Minako's eyes traveled past the walls to where Rei was waiting.
She grinned with the innocence that her fans did not know her for.
Tonight would be fun... in one way or another.
She set about putting her borrowed “clothes” on.
The wooden boards creaked just slightly as Minako crept back to Rei's room. As she neared, she noticed an... enticing scent coming from just within. She stopped in front of the door, the last barrier between her and Rei, suddenly finding herself out of breath, taking small, short breaths.
With a deep exhale for courage she didn't realize she needed, Minako carefully slid the door aside, getting ready to see the look on Rei's face, whether she was expecting the improper change of clothes or not, and was instead struck stone-faced at what the reality of it all was.
Scented candles of equal proportion but varied in colors including pink and lavender were spread out all around the perimeter of the room, surrounding... the pair of futons side by side, and the person lying on top of them. Minako found herself blushing.
Rei had fallen asleep in the middle of the futons, on top of the covers, the edge of her shirt hitched halfway up her torso, revealing the southern end of some ample cleavage. One arm lay carelessly on the junction of her shorts, as if she had meant to cover up her stomach but had missed. The other was tucked underneath her cheek, which brought Minako's gaze to Rei's utterly adorable expression of deep relaxed slumber.
Minako looked around again and walked over, pausing to close the door behind her first, and set her clothes on the desktop where she could see it in the morning. Then, careful to not disturb Rei significantly, Minako eased herself down to a crouching position and eventually sat down beside the sleeping woman.
She sat, content to watch, for she didn't know how long. Minako lost herself in the soft features of her best friend's body... the body she hadn't seen head or tail of since she left so long ago. When Rei moved a little, a thin strand of hair fell across her face, tickling her nose as her breath moved it side to side. Holding back the slightest giggle, Minako leaned forward a bit to take the strand and smooth it back behind her ear again.
Eventually, Minako sighed and considered moving Rei so she could be underneath the covers, but knew that Rei, sensitive as she was, would most certainly awaken at that, and Minako wanted to watch her for a little longer. So she went to the spare closet, and was surprised to actually find a spare blanket all on its own. She took it out, unfolded it, and went back to let it rest very casually around Rei's exposed body, tucking it in at her shoulders. Minako slipped underneath the blanket, being forced to come within inches of Rei in order to make use of the pillows Rei was hogging.
She glanced at the candles, unfocused as her mind brought up a small memory, a little something that Rei had confessed over the phone on one of their late night time-zone-disorienting conversations.
“I... I'm a... a bit scared... being alone in the dark. Fire has always been really comforting in those times... more so than electricity even... so before I go to sleep... if I'm feeling anything but my best... I light my candles and leave them to go out as they will. That's what I'm doing now.”
Minako smiled as she inched just a little closer. Well, Rei-chan, you're not alone tonight... are you still scared? As she felt her eyes drooping, she submitted to the desire to sleep. But not before she leaned forward and kissed Rei's forehead and whispered to her, “Oyasumi-nasai, Rei-chan (Good night).”
It started with a kiss on the forehead. I didn't mind that. I even felt myself smile, closing my eyes for the briefest moment, almost wishing I didn't have to say goodbye to my friend, my best friend.
“You'll come back, won't you? Come back... to me?”
Another kiss was planted on my cheek. “Of course I will. Even if you don't wait for me. No, I hope you can move on, hope you can live your life to the fullest without me here.”
I found myself gripping her shirt, pulling her close. “I'll wait. No matter what happens, I can always wait... for you. As long as there's a chance that you'll come back.”
A kiss on the other cheek. “Thank you.”
We parted just slightly, looking into each other's eyes for the last time in a long time, we knew. There was still a stubborn refusal to accept events in our eyes, a reflection of each other.
I tentatively leaned forward, wanting to give her something, anything, to really remind her of me. Her eyes widened as I kissed her. Her sweet, sweet lips against mine.
Being deepened as she started to return it...
A sudden pull of fear in my veins, yet an absolute objection to pulling away from the sweet sensation all together.
I felt myself get pressed against the door, the kiss continuing as a foreign yet familiar hand grazed my side, inciting reactions as my nerves picked up every millimeter of contact.
The kiss was broken just slightly, lips parted, barely touching as we caught our breath.
I wanted more.
She agreed in a noticeably husky voice, “I've... I've actually always wanted to do that to... with you. You know... flying in a private jet... I can always reschedule a little?”
