Author Note: Up until now, we've learned quite a bit about Rei…but what about Minako?
This chapter was really hard for me to write. I hope it conveys well.
I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.
Takeuchi, N. (1991). Sailor Moon. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.
Chapter 24:
Once both women had finished their nightly routine, they crawled into bed together. Rei wore a set of pajamas that consisted of a white, long-sleeved, satin, button-up shirt and matching satin pants. Minako, on the other hand, wore nothing per usual.
Minako immediately climbed on top of Rei, who was lying on her back. The gorgeous blonde balanced the length of herself on top of the beautiful archer, her arms resting closely to either side of the archer's torso, her head on Rei's chest, enjoying listening to the sound of her steady heartbeat.
Rei encircled the smaller woman in her arms, her hand combing Minako's silky tresses aimlessly. She hummed contently at the familiar feeling of the smaller woman on top of her.
"You comfortable?," Minako asked with concern, taking the noise Rei made as one of discomfort.
"Mmn," Rei nodded as she let out a satisified sigh, "I really like when we cuddle like this."
"Why?," Minako giggled curiously.
"I can feel your entire aura this way," Rei mused, "It's always so warm and comforting. And the weight of you on top of me makes me feel grounded. I always feel really safe and secure with you like this, like I'm being surrounded by you."
Minako blushed at Rei's forward honesty. It always took her by surprise how comfortable Rei was with expressing her feelings, How can she just say things like that so easily?
Minako was about to settle into a comfortable silence, content with snuggling against the devastatingly beautiful woman underneath her, when a bold idea came to her and she looked up at the archer, "Hey…baby?," Minako said hesitantly, "Can I…Can I try something?"
Rei looked down at Minako curiously, "Try what?"
Minako carefully broke out of Rei's embrace to scoot higher so that she was face-to-face with the archer. Once there, she carefully settled herself down again, resting the length of Rei's body. She placed her right hand softly on Rei's chest.
"Do you trust me?," Minako whispered. Rei hesitated, her eyes darting to Minako's aura, but all she could decipher was a gentle kindness. Her intense eyes locked back onto Minako's, still unsure of what Minako wanted to do. She swallowed nervously and nodded slowly.
"Good," Minako said with a timid smile, "Close your eyes and focus on me?" she said as more of a request than a statement.
Rei raised an eyebrow and looked at Minako skeptically, who nodded back reassuringly. Rei took a breath and closed her eyes hesitantly as she began focusing her energy on Minako's aura. She could feel Minako's familiar, comforting, orange-gold warmth. One that always made her feel as though she were being bathed in rays of sunlight. Mixed within that were strong strands of Hope and a hint of something else…Nervousness?…but one that was being strongly muted in the colors. As she continued to focus on Minako's aura, she began to slowly hear Minako's voice as she tapped into Minako's thoughts,
Gods, I hope this works,Minako's thought to herself. She took a breath to steady her nerves for what she was about to do next.
Rei felt Minako shift above her slightly. Suddenly, her amethyst eyes shot open wide and she stiffened when she felt Minako's hand begin to slowly unbutton her shirt. She felt her abilities begin to retreat from her focus.
"M-Mina! What-mmm!," Rei began with a hint of panic in her voice. Her words were cut short by Minako swiftly leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips. Minako closed her eyes and her hand stopped its movement.
The sudden contact caused Rei's abilities to refocus on Minako's aura again. She was quickly carried back into it, her lavender eyes glazing over as she stared blankly past the blonde above her. She felt Minako's orange-gold colors fill her being, surrounding her with Protectiveness, enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth. She couldn't help but begin to relax within the invitingly warm solace.
Come back to me, baby,Rei heard Minako's voice softly in her mind, Please…trust me. I'm not going to hurt you. Her melodic voice was soothing, comforting. Rei felt the stiffness in her body begin to melt away as Minako's aura strengthened, flowing into her through their kiss. She felt her eyelids close as she allowed herself to be taken in by it. She began kissing Minako back tentatively.
Minako felt Rei slowly relax and begin to kiss her back. She continued to kiss the archer softly, as if comforting the taller woman, letting her know that she was safe. As she felt Rei become more confident in their kiss, Minako slowly continued to unbutton Rei's shirt until she finshed with the last button. With utmost care, she slowly slid her hand underneath the fabric of Rei's shirt to her toned stomach, making sure her touch was firm enough not to tickle for fear of breaking Rei's concentration.
