An hour or two after that, Makoto and Ami helped move the table over to some inconspicuous area so Rei and Minako's futons could be set next to each other.
Followed by Makoto and Ami wandering off to their own assigned room to sleep off the effects of the party.
Which left the last few sips and chips to go to the Love and Passion duo, afore they fell down against each other, slowly sinking down to the sheets...
“Nngh... Rei... mm... stop that... Not... not here... not now...”
“That's... that's my line... Ahh... what the hell... nn... do you think... you're... doing...”
“Rei... chan...”
“Stupid... te... tentacle monster...”
... Oh the woes of dreaming different dreams...
In a flash of red flames, Rei watched the images of being constricted by a weird enemy disintegrate, leaving her in pitch darkness.
Priestess of the Flame.
Rei's eyes shot open, though she was still unconscious to the world.
'I... I'm listening.'
Keep alert. Remain pure of thought. Your power depends upon your ability to think without extraneous distractions.
I am. I'm very much-'
You are not. Your mind has been increasingly crowded as of late. Banish those thoughts, as you did when we first met.
'I...' Rei stopped as a wayward image of Minako popped into her head.
You must see it now. Even in a sacred meditation or correspondence, these distractions continuously lead you astray.
'I apologize! But... I... I would need more time to stop...'
It is not necessary to stop the emotions you feel, as long as they are pure. However, thinking of things you do not need, at a time that it is unnecessary, will be fatal before long.
Rei's eyebrows narrowed in confusion. 'I... do not understand. What is it that you want me to do?'
Make peace. Confront that which worries you so, and no matter the consequences, leave that needless worry behind you.
Rei's eyes widened unseeingly. 'You want me to... confess?'
If that is what is required, then you know what you must do.
Rei gasped as all the air in her lungs left in one rushed swoop. She breathed in air greedily as her room came into focus.
“Rei-chan...”
Rei blinked and swirled her head, only to touch noses with Minako, whose face was quite flushed for some reason. Her lips were parted in the most... Rei mentally shook out those thoughts from continuing. She looked down to survey the situation, and froze accordingly.
Minako's right hand was fondling her breast, as the other firmly remained at her hip... Rei's topmost leg was sandwiched between Minako's legs...
If it were possible, Rei's entire body would have flushed at this moment. No wonder she dreamt of tentacle monsters... she was completely trapped.
Rei blinked again and carefully studied Minako's features. Expel these unnecessary worries? Did that mean her Kami-sama knew it would all turn out all right in the end?
Rei reached up carefully moved aside a stray lock of hair that was marring her view of the idol's face. Maybe... no, Kami-sama would not be wrong. His advice, his warnings, have always helped me in the past. So... Rei couldn't help but smile as she relaxed, soaking up the moment while she could. I wonder how she would react, if I told her... She let the hand fall onto the idol's shoulder.
“Minako...”
Rei's eyes flew open when Minako jerked violently, her sandwiched leg coming up to knee her. She winced, but looked carefully at Minako's expression.
She was in pain.
A dream turned nightmare.
“Minako!”
Minako didn't seem to hear her.
Rei tried to shake her out of it... to no avail. In fact, Rei caught the first glimpse of tears pooling around her eyes.
“Minako, wake up!”
Minako, seemingly without trying, curled up, her head coming into contact with Rei's chest.
“Don't... don't leave...”
Rei went rigid for a moment, before she tried to shake Minako out of it gently. “Minako?”
Minako tightened. “Please... I need you...”
Rei stopped again. 'No matter what the consequences... He said...' Rei smiled a little and bent down her own head close to Minako's ear. 'Leave these worries behind.'
“I won't. If you need me, I won't. Not ever, Minako.”
Rei felt Minako's body relax at that. 'Can she really hear me?'
She heard the change in Minako's breathing. “Minako...”
Minako stirred, and slowly they both leaned their heads back.
And were held captive by each other's eyes.
What is this feeling?
The feeling that...
Rei continued to watch Minako watch her.
That if I let it...
Minako slowly raised a hand towards Rei's face, her eyes unwavering. “Don't move, she whispered.”
Something good will happen?
The hand went beyond her lips, beyond her eyes, towards her hair. Rei winced as Minako tugged one of the strands out, bringing it down to look at it before smiling. “You're getting old.”
:OOO:OOO:OOO:OOO:OOO:OOO:
“Are you awake?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Head hurt too?”
A groan in response.
Makoto sighed, letting her hand loosen its hold on Ami's.
“Mako-chan...”
“Hm?”
There was a pause, during which Makoto allowed herself to finally open her eyes. Ami's were already open and watching her.
“Ami? What is it?”
Ami placed her other hand over Makoto's, enveloping that single hand in both of hers. “There's... there's something I want to tell you... before we leave today. While we're still alone.”
Makoto's eyes softened unconsciously as she smiled. But it was not a smile of hope. Not now. “What is it?”
“First...” Ami brought the hand up to kiss the back of Makoto's hand. “I'm sorry. Sorry that our situation is what it is. But I wouldn't dare change it for selfish purposes. Not when I know that every negative thing happens to pave the way for something positive. Because I want to believe in that balance... I'm sorry.”
“Ami-chan-”
Ami squeezed the hand briefly, asking without words for Makoto to let her finish. “Second... I want to tell you clearly. I-”
They both went rigid as the phone started going off. They looked at each other.
“That's Rei's phone, right?”
“Should we pick it up?”
“But it's not... It's still early isn't it?”
The phone continued to ring, much to the annoyance of two girls who had been trying to forget that the latter half of getting heavily drunk was dealing with hangovers.
Makoto sighed and got up, Ami not noticing until too late that Makoto had slipped through her fingers.
