Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Acts of Comfort: A Sailor Mars Romance

Chapter One

                “Flame, flame is light. Fire, fire is sight. Flame, flame is light. Fire, fire is sight,” Rei Hino chanted as she made a hand seal before the sacred flames.  In the years since the Galaxia Crisis, she had scaled back considerably on this ritual as the demands of high school and her priestess training took priority. The past few years had seen many changes: Usagi being diagnosed dyslexic and deciding to become a teacher for special needs children, Ami and Mamoru left for medical school in Boston, and Father was running for a recently vacant seat in the Diet – the Japanese legislature.

“Flame, flame is light. Fire, fire is sight.” She chanted as she thought of the few things that hadn’t changed since she was a teenager. The temple stood as it had for generations. Yuichiro was still here as an apprentice priest. She was still here as an apprentice priestess, and Grandfather was still here.

“Flame, flame is light. Fire, fire is sight.” Rei concentrated on the flame as she contemplated a terrible change that had come over Grandpa – his health and his age.  Even through his seventies, he’d been jocular and active, teaching martial arts and Tai Chi for all who would come. When he hit eighty last year, he began noticeably slowing down. Just after the new year, he’d contracted a severe respiratory infection and developed pneumonia.  Even after clearing the infection, he hadn’t been the same.

As she chanted, no image appeared in the flame. For a long moment, the empty flame swallowed Rei up, filling her with overwhelming sadness and foreboding.  Rei froze, icy tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. No, please no! An image did appear, except it was not Grandfather, it was her. Her image portrayed her screaming amid flames in a level of agony Rei associated mostly with her death and near-death experiences in the past. 

The imaged burned into her mind, and she began shaking violently. “Rei, Rei!” She almost flailed until her senses returned and all of her muscles went slack. “Rei, are you all right!” Firm hands on her shoulders rooted her back in reality. “Rei…”

Rei felt the room spinning, and she may have blacked out for a moment. When she finally regained her sense of being, her face was buried in Yuichiro’s shoulder, and she was going to the waterworks.  Gods, I’ve never fallen apart like this before, not since Mom died! The memory of her mom squeezed her throat. Mom died of cancer, a rare leukemia, when Rei was a little girl.  Father had been so wrapped up in his career that he didn’t even show for the goddamn funeral. “Yui…” she spoke breathless, unable to complete his name.

“Rei, are you okay?” he asked deep in concern. “You’d look like you had just seen a ghost!”

“You’re not far off,” she heaved, now aware that she was covered in sweat. “Yuichiro, what the hell are you doing here?” she wasn’t indignant, but she made clear in the past that he was not to interrupt her while working with the sacred flame.

His normally happy-go-lucky demeanor was instead stone serious, “Your grandfather asked for you.” Grandpa had been a mentor and borderline father figure for Yuichiro for the past six years.  Grandfather’s recent illness had drained Yuichiro almost as much as it had drained her. By the dark circles under his eyes, Yuichiro was losing as much sleep worrying about Grandfather as she was.

“What’s going on?” she asked, cold all over.

“I’m not sure,” he took his hands off her shoulders, “He said it was important.”

Rei stood, straightened her hakama, and moved quickly from the shrine with the sacred flame. She wouldn’t normally leave extinguishing the flame to Yuichiro, but for Grandpa to send for her, she knew it was potentially serious.  She hurried across the grounds of the temple and finally reached the living quarters. As she reached Grandfather’s room, she found him kneeling in front of a short table holding a tea service. “Hello, Rei,” he poured a cup, “tea?”

She nodded, kneeling opposite him and accepting the cup. “Thank you,” she bowed her head slightly and took a sip.  As her eyes reached her grandfather again, Rei took in sight of him. His once-straight posture was now hunched, and his once bald, clean head was now splotched with liver spots.  He got old, not that he was ever truly young when you were in his charge.

“How are things here at the shrine, Rei?” his voice came wheezy.

“The shrine is good, just a lot of spring cleaning is still needed.”

“I wish, I could help,” he spoke solemn as he reached out with a now skeletal hand. His hands had been so strong when she was a girl, when she’d been a teen. To see him like this was an afront to the reality of her life to date.

“Grandfather, you’re still not well,” Rei treaded carefully with her wording.

“Rei,” he set down the cup, “we need to talk about making arrangements for my end.”

“Grandfather…” she protested only to be stopped by him holding up his hand.

“Rei, it’s not easy for me to think of leaving you, but soon I won’t have a choice in the matter.  I know the shrine is in good hands, but I worry about you.”

“Grandfather,” she shook her head, “I’m fine,” she lied.

“Are you,” he stared with aged but gentle eyes, “I know you’re ready to run the shrine, yourself, but are you truly okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Rei, I’m happy that you have friends, happy that some of them stayed in Tokyo after growing up, and I’m glad you’ve just about got Yuichiro trained,” he laughed and coughed.

“You’re not worried about my father, are you? That ship sailed a long time ago!” Rei’s heart burned at the memory of her inattentive and absent father.

“Rei, I don’t expect you to make peace with him and suddenly be a family again,” he shook his head, “but there is a reasonable chance he will come at some point to pay his respect when I pass.”

“He can pay all the respects he wants, but it won’t buy back the past.”

“Quite true,” he sighed, “the only good thing he ever gave me was you. Even then, I wish it had been under different circumstances.”

Rei’s stomach turned upside down, “Grandfather, do we have to talk about this now?”

“If not now, Rei, when?” he shook his head, “My twilight is already here. Every morning I wake is a miracle, and every night I close my eyes, I have no idea if they will open again.”

Rei wanted to protest, to lash out, but she knew that was the selfish mind of a little girl in denial of reality – Grandfather was dying, and he had days or weeks at most.  “I-I understand,” her voice shook.

“Granddaughter,” he wheezed, “I never want you to doubt how proud I am of you right now.  I know the shrine is in good hands.” He produced a leatherbound folder, “Rei, inside are my instructions regarding my funeral, as well as all the relevant contacts to settle the transfer of the shrine to you.”

She reluctantly accepted the folder, its weight a black hole in her hands. “Is there anything else I can do?”

“Please,” he finally poured himself tea, “sit with me like we used to do, just for a bit.”

Yuichiro finished sweeping the temple grounds as the sun began to dip.  For maybe the first time in his adult life, he struggled with how to process the world around him. His sensei was dying, slowly crumbling like a sandcastle being reclaimed by the sea. For all of Sensei’s antics, he was a good man, maybe the best man Yuichiro had ever known. While he and his parents weren’t exactly estranged, the past few years here had done more to make him a man than any fancy preparatory school had ever done. And now, a huge part of that is going away.

He softly walked to the shrine bell, gave it a solid ring, and began to pray.  Whatever he was praying for eluded him. There was no suddenly making sensei well and young again. There was no one to guide him on what came next.  In a few days or weeks, he would be truly alone. “Yuichiro?” Rei’s voice brought him out of his introspection.

“Rei?” he turned, surprised to see her, “What are you doing here?”

“I heard the bell,” her voice was soft, maybe not sad, but lacking her normal conviction. “I thought it might be you.” She hesitated before speaking again, “Why are you here praying alone?”

“I…” he searched for a reason, “… I guess I was just feeling lost, hoping maybe some prayer would help me focus.”

Rei knelt beside him, “I’m lost, too,” in her current form, Yuichiro couldn’t rule out the possibility that Rei was some goddess in human form. Despite her distress, her black hair shined like silk and her face was perfect as ever – no hint of makeup. “I know my grandfather is going to be passing soon,” she shook her head, “And while I know what to do, I have no idea what comes next.”

“I’m no different,” he nodded, “your grandfather has been my mentor and father figure for almost six years. Without him…” he couldn’t finish the sentence.

Rei nodded, bowing her head, “I guess we should pray for guidance for what comes next.” Yuichiro nodded, also bowing his head.  As much as he wanted to clear his head, Rei’s perfect form was all his brain could think of. Dammit, now is not the time for that! When he’d first met her, he’d been infatuated with her beauty, a beauty that hadn’t wilted in the least since that day. 

He stole a glance from the corner of his eye, capturing her beauty despite her sadness at the coming nightmare. While there was no prohibition on them having a relationship, Yuichiro by now respected Rei’s boundaries, knowing full-well that some past trauma with her father or someone near him had turned her off to anything beyond friendship. He has been in the dumps about being rejected a few years back. Her grandfather had pulled him aside and at least gave him the short version of what happened. Sensei insisted if Yuichiro truly loved Rei, he would need to accept that she might never love him back.  After that conversation, he kept a respectful distance, even if she still turned his eye.

“Well,” she sighed, “I guess that’s all we can expect,” she stood and bowed to the shrine before turning to leave. Don’t even think about it, man. You know that ship won’t get out of the harbor.

He stood and bowed before chasing after Rei, “Rei, are you hungry by chance?”

She stared momentarily in disbelief, as if suggesting they eat together was in some way vulgar, “I’m sorry…” she tilted her head forward, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“It’s okay, Rei…” he tried placating her.

“No, I mean,” she again stared at him, “I’m famished, and I have a real bad headache as a result – I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

“That settles it, then,” he said, “As friends, let me take you out for something to eat.”

“As friends?” she cocked up an eyebrow.

“Just so there is no confusion,” he raised his hands in surrender, “We can go to Makoto’s new place. I’m buying.” Rei’s friend had just opened a restaurant nearby named Makoto’s. Makoto’s menu included a mix of traditional Japanese – udon, ramen, rice bowls – and America fare – burgers, fried chicken, and poutine.  The décor was a mix of traditional Japanese blended with a 1950s themed American diner. It was a hit with both locals and tourists.

“Okay,” she nodded, “let’s change out to street clothes, and I’ll meet you down by the gate.”

“Sounds like a plan!” they hurried to the living quarters. Yuichiro went one way, and she went to the other. He wasted no time changing into jeans and a black button-down shirt.

As he walked into the hallway, heard Sensei calling, “Yui…” in a wheeze.

“Sensei!” he ran for the door, threw it open, and was thankfully greeted by a still very-much alive man.

“I’m glad to see you still have your spring in your step,” he laughed and coughed.

“Sensei, you scared the devil out of me!”

“A good thing to scare out of you,” he again chuckled. “You’re taking Rei to dinner?”

“She told you?”

“I am her grandfather,” he paused, “Yuichiro, you remember what we talked about some time ago.”

“This is only as friends, sensei,” Yuichiro bowed deferential to his master.

“You’ve been her friend a long time,” the older man nodded.

“I have.”

“My apprentice, promise me…”

“Sensei?”

“Promise you will look after her when I’m gone,” Sensei shuddered but quickly composed himself, “Promise me!”

“I won’t need to look after her,” Yuichiro nodded, “Rei is strong like that, but I promise I will look after her, regardless.”

“Good boy,” he nodded, “now, enjoy dinner with her.” The elder man cracked a wide smile.

By the time they reached Makoto’s, the crowd was thick, and Rei wondered if Makoto’s hospitality would extend out. “Good evening. May I take a name? The wait for tonight is approximately thirty minutes.”

“Is the chef’s table available,” Rei asked in a code known to the hostesses, “Ms. Hino is here if it is.”

The hostess immediately took out two menus and gestured for them to follow, “This way, Ms. Hino.” They sat in a red leather booth and the server asked, “Can I interest either of you in a drink?”

“Hot green tea for me,” Rei answered.

“I’ll do a vanilla milkshake, please,” Yuichiro smiled. The server bowed and took off to get the drinks.

“Milkshake?” Rei asked.

“I haven’t had a good one in years,” he replied.

“I never knew you liked them.”

“When was the last time we had dinner together?” he asked. Yes, when did you last have dinner with this lovely oaf? Rei mulled the thought, guilty for having considered him an oaf. While Yuichiro could be clumsy, he was also compassionate and one of the humbler men she knew.  He never once waved around the fact that his family was one of the wealthiest in Japan, probably more influential than father. 

The drinks arrived, and the server took their order. Rei ordered traditional udon while her guest ordered the Americanized meatloaf. The orders they’d made seemingly cemented the differences between the two of them. Still, Rei had to admit the tall milkshake topped with whipped cream and cherry did look surprisingly appetizing on a night light tonight.  Rei, nevertheless blew on her hot tea and sipped slowly.  Yuichiro meanwhile sipped his drink through a straw, “This is amazing!”

“When was the last time we had dinner together?” Rei blurted out without thinking.

“I think it was when you were sixteen and I was eighteen, right before I went on that long trip with my parents.”

Rei remembered that year; it had been the year of the Galaxia Crisis. Everyone except Usagi had died at some point. The memory of the void between life and death chilled Rei to her core to this day. “Rei, are you all right?”

She blinked, realizing she was squeezing her teacup. “Yeah,” she lied, “I’m fine. That was a rough year!” After being resurrected and reunited with her friends, moving on hadn’t been easy. The only saving grace of the situation was that youma attacks suddenly dried up – going from weekly or daily to instead monthly in a bad stretch.  In the years since, Ami and Mamoru both got accepted to Harvard Medical School. The absence of the two still felt among the group. Then there was Minako, now a rising pop star and influencer; rarely did she put in an appearance with the crew anymore.

“Rei, are you not comfortable with this?” he asked, reminding her of the here and now.

“No, I’m fine; I just… I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Talk to me about it,” he said. The server returned and interrupted to take their orders – Meatloaf for him and Udon with chicken for her. “So, anything you need to let go?”

Rei almost opened her mouth to rebuke him, but she refrained. She bit her lip for several moments, staring at Yuichiro. Of all the men you’ve known, how many of them have actually tried asking you to vent? How many were there to listen? “I don’t know,” she shook her head. “I’m so confused. Grandfather has always been there for me; the thought of him being gone soon is… unthinkable!”

He nodded, “I remember when my grandfather died,” he nodded, sounding the most serious she’d ever heard him. “I was only thirteen; he got stomach cancer.” He shrugged, “I think it set me on a destructive pattern after that.”

“You two were close?”

“Probably closer to him than I was with my father at the time,” he said. Food arrived, but neither ate initially. “Losing him probably is how I ended up at the shrine. I was aimless throughout my teens, tried becoming a musician with no luck whatsoever.”

“Losing my grandfather,” she spoke with a solemn pause, “is like losing your grandfather all over again?”

“Something like that,” he shrugged again. “Rei…”

“Yes?”

“Do you want me to leave the temple after he passes?”

His grimace betrayed how painful the question was. Rei, herself, felt her mouth drop at the suggestion. “I… no…” she searched for words, flustered. “… I couldn’t… I can’t ask you to leave!” Rei didn’t know why, but the mere thought of Yuichiro leaving chilled her in a place she’d not felt chilled since dying at Galaxia’s hand. 

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a reminder of him, a painful reminder.”

“Yuichiro, cut the noble crap!” her ire rose, “We promised him we’d do our best, and we will damn-well do our best! If you want to run away, go right ahead!”

“Rei, I didn’t mean to offend you,” he raised his hands in protest. “I just wanted to be sure you want me to stay.”

Rei stared at the man opposite her. Dammit, if he leaves, you will be alone. All your friends are moving on with life and you’re right where you were when you were fourteen! “I didn’t,” she stifled tears, “I didn’t mean… I’m sorry.” Rei would never confess it, but she had and still did harbor feelings for Yuichiro – feelings she usually kept stoppered in a genie bottle.

“It’s okay, Rei, he nodded, “I know this is a difficult time and the uncertainty isn’t helping things.”

“No, it is not,” she shook her head. “Listen, Yuichiro, I’m not sure where anything goes from here.” She paused, noting the nod of his head for her to continue. “And that scares the hell out of me.”

“I’m scared, too, Rei,” he unexpectedly took her right hand in his left. “At least, we’ll be scared together on this one.”

Every instinct in Rei’s mind was to pull her hand back and slap him for such an overt gesture.  Her father had burned her and her mother when she was a little girl. Her father’s associate had burned her when he flirted with her, treating her like a geisha – something to be toyed with and eventually put back into a drawer.

Has Yuichiro ever burned you, even once? Rei squeezed his hand, feeling a reassurance she hadn’t felt, ever. “I guess, we at least have that.” She stared down at his hand holding hers. Some piece of her longed to keep holding his hand, but she soon withdrew. “Now come on, before dinner gets cold. Let’s eat.”

Usagi sat in the booth of Makoto’s, waiting for Rei to meet for lunch. At least, today they were able to snag a normal booth without taking the chef’s table. Usagi looked down at her phone, eyeballing Rei’s text asking her to meet for lunch. After the Galaxia Crisis, Rei and Makoto remained the most frequently in contact. She and Naru still talked as well, but Naru was now busy as a saleswoman at her mom’s jewelry store, studying to be a proper jeweler.

Of all things fighting evil by moonlight never prepared us for, adulting.  She missed the relatively carefree days of junior high and high school. Even though she still lived with her parents, Usagi’s schooling to become a teacher ate up most of her time now. Luna, however, insisted everyone who stayed behind should practice at least once a week.  For someone who hated practicing anything as a kid, Usagi grinned at the irony of how much she looked forward to practice now – a break from the monotony.

“Hey,” Rei said, her tone flat as she sank into the booth opposite her.

“Hey back,” Usagi spoke with surprise. “You okay?”

“I—” Rei’s face tightened into a wince. It was the same angry wince Rei had given to Usagi many times in their teen years. “I… I don’t know.” Her face relaxed in exhaustion.

I’ve never seen you this miserable, old friend. “Something you want to talk about or not talk about?”

“Talk, I need to talk,” Rei sighed.

“I’m listening.”

“Usagi, my grandfather…”

Shit, that! Usagi knew he was ill lately. Usagi wasn’t sure if she was ready for offer support for a friend facing an end-of-life scenario. “Go on,” she nodded.

“He- he doesn’t have long, Usagi,” Rei shook her head and let tears flow. “He took a turn for the worst yesterday; he won’t be longer than a week now.”

“I see,” Usagi wished she could come up with something better, “Rei, I’m so sorry.”

“Usagi, what the hell is there to be sorry for!!!” Rei screeched, “He’s not dead yet, and it’s not like this was unexpected!”

“That doesn’t lessen how much it must hurt,” Usagi took her friend’s hand. “Rei, do you need anything?”

“Usagi, I…I need you to be there at the funeral, along with Makoto!” Rei cried.

“Of course!”

“Usagi, you two are the only friends I have left,” she shook her head, “You don’t understand what it means to me!”

“What about Yuichiro?” Usagi asked, curious at the omission.

“He’s already helping me with the arrangements.”

“I mean, he’s still a friend, too?”

Rei paused several seconds, searching, “Yes. How silly of me to forget.”

“Are you and he planning on carrying on at the temple when your grandfather passes?”

Rei sighed, “I didn’t tell Yuichiro, but a land developer was offering to buy us out.”

“Rei,” Usagi gasped, “it’s been your home!”

“I know, and that is why I turned down the offer,” she shrugged, “I probably wouldn’t need to work again had I taken the offer.” Rei shrugged again, “The land has been in the family since before the imperial restoration; we’re one of a handful of shrines on land that is technically privately owned. No one counted on it one day becoming prime real-estate in the middle of Tokyo.”

“It must have been difficult to make that call.”

“The offer was for a billion yen,” Rei gave huffed laugh, “Even I felt pain turning down that much.”

“Rei, I know you’re not ready to lose him, no one is…”

“Yes?” Rei asked.

“Are you ready to take care of the temple?” Usagi asked.

“Usagi…” Rei’s mouth gaped open.

“Rei, I mean, do you think you’ll be able to handle the workload?” she explained. “I know you’ve been essentially running the temple for the past few years.”

“I…. I don’t know,” she shook her head, “I guess I’ll find out sooner rather than later…” the buzzing of Rei’s phone cut off her words, eliciting a look of dread. She answered, “Yes?” Rei’s eyes tightened in, fighting the tears back, “I’ll be there as soon as possible!” Rei hung up, “I have to go, Grandfather is passing sooner than I thought!”

“Then I’m going with you, too,” Usagi said without hesitation as she stood to join Rei.

“This isn’t going to be pleasant.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Usagi replied, grabbing her purse, “Let’s catch the bus.”

The ride back to the temple soured Rei’s stomach, curdling what little she’d eaten all day.  Part of her hoped Grandpa would pass before her arrival to spare her the misery of watching him die, and every fiber of her felt like an awful granddaughter for entertaining such a thought. Each stop of the bus took agonizingly long, but they eventually reached the stop near the temple and took off running to Grandfather’s quarters.

As they reached his room, Yuichiro came out. “Rei, if you have anything to say, you might want to say it, quickly.” Her normally carefree friend stared with a haunted, serious mask.  “I’ll call the ambulance!” He bolted past her and Usagi. 

Rei ran into the room followed by Usagi. “Rei,” Grandpa’s breathing was labored, “come closer, please.” He beckoned with a skeletal finger.

Rei and Usagi dropped to their knees at his bedside, “I’m here!” Rei struggled to restrain tears.

“Rei, don’t feel obligated… to carry on… on my behalf…”

“Grandpa, I’m keeping the temple! It’s part of our family!”

“Sir, it’s in good hands!” Usagi added, tears dripping from her eyes.

“You’ve always been a good friend to my Rei,” he smiled at Usagi, “please, she’ll need you more than ever now!”

His breathing turned shallow and rapid. Rei realized it was now or never, “Grandfather, I need you to know…” she paused, weighing the consequences of revealing what she was about to, “… I’m Sailor Mars!  I’ve been since I was fourteen! I….”

Grandfather gave his last smile, “I’ve never been prouder of you…” his voice trailed off with a shallow gasp and his head flopped back on his pillow.

“Grandpa,” she shook his lifeless form, “GRANDPA!!!”

“Rei?!” she and Usagi turned with a shocked look at the doorway. Yuichiro stood there, staring at both of them like he was seeing something he shouldn’t have, “Is… that… true?!” Oh no!!! The girls had made a pact at a young age to never tell their families, much less their friends.  “Oh god,” he sank against the doorframe, coming down to his knees, “It is true, isn’t it!”

“You can’t tell anyone!” Usagi exclaimed.

“Yuichiro, please…”

“I won’t tell,” he shook his head, “I feel so blind. It all makes sense now!” He ran his fingers through his long brown hair. “But…” he looked at Usagi, “No… you are Sailor Moon!”

Rei and Usagi exchanged a troubled look. “No sense in denying it,” Usagi said, turning back to Yuichiro, “Please, you can’t tell…”

“You secret is safe with me!” he smiled through tears. “I should have seen it years ago.”

“We didn’t give ourselves away, did we?” Rei asked in a panic.

“No, but I always knew it was odd that you’d disappear when youma attacks happened. I was always imaging you as one of the Sailor Scouts,” he shrugged, “I guess, I wasn’t imaging things!”

“Yuichiro,” Usagi spoke again, “You have to promise you won’t tell anyone else, under any circumstances.”

“On one condition.”

“What’s that!” Rei demanded.

“Tell me the truth, are the others in your circle of friends?”

Rei bit her lip. She and Usagi were outed, but she had no idea how Ami, Minako, or Makoto would take it if she let it slip. “Yes,” Usagi answered for her.

“I don’t believe it,” he shook his head. 

“Our transformations make it difficult for people to recognize us, even people we know,” Rei explained.

