The next day Haruka was sitting around, in the beach house.
Michiru had a concert in an hour, and was down at the concert hall,
practicing and getting ready. Hotaru had gone shopping with Chibi Usa and Usagi,
and who knows where Setsuna was.
Haruka had been watching TV quietly, when the doorbell
rang. Sighing, she got up off the
couch. "Coming," Haruka
called.
Pulling open the door, Haruka found herself staring into a
pair of hauntingly intense blue eyes. Mamoru
let himself in. "We need to
talk."
Haruka nodded mutely--she had known that this was coming.
Sitting down on the couch, the couple stared at each other
for a while, before Mamoru broke the silence.
"God, Haruka, you don't know how hard this is..."
"Actually," Haruka said, "I think I
do." She smiled up at him
apologetically. "I know that
we can't continue to be together...what if I get pregnant again?
What if Usagi finds out, and Chibi Usa is never born?
Without Chibi Usa, the Senshi would have fallen to the Doom Phantom years
ago."
Mamoru nodded. "I
love you."
"And I love you."
There was a silence, then, "Come over tonight."
Mamoru whispered. "Just one last time, then it can all be over."
Haruka smiled. "Around
eight?"
Mamoru nodded. "Perfect."
"I'll tell Michiru that I'm going on a walk..."
Mamoru kissed her gently, then whispered into her ear,
"You don't go on walks, Haruka; you go on runs."
That night Haruka didn't get dressed up, or put anything special on.
She remained in her college uniform, but ran a brush through her hair.
"I'm going on a run."
She said curtly as she passed Michiru in the hallway.
"Don't wait up."
If Michiru replied, Haruka never heard her.
She was already out the door and running.
Her hair whipping around her face and clothes billowing, Haruka finally
let the tears appear in her ocean colored eyes.
"Being with Michiru is like being forever in a dream.
Being with Mamoru is waking up and realizing that you like reality
better."
Her own analogy came back to haunt her.
Haruka blinked, and willed her tears away.
By now she had reached Mamoru apartment complex.
Wiping her eyes on the back of her arm, Haruka strode through the sliding
glass doors, and into the waiting elevator.
Reaching his floor, Haruka slunk over to His Door, and
didn't bother knocking. Walking
inside, Haruka found the lights out, and a table set in the middle of the room
with a white cloth. Candles of all
shapes and sizes were lit all over the room, more candle than Haruka could
count.
Warm arms encircled her waist, and Mamoru kissed her neck
affectionately. Releasing her,
Mamoru lead Haruka by the hand to the table, and pulled out her seat for her.
As soon as Haruka was seated, Mamoru pulled a rose out of his jacket--it
was then that Haruka noticed he was wearing his tuxedo.
"Oh, Mamoru..." Haruka whispered, taking the
rose. "I'm not wearing
anything special..."
"Shhh," Mamoru kissed her gently, barely touching
her lips. "You look
wonderful."
Then he was gone, into the kitchen.
He returned a minute later, carrying a huge silver platter, and two
smaller platters. Setting them on
the table before Haruka, Mamoru whisked off the lids.
Chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, and a huge salad.
Haruka blinked through tears, and smiled gratefully at
Mamoru. "Usagi is a lucky
woman."
"Not as lucky as Michiru."
Mamoru replied easily. The
pain that usually accompanied speaking of the Senshi from Neptune and the Moon
and eased to a dull throbbing.
They ate in silence, stealing furtive glances at each other
when one thought that the other wasn't looking. When they had finished, both
cleared the table, and folded the white tablecloth.
That done, Mamoru caught Haruka in an embrace, which she returned with
equal fervor.
"C'mon," Mamoru whispered, leading Haruka toward
the bedroom.
Haruka pulled away. "No...here. Now."
Smiling, Mamoru nodded, and they kissed.
And kissed.
And kissed.