Author's notes:

Aaand another Rei/Jadeite chapter with no more than kisses and raging emotions... if you're allergic to fluff, stay away from this chapter ;D And don't worry, this is still a story to play with lemon, I haven't forgotten that... I must say, I really like the idea of the cell phone and the options... ;D

You might miss the two teaser chapters that I had put up at this place - don't worry! They will be back as full chapters! And after that there will be more chapters, which are already written!

And as a hint: I think I would totally write another chapter on demand (I wrote an Endymion/Jadeite chapter that became a spin-off story of its own, go check it out). So, all you have to do is review and ask for it. ;D

She found him leaning against a tree beind the house, sulking.

He was still angry, even if it had been a while since he had stormed out.

She came next to him.

It took her a while to find the right words. Men were so touchy, and so strange...

"Jadeite, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. I never meant to say that thing about you. And... Yuuichirou... it was a mistake... I didn't mean to hurt you..."

"But...?"

"But what?"

"There must be a reason. You wouldn't just go and kiss every guy that happened to cross your path. There must be something you miss with me."

"Jadeite..."

"What is it? Mars... If we are at a point where I can't be certain if I will be welcome again when I return the next time, I want to know it now."

"Jadeite, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about that I'm not enough for you any more."

"That's not true!"

Jadeite just looked at her reproachfully.

And Rei was searching for words again. How could she navigate around his easily hurt male ego? But she just wasn't good enough at lying for that, he'd have to deal with the truth...

"It's... I think... oh man, this is going to be so embarassing... but look, Jadeite, I am new to the male experience. You often react strange, and I don't know why. I just don't know enough about boys. I have no male relatives that I care to see, have female doctors, go to a girls school, had female senshi, female lovers... the first man I ever remember touching was you, when I slammed you into the wall in our first fight... and sometimes I think I am going to mess it up with you one day because I have no idea what I'm doing.

I love you, Jadeite... but sometimes I think we met too early. I feel so unprepared for this..."

He looked at her with big eyes, like a rabbit in the headlights. She hated that look. She had the bad feeling that she had already made a total mess out of it.

"Please don't leave me, Mars" Jadeite suddenly burst out. "I know I'm not a good boyfriend. I know I'm not there when you need me. But please don't leave me!"

"Oh, Jadeite," said Rei and stroked his cheek with her hand. His eyes had become glassy. "Who said anything about leaving? Of course I won't leave you. If you... forgive me that I cheated on you."

Jadeite looked even more confused. "Really? You won't leave me? You really mean it?"

"Of course I mean it."

"It's just that... all week, I look forward for the times when I meet you. I count every single minute. I take all this extra work so I have something to do to pass the time until I see you again or I would go crazy. You're the most important thing in my life.

I know you don't like it when I'm clinging like that, I know we both don't have time for feelings like that. But I can't help it."

He wiped his eyes with his hand.

"You said I need to be patient, wait for the right time, and I try my best, Mars. I really do. I wouldn't know what to do without you. So please don't give up on me."

Mars was at a loss of words. She was really scared by how strong his feelings could be. She was even more scared by how strong her own feelings could be about him. After all, he was a man, a former enemy, had about every single habit or attitude she despised about men, was stupid and annoying, and she just couldn't imagine a life without him...

But she was so close before her final installment as a priestess, the very last thing she could afford right now was losing her head over a guy. She had a life to get a grip on. Jadeite would have to be patient for a little longer...

She cupped his cheek with her hand.

"I love you, Jadeite," she said. "Giving up on you never even crossed my mind. I need you. I want to be with you, really and forever. Soon, Jadeite. Soon it'll be the time. Please forgive me. I try my best too."

Jadeite looked at her, hope shining in his eyes again.

"I love you, Mars," he said. "As long as we're together, I don't care who you kiss. Kiss that jerk everyday if it makes you happy. Kiss whoever you want. Just promise me, when you get tired of me, come and tell me, and don't let me find out by myself."

