Things Unsaid by blustripe
Summary: Three months after the defeat of Metaria, Minako shows up unexpectedly on Rei's doorstep. When she stays the night, will they finally say what they've always wanted to? Rei/Minako PGSM based
Discalimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters or stories. But I do own these words. Please do not duplicate in whole or in part without my permission.
A/N: Sorry for the late update. I've been desparate to write all week, but was busy with a surprise camping trip and university orientation. I also had a medical procedure this morning that left me sedated most of the day. It also left me kind of depressed, which makes for great angst, so be prepared for a HOT chapter. (giggle)
Things Unsaid - Chapter 3
Minako sat gloomily, a morose expression on her face as she poked at the blackened, crusty food on her plate. Ok, so maybe she couldn't cook. She looked up as Rei began coughing, choking on what looked like a lump of coal.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah," she said, patting her chest.
"You don't have to eat it, you know," Minako reminded her with a scowl.
Rei knew that, but she ate it anyway. Although part of her was amused that Minako had failed so miserably, she mostly felt guilty. She had only wanted to help. Rei could have asked her to chop the carrots or rinse the pans, but she had somehow managed to turn it into a competition. Rei knew all to well that Minako would not turn down an opportunity to compete. And now she looked absolutely miserably morbid. Poor girl. Rei had only herself to blame. Despite her usually good intentions, Minako had ended up a lump of gloom. Lord knows that girl didn't need any more reasons to be depressed. Rei had to try and make it better.
"Why don't we eat ice cream instead," she said with a grin.
"That's not very healthy."
"Who cares. We're both young and healthy. What can one bowl hurt?"
"Ok, then."
Minako wasn't quite in the mood for ice cream, but was in no position to turn down Rei's humble peace offering.
"What flavors do you have?"
Rei opened the freezer and pushed the contents around. "There's strawberry and mint chocolate chip."
"No vanilla?"
"Nope. Strawberry or mint. Take your pick."
"How bout both."
Rei giggled. "Good choice."
Rei scooped two identical lumps of strawberry and mint into each bowl and brought them over to the table. They ate silently as the embarrassment and guilt surrounding the burnt chicken dissipated. Rei neatly scooped small pieces out of the ice cream in her bowl and daintily swallowed them, alternating between the two flavors. Minako instead used her spoon to smash the ice cream down and swirl it all around the bowl. Noticing this, Rei couldn't help but laugh.
"It tastes better this way," Minako said while sucking on the spoon.
She expected to receive a little more grief from Rei over the manner of her eating, and was surprised at her rather pleasant reaction. It was one of the few childish habits she allowed herself to maintain. The pink and green in her bowl slowly blended into the same shade of ambiguity. A smile crept across her lips as she shaped the gooey mass into mountains and craters and all sorts of curly-cues. The realization of her blatant inadequacies as a chef vanished from her mind. All that remained was a bowl full of sugar and a giggling Rei.
"This is actually really good, Minako," Rei said with a calm grin.
Minako chuckled. "Who would have thought the Senshi of Fire would be so into ice cream?"
"But I'm not really the Senshi of Fire anymore, you know."
"Do you like hot sauce, salsa, curry?"
"I like curry. The others, not so much."
"Do you wish we could still transform?"
"Sometimes."
As usual, their conversation had taken a turn for the worse. Neither was sure who had turned it in that direction, but they had obviously entered into the realm of another awkward silence. Minako continued spattering her ice cream as Rei scraped up the last few lumps.
"I want it back," Minako whispered to her bowl.
"Want what back?"
"My letter."
By some force out of their control, their eyes were drawn to one another.
"Why?"
"Its just...its the last piece of evidence and I don't want...," Minako struggled for her words. "It shouldn't exist."
She left her jaw hanging open as though she were too tired to shut it.
"Well, you know where it is."
The two former Senshi stood up from the table and made their way together to Rei's bedroom. They kneeled before the desk as Rei slowly opened her bottom drawer. Like a coffin, inside it lay a single, heavy book, slightly dusty and completely isolated. She respectfully lifted it out and held it on her lap. A small cloud of dust arose as she flipped through the pages. Minako noticed several foreign pieces of paper, envelopes, and photographs tucked neatly away throughout the book. Obviously her letter wasn't the only secret Rei kept locked away in her dictionary. She finally landed upon a page about two thirds through where a brightly colored piece of stationary lay. Minako gently lifted it out and held it preciously in her dainty hands. She ran her fingers over the warped little stains of tear droplets. Rei met her eyes in a knowing gaze before quickly turning away.
"Lets burn it," Minako said with an iron confidence.
Rei snapped her head back to her with an appalled shock buried in her eyebrows.
"What? Why?"
"Its evidence. I want to get rid of it."
"Well I don't." Rei felt as thought there was no breath left inside of her. She angrily snatched the paper away.
"Give it back!" Minako cried.
"No. You gave it to me. You don't have the right to take it back!"
"It's my letter! I have every right!"
And she lunged at her, grasping at her own death, the only proof she had ever left the world.
