History
Prolog
"She fell asleep as we watched Splash." Haruka heard the voice of her wife as if it was far away in another dimension. Her eyes twitched, but she was too tired to open them.
"Really? But Papa promised to help me with my homework. It is my first week at middle school and…" A muffled sound reached Harukas ear. Finally, she opened her eyes. Michiru kneeled on the floor next to the sofa Haruka laid on. She rested her head on the palms of her hands while watching the sleepy woman waking up slowly.
"Hello sleepyhead, your daughter waits for your help" she whispered with a smirk. Haruka rubbed her eyes and pushed herself to a sitting position. "I fell asleep," she assumed with guilt in her voice. Michiru got up and walked through the doorway arch in the dining room. Haruka stretched her back to get a better view of the dining table, where Hotaru sat sunken into something on the tabletop. With a sigh, Haruka got up from the sofa and turned off the TV. A strange soup commercial was shown.
Not entering the dining room to interrupt Hotaru with her homework, she leaned against the wall of the doorway arch. In silence, she observed her adoptive daughter putting pictures together on a white sheet of paper. "My family" stood at the top of the sheet in big violet letters. This was Hotarus favorite color. Underneath she arranged pictures of her, some family members and of course her three parents. Setsuna and her two older sisters grinned playfully from the first on. Beneath this one was a family portrait of Michiru with her parents and her older brother. In deep concentration, she wrote some descriptions near the pictures.
"Alright pumpkin, now you have my full attention." A little grumpy, Hotaru looked up from her project. "You said, you help me with the pictures of you and the other guardians. I found a picture of me and Chibiusa. But that's it." Haruka walked to the table, inspecting the work Hotaru had done so far. Memories came back. She felt a strange sensation in her chest. It was something between joy and sadness. But she got herself back together, so she could assist her daughter.
"Well" she said thoughtfully while examining the pictures. "I think there are some good ones in our old photo book." Haruka went back to the living room and returned a few minutes later with a big, black book in her hands. Hotaru grabbed it with a sparkle in her eyes. She loved the stories of the past and the other guardians. They browsed through the sides and laughed at the funny pictures and chatted about the memories which were connected to each of them.
"Did Usagi ever have the gum out of her hair after Chibiusa put it there? Until today, she swears it was an accident!" Hotaru giggled. Haruka shook her head while laughing. "I think she had to cut it a bit. I can hear her screams of sorrow until this day."
Finally, they reached the last pages of the book. "Wow" Hotaru astonished. "Every time I see this picture of you two, I am amazed." It was the wedding picture of Haruka and Michiru. They tied the knot two years ago, after the last fight against Sailor Cosmos.
And after they graduated from collage. Instinctively, Haruka fumbled with her wedding ring. It still felt a bit unreal. Touching the ring helped her realize that this amazing woman really said yes to her. Maybe it was better for the whole adoption process, but getting married cemented their love. A love which was destined to be. Not a thought that could shrink her emotions in any way. They grow ever since.
"You never told me how you and Mama – Michiru met." Hotarus words brought Haruka back to the present. A bit forlorn, she scratched her head. Why did she never tell her the story? She told her about her awakening and how they met the others. But never how Michiru came into her life. Changing it forever.
"Well, maybe I can tell you a little bit of this after the diner. As bedtime story?" Hotaru leaned her head to the side with a curled lip. "You know that I am 13." Haruka laughed.
"Yes, little princess, you are too old. But maybe we can drink some cacao before bedtime." Hotarus eyes widened. Her mother never allowed her sweets' before bedtime. Mama-Michiru always says something about hanging from buildings in dangerous situations. Papa-Haruka blushes every time, leaving a confused Hotaru behind.
"Alright! We meet after I got ready for bed. And don't fall asleep after the dinner again."