“Rei,” he turned serious again, “the paramedics are on the way. I… I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize,” Rei’s eyes snapped shut and tears spilled, “Don’t… just… let me have a minute with Grandpa!”

Usagi placed a hand on Rei’s shoulders, “We’re here if you need us. We’ll wait outside.” Usagi stood and left the room with Yuichiro. 

Rei turned back to her Grandfather’s remains. “I’m so sorry that I never told you.” She took his lifeless hand, holding it. She continued to hold his hand and cried until the paramedics took him away. 

Yuichiro hated funerals. His first brush with death had been his maternal grandmother when he was only eight.  After that, his grandparents passed one by one until there were none remaining.  He thought as he got older that it would get easier, but funerals never did.  Saying permanent good-byes was always painful, even if the death was long in coming.

Unfortunately, it was the living he was most worried about. Rei, Usagi, Makoto, and Minako were all present, wearing black dresses for the occasion.  Rei in particular wore dark circles under her eyes, and the whites of both eyes were bloodshot from endless crying.  The walls of their quarters were paper-thin, and even her best efforts to muffle tears the last few nights had been futile.

He turned to the portrait of his master and teacher, beside his funerary urn.  He has four superheroes at his funeral, what better tribute could you think up? He felt the note cards in his pocket. While normally a memorial speech was given by a family member, Rei was in no condition to give a speech. Every attempt had resulted in her breaking down crying.  Lacking other options, he had volunteered for the deed in her place.

Another presence made the task all the more odious – Rei’s Father.  Up until today, Yuichiro had only ever seen Takashi Hino in photographs in the news or a magazine.  Rei kept no photos of the man. Even if she had been the sentimental type, he doubted Rei would have kept her father’s picture. Yuichiro knew the story from his sensei: Takashi Hino had been married to Risa Hino and abandoned her when she was dying of cancer while he was running for assemblyman for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.  Rei’s hatred of the man was worsened when one of his protegees feigned romantic interest in her to score points with Mr. Hino.  How does a man do that? How do you profess your love for someone, marry her, have a kid, and then abandon her when the going gets rough? What the hell happened to: “In sickness and in health!”

“Hello everyone,” Yuichiro stood before the portrait and urn, “I thank you for coming here. It would mean a lot to my sensei to see so many pay him tribute.” Yuichiro paused, throat constricting. “Today we say good-bye to one of the noblest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. He was not a perfect man but…” Yuichiro’s throat clamped against the words as tears slowly leaked from his eyes. He locked eyes with Rei’s violet eyes, also stained with tears. Be strong, if not for yourself, then for her! “… but he was a man that never gave up, and always tried to do the right thing – even when that was not a simple affair.”

He paused, wiping tears and clearing his throat. Just like when you were a musician, you’re now on stage. Don’t choke! “He leaves a strong legacy and big shoes to fill. It is altogether fitting that the granddaughter that he loved as much as his own daughter carry on his legacy and continue to serve her community at the shrine. Everyone,” he stared at Rei, Minako, Makoto, and Usagi, ready to kick himself for not seeing them as heroes sooner, “please, I ask that you lend her your full support in this difficult time of transition. Thank you!”

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

Yuichiro's words during the speech had been most kind, and Rei appreciated hearing them as she spoke to those offering their condolences. Unfortunately, at the end of the line of well-wishers, she could see Father. Oh, god! I've died and gone to hell!

Rei swallowed bile as the line shrank one person at a time. She considered pretending to be sick to get out of seeing the man. If he's at the end of the line, he's trying to ambush me into a conversation. "Hello, daughter," Father spoke in his usual saccharine politician's voice.

"You came to pay your respects, I hope," she didn't acknowledge him.

"Rei, while I'm sure your grandpa would appreciate you continuing his work, you need to think about your needs."

"I am," she replied short, without hesitation, "I am needed here, and I intend to maintain the family's shrine."

"Rei, the world has moved on; he's moved on!"

"My family has held this shrine since the days of the Shogunate," Rei hoped he'd take the mention of her family as the insult it was intended to be. "Just because times have changed doesn't mean that traditions come to their end!"

"Rei," he held up a hand, "I know you're upset, but there is no need to be emotional about this. The land the shrine is on is quite valuable, and it could set you up for life if you sold it, now."

"Upset…" hot tears spilled as her fists clenched, "… is what I was when you abandoned Mom to go play your little political games!" Rei spat forth hot breath like a dragon, hoping to immolate this caricature of a man. "Upset is what I've been for the last twenty year as you secretary sent flowers or a gift in your name on my birthday because you couldn't be bothered to show up!" Rei got in his face and locked eyes with him, wondering what part of her actually came from this monster, "So, tell me, old man, just what the hell am I feeling right now!"

Father raised his hand, getting ready to slap her cheek for her insolence. He'd been neglectful to the point that it killed Mom. Why wouldn't he be physically abusive, too. Rei didn't tense for the strike, nor did she expect her father's hand to be stopped in midair. "I wouldn't, sir!" She turned her gaze to see Yuichiro holding back her father's hand with a firm grip around the man's wrist.

"This is between me and my daughter!" Father growled in protest.

"Certainly sir," Yuichiro's voice became arrogant, dominant, all the things Rei didn't equate to him, "You wouldn't want to be seen assaulting a woman at her grandfather's funeral?"

"Listen to me!" he again growled.

"No, you listen to me," he held the man's wrist even tighter, "If you so much as lay a finger on her, I'll make sure the scandal hits the papers by morning!" That did get the other man's attention.

"And just who the hell are you, anyway!"

"Yuichiro Kumada," he answered solidly. First time he's ever said his family name like it was a point of pride.

"Kumada," Father shrank back, his arm dropping as Yuichiro released it, "As in Kumada Corps?"

"The same," he gave a short nod, "and my father is a good friend with the Governor of Tokyo. Certainly, anyone aspiring for election to the Diet would not wish to make enemies with the Governor!"

"Very well," Father straightened his suit, turned on his heels and left.

"Rei, are you all right?" Yuichiro asked innocently.

The words turned her stomach inside out. A small flicker of burning rage began overcoming her, "Yui… I don't need you to fight my battles for me!" she exclaimed.

"Rei, I wasn't trying… I…" his face became long and forlorn, "I'm sorry." He shook his head.

So am I! Rei didn't know what possessed her to snap; she fled the funeral home. Rei took off running, out the door, down the sidewalk, and away from anyone who knew her. She found a public park, collapsed on a bench, and began sobbing uncontrollably. She hated herself for rejecting Yuichiro. She hated Dad for his callousness. She hated the whole goddamn world for the mere fact that it still existed. She wanted everything and everyone to just go away.

After crying what felt like hours, Rei began walking, more like staggering, in the direction of the temple. She didn't care how far the walk was – she didn't want to be on a bus or cab. After walking at least an hour, she came up the block near the temple, passing a convenience store. Her eyes instantly turned to the bright lights and big windows. Her stroll came to a stop as her eyes fixated on the alcoholic beverage section.

She stood frozen. Don't do it girl! Don't do it! This is not a healthy way to deal with this! Rei entered the store, fetching her ID, and made for the wine selection. Don't do it… For fuck's sake, what am I supposed to do! Rei selected a large bottle of red wine with a screw top and made her purchase.

By the time Usagi reached the shrine, autumn night had already fallen. Rei hadn't answered her phone in the two weeks since the incident at the funeral home – not even answering texts. While Yuichiro verified Rei was still alive, he wasn't able to glean much more than Usagi. Rei was barely acknowledging him, and he reported finding a large number of empty wine bottles in the trash over the past few weeks. "Are you sure we should be doing this?" Luna asked as she trotted briskly to keep up with a speed-walking Usagi.

"Rei is our friend, Luna," Usagi shot back, "And while she may not appreciate it in the moment; I can't just stand by and not offer support! You remember how much support I needed when Mamoru and I broke up?"

"I remember," Luna sighed, remembering the terrible few months and the terrible level of discord it had caused for both the team and Usagi personally. Usagi had been stress eating throughout the affair, and there had been times she had entertained the idea of self-harm. By Mamoru's account, he'd been considering cutting himself multiple occasions, several times locking himself in a bathroom and quietly having a nervous breakdown, much as she did. All because neither of us had the maturity to talk to one another about what was going on.

What worried Usagi the most was Rei had become increasingly neglectful of the shrine, some days not leaving her room. Yuichiro was worried about Rei's health, and he thought Usagi might do a better job reaching out than he could. He'd also confided that he was feeling inadequate to stay at the shrine if Rei was intent on not talking to him ever again. He has packed his things, but he hadn't left.

The shrine grounds were dark, and the living quarters were unlit. Usagi, rather than flip on the lights instead activated her phone's light, allowing her to navigate the corridor to Rei's room. The room was empty. Think, where does she always go when needing guidance! Usagi took off for the shrine to the Sacred Flame.

"Flame, flame is light! Fire, fire is sight!" Rei chanted desperately. She still wore her black mourner's clothing. "Flame, flame is light! Fire, fire is sight!" Usagi could see tears sparkle in the flickering light of the sacred flame. "Flame, flame is light! Fire, fire is sight! COME ON, DAMN YOU!"

Usagi slowly walked up to behind Rei and placed a hand on her left shoulder, "Rei…"

"AHHH!" she screamed, jumping slightly away from both Usagi and fire's altar.

"I'm sorry if I scared you!" Usagi apologized.

"Goddammit!" Rei buried her face in her knees. "Some priestess and seer I am! I couldn't even sense a klutz like you walking in!" She continued to sob.

"I mean, I admit I'm quite the klutz, but I have my ninja moments," Usagi tried for levity.

"Usagi!" Rei brought her face up from her knees, tears glimmering in the firelight. "The Sacred Flame!" the words choked in her throat.

"Rei, what about the Sacred Flame?" Usagi asked, concerned.

"I can't—" she shook her head, "I can't see anything in it anymore!"

"Rei, you've gone through one of the worst emotional traumas anyone can endure," Usagi knelt beside Rei, and Luna walked up beside Rei as well.

"She's right, Rei," Luna added, "You always said it took supreme concentration to see anything in the flames. You need time to heal before you try again!"

"I need to see him!" Rei cried, "I need to see grandpa!"

Luna and Usagi exchanged troubled stares. "Rei, not now." She patted her friend on the back.

"Then when!" she screeched in reply.

Rei never mentioned being able to commune with the dead through the flames. Why would she think suddenly that she could. "I don't know," Usagi spoke honestly, "I can't tell you, but the Sacred Flame must sense something is not right if it won't help."

"I feel so stupid, Usagi!" Rei again wailed.

"Rei," Usagi placed a hand at her friend's cheek, "you are one of the smartest people I know, except maybe for Ami or Mamoru! I can't imagine what you're going through." He might have been her grandfather, but he was more a father that her actual father. Usagi tasted lemon in her mouth at the thought of Mr. Hino. She couldn't fathom how screwed up the man's priorities were. He should be the one here comforting his daughter. Instead, he's talking a real estate deal when her grandfather's ashes haven't even cooled! "Look, at least you'll never be dumb as I am!"

The attempt at self-depreciating humor was what was needed. Rei laughed through tears at the absurd statement. "There is, always that!" Rei's crying slowed but did not stop.

"You going to be okay this evening?" Usagi asked. "I could stay or you could come to my parents' house."

"I'll be fine," Rei's voice suggested deception or uncertainty, "really. I think… I think I need to be alone for a bit!"

Against her better judgement, Usagi nodded, "Okay. But, call me in the morning, okay?"

"Will do," Rei replied. Still uneasy, Usagi left the shrine.

Usagi hadn't been gone ten minutes before the deafening silence of the living quarters began closing in around Rei, crushing her slowly in a Boa Constrictor's embrace. Part of her wished she had taken up Usagi on her offer. However, Rei was not feeling like having nor being company in her current state. Unfortunately, the exhaustion of a few sleepless night and the emotional toll father had taken on her at the funeral wore to the bone, but she couldn't shut her mind off. Grandfather is gone, live in the now! Should I have taken father up on the offer? How can you be so selfish as to even consider that offer!

Rei needed to shut out the voices in her mind. She wanted her brain to shut up. She wanted the world to just leave her the fuck alone so she could wallow in peace. She walked to the bathroom, checked her reflection in the mirror, and froze. Rei's violet eyes were shaded crisscrossed with red, angry blood vessels from too little sleep and too much stress. Not to mention, you've been downing a bottle of wine every night or so. As she stared, her image changed; her face became sunken and withered.

The image was horrible enough that Rei actually screamed, jumping back from the sink. As adrenaline kicked in, her eyes fixed on her reflection, now entirely normal. Rei cautiously approached the mirror, scrutinizing every detail of the mirror and her reflection. Dammit, I am losing it!

She needed to sleep, but now sleep was anywhere but here. Rei ran back to her room, changed into street clothes, and made for the bus stop. She rode into the nearby commercial district, finding a convenience stop blazing with bright fluorescent and neon in the otherwise dark of the night. Rei took several deep breaths, entered the store, and made for the section holding alcoholic drinks.

Rei didn't remember what her selection process was, she didn't remember paying the clerk, and she didn't remember the bus ride home. At the very least, she must have put some thought into choosing a bottle of wine that had a screw top and didn't need a corkscrew. She broke the seal and stared into the faint pink liquid. Don't do it! This won't help a goddamn thing.

The mouth of the bottle came to her mouth and down came a sizable gulp of the cheap, tart, wine. Like a protective seal breaking, her doubt faded and she took a second swig of the liquid, then a third.

Rei paused before taking her fourth mouthful, easily having down three drink's worth of alcohol in just a few minutes. By her fourth gulp, Rei could at least sense the earliest signs of intoxication – the light fuzziness surrounding her head, the dulling of her senses. Girl, STOP! The alarm bells in her head did not dissuade her. She wanted oblivion. She wanted her senses to dull. She wanted the world to go away.

The bottle came up again, but Rei must have missed her mouth partially. The was the sensation of the cool liquid running down the front of her outfit. Everything moved in slow motion and the room seemed to move out of sync with her head and her eyes. She felt numb, cold, and the first wave of nausea began to hit. OH GOD! She dropped the bottle with a loud, dull clatter on the ground, crawling through the cold liquid as she felt her stomach turn inside out. Goddammit, the bathroom isn't far, move! She scrambled uncoordinated across the ground, barely reaching the toilet as she hurled up foul liquid that smelt of cheap wine. A second wave hit, and again she vomited.

The bus ride back to the shrine weighed heavily on Yuichiro. After checking in with Usagi, his nerves weren't steadied in the least. On one hand, He cared deeply about Rei and had made a promise to her grandfather. On the other hand, he also had to ask himself if it still was a problem for him to be involved with – Rei had given him the cold shoulder the last two weeks more or less.

What few personal belongings were pack and ready to go, but he remained reluctant to take the last step of leaving. Dude, you might like her, but you have to accept she'll never see you the same way. Stop kicking yourself over it! You can't keep putting your life on hold hoping she'll change her mind!

The next step left him even more lost than Sensei's death. While Rei had understandably been withdrawn the past two weeks, she'd been outright cold to him since sensei's death. Usagi had called once or twice, as had Makoto. Each time, he had to make excuses that Rei wasn't available. In reality, Rei had shut herself in her room, crying at all hours of the day and night.

Yuichiro was at a true loss. Rei barely spoke to him, and the thought of suggesting counseling would not likely be well received. The bus reached the stop and he disembarked, walking the lonely grounds of the temple. Without sensei, the place felt empty. Who are you kidding, without Rei, this place has no soul, no hope! You're about to be a piss-poor friend and ruin this place and her because you can't get your head out of your ass! He couldn't leave, not unless he wanted this sacred place to turn into an apartment building.

He nodded, bracing for an unpleasant conversation. Rei needed help, and leaving now would be beyond negligent. After he was sure she was stable, he could finally make the decision to leave with his head held high. He opened the door to the living quarters, and immediately heard the unmistakable sound of someone wrenching. Rei!

With lightning haste, he sprinted, almost slipping on the pool of cheap wine pour out over the floor. As he came past the restroom, Yuichiro saw Rei slumped over the toilet, hurling her guts up. "REI!" he rushed to her side, kneeling beside her. Long, smelly strings of saliva and vomit dropped from her mouth and into the toilet.

Yuichiro froze as dark events he'd never told Rei or anyone else about played out before his eyes. His last girlfriend, back when he'd been on tour as a musician, had been a closet drug addict and an alcoholic. For about a year, she'd kept it well-hidden, or he'd turned a blind eye to what he was seeing. When he finally confronted her, they had broken up that same night. The next day, she'd been found dead in her apartment, having swallowed a full bottle of sleeping pills and drank half a bottle of vodka. "Rei," he took her face in his hands, panic overwhelming him, "tell me you didn't take anything else!"

"No…" she gurgled.

"Rei, how much of the wine did you drink?!"

"About… half, hic!" She lurched over, "OH GOD!" she hurled again into the nearby toilet bowl.

Yuichiro recoiled slightly from the smell, but he remained at her side. She's still talking, still awake, and still able to throw up. If she only drank half a bottle of wine she's probably not in danger. Even still, he debated about calling paramedics. And give her father the excuse he'd need to have her institutionalized? The nightmare scenario of her being locked up in a hospital and her father manipulating a judge into granting him power of attorney over the shrine in the meantime rang loud as a cursed temple bell. "Let it out, Rei," Yuichiro rubbed her shoulders, "let it all out!"

This time, wails of tears came from Rei instead of vomit. There wasn't anything left to do but rub her shoulders and let her let everything out. He didn't know how long he knelt with her on the bathroom floor – and hour, a minute—but the episode seemed to pass. "Y-Yui…" she moaned.

"I'm here, Rei," he assured her, "I'm here for you, Rei."

"I'm sorry," she moaned.

"Rei, you didn't take anything? Pills? Coke? Other drugs?" he demanded.

"No," she shook her head and croaked.

Reasonably confident in her answer, Yuichiro got up from the ground, turned on the sink, and cupped water into his hands. "Rei, rinse out your mouth." He held out his hands. She greedily accepted the water and spat out into the toilet again.

"Oh god," she groaned, "I do not feel good…"

He knelt beside her, "Yeah, I have to guess you'll be nursing one hell of a hangover in the morning…"

She cut off his words, grabbing him by a fistful of his shirt, and burying her face into his shoulder, "I'm so sorry!" she squealed.

"Rei, it's okay" he put his arms around her, cautious not to be too clingy.

"IT'S NOT OKAY!" she wailed, squeezing him in a vice grip, "It's not okay!" she now whimpered.

Yuichiro now embraced her a little more confident, stroking fingers through her silken, if frazzled, hair. "Rei, we're going to stay up for a bit, you and me."

"O-okay…" she sobbed.

"You're going to stay awake; we're going to sit on the couch in the living room."

"And what?" she stared up at him incredulous.

"And do any damn thing you want except fall asleep!" he protested. "If you pass out before you're sober, I'm calling paramedics. Otherwise, watch tv, talk to me, stare at the wall, cry, but you do not fall asleep until I'm convinced that you'll live through the night!"

"H-help me up." It took some effort, but he was able to get her to her feet. Although, she was unsteady the whole walk to the couch. They both plopped down, and only then did the adrenaline begin to ease off a bit.

"All, right we're here," he said, "Now, what do you want to do?"

"Yui…" his name hung on her throat, "hold me!" She hugged herself to him. He helped shift her so that she was now sitting on his lap, arms around her upper body. She cried for what felt like hours, but it was probably minutes. He continued to stroke her hair. "You must have been really good at this with your other girlfriends," she finally moaned, sounding more lucid.

"I only had one," he shook his head, "and no, I wasn't particularly good at this with her."

"Liar," she laughed through tears.

"I wish," he shook his head.

"What was she like?" Rei asked.

"Rei, this is not the time…"

"You said anything," she raised an unsteady index finger, "URP! Please, tell me! I'm curious!"

"She was beautiful…" he began with caution.

"Prettier than me?" she asked.

"I wouldn't say that," he shook his head.

"Bigger breasts?"

"Don't think so!" he protested.

"Obviously, you two had sex. So, what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why did she let a guy like you get away?" her speech was only mildly slurred.

"Rei…"

"I'm sorry…" she shifted wiping away tears, "It's not fair to ask."

"She died, Rei," he told her. "She overdosed on sleeping pills and alcohol one night."

"Well, now I feel like an asshole," she deflated, wiping more tears.

"It was a fair question, and a situation I'd like to not repeat."

"What do you mean?"

"We broke up over her addiction. I wanted her to get help, she refused. I left. She was found dead the next morning."

"That's awful!"

"Yeah, it was," he left unsaid the contents of her suicide note – at least what was thought to be a suicide note. She'd very clearly been writing it in the process of drinking and swallowing sleeping pills. The now deceased ex had called him a killjoy who didn't know how to have a good time. She really didn't give a clear reason why she went ahead as her writing became less and less coherent until it became illegible as well. "Being questioned after the fact was probably one of the scariest things I'd ever dealt with," he shrugged, "Aside from coming in and finding you sacrificing to the porcelain god."

"I'm sorry I scared you!" she clung to him, probably not understanding what effect she was having on him. Oh god, if she gets any closer, I'm going to die! His heart ran away in his chest.

"It's fine, Rei!"

"What else… do you want to talk about?"

"You, okay?"

"Just tired," she yawned. "Come on, or I will fall asleep!"

A quick check of the watch indicated roughly an hour had passed since he'd found Rei bent over the toilet, covered in cheap wine and vomit. She's stable, and not likely to crash. All the same, he wasn't ready to stop talking. "Why didn't you send me away, Rei?"

"What do you mean?" she tilted her head, perplexed.

By the time Yuichiro asked, "Why didn't you send me away, Rei," the worst of the alcoholic fog was lifting. Nevertheless, Rei still had the sensation of having her head covered by a fishbowl.

"What do you mean?" she leaned her head to the side, cocking up an eyebrow.

"I might have put two and two together," he said, "The girls and you transformed here a lot back in the day. I'm guessing that is what you all gather for here when you do your "Self-defense class." What if I'd found out?"

She rested her head on his chest as she pondered the question. He doesn't have a bad body. Rei's mind tumbled to when she'd dated Mamoru for a short while. It hadn't been much of a relationship, just a friendship that toed over the line for a short while. After he broke up with Usagi, she'd come to hate Mamoru for a long time. "I don't know," she sighed into his chest, "I'd… I'd always figured you weren't the type to blab."

"I'm not," Yuichiro assured.

"I appreciate it."

"What if I found out?"

"I'm glad you did," she blurted out.

"You're… glad…"

With no filter, she opened, "Yuichiro, I've kept that secret all my teen years and all my adult life! I hated having to hide it from Grandpa…"

"Why did you? He would have understood?"

"And imagine if he'd let slip to my dad on accident," she stared up at him from his chest, coming up eye to eye with him. "Imagine how badly he'd exploit it!" She shook her head, "I have such crap taste in men!"

"Rei…"

"My dad's protegee led me on to score brownie points with my dad!" she growled. "Mamoru was never meant for me," she sank onto his chest again, feeling strangely warm and safe. Girl, you're drunk! He'd never go for you! "Hell, I've never really kissed a guy!"

"That's not true," he protested, "you gave me a peck on the cheek once!"

