How beautiful.
Orange and red, fading into fuchsia, soon to become dark navy. The first stars show their faces, and behind a slight wisp of cloud, the moon rises, reflecting gold in the sunset. The scene not only shows in the sky, but in the soft sea spread before us. Waves lap on the grainy sand, barely stroking my bare feet, the most gentle of touches.
Leaning back onto the sand, her hand in mine, she looks up at the sky I can't take my eyes off of. Smiling, she slides closer to me, never gazing away from the colors above. I fall onto my back as well, and there we are, sitting here, on this beach, surrounded by a watercolor sea and a vivid sky. Colors, wrapped around, embracing us.
She shivers, only slightly, but I feel it. Slipping my arm around her shoulders, I pull her slender frame closer. While she only has on a light dress, I'm clothed in long sleeves, so the cold is no worry to me. As she moves close to my body; I feel her warmth against my side. Somewhere, a deep feeling grows inside of me, a feeling of utmost love and care. Damn it, I love this woman, though some odd feeling keeps me from ever saying it in words. She knows though. I can tell from the gentle way she gazes at me, from the passion we share, from the trust she puts in me.
Running my fingers through her long strands of hair, over and over, sweeping the grains of sand out. She laughs at me, tells me that I don't need to worry about her hair, so I move my fingertips down the side of her face, tenderly outlining every one of her perfect features, stroking her soft skin. Then it's my turn to laugh as she begins to brush out my hair with her hands. I don't object, though. I love her touch.
The sky grows darker, as does the water and the sand. Now it's me who shivers. Navy and blue are replacing the gold, the stars come out. She glances over at me, for the first time in a while, her large, gorgeous eyes looking into mine. Though she smiles and turns away, I guide her eyes back to me. I can't look away from her; she has me under some sort of spell. Not that I mind that.
"Haruka?"
"Hmm?"
"What do you think will happen to us?"
I sit up, bringing her up with me. What kind of a question is that? What does she mean? Now I'm worried, because something's on her mind.
"What do you mean? In the future? But, we know that."
"How do we know? If that future doesn't come to pass…will we just live a normal life, and die? And what then?"
I almost have the urge to laugh out loud, but her questions take me by surprise. Pulling her close to me, I let out a sigh. Now that I think about it, I really don't know what might happen. Setsuna told us once that the future was never for certain, that events that came to pass now would alter it. So, what if we never had a queen again, and the world continued into ruin like it has been? Then we would be certain to die; there would be no immortality. And what then?
I want to reassure her with all of my heart; I want nothing more than to give her some silly hopeful answer that will make her feel all right. But, Michiru, you're not like that, are you? You wouldn't accept a simple answer. So, I give her the only answer that I can.
"I really don't know. We never can truly know the future."
"So…when we die, there'll be nothing. All of our fighting, our work, will be for nothing."
"No! We, we saved the world!" Didn't we?
She gives me a sad smile. "And without us?"
I see where she's going. We won't be able to protect everything forever. But more than that, if we die and go on to nothing, our love will just drift out of this world, out of memory and time. It would be like it never existed.
I feel like crying out. How could something so beautiful and wonderful just fall away like that? The thought of us never being together hurts me more than any wound.
"Michiru…there has to be something more. I can't just be a wandering spirit without you in the afterlife!"
She pulls me close, leaning on my shoulder. Her warm breath heats my skin. I feel her soft hair, her smooth skin. How could I have been so lucky, to have found her in this life? This beautiful woman, this goddess, this angel, she loves me. Thinking of losing brings tears to my eyes. I blink them back quickly.
"Haruka, I could never stand to be without you. Somehow, we'll find a way to be with each other."
Her words stir a new feeling inside of me. Somehow, it brings back a warm feeling of hope. I look at her questioning, loving, waiting eyes. "Either we'll be together in hell, or we'll find each other in another life. For sure."
Softly, her face comes up to mine. I smell her sweet scent, can almost taste it. Gently, she kisses me, warm, deep, wonderful. That just has to be the most wonderful feeling in the universe. I promise to myself that I'll never forget that, ever.
"I love you, Haruka."
Holding her close, the wind and dark sky surrounding us, the sea touching our feet. Our bodies intertwined on a dark, lonely beach, our kisses dancing across each other's bodies like floating butterflies, the last rays of sunlight slipping away past the distant horizon. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Please, let it stay like this forever.
I hope this sunset never ends.
((It's time for the author notes!
This is just a little something I turned out. I've been in sort of a hole with my writing ever since school started, and maybe this little piece will get me out of there.
Story by the one and only Michie.
Haruka and Michiru aren't mine. Though, I desperately want them to be.
I'm sorry, everyone! I'm really not good at doing stuff with multiple chapters. Chapter four in Dances and Wishes is partially done. At this rate, the story won't get done until next Christmas… I've also got another short Tokyo Mew Mew story coming too.
To everyone who reads my stories: Thank you so very much! If you read this, please drop me a comment. It'd be much appreciated!
You are all the best!))