Minako's Apartment 3

Almost a week had passed since her revelation and Rei was no closer to answering what she wanted to do about her feelings for Minako. Much of the week had been spent watching the blonde, hoping for some insight into her potential feelings for Rei. She suspected something was there. After all, it was the blonde's self-proclaimed interest in Rei that had started their relationship at all, and it was her constant teasing and flirting that had made Rei so aware of the other girl.

The issue was that Minako was so friendly, so open, and a bit of a natural flirt. The teasing tone Minako used on Rei was the same tone she could used with Serena, Ami, or Makoto. Maybe she used it more, and maybe she sounded more serious with Rei, but Rei couldn't help but fear she was reading more into Minako's behavior than was there. Her anxiety wasn't helped by the fact that these were her first romantic feelings for anyone. The thought of acting on those feelings without certainty of Minako's was a frightening one.

Her turmoil didn't go unnoticed by her friends. That weekend they met at her shrine to study, and Serena broached the subject of her distraction, asking if she was feeling okay considering how quiet she had been during the week. Rei brushed her off, saying it was only to focus on her studies since she had been constantly distracted with the volleyball playoffs. She remarked that she wasn't safe from distraction even in her own home. The others laughed, but afterwards Minako gave her a look that Rei couldn't decipher.

She didn't have time to consider it further either. It wasn't just an excuse to get her friends off her back- she had spent less time studying for the upcoming finals than ever before in her school career. With finals starting after the weekend she really did need to focus on schoolwork for a bit. It was just so difficult with Minako sitting right there where she could see her without even moving her head. She groaned and ducked her head to the table. She picked a terrible time to confront her feelings.

"You must be really worried," Serena said.

Rei snorted and tried to nod, only to succeed in bouncing her forehead off the table.

"You know, even if you didn't study until the tests you're probably more prepared than me and Serena," Minako said.

"That says more about how dire your situation is than how prepared I am," Rei said.

"Well," Ami cut in, "you won't get any studying done with your head down."

Rei sighed and lifted her head back up. It would be so much easier to actually study if the major cause of her distraction wasn't sitting directly across from her. Still, she tried to soldier on, and eventually their study session came to an end.

The following week was a blur of testing, stress, and anxiety. Minako had had a point when she said Rei was more prepared than she and Serena. The two blondes were inconsolable despite Rei's, Makoto's, and especially Ami's efforts to help them with last minute studying. Towards the end of the week the two were in such a rough state that Rei and the others made them a solemn promise- that weekend they would all hang out at Minako's, no studying, no tests, no talk of school of any kind. Just them and some games and good food. That was just the boost the blondes needed, and they faced their last finals head on.

As promised, when the week and the school year ended, the five of them met up at Minako's apartment. Ami started to ask about everyone's results but was interrupted by Serena who reminded her that there was supposed to be no school talk. Rei wanted to point out that if Serena paid as much attention to lessons as promises of fun she wouldn't worry as much about tests, but decided against it. After all, the other girl had put in a lot of effort before and during their finals, and Rei was sure that she had at least passed.

Then the games came out and the fun started. They shared snacks and stories while they played, and as fun as their previous sleepovers had been, this one lacked the slight awkwardness of the first and the heavy mood of the second. They were just five friends enjoying each others' company, and Rei let herself revel in the warmth and enjoyment of being with her friends. After so much time keeping herself apart from the people around her it felt good to admit how much the others meant to her. Her friendship with the four other girls had snuck up on her, much as her feelings for- later. She would think about those feelings later to better enjoy the night. At least she would try.

She mostly succeeded as well. During the course of the night Rei's eyes occasionally found Minako's. After a turn in one of the games, after a joke or a comment, while sharing a story about a funny visitor to the shrine, she would look to the other girl. She usually found the blonde's gaze already on her and familiar questions and hopes crept up on her. When they did she kept repeating that 'later'.