"I'm not getting tired of you, Jadeite. How could I? You don't have to worry about me. I just needed to build some confidence."

"You don't have to. There is nothing you lack. You are wonderful, Mars."

"Wonderful and clueless," she protested.

He kissed her. But he was still so... hesitant.

"What else is it?" asked Rei. "What's on your mind?"

"It's only that..."

"Yes?"

"You'lll be mad at me..."

"I'm usually mad at you after two minutes we're together, so out with it!"

"It's only that... I kissed someone else, too..."

"Zoisite?"

He looked up, eyes wide in surprise.

Rei couldn't help but grin.

"Everyone wants to kiss Zoisite. So it's true... you guys...?"

"Err... you knew?"

"Let's say we girls were wondering about it. The senshi of love and justice and the senshi of love and beauty were picking up vibes and hints, they say. If I may cite 'how can they be around so much hotness and not jump each other all the time?'. I thought she was exaggerating though..."

"Oh, she is... totally... but... you know, we were wondering about you girls too... for pretty much the same reason..."

"Jadeite!"

He chuckled. But then he got serious again.

"And how are we... going to deal with it?" he asked cautiously.

Rei shrugged.

"We both knew it right from the beginning that it wouldn't be easy, right?"

"Err... yeah..."

"I don't know how you think about me, but... I knew you were no good, Jadeite."

"What?"

"Ah, don't be mad again! What I mean is, I have been warned of you, a lot, all the time, and it hasn't been able to stop me."

She leaned forward and kissed him gently.

Jadeite grinned at her sheepishly.

"Why do I have a feeling it would be very unwise to return that compliment?"

Rei laughed. "Because you can't possibly be that stupid..." she teased him. It didn't matter, because she also kised him.

He didn't dare to kiss her back yet. He sighed.

"I wish I had more time for you, so we could do everything you want to learn. I can try to sneak in more often. But I'm horribly tight with time..."

"The party planning? But we could do that together! That way, everything gets done faster, and we have some time for ourselves."

Ohnononononono! thought Jadeite mortified. She'll nose into the budget, and start a fight with everyone for meddling with it, and mess it all up! I'll be in ten times more trouble with everyone, and then I'll be in trouble with her...

But her smile melted his resistance down, and her hand on his cheek gave him the rest. He'd be in trouble all the time, but he'd also be in Mars all the time...

"Is it really okay for you?" he asked. "I know you have so much work already. I don't want to take advantage of you just because you don't see me naked often enough."

That made her laugh out loud. And kiss him again.

"You're so daft, Jadeite. And just for your information, I can see you naked whenever I want. Remember that weekend we spent on that little tropical island? I made lots of pictures there..."

"What, on that cell phone with the magic powers? Does it mean you can transform into me? Did you ever try it? Hey, could I transform into you? That way, you could do it with me and yourself at the same time!"

"No, it doesn't work on others, just on me. And why would I need you to transform to do it with you and me at the same time? We already do that when we are ourselves! And I certainly didn't transform into you. What a stupid idea!"

"But you could, right? Oh, come on, let's do that! Transform into me! You could do it with two of me at the same time! Wouldn't that be fun?"

"No!" Rei stared at him. What the hell was going on in his head sometimes?

"Wouldn't it creep you out to kiss yourself?" she asked.

Jadeite grinned. "How do I know if I haven't tried it?" He thought about it. "You know... I think it'd be okay if I knew it was you. I'd certainly be creeped out if you'd do me with someone else... although... it'd be kind of interesting to watch..."

"Jadeite!"

"If it wasn't Venus, that is..."

"Jadeite!"

He suddenly realized he should drop that topic before he got Mars out of the kissing mood. He smiled at her. "Sorry, Mars, don't be mad at me, firelfy... I just thought it'd be fun for you too..." His deep blue eyes watched her more intently than Rei felt comfortable with. "You do realize that it could be the answer to your wish to get more experienced on men? Become me, and play with me."

