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Rei leans against the ship’s railing, staring down at the water dejectedly. Her raven hair cascades over her face and arms. Lost in melancholy, she barely registers the gentle hand resting on the small of her back.
“What’s the matter, Rei-chan? Feeling seasick?” a gentle voice coos.
Rei shakes her head and sniffles before standing. “No, I’m fine, Ami-chan.” Rei declares, putting on a brave face.
Ami frowns and crosses her arms. “Are you sure? You just bolted on me.”
Rei swallows her pride. “All the hot guys are taken, okay?”
Ami nods and smiles gently. “I’m sorry you didn’t find someone to pair off with, Rei-chan,” Ami says. She turns out toward the water and breathes in deeply. The moonlight reflects off her cerulean hair. “But we got to spend a lovely evening together on this wonderful cruise ship!” she trills.
Rei’s brow furrows. “Doesn’t it bother you at all that there aren’t any hot, single guys here?”
Ami shrugs. “Eh, not really, I guess.” Her breath hitches in her throat. She stops herself from saying what she really wants to say to Rei:
“I’m not here for hot guys, Rei-chan…” Ami thinks to herself.
“That’s right. You’re too married to studying to chase boys like the rest of us…” Rei teases.
Ami stares at Rei for a few seconds. Her pulse thunders in her ears. She admires Rei as she stands in the moonlight against the calm waters. She swallows a massive lump in her throat and steels herself.
“Rei-chan, can you turn and look at me a sec?” Ami asks shakily.
Rei turns. “What is it?”
Tentatively, Ami reaches out and places her right palm on Rei’s chest. Every cell in her body vibrates as she feels Rei’s heartbeat against her palm.
“Now or never.” Ami thinks to herself.
“Ami, what are you…” Rei starts to ask. Her question is cut off by Ami’s soft lips pressing against hers. Rei’s body stiffens, but she slowly relaxes. After a few moments, Ami pulls away. She buries her flushed face in her hands.
“Ami, I…”
“You don’t have to say anything, Rei-chan.” Ami whines. “I know what you’re going to say. That I’m some kind of weird lesbo freak and I made it awkward and we can’t be friends anymore…”
Rei touches her bottom lip as she catches her breath.
“She tastes like peppermint.” Rei thinks to herself. She snaps back to reality when she sees Ami shrinking away from her.
“Ami, no. I wasn’t going to say that.” Rei reassures.
“You weren’t?” Ami asks in a muffled voice.
“No. I was gonna ask if you wanted to do it again…” Rei whispers.
“Really? Why?”
“I wanna make sure I liked it, Ami-chan.” Rei says with a smirk. Ami pulls her hands away from her face. Without hesitation, she whirls around and crashes her lips into Rei’s. Feeling emboldened, Ami slips her tongue into Rei’s mouth.
“She tastes like cherries and cinnamon.” Ami thinks to herself.
Rei melts into Ami. She places her hand on Ami’s back and pulls the bluenette closer. Ami trills happily into Rei’s mouth as she leans in closer. She throws her arms around Rei’s neck and they press their bodies together. Rei hikes up her skirt and lifts her leg, hooking it around Ami’s legs. A warmth forms deep in Rei’s core, urging her to take this to the next level. In a panic, Rei pulls away.
“What’s wrong, Rei-chan?” Ami asks breathily.
“What do we do now?” Rei says anxiously.
Ami tilts her head. “What do you mean?”
“We just kissed each other!” Rei hisses.
“Yeah, I know. And?” Ami asks, nonchalantly.
“Don’t you think that’s a big step? We just met like a week ago or something.”
“It just felt right.” Ami declares. “I understand if you don’t agree.”
Rei reaches out and grabs Ami’s wrist, desperate to not let her slip away. “No no, it did feel right. I just don’t know what to do next.” she pleads.
Ami sighs with relief. “Are you looking for what to call us?” she asks.
“Yeah, that’s it! Are we girlfriends? Or just platonic friends that happen to like to kiss each other?” Rei says, mulling over the possibilites in her head.
“I’m fine with either, Rei-chan. I don’t know the first thing about dating.” Ami confesses.
Rei smiles, then her eyes go wide. “That was my first kiss…” she muses as the realization hits her.
“Mine, too, Rei-chan. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Rei gently tugs on Ami’s wrist and pulls her close. She wraps her arms around Ami as the bluenette nuzzles into her long black hair.
“We’ll figure ourselves out, I promise, Ami-chan.”
The pair turn out toward the water, watching the buildings drift by as the ship barrels down the river.
The next school day…
Ami sits in class, her eyes darting nervously from side to side. Her mind buzzes at warp speed, just as it has since the moment she and Rei kissed. The overwhelming need to tell someone gnaws at her psyche. She stares at the clock in agony, counting the seconds until the end of class. As the bell rings, Ami leaps from her seat. She bolts out the door, earning frustrated looks from classmates and her teacher alike. Racing out to the courtyard, she finds the one person she can trust with her messy personal life.
