CHAPTER THREE
Author's Notes: As usual, I do not now, nor have I ever, nor will I ever own any part of Sailor Moon or her world. I do, however, own the plot bunnies roaming through my head in their nice neat breeding pens.
Thank you for the reviews! I've altered Minako's profession out of respect for the Takarazuka fandom as I am unable to do the theater or its actresses justice in this story. Thank you for the advice and the recommendations on research! As far as the relationships go, please be patient! If I'm doing my job correctly (which I hope I am ^_^ ), things will be clear as the storyline progresses. I appreciate your reviews and concerns, but I promise, I'm trying to make this realistic and all of the characters hopefully will have their full three dimensions. My goal is to not make any one of them so easy to predict that the storyline is formulaic. If things aren't going fast enough, I'll consider that a compliment as I'm actually worried about too fast a pace! ^_^
I know I've been wanting to update more than once every two weeks, but I'd rather deliver a better story than a fast story. I'm well ahead in writing of where I'm posting and I'd like to keep it that way. I don't mind minor edits once published but I'd rather avoid comprehensive, storyline altering edits if at all possible. Thank you all for your support!
"No. No cats." She wasn't sure how many more times she had to say it. Why couldn't Minako just accept that and leave the cat food and milk outside or something? Wasn't that what people did? "And definitely no albino cats."
"Why not? He's sweet! He won't scratch up the furniture!" Blue eyes pleaded and filled with tears.
"How do you know that? Besides, he's creepy." She wouldn't have admitted it, but she really didn't want the cat in the apartment. It was wrong. She didn't like cats to begin with and this one followed her with some preternatural gaze that made her want to lop its head off with her grandfather's prize sword. Haruka hated feeling homicidal.
"He's not creepy! His name is Artemis and I want to keep him."
"Minako." She cringed as her girlfriend cowered before her. Well, shit. And there went the tears. Haruka ran a hand through her hair, sighing loudly. "Minako," she began again, softer this time, but she stopped, unsure what to say. "I...look...I don't get along with cats. It's this understanding. I don't like them. They don't like me."
Minako clutched the cat close to her. How that girl created an attachment to the bedraggled animal that quickly was beyond Haruka's ability to understand. She shook, petting him and he looked between the girls. Haruka was certain the damned thing was possessed. "Please? Please? I can't just send him away."
"Do you have time for a cat?"
"They don't need much! He's very independent."
Haruka wondered exactly what Minako thought she meant when she argued the point. Green eyes closed and the blonde sighed, "And where is he going to sleep? Because he's sure as hell not sleeping in our bed." Our bed. It sounded like they were properly together. That the bed was strictly used for sleeping was beginning to grate on her. She would have rather Minako keep the facade out of the house all together and continue sleeping in her own room, but apparently, that was too much to ask of the fates. She knew it was because at the beginning of the facade, Haruka had brought home a couple of girls. Brief flings of course, but with Minako officially sharing her bed, flings were off the menu. Everything was fading from the menu.
"Of course not! He'll sleep in my room. I won't even let him in yours."
Mine. Yours. Not only had she agreed to a cat, a creepy possessed albino one at that, she had also agreed to break up.
"Will you still be sleeping in mine?" she was almost afraid to ask, not sure which answer she wanted. On one hand, a breakup would mean she could hopefully find someone to have a real relationship with. On the other, none of her flings had chased away the nightmares the way Minako had. Pursing her lips, she recalled that was how Minako had landed in her bed in the first place. The nightmares had gotten worse, leading to a few nights when Haruka had screamed, trapped within her nightmare until Minako had crawled in, holding her. It wasn't that things felt right, but her mere presence seemed to dull them.
The past few weeks, though, a few had slipped through her girlfriend's careful watch. She attributed them to increased stress. They had started right before her first official super formula race. She didn't want to know how bad they would be without Minako there.
"Unless you're kicking me out?"
Relief and frustration mixed freely. "Of course not." She smiled at Minako but her eyes narrowed as they fell on Artemis. When it seemed the cat met her gaze, she shivered and glanced over toward the wall where her grandfather's sword was displayed. She could have sworn the cat followed her gaze before darting back to stare at her. Creepy thing. "Just keep him out of my room. Ok?"
