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     1.4 +Hi, everybody! ^-^ How are you all? This is the first part of a story
     1.5 +were doing. We're trying to decide if ChibiUsa & Hotaru should come out
     1.6 +pretty soon or if we should keep waiting for a while. We really love
     1.7 +hearing from you so after reading the story please e-mail us your
     1.8 +thought's on the subject. ^^ Anyway, this story was written along with
     1.9 +Minako, the newest member. We decided rather than change the name to
    1.10 +Amazoness Trio to change it to the Quartet (Yay!!! Who get's to be
    1.11 +PallaPalla?). We don't have a fourth member yet, but we can hope. ^^
    1.12 +This story is a Sekkushiaru Roman and for mature audiences, so please
    1.13 +enjoy. ^^ It takes place several years after Sailormoon Sailor Stars.
    1.14 +ChibiUsa & Hotaru are both 15 years old. For technical things about
    1.15 +the story: (and we're really sorry if we screw any of this up ^^)
    1.16 +The legal age to get married in Japan is 16.
    1.17 +Ikuko and Kenji are Usagi's parents. Shingo is Usagi's brother. Usagi
    1.18 +is married to Mamoru and lives with him while ChibiUsa continues to
    1.19 +live with Ikuko, Kenji, and Shingo.
    1.20 +That's about it for now. All the character's are copyright of Naoko
    1.21 +Takeuchi & others.
    1.22 +Thanks to everyone who reads our stories. ^-^
    1.23 +
    1.24 +
    1.25 +                                Moonlit Nights
    1.26 +
    1.27 +                         By: The Amazoness Quartet
    1.28 +
    1.29 +        ChibiUsa rolled over in bed, not quite asleep, but not yet awake.
    1.30 +She pulled the blanket around herself tighter, trying to get back to
    1.31 +sleep.
    1.32 +      "Wake up, ChibiUsa," she heard a familiar voice say. She rolled
    1.33 +over again, trying to ignore it. "Come on, ChibiUsa-chan. Wake up,"
    1.34 +the voice repeated.
    1.35 +       "I'm too tired to go to the banquet today. You and dad go,"
    1.36 +ChibiUsa mumbled sleepily. She felt the weight of the bed shift as
    1.37 +someone sat beside her.
    1.38 +       "I'm not your mom, Odango-chan," the voice said, amused by the
    1.39 +girl she was trying to wake up.
    1.40 +       "Good," ChibiUsa said satisfied. "Then I'm going back to
    1.41 +sleep."
    1.42 +        Hotaru started absentmindedly running her fingers through
    1.43 +ChibiUsa's soft pink hair. "Odango-chan," she said sternly. "If you
    1.44 +don't get up you'll be late for school."
    1.45 +       ChibiUsa sat up in bed, trying to find out where she was. She
    1.46 +blinked her eyes several times before focusing on a half clothed
    1.47 +Hotaru. She at her lover. "I could get used to waking up to this."
    1.48 +       Hotaru blushed when she saw ChibiUsa's gaze lower along her
    1.49 +body. "It was great waking up with you by me," Hotaru said smiling
    1.50 +back at ChibiUsa. "Now if only you'd wake up before making us both
    1.51 +late."
    1.52 +       ChibiUsa pulled the blanket over her head. "If I'm at your
    1.53 +house it means it's the weekend, right? Please say there's no school
    1.54 +today..." ChibiUsa had had many ideas about what she and Hotaru could
    1.55 +do that day after waking up beside her, but they were all for nothing
    1.56 +if she had school.
    1.57 +       "Sorry, Odango-chan, but its a school day. Usagi's parents let
    1.58 +you spend the night probably because they think I'm a responsible
    1.59 +young lady and that I'd get you to school on time. Which is what I
    1.60 +intend to do, so they'll let you stay over on school nights more
    1.61 +often. You aren't a morning person, are you, ChibiUsa-chan?" Hotaru
    1.62 +asked as she pulled her skirt on.
    1.63 +        "I can be, if the conditions are right," ChibiUsa answered
    1.64 +before yawning. She pulled the blanket down. She blushed when she
    1.65 +realized she wasn't wearing anything under the blanket. 'I'm not used
    1.66 +to waking up naked in Hotaru's bed. I hope we do this enough that I
    1.67 +can get used to it. That would be fun,' ChibiUsa thought.
    1.68 +        "And what would those be?" Hotaru asked innocently. ChibiUsa
    1.69 +giggled. That look rarely meant Hotaru was innocent.
    1.70 +        "Well, first we'd have to stop that silly idea of yours about
    1.71 +going to school. And second, you'd have to get out of those school
    1.72 +clothes," ChibiUsa said quietly.
