Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Where the Sky meets the Ocean ❯ Insert Frustration ( Chapter 5 )

The common tongues and slang of the crowd murmur phased and faded as the party entered the hall that separated the `zones', and the noise seemed to be gradient from the common chatter falling behind to the ominous hymn noises engulfing them ever so slowly as they moved forward. Even their pace seemed to solemn from the gaudy prance used to maneuver around people in the bazaar to the graceful movements of those who recognize their own auras. Keldon took a quick right, and Haruka's ears popped at the dramatic plunge of elevation that accompanied the steep ramp. Voices were growing from below them, and soon all around them there were prayer rooms all interconnected, some of them sounding exclusively female, while others were joined voices.

The party ignored most of the close ones, and headed to the “all female” set of rooms to their left, but curiosity was tugging at Haru from all sides. She picked one to her right, putting her hands flat to the wall, the vibrations of voices within humming through her fingertips to her palms and up into the wrist veins, connecting her entire bloodstream to that of the humming springs. The entire colony seemed to crawl inside her, and as she closed her eyes she became entirely lost in it. Keldon rolled his eyes, and for the sake of a dramatic scene picked her up from where she stood all at one with the universe and slung her over his shoulder, the only noise being emitted was a squeak from Ruka, and they were darting in and around the circular prayer cubicles. Before she could protest, she was back on the ground, and Keldon was holding a finger to her mouth, whispering her instructions, “Here we are, the main priestess chamber, the ladies and I have to get back to the faire, but you must sneak oh so quietly into that place to see what that lady of yours is up to. Hug the walls, and hide behind some statue or other, those monk types keep way too many valuables about, they be lucky that we are the most honorable gypsies you've ever heard of. Farewell, sweet lassie! We shall see you again soon, good luck.”

She nodded, not noting the bit about `her lady', quickly following the outline of orders as Keldon and company disappeared into the halls shadows. Hugging the walls tightly as he had said, she rounded the doorway softly and ducked behind a large pot. The women's voices echoed all around, and over the large surfaces of water in the form of pools and urns, making the room seem much fuller than it was. From this room, she estimated that the other prayer rooms must also be like bubbles carved out of the rocks, or under that logic they could be bubbles that were there during the formation of the rock… In any case, the spherical room was nearly empty except for the fountain sculptures set into and around the sides, and numerous priestesses sitting in circular rows from the sides down to the one presumably `high priestess' down in the middle.

It was beautiful to see so many dedicated, and natural women in one place, working as one entity, but incredibly frightening to see their organic curves bent into something so geometric like, though a circle occurs so magically in the wild it was eerie to see it organized this way. All of them were joined in some song Haruka knew she would never be able to comprehend, breathing united, moving as one, and though she tried to look upon each of their faces it always came out as one movement. Struggling to separate the one she wanted to see, Ruka took a risk and moved to a pot on her left for a different angle.

It went unnoticed by all of them, but the faces were still blurred together and she could not find her one. All at once she closed her eyes again, and was taken in by the great unity. In a trance beyond sleep, she began to see scenes from her childhood, images of dragons and bandits and friends. Though they began in random spurts of memories, things began to become linear and unified as the song, and a sudden jolt took her to a strange place, dark and wet, alien looking yet so familiar to her. Within that dark place a blood colored rose appeared, mature and menacing, swelling before her, growing to a beautiful climax and dying all at once, then spilling its life drained petals into the water sending cascades of droplets across the ripple torn surface. The waves took on a sadistic violet sheen glancing off the infinite black depths, and Haruka found herself falling into them, coming closer and closer to her reflection on the surface until in that split second before impact she saw her truest form and lost all fear…

 

A thud from behind one of the large urns had drawn Michiru's full attention away from the meditation, and sent a ripple of panic through the other women. Moving from her seat in the center of the rings, she broke them apart and the ladies scattered around her. Behind the urn she found Haruka, unconscious and not breathing. “Neptune, no! She heard it, oh she was listening too closely, why didn't I warn her! She was supposed to be safely practicing, I gave her directions, why in the sea did she follow me here?!” She desperately mumbled while pressing down repeatedly on Haruka's chest, trying to revive her. Pulling her lips apart, Michi leaned down and forced air down her throat, and then went back to the compressions. After several fruitless attempts at this maneuver, though she was beginning to get lightheaded and all the other ladies were huddling around her, she bent down to give one last breath, and as she did Haruka took it in.

