Author's Notes:

This is a rather – ah – 'romantic' story. If that's not your thing, turn back now!

As a (possibly) interesting aside, this was actually the first Haruka and Michiru story that I wrote. I finished it in a few hours in one sitting, which for me is extremely rare. I have been known to spend months and even years perfecting stories.

I wrote it with no particular timeline or universe in mind, however, it could be set early in the Stars season of the anime after Nehellenia's return. Since Haruka and Michiru have only just reconnected with Hotaru and Setsuna, I figure they haven't yet moved into the new house that they later all share together, so I have them living in their old apartment from the S season.

I imagine that after moving back to Tokyo, Haruka and Michiru would have tried to keep their distance from the other senshi as they did before, but that Usagi and the Inners wouldn't stand for it and bombarded them with friendship. But for whatever reason, Usagi and the others don't yet know about the return of Setsuna and Hotaru (and Haruka and Michiru don't tell them), hence they are not at the farewell dinner.

We can assume the farewell dinner takes place after Chibiusa's first unsuccessful attempt to return to the 30th century, before the senshi really know what's going on, or how much danger the future is in. We can also assume that Chibiusa doesn't make it back on her second attempt, since she stays in the 20th century until the end of the Nehellenia story arc.

And okay, I was never totally sure about this, but the aquarium is at the top of Haruka and Michiru's apartment building? Well, if not, consider it a minor AU element.

All of this just shows that I put too much thought into this fanfic.

Part 1

The sunlight shone warm and golden through the afternoon, and the scent of cherry blossoms wafted into the apartment from the wide open windows. Michiru played, her music dancing and twining itself into this moment, becoming the sunshine and the cherry trees and the spring. And Haruka knew that whenever she heard those haunting notes from now on she would be reminded of this; spring in Tokyo with the pink blossoms blown by the wind and the sun shining on Michiru's hair. And as Michiru's eye opened, just a crack, Haruka smiled, because she knew it was no unconscious spell that her lover wove, that she was binding Haruka to her with full knowledge of what she was doing. It made Haruka's heart expand a little, that she should be worth so much to someone; that Michiru would use every ounce of talent she possessed to sing herself into Haruka's soul.

"It's good," Haruka commented laconically as Michiru's playing came to an end. "You're improving."

Lowering her violin, Michiru chuckled. "Always such praise I get from you, Haruka," she teased.

Haruka blushed. "All right," she allowed. "That was amazing. You play with such passion."

"Passion for you," Michiru said softly. She put her violin away carefully and walked towards Haruka, twining their hands together. "I play to bind you to me, into this moment and every moment we spend together. I don't ever want you to forget me."

"Forget you? Michiru—"

"Shh," Michiru placed a finger to Haruka's lips. "You know what I mean."

Haruka frowned. "Nothing is going to happen to you."

"This new enemy is powerful. It is our responsibility to protect the solar system. We will both do what we must."

Haruka lowered her head in agreement and raised Michiru's hand to her lips, kissing her fingertips. "You know I'll never forget you," she whispered. "No matter what happens." She rose, drawing Michiru into her arms and kissing her, pressing her tightly against her body until she could feel the beat of Michiru's heart next to hers.

"Haruka," Michiru whispered, breaking away, "I love you."

Those words still sent a jolt through Haruka every time she heard them, twisting her heart with a happiness so powerful it was almost akin to pain. She breathed in the scent of Michiru's hair, smelling the ocean, feeling, just for a moment, the blast of the wild salt wind of the sea lifting them to heights of ecstasy and freedom. Michiru was so powerful.

"I love you too," Haruka replied, her voice low, not able to look at Michiru, because it still felt strange to her to be able to say those words. It was something she hadn't said for a long time to anyone until Michiru came along, had never expected to be able to say, and it amazed her still that she had found this destiny, this woman who made every moment of life shimmer with meaning, and purpose.

Trailing soft fingertips over Haruka's face, Michiru gently encouraged their eyes to meet. "I hope one day you'll be able to look at me as you say that," she said, and Haruka was stung by the sadness on her face.

"I'm sorry, Michiru. You deserve someone better than me."

Michiru smiled. "By nature, you are as distant as the sky. Intimacy is not something that comes to you easily, I know that. I can wait." She leaned into Haruka and they kissed again, and Haruka gave herself up to it, knowing what was coming, heart pounding in anticipation as Michiru's nimble violinist's fingers worked buttons open with easy familiarity. Her own hands reached for Michiru's blouse and skirt in turn, clothes sliding away into crumpled, forgotten heaps on the floor.

