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 21

Belong to Me

After another week of following Haruka around like a puppy on a leash Michiru realized that it started to bore her. Sure being close to her object of affection was very satisfying, it was the waiting that put her down. Gradually she started doing other things, like skipping some of the errands Haruka had to run and doing her own thing; then she stopped going to the shop, where she wasN't allowed to go beyond the salon either way. All together, she limited herself to seeing Haruka nights through mornings and the weekends.

As the end of February neared, Michiru felt like pulling her hair out. She was sitting in one of the chairs she only found comfortable for the first fifteen minutes and watching the reflection of the sun in the ripples of the bay. Checking the time for the seventh time in the past five minutes, she wondered how much longer her current activity would occupy her. Obviously not long enough. Michiru sighed and got up.

x x x

Haruka was going through the correspondence that populated her inbox overnight, while simultaneously checking statistics for the races over the past month. To her relief, she could finally look into the business matters without feeling bad about leaving Michiru outside, away from her office. Despite the relationship they had developed, despite the sharing of the past and all the powerful feelings they seemed to be experiencing, Haruka's heart simply couldn't take over her mind. One could never be too careful, her experiences had taught her that over and over again and seeing Ichiro once a week was a perfect reminder.

She looked at the inbox again and rubbed her temples, feeling an oncoming headache. The monthly meeting was coming up at the end of the week and she still had to put a lot of information together for review. Her reddened eyes looked over the web traffic and the figures for the month of January again and her headache finally manifested itself. Something wasn't right. She couldn't put a finger on it, but something bothered her in what she saw. Haruka tried to find the source of her worry, but gave up her futile attempts in another hour. She closed the laptop and looked around the room, in search of something and nothing at the same time. After a long while her eyes landed on a cable that run up to the server, connecting one of the many hard drives sitting on the desk. A slight frown creased her forehead as she opened the lid and waited for the screen to welcome her back with its white light. She connected to the hard drive and looked through its contents. It was the backup that contained the personal information on all the club members and subscribers, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Not with the information that was on the drive that is. The fact that it was connected to allow remote access, on the other hand, was strange because Haruka was sure she hafn't done that. Her mind was still hovering over the problem, except that now she also had a bad metallic taste of suspicion in her mouth. She closed the laptop again and grabbed some aspirin on her way out, deciding to call it a day.

x x x

It was early afternoon on a sunny and rather warm day. Her headache subsided, thanks to the aspirin and some maniacal driving, but that wasn't meant to last. Haruka walked through the empty house, looking for a note or some indication of where her more and more elusive girlfriend had disappeared to. Naturally, asking for some sort of an explanation of her absence in the middle of the afternoon was too much, so Haruka relied on the good old method of reconnecting with someone you lost - dialing their cell number. After she was repeatedly sent straight to voicemail four times in a span of twenty minutes, Haruka gave up on the idea and stared unseeingly at the scenery in front of her. She wasn't a control freak, not really, but she didn't like to be in the dark, nor did she like surprises, so she had insurance. A just in case sort of thing she liked to keep to herself, but use on those who mattered.

She looked at her phone again, put in the pass code and brought one of the applications up. After clicking a few more selections, she looked at a blue dot that bobbed happily in the middle of a park three blocks away. Haruka sighed in frustration, grabbed a sports coat and her keys and went for a stroll.

x x x

It was one of the small open auditoriums, stage and seating rows included, that many parks scattered through the city have. Michiru was standing in the middle of the stage, her eyes closed, her expression peaceful, the violin and the bow dancing in her hands. She was wearing a long dress and a short jacket, the skirt and her long hair dancing in the wind, as though it was gently caressing her with every beautiful sound she made. She had no idea how long she had been playing for, all she knew was that she was finally enjoying herself. As one melody came to an end and another started, she had a distinct feeling that someone was watching her, but she ignored them. She was in a public place, she knew someone would hear her play, that was the whole point. She was tired of playing in a closed space of the house, she needed to have an audience, or at least let the wind carry her music away, as far as it would reach.