Either because of shocked gratitude, or deep seeded enjoyment, Michi did not pull back for several moments, and when she did there was regret in the corner of her eye. Muffled comments snapped her back into reality with the fact she was being utterly watched, so she scooped Haruka up and excused herself to her quarters to tend her. She took the absolute shortest route to her bedroom, pushing past dozens of worried citizens in the hall with a limp and pallid Haruka on her back. She slid into her quarters, closing the door behind them with her heel, and laid her friend down on the bed. Feat accomplished, she hurried over to the fireplace and added more oil, and went about making tea. Sensing that she still had not stirred, she went to the chest of drawers and pulled out a blanket, which she spread carefully over Haru as though it would crush her if she weren't careful.

She pulled the edge up to her chin, watching her chest quietly rise and fall, eyes wandering over her throat and up her jaw and finally resting on her lips. They were curved ever so slightly up in a smile, like something in her dream was giving her much comfort, and a twinge of jealousy was calling Michiru to bring her attention back to her. She tentatively leaned forward, slowly, carefully… and shook her shoulders gently. Haru's brow twitched in frustration, but she didn't notice, hopefully waiting for her eyes to open fully. They did, after giving up on getting the right reaction, earning a hearty smile from Michiru and sending her off to finish the tea…

 

Haruka grunted and sat up in discontentment, but smiled and thanked her for the rescue. She smoothed some of the chaotic strands of hair from her face, and glanced around the room. Goldenrod eyes wandered over the furniture and trinkets, but none of them held her attention for very long, and they settled firmly on her companion. The way her smooth hands skillfully maneuvered the pot of hot water and spilled it into the green glazed cups, the way her hips swayed so slightly under the priestess's garb, the way her neck arched gracefully over her work. It was enough to drive her mad, so in an effort to keep her thoughts from straying there, Haruka began to develop plans for the rest of the day, forgetting almost completely about why she was laying in bed in the first place. But Michiru did not forget, and she found herself being bombarded with worries and questions as they drank the tea.

“What on Neptune were you doing in the temples? Were the map instructions that unspecific? Oh, why didn't you leave if you felt yourself getting dizzy?!”

“I didn't think I would get caught so easily…”

“Get caught? Get caught, are you joking? You weren't caught, your scrawny hide was saved, you were out cold, not breathing, and you thought you could somehow get up and sneak out without being noticed?”

“I didn't think I would pass out, obviously! How was I supposed to know praying was deadly and I wasn't supposed to try and see what you were up to?”

“Up to? I was doing my job, Haruka, I told you in the note that I would be busy and I gave you an alternative to thinking so hard about it… I didn't expect you to be so nosey!”

 

At this Haruka looked hurt, and began to regret more than passing out and becoming vulnerable. All other plots and hopes crumpled behind her eyes, and she began to think that Michiru would never love her. Before she could help it a lone tear trailed down her right cheek and dripped onto her blanketed lap. Michiru, whose arms had been crossed and looks had been stern and scolding, snapped immediately. Her arms were now slack as her jaw, and waves of regret were washing over her for saying those things, but she wasn't quite sure how to make it right.

Shame sent Haru's eyes down and clenched, embarrassed she shed a few more frustrated tears down onto the covers, leaving tiny wet dots across the surface, some tears staying whole for a moment before being absorbed. She wanted to scream, wanted to run away to some corner, but Michi was very much uselessly in the way. Wanting to help, she moved to put her arms around the pained girls shoulders, but Haruka jerked away to the side a little more severely than she had intended to. She pulled her hand back, but then instinctively crawled forward to embrace her from behind. The blonde sniffled defiantly, and reluctantly accepted being held, still very much angry with the person holding her. Her mind had gotten itself worked into that self destructive depressive mode we all love so much, and get the thought in her head that it would be an ok thing to interrogate Michiru about the state of their relationship.

“Michiru, do you love me?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“Just tell me, do you love me?”

“I, you're a good friend Haruka, but we haven't really known each other very long, what brings all this on?”

“So you don't, I shouldn't be surprised…”

“Haruka, stop this instant! This isn't fair to me or yourself, so just stop being that way!”

“That way, huh.”

“You know that's not what I meant, stop spiraling into negativity over nothing, you know there's not enough time to base such a question on, and you know nothing good will come of this discussion.”

“Its ok, I get it…”

A loud, clean smack broke the shocked Uranian from her tirade, and an angry red mark began to fill in on her cheek. She sat frighteningly rigid for several moments, eyes wide and features stunned. Absently, she reached up to her cheek, and held it for a while, before turning to face the blues inevitable fury.

