AN: Greetings lovelies, from Hakone, Japan! I apologize this is being posted in the middle of the night for most of you, but perhaps it will be a nice surprise to wake up to!
So, I am the last (and least, let's be honest) in the 4 authors, 1 trope challenge that I took on, along with Antigone2, FloraOne & irritablevowel. If you haven't checked out their fics, stop what you're doing, and go read them. All three are wonderful and SO different, you definitely won't feel like you're reading the same trope over and over.
Thank you SO much to my amazing beta, FloraOne for all her help with this from all those months ago. I know it wasn't easy dealing with me writing this, but you cheered me on, as usual, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without you 333 And of course, a huge thank you to Antigone2 and irritablevowel for their support and feedback on this project as well. It's been so fun getting to work with you ladies, and I can't wait to see what we all manage to come up with in the future!
And without further ado, enjoy, and please let me know what you think!
oOo
"Ammmiiii-channnn!" Minako called out sweetly, spotting the blue-haired genius working diligently on some computer Mina was fairly certain she wouldn't even be able to find the 'on' button for.
Ami turned toward the voice calling her name, her eyes widening in surprise, as Minako rushed towards her excitedly. "Mina!" she gasped when the blonde crushed her in a hug. "What can I do for you?"
Minako stepped back from hugging her friend, one of her infamous pouts on her lips. "What makes you think I need something?"
Ami blinked. "You mean you don't need anything?"
"Need is such an ugly word, dear Ami!"
Already exasperated with Mina's antics, Ami turned back towards the giant screens in front of her. "Minako, I'm very busy trying to set up this security shield around the city's perimeter. Endymion specifically asked that I-"
"You'd help Endymion over me? Your oldest, and dearest, friend?" Mina interrupted, hands clasped against her chest, as big tears welled in her eyes.
"W-well, uhh…" Ami stuttered, obviously flustered, as her eyes darted around as if looking for an escape. "He is the king."
Minako scoffed at the assumption, tossing her hair over her shoulder, seeming to recover immediately from her previous sadness. "Please, we all know who's really in charge, and it sure as hell isn't the king."
"Minako!" Ami cried out, horrified.
But Minako went on, unfazed. "I need you to translate something for me, Ami…"
oOo
"Do you have it?! Do you have it?!" Minako jumped around excitedly like a child receiving a present.
Ami sighed. "Yes, I have it." Her eyes rolled while Minako clapped her hands in glee, as Ami held out the scroll of parchment to her.
Minako practically snatched the document from Ami's hands, unrolling it quickly, her eyes scanning the page, as a satisfied smirk graced her lips.
"Minako, you have to promise me you'll never actually use this," Ami said sternly but not unkindly, unable to keep the edge of worry from her voice.
The blonde's eyes continued to scan the page in front of her, not bothering to look up to respond. "Uh huh. Sure. Right."
"Minako, I mean it. I know you're technically from Venus, and you know I'm always for the preservation of historical documents, even ones as…" she paused, a bright blush staining her cheeks as she searched for the right word, "...colorful as these. But these aphrodisiacs are really, really potent. They're not safe to use on the average person."
"Uh huh. Sure. Right."
"Minako," Ami nearly growled, finally catching Mina's attention with her uncharacteristic tone.
The Senshi of Love smiled at her friend brilliantly. "Don't worry, Ami-chan. I have this completely under control!"
And with that she practically skipped away, while Ami buried her head in her hands.
"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."
oOo
"I think that is all we'll have time for today, your majesty," a deep voice said, and Neo-Queen Serenity felt a sharp elbow jab into her side, causing her to jump slightly from her near dosing state.
She stood quickly, trying to cover up her embarrassment at having been caught falling asleep in a meeting again, and smiled brightly. "Thank you, viceroy. I will be certain to discuss this with Endymion upon his return from Britain, and we will be in touch."
The viceroy bowed deeply towards her in acknowledgement, and Serenity spoke again,
"Mercury, would you please escort our guests to their rooms for the evening?"
At Mercury's nod of acquiescence, the dignitary and his assistant began to make their way from the grand conference room they had been meeting in for what felt like hours. And once they had left the room, the door closing firmly behind them, leaving the queen alone with Sailor Venus, Serenity let her head fall to the table with a thunk and a frustrated sigh.
"So, Sere," she heard Minako's lilting, and still somehow obnoxious, voice next to her, "how exactly are you going to talk to Endymion about the viceroy's proposal, when you have no idea what he's said for at least the past half hour?"
Serenity let out an agonized wail that was much more reminiscent of the Tsukino Usagi of old, rather than the elegant and regal queen she was known to be now.
