Reconciling Wrongs(Artemis/Minako)evening 12/29

[Artemis]

Artemis left Luna to face whatever emotion Minako had in store for him. I will be understanding and not jump down Minako's throat without hearing her out. Artemis stared to scratch on Minako's door at first it was timid but he scratched a little louder. Minako I hope you won't be too angry with me.He showed that he was determined and was willing to be patient.

[Aino Minako]

"I'd pay to see that!" Minako exclaimed, waving her hand in the air, "But I don't believe you'll succeed." The blonde shook her head and tossed the script onto the sofa. She wasn't feeling the character at all tonight. Her head was spinning with thoughts of security, called off weddings, and Khalid. Groaning, she fell down onto the sofa and picked up the script. Filming started in a few weeks and she felt no closer to being ready than she had before she'd opened the script. A week ago, everything in her life seemed perfectly in order. When she'd read for this character, the words rolled off her tongue, the emotions played across her face, and the entire affair felt as natural as sliding into a comfortable pair of shoes.

She was about to stand up, when she heard a scrapping at the door. She crossed the room, and peered out the peephole, but the view was empty. Slowly, she pulled open the door, half expecting someone to try and assassinate her already. "Hello?" She called out, poking her head out so she could see down the hall. Both directions appeared empty. Shrugging, she made a motion to move back inside the room.

[Artemis]

Artemis tried to paw Minako's left leg but accidentally scratched her. He winced in embarrassment but was hoping the scratch at least caught her attention. He tried to stay calm, but he ended up shouting, "MINAKO!"He waited to see if any of his tactics worked.
Artemis had a distinct feeling that this would end up in another heated argument. Guilt began to take root once again as the memory of his last argument with her. All his actions were the same as when he argued with her before he left. So he just hoped that nothing would be thrown at him in the process.He felt nervous again and gulped in order to settle his mind that buzzed with anticipation. In his point of view he was not starting this confrontation on the right paw.

[Aino Minako]

Before her head crossed the threshhold, Minako felt a sharp pain rake her bare legs. Her attention immediately focused downward, her brain recognizing the cat in the same moment that her mouth let out a yelp and her leg shot up to meet with her hand. "Ouch!" And then she blinked. And then she looked again. And then she was certain that Artemis really was standing on her front step.

And then she was awash with emotions: relief that he was ok, guilt that she had done nothing to try and find him after the night of their fight, anger at the things he'd said... Even so, she stepped back and nodded, "You want to come in?"

[Artemis]

Artemis let out a sigh of relief that she was at least willing to talk. He resolved to be more patient and her yelp caused him to wince again.
"Yes Minako we should talk about that painful night." He remembered Luna's words of not letting their friendship end over something as simple as an argument. After he made that statement he glanced at Minako to see if she was all right. He saw something was on her mind but nothing specific jumped out at him. He noticed that hint of loneliness but he set that aside. He walked inside her room and asked, "Minako you are not expecting are you?" He looked around her room to see if there was anything he could treat his scratch on her left leg. When nothing caught his eye he faced Minako and waited.

[Aino Minako]

Minako lead Artemis into the room and closed the door behind him. The living area of her quarters was on the large side, with a pair of sofa's and a recliner creating a square along with the big screen TV. Minako motioned Artemis to pick where he wanted to sit, before she settled down on the sofa in the middle of the room.

Her jaw dropped at Artemis' bluntness. She should have expected the feline to ask her outright what was on his mind - Artemis had always been that way, but his first question still caught her off guard. When he asked if she was expecting, however, she burst out laughing. "Expecting?" Minako doubled over in a fit of giggles, trying to keep her composure. He must have been reading the tabloids. "You believed that?" She tried to make herself stop - he'd come here for a serious reason, but that Artemis would believe an article that claimed she was pregnant. "I thought you knew me better than that," she said, when she finally regained control of her voice.

[Artemis]

Artemis knew it was silly to suspect her to do anything that foolish. It was the men that she would flirt with that he didn't trust. Relief poured into his troubled mind as he heard this but the look in her eyes made him wonder. He actually smiled a little at her giggle, his travels made him miss his charge. Her bubbly personality was one of the reasons among many that guys find her attractive. He just can't help but be the concerned father. "I am sorry to be worried over that. I just wanted to be sure and I did not read the article I overheard it. I worry about you sometimes Minako, I know I can be a stick in the mud. I don't blame you for not wanting to find me after I left. I just felt like I wasn't as important to you like I once was." A tear slipped out of his left eye and he shook his head. He refused to be overly emotional but this was something that had plagued his mind for nearly a month.
"If you don't want me to be too questioning of your life then I won't. You just seem lonely Minako, and there is something on your mind. I want us to be good friends again. I know it will take time to heal but I just want you to know. I left for my own reasons and I am sorry that I hurt you."
Artemis stopped to take a breath and try to regain his composure. The weight of this was starting to lessen which was something he wanted. He hoped that it wasn't too much to take but he was reeling from the flood of emotions.

[Aino Minako]

Minako raised an eyebrow, then sucked in a deep breath. "I think, sometimes, Artemis, you imagine what you think is happening rather than what is. I think that's why we fought in the first place. For example, I'm NOT lonely. Did you ever ask me if I was lonely." Minako could feel herself heating up as she spoke, "Just like I wasn't eating poorly and I wasn't sleeping like 'crap'. I know how to take care of myself!"

