Beauty's Beast

Chapter 2-Warm October

Authors Notes: Hotaru's a little young now, but I might pair her with someone in time though. I'm pondering Trowa, since he'd be the most caring to her. But I'm open to suggestions. If you want the other scouts in to, and have any idea what role they could play I'm open to that suggestion too.

Rei frowned, tossing her keys lightly on the dirty coffee table in front of her. "Hota," she whispered, glancing at the sleeping girl before turning back to the muted television. Sighing, she crouched beside the couch. Her hand rubbed Hotaru's back lightly. "Hota," she whispered again. The small girl stirred, "What time is it?" she asked, rubbing a fist on her eye.

Rei frowned, "Work ran a bit late. You need to go to bed," she whispered, helping Hotaru stand up. The small girl was shaky at first, stumbling to her feet. "I was worried. It was really late," Hotaru croaked, her hand resting on the arm of the couch to steady herself.

Rei nodded, "Time is money though," she said, helping Hotaru to her bed. Minako stood alone in the living room, clicking the television off. She flopped on the couch, exhausted. They worked every night, but this was still the best they could afford. The Tokyo projects, Minako grinned, joking to herself. It wasn't much, but then again it was everything. Home was where the heart was.

Well, home hadn't exactly been where the heart was lately. Actually, home had never been where the heart was, Minako thought frowning. Minako's parents had run off to Europe on vacation, yet decided to stay. Minako wasn't ready to leave here yet, so she stayed. Rei'd run into a bit of a situation too, unable to keep up the temple after her grandfathers death.

So they did what any best friends would do. Pooled their money and hearts into a place that didn't deserve it, and struggled to keep it. Hotaru was Rei's little sister, but too young for a job. Besides, they were supposed to take care of Hotaru. Rei refused to let Hotaru have a job while she was in school.

Minako groaned as she felt a shoe hit her abdomen. "You too, it's late," Rei laughed, pulling earrings out and setting them on the table beside the unused lamp. Minako rolled her eyes, sitting up and taking her own shoes off.

"You really shouldn't have taken his keys," Rei laughed, opening the refrigerator. Minako grinned, "How else was I supposed to get another word in?Classic 'you forgot your keys' excuse."

Rei frowned, "They were cute. Probably the cutest I've seen. You knew they weren't staying though. You knew that first look," she said, setting an uneaten box of fried rice on the table. She grabbed the chopsticks from the drawer, shutting it with her hip and scooping up the rice in the same motion.

She sat lazily next to Minako, both girls still wearing their cocktail dresses. Rei took several bites, before speaking again. "They were watching us the whole time," she said, chewing.

Minako nodded, laughing softly. "You taking Hotaru to school tomorrow?" she asked. Rei nodded, her eyes drifting off somewhere not seen. "I think I'm going to stop by that little diner that's close to her school. Maybe if I pull some morning shifts as a waitress and work my nights as a dancer we can get by," she said thoughtfully.

Minako frowned. They'd been late on rent the past two months. The bar had cut their hours, replacing them with a mechanical bull and karaoke, depending on the night. She couldn't expect Rei to pick up the slack though. "That's a good idea. I might come with," she smiled. Rei nodded.

"Halloweens coming up. We could use some extra cash for bar costumes," Minako wiggled her eyebrows, making Rei laugh. "There's two weeks," Rei trailed off. Minako nodded, "Then Thanksgiving. Christmas. It just never seems to end. Everyone around here celebrates EVERYTHING," Minako said quietly.

Rei nodded. They were always broke. But they'd gotten by just fine. You can't expect everything handed to you. "Ugh, could it be any hotter?" she asked, kicking a leg onto the coffee table, her dress rippling upwards. Minako nodded, "I wish this fall would have been cold," she said softly. Rei twisted her face, displeased, "I would rather melt to death than freeze to death."

Minako shrugged. "You know, Hotaru's teacher called the other day," she whispered, hoping the youngest wasn't still up.

Rei frowned, tapping her chop sticks on the takeout box thoughtfully, "She's skipping class again, isn't she?" Rei finally asked. Minako simply nodded. Rei groaned, "It's her senior year, she's only seventeen. She's got her whole life ahead of her to do whatever she wants. She just needs to stick it out a few more months."

Minako shrugged, "We're twenty two and we still don't get to do what we want," she pointed out. Rei nodded, shrugging at the same time. She jumped slightly, feeling a weight on her lap. Glancing down, she noticed Artemis, and swayed her hand to get him away from her food. Artemis meowed, although he jumped down, running off somewhere into the bedrooms.

They had a two bedroom apartment, being that was all they could afford. Minako and Rei shared a room, letting Hotaru have her own. Minako often slept on the couch though, preferring to watch late night television.

Rei sighed, walking groggily to the garbage can before tossing the empty box away. "I'm goin to bed. Be up by seven tomorrow if you wanna come to the diner after I drop Hotaru off," she said, kicking her shoes to the side, out of her way as she walked to her bedroom.

Minako sighed, stretching a bit and letting her head rest on her arms. She couldn't put her finger on it, but that boy was definitely different. There seemed to be a sadness in his eyes, that only made Minako want to know him more. She hated seeing that same vacant expression in peoples eyes. Yet that was all she really seemed to see these days.