(A.N.) I well and truly hate this story. Don't ask me why, but I loathe it. I guess I'd be hoping against hope for some good reviews... I just feel like the characters are off and the plot is ridiculous. Ah, but I'm probably blowing things out of proportion. Like they say, writers are never satisfied with their own work.
Originally, the role of Minako was to be played by a character of my own creation, and Rei to be someone else,but unfortunately the story which those characters belong to hasn't been perfected yet. So,in order to spare your confusion, I made it a Minako/Rei thing.
Try to enjoy!
Haruka's Tattoo
Spring. That's what the smell reminded her of. Early in the season as the winter chill melts away and new blooms peep out from the refreshed greenery. Setsuna placed the cap back onto the bottle of perfume and handed it to Michiru.
"It's beautiful," she said.
"I know," Michiru replied, putting the bottle back into its box.
"Then what's the problem?" Setsuna asked.
They were sitting on the bed Haruka and Michiru shared, crinkling the crisp sheets and sorting through Michiru's remarkable collection of divine perfumes and generous jewelry- a collection she had acquired from Haruka for her birthdays, anniversaries, various occasions and even – just for an excuse- the odd Christmas.
"The problem is," Michiru began, sliding a platinum set sapphire ring on her long, gracious finger, watching as the gem sparkled romantically. "That Ruka buys me such beautiful things and I can't compete! She's so difficult to buy for."
"Oh."
"Any advice?" Michiru begged.
Setsuna paused for a moment, seriously considering what to tell her friend. When nothing came to her, she mumbled some excuse about having to make dinner and left the room.
"Some help you are!" Michiru called out to her,
**
"… she's so hard to buy for!" Michiru concluded relaying her problem to Minako. Yes, that's how desperate she was.
"Hm," Minako thought for a moment, fingering the hem of a red top she was planning to buy. "Sorry, I have no clue what you can get her. Ah, unless…"
She trailed off as she lifted the shirt off the rack for a size inspection.
"Unless…?" Michiru pressed.
"Well, this is only an idea," Minako claimed, draping the top over her arm and proceeding toward a pair of khaki shorts that were calling her name. "But, for Rei's birthday, I completely panicked too…"
"I'm not panicking," Michiru insisted. "I don't panic. I fret, but I don't panic."
"Tch, same difference," the blonde commented, still too preoccupied with her future shorts. "Anyway, I fretted… is that even a word? Or is it frut? I frut? … I frit? I frat?…. whatever! I freaked out and had no clue what to get her. So that night I took her out to dinner at an adorable French restaurant, then took her home where I stripped naked and showed her my gift."
"Wow, Sex! Because Haruka's never had that before!" Michiru said uncharacteristically sarcastically.
"No, not sex. The sex came after! I stripped naked and showed her the tattoo I got of her name in a heart on my bum. Maybe you could get Haruka-san a tattoo too. Haha, a tattootoo!"
**
"Mi-chi-ruuu!" Haruka faked frustration as her girlfriend pulled her into their bedroom hastily. "Why can't you give me my gift downstairs like everybody else?"
"Because I don't want Hotaru to see!" Michiru replied, closing the bedroom door behind them. She sat Haruka down on the bed while she remained standing and hoisted her dress up to her waist. It took Haruka a moment to figure out what she was looking at – she was too distracted by Michiru's black panties – but finally she saw it. Gentle, cursive letters printed on the highest point of Michiru's thigh read something the blonde always regarded as true.
"Haruka's"
Her heart melted at the sight of her name forever marked on her lover. She reached out for Michiru and grabbed her, pulling her down into her lap.
"Michiru, I love you," she said, kissing her girlfriend's neck.
"Happy birthday, Ruka," Michiru replied.