In more than just the literal sense.
Makoto opened the door and walked the short distance to the main hall, where the phone was ringing. 'Doesn't Rei hear it?'
She picked up the phone. “Hello, this is the Hino shrine...”
“Mako-chan!”
Makoto blinked, winced, and then gaped upon recognition. “Motoki? Wha- why are you calling so early in the morning?”
“Augh, I'm sorry Mako-chan, but Mrs. Ikawa is here and she's demanding to talk to you about something or other and she won't let me even hear the details of it...”
Makoto groaned. She could not deal with Ikawa so early in the morning... especially with this sort of headache... “Put her on the phone for a minute, will you?”
“Ah, yes, sure. Sorry Mako-chan, I know I said I could handle the shop but...!”
“I know, I know. Just put her on already.”
There was a fumbling as possession of the phone switched over.
“Mrs. Ikawa?”
“Makoto! Thank goodness! I don't know what I'd do if I had to talk to this bumbling idiot of a husband any longer.”
Makoto chuckled warily. “I'm sorry for any inconvenience, Mrs. Ikawa. By any chance did Motoki tell you why I wasn't there to open the shop up myself?”
“Eh? Ah... He muttered something I couldn't quite catch about a friend or something or other.”
Makoto forced a smile as if Ikawa was right there in person. “Mrs. Ikawa, I apologize but I'm currently out of town at the moment visiting a sick friend. You understand of course, that even if I were to fly on over right now, I would be forced to make you wait an indecent amount of time, right?”
“A sick friend? Out of town? Well then, why didn't you just say so! I understand, mm, mm, I understand perfectly. It just so happens that my dear friend's daughter is also sick with...”
Makoto bit back a sigh as Mrs. Ikawa started going off into one of her famous long-winded rants again. “Mrs. Ikawa,” she interrupted, “What was it that you came in so early for?”
“Ah, I wanted to pick up the...” Ikawa coughed nervously, “the order we talked about before. It's ready, isn't it?”
“Ah...” Makoto nodded a little in understanding. “That's right, I forgot to tell Motoki about that. It's ready. I even packaged it up for you too, before I left.”
“You did? What a dear! Now if only your husband were as-”
Makoto twitched. “Mrs. Ikawa? If you'll hand the phone back to Motoki, I can tell him where it is. Unless there's something else that you need me for?”
“Well now that you mention it...”
About twenty minutes later, Makoto was finally granted the liberty of bidding her best and most annoying customer goodbye and hanging up the phone.
“Done?”
Makoto looked over to see Ami dressed in last night's clothes and holding out some pills and a glass of liquid she knew she wouldn't want to know the contents of.
As she took it, she answered, “Thanks. And yes, I'm done, thank God. I should take the rest of the day off just for taking that phone call.” Makoto threw back her head to swallow the pills and chase it down with as much of the acerbic concoction as she could before the taste caught up with her. “So? What were you saying before?”
Ami shook her head with a smile. “I'll tell you later. Usagi's up.”
Makoto's eyes widened in disbelief. “At this hour!”
Ami nodded. “It surprised me too, but apparently she had a bad dream- harmless really, but bad nonetheless. I already gave her the medicine.”
Makoto sighed, downing the rest of the drink down before shaking her head. “What about Rei and Minako?”
Ami looked in the direction of Rei's bedroom. “They haven't come out yet. And considering how Rei has been so rudely barged in on so often lately...”
Makoto smiled understandingly. “Let sleeping lionesses lie, right?” She started towards the kitchen. “Well, I might not stay the whole day, but I can at least go for some breakfast. Want to help, Ami?”
Ami picked up the pace to walk alongside her. “You'll need it to feed Usagi-chan on time. You might want to freshen up first though.”
Makoto looked down at her garb and stopped dead in her tracks. She rather rapidly turned around and walked back to the bedroom. “Go on ahead of me and see what there is to use that's breakfast worthy.”
Ami waved in understanding as she continued on. Her smile dropped from forced to sad as Makoto stepped into the bedroom. “You make me wish Fate would change her mind, Mako-chan...”
:OOO:OOO:OOO:OOO:OOO:OOO:
“Ah, Ami-chan! You're back!”
Ami blinked, watching the scene in front of her.
In the five, ten minutes she had left, three plates of omelettes had appeared on the counter, with more being made on the stove.
It was then that it hit her- somehow, in the grogginess of the morning, she had forgotten that Usagi was very much the accomplished housewife now, with cooking included in her schedule. Ami then wondered if it wasn't a dream that had awoken their princess, but habit that she was too embarrassed to admit to. Well, embarrassed until someone like Rei would tease her about being late... then she would surely boast about it in her own defense.
Makoto was also surprised when she came in, remembering late as well. It couldn't be helped; old habits died hard, though this was a pleasant change.
Usagi set the last two plates on the table Ami and Makoto had moved the others to, in the main room. “Rei-chan and Minako-chan still aren't up yet?”
Ami smiled. “Let them be,” she murmured as Usagi went to go wake them up. “I think they had the longest night out of all of us, anyway.”
Usagi looked down at the waiting plate. “Should we wait for them? Or...”
Makoto considered the possibilities. Usagi's stomach growled.
Chuckling nervously, Makoto stood up. “I'll go knock, and if they answer, we'll wait. If not, we'll eat first, all right?”
Ami and Usagi made their murmurs of assent.
Makoto walked down the hall, inching closer and closer to her target...
Her hand was raised to knock when she heard it.
“H-hey! Watch where you're putting those ha- AH! Rei-chan, I said stop already!”
“Come back here and- Oof!”
Back to Adjunction to Love Index - Back to Sailor Moon Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction