Disclaimer: I do not own Haruka and Michiru's characters, they belong to Naoko Takeuchi. All other characters and this story belong to me.
Note: This is rated "M" for a reason. If you have issues with coarse language, girl on girl action and substance abuse references, do not indulge yourself in this.
Chapter 7
Not | Mine
Michiru woke up in the middle of the night curled up around another human being. She has never slept with anyone in her life and the realization took her by surprise, before the memories flooded in and a deep blush covered her face. She, of course, was not a judge of skills in this arena, but she somehow felt that she was learning from the best. She looked at Haruka's face and was startled by the midnight-blue eyes that were studying her.
"You're awake," Michiru whispered.
"I don't sleep well in unfamiliar beds."
It felt very satisfying to know that about the fearless, sarcastic and harsh racer that Michiru knew outside of the bedroom. She wondered how many people knew the softer side and hoped that she was one of the chosen few. "I don't sleep with people."
Haruka smiled teasingly. "Neither do I." She propped herself on the elbow, touching the porcelain cheek with her fingertips. "I do know of another way we could spend some hours of this night, though."
"Oh?" Michiru raised a brow, feeling her body respond to the caress.
"How do you feel about water?" Haruka took the wide grin on Michiru's face as a positive answer and pulled her out of bed, heading towards the bathroom. Michiru sighed in appreciation at the sight of a wide jacuzzi next to a large window overlooking the Tokyo skyline. "You got the water, the view, and me. What else do you need from life?" Haruka baited.
"Nothing."
Haruka's smirk disappeared from her face at the seriousness of Michiru's tone. "Michi -"
Michiru put the tips of her fingers against Haruka's lips, not letting her finish. "I know, it's just a magical night, not a relationship. Just let me enjoy it."
Haruka gave her another unsure glance before turning the water and pulling the naked woman in the tub. She turned the jets on and smiled. Yes, there was a number of ways one could use those… and she was intending to share her knowledge on the subject with the mermaid who was swimming with her tonight.
x x x
The light filled the room when Michiru opened her eyes at the sound of a gentle knock on the door. She propped herself on her elbows and looked around, finding a white robe at the foot of the bed, but no sign of Haruka. She sighed and put the robe on, then walked to the door.
"Breakfast miss," a maid announced with a bow. Michiru allowed her to enter the suite and set the tray on the side table. She thanked the middle-aged woman and watched her leave before she looked at the food and noticed a small note by her purse. She grabbed the hotel-logoed piece of paper and unfolded it carefully, already guessing what it said.
Morning Mermaid,
Enjoy your breakfast, your dress should be dry-cleaned by the time you're done. I believe you have the means of getting home, so that would be the only thing you need to worry about, everything else has been taken care of.
I will see you around.
TH
Michiru folded the note back and put it in her purse, then took her cellphone out. She dialed Jun's number and gave him the address before taking the tray and getting comfortable on the bed. She wondered as she chewed on her breakfast and sipped on the hot green tea if she would ever have enough pieces to put together the puzzle that was Haruka. It was almost like every time she thought she figured something out, the blonde would do something completely out of character. For example, just last week Haruka yelled at her telling her that she belonged in a castle and not with the rough people of the 'underworld.' Michiru looked around the room. That was certainly more like a castle and not like the places she had visited with Haruka before.
Then there was the assumption that Haruka has never mingled with Michiru's societal circle, yet she knew someone at the ball when Michiru met her and she was at the benefit last night. Michiru had no idea what Haruka did, other than racing, but she was starting to wonder what all the planning for the gang involved and what it was exactly that Haruka did during the day. So far, Michiru got to meet two Harukas: a rough and cocky one, the one that dressed in jeans and shirts, cursed left and right and was always in somebody's face; and then there was another. One that wore designer suits, attended social events and acted up to par with people there, and preferred taste to luxury. One Haruka drank cheap alcohol, the other payed not less than half a thousand dollars in one night for a hotel. Michiru had no idea how the two could be reconciled in one person, but she was intending to learn as much as she could.
x x x
Eiko was pacing the living room when Michiru finally got home. "Where have you been?"
