Because February is my birthday month, I wanted to post something during it just for fun! So, as a happy birthday to all you awesome Feb babies (woo!) here's a little something for us all!
Featuring: Makoto/Nephrite (little bit of Minako thrown in too)
Universe: Same one-shot/drabble as the first two. Takes place after Ami's but before Rei's.
Warnings/rating: Just to be on the safe side, I'll rate this as an M. It involves heavy usage of Rum, heavy hinting of sex (nothing graphic, mind you), and all three characters have potty mouths. So, if all those things offend you, I suggest you move along!
The summer air was hot and humid, promising another day in record-breaking temperatures. All the windows in the small apartment were propped open, the hot air breezing in. And unluckily for Makoto, her stupid, measly little air conditioner decided to sputter out on her last night (as if that night couldn't get any worse). It was early Sunday and so maintenance wouldn't come around until Monday afternoon to fix it. Makoto was stuck with no air and dingy fans to keep her alive until then. And all those did was circulate the hot air around and around.
To make matters worse, she had had the bright idea to bake Usagi's birthday cake today of all days. Her apartment had already been sweltering hot to begin with, coupled with the preheated oven; it became almost unbearable to be in. Since she lived on the highest floor and wasn't expecting any company besides Minako later in the day, Makoto had no qualms in shedding all her clothes but a white tank top and her green, lacey cheeky panties. Her tank was currently sticking to her body like a second skin thanks to the sweat that was pooling underneath it. Not for the first time, she cursed her bad luck.
She'd been hoping that her foul mood from last night could be fixed by one of her favorite past times, baking, but the heat had all but ruined that for her. She stood in front of her stove, sweat starting to form on her forehead as she mixed the chocolaty contents in the pot. She had decided to try a new recipe for the filling of Usagi's cake; one that required spiced rum. She had only put in two tablespoons for taste, since the actual alcohol would be cooked off. The bottle stood a little to the left of her and Makoto eyed it apprehensively.
After the night she had had, morning drinking wasn't sounding so bad. Besides, it's not like there is anyone around to judge me, she thought. With her mind made up, Makoto stirred the contents until it was the right consistency. She quickly turned off the stove and set the pot on another burner to cool off. Not much she could do with it until later. Grabbing the rum bottle and taking a few swigs, she stood in front of the closest fan, relishing in the small reprieve it gave her. Not that that was saying much since the air was still relatively warm as it hit her sticky skin.
Taking another few more swigs, Makoto sighed. Leave it to her to drown her sorrows with alcohol and baking. If her friends knew, they probably would've chided her, but she didn't really care at the moment. She was feeling miserable and needed a pick-me-up. And the one-pound of chocolates she'd inhaled last night hadn't helped. As she stood in front of the fan, the air blowing her auburn hair around her face easily, Makoto thought back to the past six months.
It had all started in January, when they had all but popped back up into the senshi's lives like unwanted weeds. It had been a shock to them all when Zoicite, or Zeph as he went by nowadays, had carried in a feverish Ami to Rei's doorsteps. Of course she and Rei had ran over, Rei snatching Ami out of his hands with such force Zeph had stumbled forward. Makoto had been seething with rage, and in her rage, she had punched him square in the jaw before anyone else could even utter a word. The resounding crack had been music to her ears.
"Makoto! What the hell are you doing? Stop!" Mamoru yelled at her.
"I do not take orders from you, Mamoru!" She yelled as she swung again, missing Zeph as he quickly dodged her this time around. She yelled out in frustration as she swung again, her vision clouded in a red haze. Her punches were sloppy at best. If she had been paying attention, she would've noticed that he wasn't swinging back at her, merrily dodging. As it were, she was too busy trying to land another hit to notice.
"Makoto!" Usagi squeaked, alarmed.
Makoto kept on messily throwing punches until Mamoru stepped in between Zeph and her, grabbing her flailing hands into his larger ones. Makoto stopped long enough to stare at Mamoru with a look of confusion mingled with hurt. She pulled her hands roughly away from his, jumping back in anger.
"What the hell are you doing protecting him? He's our enemy!" She yelled at him, her hands balled into fists at her sides.
"Zeph's not! If you would just calm down for a second and let me explain, you'd see that," Mamoru calmly stated, his sapphire eyes pleading with her. Makoto took another step back, horrified at his words. She felt Minako's hand snake around her own and tug her back towards her. Makoto stood silently next to Minkao, all the fight having left her as Mamoru's words felt like a punch to the gut. She vaguely registered Rei's stiff form next to her.
Usagi looked conflicted as she stood in the middle of Mamoru and them. With drooped shoulders and a sad look back at them, Usagi made her way next to Mamoru.
"Usagi, get back here!" Minako commanded. She had taken a small step towards the other blonde girl.
