Tag: haruka

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

Little ficlet to the tune of “What if Haruka was afraid of storms?” ~575 words

—-

A shock-white flash and a roar of thunder yanked Haruka out of sleep. Her heart raced ahead of her groggy brain and banged against the walls of her chest to get her moving. Quiet, quiet, up! Up! Who’s home? Who will hear you cry? Closet! Muffle! Go!

Haruka had her hand on the doorknob before she woke up enough to remember. She was safe. She was older now, out of that house, and too old to be afraid of storms.

Another sharp crack of thunder made her jump. Maybe that last bit wasn’t quite true.

She turned back to the empty bed. Where was Michiru?

Her stomach churned as she crept out to the living room. Would she be mad, if she knew? Would she think Haruka too childish? Maybe she just wouldn’t tell her. She’d just… claim hunger? Grab a snack and a kiss and hope it calmed the panic bubbling inside her? Maybe she should just go back to bed.

Thunder shook the house. Haruka yelped. Damn it.

“Haruka? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Haruka stuck her head around the corner. Michiru sat by the rain-splashed window, a cup of steaming tea on the table at her side. She rose, brow knotted.

“Are you hurt?”

“No, I just… I… I just wanted to see you.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to have left you alone. I like to watch the storms.” She glanced back to her vacated perch. “Would you like to join me?”

“Um…” Haruka jumped at another rumble.

“Haruka, are you—“

“I just got a chill, I’m fine. It’s fine.” She fought to stay still as a flash lit the room with a boom.

“Oh, love.” Michiru reached up to stroke her cheek. “It’s okay to be afraid.”

“I’m not afraid!”

She let out a small chuckled. “Haruka, dearest, you have far more transparency than you’d like to believe. There is little you could ever hide from me.”

“Well…” Her body betrayed her again with a wobbling lip. “It’s just very loud. And storms always meant everyone stayed inside.”

“Come here.”

Michiru led her gently to the couch and pulled her head into her lap. “I’m going to keep you safe, Haruka.” Her hand stroked back and forth through Haruka’s hair. “I love you, and I’m here when things get scary.”

“But you shouldn’t have to not watch the storm if you want to because I’m being a baby.”

“You’re not being a baby.” Michiru kneaded Haruka’s scalp with her fingertips. “We’re all afraid of things.”

“Not you.”

“Mmm.” Michiru looked out into the storm. “I have many fears, perhaps the biggest of which is letting you see I am afraid.” She bent over kiss Haruka’s forehead. “”You are the bravest person I know, Haruka.”

“Yeah sure,” Haruka scoffed. “So brave that I’m laid low by a little rain.”

“You were afraid and still came to me. I want to be that brave someday.”

The thunder crashed again. Haruka pressed herself deeper into the comfort of Michiru’s lap. “You’re really not mad I’m like this?”

“Not at all, love.” She rubbed her hand slowly along Haruka’s back. “I’d like you to stay here until the storm passes. I want to protect you.”

“I want you to protect me,” Haruka whispered. Michiru did not pull away. Her hands and body were warm and calming against Haruka’s skin. She drifted back to sleep slowly, the storm fading away under the strength of Michiru’s quiet.

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

I’d love a post-Stars slice of life/sitcom, if only because Haruka vs Seiya would get increasingly ridiculous when they don’t have senshi conflicts to let off steam in, like one night Haruka challenges Seiya to a karaoke because she stole Haruka’s French fries or something

“Hey buddy put down the beer and think that through a second she’s a trained musician”

“YEAH MINA IN GONNA BEAT HER AT HER OWN GAME ITS GREAT”

Ok this one is a lame au but the Outers show up in pgsm.

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

THIS ISN’T LAME THIS IS WONDERFUL TERRITORY AND I WENT
TOTALLY OFF THE RAILS, THE ENDING IS DISAPPOINTING BUT CHRIST I WROTE WAY TOO
MUCH.

