Chapter 20

Flirting, Possessiveness, and Trust

(Tuesday)

When Minako made it to the kitchen for breakfast Youchiro was already at the table, flipping through the mail, haphazardly throwing it onto today's news paper.

"Hey girls I made eggs and bacon if you want some" He said before looking up. When he did he grinned at Minako.

"Mina you look good in that, maybe you should be a miko too, we could always use another beautiful woman to help around the temple" He teased in a flirty tone. Rei gave him a hot glare that said 'don't! flirt with her, she's mine'. He just grinned and got up to go do his chores.

"Well I have work to do, You girls have some breakfast ill see you later for the karaoke thing"

"Bye Youchiro, maybe ill see you out there I'll be doing Rei's outside chores today so ill be your miko eye candy" Minako replied equally as flirty with a wink as he walked by. He just blushed greatly while he walked out.

When Mina looked at the dark haired girl Rei just gave her a smile as she made them some tea but Mina couldn't have missed the slightly hurt look she had in her eyes. Minako felt a little bad for having flirted with Youchiro especially in front of Rei. She had forgotten how possessive Rei was, that having come from her Martian nature, she would have to be careful not to accidentally hurt Rei when she flirts. She should also try to gain Rei's trust so she isn't so sensitive. Minako knew Rei had really bad trust issues stemming from her mothers untimely death when she was young and her fathers constant absent-mindedness when he was supposedly trying to be in her life and finally his outright desertion. Artemis had always told her that Trust and Possessiveness issues had always been a big part of Martian personalities, and Rei was no exception.

"Do you want both eggs and bacon?" Mina asked as she grabbed some plates and headed toward the food on the stove.

"Yeah" Rei answered quietly. She hated being so jealous. Rei knew Mina didn't mean to hurt her with the flirting, that was just Minako, she was always flirty like that, all Venusians were, it was just in her nature. But Rei couldn't help the insecure feeling she had, she couldn't help but feel like Minako would eventually leave her all alone just like everyone else she loved.

Rei was trying very hard to push the depressing thoughts from her mind, so she took the cups of tea and went and sat at the table grabbing the news paper to read while waiting for her plate of food. When she looked at the front page she felt like she was gut kicked. There in large bold letters was a headline stating 'Minako Aino & Seiya Kou's secret love affair' with three pictures in black and white. Rei immediately thought this was false, all lies then she looked at the pictures. One of Seiya feeding Minako across the table at the crown, the second of him holding her from behind in the park, him smiling while she licked her ice cream, the third of them in Minako's convertible leaning towards each other looking, to Rei at least, like they were about to kiss.

When Minako turned towards the table she was extremely surprised to see Rei very pale with tears running down her cheeks.

"Rei what's wrong?, why are you crying?" Mina asked as she walked across the room. Rei never even realized she had been crying until Minako said something about it. Slowly she reached up and wiped one of her cheeks confirming undoubtedly that she was crying. Her attention returned to the paper in her hands. She felt betrayed, tricked even. She should have known someone as famous and beautiful as Minako Aino wouldn't ever seriously want to be with her. Rei couldn't handle the pain her thoughts caused. She needed to be alone, slowly she put the paper on the table face up, arose from her chair and started to walk out the back door. When Rei started to leave Mina went to put her hand on her shoulder

"Rei" she started but was cut off by Rei's broken whisper.

"don't Mina, just leave me alone, please"

Minako didn't know what was going on, Rei just got up and started to walk out the door. When she had tried to stop the dark haired miko, she was told to leave her alone. Minako was dumbfounded she had no idea why Rei was acting so cold and distant almost like she was broken. Minako returned to the table taking a seat thinking about what had just happened and slowly sipping her tea. She had been sitting there for about ten minutes when her phone scared her out of her thoughts. She frowned when she saw it was Chris but answered it anyway. Even though she was very mad at her agent she was still her agent and needed to talk to her about work.

"Minako Aino's phone"

"Minako its Chris, I just saw the papers is it true? If its true why didn't you tell me we could totally use this to our advantage and get some publicity"

"What?" Minako asked as she reached across the table to grab the news paper. Chris continued to talk but Minako didn't hear anything she said as she read the headline and saw the incriminating pictures of her and Seiya the day they had hung out at the crown.

Suddenly it all made sense Rei probably thought this was true and felt betrayed and most likely used. 'She had been looking at the paper when she was crying' Mina thought as she hung up the phone and exited out the back door hoping to find Rei back by the lake in the woods, that's were she always went when she was upset, well either that or the shrine room but since she had exited this way Minako was going to take her chances with the lake. Quickly she started up the well trodden path leading toward the lake.

Rei sat at a bench by the lake. 'I should have known it would end up like this' Rei thought. 'you think I wouldn't be surprised, it always ends up like this, always me alone'. Rei was so deep into her depressing thoughts Minako was able to come right up behind her, standing behind the bench. Minako looked at the dark haired senshi. Rei looked so sad, it was heart wrenching to see Rei like this and it hurt Mina deeply to think that she herself was the cause of that sadness. Of the shattered look on Rei's tear streaked face. When Rei didn't turn around or acknowledge her in anyway Mina said loudly but firmly.

"Its not true Rei, non of it is true"

Rei was pulled out of her painful thoughts, when Mina first started talking she jumped having been scared slightly, she hadn't even know Minako was there. When Rei realized Minako had said something she was compelled to find out what it had been so she not so tactfully questioned.

"What?"

"I said its not true non of it, this paper is nothing but lies Rei, I would never do that to you" Minako answered. Rei still didn't look convinced.

"You think I would do something like that to you?" Mina questioned. Rei dodged the question by asking one of her own.

"What about the pictures Minako" Rei said while pointing to the paper still in Mina's hand. Mina hated how Rei had called her Minako she very rarely did and in this instant it made her feel horrible and distant from the women she cared for so much. Minako jerked the paper open and pointed to the first picture.

"In this one Seiya asked me if I wanted to try his waffles I said sure since it didn't seem like any type of sexual come one" Minako started with a little bit of annoyance and hurt in her voice. Then turning to the second one and saying.

"and in this one we had just gotten ice cream and were walking through the park, since it was a short cut to the car, when I had an Usagi moment and tripped I would have fallen on my face if Seiya hadn't caught me. In fact that happy grin he is wearing in the picture is because he is insultingly comparing me to Usagi." Minako continued then quickly turning to the last one.

"and this one is the most innocent of them all. I was leaning toward the dash board to put my hat in there and he was leaning toward the center consul to get a CD. We never got any closer then you see right here in the picture." Minako finished her rant. Then continued more quietly.

"someone obviously took a bunch of pictures from that whole day and found the only ones that looked at all like we were 'in a relationship'. How could you even believe these lies Rei"

"I didn't want to Mina" Rei started in a sad yet apologetic tone. "But it just seemed like a constant theme in my life. The minute I'm happy or content someone I love leaves me and screws up my whole life. I mean my mom died when I was 6 leaving me, my dad left when I was 12 leaving me, and just when I was getting happy in New York grandpa died leaving me with no one until you came back into my life so it just seemed natural that you would leave me too. Plus I know Seiya is interested in you." Rei finished with her head down and tears running down her face again. Mina walked around the bench and hugged Rei tightly. Holding the crying girl in her arms, Minako leaned in and whispered in the saddened miko's ear.

"I wont leave you Rei, I'll be yours for as long as you want me"

"There's really nothing going on between you and Seiya" Rei asked shakily.

"NO! there is absolutely nothing going on between Seiya and myself" Minako stated firmly.

"Do you promise?" Rei whispered.

"I promise" Minako answered while gently stroking Rei's long dark hair.

When Rei finally finished crying she looked up at Mina who smiled at her and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Mina, I just love you and I guess I fear to lose you. I don't know what I would do without you" Rei confessed.

"I love you too Rei" Minako said then leaned up to place a gentle kiss on Rei's forehead, descending a little to place one on the tip of Rei's nose and finally on Rei's lips. After the soothing kiss Minako whispered against Rei's lips.

"I don't think I could live without you in my life, You own my heart Rei"

Rei smiled and pulled Minako into a fierce tight hug, Minako responded with equal exuberance. The Idol and Miko stood there holding each other for a while. When Rei seemed to be comforted she pulled back and softly caressed Mina's cheek

"we better get back we still have work to do and not much time to do it" Rei said. Minako nodded grabbing Rei's free hand interlacing their fingers and started the walk back to the temple.

Minako had just finished sweeping the temple courtyard and stairs when her phone began to jingle. Quickly she flipped it open to stop the alarm blaring, she had set it earlier so her and Rei wouldn't be late for their karaoke party at the crown. The blond idol turned to walk back up the stairs quickly making it to the temple and slipping into Rei's office. Mina smiled Rei was fully engrossed in the paperwork she was doing and for the second time that day Minako was able to sneak up behind the miko without her noticing, a feat which was very rare considering Rei's psychic powers, when she was directly behind the dark haired women Mina's smile turned mischievous and she said rather loudly.

"Rei!! It's time to get ready for the party" Rei jumped violently, scratching her pen hard against the paper. Rei turned to Minako noticing her mischievous smile and glared a little.

"Scaring people is mean Mina" Minako smiled.

"Well since you are psychic I never get to scare you so I will when ever I get the chance. Usually you sense me before I can even scare you. How come you have been so off your game lately?" Minako asked smugly. Rei smiled and said while finishing up the paper she was working on.

"Well your around so often now your aura blends a little with my own, its hard to sense someone who is constantly on your mind. Plus I haven't used my psychic powers in about five years, I need to start meditating again so I can get them back into shape." Mina liked that answer, she liked hearing Rei say that she was always on the dark haired girls mind.

"Well we better go get ready" Mina said still smiling.

"Ok" Rei said as she turned back to the paper signing the bottom and placing it on the side of the desk. Rei and Mina both got up walked back to their room and began dressing for the party. Rei decided on a cute jean mini skirt, that Mina found very sexy, with a dark purple tank top, that Mina thought matched her beautiful eyes. Minako decided on a light yellow sun dress with a halter tie at the top leaving her back exposed. Rei liked the dress and slowly walked up behind Mina and kissed her left shoulder. Mina smiled and turned to kiss Rei's lips.

"That dress is very cute Mina, but a little seductive since I can see all of your back" Rei said as she lightly trailed her fingers up and down Mina's back.

"My dress seductive? Rei I can see all of your legs that skirt is just shameless" Minako teased. It was then that Rei noticed the slight hickey on Mina's throat from the night before. Touching it she said.

"It's a good thing you have accelerated healing powers you can hardly see this anymore and it was still pretty dark this morning" Mina walked to the mirror on Rei's desk looking in she saw the hickey immediately.

"Oh my gosh everyone is going to see this"

"No they wont come here I'll put some concealer on it" Once Mina's hickey was sufficiently hidden they left the temple hand in hand making it to Minako's car and quickly driving to the crown.

A/N Hey all I'm back. I would like to thank all my loyal fans who waited for me to get back from my vacation for an update. I haven't been able to write much I've been fighting a bit of writer's block it seems. Like I said in a previous chapter I know how I want the story to end I'm just not sure how I want to get it there. Yeah I guess I was feeling a little depressed and it reflected in the little fight Rei and Minako had. But I needed to show Rei's insecurities they will be a little problem for them in the future.