A/N - Yo thanks for coming back and reading this, and thanks for the reviews too! I'm gonna thank impersonal - she still rocks my world (LPB)... and now I'm going to pimp out my fictionpress account; go to my profile, the link at the top and check out my other story. It's an original, so feedback and thoughts are appreciated. Now, I'm done shamelessly pimping myself out... I hope you enjoy this update. Ja ne - VR

CHAPTER 6 – THE CLOSEST WE'VE EVER BEEN

"So, erm... I'm next at home in two weeks, I'm not sure what I'm doing but can we do something together then? If not, do you want to do something tomorrow? I'd like that, Hotaru-chan."

I sigh heavily away from the phone as I contemplated Diana's question.

It's been six days since the kiss... well, the kisses, and tomorrow is the first day back to school for both of us; senior year. She really wants to make an effort of us, if there even is an 'us'. I don't even know. It's like I know I should want a relationship with her because she's everything I could ever want, really, not to mention that she's the same age as me. But, at the same time she's just not what I want.

I can't help it... but still, I haven't told her this.

I've told Diana I will give us a chance, and before you say anything, no, it's not because I've suddenly decided to become some sort of lothario, no. But I just have this feeling that if I end it between us she'd go and tell everyone. Not because she's spiteful but because she'd be hurt. She really likes me, she really does, and if I tell her I don't like her because I feel deeper feelings for Setsuna... well, wouldn't you be pissed off?

I clear my throat as I bring the phone to my lips. "I don't know, Diana-chan, tomorrow is Ami's birthday – she's a close friend of my parents... we're going to her and Mako-chan's apartment to celebrate... maybe we can do something in a couple of weeks."

I could hear Diana tapping against something in the background; she was most likely sitting at her desk.

The door to my room creaked open and I squinted through the dimmed light illuminating my room to see who it was. I grinned as soon as I saw a glint of green hair. This had been happening since that Sunday.

Every night, just after Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama retire for the evening, Setsuna comes to my room and we spend time together. And no, not in that way... well, not entirely.

My attention is drawn to my phone and I realise Diana is taking to me. "Um, well, my parents have just told me they want to take me to see some family too... Ugh, I probably won't be back in Tokyo until Autumn break, Hotaru."

"When is that, then, Diana?"

I smile at Setsuna and she sends me an eye-roll as she seats herself down on top of my bed.

"Well, it'd be the 26thOctober till November 1st. In fact, you could spend the Friday at mine if you like; we're having a Hallowe'en party on the 31st! "

I furrow my eyebrows and look over at Sets. I'm sure I was going to regret my next sentence, but I had to be honest. "Ah... I can see you for sure on the 30th and 31st," her silence hinted at me to explain myself why I wouldn't be staying the Friday, "we always celebrate Setsuna's birthday together that day."

I look over at Setsuna; she cocked an eyebrow in intrigue and I bit my lip – hard. I let my eyes graze over her form and I nearly lost my breath at the sight of her. She chose a burgundy pair of silk Capri-style pajama bottoms with a matching burgundy camisole. It clung to her body just right, but left just enough to the imagination.

"I see..." she pauses.

I prepare myself for the worst – what can I say? I'm not an optimist.

"Look, I really don't want to argue so I'm just going to say it's okay. So..." I can hear her sigh heavily and she tapped once more. "I'm going to go to bed. See you soon, Hotaru."

"Night, Diana."

We both hang up and I look over to Setsuna who is smiling smugly at the end of my bed, her legs crossed over at the knees and she was leaning back on my bed a little.

"Trouble in paradise, Hota-chan?"

I tilt my head and stick my tongue out at her before I put my cell-phone on my nightstand. I leaned back against my headboard and looked at Setsuna. I grinned as I see she is practically salivating over me; I'm not doing this on purpose but it's been really humid, and so I've adopted wearing my girl-boxers and wife-beater most nights. And tonight, is one of those nights.

"She still doesn't like you. I can't imagine why though..."I smirk at the end of my sentence and grab the teddy bear that was lying at the top of my bed.

I looked up and locked eyes with Setsuna, she was smirking at me. "I haven't a clue, hime."

She raised her eyebrows and I opened my mouth to talk before we heard a creaking coming from the outside. I held my breath before hearing a cough and the sound of the bathroom door being locked. I let out a breath – probably Haruka-papa's bathroom break. I giggled nervously and look at Setsuna. She cocks an eyebrow. I know what she's thinking, the same thing I am.

When she came to my room six nights ago.

"I said we'd be talking tonight, didn't I?"

I sat up in my bed, dumbfounded. I looked to my alarm clock, the display telling me it was 1:13am. I sat up in my bed and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I felt my bed depress a little as Setsuna sat down on my bed. I looked up at her; the moonlight from outside the only thing illuminating my room. Her eyes were soft under the moonlight and it looked at me with so much wonder and awe. She ran her hand over my cheek and I felt myself blush and I recoiled my head a little.

"God, Hotaru... you are so beautiful."

My mouth hangs open at her candid statement. She chuckles softly and removes her hand from my cheek – the absence of her hand suddenly makes my cheek feel cold and numb.