The feeling of being watched didn't go away, but rather intensified. Her curiosity won over and Michiru opened her eyes, staring at the empty auditorium, only one listener looking at her from the front row. Her elbows were resting on her knees, her head at an angle that still allowed a clear view of the violinist on the low stage. Dark blue eyes met the ocean blues and they simply stared at each other, listening to the quiet sounds of nature that filled their silence.

"You could have mentioned that you left."

"I didn't expect you to come home in the middle of the day." Michiru put the violin and the bow in the case and walked down to the blonde, whose pose didn't change.

"You would have known that if you answered your phone."

"I turned it off so that I could enjoy my music." She looked at the forlorn blonde and her own brow furrowed. She set her violin case down and put a hand through the silvery white strands. "What's wrong, Ruka?"

Haruka sighed and shook her head, wrapping her hands around the slim waist and resting her forehead on the taut stomach. "There is a benefit in memory of law enforcement agents this Saturday, would you like to play at it?"

"I… I don't know." Michiru was at a loss for words.

"Sure you do." Haruka raised her head and caught the slight widening of Michiru's eyes just in time before the younger woman wiped any expression off her face. "You're playing in a public park for a reason, you don't have to hide that from me. I would rather you didn't hide anything from me if you want to keep what we have."

Michiru stepped away and picked up the case, waiting for Haruka to join her. "I'd love to play in public again, I'm just not sure if it's enough time to get in."

Haruka chuckled, getting up. "I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem with your fame."

"Do I hear a note of repugnance in that statement?"

"Yes, but it's not towards you personally. I like it when you play."

Michiru felt like she was talking to Haruka she used to know, not the one she was dating. "Did I do something wrong?"

Haruka sighed and wrapped her arm around Michiru's waist, turning her towards the way out of the park. "No, not yet."

"Not yet? What are you implying?" She stepped away from the embrace and looked at the blonde, bewilderment and concern clearly written in her face.

"You'll see," Haruka mumbled under her nose. "Listen, I have a headache and I'm not having a very good day so far. Then I had to go looking for you because you didn't even leave a note. Can we just go home and take it easy?"

Michiru didn't feel good about this whole encounter and didn't like where their conversation was going, but did she really have a choice other than starting their first fight out of nowhere? She sighed and nodded, slowly walking in the direction of the house. "How did you find me?" she asked as Haruka caught up with her.

"I will always find you if I need to," Haruka replied cryptically.

x x x

An orchestra played in the background of a full hall as Haruka and Michiru entered. It was always the same, nothing had changed since the last time the violinist attended one of these events. The lighting was bright, the music soft, outfits screaming of their worth, and conversations aplenty. This was where Michiru belonged, or at least where she used to belong both as a musician and as a socialite. From where she stood at this exact moment in time, though, it felt fake, forced and obnoxious. Like so many others, it was supposed to be a benefit for a good cause; a cause that was forgotten once the attendees submitted their donations and switched their minds to what to wear and who to show up at the event with. It was shallow.

"Why don't you mingle for a while? I'll catch up with you later on," Haruka suggested.

"Hm?" Michiru looked up at the blonde dressed in an immaculate black Armani suit, black dress shirt and a pale yellow tie. She was breathtaking and it felt very good to walk through the door with her, vain or not. 'What was she saying? Oh, mingle.' Michiru smiled and nodded in agreement, even if she felt sad at being separated from her date.

Haruka walked through the full room, avoiding some and looking for others. She spotted a tall blonde man in a grey suit speaking with a shorter brunette man in a tux and headed their way.

x x x

Michiru avoided the acquaintances with empty conversations and soon found herself in a circle of law enforcement officials discussing the politics and the inner works of the police departments.

"I haven't really seen any effects come out of the creation of the special commission so far and it's been months," one of the gentlemen pointed out.

"Do you have any suggestions to remedy the situation, Ohayashi-san?"

Michiru stiffened from the sound of the familiar voice by her side. She didn't bother to look there, knowing exactly who was standing next to her.