"Will do!" Minako gave her a jaunty victory salute, heading off to her room with the cat who had turned to face Haruka as he was being taken away. In response, she went to the wall and retrieved her grandfather's sword, allowing the light to play off the hilt. It was probably beneath her to threaten the cat, but the look of terror she was sure she imagined on its face was well worth it. Smirking, she retrieved her sword cleaning kit and sat down to tend to the blade.
"How come you don't handle me that way?"
Haruka didn't look up from the blade. "Because you won't let me, and my sword likes it."
"I'd like it," Minako pouted.
Haruka looked up then and sighed, setting her sword down on the table. "You would, if I were male." Minako crumbled at the accusation and Haruka felt guilt grip her stomach. "Minako. I know you want to say you are, but you aren't a lesbian."
"I'm bisexual!"
Haruka held up her hand. "You've never shown any interest in any other girls."
"But I'm interested in you."
"Why do you want this so-" anything further was lost as Haruka was silenced with soft lips. It wasn't taking advantage of someone if she initiated continuously. Right? Right? All further questions of ethics were lost in a sea of hormones.
Haruka jolted awake. Something wasn't right. In fact, everything felt wrong. In the dark, she reached for her sword, eyes seeking any source of light. It took her a moment to realize she wasn't in space, wasn't alone. A moment later, she was out of the bed, sword in hand. There was a girl in her bed who most definitely didn't belong there.
"Haruka?" a voice far too high-pitched called out. The lamp crashed to the floor before being held up and illuminating a shaking hand. Her gaze followed the hand to blond hair. Oh shit. She was a dead woman.
"Minako?" she asked a moment later, her throat dry. She paled, looking at the sword in her hand as she stumbled back to lean against the wall. Yeah, tonight was not going well. For a moment, she was certain that the woman in her bed was supposed to be someone else. Someone with soft curves and a velvet lilt. Someone who did not have blond hair.
She sank to the floor, laying her sword down next to her. Her heart was still pounding, still dancing rapidly at the overwhelming fear she was going to be killed. It hadn't been a figurative threat. Her breath started to calm only as she remembered nothing had actually happened. Minako had faltered and Haruka had honored the fear. Why would that matter? And when had she brought the sword into the bedroom?
"You had a nightmare. Are you all right?"
Haruka looked up from the ground to see Minako kneeling before her, resting on her ankles as she set a hand on Haruka's shoulder. She winced briefly then shook her head. "I'm sorry. It was-"
What was she supposed to say? I'm sorry, I dreamed I was going to be killed for having you in my bed? Somehow my bedroom was supposed to be in space and in my disorientation I reached for a sword and nearly killed you?
She looked up to see her girlfriend's concerned blue eyes staring at her. "You haven't had one that bad in weeks. Maybe you should see someone about them?"
"No. No doctors." She surprised herself with the force of her own voice.
"I'm worried-"
A finger far steadier than it had any right to be settled against the younger woman's lips. "I'll be all right. I promise."
That was apparently the right thing to say as her arms were suddenly full with a shaking blonde. Haruka leaned her head against the wall, sword lying next to her right leg, arms curled around the smaller form, looking up at the ceiling. She should paint stars on it. The rebellious thought clashed with the scene she was currently playing a lead in. Comforting her girlfriend because she had scared her. A wry smile crept upon her lips. How much more would she have to comfort the other woman if she had told her the content of the dreams.
One of the things she adored Minako for, actually. She never asked what the nightmares were about. Never asked for Haruka to tell any of her secrets. The girl was remarkably understanding in that way. Which was one of the main reasons this dysfunctional relationship was currently the longest running relationship Haruka had ever had.
Staring up at the ceiling, she tried to block out the fear she had felt. It wasn't the fear of simply being caught in a compromising position. This had been crushing, crippling fear. Holding the younger woman tighter, Haruka closed her eyes and wondered if Minako was losing her touch at chasing away things Haruka couldn't seem to outrun.
##
"Men are stupid," Michiru sighed, head thrown back against the back of the couch. She stared up at the ceiling, sprawled uncomfortably but unwilling to shift positions.
