Cold Night
By: Haruka's Knight
Haruka sat in the dark living room, staring at the glowing numbers of her digital wristwatch. Three A.M. and still the blonde couldn't find rest no matter how hard she tried. With a sigh Haruka lay back down on the leather couch and took to watching the shadows the window cast across the ceiling above her. It wasn't as if this was the first time the blonde had slept on the couch, far from it. Hey, even a prefect relationship has bumps in the road. Still, leather was very cold, compared to the nice bed she was used to.
"Haruka-papa?" Teal eyes spotted the small girl standing in the doorway and the image was so cute Haruka couldn't fight the smile that came to her. She sat up and patted the spot next to her. "Hey there kiddo, what are you doing up?"
"I thought you might be lonely." Hotaru said as she walked over to the couch with a little yawn. The seven year old wore black pajamas, held a flash light in one hand and a stuffed black bear in the other. Once she reached the couch Haruka helped her sit down. "I didn't want you to be all alone, you might get scared."
"Me?" Haruka put on a shocked face as she looked at her adopted daughter, covering her heart with one hand dramatically. "I'm never scared Hime-chan."
Hotaru giggled as Haruka tickled her and batted at the tall woman's hands. After a moment Haruka relented and let the child catch her breath. Finally the blonde ruffled the little girl's hair and picked her up, bear, flashlight and all. She grinned a bit as Hotaru sleepily leaned against her shoulder.
"I think I better get you to bed though, before one of your mothers kill me." Haruka whispered and got another giggle from the sometimes overly serious child. She walked quietly up the staircase, holding Hotaru close so she didn't drop her, and over to the open door of the girl's room. One small and dim lamp was still on as the blonde set her gently on the bed, pulling the covers back up around her. "You all set now?"
"Can you sing me a song first?" Hotaru asked while doing her best puppy dog impression.
"I don't know Hotaru, I can't remember anything except some song from high school right now." Haruka said with a warm smile.
"Can I hear it?" Hotaru sat up a bit and Haruka considered it, and then nodded.
"If you lie down and try to go to sleep."
"Okay." Hotaru settled back down and waited for Haruka to start. The blonde cleared her throat and thanked the heavens no one else was around to hear her.
"All around the world statues crumble for me, who knows how long I've loved you?" Haruka tweaked Hotaru's nose and got a giggle in response. "Everywhere I go people stop and they see, 25 years old my mother god rest her soul. I just want to fly! Put your arms around me baby, put your arms around me baby! I just want to fly! Put your arms around me baby, put your arms around me baby!"
"Dance a little stranger, show me where you've been. Love can make you hostage wanna do it again?" At this point Haruka glanced toward the door to find Michiru standing just out of Hotaru's view with a little smile on her face. Haruka nodded almost unnoticeably to her partner and sang again, still half looking toward her love. "There's no time to think, about the starting or the end. We'll find out I'm told, my mother told me so. I just want to fly! Put your arms around me baby, put your arms around me baby!"
"I just want to fly! Like a birdie in the sky, up so high! Put your arms around me baby, put your arms around me baby!" Haruka noticed Hotaru was falling asleep so she softened her tone and lowered her voice a bit. "I just wannnnnnnnt to fly, I just wannnnnnnt to fly."
Thinking the little girl was asleep Haruka kissed her forehead and made to stand. Before she could take a step though a little hand caught hers and Haruka looked back toward Hotaru. Hotaru held up her bear and Haruka took the bear in her hands, trying to decide if Hotaru wanted her to kiss the bear.
"My teddy bear can help keep you company on the cold couch." The little girl said then closed her eyes. Haruka smiled and kissed her fore head again.
"Thank you, princess. Sleep tight." Haruka left the room and slowly closed the door. She looked up as she felt Michiru's arms come around her waist.
"That was very sweet." Michiru whispered as she smiled up at the blonde. "I never thought you'd be using a song from our first date to sing Hotaru to sleep."
"It was just on my mind." Haruka commented with a sly smile as she brought her free hand around the violin player's shoulders, hugging her tightly as she whispered her next words. "I'm sorry Michi."
"I'm sorry too, the whole argument was stupid." Michiru said as she pulled out of the hug. With a grin the shorter woman grabbed Haruka's free hand and looked into those teal eyes. "You know, I couldn't even remember what it started over."
"Me either, just that I don't sleep well without you." Haruka winked at her love and Michiru tugged the tall blonde toward their bedroom.
"I couldn't sleep without you there, it gets very cold with out you around." Michiru said as the two entered the room and got in bed. Haruka grinned and hugged the bear to one side, Michiru lying easily against the blonde's other side.
"Have we ever made it through a couch night?" Haruka asked as she started to drift off.
"I don't think we have."
Everyone slept peacefully through out the rest of the night.
ANThis is just a short story that stemmed from a thought.