She paused to catch her breath. She hadn't realized how much she'd pent up inside her. "You were always important to me from the moment we met until the day you walked out of my life. I didn't try to find you, because I'll admit, I was angry at you. And I accept your apology, but you have to understand that I'm an adult now and I can take care of myself. that doesn't mean we're not friends, it just means I don't want you constantly questioning my choices."

[Artemis]

Artemis finally got himself composed and was able to understand where Minako was coming from. Minako's anger didn't rattle him like he expected. Although she had repeated what Luna had told him only in a different way. This was a hard thing for a male to do. Admit to the fact he was afraid to being left behind and it would be hard to explain this to Minako. His eyes got just a little misty. He just gave a crooked smile.
"I will respect the fact that you are an adult. I will not treat you like a teenager. I want you to talk to me again. I think we lost a bit of contact with one another. The reason I suspected you were lonely is that distant look in your eyes. I see that I will have to work on talking to you with respect. I need you to help me and be a little more patient with me. I see you as a daughter in a way. Maybe I did overreact because of my fear. Maybe if we work on communicating again then maybe we won't be back here." Artemis sat on a nearby furry rug. His eyes still focused intently on Minako while he spoke. His mind became more peaceful. He relaxed his posture but still was alert for any change.

[Aino Minako]

Minako looked down at Artemis and nodded. While he was a feline, Minako had never thought of him as 'just a cat'. Artemis was special, and he was important to her. She could forgive him for screwing up this time and she'd forgive him if he did it again. "So let the past be the past. Start over with me. Be my friend, not my Dad, the way you used to be when I was in school." She smiled, and patted the seat next to her, indicating he should join her on the sofa. "Because that's the Artemis I miss..."

[Artemis]

Artemis looked at Minako as she said the words that brought relieve to his troubled mind. Is this really happening? I am not dreaming am I? Artemis walked over to the couch in a hesitant manner. He wasn't sure if this would suddenly turn bad or if this was the starting ground he needed. He jumped up and sat down beside Minako. His eyes searched Minako and he saw no anger. So he relaxed a little and offered a small smile. "Minako did something major happen here? I know I have been gone for a while and Luna seemed to have a lot on her mind when I talked to her."
He was glad that at least they agreed to start again. He resolved to not be the protective father but Minako's friend. Whatever may come they can face it together and he rubbed against Minako's left hand. He had missed his friend and he ended up making things a lot more complicated. He hoped this gentle gesture would tell Minako that he agreed to be the friend she missed.

[Aino Minako]

As though the relationship was natural, Minako began to stroke Artemis' head, letting her hand slide down his fluffy back. She lifted it and repeated the motion, then lightly scratched under his chin. "There has been too much going on," Minako said softly, thinking about what she'd been told about Usagi and Mamoru and the broken engagement, which was by far the most future jarring news. Everything else that had happened fit into the normal time-line of the way she'd expected Crystal Tokyo to go given the senshi's trip to the future when they were fighting the Black Moon Clan.

Her voice just above a whisper, she told him softly, "Usagi broke up with Mamoru."

[Artemis]

Artemis was enjoying the treatment, so he kept in mind his promise. When Minako scratched underneath his chin he let out a soft meow and purred. He barely caught her whisper both times. The last statement he blinked 3 times and looked up at Minako. So that is why Luna was evasive. I must be careful with how I approach this.
"I see and when did this development occur? Do you know what happened?"
Artemis was not wanting to scold anyone but he got the feeling there was something else. "Has there been other incidents other than Usagi breaking up with Mamoru-san?" Although he wasn't sure why there was something else Minako hasn't mentioned or didn't know. There is something else that hasn't been mentioned yet. I hope Minako won't think I am trying to pry.

[Aino Minako]

Minako looked down at the white kitten and shook her head slowly. "Yes, I know some of what happened. I talked to Usagi this afternoon and she told me. Mamoru kept... secrets from her that she felt he should have told her." She stopped. "I don't know much more, Artemis," Minako said, unsure about how much she wanted to talk about.

"And also, Usagi had made me her 'heir' so to speak, should something ever happen to her, or, in the case of Chibiusa's birth.." Minako trailed off. If Usagi didn't get back together with Mamoru, there would be no Chibiusa, a fact that still bothered Minako greatly. Chibiusa had been a part of their lives for a number of years when they were younger, strange as it might have been to hang out with Usagi's future kid. "Well, then I'd be Queen Regent until she came of age."

[Artemis]

From what he gathered there was hurt on both sides because of Mamoru-san's lack of disclosure about something. He made a brief mental note until the second part.Artemis went silent and just stared at Minako. It was hard for him to take in, he knew what it meant if Usagi named Minako as her "heir" and as active monarch until Usagi became of age. Guilt surged through him as he realized how much time he had wasted. However he resolved to start being the adviser he should have been. Before he started to speak, he nudged Minako's hand tenderly.
"You will do a good job Minako. I still can't help but wonder though if there is a way to fix this."
He returned his gaze to Minako as he searched her face for any reaction. He meant what he said about Minako doing a good job at her assigned roles. Although he wondered about Minako's plans and dreams, what will become of them?