“How dare you! The world is not about you, you know. I'm sure you had your share of awful times growing up on Uranus, but that does not give you grounds to speak to me that way! Just who do you think you are, thinking I'm going to fall all over you just like that?! My hearts not automatically yours because you prance in here all macho and foreign, you have to earn it, and my respect, because that's just received a definite dent!”

“I..I.. I'm so sorry, so sorry..!” Haruka stammered and burst into tears as she fled to the door, fumbling for the handle and then darting into her room next door, leaving Michiru emotionally overloaded among a flurry of sheets and blankets…

 

Throughout the next few days, whenever Michiru went to check on Ruka she was not in her room, nor had anyone heard from or seen her when she asked for her whereabouts. But there were discrete little clues and nudges, including random gifts that appeared on the pillow next to her when she woke up, or on a stone she had to pass by on her way to the temple, or even tucked into her dresser. They always had a little apology note attached, signed Haruka, but much as Michiru wanted to forgive her she was never around to hear it, and this be why:

 

A chorus of cheers resounded from the score of gypsies as Haru entered the camp. Keldon was the first to step up and greet her, and the entire group seemed to suck her into the party. Though no one could have known, it was dusk outside the colony, and the sun was tucked behind the clouds and beneath the horizon. The smell of whiskey, fruit, and incense soaked into her on contact, and she felt her aura come to life all at once with merriment. The lassies started dancing again, some with bells and others with castanets, and many men hopped up and joined the jig. There was a man on the accordion, and a couple singing with violins, and the sound was simply heavenly.

She started out slowly, dancing on her own, idly chatting when people approached her, but her movements really picked up when a lass by the name of Titania swept up beside her and asked her for a dance. She nodded her head, and was led by the hand to a clearer spot on the floor, where they began to set up a new pace as the violin player traded off to a new lady. This reel was more erratic, more chaotic, and absolutely sensual, much to Haruka's delight and dismay. Titania's grey eyes were smiling quite warmly, and she wasted no time in slipping her hands around Haru's hips and drawing her closer and then leading her into a series of complex close proximity steps. Desperately she moved to keep up, and had to move her own arms around Titania's shoulders for coordination.

Just as she did so, the sound shifted gears to a slow and seductive melody; the new glint in her partner's eye did not go unnoticed. The brunette shifted their position slightly so that one of her legs was between Haru's, and slowly increased the friction to the rhythm. The color that flooded to her cheeks was masked by the darkness of the camp, but not to be outdone she let her fingers trail down the lasses back and slip under her shirt where she began massaging the lower abdominal muscles with her thumb, agonizingly slow. It earned her a muffled groan and fingertips sinking into her own waist. Smiling and welling up her willpower, she used the bottom edge of Titania's ribcage to guide her thumbs upward and over her aroused nipples.

To keep from crying out the brunette captured Haru's mouth and drank deeply, the suppressed sounds vibrated down her throat and made her want to cry out as well. Out of the corner of her gold eyes she glanced around, and discovered that several couples, threesomes, and moresomes had also reached the end of their self-control, and were staking out territory. As if sensing this, Titania took her hands out from under her shirt and quickly led her off to a dark corner of the room. She tackled the blonde onto the floor, which really didn't take much of a fight, and straddled her firmly as she worked up her tunic over her head. Task accomplished, she pulled off her own shirt and unbuckled her slacks, and upon her partners husky request stripped hers off as well.

Fabric shed, she was kissing Haruka with molten lust, battling her tongue for dominance though she was already on top, and torturing her breasts with sweet fingertips. Her opening throbbed as the fiery blonde arched upward and moaned into her lips, and grabbed desperately at her hips for support. Lack of oxygen forced Titania's hot kisses southward, tracing her neck and collarbone before taking her partners throbbing breast into her mouth and making her buck upwards again. Just as she was about to move all the way down, a husky, masculine grunt came out of the shadows to their right, and as Titania looked up wide eyed, the frisky thief who had been watching them for several moments tackled her off of Haruka and pinned her to the ground. She shrieked and laughed as he ran his hands up her knees and thighs, and put two fingers into her, and Haruka looked on with disdain at her stolen prize. Finding herself no match for the sinewy lad, she gathered up her clothes and sauntered over to one of the carts, under which she slept uncomfortably unfulfilled…

 

The ashes of the fire glowed low, and the wall crystals rose in intensity to replace it as the sun rose up above the surface. Haruka shivered herself awake, nearly hitting her head on the bottom of the cart, and decided it best to put the clothes on. Piles and lumps of clothes and gypsies were strewn about, and she decided it best to go find some food and avoid the scene of their awakening. Naturally, she hadn't slept amazingly well, but she was used to functioning on far less, so long as there was a good breakfast to compensate. She followed the hallways down to the kitchen Michiru had first shown her, and decided to take her something when she was done.

