Theme: Eleven - Quote (William Blake)
Genre: Romance/General
Version: AU-ish
Rating: PG-13 (for the mention of SEX -- oh baby)

Drink up, baby, look at the stars/ I'll kiss you again between the bars where I'm seeing you/ There with your hands in the air/ Waiting to finally be caught/ Drink up one more time and I'll make you mine/ Keep you apart deep in my heart separate from the rest/ Where I like you the best and keep the things you forgot - "Between The Bars" by Elliot Smith

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Wedding on the Brain
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The city sky loomed like a jewel in the distance, glittering artificially as a wintry dusk settled in. Streetlights flickered on overhead, and Makoto could see Ami stifling yawns behind her thin fingers. She couldn't help but smile.

"What?" asked Ami, eyes flickering sheepishly over to the brunette.

"Nothing," grinned Makoto. "Has Usagi been over working you?"

Trying not to seem too ungrateful, Ami just shrugged. "Maybe a little," she admitted. "But Minako's been so busy with getting her first record off the ground, and I can't really blame her for that. I just wish one of them had had a better plan, you know? It's a wedding! These things take time to prepare for. There's still the caterer and florist to call, and Minako hasn't even began to plan Usagi's bridal shower..."

"Hey, I told you," began Makoto, slowing the pace of their walk. "I'm pretty sure I can get the restaurant to cater the reception, and Rei-chan will be more than happy to take some time to help with the shower." Makoto chuckled. "Minako always has the best intentions, but you know how she can be."

"It's a wedding!" said Ami. "I thought she'd be different."

"At least we know she'll show up for the party?" joked Makoto.

"With naughty gifts to scandalize the rest of the girls," Ami sighed.

Makoto clasped Ami's glove-clad hand discreetly in her own, and gave it a squeeze. "Are you trying to freak yourself out?" she asked. "Because you're doing a good job. Really, stop worrying about it! Half of the bridal parties we have call up for catering aren't as organized or well prepared as Usagi-chan's already is. Besides, stress cuts in to your sex drive." Makoto wiggled her fingers against Ami's, the brunette's grin stretching from ear to ear. "Remember that one."

"Mako-chan!" puffed Ami, trying to look displeased.

"It's true!" said Makoto.

Ami's eyes went firmly to the gray, twinkling mass that was their apartment building, slowly edging closer as they walked. "All this talk about weddings," she said softly. "And all you can think of is sex. I can't decide if Minako would be proud or ashamed."

"All this talk of weddings," repeated Makoto. Her tone was rambling and easy. "What do you want me to do? If I don't think about sex, I'm just going to be thinking about how much I want to marry you, and how unfair it is that I can't."

"What?" Their hands slipped apart as Ami froze, her eyes wide and searching.

Makoto's nervous laughter flew loudly from her mouth, white puffs exploding in the cold air like doves. "That sounded really weird, didn't it?" she sputtered. "I mean, that's not exactly how I meant it. It just didn't come out right. It just sounded different in my head. I didn't really mean to say that! That wasn't very romantic!" Her face had turned a bright cranberry. "It wasn't a proposal or anything."

"Oh," replied Ami. She turned her face away, gesturing to hide another yawn.

"Yet."

"What?"

"Nothing," said Makoto, taking out her keys. They jingled noisily in her hand. "I didn't say anything."