"Fancy seeing you here."
Ami felt her face flush, and she barely contained the smile she felt wanting to form on her face. But her eyes shone with it and Ami felt her chest tighten when she saw Makoto flash her a bright smile.
After waking that morning and enduring some ribbing from the twins (mostly Minako) about who Ami had gotten close to the night before, she had been dragged out of the senator's house by her best friends, she and their significant others in tow with no choice in where they went with the sole exception that the beach wasn't an option.
So the twins had gone shopping instead. While they didn't hit the sand, the girls did drag the other three along the boardwalk to visit the various shoppes they had seen the day before though had not visited. Though usually envious of her friends and their love lives, Ami had been thankful she was currently single when it was made clear Usagi and Minako were using Mamoru and Rei as pack mules for their purchases.
Hours passed and the group eventually found themselves in town for a quick lunch and more shopping and sight seeing. It was then that Ami had broken off from her friends; she had found a bookstore while the twins and their dates headed for the arcade across the street. Mamoru and Rei had almost come with Ami, but last minute had stayed with their girlfriends in order to do damage control should they get into trouble.
So Ami had perused through the small bookstore, purchasing a few books for some light reading before bed. Something the twins always teased her about, but Ami loved and would not give up her romance novels.
Ami saw her friends were still in the arcade, the large windows of the store front giving her an excellent view inside. She had contemplated going over to join them, but the bookstore hosted small bistro tables outside its doors. It was a nice day, Ami thought, and had decided to enjoy one of her newly acquired books instead while waiting for her friends to spend their change.
After some time, Ami caught something shimmering from the corner of her eye. She turned toward it and realized it was a door being opened from the business next door to the bookstore. Ami watched as several children, not much older than ten and dressed in white karate gis, pour out the door. One child, a little boy, nearly collided with a passerby. The next moment, a tall woman with dark auburn hair in a ponytail and wearing a black gi stepped outside to chastise the boy.
"Be more careful," she called out, her voice booming on the quiet street.
"Sorry, sensei," the boy said, stopping to bow to his teacher before taking off after his friends again.
The woman sighed and turned to go back inside when she felt eyes on her. She turned and her face split into a wide smile, green eyes sparkling in recognition.
"Mizuno-san," Makoto said happily. "Fancy seeing you here."
Ami's heart fluttered at Makoto's husky voice. Makoto's face was red and Ami saw sweat trailing down the woman's face and neck. The sight made images dance in Ami's mind and the bluenette coughed, hoping to hide her thoughts. The smaller woman stood, placing her new book back inside the bag as she came to stand beside the taller woman. "Hello, Kino-san. How are you today?"
Makoto's face hurt, she was smiling so hard. "I'm good. I didn't realize a good day could get better." She motioned at Ami with her hand. "But, here you are."
Ami blushed, her eyes falling to the ground as she toed at a pebble beside her feet. The grin she had been trying to hold back since seeing Makoto step in front of her unexpectedly slowly spread across her face. She nibbled her lip shyly and Makoto's wide smile softened.
"You can call me Makoto, if you want," the brunette offered. "Assuming I'm not being too forward?"
Ami shook her head. "Of course not, Makoto-chan." Her blue eyes looked up at Makoto. "You may call me Ami, if you like."
"Ami-chan," Makoto said softly. Ami's smile grew at hearing her name from Makoto.
The pair stood quietly for a moment, just taking the other in. Ami wondered briefly why the person before her affected her so much. The Amazon was obviously attractive and if the party last night was indication, Makoto could have her pick of, really, anyone. But as dense as she felt she was when it came to matters of the heart, Ami had noticed Makoto had taken a liking to her the moment they had met.
Ami couldn't figure out why that made her so happy. She didn't know Makoto. Not very well. But to see those green eyes light up when the brunette smiled...
"Ami-chan!"
The duo turned to look across the street as Usagi and Minako, Mamoru and Rei standing beside them, and waved at them through the traffic. Ami smiled and waved back to her friends and Makoto raised a hand in greeting though she herself had not been addressed.
"Sensei!"
Makoto turned to look back into the door she had been leaning on and saw a few of her older students smiling at her, having caught a glimpse of Ami. Makoto rolled her eyes at their playful snickering and released the door, allowing it to shut and cut off the laughter inside the dojo. "They will be doing extra push ups today," she mumbled and Ami giggled. Makoto smiled at Ami again, her face flushing from something other than exercise.
"I was wondering, Ami-chan, if you don't have plans for dinner," Makoto trailed off, scratching the back of her head nervously. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'd like to have dinner with you, if you're not busy tonight?"
Ami shook her head, grinning again. "I'm not busy. And dinner sounds great."
Makoto's eyes lit up. "Yeah? Great! I still have a few classes left so I won't be finished for a few hours yet. Why don't I pick you up when I'm finished?"
"That sounds fine," Ami agreed. "Can I have your number," she asked, blushing bright red again. She had never asked for anyone's number before, had always been too nervous for it. But the words had slipped right out and she briefly wondered why it had been so difficult in the before.
Shrugging that thought off, Ami added, "So I know when to be on the lookout for you. I'll give you mine as well."
Makoto's grin managed to widen as she recited her number, the smaller woman adding it to her phone. "Text me," Makoto said, "So I can have yours. I should be done in a few hours, but with these brats, you never know." Though her words seemed unkind, Ami could hear the affection Makoto held for her students.
Ami did so quickly before looking up back up to the Amazon with a smile. "We should both get going. Should I dress a certain way?"
Makoto shook her head. "Casual is fine since I planned on just making dinner myself. But, if you want to, bring your swimsuit. Maybe we can go for a swim after supper?"
Ami's eyes lit up. "Sounds like a plan!"
Makoto smiled and heard a crash inside the dojo and groaned. "I gotta go! I'll call when I'm on my way." Makoto quickly jerked the door open and stepped inside. As the door shut, Ami giggled when she heard Makoto's voice boom, "Oi! Push ups, one hundred of them, let's go!"
Even though Makoto had called, Ami nearly tripped over herself to answer the door to greet her friend. She had expected Makoto to still be wearing her black gi as the Amazon had said she would be coming from the dojo. So when Ami opened the door and saw the brunette wearing a white peasant shirt with a wide collar that showed her collarbone and the nape of her neck, a light green voile skirt that stopped at the ankles, and flat sandals, she couldn't help but stare. Makoto's hair was damp and back in its custom ponytail and when Makoto smiled at her, Ami felt her heart give a little thump. She couldn't help but feel dull in her tee-shirt with a thin hoodie, jean capris, and low sneakers.
"Hi, Ami-chan," Makoto said. "Ready to go?"
Ami smiled and nodded but before she could verbally respond, Minako and Usagi popped around the corner.
"Going on your date," Minako asked in a slightly high pitched voice, a sly grin on her face as she smiled at Ami.
Usagi wore a look very similar to Minako's and echoed, "Date?"
Makoto's eyebrows raised in surprise while a smile of amusement graced her features. Ami, blushing, whirled on her friends, eyes narrowed. "If I have to say again it isn't a date, I'm throwing a book at you!"
The twins giggled darkly until their respective significant others called for them from the other room to leave Ami alone. They reluctantly moved around the corner and from sight and Ami turned back to Makoto, her face still red.
Makoto shrugged, still smiling. "I'm not worried about it. Ready to go," Makoto asked.
Ami grabbed her small bag from the hook by the door, having put it there after getting her things together for the evening, and walked outside to join the brunette. Ami closed the door before following Makoto down the porch steps and to her car. Ami was surprised to see Makoto driving a pickup truck.
"A truck," Ami asked. Though she wasn't sure why she was surprised.
Makoto shrugged. She and Ami climbed into the cabin and Makoto started the truck. Ami noticed a small grocery bag sitting between them on the seat. "A graduation gift from Onii-chan's parents when I graduated high school." Makoto smiled over at Ami as she buckled her seat belt. "He got a motorcycle."
Ami smiled, picturing Shinozaki with a motorcycle. It seemed to suit him. But the words Makoto had used to describe the situation failed to get past Ami: his parents? Not their parents?
"So," Makoto began, "You're staying at Senator Hino's summer house?" She gave Ami an impressed smile as she drove down the long winding driveway from the elegant building. She turned onto the main road a moment later and the two were on their way to Makoto's home.
Ami laughed. "Yes. Rei-san is his daughter and he granted us permission to use the house."
"Hence the free accommodations," Makoto said, repeating what Ami had mentioned the night before.
Ami blushed but smiled. "You remembered that?"
"I wasn't that drunk," Makoto said with a small giggle. "I was very content last night. No hangover this morning, thank you very much, Mizuno-sensei," Makoto said in a teasing tone.
Ami giggled, glancing out the window for a moment, watching the scenery pass by. The rest of the short drive was done in silence, until Makoto turned from the main road to the long dirt road leading up to her home. Several minutes later, Makoto pulled into the garage and she and Ami climbed out of the truck with her bag, Makoto grabbing the small bag of groceries as she did so.
As they made their way into the house, Ami asked, "Will Shinozaki-san be joining us?"
"Doubt it," Makoto said as she unlocked the front door. "He's out with a few of his friends and there's just no telling what kind of mischief he's getting into."
Ami smiled and walked ahead of the brunette, who had held the door open for her. Now that it was daytime, Ami looked around the small room with the stair case that led to the main floor above and realized there was a plush bench along the opposite wall. There were two more sets of doors, one leading right to the pool, the other left to a picnic table and grill.
"We're too lazy to walk around the house," Makoto said with a smile as she led the way upstairs.
Ami giggled as she followed Makoto up the stairs. With the crowd of party goers gone, the house seemed so much more bigger than it did the night before. To Ami, it seemed a bit... lonely.
Makoto made her way to the kitchen and set the bag of groceries down on the counter while Ami took a seat on one of the bar stools on the opposite side. Makoto began pulling food from the bag, arranging them on the counter.
"So, what's for dinner," Ami asked, setting her bag on the stool beside her.
"Grilled chicken and salad," Makoto responded, turning the gas range on to preheat. She peeked over her shoulder at Ami and asked, "If that's alright?"
Ami nodded with a smile and Makoto returned it. The brunette reached for an apron and Ami watched as Makoto, after washing her hands, took the chicken from its packaging and began to trim the fat with a knife. With that done, Makoto checked the grill and finding it hot, laid the chicken onto it. The sizzle and smell of meat filled the small area and Makoto smiled.
Ami smiled as well as she watched Makoto turn to prepare the salad; shredding lettuce and carrots, slicing cucumber, and grating cheese. After mixing the veggies into a bowl, Makoto looked up at Ami. "What would you like to drink?"
"Water is fine," the bluenette replied.
Makoto nodded once and, after flipping the chicken on the grill, set about getting her guest a glass of water. A few moments later with the chicken done, Makoto shut off the stove and placed the chicken on a cutting board. Allowing the chicken to cool for a moment, the brunette then scooped the salad she had made earlier into bowls for her and Ami. Makoto then turned back to the chicken, cutting the meat into strips and adding them to the salad bowls. She set one before Ami and one beside her, Makoto marking her place at the end of the bart op. Turning and reaching into the fridge, Makoto pulled out a couple different bottles of salad dressing. She smiled at Ami and shook both of them, a questioning look on her face.
"Ranch, please," Ami replied.
"Ranch it is," Makoto said, setting the bottle down before placing the other back into the fridge. She then retrieved two forks from a drawer and finally sat beside Ami with a smile. "Here you go," Makoto said with a smile, handing Ami one of the forks.
"Itadakimasu," Ami said as she took the utensil from the Amazon, her thin fingers brushing along Makoto's. The brunette smiled, with a hint of blush, but said nothing as she began her meal with Ami doing the same.
While they ate, Ami could feel a tension beginning to rise between them and her heart hammered because of it. It seemed as if there was anticipation in air and it made Ami slightly nervous. But what surprised her was that she didn't mind it. She was anxious, true, but she could feel it wasn't really anxiety that was affecting her; it was excitement. Ami felt excited every time Makoto flashed her a smile.
Like she is right now.
Then Makoto's smile slipped and she looked past Ami to the large windows that looked out over the front of the house and the road leading to it. Ami turned to look out the window as well and noticed several cars pulling up to the house.
"You have got to be kidding me," Makoto grumbled. She slid of her seat just as Ami heard the door open downstairs. Makoto moved to the stairs as several people began to file up them. Makoto looked genuinely angry when she caught Shinozaki's attention.