"It's ok Minako. He's not going to hurt me. Please, just listen to Mamoru! We can explain everything!" Usagi said, her voice trembling with emotion.
"If he stabs her, it's her own damn fault. Can't protect someone from their own stupidity," Rei shot back, her glare projected towards the three that stood in front of her. Usagi physically flinched at the words. Makoto sighed sadly. She hated seeing Usagi upset. She turned to Minako, a questioning look as she addressed her leader silently.
Minako nodded her head curtly. "Fine, we'll listen. But Usagi needs to be on our side, just in case."
Usagi jutted her chin out stubbornly, crossing her arms and planting her feet firmly on the ground. Minako shook her head, exasperated.
Rei scoffed. "Your funeral then," she said coolly.
"Usako, go on, it's fine." Mamoru gave Usagi a small smile as he gently prodded her forward. Usagi nodded her head and made her way next to Minako. "Can we please discuss this inside, Rei?"
Rei bristled, opening her mouth to retort but Usagi cut her off.
"Rei, please!" Usagi pleaded, her sky blue eyes turning rounder as she clasped Rei's hands. Rei's glare softened slightly.
"Whatever. But if he so as much as breathes wrong, I'm holding you personally responsible."
Usagi squealed happily, nodding fervently. Rei made her way inside the temple, the others following silently behind her. She stopped in front of her room to check up on Ami, who was sleeping peacefully in Rei's bed. Zeph took a step forward but Makoto stopped him with a warning look. He looked at Ami sadly but nodded his head, following them as Rei led them further in.
They all sat around the small table as Rei busied herself preparing tea. Makoto smiled despite herself; leave it to Rei to still be a gracious host in such a hostile meeting. Makoto eyed Zeph when he wasn't looking. His shoulders were slumped dejectedly and he was nervously folding and unfolding his hands in his lap. He looked so pitiful Makoto almost felt bad for him. Almost. When Rei finished serving everyone but Zeph tea (he had to serve himself), Mamoru cleared his throat.
"As you can see, the shitennou are back. I'll spare you all the details on how that's possible since we aren't too sure ourselves. They showed up almost a month ago at my doorsteps. After a few days of considering their fates, I decided to forgive them. I told Usako a week later, and she welcomed them with open arms." Mamoru smiled warmly at Usagi, squeezing her hand.
"You mean you knew and didn't tell us?" Makoto asked, feeling a little hurt.
"Hush, Makoto. Let them finish. We'll have our chance to scrutinize them later," Minako calmly stated, placing a reassuring hand on her knee. Minako signaled for Mamoru to continue.
"I made her promise not to say anything to you guys. I wanted to make sure I could trust them before everyone met. They were still coming into their powers and I didn't want them to be a threat to anyone. We finally agreed to tell you guys tonight. I was going to have them all show up after our weekly meeting, but then Zeph called and said there was something wrong with Ami so I told him to meet me at Rei's temple since I was already here and I was worried about her. This wasn't how I planned on it going," Mamoru finished, frustration lacing his words.
Makoto sat quietly, digesting everything Mamoru had stated. Her heart rate had quickened at the prospect of his words. Nephrite was alive and in the same city. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about it all.
"Rei, do you sense an evil presence around Zoicite?" Minako's voice broke into Makoto's inner thoughts.
"It's Zeph now," the strawberry blond man added, trying to be helpful.
"Same difference," Rei shot back acidly. "And no, I don't." Makoto thought she sounded a little disappointed.
Minako tapped her lip with a finger, thinking it over. After a few seconds of silence, she placed her hands on the table. "I'd like to have a private meeting with my senshi to discuss this further, but with Ami not being here, we will have to post-pone it until she feels better. Until then, I recommend you keep your men far away from Usagi and the rest of us." With that, the discussion was thoroughly closed. Mamoru looked ready to say something, but the look Minako was giving him kept his mouth shut. Makoto was impressed. Zeph looked around the room awkwardly and stood up, giving them all a sad little smile.
"It was a pleasure to finally meet all of you. Please take care of Ami for me; she has a high fever that's a bit worrisome. Good day." He waved half-heartedly and left with Mamoru, who hadn't said a word.
Usagi had stayed behind. No one had really talked those next few days when they all camped out at Rei's, waiting for Ami to get better. When she finally did recover, they had gathered around in Rei's room. The air was heavy with anticipation and anxiety. Minako recounted what had transpired to Ami, who sat quietly listening.
"I thought I was dreaming when I saw him," Ami responded, a blush creeping up her neck and face.
"I wish," Rei mumbled.