Rei inhaled sharply through her nose as she paused. Minako could feel her flinch and stiffen slightly.
Stay with me, Rei-chan,Minako pleaded softly, stilling her hand. She gently licked Rei's bottom lip with her tongue, caressing it. A delicate gasp, soft and wavering, escaped from Rei's lips in response. Minako's heart skipped a beat at the sound and she dipped her tongue teasingly between Rei's slightly parted lips, silently requesting access.
Rei felt Minako's colors begin to change into that tender flame she treasured so much. Unable to deny that fragile glow, she parted her lips and allowed Minako's tongue to enter her mouth. She felt herself calm as she began losing herself in the kiss. Her hand moved on its own accord to the back of Minako's head, burying itself in her silky hair, pulling her closer.
Minako felt Rei begin to relax again as their kiss deepened. She slowly caressed Rei's tongue with her own. She felt Rei's hand slide to the back of her head to pull her closer.
"Mmmm," Minako moaned softly into Rei's mouth as she leaned in closer without breaking the kiss. She slowly began moving her hand up Rei's stomach, sliding along her ribs.
Minako already knew Rei was breathtakingly beautiful, had been admiring her perfect form since they first met. But to finally be able to touch her, to feel how incredibly soft her skin was above the toned muscle just beneath the surface, the delicate movements as she reacted to being touched, how warm she felt under her fingertips…Minako cherished every second of their contact, committing it to memory, enjoying the feeling of finally being so close to the woman she adored, if only for these few, precious moments.
As they continued to kiss, Minako's breath hitched as she felt Rei's other hand begin to stroke the length of her back. The action was gentle, tender…
And made her more aware than she cared to feel. She tensed hesitantly before captured Rei's bottom lip between her teeth, becoming a touch more aggressive in their kiss.
Rei's breath hitched as she felt Minako's soft flame begin to transform into something more ominous. Her hand at the back of Minako's head began to tighten its grasp on the blonde's hair, responding to Minako's aggressiveness. The hand that she had on Minako's back curled slightly as she slowly dragged her nails across that creamy skin, causing Minako to gasp and arch her back at the action.
Minako, emboldened by Rei's assertiveness, slid her hand higher to Rei's breast, her fingers grazing the nipple.
"Ahh!," Rei whimpered as if in pain, abruptly breaking their kiss. Her body stiffened and curled inwards as if trying to protect itself. Her eyes were shut tight as she began shaking, her breath becoming erratic and hissed as it came and went from between her clenched teeth. The orange-gold aura she was holding on to slipped from her focus and she began feeling herself descend into darkness.
Minako, so engrossed in the spark that was beginning to develop between them, realized too late that she had crossed a line. Her eyes shot open at the sound of Rei's pained cry. Acting quickly, she removed her hand from Rei's chest and tilted the archer's head up to pull her back into a kiss.
Rei began feeling her abilities slip until a strong, orange-gold force pierce through the darkness, warming her from the inside, quickly wrapping itself around her body. In the confusion, she could just barely make out the sound of a melodic voice echoing in the distance, pleading softly over and over, I need you. Don't leave me. Stay with me. I don't want to lose you.
The orange-gold colors kept Rei from slipping further into darkness. The echoing, distant words gave Rei the strength to focus and concentrate. As she followed them back to herself, her muscles began to relax slowly, her breath returning to a normal pace.
Once Minako felt Rei relax, she gently ended the kiss and opened her eyes. She searched Rei's face with a mix of worry and concern.
Rei's eyes fluttered opened and looked around for a second to orient herself, taking in her surroundings as if reminding herself where she was. She then looked at Minako and her intense amethyst eyes softened to apologietic concern.
"Rei-chan," Minako whispered, her voice heavy with anguish. She watched as Rei brought a hand to her cheek and felt her thumb gently wipe the tears from her face, ones she didn't realize she had shed.
"I'm ok," Rei said softly as she wiped Minako's tears away.
"I'm so sorry," Minako whispered guiltily, "I shouldn't have done that, I...I didn't mean to-" Her words were stopped by a gentle finger resting on her lips.
"Shhh," Rei cooed as she smiled softly, "I said I'm ok."
Without breaking their gaze, Rei moved her hand from Minako's lips and carefully found Minako's hand. Sapphire eyes widened in shock as Rei brought Minako's hand to rest underneath the fabric of her shirt and over her heart, holding it there.
