Fourteen Days with my Family by Hotaru Tomoe.
Chapter Seven: Friday I.
Disclaimer: Still don't own any of the Sailor Moon characters.
I couldn't sleep very well last night after what happened yesterday.
Oh sure, the small gathering at Kimyo's after the trip to the zoo was fun, but it was how Haruka-papa was acting that was bothering me. She was polite enough for the most part, but when Kimyo mentioned Katsuji's name, Haruka-papa bluntly told her to change the subject. Kimyo looked shocked, while both Michiru-mama and Setsuna-mama glared at her but said nothing. Luckily Kimyo's Mom and Hoshiko were out of earshot. Kimyo moved on and Haruka-papa went back to being herself, but the ride home was quiet.
When we got home I tried to ask her what was going on but she rebuffed me saying that she was tired and going to bed and left without saying good night. Michiru-mama apologized and assured us that we'd all talk in the morning and went after Haruka-papa. Setsuna-mama, Hoshiko, and I bid each other goodnight and went to our respective rooms. Along the way I could hear Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa arguing, never a good sign. I cried myself to sleep wondering what I had done wrong.
I awoke this morning with a feeling of dread. I showered and put on a black t-shirt and pants like I do every so often when Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama have an argument. Usually they feel so guilty they apologize and make up. I was hoping that it would work again.
The first thing I noticed when I walked into our kitchen was that both Haruka-papa and Hoshiko were missing. I asked Michiru-mama about it.
"Your Papa is taking Hoshiko over to Rei's place. She also said that she'd like to talk to you when she gets back." Michiru-mama replied. Oh great, she's going to send me to a nunnery after all. I thought.
"Don't worry Hime-chan your Papa isn't going to send you to a nunnery if I or Setsuna-mama has anything to say about it." Michiru-mama told me reassuringly. I wish she wouldn't do that, it's eerie. Both of them just smiled and we went back to eating breakfast.
A few minutes later I heard Haruka-papa's car pull up and a few moments later she walked into the kitchen.
"Good morning Haruka-papa!" I said as cheerfully as I could as I stood up with my arms out.
"Good morning kiddo." She replied as she hugged me and kissed me on the cheek. Her voice sounded a bit strained and it looked as though she had been agonizing over something all morning. I put it out of my mind as we ate breakfast and talked.
Finally breakfast was over and Haruka-papa turned and looked at me, her face grave. "Hime-chan? Could you go sit in the living room with Setsuna-mama please? I want to talk to you about something, but I need to discuss it with Michiru-mama first, okay sweetie?"
"Okay Papa." I replied as I hugged her and then went into the living room with Setsuna-mama.
"Do you know what's going on Mama?" I asked.
"No I don't Hotaru. I really don't." Setsuna-mama looked worried and that was never a good sign. I could hear Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa talking quietly in the kitchen. I could swear that Haruka-papa was crying as well, or so I thought. I sat in an armchair and picked up a magazine while Setsuna-mama sat nearby on the couch with her book while we waited.
I sat there trying to focus on the magazine but I kept worrying about what was happening. What had I done? Were they going to send me to a nunnery, or a military academy or something? Don't they love me any more? I felt Setsuna-mama's hand on mine as I noticed that I had started to shake a bit.
"Don't worry, Hime-chan. We all still love you and always will."
"Thank you Mama."
At that moment Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama walked into the living room. Michiru-mama was smiling her most reassuring smile while Haruka-papa's expression, well I believed with all my heart that I was going to die an old virgin let's just say.
While Michiru-mama went over and sat beside Setsuna-mama, Haruka-papa sat down on the ottoman in front of me so that we were nearly eye to eye. As she sat there head bowed composing her thoughts, her hands clenching and unclenching in front of her, I saw that she had indeed been crying. I wanted to reach out and embrace her and assure her that everything was all right, like she had done for me lots of times, but Michiru-mama shook her head and mouthed 'not yet'.
Finally though she looked up at me and smiled at me a bit as she reached out and took my hands in hers. Her hands always amazed me. Her hands were rough from working out and using tools all the time. I've seen her punch through wooden doors and thick drywall, or break a man's jaw or send a yoma on its butt. What amazed me though was despite all that her hands could be so gentle when she held me or Michiru-mama without hurting us.
She looked up at me, her eyes boring into mine. "Do you know why I'm so overprotective of you all the time?" I stared at her, caught off guard by the question. I shook my head. She took a deep breath and continued.