“Was there something else you had in mind?”
She grinned a feral grin. “Let us back in and you'll see.”
I fumbled, watching her, but opened the door behind me, and we entered, I only just barely being able to close the door behind us before she pounced.
“Rei... did I ever tell you just how much I love you?”
Rei's eyes shot open, her heart still racing, believing and yet not believing that it had been a dream. Her eyes bulged as she realized she was centimeters from Minako's face. A wave of panic went through her when she saw her bare shoulders (not noting the spaghetti straps hidden just barely by Minako's hair) and the arm on her hip registered, as did the foot splayed over hers.
She looked around, noting the two futons pushed together, the blanket she hadn't recalled taking out, the blown out scented candles surrounding her, the sun's light brightening the thin doors.
What the heck happened last night?
She heard footsteps, and then shadows on the other side of her door. She tried hard to remember what day it was and what time it was.
The clock read 9AM. She thought a string of curses.
There was a knocking on door, or rather, the doorframe so as to not break the thin paper covering, startling Rei into sitting straight up. “Rei-nee-san, are you all right? You aren't usually ever late to greet visitors so we were sent to check on you.”
Rei sighed, thankfully remembering that Minako was a deep sleeper (proven by a phone call which, even when the phone had been brought to her ear and Rei had yelled as loud as she could, nothing happened) chose to yell back, “I'm fine! I just... my bath ran long. I'll be out in a minute!”
“All right, if you say so, Rei-nee-san. We'll see you in the courtyard as usual.”
Rei let out a breath of relief as the footsteps faded away. She glanced down at Minako, startled again by the fact that Minako had one eye open to peek at her.
“Did you even have a chance to take a bath last night?”
“Y-you... Did I wake you up?”
Minako shook her head as she sat up as well, letting the blanket fall as she rubbed her eyes. “No... I was already sort of starting to wake up. Your yell did help speed up the process though.”
When Minako didn't hear anything from her companion, she blinked and looked at Rei. She was staring, with a furious blush, at what Minako was wearing.
Minako grinned. Leaning forward so that their noses were millimeters from touching, she whispered to the quivering Rei, “Do you like it? I wasn't sure if it would look good on me, so I tried it on to show you... is it good? Or no?”
Rei was very much out of breath, her dream slamming back into her conscious memory. “I... I...” she gulped. “Did I really give you that?” Rei whispered it as if it was so unbelievable it should never even be heard by prying ears.
Minako smiled softer. “You did.”
She swallowed again, not sure what to say. She leaned back a little at least. “Y-yeah. It looks good.”
Minako looked down at herself with the pretense of examining the piece herself, noticing the way it had hitched up just a little to show she... had chosen not to wear the shorts. Minako had the pleasure of seeing Rei become beet red as she herself came upon this revelation. “Do you mind if I keep it then? I actually don't have anything like this in my wardrobe... and I rather like it too.”
Rei forced herself to look away. “Do what you like.”
Minako grinned as she threw her arms around her friend, pressing into the other woman's back, releasing another torrent of blood to color her cheeks. “Thank you, Rei-chan,” she purred into her ear. She felt Rei's shudder.
Rei wriggled free, getting up with the explanation that she had business to attend to now. Minako nodded, accepting this and getting up to change into the clothes she had come in.
Lost in her thoughts, Rei had somehow managed to change without remembering that Minako was in the room with her, similarly changing. Being the faster of the two, Rei was just turning around to get her brush when she found herself staring at Minako... just as she was pulling a shirt over her head...
It was too much. The dream... waking up next to her... her proximity... now this...
Rei didn't faint, but her legs failed her as did her motivation for doing anything. Minako noticed as she finished putting her top on, and rushed to Rei's side. “Hey, Rei? What's wrong? Are you all right?”
Just then, the door accidentally on purpose opened wide to accommodate a young girl of perhaps fifteen, saying, “Are you sure you're all right, Rei-” she stopped short as she took in the scene. Her boss, Rei, sitting on the floor, her back to the door, and another woman, sitting beside her, hands disappearing into Rei's hidden lap area, her own pants out of sight...
And then it registered just who the other woman was.
Rei snapped out of it to stop her, but it was too late.
The young fan yelled for all to hear, “Aino Minako was staying here!”
Minako scrambled to finish dressing, as Rei got up to reprimand the girl.
Both could already hear the loud pattering of feet.
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