"Oh, come on now, it can't be that bad," Mina supplied, laying a few comforting pats on the queen's back.
Serenity fell silent, her heart sinking more, and she moved her head to the side, her lower lip beginning to quiver with the threat of oncoming tears. "I miss Endy, Mina," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Minako sighed. "I'm sorry, Sere. I know it's been a rough few days with Endymion gone."
The queen sat up at her friend's words, her eyes wide and somewhat wild. "Rough few days?! Minako, do you have any idea how long it's been?"
Venus stared back at her, confused. "Uh…how long it's been since what? Christmas?"
Serenity couldn't help the annoyed look that crossed her features. "Yes, Minako. I'm despairing over a random day of presents and food," she deadpanned.
The senshi merely shrugged, unphased by her queen's sarcasm. "Is it really that much of a stretch to assume something like that?"
Serenity's nose wrinkled in thought, before she sighed, realizing there was no use defending herself against this latest charge. Instead she rose from her seat and made her way towards a side table that was filled with all sorts of delectable treats set up for her meeting with the viceroy.
She popped a truffle into her mouth, delighting in the taste of exquisite chocolate. Reaching down for another one, she turned back towards Venus, her hands leaning back on the table to support her, hoping her face didn't reflect how weary she felt.
"It's been nearly two months since Endymion and I have had time to…" she paused, searching for a way to delicately word her situation. "…well, you know," she finished, wriggling her eyebrows in what she hoped was a suggestive sort of way.
Minako rolled her eyes at Serenity's antics. "Sex, Sere. You're talking about sex."
Serenity blushed but held her senshi's gaze firmly. "Yes."
Minako shuddered in response. "God, that's a long time."
Slumping down into a chair that was nearest to her, Serenity let out a pathetic whimper. "Tell me about it. I hate state visits."
It wasn't as if this situation was something the queen wasn't used to. Every year either she or Endymion would be forced to head overseas for sometimes months at a time, and while there was the occasional trip they could make together, it was rare they'd be together more than any few days at a time.
She knew it was their duty, but god she hated it sometimes. Saving the world certainly, but being separated from her soul mate for weeks at a time? Not exactly the idyllic life she'd imagined as a teenager.
"Well, you know it's not as if a man is the only way to satisfy yourself," Minako said matter of factly.
"I'm not having sex with a woman, Mina," the queen said with a dramatic roll of her eyes.
"Geeze, you suggest something once…" Mina said with a flip of her hair over her shoulder. "And besides, I wasn't talking about mind blowing lady sex. I meant you can always help yourself."
Even after all these centuries, Serenity never stopped being amazed at how most conversations with the senshi of Venus left her blushing. "You think I haven't done that already?" she said in a hushed tone. "God, Mina, I'm so desperate, all I have to do is picture Endy's face and then-"
"Ew, ew, ew," Minako said, plugging her ears and shaking her head. "Good for you, love, but I don't really need to know the details."
Serenity rolled her eyes. "Like I needed to know the details of you and that fitness instructor you insisted needed to be on the palace payroll?"
"Hey, I still stand by that," Minako said with a focused enthusiasm. "But I digest, let us get back to the topic at hand, my queen." There was a mischievous look in her eyes that Serenity had long since realized should never be trusted.
"What in the world are you planning in that ridiculous head of yours?" Serenity asked, fear and hesitation evident in her voice.
Minako smiled wickedly. "There's a new butler that just started, and he's absolutely delicious looking, Sere. Gorgeous blonde hair, bright blue eyes and his body -"
"Minako!" Serenity shouted, scandalized. "What the hell would make you think I'd want to sleep with some random man?! I'm married! Happily married!"
Minako's mouth opened, forming a little 'o' shape, realization dawning in her eyes. "Right. Monogamy. That's a thing with you two."
Serenity let her head fall back to the table in exasperation.
"But doesn't Endymion come home tomorrow?" Minako continued, ignoring Serenity's obvious distress.
The queen sat up slightly, placing her head in her hands forlornly. "Yes, but he never sleeps well on these trips, so I'm sure he'll be exhausted. And we have that state dinner tomorrow evening for the French delegation, then the Transpacific Conference begins the day after that, so it's not as if we'll have any time together."
The room fell silent for a few, long moments, until Venus abruptly stood up, rushing toward the door.
"Minako?"
She turned around quickly, her hand still on the door handle, but the mischievous look was back in her eyes. "Don't you worry about a thing, Sere. I've got everything under control."