Ami dashes to a large tree and plops down beside the blonde girl seated beneath it.
“What’s up, Ami?” the blonde asks languidly.
“Usagi, there’s something I have to tell you.”
Usagi raises an eyebrow. “What’s going on?” she asks.
Ami takes a deep breath in and releases it slowly. She tries to calm the buzzing in her head, but it’s no use. She blurts out what’s been trying to get out all weekend.
“I kissed someone!” Ami says. She covers her mouth in embarrassment.
“Oh? Is he hot?” Usagi pries. Ami shakes her head. “Eh, at least he’s smart, right?”
“No, it’s not a he at all, Usagi.” Ami explains, her face bright red.
“You kissed a girl?” Usagi asks, now more intrigued than ever.
“Not just any girl. I kissed Rei.” Ami confesses.
Usagi recoils in disbelief. “What? When?!”
Ami smiles. “Saturday night. On the cruise ship.”
“Go on…”
“She was upset because all the guys were taken and…”
“So you mean to tell me you swooped in to rescue Rei from a night of loneliness and rejection and you kissed her?” Usagi asks excitedly.
“Well, I wouldn’t put it like that…” Ami says, nervously scratching the back of her neck.
“Oh, Ami, you ladykiller!” Usagi gushes. “That’s super smooth! Keep that up you’ll have all the girls in Juban swooning at your feet.”
Ami tries desperately to set the record straight, but soon gives up when she sees just how much Usagi is enjoying this version of events.
“Yes, I guess I will…” Ami muses.
Across town…
Rei shifts nervously in her seat, feeling distracted. What was once a sea of indistinguishable faces in a sea of gray uniforms is much more alive. Rei looks around and notices things she overlooked before. Like Eri’s smile. Or Miki’s laugh. And even Megumi’s perfume. Rei excuses herself from class and dashes to the bathroom. She barrels through the door and skids to a stop in front of one of the mirrors. Running the cold water, she splashes herself in the face as she stares herself down in the mirror. A group of girls walks in behind her.
“Uh, Rei, what’re you doing?” one of them drawls.
“Just a little stressed here, Aoi, don’t mind me.” Rei replies.
“You look deranged. Like a serial killer or something.” Aoi says.
“Nah, what’re you talking about? I’m fine!” Rei pleads, putting her palms in the air. “I, uh, gotta go…” Rei stammers as she shoves past Aoi and out the door. The other girl shrugs.
Rei runs out the door and leaves her all girls’ school behind. Catching her breath, she steadies herself then begins to walk toward the shrine. Her mind races. Thoughts of Ami and the girls at her school occupy her mind as she wanders the streets of Tokyo.
“Did I just gay panic back there?” Rei asks herself. She waits for herself to answer, but shrugs and laughs to herself when she doesn’t respond. “Huh, I guess I don’t like guys as much as I thought.” She sighs contentedly as a happy warmth comes over her. Giving herself a hug, she completes her walk and slides unnoticed into the shrine.
After school
“Usagi, why are we hiding behind a tree?” a small black cat hisses.
“Just watch and find out, Luna.” the blonde replies.
As if on cue, Rei steps into the secluded shrine. She looks out into the rest of the temple as if looking for someone. Ami then glides into view and throws her arms around Rei. The black-haired girl twirls Ami around and the pair giggle excitedly. They share a quick kiss and embrace again.
“See, I told you so.” Usagi says with a victorious smirk.
“Right, I believe you, Usagi.” Luna grumbles.
“I WIN! YATTA!!” Usagi exclaims. Ami and Rei turn to the big tree.
“Exactly how long were you two snooping?” Rei asks pointedly.
“Long enough.” Usagi murmurs slyly. Ami hides her face and contemplates running from the shrine. Rei’s gentle hands around her shoulders stop her from fleeing.
“It’s okay, Ami-chan.” Rei coos.
“I, I don’t know. I still feel like I’m doing something wrong, I guess.” Ami says, barely above a whisper.
“What’s wrong with being happy?” Usagi asks. “Besides, I know how you put the moves on Rei, Ami. Don’t be bashful now!”
Rei looks at the blonde in disbelief. “What are you talking about, meatball-head?”
“The whole thing where you were upset about no cute guys being on that boat so Ami swooped in and kissed you. Right?” Usagi asks quietly, pressing the tips of her index fingers into one another.
Rei takes a deep breath in, preparing to unload on Usagi. The blonde cowers from the impending verbal onslaught, but Rei calms herself and smiles.
“That’s my Ami. Smooth as they come.” she says proudly, pulling the bluenette into a kiss. Ami yelps in surprise but soon melts into Rei.
Ami and Rei break apart and the three share a laugh. Luna leads the girls to their usual meeting spot, followed close behind by Ami and Rei, walking hand in hand.