I only just notice now how close she is sitting to me.

She is so close to me.

Her hips are aligned with my own as I have sat up in bed, and she has her right arm lounging backwards and pressing ever so slightly against my leg, even though my leg is under the blankets, and her left arm is gently resting across my other leg.

"Don't blush, Hotaru. It's true."

I look at her and nod meekly. She grins at me and edges closer.

"Wh-what if someone comes in here, what will they think?" My voice is weak and I whisper, so lowly I'm not even sure she heard me at first, it's only when she smirked that I know she did.

"Michiru and Haruka had," she looked to my wall and grinned, "exhausted themselves for the night. Don't worry, no-one's coming... but you and I. We need to talk, hime."

I sigh and lean back against my bed, "Do we need to talk so late?"

Setsuna looks over to my wall, and I cringe. I so didn't need to think that my parents had only JUST stopped their... you-know-what-making session.

"Well, Hotaru I think we do. I mean, come on, Hotaru... this is... weird. We need to talk about it."

I look up and smile at her. At least she's not telling me this won't ever happen again like that time after we went shopping.

"Okay... let's talk, Sets...una-mama."

She cocks her eyebrow and laughs at me; "I think it's about time we dropped the mama, don't you?" I nod and she grins, looking at me with her eyes clouded over with that hungry look like she had in the kitchen, "Glad you see things my way, hime."

I pouted as soon as I heard the 'h' word. My head hung and I felt two fingers lift my chin up and two crimson eyes look into mine.

"What is it, Hotaru?"

"Please, don't call me...hime anymore, Sets."

She removed her fingers from under my chin and I feel her push my shoulder back, forcing my body back a little and as a result my head is forced to look up at her. She leaned forward and cupped my cheek; I can feel her breath tickling me as she brought her mouth close to my ear.

"But... you are my princess, Hotaru. Always."

I lifted my head up and looked at her.I was her hime, and nothing would ever change that. I was hers. It was her name for me, said in that way it was her way to let me know how she felt for me.

"So, you don't find this weird, Sets?"

Her hand gently moved up and down my cheek, sending thrills and chills up my spine, a whole mixture of emotions, desires, wants and needs instantly sent flowing through my system.

"... I'd be lying if I said I was perfectly fine with it at first, hime... I mean, I'm one of your parents. When I saw you at the airport, for a moment I thought it was just the shock of seeing you in womanhood... but then... after our shopping trip... the car? I knew there was more."

She took in a deep breath then sighed; her hand falling from my cheek and rested beside her on the bed.

"But I want this. Even though it's wrong... I want you, Hotaru."

I can see water lining her eyes and I know she's holding back some of her tears. I cleared my throat as quietly as I can. Her eyes lock with mine – clearly I wasn't quiet at all.

"I want you too, Setsuna."

She smiled and I could see her love and concern and I swear I could feel her warmth radiating into me too. Her lips touched mine and I fell back onto my headboard and slowly sunk into my pillows, the entire time her lips never separated from mine. She hovered above me and her body pressed into mine. Instantly, I felt heat flow through me.

Nothing had ever felt as good as this.

"They're not in bed yet, Sets."

She tilted her head and chuckled from deep in her stomach. "I know that, hime. I can wait though."

Her eyes look hungrily into me and I'm frozen on the spot. Every night that she's been here, she comes in and we talk. We talk about everything. The first night, after our...erm, kissing was over... we talked about how we felt; she told me she was going to move out after the shopping incident – she felt like she couldn't be around me. Like she couldn't control herself. I couldn't help but grin as I heard her talk about fighting with herself; I could tell she wanted me as much as I wanted her. And I told her so too... with a blush covering my cheeks. I told her that I wanted her from the moment I saw her in the doorway at the kitchen.

I grin every time I remember the first night we talked.

Since then every night has been about what we are, what we're doing, and what the future holds.

"Hmm... but, I can wait, hime."

I scrunched my nose up in confusion before blushing profusely. Last night our kissing session got a little heated, I may or may not (definitely did though) have kind of straddled Setsuna while she lay on my bed.

"Hime!"

Her hands found my shoulders and pushed me back, not too hard but enough to let me know there should be distance. All I could think was that I had done something wrong – was it too much when I bit her lip? It was meant to be gentle, maybe I should have –

"I don't think you should do that." Huh?

Oh!

Oh.

That. My hands were travelling her body, well one hand was sliding under her shirt, touching her taut stomach and my other hand was trying to unbuckle the belt on her jeans.

"But I – I thought -... Don't you want me to?"

I could tell I had that dopey confused look on my face, but I didn't care... did Sets not want this? Oh my God, did she not want me? Had she changed her mind.

I heard her clear her throat and I looked at her. Her eyes were staring at my hands... which were still in their scandalous positions. I blushed heavily and brought my hands into my lap. A few seconds later, Sets grabbed my hands and kissed my knuckles gently.

"It's not that I don't want to hime, trust me, I do," I smirked as I saw her eyes lustfully trail over my barely dressed form, "But I don't think you're ready for that step... let's take this slow."

I nodded my head.

"Okay. Sets. But... how slow?" Setsuna smiled and then chuckled to herself as she held my hands.