    1.73 +        "I'm sure you'd be willing to help. Now get up and get
    1.74 +dressed, before I have to dress you myself," Hotaru said in warning
    1.75 +tones. ChibiUsa pulled the blanket up over her head again.
    1.76 +
    1.77 +        Several minutes later, an exhausted looking Hotaru walked out
    1.78 +of her room with ChibiUsa. ChibiUsa's clothes were rumpled and in
    1.79 +disarray.
    1.80 +        "I told you I would do it," Hotaru panted. "We could have
    1.81 +taken a shower together if you'd waken up earlier," she said as she
    1.82 +and ChibiUsa headed for the stairs.
    1.83 +        "You should have tried to wake me up. That would have been
    1.84 +great before school," ChibiUsa said regretfully.
    1.85 +        "I tried. You said you wanted to sleep, so I let you sleep a
    1.86 +little longer and took one by myself." Hotaru looked at ChibiUsa.
    1.87 +"Don't you remember?"
    1.88 +        ChibiUsa laughed nervously. "Not really. Like you said, I'm
    1.89 +not a morning person. I don't do well this early."
    1.90 +        "Maybe I can help you," Hotaru said softly. She leaned towards
    1.91 +the pink haired girl. One arm went behind ChibiUsa, stopping at the
    1.92 +small of ChibiUsa's back. She pushed deeply into the kiss. ChibiUsa
    1.93 +half closed her eyes as her hands started to wander over Hotaru's
    1.94 +body.
    1.95 +She settled into the kiss with her hands on either side of Hotaru's
    1.96 +slender waist. Their breath mingled as the girls kissed passionately,
    1.97 +their tongues touching.
    1.98 +        ChibiUsa heard some footsteps coming up the stairs. She pulled
    1.99 +away from Hotaru, startling the dark haired girl. Hotaru looked at
   1.100 +ChibiUsa worriedly to see what was wrong.
   1.101 +       "You two better get going if you want to get to school on
   1.102 +time," Setsuna said as she walked past them hurriedly.
   1.103 +       Hotaru stared at ChibiUsa, realizing why her lover had pulled
   1.104 +away. "Come on, ChibiUsa," she said angrily.
   1.105 +       ChibiUsa flinched. She was surprised that Hotaru was upset. She
   1.106 +knew Hotaru hated pretending that they weren't a couple, but she'd
   1.107 +never made the dark haired girl angry because of it before. Hotaru
   1.108 +started down the stairs.
   1.109 +        "Taru-chan, I'm sorry," ChibiUsa said as she tried to catch up
   1.110 +with Hotaru. She ignored ChibiUsa's apology and continued towards the
   1.111 +door.
   1.112 +       "You forgot your backpack upstairs," Hotaru said without
   1.113 +looking back at her. She opened the door and walked out.
   1.114 +        ChibiUsa hesitated for a moment. "Hotaru, matte!" she
   1.115 +yelled before running back upstairs to get her backpack.
   1.116 +
   1.117 +        ChibiUsa caught up to Hotaru down the road. She tried to catch
   1.118 +her breath as she walked alongside the angry dark haired girl. She
   1.119 +looked down at her shoes. "I'm sorry, Taru," she said in a small voice.
   1.120 +        Hotaru walked along for a moment in silence before answering.
   1.121 +"I love you, ChibiUsa. Why am I only allowed to love you at certain
   1.122 +times? Why only when we're alone? I have to live a lie in front of my
   1.123 +parents. They're the people I trust the most, and I can't tell them
   1.124 +that I'm in love. You pushed me away because Setsuna-mama was coming.
   1.125 +You pretended I didn't mean anything to you in front of her. You're
   1.126 +the most important thing in my life. That's why it hurts so much that
   1.127 +you pretend we're only friends until no one's looking. It's such a
   1.128 +strange feeling being in love, but it feels great. I don't want to
   1.129 +hide it." She finally turned to ChibiUsa. "When? When will we tell
   1.130 +everyone? When can we stop this stupid charade?"
   1.131 +        ChibiUsa couldn't meet her gaze. She was ashamed of herself.
   1.132 +She knew she'd hurt Hotaru badly that morning. "I'm... I'm sorry,
   1.133 +Hotaru. I love you. I don't want to hurt you." She stepped forward and
   1.134 +genty clasped Hotaru's hand with both of her own. She looked into
   1.135 +Hotaru's beautiful purple eyes. The raven haired girl still looked
   1.136 +angry and depressed. Hotaru blinked and her gaze started to soften.
   1.137 +ChibiUsa kissed her hand before continuing. "I'm so sorry about this
   1.138 +morning, but I'm still not used to everything, yet. I know you don't
   1.139 +want to keep this up, but I'm not ready to tell everyone yet."
   1.140 +        "Why not?" Hotaru demanded, some of her anger returning. "If
   1.141 +you love me, then why do we have to keep it a secret. What are you so
   1.142 +afraid of?" Hotaru pulled away from the pink haired girl and began
   1.143 +walking off again.
   1.144 +        ChibiUsa grabbed Hotaru's hand and turned her around. She
   1.145 +looked at her sadly. "This is all so new to me. I want to make sure
   1.146 +everything works out for the best. I love you, Taru-chan, and the
   1.147 +last thing I'd want to do is hurt you. I hate knowing that you're
   1.148 +sad. I'm sorry about not telling everyone, but I'm still shy about
   1.149 +the two of us. I don't know what to say or what anyone will think.
   1.150 +You're more important to me than that, though. I don't want to hurt
   1.151 +you anymore. Please, wait for me a little longer."
   1.152 +        Hotaru stared at her for a moment. She sighed. "It's so hard
   1.153 +to stay angry with you, Odango." Her arms went around the pink haired
   1.154 +girl. "Do you promise we'll tell them sometime soon?" she asked as
   1.155 +she held the other girl.
   1.156 +        "Hai," ChibiUsa said, nodding. "I'm really sorry about this
   1.157 +morning." She was glad Hotaru wasn't angry with her anymore, but she
   1.158 +still felt bad for how she'd acted. The two girls hugged before
   1.159 +continuing on their way. "You really want to tell everyone, don't
   1.160 +you?" ChibiUsa asked Their fingers intertwined as they held hands.
   1.161 +        "If we told everybody, we wouldn't have to sneak around
   1.162 +anymore. We wouldn't have to pretend there's nothing between us,"
   1.163 +Hotaru said as she looked into ChibiUsa's crimson eyes.
   1.164 +        ChibiUsa knew she wasn't being fair to the dark haired girl.
   1.165 +Hotaru hadn't wanted to hide anything from the beginning. She had
   1.166 +strenuously protested against hiding that they loved each other in the
   1.167 +first place. She had finally relented because she didn't want to hurt
   1.168 +ChibiUsa, but she continued to try to convince ChibiUsa to do
   1.169 +otherwise every chance she got.
   1.170 +        "Come on, Odango-chan. Let's not worry about it for now."
   1.171 +Hotaru smiled. "Besides, eventually we'll either have to tell
   1.172 +everyone or they'll find out anyway. It would be hard to pretend
   1.173 +we're just friends after we get married."
   1.174 +        ChibiUsa laughed. She always got nervous when they talked
   1.175 +about marriage. How was she supposed to propose to her best friend?
   1.176 +"I was thinking it might be nice to get married when we were sixteen,
   1.177 +like my mom. It's only about a year away. Or we could wait until
   1.178 +we're 17 when we're more mature."
   1.179 +        "How about now?" Hotaru asked calmly. She loved the pink
   1.180 +haired girl and dreamed about marrying her.
   1.181 +        "Now?" ChibiUsa asked surprised. "But we can't now. We have to
   1.182 +tell everyone first. And I've got to talk to my parents first and see if
   1.183 +you can come back to the future with me or if I need to stay in the
   1.184 +past with you. Westill have the high school entrance exams and..."
   1.185 +        Hotaru cut ChibiUsa off. "I've already got an engagement ring
   1.186 +for you." Both girls stopped suddenly on the sidewalk. ChibiUsa stared
   1.187 +as Hotaru pulled a small ring box out of her backpack and brought it
   1.188 +up for ChibiUsa to see.
   1.189 +        "It's beautiful," breathed ChibiUsa.
   1.190 +        Hotaru was pleased with ChibiUsa's reaction. She'd been
   1.191 +worried that ChibiUsa would protest against her buying an engagement
   1.192 +ring already. "How long have you had it?" ChibiUsa asked.
   1.193 +        Hotaru blushed. "Since a couple weeks ago. I've been wanting
   1.194 +to marry you for a long time."
   1.195 +        "Taru, we're too young," ChibiUsa argued nervously.
   1.196 +        "Don't worry, Odango-chan. I'm nervous about it, too," Hotaru
   1.197 +said.
   1.198 +        "Nervous about what?" ChibiUsa asked.
   1.199 +        "About proposing," Hotaru said smiling. "If you're too shy to,
   1.200 +just tell me and I'll be the one to propose. I'm kind of confused
   1.201 +about which of us should propose and I thought you might want to. The
   1.202 +only reason I haven't yet is because I haven't actually worked up the
   1.203 +courage to ask you yet. I just want you to know that I really want to
   1.204 +marry you. You mean so much to me."
   1.205 +        "Hotaru-chan," ChibiUsa said, not knowing how to reply.