"Hey, Koto," he said brightly, greeting his sister. When he caught the look on her face, however, he seemed to shrink in on himself. Movement behind the brunette caught his attention and he saw Ami sitting at the counter. His blue eyes moved back to Makoto as her eyes narrowed. "Oh."
Makoto crossed her arms as she continued to glare at her brother. "You're having another party?"
"It's Saturday," Shinozaki remarked over the loud music now blasting from the corner, "We always have parties on Saturdays! I didn't know you had a date here tonight."
"It's not a date," Ami called from over her shoulder.
The siblings turned to the bluenette and Shinozaki looked at her before turning his gaze back to Makoto. "Riiiight."
"I'm going to stick your head in the deep fryer," Makoto threatened.
"We don't have a deep fryer," Shinozaki said with smirk.
"I am going to go out, buy a deep fryer, bring it home, fill it with oil, heat it up, make up a lovely breading for your face and then deep fry your head!"
Shinozaki laughed. He leaned close to his sister and whispered, "You must really like her."
Makoto flushed before turning and heading back towards Ami. The bluenette began to look outwardly uncomfortable as the house began to fill up with people. Makoto came to a stop beside her with an apologetic look on her features.
"I'm sorry," she said. "He's right, I should have known better. Do you want me to take you home?"
Ami looked around once more before her eyes fell on Makoto again. "I'd rather stay, actually."
Makoto's face lit up. "Yeah? Great!" Her green eyes caught what was left of their meal and she blushed. "Let me just clean up real quick."
Ami nodded and moved to help the brunette in the kitchen. Together, they quickly made short work of packing away the food and cleaning the counters. Makoto put their dirty dishes in the dish washer, leaving it for now.
Though the plan had been to go swimming, with so many people around in such a confined space, Ami didn't feel comfortable donning her swimsuit now. Makoto understood and didn't press it. The Amazon was surprised, though, when Ami led her to the 'dance floor.' Makoto didn't complain as she and Ami began to dance, happy to be so close to the younger woman.
As the night wore on, more and more people began to show up and crowd into the house. The dancers pressed together but Makoto did her best to keep space between her and Ami, knowing the smaller woman wouldn't appreciate her personal bubble being invaded so intimately.
As they danced, Ami moved and leaned up to Makoto's ear and said just loud enough over the music, "Where's your bathroom?"
Makoto shivered as Ami's breath teased her ear. When Ami pulled away, Makoto pointed toward the door that led out to the balcony where they had met the night before. "It's over there, by the door leading outside."
Ami nodded and looked back towards Makoto with a smile. "Thanks!"
The bluenette turned but only took one step before someone bumped into her in their rush across the house. The person, a man with a hand over his mouth, fumbled his way to the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind him after entering.
Makoto and Ami stood there blinking before Makoto said, "Guess someone is partying a little too hard."
Ami tried to giggle, though she looked sick herself.
"You can use my bathroom," Makoto offered. Ami turned to the brunette as she nodded towards the stairs at the back of the house. "Just up the stairs."
"Thank you," Ami said shyly, making her way through the crowd and up the stairs. There were no people sitting up here like the night before she noticed as she opened the bedroom door and stepped inside.
Closing the door, Ami reached for the light switch she hoped was beside the door. Finding it, she flipped the light on and took in Makoto's bedroom. Ami took the room in and realized it was more than just a place for the Amazon to sleep.
The room was large and looked more like a mini-loft apartment than a simple bedroom. Along the wall to Ami's left were two low dressers, no doubt full of the brunette's clothes; the corner had two lounge chairs with a table between them; the wall across from her was actually one long pane of glass and looked out over the coast; there was a desk that faced the window so whoever sat at it could look out over the water; along the farthest wall were several large bookshelves filled to the brim with books; and to Ami's immediate left was Makoto's bed: a large wooden frame that held the mattress and box springs with a green comforter cast over it with a nightstand placed on either side.
Ami swallowed at the bed and, her heart thundering in her chest and ears burning, moved over to the door she had seen by the bookshelves, hoping it to be the bathroom and it was. Several moments later she stepped out, feeling relieved, and as she made her way back to the bedroom door, stopped. She turned toward the window instead, taking in the view laid out before her.
