My Cousin's Roommate

By Silas C.

Faithful Series

Chapter One: A Place to Run

-----

Summary: Michiru is having problems with her life and seeks comfort at her cousin's apartment. But it's only a matter of time before she realizes that her problems don't go away, they follow her.

-----

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, of course, doesn't belong to me. I'm simply borrowing. Also, Haruka is not a man in this story. She wasn't a man in the anime, she won't be here either.

-----

Michiru wasn't sure how she got to be sitting where she was to begin with. It was only by a strand of luck that she managed to be as fortunate as she was today. There were so many places she wanted to go to, but going back to Tokyo was the last place on her list. Yet, it was the only place left; she didn't have much choice in living arrangements. Sachiko, her older cousin, warmly offered her a place in her flat for however long she needed. Michiru, of course, was reluctant to take advantage of this offer. She was never the kind of person to accept gifts, except when she had to. Michiru glanced at her watch, tapping her foot to keep her anxiety to a minimum. Sachiko still hadn't shown up; she was beginning to wonder if her cousin still wanted her to come and live with her.

" Michiru-san? " A rather perky voice called out to the girl sitting in an empty airport, all by her lonesome. " Is that really you? " A tall woman, with long silver hair and navy blue eyes stood beaming before her. Michiru was pleasantly surprised, though mildly irritated, that Sachiko had decided to finally show up. " You look wonderful! " Sachiko pulled Michiru into a very formal hug, then walked Michiru to her car.

" Sachiko-san, I want to thank you for helping me out. " Michiru felt stupid for showing her gratitude in a rather formal, uptight manner. The aqua-haired girl adjusted the bag on her shoulder and slid it into Sachiko's car. " It means so much that I can stay for a bit. "

Sachiko laughed it off. " Not a problem! Stay as long as you need or however long you want. I'm never really home. " The girl started the car and it was then and only then that she realized that this wasn't Sachiko's car. " What? " Sachiko asked, slyly. " Do you like my car? "

" It's definitely -- "

" Expensive looking? I know! I'm rich! " Sachiko slugged Michiru, who almost seemed terrified at the response she had been given. " No, no. Silly! This isn't my car, it's my friend's car. " Sachiko rubbed the front dash as if it were a dog. Michiru had to smile to prevent herself from looking at her cousin oddly.

" Your friend let you borrow a car as expensive as this? " Michiru surely didn't know anyone as generous as that, but then again, she never really acquainted herself with rich people, preferring to surround herself with more modest and humble individuals. You could say that she never got along well with high and mighty people.

" Well, " Sachiko paused to turn on the engine, then put her seat belt on. Michiru could tell she didn't drive the car that often as she was thoroughly excited to be in the driver's seat. " we're more than friends. "

More than friends. Michiru looked out the window, observing the streets full of people. Despite how much she preferred to live her life in isolation, Michiru's life had a tendency of getting lonely. She was never one to talk for long about romance, especially since the topic bothered her more often than not. " Oh, so you have a boyfriend? " Michiru deduced.

Sachiko was giddy at the sound of the question. " Not exactly. "

With the obvious implications of the conversation, Michiru didn't feel comfortable going any further. It wasn't any of her business what or who her cousin associated herself with. But she had to admit to herself that even she was a bit curious. If Sachiko denied having a relationship with the man she deemed more than a friend but he had loaned her his high-priced vehicle, then in the very least they must have had a relationship physically. Oh so Michiru thought. And if it was going to turn out being a conversation about that, then Michiru simply wasn't interested, so she remained quiet.

" Aren't you going to ask me about it? " Sachiko pouted for a moment as she took her eyes off the road. Michiru's eyes widened when they almost hit a truck, but dodged it at the last minute. Sachiko was breathing heavily but soon found a smile on her face. " I forgot to tell you… I don't have a license…so if we get pulled over, they will probably arrest you because you DO have a license. " Sachiko slugged Michiru again, obnoxiously rearing her head back with laughter. Michiru wanted to be terrified of not just one thing, but a lot of things. She had to practice a lot of self discipline to keep herself from showing how uneasy she was… but a part of all of this was funny. " Okay, okay. Enough about me. Who's the lucky guy? " Sachiko leaned closer as if it would help her hear any better but the only thing it did was almost cause another accident.