"That's it!" Usagi exclaimed, stomping her foot angrily. Makoto stared at her in surprise. "I'm not telling you guys to pick up where you left off in the Silver Millennium, but-"
"That would be a little difficult considering they killed us. Can't really pick up where we left off when you left off being dead," Rei said sarcastically, interrupting Usagi's speech. Makoto looked at Usagi, waiting for the tears to appear, but there were none. Instead, Usagi had drawn herself up, looking like the regal queen she would one day be.
"Rei, you will listen to me without interruptions! I am your Queen and I deserve that respect. Am I making myself clear?" Makoto had never heard Usagi use that tone of voice with any of them. She couldn't help but smile proudly at Usagi.
Rei glared back, crossing her arms, but didn't say anything else.
"Good. Now, I can't force you guys to like them, but you will be working with them. It'll be good to have them around for patrols. We won't be stretched out so thin and it'll give us some breathing room. I know you'd never complain, but I see how tired you guys get. This will be good for us, I promise. And I see how happy Mamoru is now that they are around. So please, try to be civil, for Mamoru?" Usagi had been close to tears towards the end, but held them back with a few stubborn sniffles. They had all agreed, some more stubbornly than others, to be civil around the shitennou for Mamoru and Usagi's sake.
The shrill beeping of the timer Makoto had set for the cake brought her back to the present. Setting the rum down, she grabbed her mittens and opened up the oven, cursing the heat as it wafted towards her face. Grabbing the cake and placing it on the stove, Makoto closed the oven and turned it off, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. She'd probably have to place the cake in the fridge to cool off faster since her apartment felt like the inside of an oven. Deciding to see how the cake would do sitting out for a while, Makoto grabbed the bottle and headed into her little living room. She sat on the wooden floor instead of the couch, preferring the coolness of it rather than the clothed death trap. Leaning against the wall, Makoto stretched her long legs out. Looking at the bottle in her hand, she noticed she had drunk a little more than she originally thought.
Oh well, she thought, taking another swig of it. The first couple of months with the shitennou had been trying to say the least. Ami had been the most forgiving, striking up a friendly relationship with Zeph and the other men easily enough. She had always made polite conversation whenever they were around. Minako, acting like their leader, kept her word and was civil around them all, for the most part. She even started acting like her normal, bubbly self around Jadeite, now named Julian. Makoto did notice how Minako avoided Kunzite, or rather Kaiden, unless she absolutely couldn't avoid it. That tended to be a lot, given that they were both acting leaders and had to discuss various strategies. It had made for some awkward situations.
Rei had acted aloof around all the shitennou, only speaking to them when she had no other choice. She had all but pretended Julian didn't exist, never once looking or speaking to him in the first month and a half. And as for herself, well she had been angry at first. She had snapped at them a lot that first month; she was embarrassed to say now. But soon, her friendly disposition won out when she got to know this version of them better. The only one she had held a grudge against had been Nephrite, or Neven as he went by nowadays. Which was ironic, since he'd been the one to win all the other senshi over with his teddy bear persona. He joked and laughed the easiest among the four.
Rei and Makoto had secretly come to an agreement during that first month. Since Usagi had made them patrol as senshi/shitennou pairs, alternating so they all could get a chance to know each other better, they'd cheated her system. Rei and Makoto would switch nights whenever they'd be stuck with a certain shitennou they couldn't stand. Ami and Minako had disapproved, but hadn't said anything to Usagi.
Their little agreement had lasted for about a month until Usagi had found out. Unbeknownst to them, Usagi had told the men to switch too. Rei had walked into a trap one faithful night. She had handled it with the grace and poise she'd been born with, up until about halfway through their patrol. Julian and Rei had stumbled upon a stray youma. According to the story both had told later on, Julian had somehow almost (accidently he'd kept insisting) kicked Rei when the youma had dodged. Rei had quickly dispatched the youma with a fiery arrow and had turned her bow on Julian. He'd been sporting a scorch mark on his arm when they'd reported back the next day.
Minako and Kaiden had both decided that to keep a situation like that from happening again, the senshi and shitennou would train every weekend together, to better acclimate themselves. The first few training sessions had gone well. Makoto had done her best to avoid Neven during them, but somehow he had always managed to worm his way near her. She'd lost her temper a few times around him, and he had with her once, but it'd been nothing compared to Julian and Rei.
During one particular training session, Julian had made a comment that had finally set Rei off. She had said some pretty nasty words to him and then had stormed off, but not before setting the tree next to Julian on fire. After that day, instead of ignoring Julian, Rei had made it her mission to insult him every chance she got.
Kaiden called off the training session early on account of what had transpired. Makoto was heading out with Minako when Neven materialized from nowhere, barring her escape. Minako pursed her lips as she eyed Neven. Makoto shot her a pleading look.
