Minako's Apartment 2
Serena pulled her hand from Rei's grasp and wiped her eyes. On the other side of her Ami was tearing up as well, as were some of the players on the court. Still they lined up by the net and congratulated the other team, shaking hands with them and then clapping on the way back to their bench to collect their things. Rei nudged Serena and caught Ami's eye.
"Come on," she said just loud enough to be heard over the fans of the other team. "Let's get out of here."
"Should we wait for Minako and Makoto?" Serena asked tearfully.
Rei glanced at the court where Minako was talking to some of her teammates, including Makoto. "I think they'll want some time with their teammates," she said. Serena nodded.
Together the three girls left the gym. When they were outside Serena stopped. "You know, I think you're right about their teammates, but I still want to do something for them."
Rei was upset that her friends had lost, and knew that they would be hurting. She also knew that Serena was a deeply empathetic person who put her whole heart on the line for her friends. The loss probably effected her almost as much as it did Minako and Makoto, but she would want to ease her friends' burden as much as possible anyway.
"I'm sure they'd appreciate it," she started. "But what can we do?"
"Maybe we don't have to do anything," Ami said. "Maybe we just have to be there, for them."
Serena jumped up, struck by sudden inspiration. "Another sleepover! Minako told me where her spare key is, we can get some junk food and play games and hang out all night. Help take their minds off of the loss"
"You mean, like, tonight?" Rei asked.
"Well yeah, of course."
It was sudden, but it made sense. The loss would sting the most right afterwards- that's when Minako and Makoto would need them most.
Rei looked to Ami, who nodded in return. "Well it can't hurt to find out what they're doing," she said. "Give them a text and see what they want to do."
Serena did and started walking. "Come on," she said, "while we're waiting for an answer we can head to the store to pick up anything we need."
Rei shook her head at Serena's confidence that the other two would be up for hanging out the same night of a hard loss, but followed the blonde anyway. After all, her confidence was probably well founded.
"Did you guys eat dinner? Do you think Mina and Mako did? I know I couldn't I was too nervous, and I wasn't even playing, but now I am, and I know that a nice meal always makes me feel better when I'm feeling down, so maybe Mina and Mako would like that too," Serena said quickly.
Ami laughed and said, "I could eat, I suppose.
"Good, 'cause I was already planning what to get, and it's a lot," Serena said.
While they were walking Minako responded, saying that the whole team was going to dinner together to celebrate a good season and commiserate over how it ended, but that afterwards she and Makoto would love to have a sleepover. When Ami asked if that changed Serena's plan of what to buy the other girl stopped for a few moments in deep thought. She snapped her fingers when an idea struck.
"I got it! We can get some ice cream and sweets and have dessert for dinner! And since they already ate Mina and Mako can just have dessert."
"Something tells me this won't be your first time having dessert for dinner," Rei said.
"Or the last," Ami added.
Serena blew a raspberry at them and they continued to the store. After some intense consideration in the frozen aisle they left the store loaded down with ice cream, soda, and sweet and salty snacks. They made it to Minako's apartment and Serena took the spare key from its hiding spot and they let themselves in. They put the ice cream away but Serena opened some of the other snacks- "we don't know how long they'll be and I'm hungry," she said defensively- and waited for word form the other two.
While they waited they talked about the game they had just watched and the season overall. Even without Minako and Makoto present, the two who actually played the game, Serena got emotional recalling the effort they had put in. It was touching to see how deeply the blonde had been moved by cheering for her friends.
After some time Minako texted to let them know she and Makoto were heading back and Serena jumped up and to prepare for their return. When the pair made it to the apartment they were greeted with hugs and bowls of ice cream.
"I'm so proud of you guys," Serena said, arms around the two and tears starting up again.
"We all are," Rei added. "And we're sorry it ended the way it did."
"Come on, let me in to my own house," Minako said, laughing and pushing Serena into the living room. "And thanks. It means a lot that you guys are here for us."
"Yeah," Makoto said. "Dinner with the team helped a lot, but I'll never say no to dessert with friends either."