" I don't have one. " Michiru owned up. There was no point of romance in her life. She was always on the go. It wouldn't seem proper for her to fall in love. " Don't get me wrong. I have tried a few times but my relationships always end terribly. " It had been a while since Michiru had actually dated but she looked around here and there. For the most part of the year, she managed to be single and not mind.

" Michiru, in school you were the one who always had boys chasing after you. What happened? " Sachiko slugged her again. Michiru was starting to get sore from her cousin's constant display of 'affection.' " You're telling me with how beautiful you are, that you don't attract anymore men? " Sachiko scoffed. Michiru was grateful for the comment but her looks were the reason she found herself in trouble all the time. " You're being modest aren't you? "

" No. I'm not one for love. I might have a few boys chasing me but it's not the same as it was in school. Boys chased us, we liked it. But now, boys chase me and I don't really care. " Michiru sighed. She was through with this conversation before it had a chance to start.

" That doesn't sound like you at all. You've changed a lot. " Sachiko was quiet for some time until a realization hit her. " You can always try girls! " Sachiko slugged her again, only this time, Michiru tried to dodge it. She wasn't successful in missing it but she was sure after a while, she'd be a pro at dodging punches. Michiru only threw Sachiko a questioning look after an awkward silence rose between them. "It was worth a shot. You said 'it's not the same anymore' so I assumed that you might be into a girls…" Sachiko had meant that as more of a question than a statement but she found now answer in Michiru's silence. Instead, Michiru changed the subject to a more appropriate topic, one that she would feel more comfortable talking about.

After some time, they had reached what seemed to be an apartment complex, though not after almost crashing twelve times and being slugged until Michiru's arm felt like it was going to fall off. Michiru was somewhat relieved to have the 'joy' ride come to an end. The aqua-haired girl had absolutely no luggage, except one bag, so when they got out, Michiru was ready to go. Sachiko led her up to her apartment and then stopped abruptly, causing Michiru to run into the taller woman.

" Oi, Michiru. I know I'm irresistible … but my cousin can't keep her hands off me? " Sachiko joked as she turned to face Michiru. The aqua-haired girl gave her a confused expression and then blushed when the words began to make sense. " You're too cute. " Sachiko pulled out a key to her flat but paused before doing so. " There's one condition I have to living here. " The silver haired woman placed her hands on her hips, trying to look as sympathetic as possible. " You have to deal with my roommate. "

Michiru was stunned. That was her one condition? That wasn't too bad. " I didn't know you had a roommate but I don't see why that should be a problem. " Michiru smiled warmly, to reassure Sachiko that everything would be fine.

Little did she know, everything was not going to be fine.

When Michiru walked in, everything in the apartment was dark. In the first room, there was a kitchen, then a common room. The moonlight was the only light source that could be found in the entire apartment and Sachiko was rather casual about it, leading Michiru to believe that it was normally like this when she got home. There were little signs of a roommate. The entire place was clean and the most obvious indication was that no one was there to greet them when they came in. Michiru shifted the bag on her shoulder when Sachiko turned to whisper to her.

" Shh. Haruka-san is sleeping on the couch. " Sachiko brushed her silvery hair from her face, then approached the couch. The tall woman leaned over the couch on her elbows. From what Michiru could see, the girl had been watching this 'Haruka-san' sleep. It was strange that someone would watch someone else sleep, or so Michiru thought. On second thought, this could be Sachiko's boyfriend. Michiru figured it was none of her business and waited for her cousin to finish with her admiration. " Michiru-san, come here. " Reluctantly, Michiru brought herself to abide by Sachiko's request. She stood next to the girl, quietly. " Isn't Haruka-san cute? " Michiru wasn't interested in Sachiko's boyfriend but she had to humor her cousin.

With one sweep, her eyes grazed over the body lying quietly on the couch. Michiru almost lost her breath when she noticed the moonlight cut through the shadows like a sharp knife, illuminating the frame of Sachiko's boyfriend. He was sleeping soundly on the couch, with his head resting on one of his hands. He reminded her of a frail little boy. But even with how innocent he had looked, she couldn't help but admit that this was certainly one of the most attractive, if not the most attractive, boy she had ever laid eyes on. His short, sandy-blonde hairs fell into his face and his skin had the appearance of being unbelievably smooth. He had been wearing a heavy, hooded sweater but Michiru could tell by the length of his legs that he had a slender, built body. Now that I think of it, I could probably watch this boy sleep for hours on end and I won't be bored.

