Comfortable, curled up, alone and utterly absorbed in a book that was far from school-related, Ami let out a romantic sigh, envisioning, and thoroughly enjoying, the riveting scenes. She sank deeper into the plush cushions of the couch, rubbing her bare knees together lightly. Chewing absently on a nail, she wondered how on earth she was able to identify with the middle-aged European man, and then with a small chuckle and bright blush recognized their likeness: desire. It took a few sharp knocks at the door for her to realize that someone was there. Jolting out of her reverie she sprang up and cautiously went to answer it. "Mother's not supposed to be home until morning, who could it-" She interrupted her own line of thought to grin pleasantly. Running a hand through her hair and fixing her pajamas quickly, she put on her most charming smile and opened the door. All the charisma she had prepared methodically disappeared from her face and was replaced by confusion. Rei stood before her, leaning limply against the doorframe, her eyes cloudy and unfocused. "Rei-chan?" Rei wearily lifted her eyes to Ami's. "Hi. Can I come in?" Ami hesitated, but taking in Rei's overall defeated demeanor she smiled amiably and ushered her in. "Can I get you anything?" "No thanks," Rei plopped down on the couch, picking up Ami's book half-interestedly. "What's this about?" "A hyper-civilized European in post-war America." She answered quickly, taking the book from Rei's hands and placing it far aside before sitting down next to her. "So..." Rei ran a hand through her hair and sighed deeply. She gathered her thoughts as best as she could and looked despondently to Ami. "I... Really need someone to talk to. I don't think I can talk to anyone else, well, just because they all think I'm the devil." "No one thinks-" "They're not ready to listen to me either." Ami didn't answer, knowing this was true. Rei continued, "So I figured, you'd be my best shot." Ami looked away, shifting in her seat. "I understand. What would you like me to convey to Mina-chan?" Her derisive laugh confused Ami. "No, no. If Mina's not going to listen to me, she's not going to listen to you about me either." Melancholy returned to her face as she briefly thought of the blonde. She put her head in her hand and sighed again. "She's gone for good. Went back to her... fianc‚." Ami's eyebrows furrowed, her eyes went to Rei. There was no doubt about who she was talking about. Although surprised, she tried to keep an emotionless face. She cleared her throat several times, not knowing exactly what to say. "Wow... well, that's... unexpected." Rei nodded, her head still in her hands. "I can't say that I feel very sympathetic." Rei lifted her head to give Ami a hard look. "I don't need you to feel sympathetic." Ami put her hands up, but stuck by her feelings. "You needn't get defensive. I'm just telling you how I feel." Rei leaned back into the couch and closed her eyes resignedly. "And I suppose you feel that I deserved it and worse, and that hell should open up beneath my feet and swallow me up, and that it's great that I know what it feels like to be-" "Rei-chan, I never said or implied any of that." "But that's what you think. And guess what, that's what I think too. I don't care what happens to her, even if she did make an ass out of me. All I care about is Minako." Ami let her stew in silence for a while before replying. After some thought of her own she put an encouraging hand on Rei's shoulder. "I always knew you cared a lot for Mina-chan, that's why it was hard for me, and the others, to believe something like this would happen. Whatever reasons there were, I think you regret them now." "That's the thing though that makes it even worse. There were no reasons. I still don't know why it happened." "There has to be something." Rei shrugged. She rubbed her eyes and breathed deeply. Perhaps, she thought, she might as well say what she'd been thinking the whole time. "It would've happened anyway." "What would've happened?" "We would've broken up or something like that. Maybe it wouldn't have ended like this, or maybe it would've. I don't know. But that's the way she was making me feel." Ami leaned back in her seat, stunned by Rei's revelation. "Oh my. So you two were having problems?" "Mm hmm," Rei nodded, "But, I know I shouldn't have... went that far. I really, really miss her Ami-chan. I want her back." Ami squeezed Rei's shoulder, the girl's honest confessions suddenly making her feel optimistic. "If you truly love her, Rei-chan, everything will work out. She just needs time." "How much time?" Rei's voice clearly conveyed her desperation. "I have no way of knowing that. But, if it's worth anything, I'll try talking to her for you." Rei nodded and abruptly rose out of her seat, stretching her tense limbs. "I really appreciate it Ami-chan, although I'd like it much more if you could get her to talk to me." "Wouldn't that be asking too much?" Ami's eyes cautiously reached Rei's. The girl smirked disdainfully, her stormy eyes focused on the floor. "I guess you're right." She shrugged and with an appreciative, but depressed smile she left the apartment. "Mother, listen to me. I'm going to tell you this for the last time. I am not going to that shrine." "Minako, if I have to drag you there by the ear with a slipper in my hand, you are going. And that's that." Mrs. Aino turned her back on her unbearably irritated daughter. She turned back as soon as the girl had stopped mouthing curse words at her. "What's the matter with you anyway? You don't go out anymore, not even with your friend with the hair, and you just sit around here moping all day. I suppose, it's good since you need to study, or else you'll never get into college, which is why we're