The Dance, a sailor moon fanfic

-The Dance-

Disclaimer: I own neither the Sailor Moon franchise or the song "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush. The story, however, is mine.

Ami sat in the living room of the mansion and let out a sigh.

Haruka and Michiru had to go out for a charity event, and Hotaru was still young enough that they didn't think it prudent to leave her home alone. Naturally Ami, being the most responsible of the Senshi, was their first choice of babysitter. She said yes of course; she got along fairly well with the young Senshi of Death, and even if the Outers seemed a bit distant at times they were nice enough once one got to know them.

Hotaru had just gone to bed for the evening, leaving Ami alone in the large mansion the Outers lived in. Today was an anniversary of sorts for Ami, one which brought with it feelings of melancholy and an unwelcome somberness to the young genius. She closed her eyes, allowing the bittersweet memories to return.

It was a year ago today that it happened, during the Tozei University Campus Fair. There was a dance party in the gymnasium, and she, along with the others, had shown up dressed for the occasion. But none of them were dressed as elegantly or as beautifully as Makoto. The taller girl had chosen a low-cut black dress with a red rose print that took Ami's breath away. She'd never seen her friend look so radiant, or felt such longings as she did when she first saw her showing the dress off to everyone outside the gymnasium.

Once inside the dance party, however, nobody came near Makoto; they were all intimidated by her height (and perhapse her beauty as well). Ami still didn't know where she got the courage to ask Mako-chan to dance with her, but somehow she did, and somehow the brunette accepted.

It had only been the briefest of minutes they actually shared together, but for Ami it had been heaven. At the time the blue-haired Senshi couldn't stop looking into Makoto's translucent green eyes as they glided across the dance floor, her heart feeling as if it would burst as they both smiled happily at one another. Carried away by the moment, she took a deep breath and decided that it was finally time to confess her feelings to her friend.

That was when he showed up.

Ami opened her eyes sadly. Tiger's Eye, a member of the Amazon Trio, had disguised himself and snuck into the university dance party, asking Makoto to be his dance partner before she could open herself to the brunette. Mako-chan became infatuated with her new blond-haired dance partner, further breaking Ami's heart at the time.

It was a year ago. And here she was a year later, in a large house, feeling empty and sad. Also, she just so happened to be wearing the same green dress she'd worn the year before at the party. With Hotaru sleeping soundly and her alone now, she felt the need to somehow do something to mark the occasion. She looked over to her left, where Haruka and Michiru's collection of CDs sat next to a large stereo system. Getting up from her seat, she walked over and began to browse.

There was classical music of course, as well as light jazz and a few albums by some of the more popular idol singers that she guessed belonged to Hotaru. Then something caught her eye; an album by a singer her mother had been a fan of when she was Ami's age.

As quietly as possible, Ami began moving the living room furniture back in order to leave her a small clear area in which to move around in. She then went back to the rack and grabbed the CD.

Makoto angrily wiped another tear from her eye as she sat in the back of the taxi.

Her date had turned out to be a disaster; all throughout the movie she'd been kept busy fending off his unwanted advances. The jerk must've been part-octopus, his hands were everywhere. Then, after the film, he suggested they go for a stroll in the park. He took her off guard when he roughly grabbed hold of her, intending to take advantage of the fact that no one was around.

She returned the favor, surprising him with a quick jab to his throat, followed by a hip-toss. He lay on the ground, coughing and groaning as he clutched at his throat while Makoto quickly turned on her heels and stormed angrily off.

She looked down at her wrist, and saw the small bruises he'd left behind when he'd grabbed her. She wasn't even attracted to the guy, not really. She'd been over her senior for a while now, and anyways the creep didn't even resemble her ex. She didn't know why she even bothered to agree to a date with him in the first place.

No, that was a lie. She knew.

She agreed to date him because she wanted to feel normal. And normal people didn't nurse crushes on their best friends.

Of course there was Haruka and Michiru, and they were perfectly normal (well, more or less), but Makoto had never felt this way for another woman before. She wasn't even sure when she started to have feelings for Ami, but she knew it had been for a while now.

But then, how could anyone not love Ami? The blue-haired girl was always there for her, both as a fellow Senshi and as a friend. She was a great listener; no matter how busy she might be, she always had time to spend with Makoto and hear her out, offering advice and encouragement. She also had quite possibly the cutest face the taller girl had ever seen.

And right now, as Makoto continued to rub her wrist, all she wanted to do was see her again.

She'd called Ami's apartment, and her mom told her she was babysitting Hotaru tonight. She'd hailed a cab, given the driver directions, and now found herself pulling up to the front of the Outer's mansion. She paid the cabbie, turned to the front door, and walked over. She was angry, and her wrist hurt, but most of all she felt a lonely longing in her heart. She was in love with Ami, but she knew she could never tell her; the thought of losing Ami's friendship was incentive enough for Makoto to keep her mouth shut. So she kept her true feelings bottled up, wiped away another tear (whether it was from the events earlier that day or her longing for her friend she neither knew nor cared) and opened the door.

