Setsuna stood in the corner, her arms crossed as she observed the scene before her. Michiru was sipping a cup of tea while trying to calm a distressed Usagi. Minako was flipping through a magazine, clearly agitated. And Hotaru? Well, she was staring at the door and has been closed for the past hour. The door in question suddenly opened, revealing Ami, Makoto and Haruka. The three were shocked to see Setsuna, but before Haruka could comment Usagi spoke. "Ami! How is she?" The blue-haired pre-med student smiled softly. Everyone in the room relaxed. "Just fine, we put her into a hot bath for a while to warm her up and now she's all tucked in. The concussion is minor, but she'll be a bit clumsy for the next two or three days. The fever isn't too high." A collective sigh of relief came from everyone. "Really?" "Yes, Mina-chan. She'll be fine with a little rest." Usagi collapsed onto the couch and sighed again. "But..." The Princess shot right back up at the word uttered by Haruka. Across the room, Hotaru tensed. "She'll need someone to watch over her for a couple of days, just to make sure. Her grandfather and Yuuichiro are both out of town." Minako smiled evilly, her eyes meeting Usagi's and then Michiru's. The three women smiled to each other and Ami soon caught on. "Unfortunately," Minako began, sighing dramatically, "My parents are dragging me to Tokyo as I told you guys before. I'll be gone for over a week." "And I'm sleeping over at Makoto's for a while to help set up her computer." Makoto looked at Ami in confusion before the shorter girl nudged her in the ribs. The brunette blinked a few times before nodding furiously. "Yea, that and the apartment's been lonelier than normal." "Mamo-kun's coming back tomorrow." Haruka and Makoto both snickered. The deep blush on Usagi's face was a hilarious sight. "Well, Haruka and I have been planning a retreat for a couple of months now, but..." Everyone looked at Hotaru, expecting her to pick up where Michiru left off. Feeling all eyes on her, the girl blushed. "Um... I can stay to take care of Rei-ch... I mean Rei." The entire room shared a look while Hotaru turned to Setsuna. "Care to join me, Setsu-mama?" Dread seized the other senshi. They had forgotten about Setsuna. And with her girlfriend Minako out of town, she'd have no reason to turn down the offer. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to be quite busy for the next few days, Taru-chan." Setsuna smiled softly, but Hotaru knew from her tone that there was no room for discussion. Usagi sighed in relief. Their plan worked. "Well," Minako said, standing. "Look at the time! We should all get going now." The blonde walked over and gave Hotaru a quick hug. Her actions were then mimicked by the other six women. Makoto smiled at the younger girl before walking out. "Take care of her." "I will." The last out the door was Minako, ironic since she was the first to announce she had to leave. The blonde winked at Hotaru before closing the door. "Have fun!" Before the youngest senshi could comment, the door closed with a soft click. Silence surrounded the princess of Saturn as she paused. They all knew about her crush. A groan echoed in the large apartment as a petite body collapsed on the couch Usagi occupied with Michiru minutes ago. Were they observant or was she losing her touch? A damp washcloth wiped Rei's face while concerned violet eyes gazed down at the unconscious woman. When was she going to wake up? Oh, what she wouldn't give to see those lavender eyes open right now. It was strange how similar yet different they were. Hotaru rinsed the cloth in the basin of hot water beside the bed. Squeezing the water out, she carefully wiped her "secret" love's face again. Their features were similar. Purple eyes, though hers were darker and dull in color. She was sure people who saw her eyes thought she was the most unemotional person in the world, and they'd be right to a certain degree. She hid everything she felt behind a mask, letting no emotion be shown to the world. But Rei's were a soft lavender color with hints of violet, darkening and lightening with her mood. A fire always burned within, either hot and suffocating or warm and tender. She let the world see exactly what she was feeling and thinking. And the older woman's hair was basically raven silk. Light purple in the light with red highlights and rich, beautiful ebony in the dark. Hotaru's was just black, like the depth of space. Ugh, she needed to stop thinking. Hotaru growled as she picked up the basin and walked into the bathroom. The water swirled as it went down the sink drain. A few days with Rei, even if she was unconscious, was simply too much. But the miko needed someone to stay with her, what with her future clumsiness, fatigue, drowsiness and the lack of appetite. That and the 103 degree temperature she had. Maybe one of the other girls- Wait. They set her up, so no way was that happening. Even Setsuna was against her this time. Wonderful. Hotaru was lying on the couch in Rei's room. She would have liked sleeping on the comfortable bed in the guest room, but feared the senshi of Mars might awake and find herself alone. Of course, all the senshi knew Rei was definitely one of the strongest, tough-as-nails and not scared of anything. But just imagining waking up in a dark room after a fight, a hard fight, with one killer headache, dizzy, nauseous and having no idea where you were sent a shiver down Hotaru's spine. For Rei's sake she stayed in the room. For her own sake she stayed far away from the older woman's bed. Love. It did not fit a person like Hotaru Tomoe. After all, who would ever think the Goddess of Death and Destruction could love? Much less be loved in return? None of the other senshi truly understood her. Yet, they all loved her. Setsuna, Haruka and Michiru loved her as all parents love their children. Sure, they weren't her real parents nor was she their real child, but they loved her nevertheless. Usagi loved her. But that's no surprise, Usagi loved everyone. The blonde princess had such a pure heart, such a large heart that she loved even the worst people in the world. That list included her. Then there were the Inners. Minako loved her, but it was the love a leader had for her charge and comrade. Not matter how much more powerful Hotaru was, no matter how much wiser she may be when it came to certain things, Minako was the leader. And as the leader, the bond between her and the members of the team was strong. Minako loved her, didn't know her, but loved her nonetheless. Makoto loved her. But it was the love that an older sister has for her younger sibling. The brunette could tell she was different from the very beginning and the lack of a parental figure in their lives bonded them. The green-eyed girl always looked out for her, giving her advice or just baking her cookies when she was down. And Ami. The shy blue-haired genius was always the one Hotaru fled to for shelter. The quiet but wise woman has become her friend, her confidant. Nights filled with confessions of their love. One difference. Ami and Makoto were together. But Rei and Hotaru were not. And then the miko herself. Hotaru could never decipher the fire senshi's feelings for her. She knew in the beginning, Rei was weary of her, in the same way that Haruka was. After all, who would possibly trust the senshi of Death and Destruction? She wouldn't have. And the priestess was especially protective of Usagi, in a way that only Mamoru could rival. Hotaru had known that the miko cared for the Princess in a way deeper than friendship since the beginning, or suspected it anyhow. The Inners told her so, and even as a five year old she could tell. But after a while, Rei began to pity her. Pitied her for what she went through and her life. And because of pity and... well, because the fact that Usagi forced the miko, she slowly started to care for her. The lavender-eyed woman could never refuse Usagi and listened to everything she said, even now. Then it became a sense of adoration. Rei got closer to her, taking her 5 year old girl self shopping, to the park and sometimes just hanging out with her. When she was around ten, it became a motherly kind of love, the same way Michiru, Haruka and Setsuna loved her. At sixteen, it became the love of a friend, the kind of friends that rarely talked about problems but just enjoyed each other's company. And now... Well, that's the whole problem isn't it? Hotaru growled and stood. This was madness. And it is so damn hot in this room. Without thinking, Hotaru took off the blouse she wore, revealing a black tank top underneath. Damn, maybe she should have worn a skirt instead of jeans. Walking over to the balcony doors and opening them, her petite figure slipped out. ---------- Rei suppressed the urge to groan as she floated in and out of consciousness. Opening her eyes, she quickly shut them as a wave of dizziness hit her. Why the hell was the room spinning? And the huge headache didn't help things either. Slowly, she raised her hand to her head, though her arm felt like it weighed fourteen tons. After several minutes of deep breathing and staying perfectly still, Rei figured out three things. First, she felt like hell. Second, she was in her room. Third, there was someone in the room with her. The aura was familiar, though she was too disoriented to tell exactly who it was. Hell, she felt lucky to know who she was. Moving her head slowly, the dizzy woman opened her eyes once again. The sight that greeted her was completely unexpected. A short and slim figure stood on her balcony; the doors open as a cool breeze floated into the room, playing with the translucent curtains. A simple black tank clung to the curvy body while pale arms supported the girl as she leaned against the railing. Shoulder-length black hair greatly contrasted with the ivory skin. A hand gracefully flipped the black silk over one shoulder, revealing a long and slender neck. The girl was an amazing sight to behold and the miko knew there wasn't another person in the world like her. Lavender eyes closed as Rei's nose was invaded by the intoxicating scent of vanilla and cherry blossoms. Ruby lips curved into a soft smile. Hotaru Tomoe. Yes, no one in the world could ever be like that girl. Hotaru Tomoe with her violet eyes, dark and seemingly empty, but always captivating. Of course, Rei Hino knew there was so much more in those eyes than most people could ever dream of. The miko regretted treating the girl badly in the beginning; she had suffered too much to be treated like trash. Her pale skin, no one else could ever be that pale. It was the perfect example of soft, smooth, ivory skin. Sure, Usagi was pale, but there was always a rosy flush in her cheeks that Hotaru didn't have. Hell, the girl had almost no color, though that only contributed to her beauty. Hotaru suddenly turned around, as if knowing the miko was thinking of her at that very moment. Lavender and violet met, light clashing with dark. It was obvious the younger woman was shocked by the miko's consciousness. "Rei! You're awake!" The fiery woman winced at the volume. She groaned softly and held her hand to her head as Hotaru crossed the distance between them. The miko tried to sit up, failing miserably. Rolling her eyes, the younger girl pushed the stubborn woman back onto the bed. "And what do you think you're doing?" The firm tone surprised Rei, giving Hotaru a chance to tuck the covers under her chin. "W-what happened?" Both women winced at the sound of the miko's voice. Violet eyes flashed with guilt as the college student helped Rei up slightly and brought a glass of water to her lips. It was emptied within seconds. "You pushed me out of the way when the ice beam came at me." "Oh." Rei remembered now. Waking up with a killer headache, the first thing she saw was Saturn running straight at the beam. Panic seized her and she rushed into action, jumping to her feet. The pain almost caused her to fall to her knees, but she charged toward her fellow senshi. Then, there was nothing. "Why were you running straight into the beam anyway?" Hotaru shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet Rei's eyes. "Well, my Death Reborn Revolution can usually block attacks, and since the youma was pretty weak by then, I figured my attack would protect me. The youma would've been pretty surprised that I charged into its beam and came out fine, giving me enough time to kill it." "So," Rei said slowly in disbelief, "I threw myself in the way... for nothing?" Hotaru blushed deeply while nodding slowly, playing with Rei's blanket. The miko groaned and pulled the blanket over her head. "One of the few times I decide to be chivalrous and it wasn't even needed!" Hotaru smiled softly, pulling the blanket away to reveal a pouting miko. Her smile widened and she reached over to brush a strand of hair from Rei's forehead. "Not needed? Perhaps. Appreciated? Yes." Another groan was her response as Rei pulled the blanket over her head again. "How about highly appreciated?" The blankets were pulled down as lavender eyes glared at the amused and guilty but very cute expression on Hotaru's face. "Squirt." "Hot head." "Pale." "Bad tempered." "Skinny." "Stubborn." "Cute." Hotaru blushed immediately and Rei smiled despite her pounding headache. That one always stopped the girl in her tracks, no matter what they were arguing about. However, the miko knew it was because Hotaru wasn't used to being complimented in such a way. Despite the girl's much more stable physical condition, her experiences had made it hard to make friends. Being called 'cute' was only something the senshi did. And even then, it was rare. "Liar." Rei opened her mouth to speak but was silence by a wave of dizziness. Caught between the desire to comfort her friend and cutting her own head off, she managed to find and squeeze Hotaru's hand. Violet eyes gazed at the miko as lavender eyes opened. "I think it would be best if you slept." Underneath the firm and somewhat impersonal comment was concern. Rei nodded, only to groan as her headache and the dizziness worsened. How the hell was she supposed to sleep? Hotaru released a long breath. No time like the present to test what Setsuna-mama and Rei's taught her. Sitting down on the bed, she cleared her mind of everything. A small hand moved forward, glowing softly. Her fingertips trailed down Rei's face with a feather-light touch. The miko's skin was soft and smooth, just like she knew it'd be. Rei opened her eyes, gazing at her friend in confusion. Upon seeing the reassuring smile and the purple glow of her hand, the miko relaxed. Lavender eyes closed again, feeling Hotaru's healing energy flow through her body. The senshi of Death and Destruction was utterly fascinated. Never in a thousand years did she imagine caressing Rei's face in real life. Sure as hell not while she was awake. And for god's sake, Rei wasn't stopping her. 