Winking and flashing her namesake 'V', Minako quickly turned and was gone before Serenity could even begin to form questions as to what exactly it was her senshi had 'under control.'
oOo
"Maakkooo-chaannn!" Minako called through the kitchens, placing a large, wicker basket on one of the many counters nearby, gracefully dodging a few palace workers carrying large trays of food through the doors behind her.
"Over here!" she heard a kind voice call from deeper in the endless kitchens the palace housed.
Minako followed the voice, skipping giddily over to Makoto, who was finishing up the plating of a
rather gorgeous looking pastry.
"Serenity feeling hungry?" she asked, grinning, moving her eyes towards the plate of food.
Makoto laughed. "She actually didn't ask for it this time. She just seemed a little down when I saw her earlier, so I figured what better way to cheer her up than chocolate!"
"Endymion's penis…" Minako muttered under her breath, causing Makoto to look at her in confusion.
"What was that?"
Minako flashed a brilliant smile. "Oh, nothing!" she said, patting Makoto on the back. "Mako-chan, I need you to make something for me."
"Ok," Makoto smiled, pushing her brown bangs behind an ear. "I have a little time before we start prepping for tonight's dinner. What is it you're needing?"
"Nothing too complicated, really," Minako said nonchalantly, handing Makoto a slip of paper. "Could you make something out of these ingredients?"
Makoto scanned the paper, her brow furrowing the further she read. "Uhh…well, Mina, these are pretty specific ingredients. Maca plant, honey made from the nectar of the Adiantum capillus-veneris flower…where am I supposed to find this stuff?"
And as Makoto looked back up to question her friend, Minako had rushed off, grabbing the basket she'd set down earlier, before hurrying back to present Mako with her prize.
"Ta-da!" Minako said in her sing-songiest voice. "Everything you need is riiiiight here."
Makoto reached out to tentatively take the basket. "Do I want to know how you managed to find all of this?"
"Hmmm, probably not," Minako replied with a shrug. "Just make something yummy from it ok?!"she said, as she turned to rush from the room, her long, blonde hair swinging behind her.
"Minako! What in the world is this even for?!" Makoto called out after her, concern finally making its way into her thoughts.
Minako turned back just before she let the door drop closed, a determined look in her eyes. "Don't you worry, Mako-chan! I have everything under control."
And when the door swung shut, Makoto called after her, "You've said that before, and it's never been true!"
oOo
Neo-Queen Serenity let out an inaudible sigh of relief as the music ended, and her temporary partner's hands left hers. He bowed low, and she smiled as brightly as she could muster, before thanking him politely, and walking back up the small dais to her throne.
Sailor Mars gave her a sympathetic look at the obvious weariness she wore. "I've just gotten word, your majesty. Endymion's plane has landed, and he should be here within the hour."
Serenity rolled her eyes affectionately. "Rei, no one can hear us, there's no need for the formalities."
Rei glanced around to make sure no one was watching, before she stuck her tongue out at her monarch playfully. "Fine, Odango Atama," she said low, and Serenity smirked. "Your husband will be here soon. Doesn't that cheer you up in the slightest?"
The queen sighed. "If he wasn't returning home just for us to leave tomorrow for another conference, then yes, I'd be ecstatic."
"Well, Odango, if you'd worked harder in school, and your English was better, you could have gone with him to Britain."
Serenity glared at the fire Senshi. "Not. Helping."
Rei shrugged, before looking around the room again, scanning the crowd for a familiar red bow attached to golden hair. "Where the hell did Minako go?"
"Not sure," Serenity said, picking imaginary lint from her richly embroidered gown. "She ran off a few minutes ago. Said something about she had a 'gift' for me."
Rei's head snapped back towards Serenity. "A gift? I'm officially frightened."
"As long as it's chocolate related, I could care less," Serenity replied, now fidgeting with the crown she wore atop her head.
"Do you ever think of anything else besides food?" Rei asked, a mocking smile on her face.
Serenity furrowed her brow at the question, before answering, "Endy. I think of him occasionally."
It was then that Rei spotted Minako weaving through the crowd, flirting with any attractive person who made eye contact with her, as she carried a small box with a bright bow that matched the one she wore in her hair.
"Sere-chan!" Minako called loudly, as she bounded up the steps to the throne where Serenity was seated.
"Sailor Venus," Rei hissed out, seeing the strange looks from the guests at Minako's outburst. "Watch your tongue."
Minako smiled devilishly, reaching the top of the dais and flipping her hair over her shoulder. "You wish you could watch my tongue, Rei."
Serenity giggled at the exchange, nearly snorting from the effort of keeping it hidden, as a rare blush crept its way up Rei's cheeks, while the former priestess glared at Minako.