Ami laughed. "We hadn't eaten and Serena figured you guys might like dessert, so she insisted on dessert for dinner."
"Hey, I didn't hear you guys complain when I suggested it," Serena said.
"Something tells me it's not the first time you had dessert for dinner though," Minako said with a laugh. Serena ushered her and Makoto to sit on the couch and Ami and Rei gave them their bowls of ice cream.
"That's what Rei said," Serena huffed. "Exactly what kind of image do you guys have of me?"
"That of a glutton, apparently," Makoto said, digging in to her ice cream. "But one with good ideas."
Serena joined the two on the couch and Rei and Ami sat in chairs on either side of the it. They all had their own bowls already waiting for them, and they joined Makoto in digging in. After a few bites Serena spoke.
"So… how are you guys holding up?" she asked.
"Better now," Makoto said. "We were a mess earlier."
"Yeah," Minako said. "A lot of ugly crying in the locker room. then in the showers, then in the restaurant. I think I'm all cried out for a while."
Serena nodded sympathetically and Rei said "We had some of that too."
"I'm guessing one of you more than the other two, right?" Makoto said looking aside at Serena.
Serena held her head high. "I won't apologize for caring for my friends so much."
"And we wouldn't ask you to," Minako said. "But it can still be funny sometimes."
"Yeah," Makoto added. "It's really thoughtful to throw us a sleepover and provide us with some ice cream. Thank you, all of you."
"It was so tense for us just watching, what was it like for you guys on the court?" Serena asked.
"I felt like throwing up," Makoto said. "There were so many people, and the atmosphere! We had more people watching during the playoffs, but tonight was something else entirely. And it didn't seem to get to the other team at all."
"They've been there enough, they're probably used to it," Minako said.
Makoto nodded. "You could really tell. And those two monsters, it was just like you said. I think my arms are gonna be sore for a week from trying to block that Haruka."
Minako nodded in return. "That's what it was like last year too, but worse. We didn't have you on my old team."
"Aw, so sweet," Makoto laughed.
"I mean it. She's so strong but you went toe to toe with her and held your own."
"Maybe, but she still beat me more often than I beat her. And even when I could there was still Michiru."
Minako sighed heavily and sat back. "We threw everything at them and they handled it all."
Makoto put down her bowl, now empty, and leaned back too. "I really thought we had a chance after the second game. What about you?" she asked nudging Minako.
Minako was quiet for a moment, then shrugged. "Maybe if we had taken the third game too we would have had some momentum to take into the fourth. They were still so fresh even after three games though, so it's hard to say."
"Well," Ami cut in. "We have these games and these snacks. Why don't we eat and play and take our minds off of what we can't change?"
"Let's do it," Makoto said.
They played and ate and talked deep into the night. Much like their first sleepover Rei noticed at one point that the game they had been playing was ignored, and like before she didn't point it out. Instead she enjoyed the talk and company of her friends. When the talk slowed and the yawns began they cleaned up and set out futons in Minako's room. They said goodnight to each other, and while she lay in her futon Rei heard the others' breathing deepen as they drifted off to sleep.
All except one. Rei could hear Minako toss and turn on her bed. Then she heard the other girl get up and leave. She wondered what Minako was feeling. Rei had never experienced competition in the way Minako did. The other girl had clearly poured her heart into her new team, and despite all the passion and effort, she had come up short. Rei was sure that despite it being a team game, Minako was blaming herself the most for their loss. Rei thought back to Minako's words, that she had cried herself out of tears. She wondered if that was true. After a few minutes without Minako returning, Rei slipped from the bedroom to look for her.
She found Minako in the living room, staring blankly at the wall. The other girl wasn't crying, but she didn't look good. When she heard Rei she looked over at her, surprise on her face.
"Did I wake you up?" she asked.
"I wasn't asleep yet," Rei said. She sat next to Minako. "You couldn't sleep?"
Minako shrugged. "I'm still awake."
Rei blinked. It had been an obvious question. "I guess this kind of loss stays with you."
"I guess."
Rei blinked again. Minako was really hurting if she was stonewalling her so much.
"Sorry," Minako said after a few moments. She sighed. "I just…"
"You just wanted to win?"
"I was so sure we could. I keep wondering what we could have done differently."
"Did you come up with anything?"
Minako sighed again. "No. If it was closer then maybe some more practice, a change in our tactics earlier. But," she looked at Rei with a wry smile, "it wasn't that close."
Rei wasn't sure what to do. As a Miko she occasionally dealt with visitors who were upset, or in mourning. Usually she only had to express sympathy then give them space. With Minako it was much more personal. She wanted to be more present for the other girl.
"You did everything you could. I know how much work you put in, I don't think anyone else could have done better," she said.
"So it was just an insurmountable gap in skill?" Minako asked.
"No, you were incredible out there," Rei said.
"So it's my teammates' fault?"
"No, no, I just-"
"Rei," Minako said cutting her off. She gave Rei half a smile. "I'm kidding."
Rei huffed. "Here I am trying to make you feel better and you're messing with me?"
Minako laughed softly. "Hey, messing with you does make me feel better."
Rei swatted Minako's arm. "Jerk," she said. But it was a good sign that she was able to tease Rei.
Minako smiled at her fully. "I appreciate what you're saying, Rei. It's just frustrating. It's the second year they knocked my team out of the playoffs. But I really feel bad for the seniors. Me and Makoto have another chance, after those two graduate, but for the seniors this was their last chance to win a final."
"Well they made it to the finals this year when they didn't last year. That's gotta count for something, right?" Rei asked.
"I guess."
"And next year you'll have a chance to lead a new group of seniors to win, right?"
"Yeah, but…" Minako's smile faded. "That's almost like another loss. We couldn't get past Haruka and Michiru. If we go all the way, it'll only be because they're gone."
Rei was silent for a few moments, unsure what to say She settled on something light. "If I try to say something comforting are you gonna tease me again?"
Minako smiled again. "Maybe."
Rei laughed. "I figured."
Another few moments passed in silence. It was good that Minako was in a teasing mood, but Rei felt there was more she could do.
"You know, I think know why you're really upset," Rei said.
Minako looked at her. "Oh? Why's that?"
"You lost the bet," Rei said. "You don't get to kiss me."
Minako laughed in surprise, then groaned dramatically. "You had to remind me. I thought I couldn't feel any worse." Rei laughed. "I guess it was a safe bet after all."
"I guess it was," Rei said. "You know…"
"What?"
Rei turned on the couch to face Minako directly. "I was thinking if you won you would give me a kiss."
"Yeah?" Minako said.
"Since you lost… I know it's not a championship, but maybe, instead…" she moved closer to Minako, raised her hand to touch the other girl's cheek and turn her face towards her. Minako's eyes fluttered close and Rei closed her own as well. She kissed her. After a few moments she deepened the kiss and Minako responded. As they kissed all thoughts slipped away and only the feeling of kissing Minako remained.
When they finally pulled away from each other they were both breathing hard. Rei opened her eyes but Minako's were still closed.
"Did that help take your mind off things?" Rei asked.
"A bit," Minako said, her voice hoarse. She opened her eyes. "Rei," she said seriously.
"Yeah?" Rei held her breath, suddenly anxious about what Minako might say.
Minako swallowed heavily and opened and closed her mouth a few times. She stopped, blinked, and looked away. "Thanks. For coming to talk to me. For helping me feel better."
"Of course," Rei said, breathing again. She didn't know what she had thought Minako would say. She didn't know what she had wanted the other girl to say. And she was too close to the other girl to think about her feelings on the matter either.
"Come on," Minako said, interrupting Rei's thoughts, taking her hand and standing up. "Let's get to bed. I think I'm ready for some sleep.
"Yeah."
She had noticed other similarities to the last sleepover already, but here was one more. She would be in for another long night of complicated emotions after sharing a kiss with Minako.
A/N: Maybe one more chapter, maybe two, maybe one and an epilogue.