"A few years before I met Michiru, and was awakened as Sailor Uranus, I met and fell in love with an older girl. She was beautiful, elegant, sophisticated, and smart. Everything I could have ever wanted. She was a year older than me, and I thought she was the ideal woman. I was well aware that I preferred women to men at that point, and had already had a few encounters with girls by that time but I hadn't come out publicly yet. I had been working in my Uncle's garage, learning about cars so I could become a race car driver when she walked in." She paused and took another calming breath, fighting tears back as she did.
"She was with her Mother to get their car fixed. My Uncle let me look it over and see what was wrong to give me some experience. While my Uncle took her Mom into the office, I was poking around the engine to see what was wrong. At that moment she spoke. 'Do you know what's wrong with it?' She asked."
"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I think your radiator hose needs to be replaced and…" I looked over at her and my voice stopped working. She was the most beautiful woman I had seen at that point, long blonde hair, blue eyes, graceful figure, etc. Kind of like Usagi only taller and more elegant and sophisticated. I'm not implying that Usagi isn't elegant or sophisticated by any means, but…I'll stop that train of thought before I get in any deeper." She laughed sheepishly and continued.
"Hi, I'm Katsuki.' She told me.'
"Hi, I'm Haruka.' I replied."
"We soon got to talking and she was very polite and asked me all kinds of questions about what I did and all that. I found myself falling head over heels in love with her. I was starting to babble a bit by this point and my Uncle came back with her Mom to check on my progress. We fixed their car and they left, but not before she slipped her phone number in my pocket along with a note saying to call her on Saturday. You wouldn't believe how happy I was when she did that! I was smiling and waving as they left."
"The rest of the week went by too slowly as far as I was concerned until Saturday came. My hands shook as I called her number, but I managed not to make a complete fool of myself when I asked if she wanted to go see a movie that evening. She agreed, and we arranged to meet at a coffee shop we both knew. I put my least messy clothes on and even managed to get to the shop early. She showed up 10 minutes late, out of breath and apologizing. I told her it was all right. She laughed and we had a wonderful time together."
"Over the next 6 months Katsuki and I did everything together. She also encouraged me to take up playing the piano while she played the guitar. I also formally met her parents and we got along great. The only fly in the ointment was that they all thought I was a boy. Or so I thought."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I'm getting to that. I had been working up the nerve to kiss her for, well since I met her. We were in the park sitting under a tree and talking and things got heavy as the sun set and we kissed. She smiled and told me I'd made her the happiest girl in the world."
"Oh boy, I can see where this is leading." Setsuna-mama said.
"Yeah, you're right almost. I took a deep breath and told her the truth that I was a girl."
"What happened?" I asked.
"Katsuki just smiled and said that she knew already. 'How did you know?' I asked. She just smiled, placed a finger on my lips and told me that it didn't matter as long as we were together. I was so happy that I kissed her again. I thought everything was perfect. Boy was I wrong."
"Oh no, what do you mean?" I asked, fearing the worst. I noticed that Setsuna-mama was crying a bit. Michiru-mama had tears in her eyes as well, but I guessed she'd heard this story before.
"A few weeks later we made love for the first time and I thought everything was alright and that we'd be together forever. Then I started having the dreams about the world being destroyed and of the messiah. I started having the feeling that what was happening between me and Katsuki was wrong, that we weren't supposed to be together. I tried to deny it but I couldn't and it started to affect me and our relationship. Katsuki tried to understand but couldn't help me. But it didn't matter after what happened next."
"Her parents found out about you two?" Setsuna-mama asked.
"That's putting it mildly. They found us in bed together."
"Oh God." I whispered.
"I don't know what made them angrier, the fact that I was sleeping with their daughter, or that I was a girl. They threw me out and told me never to set foot in their home again and that I was forbidden to see Katsuki again. To make matters worse, they told my parents and they threw me out as well. I moved in with my Uncle, who at that time was the only person who knew that I was a lesbian. I stayed with him until I was ready to move out on my own. He gave me a bunch of money and some stocks and bonds that he had bought in order to help pay for my education. More than enough to pay for my tuition and get an apartment in Tokyo. I thanked him and promised that I would repay him one day. I never got the chance as he died two years later from cancer."
"What happened to Katsuki?" I asked, fearing the worst.
