Chapter 19: Moving Day
"So this is the place?" Reed's brown eyes glance around Haruka's apartment a month later and she adjusted her silver glasses again. She raised one brown eyebrow at the tall pianist and waved a hand toward the interior. "I hope this isn't rude to ask, but why are you having trouble finding someone to rent this place?"
"Take a look up." Haruka waited as Reed craned her neck back at what seemed to be an unnatural angle. After a moment she looked back at the blonde and grinned. "I keep insisting those not be painted over."
"There are more of them?" Reed's braid swung around as she looked from where they stood in the hall toward the living room. A look of awe passed over the other woman's face. "Wow. Where did you find an artist to do this?"
"Kaioh-san painted the ceiling in every room of the apartment." Haruka supplied and felt amused when Reed looked even more impressed by who did this work. Teal eyes gazed up at the ceiling as well and silence fell as the two just took it in.
"I'll rent the place, Ten'ou-san." Haruka glanced over and found that Reed was still looking up at the painted clouds. Brown eyes had that same cloud gazing look that Haruka was sure she tended to get as well. "And I won't paint over anything; it'd be a shame if someone did."
"You never seemed like the art type, if you can forgive that remark."
"It's okay. I deal more with electronics than anything else but I did play an instrument once." Reed finally broke her gaze from the ceiling and grinned widely. "But my talent just seems to lie more in preserving others' work in recordings. I guess I have too much fun with all those neat toys that go with the job."
Haruka pulled her yellow convertible up in front of Michiru's house, careful not to park too close to Setsuna's SUV, and hopped out. She all but ran to the front door and opened it, quickly taking off her shoes and bounding into the living room. Setsuna and Michiru both looked up at the blonde's entrance and the way she was more or less sliding on the wooden floor.
"I think something good happened." Setsuna commented and got a mock irritated look from Haruka. Setsuna smiled and spoke again. "Okay, so what did you do?"
"I found someone to rent my apartment! And they aren't going to paint over the ceilings." Setsuna held a puzzled look as Michiru giggled and shook her head.
"Haruka, I can just as easily paint the ceiling here." Michiru spoke in a warm voice.
"I know, but I really like those ones." The blonde smiled slyly as she sat down next to Michiru and put and arm around her shoulders. "Besides it was a gift from a very special person."
"Oh, is that so?" Michiru asked, playing along with Haruka. The tall blonde just nodded.
"That's enough flirting for the moment, you two." They turned a bit red as they'd almost started to forget Setsuna was present.
"Are we making you miss Taka?" Haruka asked and laughed when Michiru poked her for it. Setsuna rolled her eyes and took to petting Triton who's head was resting in her lap.
"So, who is renting your place?" Setsuna hoped she'd just go along with the change of subject.
"Reed-san." At the somewhat curious looks she received Haruka grinned again. "She said they've had her staying in a hotel this whole time. She was trying to look around for a place but I guess her Japanese is still bad enough that she can't communicate with a lot of people on the street."
"Well, at least you know the apartment is in good hands." Haruka nodded and glanced at the table and the magazines spread across it as well as a few computer print outs.
"What's all this?"
"Dress catalogs." Setsuna grinned evilly and Haruka took her turn rolling her eyes. "And a number of print outs about places you two could use for the ceremony. You do realize that I don't think there is a place where it will be legally recognized in Japan?"
"That wasn't much different in the United States." Haruka glanced at one print out which showed what appeared to be a shrine. "You'd be surprised by the amount of laws in the 'Land of the Free'."
"Most of the world seems to face that problem." Michiru put in as she leaned against the blonde and allowed her eyes to float shut.
"Truly, I don't care who does or doesn't recognize it legally so long as Michiru and I recognize it." Haruka stated with a determined tone in her voice. A smile played across her fiancé's lips and Setsuna nodded in agreement with the two.
"In that case, then I want to make a suggestion." Setsuna leaned over the table and pulled out one particular print out. She handed it to the blonde whose eyes seemed to light up when she saw it. "Call me cheesy."
"I like it, what do you think Michi?" Haruka held the paper for her fiancé to view as blue eyes opened again. Judging by the smile Haruka would wager they'd found a place.
Later that night Haruka walked about her apartment. She was putting things carefully into boxes as she balanced a cordless phone on her right shoulder. She nodded occasionally, with out really caring that her friend couldn't see her.
"That sounds great Tom." Haruka grinned at the next comment. "Well since you mention it, I hope you kept your tux. Yeah, actually I asked after your wedding."
"Hey, you knew I was looking at that fountain funny." The blonde defended with amusement. She came to the table and placed a now full box on it next to a roll of packing tape. "Yeah, I guess I could have told you that part before I told you I was moving in with Michiru. Hey what scares me is what you're describing; Jill was never exactly a house wife type."