  • I’m going to come from the second season angle, with the
    special act never happening. Also, I think there’s no Chibs in the PGSM-verse,
    because of Sailor Luna and also working in a world without the security of
    Crystal Tokyo is interesting.
  • So that puts us with a Pluto who has not known friendship,
    who never fought or died for a sweet little girl. She becomes Setsuna and
    everything is new, she gets to be with people for the first time.
  • Also, she’s aged down a bit. Only a little older than our
    main cast. She is so eager to befriend them and she doesn’t know how. And she
    knows she is supposed to be there to warn them, but she wants so badly to be
    loved by them that she frets over her approach and dreads their impression of
    her being such a bad omen.
  • Minako notices her, and confronts her, thinking she might be
    a fan going to far, showing up places they hang out and always looking a little
    too long. Setsuna transforms to assure her that’s not the case. She explains
    that there may be a time when additional soldiers are needed to destroy bigger
    threats.
  • She also asks that Minako keep her a secret from the others.
  • Minako agrees, but she knows what it’s like to take on the
    burden of duty and memory alone, so she invites Setsuna along to hang out with
    them.
  • (And as monster attacks start cropping up again, she makes
    sure Setsuna is able to sneak away quietly instead of transforming. There’s not
    yet anything they can’t handle on their own yet anyway.)
  • There’s a nice little subplot of Rei getting jealous of this
    new, beautiful older girl Minako is suddenly chummy with.
  • She swears she’s not jealous, she explains to Ami one night,
    it’s just that she used to be the one person Minako connected to, and now
    Setsuna’s new and shiny and she feels forgetten.
  • That’s jealousy, Ami says (she knows the feeling all too
    well), but what did you say about premonitions of doom?
  • Rei says it’s probably nothing. Ami takes note while Rei is
    focused on her definitely-not-jealousy.
  • Usagi, meanwhile, is causing Mamoru some
    definitely-not-jealousy as she spends time with a handsome stranger she met in
    a candy shop.
  • He of course doesn’t SAY anything, of course, but Usagi sees
    something is wrong and mopes around the karaoke bar trying to figure it out.
  • Mako has NO PATIENCE for Mamoru’s shit, so she barges over
    to his place to find out what’s wrong. He caves and she’s just like YOU’RE
    STUPID USAGI LOVES YOU. Also, I think Haruka is about as threatening to you as
    a teddy bear, she cries over every animal video Usagi shows her.
  • Oh, is all Mamoru can say, and then he pulls his head out of
    his ass.
  • We then get just fun scenes of the girls (including
    Setsuna!) hanging out with Haruka, trying on sunglasses, complaining about
    school, all the usual stuff. She and Mako play basketball. A good time is had
    by all.
  • Meanwhile, tho, the viewers get insight into the Death
    Buster’s plans. Tomoe and Kaolintie (the baddies are streamlined a bit) hatch
    daimons from various objects. They whisper about building up to hatching the
    most powerful daimon of all.
  • The daimons get more and more powerful, the girls fight more
    and more. One day they get attacked while hanging out, and in order to protect
    Haruka, Setsuna is forced to reveal herself. And when she transforms, she
    recognizes the hidden power of Uranus in Haruka.
  • The girls are surprised in the aftermath, but not shocked.
    Usagi is elated that both her new friends are senshi. She offers her hand to
    Haruka, eager to see her transform for the first time…
  • And is blown away by a blast of power.
  • “That girl will not become a senshi,” says a voice from the shadows.
    “You will not lead her down this path.”
  • The audience sees a shot of green hair, a glint of a mirror.
  • “We need her to awaken the messiah, should the need arise.”
    Setsuna says. She touches the garnet orb on her staff.
  • “Then the need shall not arise,” says the mysterious
    soldier. “If she is with you, she is protected, is she not?”
  • Haruka wants to join the fight, but something holds her
    back. And when she asks, later, Minako is honest. Duty is hard. Duty is
    painful. Whoever the mysterious soldier is, she is not wrong. Whatever reasons
    she has for protecting Haruka may be valid.
  • Rei, meanwhile, is not content to be left wondering. She
    goes to her fires with a question, and they give her an answer. The next day
    she tracks down the young heiress Michiru Kaioh.
  • “I know who you are,” she says, but Michiru does not falter.
    “And I know who you are, Mars. I know what you have seen. Pluto is wrong. When
    we three awaken we bring destruction. I will not let that girl face that.”
  • “What is she to you?”
  • Michiru freezes. “Everything. But I am nothing to her.” And
    she takes her leave.
  • There’s several episodes of Haruka agonizing and the girls
    fighting and Neptune watching from the shadows and Rei being weird about
    Setsuna and Minako and trying to decide if she’s relieved or more threatened by
    the fact that she’s a soldier.
  • And finally one episode ends with a scared little girl looking
    into Tomoe’s laboratory, with more ominous talk of The Most Powerful Daimon.
  • We follow this little girl, Hotaru, next episode, see her go
    to school and be picked on for being sickly, see her avoid going home. She
    meets Haruka, who asks if she’s lost. She says no, but when Haruka asks if she’d
    like to be walked home because it’s getting dark, she nods and takes her hand.
  • Of course, a powerful daimon attacks them.
  • Neptune appears seemingly out of nowhere to fight it. “Run,”
    she spits, and Haruka picks up Hotaru and tries but a second daimon appears. “Forget
    the girl and run!”
  • Haruka, of course, cannot, and if she cannot run, she must
    fight.
  • The power explodes out of her and she transforms. Michiru
    watches in despair.
  • Uranus immediately kills the monster she faces with her
    sword, and turns to make sure Hotaru is okay.
  • But Hotaru’s glowing purple, and in a voice not her own she
    demands the third. Where is it? She needs the third.
  • Michiru drops her transformation, and yells at Haruka to do
    the same. Hotaru returns to normal with no memory of what happened.
  • “The three of us must never be transformed in the same
    place,” Michiru says quietly. “Lest the messiah of silence awaken.”
