Before she opened her eyes, Ami knew it was morning, the sun shinning brightly even through her closed lids. She was also warm. So very warm. And comfortable. Did she really have to move?
Sadly, yes. She was finally coming out of her deep sleep and her senses were all coming online. She knew if she tried to prolong her sleep, she'd only end up with a headache.
She heard a sigh to her right and a puff of warm air tickle her ear. Opening her eyes, Ami turned only her face and saw the serene face of Makoto laying on the pillow under Ami's own head. She felt fingers twitch along her belly beneath the blanket and she smiled. Ami was sure, just as she was falling asleep the night before, she would wake up in a panic. Instead, she realized she had never been so calm.
Ami turned to face the other woman, Makoto's hand sliding over her hip to her lower back instinctively even in her sleep to pull the smaller woman closer. Ami smiled again as she closed her eyes, ducking her head to nuzzle along Makoto's throat.
The taller woman's breathing changed then and she stiffened before stretching out her long limbs before her arms wrapped around Ami, pulling her closer. Ami could hear the smile Makoto wore as the taller woman spoke, "Mmm, good morning." Green eyes opened lazily and the corner of the brunette's mouth tugged upward.
Ami blushed but returned the smile with a small one of her own. "Hi," was her whispered greeting.
Makoto's hand lazily caressed up and down Ami's back. "How did you sleep?"
Ami bit her lip, trying not to giggle at the light touch. "Fine, thank you." This wasn't the awkward morning she had expected and dreaded when falling asleep the night before. She was happy for that; she didn't handle awkward very well. "And you?"
"Very well," Makoto said with a hint of a smirk. Ami's light blush deepened and she ducked her head, hiding her face in the crook of Makoto's neck.
The brunette's smirk softened back into a smile and she shifted to lay a soft kiss on the curve of Ami's shoulder, her lips warm and wet. She felt Ami sigh against her throat as she trailed her kisses upwards along expanse of Ami's shoulder, to her neck, along her jaw. The older woman shifted, gently pushing Ami onto her back and settling over her. The bluenette's arms tightened around her and their legs tangled as Makoto's hand moved teasingly over Ami's hip and thigh.
Just as their lips were about to come together, a loud banging on the bedroom door startled them, causing Ami to jump slightly and for Makoto to fall on top of her fully, her face buried in the pillow beneath Ami's head.
"Koto," came a loud whine from the other side of the door. "I'm hungry! Get up and feed me!" He banged on the door like a petulant child, his whining loud enough to be heard over it.
Makoto raised her head and glared at her door. "That idiot has great timing," she growled. Sighing, she turned back to Ami, whose face had nearly gone nuclear at the thought of someone finding them together like this. "Are you hungry?"
Ami looked up at Makoto, trying to ignore her impending humiliation. With a small nod, Makoto smiled at her. "What would you like for breakfast?"
"Oh, um," Ami blushed again. "Whatever Shinozaki-san wants is fine."
"Forget that idiot," Makoto said with a small smile. "I'm not feeding him." Ami giggled and Makoto's smile grew. "Really, whatever you want."
Ami pondered for a moment and then asked, "Pancakes?"
"Pancakes it is!" Makoto kissed Ami quickly before pulling away and standing from the bed. Ami blushed as Makoto, in all her nude glory, stalked over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. "Feel free to use my bathroom. I should have a spare toothbrush in the drawer, so you're welcome to that. Come on down when you're ready, okay?"
Ami had sat up when Makoto had left the bed, holding the comforter to her naked chest as she watched the brunette dress. Ami nodded at Makoto's question and the brunette smiled again as she exited the bedroom. Ami sat there for a moment before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She stood from the bed and gathered her clothing from the night before, which was strewn around the bed much like Makoto's had been, and went to the bathroom. She quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth using the tooth brush Makoto had said she had, and dressed.
As she exited the bathroom, she checked her phone which laid on the nightstand. Before falling asleep, Ami had texted her friends to let them know she was sleeping over at Makoto's place. She wasn't surprised to see so many teasing messages in reply. Even if they were right, especially Minako-chan, Ami was dreading going back to the cottage. Sighing, she pocketed the phone and made her way downstairs.
As she made her way across the large open room, Ami could already smell the pancakes being made. Had she taken that long in the bathroom? She caught sight of Shinozaki sitting at the bar, swinging his feet happily with a plate of pancakes already before him. He waited with the patience of a kid on Christmas morning for more. Makoto stood at the stove, spatula in one hand and the handle of a skillet in the other, waiting to flip a couple of pancakes. Makoto looked up and, catching sight of Ami, smiled widely at her.
Shinozaki turned and smiled at Ami as well as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry for the rude wake up," he said. "If I had known you had spent the night, I wouldn't have been knocking on the door this morning. Koto never has visitors stay over so I wasn't expecting it. Again, I'm sorry."
Ami took a seat beside him at the bar, her face flushed a red so deep Ami was sure she'd burst into flame any second. "It's okay," she lied.
