Title: Grapevine
Author: Chash
Fandom: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Pairing: Rei/Minako
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: Minako heard something interesting.
"Artemis told me about the battle you had. After…after the Princess killed Endymion."
Rei looks up. Minako is standing over her, and she isn't sure how the other girl approached so silently. Because she's a Soldier, she supposes.
"It's best to forget about that stuff," says Rei casually. "Since it's over now."
"I don't want to think about the battle, or what happened after it," says Minako matter-of-factly. "I just wanted to ask you a question."
"Oh?" asks Mars.
"Artemis said you used my tambourine."
"He wasn't there."
"Maybe someone else told him," says Minako shrugging. "Is it true?"
"So what if it is? Was that your question?"
"No," she says. "I wanted to know why."
Rei shrugs. "You should have been there."
"Artemis told you the news, right?"
"About what?"
"About me."
"Oh. Back then, you mean?"
"Yeah."
"He did."
"I heard…you didn't take it well."
"Would you have?"
"I thought you were mad at me."
"Why would I be mad?"
"Because I…"
"Idiot," she says, cutting Minako off. "I would never be mad because you of that. I was…sad," she says, and the word floats between them. They both know it's an understatement.
"He said," says Minako, swallowing before she goes on, "it seemed like you would have destroyed the world in that first fight after you found out. He said you destroyed everything evil you could get near to."
"I did," she says. "But I never had the power to destroy the world."
"And if you had…?" asks Minako.
"I think you know the answer."
"I want to hear it," she says, her voice urgent and strange in the stillness of the temple.
"If I had the power," says Mars, looking straight at Minako, "I would have destroyed the world."
There is a pause, and it seems to last forever. The silence at the end of the world, Rei thinks.
"I would have destroyed the world," she says, still looking at Minako, "because you weren't in it."
Minako still doesn't answer.
"I took up your tambourine," she continues, "because I was fighting for you. Because I knew no matter how much I might have wanted to let it happen, you wanted the world to be saved, no matter what."
"Usagi," says Minako softly, "said ages ago that you weren't the type to like anyone."
"Typical Usagi," says Rei. "I said I wasn't the type to like boys."
"Oh," says Minako.
"You don't have to say anything," says Rei, picking up her broom. "It's all over now, anyway."
"But I'm alive," says Minako.
"Yes."
"If you had died," she says, "if I had been in your place, I would have done the same thing."
Rei looks up.
"For the same reason," says Minako.
"What reason is that?"
"I think you know the answer," Minako smirks.
"I want to hear it," Rei responds, smirking back.
Minako leans over and kisses her on the cheek. "Because I love you."
"Of course," says Rei.
Minako tosses a final smirk as she walks away. "You were right, by the way. Artemis didn't know. Usagi told me. I think she wants to be a matchmaker."
"Well," says Rei, smiling into the pile of leaves at the shrine, "fancy that."