Better and Better

Click.

". . ."

Click. click.

Click. Click. Click.

"Oh come on! Don't you do this to me now!"

Clickclickclickclickclick.

Click. Click.

". . ."

CLICK!

"Great . . . just . . . just great." Makoto said as she tried the key again, listening to the ignition click in protest once more before giving up hope of it starting. She sat there a moment, watching snowflakes splat against the windshield, rubbing her cold fingers together while fighting off a feeling of frustration.

Ami looked at Makoto's key in the ignition a moment then said quietly, "I believe your battery is dead, Mako-chan."

Makoto smacked her fists on the steering wheel, swore softly under her breath, then said as she hit the hood release, "I'm going to take a look."

Ami tucked her blue scarf around her neck a bit tighter in an attempt to help keep herself warm, then said,"But it is your car battery, Makoto. The chemicals that produce electrons in the battery are slowed by the cold temperature. This makes it difficult for the starter motor to start the car because it has less energy to work with. All we will hear is a clicking sound every time you try to start the car because the starter engine cranks too slowly, resulting in an audible click."

"I am sorry Makoto, but there's not going to be-" The door slammed behind Makoto when she closed it, interrupting Ami, making her flinch a bit as she finished mostly for her own benefit, "much to see."

Aim watched Makoto open the hood and put the hood support rod in place before realizing that she wasn't going to listen to reason, and opened her door. Ignoring the large cool snow flakes landing on her face, Ami said as she closed the door, "Forget it, Makoto. It is too cold to be tinkering around with it even if it is not the battery. We should call Haruka and get some help."

Makoto leaned a bit to look around the hood at Ami as if the shorter woman had gone crazy as she said, "We are not calling Haruka. I can take care of this myself."

After leaning back and pulling out the dip stick to check the oil, she tried randomly shaking parts to see if anything was obviously loose. More to the engine than to Ami, Makoto said, "First that awful movie, and now this. This night just keeps getting better and better."

Ami looked around the now empty theater parking lot and sighed before walking to the front of the car. She watched Makoto as she checked the oil again, then said, "Your hands have to be cold."

When Makoto didn't respond, Ami took her gloves off, put them in her pocket, then took hold of Makoto's hands and rubbed them gently with her fingers to try to help warm them. Makoto's fingers felt smooth and delicate, the skin cool to the touch. "There now, that's better isn't it? . . . Now, lets just call someone and-"

Makoto interrupted Ami by pulling her fingers away, pushed the hood support rod back, then slammed the hood down, sending powdery snow flying off the top of the car. She glared angrily at Ami and replied, "I said I can take care of this myself, Ami!"

Ami blinked a few times, then looked away from Makoto a moment. In some strange way, those words stung Ami somewhere deep inside. She clenched her hands into fists absently as she tried to think of a response, and noted that her own fingers where already starting to feel cold. As she put her gloves back on, she asked softly, "What is bothering you, Makoto?"

The brunette cleared away some snow and sat down on the hood of the car as she pushed her hands into her pockets, trying to warm them. "Well, my car won't start, for one."

Ami pushed away some more snow, and sat next to the taller woman. For a moment no one said anything.

Ami usually found snow fall to be rather comforting. Since the snow covered dead leaves, dry grass, and other small items that blew around in the wind, it was so quiet that the only sound either of them could hear was the sound of snowflakes falling from the night sky. Everything was covered in a blanket of white, and the air seemed to be just a little cleaner to Ami. But at the moment, all she could focus on was the biting cold, and the silence she usually enjoyed seemed oddly bitter.

When she felt Makoto start to shiver, Ami put her arm around her, pulling her closer to try to warm her a bit. Then she looked up at Makoto and said softly, "What is really bothering you, Mako-chan?"

Makoto could feel Ami's warm breath tickling her ear, causing her to shiver a bit more, but not from the cold. Focusing on the topic at hand, Makoto said, "It's stupid."

Ami smirked then said, "If it bothers you, then it is not stupid. Come on, Makoto . . ." Ami gently reached up and turned Makoto's face so she was looking into Ami's eyes as she said, "Just talk to me."

Makoto closed her eyes and sighed before she said, "It's like I said. It's just that I'm used to being able to take care of myself. I don't want anyone to help me. Also," Makoto shrugged then said, "I kind of feel like if I can't get my own car to start, well . . . how reliable can I really be?"

Ami squeezed Makoto just a little tighter, this time to warm herself up as she placed her head on Makoto's shoulder and said, "Do not talk like that. You are very reliable." As a small smile formed on her lips, Ami said, "Certainly more reliable than your car. You should not blame yourself for everything, Mako-chan." Then she slipped her free hand out of her glove and gently pulled Makoto's hand out of her pocket to hold it in her own.

Makoto laughed then said, as she leaned a little closer to Ami, "I think Minako would beg to differ after that time she tried to cheat off of me during that math class back in high school."

Ami giggled and replied, "Well it served her right! In all honesty though . . . I know I can always depend on you, Makoto Kino. Do not worry about such things."

Makoto chuckled, then opened her mouth to reply, then closed her mouth to look into Ami's eyes as they both noticed just how close they where to each other.

They leaned a bit closer to each other as both their eyes slowly drifted closed. Makoto slowly leaned ever so closer to the smaller woman, their lips practically brushing against each others.

"Makoto, I . . .", whispered Ami as she tightened her arm around Makoto while loosening her grip on Makoto's hand.

Makoto hushed Ami as their lips started to touch and then . . .

VROOM!

Startled, both women jumped up and away from Makoto's car as the engine sprang to life unexpectedly, the headlights seeming just a bit too bright as it cut through the still night air.

Both women looked at each other, then back at the car, then back at each other again. In the light, Makoto could see Ami's face had turned beet read as she stammered out, "Well I uh . . . I was thinking that. . . how about . . . Why do we not go to my place and get some hot chocolate to help us warm up?"

Makoto giggled to herself as they both shuffled back into the car and said, "This night just keeps getting better and better."

See disclaimer in profile. This is a stand alone one shot story. Reviews and advice are always appreciated!