Dedication: To Neptune's Mask, thank you for being my happy thought lately dear. Yes this is the same person who I added a special thanks to last chapter. looks around with an innocent expression Must be coincidence.
Chapter 13: Small Island
Saturday morning came all too early in Haruka's opinion as light spilled through the barracks room window. The tall blonde would have been all too happy to roll over and put the day out of her mind, if not for the sound of Minako digging around in her wall locker.
"What are you doing?" Haruka managed in the tone of someone half dead, half opening her eyes to look at Minako. The shorter blonde continued to take things and stuff them into a small duffle bag. Haruka dully noted that she wore combat boots and her BDUs.
"Morning Ten'ou, sleep well? Hey, I need to borrow you car." Minako spoke with out turning to look at her.
"You what?" Haruka raised a brow, having never even seen Minako drive. The taller blonde sat up on her bunk, now fully awake at mention of her Mustang.
"Well Anderson has a car but it's in the shop and we're going out tonight."
"Why don't I just join you?" Haruka suggested thinking of some mini disasters her roommate had caused and not wishing them on her car.
"No!" Minako winced at her own tone and Haruka's surprised look. She smiled at the blonde specialist and started to lock up her locker. "I mean, no you have all that music to memorize and we're just going out for a few hours. It's just Subspace; you'd probably be board anyway."
"Okay, I'll choose not to ask this once." Haruka stood and stretched scratching absently at her hair as her gray t-shirt moved with her. She fought a yawn and walked toward the latrine. "But I'll drive you, since I need the car tonight. Give me a call if you two need a ride home."
"Sure thing." Minako sighed in relief and waved. "Okay, I'm off to go turn a genius into a slightly cooler genius."
The door shut again and Haruka sighed, glancing toward the open note book lying open on the wooden desk as she paused. Teal eyes skimmed over the notes she'd already memorized, the music playing in her mind. The thing that bothered her was that her mind kept drifting back to quiet tunes played by a violin, rather than the arrangements she'd been ordered to be ready to play by Monday. A distraction was definitely in order tonight, even if her hyperactive roommate wasn't involved.
"Anderson, wow I didn't even realize it was you." Amy and Minako looked up from their conversation near the barracks door. Before them, hair almost red in the fading sun stood Haruka. The taller blonde tipped her sunglass a little and smiled at the shy medic. "So this is what you two have been up to this afternoon."
"It took forever to convince her to wear the skirt." Minako whined a little even as Amy looked away with a slight blush.
"I still don't see why I have to wear a short skirt."
"We're going to a dance club, how are you going to dance in that floor length one you wanted to wear?" Minako paused as Haruka laughed and looked at her questioningly. "What?"
"You sound almost like . . ." Haruka paused then blinked. She apologized and quickly pulled Minako off to the side, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Are you setting Anderson up on a date?"
"No, what made you think that?" Minako tried to look innocent but Haruka just raised a brow. Finally Minako sighed and let her shoulders fall. "I wouldn't call it a date."
"Then what exactly is it?"
"I'm trying to make her a new friend."
"With who, you can't be going off post just to meet an Army guy?"
"Makoto Kino." Minako waited, but when it didn't click she spoke again. "You remember, that girl that helped you the night we were in the fight."
"Aino, I hope you know what you're doing." Haruka commented, still not believing the whole thing was innocent.
"I do, don't worry Minako Aino is an expert at this."
"Whatever this is." Haruka muttered, leading the way back to the car and opening the door for Amy and Minako. She bowed, forcing a cocky grin for the two. "My name is Haruka and I'll be your driver tonight ladies. I do ask that you keep your hands, arms and limbs inside the vehicle at all times, and that you remember smoking is prohibited inside the Mustang."
"How do I live with you?" Minako joked with a grin and received a playful wink from the taller blonde. Once they were all seated Haruka backed out of the parking spot, then turned the car and made record time to the gate. She slowed just as they came into view of the check point and waited in a short line of cars.