"Bed," Haruka gasped as Michiru's hands slid over her skin, pulling the other woman with her out of the lounge and into the bedroom, weaving their way unsteadily through the apartment, neither removing their lips from the other's long enough to properly see where they were going. They tumbled back together on the soft bed, Haruka landing on the mattress with Michiru's warm weight on top of her, and oh, Michiru was kissing her, her throat, her shoulders, her breasts, and Haruka was wound tighter than a coiled spring, smoothing her hands over whatever skin she could reach, letting that tumble of ocean-coloured hair run through her fingers, and she would go mad soon, completely mad if Michiru didn't…

"Ah, Michiru!" The cry was torn from her throat, raw and uncontrolled, as Michiru's lips ghosted over her stomach, and at last, at last, she felt her tongue against her. Haruka closed her eyes, one hand clutching the pillow above her head and the other buried in Michiru's hair, breathing ragged, sweat beading on her body as every nerve inside her came alive beneath Michiru's touch. Gentle fingers were stroking her in a slow, torturous delight, working inside her, and Haruka writhed helplessly, feeling her climax building, Michiru's tongue laving her faster and faster until Haruka was drowning in a sea of pleasure, wave after wave crashing over her until the contractions slowly sapped away into a blissful calm.

"Well," said Michiru's playful voice, "you certainly seemed to enjoy that."

"World shaking," Haruka murmured sleepily, holding Michiru to her in a warm, loose embrace. "When you touch me, the whole world moves. You know that by now."

"Haruka, don't you dare go to sleep!"

Opening her eyes, Haruka, stretched and smiled, kissing the affronted expression from Michiru's face. "Just resting love; you know you wear me out when you do that." She rolled so that Michiru was beneath her, and with her body still humming from her climax she kissed every inch of Michiru's fragrant skin, lingering over all the places she knew would elicit a shudder, a cry, a tightening flex of fingers against her. She remembered Michiru's melody, binding them together through past and present and future, and Haruka had no such magic of her own, nothing but her hands, and her lips, to convey to Michiru how important she was, but she used these poor tools as best she could.

Let her live, Haruka prayed, starring Michiru's body with kisses, let her not be taken from me. And oh, that scent, rising pungent and sweet, the taste of her on Haruka's tongue. She felt Michiru's hand clutching tightly to hers, heard her name on Michiru's lips, murmured over and over again, and there was wetness on Haruka's fingers and the feel of warm yielding flesh as she slipped inside her, and soon, soon, the beautiful sound of Michiru crying her completion as Haruka felt her shudder and shudder and lapse, at last, into the aftermath, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

"Haruka."

"I'm here."

"You did it."

"I should hope so."

"Not that. The other thing. Before. You looked at me and said you loved me. Or called me your love, which is close enough."

Michiru's face was framed by the tangle of her hair as she lay upon the pillows, sea-blue eyes looking up at Haruka with a soft, shining happiness that made Haruka blush.

"Yeah," she said. "I guess I did."

With a smile, Michiru drew her down into her arms. "You're a strange one, Haruka," she murmured. "All the things we've done together, and not once have I ever known you to blush, and yet you will, over a little thing like looking me in the eye and saying I'm your love?"

"It's no little thing," Haruka protested.

"No," said Michiru contemplatively. "I suppose not." She raised Haruka's hand to her lips and kissed it. "Shall we have a nap before dinner?"

"Definitely," Haruka concurred, pillowing her head on Michiru's shoulder, and was soon asleep.

Part 2

Haruka awoke, grudgingly as she always did, to a chorus of whispering voices.

"You wake them up."

"No way! It was your idea to come here. You wake them up."

"But they look so peaceful. We shouldn't have come here. It's all your fault, Usagi. You always have the most damn stupid ideas."

"Usagi," Haruka groaned, the name of the clumsy leader of the sailor soldiers bringing nothing but a sense of foreboding, for where Usagi went disaster was sure to follow. She ran a hand through her messy hair and experimentally opened her eyes. The future moon princess and her four inner senshi were crowded into the bedroom, ranged around the bed, staring at her and Michiru with expressions ranging from incomprehension to shock.

Belatedly, Haruka thought to look down and see that the sheets were doing an adequate job of covering her. Thankfully, they were. Oblivious, Michiru turned over and slept on. Haruka envied her. She raised her eyes again to her fellow soldiers. "How the hell did you lot get in here?" she demanded irritably.

A confused round of explanations followed, which seemed to involve everyone blaming Usagi and Usagi blaming everyone else.

"All right." Haruka cut them off, seeing this line of questioning was not productive. "Forget it. What are you doing here?"

Usagi coloured. "Well—" she said. "Chibiusa is going back to the future tonight, and she wanted to have a special dinner to say goodbye to everyone, and—"

"Haven't you heard of telephones?" Haruka said acridly.

"But we called!" Rei protested. "We called and called! There was no answer."

Oh. They must have slept right through it. Haruka shrugged. Well, they were superheroines who protected the solar system, and were entitled to their rest.

"Okay," Haruka said. "We'll come. Just…go wait outside and give us a chance to get ready?"

"Outside…" said Usagi doubtfully.

"The apartment," said Haruka firmly. "Go visit the aquarium. We'll be there soon."

The girls left in a twitter of whispers and giggles and Haruka collapsed back onto the pillows and sighed.

They already knew, she told herself. They already knew about Michiru and me. They couldn't not. But those expressions, of shock, of confusion. Perhaps they hadn't been ready to know that she and Michiru were quite this intimate. They were still young, after all.

