A Taste of Temptation
by: Sailor Doc

Dropping down onto the sturdy street bench, Rei pulled her coat more closely around her, her aching feet stretching out on the walkway in front of her as she slumped against the firm wooden back. How she had let Minako talk her into this she would never know.

Window shopping! Ha!

And now, to make things worse, Minako was buying things. You're not suppose to buy things when you window shop! That's breaking the rules! Rei frowned as she watched the other girl settle on the bench next to her, hiding her packages on the other side of the bench. The least she could do was show her what she'd bought!

What was the big secret anyway?

"Isn't this fun?" the idol enthused, gazing with excitement up and down the busy street. "I love window shopping!"

"It's cold," Rei grumbled disagreeably.

"You love the cold."

"No. I don't," Rei insisted.

"Of course you do! Now, quit complaining," Minako said lightly, almost bouncing on the bench next to her. "It makes you scowl, just like your father. If I had wanted to come to the mountains with such a scowler, I would have asked him."

Rei looked at her in horror. "You're crazy."

"Don't be silly!" the idol teased. "If that were true, I would have actually come with him."

Disgusted at such a heinous thought, Rei crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head to look away from the silly idol. "Ridiculous," she grunted, her only comment on such an absurdity.

Minako grinned. "Okay, if I admit you're right will you stop complaining?"

Rei thought about it, cutting her eyes over to the smiling girl seated next to her and then back away again. "Humpf," she said, recrossing her arms more firmly.

"Good!" Minako exclaimed merrily. "I knew you'd come around! Now. Close your eyes."

"What?" Rei said, looking back at her. "What for?"

"Don't ask tiring questions Rei, just close your eyes and open your mouth."

"No way," Rei said.

"Don't you trust me?"

"No."

"Rei!" The idol said feigning a wounded look. "How could you say such a thing to me? I'm wounded!"

"Nope," Rei insisted, not at all fooled by Minako's theatrics. "Not unless you tell me what you've got."

"But where's the fun in that? The adventure?" Minako cajoled. "Don't you want to step out? Try something new?"

"No."

"Well, okay then," Minako sighed in mock defeat. "I guess I'll have to eat this ice cream all by myself."

"Ice cream?" Rei asked, unable to hide her newfound interest despite herself.

"Uh-huh."

"What kind?" she asked suspiciously.

"I won't tell you! You'll have to try it," Minako teased.

"Let me see," the priestess insisted.

"Nope! Close your eyes and say 'ah!'"

Rei turned away and frowned.

"Come on Rei, it's melting!"

Rei's frown deepened, and her jaw clenched.

"Don't tell me you're afraid..."

Turning back, Rei's eyes flashed just before she shut them tightly and opened her mouth as wide as she could.

"That's my girl!" Minako cooed in triumph. "This is so good! You're going to love it!" she said, spooning a large amount of the icy treat into the other young woman's mouth.

Rei's lips closed automatically around the bowl of the plastic spoon. In less than two seconds her face convulsed in horror and she was backing away from the grinning idol, and turning to spit the horribly offensive substance out of her mouth.

"Ugh!" she said, looking up accusingly at the highly amused idol. "That was awful!"

"You didn't like it?" Minako asked in feigned innocence. "It's my favorite! Guacamole/jalapeno splash!"

"Gah!" Rei grimaced. "It's revolting!"

"Oh well, leaves more for me," Minako said, popping a small portion in her mouth with delight.

At Rei's look of disgust she added, eyes twinkling. "I guess you'll have to make do with this plain old mocha cappuccino."

Pulling the grande sized cup from behind her back where she had hidden it on the bench, she offered it to the speechless priestess. Slowly, Rei reached forward and took it, bringing it close to her chest and looking at Minako warily through the rising steam.

"How do I know it's not spiked with something else?" she asked bluntly.

"You don't," Minako answered, putting the cup of green goo aside. "But, if it will make you feel any better..."

Taking the cup from Rei's hands, she raised it to her lips and drank deeply, her eyes closing in pure pleasure as the rich taste entered her mouth. As Rei's eyes widened in surprise, Minako lowered the cup and handed it back to her. "Chocolate, coffee, and just the slightest dash of hazelnut," she whispered, her eyes warm and inviting. "Would you care to try it now?" she enquired softly.

Nodding slowly, Rei accepted the paper cup back into her own hands and looked down at it in fear and wonder. Was it possible? Could it be? Did Minako just actually offer her an indirect kiss? The faintest outline of pale, pink lipstick clearly illustrated for her exactly where the other woman had drank from.

Could she?

Dare she??

She could feel Minako's eyes on her, and her eyes narrowed slightly. 'Is this a challenge?' she finally asked herself. With her peripheral vision she could just make out the idol waiting to see how she would react, a slightly amused smile on her perfect lips.

Hell yes, it was! And she could never resist an open challenge, especially from this woman!

Without further hesitation, the dark priestess turned to face the idol, her intense brown eyes lifting briefly to answer the questioning caramel colored ones watching her. With a firm, steady hand, she lifted the cup and took a deep, long swallow, her lips placed in the exact same spot the idol had so recently used. Eyes closing in ecstasy, a slow lazy moan was involuntarily drawn from her throat as she richly enjoyed the wonderful interplay of flavors in the creamy liquid.

Lowering the cup, she opened her eyes and looked directly at the idol, a lazy, intensely satisfied smile on her lips.

"So, was it everything I said it would be?" Minako asked, a soft smile on her face.

"Yes," Rei answered in all honesty. "It was wonderful. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Minako answered, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "I was sure you'd enjoy it... if I could ever get you to try it."

Rei smiled warmly, and Minako grinned.

"Now!" the idol demanded, grabbing Rei's hand. "Come with me so I can get some ice cream," she said, pulling the confused girl up from the bench.

"But, I thought you already had your favorite," Rei complained as the idol continued to pull her toward a corner store. "Why do you need more?"

"That stuff?" Minako said in horror, pointing to the slowly melting pool of green glop. "It's disgusting!"

"But... but...," Rei sputtered.

"I need strawberry!" Minako enthused, and Rei was helpless to resist her partner's insistent charge toward her sweet tooth’s chosen desire.

Author's Notes:

I hope you all enjoyed this little vignette. I felt pretty bad when I realized it had been a whole year since I had posted, so I thought I’d share a goody! There are just a couple of things I’d like you to know about it.

First off, I wrote this as a challenge to myself. After all the angst and anger and drama of ‘EOADD’, I had to know if I had somehow lost the ‘other side’ of Aino Minako. The fun loving, prankster who loves to pull an occasional practical joke and tease her favorite people/plushy cats. It’s such an important and wonderful facet of who she is, and so often forgotten. That’s such a shame! I think it makes her a fabulous flirt too!

Second, this was also written as part of a future chapter, so you may very well see it again somewhere around chapter 10. Or not, I haven’t made up my mind about that yet! I have done my very best to rewrite it enough so that you won’t be spoiled too badly! I do hope that you will be able to see from this that there is more ahead than just more angst. So, please, please, please keep that in mind!

Sailor Doc