Genesis, Chapter 8
By Distant Sky King
Rated R

All standard disclaimers apply.

Author's Note: 
This fanfiction is an attempt to tell the story of how Haruka and 
Michiru initially met during the Silver Millennium.  Parts of this 
story may be too mature for younger audiences, so if you're under 18 
or don't think you can handle adult situations, turn back now.

Chapter 8

	With Orion and Michiru gone, Haruka had nothing left but to 
either wallow in self-pity or continue with her life.  Madam Delta's 
tale of deadly love stirred something within her, and she came to the 
conclusion that she wasn't going to allow that very thing to happen 
to her.  She heeded her governess's advice and kept her feelings to 
herself, and resolved to live her life as normally as possible.  With 
that decided, she threw herself into her training.
	
	It wasn't easy.  The other girls were about two months ahead of her and 
she struggled painfully at the very beginning, but showed nothing for fear of 
being pulled until she healed fully.  The last thing she wanted was to be alone 
with her thoughts, so she endured.  After a time the training became easier and 
she quickly surpassed the weaker girls, but Jupiter was a tough adversary.  
Because they were closer in size and stature than the others, they usually chose 
to spar against one another for extra practice.  Jupiter was a strong girl and 
usually laid Haruka out on the grass to dry, but the day Haruka threw her to the 
ground like a sack of grain was a great turning point.  Since then she was 
unbeatable and it made her proud.  Very much unlike how she used to feel, she 
now liked physical confrontation and although she loathed admitting it, she 
liked the fact that she could seriously hurt someone if needed.  The need would 
most likely never arise, however, for who would go against Queen Serenity's 
dominion?
	
	As Haruka and her talent as a senshi became stronger, so did the walls 
around her heart and mind.  She quietly withdrew from palace society and 
concentrated solely on becoming even more powerful than before.  She was 
respected as a warrior and feared for her stoic silence, but that was all anyone 
ever saw of her.  Even the other princesses ceased trying to hold her attention.  
It was a little lonely, but therapeutic, for it kept her from remembering.
	
	Years passed, expectedly, and although Haruka aged her memories never 
faded.  She now regarded her time with Michiru as something special and never 
dwelled on it for more than a few minutes, lest it sadden her.  She often 
wondered how the Neptunian queen was faring alone on the throne, and those 
thoughts always led to her brother.  She'd received a few letters from him here 
and there, telling her of palace news and his new life in a thriving world.  He 
was married.  How that irresponsible boy could hold a wife was beyond her, but 
he assured her he was happy, and in turn she was happy for him.  She was sad 
that she couldn't have attended the wedding, but as usual, her training took 
precedence.  Orion sent her photographs, and that had to be enough.  To his 
credit, he had married a truly magnificent girl.
	
	Not a word from Michiru, though.  Not a single word.  Every now and then 
news of her accomplishments would trickle down to Haruka's eager ears, but never 
anything of substance.  Michiru had changed the Neptunian economy for the 
better, established new laws, and generally made her people happy, but Haruka 
never heard anything about how she was doing, or what she looked like, or if she 
was still playing the violin.  If she was married.
	
	Marriage.  If there ever existed a word that could leave such a foul taste 
in her mouth, that would be it.  Fucking marriage.  Since Haruka wasn't a 
sitting ruler of her home planet she wasn't required to marry and produce an 
heir, much to her relief.  But Michiru was.  She was the only surviving member 
of the Neptune royal line.  That meant the royalty ended with her unless she had 
a child.  Knowing Michiru and her gentle ways, she'd be a slave to her duty and 
probably pop out two or ten of the little buggers just to make sure she didn't 
flub things up.  Haruka shuddered.  The mere thought of a 
man...infecting...Michiru was enough to make her want to retch.  No man deserved 
to do that to her.  No man even deserved to touch her.  Nor any woman.  Not even 
herself.  No, especially not herself.  She wasn't worthy of anything other than 
killing people.  How could bloodied hands ever touch something so pure?
	
	Enough of that.  That was years ago.  What ever happened to looking upon 
those memories fondly?  Funny how one could lie to oneself so convincingly.
	
	Haruka tore her thoughts away from...that...and concentrated on her 
surroundings instead.  She stood against the wall, surveying the crowd of 
partygoers as they danced, mingled, and dined in Queen Serenity's gaily-
decorated ballroom.  The occasion was not one of which she particularly 
approved.  Two months prior to the night's festivities there had been a major 
attack on the galaxy, and under Haruka's direction they were saved and the enemy 
sorely defeated.  She had been run through the belly with a sword during the 
melee, and while the mental anguish of her near-death experience had faded, she 
was left with an ugly jagged scar and spent two months in the infirmary to get 
it.  Two months too long, in her opinion.  She felt fine after one, but the 
Queen insisted and she obeyed out of duty.  She didn't want to admit it, but she 
was glad of it.  She needed the rest and time to collect herself.  As soon as 
the infirmary announced that she was well enough to leave, the Queen announced 
there was to be ball that night in honor of Haruka's "heroic" deeds.  Now that 
Haruka was present and she could see the grandiose nature of the celebration she 
realized it had probably taken the Queen that extra month to put everything 
together without her knowledge.  It wasn't just a half-baked attempt at a party: 
it was a *real* party.  Even the dignitaries or their emissaries from the other 
planets were in attendance...all save the planet Neptune.  Haruka received a 
formal apology from Queen Serenity about the obvious absence, but it didn't 
matter.  The slap to the face had been delivered and the damage done.
	
	Haruka tore her thoughts away from Michiru for the second time that night 
and sighed, leaned against the wall, and looked up.  About twenty feet away from 
her two pretty young ladies watching her blushed and whispered to one another.  
Haruka chuckled and shook her head.  Any kind of social event whatsoever always 
managed to place her in rather uncomfortable situations with the young female 
attendees.  Even though her name was known throughout the kingdom, people always 
assumed she was a man.  War heroes were generally men.  Now more than ever she 
was mistaken as such, but it was very much her own fault for choosing to wear 
men's clothing instead of the feminine frills of the day.  The only thing she 
couldn't control was her overly handsome features.  Such was life.
	
	Leaning against the wall presented the air that she didn't want to be 
approached without looking bored.  After accepting the gratitude and hands of 
almost everyone in the room, the last thing she wanted or needed was another 
hollow conversation.  It also gave her a certain vantagepoint.  She could see if 
anyone ignored her silent warning and could therefore flee in a manner that hid 
her real desire to run very far away.  She never wanted to appear rude even 
though she was very obviously so.  Appearances mattered greatly to the court.  
Sometimes moreso than actual intent.
	
	A flash of aquamarine off to her left caught Haruka's eye and caused her 
heart to leap.  She searched the crowd with wide, surprised eyes, but to no 
avail.  She was seeing things, she had to be.  Someone was wearing a dress 
frighteningly close to her hair color, that's all.  That's all.  She didn't 
come, dammit.  Get a grip.
	
	But she couldn't.  She was on edge now.  Expectant.  Another flash to her 
right.  What the hell was going on?  Was someone deliberately trying to toy with 
her?  She again searched the crowd, her anger growing with every tedious second.  
If she ever got her hands on the son of a bitch who...
	
	And there she was, right before her in all her vivid beauty.  Smiling.  
Haruka shook her head sharply and closed her eyes to clear her mind of the 
mirage.  It was the antibiotics she was given to ward off infection from her 
wound, it had to be.  The antibiotics and champagne she was forced to drink 
during Serenity's toast to her exploits were causing her to hallucinate.  
Neptune wasn't there.  But when she opened her eyes again, she was.  This time 
she wore a slightly puzzled frown.  Bloody hell...she wasn't a hallucination.

	Haruka openly stared at the woman before her, everything she knew or loved 
or even what she didn't know she loved crashing in on her mind and heart.  No, 
she was over her.  Completely and totally over her.  Yet she was speechless.
	
	Michiru saved her the embarrassment of having to come up with something to 
say.
	
	"Hi."
	
	"H-hi."  Shit, she was nervous.
	
	"How are you?"
	
	"I'm fine.  How are you?"  Why was she nervous?
	
	"Fine."
	
	"Good."  
	
	There was a pregnant pause as Haruka pondered what to say next.  Should 
she continue with small talk?  Ask her about her life and kingdom?  Why she ran 
away from her in tears and never responded to a single letter she sent, 
effectively destroying what little ability to love she had left and leaving her 
a lonely and bitter soldier?  To say she was overwhelmed by the woman's 
unexpected presence would have been a gross understatement.  She didn't trust 
her mouth, so silent she remained.
	
	"Thank you," Michiru said suddenly.
	
	"Pardon?"
	
	"For saving the universe."  She gestured at the mass of partygoers dancing 
and chatting happily, relief flooding out of them in the form of excitement and 
joviality.
	
	"I did no such thing."
	
	"You can't lie to me or anyone else about that, Haruka.  They all know 
what you did, and they're grateful for it.  I'm grateful."  Her face softened 
with a gentle yet mischievous smile.  "At the very least, you've given them a 
reason to celebrate."
	
	The name Michiru used caused a cold knot to form deep in her belly.  "I 
have good troops."
	
	"Don't be so humble," she replied quietly.  "You were injured badly."
	
	"They were very brave."
	
	"They would follow you into Hell if you told them they never stood a 
chance of ever returning.  Only a good leader has that kind of power."
	
	Haruka started to protest but Michiru held up a slender and silencing 
hand.  "No more, Haruka.  Try to enjoy the party; it is in your honor, after 
all."  The aqua-haired queen fixed Haruka with such a commanding gaze that she 
was hard-pressed to argue further.  "Now, dance with me."
	
	Haruka didn't even have time to say anything before she was firmly hauled 
from her perch near the wall to the center of the ballroom.  The frilled and 
liveried guests parted to make room for their celebrated war hero and the Queen 
of Neptune amidst titters and gasps and murmurs of either jealousy or scandal.  
Haruka grimaced slightly in distaste of their behavior but her expression soon 
turned to that of surprise when she felt her hand being placed on Michiru's hip.  
She swallowed hard at their sudden closeness but allowed the smaller woman to 
manipulate her into prime dancing position.  A twinkle sparkled in Michiru's 
eyes as the ensemble began a waltz.  Haruka automatically led, glad for once 
that she didn't need to think about something.
	
	"You've changed," the other woman noted, her musical voice tinged with 
amusement.

	"So have you."  Well, it was true.
	
	"You never used to be so subservient."
	
	"You never used to be so commanding."
	
	"Touch鬢 she laughed warmly.  "I'm afraid it comes with the position."
	
	Haruka nodded her blonde head in understanding.  Power and responsibility 
changes everything.
	
	They danced in uncomfortable silence for a few moments, neither one 
looking at the other.  Michiru suddenly halted with a sigh.
	
	"I know it's probably impolite for you to leave your guests, but can we go 
somewhere to talk?"
	
	Haruka looked at her, surprised, but not entirely unwilling.  She 
desperately wanted to talk to her, but at the same time wanted nothing more than 
to crawl under her bed and remain there for the rest of her days.  She didn't 
give a hang about the people around her or what they thought of her if she left 
them.  They were probably too self-absorbed to even miss her passing, anyway.  
She nodded once to show Michiru she was more than willing to depart, and after 
fighting off four separate attempts made by young ladies to get her to dance, 
she led her past the throngs and out of the ballroom into the marble corridor.
	
	Once outside Haruka heaved a sigh of relief and smiled awkwardly at her 
old friend.  Now what?
	
	Michiru answered her unspoken question.  "Walk with me."
	
	The blonde nodded and followed her through the gaily-lit hallways until 
they reached the door leading to the gardens.  Haruka was surprised Michiru 
remembered where it was, but held the door open unquestioningly.  Michiru threw 
her a smile over her shoulder as she passed through the door and out into the 
starry night.  The blonde shook her head again.  She hoped she was strong enough 
for this.  She closed the door behind her after nodding her greeting to the 
stationed sentry and quickened her pace to catch up to the smaller woman, who 
had found a path heading toward the pond.
	
	Great, the source of all her trouble.  Where it all began.  Why was it 
everything had to happen around that silly little body of water?  Its only 
function was to provide an easily accessible area for personal torture and 
attacks on her sanity.  Not exactly in the mood to question, Haruka doggedly 
followed.  When she eventually caught up to her she found Michiru sitting by the 
pond's edge, looking out across the water.  The earthlight reflected from the 
surface of the pond cast a soft glow onto her skin and cream-colored silk dress.  
Haruka walked up and stood beside her, hands firmly planted in her pockets.  She 
paused a moment to look down at her friend, quickly noting how absolutely 
gorgeous she was in that dress, but then averted her eyes and fixed them on a 
point across the pond.
	
	What did she want?  If she came here just to fulfill some sort of court 
obligation, she had plenty of occasions to do it in the past.  Why now?  What 
was so goddamned special about this day?  Sure, she'd done something everyone 
else was proud of but she'd done those things before.  Could it be Michiru 
actually missed her?  No.  She was the one who was in love, not the other way 
around.  Something was amiss.  Her mind raced through a thousand possibilities 
from marriage to terminal illness (the former creating the latter, in her 
opinion).  What the hell was it?
	
	"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" the woman in question said quietly from 
below.	

	Haruka looked at her briefly before responding.  "Yes."  Stupid answer.
	
	"It's a lovely night."
	
	"Yes."  Again.
	
	"Why didn't you ever reply to my letters?"  Her voice was soft, yet 
demanding.
	
	The blonde blinked.  Letters?  "I never received any," she replied, 
slightly bewildered.
	
	"I sent one every day for more than a year."
	
	"I never saw a single one."  This was getting more puzzling by the second.
	
	Michiru looked up at Haruka with wide, glistening eyes.  "I hated you for 
not writing," she continued softly.  "I waited every day for a reply but none 
came.  I thought you never wanted to speak to me again."
	
	Wait a minute.  Haruka was supposed to say that.  Now even more confused, 
she sat herself beside the aqua-haired beauty and wrapped her arms about her 
knees.  "You know that's not true," she said gently.  "I wrote to you as often 
as I could.  I gave up when I never received any replies."  So the plot 
thickens.
	
	Michiru cocked her head in puzzlement and considered the blonde's words, 
her glorious blue eyes searching the face before her for any hint of dishonesty.  
Finding none, she nodded slowly and accepted the unknown.  "You're not angry 
with me?" she asked just to be sure.
	
	Haruka chuckled softly and shook her head while secretly seething.  "Of 
course not.  I'm mystified," she lied.  She suspected Madam Delta had something 
to do with it and would have a talk with her later.  A rather long and heated 
talk that would probably land her on laundry duty for a month.  Even though she 
was twenty years old and now one of the Queen's senshi Madam Delta made it quite 
clear she was still her charge and therefore subject to discipline as deemed 
appropriate.  Haruka could lead men into battle and decide whether they lived or 
died, but she couldn't send a simple letter to a friend.  Somewhere someone's 
priorities were a bit crossed.
	
	"I've missed you," she said suddenly.
	
	Haruka flinched involuntarily.  Michiru was as sweet as ever.  If she 
wasn't careful she'd likely fall in love with her again.  Oh, whom was she 
kidding?  She never fell out of love in the first place.
	
	"Say something humorous and disarming, like you used to," the smaller 
woman instructed lightly.
	
	Huh?  "Sorry."  Right.
	
	"That's not exactly what I was expecting," Michiru laughed.  "You're a 
woman of few words these days."
	
	Michiru's tinkling laughter set the blonde at ease and she managed a 
sheepish grin.  "Did you hear my brother was married?" she asked.
	
	"That poor woman."
	
	Now it was Haruka's turn to laugh.  "I hear they're quite happy.  She's 
apparently just as vacant as he is."

	Michiru tried very hard to stifle her mirth but only succeeded in causing 
herself quite a bit of pain.  "Such kind words for your brother," she giggled.
	
	"Well, what about you?"  It pained her to ask, but she had to know.
	
	"What?  Married?  Oh, gods no," the Neptunian queen replied a little too 
cheerfully.  "My advisors tried that three years ago but it didn't take.  The 
silly fellow they chose for me wasn't cut out for the job."
	
	Relief flooded over her, followed immediately by futility.  It didn't 
matter if Michiru was married or not, for she had a snowball's chance on the sun 
with her.

	"You did the same thing, as I recall."

	"He was an ass," Haruka growled automatically.

	"I noticed he kept trying to look down your shirt."

	"Tell me about it.  What a perv--wait."  It suddenly dawned on her that it 
was impossible for Michiru to know these things without having been there.  "How 
do you know about that?"

	Michiru's blue eyes glittered lightly in the darkness as she smiled 
knowingly.  "You received the great sword on the day of your graduation.  I 
received the aqua mirror."
	
	The famed aqua mirror that could see anyone from anywhere, be they friend 
or foe.  So that's how she...  "You've been watching me?" she asked in surprise.

	Michiru nodded with that mysterious and amused smile of hers.

	This was more than just a little embarrassing.  "What did you see?" she 
demanded.

	"Oh, nothing," the other woman replied enigmatically.

	Haruka gave her friend a sidelong look and grumbled to herself.

	Michiru laughed and stood.  "I think I'd like a swim.  Care to join me?"  
She gestured toward the inky black circle of water.

	The blonde blinked.  "In that?  No, thanks.  It's cold and dark and I've 
nothing to wear."

	"Oh, that's no problem," Michiru replied...then did something truly, 
completely, and undeniably unexpected.
	
	As the cream-colored dress dropped to the grass Haruka's green eyes 
widened and her entire body blushed.  She tore her gaze from the scene before 
her and concentrated on her lap instead.  She didn't just see Michiru in her 
undergarments she didn't just see Michiru in her undergarments she didn't just 
see Michiru in her undergarments she didn't just see Michiru in her 
undergarments she didn't just see Michiru in her undergarments she didn't...holy 
shit, she looked better than she'd ever imagined.

	Michiru teetered a bit and held her arms out for balance as she cautiously 
made her way into the cool pond.  The rocky bottom made it hard to navigate and 
she stumbled more than once before she even made it in up to her knees.  She 
threw Haruka a slight smile over her shoulder as she waded further into the 
water.

	Haruka watched her soft, lithe form in breathless appreciation.  She 
didn't think it was possible, but Michiru had become even more beautiful during 
her absence from the palace.  When she had left she was a beautiful young girl 
with attributes only hinting at physical perfection, but now she was a grown 
woman and the promise had been fulfilled.  Words weren't enough to express how 
wonderful she now was.  Haruka chuckled quietly to herself and shook her blonde 
head.  All the deeply buried emotions from her youth had resurfaced and were now 
nipping at her, yelling for her to finally take some initiative and tell Michiru 
how she felt, how lonely she had been for the past six years, how much she 
wanted her.  But not now.  They had just been reunited, and it wouldn't do to 
profess her feelings so soon.  But I will do it, she told herself firmly.

	The hypnotic sway of the little water nymph's hips as they sank into the 
black water broke and Haruka found herself staring into Michiru's deep ocean 
eyes instead.  They glittered at her as if they knew exactly what Haruka was 
thinking.  She averted her eyes quickly and brought her knees up to her chest 
and wrapped her arms about them in her classic position.

	Michiru smiled mysteriously and submerged the rest of her body in the 
pond.  She whooped with delight as the cool swirling waters enveloped her in its 
soothing arms.

	"Haruka!" she laughed.  "Why don't you join me?  It's lovely!"

	"No thanks," the blonde grumbled.  "I prefer to be a land lubber."

	"Awwwww," Michiru pouted, and swam a little closer to the shore.  She 
stood in the thigh-deep water and reached a slender arm down to grab herself a 
pebble, holding back her thick aqua hair with the other.

	Haruka's eyes affixed themselves on the woman's glistening body as she 
searched for the right stone.  To her horror, she began to feel a little antsy.  
She shifted her position so that her long legs were extended in front of her and 
she was sitting on her hands, afraid to let them alone.  She bit her lip in 
concentration to get any and all erotic images out of her mind.  

	Without her realizing, Michiru had become curious about why she was 
staring so intently at her lap and had crawled out of the water.  She knelt in 
front of the blonde with a concerned look on her flawless face.

	"Haruka?" she questioned, reaching out a slender hand to brush a stray 
lock of hair away from the other woman's face.

	Haruka startled and shrank back at the electric touch.  "Yes?" she 
croaked.  Damn, she was a fool.

	"Haruka, are you all right?" Michiru asked.  "You're not ill, are you?"

	"No, I'm-I'm fine," she said breathlessly.

	The graceful queen's eyes darkened at the obvious lie.  "Haruka," she 
began again.  "Do I make you...uncomfortable?"

	Haruka's eyes snapped up to meet Michiru's.  "No, not at all," she lied 
again.  "What makes you think that?"

	She looked away.  "It's just that . . . whenever we're alone, you become 
so quiet," she murmured.  "I thought it was me."

	It is you, Michiru, Haruka thought sadly.  But I can't tell you that yet.

	"I've seen the way you look at me, Haruka," she continued, turning back 
and meeting the blonde's wide-eyed gaze.  "I know what you're thinking.  I can 
see it in your eyes."

	Haruka's heart stopped.  She can't know!  There's no way!  Her mind reeled 
and panicked as she tried to grope for an explanation, any explanation other 
than the truth.  What could she say?  What could she tell her to stave off the 
truth for just one more night?

	"You don't have to say anything, Haruka," Michiru told her gently, as if 
she'd read her thoughts.

	Haruka closed her eyes and hung her head in shame.  She had fought the 
battle and lost.  Michiru knew everything.  This was the end.  She waited sadly 
for the angry words of rejection and humiliation to follow, but they never came.  
Soft lips suddenly met her own and her eyes flew open in terror and focused.  

	Michiru was kissing her.  

	Haruka's vision blurred for a moment, then her eyelids closed.  Wonderful 
and exciting warmth spread down her throat and tingled and danced throughout her 
body, causing it to react instinctively by returning the sweet kiss.  Lost in 
her passion-induced haze was her rational thought.  It fought for recognition, 
slowly breaking down all the barriers between it and her body.  Poking, jabbing, 
slamming, then, "She doesn't love you," it told her.

	Michiru pulled away, surprised to find Haruka's once alive lips now 
completely still.  She regarded the other woman quizzically.  "Haruka, what-"

	"What are you doing?" the blonde breathed.  She was amazed she could put 
together such a coherent thought.  Damn, she had really enjoyed that kiss.

	Michiru blinked her blue eyes in confusion.  "I...I don't...I thought..."

	"Why did you kiss me?" Haruka pressed, completely oblivious to the 
possibility that her "rationality" was actually just her insecurities taking 
voice.

	The other woman's flawless face fell into a small frown.  "I'm sorry," she 
whispered, getting to her feet.  "I guess I read you wrong."  She gracefully 
scooped up her dress and started back toward the palace, pulling the garment 
over her head.

	Haruka sat beside the pond in a daze.  Read her wrong?  Did that mean what 
she thought it meant?  Was it possible that after all these years Michiru had 
somehow come to love the boyish blonde?  How could that be?  She remembered the 
kiss by the pond before their interminably long separation and how desolate 
she'd felt afterward knowing it was meant for her brother.  But this time...

	"Michiru!" she yelled after her.  When the other woman remained on her 
course Haruka scrambled to her feet and raced after her.  Please oh please oh 
please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please...  "Michiru!"  She 
finally caught up to her and reached out and grabbed her arm.  "Michiru..."

	The smaller woman stopped.  "Haruka, I'm sorry," she murmured again, her 
voice close to tears.  "Please, just let me go."

	"No."

	Michiru whirled on her, tears filling her deep blue eyes.  "I'd rather 
not," she whispered.

	It pained Haruka to see her like that, but they needed to understand a few 
things.  "Michiru, we need to talk," she said quietly, firmly.

	"Why?" Michiru cried.  The tears streamed openly down her face now and 
Haruka silently damned herself for putting her through so much pain.  "Why can't 
you just leave me alone?"

	"I can't do that," Haruka told her flatly.  "Not until we get a few things 
straight."  She took a deep breath and prayed that her strength would not give 
out.  "Michiru, do you remember that day back at the pond?  When you kissed my 
brother?"  Oh God, please remember...

	"How could I forget?" she replied through her quieting tears.

	Don't back down now, tell her tell her tell her tell her...

	"That was me."

	"I know."

	Haruka froze, absolutely stunned.  It wasn't possible, was it?  
"You...knew?" she repeated dumbly.

	Michiru nodded and cast her gaze to the ground below, trying in vain to 
hide her new rise of emotion.  Her trim body racked with the sobs she would not 
allow her friend to hear.  "I--" she choked. 

	"Michiru--"

	"I--I'm sorry, Haruka.  I never told you because...because..."

	"Michiru, don't."  She wanted to die.

	"No!  You hurt yourself that night and I was the cause of it!  I was going 
to tell you, I was...but it was too late...and then when...when everything was 
getting back to normal I was going to tell you again, but my parents..."

	Haruka instinctively and impulsively reached out and gathered the 
shivering woman in her arms, her own eyes threatening tears.  Her action 
surprised her and had she been in control of her emotions she would not have 
done it, but instinct took over.  She gently stroked the soft aqua hair and 
hushed her quietly.  "Shhhh, Michiru...it's all right..."  Though it was far 
from all right.

	The Queen of Neptune buried her face in Haruka's shirt and slowly her 
quakes abated.  When they finally stopped she pulled away from the warm and 
comfortable arms and smiled apologetically.  

	Haruka wanted to slap herself for making such a rash action, but again, 
she wasn't in control.  Is this what love was, losing control?  She'd had it for 
so long she didn't like being the tool of some unknown force, especially one 
which demanded that she lose all coherent thought and act impulsively.  Lack of 
control bred fear and helplessness, and dammit, she didn't want that.  It was 
time to take the initiative.  She only hoped that she was right.  She reached 
out--tentatively at first, but quickly gaining steel--and gently wiped Michiru's 
tears away with her thumb and the fleshy part of her hand.  

	The other woman's eyes widened slightly at the wonton touch, but a gentle 
smile soon played across her features and she cast her eyes demurely downward.

	What next?  Was Haruka supposed to say something?  Her mind was completely 
blank.  She was a woman of action, always had been...would action work?  Well, 
it worked so far, she reminded herself.  There was such a thing as going too 
far, however.  Did Michiru push her limit?  Haruka decided that she didn't, for 
though she was shocked by her actions and beat herself up about them afterwards 
she'd enjoyed them at the time.  It was all about control.

	Haruka reached out with her other hand and cupped her love's beautiful 
face in both, searching the woman's expression for any sign of discomfort.  A 
soft smile tugged at the corner of her mouth and Haruka smiled herself.  That 
was affirmation enough to keep going.  She slowly slid her left hand down the 
side of the graceful neck before her until it came to rest on her shoulder, and 
shifted her other hand slightly until she could gain easy access to her...what?  
Only her body knew.  Cool, calculated, she slowly, painfully leaned down.  

	When their lips met, she idly wondered why she'd taken so long.

	Michiru wrapped her arms about the blonde's neck and pulled herself into 
her embrace, deepening the kiss with such emotion that Haruka thought she might 
cry.  It was fiery, it was passionate, it tingled every part of her body and 
made her soul weep for more, though she thought it could overcome her entirely.  
She returned the kiss with as much enthusiasm, if not more.  She wanted Michiru 
to feel as good as she did.

	She slid her hands from the other woman's neck and shoulder to her trim 
little waist and held her...HELD her as tightly as she could without causing her 
any discomfort.  The sensation of Michiru's smaller body pressed against hers 
heightened her intoxication and forced her to pour more of herself into the 
kiss.  Michiru responded by twining her agile musician's fingers in Haruka's 
blonde hair, which sent a shiver down her spine.

	It could have lasted forever if oxygen wasn't a requirement for survival.  
Haruka regretfully pulled away and let out an explosive sigh and filled her 
lungs with much needed air.  She was dizzy, but from the kiss or from her lack 
of oxygen, she wasn't sure.  Throughout her haze one thought remained clear, 
however: She did it.

	Michiru giggled quietly and nestled herself deep into Haruka's strong, 
protective arms.  "That's the first time you've ever called me Michiru," she 
stated quietly.

	"What?"  Haruka was still reeling from the kiss and barely noticed what 
was said.  "I thinking time you . . . that," she babbled.

	The aqua-haired beauty giggled again against her chest and sighed, the 
weariness of the day finally settling in after the adrenaline rush.  "The ball's 
probably over by now," she murmured sleepily and snuggled in more deeply.

	"I'm sorry you missed it," Haruka whispered into her hair.  This was all 
too good to be true.

	Michiru smiled and closed her eyes.  "No, you're not," she corrected.

	"You're right.  I'm not."

	"Do you think we should go inside?"

	"Do you want to?"

	"It's not a question of what I want, Haruka," the little queen said, "but 
of what Madam Delta is going to do once she finds you deserted your own guests."

	Haruka sighed and nodded in concession.  "She'll have me doing laundry 
until I die of old age," she chuckled softly.

	"Then I guess that means we should probably go inside."

	The blonde reluctantly released her hold on her beautiful senshi and 
opened the door to the corridor.  Peering inside, she found no one was around 
and held the door open for Michiru, who smiled her appreciation.  They walked in 
comfortable silence until they reached the marble wing and their own rooms.  
They paused at number five, Haruka blushing slightly and Michiru with her ever-
present enigmatic smile.

	"So..." Haruka trailed.

	"So."

	"I guess I should be going back to my room now.  Good night."  She turned 
to leave but Michiru stopped her with a hand on her arm.  The blonde turned back 
quickly, her heart in her throat.

	Michiru reached up with her hand and brought the blonde's face down to her 
own for another kiss.  It wasn't fiery like the first, but instead sweet and 
gentle and unquestionably intimate.  Haruka had never wanted to cry so badly in 
her life.

	When their lips parted Haruka wrapped her in a tight embrace and wrestled 
with an idea.  She didn't know how her love would take it but nothing ventured, 
nothing gained.  Everything ventured, everything could be lost, however.  Oh, 
shit.  Just do it.

	"Do you...would you stay with me tonight?"  She prepared herself for 
disappointment.

	"I'd love to, Haruka," Michiru murmured, "but I have to get up early in 
the morning to rehearse for the concert tomorrow night."

	Haruka nodded.  Disappointment came, but in the least painful way 
possible.

	Michiru pulled away and smiled apologetically before opening and slipping 
through her door into her darkened chamber.

	Haruka watched her go, then let her forehead drop to the marble wall 
nearby.  Stupid.  She picked her forehead off the wall, then dropped it back.  
Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.  Six more whacks and a slight headache later, 
Haruka heaved a sigh and walked the almost nonexistent distance to her own room 
and opened the door.  Her hand froze to the knob when she looked up...and saw 
her beloved Michiru standing before her.

	"I know that piece by heart," she explained quietly.

	Haruka chuckled and closed the door.



	In the royal drawing room Queen Serenity smiled slightly to herself and 
sipped from a glass of red wine.  Her rather large and gruff guest sat morosely 
across from her, tearing a paper napkin into tiny pieces.

	"They'll be all right, Madam Delta," the Queen told her reassuringly.  
"They're powerful senshi under my protection.  No harm will come to them."

	"You must warn them to be careful!" the governess urged.  "My daughter 
was--"

	"You were commoners in a disgusting little village that no longer exists.  
I mourn for your loss every day, my dear Madam, but I assure you...times have 
changed."

	Madam Delta nodded, knowing her Queen's words to be true.  "But what will 
the other girls think?" she asked.

	"Somehow I think they'll cope with the loss of the handsomest 'man' in the 
palace."

	"I worry about her.  That's all."

	"You always did play favorites."


END


End Note:

WOOHOO!  It's over!  It's finally over!  I don't really have much to say aside 
from gratuitous thanks to all the readers who've e-mailed me about this piece 
over the months.  Honestly, it was you who prodded me to keep going (especially 
Plasma...you happy now?  ^_-).  My only other note is that I'm hereby officially 
retiring the nick Distant Sky King.  I've found, much to my chagrin, that it's 
too confusing and slightly misleading.  Not a day goes by when I don't receive 
e-mail from readers opening with, "Dear Mr. Sky King."  Since no one ever 
believes me when I tell them my real name either, I'm forced to move on to my 
IRC nick, Riffraff.  More people in this world know me by that name than 
anything else.

Thanks again for reading, folks!  I'm glad I could entertain you for even a 
small while.

Distant Sky King
Vera-Mori LaPorte
Riffraff

distantskying@moonkingdom.com

http://www.uvm.edu/~vlaporte

Look for future fics under the name of Riffraff.