AN: Here is Day 5. I was inspired by chibiangel413's review of Day 2's It's In His Kiss and wanted to give her some more jealous Kunzite. I hope it's enjoyable.

Also, as a note to my anonymous reviewer and to anyone confused or curious about the One Hour Challenge concept: I am not writing drabbles. I am writing short stories. I write an average of 6 Word pages an hour, but depending on my inspiration and the amount of dialog, I can write anywhere from 5 to 8 pages within my one hour time frame. I have a number of other One Hour Challenge stories up at this site, both One-Shot self-contained short stories and more involved stories where each chapter is written in the one hour time limit. If you would like to compare and contrast my OHC stories with other participants in this game, you can check out this link: http://destinysgate /browse. php?type= categories& id=51 This is where we archive partipating members' responses. Various authors produce more or less than I do, but it is supposed to be a story, not a drabble. I don't read or write drabbles. I'm sorry if you were confused, but these are all short stories lumped together by virtue of the competition I'm participating in. It's my first anthology :).

Title: The Unwelcome Suitor
Rating: T
Summary: The Martian King has arrived for a visit with his daughter, but he's brought along a surprise: a suitor for Mars. Venus plots to save her sister senshi's romance with Jadeite, but will Kunzite understand?
Couple: MinakoKunzite
One Hour Challenges:
#39 Sentence "You're MINE. And no one and NOTHING is going to come between us."
#50 Sentence "I'm jealous, I admit it. Now, the question is-after making me this way-are you willing to deal with the consequences?"

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Minako held Rei as she sobbed hysterically on Princess Serenity's bed. Jupiter was standing guard outside the door and Serenity and Ami had slipped out to have a private conversation with Queen Selenity about Rei's father's sudden announcement. "I won't!" the flame-haired girl shrieked, kicking her feet in a tantrum that under ordinary circumstances would have reduced Minako to helpless giggles. "He can't do this to me, Minako. He can't," she gasped into her friend's shoulder.

Minako rubbed Rei's back soothingly, "Hush, Rei. We'll stop him. No one is going to force you to marry someone you don't love on my watch." Rei hiccoughed as she continued to cry, but she calmed a bit as Serenity and Ami returned through the concealed passageway.

"Mother says this is a domestic issue and there isn't much she can do," Serenity blurted sadly. It was clear that the girl had been crying.

Ami wrapped a comforting arm around the dejected Moon Princess, "I think we're going to have to do something drastic, like
discredit this guy."

Raised voices outside caught their attention, "I demand you let me see my daughter this instant!"

"Your daughter is attending to her princess. Return to your quarters," Jupiter returned hotly, showing no deference to the infuriated Martian king. Ami sighed, knowing that leaving two stubborn mules to argue in the hallway would not defuse the situation and she quickly transformed, off to intervene. With her calm presence gone, the burden of a solution fell on Minako. It was quiet except for Rei's muffled sobs for a long moment. Serenity stared at Minako
pleadingly, desperate for the leader of the senshi to solve this problem. In matters of love and romance, the princess of Venus could be expected to come up with something.

Moments later, Minako laughed brightly, "I've got it!" She grinned down at her friends. "Ami is right, we have to discredit him. And I know just
how to do it." As she outlined her plan, Rei and Serenity began to wonder if their faith in her had been misplaced. But if anyone could pull this off, it would be Minako.

To say Minako was pulling out all the stops was putting it lightly. Low-cut gowns at mealtimes, inappropriate comments, prolonged eye contact, and unnecessary physical contact were all part of the ploy. It was working, too, but not fast enough to please Rei. She wanted Jerome to be following Minako around like a lap dog, but so far he was keeping his interest in her low-key. In frustration, without even giving Minako a full 48 hours in which to work her magic, Rei contacted Jadeite and told him of her father's betrayal.

She didn't bother to share with the other senshi that Jadeite was coming to confront her father and challenge this man her father had chosen for her. Nor did she expect that he was bringing his brothers and Endymion with him. She was hiding out in Serenity's room when Jadeite barreled in, clutching her to him and vowing that no one was going to take her away from him. Neither girl thought to talk about Minako's plot to seduce Jerome in order to prove him unworthy of Rei.

Minako had lured Jerome out into the gardens, knowing he wouldn't meet with her in a public place. He was definitely crafty and she despised him for his willingness to dally with the best friend of the woman he planned to marry. But she supposed he must think very little of her as well, since she was making a play for the man her best friend was expected to marry.

