27
By the time they were finally able to go home, it was already getting dark outside. Everyone was tired, and in no mood for dinner, so they all simply skip it and started to get ready for bed.
Kunzite had already make sure Hikari's bed was clean out of any evidence of the disgusting sight that had welcomed them there earlier that day, and there were now clean sheets on a perfectly made bed.
But Haruka still didn't quite like the idea of her daughter sleeping there.
Apparently, Hotaru felt the same way, because the moment the blonde little girl was wrapped up on her pajamas, the black haired girl took her hand, guiding her to her own bed.
Haruka took her daughter's clothes, folding them on the chair next to the vanity, watching the scene in front of her.
Both girls were already in bed, getting under the sheets with Makoto's help. The brunette looked tired, but she still helped the girls getting into bed, and kissed them goodnight, hugging them lovingly and covering them with the sheets.
She then turned to the standing blonde woman, and smiled tiredly at her "I have a hot date with my pillow now" she announced, yawning "Don't wanna be late"
"How romantic" Haruka joked, smiling.
"Oh yeah, you have no idea" the brunette said. But then she frowned, crossing her arms over her chest "You better go to bed too" she said "And no fooling around, getting shot and all"
The blonde smiled at her "I'll do my best" she assured her.
"Good!" Makoto exclaimed, still frowning. She looked at her for a moment, before jumping up to her and hugging her, surprising the blonde with the sudden movement.
But Haruka recovered from her surprise soon, returning the embrace and hugging the teenage girl. She felt the girl kissing her cheek, before looking at her. An embarrassed smile on her face.
Haruka chuckled at that, knowing full well the brunette wasn't really good at showing her emotions "Didn't you have a date to go to?" she asked, saving the girl from her embarrassment.
"Right!" she said, smiling "Never keep'em waiting for too long, right?"
"Just go to bed already" Haruka said, rolling her eyes.
"Sir, yes, sir!" Makoto said, making a salute to her before walking to the door "Night, night!"
Haruka simply rolled her eyes at the brunette, smiling, before walking up to the bed. She sat down, supporting herself with her good arm, and looking down on the already half asleep little blonde in there, and a not less tired looking Hotaru.
But the black haired girl sat up on the bed, and then hung herself from Haruka's neck, hugging her close. Or as close as she could get, considering a small little blonde girl was in between them.
"I love you" the girl softly whispered.
Haruka squeezed her lightly at that, closing her eyes for a moment. She had been so close of loosing her. Of loosing both of them. And loosing everything that meant anything to her on this world.
And she knew Hotaru had already lost too much too soon...
"I love you too, kiddo" she said, kissing the girl's forehead. And when she looked down on her, noticing her big violet eyes watering, she couldn't help the gasp from escaping her lips. Her heart breaking at the sight.
She then felt another set of arms encircling her waist, and she chuckled, as she saw her daughter's curling up to her.
"I love you too, mommy" Hikari announced, in a sleepy voice, nuzzling her nose against Haruka's stomach. The girl then looked up at her, smiling "All the way up to the sky"
"And all the way back!" Hotaru added, smiling now too.
"Over and over again!" they both finished at the same time.
...
Minako walked out of the bathroom, already wearing her night clothes, and more than willing to fall half dead on the bed and let dreamland take her. She couldn't remember a time when she had felt this tired...
But upon noticing her friend sitting on the bed, already wearing her nightgown, and staring into nothing at all, she stopped dead on her tracks, frowning.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
Michiru looked up at her, and blinked. She then frowned, and opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it without saying anything, and blinked again.
"How eloquent" Minako joked, sitting on the bed next to her friend "Ok, I'll try to be a little more specific. What are you doing here?"
Again, Michiru blinked at her, frowning "What do you mean?" she asked, after a moment.
The blonde woman rolled her eyes at her letting out a sigh "Here! Instead of being there" she said, pointing with her hand at the general direction of the car racer's bedroom.
Michiru blushed at the gesture, but Minako shook her head at her "She needs you right now, you know?"
"She's with the girls now" she said, shaking her head "After everything that happened, she needs a moment with them"
Minako nodded her head in agreement "Of course she does, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want you there"
Michiru looked at her blonde friend for a moment, and then she smiled, blushing lightly "She told me she loves me" she said, and then she frowned "And then she jumped out the window" she added.