   1.206 +        Hotaru sighed again. "Could I at least see what you'd look
   1.207 +wearing it for now?" she asked hopefully.
   1.208 +        ChibiUsa nodded shyly. 'I didn't know Hotaru was looking so
   1.209 +far ahead with the two of us. I'm so lucky to have her. She's really
   1.210 +thinking about us.'
   1.211 +        Hotaru slid the ring onto ChibiUsa's slender finger. Hotaru
   1.212 +held up the pink haired girl's hand and looked at her longingly. She
   1.213 +couldn't wait for the day when ChibiUsa was her bride.
   1.214 +        "How is it?" ChibiUsa asked. She flexed her finger and looked
   1.215 +at the ring. ChibiUsa was blushing a deep red as she looked from the
   1.216 +ring to the dreamy look on Hotaru's face.
   1.217 +        "You look beautiful as always, Odango-chan. You just look like
   1.218 +my cute Odango-chan that's engaged to me," Hotaru said smiling. She
   1.219 +brought ChibiUsa's hand up higher and kissed it before sliding the
   1.220 +ring off. She placed it back in the box before putting it back in her
   1.221 +backpack. "After seeing you wear the ring, I'll have to propose soon.
   1.222 +I really want to marry you now."
   1.223 +        ChibiUsa waved her arms. "Taru-chan, We've got plenty of time.
   1.224 +You shouldn't be too hasty about things like this. We should wait till
   1.225 +we're older."
   1.226 +        "Well, then you could always say that to me when I propose,"
   1.227 +Hotaru said as she walked towards the school gates. She faced ChibiUsa
   1.228 +and walked in backwards. "But could you really say no to me?" She
   1.229 +asked smiling.
   1.230 +        "No one ever told me having a girlfriend would be so much
   1.231 +trouble,"ChibiUsa said quietly.
   1.232 +        "Or so much fun. If your girlfriend happens to be your best
   1.233 +friend, it just makes it even more interesting," Hotaru whispered.
   1.234 +        ChibiUsa giggled. Hotaru smiled. All the tension she had been
   1.235 +feeling earlier had drifted away. 'I know ChibiUsa-chan's worried
   1.236 +about telling everyone, but soon I'll be able to get her to go along
   1.237 +with it. I just have to be ready to convince her. I'm sure I can.' Her
   1.238 +smile broadened. She mouthed the words 'I love you' to the pink
   1.239 +haired girl.
   1.240 +        The pink haired girl smiled at her and whispered back. "I love
   1.241 +you, too."
   1.242 +        Both girls held hands for what seemed like an eternity before
   1.243 +Hotaru walked off to her class. ChibiUsa turned around and saw Momoko
   1.244 +standing there. The Chinese girl had her purple hair done up in a
   1.245 +singleodango. She had an odd expression on her face as she looked
   1.246 +from ChibiUsa to the retreating form of Hotaru.
   1.247 +        'Did she see anything?' ChibiUsa thought frantically. 'What
   1.248 +did we do? Hotaru seems pretty obvious about us even when we are in
   1.249 +public.' "Ohayo,  Momo-chan," she said nervously.
   1.250 +        Momoko stared at her strangely for a second before replying.
   1.251 +"Ohayo, ChibiUsa-chan. How are you?"
   1.252 +        "I'm fine," ChibiUsa said. She smiled, glad that Hotaru wasn't
   1.253 +angry with her anymore. "Actually, I'm feeling great right now." She
   1.254 +spun around in a circle. 'I've felt better than I ever had since
   1.255 +Hotaru and I got together. Now that Hotaru's happy with me, it feels
   1.256 +like it'll be a great day. I've slept better then usual even though
   1.257 +we stayed up late talking and enjoying our time together.' She sighed
   1.258 +happily while blushing at the thoughts of what she and Hotaru had
   1.259 +done the night before.
   1.260 +        Momoko leaned towards ChibiUsa, the strange look returning to
   1.261 +her eyes. "You're fine, huh? Then why are you blushing?" the lavender
   1.262 +haired girl asked.
   1.263 +        ChibiUsa looked down. "Because..." she said simply.
   1.264 +        "Because what? I'm your friend. What aren't you telling me?"
   1.265 +Momoko asked. Momoko and Diana were the closest people to ChibiUsa,
   1.266 +besides Hotaru. She didn't keep things from either of them often. She
   1.267 +didn't know if she was ready to tell Momoko about what she and Hotaru
   1.268 +shared, but if Momoko was already on to it there wasn't a lot she
   1.269 +could do.
   1.270 +        "It's nothing," ChibiUsa said unconvincingly.
   1.271 +        "It has something to do with Hotaru, I know that. Why won't
   1.272 +you tell me?" Momoko asked sadly.
