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forkanna · 7 years

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NOTES: This is the last of the main oneshots! Minako and Usagi's story turned out very slightly longer than the others on accident, but it was purely a factor of not being able to wrap up the storyline it created as quickly. (Also, because the other senshi were all packed into the beginning bit, which made it a little longer haha). Definitely had nothing to do with my love of this or that ship more or less than any others.

What did you think? There's still my little bonus chapter to go, but I hope you all dug the storylines! Maybe someday in the future I'll try something like this again with a different fandom! The sky's the limit!

Act 5: Minako: What's In A Codename?

"You know, you're an even bigger pig than I am."

Minako Aino stuck her tongue out over her shoulder at Usagi. Luckily, she was comfortable enough with her new friends to be able to take that slight criticism, even if it was still a bit wounding. "Just because I invited you up here, and you and Ami and Rei decided that we 'needed' to clean my room, doesn't mean you get to judge me. Especially you!"

The other blonde pouted, flipping through the stack of shojo magazines. "Why 'especially me'?"

"Because you're a pointless waste of space," Rei said immediately with a long sigh. She and Ami were currently cramming all of her dirty clothes into a basket, and didn't look at all like they minded — but Rei certainly minded that Usagi wasn't doing her part. "Can you just hurry up and actually do something? I thought you wanted to help Minako."

"I do! I just… wanted to make sure these magazines were going to be put away in order!" As if this somehow proved her point, she poked the page she was open to. "Look! Yeah, this one goes after the other one!" Then she gathered up the manga and took them over toward Mina's shelf.

"Hopeless," she sighed, though she seemed mostly resigned.

"C'mon, I didn't say all that," Minako laughed as she stripped her bed of sheets so she could grab the shiki futon from on top of her Western platform bed and take it to the balcony and let it air out. "Just that you're a slob, too, so it's like the pot calling the kettle a pot."

Ami flinched slightly as she bundled the sheets in with the clothes. "You mean 'the pot calling the kettle 'black',' right?"

"Oh, is that how it went?"

"Sorry," Usagi groaned, actually straightening up the shelves now. Not that there was much to do, but she had left quite a few books lying around, and she felt bad that her fellow blonde had to work on that for her. "You're right, I'm not any better than this. But it's not easy being almost a high school student and a superhero!"

Having just put the basket in the hall, Rei came back over and slung an arm around Usagi's shoulders. "Like you actually do any of those things that well. Seriously, considering how much you slack off, you should have plenty of time left over to help a friend clean. OR clean your own room."

The criticism got Usagi puffing out her cheeks in annoyance. Rei and Ami laughed, and so did Minako, though she felt a little guilty about it. After all, she didn't know any of them all that well yet. At times, she felt like the odd woman out on the Senshi, even though that was silly when none of them had really had terribly long to establish friendships.

"Oh wow!" came a voice from deep in her closet. After a moment, Makoto appeared with a wallscroll of a popular band, index finger tapping on one of the posing men. "This guy really looks like my old boyfriend! I wonder if it's him? Do you remember their names?"

Laughing nervously, Minako shrugged and said, "It was a promotional gift, I barely know a few of their songs. Do… you want that poster?"

The taller girl's green eyes lit up like emeralds in the sun. "Really? You mean it?"

"Sure! Take it, go nuts!" As Makoto squealed and jumped up and down, Ami having to duck out of the way of her elbow, Minako giggled and took the mattress outside.

This really was so much better. Ever since she got back from England, she had felt like she had no life. School was fine, and so was her continual work around town under her alter ego to roll back the crimes of the citizenry, but that could all be classified as her 'professional' life. She didn't have any friends. After all, almost none of her old friends from elementary school were going to her junior high, and the few that were no longer really had much in common with the weird, Western-looking blonde. She got called hafu a lot, because she was Japanese but looked so American, and spoke English so well. In all honesty, it was a little depressing not having a core group of pals to hang around with — play video games, watch movies, go to the summer Obon festival and watch the fireworks.

But becoming a Sailor Senshi changed all that. Now at last, she could finally go back to a normal girl's level of companionship and bonding. Even if it was because she was fighting the forces of evil alongside other young women with magic running through their veins.

After hanging her futon on the balcony, she came back in to hear the sounds of squabbling. Again. Rolling her eyes and heaving a weary sigh, she entered her room and braced for impact.

"You did too try to kill her plants and you know it!"

Rei was already in full rage mode, fists clenched at her sides. "I never claimed to have any idea how to take care of houseplants! We all agreed to do our best, and Ami kept them from dying in the end!"

"But you act like I have no responsibility, and then you do stuff like that!" Usagi shot right back at her. "That's what I'm saying isn't fair!"

