"Valentine's Day" by Desslok
[Author's Note: This story is an addendum to "Interregnum", set between Chapters 7 and 8, between Usagi's wedding and Makoto's visit to Ami in San Francisco. This story should stand on its own if you haven't read "Interregnum", but if you haven't, and you like this, please go read that, too! :)]
Ami groaned as she rolled over to shut off her alarm clock, shivering as her arm left the warm coziness of the blankets. Briefly, she debated lingering in the bed for a while, but then she recalled what day it was. The memory jolted her into full consciousness and propelled her out of the bed and toward the bathroom.
A minute or two later, as the warm water of her shower cascaded over her, Ami pondered the day to come. Of course, Valentine's Day would have to come on a Friday this year. Her club was holding a dance for the occasion, naturally. Fortunately, she'd gotten out of decoration duty. Spending the afternoon hanging up hearts and flowers would not have been pleasant. She could just imagine how it would look, all pink and red and sweet. Somehow, the image of Chibi-Usa exploding in the middle of an auditorium came to mind, bringing a guilty chuckle. At least sitting outside selling tickets she wouldn't be surrounded by all the reminders that she had no girlfriend and that her unrequited love was thousands of miles away. With a heavy sigh, Ami shut off the water and got on with her day.
"Wait, you mean that the women are all expected to buy chocolates for the men?!" Elizabeth asked with an incredulous look. As they did every Friday afternoon, Ami and her best American friend sat in the local coffee shop, sipping mochas and catching up on the gossip of the week.
"Mmm hmm," Ami nodded. Truly, she had never thought anything of that tradition. It was simply the way things were done.
Elizabeth grunted derisively, making Ami feel momentarily defensive of her culture. Noting Ami's expression, the tall blonde shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "To each their own, I guess. You did say there is a day when those shiftless bastards have to get off their lazy butts and buy something for the women in their lives, right?"
Ami laughed and nodded affirmatively. "Yes, there is. It's really not so bad."
"Hey," Elizabeth asked suddenly, sitting forward in her chair, "how do Japanese lesbians celebrate Valentine's Day, then?"
The question had never occurred to Ami, so she quickly tried to recall if she had ever observed Haruka or Michiru celebrating Valentine's Day. She vaguely recalled Michiru buying something for Haruka one winter, but was that February? "I don't know," she finally admitted. "I only knew one lesbian couple and never noticed what they did for Valentine's Day." Ami dropped her eyes and added, "I guess I'm lucky. I never had to buy anything for anyone."
Seeing the wistful expression on her friend's face, Elizabeth laid a hand gently over hers. "It's ok, Ami. I'm sure next year your chocolate expenses will go through the roof!" Noting Ami's skeptical look, she swiftly added, "She is going to be here in a couple weeks and I cannot imagine that she'd be flying all this way just to say 'Hi, how are ya?'."
"I told you, I'm trying not to have any expectations. It's just a friendly visit."
"I know, I know, that way you won't be disappointed." Elizabeth sighed with exasperation. "I swear, you keep yourself so tightly under control, if she ever does kiss you, you're just going to go boom!"
That image brought a shy smile to Ami's face and a telltale warmth to her cheeks. Knowing that she was blushing only caused her to blush more until she finally had to hide her face behind her hands. Elizabeth laughed at her fondly and decided to give her a break by changing the subject.
"So, you still planning to work the front desk today?"
Ami bid fond farewell to her momentary fantasies and returned to the present. "Yes. Someone has to, after all, and I think I'd rather not be surrounded by lovey-dovey lesbians tonight."Now, it was Elizabeth's turn to sigh forlornly. "Lucky you."
"Hey now, I'm the wallflower, not you. Besides, I thought you'd decided to finally do something about Shana."
"I know, but I'm afraid I'm going to chicken out," Elizabeth admitted sheepishly. She started to add something, but instead fell silent, her eyes falling away from Ami's.
Ami didn't need to hear the words to guess the rest of Elizabeth's sentence. 'You're afraid of being hurt again, like I hurt you,' she thought, recalling that unpleasant night a couple months ago. Deep inside, there was still a part of Ami that chided her for turning down the love of this beautiful, smart, funny woman. Briefly, she imagined walking into the auditorium tonight on Elizabeth's arm, but even as she pictured the two of them dancing, Elizabeth's features melted into those of her Mako-chan and she realized for the hundredth time that she'd done the right thing. Makoto would always be her first, last and dearest love, just as Elizabeth would always be a dear, dear friend.
"You will not chicken out, Elizabeth-chan! I will not allow it. What would Sailor Mercury say? She would say, 'Do your best, Elizabeth-chan!' that's what!"
The blonde woman laughed and began to blush herself. "Do you really think that's what she would say? Well, if Sailor Mercury would want me to go for it, then who am I to deny her? I am her love slave, after all." She sighed theatrically.
"You wish!" Ami replied. The two young women laughed together and moved on to other subjects entirely.