Rei refused to let go. She clutched the paper close and turned her back to her attacker. She let an angry cry of disbelief and defiance escape her lips and tried to jerk away. Minako shook her by the shoulders, pulled her by the hair.
"Give it back! Its mine!" The words clumsily choked their way out of Minako's throat.
Rei held the note in question tightly to her chest as Minako fiercely attempted to regain it. Seething, they tumbled in circles on the floor, neither sure what exactly they were fighting for. Fueled by the anger and desperation of their primal struggle, both began to cry. Their hot and unwelcome tears burned down their cheeks and stained the letter anew.
"Get off...get off..." Rei whimpered to the floor. She abandoned the struggle and lay motionless, tears seeping into the carpet as the letter remained clutched against her chest.
Feeling Rei soften underneath her, Minako pounded against her back in a dying effort of frustration, bitter, burning tears melting their way down her face. Then allowing herself to fall still as well, she collapsed on top of Rei's back and wriggled her arms around underneath her waist, letting her tears fall onto her shoulder.
They lay together, the heated pressure between them slowly calming their sobs.
"I'm sorry," Rei whispered. "I'm sorry." For what she didn't know.
Minako wanted to return the apology, but couldn't form a single word as the tremblings from deep in her chest shook her body. Instead she responded by tightening her grip and pressing herself harder against Rei. The most connected they had ever been, both girls privately reveled in the feeling of the other. So close and so real. So warm. It had been so long since either of them had such complete human contact. Too far beyond humiliation to be afraid, Minako allowed herself the comfort of the smell of Rei's hair and the softness of her skin. The way she felt underneath her, the curve of her ear and the way she rose and fell with each breath. The way...
Minako quickly jerked herself away and sat up, her legs sprawled out in front of her, the guilt in her heart burning almost as much as the tears on her cheek. Rei slowly rolled over and sat up as well. Meeting her eyes, she sent an electrifying gaze of despair and defeat that bore straight through Minako's heart. Her grip loosened around the wrinkled page. In an agonizingly slow movement, she extended her arm and offered it back to Minako.
Ashamed, she accepted it.
"I'll get a fire started," Rei spoke hoarsely, her voice weakened by an unfamiliar grief. She rubbed her sleeve under her eyes an stood up.
As Rei walked away, Minako tucked her legs underneath her and resisted the urge to rip the paper in half.
They stood apart, a raging fire between them. The golden hot flames licked at the ceiling and devoured the air. Rei continued to throw wood at the base of the conflagration. A log for her mother, a log for her father. A log for the end of the world and the shriveled soul within her. Watching each other through the living inferno, their eyes aligned with one another and reflected the heat between them, faces illuminated by the kiss of the glowing firelight. Minako tentatively fingered the thin piece of paper, holding it high. Her fingers stung as she moved them closer and closer. And she let go, the flames viciously tearing it to shreds.
Rei instantly felt a sharp pang of regret in the pit of her stomach as Minako released her death. The last relic of a timeline that no longer existed. A self that no longer existed. Never before had she hated the fire so, its malicious cackling echoing through her ears and rattling her soul. The flames grew higher and began to threaten the safety of the building. Rei ran outside and grabbed the garden hose, twisting the knob as far as it would go. She blasted the inferno at its heart, her knuckles whitening as they tightly gripped the hose.
The room darkened as the fire finally died. Rei stopped the water and threw the hose back outside.
"Minako?" she called.
Unflinching, Minako stood with her gaze fixed on nothing as though the burning heat still lived.
"Minako," Rei called, her voice louder.
She stood as a stone statue that guarded the tombs of kings. Rei walked over and hesitantly placed her hands on her shoulders, giving her a light shake.
"Minako, snap out of it."
Her eyes turned their focus from the nothingness to Rei who stood before her. Their heights perfectly matched, she lifted her hands and traced Rei's delicate jaw line. The heat that had vanished when the fire died returned to her body. Her fingertips wandered across Rei's face as if to affirm that she was truly there.
Rei's heart beat desperately against her ribcage, demanding for release. She stood in an all too familiar position, a memory less than a day old rapidly resurfacing, replaying.
"Minako...wait."
But before she could form a full protest, her lips were smothered by those of another, snubbed as she had so violently destroyed the flames.
With more heat than any fire that had singed and burned her skin, Minako hungrily pressed herself against her, asking, begging, aching for a response.
As if of their own volition, Rei felt her lips reciprocating. Hot and wet. Fire and love. So intense that even she, the former Senshi of Fire, may have been burned.
She teetered on the edge. A few more seconds and she might have finally lost herself. Like a shattering splash of ice, her mind warned her of the steep fall and the cavernous emotions at her toes. Rei pulled herself back, pushing Minako away.
An endless tragedy played out before her on Minako's face. "Why," she pleaded.
"Because," she lied. "Because...I'm not like that."
"Neither am I."
Both quivering, both swollen with shame and guilt and a word they dared not speak. Rei turned her back and left, seeking refuge under the blanket of the stars.
Venus and Mars. So close, but forever separated by the world.
A/N: I told you it was hot! Tee Hee. Thanks again for the reviews. Some of you are so helpful. Its important for a writer to know what they're doing right. Cant wait to wite more!