Rei remembered – shortly after they'd met. Grandfather had been possessed by a youma. Yuichiro, despite being new to the temple and not having powers, helped fight off the Youma until Rei and Usagi could purge the demon from Grandfather. Her eyes looked up at him from his chest. You're drunk, don't do it! Rei ignored her inner critic and covered his mouth with hers. He moaned in surprise. So, this is what La-La Suckfaceland is like! She withdrew, laughing at the absurdity of the situation. "Rei… you just kissed me!" his mouth hung down.

"Yeah," some awkwardness crept into her voice, "that's bad, right?" She'd messed up, bad. She'd never tell him, but Rei did find Yuichiro attractive, had fought it for years. And now you just blurted it out. Way to scare another one off!

"I mean, no, but… Rei, what… what caused this?"

"I'm tired, Yuichiro, tired of being alone, tired of being abandoned." She cried. "I'm tired of being a complete bitch like my father!"

"Whoa, Rei, you most certainly are not a "B"!" he was almost cute with his protest. He took her hand, "Rei, I know you got a lot going on right now, but I can't keep this temple going if you aren't there!"

I can't keep going without you here! "You're right," she shook her head, "I've been nothing but selfish…"

"You're mourning, Rei," he cut her off, "there is nothing selfish about it!"

"You're the one person who has actually cared for me, aside from my grandfather and mother, and they're both dead! I've treated you like a nobody for so long!" she sobbed into his shoulder.

"You've hardly treated me like a nobody," he again put his arms around her, one of his hands slowly began stroking through her hair.

"Do you like me?" Rei blurted, bracing for him to tell her that ship had sailed.

"I do, Rei," Yuichiro replied, "But I know what you've been through, too," he nodded. "I know you're don't feel the same…"

"Says who?" she asked, looking up at him again, directly in the eyes.

"Rei…" a thousand words were dammed up behind his eyes, "… I'd much rather have this conversation when I know it is you and not the booze talking."

She flopped her down on his chest, "Fair enough," she sighed. "Can I go to sleep yet?"

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Fuzzy, if that makes sense."

"Makes perfect sense," he replied. "I suppose it's all right."

Rei didn't recall if he said anything further. Her eyelids became like marble, and everything went dark.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

The thundering drone of a hangover greeted Rei, along with the too bright sun coming in through the windows, as she awoke on the living room couch. Her head throbbed, her body ached all over, and her gut burned like she'd drank a vat of radioactive waste. Hammers further assaulted her skull as she sat up. That's your brain contemplating its own stupidity! She braced herself upright on the couch, head spinning as she got vertical. "Oh god!" she moaned.

"You're awake," Yuichiro's voice caused her a mild jump scare.

"Oh god, I've died and gone to hell," she buried her face in her hands as the memories of last night flooded back. Right now, she just wanted to fall back on the couch and die.

She felt his hand on her shoulder, "Probably not the last time, now here!" He thrust a glass of red liquid in front of her.

"What the hell is this?" she asked.

"Tomato juice," he opened his other palm, "and two aspirin."

Rei greedily seized the aspirin and took two large gulps of tomato juice. She winced as she swallowed – she wasn't a fan of tomato juice. Penance for bad behavior! She continued to sip the semi-sour, pulpy liquid slowly. "Yuichiro, I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asked.

"For everything last night," she shook her head, resting the cool glass of juice on her raging forehead.

"It's fine Rei," he raised his hands in protest and resignation, "we can just forget it happened."

Oh great, here is where you've already scared him off! Desperation to salvage something of her life crashed down on Rei. "What if I don't want to forget?" she asked. She froze, hardly believing she'd asked the question.

"Rei?" Yuichiro creased his forehead and brown in confusion.

"Listen… this isn't easy for me…" she stared into the glass of red liquid, feeling pathetic and weak. "Yuichiro, please…"

"Please?"

"Please don't leave me," she shook her head, some tears leaking from her eyes. The words poured out like a glass breaking, "I don't think I can keep it together without you!"

"Rei, I…" he braced the way she'd expect a man about to take a kick to the balls might, "… was any of last night for real?"

Rei again stared into the red liquid at the bottom of her glass. There had been something about last night that felt real. "Some… maybe all…" she shook her head against a still thundering ache, "listen, I think this a conversation best held after the hangover passes." She chugged the remaining juice.

"Fair enough," he said with a degree of understanding she didn't expect. Rei would have to ask Usagi what it was like in her time with Mamoru early on. "Will you need me to tell the public that you are off today?"

"No," she shook her head and stood, mildly dizzy. "I need to get my head back in the game. Let me shower and get dressed first."

Yuichiro nodded, "Got it, I'll get things set up while you get ready."

The autumn morning air remained warm as Yuichiro greeted guests, answered questions, and prayed with them at the shrine. Rei, meanwhile, manned the shrine's store, selling charms for health, fertility, and prosperity among other things. As he finished praying with the most recent group, Yuichiro could hardly believe how much time had passed since he'd started here years earlier.

Unfortunately, two figures approaching in black suits with black sunglasses set him on edge. They looked like private security, and only one person he knew of able to afford private security would come here – Takashi Hino. As the men closed with him, Yuichiro feigned ignorance, "You gentlemen wish to pray?"

"Mr. Kumada, our employer would like to have a word, please," the man spoke deadpan. At least he said, "Please." Despite the pleasantries, Yuichiro knew the request was not meant to be a request.

"All right, I have a few minutes," he said cheerful, hoping to unnerve the men a bit. Neither appeared armed – not that armed security was common in Japan. Even the police frequently did not carry firearms. They aren't here to put you face down in an alley. This is just a show of force. "Lead the way," he held out a hand.

The men led him out of the temple and to the gate leading up to the shrine. A black limousine waited at the curb outside the gate. "If you'll please inform your employer, I do not have time to take a drive," Yuichiro spoke with an authority he rarely used. "Ask him to meet me here."

The two men exchanged wordless stares. One finally called into the wrist microphone of a radio, "Sir, he wishes to speak out in the open, where he stands."

Several seconds passed, and the door to the limo opened, and Mr. Hino exited. Yuichiro sized the man up. He was average height and build, he had dark black hair slicked back, hiding the earliest signs of both grey and thinning of his hair. The man's face was stony and chiseled. Not even wearing a mask of a smile. "Mr. Kumada," Mr. Hino bowed slightly.

"Mr. Hino," he returned the bow, not taking eyes off his opponent. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"Have you seen my daughter? I've been trying desperately to contact her."

"Rei has been unwell the past several days; she's only just showing signs of getting better." Yuichiro didn't elaborate.

"Then may I see her?"

"I don't believe she's ready to talk business. If you have a message, I'd be happy to relay it." Yuichiro smiled, hoping it annoyed the man to his core.

Swirling anger burned behind the man's obsidian eyes, "Tell her the developer is offering two billion for the shrine property."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"The land developer seeking to buy the shrine, didn't she tell you?"

"No," Yuichiro shook his head.

"They offered a billion a few weeks ago, now they are offering double!" The other man growled. "Clearly you can understand how big a deal that is!"

Two billion yen, roughly thirteen million US dollars. Rei could live comfortably off of that for years, maybe even for life if she lived conservatively. Why didn't she tell me? Yuichiro mulled the thought over. Rei very well could have been considering selling out, just waiting for the right price. Or maybe she was scared you might get ideas in your head about that kind of money. Maybe she was scared her father would do exactly what he's doing right now – trying to leverage you. "I can, sir, but Rei has not said a word about it. As far as I can tell, she has no intention of selling at any price."

"Mr. Kumada, the property developer looking to buy this shrine is not to be trifled with."

"Neither is Rei," he shook his head.

"If it is a matter of your personal enrichment…"

"My enrichment or lack thereof has nothing to do with Rei's decision!" Yuichiro raised his voice. "I will happily pass on your message to Rei, but do not expect me to influence her decision-making!" He bowed as courtesy demanded, "If you don't mind, I have a shrine to maintain!" He stormed off, leaving the other man speechless.

Rei knew things were bad as soon as she retreated to the living quarters after closing the shrine and cleaning up for the evening. At least, the worst of the hangover was gone. On the other hand, Yuichiro sat on the couch of the living room with a look of seriousness he'd rarely displayed in the years they'd known each other, "Rei, we need to talk."

Shit, here is where he's decided to leave because he's uncomfortable around you. You just had to get shitfaced drunk and make a first-class fool out of yourself! "Okay, talk," she said, sitting on the couch, careful to keep some distance between them.

"Your father came by the shrine today…" Crap, could this day get any worse! "… and he asked me to relay a message."

"What message?" she leaned her head sideways.

"The property developer is offering two billion yen for the Shrine." He paused, clearly looking for more words, "Are you seriously considering selling the shrine?"

"No!" she recoiled, "Hell no!"

"Well, that's a relief," he sighed, shoulders sagging in relief "Why the hell are they offering that much?"

"Premier real estate in Tokyo," Rei shrugged. "Even with sometimes stagnant economics, property in a major metro area does tend to be costly."

"Two-billion-yen worth?"

"If they make an apartment complex out of it, they could make many times that back," she replied.

"Possibly," he shook his head, "but why in the hell would they want the shrine, much less double their offer out of nowhere?"

Why indeed? Most companies would sit on the offer, waiting for the other side to fold. "I don't know," she shook her head, "motivated buyer?" She shrugged, "They would have to fight the zoning commission to change the property usage." Gears in Rei's head began slowly turning, and she didn't like what was coming out, "Do you think my father is trying to pull a fast one?"

"Maybe," Yuichiro rubbed at his chin, "he seemed pretty insistent that you accept the offer. That part worries me."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"If he's trying to commit some kind of fraud, there may be others working with him or controlling him," Yuichiro said grim and low, "dangerous people."

"Yui, listen to yourself…" Rei said, initially dismissive. Is he really batting that far out into left field? Father abandoned your mom as she was dying of cancer. He abandoned you for all intents and purposes. Is it really that far of a stretch that he'd start doing something illegal if it meant furthering his ambitions? The realization and acceptance hit like a brick wall, "Ah, shit!" She buried her face in hand, on the brink of tears.

"Rei, for what it's worth, I'm sorry." While the words offered little comfort, Rei was glad Yuichiro had said them. Unlike Father, whose only apologies were ever empty ones!

Thinking about Father's deficiencies as a parent sent Rei over the edge. "How did I ever come from such a complete son of a bitch!" she began crying into her hands. Thankfully Yuichiro put his arms around her, anticipating her knees giving out.

"You came from your mom," he held her, "and your grandfather. Your dad was just a sperm donor as far as I'm concerned."

Rei continued to cry as she melted into Yuichiro's chest, "All I ever wanted… was for the dirty bastard to say he loved me… that he was proud of me!" She sobbed as the disappointment of her life began spilling out. "I've never wanted anything else in life, but no one loves me!"

"That isn't true," Yuichiro tilted her head back, staring with fierce intensity "your grandfather loved you very much!" The look in Yuichiro's eyes softened, betraying the words unspoken: "And so do I!"

Rei's heart fluttered. She knew for years how he felt, and she'd closed him off, with rare, exceptional moments. And this moment isn't rare or exceptional? He's the first and only man to be supportive of you that wasn't Grandpa. "Y-Yuichiro…" she whimpered.

"Yeah, Rei?"

"Kiss me," she blurted the words like a seal breaking, followed by the embarrassment of having made the request.

"A-are you sure?" he stammered, cheeks tinged with pink.

Rei remembered that fleeting moment of warmth from the night before, the same sensation she'd had when he held her just now, "Yes," she brought her hands up to his face, placing them on his cheeks, "please… I want this! I want to feel normal for once in my life!"

He pulled her closer, and his lips joined to hers. The kiss was only a second or two, but it left Rei tingling all over. He drew back, eyeing her again, and he rejoined their lips. Rei pressed her body to his, no longer ashamed by an act she'd written off. So, this is what it is like, Usagi. I can see why you and Mamoru do this so often! He pulled back at the end of the second kiss, "Rei, where is this going?" Yuichiro asked breathless and panting.

"Wherever we take it," Rei said, fidgeting, "I want to feel this! I want to actually be living life, not pretending to be the good little girl everyone wants me to be!" Rei snatched him by the collar, brought his lips back to hers, and pressed his lips apart. Rei traced her tongue over his, savoring the giddy head rush and the sudden increase in the room's temperature. They separated again, and both let out deep, panting breaths, "Wow!" she heaved.

"Rei," he too, heaved, "we should stop!"

"Why?" she protested.

"If we don't, I'm going to have a hard time staying in control!"

"Fuck it!" she exclaimed, planting a kiss so firm that Rei fell back onto the arm of the couch and Yuichiro sprawled over her. "I don't want to stay in control!" she continued to kiss, sucking first his bottom lip, then the top. Her hands ran up and down his back, and he was holding her close, massaging her shoulders in small, tight circles, easing the tension of being wound up for weeks.

The contact of lips, bodies, and hands took Rei out of this world. The room was flashing over, and she could sense moisture in her womanhood. She was hungry, horny, and she didn't feel much like breaking this off to go and masturbate. Girl, this is stupid! You're just going to get hurt again! Her worries fell on deaf ears. If this was the only time she'd ever feel this, she wanted to revel in every last microsecond; she wanted to take it as far as it could go.

Yuichiro was in heaven, making out with Rei on the couch of the living quarters. He'd fantasized about doing this for years, and now, he was actually here. Oh gods, I'm dreaming! I'm having a very naughty dream right now! He leaned over top of her, sucking at her bottom lip, then down her chin, and began suckling her neck. His hands meanwhile continued to massage tight circles around her back.

"Ahh…AAHHH… HAAA!" Rei's moans filled his head as he nibbled along her neck. Carnal desire flooded his mind, imagining himself nibbling over every centimeter of Rei's body. Down boy! It's not like this is going to turn into sex! Rei's panting and her fingers running through his hair cast serious doubt about his conviction.

Continued for probably a half hour, but it felt like seconds. Rei pushed him back gently but force fully. "Wait," she signaling the end to the party, or so he thought. Rei eyed him as she sat up. She then stood up, took him by the wrists, and said, "Come!" Still fuzzy from making out with the raven-haired sex goddess, Yuichiro clumsily followed as he dragged her down the hallway to her room. She slid the door aside and began dragging him toward the bed – her bed. This isn't real, this is not happening! Rei paused reluctance in her eyes as she eyed her bed and then him. Here is where things get awkward! "D-do you have a condom?"

The question was awkward, but not as awkward as her having second thoughts. He did, in fact, have one in his pocket. He nodded, "Rei, are you sure this is what you want?" His feet turned into blocks of ice.

"Is there any going back from what we've done thus far?" she asked.

"I… I don't think so," he didn't know how to answer. Even if they could put a stopper on the genie bottle, there was no putting things back the way they had been before.

"Then why not take things all the way?!" He still couldn't believe the words were coming from her mouth.

"I want to be sure it is what you want," he took her hands, feeling himself shiver. My god, she actually wants this?! "Rei, if we do this, I'm going to become very possessive of you. Can you live with that?" As much as he wanted it, Yuichiro didn't want to become her greatest regret.

"I'd rather live with someone being possessive of me," she squeezed his hands in return, "than be neglected by anyone else!" She stared with her beautiful violet eyes. "Yuichiro, please, I want this with you, and you alone!" she pleaded.

"There are risks to doing this…"

"I'm on the pill," she cut him off. "I'm pretty sure we have better odds of getting struck by lightning," she guided his hands to her chest. The soft mounds of her breasts under his hands and fingers brought reality back into focus. Had he not already been hard, the sensation of her breasts under his fingers would have made him like steel. She's not looking for personal space. This is the greenest green light you'll ever get! His heart began accelerating like a runaway train.

"How would you like to do this?" he massaged her chest, incredulous that her hand wasn't slapping him across the face for such intimate contact. I'm touching Rei's boobs! And Rei actually wants to have sex… sex with me! The thought was impossible after years of waiting, but the situation nevertheless had arrived – ready or not.

"You're the one that had a significant other before," her cheeks were bright red as he massaged, and she shuddered lightly. Her thumbs slowly made circles on the backs of his hands as he continued to paw at her bust. "I've only read trashy romance novels!" she moaned slightly, "I'm pretty sure they weren't realistic!"

He brought his hands off her chest, bringing her hands to his lips in the process. He kissed her fingers, "Rei, tell me what you want. I want this to be about how you want to feel!"

"I want to feel what Usagi feels when she kisses Mamoru," she traced a hand along his cheek. "I want to feel what Makoto and Minako have felt when they've taken lovers! I want to believe that maybe there is more to life than just being alive!" She pulled him in and they kissed. Yuichiro began running fingers through her silk black hair. His knees must have given out; they were now sitting on the bed. "Yui… Please! I want this!"

Rei sprawled backwards, grasping the collar of his undershirt though his priest garment. Yuichiro's lips migrated down her neck, moving across, ear to ear. Rei panted and squirmed, grasping at her white robe and pulling it askew, revealing her undershirt. Yuichiro slid a hand under the shirt, gently massaging and caressing around her toned belly. Rei squirmed and undulated. "Don't stop! Don't stop!" she panted and whined. The words were a heavenly fantasy come to life.

The hand slid off to the side, down along her hip, and he squeezed his fingers around her right buttocks. Rei let out a minor scream, and Yuichiro panicked, "Too much?!"

"No, no!" she protested, "It's just, no one has ever touched me like this…" Rei panted, staring him in the eyes, and her shocked expression morphed into a grin, "Do it again!" You don't need to ask me twice! His left hand again squeezed the rounded mass of her rump. Squeezing turned to massage ranging from a faint, teasing caresses to firm squeezes, working her glutes back and forth. "Ahhh…ahhh…" she moaned and shivered. My lady, I never knew you had such a fine ass! You really are a goddess!

Rei again snaked hands up his arms to his chest and eventually up to his collar. She pulled open his robe and massaged his chest through his undershirt. She gripped handful between her fingers, "You're wearing too damn much!" she moaned as she dragged at material until his upper robe and undershirt were discarded. Her hands began tracing over exposed skin throughout his chest, stomach, back, and arms. His kisses meanwhile moved further down her neck reaching to top of her left collarbone.

His naughty hand snuck back up from her butt, to her stomach beneath her shirt, and began dragging up the simple cotton undershirt. "Last chance to back out," he teased as the shirt moved upward, and his hand grazed the underside of her bra. If it doesn't stop here, it won't stop!

She seized the hand and drove it upward toward her right breast, pushing the bottom of the shirt over her bra, showing her cleavage. "If you stop, I'm going to be very upset with you!" Rei scolded.

He smirked in return, "I guess we can't have that!" His hands came under the shirt and the undershirt came up and over her head and arms. Rei again lay with her arms spread overhead, and her hair loose and spread over her pillow. Wasting no time, he planted his lips on the tops of her breasts with suckling kisses and playful teasing of his tongue.

"Oh god!" Rei yelled as her breathing quickened and her chest rose and fell. Rei moaned, reaching behind her back as her body undulated. Yuichiro sensed the release of tension as Rei slid her bra off, exposing her bare breasts to him for the first time.

"Rei?" he stared in shock at her respectable sized breasts, now completely uncovered.

Rei pointed to her right nipple, perky after all the attention he'd given the rest of her breasts. "Hurry, before they fall down!" He lowered his mouth, letting warm breath spill over her breast, and he began to flick the nipple back and forth with short swipes of his tongue. "Faster! Harder!" She exclaimed breathless as her hips rose up and down from the mattress with every playful flick.

"Yes, ma'am!" he wasted no time, stroking his tongue over the nipple with swift, firm movements. Lips sucked and his tongue lapped down from her breast, into her cleavage, back up to the opposite breast, and he resumed teasing the opposite nipple.

Rei writhed back and forth, moaning his name and a breathless, "Yes!" on repeat. It went on for a countless stretch of time, Yuichiro noticing the sun had set as he worked his way back up to her lips for the moment. I could do this all night and not get tired! "Y-Yuichiro!" she moaned.

"Yes?" he paused, staring into her wide, violet eyes deep with concern.

She seized his hand by the wrist and guided it down under the waist band of her skirt, under the elastic band of her panties, and finally over her mound. "Touch me!" He hesitated for a moment, fingers only tracing over the outer lips and the curls of hair. "Silly boy, you really got to get in there!" Rei gripped the waistbands of both her skirt and underwear and shucked both downward past her knees and then her ankles. Without missing a beat, she spread her folds with her fingers and began touching herself, minor screams came from her mouth as fingers moved back and forth in rapid succession.

"Rei… did you just masturbate?" he felt like a total idiot for asking the obvious.

Her fingers were still within her folds, and she was turning red in embarrassment. "Y-yeah, I did…"

"It's been long time," he brought his index finger between her moistened folds, testing her reaction. Rei simply nodded and closed her eyes. He stroked back and forth, finding the now swollen pleasure nub, "… since I've done this."

"Oh yeah!" Rei opened her eyes, "MORE!" She opened her legs further and she drove her head back into her pillow, head thrashing side to side as he pleasured her. This can't be real! I must be having one hell of an erotic dream right now! Yuichiro blinked several times, still finding Rei naked and splayed out like the sex goddess he dreamed of. His hand was still touching her soaked womanhood. Well, if this is a dream, might as well have fun with it!

He moved back and forth, side to side, and circling her clitoris. Each tease elicited a pleasured moan and her writhing back and forth, no longer ashamed of being nude in front of him. His lips kissed along her stomach and the sides of her hips. Feeling more comfortable now, the hand migrated down toward her entrance and he slid his middle finger within her, meeting virtually no resistance. He curled the finger upward, and Rei shook her head side to side more slowly. He withdrew the finger and resumed toying with her clitoris. Her hips bucked up and down, and she finally screamed in orgasm.

For a few seconds afterwards, they just stared at each other, incredulous at what they had just done. Rei laid back, stunned at everything. She stared down, seeing his hand still over her womanhood, and then back to his eyes. And here is where she says she wants to stop… "Why the hell are you still wearing pants?!" she chided.

Yuichiro took the unexpected hint, pulled the condom from his pocket, and quickly finished the process of disrobing. He couldn't help but notice a smile from Rei as she saw him naked for the first time. As he tore the condom wrapper, Rei lay with legs splayed open. "Rei, this might hurt," he said as he rolled on the condom.

"I broke it a long time ago, indulging in self-love," she laughed, "Right now the only thing you could do to hurt me is hold bac!"

The invite pushed his doubts to the side. Yuichiro lay over her in between her legs and pressed gently but firmly until he felt himself slip inside her body. His lips curled in satisfaction, and he closed his eyes, savoring the sensation of her warmth encasing his length. If I never get to do this again, I will die happy. If I get to do this again, I'll never tire of it.

"So, that's what it feels like!" she laughed, squeezing him between her legs.

"I'd forgotten it's been so long," he moved in and out, savoring the pressure of her tight around him. "Rei, you have no idea how good this feels right now!"

"Don't be so naïve," she panted, "it's my first time!" Her legs wrapped around him, "Oh god, that's amazing!"

Between Rei's satisfaction and his own, Yuichiro was in heaven as he thrust back and forth, pausing to grind their pubic bones at times. Rei began massaging her breasts as her head turned side to side. Never before had he's ever seen something so goddamn hot!