As the night wore on their energy wore down. The long ordeal that was the end of the school year had worn them down. Their conversations grew quieter and their laughs less boisterous until Makoto declared she was going to bed, no matter what the rest of them did. But since Makoto had opened the possibility the rest of them were happy to turn in as well. After cleaning up getting settled into their own bed and futons Rei noted that it was her first time in Minako's apartment where the night hadn't ended in a kiss.

The next morning was a slow one. Makoto prepared breakfast with Ami's help while Rei kept Minako and Serena occupied and out of the kitchen. At first Rei felt she drew the short straw with her assignment, but the two blondes were mellow enough with the promise of a good home-cooked breakfast that before she knew it the food was ready. They ate, said their goodbyes, and parted ways.

While on the bus she couldn't stop thinking about the evening. It had been a fun sleepover spent with her best friends, yet Rei felt unsettled. With the pressure of finals gone and the sleepover finished, Rei's mind returned to her feelings for Minako. She had avoided really scrutinizing Minako's actions, but she couldn't deny them. She had caught the blonde's eyes on her, and the other girl was always so insistent when it came to Rei.

Was it out of the question that something was there? And whether there was or wasn't more to Minako's actions, could Rei continue as she had the previous night? The constant nagging awareness of Minako was already bad, but if things continued as they were Rei knew that it would be debilitating just to be around her. Rei could admit certain things to herself. She knew her own competitive nature, her stubborn streak, and her difficulty trusting others. She also knew that she wasn't the kind of person to do things halfway. Since she had acknowledged her feelings for Minako, they wouldn't just go away. They would fester and consume her if she didn't do anything about them. So she would.

At the next stop she got off the bus and turned back towards Minako's house.


Rei stood in front of Minako's apartment more nervous than she had ever been. She walked towards the front door and with each step she grew more nervous still. It had been an easy resolution while on the bus, but the reality of confronting Minako with her feelings was another matter. What would she say? 'I'm attracted to you, what are we gonna do about it?' Could she be that direct? And it left no wiggle room to gauge Minako's possible feelings for her. Before she could think about it more the door opened.

"Rei did you forget something?" Minako asked.

Rei was dumbfounded by the appearance of the blonde. She suddenly felt like she needed more time before talking to her. Before she could think of an excuse Minako frowned at her.

"You okay? How long were you out here. I mean, I saw you from the kitchen just standing here."

"I…" Rei started, but nothing came to mind. She swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat. "Can I come in?"

Minako frowned, clearly thrown off by Rei's behavior, but stepped back and let her in. Rei took off her shoes and headed for the living room. Minako followed.

"Rei, is something wrong?" Minako asked from behind her.

"Kind of," she answered. When she reached the living room she sat on the couch.

"Um, do you want something to drink? Eat?" Minako asked.

Rei shook her head. "No, just- I just wanted to talk to you about something."

Minako moved to the couch and sat down slowly. "Okay. What about?"

There was still time to stop. She could come up with some excuse, talk about school or Serena and the others. She could even get close to the truth and tell Minako how glad she was that the other girl had broken into her life. Nothing had to change. As teasing as Minako could be she would take a sincere expression from Rei seriously. Nothing had to change, because nothing would change unless Rei started it. Unless Rei wanted to.

"Me… and you," she said.

"You… and me," Minako repeated.

"I… I wanted to thank you, after last night."

"Last night?" Minako asked, confused. "Did I do something in particular?"

"Maybe not just last night, but for everything. Since we met you've been pushing your way into my life, and I know I didn't make it easy for you, but now, I'm so glad you did. So thank you. Thank you for pushing into my life and bringing the others too. I never thought," Rei paused a moment and noticed Minako's intense look. "After my mother's death and my father… well, everything about him. I never thought I would have people I cared about so much, but meeting you changed my life."

"Rei," Minako said, voice unsteady. "You deserve to have people you care about who care about you too. And we do care about you too. So much. Never question that."