" Well, I think Haruka-san is cute. " Sachiko relieved a sigh then motioned for Michiru to follow her. " I didn't have anywhere else to put you; my room has absolutely no room. There's so much clutter in there. So for now, you'll share a room with Haruka-san. There's a large bed in there. If you have any problems with that, there's always the couch. You two can duke it out to see who gets what. " Sachiko winked. " For tonight though, you can have the bed. I think Haruka-san won't be needing it. "

Michiru didn't think sharing a room with a stranger was so bad … but sharing a bed? That must have been what Sachiko had been warning her about. Michiru noticed how untidy her cousin's room had been and she had to agree with her cousin on the decision, even if she was uneasy about her living arrangements. It was better than nothing though, so Michiru couldn't complain. She would simply get on with her life, then when the conditions permitted it, she would move out. Michiru set her bag down next to the closet, then prepared herself for bed. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was rest.

-----

Sachiko had long since left when Michiru woke up, which to her, was a bit abrupt. Her cousin had always been that way but with Michiru in her apartment alone, with a boy she hadn't been formally introduced to… well… it seemed rude. The aqua-haired girl spared no time in getting ready and then headed out towards the kitchen, with much courage. She didn't want to surprise Sachiko's boyfriend with her appearance and she certainly didn't know what to say to him if he asked any probing questions.

When she passed the common room, she noticed Sachiko's boyfriend had been sitting at the glass table, drinking a cup of coffee and hiding behind a newspaper. Michiru wasn't sure what to say to him but she was taken aback when he didn't introduce himself. Had he not seen her? Surely he must have… at least, if she had noticed him then how could he have not seen her…? Michiru shrugged it off. She was hungry. Maybe if she made some noise in the kitchen, he would notice her. And that's exactly what she did. Michiru opened the refrigerator several times, opened some cabinets, and even served herself some coffee as well. Through all of it, not one peep from the man at the table. Why am I trying to get him to notice me anyways? A part of her wanted to be formally introduced to everyone she had to meet. It was bothering her that she was sharing a room with this man and they didn't know each other more than a set of strangers on the street would.

Finally, Michiru gave up and leaned against the kitchen counter. There were a few things she wanted to do today but none of it this early in the morning. Osaka, the last city she had been in, couldn't offer as many opportunities as Tokyo would and she was excited to get to work. For now, she was thinking of working in retail or at a restaurant until she could get noticed as a musician. Of course, that would take some time but Michiru knew it would be worth the sacrifice. Michiru snapped out of her thoughts for a second when she heard the front door close, quietly. Her eyes drifted over to the now empty table. It had been cleaned up, as if no one had sat there. Michiru sighed. So much for formal introductions. Maybe Sachiko's boyfriend didn't like her? Maybe he felt like she was intruding in their space. Michiru would confront Sachiko later, if that was the case, then she would leave. She wouldn't impose herself on people who didn't want her around.

Michiru examined the time in the kitchen and furrowed her eyebrows. In her room… the clock had said it was only seven in the morning. Now, the kitchen clock read nine in the morning. Michiru looked at her watch, throwing her head back in frustration. It was nine. She had wanted to schedule some appointments with a few jobs, to see if anyone would hire her. But with this delay, her schedule had been set back a little. Michiru grabbed her necessities and took off out the door. Starting over was always fun…

-----

It had been one long, frustrating, day for Michiru. Out of the ten or fifteen places she had applied at, or attempted to schedule an interview with, no one was hiring and if they were, she somehow wasn't qualified to do the job. Osaka seemed like a walk in the park compared to this; she had a position the first day she initially moved there. There was a reason she shouldn't have left, but alas, she couldn't turn back now. Surely there was a job out there for her, she only had to look harder. Tokyo was going to be a pain. Michiru knew this almost immediately.

After a decent walk back to the apartment, Michiru found the door to the flat had been locked. Had she done that on accident? Michiru sighed inwardly. She would have to wait until someone came home. When that would be, she didn't know. Sachiko hadn't told her what her schedule was going to be like. Michiru propped herself next to the door, trying to get as comfortable as possible. It was times like these that she wished she wasn't her. The life of Michiru was nothing but defeat after defeat; it would probably exhaust any normal human being but she was used to failure. Not having a job. Not accomplishing her dream. Not having a boyfriend… or as Sachiko put it… not having a girlfriend. Not having any friends. Not having her own place or own car. All of this was a reflection of what she worth, in her mind at least.

