Haruka’s Little Princess

So the April Ficlet Showers generator gave me  HARUKA and CHIBIUSA in the Crystal Palace, innocence | adoration. Was there anywhere to go with this besides Chibiusa/Hotaru and dorky papa Haruka? (probably).

~1000 words. Very fluffy.

Haruka stretched out her arms and stifled a yawn. Mina had
been kind enough to dismiss her early from the foreign policy meeting on the
grounds of her having “a not insignificant bias against a certain ambassador
from Kinmoku.” It was a bigger blessing than Haruka could have hoped for on a
Monday morning like this. Summer sunlight sparkled through the crystal halls.
She could go for a run, not a training run but a pleasure run, something she
hadn’t done in far too long.

But then there were footsteps, quick and hard. Haruka
reached for her sword. All of the other senshi were still in the conference
room. Which meant–

“Haruka! Wait!”

She relaxed. All of the senshi but one were still in the conference room. She turned and bowed to the
pink-haired girl. “Princess.”

“Nuh-uh.” Chibiusa crossed her arms. “None of that today. Do
you see a dress or a crown?” She gestured over her white button down and prim
skirt—oddly formal, but not royal. “I’m Usagi today. Just an ordinary person.”

Haruka suppressed a chuckle. “I see. And what does Usagi the
ordinary person want?”

Chibiusa clenched her fists. “I want to talk to you alone,
woman to woman!”

Haruka did laugh then. Chibiusa had grown up a lot, she had
to be at least the equivalent of twenty now, but even with senshi life she’d
kept so much of her childish innocence. “Did you ask Mina to let me out early,
then?”

“That would be an abuse of power!” Haruka didn’t respond, so
after a moment Chibiusa pouted. “So I’d definitely never officially admit to
such a thing. But that’s not the point.”

“What is the point?” Chibiusa was not so much like her
mother that she’d do this for something insignificant. This was not a case of
wanting to sneak off to play video games or to bond over slacking off. Haruka
was certain it was something at least mildly important.

Chibiusa’s cheeks flushed pinker than her hair. “The point
is, you’re Hotaru’s papa. And Hotaru really likes those old romance books, the
kinds where everything is all proper and courtly and stuff. So I thought I
should follow that theme, to be special and everything.” She put her hands to
her chest, took a deep breath, and then looked up at Haruka with blazing
determination. “Ms. Tennou, I would like your permission to ask your daughter
for her hand in marriage!”

Haruka would have liked to have been able to say that she
played the part of the stern old father well, that she’d appraised Chibiusa
with a critical eye and had given some speech about treating her daughter
right. She’d certainly try to convince Hotaru that she’d done just that.

But in truth, of course, she burst into tears and scooped
Chibiusa up in her arms. “I can’t believe the two of you are old enough for
this,” she sobbed into Chibiusa’s shoulder. “It seems like just yesterday
Hotaru was a little baby and—“

“Haruka, it’s literally been a thousand years—“

“But I know you adore her, and she loves you, so she’s going
to say yes, and you’re going to make her so so happy.” Haruka sniffled hard and
set Chibiusa down. “Who all knows?”

Chibiusa straightened her skirt. “Well, Mina, of course,
since I needed her to help me get you alone, and Mama, because god forbid I
keep anything a secret from her, and then Mako’s helping me plan the perfect
asking.”

More tears welled in Haruka’s eyes. Mako had helped her ask
Michiru, too, choosing the best flowers and the best food, and Mina had helped
her dress, and god, Hotaru, her little princess, was going to be so happy, just
as happy as she had been when Michiru had said yes, and—

“You can’t tell Michiru or Puu.”

Haruka gave a start. “I can’t keep a secret like this from
Michiru!”

Chibiusa furrowed her brow. “You can and you will, on official
command from your princess. Hotaru will want to tell her herself. And I want us
to tell Puu together.”

“I hope you’re doing it soon, then.” She gave it a week, if
not sooner, before Michiru cracked her.

“Tomorrow night.” That at least sounded possible. Surely she
could hold out one night. “There’s supposed to be a meteor shower. Mako’s
cooking a dinner for me to take down to the park.”

Haruka smiled. “She’ll love that. And the ring?”

Chibiusa fumbled into her skirt pocket to pull out the box.
It was a simple ring, the silver band connecting in an infinity sign rather
than a jewel—living in a crystal city made gems somewhat less of a specialty.

“It’s perfect.”

“I hope so.” She slipped it back into her pocket. “Everyone
will be coming out soon. Remember to keep your mouth shut.”

“I will, I will.”

“Okay.” Chibiusa’s face relaxed and she smiled. “Thank you,
Haruka.” She blinked away a little shine of tears before turning back down the
hall.

“Wait, one last thing.”

“Hm?”

Haruka couldn’t fight the grin off her face. “You’re gonna
make my little princess an actual princess.”

Chibiusa laughed. “I am.” She pointed back sternly. “Don’t
let it go to your head!”

“Too late!”

Haruka could not be sure she’d ever smiled for so many hours
in a row before. By sunset her cheeks had begun to hurt, but she could not
stop. Every time she saw Hotaru or Chibiusa, or a flower or the sun or her own
wedding ring, her heart got floaty. Married,
her little Hotaru was going to be married.

“What are you so happy about?” Michiru asked as they climbed
into bed. “If getting out of meetings is going to make you this delirious, I’ll
have to make Mina excuse you more often.”

“It’s not that.” Haruka kissed her wife, smiling all the
while. “You have to wait and see.”

Michiru giggled as Haruka moved way down her neck. “It’s not
like you to keep secrets.”

“This one’s worth it. It really, really is.”