'You idiot, you're helping her, of course she doesn't mind.' Even so, as much as Hotaru hated doing it, she was going to take advantage of the situation while she could. Slowly, she allowed her thumb and forefinger to brush against Rei's closed eyes. The miko didn't move. Feeling bolder, Hotaru traced the curve of the miko's nose, letting it linger at the tip for a while. It looked like something out of a cartoon actually. A beautiful woman lying in bed, long hair fanned out all about her. A glowing angel caressing the face of a slumbering beauty tenderly, staring with adoring eyes. But she was far from an angel. Her fingertips continued by brushing against the woman's cheeks. She then traced her jaw, wanting more than anything to touch with her lips and not her fingers. An idea came to Hotaru, but she dismissed it quickly. No, she couldn't. Rei felt like she was floating. She was completely weightless, a soothing tingle racing through her body. The headache disappeared and the dizzy spell melted away. Hell, was there any other feeling in the world besides what she felt now? If there was, it couldn't possibly compare. Actually, there was only one feeling that could compare. The feel of Minako's lips on hers. But that was different. Hm... so very different. Kissing the blond was like drinking 50 cups of coffee in a row. Her veins would course with energy, like was being charged by a source of raw power. Her skin tingled with excitement like she'd never felt before. When kissing, Rei was ready to take on anything and anyone. Not one but Minako could give her that feeling. But this, it was the complete opposite. It was soothing and relaxing. Her mind stopped racing at the speed of light, slowing down at the lightest touch. She felt like there was no reason to be so charged, to be on her guard or really to do anything at all. She just wanted to simply be and let go of everything. The roaring flame within died down, leaving behind warm, glowing embers. She was very aware of Hotaru's touch yet at the same time, not. Rei knew it was because of this touch that she felt this way: it brought peace and tranquility to the busy world she lived in. And for that, she was thankful. Hotaru's eyes softened when she realized Rei had fallen asleep. So beautiful. Of course, she had yet to stop touching Rei's face. Hell, seeing her peaceful and angelic expression made her want the fiery girl even more. This was why she kept far away before. Once she was able to touch, she would never be able to pull away. But since Rei was asleep... Hotaru's fingers traced the curve of Rei's nose. But this time, she didn't fall back into the routine of tracing her cheeks and then jaw. She allowed herself to run her fingers over the lips she so craved. Full, curvy, pouty lips that were sculpted perfection. The contact sent shivers down her spine. Soft as rose petals and just as deep in color. Those lips alone should have been enough to win Rei the title of 'Goddess of Love.' Let's not forget her many conquests, both men and women. But then again, Rei Hino wouldn't be Rei Hino if she were the Goddess of Love. That would make her too gentle and tame. Not that Minako Aino was tame, not at all. But Rei was like a roaring fire, powerful and in your face. That's one of the reasons Hotaru liked her, actually. Because she was so unlike herself. While she was quiet, Rei was loud. While she kept everything in, Rei spoke her mind, letting people know exactly what she was thinking. While it took a lot to anger Hotaru, the miko would be set off by a single wrong look or word. And when Hotaru did become angry, it is shown in a calm but deadly manner. Rei's anger was flat out explosive. True both their wraths were dangerous, but Rei forgave easily. Hotaru held onto everything, letting it eat her away slowly. That's why she was who she was. After a few years of suppressing and keeping everything in, it was starting to take its toll on her. That was the reason why she admired Rei. Though cautious, the miko gave her trust openly and wholly to those who deserved it. She shared her burdens, though always careful of how much people should know to protect them. Ami once said that the easiest way to self-destruction was to keep everything in. Anyone ever hear of implosion? 'You have someone to take care of, don't think about this now.' Taking one last look at Rei, Hotaru stood and walked to the couch.
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