Title: All Kinds of Time
Chapter: Sanctuary
Author: Girl Who Writes
Fandoms: Sailor Moon
Characters: Michiru.
Prompt: Dancing
Notes: Why does my inspiration always hit the nights I'm plied with school work:shakes head: Been loaded down with school work and writer's block, so I apologize for no replying to any reviews or messages for any of my fics. My break is coming up in a week, so I'll be able to play catch-up then.
I have another chapter of this prepared however, it's a little heavy on the angst, and I'm unsure if I should add something like that to what has become a romance series. Opinions, comments and suggestions are always welcome.
This one was inspired by repeated listenings of Disney soundtracks. You can't go wrong with songs from Beauty and the Beast. And I absolutely must acknowledge the Timeless Dance chapter of Yavapai's Seabreeze. I discovered everything I love about the Outer Senshi in this fic, and is such a beautiful representation of the relationship between Michiru and Haruka, and the three oldest senshi. Ahem. I could wax lyrical about my favourite fics for days, but I'll resist
I hope you all enjoy this chapter and, again, if you can think of any interesting prompt ideas for this little series, I'm always interested.
Summary: There was a moment of uncertainty, Haruka looking at her, with an unreadable look in her eyes before she took Michiru in her arms.
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. I'm just a humble fan and make no profit from this fan based venture.
She always enjoyed dancing, even as a child. She still has fond memories of being a little girl in a frilly party dress, her father chuckling as he showed her the dance steps, her mother watching from the sidelines, smiling tolerantly – along with her father's colleagues. When Michiru looks back, she wonders how much of those nights was her father dancing with her to please her, or to offer a desirable family portrait to his co-workers.
And then she decides she doesn't really care what it was; it was a happy family memory, and that was enough.
Haruka wasn't quite so fond of dancing in the beginning. She had heard a half muttered story about ballroom dancing lessons in Haruka's youth, and the mental picture of a younger Haruka in a dance class was enough to send her into giggling behind her hand. She can just picture some poor boy as Haruka's partner, perhaps letting his hand slide a little too far, and Haruka's less than lady-like temper flaring.
Haruka had refused to tell her any more about the lessons, but when the time came, Haruka was more than a capable dancer – especially as a lead, for which an explanation was never offered.
Their first dance hadn't been in any of the romantic scenarios Usagi and Minako had once dreamt up over milkshakes, before they realized that Michiru and Haruka were present. It had been in the Tokyo apartment, some furniture pushed aside, a tape in the player and still wearing their school uniforms. They had been invited to some charity ball, slightly out of their league, but Michiru had been determined to preserve whatever opinions Tokyo society held of the pair of them - an impromptu dance lesson had been required.
They had trained together – Michiru bore some impressive bruises as a testament to that fact – but Haruka had obviously felt slightly awkward with Michiru in her arms, which had made Michiru ill at ease, both stumbling over their feet, eyes averted, complete silence, except for the muttered apologies when they stepped onto each other's feet.
As she had dressed, Michiru had resigned herself to the fact they would either embarrass themselves as the school girls they were or just not make it to the dance floor, a thought which made her sad.
Later, she would wonder what it was – the admiring gazes of other gentlemen sweeping over her, the music that hummed just behind the conversation, or maybe how she looked in her dress – that prompted Haruka to escort her onto the dance floor almost as soon as they stepped into the ballroom. There was a moment of uncertainty, Haruka looking at her, with an unreadable look in her eyes before she took Michiru in her arms.
It had been perfect – maybe once, in their past lives, they had danced together because it had felt very natural - Haruka's hand resting on her waist, the gentle rustle of her skirt against her legs, Haruka's lips twisted up in a small smile as they moved across the dance floor.
She knows she had stars in her eyes for the rest of the night, but it might have been because Haruka's arm had been around her the entire night, keeping any other admirers far away from Michiru. It had been especially nice to be the only girl that Haruka looked at, even just for a night.
It's like a second nature now, Haruka's arms around her when they dance, her head tilted slightly back because she's still not quite tall enough in her heels - a brush of lips, small, private smiles, the flutter of eyelashes against a cheek.
It's another one of those things they do so well together; a legacy from another life, an expression of everything they are to each other - and something that prompted more than just friendship, shy attraction.
Carved out in the reassuring circle of Haruka's arms and gentle music, this is - and will always be - Michiru's sanctuary.