I listened to the sounds of the two girls in the bathroom, the sounds of laughter and splashing filling the whole house due to whatever they were doing in there.
After a few minutes they came out, Hotaru dressed in pajamas and with dripping hair and a large plush towel draped around her and Michiru with her dress soaked.
"this little cockroach decided to drench me." Michiru laughed as she ruffled the child's hair, causing a smile to come over Hotaru's face.
"really?" I chuckled as I knelt down, only to be hugged by the little girl.
"I think she realized that we aren't going to freak out if she does something silly." Michiru chuckled as she leaned down to muss the little girl's hair.
Despite the bruises on Hotaru's body she still looked like the innocent little girl, who at that moment looked overjoyed at the fact that her guardian had not only allowed her to play, but had joined in with her and for one fleeting moment I forgot about how frightened the child had looked only a short while ago when she had stumbled into the dirt.
"I better get going." I stated with a sigh as memories of my own came up however as soon as the words left my lips I felt a small hand clasp into my own.
"please stay?"
it was worded as a question though it was more of a plea. Why didn't Hotaru want me to leave? I wondered then when I looked down, staring directly into the soft violet orbs I realized why. Because I had saw the lost look in her eyes in someone else once. Another child that had been so badly beaten and scarred that she felt that no one would ever love her again.
"Okay." I said, giving in to her all too familiar words "but only if Michiru approves."
Hotaru turned to the aqua haired goddess who had been watching us all of this time, a slight smile decorating her perfect pink lips.
"can she?"
the question was all it took for Michiru's grin to turn into a full, soft smile.
"of course." she answered with a smile as she headed into the other room.
Suddenly Hotaru flung herself at me, hugging me tight around the neck.
"Thanks Haruka-san!" she exclaimed, cuddling against me.
Even those words haunted me as my mind swirled again with memories that I had wished to suppress.
A fourteen year old girl stood outside of the orphanage, her teal eyes shimmering with tears as she rushed forward and grabbed a tall green haired woman's hand.
"Please let me stay with you Meioh-San?" the girl whispered as she stood there, her tears spilling over causing her body to shake violently.
The woman turned and knelt down, taking the younger girl by the shoulders firmly as her smooth, soothing tone replied
"you have to start trusting me though. Remember this was your idea to come back here." she reminded the girl, a sad smile playing on her lips as she took the young girl into her arms, her firm embrace soothing the sobbing child's raw emotions as she bawled into her shoulder.
"come on, lets go home." the woman stated gentle after a few minutes of just holding the girl.
The young blonde with shoulder-length blonde hair looked up at her new mother, her eyes shimmering with a array of emotions as she struggled to get out the words
"thank you Setsuna."
the woman only smiled at the young teens words and replied softly "you don't have to thank me you know. I wasn't going to leave you anyway."
"come on squirt, you said you wanted to show me your room and stuff the other night when we were talking on the phone. Now you can." I stated as I pulled out of her—surprisingly strong— hold.
"Okay!" she retorted cheerfully as she grabbed my hand and lead me toward the stairs.
Once we were in the room I could have gasped at how it was decorated.
I mean the whole room was purple, including the bedspread and curtains.
"I don't think I can see anything but a big purple blob." I joked, causing the little girl to giggle.
"you like it?" she asked, her eyes shinning with the eagerness to please.
"of course." I answered, though I honestly wondered why she had chosen purple for everything.
"really?" she questioned, looking doubtful and I sighed and knelt down.
"Hotaru, why would I lie to you? Its obvious that you like it and whatever makes you happy is all any of us want." I answered honestly and she hugged me again, though I felt tears seep into my shirt.
"No one's ever cared that much for me...not since my momma died but that was a long time ago." she sniffed and suddenly I too was fighting tears.
"well now you have people who do care." I said, choking slightly on the emotions that knotted in my throat.
She nestled closer to me, clinging onto me like there was no tomorrow.
"it was my fault mommy died." she revealed in a muffled sob against my chest, catching me off guard completely.
"what makes you say that?" I whispered, honestly too shocked to say much else.
"Daddy said that if I hadn't been born mommy wouldn't have thought a birthday party was important and wouldn't had gone shopping that day." she sobbed and I sighed, recalling how three years ago that a woman had been involved in a car-crash and had been flown to a burn center only to pass over night.
Three years...
Hotaru's father had abused her since she was five years old.
"Hotaru, these things happen for a reason. Maybe it was destiny so that you landed with us." I replied, earning a tearful, yet confused look.