"That's a bit of an over-generalization."
Michiru jumped, nearly falling off the couch to the amusement of her roommate. Ami was laughing, holding her hand to her face as she tried to hide her reaction. Attempting to regain control of herself, Michiru shifted again, this time to a more secure position on the couch. "I didn't realize you were home."
"Obviously."
"I'm sorry to interrupt your studying."
"So what happened?"
Despite knowing that Ami didn't care about Michiru's preferences, it still wasn't something she wanted to discuss regularly. However, over the past few weeks she had noticed a few things around the apartment. Books on coming out. Pamphlets on how to be a straight ally. One had left her chuckling for nearly an hour. Ami hadn't needed any of them, but now, looking at her younger friend, she understood. Ami might not have needed them, but Michiru had needed to see them.
Blue eyes closed against exasperation. "I am getting tired of people assuming that because I chose to stay in Tokyo I must be in search of a good man." She leveled her gaze at her friend, "Of course, everyone who thought to tell me this thought himself such a man. Most of whom are boys and the rest dirty old men."
Ami nodded. "Reading comments on your latest video?" Before Michiru could acknowledge the accuracy of her mark, Ami continued. "I thought some of them more crass than usual. I don't know how you do it, with them asking those sorts of questions."
Michiru couldn't help smiling as Ami's matter-of-fact nature faltered and she blushed brightly. As much as the comments bothered her, Michiru couldn't imagine Ami's innocence being assaulted by the lewd and overt sexual offers the anonymity of the internet seemed to encourage. "I hadn't realized you kept up on my website."
Ami blushed slightly, "I like to know how things are going for you. You seem so down sometimes." Michiru sighed and shifted, leaning back into the arm of the couch as she stared at the wall. All right, Ami wasn't completely oblivious to the world. Unfortunately. "I don't mean to pry, but you don't enjoy teaching as much as you enjoy performing, even I can see that, so I'm wondering why you're not out there more."
Michiru laughed dryly. "You know, Ami-chan, sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have left you a shy wallflower. You are far too perceptive for my good." Tilting her head, she couldn't quite see the other woman, which meant she couldn't tell how things would be taken. Sighing, she stood up and padded to the kitchenette. "I can't really explain it," she said once they were both sitting at the table. "I love performing. I don't love the assumption I want to be a sex object for men, but I love the thrill of live music." Soft shoulders shrugged. "I just know my path isn't there. I need to be here. These kids need me." The last was only slightly embellished.
"Well, then go out. Meet someone."
"You have no room to talk."
"Fine. I'll do it too."
Surprise echoed through Michiru's body. If Ami was agreeing to this, either one she really meant it or two...she smiled. "Usagi-chan is setting you up with someone, isn't she?"
Michiru had met Usagi a couple of times. The girl was extremely sweet, very loyal and very rambunctious. It wasn't that she didn't like Usagi, but they tended to run in different circles and didn't have the advantage of sharing ages as Ami and Usagi had.
Ami blushed and nodded.
"Fine, I'll go out, but-" she stopped as Ami was shaking her head. "I won't go out?"
"No, I want you to go out, but well..." The younger woman stood up and went to a drawer, rifling through it briefly before returning to hand Michiru an envelope.
Michiru raised an eyebrow. Glancing back up at Ami first, she opened the envelope. Michiru read the tickets: Autopolis, June 2.
"I'll go with you. After all, it would be interesting to watch."
Michiru wasn't sure she believed Ami. A car race hardly seemed appropriate for either of them and there were only so many times one could watch cars go around a track and consider it exciting. The only thing Ami could possibly find interesting to watch with Michiru at a car race was...her. "You want to go to a car race so that I'll have to sit in the bleachers and stare at cars-"
"Not cars, car. Just one. You said she's a lesbian. Well, then why are you letting it hold you back? It's not like anyone will care. You're just another fan. No one will need to know why you're interested in her."
"I'd rather agree to go to a lesbian bar."
"Oh! You can do that too."
Michiru raised her eyes, disappointed when her best attempt at a death glare was met with a bright smile. Yes, definitely a mistake to bring Ami out of her shell.