  • “You don’t have to be alone though,”Haruka says. (She
    carries Hotaru, who has fallen asleep, on her back.
  • Michiru insists it’s too risky. She would rather Haruka stay
    safe, but Haruka smiles and says she’s in this now. She asks why Michiru cares
    so much, and she avoids the question.
  • All the senshi, minus Michiru, have a meeting in the karaoke
    parlor. Rei states what she knows, and so does Haruka. The incident with Hotaru
    worries Pluto. She explains that the three of them are supposed to call forth
    the holy grail, which empowers Serenity.
  • Usagi quietly says that every power that can do good can do
    bad just as easily.
  • It silences them all for a long moment. Then Haruka suggests
    that Hotaru seems troubled, and maybe the best option would be to find out more
    about what might be going on.
  • They form a plan. Ami signs up to be a tutor at Hotaru’s
    elementary school. She meets Hotaru, but learns nothing. Hotaru is troubled by
    bullying, that is clear, but there’s something deeper Ami can see but can’t
    define.
  • Then, without notice because she’s not one to be behind the
    scenes, MINAKO AINO makes a surprise visit to the elementary school! All of the
    kids go nuts, asking for autographs and songs, but Hotaru hangs back. Ami takes
    her chance and asks Hotaru what’s wrong. She’s been bullied too, she assures
    her, and she won’t tell anyone anything Hotaru says.
  • Hotaru is painfully ready to trust people. She tells Ami her
    mother died, but now her father has brought home a woman and the woman won’t
    leave. Ami nods, thinking it’s a stepmother situation, but then Hotaru whispers
    that they spend all their time in the basement laboratory, saying things that
    scare her, and sometimes she wakes up at night sure someone has been in her
    room.
  • There’s whispers in her dreams, words she doesn’t understand.
    Daimons. Does Ami know what a daimon is?
  • Ami lies and says no. As soon as she can, she takes out her
    phone and makes a call.
  • Haruka, luckily, knows where Hotaru’s house is from walking
    her home. The two of them expect to do a stealth attack (figuring there is no
    time to gether the others), but Kaolinite knows Hotaru has talked. She meets
    them at the door and announces they are too late.
  • She turns and shoves Hotaru forward, announcing the most
    powerful daimon is complete.
  • The wind rises around Hotaru. Haruka whispers that this isn’t
    how she went strange before.
  • Michiru runs past everyone, untransformed. As she is about
    to throw herself on Hotaru, Haruka grabs her arm. “What are you doing?”
  • “Killing the girl will save us all.”
  • “How can you say that? She’s a child.”
  • The fight is cut short by Hotaru hatching into Mistress
    Nine.
  • The being that was once the little girl Hotaru looks at her
    hands, shrieking with laughter at the joy of being alive. The sky darkens above
    her. She smiles before lashing out.
  • Michiru shields Haruka from the blow, looking so small in
    comparision to tall, transformed Uranus.
  • Mistress Nine knocks back Mercury, declaring them not worth
    the fight. She calls for Tomoe and Kaolinite, declaring that they must protect
    her, they’ve brought her into a body still to frail to handle her power. She
    cannot yet call Pharoh 90.
  • And then Hotaru collapses, a girl once again. Tomoe and
    Kaolinite take her up and disappear.
  • There’s a few quieter episodes. Haruka visits Michiru in the
    hospital, and Michiru confesses everything. How her visions had led her to
    Haruka, and while she’d already planned on stopping her from awakening, the
    more she watched, the more she wanted to protect Haruka’s smile. It wouldn’t be
    fair if Haruka had to face a soldier’s life. She never wanted Haruka to face
    down killing a little girl for the sake of the world.
  • Once she’s out, everyone comes together. Setsuna somberly
    announces her thoughts—based on what Haruka saw, Hotaru bears the soul of
    Saturn, the soldier of destruction. Michiru agrees, stating the extent of her
    visions. She’s seen that they are between a rock and a hard place—destruction by
    Saturn or destruction by Pharoh 90.
  • Setsuna sees things differently. Saturn’s power razes the earth
    as a fire might raze a crop, ensuring the soil is renewed so that it can grow
    back stronger. Destruction by the likes of Pharoh 90 is a plague, poisoning the
    earth so that nothing shall rise up in its wake.
  • They should awaken Saturn to force out Mistress Nine.
  • Minako agrees. Rei very emphatically does not. They have
    fought for their lives. This life. She’s not prepared to sacrifice it. She and
    Minako fall into old patterns of subordination and accusations of being bad
    soldiers.
  • Usagi stops them. They will awaken Saturn. But she will stop
    the destruction. She will not hear that it’s not how it works.
  • They draw out Mistress Nine once more, and this time she is successful
    in calling to her master. Pharoh 90 appears in the sky, slowly descending to
    consume the earth.
  • The soldiers worry they are too late, but they follow the
    plan.
  • The Outers all transform, and Mistress Nine begins to morph.
    There is a war inside Hotaru’s body, and Saturn wins.
  • She raises her glaive to reset, but Princess Sailor Moon
    steps up, blocking the glaive with her sword.
  • “I will not allow destruction of things I love.”
  • “You are too late. I will birth this world anew. I am
    destruction incarnate.”
  • “So was I, once.” Usagi fades into her regular Sailor Moon
    form. The Holy Grail appears before her, and she takes it. “We don’t have to be
    the things we were made for.” The grail opens and light washes over her. She
    has become Super Sailor Moon. “I destroyed my kingdom in pain, and I was wrong.”
  • “I am not motivated by pain, only duty.”
  • “A very good friend of mine felt the same, once. But she
    found out duty isn’t all there is.”
  • “There’s nothing else for me!” Saturn yells, sounding much
    more like Hotaru. “This is something I can do, this is the only thing that’s
    right!”
  • “No, we can do something else, together.” Usagi holds out her
    hand, and Hotaru takes it, just as she took Haruka’s hand before. Together they
    face Pharoh 90, the power of Super Sailor Moon lifting them up to meet him. They
    disappear to fight him from the inside.
  • Usagi emerges, the holy grail cracked in two at her feet,
    and Hotaru, once again an ordinary little girl, in her arms.