Minako sighed, shaking her head. "Karma's a real bitch, Mako. Neven, behave." She shot him a warning look and he returned it with an easy smile. Minako continued walking, leaving Makoto alone with Neven. Makoto glared at him for good measure.
"Look," he began, shifting uneasily from foot to foot, "I know things between us have been…less than ideal."
Makoto snorted. "Understatement of the year," she mumbled.
"But I'm tired of feeling like I'm walking on eggshells around you. All this pent up frustration and anger you have for me needs to stop. So, have at me!" He raised both arms wide, a grin on his face.
"Excuse me?" She said threateningly.
He stared at her dumbly, not understanding where the hostility had come from until his mind finally caught up. He shook both hands in defense, a look of horror plastered on his face. "No, no that's not what I meant. That…that came out wrong. I meant I want you to fight me. And none of that pansy stuff Kaiden makes us do. If you want to transform and shoot lighting at me, go ahead. I promise, I won't fight back. We won't stop until you've had your fill; until every murderous thought you've had is released." He seemed pretty proud of himself as he waited for her response.
Makoto blinked at him owlishly, trying to comprehend all that he had said. He wanted her to pommel him for sport? And if she'd heard correctly, he wouldn't retaliate, which meant it really wouldn't be a fair fight. But Makoto was past the point of caring, so she lunged at him.
Since he hadn't been expecting her to attack him just then, he didn't dodge her right cross. Her fist collided with his abdomen and his breath escaped his lips in a huff. Neven clutched his stomach as Makoto jumped back, clutching her hand.
"I think you broke my hand!" She winced as she examined her hand tentatively. Punching him there felt like punching a brick wall, not your normal flabby human guy.
Neven tried to chuckle, but it came out as more of a grimace. "That's not exactly my fault."
"Oh shut up!" Makoto growled back. She attempted a front thrust kick but he jumped back. She attacked again with a hook kick, trying to catch him by surprise. Again, he was too fast for her. "I thought you said I could hit you!"
He barked out a laugh. "You'll have to do better than that." He smiled cheekily at her.
Makoto ground her teeth. She kept attacking, her aggression getting the better of her. He kept easily dodging her attacks, a grin on his face the whole time, which annoyed her. He blocked a particularly nasty roundhouse kick aimed at his thigh by quickly hooking his arm around her leg. He shoved her leg back and she stumbled backwards but recovered quickly. "Why are you doing this?" She huffed out as she continued her onslaught.
"Because you hate me," he simply stated back, blocking a high kick aimed at his head. He grimaced a little from the blunt force of her kick.
She stopped to consider his words, her breathing starting to become labored from all the strain. "I don't hate you," she mused as she attempted a jab-cross punching combination that he barely blocked. She was starting to pick up on his movements.
"Maybe not, but I want us to be friends. Like we used to be." He crossed his arms over his head to block her axe kick, his knees buckling a little from the force. With a heave, he pushed upwards, making her lose her footing from the upward motion.
She fell on her butt with an ungraceful "oomph". The sting from his words hurt her more than flopping on her ass. The prickling of tears at the ends of her eyes made her angry.
"We were more than just friends, but you had to go ruin that by betraying me!" She ignored the rumbling clouds that had gathered above them, a telltale sign that she was truly getting upset. She lashed out at him with a low, spinning sweep kick. He went crashing to the floor and barely had time to roll to the side as she brought her heel down.
"I know and I can't ever apologize enough for it! That's why I would never even entertain the fact of pursuing you in that way again. Not after how much I hurt you. But not having you in my life at all is torture, Mako!" He rolled back onto his haunches, his voice pleading.
"I loved you! I committed treason by being with you, by telling you all those things! And for what? For you to throw it all back in my face as you plunged your spear into my chest?" Makoto knew she sounded hysterical, but she was past the point of caring.
"Don't you think I know that? I can't take that back. Every time I look at you, I see…" His brown eyes looked haunted as he looked at her, struggling with the words. He shook his head, frustrated. "Doesn't matter. I know you can't ever see me in that way again; I'm not doing this to win you back. I just miss seeing your smile and knowing I'm the reason you don't, kills me. We were friends once, I'd like to think we can be again."
The sad, hopeful tone he used pushed Makoto over the edge. She rushed him, blindly throwing out punches, not really aiming. "All you had to do was apologize! Apologize for being a stupid asshole that didn't believe me when I told him I loved him! Apologize for turning to that bitch Beryl and ruining everything!" Every word was emphasized with a half-hearted punch and Neven just stood his ground, letting her hit him. Only one of her punch's connected solidly and Neven stumbled back, clutching his jaw.
Lightening illuminated the sky and with it, the downpour began. The drops came down fast, soaking everything it touched. The rain had a calming effect on Makoto and she stopped her pitiful assault, crumbling to the floor. She brought her bruised hands to cover her face, her tears mingling with the rain as they both carved a path down her cheeks. Her sobs shook her whole body.