Michiru raised a brow, switching her purse from one hand to the other. "I was enjoying myself, like you wanted me to."
"It's past noon, Michiru, I've been worried sick."
"Welcome to the beauty of parenthood, mother. It only took you twenty-three years to get here."
"Don't you dare lecture me on my parenting skills, I raised you into who you are, so remember your manners, young lady," Eiko replied in a dangerously low voice.
"You didn't seem to care about my manners just a few weeks ago," Michiru replied evenly.
"A few weeks ago you spent your nights at home."
"Don't worry, mother, I'm an adult, you don't have to set a curfew for me. Neither do you have to worry about me getting pregnant since you know perfectly well that that wouldn't happen with Haruka." Michiru was barely holding in her anger. The fact that her mother made it sound like Haruka was a man still made her blood boil.
"You slept with her?" Eiko's eyes widened.
"That's none of your business," Michiru breathed out, attempting to restore her cool.
"Everything about you is my business, you're my daughter!" Eiko snapped.
"I'm only doing what you wanted me to do! You set me up with Haruka, you even lied about her gender!" Michiru finally gave into temptation.
"Michiru, I wanted her to take you out on a couple of dates, go dancing, have fun. Her gender didn't matter for that. I never meant for the two of you to get involved." Eiko looked at the ocean blue eyes lovingly. "I don't want you to get hurt."
Michiru laughed bitterly. "It's inevitable at this point, mother."
Eiko closed her eyes, knowing the pain Michiru felt inside, even if the younger woman didn'tt show it outwardly. Once Eiko looked at her daughter again, she did what she did best nowadays - she hid her feelings and smirked at Michiru. "You had sex with her? After three dates?"
"I guess I can be as shameless as you are." Michiru raised her chin.
"How was she?" Eiko grinned.
"Oh my god, mother!" Michiru squealed before turning around and stomping upstairs, towards the confines of her room.
Eiko watched her go, her sarcastic grin disappearing from her face as soon as her daughter was out of sight. Instead, a deep frown skewed her beautiful features. It scared Eiko how fast Michiru dove down into something that wasn't her element. She felt like her daughter was starting to spin out of control, but that didn't seem like the reserved, calm and logical Michiru she knew. So, Eiko shook off the nagging concern and figured that time would show where life would take them. Eiko seeing herself in Michiru and thinking that the young woman would deal with things as they come, as Eiko herself had earlier in her life, was the worst mistake she has ever made. One that she would regret sorely in the not so distant future.
x x x
Ocean-blue eyes watched as the Enzo pulled into the large field, and Haruka and another blonde stepped out of the car. Michiru sipped on her drink as the blonde whispered something in Haruka's ear before nibbling on it and stepping away. Dark blues connected with the ocean ones and Haruka raised a challenging eyebrow. Michiru smiled in response, taking another sip and not moving.
Haruka walked up to the back of the pick up truck Michiru was standing by, where Hiro was setting up the electronics. She slid her hand to Michiru's waist and made her move away from the truck and into the embrace.
"Having fun?" Michiru cocked a brow.
"I am, are you?" Haruka's voice was void of any emotion.
"Wow, you sound like you actually care," Michiru teased.
"Michiru -"
"I know, I'm sorry, I was out of line." Michiru plastered a fake smile across her face. "Can we kiss and make up?"
Haruka searched Michiru's face before she gave in and captured the luscious lips with her own. After exploring the alluring mouth, Haruka moved her mouth to Michiru's neck, turning the smaller woman around and kissing a sensitive spot under Michiru's jaw. She looked at Hiro loading the software without stopping what she was doing. She wrapped her hands around Michiru's waist, and Michiru's came to rest on top of Haruka's. "How are we doing, Maedo?"
Hiro threw them an unimpressed glance before launching the software used to track police cars. "Fine."
"Okay, let me know when you need anything."
Hiro threw her another glance. "How the hell am I supposed to find you in the middle of the field?"