Rei closed her eyes at the contact and took a few meditative breaths, concentration washing over her countenance. Minako stayed as still as possible, feeling the rise and fall of Rei's chest with each breath she took, allowing Rei to do whatever she needed to do.
After a few moments, Rei took a deep, cleansing breath and opened her eyes as she let it out slowly, "That was really intense, Mina," she whispered hoarsly. She locked her lavender gaze onto Minako's cobalts, holding them as if to ground herself. She swallowed audibly, "It still is, but…," she paused and chuckled quietly to herself, "I guess I'm still alive, right?"
"Are you sure you're ok, Rei-chan?," Minako asked worriedly.
"Mmn," Rei nodded slowly, "It's definitely an adjustment."
Minako sighed in relief at Rei's response. Rei began to feel Minako's aura relax into a much calmer state as it seeping into her chest through Minako's hand.
Minako rested her head gently back down on Rei's chest, making sure to stay on top of the satin shirt so as not to push her luck, "I'm so glad you're ok," she whispered, "I would have never forgiven myself if anything happened to you."
"I'm fine, Mina," Rei replied softly. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring at the ceiling to keep herself steady. As she reflected on the incident, she chuckled softly to herself, "My Evening Star," she mused to herself.
"Hmm?," Minako asked, lifting her head to look at Rei, "What'd you say?"
"Nothing," Rei replied softly, "You just never cease to amaze me, Mina."
"What do you mean?," Minako asked quizzically.
"When I slipped, you aura brought me back again," Rei said as she looked into Minako's eyes. A soft smile graced her lips, "It was like a light that shot through the darkness and I followed it back to me...to you."
A light blush tinted Minako's cheeks at Rei's words, "And you thoughts…Kami-sama…they were so sad. All I wanted to do was find you and tell you that I was here...that I'm not going anywhere."
Minako's blinked at Rei, now utterly perplexed, "Rei-chan…I wasn't thinking anything while you were having your panic attack. I was just really worried about you."
The smile slowly disappeared from Rei's lips as she searched Minako's face. She could sense it through Minako's hand, she really had no idea what Rei was talking about. A foreboding suspicion came to her,
"Mina…do you remember the first time I stayed at your place after we came back from the beach?," Rei asked.
"Of course," Minako replied, confused as to where Rei was going with her question.
"Do you…remember talking to me?," Rei asked hesitantly, "Right before you fell asleep?"
Minako gave a puzzled look as she thought back to that night. She shook her head slightly, "No, I just remember you spooning me and then falling asleep."
Rei's brow furrowed, "Then that's the second time," she said mostly to herself.
"What?," Minako asked.
"You asked me not to leave you," Rei explained, "The first time was that night I stayed at your place. You were talking in your sleep and you said, 'don't leave me'. I thought you were saying you didn't want me to leave that night. But just now, during my panic attack, you kept repeating, 'don't leave me. I need you. I don't want to lose you.'"
Minako looked at Rei with complete shock. She was floored by what Rei was telling her.
"Come to think of it," Rei continued as a memory came to her, "When I did my stunt at the wedding, you said you 'just found me'…that you thought you were going to lose me. It almost sounds like-"
"Rei-chan, I don't know where you're going with this," Minako interrupted with a sigh. She was starting to feel uncomfortable as Rei continued with her train of thought, "I honestly have no idea what you're-"
"I'm not trying to upset you, Mina" Rei interrupted gently. She could feel Minako's aura tinting with frustration, "I'm just trying to understand. I mean, didn't we agreed we'd be honest with each other? With ourselves? That this wouldn't work otherwise?"
"And I am being honest with you," Minako said with annoyance this time, "I just don't understand why you're making such a big deal over-."
"Mina, do you trust me?," Rei asked.
"Yes," Minako replied quickly.
Perhaps a littletooquickly,Rei thought to herself skeptically.
"I do trust you," Minako continued, irritation beginning to seep into her melodic voice, "Do you think I would've let you tie me up and blindfold me like you did if I didn't?" A seductive smile pulled at the corner of her lips as a thought came to her, "Unless you're trying to tell me that you want to do that again?"
Rei could feel Minako's aura begin to flicker into an ominous flame as she moved in for a kiss, "Mina, I'm serious," Rei said with slight annoyance as she placed her fingertips gently on Minako's lips, effectively stopping her, "I want to talk to you about this. Why are you avoiding the subject?"
