Disclaimer: The usual
A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Here is Chapter 6 and I hope you like it.
A lesson on Love
By Auraluna7
Chapter 6: Forbidden Fruit
Michiru entered the spacious loft Haruka shared with Akira on the downtown district of Tokyo. The place was bigger than Michiru thought at first. The flat had polished wood floors and big windows facing the busy streets of downtown. The raven haired girl guided her past the foyer to a big living-dining room, a black grand concert piano occupying the center of the room. Michiru noticed unpacked boxes along the loft, probably filled with Haruka's belongings.
Haruka came right behind them carrying Kasumi who was not unconscious but in a very sad state. "I think it's safe to say you're allergic to codeine." Once the glamorous blonde started throwing up, they had stopped at a pharmacy on the way over to the apartment. Michiru refused by any means to take Kasumi to the hospital so Haruka stopped at an all night pharmacy to have a walk in clinic nurse take a look at the blonde. The nurse told Haruka the girl was having an allergic reaction and that with rest and lots of water she was going to be fine in a couple days. "I guess I will take Kasumi to my room so she can rest there."
Kasumi smiled faintly to Haruka, she rested her head on the tomboy's chest. If she hadn't been feeling so crappy she would have actually tried flirting with her. "Thanks Haruka." Haruka nodded and turned to walk towards her room.
Akira shook her head. "This is the worse idea you had ever Haruka" She turned to look at Michiru who sat on the couch looking tired and cold, her short dress barely covering her. "No offense Michiru but you and your friend shouldn't be here. We can all get in a whole bunch of problems."
Michiru sighed softly and standing up from the couch looked outside the window to the city night lights. "I know. Thanks for letting us stay here for a while; we can call a cab in a few hours if that's ok."
The raven haired girl looked at Michiru, dressed like she was and looking out the window with her eyes lost on her thoughts she looked so different to how she always pictured her, almost ethereal. "Can I bring you something to drink?"
Michiru smiled her eyes back on the woman. "If I say tea will you be mad at me?"
Laughing softly Akira walked to the kitchen to get Michiru some tea. When the woman left Michiru took a longer look at the room, almost every spot on the wall was covered with paintings, most of them original work. The furniture was a thrifty but stylish, very bohemian. Michiru noticed how the Akira she knew, always dressed with tailored suits and a quiet calmed disposition was not really a reflection of the person that lived here. Perhaps Michiru had misjudged her father's assistant.
With idle hands Michiru ran her fingers through the marble keys of the Grand concert piano. She imagined Haruka sitting at it playing and a smile formed on her lips. She looked at the handwritten music sheets placed on the piano and sitting at the bench she started playing the written song slowly. Michiru was not a pianist but she knew how to play the instrument, her father was a pianist and she had practiced many hours along the years.
It was a romantic song, it had no title but it was beautiful and melodic, her long fingers touched the keys softly, the music filling the room making her forget how cold she was, making her warm and enticed just as she felt every time she played her violin. Michiru stopped when she skipped a note, she tried to retrace the phrase again, it was an advanced song for her, and she kept tripping over the same notes again and again. "Here, it is a tricky phrase." Michiru heard Haruka's voice behind her and felt the blonde leaning placing her arms around her to reach her hands and guide them through the keys.
Michiru's heart raced as she felt Haruka's warm body around her and let the blonde guide her hands to play the song. The young girl smiled and gently rested against Haruka, the blonde held her breath softly but she kept escorting Michiru through the musical notes. "Play it for me Haruka. I am not a good at it."
Nodding Haruka let go of her almost painfully and sat down at the bench next to Michiru who turned to look at her, with her rosy lips inches away from her cheek as she brushed her leg against hers softly. Haruka smiled and started playing the song on the sheets, the one she had been working on for the past days. Her skilled hands played the song by heart, Haruka caught a glimpse of Michiru as the notes flowed around the room, and she found the blue eyes looking at her with admiration and light. When the last note felt silent Michiru placed her hand on Haruka's still resting on the keys.
"What's the name of the song?"
"Muse." Michiru caressed the fingers gently, her eyes fixed on the piano.
"Who is she? Your muse?" Michiru's voice sounded brittle and low. Haruka trapped the soft fingers on her hand.
"Inspiration doesn't always have a name." Michiru nodded, until now she never even thought Haruka could have someone in her life. This woman could be someone beautiful and cultured, a fountain of inspiration for someone like Haruka, not a child like her. Michiru never saw the gap between their ages as grand as she was now. Haruka was a mature talented composer and performer, she on the other hand was a spoiled amateur violinist that hated to take advises.
Who could be this Muse? Anyone; perhaps even Akira. The thought hurt her more than she wanted to admit, she moved her hand away from Haruka's and hugged herself, the apartment suddenly too cold. "Are you cold?" Michiru nodded again, Haruka hugged her softly, rubbing the girl's arms gently.
The blue eyes looked up to find hers; she hadn't thought much of the gesture it just felt so natural to bring Michiru into her arms, she noticed the beautiful eyes filled with dark shadows. "What's wrong Michiru?"
With a knot on her throat Michiru wanted to say that nothing was wrong but the thorn of jealousy was piercing her heart. "I like you."
Haruka sighed softly; she caressed the porcelain face of Michiru. "I am your teacher."
"I know that." Michiru lowered her eyes, she was not going to cry in front of Haruka but she surely felt like it. Haruka lifted her chin gently, her heart hurting as she saw the blue eyes filled with tears.
The tomboy was facing two impossible choices, both the girls she was falling for were water she should not drink, forbidden fruit.
The Butterfly Muse made her lusty, just the thought of her kisses, the memory of the touch of her warm skin against hers made the tomboy bothered and ready, but Kasumi Tani was a student. She was without a doubt a sex bomb, the way she walked, the way she talked, the red lips always ready and wet, everything on Kasumi screamed sexuality and Haruka had to admit even before she knew she was the Butterfly Muse the impulse of touching the glimmering skin of the blonde was always present when she was around her.
And then there was Michiru, the girl was everything she ever thought a woman worth writing a song for was, she was beautiful, smart, talented. Her deep blue eyes could evoke the immense sea and every time Haruka was around her she felt this warm feeling inside her. She refused to call it love because she barely knew Michiru but she had the certainty that the feeling will bloom into Love if she stepped into the deep waters of Michiru's eyes and let go of her restrains. But she just couldn't. Michiru was out of her reach for many, many reasons. She was falling in love with the perfect woman but she had to remember Michiru was her pupil.
Yet here she was, looking into the blue eyes, feeling the warm skin of Michiru's face against her fingertips, physically aching for her. Michiru closed her eyes for a second and she felt Haruka leaning against her and she knew the blonde was going to kiss her, she could almost feel her lips tingling with anticipation and she half opened her lips to welcome Haruka's.
"Ehem…" The couple startled turned to look at Akira holding a tray with a kettle and teacups. The woman said nothing but she gave Haruka a look that could be only described as a warning. "Have some tea Michiru; it is cold in this apartment. Haruka go get Miss Kaioh something more comfortable to wear." Haruka noticed the emphasis on the words 'Miss Kaioh' Akira used to refer to Michiru and she felt the guilt growing in her stomach again. She hurriedly left the room to find Michiru something to wear.
Akira poured a warm cup of tea for Michiru; she looked at the girl and sighed. "Kasumi is in Haruka's bedroom so I guess you could use my bedroom for the night."
"Oh no, I can sleep here in the couch, It will be fine." Michiru avoided the hazelnut eyes. She was not going to give Akira any explanations regarding Haruka. "Akira…"
"Yes?"
"Are you and Haruka…"
"Does it matter?" Michiru turned her face away from the woman, back to look at the piano, her hands pressed tightly against the teacup. "No."
Relieved Michiru ventured to look into the brown eyes. "Is she…"
"Michiru." Akira cut the girl's words. This conversation was going places she preferred not to go with her boss' daughter. "Haruka could get in a lot of problems, for this. You know that? You might be probing your way into the world and that is fine but be careful."
"I am." The raven haired girl fell silent. She got up from the couch and walked towards the door Haruka had left through.
"I will make sure Haruka picks something you can actually wear. I will be right back."
-0-
Haruka looked at Kasumi lying on her bed. The blonde girl laid curl against a pillow, her blonde hair spread like a golden blanket, her naked shoulders against the white linens. She forced herself to look away and opened her drawers, there wasn't anything in there she thought Michiru could wear. She turned her face to the door when she felt it opened quietly, Akira came in, she didn't looked particularly friendly.
"What are you doing?" She whispered to Haruka, the blonde holding a couple t-shirts.
"Picking up clothes for Michiru." She whispered back, Akira smacked her in the back of the head. Haruka looked at her outraged. "What?"
"I mean what are you doing with Michiru?" They kept whispering; although Haruka suspected Kasumi couldn't be awaken by a marching band right now. "I walked into you guys about to kiss. Weren't you all gaga about your Butterfly Muse?"
"About that." Haruka looked at Kasumi and walked Akira out of her room to the hall. Still whispering she faced her friend. "I found out who the Butterfly Muse is."
"Who?"
"Kasumi Tani." Akira opened her mouth with surprise.
"What? How did you found that?"
"I saw the tattoo on her shoulder, it has to be her and I saw the mask on Michiru's purse."
"Oh dear. So what are you going to do now?"
Haruka sighed; she was wondering the same thing. "I guess this will be a chance to get to know Kasumi better, I mean all I knew about her was sort of physical, now I can find out if I like her personality and I don't know… go from there. As for Michiru I want to know her better too… is it so bad?"