"Call me or, better yet, give me one of the walkies." Haruka caught the small radio Hiro threw and pulled Michiru into the darkness.
x x x
There were few things that Michiru had learned in the past couple of months. None of them helped her figure out the puzzle she called 'Haruka,' but all of them helped her deal with Haruka. Michiru knew the day she woke up alone in bed, after having the most magical night in her life, that Haruka was not someone you could tame. If Michiru wanted to ever have the blonde's affection again, Michiru had to learn to share, to give Haruka freedom to do whatever she wanted. It was by no means easy, but she stepped over her own feelings, pride included, the next time she saw the racer at the weekly outing. Haruka was kissing someone when Michiru got there, so the violinist pushed her feelings down and plastered a look of indifference on her face. Her approach seemed to work because no matter how many women Haruka had been with in the past two months, she has never denied Michiru's affections, in fact, she came to Michiru most of the time. Naturally, the situation would never be Michiru's choice, but she figured that being in an acquaintance with benefits status with Haruka was much better than having no status at all.
Another thing Michiru noticed was that despite Haruka's habit of bed hopping, she was very possessive of Michiru. The violinist had mixed feelings on the subject: on one hand it seemed unfair that the blonde would demand exclusivity when she herself provided none (not that Michiru has ever outwardly demanded that). On the other hand, Michiru reasoned that if Haruka was jealous of other people, she must have had at least some sort of feelings towards Michiru; or so Michiru hoped.
Michiru had also learned a great deal about the weekends. She learned that the races held every Friday were different, the type of each one was decided by the votes of club members the week before. They ranged in venue, type and size. For example, the race tonight was off-road and the crowd was very small in comparison to the other races Michiru has witnessed. As far as the rest of the weekend went, Michiru found out that there was always an after-party, not necessarily in the same place where the race was held, otherwise there would be a large bonfire going in the field by now, but somewhere in the undergrounds of Tokyo. The partying did not stop there, though, it continued through Saturday and into Sunday. While many people took advantage of the weekend life, Michiru noticed that Haruka generally did not appear at any events other than those scheduled for Fridays. That was not to say that Michiru did the same; she has found a whole new circle of friends and did not miss an opportunity to socialize with them over the weekend. Unless, of course, her real life called on her with some kind of duty in a form of a concert or other appearance.
Michiru had also gained a great deal of knowledge on Haruka's second favorite subject matter: sex. She was currently using that particular knowledge next to a tree in the middle of a dark field. Michiru's hands traveled under Haruka's shirt and she smiled confidently at another thing she had learned as her fingers gently traveled along a long scar on Haruka's back.
x x x
It was during their second stay at a hotel that Michiru had enough courage to openly explore Haruka's body. They had just finished their first round of steamy sex and Haruka was laying on her stomach, her left arm hanging off the bed. Michiru straddled her blonde lover and looked at the exposed back. Haruka's skin was flawless and surprisingly soft, so unlike its owner's character. There were no imperfections, that Michiru noticed, anywhere except for her back. Her back, starting with her left side, looked like a treasure map. Michiru gently put her fingertips on a long thin scar that traveled almost the length of Haruka's back. Haruka tensed as the fingers caressed her back, making Michiru wonder even more what the history of each scar was. "Where is it from?"
Haruka turned her head sideways and fruitlessly tried to relax back into the pillow. "Childhood."
"How?" Michiru whispered, her gentle caress continuing.
"Adolescent know-how." Haruka remembered the street kids who tried to mimic samurai motions with a long butcher knife they found in a ditch. She was still surprised that she hadn't gotten some life-threatening infection from that piece of metal.
"Huh?"
"It doesn't matter."
"What's this?" Michiru's fingers moved to a round circle, about an inch in diameter, where the skin was darker and wrinkled. As her fingers touched the spot, she was surprised to find out that it was softer than the rest of the body and felt like it covered a dip in the muscular back.
"A reminder to always keep your eyes on your back," Haruka said slowly, remembering the day she was shot by a gang member, whose territory she had the misfortune to step into.
"These?" Michiru traced the small scars that started at the side.
"An acceleration in learning curve." Those were the only surgical scars Haruka had from her first car accident when her lung collapsed and had to be drained of fluid.