   1.273 +        "I'm sorry, Momo-chan, but I can't tell you yet. Soon, though.
   1.274 +I promise." ChibiUsa waved at her and started walking for class.
   1.275 +        "ChibiUsa, please..." Momoko started.
   1.276 +        "I can't. Not yet," ChibiUsa said.
   1.277 +        Momoko sighed. "I'll see you in class, ChibiUsa-chan."
   1.278 +        'I'm sorry, Momo-chan,' ChibiUsa thought. 'Someday.'
   1.279 +
   1.280 +        Hotaru looked around for her pink haired girlfriend. She
   1.281 +spotted a pair of familiar odango on the other side of a bush. She
   1.282 +made her way around it and smiled at ChibiUsa. ChibiUsa was sitting
   1.283 +and enjoying the shade with her bento box next to her. ChibiUsa
   1.284 +looked up at Hotaru. She smiled back and patted the ground beside
   1.285 +her. "Sit down, Taru-chan," ChibiUsa said happily.
   1.286 +        "I'm glad I found you. Not that you're too hard too find,"
   1.287 +Hotaru said as she sat down next to ChibiUsa. She brushed a leaf out
   1.288 +of the other girl's pink hair.
   1.289 +        "I'm glad you found me, too," ChibiUsa said quietly. Hotaru's
   1.290 +hand went under her chin. ChibiUsa looked around quickly. She could
   1.291 +hear some of the other students, but none of them could see the two
   1.292 +girls. As soon as she turned back, she felt Hotaru's soft lips press
   1.293 +against her own. She giggled lightly as Hotaru kissed her again.
   1.294 +ChibiUsa's hand went down past the raven haired girl's skirt to one of
   1.295 +her legs, clothed by the dark stockings she wore. ChibiUsa knew she
   1.296 +should stop now. If someone walked past and ChibiUsa pulled away
   1.297 +again, Hotaru would be angry. If she didn't, whoever was there might
   1.298 +very likely notice the two girls. Hotaru's tongue pushed between The
   1.299 +pink haired girl's lips. Hotaru moaned softly as they kissed.
   1.300 +        Both girls turned as they heard a rustling from the bush
   1.301 +behind them. They blushed as ChibiUsa pulled her hand away from
   1.302 +Hotaru's thigh.
   1.303 +        "Diana?!" ChibiUsa said surprised as the small gray cat
   1.304 +walked out of the bush. She had a paper in her mouth. She set it down
   1.305 +in front of ChibiUsa. "I don't know if you needed this or not, Small
   1.306 +Lady, but you left it at home. It's some of your notes."
   1.307 +        "Arigato, Diana. You didn't have to," ChibiUsa said, glad
   1.308 +that it had been her guardian cat.
   1.309 +        "Don't mention it. I'm glad I could help." She began to leave,
   1.310 +but turned back. "Hotaru-san? Were you teaching Small Lady how to
   1.311 +kiss? I'd just like to say that it looked like you were doing a great
   1.312 +job." Diana smiled happily and walked off. Both girls eyes went wide
   1.313 +as they sweatdropped. Hotaru blushed deeper. Diana was ChibiUsa's age,
   1.314 +but she still seemed very innocent.
   1.315 +        Hotaru and ChibiUsa sat in silence for several minutes.
   1.316 +Before they could talk about what happened, Ruruna and Naruru popped
   1.317 +up.
   1.318 +        "Hello, ChibiUsa-chan! Hi, Hotaru-chan!" Naruru said happily.
   1.319 +        "Have you two heard about the dance?" Ruruna asked.
   1.320 +        "What dance?" Hotaru asked confused.
   1.321 +        "We didn't think so. Anyway, there's going to be a dance this
   1.322 +Friday.
   1.323 +Ruruna and I are going to make sure everybody knows since we're both
   1.324 +helping to organize it." Naruru smiled.
   1.325 +        "Friday? But today's Wednesday!" ChibiUsa said.
   1.326 +        "Yeah, so you don't have much time to get a date for it, but
   1.327 +we know you can if you try," said Ruruna. "If you need any help, just
   1.328 +ask us."
   1.329 +        "We've got to go for now, but we'll see you two later. Ja
   1.330 +ne!!" Naruru and Ruruna waved as they walked off.
   1.331 +
   1.332 +        ChibiUsa walked home as soon as school had ended. Diana was
   1.333 +on top of her head and chatting away about what had happened the day
   1.334 +before while ChibiUsa had been at the Outer Senshi's house. Usagi had
   1.335 +made her curry while visiting and this time it didn't look like
   1.336 +garbage. Mamoru had visited along with her and eaten the tasty food,
   1.337 +Rei and the other Senshi had visited and talked to the two about
   1.338 +"Sailor business" mostly for old times sake since the only senshi
   1.339 +living there was ChibiUsa.