Before she had arrived at the party the night before she had stopped at the bazaar and picked out a small amulet that had a beautiful indigo serpent carved into it, surrounded by black and silver crystal beads. She left it, along with a note of apology in Michiru's dresser after sneaking into her room. Part of her wanted to stay and watch her sleep, crawl into bed with her even, but she knew better and left the blue haired angel to practice swimming, perhaps the cold water could take her mind off of girls altogether. After receiving the vision at the temple, her confidence in her ability to manipulate the substance was increased immensely, but she was very cautious not to let it inflate to arrogance, as she was all alone and no one could save her if she did something stupid this time. Clad in only what she was born with, she dove into the deepest end with incredible ease.

All at once, the motion wasn't all that unlike a sport she was quite accustomed to at home, and she was able to glide through the water as though it were nothing but weightless air. She tried out several strokes, and worked at it until she was tired and shivering, which killed most of the afternoon. Stealth was hers as she snuck back into her quarters and changed into dryer clothes. Noticing the Michiru was away, most likely at the temple, she left another note. A slight twinge of guilt about her activities the night before bothered her stomach, but it quickly passed as she decided to go exploring. Taking a pack with some clothes and such she began to map out a plan. She would go the way opposite the bazaar and gypsy camp, and see where it took her over the course of the next few days. Down tunnels and caverns she hiked, discovering countless spring rooms and pools, and galleries and empty nooks.

In a small bubble of a room she made a fire out of some serpent oil she brought along, and spent the night there. The morning that followed was monotonously full of the same empty caverns twisting deeper and deeper into the planet, to the point where she could actually feel the rocks being warmer. The increased temperature was only a slight encouragement, and she found herself growing ever more lonely and hopeless. What if she couldn't find the way back? What if the path led on forever and she forgot to go back? What if she didn't want to now?

 

A faint light led her half conscious and crying body down the final steps, and once taken she was overcome with light. A rainbow of crystals lined the entire cavern, from the floor all the way to the ceiling, encrusted and entangled were every shade imaginable. Water dripped from the prisms, and they seemed to grow and ripen with every drop. She stood for many moments, dazzled by the colors, overwhelmed by the symmetry and chaos, until finally she stepped up to one of the sides, and tried to break some off. The prism faces she was trying to harvest were deep blue in color, and despite many attempts they didn't seem to break.

Thinking quickly, she ran back out into the hall and picked up a loose round stone, and used it to break off several pieces of the blue. She moved along the wall, collecting pieces of all the colors she could, until her pack was overfilled and so were her pockets, and a smile of satisfaction adorned her features upon the tasks completion. With a whole new raison d'etre, she hurried up the ramps and tunnels, feeling the heat of the core fade away, and reaching her room after getting lost and camping around a few times, on the third day of her adventure. After unloading her pack, and thinking a while to herself, she set off for the gypsy camp and the inevitable party they would be having…

 

A stunning sea colored crystal fragment greeted Michiru on the pillow next to hers when she awoke, along with a neatly scribed note stating simply, “Please forgive me.” At this point, frustration for not being able to find the girl, and frustration from not being in the company of the girl, had robbed her of all temperance, and she talked to herself loudly, saying something like this,

“For the love of Nereid! How can I possibly forgive her or do anything about it if she is nowhere to be found! What does she want from me!? Whenever I think I might know where she's run to, she disappears again and I am left to sulk and feel guilty about it. Just who does she think she is, demanding such an answer from me and then leaving without any explanation? That is all I am willing to take, today is the day, I am going fully after her, and I will not come back to this room until she is with me!”

A couple changes of clothes, some basic toiletries and supplies and the beautiful jewel fragment went into a knapsack. She added the note to her little stack on the nightstand, and with a deep breath headed out the door for a day full of adventures, and hopefully a night full of scolding and then making out. Erm, up. A night of making up. Still not right…Anyways!

The streets were filled to the brim with people of every rank and status imaginable, from the gaggles of plainly clothed priests out to buy incense to the common colorful man out to buy body oils, the market was alive with a big raw material festival. At first she tried very hard to focus and looked around frantically for her target, but she could not find anything familiar in the swarm, and wandered off to look at wares.

She glanced over spices and herbs all dried and prepared, and moved on to scents and oils. One struck her in particular, an import called `Dragon Musk'. When she asked the booth owner where it was imported from, he pushed his spectacles up firmly on his nose and squinted at the label for a few moments, before spreading a knowing smile and telling her it was a potent body oil made on Uranus, and had a special way of `driving ladies to the edge'. Before she could let her mind interpret it all the way she bought the vial and stuffed it into her sack, blushing for only a few moments before getting distracted by another booth. There were bottles of ink and paint for a reasonable price, and she picked out a couple colors of calligraphy ink, and moved on to another booth featuring fine seaweed papers. Accidentally bumping into a festive looking lass, she was reminded of her mission, and decided to inquire with her about the whereabouts of Haruka, and to her amazement she claimed to know exactly where the mischief-maker was.

Michiru found herself being taken by the hand and led through the throng to the other side of the fair, where several gypsy wagons were set up to sell a rainbow of fabrics and ribbons and flowers. The grey-eyed brunette had Michi wait while she whispered to a clever looking man behind the tables, who smiled and nodded and headed her way.

“Well, good day there miss! My busy little worker here says you be seeking Haruka?”

“Yes, yes that's correct, I need to talk to her immediately.”

“What did you say yer name was milady?”

“Oh, forgive me, my name is Michiru Kaioh.”

“Ah, we have a fine priestess among us, forgive our humble appearance, my name es Keldon, and these are my wily band of gypsy crofters. I know right where your Haruka is, but Ill have to ask you a favor before I take you to her.”

“Of course, ask anything of me, I just need to see her.”

“Alright, settle down lassie, I'm scheduled to head out to pick up tonight's bevies in a while, at this here storeroom address…The name of the salesman is Galen, and he knows the drill. Here's the payment, and my signature, I need you to go pick up the cart and bring it to our camp to the west of here. While you do that for me, I will seek out Haruka, and make sure she will be at the festivities tonight which will be starting soon after you return, and you two can talk after dancing and having a good time, is that a deal?”

“Yes, thank you very much sir, I will get there with the order as soon as I can, just make sure she doesn't run off again…”

“Aye lassie, it'll be just fine, I will personally see to it that she knows better than to flee from this party.”

She took the scribbled address notes and envelope of money from his hands, waved goodbye, and began to follow the directions. She headed to the far east of the enormous market square cavern, and fought her way against the crowd into the hallway that was marked on the paper. After a long walk, she came to the modest food store, and met the man called Galen. Showing him the signature and handing him the money, he nodded and helped her set up the large cart of whiskey. Once loaded, she bid him farewell, and began the long haul back west through the caves and to the gypsy compound where she could corner the fugitive Haruka and accept her apology…

 

The evening air in the camp was dryer and more alive than usual. It must have been a hot day on the surface, because there was no chill for her bones or wetness for her skin to prickle. Haruka felt extremely good, and also quite virile, and she set her sights on the mysterious Titania as the music began again. She was even more welcoming and eager than in their previous encounter, and they began dancing very close right away. The night was still young though, and Ruka was careful not to grind too hotly so as not to send them overboard too soon. Fiddles and castanets sang the dusk tune sweetly, not too intimate, but not too gaudy for the moment, and they danced quite comfortably for a long time, before they decided to take a break and get a drink. The whiskey had arrived a little earlier than last time, giving Haruka a chance to get in on it with her partner, and by the time it was too crowded to refill she was already buzzing quite well. Keldon, she noted, was not near it, nor was he anywhere to be seen, but she shrugged it off and resumed dancing…

 

Michiru couldn't help but laugh and enjoy herself as she was dragged into the midst of the gypsies and their ruckus. Priestess hood didn't leave much time for dancing or partying or enjoying oneself in much any way, but now that she was off duty the world seemed awfully colorful. After delivering the cart to the eager hands of the gypsy lads, she ducked into a hallway and changed into the livelier outfit she had brought along. No more drab ceremonial garments, no more responsibility and clamminess, Michiru found herself becoming less and less inclined to find what she had come for, and more and more tempted by the liquor. It won by a landslide, and by the time it was fully dark outside she was more drunk than she had ever been, which translates to she had a couple glasses and was beginning to loosen up.

