From what Rei remembers, as she watches Makoto's face while the other girl is asleep, Jadeite and Makoto are nothing alike.
Jadeite was youthful looking, his eyes crystal blue with short, wavy blonde hair that frames his face and too many fangirls and he hated it (because they looked and only saw a pretty boy who could never compare with his brothers. They never looked to see the smart, calculating trickster that lay beneath). His personality was as malleable as the metal Venus wielded, most likely due to being the forgotten middle child between the snarky younger child of Zoisite and the boisterous older brother of Nephrite. Mars never learned what to expect from him until she realized most of it was not the real him. He kept a carefully constructed face, which Mars had broken chip by chip without either of them realizing it until they could share everything with each other. Both were so different, yet they were so alike. Everything between them was hot passion and hurried hands and now, now, now.
Makoto is mature, her eyes bright green like the forest with long, wavy brown hair she pulls up for practical reasons and too much chest and she hates it (because they look and only see a too manly girl among the differing beauties of the other senshi. They never look to see the girly-girl that lays beneath as stupid boys just focus on her chest and never her beautiful eyes). Her personality is as unmovable as the earth she wields on occasion, mostly because she's never betrayed her true self so, really, why would she start now. Rei knows what to expect from Makoto because the girl is an open book most of the time. Makoto can't lie to save her life, though she has become better at her poker face over the years through different enemies. Rei absolutely hates that part, though Rei never had to chip away at Makoto's walls because Makoto is so stubborn and so open and they shared everything before either realized they were giving their darkest secrets over to the other. They were really nothing alike and it is such a classic example of opposites attract. Everything between them is soft love and cuddles and forever, forever, forever.
Rei buries herself under the sheets and snuggles into Makoto's arms before she ends up staying up all night with too many thoughts and not enough sleep.
Her last thought before she succumbs to sleep is if she has a fetish for the underdog.
_____
During a date night with Makoto, as the two walked home with their hands clasped together as they walked silently and happily through the night, Rei remembers sneaking through castle corridors.
She could never be seen with Jadeite, unless it was completely clothed and on diplomatic terms (unless you were Nephrite and closed doors never stopped you and you were fine with keeping secrets and Jadeite was never able to escape his brother's arm lock and somewhat lecherous grin before he snuck off to see Mars). After the first night, when Mars had finally opened her heart to him, and by extension her legs, those diplomatic meetings had become far more interesting. When he would first catch sight of her, his lips would curl up in a smile like he had a secret. Mars would feel her toes curl as she realized she was his scandalous, little secret and he, in turn, was her own pretty, little secret. Throughout the meeting, they would trade small touches and glances. He would pass her a glass of wine and his fingers would caress hers as she took it. She would brush up against him and angle her dress in such a way until his eyes darkened. The few times they sat, it was a battle to see who would first crack as hands and legs battled under the table as each tried to keep a straight face. There was a thrill in hiding their affair as much as there was in, at first, tangling up in each other and as much as there was in, later, whispering their feelings and hidden thoughts to each other.
They were so caught up in each other that they never seemed to notice the happy smile that stretched on Serenity's face, nor the somewhat smug and content grin on Endymion's face, and definitely not the little sad smiles the senshi had before turning to their own lovers.
She could be seen with Makoto as much as she wanted, though most of the senshi preferred seeing them together clothed (unless you were Minako and Rei really, really hated the snide little twist that sometimes appeared on the others face after she caught them, though Makoto blushed very prettily at her side so it was okay sometimes). During the first night, when Rei finally opened her mind, body, and the last of her heart to her fellow senshi, Makoto had chosen to curl Rei into her arms instead of making love to her like Jadeite had done. When Ami had stumbled upon them the next morning, she left them and never mentioned the tears she saw on either girls cheeks or the tight embrace they seemed to keep each other in for a few days afterwards. Throughout the following weeks, Makoto would give her a giant grin of content when she saw her. Makoto's affection came through big and small gestures alike. A giant glomp here, a gentle hand on the shoulder there. A giant smooch on the forehead, Makoto's hand curling around hers under the table. Though Rei especially enjoyed the flush that overtook Makoto's face as Rei kept her face neutral as she trailed her fingers up the others thigh under the table. Rei would never get tired of the thrill of wrapping herself around Makoto and not caring who saw them.
Now, Rei noticed the looks on her friends around her. Usagi's proud and gleeful grin, Mamoru's brotherly smile, and her fellow senshi's little smiles their way before they turned to their own lover.
_____
During a raunchy night with hands going lower, tongues tangling, and bodies pressed closer, Rei is struck by memories of nights with Jadeite.