"Jadeite!" breathed Rei, a bit shocked. "I couldn't use you like that!"

Now he kissed her, very softly. She didn't draw back. She didn't yell at him. That was really a good thing because he needed to kiss her so much that he thought he'd crumble to dust. He kissed her again.

"You know you can use me every way you need. Every way you want."

But that didn't calm her down at all. It rather disturbed her further.

"How can you say that, Jadeite..."

"I'm yours, Rei Hino. I'm yours, Sailor Mars. I'm yours, priestess. For whatever you need, however you need it. For as long as you want."

He gently brushed a tear out of her eyelashes with his fingers.

"I love you, Mars. I want you to be happy. Why are you still afraid of me? What can I do to make you feel safe?"

Rei slung his arms around him and pulled him in a tight embrace. "Give me time, Jadeite," she whispered. "I know it's not easy for you. But I can't live without you any more. We'll find a way."

He hugged her back, and they stood in a tight embrace for a while, and suddenly Rei chuckled when she couldn't take it any more to have his hard erection pressed against her. That was exactly what being with Jadeite was about... feeling his warmth and his strength and his love and good hearted intentions, and at the same time being aware of his desire. Because he always wanted her, and he wanted her badly, and it scared her, no matter how gently he made love to her.

She kissed the side of his neck, and heard him take a deep breath.

"That was so sweet what you said about my needs,'" she said. "But how about yours?"

He shivered as he kissed his neck again.

"Not the right time to tease me, Mars," he gasped. He stroked her hair. "I've just told you I want you to feel safe, to have things the way you want." He pulled her head to his shoulder. "Is this a test, Mars? Please don't rush me. Don't tempt me to scare you. I don't want you to be scared of me."

"But maybe..." Rei murmured.

"What, Mars? What is it?"

Rei turned her head and looked at him. "How can I be honest about wanting to be with you if I am only ready to deal with a facade you put up?"

"It's not a facade when I say I want you to be happy! I really do!"

"But, Jadeite... if you hide a side of you from me, it makes me nervous as well!"

"Because you don't trust me? Because you don't trust my self-restraint? I'm not an animal, Mars. I don't need to jump you and fuck you senseless just because you are the hottest girl I've ever seen."

"But you want to..."

"And I will. But not before you don't want it either."

Rei's looked at him. "Then make me," she said and blushed.

Jadeite's eyes opened wide. "Rei-chan..." he stammered.

"Make me," Rei repeated. "I want to know what I get myself into with you. I'm sick of waiting for my stupid lazy brain to catch up with us. I want the real you, all of you, all sides of you, not just the nice ones!"

Jadeite grinned helplessly. "So I was right," he said. "What we did wasn't enough for you any more."

Rei grinned, just as helpless. "So it seems... can we do it, Jadeite? Can we do it for real, not just the nice play versions we did so far? Can we just get horny and go for it?"

Jadeite grin got broader. "If that's what you want?"

"Yes, Jadeite."

Now he kissed her again, more demanding and passionate that he ever had. Rei startled for one second, but then, to her surprise, her senshi instict got the upper hand. Who did he think he was, demanding her mouth? Before she knew what she was doing, she was kissing him back even more demanding. She was used to be in control, and she snapped into it without a problem, even if her hard kisses made him moan and she became a little weak in the knees from that. But she kept pace with him, she was up to the challenge.

She hadn't expected that. She had thought she'd be overwhelmed by her lingering fears... but it turned out that lingering was pretty much all they could do. The question was if this was only true for kissing, or if she'd be the same when it came to his hard and eager thing and whatever it wanted to do to her...

The thought of his man thing weakened her determination for a moment, and Jadeite sensed it and broke the kiss.

"Let's go somewhere nice!" he said, and teleported them away before she could even nod.