Harumichi flower shop AU

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment
  • Okay so, backstory: Haruka and Mako met in foster care.
  • They were briefly sisters, and kept in touch. They
    understood each other, both considered delinquents, both a little too quick to
    throw a punch, both full of good intent. Mako had a knack for growing things,
    and Haruka liked to learn to do things with her hands.
  • They got through their teenage years planning how they could
    open a flower shop, saving money from weekend jobs and change found under
    couches, and it’s really Mako’s small inheritance from her parents that she can
    legally use at 18 that lets them buy a little place and get started, but they
    still feel proud. Haruka is handy enough to get their fixer upper in working
    shape, and then they’re on their feet and their combined talents mean they get
    by.
  • They build their reputation for years. Mako’s got a green
    thumb, and no matter the conditions they have beautiful blooms. (And if their clientele
    skews largely into the gay community it doesn’t hurt, they don’t advertise themselves
    as a gay shop but they’re a lesbian and a bi woman and people are comfortable
    and are you telling me you wouldn’t shop there?)
  • And once they book a few events, they get on the radar of
    higher class buyers.
  • That is how Michiru Kaioh comes through the door one day.
  • She is, perhaps unfortunately, looking for a break up
    flower. Something that conveys, “You’re getting too attached, so I want to cut
    things off cleanly, but not too cleanly because I want to keep you as an option
    and an occasional late night romp.”
  • But then Haruka turns from tending the soil to greet her and
    wipes her brow and Michiru knows she is not going to say any of that.
  • She makes up some reason to be there, she’d heard about the
    shop from their work at the gala, which was true, but doesn’t give her a reason
    to buy something.
  • But Michiru is not one to be defeated so easily. She has
    Haruka show her the most beautiful flower in the shop. She decides will buy it
    and give it to Haruka, and Haruka will be charmed and then Michiru will spirit
    her away to a night on the town, and they will have red wine and explore each other’s
    bodies and—
  • And Haruka works in a flower shop, Michiru realizes, and has
    no use for a flower of her own growing.
  • So when Haruka asks if she would like it wrapped, Michiru
    says yes, and with Haruka’s back turned she takes her leave before she can
    embarrass herself.
  • Haruka is left holding a rose and wondering about the
    strange, beautiful girl she met.
  • She looks for her at every event she and Mako do flowers
    for. (Not that there’s much chance, they’re in and out before anything starts.)
  • But one day, they’re commissioned to do flower accents for
    an art show, and who should the artist turn out to be?
  • She was hoping Haruka would forget and she could have a
    second chance to make a good impression. But Haruka remembers, and there’s a
    good bit of very awkward attempts at small talk, but then
  • BUT THEN
  • Haruka manages to choke out something resembling an
    invitation to get drinks sometime to learn more about each other, and Michiru
    manages some polite approximation of acceptance.
  • (Mako, on the other side of the room, loudly announces that
    It’s fine, she can do the arrangements on her own, no need to do your job
    Haruka just keep flirting)