And Michiru. Haruka glanced at her. Damn her for being able to sleep through anything. Then she smiled. She looked beautiful when she slept.

Gently, Haruka shook Michiru awake.

"Mmm? What is it?" Michiru asked, coherent almost instantly, as Haruka never was.

"Duty calls, I'm afraid," Haruka said wryly. "The moon princess needs us."

"Right." Michiru reached for her henshin stick, but Haruka caught her wrist.

"No. She wants us to go to dinner with the rest of the senshi to see Chibiusa off into the future."

"Oh?" Michiru frowned. "How do you know? Did they call?"

"Yes, in person. They came in here and gaped at us."

Michiru looked at Haruka doubtfully. "At times like this, I'm never sure whether you're joking."

"This time I'm not. They were here."

"And I slept through it?"

Her lips twitching with amusement, Haruka nodded.

"And I call myself a soldier." Michiru sighed. "Well, our princess has summoned us. I suppose we must go."

"Yeah," said Haruka, not entirely enthusiastic. "I suppose we must."

At least at the dinner there was plenty of food, and the others watched with slightly open mouths as Haruka and Michiru consumed at a rate that rivaled even Usagi's ambitions. After seeing Chibiusa off, they settled down to leisurely after-dinner drinks, the others making do with sodas or tea while Haruka and Michiru sipped an excellent wine.

"So," said Usagi, and Haruka tensed slightly, knowing how tactless she was, "about before…"

"What about it," said Haruka in a voice that did not encourage discussion.

"Do you two really…I mean…"

Haruka turned her head away. "None of your business," she said in a low, dangerous tone.

There was a chorus of indrawn breaths from the others.

"Haruka," Michiru chided. "Don't be rude." She smiled her mysterious, charming smile at the other senshi. "Haruka and I are very close," she said seriously. "We have a lot of different ways of expressing how we feel about each other. It's perfectly natural. You'll find that out for yourselves in time."

Longing romantic sighs issued from the senshis' lips, the tension of a few moments ago forgotten, and Haruka marvelled once more at her partner's ability to so easily put others at ease, when all that she herself seemed to do was rub people the wrong way.

"Well," said Michiru, rising to her feet. "Haruka and I should be going. It's getting late. Thank you for dinner."

"Yeah," said Haruka, thrusting her hands into her pockets. "Thanks."

They walked back to their apartment through the cool night, a bright silver moon hanging full in the sky.

"Usagi and her friends can sure be impertinent," Haruka said, lifting her face to be bathed in moonglow.

"They're just curious," said Michiru. "They don't mean anything by it."

Haruka stopped suddenly as a chill wind gusted over them, arrested by a sudden premonition. Michiru, slightly ahead of her, turned back curiously.

"Haruka? What is it?"

"The wind. It's telling me there will be another day of fighting tomorrow."

Michiru took her arm. "There always is."

"Mmm. Michiru?"

"Yes?"

Haruka looked into Michiru's eyes, dark in the silver moonlight, and touched her glimmering cheek, almost remembering something, a shining palace set beneath a velvet sky shot with stars, and Michiru standing before her, immortal, beautiful, her face made sad by some past pain it was beyond Haruka's ability to recall. She wondered if it would always be like this, such happiness bound up inextricably with fear and loss, but knew she would not change her lot, even if she could. One day the fight would be over and their enemies finally defeated, and the world they had known once a long time ago would return.

"I love you."

Michiru's eyes widened, her features shocked for a moment, before she relaxed into a smile.

"I love you too, Haruka," she whispered, slipping into her arms, and they stood like that, together, beneath the light of the moon, bathed in the remembrance of things past, and the promise of a future to come.

This was the first Haruka and Michiru story that I wrote. I finished it in a few hours in one sitting, which is, for me, extremely rare. I have been known to spend months and even years perfecting stories.

I wrote it with no particular timeline or universe in mind, however, it could be set early in the Stars season of the anime after Nehellenia's return. Since Haruka and Michiru have only just reconnected with Hotaru and Setsuna, I figure they haven't yet moved into the new house that they later all share together, so I have them living in their old apartment from the S season.

I imagine that after moving back to Tokyo, Haruka and Michiru would have tried to keep their distance from the other senshi as they did before, but that Usagi and the Inners wouldn't stand for it and bombarded them with friendship. But for whatever reason, Usagi and the others don't yet know about the return of Setsuna and Hotaru (and Haruka and Michiru don't tell them), hence they are not at the farewell dinner.

We can assume the farewell dinner takes place after Chibiusa's first unsuccessful attempt to return to the 30th century, before the senshi really know what's going on, or how much danger the future is in. We can also assume that Chibiusa doesn't make it back on her second attempt, since she stays in the 20th century until the end of the Nehellenia story arc.

And okay, I was never totally sure about this, but the aquarium is at the top of Haruka and Michiru's apartment building? Well, if not, consider it a minor AU element.

All of this just shows that I put too much thought into this fanfic.