Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Tryst ❯ Chapter 4* ( Chapter 4 )

Hotaru Tomoe walked down the rain drenched street as if she owned the night. This neighborhood had been her home for the past week. She found it odd being around five guys who didn't talk so much but she had gotten used to it. She'd stayed away from the thoughts of her father and old friends. (She doesn't know if the outers are still alive.) She passed Langer's Deli, held up her face to the cool rain, and crossed Alvarado Street against a red light. A Ford Torino jerked to a stop, inches from her knees. Before the driver could honk, Hotaru tapped the hood of the car. The man glanced up and her eyes warned him, `You're out of your neighborhood.' He understood and settled back patiently as if it were normal to stop at a green light. She approached Wilshire Boulevard, and her eyes automatically scoped out the street. Duo had warned her to be careful of Oz soldiers. They were starting to inhabit part of the city. Traffic was light but the dangers were big. At the corner near the bus stop, a group of rowdy boys waited impatiently in the shadows.

They looked as if they had plans to throw down some old lady when she got off the bus. Hotaru didn't slow her pace. She walked toward them, head high. Duo had given her tips on how to act on the city streets. She had learned hw to hide her feelings on her face by Heero. Speaking of Heero, Hotaru and him had been getting along better and better. No kissing, not yet, but lot's of glance exchanging and sexual thoughts. She strutted past the boys, her heels snapping loudly on the sidewalk. Hotaru wore jeans, a black T, and Quatra's blue jacket. He'd been kind enough to lend it to her. Slow, lazy thunder rolle across the night and vibrated through the ground. The rain was heavier now, and cold. Hotaru walked faster.

"Hotaru."

She heard the words clearly, and turned. A lean muscular man stood silhouetted in front of a security light. He started walking towards her. A gust of wind blew his coat open and it flapped behind him like giant black wings. He stepped into the streetlight.

"Heero?" Hotaru breathed out heavily. She hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath. "What are you doing out here?"

"You're late," he simply said.

"What? Oh yeah, that… after the library I went to get some coffee at the café." The rain turned into small bits of hail and kept hitting her. Her hair and clothes clung to her body. Heero took out his umbrella, opened it and stood next to her.

They walked to the apartment in silence. Heero unlocked the door to the apartment. The air was warm with the spicy smells of Mexican food. She walked through the dark living room to the light in the kitchen. Duo stood over the stove, making tortillas from chunks of cornmeal dough by slapping them back and forth between his hands and cooking them in a cast-iron skillet. A stack of warm tortillas sat on the counter near a line of casserole dishes. Duo smiled at her as she stepped into the kitchen, but the smile was lost in a look of astonishment. " What happened to you?" He looked her up and down.

"You should change," Quatra said.

Hotaru hurried down to the bathroom. She bathed, put on a T-shirt and sweatpants, then came back. She helped Duo by removing the skin, ribs, seeds, and core from the chiles while Duo made the tortillas. The smells of the moles bubbling on the stoves and the rhythm of Duo's slapping relaxed her. Her father drifted back into her memory and the ache and longing of missing him took its place in her heart.

************************the next morning************************

Hotaru waited at the bus stop on Melrose Avenue. The late-afternoon crowd pushed around her, sipping lattes and bottled water. She had brought Heero along with her, just to take him away from that stupid computer screen. She waved when she saw Setsuna walking toward her. [Last night Hotaru tried to call Setsuna on her cell and it had worked!! The outer senshi's homes were destroyed but at leats they were alive!!] Haruka sat down on the bus bench, and brushed her bangs from her face, her nose ring glistening in the late afternoon sun. [Yes, Haruka got a nose ring.]

"So what are you guys doing this afternoon," Hotaru smiled at them so happy to see her friends alive.

"Music practice," Michiru carefully set her cello case beside her.

"Same," Haruka said as Michiru sat down beside her.

Hotaru looked to Heero, "Would you mind if it was just Setsuna who came to lunch with us?"

Setsuna interrupted and asked Hotaru for a little private talk. They both stepped aside, into an alley.

"Who is that man Hotaru?" This came straight forward from Setsuna.

"Heero Yuy, he's a gundam.."

Setsuna interrupted, "I know who he is but what is he to you?" She cocked an eyebrow at Hotaru.

Hotaru cocked an eyebrow back at her. "Just a friend."

"Oh really?" Setsuna smiled as if she knew a secret Hotaru did not." I just saw the way you looked at him."

"It's not like that." Hotaru already new what Setsuna was implying.

She smiled. "But if it were, I'd say two things."

Hotaru waved her to go ahead.

"First, it's nice to see you letting yourself follow your heart with someone new. Second, you don't know this man very well. Be careful who you give your heart to Hotaru."

"I haven't given my heart to anyone, yet."

"Not yet," She said.

Hotaru frowned at her. "You do realize that you've told me to follow my heart and not to follow my heart."

She nodded.

"Those are contradictory bits of advice," Hotaru said.

"I'm aware of that."

"Then which piece of advice do you want me to follow?" Hotaru bluntly asked.

"Both, of course."

Hotaru shook her head and walked away from Setsuna and back to Heero. "Looks like it's just me and you."

The two of them walked together to MacAurther Park and sat down in front of the lake. "This is really pretty," Hotaru said as she looked out onto the beautiful, smooth waves.

"Yes you are," Heero whispered. His eyes wet wide. Had he actually said that outloud?

"What did you say?" Hotaru smiled at him suspiciously.

"I was just agreeing with you," Heero looked into her eyes and could no longer resist.

She leaned in towards his mouth, There was eagerness there, but there was also something else, something fragile. Did their eyes mirror the same look, half-eager, half-fearful, wanting, afraid to want, needing, and afraid to need?

His mouth hovered over hers, their lips touching, delicate as butterflies blown by a warm summer breeze, touching, not touching, sliding along each other, gliding away. His hand grabbed the back of her neck, forcing her mouth to press against his, hard, firm. He used his tongue and lips to force open her mouth. She opened to him and they took turns exploring each others mouth.

Hotaru pulled away blinked at him, licked her lips, and tried to find something intelligent to say but failed. Hotaru pulled in for another kiss. Heero's fingertips traced her inner thigh and once Hotaru noticed she pulled away again.

"What's wrong?" Heero said to her.

Hotaru blushed faintly, "Were in public."

Heero looked around as if he'd forgotten where they were. "True."

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