"Look. I never said you were the worst person in the world, and I was perfect. Just that you're way less responsible than any of the rest of us!"

"Lay off her!" Makoto put in, stepping between the two jousting junior high girls with her taller, more imposing frame. "Usa-chan is fine the way she is, even if you don't think so, Rei! So just shove it!"

Ami was definitely already distressed, and put a soothing hand on Rei's arm. "Please, can't we get along? This in-fighting never solves anything — no one here is a bad person, no one here is 'lazy'! Alright?"

"Sorry, Ami, but Usagi is definitely lazy. I'm not going to lie just to make her feel better!"

"Right!" Usagi burst out at Rei, eyes tearing up. "Because being nice to somebody just doesn't work for Rei Hino! Ohhhh no, that would involve caring about anybody but herself!"

"Of course I care! I care about all of you! And if I didn't care, didn't want you to be your best, I wouldn't bother to tell you what a selfish little brat you can b-"

"HEY!"

Everyone turned to look at Minako. When she realised she had their attention, she smiled as sweetly as she could. "I hate to be a bother, but can you keep it down before my mom gets in one of her moods about us being too rowdy? Like, just… bicker quieter."

Usagi immediately dipped her head very low, looking like she wanted to expire on the spot. "Sorry! Gosh, I wasn't even thinking about that…"

"Of course not," Rei sniped immediately.

"Neither were you, genius," Makoto grunted. That nearly got them all going again, but Ami dragged Rei to the other side of the room to begin working on the cluttered school desk. Turning to Makoto and Minako, their bun-headed leader clapped her hands together and bowed reverently.

"You two saved my life. I am eternally grateful."

"Oh, shush," Makoto snorted, waving a hand back and forth. Her cheeks had started to pinken slightly from being thanked so earnestly, which was probably why she tried to dismiss the sentiment. "Maybe you're a little irresponsible, but I mean, so is everybody in their own way. Rei gets a bug up her butt over nothing sometimes."

"I can hear you!" Rei hissed in a stage whisper. That time, Ami literally turned her head all the way around with her hand to point back at their task.

Meanwhile, Minako was sighing and turning back to her bedframe to fish things out from underneath it. "This is tough for me, because I actually like all of you guys. So when you fight, I don't feel… like I can make the right call, since I'm the new girl."

"But you're not!" Makoto assured her. "Like, you've been doing it the longest; it's us who are the newbies."

"I'm sorry, Mina-chan," Usagi was saying again. "Seriously, sometimes I let Rei get under my skin and forget to pay attention to the rest of you. Must be so annoying."

That shot straight to her heart, and she put a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "Not annoying. Just… you get emotional sometimes. Totally normal, since we're all fresh out of puberty and hormonal sometimes." Then over her shoulder, she shot, "Same goes for other parties involved."

"Alright, alright," Rei sighed, coming back to the middle of the room with a few books in her hands that were destined for the shelf. "Usagi, I'm sorry I lost my temper. Again."

"And I'm sorry I'm lazy and dumb," she countered. Minako was opening her mouth, but she cut her off, "No, I am! Can't help it sometimes, but I'm gonna try to be better. Okay?"

The two shook hands, and the feud ended.

"Thank Serenity," Artemis sighed as he and Luna padded in, white and purple fur standing out in stark contrast to each other. "You do know cats have sensitive ears, don't you? All that yakking could make a guy deaf!"

Makoto put her hand on her hips and looked down at them with a smirk. "And where were you two, anyway? Off nuzzling each other?"

Little known fact: cats from the Moon Kingdom can blush.

~ o ~

A few days after that, Minako was out with Makoto and Rei, shopping their little hearts out. Mostly, Rei wanted some help finding 'cuter' clothing; she owned a few nice things, but she spent so much time in her miko apparel that she felt like she had lost touch with the world of fashion. Makoto loved to dress the two of them up like dolls, since a lot of the things she wanted to buy for herself didn't come in her size — or they did, but the skirts rode up too high, or the blouses pulled in weird ways. And shoes were something of a nightmare. That really made Minako sad, so she resolved to try to get some clothes sent in from London that might fit her new teammate.

"Thanks for the help today," Rei told them as they made their way back on the bus, all smiles. "I finally feel like a girl again. And these jeans are so rad!"

"I'm just amazed I found some sandals today," Makoto said with a wistfully pleased smile. "A little tight, but at least I can wear them without wanting to die."

Giggling, Minako stood up and shouldered her purse. She herself had only one small bag. "I'm glad, too. Maybe we can hit another store next weekend."

"Wait, where are you going?" Rei asked. "This isn't your stop."

"It is today. I'm going to drop in on Usagi before I head home."

"Ohhh, I'd love to see Usagi," Makoto lamented, staring down at her bags. "But I bought too much. Plus I gotta get home and start on making bento for the next few days, or I'll never get it done."