"I think the approach should be more aggressive, Sanu-san," the man responded after a slight hesitation.

"I would love to hear more about that, why don't you make an appointment with my secretary?" Daiki suggested.

"Certainly, Sanu-san." The man bowed before excusing himself from the group.

"How are you tonight, Kaioh-san?"

Michiru finally turned to look at the man next to her. It was the first time she saw him wear something other than his casual black on black on black. He was wearing his official uniform. "I'm fine and yourself?" She plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Well, thank you." He considered her for a moment before looking around the room. "Do you know where our mutual friend is?"

Michiru raised an eyebrow. "Our friend?" Daiki just looked at her without any expression. "Last time I saw her she was standing with two men in the South corner."

"Thank you." Daiki gave her a polite smile and excused himself, leaving Michiru on the side of the group that already started another conversation she had no interest in.

x x x

"Is there a particular reason why Abe-san is no longer with us without a vote?" the brunette man in a tux asked.

"She wanted out, I didn't see a reason not to comply with her request, Sasake-san." Haruka grabbed a champagne glass from a passing waiter.

"Shouldn't we be concerned with the information she has?" the blonde man asked, sipping on his drink.

"Security is my problem, not yours, Clasco-san," Haruka replied politely but firmly.

Daiki stood in their small circle, listening to the conversation in silence, wondering when Haruka would tell him were Sayuri was, if ever. He hoped it would happen sooner or later, his own search turned no results and he was sure that the disappearance had to do with his blonde cousin.

"What is of concern to me, however, is the recent change in the flow of income. Have you noticed anything unusual, Sasake-san?" Haruka looked at the brunette man who looked surprised.

"What in particular caught your attention?"

"Nothing in particular, just wondering if there is anything you have seen." Haruka looked at each of the three men in turn from underneath her lashes. Two were oblivious, one tried to look surprised. Her calm front didn't reflect any of the fire that was raging inside.

"I will keep a closer look on the numbers, Tenoh-san," Sasake assured and got a curt nod in response.

Haruka listened to the rest of their conversation, paying it little attention, while part of her brain was processing her suspicions and the other was enjoying the violin music that captured the audience from the stage where the orchestra was positioned. Her eyes traveled to the beautiful musician, her ocean blue eyes closed, her cheeks reddened slightly. Michiru was wearing a knee-length black dress that was simple, but very elegant. Haruka remembered buying that dress, they did it the day they got the suit she was now wearing, just a few days ago. It was something new to her, shopping with someone else, but she found Michiru not to be as overwhelming as she knew women (other than herself) could be. They went to the store Haruka herself preferred and Michiru found something she liked there, despite Haruka's offer to go somewhere else. It was easy. It was the way she liked it and it still made her girlfriend happy, which in turn made her happy. Haruka shook her thoughts off as a hand landed on her shoulder.

"She's very talented."

"I know."

"She doesn't belong there," Daiki said quietly.

"I know."

"And?"

"It's none of your business. You lost that right."

"Have I ever had it?"

She looked at his black eyes and saw no irony in them, only an honest and open expression. "Sanu-san, whatever foundation you had with me has been lost and you are only burying yourself deeper from where I'm standing based on your recent actions. Consider that before you address me again." She turned back to the sea goddess and ignored his hand that was still firmly placed on her shoulder.

Daiki pursed his lips and wondered exactly how deep Haruka had dug and what she knew at this point. Apparently taking care of Oono wasn't enough to dismiss all his problems, only the immediate ones. He sighed and turned back to his associates, catching on to their current conversation while watching Haruka out of the corner of his eye.

x x x

"Kaioh-sama, your music is so wonderful."

Michiru smiled at the man who'd been hovering over her ever since she got off the stage. "Thank you." She tried to get lost in the crowd, but ended up running into more of her admirers. She grunted internally and gave up on being left in peace, so she nodded and smiled politely, taking in the compliments and discussing her music with the men that surrounded her.

