19
"So they don't know anything?" Kunzite asked, frowning. A hand rubbing his chin, deep in thought.
It was already getting dark, and he was standing on the living room, looking out the window.
His partner was sitting on the couch near the window, looking as worried as the silvery haired man.
"With this whole festival thing, they can't be sure" Nephrite said, frowning too "And it's the perfect opportunity for him to walk around unnoticed"
Kunzite nodded his head, and let out a frustrated sigh "I found a new set of foot prints today" he informed his partner, turning around and looking at him "Right outside Haruka's balcony doors"
The brown haired man frowned at that "He's waiting for something... for the right moment..." he stood up, and walked up to the window. Hands deep in his pockets, a frown on his handsome face "The best way to get to her, is by using either Hikari or Hotaru. So what is he waiting for?"
"He's studying her" Kunzite said "Us. All of us"
Nephrite nodded his head in agreement "Placing them somewhere in town is just as risky as keeping them all here" he murmured "We need him to make a move. A bad move" he then said, his attention getting caught by the laughter that reached their ears, coming from somewhere upstairs "We need a bait"
Kunzite nodded his head, in agreement, but still worried. He knew his partner was right. They needed to use them as bait, in order to force Asuke to make a move.
And he also knew Haruka would kill him for that.
But they had no other choice, or they could wait forever...
...
"Come on, time to go to bed" Michiru said, standing right next to two giggling little girls. Hands on her hips, faking an angry face, tapping her foot on the floor.
"But I am in bed!" Hotaru exclaimed, covering herself with the sheets.
"I meant your own bed" the aquamarine haired woman insisted, but couldn't help the smile that came to her face when she heard a happy laughter coming from the little ball under the sheets.
Hikari was hiding in there, completely covered by the navy blue sheets.
"Minako promised a story!" Hotaru said, pouting, and still not moving from her spot on the king size bed.
"And I will tell you a story, once you're both on you own bedroom" the blonde said, arms crossed over her chest "You have to meet your end of the bargain"
"Don't wanna!" came Hikari's muffled voice.
"What's going on here?" came an amused, husky voice from the bedroom door.
Minako and Michiru both turned around to see the tall car racer there, leaning against the door frame, hands deep in her pockets. An amused smile came to her lips as she saw the little ball inside her bed standing up, fighting the sheets down for a moment, before her daughter's smiling green eyes looked back at hers.
But then Hikari went down on the bed again, sheets covering her small frame, as they all heard a happy, childish laughter.
Hotaru, on the other hand, was now sitting on the bed, looking back at her guardian with big, innocent violet eyes.
But her mischievous smile betrayed her, and she couldn't fight back her giggles.
"I think you have a little invasion on your hands" Minako said to the smiling car racer.
"I see" she said, walking up to the bed now "There's only one weapon known to mankind that works against these invaders" she announced, as she took a seat on the bed, right next to the small human ball hiding in there.
Haruka winked at Hotaru, putting a finger on her lips, signaling her to be quite.
And the black haired girl's eyes went wide open, and she covered her mouth with both hands, trying to hide her laughter. The tall blonde's smile widen, as she sneaked a hand underneath the sheets, easily finding one small, extremely sensitive foot, and tickling it mercilessly.
The small ball jumped up from under the sheets at the movement, squealing desperately, and looking for shelter on Michiru's arms.
But then she looked at her smiling mother, and frowned, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood up on the bed.
"No tickling!" she complained. And when everyone laughed at her, she pouted "That's not fair!" she said, now bending down, and covering her feet with her hands "I don't like it" she said, still frowning at her smiling mother.
"Why not?" Michiru asked the small girl, who was now sitting on the bed again, and still covering her feet with both hands.
"It tickles!" she whined.
"But that's the whole point!" Hotaru exclaimed, giggling.
Hikari raised her nose up in the air in a brave manner, arms crossed over her chest. But when everyone kept on laughing at her, she frowned again, pouting cutely at the tall blonde woman.
Haruka tilted her head, smiling at her, and winked.
And that was all the small blonde girl needed to forget all about being mad at her mother for tickling her, before throwing herself at her, giggling again.
"Ok, little earthquakes" Haruka said to the girls, tapping her daughter's behind tenderly "It's bed time" she said, eying her daughter as the small girl backed away, sitting down over the pillows, knees bent up, and smiling mischievously.
"But we want a story!" Hotaru exclaimed, jumping on the bed, and taking Minako's hand, dragging her down on the bed with her.
The blonde landed ungracefully over the sheets, but before she could crash on top of Hotaru, the small girl jumped up to a surprised Michiru, dragging her down as well.
The aquamarine haired beauty landed on Haruka's lap, and blushed deeply as she felt the car racer's hands catching her.
Hikari laughed happily, and Hotaru smiled satisfied, laying on her back and resting her head against the soft pillow that represented Michiru's stomach before the young woman could move at all from her position.
"Good thing you have a big bed" came Makoto's amused voice from the door, getting everyone's attention.
The tall brunette teenage girl was smiling at them, quite amused at the pretty picture they all made on that bed, all over each other.
"You wanna hear a story too?" Hikari asked, excited.
Makoto looked at the car racer, and Haruka smiled at her.
"Sure, jump in" the blonde said, getting comfortable against the pillows, letting her daughter play with her short blonde hair, and enjoying the feeling of Michiru's head resting on her lap.
The brunette smiled then, walking to the bed at taking a spot next to the now sitting Minako "Are there any dragons on this story?" she asked, looking at the young blonde woman next to her "I always like those!" she exclaimed "Or maybe pirates!"
"Both!" Hikari exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly.
Minako frowned, looking up at the ceiling for a moment, before a bright smile came to her face, and she looked back at the still clapping little blonde "Once upon a time, there was a princess named..."
"Hikari!" the girl exclaimed, interrupting her.
Haruka chuckled at that "Hey, let her tell the story"
"But you always say I'm a princess!" she whined.
The brunette girl smiled at that "And then I'm the one getting her crazy ideas..." she joked.
"Ok then" Minako said, smiling "Once upon a time there was a princess named Hikari..."