Minako wants to bake. What does Haruka do?

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

Haruka is a fool. Misguided by her instincts, she thinks sugar and butter and chocolate can do her no wrong

But oh she is wrong

Baking is a science, and Mina has no cares for science. A little flour here, an egg cracked here, what is baking soda? Who knows she doesn’t need it to make good cookies

Haruka waits for the delicious treat she shall be rewarded for letting Mina in her kitchen, and instead gets 1 explosion, a small oven fire, the loss of three (3) oven mitts, and a large black hunk of dry dough with a sad chocolate drizzle on top

What do you think would happen if Haruka and Minako went out drinking

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

my wife insists that I include their opinion, which is “Haruka would cry, because she’s thinking of how attractive Michiru is”

which is, you know, right

but also them going out drinking 100% is Minako using snacks to bribe Haruka into doing stupid shit. Like “oh my god bro I’ll give you a brownie if you graffiti this walll with me” and drunk Haruka cannot resist a brownie. Luckily, drunk Minako CAN resist arrest, so they’re never caught.

also sometimes it ends in confessions they;d never make sober, their feelings about being senshi coming out honestly and just. all that kind of stuff that walls break down for at the end of a long night out.

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

@awashsquid said:
PLEASE WRITE THIS OMG

@paksenarrion-reader said:
bonus points: horses get skittish around people who are nervous
                                                    

TUMBLR WOULDN’T POST A REGULAR REPLY POST RIGHT, BUT HERE’S ABOUT 2400 WORDS ON THIS ENJOY

Haruka was not entirely sure how she’d gotten here. Michiru saying she had a surprise had honestly sounded like a sex thing, and the outfit she’d told Haruka to change into had only supported that in Haruka’s mind. Small pants, a jacket with a lot of buttons, high boots? Seemed like one of Michiru’s weird fantasies to her, and then Michiru had been in a matching outfit, but with a whip… what was she supposed to think?

Maybe the fact that they then left the apartment should have tipped her off. Michiru was a private person. Even a hotel seemed too gauche for her tastes, but Haruka hadn’t wanted to say anything. They’d only been together a little while, and by Haruka’s guess they only had a little while longer until Michiru realized she deserved something better, so she didn’t feel it was her place to ask questions.

Now, staring into one dark eye of a large beast, she realized she should have asked a lot of questions.

“Isn’t she lovely?” Michiru asked, brushing the mane of another horse. “Noir has long been a favorite of mine, I requested she be brought out for you.”

Haruka made a motion of patting the horse’s side without actually touching it. “Oh, uh. Thanks. She’s… great.”

Michiru smiled. “I’ve been thinking about all the things we have in common, and I realized I was overlooking such a wonderful thing we share. I grew up taking riding lessons, you grew up in the country, we did the same thing as children even though our backgrounds were so different.”

“Yeah,” Haruka croaked. “Amazing.” It had been Michiru’s mission to find their common ground lately. She wasn’t ready to accept that they came from different worlds and would end up in different worlds. And here, she thought she’d found something they really shared, beyond their attraction to each other.

But Haruka had never been on a horse. She’d never even been near a horse, except that one time a school friend’s uncle had taken them to a race and asked if they’d pitch in on his bet. When Michiru heard the drawl of Haruka’s accent, she pictured open pastures and grazing cattle, but the trailer Haruka had grown up in barely had yard enough for a sandbox.

Haruka tried to pet the horse for real. It shied away from her hand.

She had to tell her.

“Uh, Michiru…”

“Michiru!”

Another woman strode up, a brilliant white horse in tow. “I haven’t seen you out here in months, how are you?”