Not for the first, nor the last time, Ami wished she had Sailor Pluto's powers as she glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall across from her table. The coins and bills in the tray before her vibrated in tune with the music pounding through the doors and walls behind her. 'Only another hour or so and I can close up.'
The music suddenly grew much louder as the doors opened. "Hi Chrissy," Ami said to the petite brunette who emerged, "how's it going in there?"
Chrissy beamed, wiping the sweat from her brow, "It's great! Best turnout we've ever had for a dance and the DJ is just phenomenal." Ami smiled happily. They had gone to a lot of trouble putting this dance on. "I just came out to tell you that you can close up shop," Chrissy continued.
"Great, I'll lock the tray up in the office and head home, then," Ami replied. If she could get home by midnight, maybe she couldcatch Makoto on line, as it would be morning in Europe then. She wished she'd been able to find time to get home during the day, but after her chat with Elizabeth, she'd had to go to class, visit the lab, grab a quick dinner, and then hurry here. Ami felt a wave of gratitude for whoever had invented web greeting cards. She had set up a card for Makoto last week timed to arrive today. Of course, choosing the correct card had taken her a week before that. She'd struggled to find something that was not over-the-top gushy, but at least had tinges of romance in it, if Makoto chose to look for them.
"Hold on there, Aimster," Chrissy admonished, taking the money box out of Ami's hands. "I'll take this and lock it away. You go inside and at least look around! You helped as much as anyone."
Ignoring Ami's stammered protests, Chrissy gave her a friendly shove through the doors.
It took a few moments for Ami's eyes (and ears) to adjust to the atmosphere. The lights were off, except for red and pink mood lighting around the edges of the auditorium and the DJ's light display. 'Just in time,' Ami thought wryly as she realized a slow song had just come on. Turning her attention away from the happy couples, she examined the decorations with a critical eye.
"Pink Sugar Heart Attack, indeed," she murmured to herself. The hearts, the love song playing, the couples pressed together close all combined to remind Ami of just how lonely she was and how much she missed Makoto. 'I'd better go,' she thought, ashamed at her reaction, but unable to avoid it.
As she turned to leave, however, she caught sight of something that erased her depression. Towards the center of the dance floor, Elizabeth danced arm-in-arm with Shana. As she watched, Shana pulled Elizabeth closer and whispered something in her ear. Even from this distance in the dim light, Ami could see Elizabeth's smile as she laid her head gently down against Shana's shoulder and nuzzled her. The sight of her friend's joy banished Ami's sadness. 'Do your best, Elizabeth-chan!' she exulted silently. 'And you do your best, too, Mizuno Ami' that little voice inside her demanded. With a curt nod and a resolute stride, Ami left the dance and headed home.
Ami arrived back at her apartment and hurriedly dropped off her things, kicking her shoes off into a corner as she dashed to her office. Grateful that she'd opted for a high-speed connection, she jiggled the mouse and waited for the screen to come to life. No waiting interminable seconds for a dial-up connection for Mizuno Ami! The sight of Makoto's active user name in her messenger program erased any lingering sadness within Ami's heart.
BbblSprA: Mako-chan! I'm glad I caught you!
Thundergrl: me 2 ^_^
Thundergrl: need 2 go 2 work soon tho
BbbleSprA: That's Ok, Mako-chan, I should get to bed soon too.
Thundergrl: happy V'Day
BbbleSprA: Thank you and same to you. Did you get your card?
Thundergrl: yep! it was great! ^_^ how was your dance?
BbbleSprA: It went well. We had a big turnout.
Thundergrl: so, you dance with anyone... elizabth maybe?
Ami thought a while before answering. She had told Makoto about the incident with Elizabeth. She had no desire to keep secrets from the woman she loved. Makoto rarely mentioned it, however, and hadn't asked any questions at all about it. Ami couldn't decide what that meant.
BbbleSprA: No, I worked the door. I think Elizabeth and Shana hit it off, though. They were dancing pretty close.
Thundergrl: good
Ami wished she were talking with Makoto right now. Hearing her intonation would have revealed so much potentially. How would she ever survive the two weeks until Makoto's visit?! She desperately wanted to think that Elizabeth was right, that everything she'd hoped for all these years was really just a couple weeks away. If only Makoto would give her some definite sign...
Thundergrl: gotta run ami-chan... v-day weekend is busy.. hope you liked your present! loveya!
-Thundergrl has logged off
'Present?' Ami wondered, even as she heard the knocking on her door. Opening it, she saw her next door neighbor. "Yes?"
"Fed Ex left something for you while you were out, Ami," her neighbor explained. "Here you go." The young woman handed Ami a large box.
"Thank you!" Ami called out, taking the box inside. Carefully, she slit the tape and flipped open the flaps. With a cry of joy, she lifted the huge, heart-shaped candy box out of the packing. 'She bought me chocolates.' Tears began to well, moistening Ami's deep blue eyes. Finally, she knew for sure. Two more weeks.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Mako, my love," Ami whispered.