Title: Small tub blues
Author: Ree
Theme: Haruka/Uranus (image: day 5)
Genre: General/Humor (comedy?)
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

Small tub blues

Haruka stood looking down at the bathtub with a sinking feeling. 'I want a bath. A true bath.' Memories of the Bamboo Bath House drifted through her mind. Setting her bathing pail on the floor next to the tub, she emptied its contents and balanced them on the tub's edge. Then she turned the pail over, set it into the middle of the tub, and then looked of something to hold a small amount of water. 'I'm too tired for this. All I want to do is to wash away the cramps from the plane flight.' Giving up she turned on the water, and let a small amount of water trickle into the tub.

Balancing precariously on her pail, Haruka scrubbed the worst of the travel grim away. Turning on the shower, she rinsed off. 'I could have a bathing stool if I were at The Bamboo. And wonderfully warm scented water. And Michiru would have room to wash my back.' Sighing she carefully replaced her soap and stuff back into the pail that was now sitting on the bathroom floor.

Then, stopping up the tub, Haruka filled it as full as she could with hot water. With great anticipation she lowered herself into the water. 'A good soak, that is what I need. Then I'll be good company for the rest of the evening.' Closing her eyes, she leaned back onto a folded wash cloth and tried to stretch out. That was when she decided that she really missed the Bamboo Bath House. Opening her eyes, she tried once more to stretch her legs out, but it was to no avail. Curling up on her side and almost into a fetal position was the only way she could get under the water. But even then her hip and shoulder stuck out.

Turning onto her back again, Haruka propped her legs on the wall. 'This stinks! I can't even soak properly in this thing!' Sitting up quickly, she glared at the small hotel tub and then the bathroom in general. 'They should at least have a public bath house if they are going to have such small, cramped bathrooms.' Sighing, her shoulders drooped. 'This is making tension worse, not better.' Reaching back, she let the water out.

After carefully drying off, Haruka wrapped her towel around herself, and walked slowly into the main room. Tightly controlling her frustration, Haruka set her suitcase on the bed, being careful not to hit Michiru.

Michiru looked up from the magazine she was reading. "So, are you feeling better?"

Haruka searched her words to see if Michiru was making fun of her. She decided to take her words at face value. "No." Opening her suitcase, she pulled out something to wear for dinner. "You would think that since Europeans are on average taller than the Japanese, that they would have a decent size bath tub." Looking hopefully at her partner, she continued. "So, this is going to be a short tour. Right?"

Michiru just smiled back at her.