The Angel Beside Me (part 7 of 7)

a Sailor Moon fanfiction by Amnesia Nymph

Back to Part 6
Pieces of you

"Who did you sleep with?"

Usagi blushed at that as she stepped back."I c-can't tell you. It's 
too..."

"Michiru?" Haruka guessed. The look on her face didn't seem to change. 
She still had that confident smile on her lips and a caring look in her 
eyes. For a moment Usagi managed to forget about her fears until she 
remembered Michiru's words of earlier that morning.'You promised to love 
me until you would die, you're still alive.' This was when the blonde 
girl decided it was for the best not to tell Haruka. Michiru was still 
madly in love with the taller woman in front of her.

"Your silence says enough." Haruka finally said after a few minutes. 
Usagi wanted to say something but stopped when she noticed that Haruka 
was staring at someone behind her. Usagi also turned around to see what 
was going on. But when she saw the black haired man in front of her she 
had wished she had never turned around in the first place.

It was Mamoru standing in front of her now. The look on this face was a 
look she had never seen before and it was at the same time something she 
would never want to see again. He looked so broken, hurt, pained and 
more emotions were showed all at the same time."Mamoru..." Usagi managed 
to whispered as she could feel tears form against her will.

Haruka was shocked as well.'What a lousy way to find out.' She thought 
to herself, feeling sorry for the black haired man. Usagi now turned 
back to face Haruka with a sad smile on her face. Haruka knew that she 
wasn't welcome anymore right now. Usagi needed to talk to Mamoru in 
private. She just nodded down at the smaller blonde and started to walk 
away. When she stood next to Mamoru she stopped walking to talk to 
him."Don't try to make her feel as hurt as you are feeling now. It'll 
haunt you. I will haunt you." She stated. Mamoru simply nodded as she 
started to walk away again.

Mamoru's eyes has never left Usagi's.'So this is why you have been 
acting so strange lately, because you love Michiru?' He wondered. 
Although he wanted to ask Usagi this question he decided not to. He 
wanted to keep this uncomfortable silence put as long as he could make 
it last. He knew that the moment he or Usagi would say something it 
would be over. Not only this silence but also their relationship.

"I am sorry you had to find out like this Mamoru." Usagi finally 
said."If it makes you feel better, I didn't sleep with her because 
I...l-love her but.." Usagi now realised how stupid that must've sounded 
so she didn't continue. It was true after all, her feelings for Michiru 
meant nothing more than her feelings for her other friends. Michiru had 
just learned her how to love, Rei? Even the princess started to question 
that now.

"It doesn't matter why you slept with her, the act is what counts." 
Mamoru finally said after realising that Usagi wasn't going to say 
anything else."And don't think that news makes me feel better. I just 
found out that you've been sleeping with someone else. Nothing you say 
can make me feel better." He could see the blonde flinch but he didn't 
care. He was so hurt that his own emotions started to cloud this true 
intentions. He wanted to love her, not hurt her.

"Mamoru, please...It happened once. I don't even like her and..." This 
time he cut her off.

"Like I said before Usako, Usagi...The act is what matters." He pressed. 
He clenched his fist. Never before had he felt so useless, so 
powerless."You couldn't even visit me while I lay in hospital, waiting 
for you. You couldn't even bring yourself to be honest with me. Why?"

"I was going to visit you, today!" Usagi said with a desperate tone in 
her voice. Mamoru didn't believe her, she could see it by the look he 
was giving her. He didn't say anything to cut her off though so she 
decided to go on."I was on my way to the hospital but I bumped into 
Haruka and we started talking, you have to believe me!"

"You bumped into Haruka and suddenly the two of you started talking 
about how you slept with Tenoh's girlfriend?" He questioned."Even for 
you that's a lousy and stupid way to lie yourself out of this one. Can't 
you be honest with me?"

"I am!" Usagi now yelled desperately."Michiru and Haruka aren't together 
anymore. Haruka is with Setsuna now. But that doesn't matter. No matter 
what I say you keep making this about yourself Mamoru. I can't do this 
anymore. I know you love me and I care about you a lot as well but not 
like you want me to. I don't love you like that."