"What's there to talk about?," Minako asked in an exasperated tone as she pulled away slightly and shook off Rei's touch. Her aura returned to its original glow, but was coursing with Annoyance, "So I say stupid shit in my sleep or whatever. It doesn't mean anything."
"I think it does," Rei replied. It was her turn to be irritated, her brow furrowing into disbelief at how flippant Minako had become, "I think you're afraid that I'm going to leave you. It might even be subconscious since you don't remember it at all. I don't know. I just want to understand, that's all."
Minako shook her head and looked away in frustration. She took heavy breaths, as if trying to calm herself down from…Anger? Annoyance? These were the stronger emotions Rei could decipher from her orange-gold colors. She could sense that Minako was trying to process all that Rei was telling her, see that she was struggling internally.
After a moment, the gorgeous blonde sighed defeatedly, averting her gaze downward, "What do you want from me, Rei-chan?," she whispered, her melodic voice sounding almost broken, "What do you want me to say?"
Rei felt Minako beginning to retreat emotionally, her aura starting to dim considerably. Her heart broke seeing the gorgeous blonde woman she cared so much for in such a state. Though she feared pushing the subject would cause her to shut down completely, she felt it was important to get to the bottom of this.
Perhaps being straight-forward was not the best way to have this conversation with Minako, seeing as how quickly she became combative. She had to start somewhere and a question came to her that seemed to be an easy place to begin…or at least a more definitive place to begin if the answer she hoped for didn't come.
Rei softened before continuing, trying a different approach and concentrating on what was left of the smaller woman's aura, "Mina…do I make you happy?," she asked gently, trying her best to mute the entreating tone that wanted to appear in her words, "Are you happy…being with me?"
"…Yes," Minako whispered. Though her response was soft, Rei saw her aura glow stronger as if giving conviction to the simple word. Rei let out a subtle sigh of relief, dispelling the small amount of doubt that tried to take hold of her confidence in what they had.
"I…really like you, Rei-chan," Minako continued, as if musing to herself. Thought she said the words with the intent to comfort the beautiful archer, it almost seemed as though she were saying them to herself, "I've…I've never felt this strongly for…anyone before. And sometimes it…"
Minako paused, allowing her sentence to trail off into silence. She hung her head lower, causing her bangs to shield her face.
Rei was finally getting somewhere with Minako but could see her warm aura shivering around her. Minako was scared. Rei could feel her warring inside herself.
The beautiful archer found herself at a crossroads. If she pushed too much, Minako would most likely retreat, possibly even run, where Rei would never be able to reach her again. She decided to proceed cautiously, hoping to get some answers from Minako, to understand exactly what the gorgeous blonde wanted, didn't want, and what made her so afraid.
"Does it scare you? Your feelings?," Rei asked softly.
"No…maybe…I don't know," Minako replied quietly. She could feel a heavy uneasiness beginning to settle in her chest.
Rei sensed it, that elusive feeling she had been searching for all day. It was faint, too much so for her to read properly. But she could feel it as it passed between them through Minako's hand and into her chest, felt the weight of it in the deepest corners of her heart.
"Are you afraid that I might leave you?," Rei asked gently, encouraged by the fact that Minako seemed to be opening up, if only slightly.
Minako's brow furrowed. She blinked a few times as she processed Rei's question. After a moment she sighed dejectedly, "Rei-chan, being with you…has been…unbelievable. But I…We…I mean, we're still…trying each other out." She shrugged her shoulders slightly, "I've dated a lot of people, baby. I know how complicated things can get and…sometimes…things just happen. Who knows what'll happen with us?"
Though Minako didn't answer the question directly, Rei knew what the answer was, could hear it in the spaces between her words. She could see in her aura that Minako was trying to keep the conversation cerebral, steering away from her emotions.
Self-preservation,Rei though to herself in dismay, Kami-sama, what happened to make her this way?
"So what do you want, Mina?," Rei asked quietly.
"You," Minako surprised herself when the word automatically slipped from her lips. She paused to think, to try and make sense of the confusing thoughts and uneasiness inside of her. She continued to speak her mental process out loud, "I want…I want to be with you. So much so that the thought of…the thought of not having you in my life…it tears me up inside. I don't…I don't know what I did before you. I don't know…who I was…before you. There's…nothing I want more…than to have you be with me and to-"
"Be my girlfriend, Mina," Rei blurted out before she realized what she was doing. The gorgeous blonde had practically confessed she felt the same way Rei did. She was so caught up by Minako's words that seemed to echo her own deep feelings that she couldn't help herself and, for the smallest of nano-seconds, had forgotten the delicate dance she was currently engrossed in with Minako.