From the side of the room, gray eyes watched the violinist's every move. Haruka stopped listening to her associates altogether as her attention was taken by the hungry looks badly hidden on the faces of the men dressed in suits and tuxes that surrounded a beautiful woman… a woman that belonged to her. Michiru was smiling and seemingly enjoying the attention, which stirred something rotten inside Haruka and the racer left the group without so much as a nod.

Michiru loved her audience. She loved when people enjoyed her music, whether they understood it or not, whether it was her own or her rendition of someone else's piece. What she didn't like was being flocked by her fans who saw either a musical prodigy and not a person or a beautiful woman and neither a musician nor a person. The men who currently surrounded her belonged to both categories and she was starting to lose patience, lest they forget about the etiquette and start openly hitting on her. She smiled politely at another comment and her smile froze in place as a hand wrapped itself possessively around her waist. Her head snapped to the left, Michiru readying herself to tell exactly where the obnoxious admirer could shove his manners, except that she was met with a profile of her girlfriend, not a stranger. Michiru relaxed and turned back to her little circle, this time smiling with relief.

Her companions, on the other hand, were no longer smiling. The man who commented on something just a few moments ago stared at Haruka with obvious irritation, while others showed their disappointment in more subtle ways.

"And you are?" the man asked briskly, his eyes quickly taking in the possessive demeanor of the blonde next to his object of interest.

"Tenoh Haruka. And you are?" Haruka's tone of voice was indifferent.

"Okado Eiji," the man replied. "Are you accompanying Kaioh-sama for tonight, Tenoh-kun?"

Michiru hid her smile, knowing exactly how easy it was to mistake Haruka for a man, especially the way she looked tonight. She looked at the racer sideways, wondering how she would take the mistaken identity, but there was not a trace of reaction in the tall blonde.

"I am accompanying Michiru tonight, yes."

"I see," came after a long pause. "It's a shame, Kaioh-sama, I was hoping for an opportunity to discuss your next album." The man ignored musician's blonde companion.

"I'm sure Haruka would love to hear your thoughts on that subject as much as I would," Michiru replied, only a trace of sarcasm present in her statement.

"It's quite alright. Maybe some other time." He bowed to the couple and the rest of the group. "Enjoy the rest of your evening."

"Sure will," Haruka mumbled as the rest of the men followed his example.

As soon as the last one of them turned, a deep sigh escaped Michiru, causing Haruka to smile to herself. Maybe things weren't as bad as she thought. Her thoughts were quickly wiped as she spotted a couple heading in their direction. "Shit."

"What?" Michiru came out of her own thoughts and looked up at the blonde.

"How much does your stepfather know about where you are and everything that happened?"

"Nothing." Michiru was about to ask why when her eyes followed Haruka's gaze and she allowed herself a quite ungraceful and very inappropriate curse.

"Exactly," Haruka whispered, tightening her hold on the slim waist.

"Michi-chan, darling!" Hideo's voice boomed as he approached, stretching his hands out. "What a wonderful surprise, when did you get back in? How was Europe?" He enveloped her in a bear hug, making Haruka step away.

Michiru's wide eyes met her mother's and both swallowed hard, trying to figure out how to get out of the mess they found themselves in that exact moment.

"To be honest, the past few months seem like a blur," Michiru finally forced out, separating herself from the man.

He chuckled. "Naturally, three months is not nearly enough time to fully enjoy its beauty, history and rich culture." Hideo stepped away and noticed his stepdaughter's companion for the first time. "Haven't we met before?"

"We have." Haruka acknowledged his presence with a bow of her head.

It was obvious that Hideo tried to remember her name, as well as that Haruka was not going to be of any help in the matter. Eiko hugged her daughter gently and weaved her hand through her husband's. "Tenoh-san, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Kaioh-san." Haruka couldn't return the sentiment.

Haruka's hand returned back to Michiru's waist without so much as any recognition of the action by either woman, but it didn't escape the older couple. "Is there anything I should know?" Hideo was looking straight in Haruka's gray eyes.

"With all due respect, Shimizu-san, I don't know nearly enough about you to know what you should know," Haruka replied cooly.