Michiru’s face morphed into the placid, polite expression Haruka had come to recognize as her socialite mask. “Oh, Rina, how nice to see you. It really has been too long.”

“And who is this… charming gentleman you have brought with you?”

Haruka stiffened.

“She is my companion for the day, Haruka. She’s quite good at riding, I’m not sure you’ll be able to keep up with us.”

Haruka swallowed hard.

Rina smiled. “I’ll just have to try my best.” She looked at Haruka’s horse with what Haruka was sure was faux concern. “Noir seems skittish today, did something happen?”

Michiru’s eyes narrowed. “She does dislike negativity.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” She pulled gloves over her manicured hands. “What trail are we riding today?”

“We haven’t decided, perhaps you should go on ahead and pick one yourself.”

“Oh, nonsense. How could I miss this opportunity to catch up with you?” Rina flashed a glance at Haruka. “And your companion seems so interesting.”

Haruka was doomed, plain and simple. Noir’s ears flicked back and forth as she pawed at the ground. Haruka was going to have to ride her. Her heart pounded in her ears. As if the horse could hear it too, she whinnied and side stepped as far as the bridle would let her go.

“Let us not delay any longer,” Rina said with a smile that seemed malicious to Haruka. “It’s too nice a day to waste it in the yard.”

Haruka watched as she mounted on her horse with ease. Left side, foot up, and then… she was just magically atop the saddle, looking smug.

Haruka took a deep breath. “Okay,” she whispered. “Okay.” She slowly drew close to Noir. “You don’t like me, and I don’t like you, but we gotta do this, okay?” She put a hand on the horse’s neck, and she finally didn’t pull away. “Okay. We can do this.” A horse couldn’t be that different from a car, really. Both were big and scary, but when you knew what you were doing they were the safest thing in the world, practically. Haruka just had to ignore that she didn’t know wht she was doing.

She positioned herself on the left side, as she’d seen Rina do. Foot up, that seemed good, sturdy, yes. And then she just had to lift herself, it wasn’t scary, she wasn’t terrified, she was doing just fine…

And then Noir bucked. Haruka hit the ground and skidded on her back. Michiru would be so mad about the grass stains, shit.

“Haruka!”

“I’m fine.” She sat up as Michiru rushed over. “I didn’t hit my head or nothin’.”

Michiru brushed her off and looked into her eyes. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this today, Noir seems out of sorts, and–”

“Naw, I want to.” Haruka stood. “Little rough start never meant nothin’.” She smiled, and the knot between Michiru’s brows dissipated.

“If you’re sure, lo… Haruka.”

Haruka turned back to Noir. The good thing was, she supposed, that she was stupid and stubborn more than she was ever afraid. She remembered hearing once that horses could smell fear. “Well,” she whispered to Noir was she readied to try again. “Let’s see if you can smell determination too.”

And maybe they could, or maybe it was just a miracle, for Haruka settled into the saddle with only a few sickening moments of fear that she might tip over. Rina watched her with a cocked eyebrow. She knew, Haruka was sure. How Michiru hadn’t caught on was the only real mystery.

Rina led the way towards the wooded trails. Haruka was grateful that Noir knew to follow without guidance.

Michiru angled her horse to be stride for stride with Haruka’s. “I’m so sorry she’s here,” she whispered. “I wanted it to be just us.”

“It’s fine,” Haruka lied. “We can be alone later.” That was a true comforting thought, confessing everything to Michiru when they got back to her home, where Michiru would maybe offer her tea Haruka didn’t really like but appreciated the gesture, and wrap her in a blanket and stroke her hair while promising they’d never have to do it again.

“She just…”

“What are you two whispering about back there?” Rina pulled back on her reins, slowing until her horse was between Haruka and Michiru. “I’d love to hear whatever you’re gossiping about.”

“Oh, have you heard that my mother might not be able to attend this year’s charity gala? Quite tragic, I’m afraid…”

Michiru led her into mindless prattle, and Haruka took the opportunity to focus on her bearings. Riding was wholly uncomfortable, bumpy, and she felt as though she might wobble too far to one side at any moment. But the horse was calm, for now, so Haruka figured she should be grateful.

“Wouldn’t you agree, Haruka?”

“Oh,  yeah, um, what?”

Rina looked at her expectantly. “We should really pick up the pace. I’d love to see your true skill with riding.”

“Yeah,” Haruka said, her stupid pride jumping off her tongue before her brain could catch it. “Definitely.”

“We ought to have a race to the edge of the wood.” To her other side, Michiru frowned.

