Disclaimer: Sailor Moon characters are Naoko Takeuchi's. I'm just a fan who wrote some fic based by the character.
Michiru felt her face turned bright red. She quickly let go of her grip from the blonde's neck. God, she didn't even know who she is, yet she already hugged her.
A sting of pain throbbed from the side of her head, she winced and fell to Haruka's lap. The blonde caught her immediately and corrected her position on her lap, stroking some aqua hair from her face to get a better sight from the violinist.
"Don't move so suddenly, you still have your fever." Said the taller woman soothingly.
The smaller woman looked away. She was too tired to think, who was this woman? And why was she here? The other woman didn't look at her, she watched the road as if Michiru wasn't in her lap. The violinist sighed, but then she liked being here, to rest her head on her lap, to hear the comforting words that she said before. Somehow it felt.. nice.
"She's awake?" It was Setsuna voice, Michiru recognized. She took a glance and saw Setsuna was working behind the wheel. They moving with an unbelievable speed, everything outside the car seemed blurred because the speed. 'We're in the car.' She thought to herself. Michiru closed her eyes again and massaged her temples to reduce the pain.
"Yes, she is."
Michiru began to force herself remembering what happened before, how everything went mad, and Inokuma, Inokuma finally found her. Her head began to pulse again. She tried to say something, anything.
"Where.. Where am I?" She asked more to herself than to anyone else.
"In the car.." Setsuna answered.
None of them knew where they were heading. So none of them tell Michiru where were they heading. There was a fat silence crawling, filling the car before Setsuna broke it once again.
"So," Setsuna cleared her throat, "I guess this is a good time to explain who you are." Setsuna referred to Haruka, who finally focused to Setsuna.
"Oh well." The journalist sighed, hesitated.
Both Setsuna and Michiru waited for a moment, Haruka seemed so irritated to tell who she was. She corrected her collar before finally answered.
"I'm a journalist."
"You what?" Setsuna shouted as she stopped the car abruptly.
"A journalist?" Michiru asked, her voice crack. She never thought that this woman was a journalist, does it means that the woman wants to blackmail her, or something?
She's not
Something on the back of Michiru's mind told her so.
"Come on now, I said I'll explain, move the car please." Haruka poked the front seat several times, to wake Setsuna from her shock.
"Watch it!" Some guy yelled from the other car.
The longhaired woman shrugged and then started the engine again.
After the Honda moved with a steady pace, the journalist readied herself to explain some more.
"I work on some magazine company, and several days ago, my boss told me to write some story about Kaioh san. No, no, I don't have any intention to write it again." She hastily added when she saw Setsuna opened her mouth.
Michiru didn't comment, she just massaging her temples, while her eyes focused on Haruka's collarbone.
"So, he told me to stalk Kaioh san, so I did." Haruka paused for a moment.
"Then I happen to know that, that Inokuma is involved. Apparently Inokuma is the one that ordered my boss to stalk Kaioh san."
The journalist looks down, facing Michiru.
"And I decided to help you."
It wasn't enough. To Setsuna it wasn't enough but Michiru didn't complain, so Setsuna didn't have anything to object.
"So, you haven't told us who your name is." Setsuna heard her own voice asking the journalist. She couldn't help but feeling suspicious with the other woman.
"Tenou, Tenou Haruka."
"It's you!" Michiru beamed, she didn't know why but she felt butterflies all over her stomach.
"What?" Haruka asked.
"You're the one who helped me yesterday." She unconsciously grabbed the other woman's arm. Feeling the soft skin underneath her palm.
"Oh, that, yes. I am"
Made sense, she was feeling all the familiar feelings all along. She was so grateful that the other woman helped her. Slowly she let go of the blonde's arm. Soon after she let go, she already missed to touch her again.
"We need to stop." Haruka declared.
"Where to?" Setsuna asked. They had traveling all over Juban but didn't find any place to stop. They didn't dare to leave Juban, because Inokuma's men were probably blocking the streets. So they kept searching and searching until the gas almost ran out.
It almost dawn now.
None of them answered, instead Haruka stated some more.
"We had to leave this car, they probably searching this car."
"You mean abandoned my car?" Setsuna asked again, pointed her wheel as she did so.
"It was for the best Setsuna, they caught us if we stayed too long in this car." Michiru calmed the other woman. She was still massaging her own temples.
Hotels was not a good idea, Inokuma may have thought about them hiding there, Michiru's apartment was a stupid option for the same reason, Inokuma was probably already thought of that, as well as Setsuna's house or Haruka's. So they were stuck.
They kept silence, thinking, where would be best to go. Tomoe resident? They could ask Dr. Tomoe's help, but then it means they will put them in risk. No, they couldn't do that.
As they reached the intersections, Michiru was being distracted by something outside the car. "Hey, why don't we stop here?" She pointed outside.
Both Setsuna and Haruka looked outside, ignoring the other cars that were honking at them, yelling about traffic jam and etc.etc
It was a perfect choice. A shrine. Hikawa Shrine.
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"Hino san" One of the miko called her.
Hino Rei, a priestess of Hikawa shrine. She knew now and then people would coming and asking for help. And today was one of those days. She stood straight up and approaching one of her miko.
"What is it?" She asked, knowing the answer.
"There were three people who wish to see you." She bowed as she saw her priestess coming towards her.
"Thank you, you may leave now." Rei didn't wait for an answer. She hastily headed towards the living room.
When she saw them, she knew there was something wrong. They looked so troubled. And their eyes were clouded with storm. One of them was sick. It showed from her feverish face.
"How can I help you?" She asked with a concern tone.
"We need shelter, just for one or two days." The blonde answered.
And it was enough answer for her. It wasn't her business to asked her for more, maybe she would hear it later. If they want a place to rest for one or two days it wasn't a hard task to do.
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Michiru had just finished her bath, her head still a little bit dizzy, but it did feel better, thanks for a little rest she had.
Setsuna was long asleep. She was so tired from all those driving and collapsed as soon as her feet made its way to the futon.
Rei gave them a room, not a big one, but still it was comfort enough for three of them. She had to thank her later.
Michiru opened the door to their room.
Haruka was there, under the moonlight. She wore a thick coat and black yukata (a/n summer kimono) underneath that. Probably Rei gave it to them. She sat down on the tatami (kind of floor/carpet, made from thatch) floor, facing the garden with smooth breeze playing with her blonde hair. Michiru held her hand on the air, wanting to touch the other woman's shoulder, but before the tip of her finger barely touch anything, Haruka already turned around and faced her. Their eyes met each other for the thousands times today.
The violinist hand accidentally touched Haruka's cheek. The sudden contact made both of them blushed, but neither could see each other flushed face because it was dark. Michiru drew her hand in reflex, hoping that she didn't make any misinterpretation without breaking any eyes contact.
"Sorry." She whispered. she didn't dare to break the atmosphere. Unfamiliar atmosphere she never felt before, but she liked it nevertheless.
"What for?" Haruka asked, in a low voice. Her face was so close to Michiru's, she swore she breathed the same air with the other woman.
"Nothing." She answered, looking away from the blonde, and regretting her word and actions earlier. It sounded so stupid and she felt something missing when she didn't look at the other woman's eye.
For several minutes, both of them didn't say anything, they simply enjoying each other presence, watching the pale moon and listening to the wind breeze.
"Why you chose to help me?" The smaller woman asked, breaking the silence that mount in the air.
Haruka didn't say anything. The violinist watched from the corner of her own eye that Haruka was closing her eyes, smiling.
"I just want to." Came the reply.
A butterfly flew pass her and landed on Haruka's shoulder. The blonde held her palm open, and the butterfly flew once again to her palm.
"It's so beautiful." Michiru commented and scooted closer to the journalist.
"Yes it is." Haruka nodded in agreement. Then Haruka handed the butterfly to Michiru's hair. The butterfly went to Michiru's hair, making it looked like it was a hairpin.
"It looks good on you Kaioh san." They both watched the butterfly rose her patterned wings and jumped to the air. It rose higher as the two of them watched it tailing the flow of wind.
The aqua haired girl shivered from the cold, she rubbed her hands to send the chill away. It was not that cold but Michiru was still not fully recover from her fever.
"Are you cold?" Haruka asked, but before the other woman could reply, the blonde already gave her coat to the smaller woman shoulder.
"Thank you." Michiru tightened the coat around her body. The coat had the same smell as Haruka's. Michiru noted in her mind. She inhaled the scent. Worshiping it as the scent filling her lungs.
It was late at night. Maybe it was already time to sleep. But she didn't want to go just yet. She wanted to be close to Haruka, as much as she can.
Why do you want to be with her so much today? Her inner thought asked her.
The sea goddess blinked several times.
'I don't know..'
You couldn't possibly don't know, think Michiru, why you want to be with her all the time today?
'Well, she…is nice to me.. and I think she helps several times, she.. makes me feel… comfort.'
uh huh, and then?
Michiru ignored her inner thoughts, instead she decided to talk some more with the other woman.
"Thank you Haruka." She blushed when she saw the journalist slowly faced Michiru. "Thank you for everything." Michiru motioned her hands to her surroundings.
She was glad when she saw Haruka smiled at her. She accepted the none honorific when she called her Haruka. It felt a lot more comfortable to say Haruka than Tenou san anyway.
They stayed like that for a while, until Haruka saw some tears ran down the pale face of the sea goddess.
"What happened?" She asked as she put her left arm at the smaller woman shoulder. Michiru closed her eyes and covered her face with both of her hand, not wanting the blonde to see her cry.
"Its just" She sobbed "I'm scared." She whispered. She was embarrassed for being such a crybaby, but she couldn't help to cry.
"Scared of what?" Haruka leaned her own face closer to her, trying to get a better sight of the violinist face.
"I'm scared that.." She sighed "This child.." Michiru's hand trailing her own stomach "would be like.. like him."
Haruka blew some strands that covered her face. She took both of Michiru's hands so she could see her.
"Michiru, look at me." Michiru looked up to Haruka eyes. Haruka just called her without any honorific. She liked the way Haruka called her. She saw her own face reflected in those eyes. Determined eyes.
"This is you child." Haruka declared while she caressed the other woman's stomach.
"And this child will be so much damn adorable," She poked Michiru's nose. "This child, will look so much like you," She cupped Michiru's face, "And you can't stop loving your child once you saw it."
Haruka nodded several time, trying to make the other woman understands her. "We will survive this together Michiru. Believe me."
And Michiru believed her. Wholeheartedly.
Her heart raced. Familiar feelings, yet so unfamiliar. Their faces inch apart. Michiru looked at the reflection of herself inside teal eyes. She saw herself blush.
Haruka still cupped her face.
Somehow she didn't feel bothered by the closeness.
She wanted more of those comforts, Haruka gave her.
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Author's note : Here it is. I made this without read it again, I just typed it and updated it. Please bear with me guys.
Big THANKS to Hitokira, papapapuffy, TheWretchedOne, Ten'ousai, Rae, Petiyaka, and labstractl. Your reviews really helps me a lot.