Haruka-papa's head fell forward and she cried. "I never saw her again, and a few months after her parents separated us, I found out that she'd committed suicide. I felt responsible, and I swore from that point onward that I'd never love anyone again and that the only person I could depend upon was myself. I hardened my heart and any relationships I had were basically one night stands. I found out I was wrong again."
"What do you mean?" I asked as I felt her grip tighten.
She looked up at me and smiled. "I met a few special people that managed to break down the walls I had built around my heart. The first was your Michiru-mama of course." She turned and smiled at Michiru-mama who smiled and nodded in approval. "The second was koneko, Usagi." She paused and looked deep into my eyes again and smiled through her tears. "And then there was you Hime-chan." She reached out and ruffled my hair as someone cleared her throat. "Oh and there's your Setsuna-mama of course, can't forget her." She smiled and winked as she stage whispered. "No matter how hard I try." We laughed as Setsuna-mama swatted her with a pillow.
Haruka-papa took a few moments to calm down before she continued. "That's why I try to protect you so much Hotaru. I want you to be happy and not have your life ruined completely. And I want you to be careful and not get hurt by some selfish jerk and have your life ruined. Can you promise me that?"
"I promise Haruka-papa."
"Good girl. No matter what happens, no matter if you choose a boy or a girl to be your special someone, I will always be there for you along with Michiru-mama and Setsuna-mama. You are our daughter and we will always love you." She pulled me closer and wrapped me up in her arms, kissing me on the cheek as she did so.
"And I will always love you Papa." I replied, kissing her cheek.
"That's my little girl." Haruka-papa said. "But between you and me, I think you'd be better off with Kimyo. She's a really cute little…"
"PAPA!" I shout as I jump on her, knocking her to the floor. She laughed as I tried to beat her up. Geeze I like Kimyo a lot but not like that! I try to tickle her to death instead as me trying to beat her up is kind of futile. Setsuna-mama and Michiru-mama were too busy laughing themselves silly to try to come to our rescue.
"Okay! Okay! I give up! I surrender!" Haruka-papa cried as she tried to ward me off. I relented and helped her sit up again. She hugged me close again. Setsuna-mama and Michiru-mama joined us and it became one big group hug.
"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel this calls for a bit of a celebration." Michiru-mama announced. "I think by now Usagi and the others should be down at the Crown by now, shall we go and join them?"
"Yeah!" The rest of us cheered. Michiru-mama laughed and we cleaned up a bit before we left. I got into the front seat beside Haruka-papa and she gave me a smile and a wink before we roared off.
A few minutes later we joined the others at the Crown. Ami, Makoto, Minako and Hoshiko were sitting in our usual booth while Rei was beating Usagi rather badly at some new videogame.
"Hey guys! Glad you could make it." Minako called as we approached.
"Is everything all right then?" Hoshiko asked.
"Yeah, everything's fine now." I replied.
"Good, I am happy to hear that." Hoshiko stated. I smiled and hugged her.
"Are you okay Ami?" Setsuna-mama asked. Ami looked even more tired and drawn then she did the other day. Her cousins must have been driving her nuts.
"I think boiling them in oil is too good for them. What do you think?" She asked as she looked up at us with bloodshot eyes. We all stared at her nervously.
"Ah, I think we'll just leave that one alone. Hey Haruka, want to try the new motocross game with me?" Makoto asked.
"Sounds good to me." Haruka-papa replied as she stood and took off her jacket and handed it to Michiru-mama. "Hold on to this. I shouldn't be long." Michiru-mama rolled her eyes but kissed her anyway.
As they moved away Rei and Usagi joined us. "I still say you were cheating Rei." Usagi complained.
"And I still say that you suck at video games." Rei countered. We all sensed a tongue war looming and cleared our throats loudly.
"Oh hey guys!" They said in unison. Phew, another crisis averted. As Usagi and Rei jostled their way into the booth Michiru-mama nudged me and leaned close to whisper in my ear.
"You should really thank Usagi you know." She suggested.
"I will Mama, thank you." With a bit of maneuvering I managed to move over and sit beside Usagi. I then reached out, hugged her, and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"What was that for?" She asked in confusion as I rested my head on her shoulder.
"I wanted to say thank you."
"For what?"
"For helping my Papa when she needed it the most and for just being you." She blinked in confusion for a second then she smiled, put her arm around me and gently kissed me on the head.
"You're so welcome Hotaru." She replied. We stayed there in the Crown for a while and then went to Rei's as one big happy family.