The battle at Marina Cathedral had ended a few hours ago. Things had been done, but words hadn's been spoken.
Setsuna looked outside the window as Michiru was preparing tea. She was clearly lost in her thoughts as the water had boiled long ago and was whistling its heart out, but Michiru was just staring at it. Haruka was in the shower. Setsuna turned to the aqua woman and looked long at her. She had some marks on her arms, but it didn't seem she was thinking of any physical pain. Haruka appeared out of the shower in a tank top and a pair of loose pants. She also looked at Michiru, turned the gas off and went to sit on the couch. Michiru trembled and came to herself. She prepared the tea and placed the cups on the table in front of the couch. Setsuna sat next to Haruka and Michiru walked to the window with her cup, preferring to look at anything else than at Haruka. And neither was the blonde able looking at Michiru. She was staring at her greenish tea.
"Now that we have found the talismans, we are one step closer in accomplishing our mission" Setsuna said breaking the silence. "And it's definitely hilarious how you searched for the talismans for so long, when they were in fact in you".
"Pure souls…shouldn't they have been in pure souls?" Michiru asked.
"And aren't your souls pure?"
"No" Haruka said. "We would have killed everything to find those talismans. Usaghi would have not. How can our souls be pure?"
"Well, that is a question I can't reply to. What I am more concerned of is the state the two of you are in. I mean, I get it you both died but… neither death seemed to have held you from your duty".
"Not death…" Haruka looked shortly at Michiru who was still staring outside. "But I guess we both realized that we have limitations. We are not made out of steal".
"Well" Setsuna stood up, feeling she had to give the two some privacy as the problem was between them. "I have never seen people cooperate better than the two of you. You basically seem to read each other's mind".
"Yes, but everything comes with a price" Michiru whispered from the window.
"Indeed it does. It just depends on you to make the best out of it. I'll be going home now, see you in the morning".
"I'll let you out".
Haruka led Setsuna to the door, while Michiru cleaned the cups. The blonde had returned and stopped in the hallway. Michiru placed her apron aside and turned, her eyes wondering on everything else except Haruka.
"I am going to sleep it was a long day…" she said passing Haruka, but the blonde caught her wrist.
"I thought knowing you inside out, knowing also your body, would make us undefeatable in battle. But it also triggered something else, didn't it" Haruka asked also staring at the ground.
"Yes…" Michiru whispered, realizing she had to give in.
"Can we continue fighting together like this? Because we had agreed continuing the battle no matter what would happen to the other. And you broke that promise".
"I don't care about that promise anymore. And I will never hold that promise. Ever. So I cannot answer your question".
Haruka let the woman's hand go. Michiru walked away slowly.
"Michiru…I never suspected…that you love…I never saw that in you" the blonde called after her.
Michiru was on the stairs and looked down at Haruka.
"I guess…I can appear emotionless" Michiru smiled. "Good night, Haruka".
Michiru entered the bedroom she was sharing with Haruka for many nights now. It had started when her bed had broken down. She undressed and pulled over her night gown, sitting on the bed. She recalled that night…
Flashback
Some many months ago, not long after Michiru and Haruka had moved together in this apartment, Michiru was preparing for sleep. She sat on the bed and combed her hair, while the old furniture broke under her without a warning. Haruka had heard the noise and had jumped out of the bed, thinking the worse running to Michiru's room. She started laughing when she found the confused woman on the broken bed.
"And I thought I was eating too many sweets" the blonde kept laughing.
"Very funny!" Michiru pouted as she stood up. "I told you we need to change this old thing".
"We should get a metal one, make sure it will hold your weight".
"Look who is cracking the jokes on my behalf" Michiru replied gathering the sheets. She passed Haruka and walked to the stairs.
"What are you doing?" the blonde asked her.
"Sleeping on the couch? I can't spend my night in that".
"Don't be silly, the couch is uncomfortable and you need your rest. My bed is big enough" she said natural, opening the door to her room. "Come on".
Michiru thought for a second and walked to the door, but Haruka blocked the woman's way with her hand.
"That is…if you don't snore" she smirked.
Michiru rolled her eyes amused and Haruka let the woman enter. She sat on the empty side of the bed and Haruka turned off the light.
Michiru rolled on her side and Haruka embraced her. It was nothing strange, it happened many times for Michiru to fall asleep in the blonde's arms, or on her shoulder. Besides, the bed was pretty small. Michiru closed her eyes, but the hand on her belly, pulled her closer. She felt Haruka's breathe on her shoulder. And then Haruka's hand wondered up until she rested under Michiru's breasts. The blonde's lips started caressing her neck. Haruka's hand slipped under Michiru's night gown, going up her naked leg, on her hip and stopping on her breasts.
"Your skin feels so soft…" the blonde whispered in her ear.
"Haruka"…
Haruka entered the room making Michiru wake up from her daydreaming. She almost scared hearing the door. Her legs were crossed, pushing against each other and she was holding to the sheet with her hand. She looked into Haruka's eyes as the blonde entered. Haruka closed the door and kneeled in front of Michiru, placing her palms in her knee.
"Michiru…this is just not fair. You can't just take the right to sacrifice yourself for me and leave me behind in this world".
"Yes, I can, Haruka".
"No…"
"Yes, I can. Because this world is nothing worth without you".
"Michiru…" the blonde smiled. "No. For me it means nothing without you in it. You are my only reason for keeping this fight. I can't…I don't want… without you".
"You are the stronger soldier…" Michiru stroked Haruka's blonde strands.
"I am strong because you give me strength. Just that I never…I never dreamed you could love me more than your partner".
"Haruka, I have been yours every night and day, next to you every night and day…didn't you at least…imagine for a second".
"Do you think I love you? Could you imagine that?"
"I…I don't know, Haruka".
"Why do we know each other inside out but can't…can we even love Michiru? Are our souls pure enough to love? Is my soul pure enough to deserve your love?"
"Pure or not, I will always want you Haruka. You are the center of my thoughts and will remain that no matter what color your soul gains" Michiru smiled down.
"So how are we going to fight now?"
"I don't know, Haruka".
"Let's try like this. You and me, together no matter what. We can go through anything together and sin our souls as much as needed as long as we are two. I can go through anything, if I go through it with you. We can sacrifice anything if we have each other. Body or soul, but your sins are mine and my sins are yours. Don't leave me behind, Michiru. Promise me, you won't leave me behind. Fight with me until the end. Let me come with you if you decide to leave this world".
Michiru nodded, a tear running down her cheek.
"And don't break that promise. We will be stronger like this".
"This is a promise I won't ever break, Haruka. Nothing will take me away from you".
"And nothing will take me away from you".
Haruka rose and kissed the woman's lips. She caressed Michiru's mouth in a breathtaking kiss, feeling her body breaking apart at the thought that she had almost lost the woman. But she was here now and no matter what, they would not part again. Michiru stretched on the bed and Haruka kissed her lips again. Then she stopped and looked at Michiru.
"I need to tell you something…" she said with a serious face. "I lied to you…"
"You…lied?"Michiru's blood froze.
"Your bed didn't break by accident…I broke it before you went to sleep so you would need a place for the night" she bit her lip.
Michiru laughed rich.
Yeah, I know, this story was written and written all over again, but I couldn't keep from it. Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and always Keep Reading!