-Domesticated-

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. Wish I did though (pouts).

Author's Note: The current exchange rate for the Japanese Yen is roughly 100 per US Dollar. So 500 Yen would be roughly equivalent to 5.00.

--

"She's bluffing."

"I don't know… She seems serious to me…"

"Come on, are you serious? She'd never actually go through with it."

"Now you're just being naive."

"I'm not naïve! I'm willing to bet anything…"

"Anything? How about a thousand Yen?"

"A thousand Yen?"

"Well, of course if you're not so sure anymore…"

"Who's not sure? You're on!"

--

She walked out of the hair dresser's with her head held high, the sun gleaming warmly down upon her, seeming to kiss her with its warmth. Taking off her dark blue sports jacket she draped it over her shoulder, holding it by the collar. With the top two buttons of her blouse casually unbuttoned she looked almost like a model out of GQ.

Haruka smiled as she felt the stares and heard the murmurs. Depending on the viewer, she either looked like a beautiful young man or a masculine young woman. She wasn't vain necessarily, but she would admit to having her ego stoked by the group of school girls looking admiringly at her from the bus stop. Picking out the shyest girl of the bunch, she gave her a smile and a wink, noting with satisfaction the cute blush that colored the girl's cheeks and the squeals of her classmates.

As Haruka came around the corner on her way to the parking lot, she saw her princess and future queen. There were few things that truly gave Haruka joy: lying in Michiru's arms, victory on a race track or on the battlefield against an enemy, spending quality time with her daughter, and freaking out Usagi by flirting with her. She took a near perverse delight in seeing how red she could make the poor girl's face turn. It was always good for a laugh, and relatively harmless.

Usagi was leaning against a small white fence with Minako just outside the gated parking lot where Haruka's car was. The princess was finishing off an ice cream cone she'd bought from a nearby street vender while Minako was still working on hers. Haruka chuckled to herself a bit as she wondered how high a metabolism one would need to eat as much as Usagi did without getting fat.

As Usagi saw Haruka, she instantly smiled and waved to her. The tomboy casually strode over. "Konichiwa, Ruka-kun."

"Konichiwa Usagi-chan, Minako-chan. What brings you two out here?"

"Ice cream," Minako answered as she held up her cone.

"We didn't know you would be coming around Ruka-kun. If we had, we would've bought you one too."

"That's alright, kitten," Haruka said, unable to suppress a grin, "I have something much sweeter in mind."

Usagi looked puzzled, "Sweeter?"

This was the moment Haruka loved. "On the other side of the parking lot is a public park. We can go behind the groundskeeper's shed together, where no one else can see. Just the two of us." And now the fun would begin. Usagi's face would turn eight shades redder than a stop light. She'd then blurt out something along the lines of 'oh gee, look at the time,' and run off like a scared rabbit. It was times like this that made Haruka's day. "What do you say, kitten? You, me…"

"Okay."

"Heh, no problem, I… Huh?"

"Okay," Usagi said, her bright blue eyes fixed upon Haruka's as she stepped forward, "I'll go behind the groundskeeper's shed with you. I… I've never been with a girl before, so you'll have to guide me."

Haruka's mouth hung open as she was momentarily struck dumb. Collecting herself, she smiled her familiar cocky grin. "You shouldn't joke so, kitten. I might take you seriously."

"But I am serious, Ruka-kun," Usagi said as she continued towards her. "We'll have to hurry though. Mamo-chan is picking me up at two, so that only gives us half an hour."

Haruka couldn't believe what she was hearing. Narrowing her eyes, she studied Usagi closely. "Are you under some sort of a spell?" she asked. If a youma or some new enemy had somehow done something to the princess, then that would certainly explain her odd behavior.

Usagi chuckled seductively as she closed the gap between herself and Haruka. "No, there's no new enemy. And before you ask, I'm not drunk either." Taking one of Haruka's hands in hers, she intertwined their fingers together. "Truth be told, I can no longer fight myself, nor can I resist your charms anymore. Every time you flirt with me, I go all gooey inside. Take me to the groundskeeper shed Haruka, please?"

Haruka's heart nearly skipped a beat as her princess then leaned her head against her chest, a small gasp escaping as Usagi's breath lightly tickled the exposed hollow of her neck. Closing her eyes for a second, Haruka swallowed hard as she struggled to regain composure. Opening her eyes, she saw Minako still leaning against the fence, staring at her and Usagi intently as the ice cream in her cone slowly melted down her hand.