"Ten'ou, have you been to where we're going?" Amy asked and Haruka glanced into the rearview mirror.
"Yes ma'am, you mean Aino hasn't told you yet?" Amy shook her head and Haruka turned teal eyes back to the road. "Don't worry; I'm sure you two will have fun."
"You aren't coming?"
"I have somewhere else I wanted to go, but I'll be picking you both up later."
"You're being very quiet about your plans tonight." Minako put in with a sly look on her face as she eyed the back of the blonde's head.
"I could say the same for you." Haruka grinned as Minako went silent and seemed to find her bracelet extremely interesting. Only light conversation followed until they pulled up in front of Subspace. Haruka waited as the two climbed out of the back, then looked at them through the window. "You have the number and your cell right? And you did remember to recharge your cell phone, right?"
"Yes dad, I even took the trash out this morning." Minako said in a jokingly exasperated tone. Amy giggled as Haruka went from confused to smirking again.
"Well behave yourself girls, give me a call when you start to get board."
"Night dad!" Minako yelled happily as she waved and tugged Amy toward the line. Haruka sighed slightly as she turned back onto the road and drove off.
She cursed for a while, one hand on the wheel while the other rested on the open window. The car slid through the night air and caused a breeze to dance around the inside, tossing Haruka's hair this way and that.
Haruka pulled into a spot near the pier less than an hour later. She shut off and locked up her Mustang, walking slowly onto the beach and listening to the waves as they crashed against the sand. The blonde stuffed her hands in her pockets as she stood and just watched the waves as moonlight reflected from them.
"It seems Japan is a small island, isn't Haruka-san?"
"Seems so." Haruka turned and smiled at Michiru as the young woman walked over and stood next to her. The blonde was glad she still wore sunglasses as she noticed Michiru wore a swim suit with a towel draped about her shoulders. Teal eyes racked once across the woman's form, and Haruka suppressed a low whistle that begged to escape her. "Out for a swim?"
"The hotel has a pool, but for some reason I've always enjoyed the ocean so much more." Michiru commented, receiving a sort of dull nod from the blonde. She gazed up at the taller woman curiously. "What are you doing out here?"
"I'm not really sure; I was driving and just felt like stopping here." Haruka spoke as she mentally slapped herself. Losing her composure around the violin player was not a good idea, though Haruka wasn't sure why it seemed hard to maintain.
"Why don't you join me?"
"Uh, even if I had a swimsuit I'm not much of a swimmer Michiru-san." Haruka quirked her head to the side as Michiru giggled. "What did I say?"
"I'm sorry, I meant for dinner. I haven't eaten yet and I'd enjoy the company."
"Oh, well in that case I'd be happy to." Haruka grinned and for the second time that night bowed. She was barely realizing she'd stopped her car across the street from Michiru's hotel. "After you then, miss."
"Thank you." Michiru linked her arm though Haruka's and led the way back across the street. The door man of the hotel didn't so much as bat an eye as the two women passed him and strode toward the elevator.
Haruka found herself looking over sheet music as she waited quietly. Michiru had led her to a hotel suite near the top floors, and then disappeared into a bedroom to shower and quickly change. Teal eyes glanced up again, taking in a large window as she set the music back on the end table.
Haruka had always found herself drawn to high places, wither it was the top of the monkey bars in school or the highest hill she could find in her home town. Now she stood before the window and looked out at the night shrouded city below her. She leaned against the window sill and allowed her eyes to drift shut, almost swearing she could hear a low wind passing the glass before her.
"The view from here is one of my favorites." Michiru's quiet voice broke into the silence a few moments later. Teal eyes opened and looked over to the elegant young woman. "The ocean and the sky both seem so close from here, it's very relaxing."
"I can see what you mean." Haruka stood, straightening but not tucking in her collared white shirt. She offered her arm again with a friendly smile. "Ready to go?"
It was a short drive to a small restaurant nearby and Haruka found a parking place with out much problem. They were just getting out of the car when a man called out from across the street, waving excitedly. Both paused as the young man jogged over to them, smiling as he bowed once.