"I can't, either." At the glare from the other two, she raised a hand. "Honest! Temple duties."

Nodding, Mina jogged to the door of the bus. "I'll send her your love! Later, guys!"

Their well-wishes in her ears, she hopped off at the stop. She'd never been to Usagi's house before; or she had, but only in the entrance once before they were all headed off elsewhere. Belatedly, she wondered if she should have called ahead or asked Usagi the last time they saw each other, but she also hadn't really been planning on it before that day, so it would have been a little difficult to predict her visit. Too bad those new cellular telephones were so expensive and cumbersome; it really would be so convenient to be able to call people wherever you were.

"Hello?" Mrs. Tsukino said when she opened the door, her slightly concerned look turning into one of pleasant surprise. "Oh, you're one of Usagi's friends, aren't you? Mina?"

"Minako Aino, okaasan," she told her with a polite bow, feeling the red bow atop her blonde head rustle from the movement. "Sorry to drop by out of the blue, but I was wondering if Usagi is home?"

Ikuko's hand went to her hip, a wooden spoon dangling from the fingers. Privately, Minako couldn't help thinking that Usagi's mother was quite lovely and put-together for a middle-aged housewife, her dark, wavy hair always coiffed and pristine whenever she saw her. She wondered what her secret was.

"Afraid she isn't; I think she and Naru are at the Game Center. But they've been gone all day if you'd like to come inside and wait for her. Shouldn't be too much longer with dinnertime being soon."

At first, she fully intended to turn down that offer. But then a little smile pulled at her lips. This was actually even better! "Well… alright, I will, if you're sure she wouldn't mind me hanging around her room?"

"I imagine not," the woman laughed, stepping aside for her to enter. As she closed the door and Minako stepped out of her shoes, she added, "Usagi used to always complain that nobody except Naru came to visit her. Now that Mizuno girl is over here often enough that I could almost swear she wants to be adopted!"

"Oh!" she giggled with a wide smile. "Now I feel bad I haven't come over before! Well, I hope she's back soon. Thanks!" Another little bow, and she clomped up the stairs.

"No problem!"

Letting out a breath of relief, she turned around to try and figure out which room belonged to Usagi. The one at the end of the hall was probably that of the parents, and there were three other doors that did not belong to the bathroom. Even Inspector Zenigata could have figured out the one with a knitted rabbit-head hung on the door was probably hers. Smiling to herself, she turned the knob and stepped inside.

"Hmm, where to start?" she breathed, looking around at the mess. It was almost the same as her own, but there was less food waste; she was right, Minako won the title of 'Slobbiest Senshi'. So she started picking up a few of the shirts and socks…

But that was as far as she got before it sank in. From the moment she had opened the door, something seemed a little off to her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it immediately. Once she figured that out, she couldn't comprehend how on earth she had missed it.

Minako's face was everywhere.

Dropping the clothing, she gaped at the state of this room. Sailor V posters and wall scrolls, Sailor V pillows, Sailor V calendars, Sailor V figurines. A Sailor V pencil case sitting on her school desk, beside a handheld version of the Sailor V game. There was a lot more merchandise there than she had ever thought possible — than she even thought existed. Of course, given that she had a secret identity to protect, she couldn't simply sue these companies for cranking out all manner of items with her likeness on them without "outing" herself, so they popped up in any Akihabara shop. But she never in a million years imagined…

"Usagi," she breathed in horror. "You're an OTAKU."

Stumbling slightly on her way through the room, her fingertips brushed over a notebook with her face on it. A blanket, a backpack. She'd never used that backpack during classes, of course; she used the standard school satchel. So why even buy it?! Purely because it was yet another piece of junk with the happy-go-lucky smile and red eye-mask that everyone associated with her alter-ego? It almost made her angry, but in the context of Usagi owning this stuff…

It made her feel something else. More like hazukashii — a profound embarrassment, almost to the point of shame. One of her closest friends, someone she fought alongside against the Dark Kingdom, and her room was almost covered in pictures of her! Sure, they were ones freely available for anyone to buy, but…

Minako didn't know how long she had been sitting on the edge of Usagi's bed, despite staring up at the Sailor V clock in detached amazement, when she heard someone coming up the steps. She didn't react much, since she just assumed it would be Ikuko coming to check on her. Not Usagi herself, humming a little tune and throwing the door wide as she pranced in, then bumping it shut with her rear end before setting down her newest purchase on the low table in the middle of her room. She hoped and prayed it wasn't anything with Sailor V on it. Maybe it would just be a cute shirt. Or a Kodansha magazine, or some Pocky. Anything but…

Right at the moment Usagi noticed Minako there was when she saw it was a Sailor V duvet cover. Just about the biggest thing she could have acquired, once it was stretched over the actual duvet, and there it was between them both like the final nail in a coffin.