“Surely after the incident earlier…”

Rina waved her off. “Oh, Michiru, it’s all in good fun. And Haruka wants to, don’t you Haruka?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Well there you have it. You aren’t going to deny us our fun, are you?”

“I just wouldn’t want to bruise your ego too much, Rina, you’ve never been able to outride me.”

Rina’s expression crossed into contempt for a moment. “Overconfidence is a dangerous trait.”

“I don’t believe I’ve been overconfident.”

“We’ll see about that.” She took off, and Michiru quickly overtook her.

Haruka’s heart sank as Noir merely stopped.

“Run,” she tried.

She pressed her legs into the horse’s sides in what she assumed was the right way. Noir began to walk, but only at the same pace they’d been going before.

“No, listen, this is gonna let them know I’m a fraud. You gotta run for me.”

Noir did not seem interested. Haruka gave the reins a shake. “Please, come on.”

Nothing.

She had an idea. A bad idea, she knew, but an idea, and the only one she could think of. She couldn’t embarrass Michiru in front of that insidious woman anymore than she already had. So she took one shaking hand off the reins, leaned back a little, and slapped Noir near the tail.

Noir launched forward, nearly throwing Haruka off. Her heart leapt to her throat, every frightened beat seeming to drive Noir to go faster. Rina and Michiru came back into sight, she was going to pass them. She could say her delay was to make it more fair, that was good.

But, she realized as Noir careened closer and closer, she didn’t know how to maneuver around them. “Watch out!” she half-screamed, making Noir press on even faster.

She barely caught Michiru’s gasp as she pulled her horse to the side of the trail to let Haruka pass, but she could have sworn she heard Rina chuckle.

The woods passed in a blur, Haruka barely being able to duck under low branches fast enough. The end appeared before her, and she realized the most important thing she didn’t know.

“Stop!” She yelled as they broke into the sunny open trail. “Stop!”

That, apparently, was not the way to stop a horse. She squeezed with her legs, and then pulled on the reins.

Noir reared up, and for a second the forward momentum Haruka still had made her feel like she’d stay on, she leaned into the horse’s neck with all her strength, but her balance was too wobbly and she slipped to one side, feet coming out of the saddle and the ground suddenly rising up to meet her shoulder, hard.

Noir trotted to the side to graze the grass, seemingly proud of her work.

Haruka lay splayed on the trail, half worried the next horse to come by would trample her and half too consumed by pain to care.

She didn’t budge as hoofbeats thundered towards her.

“Haruka!” Michiru practically leapt from her horse and ran to kneel at her side. “HAruka, are you alright?”

“Not really.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into Noir today, something must have happened while I haven’t been coming, I–”

“Is she alright?” Rina had the decency to look sheepish.

“Ride back and get help, she might be hurt.”

Rina’s face went white. Haruka wondered what she had expected to happen. “I… yes, right away.”

“Did you hit your head?”

“No, I landed on my shoulder.” She was lucky, she knew, but it hurt like hell. “Michiru, I have to tell you. There’s nothing wrong with the horse. I’m the problem. I’ve never done this before.”

Michiru put her face in her hands. “Oh Haruka, I’m so sorry. I wondered, when we first arrived, but then you didn’t say anything, and…”

“No, it’s my fault, I was pretty stupid about it.” She pushed herself up to sit with her good arm, and felt around her shoulder. Nothing felt broken, she might get off with just a hell of a bruise. “I don’t want to disappoint you. I don’t want to be too…you know… poor to have a good time with.”

“That’s not…” Michiru looked at her, her eyes shockingly wet. “So many of the things I like are boring to you. Art is too static, and you always fall asleep during foreign films, and…”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, I understand, I can’t pay attention at all when you turn on a race.” Michiru pressed her lips together. “But I like being with you, and I want to show you there are things we can do together, because I love you. And I’ve done this all wrong, and–”

“Wait, back up a little.” Haruka swallowed. Her throat was suddenly very dry, and her heart pounded harder than it had at any moment on the horse. “What did you just say?” Had the pain made her hallucinate? Surely, it couldn’t be that Michiru had really just said…

Michiru’s eyes went wide and she cast them to the ground. “I… it’s okay if you don’t feel it too, especially after what a fool I’ve been today, I understand. But I love you, Haruka, and if there’s any way I can find to keep you, I’ll do it.”

“Michi, I’m not nearly good enough for you. I don’t have the things you need. I can’t even ride a horse.”