going." Minako looked at her incredulously. "We're going to pray for my college acceptances? I have a year left!" "If you opened a book now and then we wouldn't have to start so early!" Minako carefully curbed her anger, feeling her blood boiling under her skin. "Mother. For God's sake, can we at least go to another shrine?" "What's wrong with the Hikawa? You go there everyday to see your friend, and now you can't go for the benefit of your own future?" Her daughter didn't answer, only clenched her teeth, and Mrs. Aino looked her over carefully. "Oh I see, you're fighting with your friend. I bet it's over a boy." Minako closed her eyes, her nails digging into her hands. Her mother was insufferable enough, having her talk about Rei and yet dragging her to the shrine, was too much. "It is not over a boy." She drew out the words with very strained patience. "Then what could two young girls be fighting about, if not a boy?" Minako shrugged, but after a beat of silence a smirk formed on her lips. "A girl." Mrs. Aino froze, but she saw her daughter's mischievous smile. "Minako, you're too much. No more cable TV for you." Ami bit her lip to hide her smile as she knocked lightly on the apartment door. Rei's sudden surprise at her own door inspired the one she was devising at the moment. She had given Makoto ample time to get rid of the only obstacle standing between them, and since then Ami had been literally licking her lips in anticipation, unable to wait any longer. Her smile faded quickly when the door opened. "Hi, Ami-chan! Can I call you that, Ami-chan?" Ami's eyebrows knitted together, her brain trying to comprehend why Freddy was still there, answering the door, in his pajamas, and calling her Ami-chan. She tilted her head, disappointment consuming her. "No." She said plainly. Freddy laughed, although there was no humor to be found from Ami. "That's okay, you can call me Freddy-kun if you want, but nobody does. Everyone calls me Freddy, even though it's not my real name. My real name is Frederick." Ami narrowed her eyes at him, nodding slightly. She felt like she was in the presence of a small child. "That's interesting..." Ami was lost for words, clinging to the belief that she was mistaken and everything would be clarified soon. "Hey babe! You came just in time," Ami turned to see Makoto coming towards them, her tank top drenched with sweat, apparently she had been working out. She stopped and brushed her wet bangs out of her face and sighed. Freddy looked at her and looked at Ami, wondering why nothing was being said. "It's Ami-chan. She came to see you, I guess." Makoto looked at Freddy and feigned a smile. "Yeah, I got that. Why don't you go inside and let us talk out here, okay?" "No problem, lover. See you later, Ami-chan." Makoto closed her eyes; the poor guy didn't know how bad he was making things. She and Ami looked at each other for a moment before the obviously hurt blue-eyed girl turned away. "Well, the writing's on the wall." She sighed before walking away. "Wait a minute Ami. It's not what you think." She turned back emphatically, "What else can it be?" She paused and toned her voice down. "You want to be with him. It's okay." "I want to be with you." Makoto stated forcefully. "You can't have both!" Ami replied just as intensely. "I know." She tensed but relaxed under Makoto's soothing touch. "I don't want both either." Makoto leaned in; she could feel Ami trembling slightly. "I want you. But... It just got really hard to break up with him. He suddenly gets a job and pays rent, and it just isn't as easy as I thought it would be." Ami sighed as she tried to understand. She had never broken up with someone nor vice versa, but she didn't like hurting people's feelings either. It was obvious though, that someone's feelings would be sacrificed, and she wasn't entirely sure if Makoto wouldn't allow it to be hers. But as their lips touched and new sensations grew with every kiss, Ami was sure that she didn't want to miss this opportunity. Even if it did require her to be a little ruthless. Remembering how wrong it truly was, Ami broke the kiss but let her lips linger near Makoto's. "I can't take much more of this. It's not right." "I'll take care of it. Don't worry." Makoto craved another kiss but Ami eluded her. She took a step back and blew frustrated air threw her lips. "Okay, this needs to be done soon or I'll jump off a cliff. Come over tomorrow, in the afternoon, and we'll think of something, okay?" Ami nodded and reluctantly let go of her. Makoto grinned at her, the cute pout driving her crazy. Ami caught her lusting eyes and only smirked back temptingly, turned and walked away. Usagi blinked, the bright sunlight of the day contrasting with the dark movie theatre she, Ami, and Minako had just emerged from. "That was such a good movie. Did you cry? I cried." Minako shrugged. "I thought it was tacky and stupid." Usagi frowned; she had been in that mood the entire day. Ami checked her watch, as she was doing frequently throughout the movie, and smiled to herself now that the hands read four o'clock. "Look at that it's four already, I'd better go," she said casually. "What's the rush, Ami-chan?" Usagi asked innocently enough. "I have... business to attend to, I'll see you guys later..." She was already walking away as they said their slightly confused good-byes. "Isn't that a little suspicious?" Minako asked, watching her hurry down the street. "Maybe she's going to meet her secret boyfriend, who's really hot so she doesn't want anybody to know about him so she can have him all to herself." "Either that or he's hideously ugly." Usagi gasped. "That just reminded me, I have a date with Mamo-chan tonight!" Minako didn't bother to find out why "hideously ugly" would