Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Lost Boys and Golden Girls ❯ Afterglow ( Chapter 3 )

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Afterglow
by Edmondia Dantes

Disclaimer: Owned by others, tormented by me.

AN: Minako. Kunzite. Minimalism.

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It was going to rain tonight. Mere problems like weather, however, had never stopped Minako Aino before, and they weren't about to now. Besides, it was warm out. Granted, Artemis didn't really appreciate being used as a pillow, but his warm fur was nicer than the grass. And he was sound asleep anyway.

It almost made her laugh, but she wasn't smiling - no, something was sad tonight. What it was exactly she couldn't tell.

A harried young man rushed past her house, probably trying to outrun the impending rain. Unfortunately for him, his quest would be futile. The skies would open and release their wrath at any moment now.

But Minako wasn't thinking about that. Wow... what a gorgeous guy, she thought dreamily, watching his cute behind wiggle as he rushed down the block.

What?! an indignant voice exclaimed from somewhere far away yet right beside her.

She rolled her eyes and flipped over onto her stomach as her personal phantom growled low in his throat. She knew instinctively that he was bristling, his body growing tense and his eyes darkening to a deep, frightening silver.

Were you looking at his...? What were you doing? he demanded, and she wished he were truly there so she could pinch *his* bottom.

"I like yours better," she said aloud, although now that she thought of it, she hadn't actually *seen* it in centuries, and certainly wasn't able to now. Unfortunately.

Better, he muttered. She waited. She knew his head would snap up, his eyes would glint like diamonds, and he would snarl jealously.

After a moment, she felt the tingle in the air as he swept in front of her. So you did look! he snapped.

She buried a sad smile against Artemis' belly. He was damnably cute sometimes. But sometimes that just wasn't enough.

"I guess."

He pouted. Hmph.

It was almost funny. It almost wasn't.

Minako sighed. "Ne, Kunz-chan?"

A low snort drifted on the wind. He did not find his nickname amusing at all.

"It's going to rain, you know," she commented idly, rubbing her nose in her guardian's fur.

Yes, I know. Why are you doing that?

"He's comfy," she mumbled, squeezing said fuzzy bundle tighter.

Jealousy. You used to think I was comfy.

Minako rolled her eyes. "You used to be comfy."

She could almost visualize the slight twitch that tightened his eyes. Yes, I suppose so, he agreed quietly. I used to be many things.

She rolled over again, unsettled. "So did the rest of us."

His hair swished softly in the wind as he shook his head. It's all for the better.

She gnawed throughtfully on a piece of her own golden hair. "Is it?"

It is. You'll get split ends if you keep doing that.

"I don't need beauty tips from you, Mr. Oh-Well-Grand-Banquet-I-Guess-Endymion-and-the-Rest-of-Us-Can-Go-In-Our-Dir ty-Muddy-Sweaty-Uniforms."

A long pause. Then, incredulous, Five years we were together, and that's all you can remember?

She folded her hands behind her head and looked at the sky. Roiling mass of grey clouds - they reminded her vaguely of his eyes. "It stood out in my mind. Jaedite was walking around charred for a week."

Deep amusement colored his reply. And Zoi kept whining "It's not my fault!" every time he saw Ami.

"She hit him over the head with a book once."

He chuckled. Did it make the tabloids? Minako winced, biting her lip. "I don't remember."

Silence.

Then, It's all right. I never expected you to... remember everything. She blinked, staring up at the clouds. They had darkened to a swirling steely velvet. "But you do. Remember it all."

He stifled a sigh. Yes.

Her fingers slowly curled into fists. "Even..." she trailed off, unwilling to vocalize her thought.

A thousand sighs answered her. Even that. Especially that.

Her own memories were vague and nebulous - agony as her people were slaughtered, shock as her precious planet plundered, rage at the one who had betrayed her, grief as the one she loved killed her and was killed in return.

"We should have done better," she whispered, surprised at the sudden thickness in her voice.

Yes, he answered, voice heavy with grief, we should have.

She blinked the tears away. Too late to grieve. "I felt her die, you know. I was nearly there myself, but I felt her die."

I know, he replied in a pained whisper. I know.

Her grasp on her beloved friend tightened. "Endymion?"

She could sense his despair. Yes...

Centuries-old shame stirred in her chest. "I'm sorry," she murmured in reverent repentance, for her lover, for her princess, for the thousands she had failed. For herself.

It wasn't your fault... he trailed off feebly, crushed under the weight of his own guilt.

"But it was. We were their leaders, we should have known better."

We were children. Children far too powerful and ignorant for our posts. Bitterness lingered in the frigid tones of his voice.

"Wars are always fought by the young. It's one thing I remember," she said wistfully, thinking of summer nights gone by before she knew they had gone.

The young and foolish and proud.

She had to stifle a sudden giggle. "Like Nephrite?"

A pause as he shifted topics. What?

"The Jovian horse incident."

Even though she couldn't see him, she was certain he had blanched.

Why do you only remember the humiliating things?

Minako grinned mischievously. "It's a gift!"

Thunder rumbled as skies tore open.

It took under three seconds for Artemis to wake, notice the sudden drops of rain, and flee into the house.

Within a moment, she was soaked to the skin, closing her eyes against the intrusive water.

Mina, you're getting soaked! A lascivious smirk curled the words into something warm and smoldering.

She sat up with a laugh, scraping her heavy bangs out of her eyes.

"You're right. How do I look?" she giggled, posing amidst the flashes of lightning.

A snicker. Ravishing.

She felt a lewd grin cross her face. "Oh? Do I really? Best get to bed then - but first a shower, ne?"

Curiousity tickled her senses.

"Care to join me?"

She raced inside, laughing as he blushed.

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AN: Minimalist, like I said. Hope y'all didn't hate it.

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© 2002 Edmondia Dantes