The familiar sensation drew near, "Rei," he groaned, "it's going to happen!" He twitched, then throbbed inside her, mind traveling to another world as he released. "Oh god!" He collapsed down onto his elbows, hovering over her body.

"So," she heaved, "that's what it feels like."

"Yeah," he heaved, feeling himself soften. After about a minute, the inevitable happened, "Rei, I'm coming out now," he withdrew himself from her channel, disposing of the condom in the wastebasket. Yuichiro climbed back onto the bed beside her. For a long moment, neither said a thing. He did, however, put his arms around her when it became clear she wasn't going to push him away.

"So, what now? She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, just that, what do we do now?"

Yuichiro slid from Rei, and she lay, staring at the ceiling. She had jumped head-first down the rabbit hole, and was now somewhere completely unexplored. She was aware of him disposing of the condom, but unable to compute what she'd just done. I had sex.

The return of his presence beside her was far from unwelcome, but Rei did feel a bit self-conscious in the fact that she was bare-ass naked. You just had sex, and yet, you're still worried about laying around in the buff. She couldn't bring herself to speak, as if breaking the silence in the air would break an already tumultuous reality.

After what may have been a minute, there was the sensation of arms enfolding her. He's so warm. A profound sense of reassurance came over Rei, not something she expected. Here in this moment, she could almost fool herself into thinking everything was all right. I never thought I'd find it in this situation of all places. She dared break the silence with the lingering question, "So, what now?"

"What do you mean?" he continued to hold her.

"I mean, just that, what do we do now?" She turned to face him, almost nose to nose. Rei's heart began jumping again. If she wasn't tired and hungry right now, she ask him for more.

"Rei, I…" On cue, his stomach growled. "I mean, we probably should get cleaned up and make dinner." He eyed their discarded priestly garments, as did she, "and I suppose we should get our outfits cleaned and ready for tomorrow." I hate when he talks sense. She just wanted to pull the covers over them and spend the rest of the night in bed – with him.

Rei's own stomach growled. "I suppose you're right," she looked down, "Dammit, Yui…"

He continued to hold her, his eyes returning to hers, "I'm here Rei."

"We are going to have to figure this out, aren't we?" It was possibly the stupidest question she'd ever asked anyone.

"Yeah," he nodded, "but don't feel in a hurry," he assured her, "We have time."

Curiosity got the better of her, "Are you going to be possessive of me?" she asked.

"Let's just say it's going to be hard going to sleep tonight!"

Rei gave him a slight smile, "Good! Ummm…" she turned red, embarrassed by her outburst.

"Yeah?"

"Will you hold me tonight, like you did last night?"

"In the same bed?"

"That kind of is a must."

"Sleepwear or none?"

Rei smirked, turning her eyes side to side, "None!" Father would be so pissed off right now if he could see this – good!

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

Usagi knew something was up when Rei asked her to meet up for coffee after class.  Rei wore blue jeans and a green fleece sweater, Usagi wore a white skirt, white leggings, and a blue long-sleeve blouse. “So, what did you need to talk about?” Usagi asked, sipping from her iced caramel coffee drink – iced despite the cooler autumn weather.

“Usagi…. I did something…” Rei’s cheeks glowed red, suggesting this wasn’t an easy topic.  Rei stared down at her undrunk coffee. Usagi detected the slightest tremble of her friend’s hands.

“You break the law?” Usagi asked, knowing the answer would be no. I got a bad feeling about this.

“No,” Rei shrugged.

“Oh,” Usagi wished she could sound more intelligent.

“Oh?! That’s all you got?” Rei snapped back.

“How bad could it be if you didn’t break the law?” Usagi again asked.

“I… I…” Rei’s face curled in on itself and she turned red as a strawberry.

“Rei, I promise I won’t judge, but what happened?”  No, she didn’t…

“I had a one-night-stand with Yuichiro!” She forced the words past her mouth.

She did! Finally! “Oh!” Usagi said, feeling dumb as she sounded.

“Do you say anything more than that!” Rei growled, turning red as she realized people were staring. “Listen, it’s kind of a big deal!” Rei spoke through gritted teeth as she lowered her voice.

“Did he hurt you somehow?” Usagi would never forgive him if he did.

“Usagi…” Rei’s cheeks turned brighter red, almost to tears, “… I invited him!”

Rei asked him to do that nasty? To say Usagi was shocked was an understatement. “Did you like it?”

Rei’s reaction made Usagi wish she could suck the words back out of her ears, “WHAT THE HELL KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT!!!” Rei regained some semblance of self-awareness that she’d had an outburst in a coffee shop. “Usagi,” she spoke hushed, “what the fuck! For real?!”

“Rei, I’m no expert,” Usagi wasn’t sure if she was up to the situation, “but when a woman talks to one of her friends about such events like this, it means one of two things: she didn’t enjoy and feels shame, or she did and enjoy and feels ashamed as well. So, which is it?”

“I…” Rei struggled with the words in her throat.

“Go on…”

“I… enjoyed it!” the words slipped free and Rei deflated. “Usagi… it was one of the most wonderful things I’ve ever experienced in my life!” She shot a cross look at Usagi, “You can’t tell me your first time with Mamoru wasn’t the same.”

Shit, she would say that. “Rei, Mamoru and I…”

Now it was Rei’s turn to look puzzled, “Go on…”

“We haven’t yet…” Usagi couldn’t finish. Despite having several times slept in the same bed and have experimented, they never sealed the deal.

“You’re joking, right?” Rei’s eyes peeled wide open.

“No, I’m not,” Usagi shook her head. “Trust me, we came close several times… after Galaxia, before he got his second acceptance to Harvard.” She shrugged, “It just never happened.”

“Well, damn…” Rei planted her hand on her forehead. “Does this make me a total slut?”

“No, it doesn’t!” Usagi protested. “You’re wishing you talked to Makoto or Minako, aren’t you?”

“No, Usagi, I just feel like an ass for assuming you two had done it, given how affectionate you two are. I never thought I’d do the deed before you,” she shrugged, “Hell, ever!”

Quite frankly, I wasn’t expecting it, either! “Getting back to topic,” Usagi cleared her throat, “Your words hint that this was a one-off thing.”

“I really don’t know,” Rei shook her head. “On one hand, I’m not ready to be involved with anyone romantically.”

“If not now, then when?” Usagi asked. “He’s cared about you since you and I were fourteen. How much longer are you wanting to drag this out?”

“I know,” Rei held up a hand, indicated it was Usagi’s turn to stop. “That’s what makes this so awkward!”

“Do you like him?”

“Yes.”

“Could you see yourself doing it again?” Usagi braced for a rebuke.

Her response was unexpected, “Yes, I think so,” Rei nodded. “I mean… I wouldn’t stop it from happening.”

“Then what is the hold-up?”

“Usagi, my father…”

“You’re not him! Neither is Yuichiro!” Usagi exclaimed, hoping Rei would drop the burden on her shoulders that she’d carried her whole life.

“I know…. There is more…”

More? “What is it?” Usagi asked.

“You remember how we talked about him offering to broker a deal with some property developer?” Usagi nodded at the question. Rei continued, “They doubled their price to two billion yen the other day.”

“Two billion…” Usagi felt the wheels of her mind turning in an unsettled fashion. Mamoru had been a fan of true crime podcasts during his last years of undergraduate at university.  It had been a Saturday night ritual that she longed to return to. Something is not right.

“A lot for a single girl to consider…” Rei spoke somber.

“You’re not seriously considering?” Usagi asked as her jaw dropped with a mild panic.

“No, not really,” Rei sighed.  “As Yuichiro would remind me, the place has been and still is my home. That, and the shrine holds some significance in the future of Crystal Tokyo.”

A surge of urgency overcame Usagi at the mention of the future.  The shrine was apparently a key node in the future survival of Crystal Tokyo against Prince Diamond’s future invasion. Merely thinking of Diamond elicited strong feelings. On one hand, he’d been manipulated and horribly misguided. On the other, he came damn close to raping you! Usagi shuddered at the memory, terrified by what might have happened had Mamoru not shown up to save the day.  “Rei, whatever you do, promise me you won’t agree to sell.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Rei gave a sharp nod.

Usagi closed her eyes, trying to remember late nights of interesting true crime with Mamoru. When she opened them again, the idea hit her, “You also might want to see what the assessed value of the property is by checking with the tax authority.”

“Think we’ll find something?” she asked.

“Rei, I’m no expert, but two billion for that size property in that location sounds really low-ball.” Usagi’s stomach twisted from imagining Rei’s father exploiting her grandfather’s death to get the property at a ridiculously low price only to resell it for more. Rei must have noticed because her face tightened, and she gave short, sharp nod. “Rei, what about Yuichiro?”

“You would bring that back up.”

“You brought him up to begin with,” Usagi reminded.

“This is true… I’m torn, really. He’s a great guy, maybe too good for me.”

“There is no such thing as someone too good for you, Rei.”

“I just don’t know if I’m ready for a relationship,” Rei shook her head with a laugh, “Of course, I say that after having sex with him.”

“Rei, all I can say is: be open minded. You’ve shut yourself off from a lot of things up to now.  It’s okay to have fun once and a while.”

“I’ll… I’ll try,” she shook her head, “Ever since Grandpa died, nothing has made sense.”

“Take your time,” Usagi encouraged. “Rei…” she asked, uncertain about the question on her mind.

“Yes?”

“Have you talked with him more about our team and your part of it?”

“No, I haven’t,” she sighed, “I guess I should. Are you all right with this?”

“Rei, he knows. We’ve trusted him a long while, now. To be honest, it would be nice not having to sneak around the shrine when we are practicing.”

Rei bit her lip, “As long as you’re comfortable.”

“Only if you are,” Usagi replied. They finished their drinks and went on their way.

The tax authority’s office, like many bureaucratic institutions, was crowded with everything from individuals appealing their tax status to property owners trying to appeal the assess value of their holdings for favorable insurance rates or sale’s value. While he’d never been part of his father’s company, Yuichiro knew how the game was played.  He’d filled out the information on the shrine and requested an official quote by the assessor for the previous year.

He knew something was up when Rei asked him to come here as a favor. Judging by the look of the person behind the desk, he assumed that something was, in fact, a big something. The old printer spat out a report and the office worker handed it to him. When he looked at the assessed value, he understood why Rei had been suspicious. The assessed value of the shrine and its lands was around ten and a half-billion yen. While no way she’d ever get the assessed value, the sale of the shrine was worth over seventy million US dollars.   He’s offering her pennies on the dime as the Americans would say.

Leaving the office, his suspicions only heightened as he noticed two men in black suits with black sunglasses were following at a distance.  At first, Yuichiro wasn’t sure, so, he took several detours away from the bus stop, knowing he’d be late getting home. As feared, the men were following.  This has to go deeper than a father trying to swindle his daughter out of her potential inheritance.  The old man knows she’d never sell willingly… Willingly… The terrible thought redoubled his feet. 

He darted into a bookstore, taking cover by a magazine rack far enough from the window to where he’d only be a sliver while the men searched aimlessly in the bustle of the crowd.  The men disappeared, and Yuichiro waited about five minutes before calling for a taxi. The cab arrived, and shuttled him off to the Shrine, no sign of having been followed. 

As he got off at the shrine’s entrance, a different type of foreboding cast its shadow across him. Rei would be waiting for him, and he’d have to explain everything.  They would have to address the lingering issues of last night. 

The thought of last night caused his throat to bob up and down and his pants to constrict. Memories most delicious appeared before him – Rei not simply allowing him to explore her, but asking him to do so. A rain droplet struck him on the nose, breaking his warm thoughts.

Rain began, sprinkling at first, but soon turning into a freezing autumn torrent.  “Damn,” he whispered as he ran, not having brought an umbrella.  He hugged the paperwork to his chest trying to shield it from the rain as he entered the main shrine. Rei was dressed in her priestess robes, still stunning as she’d been the night before. “Hey,” he said.

“Hey back,” she nodded, “did you find what I asked you to look for?”

“Oh yeah,” he said, brandishing the papers. “Got time to talk?”

Rei did a quick scan of the area, “Looks like the rain is driving the afternoon crowd away,” she shrugged. “So, lay it on me.”

“Rei… I don’t know how to say it.”

“Just say it,” she spoke short and curt, clearly not in the mood for games.

“Your dad was probably trying to swindle you out of a fortune,” he handed over the papers.

Rei scanned the tax document and her eyes popped wide open, “Over ten billion?!?”

“Sale value would likely be lower than that,” Yuichiro explained, “but in any case, he and his developer are offering you peanuts for gold.”

It was that moment she chose to ask a question harder than where sex had put them, “Yui… why? Why is he doing this?” she buried her face in her hand, fingers massaging the bridge of her nose. 

“I mean… it could be as simple that he’s looking to get rich quick and figures you’d just sign things away willy-nilly while you’re grieving.” He looked over his shoulder, noting the grounds of he shrine were empty. “Perhaps we should take this back to the living quarters,” he stared hard at Rei, hoping she understood he had something sensitive to talk about. 

“Agree,” she nodded.  They set about closing the shrine down for the night.

About an hour later, they were sitting on the couch in their living quarters, sipping cups of hot tea to ward off the cold. Rei had changed into jean overalls and a white t-shirt. The outfit was simple. Damn sexy, too! They sat in uncomfortable silence for several minutes. Much of recent events had happened here, and now being on the couch was making his mind wander to salacious places. Rei finally thought out loud, “He had to know I wouldn’t sell, even before I figured he was low-balling me. He can’t be so stupid as to think I’d trust him without question.”

“Rei…” a pained look carved into his face at the question he was about to ask.

“Yes?” she beckoned him to go on, removing her hand from her face.

“Rei, how well do you know your father?”

Rei stared uncertain and glassy eyed. “Anymore, it’s like I never knew him. Why?”

Do it, don’t do it. “Do you know if he has any links to organized crime?”

Rei visibly balked, “What makes you ask that!”

“Rei, I told you about the guys who came with him yesterday, right?”

“Yeah,” she nodded.

“After I left the tax office, two guys in suits and shades started following me.”

“That makes no sense.”

“What do you mean?” he cocked up an eyebrow.

“Why would they follow you when they knew clearly, you’d be coming here?”

“I don’t know, they might be trying to send a message, trying to scare us.”

“Scare us?” Rei cocked up an eyebrow.

“Rei, by now, they can guess you know that your father’s offer is insincere at best, possibly criminal.”

“Criminal?” He could tell her world was spinning with that singular word.

“He’s trying to get you to sell a property well below market value,” he raised up the paper.  “I’m no lawyer, but a discrepancy this big by someone this well-connected suggests someone is trying something illegal.”

Rei bit her lip,” Sadly, you’re making sense.  Father abandoned Mom when she got cancer; I see no reason he wouldn’t do the same to me. I really wouldn’t put it past him to resort to something criminal to get what he wanted, but…”

“But what?”

“… what does he hope to gain? Especially now that we know we won’t be selling – at his price or any price!” Rei gestured toward the papers in hand like she was slapping them away.  Her cheeks reddened, and she rested her cheeks in her hands for a moment. She suddenly sat up, “Do you think we’re in danger?”

The question was difficult to answer. “I don’t know, Rei,” he shook his head. “I could be looking too far into this. For all we know the two suits were investigators trying to determine what we know, but something seems wrong about it all.” His mind wandered back to a favorite American animated show – Scooby-Doo.  Almost every villain on the show was a greedy property developer or someone trying to swindle others.  Of course, this is right out of that show. Now all we need is some guys wearing masks and pretending the shrine is haunted!

“That’s an understatement,” she huffed. “Father had to have known something would come up if I dug deeper. That’s probably why he was so eager at the funeral and the past few weeks.”

“Now that we know,” Yuichiro sipped his tea, “I’m more concerned what his dogs might do.”

Rei stared into her steaming teacup. “You really think they are Yakuza?” she asked, eyes narrowing.

“Fair chance,” he shrugged as he set down his cup on the coffee table. “Thing is, if he promised something he can’t deliver, that could be trouble for us.”

Rei nodded, knowing what he meant. “Yui… I can’t ask you to stay; your life could be in real danger.”

“Rei, I can’t exactly leave, not after everything we’ve been through together.”

“Everything we’ve been through?”

Way to put your foot in your mouth! “Rei, we’ve been friends for years; I can’t just leave you to the wolves, now!”

“And what about last night?!” she asked, cheeks burning red.

Ah shit, here is where the regret comes out.  He raised his hands in front of him in protest, “Rei… I’m sorry I took advantage of you!”

“You weren’t taking advantage!” she growled in protest.  “I wanted it just as badly as you did… and I can’t make sense of it!”

“You what?” he asked, perplexed, not expecting Rei’s reaction. She flopped backward on the couch, massaging her eyelids and stretching her neck. His heart raced as he saw her neck, remembering the sweet kisses he’d made along its length. Yuichiro spoke again, determined to break his train of thought, “Again, I apologize for making things awkward…”

She cut off his words with a hand over his mouth. “Dammit, listen!” She sighed, not sitting up from being sprawled out on the couch, “It was one of the most wonderful things I’ve ever experienced, ever! Had you wanted to take advantage, I was drunk as a fish two nights ago and wouldn’t have put up any resistance!” She paused for several seconds, “And you didn’t even try getting in my pants!”

“High praise from a Sailor Scout that has saved the world time and again,” he sat beside her.

“You would bring that up, too,” she sighed, arching back against the couch. Is she trying to put moves on me? It can’t be. “And now, I find myself,” she turned to face him, “wanting it again and again. I can’t stop thinking about what happened, and I don’t know what that says about me!”

“It means you’re a human being, Rei,” he stared, trying to console her., “A human being that has emotional needs that haven’t been satisfied in a long time, there is nothing wrong with that!”

Rei stared downward, “It felt so good,” her hands tightened to fists, “to be held and to hold someone.” She released her grip, returning her eyes to him, “Yuichiro, where are we going with this?”

Damn! “Rei, I don’t know… where do you want it to go?” he said as his throat began to constrict.

“Rei, I don’t know… where do you want it to go?” Yuichiro’s response left her with no answers and more questions.  If he were looking to take advantage, you’d both be naked already.  The thought wasn’t entirely negative. Rei had been his friend for years, and she didn’t want things to end with a one-night stand. She wasn’t sure if they jumped into a relationship that it would survive long term, either. And now that he knows you’re a Sailor Scout, that means nothing?

“I…” she rested her chin on her hands, “I don’t know.  I’m so confused.”

“Take your time,” he planted a hand on her back between her shoulders, “Think about it, tell me where you want to go, and I promise I’ll not force the issue any further.”

“I’m not ready to be in a relationship.”

“Then we just go back to what we were before?”

The suggestion was impossibly more unpalatable than jumping into being a couple immediately.  Their situation had changed, and there was no putting the genie back in the bottle. “I can’t do that, either,” she huffed in frustration, “is there any intermediate step?”

“Intermediate step?” he wrinkled his brow.

“Something between being friends and being boyfriend and girlfriend?”

“You mean, like, friends with benefits?” he asked, confusion still evident. “Oh shit…” he turned pink with embarrassment.

Rei knew the term for a non-committal sexual relationship and the sometimes-negative connotations involved with it.  However, she couldn’t think of a better term for what she was proposing now. She didn’t want him out of her life, and sex with him had been scratching an itch she’d had so long she forgot she had it. “I mean, I guess... yeah.”

“You don’t sound so sure,” Yuichiro moved his hand from her back to her shoulder, “Rei, if you’re not comfortable...”

“If we are going to do this,” Rei spoke, conviction returning and turning to face him, “we need to establish ground rules.”

He nodded and turned on the couch so he was facing her squarely, “All right. Rule one: we are not committed, but we agree to monogamy for as long as this lasts.”

“What do you mean?”

“We agree that the moment one or both of us decides to see someone else, this is over. I don’t want to be a reason you put your life on hold, and I don’t want either of us to grow comfortable cheating on someone,” he insisted. “If it is over, it is over immediately.”

“And I don’t want to be the reason you put your life on hold,” she nodded, “I can agree.  Rule two, both of us must agree mutually to initiate sex or other forms of intimacy.”  She raised a finger, “No drunk sex, no taking advantage of any situation!”

“Perfectly reasonable,” he took his hand from her shoulder, and leaned back into the couch, bracing himself for something uncomfortable. “Rei, rule three…”

“Go on,” she nodded.

“If after a year, you haven’t fallen in love with me, it’s over.  We go back to just being friends – no benefits.”

Odd rule. “You have me curious, why that?” she curled her forehead.

“Rei, I don’t want either of us to stop living or remain perpetually stuck in between.  I have strong feelings for you, have had them a long time. I don’t want to keep fooling myself if it is never going to happen, and…”

“And?”

“And if it is going to happen, I don’t want to keep it hidden forever, either.”

Problem is, I’ve already fallen for you! Rei knew deep down she loved him.  A year was a reasonable amount of time to find out if it was real. “I can agree to that,” she held out her pinkie finger. “Care to shake on the agreement?”

He extended his pinkie and intertwined it with hers. “Deal!” He smiled.

The promise, along with contact with his hand sent Rei’s heart skipping beats. “Ummm… so…”

“Yeah?” he asked, not releasing her pinkie.

“What now?”

“I mean, we do need to think of dinner at some point? How about udon?”

“Sounds good,” her heart refused to slow. He still had her by the pinkie, “Ummm…”

“Yes, Rei,” he stared earnest, his own cheeks reddening.

“Do you… want to?” The question was embarrassing, but Rei had no way around it.  She wanted to since waking up this morning in his arms.

“I’d like nothing better!” he blurted out.

“Okay,” Rei pulled herself to him, and placed her lips against his.  His hands stroked up and down her upper arms, sending chills over her skin. “Shit,” she huffed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, breathless from having made out briefly.

“Rule four,” she gasped to his lips, “we agree we both use protection!”

“In the event we accidentally conceive?” he asked.

It was a legitimate question, even if borderline impossible.  “We decide based on where we are at in that moment.”

“Fair enough!” he spoke, clearly satisfied, “Now, where were we?!” He pulled herself over top of him as he lay back against the arm of the sofa.  Her chest rubbed over his as they continued suckling kisses that left Rei starry-eyed and dizzy.  Rei reached up and undid the buttons on the suspender portion of her jean overalls, letting the bib portion fall forward.

Yuichiro began massaging her back and shoulders, intermittently running his hands up and down her sides. At one point, his hands snuck under the material of her white undershirt and began lifting it up as Rei straddled his hips and began grinding herself against him. Rei lifted her arms overhead, feeling the garment slip up and over until it fell off.  His hands resumed their massaging, he pulled her back down to him, and his lips now sucked along her neck.  Oh gods!

Rei’s eyes rolled back into her head and she clamped her eyes closed under the pleasant barrage of his lips and tongue on her skin. The endorphin rush was incredible, and her panties were becoming moist.  His hands slid up and under the rear straps of her bra. Rei reached back and unhooked the claps holding her restrained. The bra slid away, and Yuichiro’s kisses migrated lower, feasting himself on her breasts.

She moaned under the pleasant teasing. Rei pulled back and again straddled his hips and began grinding her increasingly wet womanhood over the bulge in his pants.  Hands began clawing his shirt, and it, too, disappeared. She began molding his chest and arms like clay. In the back of her head, Rei tried figuring the logistics of sex on the couch given their awkward positioning

Thankfully, Yuichiro provided a solution, “Rei, I left my condoms in my room!” he said breathless as he stared up at her.