"Already!" Teal eyes went wide and Haruka nearly dropped the phone. "Congratulations, but wow you work fast. Hey, I did take sex education I don't need an explanation. Okay, I better let you go back to your wife so I can finish packing here. Take care Tom, and tell Jill hi."
After Haruka turned off the phone she grinned. Thomas as a dad was a very amusing picture to the blonde. It wasn't that she didn't think he'd be good at it, just that the first thing it brought to mind was the man giving a little boy a piggy back ride while Jill tried to be sure he didn't drop the kid. With a chuckle at the mental picture the blonde continued her packing.
A knock sounded at the door the next morning and Haruka peaked through the peephole to find Setsuna, Michiru and Reed standing on her door step. She opened the door in her sweats and accepted the tall cup of warm tea Michiru held, the take out cup was warm in her hand. The three entered and Reed leaned against the now shut door, her glasses today had transition lens and it seemed she was still waiting for them to clear up.
"We recruited another mover." Setsuna supplied to the still a little sleepy blonde. Reed refused to comment, seeming also not to be a morning person, and instead nodded as she sipped at what smelled to be coffee.
"Actually, Setsuna recruited her somehow." Michiru eyed the red-eyed woman with amusement. "I have no idea how she even knew where Reed-san was staying."
"Cute women are kryptonite." Reed muttered then paused as if she'd said something wrong. All three looked at the woman who finally shrugged and went back to her coffee. Setsuna looked up toward the ceiling until Haruka broke in.
"I never pictured you being such a player, Meiou-san." Haruka teased and Setsuna fought off the red rising as she glared at Haruka. Reed laughed and Haruka stuck her tongue out at the red-eyed historian. She turned toward the living room and led them to the boxes she'd already packed. "Okay, why don't Reed-san and Sets take these ones to the car while Michiru and I finish up packing what's left."
The sunlight was fading when they finally moved the last box. Haruka and Reed were eyeing the Piano which had been brought over by professionals days ago. Michiru glanced at them as Haruka tilted her head to the side. She became curious and entered as well to see what the two found so interesting. It didn't take long before Setsuna joined the three.
"What are we all looking at?" Setsuna finally asked.
"If you look at just the right angle, the piano reflects the sky coming through the window." Reed explained before shaking her head and walking off out of the room.
"That's what you two were looking at?" Setsuna said as she eyed the piano as well. "Shiny objects?"
"Actually it started off as trying to figure out if the piano was in a good place, I thought the sunlight might blind me." Haruka shrugged as she turned toward the door as well. "Then we noticed it was shiny."
"Who needs men around today?" Setsuna said once the two left the room. Michiru smiled and looked toward the surface of the piano as they heard the other two again moving boxes. "Maybe we should go make sure they don't brake anything."
"Or feed them." Michiru suggested mildly as they started out again. "They have been moving most of the heavier boxes."
Author's Note:
Okay, that was a bit of an odd chapter. I guess I just felt like writing something more amusing. For any who have an interest the link at the bottom is information about gay marriage laws in the US, I had a bit of a hard time finding anything about Japan. I was once told it is illegal in Japan but I can't guarantee that is true. Sorry again for the short chapters I have going at the moment.
Review responses:
Tonkers: Thank you for pointing out that mistake, I changed it as soon as I read your review. I like to have Haruka and Setsuna show a bit of playfulness around each other because I have so much fun around my friend called "Suna". I'm really glad those scenes seem to be fitting in so well.
(Laughing) Yup, I am guilty of being American. I love my home country though. As for Sailor Moon here, they showed all the seasons except the Sailor Stars one. There is a lot of political correctness involved in things here though, at least on TV. Haruka and Michiru (Amara and Michelle) were played off as cousins due to the controversial nature of homosexuality on TV. Since it's a cartoon in the eyes of most adults here it was considered a big thing. Cartoon Network did the actually broadcasts and I don't think they wanted to risk it. From what I know though, no they aren't cousins. Like I said, US way of playing off their attachment to each other.
Don't worry about making sense, it did to me. I love long reviews actually. The legality of the marriages has been a topic floating around my home state for at least three years. We must have had a few different bills on the ballot regarding it too. Plus I am studying Criminal Justice for the moment so all laws are starting to intrigue me.
Riva van Dyk: Long time no see, figuratively. I'm glad you got a chance to check out the story again, hope you weren't too late to class.
Papapapuffy: Thank you for the encouragement.
Knight of the Wolf: Thank you. Yeah, it's kind of weird being back in school. The last time I took any sort of class was 2003. I kind of find it amusing that I am taking classes in one city but I work for a college book store some four cities over. Right now the book store is all but dead due to most people already having their books, but you should have seen the first three weeks of school.
Kuro-no-kaze: Thank you again for the encouragement.
Okay, here is that link I mentioned in the Author's Note.
http/ rainbowlaw. com/html/overview. htm