"I have never dreamed the universe held such beauty within it," he purred in her ear as he toyed with her hand, his eyes on her bust. She rolled her eyes, confident he wouldn't look at her face anytime soon, but laughed brightly as if flattered. Emboldened by her wordless encouragement, Jerome pulled on her arm, sending her tumbling into his lap. She braced herself quickly with her hands on his shoulders, but he used the excuse to grasp her waist and hold her there, on her knees between his outstretched legs, her lips mere centimeters from his, her hair flung wildly about them. She straightened a tiny bit, gazing at him with the expected shock and awareness. His eyes drifted to her open lips and she fluttered her lashes coquettishly and licked her lips, as if
invitation.

She was torn between hoping that he would cast her off and that he would kiss her and prove himself the cad she knew him to be. She didn't have to wait long as he crushed his lips to hers, his hands wandering freely over her body as he did so. She let him dominate the interaction as revulsion and guilt filled her. But it was for Rei's sake and she could only pray she didn't have to tell Kunzite about this until they were grandparents. Perhaps he would have mellowed by then.

Luck was definitely not on her side.

Kunzite, Nephrite and Zoicyte were wandering the palace. Jupiter and Mercury were on duty, so they could not greet their lovers just yet. Having been told that Minako had been spotted going into the gardens, Kunzite had immediately headed in that direction. His comrades were tagging along, despite
Kunzite's numerous suggestions that they find something else to do.

The gardens were huge and Kunzite hesitated at the entrance, uncertain which direction he should head in. Like a siren's call, as if in answer to his silent pondering, he heard her laughter and he followed the sound unerringly. Nephrite and Zoicyte congenially dogged his steps, but his desire to see the vivacious beauty he was blessed to call his own pushed aside his annoyance with them. As they rounded the corner, Kunzite froze. Nephrite and Zoicyte reacted quickly, each one grasping one of his arms in order to restrain him as they recognized one half of the embracing couple as the princess of Venus. A growl escaped Kunzite, "Minako!"

Her heart leapt at the sound of his voice and she ripped her lips from Jerome's sloppy kiss. It then plummeted to her toes as she processed the barely-contained fury in his eyes. "What are you doing here?" she whispered brokenly, guilt and shame stamped on her features.

He wanted to throttle her. It was all he could do to restrain the urge to shake off his friends, break her boy toy's neck, and then wring the life out of her. Instead, he whirled away, stalking away from her, wounded further when she didn't chase after him with some attempt at explanation.

She couldn't. She had to see this farce through to the end. Jerome had already moved behind her and she leaned into his embrace,
resting her back on his chest. "Who was that?" Jerome asked, jealousy coloring his words.

She should be pleased at his possessiveness, she told herself. She shivered delicately as she answered, "One of the Shitennou," she murmured, trying not to say their name with the reverence it deserved, "He fancies me."

Jerome glowered over her head in the direction the three men had gone. If they were here, it meant Rei's lover was, too. But that fact didn't trouble him as much as he might have expected. He contemplated the golden-haired beauty in his arms. Why waste his time on a high-tempered, man-hating Martian princess when the much more appealing Venusian princess was throwing herself at him?

Endymion, Serenity, Rei, and Jadeite were stunned when Nephrite and Zoicyte barged into the royal bedroom, dragging a furious Kunzite behind them. He'd already thrown punches at the both of them, but neither one had allowed themselves to get caught up in his scheme to take out his frustrations in a physical altercation.

"What is going on?" Endymion snapped, his disapproval smashing through Kunzite's red haze.

"Uh oh," Serenity whispered as she exchanged a guilty glance with Rei.

Jadeite pushed Rei back so that he could stare into her troubled purple eyes. The same guilt and fear that he saw reflected in Serenity's eyes were present on his beloved's face as well. "Spill," he demanded harshly.

Rei glowered at him, disliking his bossy tone, so Serenity complied, sighing as she sank back into a chair and stared at her hands. Kunzite reclined against the wall, arms crossed tightly across his chest as if to keep himself still as the Moon Princess prepared to tell them about Minako's unfaithfulness. "When King Doreh arrived with Jerome in tow and told Rei that he had chosen a husband for her, I tried to get my mother to intervene. But she told us she couldn't interfere with domestic issues. Martian law allows Rei's father to arrange her marriage at any time. Only if the suitor should be found unworthy
in my mother's eyes could she object, because Rei's position as a senshi overrides her position as the Crown Princess of Mars." Everyone except Kunzite nodded in understanding. He was just getting bored. "Anyway, Ami tried to dig up dirt on Jerome, but he's clean as a whistle. So Minako came up with 'the perfect plan' to discredit him," she waved her hands about, making invisible quote marks as she imitated the way Minako had described her scheme. "It seemed like a good idea at the time," she whispered as she gazed up at Endymion, willing him to understand.

"What exactly is her plan?" he asked, wanting it spelled out. He rubbed at his left temple, feeling a very unwelcome headache coming on.

"She was going to make him fall for her, so that Rei's father will have no choice but to reject him."