She was greeted by the sight of Ami bent over in front of a stereo system, adjusting the volume and certain other knobs before placing a CD into the machine. She selected a song and, as Makoto looked silently on, she stood up, holding her arms up in front of her as if there was an invisible dance partner. A piano began to play forth from the speakers, and then a woman started singing in a high, haunting voice.

Out on the wiley, windy moors
We'd roll and fall in green.
You had a temper like my jealousy:
Too hot, too greedy.

Ami smiled as she closed her eyes, her body swaying to the music as she danced with her imaginary partner.

How could you leave me,
When I needed to possess you?
I hated you. I loved you, too.

Makoto didn't move, didn't even dare breathe. She was transfixed by the sight in front of her. Ami was always so reserved and quiet, and to see her dancing in Haruka and Michiru's living room with an imaginary partner to the ethereal music pouring forth from the sound system was almost too surreal.

Bad dreams in the night.
They told me I was going to lose the fight,
Leave behind my Wuthering, Wuthering
Wuthering Heights.

She was so beautiful, the girl with the blue hair and the green dress, that Makoto could feel a lump in her throat as...

It was then that she realized she'd seen her in the dress before. A year ago, wasn't it? At that dance at that university. The smallest glimmer of hope emerged deep within Makoto's bosom. Had the dance really meant that much to Ami?

And was it because they had danced together?

Heathcliff, it's me--Cathy.
Come home. I'm so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Ami continued to dance, but her smile had vanished. The old melancholy was back; this wasn't the university auditorium, and she wasn't dancing with Makoto. She was alone in the Outers' mansion, dancing with nobody.

Suddenly, she felt a soft hand brush against hers. She opened her eyes with a start, a familiar pair of green eyes meeting her deep blue ones.

Heathcliff, it's me--Cathy.
Come home. I'm so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Ami's mouth hung open; she tried to say something even as she could feel herself start to blush under Makoto's gaze. She'd just been caught dancing around like a fool while she was babysitting, and by the person whose opinion meant more to her than anyone else's. What was Mako-chan doing here anyways?

Before the mortified young woman could collect herself, Makoto stepped closer and, still holding her hand, put her other arm around Ami's back as she began to dance with her.

Ooh, it gets dark! it gets lonely,
On the other side from you.
I pine a lot. I find the lot
Falls through without you.
I'm coming back, love.
Cruel Heathcliff, my one dream,
My only master.

Ami stared wide-eyed at her friend as they danced together in the small room. This was a dream; it had to be. Makoto was supposed to be on a date, why would she suddenly show up here at the mansion? She reached up a tentative hand, touching the taller girl ever so lightly on the cheek in order to convince herself this was real.

Makoto's heart felt like it would soar out of her chest. Ami, her best friend, was stroking her cheek! She smiled down at the smaller girl as she reached up and gently stroked the side of Ami's neck.

Too long I roam in the night.
I'm coming back to his side, to put it right.
I'm coming home to wuthering, wuthering,
Wuthering heights,

They both saw it there as they swayed to the music in the living room; the pain, the loneliness, and the longing. The dancing had stopped as they now stared intently into each other's eyes.

Heathcliff, it's me--Cathy.
Come home. I'm so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Ami swallowed hard, ignoring the fear she now felt. She knew that if she was going to take the next step she had to do so now, or the moment would be lost. The young genious closed her eyes and stood on her tiptoes, her heart beating rapidly as Makoto closed the gap.

Heathcliff, it's me--Cathy.
Come home. I'm so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Their lips came together awkwardly at first. Both young women were nervous, and Ami had little romantic experience other than reading nineteenth century romance novels. Makoto therefore took the lead, slowing their interaction down as she cradled Ami's cheeks in her hands and softly sucked on the shorter girl's lower lip.

Ooh! let me have it.
Let me grab your soul away.
Ooh! let me have it.
Let me grab your soul away.
You know it's me--Cathy!

Ami drew in a sharp breath, which gave Makoto the opportunity needed to deepen the kiss. Both Senshi wrapped their arms tightly around one another, lost in the moment as memories of lonely nights, botched dates and sore wrists evaporated. As the music washed over them and Makoto began to run her fingers through Ami's blue hair, the front door opened.

Heathcliff, it's me--Cathy.
Come home. I'm so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Haruka, dressed in slacks, a white dress shirt and tan sports jacket, and Michiru, dressed elegantly for an evening out in a beautiful dark blue dress, looked wide eyed at Ami and Makoto, then at one another, then again at their two friends and fellow Senshi kissing in their living room.

Heathcliff, it's me--Cathy.
Come home. I'm so cold!
Let me in-a-your window...

"Well..." Haruka murmured out of the corner of her mouth so that only Michiru could hear her, "Now do you see why I wanted to stay home? Look at all the things we miss when we go out."

-Finis-

Inspired by the song Whuthering Heights by Kate Bush.