"First Kiss: Ami/Makoto" by Desslok
--------------------------------------
[Author's Note: This story is inspired by my favorite piece of
Ami/Makoto fan art. The art in question can be found at:
http://arcimpulse.shoujoai.com/pages/tukimi.htm ]
-----
Ami stood up slowly, stretching muscles grown sore from sitting
in one position too long.
"Are we done, Ami-chan?" Usagi called out hopefully.
"No, Usagi-chan," Ami replied fondly, "I'm just taking a short
break. You know that we have exams soon and we cannot afford to
fall behind in our studies."
Usagi's plaintive groan was joined by resigned sighs from the
other three senshi. Rei and Mina exchanged unhappy glances and
turned back to their textbooks. Makoto leaned back against the
wall, watching her friend as she gathered up her pink sweater.
"I think I'm going to step outside for a bit. There's a lovely
moon out tonight," Ami announced. "If any of you have any
questions, I'll just be out on the steps."
"Ok, Ami-chan," Usagi replied. "We'll be good!" As soon as Ami
turned around, Usagi cautiously slipped one of Rei's manga out
from under the study table and hid it inside her textbook.
Ami gently slid the door open and stepped out onto the porch.
Indeed, it was a lovely night. The full moon hung in sky,
illuminating the peaceful grounds of the shrine in a warm golden
light. Though there was a bit of an autumn chill in the air, Ami
simply draped her sweater across her back, letting the sleeves
dangle over her shoulders. She sat down and gazed up at the sky.
'She looks so pretty in yellow,' Ami thought. Truly, she had
needed a break, but not from studying. Makoto was becoming
increasingly distracting and Ami had no idea what she should do
about it.
At first, it hadn't been a problem at all. From the very first
time they had met, Ami had been taken aback by the beauty of this
young woman. Tall, strong, with long auburn hair swept back
casually from her gentle face, she was the epitome of everything
Ami thought was beautiful. Ami smiled gently, thinking back to
those days long ago when they'd first met, struggling to fight
Queen Beryl, trying to find a moon princess who was sitting right
in front of them all along, but mostly just learning about each
other and letting the bonds of friendship grow. Simpler days.
With a sigh, Ami recalled when everything had begun to change.
As if sensing her thoughts, the breeze picked up, bringing a
swift chill. After the Arctic Circle, nothing else seemed cold
any more. Watching her die, selflessly, bravely, showing the
rest of them the type of sacrifices that would have to be made to
enable Sailor Moon to win the day, that was when it had begun.
She vanished and Ami's heart shattered. She barely remembered
her own end that day, so numb had she been. Even after they had
been returned, after their memories were restored, Ami would
still awaken in the middle of the night, shivering in a cold
sweat, tears damp on her cheeks, recalling that day.
It was Ami's way to consider things carefully from every angle,
so she had not rushed to examine her feelings. Instead, she had
let the consciousness of them seep into her over time. She could
not pinpoint the exact time when feelings of friendship had
evolved into something more. There was no single event that had
inspired a shift from simple admiration to definite attraction.
It was one thing to know someone was beautiful, but quite another
to feel that beauty in the very core of your being. Such things
happened slowly, over time.
No, Ami could not identify the moment when she'd gone from loving
Makoto as a friend to loving her completely. Watching her die
had simply been the moment when realization had been thrust upon
her. The years since had only seen those feelings grow stronger.
In so many ways, Makoto was her best friend. The two of them
shared so much in common. Neither knew what it was like to have
two loving parents at home. They shared similar insecurities
about themselves, about their place in life. Each at times felt
like an outsider looking in. Even in those areas where they were
different, their differences complemented one another. Ami was
careful and logical, while Makoto was passionate and impulsive.
Each helped balance the other's shortcomings and enhance the
other's strengths. They just fit together.
Ami sighed happily, wondering if perhaps their friends didn't
realize this as well, if only on a subconscious level. After
all, didn't they always leave room so that Ami and Makoto could
sit next to each other when they went out? Ami blushed slightly
at the thought of how forward she had become over recent months.
She wondered if Makoto noticed how she always stood just a little
bit closer to her than was normal, or how she used any excuse
necessary to touch her. Little things, to be sure, but they were
all Ami had.
