Nothing felt as safe as her arms.
A quick inhale and the familiar scent of the aquamarine haired female filled her nostrils. Her warm arms still cradled her, her chin set lightly atop her head, the weight as comforting as her scent and her grip. For how long they'd remained entwined, Haruka wasn't entirely certain. Long enough for her legs to have fallen asleep, though; she shifted, and as always, Michiru shifted with her. Haruka could feel Michiru's long, tapered fingers trailing the length of her spine, the pads of those same fingers rubbing small circles against her skin. Flashes of what had led them to this moment sent chills down Haruka's body, enough of a shudder that Michiru was moving, her lips parting with a soothing shushing sound.
Long, golden strands… Big, blue eyes full of unshed tears… Shrill vocals as she begged to be listened to…
"Haruka." Pulled from the memories of only hours before, Haruka untangled herself from Michiru's limbs, her soft words drawing her back. Michiru was sitting up, her bare body exposed in a fashion that at another moment would have enticed the blonde, but instead she turned away and began to pull on her own clothes that had been discarded onto the floor. Moving across the room, Haruka came to stand at the window, reaching out to part the curtains, allowing in the glimmer of moonlight. "Haruka." That voice again. Those arms draped around her waist once more. Michiru tucked her chin in the crook of her shoulder, giving the blonde a gentle squeeze. "The moon is so bright tonight." Words with a hidden meaning; of course they both thought of her, of their precious princess, of the girl they had to convince that they could not work together. Of the girl who would rather die than allow any one of her Senshi to bloody their hands with the blood of an innocent girl. A heavy sigh and Haruka turned around, drawing Michiru into her own arms instead of the other way around.
"Are we doing the right thing?" Haruka felt her stomach turnover at the mere memory of that beautiful face so full of grief, a reminder of the face she had once saw in Michiru's mirror lifetimes before. The flicker of the memory was enough to send chills down her spine, to force her mind into a whirlwind. Michiru did not respond right away and that was frightening. Michiru always had an answer for everything. Silence. After several long moments, the young woman drew back and Haruka found herself staring into her lovely sea-colored eyes, eyes that were so full of emotion it was hard to keep herself from looking away. "I hate hurting her."
The memory of her ran through them both; the look in her eyes as she threw herself in front of the young girl. The squared set of her shoulders as she threw out her arms, declaring that if they wanted Hotaru then they'd have to go through her. Of the pain on her face as she blocked a combination of their own two attacks with her own body, but then the relief as she realized the girl had been spared. Both had to wonder if she was still in pain, if she hated them for attacking the young girl as they had done. It would be easier if she hated them… But they both knew, she would never hate them. And that made it all so much worse.
Michiru felt the familiar sting of heartbreak but she closed her eyes and took a breath, reaching out to take her lover's hands into her own. "It's for her own good," her tone stoic, though her heart it ached. Her eyes opened and she forced her expression to remain unreadable, to keep Haruka from seeing just how badly it hurt her to do what they were doing. One of them had to be strong, one of them had to keep the mission their top priority. No emotions clouding their judgment, no second guessing, nothing but keeping to the path they'd set for themselves. "It's what we decided a long time ago." There had been many hours of discussion, many fights and many tears. But they had agreed, they had both agreed that this was what was best for everyone. The girls, the guardians that protected their princess, they had no reason to fight this fight. They were too good, too innocent, much like her. None of them would be able to bloody their hands, nor would they expect them to. "If we want to protect her, protect the planet, then this is how it has to be. You know that."
Several long seconds but then Haruka was nodding, a breath escaping; as always, Michiru set her straight. Giving the other girl's hand a squeeze, she drew her close yet again, and they remained there together for quite some time. But then finally Michiru inched away, leading her by the hand back to their bed, drawing her beneath the covers. Across the room, the moonlight still slipped in, illuminating the room like the girl they both were thinking of. for her own good, they both repeated those words to themselves, to ease their guilt, to help themselves sleep.