She felt Neven kneel down beside her hesitantly. His warm, calloused hands pulled her own away from her face. His hands dwarfed hers by comparison and she just stared at them clutching her own.
"Mako," he finally said and she looked up, tears making him look blurry. His long, curly brown hair, matted down by the rain, made him look younger.
"I'm so sorry for ever doubting you, for doubting us. I'm so sorry for betraying you and letting Beryl so easily influence me. I'm sorry for being a coward; for letting my emotions cloud my judgment." His mocha colored eyes were full of sincerity. He tried smiling, but it came out as a grimace, his hand coming up to gingerly touch the spot she'd punched. "Still got a mean right hook I see."
She laughed, but the sound came out as more of a sob. She was exhausted and yet, she felt lighter somehow; like all the pent up resentment she felt for him had washed away with the rain. Makoto stood up, wiping her auburn hair away from her face. She stuck out her hand.
"Friends. Just friends. Think you can do that?" She smiled up at him.
"Just friends, I promise." He shook her hand.
That had been a little over four months ago. Since then, they'd gradually worked on their friendship. She no longer avoided him and during their patrols together, they had eased into a friendly banter. Soon, they started seeing each other outside of duty bound obligations. Movie nights with him and the rest of the guys or catching up over a quick lunch had turned into routine for them.
Makoto was happy with their little arrangement and Neven had kept his promise. She was very much content…until one day she wasn't. She had noticed the uneasy feeling she got around him about a month ago. His easy smiles had started leaving her breathless, the way he always complimented her on the little things made her blush with embarrassment, and the way her heart would beat sporadically anytime she was near him had been troubling.
Somewhere in those four months she had fallen for him, even without meaning to. She hadn't known what to do with this newfound affection, so she'd gone to Zeph for help. Rei had been out of the question, and Minako…she wasn't sure what Minako's deal had been lately. Ami had never been very good when it came to matters of the heart (although her new relationship with Zeph might have made her more suitable) and Usagi would have made a bigger deal of it than it really was. No, her best bet had been Zeph of all people.
On the night that they had been scheduled to patrol together, Makoto had brought up Neven during their normal conversation. He had chatted about his brown haired friend happily but then he'd dropped what felt like a bomb to Makoto. Zeph had, in passing, mentioned that Neven had been seeing a girl and seemed happy. Makoto didn't realize that she could have felt that much anguish over such news. She had completely forgotten to ask Zeph what he thought about her newfound feelings for his friend. The rest of the night had passed by in a blur, as did the week.
And then, last night had happened. It had been Neven's turn to patrol with her. It had been a relatively boring night with no youma to dispatch. They had run around the city in the stifling hot night air with nothing to distract themselves with. Neven had complained about the temperature, tugging on his uniform. And then, with a mischievous look in his eyes, he'd told her she should start a storm. She'd scoffed at the idea, telling him she couldn't control the weather.
Shrugging his shoulders, he'd walked over to a fire hydrant. With one last, mischievous look back at her, he had broken off the top and water had spewed everywhere. He had started laughing as she spluttered at him, shocked as the cold water had hit her. She had marched up to him, soaking wet, and angrily yelled at him for wasting all the water. He shook himself like a wet dog, splashing her with a silly grin on his face.
She had looked up at him in all his glorious skintight uniform and something had stirred deep within her. And, like many times before, her brash, impulsive self won out. She had reached out and kissed him without a second thought. Her skin had tingled at the contact, but then reality had come crashing down on her. He had a girlfriend. She had no business kissing a man with a girlfriend. She had pulled away from him like she'd been electrocuted.
She had mumbled some stupid excuse and teleported straight to her apartment without letting him say a word. She'd thrown herself angry into a chair, not caring that she was wet. She had felt humiliated, guilty, and angry.
And now here she was, tipsy on rum and trying to forget that last night had ever happened. Makoto groaned as her mind replayed their kiss again and again. What had she been thinking? She had been the one that had practically told him she didn't want anything to do with him. She had been the one that had uttered the dreaded words of just friends. When he had finally moved on, when she no longer could have him, was when she wanted him the most.
What a piece of work I am, she thought bitterly. Eyeing the rum bottle like her current predicament had been its fault, Makoto sighed to herself. Deciding she clearly had had enough to drink, she stashed the rum bottle away for another day. Working meticulously, she started layering Usagi's cake. Even if she were tipsy, her work didn't suffer. Not that Usagi would care; she would eat whatever Makoto had made for her with a happy smile on her face. She placed the first layer of cake down and then smothered it with the new filling, spreading it evenly. She took the second layer and gently placed it on top, coating it with another generous amount of chocolate filling. Makoto heard her phone buzz, signaling a new text message. She ignored it, knowing it'd probably be Minako saying she'd be late.