"O-oh!" Usagi squeaked, colour draining from her face. "Mina-chan! I… h-how did you get in here?"

"Your mom," she answered numbly.

"Cool! I mean, that's totally fine, I'm happy to see you! Um… been here long?"

"Maybe ten or twenty minutes. Not sure."

"Ah, that's not so bad."

"Yeah. Did you have fun at Game Center Crown?"

"Sure! And, um, after Naru left, I took a little detour on my way home…"

"I can see that."

The room got quiet for a few seconds. Minako drummed her fingers against her knee, and Usagi's feet shuffled nervously. Then she finally whispered, "Um… Minako…"

"Hm?"

"About… all this stuff…"

"Oh, it's fine," she said with a forced smile. "You're just… really into that Sailor V game, right? Always have been. I used to kind of go nuts for this one game, 'Lovely Fight'? It's… kind of older now…"

"Hey, I remember that one! The girl with all that awesome power-armour? Yeah, it was pretty fun. I think there's a machine in Crown still…"

"Kinda miss it, yeah."

Silence fell again. The longer this went on, the more she could see the redness blossoming in her friend's cheeks. Normally, Minako would feel bad about that, but not this time. It was just too weird. The whole situation, and being in that room surrounded by the merchandise wasn't helping.

"S-so um, what are you doing here, anyway? Not to be rude, just… I didn't think we had any plans."

"Oh. Well, um, I was going to clean your room to pay you back for cleaning mine. Like, 'one good turn saves nine', right?" That wasn't the correct phrase, but Minako couldn't remember how it went at the moment, so she moved on. "But I got, um, distracted."

"Y-yeah, I guess you would," she laughed nervously, trying to surreptitiously nudge the pencil case and the handheld game into the backpack without being too obvious. She failed, of course. "Like I said, this is just… y'know, n-not that important. I'm sorry you had to see the whole collection like this!"

"Really? Because, like…" Her open palm gestured to the posters on the wall. "It's kind of out in the open."

"Well, if you ever came up, I was gonna hide it all," she admitted, wilting slightly. "Since I couldn't predict how you'd, um…" In a quieter voice, she finished, "Are you mad?"

"Mad? No, not mad. Why would I be mad?"

"For somebody who's not mad, you're saying 'mad' a lot…"

Dropping the Sailor V throw pillow that had been sitting on her lap back on top of the other pillows, she stood up and gave an exaggerated shrug. "I mean, what's the point in feeling like that? You obviously don't hate me, or you wouldn't have my face on every available surface in here. So like, can't be mad about that!"

"But you're… upset? Disappointed? I don't know, Minako, help me!"

"Okay. Do you really want to know? I'm…" She had been so close to saying it: "disgusted". The very idea of one of her close friends having these things made her severely uncomfortable, and she wanted to disappear and forget she ever saw it. But Usagi looked so forlorn that she couldn't bring herself to do it. Still, she did ask.

"What?"

"I'm… just a little…" In the end, any word she chose was either not accurate, or too cruel. "I feel weird being in a room where my face is everywhere. That's all. So I guess it's fine that you have this stuff, even though I don't know why you'd want it, but I think I'm gonna go."

She had only taken a couple of steps before Usagi burst out, "Why I would have it? Is that what the problem is? I can tell you that! Don't go, Mina-chan!"

"Don't call me that anymore." The yip of pure pain from Usagi shot through her heart, so she turned and sighed. "Sorry. I'm probably overreacting, but this is just mondo bizarro! We know each other! Why would you want to… to sleep under a duvet with me on it?! Do you know what that sounds like?"

Now the blush got a lot worse as the implication sunk into Usagi's brain, and she stammered, "N-no, Minako, I promise I'm n-not a pervert, I don't- that isn't how I thought of you, seriously, it never was! B-but when I first became Sailor Moon, y-you were the only… I felt so lost, and scared, and like I couldn't do it, but I would t-try to be like you!"

"Like me?" she muttered, caught off guard by the idea.

"YES! Like, I already thought you were- well, no, that Sailor V was really tough and cool, and I liked the game and stuff, a-and I had a few of these things. But once I found out I had powers? Sometimes…" She took a deep breath, trying to find more courage even though she was shaking worse with each passing second, voice growing quieter. "Sometimes you were the only thing that got me through a fight! Trying to think of what you would do, remembering that… you would always win, a-and you looked perfect doing it, and that's what I wanted to be! And after that, I guess I did get a little obsessed with collecting Sailor V stuff, b-because it was like, a connection to you- or her!"

Though she was listening all along, the last part struck her as odd, and she had to shake off her daze. "Wait, wait. Why do you say it like that? I mean, I am Sailor V. You know that by now!"

