Chapter 4: The Chance to Tease You
Rei's entire body was enveloped by warmth. Minako continued her tender massage, reaching parts of her body that Rei realized suddenly she'd never acknowledged before. Minako was the only person in the world that could make her body feel like anything other than a mechanical force built for precise movements.
She could feel Minako edging up to rub her shoulder blades. That's when the blonde's nude thighs rubbed sensuously against the bare skin of Rei's ribs. The miko managed to stop the moan that nipped the back of her throat but she could not tame the sharp inhale and pathetic tremble. She's a seductress and doesn't even have to try.
"Too hard, Reiko?"
Darling, you have no idea, "Just a…sore spot."
"Ohhh. Okay."
The silky hands resumed their torture of Rei's nerve endings and conscience. Love and self-hatred swirled darkly in her heart; she's trying to be a good friend and I'm having sinful thoughts again— what's wrong with me? Her mind failed to provide an answer. It failed to function altogether; perhaps as a result of her body's hyper-sensitivity.
Long ago, physical love had meant nothing to Rei. Love to her was supposed to be a spiritual connection one felt, and sex could never be worthy of such an emotion. But as her love for Minako began to bloom, a new feeling grew within her; an urgency. Her heart began to palpitate around the blonde, the hair at her nape would stand on end, goosebumps would rise on the skin of her arms. She realized it very slowly, how she ached. For months she was angry at the girl for no reason. Dreams of her hair, her skin, haunted Rei at night. And then she was forced to admit it. Rei Hino wanted for the first time in her life.
But still…it had never been like this. She had never been this close to her.
Again, silk-soft thighs rubbed against her. But also something else, something warm and covered in cotton cloth. It formed a tiny triangle of heat that pressed against the small of her back.
Her eyes bulged, she gulped as her mind registered what the source of the warmth must be. Of course, the voice in her head sounded about a billion times calmer than she felt, of course the Universe would make it so she was half-naked on top of me.
The derisive thought was her last coherent one. Rei hated the part of herself that liked this. The part of herself that focused all attention on that soft, supple warm spot. The part of herself that wanted to lift her hands up from her sides and backward, grasp Minako's thighs and press her harder into herself.
She gripped the stupid pink bed sheets with shaking hands.
"I was thinking," Minako started, startling the quietly fuming miko.
"That's never good."
The blonde only smirked at Rei's usual sarcasm, "I was thinking Reiko, that Yuichiro isn't a bad looking boy. And that he's definitely not the first person to hit on you. But you…it never even fazes you. It's like you never want anybody. Why don't you ever want anybody?"
Rei had to clench her fists to keep from exploding. She wanted to run away from this, she wanted to turn and face it dead on. Minako was so wrong. She wanted. She wanted down to the depths of her soul. "Because," she started, her tone hard and serious as stone, "I just don't. I…have my religion. You know that. I want to devote myself to it, always. I want to be pure always."
Minako bit her lip. She was glad Rei was turned away from her. Glad that the miko couldn't see the disappointment in her face. This closeness had made her heady, as if she'd just swallowed many gulps of fine wine. She had entertained the idea of seduction many times. It was her nature, she supposed.
She drew various figures across Rei's spine. A tiny heart, an arrow across it, the emblem of Sailor Mars, the emblem of Sailor Venus—it was also the female symbol, she remembered from one of Rei's history books. Yes, perhaps seduction was her nature. Perhaps she could flirt her way into anyone's bed. But she couldn't do it to Rei. Not to her Reiko. "You know what I think?"
The miko felt like laughing at herself, she felt nearly hysterical. How can you feel a woman's tone of voice caress your insides? Minako and her ways, "What?" she croaked out.
"I think…" the blonde paused to slink down across Rei's back and place a coy little kiss at her nape, "I think…" the words were whispered into the spot behind Rei's ear.
Rei was feeling the world spin around her.
"I think we should drive to the mall. I'm not sick, and the others will be there today."
---
The miko had been silent most of the trip, and her usual bad mood was amplified. She felt…frustrated. Minako, of course, couldn't help the challenge. She made many attempts to melt Rei's icy countenance.
"I'll do anything for a smile, Reiko-o-o," she flashed her own pearly grin to show Rei how easy it was. It's so easy to smile, she thought, it's so easy to act.
"Anything?" Rei couldn't believe herself, now I've stooped to frat-boy one liners?
"Mhm!"
Sometimes Rei loved how dense the girl could be.
"Anything, just name it!"
Rei struggled to find something to say, before finally blurting out the question that had been hovering in her sub-conscious and scheming for a way out for hours, "Tell me what's up with you and Haruka."
Minako frowned, not getting it. "I don't know what you're talking about…"
"Is that how it's going to be?" Rei asked quietly.
"Reiko…"
Jealous violet eyes flitted quickly between the road and Minako's face, just long enough to see the genuine confusion written in the girl's countenance. Rei immediately softened her tone of voice, "I saw you two…being cozy, cuddling up on your bed and all. I guess I just wanted to know what Haruka meant by it, I mean God knows what's with her and Michiru but they're definitely more than friends, right? Which means that if she were trying to start something between you two it would make her a cheater and not good for you. So I asked her…and she told me she doesn't kiss and tell. Which means she's keeping a 'tell' to herself, which means there must have been a kiss…"
Minako laughed inwardly, the most words she's spoken to me at once all day and it's about this? She sat quietly in her seat, amused grin in place, and watched Rei squirm for once at silence. Aren't you the one that always wants it to be quiet? Minako had never seen Rei look so much their age before, she seemed practically childish, slumping in the driver's seat. The blonde let up as soon as she saw beads of sweat start to form on the other girl's temples, a sure sign that she was close to losing it, "Reiko, there's something you should know about Haruka and I…"
Rei steeled herself for the blow, you better not cry in this car, Hino, not with her next to you.
"We're very similar people and…"
Just get on with it Mina, you little brat, you beautiful girl.
"If you give either of us the chance to tease you," she poked Rei's pouting cheek happily, "We will."
Turning to Minako, Rei could see it was the truth, there's nothing between them. She cracked a smile.
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A/N: Thanks so much for all of the reviews. I'm going to try and address some of the more often repeated questions/concerns. I have the entire plot of the story in my head already, so I will finish, I'm just concerned about pacing it realistically. As some of you have mentioned, the story is one of angsty, slow-moving Rei/Minako love. It's supposed to take forever, and frustrate readers. :p. I realize the story is heavily Rei-centered, however (without releasing spoilers) Minako's own feelings will culminate and climax (no dirty pun intended) in later chapters. I hope you stick with me on this one, thanks again!