“Well, then, how about we take things in there tonight!” she tapped his nose and climbed off him, running in the direction of his room. He gave chase, giving her butt a squeeze, and eliciting a minor scream. Rei slid open the door to his room, realizing she’d never really been in a boy’s room for this.  She turned and he took her in his arms, one hand slipping down to the back of her overalls and sliding them off her waist and around her legs.

“You’re so beautiful!” his words crawled along the skin of her neck and ears as he repeated them with kisses upon kisses.  One of his naughty hands slid down the small of her back, under the elastic of her panties, and began massaging her ass.

“Tell me more sweet lies!” she moaned, surrendering to pleasure as his lips assaulted her neck.

Yuichiro’s other hand took her by the chin, forcing her eyes to meet his, “Rei, I’m not lying!” She took note that his other hand, the one on her ass, did not quit its lecherous task. Far from it, he was pulling down her underwear. “With clothes, without clothes, I can’t help but think of you – can’t help but feel so lucky that you’re letting me do this!”

“Maybe I’m the lucky one,” Rei massaged his chest, down his stomach, and began fumbling with his belt and fly, “All right, enough honeyed words!” His pants and boxers fell around his knees. “You okay if I get on top this time?”

“Do you have to ask?” he said breathlessly as he pulled back and began kicking off his jeans and boxers. Rei, too, shed the bits of remaining clothing as he went of his nightstand and extracted a condom. “Do you, ah,” he spoke nervous.

Rei snatched the condom from his hand, “Lay back, I’ve got this!” He did as commanded. Gods, I’m really doing this?! Rei reminded herself that she’d already done it with him once.  She tore the wrapper, removed it, and slid the slick, rubbery sheath over his towering manhood.

“Ahh!!!” he twitched as she made contact, making sure it was firmly in place.

“Okay, boy, here we go!” Rei positioned herself and drove down on his erection.  Between the lubricant of the condom and her own body, he slid in with barely any resistance, filling her. “Oh yeah!”

Yuichiro let out a loud moan, at first, she thought she might have hurt him. His eyes opened, and he stared amazed. “I’m dreaming, aren’t I?” he gasped breathlessly.

Rei grinned, moving up and down, taking him within her channel to her pleasure, “Do I do this in your dreams?” she taunted.

“All… the… time!!!” he heaved, hands beginning to scan over her naked body as she rode him up and down.  At least someone dreams of this with me!

She squeezed and moaned, leaning back slightly to intensify the sensation. As she did so, she reached down to touch herself, massaging her clitoris as he filled her with pleasure. Rei became a spring under tension and moaned, “Oh gods!” as goosebumps crossed her body in a wave.

“Rei?” Yuichiro asked in concern.

“AAAHHH!!” stars exploded in her vision as she closed her eyelids and the shockwave of orgasm shook her out of her body.  Yuichiro, too, yelped as he came within her, his dick throbbing, teasing her insides. Rei collapsed forward as she returned to reality, barely able to catch herself on her elbows, nose to nose with Yuichiro. For a time, they just stared at each other, both speechless. “Was… that… good?” she asked, feeling her cheeks burning.

He nodded slowly, “S-second to none!” His voice trembled, and Rei could feel him softening inside her.

In that moment, her stomach growled. “Dammit!” she sighed.

“I take it, you’re hungry?” Yuichiro giggled slightly.

“Nice as this is, food does sound nice about now!” She delicately slid off him.  He removed the condom and disposed of it in the wastebasket nearby. “We should clean up,” she added.

“Who showers first?” he asked.

“We’ll save water if we go together,” she winked, feeling positively naughty at the suggestion.

“Who are you, and what have you done with Rei?” he asked, his mouth hanging open. 

“I don’t know,” Rei shook her head, wondering what other changes would happen in her life.  As they retreated to the bathroom, Rei realized she was casually walking around naked, something she’d never been comfortable about doing until now. As she bent down over the tub to start the shower, Rei was greeted by the unmistakable sensation of fingers tracing her ass, “Perv!” she teased.

“Please tell me this isn’t where you invoke rule two?” he gave a slight chuckle.

“I’d be a fool,” she gave her butt a slight shake and entered the shower. Yuichiro joined her under the rain of the shower. 

“So,” he said, clearly nervous.

“Yes?”

“I forgot to ask,” he began rinsing her black silk hair, “was it good for you, too?”

“Hmmm…” she smirked, knowing she was turning red, “… yes!”

“Rei, about the stuff I said yesterday… about being possessive…”

“Be as possessive as you want, right now,” she hugged herself to his fine body. “Just promise me you won’t try stopping me from being Sailor Mars.”

“Rei, about that…”

Crap! Her heart sank, “What?”

“I… uh… how do you want me to be regarding that situation?” he grabbed a bath scrub and body wash.

“What do you mean?” she raised her left eyebrow.

“I mean, should I act like I don’t know about the others?” He added bodywash to the scrub. He began washing her chest and stomach, suds forming a thick layer of foam on her body.

“Usagi knows, as do Minako and Makoto.” She stood under the water and let it run the suds off her front.

“And Ami?”

“I’ll have to tell her at some point, Mamoru for that matter, too,” she shrugged and turned her back toward him.

“Mamoru?” he asked as he scrubbed between her shoulders, to her lower back, and down to her ass.

“Give you two guesses who Tuxedo Mask really is. Did you think Usagi’s boy would let another man put his lips on her?” she giggled as he teased her rump. She turned and kissed him.

He smiled in realization, “I feel like such an idiot being around you all so long,” he took the soapy scrub and began washing her neck and shoulders more thoroughly. 

“I feel like an idiot taking so long to do something like this with you,” she said as his hands ran the scrub over her with delicate care.

“Rei, you’re no idiot,” he said, putting a dab of soap foam on her nose.  “Now, turn and let’s wash your hair. I think bathtime is about to become my favorite time of the night!

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

The nip of mid-November air bit through Rei's black leggings as she stepped off the bus near her father's office. She wore a black knee-length skirt, a white blouse, and a red jacket with enough weight to block some of the chill but still dressy enough for a business meeting. The fact that Father called her, wanting to meet, already roused her suspicions. If he dragged me out this way just to remind me of the offer on the table, I'll scream.

Rei walked to the office building, greeted by security, "May I help you, Miss…"

"Hino, Rei Hino," she bowed politely, "I'm here to see assemblyman Hino."

"Elevators are around the corner – fifth floor, suite 575," the guard handed her a visitor pass.

Rei clipped the pass to her jacket collar and took the prescribed path. As she reached the elevator, she paused, wondering what the hell she was doing here. You're looking for answers, answers you can't get otherwise. She called the elevator, waited for the door to open, and she then boarded for the short ride up. The doors opened, and she was standing before the door to her father's campaign office.

Rei entered, and was greeted by Dad's secretary, "Good afternoon, Rei," the woman greeted with a smile too big for her face.

"Good afternoon," she bowed in response, "I'm here to see my father."

She gestured down a short corridor. "Last door on the left."

Rei walked the distance, knocking on the door as politely as possible. The door opened, and she stepped inside. Father sat behind a solid wood desk. While the view from his corner office was not as impressive as that of a higher floor, it was impressive nonetheless. "Hello, Rei," he didn't rise from desk.

"Hello, father," she bowed, stealing a quick look at the other man in the room. He was average height and build with short, black hair. Despite the nonchalant appearance, there was an air of menace about the other man.

"Please," Father gestured to the chair in front of his desk, "have a seat."

Rei reluctantly took a seat, noticing the other man was remaining between her and the door. "To what do I owe this honor, father?" Ten to one he wants me to sell the shrine again.

"You look tired, Rei," he said without affect.

"Niiname-no-Matsuri is next week," she replied, expecting the annual ritual to go over her father's head. "After that, it will be time to get ready for the New Year's celebration. This is busy season for us."

"Rei, your grandfather's devotion to the temple was admirable, as is yours," Father paused, measuring her, "You are a young woman with a still potentially bright future…"

"I have one, as a priestess," she cut him off, much to his annoyance.

"Rei, do you really think this is the life your grandfather wanted for you? Do you think your mother would –"

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Rei became heated at the mention of Mom. "You!" she heaved, "You gave up the right to tell me anything about mom when you abandoned her and me so you could sit here and be a big, important politician!"

"Show some respect, young lady!" Father stood, pounding his hands on the desk.

"I will not!" Rei stood, shouting. "You keep acting like you're doing me a favor, but you're just trying to line your own pockets!"

"How dare you!"

"I dare!" Rei retorted, slamming a hand on the desk, "You used Grandfather's death, hoping I'd throw in the towel and sell the shrine cheap! Let me guess," she raised a pointed index finger the way she would as Sailor Mars, about to burn him, "you needed it cheap! What did you do, promise to sell it low-ball in exchange for some campaign contribution?!" Rei straightened herself, "Well, too damn bad! It isn't going to happen now or ever!"

Rei didn't wait for a reply as she turned and stormed out of the office, past the suit standing at the door. Rei fought tears the whole time she walked from the building, enroute to the train station. She was about to let go when she realized she was being followed. Dammit, really?

She turned her head just enough to see the suit from the office following her. He now wore dark mirror sunglasses, and she also noticed he was wearing leather gloves. Rei increased her pace, her dress shoes hardly fit for speed walking. Rei rounded a corner away from the man. When she stole a look back, he was half the distance he had been.

Rei frantically reviewed in her head the local area, trying to remember if there was a police station nearby. Her eyes scanned looking for any patrol officers and found none. While her feet struggled, her heart thundered like a runaway train. He was only a few meters back now.

Salvation came with a neon sign that said: The Kunoichi's Secret. The front windows had mannequins in undergarments that would have made Grandfather blush. Now's your chance, go! Rei cut through the crowd and into the door before the man could grab her. As hoped, stepping into a lingerie boutique was something a would-be kidnapper would not want to be seen doing.

"Welcome to the Kunoichi's Secret," a store associate bowed in greeting with a smile too wide for her face. "What can we help you find today?"

Oh crap! Rei had only rarely gone shopping for lingerie with Makoto – at a traditional department store. This place, on the other hand, was nothing but lacy little things that ranged from the relatively practical to fantasy items meant for salacious evenings. Racks of bras, panties, sleepwear, and other exotic beauties dotted the store. The décor was made to look traditional, if nothing else, giving guests the illusion of having stepped back in time. "I uh…."

"Are you shopping for yourself or someone else?"

"Both!" Rei blurted out in a panic, trying to think of a convenient story. "My boyfriend and I… it's going to be our first holiday season as a couple… I was looking for something to surprise him with!" Rei prayed her lies weren't plain as day on her face. Is it really a lie? You've shared a bed every night for almost 2 months. You've gone out together. Is this really such a jump?

"I see," the associate stated, "does he have anything he likes particular?"

"Umm…" Rei could tell her cheeks were turning increasingly dark red, "… he likes rock n' roll, he likes… the Sailor Guardians!" I am such an idiot!

The saleswoman's eyes lit up, "I think I might have something that fits the bill," she gestured for Rei to follow. They walked past rows of lacy panties, several mannequins with garter belts, and other festive items Rei couldn't recognize. "Ah, here we are, our newest addition," the saleswoman smiled.

Rei stood frozen in shock. The racks contained fantasy garments stylized to look like the Sailor Guardian uniforms she and the others wore. Rei stared at the skimpy set of panties with a red frill to mimic the skirt of her uniform. The corresponding bra had a red bow, a sailor's collar, and a red heart pendant with the Mars symbol on it. Oh my.

"Given your darker color hair," the woman continued, "I'd suggest Sailor Mars for you." Oh, if you only knew! The transformations made it difficult for people to recognize them, even if they had photos held up side by side.

"I'll take it!" Rei said enthusiastic. She looked back toward the door, looking for her would be stalker, not seeing him. "I will also need to shop around here a bit."

"Of course, I'll put a set aside for you up front," saleswoman confirmed sizes and took the garment up front.

As the saleswoman walked away, Rei eyed a few festive things for the holidays. She pulled out her phone and prepared to dial Yuichiro, but she remembered he was the only trained priest at the shrine today, although a few students were helping out. Rei instead dialed Makoto. "Hello?"

"Makoto, I hate to be a pain, but I need a favor."

"What's up?"

"Some guy followed me from my Dad's office. I ducked into a lingerie boutique, but I'm worried he'll follow me again the second I leave. I know it's a pain…"

"Send me the address and I'll be there!" Makoto insisted.

Rei did so and resumed shopping. By the time Makoto arrived Rei had checked out after gathering a few more items. "Rei, are you hiding some guy in your back pocket?" Makoto asked as she eyed the boutique's collection that ranged from the cute to the completely erotic.

"Oh, you know," Rei shrugged it off, "just a little retail therapy. Besides, I shouldn't kiss and tell!"

"Rei, if you're shopping here," Makoto inspected a lacy thong on display, "I don't think kissing is the extent of it!" She giggled.

"You should see the Sailor Scouts collection in back," Rei winked, "Now, let's get the hell out of here."

They exited into the chilly late afternoon autumn air. "So, what's this douche-lord look like?" Makoto asked as she eyed the crowed.

"Tall, dark, humorless," Rei scanned and failed to see him, "Wears a sharp suit and sunglasses… and leather gloves."

Makoto curled her brow at the last statement. "Rei, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?"

"Father was trying to get me to sign over the shrine to him so that he could sell it well below market value to some property developer."

"Why would he want to sell it cheap?"

"My guess," Rei shrugged as they walked through the crowed, "he was hoping to score a big campaign contribution by brokering the deal."

"You said tall, dark, and ugly with a cheap suit and sunglasses, right?

Rei's heart jumped at the question, "Yeah…"

"He's following us again," Makoto stretched her neck as they continued to walk, "Would you like this clean, or would you prefer to send a message?"

"Makoto, this isn't a game!" Rei chided.

"No it isn't," Makoto took them around a corner, "you see that ink on his neck?"

"What?!"

"He's Yakuza, Venom Scorpion," Makoto grabbed Rei by the arm.

"Venom Scorpion!" Rei's bladder bounced. The gang had shown up in Japan a few years ago. By all accounts, they hand their hands in drugs, prostitution, and money laundering. What in the hell has my father gotten us into!

"He's still on us," Makoto said as they crossed the street, "Here's the plan, we duck into the alley, I put him in a chokehold, and you beat the shit out of him until he pisses blood."

"Makoto!" while Rei was capable at Karate and Makoto was just as good at Jiujitsu, the thought of violence was still abhorrent.

"Now, Rei! And call him a perv as you do it!" they rounded the corner into the alleyway between buildings, "Anyone asks, he tried grabbing your ass!"

She has a plan for anything! Rei ducked behind a dumpster, ready to strike. Makoto, meanwhile, stood in the middle of the alley, stretching her neck. From her vantage point, Rei could see the man approaching, "Where is the girl you were with?"

"I don't like your tone, punk," Makoto replied defiant, grinning like a crocodile.

"Bitch!" the man slapped Makoto with a backhand across the face, "Where the hell is Ms. Hino!"

Makoto held the side of her cheek, audibly sobbing. Rei almost stepped in until she realized it was an act – crocodile tears turned into sinister laughter. The man wound up to hit her again; this time, Makoto seized the man's arm, locked his elbow, and threw him face-first into the alley wall. "PERVERT!" she screamed.

As Makoto pulled the man off the wall into an arm-lock, Rei emerged from her hiding spot, channeling fiery rage she'd kept for her father for a long time, "You goddamn," ramming a fist into the man's guts, "ass-grabbing," she hit him in the guts again, "PERVERT!" she screamed as she landed a third blow to the man's face, shattering his sunglasses and sending them to the alley floor.

The man's head recoiled and blood was dripping from a cut above his eyebrow. Rei spied a tattoo of a scorpion on the man's neck – he was yakuza for sure. Makoto let his arm go and he dropped the ground on both knees. He made a quick skittering and ran for his life through the alley.

The two just stood and watched the mouth of the alley for several seconds. "I have to admit," Rei heaved, "that felt good!" Both of them started laughing.

"Come on, let's book in case he decides to call the cops on us," Makoto took her by the arm and they ran down the opposite end of the alleyway. They got lost in a crowd, gradually making their way to the bus stop, all the while watching for more suits in pursuit. No one followed.

Even after boarding the bus and riding back to the temple, Rei was still on edge, eyeing each and every person that got on and off the bus until they reached the shrine. No other men she could recognize boarded, and none of the passengers sported ink on their necks.

Arriving at the temple took some of the fear out of Rei. "All right," Makoto said, eying her smartphone, "my ride should be here any minute."

"You got an Uber?"

"Reserved a cab," Makoto shrugged, "Call me old-fashioned."

"I see," Rei nodded, "You sure you don't want to wait in the temple?"

The bright image of headlights and the yellow top lights of a taxi came into view as Rei asked. "Nah, this one is mine!" She got into the cab, "Call me tomorrow!" Makoto called as the cab pulled away.

Rei remained out in the cold, holding an unexpected bag of skimpy lingerie. What are you doing, girl? Do you really think there is a future with this? She stared down at the bag. Yuichiro no doubt would salivate if he saw her wearing anything contained within. Of course, he tended to salivate over her regardless of what she was or wasn't wearing. Is it really fair to him to hold back?

Rei began walking toward the temple quarters, the sound of her shoes reverberating in the now cold night air. She did love Yuichiro, but even almost two months after their little arrangement started, she couldn't bring herself to say it. Despite going to places they'd never been before, it still wasn't easy even fantasizing about what could be their future. Did Mom and Dad start like this? Am I setting myself up to repeat history.

She entered the living quarters, careful to lock the door behind her as she kicked off her shoes. As she walked toward the kitchen, she could hear Yuichiro talking with someone. Rei instantly slowed her pace, stretching her hearing out. "Rachel, if I thought there was any other way I would!" he sounded exasperated. Rei tiptoed closer to the kitchen, seeing Yuichiro pacing the floor, oblivious to her presence. "Rachel, if it's a matter of money, I can see about talking to my father; he's hired your dad before," he continued, "Just promise me… promise me you'll talk to your father and/or Jimmy."

Rei could hear a muffled response. "All right," he continued, "good talking to you, too. Bye." He ended the call.

Rei chose the moment to reveal herself, "Who was that?" Dear god, is he seeing someone else!

"Yuichiro Kumada!" Rachel Moore still sounded spirited as ever as she said his name, "How have you been?"

"Complicated," Yuichiro chuckled, "That's my best term for it."

"What have you been up to? Last I heard you were at some shrine in Minato City."

He paced the kitchen of the shrine living quarters as he spoke, "Actually, I'm training to be a Shinto priest."

"A priest?" Rachel sounded genuinely surprised.

"How is Jimmy?" he changed the subject.

"He's… good," he noted her cagey response.

"And your dad? He asked.

"Somehow, he still hasn't managed to get himself killed with all the cases he takes on."

"Rachel, about that…"

"About what?"

"I need help… the kind of help your father or Jimmy usually gives."

"Yuichiro, what have you gotten yourself into now?" Rachel scolded.

"It's complicated…"

"More complicated than Chiyo?" Just the name of his deceased ex-girlfriend twisted a knife in his chest. Even years later, just her name spoken could punch him in the guts.

"Yeah, a lot worse, in fact," he mulled their situation. There had been several instances of minor vandalism of the wall outside the shrine and a few instances of suits following them the last few weeks. With the winter holidays approaching, Yuichiro worried about escalation.

"That was pretty complicated."

"I remember," he sighed. Given Chiyo's sudden death and the argument he had had with her in the preceding hour, the police had been investigating Yuichiro as a murder suspect. Thankfully, Jimmy had cleared his name, pointing out the lack of evidence to the police.

"Care to enlighten me?"

"Rachel… I think the shrine I work as is being targeted by the Yakuza."

A long pause followed, "Yakuza? Are you safe?!"

"At the moment, they just seem to be harassing us."

"Us?" Rachel accented, "You are with someone?"

"Something like that, it's complicated; I'm pretty sure she's their target."

"Yuichiro, you should involve the police."

"Rachel, we got nothing to go on, and this might involve some powerful people," he explained.

"Powerful people?" she balked, "What the heck is going on exactly?!"

He began pacing. "Rachel, if I thought there was any other way I would!"

"I can't make any guarantees with something this big. Dad and Jimmy are kind of laying low right now."

"Rachel, if it's a matter of money, I can see about talking to my father; he's hired your dad before," he continued, "Just promise me… promise me you'll talk to your father and/or Jimmy."

"All right, I'll talk to them," Rachel replied. "I've got to go, I'll be in touch," she hesitated, "It was good talking to you."

"All right, good talking to you, too. Bye." He ended the call, noticing Rei standing just outside the kitchen. She was still dressed in her traditional black and red, looking like a business woman coming from a meeting. The bag under her arm, on the other hand, hinted something more frivolous.

Unfortunately, the look on her face was anything but frivolous. Her mouth hung down and her cheeks stained red, "Who was that?"

Ah crap, she thinks I'm playing around! "Rei," he raised his hands, preparing to be slaughtered, "Rachel is just an old friend."

"How old is this friendship?" she was unmoved.

"Back to high school, her and her boyfriend, Jimmy Kudo, and I were all classmates for a while," he raised his hands in protest.

"Jimmy Kudo…" Rei paused, her face changing from irate to puzzled, "Where do I know that name?"

"You ever hear of the teen detective?" he asked.

"Wait, you mean, the Jimmy Kudo?!" Rei's eyes widened so far that Yuichiro was worried they might roll out of their sockets.

"That's right, and Rachel's father, Richard, runs a detective agency," he explained, "My dad's company has done business with both of them before."

"Why the sudden desire to involve them?"

"Rei," he braced, "Your father called earlier."

"When?" her stare turned icy.

"About an hour ago," he said, "He warned me if I had any good sense that I'd use it to convince you to take the offer."

"Well, that's just swell," she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I'm sensing the meeting didn't go well?"

"No, it didn't," she shook her head, her long black locks bouncing as she did so. "You were right, by the way."

"How?"

"About father being involved with the Yakuza."

"How do you know?" he closed the distance so that only a few centimeters separated them.

"One of the men at the meeting," she said, "He followed me afterwards. Makoto and I had him follow us into an alley. There was a scuffle…"

"I'm assuming you came out on the winning side?"

"We whipped his ass," she said with an enthusiasm Yuichiro hadn't seen in Rei for some time. However, her look became somber soon after, "He had a scorpion tattoo on his neck. I checked; it is the same type worn by the Venom Scorpions."

Yuichiro let out a long, low whistle. "They're bad news."

"Do you think Jimmy and your friend's father can crack this?"

"They've done more with less," he shrugged, "Rei…"

"Yes?"

"Rei, if we do this, it means airing some very dirty laundry. People might go to jail. I don't want to pressure you into accepting their help…"

"Yui…" she put a hand on his lips, "… I accept my father is an asshole and probably a criminal who is associating with even worse criminals. There isn't going to be a stupid, happy moment when he comes to his senses and tries making this all up to me!"

"Rei," he took her hand, "I just want to be sure we're both on the same page, and it sounds like we are. But just realize you could end up ending your father's career, possibly sending him to prison."

