DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters in this story. So don't sue me.
Warning: Haruka may be a little OOC here.
Haruka froze, realization dawning on her as she stared into Michiru's fearful eyes.
"Gomenasai Michiru." the blond whispered, her arm dropping limply to her side as she turned her attention upon the hardwood floor.
Michiru was silent as she tried to shake the alarm that she had felt however she knew she had to speak or Haruka would sink even lower in guilt.
"its my fault Haruka, I should have never suggested it." she whispered in reply, her voice still shaking slightly.
"No Michiru, I shouldn't have ever drew back on you…What if Hotaru was here and saw that? She'd be scared for life." The tall blonde whispered, tears leaking down her face.
"Shh Ruka, its okay love. I know you didn't mean to do it." Michiru whispered, quickly standing and wrapping her arm around her lover.
"That don't matter! If I had hit you I would never forgive myself!" The blond snapped, collapsing into tears.
"But you didn't, now calm down. Setsuna and Hotaru are due back any minute and what would they think if you where bawling in the floor like a baby?" the guardian of Neptune stated teasingly, causing Haruka to glare up at her.
"They'd think I had either went crazy or you tried to kill me." the Princess of Uranus growled, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
"Actually…I think you've gotten into the alcohol again. What happened now?" Setsuna's voice asked as she and Hotaru entered through the door and toward the kitchen.
"we'll talk about this later Sets, I need to take Haruka upstairs and talk to her alone." Michiru replied swiftly, before Haruka permanently damaged Hotaru with what had happened just a few short minutes before.
"Alright but I do want to know what happened, after all Butch don't cry much unless she does something she regrets or you say something to her." Setsuna retorted while putting up groceries.
"Ha ha, Well this Butch has a name Setsuna." Haruka retorted playfully, a little of her normal humor coming back.
"Michiru-Mama? What does Butch mean?" Hotaru asked, a confused look on her face and the older three glanced at each other.
"Its an adult word Hotaru." Haruka answered, not wanting to explain what the word meant.
"But I heard a boy from my school call you that once Haruka-Papa." the seven year old retorted and the blond sighed.
Good grief how am I going to explain to her what a lesbian is?
"Taru-Chan, it's one of those words that you'll learn when you're older." Michiru stated softly, not wanting Haruka to embarrass herself(or anyone else) with an explanation of what the word meant.
"but why did that boy say it?" the young soldier of Saturn ask and Michiru had to stifle a chuckle at the child's onslaught of questions.
What are we doing? Playing twenty questions that will probably make our daughter think we're freaks?
Haruka shook the thought from her mind as she glanced over at her lover, wondering how she was going to get herself out of that.
"because he was being rude and spiteful. Not everyone is nice toward your Haruka-Papa and I." The blue haired Soldier replied softly.
"Why aren't they?" the little girl questioned innocently and Haruka inwardly groaned.
"That's for us to know and you to find out!" she snapped, sick of hearing all of the questions but instantly regretted it when she saw the naive violet eyes fill with tears.
"Haruka!" Michiru hissed just loud enough for her mate to hear her.
"Hotaru, I…." the Blond Pianist began, ignoring her partners' voice. However Hotaru only glanced up dejectedly before turning on her heel and rushing toward the stairs.
"Look what you've done now!" Setsuna growled, following the young girl and the blond glanced over at Michiru, hoping that the other girl wasn't too angry.
"Baka." Michiru whispered before walking off.
Once Michiru was in her and Haruka's room she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She wasn't really that mad at her lover, she was just surprised that the sixteen year old tomboy would lose her patience with the little girl over something so trivial.
"Michi? May I come in?" Haruka's voice asked from outside the bedroom door and the Princess of Neptune sighed as she opened the door.
"yes, but pray tell why you snapped like that?" The blue haired teen asked, crossing her arms across her chest.
"I don't know Michi. I guess I was just worried that she'd think poorly of us if she found out other people's opinions." The racer whispered in reply, fighting tears.
Sighing Michiru shook her head "Haruka, we have raised Hotaru and treated her like our own. Do you really think she could think badly of us?" she questioned gently, so as not to hurt Haruka anymore.
"I don't know…I just…I don't want to lose anymore people I love due to my sexuality." She responded, blue eyes downcast.
"Haruka, it'll be alright. Setsuna doesn't exactly agree with us being together either you know but does she judge us?" The protector of Neptune required gently.
"No." the Sailor of Uranus replied meekly, tears still slipping down her cheeks.
"then why should Hotaru? Ruka you worry about things too much." The blue haired teen retorted, curling up against Haruka's side.
The blond racer leaned into her girlfriend's embrace, welcoming the warmth.
"Why do I keep screwing up?" she muttered, pressing her face into her lovers wavy hair.
"because I brought up the past." Michiru replied, still feeling guilty for hurting her partner.
"No Michi, it's not your fault. I've been in a terrible mood all day." the blond replied, still feeling guilty.
"I'll believe that if you'll go cheer up Hotaru. I bet she thinks you're angry with her." The blue haired girl whispered, not really wanting to move.
"Yeah I better." the short haired teen stated in response as she pulled away from the gentle hug.
"and Koi?" the Soldier of Neptune added as she watched her lover walk out through the door.
"Let me guess…I get the couch tonight?" Haruka guessed, turning back to face Michiru.
"Not exactly, You have to clean house tomorrow while I take Hotaru to her violin recital." The shorter teen retorted almost jeeringly.
"I think I'd rather sleep on the couch." the blond mumbled as she continued toward her daughter's bedroom.