With Jadeite, everything was a battle of dominance. He pulled hair, she moaned. She scratched his back, he groaned. More often than not, both would wake the morning after looking like they had been to battle and not just like they had thoroughly screwed each other. It was hell hiding the little scratches and hickeys from Venus' simultaneous lecherous and disapproving looks, though Mercury just ignored it with a blush on her cheeks and Serenity seemed to be oblivious.
With Makoto, everything was about love. She pulled Rei closer, the other girl sighed happily. Rei scratched her back, Makoto would kiss her fingers. More often that not, Rei would wake up looking like someone had tried to bathe her with kisses while Makoto looked a little worse for wear and her hair flowing around her shoulders for once. Rei couldn't help the feelings of pride and possessiveness as Makoto tried and failed to hide her love bites, even if it meant her friends shooting her little perverted grins and glances. Ami thankfully just ignored it with a blush on her cheeks as the two blondes unfortunately adopted identical gleeful looks.
Pushing the memories away, Rei flipped their positions so she was on top. As Makoto let out a breathless gasp, Rei smirked and lowered her lips to the sweet spot on her lover's neck.
_____
During a stormy night after a particularly bad fight, Rei lay curled up as she suppressed the tears and let her thoughts wander to Jadeite.
Jadeite and Mars fought as much as they breathed it seemed. Sometimes it was foreplay, sometimes it was just to mess with each other, and sometimes it was real. When it was foreplay, the others just rolled their eyes as Serenity sat there bewildered. Those usually lead to Jadeite and Mars returning the next day looking a lot worse for the wear. When they messed with each other, it was just to childishly poke fun at the other or to rile them up. Sometimes they were kept playful and sometimes they lead to more physical matters. When they were real, anything could happen. The senshi could be pulled in, the shitennou could be pulled in, even Serenity or Endymion could be pulled in. Mars and Jadeite argued as they fought, with the ferociousness of men going to battle (because Mars was fire and war and Jadeite hated losing). There could be screaming, clawing, and even powers involved. It was only when Mars turned away those few times, choking back tears, that Jadeite would instantly fall silent and pull her into his arms and simply stroke her hair as he kissed her forehead softly (because Jadeite has already lost enough and he was always willing to give in just to keep her in his arms forever).
Makoto and Rei rarely fought. Rei might try and goad the other, messing with her in a different sense of foreplay. If it was to mess with Makoto, Rei often found herself doing it in other ways than an argument. However, when it was real, Rei found herself willing to give up arguments for the rest of her life if she could just take it back, because please don't go, Makoto, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But pride is Rei's downfall and she could never back down (she is fire, she is Mars, and Rei hates to give in), even if she was wrong. Though, like with Jadeite, there was always a pattern to their fights. Rei would just sit alone and wait, sometimes for an hour and sometimes for a week. But it always came, with Makoto bursting through the door, some assortment of sugary goodness in her arms. Makoto would always say I'm sorry (for hurting you, for possibly being wrong, for making you cry) and hand her the dessert. Rei would silently get up and leave, only to return with two plates, two forks, and two glasses of milk. They would sit silently for awhile as they ate before they would talk it out rationally (because Makoto can wield lightning and earth simultaneously and fight on par with Haruka but she is as gentle as they come and could never hurt her loved ones).
As Rei dried her tears, she sat there and wondered how long it would take Makoto to come bursting through her door. She also couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be able to leave first and find Makoto and say those two words that seemed so much harder than 'I love you' had ever been.
_____
During a romantic night as they lay curled up on the shrine grounds on a blanket, Rei stared at the stars and thought of Jadeite.
"I love him." She said simply to the taller girl, not even turning her head. Makoto didn't even move as she processed Rei's words.
"I know," Makoto replied, "I still love Nephrite."
"You're nothing like Jadeite."
"I know. You're nothing like Nephrite either, God forbid that."
"I can't get him out of my head sometimes." Rei finally confessed.
"Nephrite likes to invade my mind as much as you and Jadeite liked to fight in the past." The other girl joked back, her arms tightening around Rei.
Both girls stayed silent after that, Rei resting her head on Makoto's chest while the other girl had Rei wrapped up in her arms.
"I love you." Rei whispered, suddenly feeling tired and old. At that, she felt Makoto shift.
"I know," the other girl whispered back as she kissed Rei's head, "I love you too."
Rei closed her eyes, relishing in the touch of her lover's arms. While she didn't know when she would be able to stop these memories of Jadeite and these comparisons, Rei knew at least that she loves Makoto and the other girl loves her back. Neither love was better or worse, but simply different. Rei turned around, wrapping her arms around Makoto as she vowed not to let anything happen to her lover this time around.