The fun thing about Neptunian's, is they are very liquid dependent, and yet efficient. It takes much more fluid to get them quenched than any other race, even Mercurians. So, unaffiliated but slightly more in the mood she strode onto the dance floor, and with the mistaken logic that she would never have to deal with these people again, she began to move in whatever way she pleased. One lass, named Larissa, seemed especially appreciative, and soon moved in and invited Michi to dance with her. Reluctantly, she agreed, suddenly remembering the outline of her purpose here, but quickly forgetting it to the rhythm of the fiddles…

 

Most of the couples were already at it, but Haruka had tried to hold out longer, and keep Titania wholly to herself this night. And the grey-eyed girl was definitely not complaining as the music got more sensual and provocative, and their hips were bumping in unison, and the dance switched to a gear requiring no footwork and no coordination to speak of, just slow meticulous closeness. Titania gave a low moan, and motioned her to a place far from where the other couples and moresomes had selected, and Haruka eased her onto the floor there. She quickly discarded what layer of clothes was left after the dancing, and unleashed a ruthless assault on Titania's breasts and abdomen, causing her to entwine her fingers into her own golden locks and begin a series of smooth, low moans and pants. They became more erratic and hitched; however, as Ruka moved lower with her tongue, and gently spread her legs with steady hands. As her tongue became sheathed inside her, Titania let out a ragged shriek and bucked against the tender ministrations. Haruka smirked as best she could and probed the sensitive flesh of her thighs with feathery touches, and sent her partner moaning her name over the edge of climax…

 

Michiru's ears perked up at the sound of a familiar name, but the woman currently disrobing her snapped her attention back. Hasty caresses attempted to soothe her into submission, and she did to a point. After the dance, Michiru found herself extremely bothered and needing release, and Larissa had been extremely willing to help her out with it. However, the priestess felt absolutely wrong about it, not that she had a lot of experience with such things, but it was the fact that she hadn't had the experience that made her think this was wrong. Part of her wanted to think that it was only not knowing what to expect that somehow made her feel uneasy, but after hearing another girl scream Haruka's name in that way she knew what was wrong.

She hadn't come here, just to apologize for the fight. It was also to apologize for the answer she hadn't given, and to supply one. Though she didn't want to admit it, she had been thinking very hard about the situation with Haruka in a way deeper than getting along, and functioning together again. She honestly, wanted to be together and function in other ways, for longer periods of time, but she just hadn't had the chance. But now she didn't want to say no, she didn't know how, and her body wouldn't let her move from beneath the raven haired beauty currently massaging her tongue with her own. It felt empty somehow, like she wasn't even there, when she most obviously was pinned to the ground she didn't even feel physically there. But the name, the name was solid in her mind, and she found herself breaking her own kiss and calling it out, softly at first, but repeating it louder again…

 

Haruka jerked violently upward at the sound of her name, not from the one she had directly caused it to come from, but some distant source somewhere in front of her in the dark. Titania was still reeling from climax, but Haruka couldn't stay, her body acted on its own and scrambled forward. Quickly wiping her mouth on the way, she discerned the source of the call, and acted immediately.

“You, off her, now!” She commanded vehemently, causing the startled girls to look up. The one on top recognized the challenge, and snarled back in retaliation, stating it was her partner. Gold eyes began to glow chaotic orange.

“Get the fuck off my woman, or I will tear you limb from limb.”

The color drained from the face that was filled with defense a minute ago, and shields broken she fled. Michiru sat up, and was about to spill out a million ideas at once, but the enflamed blonde took her by the shoulders and kissed her full on the mouth. Her blue eyes closed, and she recognized the taste of a strange woman in her savior. A small trickle of tears spilled out of the corner of the blue eye. Startled, Haruka stopped and looked up, eyes wide with concern and defensive impulses. “Thank, you, please…don't run, just, can we go home?” Was what Michiru summoned her willpower to stammer through the emotion flood.

Her partner nodded numbly, and scooped the distressed lady up into her arms, along with her pile of clothes and belongings. It took a long time to get back through the dark, and she nearly tripped once, but they were through the door to Michi's room deep into the night. Haruka carefully slipped a nightgown over the now calm but tired looking priestess, in more of a motherly gesture than concern for her naked condition. She was still very frustrated, but she pulled the covers up over the lass, who surprised her by holding fast to her wrist. With a sigh, the blonde crawled into bed with her, and held her until both were sound asleep…