The coast was dark, though the hills behind them lit up in rainbow colors from the city. The water was dark and calm and Ami saw the palm trees sway a bit as the wind blew. Ami could almost feel the warm breeze from inside the house.
Ami's eyes took in the scenery before her and she felt a contentment she hadn't felt before settle in her chest. It was peaceful here and she knew she would miss it when she did leave. She startled a bit when she heard the bedroom door shut and the light shut off. She turned to see Makoto making her way toward her with a smile. "It's a better view with the light off," she explained as she made her way to Ami.
"You've been gone a while," Makoto explained as she came to stand beside the smaller woman. "Wanted to make sure you were alright."
Ami smiled and turned back to look out over the water again. "I'm fine. I got distracted by the beautiful view you have."
Makoto smirked. "You should see it when the sun sets. Everything glitters. It looks like gold."
Ami smiled and let her gaze linger a moment longer, her eyes moving over the waters once more before smiling up at the brunette. "Thank you for-"
Ami's words were cut short as a pair of soft, warm lips pressed against hers. She felt the light tickle of fingertips along her jaw and she shivered at the touch, her eyes fluttering shut as the rest of her refused to move.
The kiss ended and Ami's eyes slowly opened. She felt dazed and she felt a blush scorch across her face. Her eyes settled onto Makoto's and the brunette waited to see what Ami would do. Ami's breathing came in soft pants as she stared in Makoto's waiting face. Time had seemed to stopped for her.
And then Ami found herself pushing forward, pressing her lips back against Makoto's. The taller woman's hands grasped Ami's face fully as she pushed back into that wonderful mouth against her own. Lips parted and tongues tasted one another, Ami's hands moving to grip Makoto at her waist.
Ami couldn't be sure later whether she was being pulled or she herself was doing the pushing, but she soon found herself on Makoto's bed with the taller woman beneath her, their kiss never breaking for more than a few seconds for air. Ami felt Makoto's broad hands, one at her back and the other on her shoulder, pressing into her and holding her close. Makoto herself pressed up into Ami and Ami sighed into her mouth at the contact of their breasts pressing against one another.
Without much thought, Ami's hand that been on the bed to catch her weight when they had fallen moved to Makoto's hip. The brunette's shirt had risen up slightly, allowing Ami's fingertips to brush along bare skin. Makoto moaned then and pressed into Ami further, her own hands tugging the younger woman closer. Ami shuddered as she swallowed the sound, her hand slowly inching its way beneath Makoto's shirt.
Makoto moaned again, her hand gripping Ami's shoulder before moving to tangle in short blue hair instead. Ami's touch was light and ticklish and left the brunette feeling lightheaded from it all. As Ami's hand climbed higher, however, Makoto could feel slight tremors in those pale fingers and the hesitation just before the smaller woman's hand moved to cup her breast.
Makoto gently pushed against Ami before breaking their kiss. Panting, Makoto removed her hand from Ami's hair and lightly grasped the bluenette's wrist. Green eyes stared up into blue ones that were stormy and confused.
"Are you okay," Makoto asked, her breath tickling over Ami's chin. Ami gave a small nod in way of an answer but Makoto sensed there was more to it than that. She pulled back as much as she could, being pressed into the bed, and searched those blue eyes above her once again.
After a moment, Makoto asked, "Is this your first time?"
Ami seemed to pale and then her face went scarlet in almost an instant. Makoto nearly laughed. "N-no," came Ami's stuttered reply. Makoto raised one eyebrow skeptically.
"I'm not a virgin," Ami said, perhaps a bit too loudly and defensively, and Makoto's other eyebrow shot up at her forceful tone. Ami swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked down at the woman beneath her. After a moment, she added, "B-but, I've never been with another girl before."
Makoto nodded in understanding. "Do you want to stop," she asked.
There it was, some part of Ami's cloudy mind reasoned. There was her way out of this. She could stop, she could leave, she could go home and she could pretend none of this was happening. She could pretend everything was fine the way it was before tonight. Or even last night.
She could have.
Ami was shaking her head, even before Makoto had finished asking her the question. "No," was her firm and honest answer.
Makoto smiled gently up at her, her thumb gently caressing along Ami's wrist. She pulled her hand away and lightly cupped Ami's chin, pulling the smaller woman back down for a kiss.