Chapter 8:
Haruka and Michiru both ended up sleeping well into the next morning. As the smell of bacon being cooked in the kitchen filled the air, Haruka began to stir.
As soon as the smell of the bacon hit her nose, her stomach immediately began to grumble.
"Shh."
Haruka whispered loudly, hoping it would stop the infuriating sound her stomach was making.
"Did you just tell your stomach to shush?"
Michiru mumbled, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"Yeah. Sorry for waking you."
Haruka then got up, to get ready to go for a run.
"Where are you going?"
Michiru asked, sitting up in bed.
"For a run. I'll be back later."
"Don't you think you should eat something first?"
"I'll eat when I get back."
Haruka was then about to head into the bathroom to get ready, but was stopped by Michiru grabbing her arm.
"I'm not gonna let you go for a run until after you've had breakfast."
"What are you, my mother? I'll eat later."
"You need to eat. You didn't eat yesterday."
"I did eat though. I had a couple of pancakes."
"Haruka, that's not enough to sustain you."
Haruka groaned in frustration.
"It's too early for an argument."
"I'm not trying to have an argument with you. I just think it would be unwise for you to go for a run on an empty stomach."
"I always go for a morning run on an empty stomach."
"True, but you've usually eaten a normal amount of food the day before."
"So, I'll eat a normal amount when I get back."
Haruka then tried once again to make her way to the bathroom, but was stopped by Michiru stepping in front of her, with her arms folded.
"Didn't you promise Hotaru that you would eat after you had gotten some rest?"
"I'm still keeping my promise. I'm just going for a run first."
Haruka tried again to get past Michiru, but she refused to budge.
"Would you please move?"
"I'm not letting you go for a run. Not until you've eaten."
Haruka could feel her patience wearing thin.
"For the last time, I'll eat when I get back. Now move!"
Despite the fact that Haruka's temper was growing, Michiru stood her ground.
"I'll move, but only if you go downstairs and eat breakfast before your run."
Haruka said nothing as she pushed her way past Michiru, into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her and turning on the shower.
Michiru sighed then headed downstairs, knowing that Haruka's mind was made up. When she made it downstairs, she found Hotaru setting the table for breakfast and Setsuna finishing up with the cooking.
"Is Haruka-papa gonna eat breakfast with us?"
Hotaru asked, her voice clearly showing that she was concerned for her father figure.
"She'll eat after her run."
Michiru said.
"Shouldn't she eat at least a little something, before she runs?"
"I would like her to, but she won't. You know how stubborn your Haruka-papa can be."
"Yeah."
Suddenly, Hotaru got an idea.
"Maybe I should go talk to her. See if I can get her to at least have a banana or something."
Hotaru then headed up the stairs to talk to her Haruka-papa.
"Do you think she'll be able to get Haruka to eat?"
Setsuna asked.
"Maybe. After all, you and I both know she has a hard time saying no to her little firefly."
A few moments later, Hotaru had arrived in her Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama's bedroom. She then made her way over to the bathroom and knocked on the door.
"Haruka-papa, it's me. May I come in?"
Hotaru asked.
When she didn't receive a response, she knocked louder and called out again.
"Haruka-papa?"
After not receiving an answer the second time, she decided to open the door.
Upon doing so, she found Haruka sitting on the bathroom floor, with her knees pulled tightly against her chest. Her sobs were being muffled by the sound of the shower running. Hotaru reached over and turned off the shower.
She then sat down in front of her Haruka-papa and lightly tapped her on the knee. However, Haruka was too lost in thought to notice that the shower was no longer running, or that Hotaru was trying to get her attention.
"Why can't they get it? Why do they insist on me eating?"
Haruka wondered, thinking back to the times she had been offered food or asked to eat.
"I don't need to eat. I'm fine just the way I am."
As she sat there, lost in thought, Hotaru tried again to get her attention. This time being firmer.
"Haruka-papa!"
Hotaru shouted, causing Haruka to snap her head up.
"Geez Hime-chan, you scared me. What are you doing here?"
"I can here to see if I could get you to at least eat a banana or something, before your run."
"Did your Michiru-mama put you up to this?"
"No, this is all me. Also you promised me that you'd eat after you'd gotten some rest. You slept all the way into the next morning. I'd say you've gotten plenty of rest. Now come on, breakfast is getting cold."
Hotaru said, holding her hand out for Haruka to take.
Haruka sighed in defeat, knowing she had met her match when it came to her daughter. She then took Hotaru's hand and stood up.