Minako's head snapped up abruptly to look at Rei. Her mouth fell open as she stared, almost in horror, with scared, sapphire eyed at the archer.
On the outside, Rei kept a cool composure, breathing deep and slow, so as not to frighten Minako any more than she already was.
But on the inside, she was panicking as well. Rei could see the unmistakeable look of panic in Minako's expression. What scared her the most was how Minako's aura, that beautiful, dynamic, warm, orange-gold color that always playfully swayed around her lithe form…completed extinguished from the shock.
Shit, shit, shit!,Rei cursed to herself, Please, Mina, don't run! Kami-sama, please don't make her run!
The damage had been done and she prayed to Kami-sama that Minako couldn't feel her heart racing in her chest.
"What?," Minako whispered in disbelief and alarm. She quickly pulled her hand away from Rei's chest in shock, as if burned by the contact, and retreated from the archer entirely.
Kami-sama…please, give me strength,Rei prayed to herself. Having nothing to read off of Minako than the look of terror on her face, she quickly ran through potential scenarios in her head.
Should she take it back? No, it would probably make things worse. Minako might think it was a cruel joke at her expense in her current vulnerable state. She'd definitely be angry at Rei if it came off as a flippant remark and would shut her out for sure. The same could happen if Minako thought Rei was saying it out of pity instead of really meaning it.
But Rei did mean it. She couldn't lie to Minako like that, she promised her she wouldn't lie to her. She especially couldn't lie to herself about how she felt for the blonde woman who had bewitched her so completely since entering her life a week ago today. If, by some miracle, it turned out Minako did want it also, taking it back now would probably demolish whatever future she could have or wanted to have with Minako.
Rei slowly propped herself on her side, facing Minako, looking intensely into her terrified, cobalt eyes. Taking a deep breath, she spoke soothingly, "Mina, I feel the same way about you. You're all I want. I don't want anyone else. I don't want to be with anyone else. I want to show you that I'm not going anywhere. It's taken me 22 years to find you, I'm sure as hell not going to let you go that easily. And, no, this isn't your aura influencing me. I'm not confused. This is me talking. This is what I want."
She began reaching for Minako's hand slowly, "So, I'm asking you, Aino Minako. Please...be my girlfriend."
Minako pulled her hand away before Rei could reach it. Though Rei was hurt by this small act, what caught her attention most and made her jump slightly was how Minako's aura suddenly reappeared and was violently shaking around Minako's being. The shock had apparently worn off and the colors began emitting a multitude of emotions that passed so quickly Rei was almost dizzy trying to read them. But one that dominated them all…was Fear.
Minako looked away, unable to hold Rei's gaze, unable to see the hurt in Rei's eyes, "Rei-chan," she said softly, "I…I don't do 'girlfriend'…I never have."
Rei was taken aback, "W-What? What do you mean, Mina? I…I don't understand."
"…Why?" Minako said softly, "Why do we have to put a label on it? Why can't we just be how we are now?"
Rei was speechless. Her heart shattered as she watched Minako, cowering like a cornered animal, her aura quivering close to her delicate body as if trying to protect Minako from some unknown threat.
Minako looked back to Rei with pleading, azure eyes, "Please, Rei-chan, don't…don't ask me to be your girlfriend. You won't like the answer and I…I don't want to hurt you…I just…"
She looked away again as she shut her eyes tightly, gripping the blanket beneath her hand hard, "But I just can't. And, I know…I know how selfish that is, not being able to bear the thought of you not being with me and me not being able to…to commit like that."
"…I see," Rei whispered quietly.
Minako kept her eyes shut tightly, anticipating Rei's next move: ask her to leave, never see her again. And who would blame her? Minako had pursued her, practically threw herself at her, asked her to go out with her to see where this would go, asked her to trust her, asked her to do things she'd never done before, pushed her limits, allegedly begged her to stay, to not leave, and, arguably, took advantage of her abilities. And, throughout it all, Rei was so willing to trust her without question.
Now, when Rei asked for trust in return, Minako couldn't…wouldn't…reciprocate. Rei deserved so much more than what Minako could, or couldn't, offer.
After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, she gave in to a strong urge that compelled her to leave. Better to leave now and not have to see the hurt, the anger, the betrayal in those amethyst eyes she adored so much. It was bad enough that her last image of them was one of pain.
Minako held her breath, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to come. Not only had she hurt Rei by pulling away, she couldn't give her what she wanted. What made her think she'd be able to have Rei commit to staying with her, to never leave her, be hers…without being able to to do the same in return? It was ludicrous!
She rolled away quickly from Rei and sat up once she got to the edge of the bed, mentally mapping the quickest route to grab her essentials and leave without looking back.
She was so upset she didn't notice the bed shift behind her and was startled when a pair of warm arms quickly wrapped around her from behind protectively. Her cobalt eyes shot open as a warm body that smelled sweetly of vanilla pressed against her back firmly.
"Mina," Rei whispered in her ear. She was on her knees behind Minako, holding her flush against her body, as close as possible, "Please…Please don't run away. I won't ask you to be my girlfriend...but I do want to show you that I'm not going anywhere…that I'm not going to leave you. So I...I promise…I promise with everything I am, that I won't leave you unless you want me to. For as long as you want me, for as long as you'll have me, I promise I'll stay by your side."
Minako's eyes widened in shock, "Rei-chan…," she whispered. She was stunned. What Rei was saying didn't make sense to her, "Why?...Why would you promise that? Why me? You deserve so much more than-"
"Because we're the same," Rei replied softly, "Because I'm not ready to be vulnerable physically just like you're not ready to be vulnerable emotionally. Because you're scared and so am I. I'm so terrified that I can't control myself and have panic attacks. You run. Because I want to respect your limits just as much as you have for me. Because I care about you. Because I want to be with you. Because I can't fight how strongly I feel for you. Because I can't lose you just as much, if not more, than you can't stand to lose me. Because, of all the people you could have had in the world, you saw me. You chose me and I'm…I'm choosing you, Mina."
"Rei-chan," Minako whispered. She couldn't stop the tears that were now freely flowing from her eyes. She felt Rei tighten her grip on her.
"I…I won't stop you if…if you really want to leave," Rei whispered. Minako could feel her begin to shake slightly, "But I…I promised I'd be honest with you and I…I don't want you to go." She nuzzled her face into Minako's silky hair and kissed the back of her head, "Please, Mina" she pleaded softly, "Please…don't run away."
Minako took a steadying breath and wiped the tears from her face. She shifted to the side and felt Rei reluctantly loosened her grip to allow her to move.
Minako turned her head slowly. Her soft, cobalt eyes found Rei's intense, lavender eyes gazing back at her with concern, fear, and…hope.
"Rei-chan," Minako said softly. She brought a hand up to gently caress Rei's cheek, "I'm going…"
Rei couldn't breathe, her eyes widened with sadness and she felt like everything inside of her was shattering.
"…to go get a glass of water. Did you want me to get you anything while I'm up?," Minako continued.
It took Rei a moment to comprehend what Minako had just said, but her heart understood perfectly. She had gotten through to her, Minako wasn't leaving, she was staying.
A sly smile crept onto Minako's lips and Rei felt her aura turn playful. As Rei's mind caught up to her, it suddenly dawned on her: Minako had purposefully paused her sentence to make it sound like she was leaving!
"Mou, Minako!," Rei exclaimed loudly with annoyance. She sat back on her heels and turned away in a huff as she crossed her arms. She heard Minako giggle in her melodic voice that always managed to melt her heart. The bed shifted and a pair of warm arms wrapped around her neck. Soft lips kissed her cheek.
"I'm sorry, that was a pretty harsh joke," Minako said with a giggle as she nuzzled her face into the crook of Rei's neck, "I couldn't help it, you make it so irresistible to tease you sometimes."
"Mataku, this woman," Rei grumbled under her breath.
"You sure you still want to be with me?," Minako teased.
"I'm second-guessing my decision," Rei huffed.
"Mou, Rei-chan," Minako cooed endearingly. She placed a gentle kiss on Rei's neck, "I'm really sorry, baby. Please forgive me?"
Rei's resolve to continue staying upset at the gorgeous blonde faded. She sighed and a smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she turned back to the smaller woman and wrapped her arms tightly around her to bringing her closer.
