. "I don't know who was doing it. Hurting you, I mean. All I know is that I was there, but something was holding me back. I couldn't get to you. And someone was laughing at me. And you..... you screamed. You never scream! But you were in so much pain. I would have done anything to get to you, Rei. Somehow...." Usagi paused, and took a shuddery breath. "Somehow I felt it was my fault that you were hurt. Maybe I didn't do anything on purpose, but I felt so guilty...."

It suddenly occured to Rei that the quivering she heard in Usagi's voice was the other girl struggling not to cry. Her friend was obviously very shaken. Rei sympathized, but, quite honestly, she didn't understand what all the fuss was about. It had been a bad nightmare, sure, but it was over now, wasn't it? Besides, how could herself in pain bother Usagi all that much?

Still, her friend needed comforting. Rei gathered the frightened girl into her arms, and began rubbing her back in slow circles. At this, Usagi's wall of restraint crumbled. She began crying quietly, but fiercely, against Rei's shoulder. The girl's small body shook as she released pent-up fear, frustration, and pain.

"You don't.... understand," Usagi choked out between heaving sobs. "It was so real. It felt like I was seeing the future. Truly."

"I know. Shhhh, it's okay. Just let it all out."

After a few more moments, Usagi's trembling grew calm. She leaned back a little, and looked up into Rei's eyes. Rei felt a strange shiver travel down her spine as she gazed back into those pale blue oceans. Usagi's lashes were dewy with her tears, and a few stuck together, shining like raindrops.

"You know how much I care about you, don't you, Rei?"

Rei smiled gently. "I guess I do now."

Usagi pulled her close again, and Rei felt her heart swell. There was something just so heavenly about being pressed up against her princess's warmth. She felt completely, utterly safe, and forgot for the moment who was supposed to be comforting who.

After a while, the girls lay back, arms still around each other. They drifted off to sleep, both unafraid. No more nightmares would cross the threshold of Rei's temple that night.





Usagi woke early the next morning. When she first returned to consciousness, her eyes were still closed, and so all she felt was this incredible warmth.... warmth that shimmered from her head to her toes. A soft hand rested against her cheek, not her own, and silky strands of something smooth curled around her arm. Her eyes fluttered open.

It was almost like she was still asleep, really. Rei's bedroom was lit with a very dim glow; it was sunny outside, but the shades were drawn, so the light crept only through the corners of the window. Everything was dreamlike.

Rei lay next to her, utterly peaceful. It was the fire senshi's hair that curled around Usagi's arm, and her hand that rested against Usagi's cheek. For a long moment, Usagi just lay there, watching her. My best friend, she thought, and then, Best friend? How can that be? I thought she couldn't stand me....

Well, for a while there, she couldn't, Usagi admitted to herself. But we haven't fought in a long time. She's been different.... more patient..... and I suppose I've changed, too. We're best friends. We really are. She understands me like no one does.

Usagi saw the way Rei's long eyelashes lay against her cheeks, the way her slender form rose and fell with gentle breathing. Her own breath caught in her throat. This is the single most beautiful sight I have ever seen in my entire life.

Her eyes and heart full of Rei, Usagi let her eyes fall shut again. It was Sunday morning, she had left a note to her parents so they would know where she was, and so she and Rei had all day. She swelled with happiness. All day....

Wait! No they didn't! Usagi jolted upright with a sudden rememberance. She was supposed to meet Mamoru! For breakfast! Gods, what time was it? Rei's clock read 10:15.... she was already a half an hour late.

"Shoot," she muttered, easing out of the bed, trying not to disturb her sleeping friend. She threw on her jacket and shoes, both of which she had tossed haphazardly onto Rei's rug. She checked her reflection briefly, not really caring too much what she looked like. She just didn't want to deal with Mamoru needling at her tardiness. She smiled. Just like Rei always does....

Usagi started out the door, but paused. It would be rude to just leave without any sort of goodbye, wouldn't it? She moved toward Rei's desk, grabbed a pen and paper, and scribbled a short note.

Before heading toward the door again, she walked silently over to the bed, where Rei still slept so peacefully. She meant to bend down and kiss the girl on her cheek, but.... oh, as she leaned close, the smell was intoxicating, just like roses.... her head turned at the last instant and her lips landed on Rei's soft ones. Then she walked through Rei's doorway, and out of the temple.



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Awwww! Their first kiss! Usagi doesn't seem too weirded out, does she? Hmm.... Tune in next time for more good Rei/Usagi lovin'. Just kidding. There won't be any major conflict between Rei and Mamoru yet, but I'll tell you now, conflicted!Usagi will definitely be making an appearance. Toodles!

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