"M… Minako chan," Haruka said, her normally low husky voice slightly higher than normal as she focused on the other blonde like a sailor reaching for a lifeline. "Aren't you going to step in and stop this? After all, you're one of the princess's guardians…"

A wicked smile slowly formed on Minako's face.

"And I fully intend to keep guard," she stated matter-of-factly. "I'll look out for Mamoru, and if he gets here before the two of you are done, I'll keep him distracted until you're finished."

"Wonderful," Usagi purred, "That'll give us more than half an hour…"

"Besides," Minako continued, "I'm the Senshi of Love. And should our princess choose to keep concubines as well as Mamoru…"

"C-c-concubines?" Haruka stammered out.

"Don't tease me," Usagi now pleaded. "Ever since we first met, you've asked me to be with you. Alright, now I will. Take me," she said, closing her eyes as she leaned her head back and puckered her lips.

"Er…" Haruka took a quick step back as she pulled her hand away from Usagi's. "Look kitten, there seems to be a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Usagi asked, looking hurt.

"You invited her behind the groundskeeper's shed," Minako interjected. "Where's the misunderstanding?"

Haruka put her hand to her forehead in exasperation, "Look, it was supposed to be a joke. I was just trying to tease you, to have a laugh, you know? I never really meant it."

"Let me guess," Usagi muttered, "It's because you love Michiru, right?"

Haruka sighed. "Yes, kitten. I… I may flirt with other girls, and I might jokingly make a pass at you, but Michiru…"

"I see," Usagi interrupted. Her whole demeanor then changed as, with a triumphant smile, she turned to Minako. "See, I told you she wouldn't. Pay up!"

"Doh," Minako pouted as she reached into her purse and pulled out a wad of Yen. "Here, you won."

"Whoa, wait," Haruka said, the tomboy visibly confused. "Exactly what just happened?"

"Minako-chan and I made a bet, and I just won."

"What?!" the sandy-haired blonde asked in disbelief.

"I thought for sure she'd actually go through with it," Minako said.

"Don't be silly," Usagi replied, "I told you she and Michiru were way too close for her to ever…"

"Hold it right there!" Haruka snapped, the tomboy placing both hands on her hips as she glared at the two blondes in front of her. "You mean, you made a bet over whether or not I'd actually go all the way and seduce Usagi-chan?" Both girls nodded their heads. Focusing on Usagi, she narrowed her eyes. "And what if I had led you behind the groundskeeper's shed?"

"But you didn't," Usagi said casually. Turning to Minako, she held up her newly won wad of cash. "Want some more ice cream? My treat."

"More like mine," Minako grumbled. "Sure, why not."

"Ruka-kun?" Usagi asked, "Would you like to go with us?"

"No," the tomboy answered, "I've lost my appetite."

"Oh well. Come on Minako-chan." And with that, the two blonds walked off, leaving Haruka alone to sulk. She didn't sulk long though before the sounds of a familiar lilting laugh caught her attention. Turning her head, she saw Michiru step out from behind a nearby tree.

"Perfect," Haruka mumbled under her breath. "Michi-chan, how long have you been hiding behind that tree?"

"Long enough," her partner answered as she elegantly tossed a lock of her wavy aqua hair back over her shoulder. "Care to give me a ride back to the mansion?"

"Why not." Haruka conceded, letting her lover place her hand in the crook of her arm. As they started off into the parking lot, the tomboy nervously cleared her throat. "Michi-chan, I… you… I never would've…"

Michiru just smiled. "Give me a little credit, Ruka-kun. Do you really think we'd still be together if I took your teasing with Usagi seriously? Besides, I know you'd never cheat on me. I'm psychic, remember?"

"True, I… Hold on." Haruka stopped dead in her tracks. "You are psychic. Then, all those times I flirted with other girls to make you jealous, you… You were acting?"

Michiru just laughed again as she once more moved Haruka along. The sandy-blonde tomboy had once been quite the lady killer, playing the field and basking in the limelight of feminine adoration. Then destiny, in the form of a beautiful green-haired artist, strolled into her life and turned everything upside down. No longer free like the wind, she now was in a long term relationship, was the adopted parent of a young child powerful enough to destroy the solar system, and was one of three women listed on the mortgage lease to the Mansion they all lived at.

"I've become domesticated," Haruka blurted out as she sat down behind the wheel of her sports car.

"I wouldn't go that far," Michiru said. "There's still something of the untamed about you, Ruka-kun."

Haruka turned to Michiru, and smiled as their eyes met. They both leaned in and kissed longingly for a moment or two before separating. "Buckle up," the tomboy said. A few seconds later, the car sped out of the parking lot.

-Finis-