Mamoru was shocked by hearing this but decided to hear her out. Usagi 
calmed down at bit as she straightened up."I am sorry Mamoru but I want 
our past just to be our past. Not my future. I ended talking to Michiru 
about this a few days ago. She told me that I control my own future and 
she is right. I can't lie to you forever just because that's what our 
previous selfs have promised eachother. You've got so much love Mamoru, 
but it's not meant for me."

"Why haven't you told me before?" The black haired man asked, his eyes 
focussed on the ground now, no longer on the blonde.

Usagi hung her head down in shame."I didn't want to hurt you. I thought 
you wouldn't understand. I thought you'd be mad, angry with me for lying 
in the first place."

"It would've been easier for me if you had told me before." Mamoru 
stated as a sad smile appeared on this face as well."But I understand 
Usagi. Don't worry. The idea of letting you go, giving you up pains me. 
It pains me even more to think that someone else will have to keep you 
warm and protected at night as well but I only care about your 
happiness. If you can't find that happiness with me then there's no 
other option but to let you go."

The blonde finally looked up again. Staring at him with a shocked and 
surprised look on her face."Do you mean that?" The other just nodded as 
he stepped forward. For a moment he seemed to hesitate but when he had 
reached Usagi he pulled her into a tight hug.

"I mean it Usagi. I will always love you, just know that. And you...Be 
happy." He whispered. Mamoru knew Usagi was going to feel guilty about 
all of this later, or maybe she was feeling guilty already. He wanted to 
make her feel better. She didn't have to feel bad for being honest. 
Usagi smiled as she returned the hug he was giving her.

'Thanks Mamoru...'

----

She had been sleeping for too long now, she had realised it the moment 
she noticed she was alone again. Slowly Michiru sat up as she wiped the 
sleep away from her eyes. She scanned the room after that. There was no 
trace of Usagi anymore. It was as if last night had never happened at 
all. The aqua haired girl took a deep yet pained breath as she fell down 
again.

For a few seconds she stared at the ceiling before her vision got 
clouded by the sudden tears that had appeared. She didn't have an idea 
at all why she was crying but one thing was for sure. Her tears were no 
longer for the blonde tomboy, they were now meant for another blonde. 
Usagi?

'I can't be having those feelings for her! I can't!' Michiru scolded 
herself. 'She's my princess, her heart belongs to Rei!' Those thoughts 
had been meant to convince herself that she was just hallucinating but 
instead of that they only made her situation worse. She shouldn't have 
slept with Usagi, she should've never agreed to Usagi's proposal.

The only person Michiru had ever slept with was Haruka. She had sworn 
not to love anyone else. This just had to be some fase. Usagi was just a 
friend to her. Just a friend."Haruka..." It was only a whisper. Again 
she had managed to think about the blonde tomboy while that was the 
least thing on her mind right now. SHe had to find Usagi and apologize 
about all of this.

'She's probably telling Rei about her feelings right now.' Michiru told 
herself as she touched her lips with her fingers. She could still feel 
Usagi's warm lips burn on hers. When she realised what she was doing she 
pulled her hand away again.'What's wrong with me?' The girl closed her 
eyes as she still felt hot drops of water slide down her cheeks.'I don't 
love Usagi, I've never been this close with her before...'

'I don't need Haruka nor Usagi. I've lived 16 years before I met them 
and my life was perfect. I fought demons without them, I survived high 
school without them! I made my own carrier WITHOUT them! I don't need 
anyone to be happy!' She thought, trying to convince herself that she 
was just acting like a big baby. Suddenly her eyes flew open as she 
managed to choak away a sob."Why doesn't anyone want me?!" She screamed 
as she sat up and burried her face in her hands.'What's wrong with me. 
Why does everyone leave me for someone else?'

It seemed that unconsciously Michiru had thought of Usagi as a loved one 
as well. Only Haruka had left her for someone else but to Michiru it 
felt like also Usagi had left her for another person.'Tell me you love 
me, come back and haunt me...' Suddenly Michiru heard footsteps followed 
by someone who opened the door to her bedroom. In shock she gazed up. 
Her eyes met Usagi's.

"Michiru, are you crying?" The blonde asked as she walked up to Michiru 
with a concerned look on her face. Assuming it had something to do with 
last night she sat down next to the still naked girl who was only 
covered by the thin blankets."I am sorry about last night Michiru. It 
had been wrong to ask something like that from you. I know you weren't 
ready for it yet emotionally and still..."