   1.340 +        "Diana," ChibiUsa interrupted, " What do you think about
   1.341 +Hotaru?"
   1.342 +        Diana climbed down so that she could see her mistress's face.
   1.343 +She was smiling. "Hotaru is a very nice friend," she said. "It's nice
   1.344 +she's teaching you how to kiss. Now when you get a boyfriend you can
   1.345 +be ready."
   1.346 +        ChibiUsa smiled. 'She's teaching me more than kissing.'
   1.347 +ChibiUsa stepped up to her front door and walked inside.
   1.348 +Usagi's mother, father and brother were watching a movie.
   1.349 +        "Good afternoon, ChibiUsa," Ikuko said smiling, Kenji nodded
   1.350 +in greeting. "Usagi's upstairs, probably talking on the phone again
   1.351 +with that boyfriend of hers."
   1.352 +        "Bo-boyfriend!"," Kenji said frilling up like a cats coils.
   1.353 +        "Dad," Shingo said trying to calm him down. "She's been
   1.354 +married for years now. Of course she's talking to him on the phone. I
   1.355 +think your having flashbacks since she's visiting."
   1.356 +        "A boyfriend who likes to run up our phone bills," Kenji
   1.357 +commented.
   1.358 +        Shingo buried his face in his hands in frustration. "Dad...."
   1.359 +        ChibiUsa smiled and walked up to Usagi's room and felt
   1.360 +Diana jump down from her head. The small grey cat nuzzled next to her
   1.361 +mother. Chibi-Usa sat down next to Usagi, and Usagi turned and smiled
   1.362 +at her future daughter. She had been talking on the phone.
   1.363 +        "Konichiwa ChibiUsa," Usagi smiled. "How did you like
   1.364 +spending the night with Hotaru-chan?"
   1.365 +        "Interesting," she answered. "I made it to school on time.
   1.366 +Usagi... you love Mamoru, ne?"
   1.367 +        Usagi looked at ChibiUsa strangely, and answered. "Yes."
   1.368 +        "Then do you think I could fall in love?"
   1.369 +        "ChibiUsa, most people would say you're too young, but I fell
   1.370 +in love with Mamo-chan when I was fourteen. Your over that age and I
   1.371 +think you could fall in love any time now."
   1.372 +        "Arigato, Usagi," ChibiUsa said and got up to leave.
   1.373 +'I already am,' she thought.
   1.374 +
   1.375 +        "So what do you think?" Hotaru said over the phone.
   1.376 +        "I don't know 'Taru-chan," ChibiUsa answered fidgiting with
   1.377 +the phone cord. Hotaru had just asked ChibiUsa to the dance. The one
   1.378 +that Ruruna and Naruru had told them about at lunch.
   1.379 +        "Come on, you're not still afraid are you?" Hotaru
   1.380 +answered a bit of anger in her voice.
   1.381 +        ChibiUsa knew that all that Hotaru wanted was to be able to
   1.382 +be open about their relationship. ChibiUsa's heart beat grew faster.
   1.383 +'What do I say?' "Taru you know I love you, but....I just can't. Not
   1.384 +yet," ChibiUsa said. "You know the risks that come with any kind of
   1.385 +love that grows. Look at everything Usagi and Mamoru went through.
   1.386 +We'd have a lot more to deal with if we told everyone."
   1.387 +        Hotaru sighed. "Odango-chan," Hotaru answered, "I don't know
   1.388 +how long I can take keeping this a secret...I just want what
   1.389 +Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa have."
   1.390 +        "And all I want is what my mother and father have," ChibiUsa
   1.391 +replied, "I'll go with you 'Taru, but this isn't my official
   1.392 +outcoming."
   1.393 +        "In other words 'friends only'?" she asked.
   1.394 +        "...it has to be," ChibiUsa said.
   1.395 +        "Alright Odango-chan, for you."
   1.396 +
   1.397 +
   1.398 +        Hotaru was lying in her bed. She had several pillows propped
   1.399 +up behind her, to keep comfortable. She was trying to read. It
   1.400 +usually helped her when she was thinking about something too much.