Baby blue eyes went wide open at that, and a big smile came to Minako's face. The blonde was obviously beaming at the news "That's so great!" she exclaimed, already knowing her friend's feelings for the tall car racer. Michiru was pretty easy to read sometimes... at least for her.
Michiru frowned at her friend "She jumped out the window!" she repeated.
"I didn't mean that part!" Minako said, rolling her eyes "Though it is pretty romantic..." she added, a dreamy expression on her face "I mean, think about it, on that one moment, she thought she was going to loose everything, and I mean everything, and I bet she wasn't even sure she was going to make it alive..."
"Minako!" Michiru exclaimed, interrupting her.
"Well, it's true! The guy had a gun, Michiru. A gun!" she exclaimed "Those things can get you kill, you know..."
"I know!" the aquamarine haired woman exclaimed again, now getting up and walking around in small circles "I know that! God! I could've lost her!" she exclaimed, hands up in the air "And I just found her!"
Minako smiled at that last statement.
She stood up from the bed too, and put her hands on the aquamarine haired woman's shoulders, looking straight at her "Which bring us back to my first question. What are you doing here?" she asked again, smiling softly, and somewhat sadly at her friend "I know you two have probably a lot to talk about, things to work out and all, but right now? Right now she just needs you there"
Michiru blinked at her friend's words. She simply stood there, looking at her, before a soft smile came to her lips "I need her too"
"Then what the hell are you still doing here?" Minako asked, now somewhat exasperated "Go to your woman!"
...
Haruka walked out of the room, closing the door behind her, and closed her eyes for a moment, fighting back the tears in her eyes.
She stood there for a moment, taking deep breath and trying to calm herself down.
It was over now. There was no need to cry. Everything was fine. Everyone was safely home with nothing but a few scratches. But no matter how many times she told herself that, she couldn't shake that horrible, deep fear out of her system.
And she knew she wasn't going to be able to sleep that night.
Her nightmares were bad enough already. And she simply knew tonight was going to be much, much worse than ever before...
Damn it! You're a grown woman!, she scolded herself, you're strong! Get over it! Nothing happened!
But her mind wasn't really getting that point straight yet, and the memories and possible, terrifying endings to that day's events kept on coming to her mind. It was pure torture!
She growled, opening her eyes and making her way to her own bedroom. Maybe a nice, warm shower would numb her body enough for her to relax. At least a little bit...
But upon entering her room, a light coming from her bathroom, along with the sound of the water already running got her attention. She tensed up at first, but then a soft sigh reached her ears, and she frowned, recognizing that soft sound.
So she closed her bedroom door, and walked into the bathroom. Steam was already starting to cover the mirror, and the bathtub was filled with warm, nice smelling water.
And kneeling right next to it, testing the water with one hand, while vaguely making her long, curly hair aside with the other, was the most beautiful woman Haruka had ever seen.
She looked up at the tall blonde, smiling sweetly. And before Haruka could say anything, she stood up, and went to her, kissing her softly on the lips, before helping her out of the stained sweatshirt. Being extremely careful with her injured arm. And when she was about to help her with her pants, Haruka put her hands in hers, stopping her, and making her look up at her.
"What are you...?" she couldn't finished her question. Michiru put a finger upon her lips, big blue eyes looking into her green ones.
"It's been a really long day, and a nice bath will help you" she simply said, reassuming her task on the blonde's jean pants, and taking them off.
Once that was done, she reached her hands behind the blonde's back, working with her bra and taking it off as well. Her eyes never leaving green one.
Haruka simply nodded her head, looking down on her and allowing the younger woman to take her underwear off too, to then guide her into the bathtub. Her tensed up muscles immediately relaxing to the warm nice water, and she closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the feeling.
She felt soft lips gently pressing against her forehead, and a hand caressing her short blonde hair, and she let out a sigh, allowing herself to relax. To stop thinking and simply enjoy the small pleasure of the warm water. Knowing Michiru was there with her.
She didn't know what tomorrow would bring. She didn't know how long it was going to last. Or if it was going to last at all. But right now, on that moment, all that matter to her was the knowledge that the aquamarine haired woman was there with her.