Damn my hormones.

I was really getting ahead of myself.

I nodded, lowering my head and trying to fight my blush. I could hear her giggle gently before sighing.

"What are you going to do about Diana?"

My head snapped up and I looked into curious crimson orbs. I shrugged and slouched even further into the bed, clutching at the teddy bear still in my arms. Setsuna smiled warmly at me.

"I bought you that, you know."

I look at the bear. Did she? I don't remember?

"On the way to the airport. We stopped off at this small shop before making our way to the airport and you were crying the entire way. Michiru was going to take you home, but I asked if you'd stop crying if I got you something to remember me by... and you told me you would... while crying. So, we stopped at this shop, and you saw it and clung to it... I knew I had to buy it for you then."

I stared down at the teddy bear. I had had it many years but had been told by Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama that they had bought it for me. Setsuna must have known this because she chuckled and gently grabbed the bear and held it close to her.

"They probably didn't say I bought it for fear you'd have started sobbing again, hime."

I pouted. "I was eight... and I knew I'd miss you. I was allowed to cry!"

Setsuna laughed at me. There was a knock at my bedroom door and I instantly froze, I looked at Setsuna who seemed to only raise an eyebrow inquisitively. I quickly dived under my covers;

"C-come in."

Aqua and blonde hair appeared at my door. I swear I died for an instant. Haru-papa grinned at me and Sets.

"Hey you two! We heard some noise and thought we'd check on what's going on." Sets handed the bear back to me and Haruka grinned widely, "Ah, that bear! Honestly Hota, you wouldn't stop crying until we – er, Sets bought it for you."

Haruka began laughing softly and I pouted again. I looked to Michiru-mama for help but she was staring at Setsuna, taking in her appearance before her eyes turned to me with the same discerning look before her eyes caught mine and she smiled widely.

"Hime-chan. You have school tomorrow... should you be up this late?"

Michiru-mama sent a scolding look to Setsuna and in return Sets looked down at her watch and sighed.

"Hmm, it is getting late..." Setsuna looked up and found Michiru staring at her in an expectant way.

Michiru folded her arms, clearly aggravated by Setsuna. The atmosphere between them both seem to have chilled and heated at the same time. There was this unknown tension, suddenly. I stayed completely still, both myself and Haruka-papa silent, not sure of the situation.

"Shouldn't you head to bed then, Sets?" I watched one fine green eyebrow arch before a smirk appeared.

My bed lifted slightly with the absence of her weight.

"Hai, when you're right, you're right Michiru-chan."

Setsuna turned to me and brought her head down, her lips level with my forehead as she placed a kiss here, lingering but only for a moment. It took everything in my body to not lift my head and desperately meet my lips with hers. Instead I sighed contently, before pouting a little as she stepped back.

She looked me deep in the eyes and smirked, "Good night, hime."

Setsuna began walking from the room slowly and Haruka-papa approached me and kissed me on the forehead too. She nodded her head towards Michiru-mama who was watching Setsuna walk slowly out the door.

"Women eh? Enjoy senior year, hime-chan. Get some rest though, okay? Did I ever tell you who was ALWAYS late for school because she never slept enough? – "

"Usagi, Haru-papa."

I giggled and my tomboy father tousled my hair playfully. She stood back and Michiru-mama approached me, sitting on my bed where Setsuna previously was. Inwardly, I sighed.

"Hime-chan?" I looked up into clear blue eyes and smiled, it probably came across as nervous but I hoped to God it was seen as a sleepy smile. Michiru-mama frowned a little,"is there anything you want to tell me?"

My mouth hung open but I managed to shut it and shake my head.

"No, mama, everything is fine."

My mother kept her eyes on me for a moment before nodding her head slowly, she kissed my forehead quickly and stood up, making her way to the door with Haruka-papa. I could almost let out a sigh of relief but then Michiru-mama turned around and looked at me, her eyes near watering. But undoubtedly, clouded with worry.

"You know... if there's anything you need to tell us, it's better to. Haruka-papa and I are here for you."

Haruka-papa seemed confused at Michiru's statement but she nodded nonetheless.

"I know, Michiru-mama, you, Haru-papa and Setsuna are all here for me." I smiled sweetly, my blonde parent grinned back but Michiru-mama stayed still.

She spoke back quietly. "That's right. Haruka-papa, me and your Setsuna... mama."

The two of them left, Haruka-papa oblivious and in that instant it was confirmed to me, that Michiru-mama knew more than I thought.

She knew I didn't say Setsuna-mama on purpose.

I lay back in my bed, my eyes wide open, my mind working overtime; school was tomorrow – I'd see Chibi, I have to tell her everything. I have to.

I see Diana soon – I have to end that. I can't keep leading her on, but that needs to be done in person.

I see Setsuna every day and now every night – we have to be careful. Much more careful.

My parents - I have to keep this from them. As much as I love them, if they caught us out... Setsuna, especially... then God knows what they'd do. I can't risk Sets, she means too much to me.

Ah, God damn it.

So much for good nights.

A/N 2 - So, hope you enjoyed this one too! R&R! - VR