She had debated talking to Makoto more than once. Part of her
thought that it would just be easier to get these feelings out
into the open, to have done with it. But, Ami enjoyed her secret
flirting, even if no one would else would ever have noticed it as
such. She didn't want to disrupt the relationships between her
and her friends and who could tell what disruptions such an
announcement would cause. Everyone had been so shocked that Ami
had been the first to figure out about Haruka and Michiru, after
all. How much more upset would they be to learn that, like those
two, she also preferred girls?
With another heavy sigh, Ami decided yet again to simply let
things be. The romantic in her almost enjoyed her unrequited
love....
"Can I join you?"
Ami sat up straight, startled by the sudden voice. Turning her
head, she saw Makoto framed in the light of the doorway.
"Please, Mako-chan," Ami murmured, forcing herself to relax.
"It sure is a beautiful night," Makoto pointed out as she sat
down next to Ami on the steps. "I can see why you wanted to come
out here."
Ami nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment. She could feel
her heart racing and tried to will it to slow down.
"Looks like you were thinking about something pretty intense,"
Makoto noted. "Anything you want to share?" She turned her head
towards her friend. Ami blushed deeply and dropped her eyes
demurely toward the ground ahead of them.
Makoto's heart caught in her throat. The moonlight glittered on
Ami's hair and shone on her flawless skin. She gave silent
thanks to every martial arts instructor she'd ever had for all
the training in self-control that she'd received over the years.
At moments like these, within arm's reach of her heart's dream,
she needed every scrap of discipline she could muster.
So lost was Makoto in the vision of loveliness before her and her
own tumultuous emotions that she didn't notice that Ami hadn't
responded to her question. Reluctantly, Makoto tore her eyes
from Ami's perfection to the mere splendor of the moon.
"It is a beautiful night, Mako-chan," Ami finally whispered.
"Very romantic." She blushed even more deeply as she realized
what she had just let slip.
Makoto sighed and let her thoughts drift along familiar pathways.
Usually, she only allowed herself such fancies late at night,
alone at home, far from their source. Here, now, sitting so
close to the one who lived in the center of her dreams, she felt
a rush of warmth on her skin. She felt suddenly daring and
reckless, without knowing why. "Romantic is a very good word for
it, Ami-chan. It's the perfect night to talk a stroll with
someone you love."
"Or just to sit and enjoy the evening," Ami added, unable to
believe how brazen she had become.
"Ami-chan?"
"Yes?"
"Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be in
love?"
Ami swallowed and took a deep breath. She could feel her muscles
quivering, so she placed her right hand flat on the porch to
brace herself. Acting on instinct was something new and
exhilarating, she found. She would not let logic derail her
this night.
"I am in love, Mako-chan," she whispered.
Before Makoto could react, Ami took the final plunge. Looking up
into the moon, she let her thoughts flow freely. Her warm smile
lit up the night as she began to elaborate.
"I am in love with the most wonderful person in the world, Mako-
chan. Someone who is my very best friend and yet so much more.
Someone with whom I have grown, who has taught me about life and
about myself. Someone whose beauty and elegance are breathtaking
as well. Someone who I have fought and died beside."
Until the last sentence, Makoto did not think her heart could
sink any lower. However... fought and died beside? That could
only be one of a small group of people. A miniscule flicker of
hope lingered inside her, flamed by a morbid curiosity if nothing
else. "This person sounds like the luckiest person in the world,
Ami-chan, to be cared for so deeply," she said cautiously.
Ami laughed quietly, "I'm not so sure about that, since she
doesn't even know."
'She?' Makoto's heart raced. Not Urawa, then. Not Mamoru. She
who Ami had fought and died beside? Makoto's odds had just
increased significantly! She became painfully aware of the
proximity of Ami's hand to her own on the porch.
Gathering herself, Makoto reached a decision. She had learned a
great deal over the past few years, but the one lesson that had
come through loud and clear over and over was the power of Love.
Their princess had demonstrated time and again that nothing could
stand in its way. Makoto decided that it was time to take the
plunge.
With a warm smile, she turned her head to face Ami. She could
see the moonlight reflected in her perfect blue eyes as she gazed
off into the sky. Laying her hand gently on top of Ami's, Makoto
said, "I am the luckiest person in the world, Ami-chan, if it is
me who has your heart, because you certainly have mine."
Somehow, Ami remained calm, even as every one of her dreams came
true in that one moment. The warmth of Makoto's hand on her own
spread throughout her body and she understood something at long
last. She'd known all along that Makoto felt the same way about
her. She just hadn't let herself see what had been right in
front of her all along.
"I love you, Kino Makoto," she said firmly, shifting her body so
she could look her beloved in the eye.
Suddenly overcome by the torrent of emotion, Makoto could not
find any words to respond. Tears welled in her eyes and her
smile quivered on her lips. "Oh Ami, I..." she managed to
sputter out.
"Shhh," Ami replied softly. "Everything is going to be fine from
now on." To demonstrate her point, she leaned forward slowly,
raising her free hand to lightly brush the teardrops from
Makoto's cheek. Her lips found Makoto's and pressed tenderly
against them. Makoto brought her arms up and wrapped Ami in a
firm embrace. Neither young woman noticed the sound of the door
sliding shut behind them.
"I told you so," Minako said in a hushed tone to Usagi and Rei as
the three of them returned to their places around the study
table.
"Oh, it was soooo romantic," gushed Usagi, wiping away tears and
blowing her nose noisily into one of Rei's handkerchiefs. "I'm
so happy for them!"
"It's about time," Rei grunted. "They've been mooning over each
other for months now."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Usagi declared.
"'Mooning' is just an expression, meatball-head!" Rei retorted
hotly.
"Mina-chan, I think Rei is being mean to me, but I can't prove
it!" Usagi wailed.
Minako only smiled, even as she peeked one last time out the
window. She didn't imagine that Ami and Makoto would be out
there long, but she hoped they made the most of the time.
Turning back to watch Rei and Usagi brawling, she laughed. The
more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
"Omedetou, Ami-chan and Mako-chan," she said quietly. Then, she
got back to work.
--------------------------------------
[Author's Note: This story is inspired by my favorite piece of
Ami/Makoto fan art. The art in question can be found at:
http://arcimpulse.shoujoai.com/pages/tukimi.htm ]
-----
Ami stood up slowly, stretching muscles grown sore from sitting
in one position too long.
"Are we done, Ami-chan?" Usagi called out hopefully.
"No, Usagi-chan," Ami replied fondly, "I'm just taking a short
break. You know that we have exams soon and we cannot afford to
fall behind in our studies."
Usagi's plaintive groan was joined by resigned sighs from the
other three senshi. Rei and Mina exchanged unhappy glances and
turned back to their textbooks. Makoto leaned back against the
wall, watching her friend as she gathered up her pink sweater.
"I think I'm going to step outside for a bit. There's a lovely
moon out tonight," Ami announced. "If any of you have any
questions, I'll just be out on the steps."
"Ok, Ami-chan," Usagi replied. "We'll be good!" As soon as Ami
turned around, Usagi cautiously slipped one of Rei's manga out
from under the study table and hid it inside her textbook.
Ami gently slid the door open and stepped out onto the porch.
Indeed, it was a lovely night. The full moon hung in sky,
illuminating the peaceful grounds of the shrine in a warm golden
light. Though there was a bit of an autumn chill in the air, Ami
simply draped her sweater across her back, letting the sleeves
dangle over her shoulders. She sat down and gazed up at the sky.
'She looks so pretty in yellow,' Ami thought. Truly, she had
needed a break, but not from studying. Makoto was becoming
increasingly distracting and Ami had no idea what she should do
about it.
At first, it hadn't been a problem at all. From the very first
time they had met, Ami had been taken aback by the beauty of this
young woman. Tall, strong, with long auburn hair swept back
casually from her gentle face, she was the epitome of everything
Ami thought was beautiful. Ami smiled gently, thinking back to
those days long ago when they'd first met, struggling to fight
Queen Beryl, trying to find a moon princess who was sitting right
in front of them all along, but mostly just learning about each
other and letting the bonds of friendship grow. Simpler days.
