Title: An empty house
Author: Ree
Theme: Haruka/Uranus (blind : day 6)
Genre: General
Version: Anime/Manga Post Stars/ pre-crystal Tokyo
Rating: G

This complex lady and her friends belong to Takeuchi Naoko. I just asked if they could play for a while.

An empty house

Haruka walked through the silent house. Her ears perked up at every creak and groan. 'This place feels so empty when no-one is around.' Opening the door to Michiru's study, Haruka gazed wistfully at the stool in front of the music stand. She knew Michiru wouldn't be there, and she also knew that she wasn't going to be back for another three weeks. 'And I'll be gone then. Somehow ... somehow we keep missing each other.' Reining in her frustration, she closed the door.

As she trailed past the kitchen, Haruka decided against eating. Her stomach reminded her that it was supper time, but she ignored it. She continued to tour the house in a listless fog. Eventually, she found herself staring at their bed. The sight of the pristine, perfectly made bed snapped her out of her daze. Lightly biting her lower lip, and closing her eyes against the threatening tears, she fell face down across the mattress.

'We were so blind. So very, very blind. But hindsight is better than foresight.'

It all started the week Hotaru went to college. With cheers and good wishes, both of Hotaru's parents had sent her on her way. Haruka had helped to move her into the dorms, and Michiru made sure that she had a bank account that she could access just in case. Then Haruka and Michiru set out to live. They were finally free of the tie, although a wanted and much loved tie, that had been holding them back.

'Michiru had been wanting to tour more. There were galleries clamoring to get her to do an art show. Then the music world was also dying for her attention.' Haruka could remember the phone calls in the middle of the night, and Michiru making plans. Lots of plans.

'And I was just as anxious. I wanted to do more than run the local races. I wanted to race both the motorbike and the car circuit.' Sighing Haruka picked up a pillow and covered her head. 'We should have known it wasn't going to work. That we would be pulled in all directions, but never in the same direction."

Lying there, Haruka could see the downward spiral of the last three years. It started off with them seeing each other just a little less often than before. Then, the cultural world got wind that Michiru was available for tours. As for herself, she started going to races further and further from home. Now, they saw each other in passing. When one was home, the other was leaving. 'And that is on a good day. Most of the time it is like today. I'm home for a week, and she is gone. She wasn't even here when I got home.'

Haruka pulled the pillow from over her head and tucked it under her head. Nuzzling her head down into it, she caught the faintest scent of the sea. Lifting up her head, she stared down at Michiru's pillow. 'The sea... I think I'll down to the beach. Then maybe... maybe I won't feel quite so alone.'

With a plan in mind, she grabbed her swimsuit and reef shoes and shoved them into her old gym bag. Once outside, she stuffed the bag into the saddle bags of her motorbike and took off for the beach.