"Mina, is that for me?" Serenity asked, nodding towards the box in Minako's hands, hoping to avoid the inevitable outburst from Rei.
Minako turned her smile towards the queen. "Yes, it is! I had Mako-chan make it specially for you!" she said, handing over the box, which Serenity took with glee.
She tore into the ribbon, and gasped when the box opened to reveal a delicate, little, pink cake shaped like a heart.
It was perfect. Adorable. And most importantly, smothered in chocolate.
"And here's a fork for you, your majesty," Minako added emphasizing the words clearly for Rei's benefit.
"Serenity, should you really be eating that before dinner?" Rei asked warily.
"What's the point of being queen if I can't eat sweets before dinner?"
Rei rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Oh, gee, I dunno. World peace maybe?"
"She needs to eat this now, Rei," Minako snapped. "Endymion will be here, soon."
"What the hell does Endymion being here have anything to do with eating cake?" Rei bit back, hands on her hips in her common annoyed stance.
Minako laughed nervously, hand reaching up to scratch the back of her neck. "Oh, nothing! Just making an observation. You know, like, 'YAY, ENDYMION'S COMING!' or something like that."
Serenity exchanged a worried look with Rei. "Since when have you ever been excited about Endymion's presence?"
"Oh, Sere, you're such a silly one!" Minako said, giggling in a way that made both Serenity and Rei cringe. "Now, come on, be like that Marionette woman and let's eat cake!"
Serenity gave Rei an apologetic look that clearly conveyed she wasn't all that sorry, before she dug the fork in, and brought an all too big bite up to her lips.
Her eyes closed in rapture, as the silky filling coated her taste buds. It was quite unlike anything she'd ever eaten. Not that Serenity hadn't had her fair share of sweets from any number of places around the world. But there was something...different about this she couldn't quite place her finger on. It stirred something in her memory, as if, perhaps, this was like a treat Prince Endymion had once pressed to her lips in another lifetime.
"Oh, my god, Minako, this is amazing!" Serenity exclaimed a little too loudly, causing many a head to turn towards the queen's voice.
Serenity had the decency to blush, but kept eating, too excited about the wonderful taste to really savor any of it that much. And in the blink of an eye, the delicious treat was gone, and she felt like crying. Both from joy and sadness.
Minako took the box gently from her hands, relaying it to a butler that was close by. When she turned back to the queen, her eyes were wide and full of anticipation. "So…how do you feel?"
Serenity blinked at her, pausing in confusion at the question, before she answered, "Fine."
Minako's shoulders slumped a little.
"But, now that you mention it," Serenity spoke again, and Minako's smile grew. "I do feel a little…flushed."
The queen's breathing had picked up and was coming in and out in short puffs of air, and her eyes were wide and dark from her clearly dilated pupils.
Rei turned towards her fellow Senshi, eyes narrowed. "Minako, what the fuck did you just feed to Serenity?"
Minako grinned slyly. "Oh, just a little Venusian aphrodisiac. Nothing dangerous, of course."
Before either Serenity or Rei could react, a shriek came from a new voice. "Minako! I told you years ago when I translated that for you it wasn't safe to use!" Ami cried, before clamping a hand over her mouth at her own outburst.
Serenity's knuckles were white as her hands gripped the throne she sat in, her mouth open as she began to pant uneven breaths. "You fed me what?"
"Desperate times, love!" Minako replied defensively, before she dropped her voice to a whisper.
"You said you needed a shag, so I just insured one for you!"
"God, you are such an idiot!" Rei cried, not even bothering to lower the sound. "What could have possibly made you think this was a good idea?!"
Trumpets blared, interrupting Rei, to announce the arrival of the king, who was immediately caught up in greeting dignitaries, while Makoto took the opportunity to make a beeline for the dais where the others were.
"What is going on here?" she hissed, a fake smile plastered on her face towards the crowd. "People are starting to get worried there's something wrong with all of you up here whispering with those looks on your faces."
"Aphrodite, here, decided it would be an excellent idea to feed Serenity an aphrodisiac," Rei seethed, nodding towards Minako.
"Is that what you had me make earlier today?" Makoto accused, a horrified expression claiming her features.
But Serenity had ceased to care about the squabbling between her Senshi. Her eyes having locked on Endymion the moment he walked in the room, totally captivated by the small smile on his lips, the way his dark blue eyes seemed to scan the room for her, and his cape moving around his body like water, when he finally spotted her, and began to make his way towards the group, his whole face lighting up at the sight of his wife.
"He looks so good," she groaned from her seat, knuckles still a clammy white, as her nails dug into the delicate wood of the throne beneath her hands.
