A/N: This is a rather old piece of mine that I got tired of keeping to myself. For contextual purposes, imagine a post-series world in which Rei and Minako are together and have had to endure separation due to our favorite idol going on a world tour. Pretty plausible, really, at least to this fan. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The anticipation begins as it always does: a tightening of your chest that gradually spreads until it settles in your stomach and flutters there in quiet exhilaration. If your thoughts drift in the right delicious direction - and they often do - the back of your neck grows hot and you find yourself worrying your bottom lip. Though you relish being in control, you allow this feeling to run wild and unchecked.

By the time your flight lands, the excitement is a taste in your mouth, and every nerve in your body is primed for this moment. You can see her face so clearly; your memory painstakingly recorded every detail long ago. But no matter how vivid your imagination is, you know the physical sight of her will blow you away.

You step out into the terminal - disguise in place, Artemis firmly under your arm - and within moments you are greeted by the eager faces and excited chatter of your friends. Usagi and Makoto wrap you in an enthusiastic hug and you finally see her over Usagi's shoulder.

Rei hangs back as always, looking adorably awkward - and appropriately grouchy - in contrast to your ardent fans. You're thankful for your sunglasses because you can stare at her freely and you cannot look away. She is here, right in front of you, and you are not gazing fondly at a photo or hearing her voice through the phone. She is solid, she is real, and oh god you are happy to be alive. The fluttering in your stomach makes it leap every time her eyes meet yours, and you have to remind yourself to pay attention to the ongoing conversation.

"Well?" You interrupt the others; your eyes are still locked on Rei. "Aren't you going to say something?"

Her expression is a battle between a frown and a ridiculous, goofy grin that you are also fighting to suppress.

"Hi," is all she says, and everybody laughs.

The anticipation begins anew and it's at a fever pitch. You've said your farewells to Usagi and Makoto with promises to meet later; Usagi cheerfully accepted a bewildered Artemis, regaling him with stories about how Luna has missed him.

Now you are alone with Rei, sitting far apart in the backseat of the car that will take you to your hotel. The distance - nothing at all compared to what has separated you for months - is excruciating, but you keep to yourself. It's all a part of the game, and Rei knows she has to play along. You like to think she enjoys it just as much.

You decide to call Ami, who wasn't able to come because of work. As you make casual small talk, you can feel the frustrated heat roiling off of Rei. She wants you to pay attention to her and it takes everything you have to ignore her tantalizing presence. This traffic seems impossibly thick and you just want to get home.

Finally you arrive at your destination and you leap from the car perhaps a bit too fast. She joins you in digging through your luggage and you get into a brief argument. You've never been the type to pack lightly, but then you've also never been the type to ask for help, so you ignore her offers and try to bear as much of the burden as you can. It doesn't work, of course, because Rei always knows when you need her, and she shoulders some of the bags with a pointed glare. You scoff at this, but your eyes trace the way her arm muscles move as she fumbles for a better grip on your things.

After entering the hotel, you head for the stairs. It's always the stairs, because as much as you don't want to deal with your celebrity, you know Rei is even more loathe to the idea. That's fine, though, because you're alone with her in the stairwell, trudging up the steps under your respective loads. She remarks that you pack too many things; you remind her that it was her idea to carry them; she fires back that there was no way you could have possibly done it yourself; and this is all so achingly familiar and comfortable and safe.

It's then that something inside of you breaks. You find yourself racing up the remaining steps as quickly as you can, even though you know that you look ridiculous and nothing at all like an international superstar. You'd try, but you can't bring yourself to care about that, any of that, when Rei is right behind you, just as she has always been.

At last you arrive in front of your door, flushed and out of breath. You fumble with your things and hurriedly swipe the key through the lock; your haste denies you entrance. You chance a look over your shoulder and try not to shudder at the intensity in Rei's eyes. Your self-imposed torture is almost over, and the knowledge of this reality is thundering through your veins. God, why won't the damn thing - yes, there, finally - and you've never found a stark hotel room more welcoming.

You let your bags fall to the floor in a crumpled heap, and when you whirl around to face Rei she meets you halfway, grabbing your wrists and steering you against the wall. Her touch is fiery and insistent, and although the thought of fighting back crosses your mind, she's kissing you and her voracious appetite for you makes you weak in the knees. Your lips match the ferocity of her own, but she moves away quickly; her mouth is hot and her teeth are sharp against the delicate skin of your neck, and when a moan slides from your throat, she whimpers your name, each syllable a breathless incantation.

You've heard your name thousands of times from thousands of lips, but it's always different when Rei says it and your heart races more for her - just one person - than it does for crowds. Of course, it's not just Rei. It's always been Rei, and you think it's a good thing she's as stubborn and foolish as you are, because if not then perhaps the two of you would have never collided, and you can't imagine life without this shared, secret thrill.

Her hands are roaming now and they're everywhere at once as they make their greedy journey across your skin. When Rei throws it impatiently onto the floor, you realize she has popped a button off your designer jacket, but you really don't care. Her clumsy eagerness is endearing, and the fact that you make her do this gets you wet, wet, wet, and you need her, yes, right now, this cannot wait any longer. You steer her toward the bed and you stumble over each other in shared reluctance to separate.

You fall into the mattress and for a moment you are a tangle of limbs, but you like that you can't tell where you stop and Rei begins. Every inch of her body is touching yours, and the satisfying fullness of the contact draws a contented sigh from her lips. She leans in for a kiss, but finds herself deterred by the bill of your hat. Fumbling to free her hand from under your shoulder, she pulls the hat from your head and tosses it aside. You giggle, she laughs, and within that joyous, relief-soaked sound there is also the most plaintive of accusations.

You've been away too long.

Your fingers move on instinct, threading themselves through her hair and bringing her in close. Foreheads touch, breath mingles, and your only response is to gaze into the eyes that have haunted your dreams.

I know I have.