The older man seemed to be taken aback by the response, having been a politician most of his life and having a high post, he was used to being respected and feared, not spoken to in a manner the stranger just did. Maybe this person, whose hand was so suggestively wrapped around his stepdaughter, had no idea who he was. Hideo regained his composure. "Well, perhaps it would be beneficial for both of us to get to know each other a bit better, seeing how you are glued to my daughter at the moment."

Haruka felt Michiru's spine straighten like a rod underneath her hand, but didn't show any reaction herself.

"We're having a dinner next Thursday night, why don't you stop by?"

Even though it sounded like a question, Haruka knew very well that it was meant as an order. She considered her options and smiled, nodding her head slightly. "It will be an honor, Shimizu-san."

Both Michiru and Eiko hid their surprised reactions very well, even though both knew that this was the beginning of an end. They didn't really know an end of what, they just knew it was a bad idea. Michiru stole a sideways glance at Haruka and caught a malicious sparkle in her eye, one that she was sure escaped everyone else. She grunted internally and looked back at Hideo.

"Very well." Haruka was dismissed from Hideo's attention. "Now, you have been away for quite a while, darling, there are a few people I'd like you to meet."

Just like before it wasn't a question or a request, it was an order. Michiru swallowed and felt warm breath on her ear.

"Find me when you're done."

She nodded as the warm presence by her side disappeared with a bow to her parents.

x x x

Haruka had no intention of sticking around Hideo any longer than was absolutely necessary. She may have had an interest in his daughter and a particular interest in what he did, but there was no reason to make him suspicious enough to investigate her. Especially not when the man knew her actual name; not that that would have given him much, but one could never be too careful. Haruka walked through the throng of people, sipping on the champagne and watching her girlfriend from a corner of her eye.

Michiru was taken by her parents to a number of small circles, naturally all the people she was introduced to were men. To Haruka's further displeasure, the music started again and people cleared some space for dancing, one of the people among the moving figures, inevitably, being her girlfriend. Michiru had been dancing with her new acquaintances for the past twenty minutes, seemingly enjoying every moment of it.

"She looks beautiful tonight," a male voice observed next to her.

Haruka took a larger gulp of the ivory liquid, her eyes never leaving the beauty moving to the strings of a waltz.

"She belongs here. I checked her out. I mean, she's a great choice, but she is so far above you, you'll never be enough," the man continued.

Haruka emptied her glass and turned around, trying not to break it on the head of the person who was taunting her, knowing exactly what she felt at the moment, how she felt out of place. "I didn't realize law enforcement members invited subjects of their interest to their charity events."

"Haruka, you know as well as I do that half of the force is in organized crime. How is it surprising that I'm here?" Ichiro asked.

"What surprises me is that you are stupid enough to be a public figure when everyone knows exactly who you are."

"Yet they don't do anything about it, so why should I hide? Or does it make you uncomfortable to be seen with me?"

Haruka laughed without any humor. "I'm much better at laying low than you are, if I need to disappear because of too much attention, I will. You, on the other hand, won't."

"As cocky as ever. Too bad your arrogance is not enough to keep Michiru happy."

"Don't ever bring her name up, don't ever look into who she is, again. She is mine and it's all that matters." Her cold eyes shone dangerously.

"She may be yours today, but who knows where she'll be tomorrow? You're a street rat, she is a princess, life isn't a fairytale."

"Says a father-killing yakuza who's being ordered around by a woman?"

Haruka was yanked against the man, chest to chest, eye to eye thanks to their height, his hand firmly on the low of her back. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Don't intimidate me, I'm way more dangerous than you think I am. One day I may just forget that I like you."

"I know who you are, Wada, better than most. You know that. You know what I said is true, just like you know you hit the spot earlier. Stop intimidating me, I won't intimidate you; but then again, that's the only fun we have anymore, isn't it? Now, unless you want people to think that you're gay, let go of me."

Ichiro's eyes widened as he realized how they must have looked. He let go of her waist and took a step back, giving her a once-over. Yes, she did look like a man. A smile appeared on his face as he whispered to her again. "You know, maybe if you wear that leather corset I mentioned before, you'd keep Michiru for a few extra days."

He walked away before she could respond, leaving Haruka furiously pumping her free fist. When she felt like she gained some control, her gray eyes dashed across the room to where she saw Michiru last and didn't find her there. She finally located her laughing in a company of two men and her legs moved once again before her mind processed her actions. She made her way to the group and grabbed Michiru's elbow. "Excuse us." She didn't even bother with their reaction as she dragged the smaller woman towards one of the many side doors, ending up in a small hallway that connected the hall to service rooms.

"What the hell are you doing?" Michiru hissed as she yanked her arm out of the iron grip and rubbed her abused flesh that was surely going to show bruising the next day.

Instead of answering, Haruka pushed her against the wall, putting both hands on the sides of her head and captured her lips in a hard kiss. It was different from the way Michiru had been kissed before, it wasn't out of passion, it wasn't out of love or any other warm feeling. It was a way to assert dominance. She felt like her lips were abused in the same way her arm was just minutes earlier. She tried to break away, but the wall behind her was in the way, so she turned her head all the way to the side, staring at one of the hands pushing into the wall.

"Tell me that you're mine." Haruka stopped the assault, but her whisper was as hard as her actions. "Tell me that you belong to me, Michiru."

Michiru felt a stinging sensation in her eyes and batted her eyelashes, trying to stop the tears before she faced the blonde and looked into stormy grays. "You already know that, why do you have to force it out of me?"

Haruka felt a taste of regret as she saw the ocean blues fill with tears, despite Michiru's strong resolve that was written on her face. "I need you to tell me that you're mine," Haruka repeated, softer this time.

"Haruka, I did nothing to make you jealous, I didn't subject myself to being kissed and touched by others, unlike you."

"I'm different from you, I need space. You've known that from the very beginning, you've agreed to it… and I'm not jealous, I just need to know that you're mine."

Michiru laughed at the same time as a tear ran down her cheek. This was as ridiculous as it gets. "Haruka, that is jealousy. You want to walk around with girls hanging off of your arms every Friday, having space, which, by the way, I have no idea where the boundary of that lies, and then you get jealous when I dance and talk to someone other than you."

"I need the attention, Michiru, it's my nature. I'm not sleeping with them, they know nothing of me or about me, unlike you. I've been honest about that from the beginning, you knew what you were getting yourself into. You, on the other hand, have been a pretty good god damn liar since the first day I met you. I have no idea where your talking and dancing stops and something else begins. This is why I need you to look me in the eyes and tell me that you are mine."

Haruka's nails were digging into the cold wall, which was her way of holding on to the moment and not walking out of the hallway and the relationship, taking her wounded ego and pride and nursing them somewhere in the company of a few sexy girls. She did know that her ego was wounded much more by her own insecurities and Ichiro than the woman in front of her, so she decided to give it a chance. Her patience was running out, though.

Michiru couldn't tear her eyes away from the cold gray ones. She listened to every word that came out of Haruka's mouth and, no matter how hurt she was by the constant flirting of her girlfriend, she knew that what she just heard was the most she was going to get as confessions went, at least for a while. Haruka's monogamy held a lot of weight, but the fact that Haruka opened up to her was even more important. She knew that, but apparently she needed to be reminded of it. Besides, no matter how hard and cold those eyes were, the longer she looked into them, the deeper she felt she was reaching. Maybe not to the bottom of Haruka's soul, but deep enough to see the insecurity looming on the horizon. She brought her hands up and cupped the sides of Haruka's face.

"I am yours, Haruka. I belong to you. Yesterday, today, and in the future I am yours and yours only. I don't want anybody else, just you." She waited for the grays to soften before she reached and kissed the blonde, with all the gentleness that their previous kiss lacked.