"I know," Rei said. She looked down at her lap and tried to fight back tears. This wasn't how she pictured this talk going, but she knew she could push on. "I just wanted to make sure you know how much it means to me."

"Of course. I'm glad I pushed, and I'm glad you let me in. Let all of us in," Minako said. She sniffled. "Sorry. Wasn't expecting this today, or, I don't know, you know. When we first met I was just being myself and having fun with you, so to think you'd- you'd respond and become someone I care so much about is," she shook her head and swiped at a tear of her own. "Sorry. I guess that hearing you say all this really got to me."

Rei shook her head too. "Me too," she said. She took a deep breath. This was it. "And I'm not done."

"What do you mean."

Another deep breath. "You really pushed, and I don't know if I'm misinterpreting things, but- no." She shook her head. She wanted to tell Minako how she felt, not how she hoped the other girl did. "No. Over the past couple of weeks I've been thinking about you a lot, and what you mean to me. How much I… how much I like you."

She glanced at Minako. The other girl had a serious look that Rei couldn't quite figure out. Forward. She had to keep pushing herself forward. If she didn't get it all out now then why had she even gotten off the bus.

"Well, it's a lot," she said. "And not as a friend. I want to be near you, spend time with you, touch… kiss. It's such an intense feeling, and I'm sorry if it's too much, or if you can't- if you don't-"

"I do," Minako said cutting Rei off. Her eyes were shining and she grabbed Rei's hands. "I have for a long time now, actually."

"You mean it?" Rei asked.

Minako laughed a little and shook her head. "I feel like I should be asking you that. I thought there was no way you would ever look at me as anything other than a pest."

Rei looked away for a moment. "You haven't been a pest to me for a long time now. Even before I realized what I was feeling. Well," Rei said looking back. "Not just a pest."

Minako laughed louder then and looked at her hands. "This is so hard to believe," she said.

"Mina, look at me," Rei said.

Minako did. Her eyes were watery. There was so much Rei wanted to say. She wanted to comfort the other girl, to reassure her that everything she had said was true. She wanted to make her happy, wanted to make her laugh. She wanted the other girl to tease her, with that smirk that used to frustrate her to no end. She wanted to say more than she could, with enough elegance and sincerity that Minako would never doubt her words. But coming up with those words was hard, and saying them even harder.

So Rei kissed her instead. There was no game, no challenge, no excuse. Just her feelings and Minako's.

"Is this a dream?" Minako asked when they parted.

"No," Rei said.

Minako laughed. "It feels like one."

Rei slowly raised a hand. It reached Minako's cheek and she pinched it hard. Minako yelped and slapped Rei's hand away, rubbing her own cheek after. Rei tried to hold back a laugh but couldn't. Minako stared at her for a few moments before laughing too. Rei marveled at her own mood. She had fallen in love and the girl she loved loved her back. When she finally calmed she spoke again.

"I feel like I'm dreaming too."

"Want me to pinch your cheek?" Minako asked. Rei snorted.

"I'm alright."

"Because mine still hurts."

"Poor baby," Rei said. "Maybe I can help."

She leaned in slowly and Minako's pout dropped from her face. She licked her lips in anticipation. Rei placed a soft lingering kiss on her cheek. When she pulled back she was met with a sly smile.

"You know, I think you got my lip a little too," Minako said.

"I've got something for that too," Rei said. She leaned in again and the two didn't part for some time.

A/N: That's the end of the story, thanks for reading. I'm a little embarrassed this took as long as it did and a little proud to have seen it through anyway. If you've read this far maybe you could do me a favor; I like to write, and with fanfiction I aim to improve my writing. If there's something mechanically I can improve, things like pacing, consistent grammar errors, characterization, please let me know. I read each comment, though I don't know if I should respond or the best way to do so if so. Regardless, each one is a boost whether it's a critique, a suggestion, or a message of support.

Also there may or may not be an epilogue, just to show Rei and Minako actually being in a relationship- there was a comment suggesting a beach episode which would do nicely for that, but no promises.