Minako and Usagi Adventures: Loving A Man Series: Minako's Mystery: Morning Rises

5 August 2004

Summary: When Minako wakes up one morning, it is to find that she is not alone in a bed she's never seen. Her greatest mistake was bolting that fateful dawn.

Chapter 9

Minako woke up late the next morning, her head was pounding and by the time she managed to make it out of bed, it had to be at least eleven. She slowly slinked down the steps, somehow managing to find her way to the kitchen, beyond the state of her fuzzy mind, it was a miracle. Usagi was sitting on the bench in front of the windows, she had a computer on her lap and a coffee as well as a few rolls on a plate on the table next to her. Kunzite was sitting across from her with a newspaper opened like the olden day movies. The whole picture looked idyllic and Minako felt a slight surge of jealousy rise within her, but it tapered down quickly when Usagi looked up at her and laughed. "Someone isn't used to these kind of parties. I pity you for the one later this weekend."

Kunzite's newspaper didn't even ruffle with his acknowledgment of either Minako or Usagi's words. Either he was in his own world while reading the paper or he was stoically ignoring her and doing it beautifully well. Minako smiled ruefully as she agreed with Usagi. "I guess I'm not, I thought nothing was worse than artistic parties, but you far out did them. And what a crowd!" Minako laughed as she took a place to the right of Kunzite and in front of Usagi's feet. She turned to grab a roll when the servant came out with a fresh plate of them, mostly for Minako's benefit and when she turned back to her plate, there was a coffee cup in front of her and she looked to Usagi, questioning. Usagi's lips quirked up and she looked towards Kunzite and with a quick lift of her brows, Minako knew she was gesturing that Kunzite had slid it over to her.

Minako took a reluctant sip from the glass, wondering if it was poisoned. When she didn't die right away, Minako took a large gulp and felt instantly better. Her own eyes slid to Kunzite, but he kept reading his paper. "What are our plans for the day?" Minako asked, more awake now, than she was five minutes ago.

"I'm surprised that you stayed this morning." Kunzite's deep voice mocked her and while Usagi looked curious, Minako's anger flared, and she shot back with a defensive move.

"Have you explained to Usagi why the man that has done nothing but caused her issues showed up at your house last night?"

The paper snapped shut and folded and he glowered at Minako. "Mamoru and I have been friends for many years. It is only recently that Usagi has shared his transgressions with me. I have apologized for the fact that he showed up uninvited this time, he had however an open invitation, I just hadn't realized he would accept it in this occasion. They do not usually cross paths in my home. Now if you would like to follow his footsteps or even join him on his journey home-"

Usagi's cup slammed onto the table, missing just barely the plate it belonged to. "Enough, the two of you! I don't care that he showed up. You can remain friends with Mamoru, Kunzite, I knew that before last night, I just hadn't realized he would come all the way out here. You remained friends with him even after you knew what some of the problems were surrounding the two of us. This latest conflict between us is exactly that, between him and I. So just stay out of it. Thank you for trying to protect me and throw him out last night, but he hasn't really done anything wrong, everything is all on my side anyways." Usagi's eyes were full of her temper again, and Minako had never seen this side of her, and especially not twice in twenty-four hours. Then she turned those livid blues eyes to Minako. "And Mina-chan, really, lay off Kunzite, he was only looking out for me. In so many ways he's like the big brother I never had biologically. Mamoru isn't his problem, and he shouldn't have to cut ties with his friendship with the guy. I've accepted it. Besides, last night that was a mistake on your part, we almost had a bloody brawl on our hands. Really, to insinuating that Kunzite and I were dating..." Usagi put a hand to her eyes. "Just an absolute disaster. It was ok when it was only Mr. Mysterious, but put a name and picture that he knew... I'm surprised he managed to leave without taking a swing."

Minako's eyes sharpened on her friend. "And why should he want to take a swing at anyone, much less one of his friends, if you were dating them, and he doesn't have feelings for you?" Minako asked, leading her friend in the right direction and hoping she'd take it.

"Because despite every argument we have, he is still protective of me, and while he and Kunzite are friends, they've had issues in the past."

"Why is he protective of you?" Minako pushed.

"Because in some strange and weird cosmic way, we are friends. I would tell him a girl he's dating is horrible and he would stop dating her and vice versa. That doesn't mean he likes me like that though, Minako. So stop fishing."

Minako grumbled to herself and backed off. Usagi wouldn't see it unless Mamoru made some grand gesture, even a kiss now wouldn't do any good. Minako looked skeptically at her friend, wondering if there was something more that she hadn't shared with her about Mamoru, something that would get Kunzite murderously angry with him, something that had put Usagi into an even deeper bad mood about Mamoru than normal before Kunzite cheered her up again... Minako would ask once they got back to their apartment, Kunzite might cut her off every time she opened her mouth here to ask, and would get nowhere.

"I can't believe that either." Kunzite finally said. "What kind of creep do you think I am to want to date Usagi?" He shuddered and Usagi threw a roll at his head, he deftly caught it, but the point was taken. He bit into the roll though, just to spite her.

Minako did think he was a creep, it was the right term to suit him just fine. She shrugged, but her eyes locked onto his and he got the memo she was sending his way, the same type of creep who judged her so rashly. "So what's the plan?" Minako asked again towards Usagi.

"The two of you are going shopping so I can get some work done around here." Kunzite answered for Usagi who would have only shrugged in response. She was perfectly content to just lie along the pool for a few hours, or what else anyone had planned.

"I thought you were taking the weekend off!" Usagi protested now that she knew exactly what he had planned. Minako thought the same thing about Usagi but yesterday she too had been doing some work.

Kunzite looked apologetic. "Just for a few hours, Usa-chan, I had a meeting yesterday that had run long and I need to attend to some follow up. I won't work the rest of the weekend, I promise." As it was a long weekend, they had left Thursday and wouldn't be heading back until Wednesday, that was a very hefty promise. If it included the time they were here it was another three days, but if it was only the actual weekend it was one.

"Are you taking off half the week?"

"I'm the boss, I can do whatever I please and know things will still run smoothly."

"See!" Usagi pointed out. "You don't need to do anything! It'll still run smoothly."

"I like to put some final touches on personal projects. Usa-chan, I don't think you understand how important this one is." He spoke the last few words softer, and only intended for her ears, but Minako heard anyways. "For the both of us." He couldn't get around it anyways, so he had chosen his words carefully so Usagi knew what he was saying and not cluing Minako in.

Usagi was about to pout but the words registered and she cast her eyes away and back to her computer screen she took a deep breath and a moment later, she nodded. "Ok then, if its that important." It was a few moments later, after Usagi had typed a few paragraphs into the computer when she whispered: "Thank you." To the man that was increasingly becoming more complex in Minako's mind and less of the creep she wanted to keep pinned on him.

She scowled. Usagi was such a softie and to be in this weird type of relationship with Kunzite was just plain weird to her. She wanted to know the history behind these two, but more than that, she wanted to learn more about Kunzite, but she'd dared never breath a question, it only showed that she was interested. She could never allow him to think anything like that, who knows what would happen next, he'd probably accuse her again of being a gold-digger.

Usagi saved Minako the hassle of trying to come up with conversation to break through the quiet, that was only apparently, grating on Minako's nerves. "Come on Mina-chan, we're going to go blow a fortune on clothes and whatever else we desire."

"Usagi..." Minako could afford to do so, but it wasn't in their best interests.

Usagi waved away Minako's concern. "Don't worry, it's Kunzite's money." She winked and Minako cast surprised eyes to Kunzite, wanting him to know, that she had no part in this. Usagi litterly waved this time. "Besides, as my best female friend, you'll be spending a lot of time down here, won't she Kunzite?"

"If it is your desire, I cannot argue unless she she steps too far out of line." Though Kunzite's eyes when he held Minako's weren't quite warm, but they weren't icy either.

"Well then..." Usagi's eyes turned wicked. "Shall we go into town? It has the best boutiques, and not a single hotel or motel. The only people who visit know someone, and those who are unfortunate enough to be stranded... well... maybe they'd find a place for the night."

Minako felt a shiver at the words, though it was meant more as a passing bait for the man who wasn't present, and had been cast out last night. He probably had to sleep on the street or a bench and then head home this morning on the train.

"Just be careful." Kunzite said, his eyes skipping over Minako to land on Usagi.

Usagi shrugged it off. "What could be the worst that could happen?"

Minako wished she hadn't said that, for it started all the bad luck that was going to compile on them throughout the week, and possibly carry over into the following ones.

EAN: So... this is an update... and by the way, I had most of this written, except the last few paragraphs, so, please be happy. I'm still working on it... Just be rest assured that I haven't forgotten about it, whenever I open the docs on my comp, this is always one that needs work, and I will get to it, in time. Reviews do motivate though, and I'm not saying that to soak out reviews, they just let me know I'm on the right path.