Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its characters.
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Confusion
Michiru's manicure had been inconveniently delayed, leaving Haruka Tenoh with a lot of time to kill. Since she hadn't been there in a while, she decided to go to the arcade, maybe race some amateurs, hope for a challenge, and possibly run into Usagi and her wacky gang – none of whom Haruka's had a chance to see since fighting the Wiseman and Sovereign of Silence a few months back. Until now, that is.
"Haruka-san!" At the sound of the familiar shrill but lovable voice, Haruka turned to greet an old friend only to be barraged by a fury of blonde hair when the small girl excitedly launched herself into her arms.
"Hey kitten, what are you doing here all alone? Friends busy today?" The tall sandy haired woman asked, patting the girl's back awkwardly.
"Well I was supposed to meet that dumb Seiya here half an hour ago, but he still hasn't shown. He was the one who wanted to hang out. I was perfectly happy staying home, eating, watching TV, eating, sleeping, eating… you know – the good life. But I ran all the way over here so I'd only be 15 minutes late, and he STILL isn't here yet." She heaved a sigh of frustration, "I was about to leave when I saw you."
"Someone was later than you? Never thought I'd see the day someone stood you…" she trailed off at the look in Usagi's eyes. There was a widening followed by a sudden rush of moisture that quickly welled up in those cerulean blue orbs – it was a look Haruka knew all too well, and one she warily avoided at all costs. If she hadn't caught sight of it at that precise moment, her ears would have dearly paid the price, and she shuddered at the thought.
"Haruka-saan!" she wailed, decibels slowly rising.
"There, there pet. Don't worry. I'll hang out with you," she said consolingly, lightly brushing the blonde's bangs out of her eyes and earning another tight hug from the appreciative teen.
Just then they heard the door slam shut, and turned to see who'd come in.
"What's this? I stop at a store to buy you candy and you've already replaced me? Even our hug wasn't that… err… intimate," Seiya joked.
"So what?" said Haruka, pulling the young girl into an even closer embrace as Usagi stuck her tongue out at Seiya in defiance. "Kitten here tells me you're forty minutes late. That's unacceptable, so now she's going out with me," she smirked, even going so far as to give Usagi a soft kiss on the cheek. There was something weird about this Seiya, and Haruka didn't like it. She didn't even bother to mask her contempt for this imbecile who dared make her princess cry, and – more importantly – endangering the tympanic membranes of many innocent bystanders. Haruka was intent on staring this boy down.
Usagi laughed, remembering the first time she and Minako met Haruka. They'd both thought she was this hunky guy who unfortunately already had a girlfriend – i.e. miss perfect-hair-and-skin, Michiru-san. Well, at least we had it half right, she giggled to herself. I wonder how this must look to Seiya. He thinks Haruka-san is a boy… Ha! Serves him right.
Seiya surprised her then. A teasing remark was what she expected, perhaps some nonsensical comment that the guy imagined to be ingeniously witty or something. What she did not expect was that look of sad and utter disappointment.
"Don't look at me like that Seiya; I'm not the one who was late," she said reasonably.
"You disappoint me Dumpling," he sagged, shaking his head with a sad sigh.
"What? Mad because she didn't choose you? What did you expect? I'm obviously way more attractive anyways," Haruka said smugly, delighting as always in her victories against the other sex.
"Usagi, get away from him," Seiya insisted.
"What gives you the right?" scoffed Haruka.
"I don't have any rights over Usagi; I just thought she was better than that," he said with sorrow, his laid back demeanor fading.
"What are you saying? What makes you think you're better than Haruka?" Usagi's anger was beginning to rise.
"This isn't about me."
"But you just said…"
"I just didn't think you were the type, that's all," he shrugged.
"What type?" she asked, eyeing him dubiously. And then she gasped. Does he know? Does he know Haruka is a girl and thinks… thinks that I, Usagi, am… no way. But even if I were, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that uh, lifestyle. "Well I'm disappointed in you Seiya. There's nothing wrong with being… umm… different."
"I can't believe you're saying that, I thought you were totally in love with your Mamoru. Remember him?"
"Of course I love Mamo-chan, what's that got to do with anything? The point is what gives you the right to knock down the way people choose to live their lives?"
"What are you saying Dumpling? You're kidding right? No way could a shine as nice as yours be so corrupt." Seiya was truly distraught. How could I have been so attracted to someone so heartless? She's mad at me for being mad at her and for telling her not to two-time her boyfriend. This has got to be a joke.
"What are you saying?" asked Usagi, the growing confusion giving her a headache.
They simultaneously replied.
"--I've been trying to say that I never thought you'd be the type to two-time the man you so fervently claim to love."
"--I've been trying to say there's nothing wrong with being a lesbian."
They looked at each other, both completely bewildered.
"Okay Dumpling, I'm listening. Are you… are you trying to tell me that you're gay? Then why are you with this man?" He pointed to Haruka with distaste.
Usagi blinked.
"… Seiya you doofus, I thought you knew. Haruka is a woman," Usagi laughed, with a no duh expression on her face.
"Wha… what? Woman? So you're cheating on your boyfriend with that?" he asked in amazement.
"Why, you prefer she did with you? It's not a big surprise she'd like me more," Haruka sneered, shooting him a glare. She was trying to stay out of this one, but that idiot kept provoking her.
The hilarity of the situation was getting to her, and Usagi was losing control. Collapsing in fits of spastic chortles she gasped, almost bringing Haruka down with her, "… oh my… Seiya… I'm not… I'm no… not… oh… I'm not gay."
"Oh, then what's all this business about lesbians?" he asked rationally.
Usagi straightened.
"Oh Seiya, you're so clueless… not to mention tactless. And don't worry, I would never betray Mamo-chan, for boys or girls," she quipped, cuddling Haruka one last time playfully, eliciting only a raised eyebrow from the taller woman.
"Oh, I get it," Seiya said, full comprehension finally dawning, his doubts of his Dumpling's integrity vanishing, and allowing him to readopt his teasing personality. "You're trying to make me jealous. No need to go to such lengths for me Dumpling, I already like you." Then he gave her that maddening wink again, and that same weird feeling stirred in her gut. That's twice now. Twice he's used that move, and twice it's affected me this way. What is this feeling? Maybe its pity… yeah, it must be pity for the guy who's cursed with such lame tactics for approaching girls… that's got to be it.
"Oh spare me Seiya; you're the one who jumped to conclusions. And why were you so late anyways?"
"Face it Dumpling, you want me," he teased, ignoring her question. The truth was, he had the bad luck to bump into an evil Senshi on his way over, and it was about to turn some helpless painter into a phage. Yaten and Taiki were nowhere around so he'd had to transform and take care of it himself. Well, herself, when she was Fighter.
"I so do not," Usagi huffed.
"I think you do."
"Do NOT"
"Do too"
"Do not, do not, do NOT."
"Do t…"
Amidst the mindless blather, Haruka boredly glanced out the window hoping to catch a glimpse of Marine blue hair. She'd lost interest in the little squabble again a long time back, and pretty much just wanted to leave. Thankfully, she spotted Michiru, who was leisurely making her way to the arcade, and let out a sigh of relief.
"Sorry kitten, Michiru's ready, let's do something another time okay?" Usagi nodded. "And be careful with this one. I don't trust him," she indicated Seiya, looking him up and down with a scoff before striding out the door and leaving the pair bickering amongst themselves.
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Note: damn, i dont like this chapter much, doesn't seem to flow does it? and its taking forever to move the plot along. i seem to be suffering from a bit of writers block. already. must be exam stress - chem is such a killer. anyways, don't worry, i'll get around to fixing this sooner or later.