Wait wait make a fic abt rei (esp if it focuses on her trauma with kaidou) and my life is yours (can be jaderei or reinako idgaf do whatever)
hi. it’s 6 am. go my traumatized reinako.
its as close as i would ever get
coming home, rei found minako perched on the stone steps to hikawa shrine with artemis laid in her lap like a giant fur coat, purring like a motor engine. “hiiii rei!!!” she waved enthusiastically.
she let out a huff of amusement then quickened her pace. to sit down next to minako, running her fingers through cloudy white fur whilst looking up into her dark eyes, gleaming in the sunlight.
“how did practice go?” minako asked and rei had to stop herself from flinching.
“..it went alright” was all she let herself answer.
because, if she’d have to go into what she actually did after school today, rei was certain she’d throw up.
her father had come in a limo to her school and immediately taken her to some restaurant, it had been a perfectly inadequate experience until he picked up the phone and assured the male voice she just barely didn’t recognize he would have her answer soon. and rei stiffened.
for financial reasons, her father saw to marry rei of once she’d come of age and figured to introduce her suitor early. he’d saved a picture of the boy in his wallet and the platinum blonde hair falling behind his ear left her dizzy out of nostalgia.
his eyes were noticeably brighter, maybe, but he still looked like him.
minako narrowed her eyes “.. you didn’t go to archery, did you?” and rei instinctively grabbed a fistful of artemis fur, causing him to wake briefly then decide it wasn’t worth it and go back to sleep.
she stroked his back but her back straightened as minako placed a hand on her shoulder.
“rei, what happened?” her voice had grown a smidge more serious and rei had to wonder how she could possibly tell such small things. her father definitely never noticed.
sighing, rei moved away a bit, turning her torso the other way. “my father still insists i need to marry” she said, as flatly as she could manage, and heard a soft “oh..” leave minakos mouth.
“and what did you say?” she coaxed, leaning over to try to meet her face, but rei did her best not to let her see the state she was in, thinking of him.
rei fell into herself. “my father used to have this friend- and, the picture he showed me of the new boy looked alike him in ways i couldn’t fathom. i thought it was a coincidence but apparently it’s his little brother.”
minako answered softly with a “mm-hm” to not take up too much space.
“and, that friend wasn’t always.. the most appropriate with me. that’s why i hate men, he taught me that none of them ever had good intentions.” she paused to breathe, but her exhale turned into a shudder as she remembered the last time they saw each other properly.
“..and i wondered, once i saw the opportunity. how things would be, if i became his in-law. what would happen then? who would i be to him?” rei turned herself back, minakos face was contemplative, but sympathetic.
“mina.. i almost said yes” she wanted to cry at how impossibly weak she was but minako simply looked at her with something of a concerned smile, not speaking.
rei felt her throat tighten, “i know i should be smarter than that- i was. but how could i ever sleep at night knowing i almost let it happen?” she wasn’t even sure what she was saying, but more threatened to spill out her mouth before hands cupped her face and minako placed a soft kiss on her lips.
“you’re so strong, rei. i love you” - “you shouldn’t. i’m a hypocrite” - “but i do”
no more words were uttered after that. they just let the sun part the clouds and breathed into each others mouths for the coming moments.
his eyes had been brown, his brothers blue as ice. but minakos, they were more of a deep lilac. and her smile was warm.