"destiny?" she asked
"Gods will." I explained and she nodded slowly.
"in any case it was not your fault, did you drive the car? No. Did you hold a gun to her head and make her go? No. so it was not your fault sweetheart." I stated as I ran my hand through her hair, feeling her relax into me.
"So I'm not a monster?" she whimpered and I sighed.
"no Kitten, you're not. Just a scared, confused little girl that really needs a good family to take care of her." I answered.
"you're a part of my family right?" she asked and before I could even say anything Michiru's voice stated
"of course she is, if she would just stop beating around the bush already."
I turned to my crush, feeling my face grow crimson at her words, causing her to laugh.
"Haruka, why do you always think everyone will hate you? I actually like you very much if you'd stop being such a bimbo." she retorted, causing realization to dawn on me.
"sorry." I responded lamely, causing her to chuckle a bit more.
"I came up here to tell you two that I had fixed some snacks for when you get hungry." Michiru said after she had finally got control of her laughter.
Hotaru however remained unmoving from my lap, her knuckles white as she gripped my shirt.
"neither of you will leave me right?" she asked suddenly and we glanced at one another before shaking our heads.
"No hime-chan we wont." I answered as Michiru knelt down.
"why do you ask that sweetie?" she asked, voice full of concern and patience.
"daddy said he was gonna leave me." Hotaru's answer caused anger to consume me and I turned to Michiru, who's eyes were as dangerous as the raging sea itself.
"he was just a idiot Hotaru, forget about him." she stated, her voice steely and cold though as she reached out and wiped a tear form Hotaru's cheek I could see the care she used.
"yeah you have us now kiddo." I assured and she glanced up, smiling a bit then asked in a soft, timid and almost too low to hear tone
"so...are you like my new parents now?"
Michiru and I exchanged looks, though I knew we where thinking the same thing.
"I guess we are squirt." I answered earning a glare from Michiru.
"you guess Haruka? Of course she is." the blue haired girl quipped and I chuckled.
"she knew what I meant Michi-chan." I retorted and she rolled her eyes but she only smiled. Hotaru's face had lit up when she had heard that and then she looked concerned again.
"what do I call you then?" she asked and I shrugged.
"whatever you want to." I answered and Michiru smiled as she playfully added
"as long as it isn't rude."
Hotaru smiled at this and then blushed slightly at whatever thought that ran through her mind.
"Okay." she replied slowly.
Later that evening Michiru and I sat in her living room after putting Hotaru to bed.
"are you sure you want to date me Michiru? I'm not like you." I stated and she sighed and glared at me.
"Haruka, I would have never told you that I liked you if I didn't. Now do you or don't you accept my offer?" she replied as her hand wondered onto my own, intertwining our fingers together.
"I...I've always wanted to go out with you. But I always thought you were straight." I replied and she chuckled.
"well then miss Tenoh you've learned different." she stated however then there was a loud scream came from upstairs and we shared a look before we both rushed upstairs, throwing the door back with a loud bang.
"I...I'm sorry! Please...please don't hurt me." Hotaru's small, panicked voice pleaded from somewhere beneath the sheets.
"we're not mad firefly. We just heard you scream and came to see if you were alright." I stated and she looked up before throwing herself into my arms.
"I'm so sorry Haruka-Papa!" she wailed, shuddering with the sobs that wrecked her little frame.
"for what kid? You're okay." I replied, kinda in shock from being called 'papa' however I just lifted her up into a hug and carried her over to her bed and sat down, keeping her in my arms.
"talk to us Hotaru, we're not mad and we won't get mad." I whispered and she glanced up at me and then to Michiru.
"I dreamed about daddy." she whispered and I sighed.
I didn't know what to do, I wished at that moment that I could take all of that pain that she had ever felt upon myself. But I also knew I couldn't.
"Hey, you said it yourself. I'm your Papa now and I'll never let anyone hurt you." I retorted as I lay back onto the bed with her.
"so go to sleep, I'll be right here when you wake up in the morning." I vowed, causing shock to come over her face.
"really?" she asked
"really." I replied
I looked up to see Michiru smiling softly and then she edged her way over to the bed, laying beside us so that Hotaru was between us.
"we'll both protect you." she stated, causing the child to smile as she nestled deeper into the covers beside of us.
"what if I have another bad dream?" her shy voice asked and I sighed.
"then you wake either or both of us up and we'll sit up with you until you can fall back to sleep." Michiru replied with a smile as she pulled the blankets over the girl.