Rei slowly took back her hand and massaged her eyes, "Dammit, I know… I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I'm all caught up in this; hell, my brain instantly went to you seeing someone else when you were talking to your friend Rachel!"

"Rei, it happens," he turned his palms up. "I should have told you about Rachel and Jimmy before calling them."

"You think we actually will need their services?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I do. If we're being followed and threatened by Yakuza, things are likely to escalate."

"You think I should involve the others?" Rei asked.

"The Sailor Guardians?" She nodded to his question. "I don't know. I mean, this could get pretty dangerous."

"Yuichiro, might I remind you; I've faced down world-ending threats before."

"Your right," he raised a hand in surrender, "I totally forgot."

"All the same, I appreciate the concern," she sighed, letting her shoulders sag.

"Hey, Rei…"

"Yes?"

"You feel like going out to unwind a bit?"

"Out?"

"The Crown Game Center, like the old days."

"Yui," she tilted her head, scrutinizing him, "are you asking me on a date to an arcade?"

"I mean," he raised his hands as if trying to ward off attack, "call it what you want." Smooth, way to sound like an idiot!

To his surprise, Rei didn't bite his head off. "All right," she nodded, "but you do realize this is starting to push the limit of friends with benefits, right?"

He nodded, "Just because our friendship has benefits attached, doesn't mean we have to stop doing things as friends, either."

"This is true," she giggled for the first time in recent memory. "All right, a date at the arcade it its! Let me change into street clothes."

A date… I'm going on a date… with Rei… I'M GOING ON A DATE WITH REI!

An hour later, Rei and Yuichiro were standing side by side, light guns trained on their targets, and blasting though waves of baddies on an arcade shooter. Rei smirked, watching her high score handily topping Yuichiro's. "How did you get this good?" he gasped, trying to keep up.

"I keep seeing my father's face," she giggled, not stopping her rate of fire. Rei couldn't remember the last time she'd played the game, maybe back in high school with Usagi.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side!" he laughed, still shooting semi-crooked.

"Excuse me," one of the arcade workers said as he approached.

"What's up, we're not over time, are we?" Rei asked.

"No, but the manager would like a word when you have a moment."

"Manager?" Rei and Yuichiro turned to see their old friend, Motoki Furuhata waving from behind the front counter.

"You want to take a break?" she asked.

"Sure," Yuichiro nodded. They set their light guns down and walked to the front.

"Hey, you two!" Motoki greeted with a smile, "I didn't know you were a couple!"

"We're not," Rei protested, feeling like a right jerk for saying so, "I mean, we're only here as friends."

"Just two friends hanging out for some much-needed gaming," Yuichiro added.

Just two friends that have been sleeping together and having sex night after night for the past two months. Emotion swirled Rei as Yuichiro spoke. She was happy with the arrangement they'd made thus far – it was safe. As she glanced at Yuichiro from the corner of her eye, part of her became dissatisfied. She wanted more. She wanted what Usagi had with Mamoru.

"Gotcha!" Motoki either didn't catch what was going on or quietly ignored it. "Though, I need your help."

"Help?" Rei and Yuichiro said in unison.

"A mutual friend needs help getting ideas for the coming holidays," Motoki checked his watch, "and he'll likely be online soon. Follow me!"

They hurried back into the office where Motoki had his laptop on the desk with a video chat up. A beeping noise indicated an upcoming message. Motoki tapped a button and a familiar face filled the screen, "Rei, Yuichiro! This is a surprise!" Mamoru hadn't changed in the few years since she'd seen him last. He was still boyishly handsome and still had the smile that cause Usagi and other women to melt. But not me. While attractive, Rei felt nothing more for him than she might have felt for a brother if she'd had one.

"Mamoru, long time!" Yuichiro greeted, "To what do we owe the honor?"

"I need ideas," he said.

"For?" Rei asked.

"I'm going to be coming home this holiday break," he said.

"Home… as in Tokyo?" Rei asked.

"Yup!" he beamed. "I'm trying to get ideas for something romantic to do with meatball-head," he laughed.

"You still call her that?" Yuichiro shook his head.

"It's become a term of endearment," Motoki explained.

"Where you going to be staying?" Rei asked.

"With Motoki; my apartment is still sublet through the end of med school."

"I mean, winter can be a tricky time to find fun stuff here in Tokyo," Rei said.

"How do you two like skiing?" Yuichiro asked?

"Skiing?" Mamoru replied, "Well enough. Usagi can be a bit of a klutz, but even she enjoys it!" he laughed.

"What you got in mind?" Motoki asked.

"Do you remember that resort in Hokkaido where my parents have that ski lodge?"

"Yeah," Mamoru said with a curious tilt of his head.

"I can talk to the manager about arranging a deal on one of the cabins, I'm sure." Yuichiro pulled out his phone and started texting.

"Isn't that high occupancy season?" Mamoru asked.

"We always have something in reserve," Yuichiro winked in a way Rei had not seen before. "You never know when my dad needs to curry favor with someone." His phone dinged in reply. "When are you coming out?" Mamoru provided the date, the week of Christmas. Yuichiro did some texting, for several moments and spoke, "I'm emailing you the details now. The cost is pretty nominal."

There was a pause on the other end as Mamoru clicked several times, "Whoa, for real?!"

"Well, what good is it to be able to pull favors if not for friends," Yuichiro shrugged. "The other email is the reservation manager, she'll get you completed!"

"Yuichiro, I- I can't…"

"Consider it a holiday gift," he winked, exchanging smirks with Motoki.

"Thank you! Just… thank you!"

"Just what did you gift him?"

"A killer deal on a ski cabin in Hokkaido," Yuichiro answered.

Rei felt a flush of jealousy, but did her best to quell it. It's a gift for friends, not him waving it in your face! All the same, part of Rei wished she was going to some ski cabin this holiday. The fresh air would do wonders for her stress level.

"Rei, you all right?" Motoki asked.

She hadn't realized that she'd spaced out, "Fine, sorry!" she raised her hands in front of her, "Sorry, just got a lot on my mind with the winter holidays coming up!"

"You are going too hard core, Rei," Mamoru chuckled, "Perhaps you could use a vacation!"

As Mamoru spoke, there was a mild flush in Yuichiro's cheeks. "You, okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he yawned, "just tired, myself." Rei had trouble distinguishing if the yawn was real or fake. Rei checked her watch – it would be 2100 by the time they got home if they left now.

"It probably is time for us to call a night," Rei said, toes tapping in her shoes. Rei's heart was racing as her conflicted mind wandered places she'd dare not go. They said their good byes and made the trek to the bus stop back to the temple.

As they got back to the temple, Rei could see graffiti scrawled on the front gate again, "Oh no," she sighed.

"Rotten punks," Yuichiro groaned. "You want me to call the police?"

"We'll file a report first thing in the morning," she sighed. The night had been full of promise, and now, it was as if everything had been doused in cold water. They reentered the shrine living quarters in silence, except for the thundering of Rei's heart.

"Rei, did I say something wrong earlier?" Yuichiro asked.

"No, what makes you think that" she asked, genuinely confused.

"You just seemed closed off since we talked to Mamoru…"

"I'm sorry," she rubbed her eyes. "I swear I had a good time. It's just between the vandalism and other stuff, I'm a bit overwhelmed."

"What other stuff?" he asked. "Something you need to get off your chest?"

Rei's heart assaulted her ribcage. There was a lot she needed to get off her chest, including the form-fitting bra she was wearing – from one of the sets she purchased earlier. "I…" she paused, eyeing his handsome features. I can't go on like this! "How about," her heart climbed her throat, "we talk about that," she gave a faint nod, hoping this wasn't going to ruin things. "I'll be a few minutes," she walked past him into her room, closing the door behind her.

She stood before her bedroom mirror. Rei reached down, unsnapped the button of her jeans and dragged down the zipper of her fly. The material of her jeans separated, revealing the sleek black material with matching black lace hugging her womanhood. This is stupid! Is it? You've chosen to have sex with him many times; is there some prohibition on looking sexy for him?

Rei let her jeans fall to her ankles. She turned, eyeing the body-hugging garment as it accented the curve of her hips and butt. She posed slightly in the mirror as she stepped out of her jeans. He'd want to see this. Hell, you want him to see it! Rei gripped the red sweater and the t-shirt she wore under it. No, not complete. She pulled her shirt and sweater overhead. Her pale skin reflected in the mirror with the thin black outline cradling her breasts – giving them a full and elevated appearance. No, too forward, make him work for it.

Rei picked up the red sweater and separated it from her t-shirt. She scurried to get back over her head and arms, and checked herself in the mirror again. Enough skin, but not so much that this becomes a quickie! Rei blushed as she pulled back the covers on her bed and turned on the bed warmer. The cold of the room nipped at her skin, but she also didn't want to heat things up too soon.

She sprawled out on her stomach, one knee bent. My god, am I really doing this? There was a knock at the door, "Come in!" she called out. The door slid aside, and Yuichiro froze statue-still except for his eyes. He scanned her from her legs, to her butt, and up to her eyes. "Be honest, is this a good look for me?" she asked, "Or is it too much?"

"It," his mouth dropped, "it's perfect! In every way!" His jaw returned from the floor, and he cracked a massive grin. He half-tilted his head, "Rei, I don't seem to remember you having such an ensemble."

"A little something I picked up while dodging the Yakuza," she said, letting her bent leg come down. "This isn't pushing the rules of friends with benefits, is it?" she asked with a tinge of nerves. If all goes well, we won't just be friends with benefits.

"I don't seem to remember any prohibition," he closed the door behind him, turning off the light as he walked towards her, "on being sexy for one another," he winked, eye twinkling in the milky moonlight coming through the window. "I consider it the ultimate benefit of the situation," he slunk onto the bed on his side facing her.

"Good, I'd hate to ruin a good thing," she winked. "So, you going to stare all night, or are you planning on seducing me?"

"Stare for a bit," he moved closer, looking down at her exposed legs, "then seduce!" He placed a hand on her thigh and began stroking back and forth, light, teasing at first. Rei shivered and goosebumps crawled along her skin. Moisture was starting to form in her core. His hand moved in longer, firmer strokes along her hamstrings. His fingers wandered up from her tight to her buttocks. Fingers gently traced along bare skin, then pushing lace and elastic up, and eventually sneaking under the garment.

One finger traced just a bit too close to her centerline, "Yui! Leave my ass-crack alone!" Rei shook at the too-intimate contact. Definitely not doing backdoor play!

"Shit, sorry!" he withdrew the hand.

"It's fine," she rolled onto her side closer toward him. Rei took his hand and placed it over where he'd been on her butt, "just, stay out of there!" she giggled. His naughty hand began working her rump back and forth again.

"You're so beautiful!" he said breathless.

"There is more to see," she teased as she pulled at his t-shirt. "Don't forget to explore!" His shirt came up and off first. The next thing she knew, their lips were pressed together and tongues were wrestling. Rei went from cold to hot all over.

"Rei," he moaned her name as he stroked up from her butt, up the small of her back. He traced her spine in search of her bra clasps under the sweater.

"Yuichiro," she moaned in return to his mouth. By now she was wet and ready to go, but they weren't done just yet. Her hands slithered down his chest, down his stomach, clawing at his belt, and finally sneaking under material until her hand encased his dick.

"AHHH!" he arched his head back and his manhood became steel. Rei toyed with him back and forth. "You… are so…so NAUGHTY!" he heaved with a breathless grin.

"Admit it," she smirked in return, "you enjoy me like this!" She stroked back and forth on his length

"I enjoy you all the time," he groaned, throwing his head back again. "If the Sacred Flame had shown you doing this a few months ago, I wouldn't have believed it!" His free hand worked on her bra clasps.

The mention of the Sacred Flame rewound Rei's memories back to a few weeks before Grandfather's death, seeing herself in the flames, screaming in what she thought was agony. Now, she couldn't be sure if it had been agony or her screaming in ecstasy. "I think we've played around enough," she withdrew her hand and began undoing his button and fly. As she worked, the clasps on her bra released, and the tension holding her chest relaxed.

Yuichiro dragged the red sweater up, and Rei wriggled free as it slipped overhead and up her arms. He took the straps off of her arm, exposing her. As the bra came off, her hands began tugging down his jeans and boxers. He pulled back, pulling off the last of his clothing. As he returned, he kissed up along her thighs, up along her stomach, and then back down to just above the waistband of her panties. "It's too bad," he sucked and licked along her waistline, "that we have to take these off you." His hands snuck back up her buttocks, hooking his thumbs under and around the lacey material, and dragging it off her in a slow, savored movement.

"Why is that?!" she chuckled and shivered as panties came off and his lips continued to scan along her waistline.

"Because they look so damn sexy on you," he kissed lower, approaching her pubic mound. Is he about to do what I think he is! "Of course, you can be damn sexy regardless of what you are or aren't wearing." Rei's legs pressed apart. She felt her folds being spread and the silky sensation of his tongue crossing within them.

"Oh god! Yui—" Rei screamed as she drove her head back on the pillow and her fingers clawed at the sheets. He ran through her folds again, eliciting another short screech.

"Just relax…" his warm breath against her womanhood made goosebumps erupt throughout her skin. He traced his tongue through her folds, tracing around her clitoris, "…and enjoy!"

"Wha-what are you doing?!" Her hips bucked up and down, and she felt the pressure of hands under her butt holding her to him. Oh gods!

"I take it you've never gotten head before," he laughed, "I am told it's quite the experience." He pressed his face to her, lips sucking, tongue lapping. Rei couldn't do anything but squirm, moan, bounce, and occasionally scream as he went down on her. The pleasure became overwhelming, and Rei began unconsciously fondling her breasts as the excitement built. Her head thrashed side to side as orgasm drew near.

The wave hit like a spring snapping under tension, and Rei let out a high, staccato scream. The pleasure between her legs pulsed, and Rei let out an even longer scream. "AHHHH!"

He gave one last swipe, making her undulate with an aftershock, before he pulled back. "So, did you have fun tonight?" he grinned, wiping his mouth with his forearm.

"Y-yes!" Rei continued to lay splayed out and staring frozen up at the ceiling as her brain tried to comprehend what her body had just experienced. The room's chill began to combine with the cold goosebumps crawling up and down her skin. Yuichiro just stared, smiling as she lay completely exposed. Even a few weeks ago, she might have found it creepy. Now, she wanted him to see her like this. "Take a picture, it will last longer!" she teased.

"I'd like that," he brought a finger to his chin, "but I'm not a big fan of taking nude photos. They could never do you justice!" He chuckled as he admired her, "Goddamn, you are so fine!"

"Thanks!" Rei blushed at the compliment. "Although…"

"Yes?"

"I thought we were going to have sex," Rei raised an eyebrow.

"We still might," he winked, "but let me clean my mouth out really quick!" He exited the room, completely bare ass naked. She heard water running and the brushing of teeth. After a minute or two, he returned, wearing his smile and nothing else. "Tell you what, roll onto your stomach."

Rei eyed him skeptical, but did as commanded when she saw what looked like a bottle of lotion in his hand. Rei felt the cold fluid on her back, chased by the heat of his warm hands. "What's this about?"

"You never have been massaged by a man?" he asked.

"In point of fact, I haven't," she said. His fingers were amazing, working the tight bands of muscle on her back like clay.

He straddled over back of her, the warm of his body a pleasant contrast to the cold of the room. "Is this okay?" he asked.

"Perfect!" she moaned as he moved up and down her spine. "Yuichiro, I need to be serious for a moment."

"You need to be serious as we're both naked and I'm massaging you?"

"Yeah," she blushed in embarrassment.

"You want me to stop?"

"No," she protested, "continue, but I need to ask something."

"Ask away," he said as he continued his massage.

"What changes," she paused to moan as he came up by her shoulders. "What changes if we decide we're not just friends with benefits?" He's making me wet again!

"You mean in a relationship?" he asked. She nodded in reply. "Well, there is the risk that we will become emotionally attached."

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning her head to see him over her shoulder.

"I mean, if we end things, it would be an actual break up, not just two friends indulging. It means real feelings could get hurt."

A fair risk. "I see," she said, "what else?"

"Well, we'd also have to acknowledge each other as boyfriend and girlfriend."

It doesn't sound so bad! "Does it change us hanging out a lot?"

"Absolutely not," he replied, "if anything, it might increase our time together."

"Does it mean still getting backrubs from you?" she asked.

"Of course!" he paused, "Although…"

"Although, what?" she asked as she rested her head on the pillow.

"Well, the sex would become lovemaking," he added.

"There is a difference?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"You betcha," he continued to massage up to the back of her neck.

"How is that?" She asked.

"Sex," he worked a stubborn knot in her shoulders, "is merely the act of sticking part A in to part B. That one is all about your own enjoyment!"

"And lovemaking?"

"That," he slowed his tempo but pressed deeper, "requires an emotional connection. Lovemaking is about making your partner feel good."

"Do you love me, Yuichiro?" she asked. Her heart began building in tempo as she asked.

"I—yes!" Yuichiro blurted out, not considering the implication of the answer.

Rei smirked as he paused nervously. In the past, she might have shut him down just for saying it. However, knowing someone in this world loved her, cared about her, was the most incredible thing she could think of. "All right, I'm glad that part is out of the way!" she grabbed his leg and rolled the two of them until he was on his back and she was over top of him.

"Rei, what are you doing!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise.

"Do you accept me as your girlfriend?" she asked as she climbed up. Visual inspection confirmed he was ready.

"Yes," he replied.

"Good, then I accept you as my boyfriend," she climbed over him, straddling his hips. "To seal the deal," she snatched his penis and positioned him, "let's make love!" Rei drove herself downward, swallowing the length of him in one fluid motion.

"Rei!" Yuichiro moaned and thrashed his head side to side as she rode him. The feeling of him bare inside her warmed her as pleasure built. "Rei, what about protection!" he yelped as she continued without a care.

"I'm on the pill," she said. Whatever little concern Rei had about birth control failing gave way to desire.

"Rei, if something happens!" he exclaimed.

"Then we'll deal with it," she assured him, "but I don't think it will." She looked down, admiring him. "Just for once, be reckless with me!" Rei leaned back, closing her eyes, and biting her lower lip as she moved up and down.

"Rei, Rei," he moaned her name as his head began shaking side to side. His hands began tracing her thighs, her ass, her stomach, up to her breasts, and back down. His touch bounced back and forth between wispy caresses to firm massaging.

"Yui…" she heaved breathless, countless sensations began overwhelming Rei. As Yuichiro's pressure built within, Rei reached down to touch herself. "Ah…ahh….AHHH!" She moaned his name on repeat as her channel tightened around his twitching cock.

Yuichiro squeezed her ass firmly and let out a deep groan as he came inside her. Rei continued to move up and down and touch herself, her own pleasure surge arriving moments later. She spasmed with him, both letting out screams, and then there was quiet. Rei floated as ecstasy swirled around her. She let herself fall forward onto his body. As she landed, Yuichiro softened and slid from her. "Damn!" she huffed in a whisper.

"Damn," he said with a breathless laugh. "So, still glad you declared us to be a couple?"

"Yes," she heaved, catching her breath as he put his arms around her.

His fingers ran through her long, silken hair. "Good," he held her tight.

"Yuichiro, we do have to talk about that," she spoke, grim reality overcoming passionate afterglow.

"Second thoughts?"

"No, but we should probably not be open about our relationship," she cautioned, "If father or his Yakuza dogs were to find out, they might start targeting us as a means to an end."

"They probably already know, but I understand your concern as well," he said. "If anyone asks, I won't tell them that we are lovers."

"Y-Yuichiro…" Rei whimpered.

"Yes?" he eyed her with concern.

Don't do it! Don't do it! "Say you love me," she whispered to his lips.

"I love you," he whispered back without hesitation. The words were everything she'd wanted to hear for most of her life.

"I love you, too," Rei replied before losing herself in the warmth of his kiss.

Chapter Text

Chapter Six

Snow fell outside the kitchen window as Rei looked out on the shrine, now dusted with powdery snow. The cold grey of the morning promised a frigid day, and Rei had heard there was more snow on the way.

Next to her, Yuichiro was making scrambled eggs and miso soup for their breakfast. Rei, meanwhile, stared at the rice cooker, waiting for the damn timer to pop up. Somehow, they had gotten through Niiname-no-Matsuri without incident. Every last fiber of her body wanted to go back to sleep this morning, to hibernate under a rock.

The rice cooker popped, and she opened the lid. The Metropolitan Police had investigated the vandalism, and the investigation had hit a dead end. In the weeks that followed, there were an uptick in patrols. The quiet the police presence brought did not remove Rei's lingering anxiety. Eventually they're going to scale back, and we're going to face something else this time. "Rice is ready," she said, hoping to conceal her concern.

Yuichiro made them plates of breakfast, and they sat. "So, you still up for meeting Jimmy and Rachel this afternoon?" he asked.

"Are you still convinced we need outside help?" she answered in kind.

"Yeah, I am," he nodded, helping himself to his breakfast.

"You do realize we will have to try and keep secret identities intact, right?"

"Jimmy can figure a lot of things out," he replied, "but he also is a master of discretion. I don't think he'd out you or the girls, if he figures things out."

"Well, there's a relief," she said, taking a bite.

Her phone buzzed. She looked to see it was Makoto. Rei tapped the screen to answer, "Makoto?"

"Rei, I need your help!" Makoto came frantic over the line.

"What's wrong?!" Did that Yakuza follow you?! Terror washed over her.

"A certain blonde genius is about to leave on a romantic getaway without anything sexy to wear!" Makoto chirped in reply.

Rei breathed a sigh of relief. Jeez, paranoid much! "What do you need me for, then?" Rei asked.

"You're the one who knows The Kunoichi's Secret, if you get my meaning."

"When and where do you want to meet?"

"The train station near the store, as soon as possible."

Rei sighed, massaging her brow, "I'll be there ASAP." She ended the call. "I have business before the meeting." She gave Yuichiro her best look of apology.

"Do I need to reschedule us?"

"No, I don't think so," Rei stood up and put her food and dishes up. "I'll meet you at their office when I'm done."

"I love you," he said as she ran for her purse and red winter coat.

"Love you, too," she winked and was out the door.

Rei exited the metro station, arriving in the grey of midmorning. She saw her companions, Usagi and Makoto. Rei scurried to them and pointed the direction, "This way!"

The trio ran with haste they hadn't needed in years. While all of them stayed in shape and trained regularly, Rei couldn't help but be a bit annoyed at being dragged out to take her friend lingerie shopping. "Usagi!" Rei chided as they hustled through the shopping district, "Why in the hell did you wait to tell us you needed help with this!"

"Seriously!" Makoto huffed, "Waiting to the day of to get a surprise for the romantic weekend?!"

"It was," Usagi panted as she ran, "something that came up, and I had… another assignment due!"

"Some things never change!" Rei slapped her forehead.

"Tell me again," Usagi asked as Makoto pointed out the boutique aptly named The Kunoichi's Secret, "how did you find this place again?"

"Rei," Makoto shrugged as they slowed down. Oh shit!

"Oh… WAIT, WHAT!" Usagi freaked as she stared at Rei in disbelief.

Rei searched for intelligent words, an explanation. "What, I didn't take a vow of celibacy!" Rei shouted indignant as they approached the lingerie boutique. Oh crap, here it comes!