When she was finished with the third layer, she grabbed the hot pink fondant she had already prepared from the fridge. Carefully covering the cake with the fondant, Makoto trimmed the excess from the bottom, making sure it was all smoothed out. She grabbed her piping bag and made some random designs on the cake, adding a few flowers into the mix. Makoto eyed the finished cake; making small adjusts with her piping bag as she saw fit.
Happy with her final product, she carefully placed the cake inside her fridge. It had taken her the better part of a day to finish Usagi's cake, including her little trip down memory lane. It was already late afternoon as Makoto began humming a song as she cleaned up her kitchen. She still felt slightly buzzed from all the rum she'd consumed, so her washing of dishes were randomly interrupted with bursts of little dance moves. Her hands were full of soapsuds when someone knocked on her door.
"Dammit Minako! How many times have I told you there's a spare key in my potted plant!" Makoto angrily shouted as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel, stomping her way to her front door. She yanked her door open, ready to berate her friend when she stopped short in surprise. With a little squeak, she slammed the door shut. She could feel her face heat up from embarrassment as her brain seemed to short circuit.
"Makoto, I'm coming in," Neven said through the door.
"Wait, don't-!" She hurriedly began, starting for the door only to have it smack her in the face as it swung open. She cursed as she clutched her nose, her eyes watering from the pain.
"Oh shit! Are you ok?" Neven asked as he rushed to her side, concern evident in his eyes and body posture. He hunched over to better see, placing a hand on the small of her back. His unruly hair tickled her cheeks; he was so close.
"I'm fine," Makoto said as she tried to inch away from his touch. "I probably deserved it," she thought out loud. She pulled her hand away, inspecting it for blood. There was none. If she were lucky, there'd be minimal bruising and her nose would just be tender to the touch for a few days.
"I'd say that's a harsher punishment than what I would've given you for slamming the door in my face." He eyed her nose, making sure she looked fine, a small grin on his face.
Makoto was acutely aware she was standing in front of Neven half naked. She tried edging closer to her couch to block his view. "I wasn't expecting you, that's why I was a little surprised."
"It's really hot in your apartment," Neven commented, wiping his brow as beads of sweat began to pool there.
"Yeah, my A.C. broke," she said distractedly, eyeing her couch. Just a few more steps and she'd be safely behind it.
"Ah, that explains your outfit. Or lack there of."
Makoto stopped moving and turned her head towards Neven. She caught him eyeing her legs before his eyes snapped back up towards her face. The appreciative look he was giving her made her squirm a little.
"I told you not to come in for a reason! Stop staring!" She gritted out as his eyes once again dropped below her face.
"It's a little hard not to when you're flaunting your assets at me," he teased.
"Oh shut up before I smack that grin off your face! What the hell are you doing here anyway?" Her temper flared as his smile grew wider.
"I wanted to talk about last night."
And with those words her temper ebbed away, to be replaced with a hollow feeling. She debated playing dumb, but quickly dismissed the thought. Guilt quickly filled her mind and she groaned inwardly.
"Look, that was a mistake, I know. I should've never kissed you. That must've put you in an awkward position, having to explain that to your girlfriend. I completely understand if you never want to hang out with me again. I am so sorry." Makoto knew she was babbling, but the words kept spilling from her mouth.
Neven looked at her with a confused expression as she kept pacing around her living room, completely abandoning her quest to hide behind her couch. "Wait, what? Makoto, what are you talking about?"
She whirled around to face him. "Stop staring at my ass and pay attention! I doubt your girlfriend would enjoy the fact that you keep ogling me!"
"Girlfriend?" He asked, frowning at her.
"Yes, girlfriend. Your girlfriend you big oaf!" Makoto said, exasperated. "You know, the one Zeph told me about when I asked about-" Makoto clamped her mouth shut, looking horrified at her slip.
"Zeph told you I had a girlfriend?" Neven parroted, a bemused smile on his face.
Makoto's heart dropped at the smile. Makoto had already felt crummy and, coupled with the rum currently running through her bloodstream, she felt she'd be an emotion wreck any second now. Once again she felt all the fight leave her body. Makoto felt emotionally exhausted and just wanted him out of her apartment so she could wallow in self-pity alone.
"Yes. So there's really no need for you to explain yourself. I already know your situation. It won't happen again," she dully stated, making her way to her door and opening it, hoping he'd get the hint. She couldn't bear to look at him so she stared at the wall instead.
Makoto heard him cross the room swiftly. Neven stopped in front of her and gently pried her fingers from the doorknob. She watched as he closed her door and locked it, her mind blank and her body rigid.