“The fact that you tried is proof enough that you’re too good for me.” She gave a small half smile, more vulnerable than Haruka had ever seen her. “Maybe we don’t have anything in common, and maybe it won’t work, but I’m in love with you, Haruka.”

Haruka swallowed again. “Well, you know, I guess that’s one thing in common we have.”

Michiru looked at her in askance.

“I’m in love with you, too.”

She sighed. “You don’t have to say it just because I did, I’ve had quite enough of social niceties for the day.”

“Michi, I got thrown off a horse trying to prove myself to you, I wouldn’t do that for just any girl. I love you.” She leaned forward and kissed her, soft and slow. “I love you, Michiru.”

Michiru’s eyes traced up from Haruka’s lips to her eyes. “I love you, Haruka.” She shook her head. “We’ve both been such idiots today, haven’t we?”

Haruka laughed. “Hey, there’s another thing we’ve got.”

“I suppose that’s true.” She smiled. “Now, let’s get your shoulder checked out, and then never come back here again.” She stood and offered her hand to Haruka.

“Sounds like a good plan to me.”

They walked off together, hand in hand.

Sam you got any Harumichi or Seiusa (or both) winter headcanons?

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

Yessssssss. Also lmao these are so different in tone,
whoops.

Harumichi

  • Winter is the hardest season for them
  • Haruka gets RESTLESS. Running and driving are technically
    things she can still do, but they’re not the fast freedoms she needs. She can’t
    just drop everything and run. It’s a process.
  • (Do not suggest Haruka get on a treadmill when it’s snowy. She
    can’t explain why it doesn’t work for her, but it makes her feel even more
    stuck.)
  • Once she’s working as a mechanic it gets a little easier,
    because she has so much to throw herself into at work in the cold
  • (She accidentally charms so many young women as she puts on
    their snow tires. A lot of business comes her way through word of mouth.)
  • For Michiru, winter has always been the time of year her
    family cared most about putting on a good face for each other and the public
  • The Kaioh family Christmas shot somehow always gets “leaked”
    to the press
  • Michiru has zero interest in playing along once Haruka is in
    the picture, especially since the rest of the family does not want Haruka in
    the literal picture
  • It’s a fight every year. Every single year.
  • Whenever she can convince Haruka to leave the mechanic shop
    in someone else’s hands, she jets them off to some distant, warm vacation spot where
    she “doesn’t get service” and screens all her family’s calls until well into
    January
  • It’s healthier for both of them. Haruka runs on the beach
    while Michiru relaxes by the water
  • (They’re always back in time for Haruka’s birthday though.
    Michiru treats it as the only real holiday)

Seiusa

  • Can you say SNOW BUNNIES
  • These two love winter
  • To Usagi the season is all about cookies and hot chocolate
    and snuggling and those are three of her favorite things
  • Seiya is the SNOWBALL FIGHT CHAMPION
  • (That no one WANTS to be in a snowball fight with her is not
    important)
  • They are the couple that always builds ridiculously detailed
    snowmen together
  • It gets to the point that Usagi actually shops for
    accessories. They have a whole drawer of snowman hats and scarves and knickknacks
    that no one but Usagi would think of even putting on a snowman
  • The moment they go back inside is Seiya’s favorite, Usagi’s
    all rosy cheeks and cold hands and Seiya just always scoops her up in her arms
    to warm her back up
  • They have so many matching ugly sweaters, because Usagi
    thinks they’re cute and Seiya thinks they’re funny
  • Usagi is also a gift-giving champion. Seiya is STILL flabbergasted
    everytime she comes home on wrapping day and sees the carnage of Usagi wrapping
    everything for all her friends and family
  • Usagi has to give Seiya gifts in private because Seiya tends
    to get “just a bit teary” over her thoughtfulness and never wants anyone to
    know
  • Also just picture these two losers falling asleep on the
    couch under a big flannel blanket, Seiya slumped down with her head nuzzled
    into Usagi’s shoulder as the snow falls outside
~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

Harumichi looking for their first apartment: a very fraught process, Haruka’s delicate feelings re:cost battle against her desire to fill Michiru’s every need, after a few tearful discussions they end up in something modest but modern and Michiru has the grace to let Haruka put in a decently fair share of the rent every month

Reinako looking for their first apartment: possibly an actual battle, Rei wants the cheapest place but also has impossible standards, Mina keeps suggesting artist housing as she is a yet-to-be-discovered actress/singer/model/general star but Rei refuses to live in a building full of theater kids, they end up spending their first year in a cramped, dirty studio because they can’t agree on anything but neither is willing to back down from their decision to live together