"It's a pleasure to see you again Kaioh-san, I thought you had said you had plans tonight." As he spoke his eyes shifting to Haruka only once "I wished you said you were having dinner with family, I could have gotten you reservations at a much better place."
"That's alright but thank you for the thought Hiroshi-san." Michiru shifted her eyes up to Haruka who just raised a silent eyebrow and waited for whatever hint the violin player gave her. Michiru waved a hand to indicate Hiroshi and spoke again. "Haruka-san this is Hiroshi Arakawa, he's the owner of one of the concert halls I frequent. Hiroshi-san this is Ten'ou Haruka."
"I don't think Kaioh-san has ever mentioned having a brother so you must be her cousin." He smiled in self-assurance. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Nice to meet you as well Arawaka-san." Haruka glanced at Michiru and could see the other woman's well hidden annoyance with the man before them. "Actually Michiru-san and I aren't related."
"Oh, how do you know each other Ten'ou-san?"
"Meiou-san introduced us a few months ago and ever since I've been waiting for a chance to ask her out to dinner." Haruka smiled and offered her arm to Michiru again. "I hope you can forgive me for stealing her away tonight but it's hard to tell when the next opportunity well be with Michiru-san's busy schedule."
"Of course." The man blinked and stood aside, clearly deflated as they walked past.
"Where did that come from Haruka-san?" Michiru whispered once they were seated, earning a playful grin from the blonde.
"You seemed to be trying to avoid the man, unless of course you had plans earlier tonight."
"No, I was trying to politely avoid Hiroshi-san." Michiru sighed as she glanced over the other diners. "He's been asking me out for a while but I wasn't interested."
"So why not just tell him that way?" The blonde asked, picking up and looking over her menu.
"I may not have to now, as he probably thinks we're dating." Michiru picked up her own menu, glancing over it and hiding her curious expression. "Should I be worried you can lie with such a normal expression?"
"When did I lie?" Teal eyes looked up and met blue, Haruka smirked a little as Michiru seemed to be thinking. The blonde shook her head and looked away again as she spoke. "Meiou-san was the reason we met, and I have been waiting to ask you to dinner so I could thank you for that night on the beach."
"Oh." Michiru lifted her menu to hide her face and fought a smiled as she spoke again. "Is that why?" Before Haruka could even think about answering a waiter appeared so the blonde just left it at that.
After dinner they returned to the hotel and Haruka walked Michiru up. Haruka was grinning as they stood before the hotel room door and talked.
"Well that was a fun night." The blonde commented.
"Thank you for going to dinner with me." Michiru said and was somewhat surprised when Haruka leaned forward and seemed to be examining her face. After a moment the blonde reached out and pushed some stray hair from the violin player's face.
"I should probably get going." Haruka's voice dropped as she spoke and she lost her grin.
"Most likely." Michiru agreed, both failing to notice they were instead leaning toward each other. Their faces were a hair's breathe apart when a happy little tune erupted from Haruka's pocket and the blonde jumped backward, turning away as she pulled a cell phone from her pocket.
"Aino? Sure I'll be right there." Haruka spoke in a rushed and seemingly jumpy voice. "No, its fine you can wait inside. See you then."
"Haruka-san." Michiru blinked as the blonde specialist spun on her heel and bowed.
"I'm sorry Michiru-san, that was my fault and it won't happen again." Haruka turned away and started down the hall. "I need to go pick up my roommate before she gets in any more trouble."
Michiru watched the blonde walking toward the elevator and replayed conversations with Setsuna, debating with herself for a few moments. She shook her head and quickly followed the blonde, catching up as Haruka was forced to wait on the elevator.
Haruka glanced at her and Michiru seemed almost aggravated as she grabbed the front of Haruka's shirt and pulled the blonde down into a quick kiss, before pulling away with a sigh as the elevator arrived.
"It wasn't your fault Haruka." The violin player turned away this time and started back to her hotel room.