"You silly girl," he whispered as he tilted her chin up. Makoto's eyes met his and she fought back the tears that threatened to spill. "There's no one else. There will never be anyone else. Everyone else pales in comparison to you, Makoto."
The tears she'd been holding back fell from her eyes as she closed them tightly shut. Makoto felt his lips brush against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down, deepening the kiss.
Neven was the one to break the kiss, a wolfish grin on his face. "Is that rum I taste?"
"Maybe," Makoto said, a little embarrassed.
Neven threw his head back and laughed. "Are you drunk?" He asked in-between fits of laughter.
Makoto disentangled herself from him and swatted him playfully. "No! I stopped drinking before I got to that point."
Neven chuckled. "And here I was going to ravish you, but now I can't. It'd be like I was taking advantage of tipsy Mako."
"Tipsy Mako wants to be ravished," Makoto teased. She grabbed his hand and led him to her couch. Makoto pushed him and Neven fell back on the couch. She knew that, if he had wanted, he'd still be standing. She straddled him, a playful smile on her lips. She kissed him, a little thrill running up her spine as his tongue met hers. They stayed like that, hands roaming as their lips stayed locked, for a few minutes.
Makoto pulled away slightly, trailing hot kisses along his jawline and down to his neck. She softly grazed her lips over his exposed skin, sometimes nipping, other times sucking gently. She felt his body go rigid underneath hers.
"Makoto," he warned, his voice sounding like a low growl.
Pleased with herself, Makoto stopped and looked at him innocently. "Yes?"
He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "I am not Kaiden. I do not have the best self-control, remember?"
"Who says I want you to?" She asked seriously. She quirked an eyebrow up as he continued to look at her.
Makoto gave a little yelp as she found herself pinned underneath him. Neven ran his calloused hand up her thigh and then underneath her shirt, feeling her taught stomach prickle up in goose bumps. Makoto's breath hitched in her throat when she felt him kiss the path his hand had just made.
"You sure about this?" Neven murmured against her stomach.
Makoto cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. She tugged him back up and gave him a quick peck. She smiled at him and nodded her head, not trusting her voice. He leaned down and captured her lips with his and she arched against him as his free hand slipped lower.
Makoto slipped a pink tank top over her head and down her torso. The sun was finally beginning to set, but her room still felt relatively warm, even with her fan running on high. She ran a towel through her damp hair as she plopped down on her bed, a content sigh escaping her lips. She glanced at her closed bathroom door with a smile on her face.
Neven was still in the bathroom, finishing up his shower. She had gotten out as soon as her hands started to get all pruney. He'd objected, but she'd silenced him with the promise of food. He had grinned like a small boy, shooing her away.
Makoto stretched out on her stomach as she thought about the ingredients in her fridge. She tried planning a meal, however her mind kept drifting back to how she loved his capable fingers but then a noise interrupted her thoughts.
She pushed her upper body away from the bed, straining to hear. Sure enough, she heard shuffling outside her bedroom. Makoto's heart beat frantically as she hoisted herself up to a sitting position. She had one leg on the floor when her bedroom door burst opened and in came Minako.
Her blonde friend had her long hair up in a messy bun and her hand was clutching the pint of ice cream Makoto had been hoarding away. A spoon was dangling from her mouth as she made her way next to Makoto and sat down.
"Makoto, I'm a wreck!" Minako wailed after she had shoveled another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.
Makoto tried to remain calm, but her frantic heart was likely to give her away. "You scared the living shit out of me, Minako! How did you get in here?" Makoto nervously played with her still damp hair.
"Your spare key, duh! Now pay attention, I'm having a crisis!" Minako shoveled more ice cream in her mouth before dramatically setting it on Makoto's nightstand.
Makoto rolled her eyes. "You're late, is what you are." Thank god, she added to herself. Any earlier and Minako would have walked into a very awkward and revealing situation.
Minako just waved her comment away. "I texted you. What are you doing?" Minako asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing at Makoto. Makoto had gotten up and grabbed her beloved ice cream, intending to lead Minako away from her bedroom and the still showering Neven.
"Um, putting this away since you seem to be done? It's making a sticky mess on my nightstand." Makoto feigned exasperation.
"Leave it," Minako commented airily, "I'm more important right now." Minako tugged on Makoto's arm, who bit her lip but let Minako pull her back down onto her bed. With how warm her room still was, that ice cream was going to make a huge mess. Granted that was probably the least of Makoto's worries right now.
Minako laid her head on Makoto's lap. Makoto watched as Minako's bubbly, overdramatic persona slipped off, revealing the weary young woman underneath. "It's really hot in your apartment. No wonder you're prancing around in nothing." Minako poked Makoto's bare leg teasingly.
