Disclaimer: I do not own Sailormoon or its characters.

Warnings: Unbetaed. ANGST.

Notes: This is a tentative chapter eight. The fic has officially stalled and is now on hiatus. Nothing has been written for it in a long time, and so far no plot has emerged. I don't know when the next update will be, but please enjoy this as much as you can. Thanks to all the readers and reviewers out there. With some luck, maybe this story will be able to revive itself.

A Quiet Scene VIII

They had forgotten to make plans to meet during commons hour.

Usually, they sat together in the lounge on Mugen's top floor, sipping tea and eating homemade bento as they reclined on plush red sofas. Sometimes, they reclined into each other, sharing warmth and companionship when few students were in the large space to condemn them or intrude into their privacy. It was the third day after the large storm in Tokyo, and they had not indulged in that pleasure since. Half-despairingly, Haruka had entered. Michiru was waiting faithfully at her spot, asleep on one of the large couches with her hands curled in front of her face like an infant. The customary bento lay by Michiru's feet. A few feet away, the soothing monotones of study groups in discussion rolled like surf on the beach - undoubtedly, it had lull the violinist into slumber.

Shocked into stillness by surprise, moments passed until Haruka lowered herself onto the edge of one of the cushions. She observed Michiru kindly. The wind senshi wanted to reach out and brush away the stray strand of emerald by the sea senshi's nose which occasionally twitched in annoyance. Casting her look warily and comforted that no one could pry into an intimate moment, Haruka gave into her impulse. Her fingers were an artist's gentle stroke. The tender gesture came and passed with a single swing of the pendulum from the grandfather clock. The mechanical contraption in the center of the room rung mellifluously. Its soft chimes caused eyelashes to flutter and eyes to wake in a slow euphoric transition from sleep.

"Haruka." Michiru blinked tiredly. Haruka shushed her partner.
"Go back to sleep, Michiru." A voice, quiet like the rustle of velvet.
"But, class-"
"Is canceled." Subtly, Haruka hands caressed Michiru's fingertips.

"Okay." Michiru turned her head so that her chin dug into her right shoulder. Haruka's movements were soothing. The violinist's eyes closed. It was raining outside. Haruka sat by her partner and watched over Michiru until the first downpour ended.

"I think one of us should move out."

Michiru sat on one of the dinning room chairs. From the couch, Haruka did not look up. The subtle grooves in her clasped hands were absorbing. The morning's tenderness seemed but a dream, clear and lucid in a moment, brief and soon intangible like fading sunlight. Outside, Tokyo was beginning stir in new life. The harsh neons were entrancing in their own way but nothing was absorbing enough for Haruka to have misheard her partner. Haruka tried to regain her focus. Then Michiru spoke.

"I think we have gotten...too involved with each other. We're not concentrating on the mission. It's best we make space between us." Michiru stood. The cloud drifted and covered the moon. Had Haruka looked up, she might have been able to make out Michiru's features. But she did not. She only stared at her hands. "There's an apartment downtown. Close to hardware stores, so you can buy parts for your bike. Close to market, so you can buy food. Close enough to Mugen and also to the mall, where you can pick up clothes and pretty girls." Michiru winked, then sighed dramatically. "It's just my fate to love a flirt."

"Is that why you haven't been at the lounge?" Finally, Haruka spoke. The lanky girl rose. In the shadows she seemed almost menacing. The fingers that had been inspected so carefully were now curled into angry fists. "You were out looking for an apartment, my apartment?!"

Michiru flinched at the harsh tone. "You'll like it, Haruka. It even has a niche for you to sit by the windowside."

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare make decisions for me!" Stormy green eyes pierced through Michiru's soul like a blade. Suddenly their turmoil quieted, leaving exposed the vulnerability they had been trying to hide. "It's because of what I said that day, wasn't it?"
No answer.
"Wasn't it?!"
"Not just that. I've been having nightmares. I can't sleep."
"But I -"
"You sleep like a log, Haruka. You'd probably sleep through an earthquake." Michiru laughed sweetly, but it tasted bitter on her tongue. Softly, "It didn't used to be this bad, before I found you. Please, its better this way."
"Before? You don't tell me, Michiru, anything about before. About your past. Nothing about your parents or the life you had before becoming a senshi."
"You haven't either."
"I don't like to look back on those times." Haruka's face was suddenly pained in harsh lines. "When I met you, my life changed for the better and I was happy to forget the past. But it seems it was different for you."
No reply.
Haruka broke the silence, although the words stuck in her throat. "Where is the apartment you are considering?"
"I asked an agent to fax me the directions. It's there by the kitchen counter...the keys are hidden in the fruit bowl."
Haruka flinched. Underneath the grapes, her hand encountered cold metal. "How long?"
"Two days ago. Everything's paid for."
"Rent?" Temporary?
"The apartment's been bought...I also took the liberty of buying you some furniture." Permanent.
Haruka shuffled quickly into the bedroom and began packing. She had always been orderly, so it was no trouble to stoically fold her garments into the suitcase. They had been in Tokyo two months.

Michiru lingered by the doorway.

Haruka had begun to think she would not need her suitcase anymore. It was fortunate she had stowed it away instead of discarding it.

The buckles weren't working.
"Do you need help?"
"No, it's okay." No, it's not okay.
It latched. Haruka was numb, but she managed to make it to the door of their apartment without stumbling.
"You won't be having any nightmares anymore."
"Haruka-"
"I'll see you in school." Haruka leaned down to give Michiru an awkward kiss on the cheek. Her green eyes were glassy, as if she still could not comprehend the turn of events. And then, sudden realization. The wind senshi's eyes became unstable, their liquid depths wavering in the moment that Michiru caught them before they were averted. "I have to go now." Haruka walked away slowly. Then she walked away a little faster. Then she began to run.
Michiru stood in the doorway.
"It was different before I met you, because even though I dreamt of the world being destroyed, I never saw you dying before. Don't you know that's what terrifies me most, Haruka?" The sea senshi slowly slid to the ground, her eyes growing emptier with each spoken word. The door remained ajar and the hallway was empty.

Outside, the rain had begun to fall again.

Hopefully, TBC…

Please review. Comments and suggestions are very much appreciated and needed. (Sorry about the bad text formatting, it was the best I could do even with ff.net's quick edit.)