LOVE The meeting to discuss the events, was postponed for obvious reasons. Usagi and Rei went back to the shrine, and fell asleep in each other arms, due to the exhaustion of the fight. The night had turned cold again, and it started to snow during the trip back from the beach. Minako insisted in going back to the city, because she had sneaked out of her house to attend the senshi meeting, so her mother didn't know she wasn't at home. Setsuna offered to drive her back, and the rest of the group stayed at the cottage. The humming of the engine was playing it's own music. It was warm and dry inside the car. Both women were in complete silence, while in the back window the image of the sea was growing farther and smaller, and slowly disappearing, like the moments in life, that soon pass to be just memories and leave a mark in our brains even though they don't exist anymore. "Are you feeling alrigh, Setsuna-san?" Minako was still holding a pack of ice against her ear. The driving woman didn't take her eyes off the road, but smiled. "Shouldn't I be the one asking that question?...". Minako blushed, trying to fight the sensation that she was being intrusive, asking for something personal she shouldn't have. "I'm feeling better...it just hurts when I press" And after she finished this sentence the dialogue came to a halt. The streets were still illuminated by the artificial lights, the dawn was getting closer every minute. The time was on it's steps and Setsuna was in control of it's Gates again. But there was still something missing inside of her, and she couldn't put herself together to find out what it was. A deep white color covered the pine trees on the park, and Setsuna parked the car on an old abandoned parking place behind an artificial pond, that was now a dull pool of ice. "I was very worried about you..." She was looking at the blonde girl's eyes. "And I was worried before. I never saw you so sad. I stopped here because I want you to know that I...appreciate you, and I have all my attention to listen to whatever is bothering your heart. Believe it or not, your friendship is the most rewarding thing I've found in years, and you...are very important to me." Minako's hands were playing with the icepack, and in her heart the hope was starting to grow bigger, and stronger, and was urging for her to show her feelings. 'I'm the goddess of love...I'm the goddess of love...' she was thinking in a repetitive mode. "You are in the wrong address Setsuna-san" she laughed startling the time's guardian. "I need to pick up my uniform from your house first, remember?" she didn't know where this would lead, but she was good at improvising. Setsuna was completely confused and a little upset for the change of subject after opening her heart in such an akward way. But, as the girl took her by surprise, the only thing that came out of her mouth was a simple "oh...yes, I'm sorry" and drove away towards her house. Minako knew that Setsuna was upset. Her personality wouldn't let it show, but she knew her enough to perceive those feelings. And she didn't say a word in the car after her interruption. They went to her bedroom, where Setsuna had her uniform neatly folded over a velvet cushioned chair, and when she reached for the clothes Minako took her hand and whispered "You are very important for me too, it would probably scare you to know how much". Setsuna felt her soft fingers, still covered with the cold of the ice pack, and moving a little closer, pull her softly against her, in a loving embrace. She could feel the girl breathing close to her neck, holding her tight and even though it was a moment of elation, her eyes were full of tears of sorrow knowing that her destiny would never alow a companion in her life. Minako softly move away from the embrace, and her skin fell the warm tears from the woman's face and she could almost guess the reason of her pain. She wiped them away with her thumb, looking for an answer in her eyes. "...I..." It was an impulse. She was so extremely beautiful, and her lips were so close, it came natural to her...and she kissed her. Setsuna kissed her back, unable to reject something that she had dreamed about every day and night since she fell in love with the young woman. The sweet taste of her mouth made her feel weak in the blonde's arms, and she held her closer and tighter, fearing this moment would disappear taking away her soulmate in the process. Minako was lost in the passion of the kiss, and tenderly leaned her lover over the bed. Setsuna's body was tingling under the pressure provoked by the contact of the beautiful young woman, and her slow moves on top of her was bringing a warm throbbing sensation coming from her pelvis. A sudden feeling of shame covered her, and she softly pull out of the kiss. "I...love you Mina...so much that I felt like dying when you stop coming here, depriving me from your sweet company. But I don't want to hurt you, and I don't know if my destiny will allow something like this..." Minako was staring at her, with a smile on her face, and completely sure of what she had to do for the first time since she felt in love with Setsuna "I love you too, and I know without a doubt, that is not your destiny to be alone, and the prove for that is that I'm here. It doesn't matter how important is your duty, it wouldn't make any sense if we'd had to live without love, when we dedicated our life to fight for it." And they kissed again, and the snow started to covered the streets, and the cars, and the trees, and with the first lights of the morning the sounds of a song was coming from the little corner store, with a timid tune, like whispering a secret message: "...And I have never in my life felt more alone than I do now; although I claim dominions over all I see, it means nothing to me. There are no victories, In all our histories, without love."
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