"What's wrong, Minako?" Makoto asked, noting the melancholy voice her friend had spoken in. She gently tugged Minako's hair lose and ran her fingers through Minako's lemon blonde locks. Minako sighed, her cool breath hitting Makoto's bare thighs. Makoto struggled to remain in the present as Minako's breath reminded her of Neven and ice cubes and what he'd done…
Minako's voice snapped her out of her memories and Makoto felt herself flush in embarrassment. "What?" Her voice came out breathy and Makoto cleared her throat before trying again. "Speak up. I can barely hear you since you're practically speaking to my crotch."
Minako giggled. "I asked you if the universe was looking down on me and laughing."
"Why's that?"
"Because! I'm supposed to be the senshi of love and my love life has always been a mess! It's like some sick joke! Whenever I try to grasp some semblance of what love is; it slips past my fingers!" Minako had abandoned her post on Makoto's lap. She stared at Makoto with a sad look, her normally bright cornflower blue eyes dull. "Kunzite, Ace, all those random guys I didn't even bother to remember their names, and now Kaiden."
Makoto's pulse quickened at the mention of the shitennou, her eyes shifting to her bathroom door and then back at Minako. "What about Kaiden?" Makoto asked, a little distracted. Had Neven turned off the shower after hearing Minako's voice?
"He's…we're…it's…Ugh, I don't know what we are!" Minako stomped off the bed, frustration evident as she paced around the room. Makoto eyed her friend with an annoying gnawing feeling in her stomach. Minako was making her antsy.
"Hey Makoto?"
"Hmm?" Makoto watched as Minako stopped pacing, her eyes staring intently at the floor. When Minako looked back up at her, there was a wide grin on her face and a wicked glint to her eyes.
"Is that men's clothes I see?" Minako asked slyly.
Makoto froze, her eyes glancing to the floor. From her position on the bed, she couldn't make out what had caught Minako's eyes. "Um, what?" She asked weakly. She couldn't remember where Neven had tossed his clothes.
"Come to think of it, the shower was running when I got here, and yet you were in your room fully clothed when I came in." Minako stood with her arms crossed, smiling like the Cheshire cat.
Makoto couldn't help it. Her traitorous eyes peered at the bathroom door before she could stop herself. She watched, as if in slow motion, Minako bolt to the bathroom door. Makoto jumped out of bed, attempting to tackle Minako before she opened the door.
"Minako! Don't!" She shouted as she wrapped her arms around Minako's legs. Minako had reached the bathroom's door handle, so when Makoto's body collided with hers, the momentum pushed the door open, and with it, both women flew in. They went sprawling over each other, landing on the tiled floor in a mess of limbs.
Neven stood a little over them in only a towel wrapped around his lower half. He had an amused grin on his face as he eyed them both. Makoto's face felt like it was on fire.
"Oh hello Neven. Fancy seeing you here." Minako smirked wide at them, as if she wasn't currently laying on the floor with Makoto half on top of her.
"You know, I normally don't like sharing Makoto. But for you, I'll make an exception," Neven teased.
"Neven!" Makoto spluttered.
Minako laughed. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, Makoto. It's not like he suggested a threesome."
"I wouldn't be opposed to one." Neven smiled devilishly.
Minako burst into a fit of laughter, tears streaming out of her eyes. "You guys sure know how to cheer a girl up," Minako finally said after calming down.
Makoto groaned. "You guy's are ridiculous!" She got up and pulled Minako along with her. "Come on, help me make dinner. You can finish up telling me about Kaiden."
"Or, you can tell me how this happened." Minako wiggled her finger at them both.
"Sorry, we don't kiss and tell," Neven answered as he followed them both out to the bedroom.
"Ah, well, sorry to burst your bubble, Neven, but by the next girl's only brunch, we'll know all about your dirty little bed secrets. Like your O-face." Minako winked at him.
"Minako!" Makoto and Neven both shouted, tinges of red marring both their cheeks. Minako just laughed as she made her way to the kitchen.
And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed it! Comment back what you think! Also, I have two little one-shots centered around Minako/Kunzite I've been working on. So don't fret, they'll get their dues! The stories will definitely be a lot shorter than this one. This one turned into a behemoth. It seems I'm incapable of writing shorties, so I made it a goal with the Minako/Kunzite one (also why I'm giving them two, to be fair).
I've also been mulling over this grand idea I've had to commemorate the Sailor Moon reboot. Since the original came out in the 90s, I was thinking about taking those awesome pop songs from the 90s/ early 2000s era and writing a story about each couple inspired by one of those songs! I've got an idea for Ami's already, but if you'd like to suggest some of your favorite songs of that era, please comment with what you think! I'd love to get feedback on it!