"What -"
"See," Haruka turned around, grabbed Michiru's wrists and pulled her close. "This is exactly why I keep my shirt on when I have sex, saves me a lot of explanations."
"I believe you were the one who tore it off earlier."
"I shouldn't be this reckless next time," Haruka murmured.
"The cat is already out of the bag, what's the point?" Michiru reasoned.
"The point is there are better ways to use your mouth than talk."
"Maybe you should make me."
"With pleasure."
x x x
"Just because you know that I have those, you don't need to gloat every time you get me to yourself," Haruka mumbled into Michiru's breast as the fingers moved along the scars. Michiru smiled wider before moving her hands to more sensitive areas of Haruka's body. Haruka shivered with pleasure. In response, she dropped down to her knees and let her hands travel up Michiru's legs, up to the short skirt. She placed butterfly kisses along the inside of Michiru's thigh, debating whether to tear the underwear off, or just push it aside.
"Tenoh, stop fucking around and get your ass to the command post," an annoyed voice grumbled from the radio in Haruka's pants.
"Demon?"
Haruka chuckled at the nickname Michiru has officially given to Sanu. "More like the satan himself for interrupting." She pulled the radio out and pressed a button, raising it to her face. "What do you want, Sanu?"
"I'm going to the start line, apparently it takes two inept people to run the finish line."
"Don't judge everyone on your scale." Haruka buttoned her shirt with one hand, regretfully watching Michiru fix up her clothes as well.
"Fuck off."
Haruka pocketed the walkie at the sound of static. "Sorry mermaid, play time would have to wait."
Michiru smiled at Haruka, placed a quick kiss on her lips and walked away, swaying her hips. 'Damn woman,' Haruka sighed as she followed the violinist.
They came back to the area where cars were parked - a large circle lit by the headlights, arranged to allow those present to see each other. There were no screens or speakers, the race was to be held on unpaved country roads, between the rice fields, and to be finished at this uncultivated, barren spot. Michiru watched the blonde communicate with Sanu as the race was set up and started, sipping on a new drink she got from one of the trucks. They all watched for the headlights to appear, but the first one to come wasn't one of the competitors. Sanu and his crew, taking the paved roads, made their way back first. They piled out of the cars, joining the others. Haruka was holding a timer in her hand, waiting for the racers to come. She walked up to Michiru and gave her a sizzling kiss, bored of staring into dark nothingness. Haruka pulled away as the first set of headlights appeared in the distance, walked to the orange line that served to denote the finish and stopped the timer as the winner came through.
Four other off-road vehicles pulled shortly after, losers taking comfort in consolation of their friends. Haruka turned towards the middle of the circle and froze as her eyes fell on Sanu. He was holding Michiru within the circle of his muscled arms, his rough mouth was covering Michiru's lips. Without so much as giving it any thought, Haruka walked up to the couple and put all of her force into the punch as Sanu let go of Michiru. Sanu fell to the ground on his back, spitting blood to his side and flexing his jaw. In the next moment Michiru was held by his friends while Sanu got back to his feet, holding a barrel of a gun that he drew from behind his back against Haruka's forehead. It seemed like everyone who was present at the scene just froze and the time stopped.
"What the fuck, Sanu?" someone finally shouted and was completely ignored by the dark-haired man as he released the safety on his gun.
"You are out of line," Haruka finally forced out, her body as rigid as a peace of steel.
"No, shit-head, you are." Sanu spat the blood to the ground again.
"Lower the gun, or I will bring your violation of the rules to the Wings' attention."
"Violation of the rules?" Sanu asked sarcastically, cocking his head to the side.
"Safety rule 7.0: 'No weapon may be brought to the premises. The sanction for breaking this rule is unequivocal exclusion from the club.'" Haruka swallowed slowly as she finished her statement. The cool barrel was set snugly against the hot skin of her forehead.
"No shit. Safety rule 7.1: 'An exception may be made in the event where a weapon is used in the common interest or safety of the club.' Don't forget who wrote the rules, moron," Sanu sneered.
"How do your actions qualify under that exception, precisely?" Haruka asked as the beads of sweat collected at her hairline.
"You have become a threat."