He gave her a crooked smile as Makoto placed a pancake on his already stacked plate. "There. Now leave," Makoto growled out at her brother.
Shinozaki smiled brightly at Makoto before pouring syrup on his pancakes and taking his leave back to his bedroom without so much as a thank you. With a long suffering sigh, Makoto turned to Ami. "Sorry," she said simply.
Ami smiled at Makoto. "It's okay," she said again, though this time she meant it. "He did seem apologetic."
"I'll be really apologetic, too, the next time he invites a girl over," Makoto mumbled and Ami giggled despite herself.
"Does he really have girls over so often," Ami asked as Makoto set a plate in front of her with a pancake on it.
The brunette poured more patter into the skillet for their meal. "About as often as I do, really."
Ami felt her heart sink a bit at that. "Oh," was all Ami could trust herself to say. I shouldn't be surprised, she thought, Makoto is a beautiful woman. Surely she has people more than willing to sleep with her. Ami felt her stomach turn a bit. She wasn't hungry anymore.
Makoto caught the downcast look on Ami's face and asked, "Are you okay?"
Ami shrugged a bit. "Just trying to process last night, I guess." Blushing, she added, "I've never had a one night stand before."
Makoto stilled after placing two pancakes onto a plate. All was quiet when she poured more batter into the pan. Finally, she said tentatively, "It doesn't have to be just a one night stand."
Ami's eyes raised to meet Makoto's steady gaze. Blushing, she didn't look away and asked, "What?"
Makoto shrugged and dropped her eyes back to the skillet. Ami noticed Makoto's cheeks pink as she said, "I like you, Ami, and I would like to get to know you better." She flipped the pancakes and as the batter sizzled, Makoto added, "I mean, even if all we do is hang out and talk, that'd be fine, too. I don't want you to think I want you around just for sex." She smirked then and flicked her eyes back up to Ami's, "Though last night was pretty great."
Ami didn't think her face could get any redder.
Ami entered the house as quietly as possible. It was still early, the twins should still be sleeping, and she knew they would have questions. Ami wasn't sure if she would have answers.
She spent the night with a stranger, and a female one at that. It was something so out of character for her that, even replaying the memories from the night before, still seemed like a dream. But as much as she hated to admit it, Makoto had made her feel special and wanted and Ami wanted that feeling again.
Maybe she didn't hate admitting that at all.
Ami giggled softly to herself as she reached her bedroom. At the time, Ami had been the only one in their group not dating anyone so of the three bedrooms availiable, she had been given the smallest one. That had been fine with her. Her room had a wonderful view of mountains in the distance and felt that was a reasonable consolation prize for being single.
Ami sat her bag on the bed and looked through the window at said mountain range in the distance. While something she would usually enjoy seeing, her mind was moving too quickly trying to process last night and this morning.
"She wants to see me again," Ami whispered to herself, still not believing it. Someone like Makoto wanted to see her. Wanted to get to know her. Wanted her. Ami blushed and swallowed hard, fidgeting with the bag.
"So you finally came home, huh?"
The voice startled Ami and she jumped, turning to see Minako and Usagi standing in the open doorway, staring at her with the same evil grins they had been wearing when Makoto had picked her up the night before.
"Did you have fun last night," Minako asked, her look sly and devious.
"Fun," Usagi echoed, her face the same as her sister's.
"Um, yes," Ami answered, her face burning hotter.
Minako and Usagi gave each other knowing looks before walking into the room fully. They both grabbed hold of one of Ami's arms and the three of them sat on Ami's bed with the bluenette in the middle, trapped between her friends. Ami was sure her heart would erupt from her chest at any moment, the way it was beating so fast.
"So tell us about your evening and your non-date," Minako teased, smiling how Ami's face reached a shade of red never before seen.
"Did you go swimming," Usagi asked before Ami could answer Minako. "I saw you had packed your swimsuit."
"N-no," Ami replied with a slight stutter, "Shinozaki-san threw a party in the middle of our dinner."
"Wow," Minako said with awe in her voice, "He threw a party in the middle of your date? I'm impressed."
Ami chuckled, feeling some of the tension leave. "Makoto wasn't. She was pretty livid, actually. She knew I didn't like crowds and offered to bring me home."
Minako's expression turned sly again. "And she did. Though I'm sure you meant last night." Ami's face went red again and Minako's face softend. "We're just teasing, Ami-chan. We know nothing happ-"
"We slept together," Ami rushed out after taking a deep breath, her eyes tightly shut.
Her best friends gawked at her, mouths open and eyes wide. "You what," Usagi asked, dumbfounded.
Ami swallowed past the lump in her throat. "I slept with her, with Makoto, last night," she repeated, peeking her eyes open to look at her friends. Usagi still wore a look of confusion but it was Minako whose eyes narrowed.
