Shitennou Forums Ficathon 2007

Entry #2

Theme: Non-couple interaction

Characters: Minako, Jadeite

Author: Li Ying Fa

Jason Drake sat at the bar, contemplating its' cherry finish as he polished of his fourth, possibly fifth, drink of the night. A cheesy country song warbled in the background, its' tale of heartbreak suiting his current mood perfectly. Signalling to the bartender to bring him another, he gave into the call and rested his weary head on its' shiny surface.

"Jeez," a familiar voice said, "Kain wasn't kidding when he said you were a mess. No wonder the others didn't want to deal with you."

Turning his head slightly to determine who this unwanted intruder to his one-man pity party was, he was chagrined to find the Senshi of Love and Beauty, best friend to the reason for the pity party, taking the bar stool next to him. She flashed him a megawatt smile, before turning and ordering a drink of her own. He stared stupidly at her, wondering what the hell was going on, but she ignored him until a decidedly feminine looking drink arrived and she had taken a sip.

"So," she began, "I think we both know why we're here, so why don't we just cut to the chase and you spill your guts."

Jason eyed her warily, the alcohol level in his body keeping him from acting upon his impulse to flee. Pulling himself back up into the seated position, he took a long swig of his own drink, buying himself a few seconds to get his thoughts into some sort of order.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said slowly, making an attempt at ignorance.

Minako gave an unladylike snort. "Please," she scoffed, "Don't insult me. The guys may buy your crap, even believe it, but remember who you're talking to."

Jason lowered his head back down onto the bar, giving the appearance of ignoring the blonde beside him. In reality, he was reviewing the events that led him to this point. Minako was about to deliver a sharp elbow jab into the unresponsive man when he suddenly spoke, his voice muddled by the bar. "What is wrong with women?"

"Do you really expect me to answer that?" Minako asked, a hint of irritation creeping into her voice.

Jason rolled his head around to look at her. The expression on his face was so pathetically confused that she took pity on him. Letting out a soft sigh, she continued on, "Are we talking about all women or one in particular?"

"All women," came the reply, once more muffled as Jason now nursed his sixth (?) drink.

Minako's eyes narrowed, but she decided to humour the drunken shitennou...for now at least. He'd tell her everything before this night was over. "First off...there is NOTHING wrong with women. Let's get that perfectly clear."

"But..."

"NOTHING," Minako repeated firmly as her male companion tried to interrupt, "What I think is causing you difficulty is a lack of communication."

Jason groaned at this, "I've tried communicating...and what do I get for it? A whack on the head and two crows attacking me on a daily basis."

"I thought we were discussing women in general?" Minako asked innocently, "Have we decided to focus on a specific individual?"

Jason sat back up, the tone of Minako's voice sending a frisson of alarm shooting up his spine. "We are...I mean, yes, women in general."

He was rewarded by a smug smirk, telegraphing to him that she knew exactly what was going on. Rubbing his eyes wearily, he gestured for her to continue. "Now, as I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, women need communication. It's how healthy relationships grow. It's like a relationship is a flower, and if that flower doesn't get sunlight, and water and little teeny bugs coming to pollinate them and..."

Jason cleared his throat loudly, breaking Minako from the tangent she had begun to drift into. She gave him a look of surprise and in reply, he raised his eyebrow and said, "Communication?"

"Oh, right," she laughed sheepishly, "Communication. Now, you need to make sure that you and your lady friend..."

"Lady friend?"

"What? Ok, fine, you and your significant other are aware of exactly what you expect in a relationship."

"I've done that," Jason growled, staring at the bottom of his now empty glass, "I've practically laid my heart bare to Re...this woman and it doesn't help."

"You need to stop interrupting Jason," came Minako's reply, "I'm really starting to get on a roll here. Now, does your significant other have the same expectations of you relationship as you do? This is where your communication skills are super important. Remember, not all communication is verbal."

"You're kidding right?" Jason asked her, his head starting to clear a bit, "Have you forgotten who I am? I am the best Diplomat of the Golden Kingdom! I negotiated the treaties between Elysian and Atlantis! I think I know that not all communication is verbal."

Minako gave him a patronising smile that grated on his nerves. "In case you've forgotten," she said sweetly, "that was over a thousand years ago. Times have changed. People have changed. Some more than others."

"And some haven't changed at all," he ground out sullenly.

A tinkling laugh was his only reply as the blonde senshi gazed at him expectantly. "Fine," he said, annoyed that Minako had gotten the better of him, "Let's say that I am speaking about a specific woman, all right? I've communicated with her, told her my feelings, and demonstrated the depth of them to her on several occasions."