With a sigh, Ami recalled when everything had begun to change.
As if sensing her thoughts, the breeze picked up, bringing a
swift chill. After the Arctic Circle, nothing else seemed cold
any more. Watching her die, selflessly, bravely, showing the
rest of them the type of sacrifices that would have to be made to
enable Sailor Moon to win the day, that was when it had begun.
She vanished and Ami's heart shattered. She barely remembered
her own end that day, so numb had she been. Even after they had
been returned, after their memories were restored, Ami would
still awaken in the middle of the night, shivering in a cold
sweat, tears damp on her cheeks, recalling that day.
It was Ami's way to consider things carefully from every angle,
so she had not rushed to examine her feelings. Instead, she had
let the consciousness of them seep into her over time. She could
not pinpoint the exact time when feelings of friendship had
evolved into something more. There was no single event that had
inspired a shift from simple admiration to definite attraction.
It was one thing to know someone was beautiful, but quite another
to feel that beauty in the very core of your being. Such things
happened slowly, over time.
No, Ami could not identify the moment when she'd gone from loving
Makoto as a friend to loving her completely. Watching her die
had simply been the moment when realization had been thrust upon
her. The years since had only seen those feelings grow stronger.
In so many ways, Makoto was her best friend. The two of them
shared so much in common. Neither knew what it was like to have
two loving parents at home. They shared similar insecurities
about themselves, about their place in life. Each at times felt
like an outsider looking in. Even in those areas where they were
different, their differences complemented one another. Ami was
careful and logical, while Makoto was passionate and impulsive.
Each helped balance the other's shortcomings and enhance the
other's strengths. They just fit together.
Ami sighed happily, wondering if perhaps their friends didn't
realize this as well, if only on a subconscious level. After
all, didn't they always leave room so that Ami and Makoto could
sit next to each other when they went out? Ami blushed slightly
at the thought of how forward she had become over recent months.
She wondered if Makoto noticed how she always stood just a little
bit closer to her than was normal, or how she used any excuse
necessary to touch her. Little things, to be sure, but they were
all Ami had.
She had debated talking to Makoto more than once. Part of her
thought that it would just be easier to get these feelings out
into the open, to have done with it. But, Ami enjoyed her secret
flirting, even if no one would else would ever have noticed it as
such. She didn't want to disrupt the relationships between her
and her friends and who could tell what disruptions such an
announcement would cause. Everyone had been so shocked that Ami
had been the first to figure out about Haruka and Michiru, after
all. How much more upset would they be to learn that, like those
two, she also preferred girls?
With another heavy sigh, Ami decided yet again to simply let
things be. The romantic in her almost enjoyed her unrequited
love....
"Can I join you?"
Ami sat up straight, startled by the sudden voice. Turning her
head, she saw Makoto framed in the light of the doorway.
"Please, Mako-chan," Ami murmured, forcing herself to relax.
"It sure is a beautiful night," Makoto pointed out as she sat
down next to Ami on the steps. "I can see why you wanted to come
out here."
Ami nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment. She could feel
her heart racing and tried to will it to slow down.
"Looks like you were thinking about something pretty intense,"
Makoto noted. "Anything you want to share?" She turned her head
towards her friend. Ami blushed deeply and dropped her eyes
demurely toward the ground ahead of them.
Makoto's heart caught in her throat. The moonlight glittered on
Ami's hair and shone on her flawless skin. She gave silent
thanks to every martial arts instructor she'd ever had for all
the training in self-control that she'd received over the years.
At moments like these, within arm's reach of her heart's dream,
she needed every scrap of discipline she could muster.
So lost was Makoto in the vision of loveliness before her and her
own tumultuous emotions that she didn't notice that Ami hadn't
responded to her question. Reluctantly, Makoto tore her eyes
from Ami's perfection to the mere splendor of the moon.
"It is a beautiful night, Mako-chan," Ami finally whispered.
"Very romantic." She blushed even more deeply as she realized
what she had just let slip.
Makoto sighed and let her thoughts drift along familiar pathways.