remind Usagi of her boyfriend. "I have to go home and get ready!" "You're leaving me all by myself?" Minako asked, slightly peeved. "Ugh, I don't want to go home, I'll have to deal with my mother." "I'm sorry, Mina-chan. I'll call you later." Minako just nodded, now feeling like she wanted to be alone. She walked through the streets by herself, not really paying attention to anything or anyone, even those that whistled at her. She remembered how angry Rei would get over things like that, sometimes even chasing the offenders. Wandering a few more blocks, she found herself at a playground. Sitting on a bench she wistfully smiled as she watched a few little children play. As much as she wanted to get on the swing set herself, she just sat and watched, partly because she didn't want to look like an idiotic teenagers swinging alone and partly because she knew it would trigger memories that she was better off forgetting. Slowing her jog to a leisurely walk, Rei headed for the water fountain near the playground. After splashing her hot face with the cool liquid she stretched a bit as she looked around, trying to decide whether to keep going or quit for the day. Feeling the tension still in her muscles she decided on the former, only to have more stress tighten up her body when she spotted Minako across the playground. She wrung her hands anxiously, contemplating on whether she should go to her. Seeing that she was alone she figured it would be as good a time as any. Minako barely noticed a figure from across the playground, staring in her direction. She caught her eyes briefly and they looked at each other for a moment, both perceiving the other as somehow different from the last time they saw each other. Minako looked away first, and then quickly left the bench, hurrying away from the park. "Damn," Rei sighed before breaking out into a sprint to catch her. She ran in front of Minako, impeding her way by grabbing her shoulders. Immediately she let go but kept herself in front of the other girl. They looked at each other again, Rei longingly and Minako irritated. She sighed, not having the energy to become angry. "I told you to leave me alone." "We have to seriously talk sometime." "No we don't." Rei threw her hands up, completely frustrated. "Yes we do! I know I made a mistake and I'm reminded of it every single day. I need you to forgive me, Mina. I need you back." Minako couldn't look at her, more out of need for self-control than disgust. She wavered back and forth between springing herself into Rei's arms or simply turning her back. Many sleepless nights and miserable days told her she missed the miko, but she felt she knew better than to forgive her, because no matter how much she tried to forget, it still hurt. Rei waited for a response, but Minako wasn't even looking at her, eyes shifting elsewhere. She clapped her hands together suddenly, startling the blonde, and clasped them tightly. "Look at me Minako. I'm begging for your forgiveness." Tears rolled down her cheeks but Minako only flashed her eyes over her. "Mina, I'll get on my knees if I have to." "Then do it." Her blue eyes finally met Rei's. "You're so sorry, aren't you?" "Yes..." She whispered, past the edge of desperation. A frown deepened on Minako's face, shaking her head. She looked away from the miko's gaze, feeling herself lose some control. Rei's eyes were always captivating, even when she was crying. A hand came up and lightly touched her shoulder, giving Rei some hope. "Rei... Just tell me why. Why did you..." She touched the blonde's hand, gradually grasping it in her own. "There isn't a good reason." Minako didn't retreat as Rei stepped closer to her. "But there's a bad one." She whispered back, on the verge of correcting their lives again. The other hand came to rest on Rei's hip. "Why?" Rei began to smile. She could feel her life coming back to her. "Why does it matter now?" "I just need to know." Rei closed her eyes, ecstatic as she and Minako almost embraced. "I don't know, Mina." She whispered in her love's ear. "You don't know?" "No. I don't." Minako's hands slipped away from her body and suddenly the warmth she was beginning to feel again disappeared. "You don't know?" Rei was thoroughly confused as Minako recoiled from her. "You don't know why you hurt me so much? You don't why you put me, put all of us threw all of that garbage?" Rei was dumbstruck, sputtering and scrambling for words, but having nothing to say. All she could think of was the truth. "No. I don't." Minako shook her head, disappointed that she had come so close to going back. "You are so- ugh!" "Why? Because I don't know?" Rei's voice had risen, as did her temper. "You can't forgive me, because I don't know?! What the hell? I'm not accepting that." "Too bad." Rei locked her fiery gaze onto Minako. "Do you want a reason? Do you really want a reason, so freakin' bad?" "Yes!" Minako shouted, not intimidated by Rei's ferocity. "If there was one I wouldn't tell you, because I want you back. I can say sorry a million times, but it's probably useless. I just want you to forgive me. Will you?" Minako frowned at her, looking at the sincerity in her face, yet blinded by her own anger and pain. "No." Rei's eyes widened, she was obviously expecting a different answer. She closed her eyes tightly so there would be no tears. She swallowed back any emotion and said evenly, "Fine." She turned her back, knowing that was it, the end of everything. Minako watched her go silently before turning the opposite way. Tears streamed down her face and she didn't bother to wipe them away. She looked back over her shoulder a few times, hoping to the gods that she didn't just make the biggest mistake of her life.
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