I do not own Sailor Moon

::Stands back, looks at poster::

Damn! That's the most boring one yet!

Between Heaven and Earth

When had this obsession sprung up? It's hard to remember when exactly; we had known each other for so long. But each time I think about it, my mind is drawn back to one seemingly small and insignificant event: a single crystal tear tracking down her cheek. The beautiful irony that something made of fire could weep was unsettling.

It threw my whole world off course and I forgot who I was. Now I see that world crumbling before my eyes because I can't make up my mind and I'm pushing everyone away from me.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that this doesn't sound like the brash, no-nonsense Ten'ou Haruka you're used to. Well, you'd be right about that. Because this is the side no one sees. This is the real me documented here for your perverse enjoyment. Watch as my life goes up in masochistic flames. Watch as I fight to live in a little place called hell . . .

**********************************

"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"

And the monster was moon dust.

"Nice shot, Koneko-chan," Sailor Uranus winked at the petite odango.

She blushed in return. "Oh, it was nothing," she ended in a yawn, "Guess I'd better head home. I'm dead tired."

Heads around the group nodded sleepily and the senshi de-henshined, heading their separate ways. Haruka was about to follow Michiru home when she noticed something.

Rei was crying.

"Haruka? Are you coming?" Michiru, hands on hips, arched an eyebrow gracefully.

"Go on ahead, Michiru. I won't be long."

The aqua-haired teen looked between Haruka and Rei's retreating figure and her heart burst with love for her soulmate. She could be so distant, but her thoughts were turned to others rather than herself. She was always so concerned about others even though she tried to hide the fact as if it were some stigmic disease like leprosy.

She nodded. "Hai, I'll see you later," she ended in a purr and turned towards home.

The tall blonde smiled uncertainly and ran after Rei, quickly catching up with the priestess. She kept step with the younger girl, looking at her out of the corner of her eye. Her head was bowed and she seemed almost like a somnambulist, making her way home subconciously.

Rei stopped short and looked up at Haruka. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but were hollow and lifeless. The racer shivered at this and stopped a short distance ahead of her. She lifted her head, gazing at the moon, and spoke quietly, as if talking to herself.

"You know, if anything is wrong, you can always come to me. You know that, right?" here she faced the violet-eyed teen and her heart felt like it was breaking to see her beauty marred by such despair.

"Hai, Haruka-san--"

"Rei-chan, We've known each other long enough. Just call me Haruka-chan."

"Hai . . . Haruka-chan," tears continued down her face, seemingly more numerous than before. Surprised, Haruka stepped forward, concern in her eyes.

"Rei-chan--" she was cut off as the violet-haired girl fell onto her, dissolving into tears.

"Hold me," she begged between sobs, "Haruka-chan, just hold me. That's all that I ask."

Dumbstruck, she wrapped her arms around the girl and held her close. True, she had known the priestess a long time, but she did not know much about her. She was even more mysterious and distant than herself and even Setsuna. What hopes, dreams, fears wove themselves through the girl's core were known only to herself. But those thoughts were driven away by the scent of her hair and the feel of the lithe body shuddering against her own. The lavender perfume she wore combined with the night breeze and Haruka felt everything else disappear in a fog. A powerful urge to kiss the miko had suddenly come over her and it took all her strenght to resist it.

What had come over her? Yes, she had always been attracted to the other senshi; they were all so cute. But they were just kids and she _loved_ Michiru. She was a terrible flirt, but she wasn't serious about it. It was just fun. So then what was this feeling welling up from deep inside her?

By this time, Rei's sobbs had ceased and the taller girl pulled away a bit to get a good look at her, "All right?"

"Hai. Gomen nasai, Haruka-chan. I don't know what came over me."

"Dont' worry about it," Haruka waved a hand, "Do you need me to walk you home?"

"Iie, I'll be all right. Arigato, Haruka-chan. Ja ne."

"Ja, Rei-chan."

***************************

The whole walk home, Haruka could not get Rei out of her head. Neither did the feeling that had sprung in her chest, tightening her heart till she felt it would burst, dissipate. What the hell was wrong with her?! Her psyche was so distracted that when she opened the door, she almost screamed.

There was Michiru wearing nothing but a smile. The water nymph wrapped her arms around her lover's neck, shutting the door in the same movement.

"It's about time you got home! The bath was starting to get cold! Was everything okay with Rei-chan?"

Haruka stumbled in Michiru's embrace, confused as her mind was not working in real time, and smiled distractedly, "Uh . . . yeah. She just got a little scared."

"That's odd. That doesn't sound like Rei-chan at all."

"Heh, no it doesnt'. Why did you need to wait for me to take a bath? You could've finished by now; aren't you tired?"

Michiru's face fell into a petulant look, "I go to all this trouble to set up a nice evening for us and because we had a little work to do, you're acting like a middle-aged man!"

Haruka waved her hands at her firey-eyed girlfriend, "Gomen, gomen! I guess I'm a little out of it."

The curvaceous violinist smiled indulgently and led her partner to the bathroom, which was pleasantly sticky with steam. She slipped into the bath and submerged herself up to her eyes, waiting for Haruka to follow her. The blonde undressed herself--a little self-consciously--and climbed into the bath, her thoughts racing.

Was she really like a middle-aged man? Had their relationship begun to sour because of her insecurities? Was that the cause of her sudden and unexpected infatuation with Rei? Haruka resolved herself; if that was the case, she would have to rekindle the spark within herself, rekindle the love she knew she felt for Michiru.

As she felt the hot water rise around her body, she took Michiru in her arms as she had so many times before.

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Meh, that was kind of short. Well, short for my stories anyway. An unusual pairing, I'll admit, but hey, I'm an unusual person. I like picking up unanswered threads and weaving them together. So much is unknown about how some of the characters feel about each other. A little inference never hurt anyone, right? Well, tell me what you think!

Soul~chan