Minako nodded, encouraging him silently to continue. Taking a deep breath, he did, "When she talks though, she keeps saying that she feels nothing for me, doesn't want to be involved with me. If I believed her, that would be it, I would let it end there."

"But?"

"But, on the non-verbal level, she and I are completely in sync. When we kiss, it's like our souls are touching. I know she feels it too, she tries to hide it but she can't, her body gives her away."

A slight blush formed on Minako's cheeks, "So, she says she wants nothing to do with you, but she kisses you?"

Jason grinned, a faraway look in his eyes, "Technically, I kiss her, but she never resists and gives as good as she gets."

Minako's blush deepened, Rei hadn't mentioned that. Jason continued on, not noticing Minako's embarrassment, it felt good to get this off his chest. "Sometimes, I catch her watching me, usually because I'm trying to discreetly watch her. And what I see in her eyes sets my blood on fire. All I can think of is touching her hair, her face, her..."

"Umm, why don't we stop there for the moment," Minako said quickly, fanning her face with her hand, "I need another drink."

Jason had the grace to blush when he realised exactly what he was talking about and with whom. "Sorry, it's just that whenever I think I'm getting somewhere, something happens in her and we're back at square one."

"I liked that show," Minako said randomly, "Especially Mathnet."

"What?"

"Oops, right, sorry," she said, focusing back on the task at hand, "I think we both know who we're discussing here, and as her best friend, I have to say I had my doubts about you."

"Me?" Jason replied, surprised, "You had doubts about me?"

"Well, for starters," Minako said, casting a dubious glance around them, "You picked this hole as a place to get drunk in. Can't even get a decent margarita here. Secondly, you have something of a ...reputation...to put it lightly. Past lives aside, Jason Drake is a recognized playboy, not exactly relationship material. Finally, there is a past life to consider, one where you betrayed your Prince and murdered the woman you are currently pursuing. So yes, I think I had very good reasons to doubt you."

"But,"

Minako cut him off before he could continue in his own defence, "Let me finish. I had my doubts about you. That's why when the others mentioned how completely and utterly pathetic you were being, I had to judge for myself. And here we are. Like I said before, not all communication is verbal, and what I learned from you tonight proved to me that you really do love my best friend. So I'm going to give you a hand, throw you a log, as they say."

"Bone."

"Excuse me?" Minako asked, looking offended.

"The expression is 'throw me a bone'," Jason explained patiently.

"I guess that makes more sense," she pondered.

She sat quietly for a few more moments thinking about this until Jason couldn't take it any longer. "You were going to help me?" he reminded her.

"Right," Minako replied, "Sorry. Now, what I'm going to tell you is going to stay between you and me, understand?"

Jason nodded eagerly, his excitement clearing away the effects of his alcohol consumption.

"Rei does love you Jason, I'm sure of it. But she does have a reason to continually push you away. Back in the Silver Millennium, Princess Mars swore a vow of chastity to Princess Serenity. It wasn't a required vow, but she did it in order to focus on her duty. When she met you back then, she was tempted to break that vow..."

A memory of times past bloomed in Jason's mind, showing him that she had been more than tempted to break her vow. "...and that temptation was followed by the destruction of everything she held dear. She views your reappearance in her life as a chance to make things right by honouring a vow that Serenity herself doesn't even remember."

Jason swore softly under his breath, thoughts and memories churning through his mind, provoked by Minako's words. "Minako," he said, coming to a decision, "I need to borrow your cell phone."

"Why," she asked him suspiciously, "You said this would remain between us."

"Please," he replied, his tone even, "I need to speak with Usagi."

Minako's face lit up in a slow smile, this was turning out better than expected. She fished out her bright pink phone and handed it to the sombre man. To her disappointment, he stepped out of her hearing range before placing his call. Keeping an eye on him, she returned to her formerly slushy drink, stirring it with her straw before taking another sip.

Jason's face gave nothing away to her, and while she had once thought of taking lip reading, she never actually followed through on that particular whim. As he came back after ending the call, Minako gave him her best pout. He ignored it and handed her back her phone. "Thank you Minako. I am indebted to you."

Throwing some cash on the bar, he turned to leave. "You're not even going to tell me what happened?" she called after his retreating back.

He turned back to face her. "I'm sure you'll find out one way or another, ne?" he answered, giving her a small smile and a wink before he departed the bar.

Minako sat there a few minutes more, finishing off her own beverage before placing a call of her own. "Kain? It's me. Operation 'Make the stubborn mules see what's really going on' is a success...of course I'm sure...I'm the Goddess of Love, that's why...next up we have Operation 'melt the icicles around the genius's...no...you can name the next operation, okay?...I'll see you in a bit...Love you too."