"You are out of your mind. Kasumi and Michiru are both bad choices, this is not an all you can eat buffet."
"I know that. Could you stop being the Headmaster's assistant and be my friend here? I like them both and I know it is reprehensible and all that but I do like them, they inspire me, they make me feel alive. And one of them could hold the key to my heart, be my real Muse."
"Ok, let's forget all the primary reasons why is this a terrible idea and just think about the present situation, these girls are best friends Haruka and you think you can just date them both until one looks better than the other? You are going to end up scorched by the fire of two very intense teenagers. Now are you going to tell Kasumi you know she is your damn muse?"
"No. I don't know, not yet. I haven't figured it out. I just want time to get to know them better and don't give me that look I am not going to do anything I might regret or that the law can persecute"
Akira rolled her eyes, suddenly too tired to discuss Haruka's twisted sex life. "I am off to bed; just promise me you won't seduce anyone under my roof tonight."
"Promised. But I need you to do something for me before you go to bed."
"What now? You need a kidney too?" Haruka smiled and handed her a T-shirt.
"Kasumi needs to get out of that dress."
Holding the T-shirt Akira's face blushed intensely. "I am not taking anyone's clothes off. Especially Kasumi's clothes."
Haruka smirked. "You fancy her?" Akira threw the T-shirt at the blonde's face. "Oh wait, maybe Michiru can do it."
"Oh right, go get her and make her get Kasumi naked and then we can sit and watch." Haruka raised an eyebrow, the image too vivid on her head. "I am joking you mega pervert. And I am dead serious no funny business under this roof tonight."
"Yes mom…"
-0-
Michiru walked back into the living room wearing Haruka's varsity T-shirt and sweats, her hair lose. "Hey." The tomboy smiled at her, and the girl sat in the couch next to her, hugging her knees and resting her chin on them. "Am I keeping you up?"
"Not really. Are you still cold?" The younger girl nodded and Haruka wrapped a soft blanket around her. "So should we just go to sleep then?"
"I was thinking maybe we could do something we haven't done before." Haruka looked at Michiru who held the blanket tightly wrapped around her and she felt her throat suddenly dry.
"Oh?"
Michiru smiled, she noticed the blonde sitting straight and looking nervous at her. "Yes, like talking, about us, no school work, just you and I like …friends."
The tomboy gave her a warm smile. "You know Michiru, I will like that very much." Michiru yawned softly and leaned against Haruka.
"Tell me did you always wanted to be a pianist?"
A soft strand of Michiru's hair fell on Haruka's shoulder as the girl rested against her; the blonde touched it, the soft scent of Michiru present all around her. "I think so, I sat at a piano for the first time when I was six and since then the music has been my life. How about you?"
"With the parents I was born with everyone expected me to turn a musician or an artist of sorts. My mother was an oil painter, my dad as you know is a pianist so let's just say I got my first violin for Christmas when I was three. But unlike you I am not a miracle performer."
"I disagree. You are very talented…"Haruka stopped talking and she heard Michiru laugh softly.
"Where you about to say, 'you just need to work on your posture' and be all teacher-ish again?"
"Sorry."
"It's ok. I know, but there is so much more I want to do besides music, sometimes I think if I get too good at it that is all I'll ever be, sometimes I wonder if my dad loves my hands more than my brain."
"Don't say that. No one that knows you can ever think that, you are too special." Michiru smiled and snuggled closer to the blonde, the tomboy's arms cold.
"Do you want to share this blanket? I'll be good, promise."
Smiling Haruka got under the blanket with Michiru, she felt the girl touch her hand slightly and she indulged herself by taking the soft violinist hand on her own. "What else do you want to be then? Tell me, I want to know everything about you."
Michiru entangled her fingers with Haruka's and rested her head back on Haruka's shoulder, this moment was just so perfect she wished time will stop for them right now. "Well…"
-0-
Kasumi opened her beautiful eyes, the morning sun making her long eyelashes seem like liquid gold, she could feel the white linens against her naked thighs and smell the soft scent on the pillows , pleasant but unfamiliar. She sat on the bed looking around to the strange bedroom, her head feeling heavy.
She tried to review the events of the previous night but some of them were just plain blurry, she looked down to find herself wearing an oversized t-shirt, her underwear still on. She kept looking around and started to remember, the pill making her sick, Michiru holding her long hair while she ruined her expensive dress trying not to throw up on Haruka's car. Haruka. She was at Haruka's, she remembered it now; she had taken them out of the club the night before.
So this had to be Haruka's bedroom. She got off the bed, her ruined dress discarded on the floor, her long hair tangled; she touched gently the few personal items on the vanity, her fingers lingering on a perfume bottle. She put it up to her nose and the scent of Haruka brought a chill down her spine, she could feel her nipples harden at the thought of being in the blonde's room wearing her clothes and sleeping on her bed.
Kasumi placed the bottle down and brushed her hair with her fingers, she stepped into the small bathroom and washed her face, feeling a bit less groggy she stepped out of the tomboy's room, the apartment totally silent. Her bare feet made no noise on the wooden floors and she almost wished she had more clothes on as the loft seemed too cold in the early morning. She walked into the dining room and saw two figures sleeping on the couch, she approached them silently and her gray eyes flashed with jealousy. She saw Michiru and Haruka in the couch, the smaller girl resting her head on Haruka's lap, the blonde's hand placed gently on the aqua colored curls.
They were both fully dressed but Kasumi could sense the intimacy of the scene and half closed her eyes, she stepped closer and she saw the tomboy opening her eyes slowly to see her. "Morning."
"Morning Kasumi." Haruka could not keep her eyes from the blonde in front of her, her unruly golden hair falling down to her thighs covering more than the brief T-shirt she was wearing, her face without make up but with a wild expression and her long toned legs exposed to the soft morning light. "How are you feeling?"
The girly blonde shrugged. "Ok, I guess. I could use a coffee."
Haruka nodded, she gently fixed the curls of Michiru's hair behind her ear, the violinist still deeply asleep. She placed a pillow under her head and stood up leaving the girl on the couch. Michiru looked so beautiful when she slept, her expression calmed and relaxed. Haruka turned around and found Kasumi looking at her with an unreadable expression, she smiled at her and Haruka smiled back. "Coffee then. Let's go to the kitchen."
Kasumi held Haruka's arm when the tomboy walked past her. Haruka fixed her green eyes on her. "Thank you, for last night."
"That's ok. I am glad to see you're feeling better." Kasumi stepped closer to Haruka; she placed her leg between Haruka's.
"I feel much better every time I see you." Haruka rested her hand softly against Kasumi's hip; she tried hard to keep looking at the blonde in the eye. The girl smiled at her, Haruka's hand almost burning a mark through the fabric and right into her skin. Intentionally she brushed herself against Haruka, her lips almost touching. "Are you going to kiss me now, or should I?"
Haruka lowered her eyes to Kasumi's lips, they were bare from lipstick but they were still full and wet. "I don't think this is the time or the place."
"Hmmm" Kasumi licked her lips softly. "You just tell me when and where then." Haruka nodded softly, she had to remember herself about her determination to find the non physical side of the Butterfly Muse. "Oh, Hi Michiru."
Haruka let go of the girl's hip instantly at the sound of Michiru's name. She noticed the girly blonde smiling but not stepping back, and Haruka had to step back away from her and turned around to face Michiru.
"Morning." Michiru's voice betrayed no emotion, if she noticed anything between Kasumi and her, she kept it private. She stepped closer to Kasumi and touched the girl's forehead. "How are you feeling?"
Kasumi smiled at her friend. "Good. Haruka is going to get me some coffee, right?" Nodding again Haruka walked behind the kitchen counter to start the coffee. "Are you alright?" Kasumi whispered to Michiru, the girl just nodded. Unlike Haruka, Kasumi could read Michiru like the palm of her hand, she noticed the violinist hands tremble when she touched her forehead. She knew Michiru had seen Haruka and her just a moment ago. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Michiru sat at the table. Last night had been the perfect night; she and Haruka had shared so many things about each other. She had told the tomboy things she hadn't even said out loud before and she felt she and Haruka shared a connection, something special. But she woke up to find Haruka and Kasumi touching each other and she didn't know what to make of it.
Haruka serve the girls coffee and toast, her eyes went from the smiling blonde to Michiru whose face remained expressionless, her blue eyes unreadable. After the night she spent with Michiru, Haruka felt really close to her. But again the tomboy's lust was getting the best of her; just a look at Kasumi had brought her back to square one. Haruka could just not decide who she wanted.
"I was thinking after breakfast I could drive you back to the school." Kasumi shrugged, she much rather spent her day with Haruka. Michiru didn't even bother to acknowledge her words; she looked at the dry toast in her hand.
"Maybe if Michiru doesn't mind we can drop her at school and you can give me that ride on your car you promised me."
Haruka and Kasumi both looked at Michiru at the same time, the girl looked up from her toast. "Why will I mind?" She dropped the piece of toast and stood up. "I'll go get changed." Michiru walked away from the table and disappeared through the bathroom door, Haruka looked at her wondering if she was mad at her.
Kasumi's face was not altered by Michiru's outburst; she gave Haruka a bright smile. "So, where are we going Haruka?"
(A/N: Two girls, one Haruka. Isn't it always like that? I think I should bring Michiru some girls too *giggles* maybe not, who knows I always wake up with a different idea for this fic. Review if you want more!)