"Not really! I mean… yeah, I know you are, but not in my mind, okay? I still see her as like, a character that I really looked up to! And then there's Minako, my friend, who's not the same; like, sometimes I do feel really lucky to be hanging out with you when I remember that's who you are, but n-not all the time! I swear!"

All of this sounded like double-talk and excuse-making to Minako. Especially with the way Usagi was blushing and sweating; she looked guilty, ashamed of herself. Just like any nerdboy who had been caught with a body pillow of his favourite idol… by the idol herself.

"Really? Do you swear?" Minako stepped a little closer, leaning so their faces were an inch apart. Usagi gulped, head drawing back a fraction of an inch but not daring to step backward or try to push her away. "Because I do like you as a friend, Usagi, but now I'm starting to think you might be a… yuri."

That got her to pause, shocked. Her blue eyes flicked down toward how close they were and back up again. Minako took another step, backing her all the way up to the edge of the desk. "Me?! Into Girls' Love? N-no, it isn't… I've n-never…" But she wasn't trying very hard to protest.

Suddenly, Minako felt a slight possibility that there might be something to her joking accusation. And instantly, she regretted making it. Mostly, she had been hoping that if she teased Usagi a little more, she might feel bad about making her so uncomfortable and promise to stop buying up Sailor V merchandise. Even if she didn't, she could at least show her the effect it had on her friend, and maybe she'd be more sensitive to the situation. But if Usagi really was interested in her beyond simple companionship…

"It's okay," she suddenly whispered, gulping hard. Usagi had to know that she didn't mean what she had said, and that she certainly didn't think a collection of random junk was worth destroying their friendship over. "Sorry for being so… w-well, I'm sorry. But don't worry about it; we can keep this between us."

"Between us?" she breathed softly. "It's really okay?"

"Yeah. I mean… yeah, I might have flipped out a little at first, but now… y-yeah, I'm okay with it. You can't help if you let it get a little out of hand."

Usagi nodded, wide blue eyes blinking a few times as she leaned a little closer. "Mina-chan… I can't believe you really don't… a-and I know you aren't Sailor V, I know that. Or you are, but y-you're not the same person that I used to feel so… I'm not an otaku, I know the difference between… fantasy and reality."

"Fantasy, huh?" Her mouth twitched into a slight smile, and she could tell Usagi was watching it. "What kind of fantasies did you have?" Maybe this would even be cute; something about a very new Sailor Moon ready to fight alongside her "senpai" — even if she didn't really feel like much like a soldier of a higher rank, since they were all the same age. After all, she'd felt the same way about Wonder Woman when she was reading her comics during her stay in London.

What she didn't expect was for Usagi to lower her eyes and whisper, "Just… meeting her, I guess? Getting to ask her how she made it look so easy? I d-don't know. But… meeting you as Venus was way better. Like, I'm so happy you're my friend… s-so I don't want you thinking that some silly girl-crush matters to me, okay? Please tell me you understand." Her voice got even quieter as she urged, "Please…"

Two words among all the others took her breath away. "Girl-crush?"

"Y-yeah. I mean, just because I thought Sailor V was massively cute — I mean, like all girls look up to older girls, right? Come on, I didn't imagine you putting my head in your lap and petting my hair or anything!" She tried for a laugh, but it sounded so forced and grating that it was clearly fake. Just like her last statement.

"Like this?" Her hand came up to fall on Usagi's hair, gliding along it gently. Usagi shivered, but didn't react that much otherwise, and she drew her fingers away immediately. "Sorry. I, um, now I feel stupid — that wasn't supposed to be teasing you for it, I promise!"

Her head shook from side to side, flashing her a small smile. "Nah, it's okay! I just… well, it's not really her. I'm not kidding, I really don't see Sailor V just looking at you; I see my gal pal, Mina-chan. S-so you don't have to feel so awkward about… like…" Her hand gestured to the posters, the duvet cover. "I know it might not make a lot of sense to you, but I'm totally serious about that. You're you, and she's her. To me."

That gave her an idea. A very odd, very ludicrous idea, and she was fairly certain it was also a bad one. But she decided she might as well try it. As things stood now, if she didn't find out what the difference would be, she would probably always walk around expecting Usagi to turn into some mouth-breathing perv at any moment. And she didn't want that. Not with her good friend and comrade.

"Hey," she started, stepping back. "I wanna try something. Can you, um… close your eyes for a sec?"

"Huh?" Her eyes narrowed. "Are you gonna hit me?"

"Who am I, Rei?! Nothing like that. I promise. Just… try it, and keep 'em closed." With a shrug, the bun-headed girl slapped her hands over her eyes. Then Minako took out her compact; a tool she had not used in quite some time. Raising it toward the ceiling, she called out, "Crescent Moon Power, TRANSFORM!"

As the room filled with light, she could hear Usagi cry out, "Whaa?!" but she didn't peek. After the swirling of invisible winds subsided, she still covered her face tightly.

"You can look now."

When Usagi lowered her hands, she saw her idol standing before her. Minako hadn't donned the Sailor V outfit in quite some time; she didn't need it when working with the other Senshi. Not that there was a wealth of difference between that and the Venus outfit, other than the eye-mask; a few details on the suit barely worth mentioning. Originally, she had thought the mask would help maintain her secret identity, but that was before Artemis told her about the "aura" she and the others had that helped keep ordinary people from realising who they were.

The difference was immediate. Usagi was still blushing at a similar level, but it was very easy to see the difference in why she was blushing. Before, it had been due to having her "hobby" found out, and feeling guilty about her friend's involvement. Now…

"It's really you," she breathed softly. Then she shook her head out and laughed. "God, I sound dumb. I know it's you! I just… well…"

"Hello, young lady!" she said in her best superhero voice, hands on her hips. "I am Sailor V!" They both laughed for a moment. "How are you today?"

"Great, Sailor V!" she gushed, followed by more giggles. Usagi had to bend double for a moment, hands clutching her stomach. "Oh wow, we must be losing it!"

Grinning, she reached up and braced herself against Usagi's shoulder to keep from falling over. After a moment, she was able to catch her breath. "Okay… okay, for real this time. How are you, Miss Odango?"

"Very well, thank you," she told her with a small curtsy, voice still laced with amusement.

"I've heard that you are my number-one fan. Tell me, why do you feel this way?"

Usagi rolled her eyes, waving a hand. "I get it, Mina-chan, I get it. You can cut it out now."

"Actually, I'm serious. You have Sailor V right here, in your room, ready to listen. What have you always wanted to tell her?" Turning around, she caught sight of the comfortable bench in front of Usagi's vanity and took a seat — though she kept her posture erect, hoping that was how a "superhero" would sit. "Go on."

"Well… no, I couldn't." But Minako didn't flinch, or do anything other than sit patiently. So eventually, she sat on the edge of her bed, looking down at her knees. "You really want to hear all that?"

"Of course. Sailor V fights to protect the world in the name of love and justice! What her fans think of her is very important, too."

The blush was coming back now that they weren't tittering so much. After a few seconds of kicking her legs back and forth, toes skimming over the pink area rug, she finally whispered, "I think you're the coolest." But that was all she could get out before hiding her face behind her hands. "Ugh, this is so lame! I'M so lame!"

"You're not. I promise. Come on, tell me anything."

"You're… my role model, Sailor V," she went on in a more earnest voice. As if glad for her chance now that Mina had convinced her she could trust it. "And I'm really lucky to get to talk to you. Never thought you would, even if we did meet. I mean, I'm just some dopey brat with two left feet who can't even figure out how to fight…"

That hurt to hear, but Minako focused on playing her role. "Don't worry about that. You're doing your best, Miss Odango. That's all we can do, every day." Then she gestured for her. "Come here."

"Huh?" When she saw the hand patting her lap, she giggled self-consciously. "C-come on, that's not…" But it patted again, harder, and she inched closer. Usagi froze up, so Minako moved to the bed. Only then did she slowly tip over, needing a hand to press her downward before she finally did lay in her lap.

"It's alright, Odango-san. Tell me what's in your heart." The longer she did this, the easier it got. Her voice was low and soothing, and Usagi seemed to be responding. She finally relaxed, though her hand was clenching on her duvet.

"You're so beautiful. It was the first thing I ever thought about you; that you were one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. In Japan, or anywhere! A-and after that, I thought… how cool it must be to be you. How I'd give anything to just see you save someone, or be saved by you. To have your hand touch my face and tell me that everything would be alright. I thought if you did that, I m-might really… believe it."

"Usagi…" That had been a slip, but she recovered quickly, petting along her hair just as she had requested. Running her gloved fingers through the strands of her pigtails. "Do you want me to brush your hair?"

"Ehhhh?! Really?" It was easy for her to reach the vanity from there, so she grabbed the hairbrush while Usagi undid her odango and let her hair fall loose. As she brushed, Usagi hummed, leaning into the touch.

"You could have asked me for this at any time. I know how special you are. Even when you aren't showing it to the world. And you're special without being Sailor Moon; a woman like you who loves her friends is a great treasure."

Usagi curled in a little tighter on herself, though she wasn't shaking or otherwise reacting. After a few more brush-strokes, she whispered, "I always wanted a big sister, too… someone to do this for me besides my mother. And you're so pretty, and brave, and confident… and you always got the bad guy. Made me wish I could be your sidekick."

"Well, you can. Come look in the mirror." Sitting her up, she guided Usagi forward a bit so they could both see themselves in the vanity mirror from the bedside. Then she took off her mask and held it front of Usagi's face.

"Uwaa?"

"Now you're like me," she told her softly, smiling wide. It was true enough; with their hair brushed out in a similar fashion, it was about the same length, the same shade of blonde. Maybe Minako was a bit taller and their faces weren't identical, but anyone who didn't know them intimately would think Usagi was Sailor V now. "You're Sailor V. And I'm sure with this mask on, you'd be just as cool, just as courageous. And you're definitely just as pretty."

For a moment, she had been completely absorbed into this fantasy. Cheeks glowing, eyes twinkling to see herself looking like her hero. But the last line seemed to break the spell. She was still happy, but she sighed, turning to look at Minako as she moved the mask back up to its owner's eyes.

"Not as pretty. There's no one in the world as beautiful as Sailor V, and I will fight you on that one."

What was this feeling now? Her heart was pounding in her throat, eyes blinking rapidly in response to what had snuck up on her. Some kind of… pleasurable thing. Maybe joy? Appreciation? Smiling and looking away, seeing the edges of the red mask again in her peripheral vision, she whispered, "You're wrong, Usa-chan."

"Am I? Maybe you haven't seen yourself. You look like an idol!"

"I do not." And she would know, because she would love to be one of those girls. It had always been her dream.

"Yes, you do." Her lips pushed upward into Minako's cheek, prompting a soft gasp of surprise. "Better than any idol, too. Because I know that you're not just cute; you're a great friend who put on a mask, and… and tried to make me feel better about having all this creepy junk in my room. Thanks so much, Mina-chan."

By now, she was having trouble finding any words. Usagi thought she was the most beautiful person? An idol, a brave hero? It was too much, and yet it made her as happy as it did mixed up inside. Everyone seemed to underestimate the diminutive bun-head because she wasn't very academically gifted, or athletic, or coordinated. But there were other strengths in life.

"You… don't need this junk anymore," she told her softly. She saw the eyes darken with fresh shame, so she hurried to finish, "Because now you have the real Sailor V. Anytime you need her, she's right here. And she's all yours." To seal the deal, she leaned in to give her back the sweet cheek-kiss…

Going back over it in her mind, she couldn't be sure how it happened. Maybe Usagi had moved in the same instant, either on purpose or accidentally, or maybe she had done it because it simply felt right to pair their lips with one another. It was a feather-light touch that seemed to last for hours, but also ended within an instant. When Minako could think again, she found her hands had drifted up to gently cradle her friend's head, and one stray hand of hers had found its way down to her own waist.

"Usa… ch-chan…" That was all either of them had to say. Usagi was blinking up at her, confused but curious, cheeks rosy and mouth slightly open. And in that moment, she'd never looked more sweet.

A bird cawing somewhere snapped them out of it. Scooting to opposite ends of the bed, they looked away and Usagi laughed, "Y-yeah! Thanks, Sailor V! I'll… I'll call you when I need you!"

"Right! It's- y-yes, that's fine! I'm in the book!" They laughed again… and something about the way Usagi looked down, flushed and bashful, then just barely glanced up at her through her eyelashes, made her say, "For another kiss, or just advice! Whatever!"

"AH! Another kiss?!" But when Minako slapped her hands over her mouth, Usagi hurried to say, "S-sure! If you want, we… I m-mean, hey, I'd kiss you right now if that's what you want!"

The way "WHAT?!" burst out of her mouth made Usagi cringe. "Oh, that's- I didn't mean to scare you! But um… y-yeah, I wouldn't ask that of a citizen!"

"You can ask it of me anytime! I mean… y-you could ask me to do anything and I'd do it…" Her face was turning redder and redder. "Which, um, I m-might have thought I had some limits before, but this kind of proves that when it comes to you, all bets are off! Right? Which is crazy, since I've only had dreams like this, n-never thought about it otherwise…"

"You've had dreams? About me?" A tiny nod. "About kissing me?" Another nod, and Minako felt pins and needles all along her spine, the backs of her knees. "Wow… so which is better, the dreams or… or what we just did?"

"GAH! I can't answer that!" She flopped backward, legs windmilling in the air as she squealed. Despite the situation, Minako smiled at how cute the reaction was, and leaned back on the bed to watch her for a moment. When she recovered, she rolled over and stared at her. "Sailor V is on my bed…"

"Sailor V kissed you on your bed." More squealing, and she had to grin at that. "And… would kiss you again, if you wanted. But only on one condition."

"Name it!" Belatedly, she slapped herself in the forehead. "Ugh, way to sound over-eager, Usako…"

Giggling, she reached up and took off her mask. "You kiss Minako Aino, just once. I mean… I want to know where we stand, and how much of it is the superhero getup."

"But Minako is my friend…" Usagi fidgeted, indecisive. She understood; this was a different barrier being broken for her. In the end, she shrugged and smiled shyly. "Besides, why would Minako want to kiss me, either?"

"Because you're a great kisser. And I happen to have heard that from Sailor V herself." She touched her compact and de-transformed back into her weekend clothes. Simple blue overall-dress with a white shirt underneath, orange sandals left downstairs. She saw a slight look of disappointment flash across Usagi's face, but to her credit, she really did try to hide it rather quickly. "So it's the V fuku that does it for you, huh?"

Alarmed, she held up a hand as she laughed nervously. "N-no! Well… I guess it does, which is news to me as much as you, but I… we probably sh-should test this. Because you're my friend, and it's important to know… um…" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "What kind of friend. Isn't it?"

They were kissing again in no time. As far as Minako was concerned, it was just as spectacular, just as strange and wild and new, just as delicious in a way she didn't think kisses could be. All from Usagi, of all people! Though she did feel a little difference in how much purpose she felt, how much passion… Usagi definitely was more eager for V, but seemed more at ease when she wasn't being intimidated by the knowledge that her heroine was the one kissing back. Despite the fact that, either way, it was really the same person.

"Oh my GOD," the bun-head breathed when she pulled back, panting and staring up at the ceiling. "What… what did we do? I… I kissed Mina-chan!"

"You kissed two girls in one day," she teased breathlessly. That got them giggling and curling to face each other, pulled up on the bed now and comfortable, fractions of inches away from each other, knees touching but otherwise held apart. Then she reached up to pet over her cheek. "Usagi… I don't really have any experience with this. I kind of gave up the idea of ever dating when I awakened as Sailor V, and then Venus. But like… this is… different. We're part of the same world. So maybe…"

"Maybe it's alright?" she whispered back, guessing correctly what she had wanted to say but had been afraid to say first. Then she nodded. "I mean, I kinda had a crush on Sailor V, and Mamoru, and Tuxedo Mask, and Motoki… s-so I guess I'm not very professional." Minako's little snort made her smile. "But here's you, kissing me for real now, and it feels way more right than any of that daydreaming ever did!"

Smiling, she leaned up and pecked Usagi's lips, prompting an excited giggle. "I'm the Senshi of Love, right? Makes sense to me."

"Mmm… oh, Mina-chan, what are we going to tell all the others?"

"Nothing," she said right away. "Not until we're ready. Which, um, I don't think I am yet. Are you?"

"NO! Like, how do you even start talking about Girls' Love with your best friends?! They'll think we're grosser than you did when you got here!"

Giggling, Minako leaned in to peck her lips again. "You're probably right." That devolved into yet another soft, slow kiss, and she still couldn't get over how weird it was to be kissing anyone, let alone the klutzy team leader she had been ready to dismiss as an otaku.

Speaking of which… after a few minutes of that, Usagi pulled back and gasped, "WOW! So, um… I have kind of a weird question."

"Shoot," she just barely managed to breathe, clearing her throat a moment later.

"Okay. So… all this Sailor V stuff. You're probably gonna want me to get rid of it, huh?"

"Definitely." At the disappointed sigh, she reached up to pet along her cheek to console her. "Hey, do you really need it with the real me around?"

Usagi did struggle with herself for a moment before she exploded, "No, but some of it's really rare! Like, that calendar? They were only giving that out at the ramen stand that day! Probably only a few hundred of them in Tokyo!"

Both of Minako's eyes rolled toward the ceiling. "Fine, then the calendar can stay."

"And I guess I could take back the duvet cover, since I just got that and haven't used it yet. But don't make me give up the throw pillow!" As if afraid it would suddenly burst into flames, she snagged the pillow bearing Sailor V's face and hugged it to her chest, eyes dancing with moisture. "Please, please, pleeeaaase? If you let me have this, I won't ever ask you to be V for me when we kiss…"

"That doesn't sound like a promise you can keep," she giggled as she kissed Usagi's forehead, secretly loving how cute and nerdy Usagi was acting. Which was as much laughing at herself, since she used to have a high distaste for nerds after a few unpleasant encounters with them, but somehow when it was Usagi, everything was different. She was different — from anyone she'd ever known. "Alright, alright. But can I ask why? You didn't used to practice making out on that pillow, did you?" A long pause. "Usa-chan?"

The lack of reply spoke volumes.

THE END

[Next: Outtakes!]

#through the moon prism #sailor moon fanfiction #forkanna writes #usagi x minako #yuri fanfiction #forkanna the writer

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