"Dude, you said Yuichiro was a one-night stand!" Usagi exclaimed.

Makoto did a double take, "Wait a… you came here FOR HIM?!" Her eyebrows shot up as she spoke.

"He was a one-night stand!" Rei shouted, turning red as she realized people nearby were starring. Come on dammit people are staring! "Come on!" she dragged Usagi and Makoto into the alley next to the boutique. "Listen, he was…" Rei's tone softened, shaking in embarrassment, "… and then he stopped being one…"

"Rei, I knew he liked you, but I never thought it would happen," Usagi said.

"Nor did I," Rei shook her head still not believing everything that had happened in the past several months. "After Grandpa died, I started losing it, really losing it." Rei cried slightly, wiping tears as she spoke, "He was the one thing keeping the shrine together for a few weeks, and then…"

"So… an act of comfort?" Makoto asked, placing a hand on her hip..

Rei nodded, "At first he just held me as I cried," Rei stared at the ground, unable to meet her friends' eyes. "He was so warm, tender… I started kissing him, and… well," Rei's skin burned as she spoke, "next thing I know, we were both sprawled out naked, basking the afterglow of our first time!" Rei's eyes dipped, "And the next time, and the time after that…" And all the nights you've done it since!

"Rei…" Usagi swallowed hard, "… what was it like?"

Words failed Rei as she tried to describe what lovemaking felt like. "Like… like nothing I've ever experienced," Rei shook her head, her black locks of hair flailing with her, "I can't describe it!" A subtle bit of moisture formed in her core as she remembered the wild nights and pleasant mornings since becoming a girlfriend.

"Having been there a few times now," Makoto brought a hand to her chest, "I can vouch for Rei," she turned a skeptical eye to her, "you closet minx!" I'll never hear the end of this!

"Anyhow, that is why this is so important!" Rei returned laser focus on Usagi. "You don't get a second chance at your first time!" And I want yours to be everything it can be!

"Heh," Makoto laughed, breaking the moment, "you can say that again! First time was a total loser, no technique whatsoever – a total jackhammer! And I was sore for a week afterwards!"

"Eh," Usagi and Rei balked at the same time.

"Yeah, that's what I said," Makoto laughed, "Needless to say, there wasn't a second time with him!"

"Rei, Makoto… what if… what if I'm no good?" Usagi almost whimpered

"You'll do fine!" Makoto slapped Usagi's back, "You never know until you try!"

"And if he doesn't want to?" Usagi asked.

"Do you?" Rei asked.

Usagi's answer was straight to the point, "You bet your ass I do!"

"And he's been crazy for you since you were both teens," Rei raised her index finger, "and you two have danced around this issue since before he left for Harvard." Rei stopped to wink, "And let's not forget that he's the one who booked a surprise ski trip to Hokkaido! I bet you're not at the cabin five minutes before his hand wanders to your ass."

"Five minutes?" Makoto pulled out a banknote, "I have five-hundred yen says it only takes two!"

"It's a bet!" Rei extended her hand to shake Makoto's.

"You two are unbelievable!" Usagi laughed.

"Wait until you see what the store has," Makoto winked, "I think Dr. Chiba won't know what hit him when Dr. Tsukino gets her hands on him!"

I know Yuichiro was in shock for some time afterwards. Rei grinned as she grabbed Usagi by the wrist and dragged her into the store. The fancy Sailor Moon lingerie waited for them, as if it was waiting for its true owner to claim it. "Hey, how about this one," Rei paused, eying a white lace set of lingerie completed with matching garter belt, thigh high stockings, and white faux fur trim.

"Oo, sexy snow princes look! I approved," Makoto said, snatching a set in Usagi's size from the table.

"Guys!" Usagi squealed at the salacious choice.

"Usagi," Rei grinned in perverse pleasure, "You want this weekend to be memorable," she winked, "I guarantee you he won't forget this one!" Rei pointed to a short, fantasy set meant to look like a doctor's white outfit.

"Dude, Rei, I didn't know you got into such kink," Makoto winked. "What's he like?"

Rei really hadn't talked much about such things with anyone, except possibly Yuichiro. Now, two of her best friends in the world – two major gossips – were asking her about her sex life. "Let's stay on topic," Rei cautioned. "After all, it's not me we're shopping for," she pointed at Usagi, "she's the only virgin here."

"Hey, you don't have to rub it in!" Usagi stamped her foot in protest.

"That reminds me, how is this your first time?" Makoto eyed some interesting pieces on the rack. "I thought you two sealed the deal back when you were in high school."

"Makoto…" Usagi sounded glum, "Believe me, we both came within a few honeyed words of doing the deed." She shook her head, "When he got accepted to Harvard the second time, this time for med school, we both agreed that doing it would make the separation even harder." Usagi looked down at her promise ring, "I can't tell you how hard it's been without him."

"Wear this," Rei picked up a lacy set of hip-hugging violet panties, "and I guarantee it will be harder for him…" she let the innuendo hang, "… to go back to Boston, that is!" Rei giggled, hardly believing she was laughing.

Her phone buzzed, distracting her. She looked down at the text, "Oh crap! Gather your stuff and let's go, Minako is inbound!"

The group made their way to a cashier and paid. They made their way outside to see a minivan pulled up by the curb. The passenger door swung open, and Minako's voice sang, "Seatbelts, everyone!" like a demented school bus driver from an American cartoon.

A wave terror came over Rei. Minako was the quintessential blonde when I came to driving. Oh god, we're all going to die! "Come on, Rei," Makoto snatched her by the wrist and dragged her toward the minivan. Usagi dragged the bag of suggestive items into the front seat while Makoto dragged Rei in through the slider.

"Are you crazy!" Rei asked as her ass made contact with the seat. Seatbelts clicked into place, and there was the squealing of tires as Minako weaved through Tokyo traffic heading to Narita International Airport. Rei dug her fingernails into the upholstery as her friend drove like a crazed American tourist. God, I hope I don't need to change my underwear after this!

"So, ladies, how was shopping for unmentionables at the lingerie boutique?!"

"Certainly, an experience," Makoto said.

"I'll bet," Minako winked as she passed another vehicle. Their speed increased as they made their way onto the highway to the airport. "By the way, how did you hear about this place again?"

Rei caught a gesture from Usagi – a slight nudge in Rei's direction. Minako's jaw dropped, "No way!" She looked in the rearview, "Rei?!"

"Dude, I can't decide I want to look sexy for someone?!" Rei protested.

"Ah, so you do have a lover," Minako held up a finger. "Let me guess, Yuichiro!"

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU KNOW THAT!" Rei roared, eying Usagi like a lioness about to slaughter prey."

"Oh, pu-lease!" Minako laughed, "You've been secretly hot for him since we all were fourteen. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together!" Minako bit her lip, "So, if you're lingerie shopping for him, it must be pretty damn serious! How is he in bed?"

"Minako!" Makoto, Usagi, and Rei all protested.

"What?" she asked as she turned of the highway toward the airport access. "It's okay to have a weekend lover, Rei! There is no need to be ashamed!"

"It's more than just being a weekend lover," Rei crossed her arms. "He's my boyfriend!"

"Dude, what?!" Minako slammed the brakes as the took a turn a bit too fast. Rei gave thanks to the seatbelt for not letting her go flying about the cabin.

"Minako, without getting us all killed, please!" Makoto chided.

"Oh my god, an actual boyfriend, as in you two are seeing each other as a couple!" Minako squealed. "I was worried you were going to be too proud the rest of your life!"

"Minako, the airport!" Usagi interjected.

"Oh, yeah!" She again peeled off until they reached the parking garage and came to a stop in a space. "So, you never did answer my question."

"What question?" Rei asked, joining Usagi and Makoto packing away the lingerie into Usagi's suitcase.

"Obviously, you've gone lingerie shopping for him," Minako winked. "Does he keep you satisfied?"

"Minako, you're a perv!" she protested, "And to answer the question, yes!" Everyone froze at the comment. "What?"

"Who are you and what have you done to our friend that hates men?" Minako asked.

"I don't hate men," she grimaced, thinking of one man she did hate, "I just hate my father! Isn't that enough?"

"Fair enough, he was a dick at the memorial service," Minako said.

Rei shoved the last bit of lingerie away, the fantasy Sailor Moon lingerie. Rei hadn't worn hers yet, saving it for the right occasion. Like maybe a future trip up to the ski resort. She bit her lip to suppress the naughty thoughts. "All right, we're locked up, let's get to the checkpoint!"

They entered the airport terminal and made their way to the security checkpoint for international flights. Motoki waved, and the group swarmed to him. "He should be in any second!"

As Motoki said the words, Rei caught the shape and demeanor of a figure she knew well. He wore black jeans, black boots, and a military style sweater that complimented his athletic form. In another life, boy, it would be me waiting here for you. Rei mulled the thought. Usagi was lucky to have Mamoru, but no way would Rei replace Yuichiro if offered the chance. Even when they had dated briefly, Mamoru and she didn't have solid chemistry.

Usagi and Mamoru sprinted to one another, embracing like something out of a romance movie. "Usako!"

"Mamo-chan… You're home!" Tears of joy spilled from Usagi's eyes as she bear-hugged her man.

Rei looked at her watch, remembering what they'd come here for. Dammit, you were late getting ready; you are not pulling that trick again! "If you two don't wrap this up soon," Rei chided, "You'll miss the train!"

Usagi grabbed her bag in one hand and Mamoru in the other. "See you all when we get back!"

"Have Fun!" Makoto winked.

"Don't fall down too hard!" Rei quipped. Usagi was still a major klutz, even more so when out skiing.

"Mamoru, that thing you asked me to get!" Motoki handed him a small plastic shopping bag.

"Owe you big time!" Mamoru said hurriedly as he and Usagi crossed the airport to the connection for the Narita express.

Rei and the others stood staring. "Motoki," Rei asked, "what was that about?"

"It's a surprise," he winked.

Another mystery… Rei again spied her watch, "Crap! Minako, can you drop me somewhere?"

Minako held out her car keys with a devil's grin and a jingle of metal.

By some miracle, Minako had dropped Rei at the meeting place in a semi-residential part of Tokyo without getting them both killed. Even more miraculous, I don't need to change my underwear after that drive!

As Minako drove off, Rei saw no sign of Yuichiro. In fact, there was no one nearby that was remotely familiar. "Ms. Hino," a crisp voice spoke as she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Rei spun, preparing for battle against another one of Dad's Yakuza buddies. As she got her hands up, there was a young man wearing a blue suit with a red bowtie opposite her. "My apologies, you must be Rei," he chuckled as he threw his hands up in surrender.

He certainly doesn't look Yakuza. While the outfit screamed nerd, the body screamed professional athlete. "Are you…"

"Jimmy Kudo, at your service," he bowed slightly. "I hope I didn't scare you, Rei."

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"For one, Yuichiro did tell me to look for a woman with raven hair and violet eyes," he raised one finger, "two, you are in the tabloids frequently because of your father, quite possibly an intentional act."

"Wait, what?!" Rei balked. She never read the tabloids.

Jimmy pulled a folded magazine with Rei's picture on the front. The headline read: FUTURE DIET MEMBER'S DAUGHTER IN A POLITICAL MARRIAGE? "I'm assuming there is no truth to this, given that you're in a relationship with Yuichiro?"

"Does everyone know that?!" she groaned, embarrassed that she was so easy to read as much as embarrassed by the tabloid.

"I surmised it," he said.

"How?"

"Yuichiro offered to pay a considerable sum for our help, seeking help from his family," Jimmy nodded, "Given his relationship with his family, he'd need a significant reason to go to them." He tilted his head, as if analyzing Rei under a microscope. "There are also several brown hairs not belonging to you on the shoulder of the coat you're wearing." He delicately plucked one of the offending hairs from her coat, "given the length and color, I'm assuming Yuichiro," he shrugged, "Plus, being that he said you'd be coming, I can surmise you two at least are involved on some level."

"No sense in hiding it, I'm his girlfriend," Rei sighed.

"I'm assuming that is something you'd like to keep secret?"

"If possible," Rei paused then added, "while not forbidden, it could be tricky if it were to come out that he and I were in a relationship."

"Understood," Jimmy nodded. "This way," he gestured to a nondescript two story building. They entered the ground floor of some shop and moved up a stairway to what looked like an office mixed with an apartment.

Near the window overlooking the street, a man sat behind a desk. He was middle aged, with sharp features, and he had jet black hair and a pencil thing moustache of matching inky-black. The man looked up from what looked like a crossword puzzle, and scanned the two of them up and down. "Jimmy, this better not be a charity case!" the man growled.

"No, Richard," Jimmy nodded, "this is a paying client that is offering us a fat retainer."

"Richard?" Rei cocked up an eyebrow.

"Richard Moore of the Moore Detective Agency," he nodded, "at your service." Richard looked back at Jimmy, "Since when did we get an illustrious client that pays?"

Jimmy winked, "Since the heir of the Kumada Corps asked for help."

"Kumada… that kid we got off for murder?" he asked.

"Murder?" Rei balked. Her heart jumped several beats in her chest, and for a moment it was hard to breathe.

"Rei, I promise Yuichiro did nothing wrong!" Jimmy raised his hands, "An overzealous prosecutor was looking to make a name for herself." Jimmy tilted his head to the side, "I'm assuming he never told you?"

"No," Rei said coldly. How the hell could he keep something secret like that?! Anger flared inside Rei, a burning ember matching the sacred flame. Just as quickly, the ember was doused with cold guilt. Rei remembered, he had told her about being questioned after his girlfriend's suicide. He had told her how scary the event was. Do you bring up how scared you were when you were only eight watching your mom turn into a skeleton as chemo made her hair fall out and your father was nowhere to be seen!

"Rei, are you okay?" Jimmy asked. Rei blinked, realizing she'd blanked out entirely.

"Fine!" she lied in protest, pinching between her eyebrows, "I'm fine," she said a bit more convincing.

"Have fun with that, Jimmy," Richard said as he got up from his desk, setting down the crossword puzzle. "I'm on my lunch break." He straightened his tie and left the office.

"Is he always like that?" Rei asked.

Jimmy shook his head, "You have no idea." He gestured to a nearby set of armchairs, "Let's take a seat, and we can talk about what is going on."

Rei took his lead, sitting in a chair that was surprisingly comfortable, and he sat opposite. "Mr. Kudo…"

"Jimmy, please, call me Jimmy," he cut her off.

"Jimmy, where do we start?" she asked. Rei nervously checked her watch, noting that Yuichiro was at least ten minutes late for this meeting.

"Yuichiro gave me some idea, but tell me what you think is relevant," he tented his hands in front of him and stared with his penetrating blue eyes.

"Well…" embarrassment threatened to cut her off, "… you know I'm the daughter of a city assemblyman – a man aspiring to be in the Diet."

"Election season is only a few months away," he gave a slight nod. "By all accounts, your father's initial lead in the race has narrowed to a razor-thin margin."

"I never really followed politics," Rei replied with a shrug. "After what it did to my family, I kind of swore it off."

"I wouldn't blame you," Jimmy rubbed his chin. "To be honest, I'm mildly surprised no one is jumping on the opportunity to dig up that past."

"The only people alive that know the whole story are him and me," she said.

"Yes…" Jimmy's voice followed his eyes look down and to the left, "… that disturbs me."

Rei didn't like where this was going. "Explain."

"Rei," Jimmy shifted uncomfortably, "you don't have any knowledge of a man named Takashi Hara, do you?"

The question made Rei swallow hard, "No, should I?" Where is he going with this?

"Rei, he's the man your father is trying to replace in the Diet."

"But, I thought the seat was vacant?" she cocked up an eyebrow.

"It is," he nodded, "Because Mr. Hara is dead."

A chill crawled down her spine. "You think my father has something to do with this?"

"Something, yes," he spoke low and grim, tenting his hands once more, "The circumstances were a bit suspicious – his car's brake line had been broken."

"You mean… he could be tied to a murder?!"

Jimmy raised a hand, "Could be, but more likely the scum he hired to scare you just happened to be part of a gang that had it in for Mr. Hara – he was no friend of the Venom Scorpions." He shook his head, "It hasn't even been deemed a homicide."

He's trying to placate you. "Jimmy," she held up a stern finger, "I want you to know I am an adult that has seen some terrible things, not some scared little girl that needs protection. Tell me whatever the hell you aren't telling me!"

"Rei, you and your friend attacked one of their foot soldiers, right?"

"Yeah…"

"This gang doesn't take kindly to their members getting their asses handed to them. You need to brace for potential retaliation."

"Jimmy, how did my father get mixed up in all of this?" She asked. "He was always a louse, but I never pegged him for a criminal."

"If I had to guess, he might just be a useful idiot who has something they might want." Jimmy shook his head, "What background checking I did thus far didn't establish any hard links to organized crime."

"What does he have that they want?" Rei asked.

"For one, if they hold over him that they paid for his election, he'd been inclined to bend to their will."

"For two?"

"For two, he still might be able to get you to sign over or sell the shrine. The Venom Scorpions are known to extort owners into a fire sale and commit property fraud."

Something ominous in what Jimmy said scared Rei to her core. "Are Yuichiro and I in danger?"

"I'd say so," a sharp female voice came from the office door. Rei turned to see a woman with long brown hair and wearing a sharply made suit walk through the door, propping up a disheveled Yuichiro with one arm.

Ice filled Rei's veins as she took in more detail. Yuichiro's normally messy hair was askew worse than usual, he sported several purple bruises on his face, and blood ran down from his lips to his chin. "Yui!" Rei didn't even register leaping out of the chair and running to her lover's side.

"Rachel, help me guide him to the chair!" Jimmy moved around and positioned Yuichiro's other arm over his shoulder and they helped walk him to the chair where Rei had been seated earlier. "What happened? Who did this?" Jimmy asked as they sat Yuichiro down.

"Nice to see you, too, Jimmy," Yuichiro wiped blood from his lips with a slight laugh, "It seems we can't help but meet like this!"

"Who did this?" Rei asked. Her heart pumped furious and unfocused.

"I got jumped by a few thugs on my way to the office. Rachel here helped fend them off, but not before they did some damage."

Adrenaline sent Rei's heart pumping like a runaway train, "What kind of damage?!"

"Relax, Rei," he raised his hands, "I'm just a bit beat up!"

"LIKE HELL!" she roared. "You need to be checked over by medics!"

"Way ahead of you," Rei looked up to see Rachel with her phone to her ear, "Yes, I need police and an ambulance. A man has been assaulted on his way to our office." There was a pause, "Yes, this is Rachel Moore of the Moore Detective Agency." She looked up at Yuichiro an Rei, "They're on the way."

Sirens filled the air, and soon, the door burst open to admit paramedics. The world began swirling. Rei watched the paramedics check Yuichiro over and uniformed police began asking questions at Yuichiro, Jimmy, and Rachel. "Miss," the words came hazy, like Rei was hearing them while underwater. "Miss?"

She felt hands at her arms, dragging her. "REI!" the sound hit her as everything went dark.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven

Yuichiro had fully expected to end up in the hospital after the beating he'd taken from the Yakuza punks. He had not expected Rei to be the one needing to take an ambulance to the hospital. They had been separated partially in the emergency department. Yuichiro sat through a painful hour or being looked over by a doctor and nurse, giving statements to the police, and finally insisting on being discharged so he could see Rei. By the time he got to her, she was at least conscious. "Hey, pretty lady," he said.

She raised a finger, "Not so loud, the doctor is Ami's mom."

"I take it you didn't tell Ami?"

"No more than you told Mamoru or Motoki," she stared at him crossly, "You didn't tell either, did you?"

"No," he shook his head, "although, I wouldn't put it past Usagi to blab or Motoki to put two and two together."

"Usagi would," Rei checked her watch, "I suppose they're at the resort right now." She sighed, flopping her head back on the pillow.

After everything that happened today, I'm wishing that was where we were. "I suppose," he nodded. "Rei…"

"Yes?"

He hesitated, unsure if he wanted his next question answered, "You seem concerned about keeping us a secret… did I do something wrong?"

"No," she sighed, closing her eyes. For the first time, Yuichiro took in the dark circles under her eyes – betraying how exhausted she'd become. "Listen, it's complicated…"

He took a seat in the chair beside the bed, "Try and tell me."

"If they found out that we were more than just friends…" her words trailed off, and Yuichiro didn't need her to finish.

"You're right," he huffed, wishing the world would leave them alone. "I don't want to think what they might do next." A razor of concern came at him, "Rei, what if they already know?"

"How?"

"Subtle as we are, it wouldn't take much for people to at least suspect something. Let us assume they have been watching us, especially in light of recent events."

"You're not thinking of breaking things off, are you?" she opened her violet eyes wide.

"No," he raised a hand and stopped the suggestion before it took further root, "If anything, I think we need to stick together, watch each other's backs." He looked Rei over, "By the way, did they say what happened?"

"They're running tests, but Dr. Mizuno thinks I'm anemic."

"You have been burning the candle at both ends." He took her hand.

"I have, and that is the life I live," her voice hinted that further discussion was not welcome.

"I am not saying give up the life," he assuaged, "I just mean we need to make sure you are taken care of."

"You think I can't take care of myself?" her annoyance seeped into her voice.

"Not at all; I know you can. I just worry about you. This is taking a big toll on you more ways than one."

Rei's sharp edges softened. "Dammit," she sighed, rubbing her eyes. "You're right, I hate to say."

"Go on," he encouraged.

"I'm not used to relying on others, especially not for emotional support." She squeezed his hand.

"Not even with your night job?" he asked.

"That's entirely different," she reclaimed her hand and raised a finger with a slight smirk. Night job had become their code phrase for her secret life as a Sailor Scout.

"Excuse me," a voice came from the curtain, and Yuichiro was glad he spoke in euphemism of Rei's secret identity. Jimmy Kudo slipped in to the curtained area. "I hope I'm not interrupting." He wore his normal blue suit and red bowtie.

"Jimmy," he nodded as he stood, "wish we were meeting under better circumstances."

"All the same, it's good to see you, my friend," Jimmy nodded with a confident smile. "I had a chance to speak with the police inspector. Did you tell them everything?"

"Yes, I promise I didn't hold anything back."

"Has there been a prior physical assault until now?" Jimmy looked over to Rei.

"Stalking, yes, but no physical attacks." Rei confirmed.

"I assume New Years will be the next big event for the shrine?" Jimmy asked. Both Rei and Yuichiro nodded. "And I assume there is no talking you into cancelling the event?"

"It's our biggest event of the year," Yuichiro protested.

"We already have sold out bookings for the first sunrise celebration," Rei looked down, "It promises to be a long day and night. I can't imagine what it would do the shrine if we had to cancel."

"So, no then," Jimmy nodded. "Okay, then I insist you speak to the police about having a uniformed presence at the shrine that day. Make up whatever excuse you need. If you need, I can also recommend some cops that do private security when off duty – fairly reasonable in price."

"You think the Yakuza will try something?" Rei asked.

"They will be many times less likely to try something if they see police or private security."

Yuichiro spoke, "Jimmy, while I agree with your suggestion, that isn't a long-term solution. Eventually the police will have to leave."