However, upon standing she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her and she soon came crashing to the ground.
"Haruka-papa!"
Hotaru screamed.
Hearing the young girl's scream caused Setsuna and Michiru to rush up the steps.
When they got to the bathroom, they found Haruka lying unconscious on the floor, with a distraught Hotaru kneeling next to her.
"Haruka!"
Michiru cried out, rushing over to her unconscious lover.
"Haruka! Honey, can you hear me?!"
Michiru yelled.
After a few agonizing minutes, Haruka began to stir. The rest of the occupants all breathed a sigh of relief.
"What happened?"
Haruka asked, slowly sitting up with Michiru's help.
"You passed out. Are you okay, Haruka-papa?"
Hotaru was trying her best to hold back her tears, but a few had managed to escape.
"I'm okay, Hime-chan. Just a little lightheaded."
"Will you please, please eat something now? I don't care if it's just a single cheerio. Please just eat something."
Hotaru pleaded, her eyes welling up with tears as she wrapped her arms around Haruka's neck and gave a tight squeeze.
Haruka hugged her daughter back and felt a twinge of guilt. She had never intended to scare Hotaru in any way.
"I'm sorry, Hime-chan."
Haruka whispered, kissing the top of her daughter's head.
"I think we should all go downstairs and have breakfast now."
Setsuna suggested, making her way out of the bathroom.
The rest of the girls soon followed. Michiru and Hotaru both stood on either side of Haruka, making sure she didn't collapse again.
When they made it into the dying room and sat down at the table, Setsuna placed a plate consisting of bacon, eggs, toast, and fruit in front of Haruka.
As Haruka looked at the plate, she could hear it, that damn voice in her head telling her she would be a failure if she ate. She knew she needed to eat, at least for Hotaru's sake, but the voice in her head was beginning to be too much.
"I can't do this. Can I just have some orange juice?"
Haruka asked, pushing the plate of food away.
"But, Haruka-papa, you need to-"
"It's alright Hotaru. Orange juice is at least better than nothing."
Michiru said as she got up to grab Haruka a glass of orange juice.
She then handed the glass to Haruka, who took it and then left to go get ready for school.
Michiru then took her seat at the table and turned her attention to Hotaru, noting the scowl on her face.
"What is it?"
"Orange juice is not a proper breakfast. She needs food, not a drink."
"I know, Hotaru."
"So why give her what she wants? Why not make her eat?"
Michiru sighed heavily.
"Because the last thing I want right now is to get into an argument with your Haruka-papa. We've already had a few arguments already in regards to her eating habits and they've led us nowhere. Honestly I'm just thankful she's having something besides water."
Hotaru thought over Michiru's words for a moment.
"Will you make sure she eats lunch today? Or at least has some milk or something?"
"I will do my best. Now let's finish breakfast and then we'll get ready for school."
"Okay, Michiru-mama."
Hotaru was still feeling worried, but she trusted that her Michiru-mama would keep her Haruka-papa safe.
Meanwhile back upstairs, Haruka had finished her glass of orange juice and was in the process of getting ready for school. As she got ready, her mind wandered back to breakfast.
"I can't believe I was able to get away with just having some orange juice. Considering I lost consciousness earlier, I thought for sure I was gonna be held down and force fed."
Haruka thought as she finished buttoning the top of her uniform.
"Still though, I'm probably gonna be watched even closer now. Crap, how am I gonna skip lunch today? Michiru's sure to try to get me to eat."
"I could just tell her I'm not feeling well again, but she'd probably just tell me it's because I haven't eaten."
As Haruka stood there, racking her brain for excuses to skip lunch, Michiru walked into the room.
Upon entering the room she saw her blonde-haired lover deep in thought.
"What's on your mind?"
Michiru asked, pulling the tall blonde from her thoughts.
"Oh, uh, nothing."
Michiru eyed Haruka for a moment, but decided not to pry. She then noticed that Haruka was already dressed in her school uniform.
"Are you not going for a run today?"
"I was gonna go during lunch."
"I see. Speaking of lunch, Hotaru asked me to make sure you have something. Even if it's just some milk, she wants you to have something."
"Okay."
"Okay as in you're agreeing to have something for lunch, or okay as in you heard me, but you want me to shut-up?"
"I don't know. Look, can we not do this right now? I'm not in the mood."
She then grabbed her bag and blazer, then left to go wait downstairs.
"It's gonna be a long day."
Michiru thought as she began to get ready herself.
End of chapter 8: