Angst angst angst and then fluff. ENjoy.
Michiru opened her eyes to the same beeping of the machines she had heard for the past week. She lifted her head from her arms and looked up at the sleeping woman before her. Haruka slept quietly, her chest raised and fell with every deep breath she took.
On cue, a nurse walked in, took a look at the machines connected to the blonde's pulse, wrote something on a tablet, and then turned to Michiru. "Any changes?"
Michiru shook her head as she pushed herself off the bed and sat up straight on her chair she had pulled to be closer to Haruka. "I was hoping you would tell me."
The nurse pursed her lips, looked at the tablet, and sighed. "Everything seems normal."
"Then why won't she wake up?" Michiru asked for the millionth time in that week. Her voice broke a bit, faltering as she looked for an answer.
"She will wake up. She hit her head pretty hard in the accident. We are lucky she is still with us."
Michiru pulled a strand of aqua hair from her face and tucked it neatly behind her ear. Her eyes went from the nurse to her lover. Haruka Tenoh, a world-renowned car racer, had a car accident during one of her races. Her car had some mechanical damage, brake damage, and she lost control and crashed into a concrete wall resulting in broken ribs, an arm, and a head injury.
Michiru saw it all happen, and he could do nothing, but scream as her lover's car rolled around green pasture until stopping at that wall. She remembered how she jumped over the protective rail, ran to the smoking car, and saw her, still awake in a daze.
Michiru called to her, she told her to stay awake at all times to listen to her voice as the paramedics ran to the crash site, but Haruka closed her eyes, leaned back, and hadn't woken up since.
"Is the doctor coming in to see her?"
"She will. She will need to check how her ribs are going after the operation." The nurse gave Michiru her most hopeful smile, but Michiru's eyes were locked with Haruka's tranquil face.
"Alright. Thanks."
The nurse didn't say anything else and left the room.
Michiru let out a breathy sob. She rested her elbows on the bed, rubbed her temple, and then stood up. She walked around the hospital room, not wanting to get body ache because of how long she had been sitting. She walked to the window, stared into nothing, and then turned to Haruka. Her lover's face was still bruised, but not as much as last week. She looked like she was sleeping, and Michiru wanted to grab her by the shoulder and shake her until she woke up.
It took all of her willpower not to scream in frustration. She wanted her lover back. She wanted Haruka to wake up, tell her one of her annoying jokes, tell her that she had a good night's sleep, the best they've had after adopting their baby girl Hotaru.
Hotaru…
Michiru wondered if she was fine staying with Setsuna. She felt horrible that she had to give up the care of her daughter to her best friend, but there was nothing she could do. She would've been able to care for her properly, not while worrying day in and day out about Haruka.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and she darted her eyes to the door. Setsuna walked in, holding the two-year-old's hand. Hotaru let out a wild squeal the moment her dark eyes fell on Michiru. She spread her tiny arms and sprinted towards her.
Michiru quickly wiped her tears away and managed to show off a perfect smile. She picked her daughter up and kissed her on her chubby cheeks. "Hey, how's my little princess?"
Hotaru murmured something unintelligible and then said the word "Fine." After that, she pointed a tiny finger at Haruka and tried to wiggle out of Michiru's arm. "Papa!"
Michiru turned to Setsuna for help, yet the tanned woman shrugged in defeat. "She misses her Momma and Papa. You can't blame her."
"I know," Michiru said before leaning over the bed, just enough for Hotaru to look at Haruka.
"Boo boo," Hotaru reached her tiny hand towards Haruka, wanting to touch the blonde's face.
Yet, Michiru pulled away, grabbed her tiny hand, and kissed her in the middle of her palm. "Yes, Papa is recovering from the boo boos. She is still resting."
Setsuna let out a sigh and stood by the bed's feet. She moved her hand and squeezed Haruka's foot as if by some miracle, that gesture would wake her up. "You should take a break. Go take a shower, eat something. I will stay with both of them for a couple of hours."