"You are right," he replied. "We ultimately need to gather evidence to give them to make an arrest." A pained look came over Jimmy, gritting his teeth before regaining his composure. "Ms. Hino, if we do this, this could lead to further escalation. I will do my best to protect you all, but I can't guarantee nobody will get hurt."

"Just do what you have to, and put these slimebags behind bars, all of them," her conviction returned.

"Am I interrupting?" a female doctor with dark hair entered the room.

"No, Doctor Mizuno," Rei said.

"Mizuno," Yuichiro said, "Ami's Mom?"

"The one and only," she gave a slight smile. "Rei, you are mildly anemic. I would recommend adjusting your diet or taking iron supplementation."

"Easy enough," Rei nodded.

"And make sure you are getting enough rest," Dr. Mizuno added. "Ami has told me how busy you get during this season. Working yourself to exhaustion won't help anything."

"Yes, Dr. Mizuno," Rei spoke with a deference Yuichiro hadn't noticed in the past. Perhaps this is how she would be treating her own mother if she was still alive.

"Otherwise, you are free to leave," She handed Rei a slip of paper, "See the discharge staff on the way out."

"Jimmy, can we carry this on in a few days?" Yuichiro asked.

"Big snowstorm inbound tonight," Jimmy smiled, "I recommend you two bunker down. I have a few leads to follow up on."

Rei wished she'd felt better after the hospital, but she was more on edge than before. A massive snowstorm is coming down from Siberia and your best friend, your future queen, is going to be right in the middle of it! Rei had texted and called Usagi to no avail on the walk from the hospital to the metro station. By the time they reached their stop, fluffy tufts of snow were falling. "Hey, Rei, are you up for a pitstop on the way home?" Yuichiro asked.

She turned to stare at him, finding him looking surprisingly good for a man who had been beaten up by Yakuza not too long ago. "I mean, as long as you are."

"I just figured," he shrugged, "we're likely going to be bunkered down at least tonight and possibly longer. Best have a few essentials on hand."

She nodded, and they made the detour to the local convenience store. They grabbed a few sandwiches, steam buns, eggs, and Yuichiro insisted she grab a daily multivitamin for women. Rei grimaced in mild annoyance, but then felt like a jerk for having done so. Will I ever be free of the curse? Will I ever stop resenting him for actually caring? She continued to ponder as they checked out and began walking back to the shrine through the thickening snow.

By the time they reached their quarters and took their shoes off, Rei had been chilled to the bone, and her socks were wet from walking in the snow. Yuichiro went to the kitchen, and she went to her room, grabbing fresh socks. Even the effort of bending down and pulling on her socks left Rei dizzy, and she had to clutch the side of her dresser for support. As she finished and stood up, dizziness claimed her again, and the room swirled around her. "Rei!" she heard Yuichiro as he clutched her in his arms.

"Well, shit," she groaned, catching her balance.

"How about I take you out to the couch," he said.

Rei thought to resist, but exhaustion won out. "Okay… hey!" before she could protest further, he had picked her up in a cradle carry and was walking her out to the living room. "Yui!"

"Less chance of you falling," he said as he carried her. "If you insist, I'll put you down," he said as they exited her room.

The act of being carried took Rei back, to a more innocent time. She remembered Mom holding her in what few memories she still had of her mom. However, she still couldn't remember father doing the same. "It's fine…" her words hung with reluctance.

"But?" he asked.

"I'm not used to someone doing this, even at this point," she sighed. "I'm starting to worry I'll never get used to it."

He set Rei on the couch then took a seat beside her with her feet in his lap. "Rei, for one, this isn't something that happens overnight." Rei almost jumped at the sensation of her fingers digging into her feet.

"What are you doing?!" she exclaimed in shock, the pressure of his fingers causing mild discomfort and significant pleasure.

"It's called a foot massage," he replied, "Most women I know find them luxurious."

"I know what it is," she groaned as he worked a nasty knot on the top of her foot she hadn't noticed, "but why all of the sudden?"

"You're not well, Rei. Significant others tend to do stuff like this when one of them is not well." He began massaging the arch of her foot, making chills crawl up her spine. Now is not the time to get horny!

"You've done this before?" she asked.

"Yes," he nodded grimly, "with Chiyo."

"It's still painful talk about, isn't it?" she asked.

"Much like you with your father." He nodded, "She left a mark that is hard to paint over."

"Yui… tell me about her…" she chewed her lip, praying she wasn't about the break up with him.

To her surprise, he stared with puzzlement, "Why do you want to know?"

"You know all my sob stories, listened to them all. Maybe I want to know yours."

He looked down at her feet as he continued to massage between the joints, "She was beautiful, funny…"

"Go on," Rei encouraged. His hands are amazing!

"She started out as a roadie hanging with the band," he said, "later, I learned she could sing and play guitar like me." Something bittersweet crossed his face, "But, nobody is perfect."

"Is that why you reacted the way you did when I got drunk and began throwing up?"

"Part of it," he said, working some of the sensitive tissue on the bottoms of her feet, "Love makes you do stupid things, sometimes, overlook other things."

"Like what?" she asked.

"I knew she drank too much, and she smoked."

"Hardly a crime," Rei said.

"I mean, she'd go through a bottle of vodka and cranberry juice in one weekend by herself. She sometimes took Adderall to help her get through sets when she'd been drinking ahead of time."

"Is that what ended things?"

"No," he shook his head.

"You don't have to tell me…"

"I caught her doing a line of coke in the restroom of her apartment when we were not on tour."

"I see," Rei had never known anyone who had been this close to drugs until now.

"I pleaded with her to get clean, to get help…"

"She didn't?"

"Rei, you have to understand the mind of an addict, and she was well and aware that she was an addict." He shook his head as if trying to expel the memory, "She made it clear to me that she thought she was in control, and she refused to humor the possibility of going to rehab – even if my family would pay for the best in the world."

"You were worried I was going to become her?"

"Actually, I think you would have eventually pulled it together," he cracked a minor smile, "I doubt Usagi would have let you wallow much longer."

Rei now smiled, "She's good for that. Speaking of which," she grabbed her phone to text her friend, "I'm surprised we haven't heard anything." She sent the text.

"I'm not," he chuckled.

"Oh?"

"Trust me, if it was us there, instead," he winked, "I wouldn't be on my phone, either!" He paused, as if calculating his odds of rejection in his head, "Actually, we could possibly go to my folk's lodge after New Years."

"It sounds nice, it really does," Rei paused to imagine the two of them bundled up and skiing the slopes by daylight, making passionate love by a roaring fireplace all night. "However, I think we need to solve our little situation before we make that commitment."

"Speaking of commitment and secrets…" he spoke with a nervous rise in his voice as he continued to massage her feet.

"Yeah…"

"My parents and my sister want to meet you!" he exclaimed quickly as if hoping the words would fly past her.

"You told them?"

"Dad figured it out pretty quickly, when I asked him to fund hiring Jimmy."

It was bound to happen. "What did you tell them about me?"

"I merely told them that we'd been close a long time, and things escalated after your grandfather passed."

"Ah Grandpa," she sighed. Did you plan this, old man? Did you hope I'd end up with Yuichiro? "So, they know about me…"

"I didn't tell them about your night job."

"I appreciate it."

"So…"

"So?"

"What do you think?" he asked.

"I've never had a boy asked me to meet his parents," she shrugged. "Do they know about my father?"

"I made clear to my father that you were estranged, and he was not to treat your father with any degree of friendship"

"They know each other?"

"Dad knows your father by reputation only," he assured. "I made clear that we suspected something criminal, and Kumada Corps. should not associate with anything related, lest the company's image be tarnished."

"I appreciate it, I really do," Rei sigh.

"Rei, was there ever a time when things weren't this bad between you and your father?" he asked.

"I wish I could say I could remember," she sighed. "It wasn't like he made an effort to see me when he was just getting started." She stared at Yuichiro, "Is that how things are with you and your parents?"

"Not exactly," he shook his head, "My father thought I'd succeed him, but I only ever had an interest in music, later being a priest."

"Had Chiyo taken you up on your offer, would you still be a musician?"

"I don't know, Rei," he shrugged. "It would have been an uphill struggle to keep her on the straight and narrow, not that I wouldn't have tried." He turned to look at Rei in the eyes, "However, that would have meant never meeting you."

"Tragedy has a tendency to make us do things we wouldn't normally consider," Rei nodded. "All right, you got me." She laid back over the arm of the couch.

"Got you?" his brow wrinkled in confusion.

"I'll meet your family, just try not to expect too much."

"You'd do that?" he asked.

"You've met all of mine; how bad could yours be?" she retorted.

"Dad and Mom can be a bit tone deaf at times," he smirked, leaning towards her. His hands slip up from her feet, up to her legs. He grinned, clearly admiring her, remembering what she looked like without the outfit.

"You're horny, aren't you?" she laughed.

"Only a little," he replied with a toothy grin. His left hand snuck up from her leg and massaged her right flank, just underneath the shirt.

"Do they know we've been sleeping together?"

"Do they need to know?" he replied.

"I suppose we have no need to tell them," She giggled slightly as his hand massaged small circles around her tummy now.

"Good," the hand slid down her side and began squeezing and massaging her rump.

"Yuichiro!" Rei's hips popped up from the couch slightly at the intimate contact of his fingers tracing her panty line. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I believe we call it foreplay, Rei," he smirked even wider as fingers squeezed and kneaded her butt, "I guarantee Mamoru is doing something similar to Usagi as we speak!"

The mention of Mamoru and Usagi left Rei to ponder. Did Makoto win or did I? "One sec," she checked her phone, finding her message unread from earlier. She intended to send another message, but the sensation of fingers on her rump rendered the task impossible. She set her phone off to the side, "All right," she smirked, "if you're so confident, how about you take me to the bed room and show me what you think they might be doing!

He leaned down, kissing her exposed belly, "Okay!" He snuck out from under Rei and picked her up from the couch.

Yuichiro awoke, bare-ass naked in the heavenly warm cocoon of blankets and silk-smooth skin. Sunlight forced him to wakefulness. The last two days had been little more than him and Rei fighting a losing battle clearing snow around the shrine, watching Netflix, and lovemaking between the sheets. The snowstorm was supposed to let up by tonight, but he was in no hurry. Judging by the lack of falling snow, they'd have to clean the shrine and open today. Too bad! He turned to eye Rei, still asleep with tiny, cute snuffles. Her black hair spread out throughout her pillow, and the blanket hung down below her breasts, both nipples peaked in coolness of the morning. Yes, too bad we have open up today!

He smirked as he cuddled into her, knees cradling her left knee. He stared at her, trying to paint the picture into his brain of this beauty. As he admired, he remembered doing this with Chiyo the morning before she died. She had been beautiful in her own way; although, he'd still classify Rei as the more beautiful of the two.

As he lay, he peeled back the memories, trying to spot the red flags his younger, dumber self, had missed or just ignored. Chiyo drank heavily, but so had he for a while. He'd always equated drinking with the rockstar lifestyle. While Chiyo was frequently drunk, he'd always been amazed by her musical talent, in spite of her drinking habits. Imagine what she might have achieved if that hadn't been weighing her down.

Rei began stirring, just as Chiyo had done. They're not the same. Chiyo never agreed to meet your parents, and you didn't walk in on Rei snorting a line of coke to combat the effects of having drank too much before a rehearsal.

His hand found Rei's hand and gripped it tightly. Rei's own fingers tightened around his hand. You offered Chiyo a lifeline and she instead let go. That's not going to happen again. Rei's violet eyes opened, and her lips tightened into a slight grin. "Good morning."

"Any morning I wake to this is a good one, Rei," he smiled, hoping she was as happy as he was.

She stole a glance out the window. "I take it we have to get up and clear snow?"

"Yeah, I think the weather is clear enough."

She rolled to her side, fumbled with her phone, and said, "Dammit, still no word from Usagi!"

"I'm sure they're okay."

Setting down her phone, she rolled back to face him, "They were forecasted to get a lot more snow than we did, and we got quite a lot!"

"It'll be fine, Rei," he reassured her. Something in her expression remained agitated. "Rei, you have me curious…" he trailed off with his heart slowly increasing in tempo.

"About?"

"You seem extra-agitated about Usagi… You're not worried about them doing what we've been doing?"

"No," she shook her head as she sat up, "It's nothing like that." As she sat up, the blanket slipped, barely covering her front, and completely exposing her backside. Damn, girl!

It took everything for him to regain his focus after getting the luscious profile of her barely covered. "Then what is it?" he asked

"Yui…" she bit her lip, deep with contemplation, "Listen, it gets complicated."

"We have time to talk as we clean up and get dressed."

She paused, eying him, weighing heavily what was about to be said. "Yuichiro, you remember Chibiusa, right?"

"Yeah, Usagi's cousin," he nodded as he remembered the young girl with pink hair and pig-tails to match Usagi's.

"She's not her cousin…"

"Oh?"

"She's… Usagi's daughter."

"Daughter?" Yuichiro cocked up an eyebrow, uncertain if he'd hear right. "I'm sorry?!"

"It's true," she nodded massaging her temple. "God, I feel weird explaining this."

"But… that makes… no sense," he struggled to assemble words. "Usagi was what, fifteen… and she was what, five, six?!"

"Yuichiro, Chibiusa is from the future, a very distant future."

Future? Now, he sat up, "Explain."

"You know how Usagi is Sailor Moon?"

"I sometimes forget, but yeah, I seem to remember."

"In the future, she becomes the queen of the Earth – Chibiusa is her daughter from that time."

"And may I assume that Mamoru is the father?"

"He is," she nodded.

"And you're worried they might make her a bit too soon?"

"Yes, sort of…" Rei looked uncomfortable with the conversation.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"How did you know?"

"We've been essentially dating for a few months, Rei, and I've known you for almost ten years."

She looked away, then back to him. "Somewhere in the next five to ten years…"

"Go on," he nodded.

"… a great cataclysm will befall earth."

"What kind of cataclysm?" he furrowed his brow.

"A dark energy will overwhelm the Earth, freezing it for a thousand years."

"A-a thousand years!"

She nodded, "At the dawn of the thirtieth century, Usagi will become Neo Queen Serenity. She uses her powers to reawaken the planet after everyone has been frozen for a millennium. Sometime soon after that, she marries Mamoru and they have Chibiusa."

"But," he stared crossly, "why does Chibiusa come back in time? She spent like two or three years living with Usagi in this time?

"Partially, she was sent back to protect her from a future fight, which we already fought," Rei explained, "and after that, her mom sent her back to train with us when we were much younger."

Despite the incredible story, everything Rei said did add up. Rei curled her knees and arms under her chin, "Rei, what's wrong?"

"I… I have no idea if you are still alive in the future…" she began crying. "There was no proof that any of us other than Usagi had children or still had family!"

"Rei," he hugged her to him, "Rei, the future may not be fully written yet."

"It isn't… that's what makes me so scared! What if we do all this, and I lose you!"

"And what if you don't?" he retorted.

"What?" Rei asked in shock.

"What if you don't lose me?" he countered again, "What if you're still stuck with this loser a thousand years from now!"

"Y-you're not a loser!"

"I appreciate the vote of confidence," he laughed. Rei laughed. They embraced each other. "Rei, how about we shower and we can talk more about the future?" He stood, taking her hand, guiding her up, and then to the shower. Soon after, they stood together under the warm rain of hot water.

"So," she started, hugging herself to his body, "tell me, if we are still together after everything I just told you about, what then?"

"Well, I suppose by then we'll have been dating at least a thousand years," he smirked, wondering if the next idea was going to get him killed. "Maybe then we should get married."

"Marriage," she gave a short laugh, "If you'd told me a year ago that I'd even be considering it, I'd have called you a liar."

"Had you told me just a few months ago," he held her tighter, "that we'd be showering together like this, I'd have called you a liar."

Her arms snaked around Yuichiro. "Be honest with me…" She was bracing for something big.

"When am I not?"

"… Yuichiro… do you want to have children someday?"

"I guess I hadn't really thought that far ahead," his calmness surprised even him. In the year or so he'd known Chiyo, marriage never came up, much less the subject of children.

"I feel so strange," she leaned into him, head on his shoulder, "even talking about it. The world is going to end…"

"I have every faith in you and the girls," he brushed his hands throw her hair.

After much snow-clearing, the shrine had been in good enough condition to admit the public, not that there were many visitors. By the time she was done with closing duties, Rei almost returned to her quarters when she almost literally walked right into Minako and Makoto. "What are you two doing here?!" Rei spoke with surprise. Luna and Artemis also were in company

"Uh Rei, it's that time of the month," Minako said as she held up her smart phone. "It's been on the books for a while."

"Dammit, I totally forgot," she brought a hand to her forehead. Practice night, and all you could think about was getting cozy with the boyfriend. Before she could say anything else, a phone text from Usagi popped up on her phone: CALL YOU IN FIVE, SORRY DIDN'T CALL EARLIER.

Rei showed the message to Minako and Makoto. "Well, let's find a quiet spot to chat," Makoto said, gesturing toward the living quarters. They took seats on the couch and Rei propped her phone up so that it would barely show all three of them. Luna and Artemis took up positions by the door. "I hope everything is okay," Makoto said.

"Relax, I'm sure everything is fine," Rei said, cut off by the tone of her phone signaling that Usagi was trying initiate a video chat. "Everything is fine…" Rei tapped the screen to answer. The image of Usagi and Mamoru sitting on a couch, champagne flutes before them set something off in Rei. Red mist filled her vision as her two friends appeared casually oblivious to the anxiety they'd caused. "DO YOU TWO HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED SICK WE'VE BEEN ABOUT YOU TWO!" Rei leaned forward toward the phone, mostly obscuring Makoto and Minako.

Taking the hint, Luna and Artemis exchanged a look then exited the room. "Nice to see, you too, Rei," Mamoru answered with a chuckle.You dick! You think this is somehow funny?! Memories resurfaced of burning anger after he'd broken up with Usagi and then had the nerve to show up to karate class like nothing happened.

Rei channeled her anger, "AND YOU, ASSHOLE!" Rei glared at her old friend. "Dragging Usagi off to some secluded cabin to have your wicked ways with her! DID YOU AT LEAST USE PROTECTION!"

"Rei, calm down," Minako laughed nervously.

"Sorry we didn't pick up your last few calls," Usagi raised her hands to try warding off Rei from climbing through the screen to kill them both, "we both totally forgot to charge our phones when we got in, and we were having way too much fun!"

"Usagi," Rei felt Makoto's hand between her shoulders, " I think Rei mostly wants to know, which of us won the bet!" Makoto tried breaking the mood.

Usagi bit her lip, "I did!"

"WHAT?!" the trio on the other end gawked. No way he kept his hands off her!

"He took a short nap when we got in," Usagi winked, "better luck next time, ladies!"

Rei and Makoto stared at each other. Makoto's cheeks turned cherry red and a vein began twitching in her forehead. Rei was pretty sure the same was happening to her as well. "Dude, did I miss something?" Minako asked, cocking up an eyebrow in confusion.

"Apparently," Mamoru spoke, "your two reprobate friends thought I wouldn't keep my hands from Usagi's tush for longer than five minutes." He grinned like a shark, "I am a gentleman; you should know!"

"You're no gentleman if Usagi used half of what we sent her with," Makoto quipped.

"Makoto!" Usagi turned pink, suggesting they hadn't yet used half of what they'd sent her with.

"Wait a…" Makoto stared intently, "… Usagi, is that a new ring?!"

Rei stared into the screen, seeing the glimmer on Usagi's right hand. "No way!" Rei exclaimed.

"Oh my, congrats I take it?!" Minako squealed.

"Yes! We're engaged!" Usagi squealed with excitement.

"Congrats!" Makoto shouted, "When is the wedding?"

"Ummm…" Usagi and Mamoru said in unison and turned to one another. "After we're done with school, for sure," Usagi spoke first.

"Either before or after residency works for me," Mamoru said.

"After," Usagi winked, "let's get married when we're not under incredible stress."

"By the way," Mamoru nodded, grinning again, "Rei, how is Yuichiro?"

"He's…" she turned red as a beet, "… good… very, very good!" she stumbled. Oh god, he knows, doesn't he!

"Tell him I say 'Thank you,' and he should take you up here some time!" Mamoru grinned spread wide as a shark.

"Yeah… well…" Rei squirmed. While Usagi restrained her giggles, Makoto and Minako both failed to hold in their laughter at his innuendo.

"Anyhow," Usagi spoke up, "We should probably get going!" she laughed, "Lots of stuff to be done!"

"You're on vacation, Usagi," Rei groaned, "what could you possibly need to do?" Usagi returned with a stare that could cut glass. "Whatever, have fun, you two!" The video call ended.

Silence hung in the air, and Rei could feel the eyes of her other two friends. "So," Makoto said.

"So?" Rei asked.

"Well, we seem to be an odd number," Minako said.

"That never stopped us before," Rei said.

"Yes, but we now have another option to work with," Makoto added.

"Another option?" Rei crossed her arms.

"Yuichiro knows karate, just like you," Minako winked.

"Seriously!" Rei groaned.

"Look at it this way," Makoto smirked, bringing a hand to her chest, "I'd rather have an accomplice than a witness."

Sadly, Makoto was talking sense. While the law had never come looking for them, Rei knew being a superhero wasn't exactly legal, either. You've shared everything else with him, why not this? "Let me get changed out into workout gear, and I'll see if he will join us." Rei shuffled off to her room, changed into a black pair of athletic pants and a matching athletic top, and she went in search of Yuichiro, finding him on the way back inside after another round of snow clearing. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey back," he said with smirk.

"It seems with Usagi gone, we are short a practice partner," she let the words hang playfully.

"I see, and you all need practice dummy to take Usagi's place?"

"Just because she isn't bright, doesn't make her a dummy when a fight has started," Rei waved a finger to scold him. "So, how about it, are you interested in having a support role for the team?"

He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, smirk still painted across his face, "Have I not had the role unofficially for some time."

"Fine," she huffed, "Officially, do you want to be part of the team?"

"I'd be delighted!" his thin smirk turned into a toothy grin.

"Owwww…" The sound of her two obnoxious friends watching them from down the hall cause Rei to turn red.

She turned to see Makoto and Minako with hands over their mouths, stifling laughter. "Didn't your parents teach you that it's impolite to eavesdrop!"

"Not when the drama is this good!" Minako chuckled, "Why don't you give him a kiss before we all head down to the training room!"

"Yeah, come on, slip him the tongue!" Makoto joined in teasing.

THE NERVE OF THOSE TWO! Steam burned its way out of Rei's ears, and she looked at Yuichiro, determined not to be the butt of any more jokes. If they want a show, give them something no one will ever believe! "Fine!" She walked up to Yuichiro, pulled him by the collar, and joined their mouths in a kiss that would have gotten them cited for public indecency. When she finished, Yuichiro, Minako, and Makoto's jaws all hit the floor. Rei turned and moved with nonchalant motion toward the training room, as if it had been nothing. Jealous, ladies? "Any time you all are ready." She continued walking as if nothing had happened.

Chapter Text

Hi everyone! Happy to announce my daughter was born on September 6, 2025.  She and her mom are doing well as I write this from our hospital room.  

I can’t promise as rapid updates as before, but rest assured, I have not abandoned this story.  I’ll see you all next chapter. Stay healthy, stay safe. 

-Adam