"Yes, princess," Rei said, allowing the sense of relief to finally wash over her. If Minako was teasing her, deciding to stay after all that had just happened, after all that was said within the last several minutes, it must mean she was willing, to some degree, to take a leap of faith and trust Rei.
She could feel it in Minako's aura too, a sense of relief that felt like a breath of fresh air after drowning. But, within the undertones of her aura, she could still make out a dim hesitation deep within.
Minako sighed happily and kissed Rei's collarbone before gently pulling away, "So do you need anything while I'm up?"
"Just for you to come back to bed soon, naked child," Rei smirked.
"Yes, ma'aaam," Minako replied obediently. She released Rei and walked out to the kitchen.
As the gorgeous blond walk to the kitchen, Rei tucked herself back into bed to wait. She stared pensively at the ceiling, as if studying it, while the issue of Minako's fears still gnawed at the back of her mind.
What happened to her? What caused her to be so fearful of being abandoned while paradoxically not allowing herself to get attached? More importantly, it didn't seem like Minako had a clue either. Or maybe…Minako didn't want to know.
Rei furrowed her brow as she thought. Though they've gotten quite close, their relationship was still in its infancy. It'd be impossible to know everything about someone in a mere week. They were still learning about each other, about themselves, and about themselves with each other.
She shook her head, deciding to let the issue go for now. At this very moment, all she really cared about was how glad she was she didn't lose the best thing that ever happened to her. If Minako needed time, Rei would give her all the time in the world. If Minako needed Rei to stay, she would always be there, as she promised. If, Kami-sama forbid, Minako needed Rei to leave, she would…reluctantly…let her go. Rei would do anything for her to ensure her happiness.
Minako returned with a glass of water. She took a few sips, set it down on the nightstand next to her side of the bed, and crawled under the covers to snuggle close to the beautiful, raven-haired woman. Rei wrapped her arm around the smaller woman, holding her close.
"You buttoned up your shirt," Minako said softly when she placed her hand over Rei's stomach.
"I did?," Rei replied in confusion. She felt her shirt and, sure enough, it was buttoned up and Minako's hand was resting on the satin fabric, "Oh…I guess I did."
That's strange. I didn't even notice I did that,Rei thought to herself.
"Hey…Rei-chan?," Minako asked hesitantly, "Is it…Is it ok if I…" She paused and shook her head slightly, "Nevermind."
Rei could tell what Minako was asking for. She took a breath and brought her hand up to gently take Minako's hand and guide it to the bottom of her satin shirt. She tucked Minako's hand up underneath the fabric, resting it gently on her stomach. Minako smiled softly as Rei's hand let go of hers and pulled out to rest on top of Minako's hand over her shirt.
"You ok?" Minako asked with concern.
"Mmn," Rei said, "It's still intense, but it's getting easier."
"I'm glad," Minako said as she cuddled closer.
Rei wanted to ask Minako the same thing, to check whether she was ok, but decided to let her be. Instead, she combed Minako's hair with her fingers comfortingly. She smiled as Minako sighed contently. As she continued to stroke the smaller woman's silky mane, she felt Minako's aura shift into that soft flame she absolutely adored, "Mina, what are you feeling right now?"
"Hmm?," Minako asked. Rei noticed that the soft flame died down and was replaced by Minako's usual warm glow, "I'm just happy being with you like this. Why?"
"N-Nothing, I was just curious," Rei replied, attempting to go for casual. Minako settled back down on her chest and Rei was glad that Minako didn't notice her hesitation or look up to her face. Otherwise, Minako might have noticed Rei's brow furrowing,
Shereallyhas no idea,Rei thought to herself.
Having grown up with her abilities and her extensive training, Rei was not unfamiliar with self-reflection and analyzing her emotions. It made it easier to control her abilities and read the auras of others. Now, it was practically second-nature to her. For someone who's been in relationships before, Rei couldn't comprehend the fact that Minako was so out of touch with herself,
She must have really strong walls up if she doesn't even know her own feelings,Rei thought to herself, It was really easy for her to push them away, almost as if she's done it before.
Minako's yawn interrupted Rei's thoughts and brought her attention back to the woman resting on top of her. She watched affectionately as her aura dimmed and smiled. She leaned down to gently kiss the top of Minako's head.
"Good night, baby," Minako sighed.
"Good night, princess," Rei said softly. She settled in and soon followed Minako into slumber.
Author Note: …And, with that, things just got complicated.
Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.
(updated 06/2015)