Haruka stared at him like he just got madder. "Excuse me?"
"You have lost your touch, Tenoh, your priorities are no longer straight."
"Who are you to tell me about my priorities?" Haruka's tone became harsher as her anger raged inside.
"You," Sanu pushed the barrel harder against her forehead before pulling it back a bit, "Could never keep your pants zipped long enough, that's not a secret; but it's never been a problem during the race. She..." Sanu pointed at Michiru, who was barely breathing in the strong hold of his friends. "...has completely fucked you up. You can't concentrate, so you're a danger to all of us."
Haruka listened to his words, trying to find a response and failing miserably.
"Haruka I know would never lower her guard long enough for me to pull a gun out. You have lost your touch and gave into your irrational feelings. Figure this shit out, or you're out." Sanu took a step back, put the safety back on and hid his gun behind the belt of his black jeans. "Let's go." He waved at his crew. They released Michiru and followed him out of the small crowd of people that stepped aside as they approached.
Haruka watched them go, still frozen in the same spot, in the same position. Her brain tried to process everything that just happened and find a fault in Sanu's reasoning. The truth of the matter was, if she was in his place, she would do exactly the same.
"I thought you said they only barked," Michiru finally whispered to Hiro, who appeared near her.
"I may've been drunk at that point." He scratched the back of his head nervously before walking to the truck and packing the gear.
"Are you okay?" Michiru walked to the statuesque blonde.
Haruka looked at her for a long moment, still trying to make up her mind. Finally, she sighed: "We're done."
"What?" Michiru ran behind Haruka as the blonde quickly walked to her car.
"We're done, Michiru. You and I, whatever it is we had, it's over." Haruka opened the door.
"You are going to let him tell you what to do?" Michiru yelled.
"I don't let anyone tell me what to do, mermaid. Not him, not you. We're done, and that's final." Haruka lowered herself in the seat and closed the door, ignoring the angry woman who stood next to her car. She started the engine and drove out of the field to the solitude of her home.
x x x
Michiru didn't feel like partying after what happened that night, so she called Jun and went straight home. To her surprise and displeasure, both her mother and her stepfather were still awake, despite the fact that it was one twenty in the morning. Michiru walked in the living room and stared at the two figures watching television.
"Why are you still up?"
EIko turned around, making sure that her daughter was dressed at least semi-appropriate for Hideo. Michiru tightened the belt of her black coat at her mother's look and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Hideo had a press conference earlier today, we're watching the rerun."
"A press conference?" Michiru sat down in a chair, not in the least bothered by the fact that she was wearing a coat. "What for?"
Hideo muted the TV and turned to face her. "We have created a special safety oversight committee, which was announced today in the press conference. I will be the head of the committee, heads of many bureaus within the city will report to me on the issue."
"What issue?" Michiru relaxed into the chair, crossing her legs.
"Street safety. I'm sure you have heard that there have been incidents of illegal racing on the streets of Tokyo in the past. We are intending to put a stop to that once and for all. Those insolents need to be put in their place, which is behind bars."
Michiru's ears perked up as she shared a quick glance with her mother. "I see."
Hideo shook his head at his own thoughts and pressed the volume button. Michiru watched him speak on television, not listening to what he was saying. Instead, she was wondering if Haruka knew about this and how that would change what Haruka did. Her spine straightened as a dark-haired man with a goatee walked up to the podium and took Hideo's spot. Michiru silenced her thoughts and willed her mind to listen to what he was saying.
"...have been putting our citizens in danger for too many years. It is our full intention to have cross-agency cooperation in order to apprehend those responsible for the hosting of illegal drag racing and those who participate in that illegal activity…"
Michiru wanted to rub her eyes to make sure that her vision wasn't deceiving her. She closed them instead and opened them again. The man who held gun to Haruka's head just a few hours ago, the man who cost her whatever non-relationship she had with Haruka, was standing at the podium, talking about apprehension of the members of the Wing of Night.
Michiru turned her head slowly to her stepfather. "Hideo, who is that?"
Hideo looked at her for a moment before turning back to the rerun and answering. "This is Superintendent General Sanu Daiki, the head of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department."