" Comfortable? "

Michiru looked up to see Sachiko's boyfriend leaning against the wall with an inexplicable expression on his face. He had been wearing a black business suit, though the tie was hanging from his shoulder and the first few buttons of his collared shirt were unbuttoned. He looked just as defeated as she was. Michiru smiled weakly at the man and found just enough courage to keep eye contact with him, though his bright, jade eyes were almost unbearable to withstand. It felt like he could see right through her.

" Of course. " Michiru snapped out of it and replied sarcastically, surprised that he didn't try to be charming. Most guys tended to try their best to get her attention. Him? He probably could have cared less if she was there or if she wasn't. But, it was most likely because he was Sachiko's boyfriend, because he seemed like the dashing sort of guy. " Do you know where Sachiko-san is? " The man was taken aback by the question. He didn't seem certain as to why he should know. He only shifted his weight so that he could take a seat against the opposite wall. " I suppose that's a no? " Michiru was irritated that the man wasn't responding but rather, examining her.

" Why would I know where Sachiko-san is? " The sandy-haired blonde asked with a demanding tone.

Michiru blushed. " Isn't she your girlfriend? "

" Is that what she's been telling you? " The man smirked at her. Michiru was dazzled by his smile and she too, wanted to smile, although she didn't know why. She watched him stand, dangling a set of keys in his hand. " Here. " Sachiko's boyfriend opened the door, then handed her the keys he had been holding. Michiru looked at him questioningly. " So you can make yourself comfortable inside and not outside. "

" Arigato. " Michiru was never more grateful to have received a set of keys. She went inside, closing the door behind her. Michiru waited for a few moments, thinking that perhaps now they were on speaking terms but she soon reprimanded herself for thinking so. The man had disappeared into Sachiko's room, leaving her feeling a bit out of place. He didn't seem like he cared too much that she was there. And besides that, they had a conversation that made it seem like they were enemies. Michiru resigned herself to the couch; her feet were tired from all the walking.

" Michiru-san! " Sachiko shrieked as she came out of her room. Michiru arched her eyebrow as she realized her boyfriend had disappeared in there as well. She wondered what they had been doing… 'That's none of my business.' Michiru chided. Sachiko sat next to Michiru and leaned on her shoulder. " How was your day? "

" Unsuccessful. " Michiru replied, crushed when she remembered just how lousy her day was. " I went to apply at a few places. None of them wanted to hire me. On top of that, one of the buses I had taken, broke down. I didn't mind the walk home except I had a few guys harass me. "

" Did they hurt you? " Sachiko asked with concern, hand on the phone, ready to call the police.

" No, we were in public. I doubt they would have tried anything in front of everyone. " Michiru wasn't phased about the men. In fact, it was the fact she couldn't get a job that bummed her out. She could handle men. But could she handle being turned down several times for no apparent reason? Sachiko sat in silence with Michiru as the two thought about their day.

" What kind of job were you looking for? "

Michiru was shocked to find that Sachiko had been thinking about her. " I'm not particular in my options. I actually can do a wide range of things. " Sachiko nodded her head and then drifted back into her thoughts. They heard the door to the flat close as if someone had left.

" Is that Haruka-san? "

" Hai. "

" Sachiko-san, are you two dating? "

" Not entirely. " Sachiko admitted but only after some hesitation. " Our relationship is on hiatus. Things aren't working out as much as they should be. " Sachiko stood up. " Why do you ask? "

Michiru blushed. " Forgive me, I assumed that you two were dating in a conversation with Haruka-san earlier. " Now she had been feeling pretty stupid. Not only had she presumed that they were dating but she interfered in Haruka's personal life. " Do you think I have offended Haruka-san? " Sachiko shrugged.

" We're not on good terms. So, offend Haruka-san all you want. " Sachiko winked again but Michiru could tell there was something wrong with her cousin. It was disheartening to see Sachiko's pain plastered all over her face. Obviously, Haruka was a sensitive subject to her. Michiru would be sure to never bring it up again. " I'm sorry about leaving early today. I spaced it out. You know I would never leave my little cousin to fend for herself. Okay, you're not that little. I'll wake you tomorrow before I leave, okay? " Michiru nodded and watched Sachiko disappear.

I think I'll take the couch tonight. Haruka might want to sleep in the bed. Michiru stretched out on the couch and resigned herself to sleep. It was the one thing in this world that always made her life better.

-----