   1.401 +This time, though, it didn't seem to be helping at all. She reread a
   1.402 +sentence over again. She set down the book in frustration, unable to
   1.403 +concentrate on it. She reached over to a nightstand and picked up a
   1.404 +picture frame she had on it. She smiled when she looked at the
   1.405 +picture. It was of her and ChibiUsa. She had an arm around
   1.406 +ChibiUsa's waist, while the pink haired girl had an arm over her
   1.407 +shoulder. They were both smiling oddly and Hotaru was blushing
   1.408 +slightly. It was from before they'd talked about their feelings for
   1.409 +each other. At the time it had just been a silly pose they were doing
   1.410 +for the camera, but she remembered how ChibiUsa had clutched her
   1.411 +shoulder and brought her closer before the picture was taken. The
   1.412 +picture was one of her favorites. Her fingers brushed the glass over
   1.413 +the image of ChibiUsa. Hotaru rolled over and sighed. 'I don't want
   1.414 +to go as friends,' she thought. 'I don't care what everyone else
   1.415 +thinks. I want them to know I love her. I want to go as her
   1.416 +girlfriend. We've been best friends for the longest time. Why does
   1.417 +she want to keep acting like that's all we are? A dance sounds fun
   1.418 +and I want her to take me.' She hugged one of her pillows tightly
   1.419 +against herself. 'Odango-chan.'
   1.420 +        Hotaru heard a knock at the door. "Come in," she said.
   1.421 +        The door opened and Haruka walked in. "I brought you some tea,
   1.422 +Hime-chan." She handed her daughter the cup.
   1.423 +        "Arigato, Haruka-papa," she said gratefully. She felt better
   1.424 +as she sat with Haruka. She drank a bit of the warm liquid, relaxing.
   1.425 +Haruka ruffled Hotaru's hair.
   1.426 +        "Haruka-papa, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm 15," Hotaru
   1.427 +protested.
   1.428 +        Haruka laughed. "You're growing up, but both you and ChibiUsa
   1.429 +still seem like little girls. I'm glad about that. I wouldn't want
   1.430 +you growing up too fast. I remember when you were a small baby."
   1.431 +        Hotaru giggled. "That was only a couple years ago."
   1.432 +        "See? You're already growing up too fast because you had to
   1.433 +reage and be Sailor Saturn again. So how was school?" Haruka
   1.434 +asked.
   1.435 +        Hotaru sighed and hugged her pillow again. "It was pretty
   1.436 +good. I had a really nice lunch with ChibiUsa."
   1.437 +        "And you didn't have much homework, so the day seems to have
   1.438 +gone well. What else happened, Hime-chan?" Haruka looked at the
   1.439 +younger girl.
   1.440 +        "I found out that there's going to be a dance this Friday,"
   1.441 +Hotaru answered.
   1.442 +        Haruka smiled. "Ohhhh...So the girl you want to go with
   1.443 +either doesn't seem to know you exist or you don't think she'd go
   1.444 +with you." Hotaru stared at Haruka. "Okay, maybe that isn't it. Have
   1.445 +you found someone to go with? You can always take ChibiUsa. I think
   1.446 +she has a crush on you."
   1.447 +        Hotaru stared at Haruka again. She teased Hotaru about
   1.448 +ChibiUsa every so often even though Hotaru hadn't told her about
   1.449 +the two of them. She didn't really know what to say. Before, she
   1.450 +always told Haruka that they were only friends, but that had been
   1.451 +before she'd admitted to herself that she was in love with the pink
   1.452 +girl.
   1.453 +        "So why wouldn't anyone want to take a pretty girl like
   1.454 +you?" Haruka continued.Hotaru sighed, glad that she hadn't had to
   1.455 +come up with a response.
   1.456 +        "It's complicated, Haruka-papa. I'm going to the dance, but
   1.457 +not the way I want to," Hotaru tried to explain.
   1.458 +        Haruka nodded. "It sounds confusing. Is there anything I can
   1.459 +do to help?"
   1.460 +        "I don't think so," Hotaru said. She looked up. "Do you think
   1.461 +ChibiUsa-chan can spend the night with me this Friday? She could come
   1.462 +back here with me after the dance."
   1.463 +        "I don't see why not. Let me talk to Setsuna and Michi first.
   1.464 +Otherwise, I'm sure she can," said Haruka.
   1.465 +        "Thank you, Haruka-papa," Hotaru said happily. Haruka smiled
   1.466 +at her as she picked up the empty tea cups and prepared to leave.
   1.467 +        Haruka turned to Hotaru before leaving. "Hotaru, don't worry
   1.468 +about it. If there's one thing I know, its that you can't run from
   1.469 +fate. Whatever happens, I'm sure it'll turn out alright."
   1.470 +        Hotaru contemplated what Haruka said. "Thanks, Haruka-papa."
   1.471 +        "No problem. If you need any help, just ask. Sorry about the
   1.472 +dance, but I hope you enjoy yourself anyway." Haruka opened the door.
   1.473 +        "I'm sure I will." Hotaru waved as Haruka departed. Hotaru
   1.474 +sighed and fell back on her bed.
   1.475 +
   1.476 +        The next day after school, Hotaru and ChibiUsa were at the
   1.477 +Crown Cafe discussing the dance.