Usually, she only allowed herself such fancies late at night,
alone at home, far from their source. Here, now, sitting so
close to the one who lived in the center of her dreams, she felt
a rush of warmth on her skin. She felt suddenly daring and
reckless, without knowing why. "Romantic is a very good word for
it, Ami-chan. It's the perfect night to talk a stroll with
someone you love."
"Or just to sit and enjoy the evening," Ami added, unable to
believe how brazen she had become.
"Ami-chan?"
"Yes?"
"Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be in
love?"
Ami swallowed and took a deep breath. She could feel her muscles
quivering, so she placed her right hand flat on the porch to
brace herself. Acting on instinct was something new and
exhilarating, she found. She would not let logic derail her
this night.
"I am in love, Mako-chan," she whispered.
Before Makoto could react, Ami took the final plunge. Looking up
into the moon, she let her thoughts flow freely. Her warm smile
lit up the night as she began to elaborate.
"I am in love with the most wonderful person in the world, Mako-
chan. Someone who is my very best friend and yet so much more.
Someone with whom I have grown, who has taught me about life and
about myself. Someone whose beauty and elegance are breathtaking
as well. Someone who I have fought and died beside."
Until the last sentence, Makoto did not think her heart could
sink any lower. However... fought and died beside? That could
only be one of a small group of people. A miniscule flicker of
hope lingered inside her, flamed by a morbid curiosity if nothing
else. "This person sounds like the luckiest person in the world,
Ami-chan, to be cared for so deeply," she said cautiously.
Ami laughed quietly, "I'm not so sure about that, since she
doesn't even know."
'She?' Makoto's heart raced. Not Urawa, then. Not Mamoru. She
who Ami had fought and died beside? Makoto's odds had just
increased significantly! She became painfully aware of the
proximity of Ami's hand to her own on the porch.
Gathering herself, Makoto reached a decision. She had learned a
great deal over the past few years, but the one lesson that had
come through loud and clear over and over was the power of Love.
Their princess had demonstrated time and again that nothing could
stand in its way. Makoto decided that it was time to take the
plunge.
With a warm smile, she turned her head to face Ami. She could
see the moonlight reflected in her perfect blue eyes as she gazed
off into the sky. Laying her hand gently on top of Ami's, Makoto
said, "I am the luckiest person in the world, Ami-chan, if it is
me who has your heart, because you certainly have mine."
Somehow, Ami remained calm, even as every one of her dreams came
true in that one moment. The warmth of Makoto's hand on her own
spread throughout her body and she understood something at long
last. She'd known all along that Makoto felt the same way about
her. She just hadn't let herself see what had been right in
front of her all along.
"I love you, Kino Makoto," she said firmly, shifting her body so
she could look her beloved in the eye.
Suddenly overcome by the torrent of emotion, Makoto could not
find any words to respond. Tears welled in her eyes and her
smile quivered on her lips. "Oh Ami, I..." she managed to
sputter out.
"Shhh," Ami replied softly. "Everything is going to be fine from
now on." To demonstrate her point, she leaned forward slowly,
raising her free hand to lightly brush the teardrops from
Makoto's cheek. Her lips found Makoto's and pressed tenderly
against them. Makoto brought her arms up and wrapped Ami in a
firm embrace. Neither young woman noticed the sound of the door
sliding shut behind them.
"I told you so," Minako said in a hushed tone to Usagi and Rei as
the three of them returned to their places around the study
table.
"Oh, it was soooo romantic," gushed Usagi, wiping away tears and
blowing her nose noisily into one of Rei's handkerchiefs. "I'm
so happy for them!"
"It's about time," Rei grunted. "They've been mooning over each
other for months now."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Usagi declared.
"'Mooning' is just an expression, meatball-head!" Rei retorted
hotly.
"Mina-chan, I think Rei is being mean to me, but I can't prove
it!" Usagi wailed.
Minako only smiled, even as she peeked one last time out the
window. She didn't imagine that Ami and Makoto would be out
there long, but she hoped they made the most of the time.
Turning back to watch Rei and Usagi brawling, she laughed. The
more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
"Omedetou, Ami-chan and Mako-chan," she said quietly. Then, she
got back to work.