"You would do that?"
"I am here, right?" Setsuna said, pivoting towards Michiru and showed her palms to Hotaru. "Want to hang with Aunt Sets and Ruka-papa?"
The toddler clung to her mother's neck, and Michiru tried her hardest not to burst out crying right there. She has missed Hotaru; she has missed Haruka. She missed their life before the accident. She missed waking the toddler up, watching Haruka make breakfast as she got their daughter ready for the day. She missed sitting at home while Haruka went out to work on the cars… She missed her life. Now, she felt like she was living a nightmare she couldn't wake to wake up from.
"Hotaru, sweetheart. Momma needs to shower and eat." Michiru said while pressing her nose to Hotaru's temple.
Hotaru didn't answer. Instead, she hid her face from Setsuna and held her mother tighter.
Setsuna pursed her lips. She did look hurt. She had enjoyed being with Hotaru for the past couple of days. She understood the rejection, though.
"Come on, Hotaru. Help me look after Papa while Momma goes out to eat."
After a while, Hotaru let out a whimper before turning to Setsuna and moving her tiny hands towards her. Setsuna gladly took her into her arms and squeezed her. The tanned woman gave her best friend a glance before nodding. "She will be fine. Go ahead. You need to be well if you want everyone else to be well."
Michiru nodded, fetched her purse, and left the room before she could turn around and regret her decision.
The ride home was quiet, too quiet for her liking. She liked riding in silence, but only if it was in the comfortable and familiar company of Haruka and Hotaru. She loved looking behind the passenger seat and seeing the toddler asleep; she loved how concentrated Haruka was when driving the car, not to take any bumps that would wake their daughter up; she loved how the radio was turned off. All that remained was her loved one's presence. She liked that quietness, not this one, and not the one she would encounter when she got home.
The house was a mess from that day. The kitchen still had the dishes left out to clean from that morning. She decided she should wash them before heading upstairs.
That was a mistake as she washed them, she fell into that routine, her mind wandered and created an illusion where everything was fine, as it should be…
She patted her hands dry with a random towel and headed for the stairs. The house was quiet…
She opened the master bedroom and froze.
The room was a mess. Michiru's clothing was thrown on their king-size bed as if in a hurry. The day of the accident, Setsuna walked in, took whatever she could find, and brought it to the hospital. Hotaru's room must be a mess too…
Michiru swallowed hard, and slowly but steady, she gathered the clothing and put it away in their walk-in closet.
She changed the blanket of the bed with clean ones. She was so concentrated on making the bed look ñristine that she didn't notice the cold, wet trail of her tears.
A week ago, she had been between the sheets with Haruka. Her body was writhing underneath the car racer's, her hands clinging to her broad back. The blonde was whispering sweet nothings and reminding her to be quiet, asking her not to wake their daughter up.
Michiru closed her eyes tightly and pressed her face to a pillow.
A week ago, Haruka had woken up before Michiru did. She had sneaked out of their room, and before Michiru could open her eyes, a pair of tiny hands were on her cheeks. Hotaru snuggled to her while Haruka pulled the covers over them before going back to sleep for another hour.
A week ago, Haruka was smiling down at her, giving her the most delicious morning kiss…
Michiru fell asleep while crying. She woke up two hours later, her stomach grumbled, and the house was still empty. She patted the bed and found her purse discarded to the side. She took out her phone and saw one single text message.
When out to eat with Hotaru. In case you come back, and we are not there.
That was an hour ago. Michiru frowned and decided she shouñd also get something to eat as well. She didn't want Haruka to be alone when she woke up because it was a matter of when not if.
The shower and meal did wonder to her mood. Yet the heavy ess in her chest was still there.
She wasn't feeling as tired as when she left, though, and seeing her daughter walk towards her as they both moved to Haruka's room made Michiru genuinely smile for the first time in a while. She ran the rest of the way to Hotaru, picked her up, and showered her cheeks with kisses.
"What did you eat?" Michiru asked her, but Hotaru was too glad to see her to answer. She grabbed fistfuls of her blue hair and tugged on it.
"She had some pumpkin soup," Setsuna answered for Hotaru.
"Did she eat enough? She is being very picky about her food. Haruka always-"
"She ate enough, trust me. She ate a small bowl all by herself. She loved it!"
Michiru grinned, bumped her forehead with Hotaru, earning a giggle from her. "You are some soup with Aunt Sets?"
Hotaru nodded and then turned to the door.
"You want to say 'hello' to Papa again before you leave?"
"Is Papa staying again?"
Michiru pursed her lips as she felt her eyes stinging with upcoming tears. Yet, she smiled brightly and nodded. "Yes, baby. She needs to get better before going back home. But she will get better soon. I promise."
Setsuna bit the inside of her cheek as she opened the door to the hospital room.
Michiru walked in and moved to Haruka's side. "Do you want to give Papa a kiss?"
"Michiru…"
Michiru turned to Setsuna and gave her an all-knowing gaze. She knew what her friend was warning without even listening to her. She was worried that Hotaru might hurt Haruka." Its okay. I can hold her." And she could, She got a good grip on her daughter's flank and slowly hovered her over Haruka's unconscious form.
Both grown women watched as Hotaru simply stared at Haruka. She was quiet as if expecting that the blonde would open her eyes and say something. Instead of saying something, Hotaru moved her hands and touched Haruka's cheek before dipping closer and giving her a small kiss on the cheek. Michiru pulled her up and cradled her in her arms again.
"Are you planning to stay the night again?" Setsuna asked.
Michiru turned her back on Haruka to face Setsuna while Hotaru's gaze still lingered over her Papa. She shrugged at her questions and then exhaled tiredly. "I should I want to be here when she wakes up."
Setsuna frowned yet again. "Michiru" AThe tall woman moved forward, grabbed Mcihriu's arm, and squeezed it hard.
"I am not leaving. I can't leave her."
"Hotaru needs you. I mean, don't get me wrong I love the little kid but you need to spend time with her. Tell her what's happening. She is two but she understands if you just talk to her."
Michiru bit her lower lip and shook her head. "I know. I-"
"Papa," Hotaru mumbled.
"I need to stay. What if she wakes up and there is no one around?"
"There will be people around, Mcihriu. Doctors, nurses. Believe me if anything happens they will call you."
"I don't-"
"Papa!"
Setsuna pursed her lips and rubbed Hotaru's back as the child faced away from her. "Hotaru needs her Momma. If you need help I will continue to be there. I love you guys to death and that includes Haruka."
"Setsuna," Michiru began but paused when she tried to get a better hold of a squirming Hotaru. "Hotaru, you re going to fall if you keep wiggling like that"
"Papa is awake."
Michiru froze, yet turned as fast as she could just in time to see a pair of hooded green eyes looking up at Hotaru, then shifting to look at her. She opened her mouth to talk, but nothing but a silent surprise sob racked through her.
"Hey."
Haruka's raspy voice was like a bucket of icy cold water. As fresh new tears began to flow, Michiru softly handed her toddler to her best friend and leaned over her. She cupped her cheek as softly as she could, pressed her forehead together, and cried.
Haruka was awake, she was awake, and she was talking.
The blonde shifted underneath Michiru as she registered the state of her body, her injuries. She hissed but never pushed away. Instead, the blonde reached out with her healthy arm, wrapped it around Michiru, and pulled her into a hug.
The other side of the bed dipped as Hotaru was set down on the bed, and with all the care in the world, the toddler settled in and hugged her Papa.
After a few minutes of laughter and sniffling, Michiru heard her best friend exhale, sniff, and say, "Oh, what the hell," before feeling the taller woman move in to join in the adorable group hug.
Haruka was awake, she could move, she was hugging her, she was hugging them, and everything was finally alright in Michiru's world.