Teal eyes blinked and Haruka was still staring at the space previously occupied by Michiru. Her brain finally got up as the elevator dinged and began to close. The tall blonde jumped and threw her arm between the doors to cause them to spring open again. Once in the box like elevator she sighed, running a hand through her hair and feeling the beginning of a headache behind her temples.
The black Mustang pulled up in front of Subspace, tires screeching to a halt as its blonde driver parked at a red curb and hopped out. She growled a little when the bouncer asked her to move her car, causing the man to quickly back down as she entered.
Truth be told, Haruka wasn't angry just utterly confused. As she looked around the rave party going on inside the club all she wanted was sleep.
"Ten'ou-san!" The voice caught her and she turned to see Makoto and Amy standing by the bar.
"Where's Aino?" Haruka asked as she reached the two.
"She disappeared again; we're not sure where she went." The question was answered in a moment's time though when a perturbed blonde woman all but stormed up to the three.
"Hino-san is a pain in the . . ." Haruka was fast enough to get a hand over the shorter blonde's mouth before she could finish. Makoto was clearly amused even as Amy was left blinking from the outburst.
"Breath Aino." Haruka said and slowly loosened her hand over Minako's mouth, only to be bitten and have to pull back completely in pain. She glared a bit at her shorter friend as Amy came over and took a look at her hand.
"I'll be outside." Minako said, turning away and walking off quickly.
"How does she expect me to drive if she bites my hands off?" Haruka muttered, coaxing a grin from Amy. Haruka pulled her hand away from the other specialist and nodded to Makoto. "I'll be outside, good night Kino-san."
When Haruka got back outside she found Minako calmlt sitting in the backseat of the Mustang, the passenger door was still open and the seat forward. Haruka just shook her head and got in the driver's seat, realizing she'd even parked on the wrong side of the road.
"Sorry about your hand Ten'ou." Minako muttered as Amy appeared and walked over to the car.
"It's okay, I can drive with just my right tonight." Haruka said and intentional removed her left hand from the wheel. She pretended to be shaky and Minako grinned a little in the mirror.
That night as Haruka lay in her bunk her mind replayed the scene before the elevator. She resisted the urge to growl as she thought of two deep blue eyes close to her own, knowing she couldn't. She couldn't let herself feel anything now, not when her body belonged to the military.
Haruka's thoughts became a jumble and the blonde muffled a growl by shoving a pillow over her own face. She thought she could handle this; she'd never had a problem not acting on things before. What was so different about Kaioh Michiru?
Author's Note:
My god that took me far too long to update. Sorry but I have been slightly distracted by a few things, some good some bad. I think I rewrote this three or four times . . . But it's done, finally. I'll try to get the next one up with less of a wait period.
Review Responses:
Indigo Spirit: This is the first time I've brought in so many of the characters, I can only hope I'm doing a good job.
Neptune's Mask: I'm glad you liked it love. I don't know if this chapter came out longer, I'm just glad it finally came out of my head. For some reason I find myself less focused on this story recently.
Tonker: I'm still thankful. If not for the continued to reviews I have a lot less motivation to keep writing the story, and I probably wouldn't have ended up with so many posted. Plus I'm really glad people have been nice enough to take the time to leave me those nice encouraging reviews in the first place. Hope you like this chapter.
Nellie: Wow this took me a while to finish, and still I have as of yet to describe what happened at the club.
Po0t: Glad you like it so much. B-) I hope the wait wasn't to long.
Amnesia nymph: Glad you liked that line. B-) I don't know how well repeating it to a parent would work but hey. . . Oh, and I read some of Rainbow the other day. You've got me intrigued and I can't even guess who the murderer is.
Hagancameron: Thank you. Somehow Minako just seemed the most likely to try being a match maker at the moment.
Bahamut's king: Sorry, it's just taking a little longer to build this one up. I am currently considering another story about H and M, but for now it's still on the drawing board.
Okay, now I'm a bit tired and I'll just be off to post this. Hope all of you enjoyed it and thank you again for the continued reviews.