The Senshi stopped speaking, all heads turning towards the queen, concerned looks passing between them. All except Minako, who wore a completely satisfied smirk on her face.
When Endymion had finally summited the steps of the dais, his face grew confused at Serenity's expression. "Ren, what's wrong?" he asked, dropping to his knees in front of Serenity, completely ignoring the girls and everyone watching, reaching his hand up to stroke her face. "You look ill."
Serenity didn't answer his question, her eyes finally seeming to focus on him fully, as her hand reached up to cover his own. She pulled his hand down from her face, while her fingers pulled at the fabric of his glove, removing it to expose his skin.
A look of bliss crossed her features once the glove was totally removed, her hand grabbing his again, and bringing it back up towards her face. But instead of placing it back to her cheek, she moved it with purpose towards her mouth, placing one of his fingers sensually in her mouth, as she began a gentle suction.
Endymion's eyes grew wide, a range of emotions crossing his face. Confusion, shock, and a look that could only be described as utterly turned on.
"Oh. My. God." Rei recovered first, speaking her obvious disgust at the display in front of her.
Endymion snapped back to reality, pulling his hand away from Serenity, her tortured groan following him. "Ren!" he breathed out, blinking quickly. "What in the world-"
"Mmm, let me suck on you, please-" she whined pitifully.
Makoto bent down to whisper in his ear, springing into action, before Serenity could manage to speak again. "It was Minako. You have to get her out of here."
He nodded numbly, eyes whipping toward Minako for a brief moment before he turned his eyes to Serenity, who was continuing to gaze at him as if she wanted to fulfill every fantasy he'd ever had right at that very spot.
Grabbing her hand, Endymion helped her to stand. "Can you walk?"
Her legs were shaky, but she nodded her head and licked her lips, and Endymion had to look away from the enticing sight she made. "What are we going to tell all of them?" he asked as he wove his arm around Serenity's waist, inclining his head towards the curious crowd behind them.
"Don't worry about that, we'll take care of it, just go!" Makoto said, nodding her head towards the door just behind the thrones.
Endymion nodded, pulling Serenity against his side, as he rushed through the door. Breathing a sigh of relief at the immediate silence that fell upon them.
oOo
They managed to make it down one hallway before Serenity had pulled Endymion into a conference room. Her mouth was everywhere on him, but her hands were focused solely on the belt he wore.
Her hands were practiced in their movements after the centuries they'd spent together. Serenity knew just the spots to touch to make his knees buckle and his mouth to drop open in ecstacy, and she wasted no time getting to those places that day.
He groaned long and low, as her hands raked across his chest, his head banging almost painfully against the wall behind him. She overwhelmed him, but damn if he'd ever be caught complaining about it.
And when her mouth began to drift lower, caressing his skin almost reverently with every brush of her lips, Endymion was powerless to her touch.
She pushed his trousers down to rest around his ankles, and pulled him into her hand, the coolness of her touch already driving him mad. But she stilled, and he opened his eyes, breathing ragged.
When their eyes met, she moved her head forward, never breaking eye contact, as she began to suck and swirl and lick him, as if he were a lollipop she'd bought at her favorite candy store.
It took everything in him to keep his hips still, biting his lip against the urge to thrust deeper into her mouth. And he kept his eyes locked on hers until white exploded behind his eyes, and all coherent thought left him.
He really needed to remember to thank Minako for this later.
oOo
Low, guttural moans could be heard coming from behind the guarded door of the conference room.
Rei rolled her eyes dramatically, annoyance radiating from every part of her. "You've got to be kidding me. Still?" she asked the guard, who had the grace to blush, and nodded his head in the affirmative.
"God how long does that horrific thing last? It's been hours." She turned on her heels and began to move quickly down the hall toward where she had last seen the cause of this entire mess.
"MINAKO!" Rei yelled, not even caring if she was heard by the entire palace. "You'd better get your ass in here and help me cancel this Transpacific Conference!"
oOo
"You've learned your lesson, I take it?" Artemis asked lazily from his perch on Minako's bed.
"And what lesson would that be exactly?" Minako asked innocently, taking her jewelry off in front of her vanity.
"The one where you don't mess with their majesty's sex lives, or trick your fellow senshi into making Venusian aphrodisiacs for you to mess with the aforementioned majesty's sex lives?"
Minako sighed, standing up and moving over towards a small cabinet that was filled with newly bottled red liquid with the label, 'for safekeeping,' on each of them.
She closed the cabinet doors, before turning towards her guardian cat. "Come now, Artemis. I think I've more than proven I have the entire situation completely under control."