Haruka was still secretly bathing in the words when it occurred to her that soft lips were moving on top of her own. She grunted and responded, asking for permission and deepening the kiss as it was granted. She let go of the wall and brought her hands to Michiru's sides, making their bodies come closer, enjoying the silk texture of the black dress.

"I'm sorry, mermaid," she breathed into the mouth she was kissing more than she said it, but Michiru heard it, her own mouth curving into a small smile. "I'm sorry."

Michiru simply responded by deepening the kiss even further and moving her hands away from the face and towards other, more exciting parts of her girlfriend's body. Haruka took the invitation and her right hand moved down Michiru's thigh, to the hem of her dress and back up, sliding on top of the satin stocking to its edge, only to heat up the skin underneath her palm as it reached it. Michiru brought the leg up in response and wrapped it around Haruka's waist, Michiru's heels putting them almost at the same height. Michiru's own hands were underneath the jacket, working their magic with the buttons of Haruka's shirt. She heard a low moan as her hands finally reached the warm flesh, making their way around the familiar body. Haruka's left arm cupped Michiru's breast, playing with it through the material of the dress and the bra underneath. Her right hand travelled to the inside of the thigh, to the edge of the black lacy panty she knew Michiru was wearing… she was there when the violinist put it on and already made plans on how she would take it off, which was still something she intended to do when they got home later.

Their tongues fighting for dominance, their mouths reluctant to leave each other, their hands sending waves of pleasure through each other, they didn't care for anything else. Michiru completely lost touch with reality as Haruka's fingers climbed underneath the thong and brushed against her already wet folds, making her shiver as they separated them and dove into the warm tightness of her sex.

'I love you.' Michiru opened her clouded eyes as the words came to mind. She thought of shouting them out loud as she did in her head, but decided against it. She gave Haruka the reassurance she had asked for, the blonde didn't deserve to know exactly how much Michiru belonged to her… not yet, not until Michiru knew that it was mutual, whether Haruka would ever say it or not, but she needed to know it first, she was sure she would when the day came. Her eyes closed again as all thoughts left her and she let herself go, trembling in the hands of a woman that was like no other for her in the world.

Haruka ended the kiss after it did its job of silencing the loud moans she knew would escape Michiru as she came. She smiled, watching Michiru rest her head against the wall, her features content, her eyes half-open. Haruka put the lace back in its place and pulled her hand out, bringing the fingers in her mouth and tasting the release.

"Dirty," Michiru whispered lazily.

Haruka took her time licking the fingers before she responded: "I like your taste." She felt the leg around her waist force her closer in response and smiled wider.

"Let me." Michiru brought their mouths back together in a slow kiss. Haruka cupped her cheek with the now free hand and indulged in a lazy tongue fight.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? This is not a hallway of a brothel you go to every Friday, for god's sake, you're at a social event!" They both turned around at the shout coming from the direction of the door. Michiru's leg gracefully slid down Haruka's body, her dress coming down to its place as Haruka took a step back. The racer slowly buttoned up her shirt, not caring that Eiko was staring at her disheveled state. The light blue eyes traveled to Michiru and Eiko's face turned a nice shade of crimson as she realized that Michiru's reddened face was not a result of her being caught. "Did you just? Oh, that is disgusting!" Eiko wrinkled her nose at the realization.

"I think it's beautiful," Haruka murmured in a voice Eiko had never heard before and hoped she never would again.

She covered her eyes with her thumb and index finger before shaking it off and regaining her composure. "You can do whatever you want in the confines of your bedroom, but do not ruin my daughter's reputation and cause a scandal when she is already on thin ice with society. Lest she decides that her music matters to her again." Eiko turned to Michiru. "And you, you are officially moving out of our house and getting an apartment downtown because your trip to Europe made you feel like you want to live in the city. I don't care if you actually care enough to lease one, but make a fuss about it in front of Hideo, you owe me at least that."

She considered them both for another long moment. "Haruka, give me a call when you don't smell of my daughter, I have some interesting information you want to know." She walked out with her head high and her pride restored, leaving the two lovers straightening their clothes in thoughtful silence.