Kunzite's eyes snapped open and he glowered at Rei and Serenity, "Of all the stupid plots . . ." he snarled. The girls lowered their heads in remorse.

"It's my fault," Rei muttered to Jadeite, "If I hadn't freaked out and contacted you, then you wouldn't have . . ."

"Wouldn't have what? Found out that the woman I love is a baseless flirt?" Kunzite laughed hollowly. "No, I suppose I should be thanking you that I found out now, before I was drawn deeper into a one-sided relationship."

"It's not like that!" Serenity yelped, dodging Endymion's arms as she approached the irate man. "She loves you as truly as I love Endy."

"If I were Endymion, that statement would worry me," Kunzite said cuttingly, trying to keep his voice moderated. He really liked the Princess and thought she was a good match for his Prince and her words bothered him. He really wanted to believe that Minako loved him, even though he'd been warned repetitively that Venusians were incapable of faithfulness. It also rankled that Endymion was clutching her to him as if worried he might hit her.

Serenity huffed, working her way out of Endymion's protective embrace, "It's not a sign that she doesn't love you. That she would go to such extremes shows how much she loves Rei and how strongly she believes that Rei and Jadeite are meant to be. I admit it is unorthodox. . ."

The door opened, cutting her off, and Minako entered. Kunzite's face hardened and he turned his back on her. Tears filled Minako's golden eyes, but she blinked them back as she quietly crossed the room to Rei's side. "It's over," she said clearly, "Jerome has told your father that he wants nothing to do with you. He said some things that I think I'll have Jupiter pummel him for, but your father has accepted defeat. For the moment, anyway. Queen Selenity suggests that the two of you meet with her immediately."

Rei wrapped her arms tightly about her leader's neck, nearly choking her. "I am so sorry, Minako. Thank you so much, but I'm so sorry." Minako could do nothing but shake her head.

Jadeite pried her off, murmuring his own appreciation and apology as he disappeared with Rei into the tunnel between Serenity and Selenity's chambers. Endymion and Serenity followed, leaving Minako alone with Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoicyte.

"Leave us," Kunzite ordered his men.

"I think we should stay," Nephrite replied evenly.

Kunzite whirled on them, ready to oust them by force. "Thank you, but I don't need your protection," Minako stated. "And I don't think Kunzite does, either." Her mischievous smile didn't reach her eyes, but they bowed to her will and left, with the promise to be right outside the door.

"Kunzite, I can only imagine how that looked, but I swear to you that it meant nothing," she started.

Kunzite stalked over to her, pinning her between the bedpost and his large frame, "What were you thinking of when he kissed you?" he demanded.

"Don't vomit," she replied quickly.

He stared at her, unsure if she was being glib or honest. "Don't vomit?" he finally asked, incredulous.

"Yes," she huffed. "It would really have ruined my plans if I threw up all over that disgusting man." She shook her head to block out the unpleasant memory, "I'm so sorry, Kunzite. I wasn't trying to betray you. I didn't plan for it to go that far. And then I couldn't go after you and ruin everything at such a critical moment."

"I'm trying to understand that," he allowed, finding it far too easy to forgive her. He wanted to hold on to his anger and punish her for hurting him.

"You scared me," she whispered. "For a second, I thought you were going to kill us. I didn't know you were capable of jealousy," she teased.

"I'm not," he denied, falling into her teasing without resistance. She'd gone to such ridiculous lengths for her friend and he found that he loved her for it. He hoped she would never do it again, but he had to admire her devotion.

"Are too."

He caved, not wanting to spend their precious time together arguing like children, "I'm jealous, I admit it. Now, the question is - after making me this way - are you willing to deal with the consequences?"

Her eyes danced with mirth, "I don't know, what are the consequences?"

He crushed her against him, claiming her smart mouth with such need and passion that her knees gave way and she collapsed against him. He smirked mentally, amused at her reaction, until she began giving as good as she got and things started getting too hot for sweet little Serenity's room. "Let's get out of here," he groaned, pulling back from her.

"Why?"

"Because I want to remind you of something and I can't do it in Serenity's room," he snapped defensively.

"You're not implying that Serenity is an innocent angel, are you?" she taunted back, knowing Kunzite saw her as the little sister he'd never had.

"I don't want to hear about it!" he complained as he pushed her out of Serenity's room. She laughed as they hurried down the hall to her own room, ever amused by his refusal to see Serenity as less than perfect. Nephrite and Zoicyte watched them go, smirking to cover their impatience to reunite with their own loves, and relieved that Minako held such sway over Kunzite.

"Okay," she gasped as he shut and locked the door behind him, "what is it you want to remind me of?"

Kunzite grinned wolfishly as he pressed her back on the bed and began pulling off her dress, "You're MINE. And no one and NOTHING is going to come between us."

Minako laughed again, her hands busy with divesting him of his shirt, "I think I can live with that."