   1.478 +        "What if you wore boys' clothes, like Haruka-san?" ChibiUsa
   1.479 +asked.
   1.480 +        Hotaru sweatdropped. "I don't think that would work. I'd just
   1.481 +look like a girl cross-dressing."
   1.482 +        "We could give you a short pony tail," ChibiUsa suggested.
   1.483 +        "I'm glad you want to go as a couple, but I still don't think
   1.484 +that would work. That does give me an idea. What if you let your hair
   1.485 +down? You always wear it in the odango hair style at school, so
   1.486 +noone's seen you with it down before," Hotaru said smiling.
   1.487 +        "For one thing, everyone would see me with you, so if they
   1.488 +didn't think it was me, they'd still think that you were going with a
   1.489 +girl," ChibiUsa said.
   1.490 +        Hotaru smiled a bit more. "I don't mind if they know I've got
   1.491 +a girlfriend. You're the one who doesn't want anyone to know."
   1.492 +        "Even then, I'm the only girl with pink hair at school.
   1.493 +Everybody would just think I was trying a different hair style at the
   1.494 +dance." ChibiUsa sipped her drink.
   1.495 +        "I like my idea, even more if everyone would notice that
   1.496 +we're going out. I've got another idea, but you're not going to like
   1.497 +it," Hotaru said. She waved to Unazuki as she served another group of
   1.498 +people.
   1.499 +        "What is it?" ChibiUsa asked, curious.
   1.500 +        "The reason you don't want to go with me as your date is
   1.501 +because then everyone would find out about us, right?" Hotaru asked.
   1.502 +        "Yeah...."
   1.503 +        "Then all we have to do is tell most of our family and
   1.504 +friends today, and we won't have to worry about them finding out from
   1.505 +other people who were at the dance." Hotaru smiled at the pink haired
   1.506 +girl again.
   1.507 +        ChibiUsa stared at Hotaru. "But the dance is tomorrow."
   1.508 +        "So if we get moving now, we should be able to tell everyone
   1.509 +in time. We could always have them meet us at the Hikawa shrine,"
   1.510 +Hotaru said. "Or we could tell them all on Saturday. I doubt they'll
   1.511 +have found out by then." Her hand clasped ChibiUsa's beneath the
   1.512 +table. "You should relax, Odango-chan. The whole reason I want to go
   1.513 +to the dance with you is because it sounds fun. And because it's with
   1.514 +you," she sighed, "even if we are going as friends. I still don't
   1.515 +promise I'll act like your best friend."
   1.516 +        ChibiUsa squeezed Hotaru's hand back. "How can I relax if you
   1.517 +give me reasons to worry." She smiled as her fingers intertwined with
   1.518 +Hotaru's.
   1.519 +        "And you wouldn't have to worry if you'd just let us come out
   1.520 +to everyone. I'm sure everyone would be happy that we have each
   1.521 +other." Hotaru leaned across the table and kissed ChibiUsa lightly in
   1.522 +the public cafe. ChibiUsa kissed her back tentatively, trying to
   1.523 +control her blushing. Her tongue pushed into Hotaru's mouth. Their
   1.524 +tongues met as they kissed. As they pulled away, ChibiUsa noticed
   1.525 +that the dark haired girl was blushing as well.
   1.526 +        "Taru-chan?"
   1.527 +        "I understand how you feel about everything, ChibiUsa. I'm shy
   1.528 +about these things too. But I love you and I want everyone to know
   1.529 +that. I understand why you don't want to tell everyone yet. I'm
   1.530 +nervous about it as well, but I don't want to have to hide how much I
   1.531 +love you," Hotaru said in a soft voice.
   1.532 +        ChibiUsa smiled at her. "I'm glad you understand. You always
   1.533 +understand me."
   1.534 +        "It's because I can read you like a book," Hotaru said with a
   1.535 +smile.
   1.536 +        "Oh, yeah?" Then what am I thinking right now?" ChibiUsa asked.
   1.537 +She stuck out her tongue.
   1.538 +        "You're thinking that since neither of us have much homework,
   1.539 +it would be fun to go over to my house and cuddle for a couple of
   1.540 +hours." Hotaru said with her chin on her hands.
   1.541 +        "I was thinking we could go get Ice Cream or something to eat,
   1.542 +but that does sound a lot better," ChibiUsa said happily.
   1.543 +        "Darn. I was sure you had your 'I want to cuddle look' just
   1.544 +then, not your 'let's spend Hotaru's allowance on food' look."
   1.545 +Hotaru gave her another quick kiss before they got up to leave.
   1.546 +
   1.547 +_____________
   1.548 +That's it for part one. ^^ We hope you enjoyed it. Please tell us what
   1.549 +you think. Bye!!!
   1.550 +