"Was it consensual?" The blond's tone was even and almost sounded neutral. Ami knew better. She had heard that tone once before and it had been when she asked if a few bullies at school had picked on Ami. A few well placed volleyballs to the face made sure they stopped.
Ami nodded quickly, "It was." Despite her arms being held, Ami brought her fingers together in a gesture of nerves. "She kissed me and one thing led to another and..." Ami trailed off, her fingers tangling and stumbling over themselves.
The twins quickly took hold of one hand each, interlacing their fingers together. As soon as they did, Ami stopped rambling. The blonds squeezed her hands and after a moment, she returned it.
"I don't understand," Usagi asked. "I thought you liked boys?"
"I have to admit, despite my teasing, I didn't think you liked girls," Minako added. Seeing the worried look on Ami's face, she added, "It's not a bad thing!" Then she giggled. "Obviously, I'm dating Rei. Why would I care if you liked girls or not?"
"...Did Ryo-san ruin boys for you," Usagi asked tentatively.
Ami blinked at Usagi and Minako glared at her sister. "That was so rude, Usagi," she scolded.
"Why," Usagi asked, hurt that she may have offended Ami. "I just don't understand, is all! Ami-chan never showed any interest in girls before." Usagi turned to Ami, tears in her eyes. "Ami-chan, I didn't mean to come off like there is something wrong with you, please don't think that!"
Ami smiled at her flustered friend and leaned her head against Usagi's for a moment. "You didn't, it's okay," she answered honestly. She raised her head, her smile in place though it appeared a bit sad. "And, no, he didn't ruin boys for me. To be honest, I was never really into guys in the first place."
Ami had turned slightly to face Usagi as she spoke, so Minako leaned into her back and rested her chin on the bluenette's shoulder. "So why go out with him?"
Ami shrugged a bit, her eyes falling to the floor. "You two were dating and telling me how much fun you were having. I didn't want to feel left out. Ryo was the first person to ever give me the time of day so I figured why not?" Ami sighed. "That sounds so shallow when I say it out loud."
"Maybe," Minako agreed. "But you were seventeen. What kid at that age isn't shallow?" Minako smirked and lightly tickled Ami's ribs with her free hand, causing the younger girl to squeal a bit. "Even the great and powerful Mizuno-sensei."
Ami laughed and bucked, attempting to get away from Minako and her treacherous fingers. After a few moments, Usagi asked, "So... what about Kino-san?"
Ami was quiet for a moment before she answered, "She wants to see me again. Even if it's just as a friend and nothing more."
"That's a good sign, isn't it," Minako asked. "Shows she's interested more in you than just sex."
Ami nodded and swallowed. "But, what-"
"NO," the twins said in unison, startling Ami. "Don't think that way!"
"If that's what she said, then you should take her at her word unless she proves otherwise," Usagi said with an authoritative tone.
"And it's your vacation, too," Minako said in agreement with her sister. "You're entitled to some fun."
Ami turned to glare reproachfully at her best friend. "I never said I wasn't."
"You were thinking it," Minako said in a deadpan.
"Did you two make plans for tonight," Usagi asked excitedly. "You two are awfully cute together."
Ami blushed, but shook her head. "We didn't make plans, no. I sorta got flustered this morning and wouldn't answer when she asked if I wanted to do anything."
The blonds looked a bit saddened by their shy friend's natural reluctance to avoid conflict, whether it was actually there or not, and miss out on a possibly good time. They were about to protest when Ami began speaking.
"But," Ami said, a small smile spreading across her face, "I would like to see her again."
Makoto sat half reclined on the couch outside her bedroom door, idling flipping through the channels on the tv. She hadn't heard from Ami all day and worried she had pressed too hard, hadn't tried to call or text the bluenette herself. The brunette could help but feel a little disappointed; she had meant what she had said when she told Ami she wanted to get to know her better. But Ami was shy, she knew, and perhaps it was just a little too much for her to handle a casual relationship that would have lasted only a couple of weeks anyway.
Makoto sighed and finally shut off the tv just to hear the distant sound of a car door shutting. Makoto turned in time to see a car pull out of her driveway and down the road a moment before the doorbell rang. Curious, Makoto quickly made her way down the two flights of stairs to the main floor. Through the glass windows and door she saw Ami on the other side, a small smile on a red face and a small bag hanging from her shoulder. Ami's blue hair looked purple in the setting sun's rays.
Makoto opened the door and Ami's smile grew which caused Makoto to smile at her in return. "I thought you would like some company tonight," Ami asked, her voice hopeful.
Makoto's small smile spread into a wide grin. Still holding the door open, she stepped to the side and gestured Ami inside. As the bluenette stepped past her, Makoto took Ami's bag and held it in her hand. She shut the door as Ami turned to face her and Makoto dipped her head, brushing her lips against Ami's, who happily returned the brief kiss.
"I'm glad you came by," Makoto whispered, the fingers of her free hand teasing Ami's bangs.
Ami smiled brightly up at Makoto. "Me, too."
AN: Take this damn chapter before I break something.