She was cut off by the elder girl."It's ok Usagi. I wasn't crying 
because of last night." She then whispered. Only half of it was a lie. 
She was now looking down at her hands when she suddenly felt Usagi's 
fingers wipe away her tears.

"Don't cry Michiru. No one is worth your tears." Usagi whispered with a 
sweet tone in her voice. This was enough to make Michiru look up again.

"Did you talk to Mamoru?" Michiru questioned, changing the subject. She 
wasn't going to admit it but she enjoyed the feeling of habing Usagi 
beside her. Usagi was like an angel. Sweet, innocent and lovable then 
again she was unreachable just like a real angel. You can dream of them 
but you can't reach them , touch them. Michiru had gotten one night with 
the blonde and that had to be enough. It just had to.

Usagi nodded."He took it pretty well." She stated, not telling Michiru 
about how Mamoru had really found out about all of this. Something 
already told her that Michiru was crying over Haruka. Telling the other 
that Mamoru had overheard her talking to Haruka would only cause the 
aqua haired girl pain.

"And Rei?" Michiru asked. She didn't really want to know about that but 
on the other hand she was curious about it.

"Rei..." Usagi started."I don't think I'll ever be with her."

"And why is that? I thought you liked her." Michiru asked.

"I am afraid that last night when you teached me how to love...you know, 
it was all in vain."

'To me it wasn't.' Michiru's mind stated causing the aqua haired girl to 
doubt her true feelings for the blonde in front of her."I don't really 
understand Usagi..." She finally managed to say as she watched how Usagi 
moved uncomfortably.

"Well...if you give me some time then I'll tell you." Michiru just 
nodded."I had just told Mamoru about my true feelings and..."

(Flashback)

Mamoru and Usagi had been standing there for quite some time. Just 
holding eachother as both their minds were working overtime. There were 
so many thought going through their heads at this point. Usagi had 
whispered a countless times how sorry she was. Mamoru had simply replied 
her by saying that everything was okay and they still could be friends.

Part of her wanted to believe that but she knew they could never become 
good friends in the first place. At some point Usagi had just broken out 
into tears which also was the main reason for Mamoru still holding her. 
Her eyes had been closed the whole time but when she opened them again 
she had wished she had done otherwise. Her vision was clouded but clear 
enough for her to see who were walking through the park as well.

She could see Rei walking on the other side of the street, hand in hand 
with a blonde girl. Minako. From that point she realised how blind she 
had been. All those times they had walked into Rei and Minako. They had 
never actually seen them kissing but there had been some clear moments 
to prove that they were lovers. Whenever Usagi came to visit Rei, Minako 
would be there too as if they were living together. They were always 
around the other. Whenever a guy came up to Minako to ask her out Rei 
would act so overprotective and insult the poor guy.

They were lovers. She had been so stupid, so incredibly stupid not to 
see that before. It could've saved her and Michiru from a lot of 
unnecessary emotions and feelings towards the other. Finally Usagi had 
pulled away from Mamoru, looking at him with a pained expression on her 
face."I have to go Mamoru. I am sorry. I truly am and I hope that one 
day we can live up to your words and be friends but until that day..."

He nodded."I understand Usagi, I'll see you sometime, won't I?"

Usagi smiled a bit as she nodded."Ofcourse, I wish you well Mamoru." She 
then said. With that she started to step back before turning around and 
running off. She didn't know where she could go now. To her own house 
would be a mistake since too many things would remind her of her good 
times with Mamoru, to her family was something her heart surely wouldn't 
be able to survive. They would never understand her.

(End flashback)

"So you came here?" Michiru asked, already knowing the answer. Somehow 
she was happy that Usagi had come to her in the end. It made her feel 
special, as if Usagi really enjoyed being with her.

"Not because I didn't know where else to go.." Usagi whispered. A blush 
appeared on her face as she stopped to look at Michiru. Instead of that 
she gazed down at her own hands."To be honest with you Michiru, when I 
saw Rei together with Minako it didn't hurt me at all. It didn't even 
felt a sting in my heart like I felt when I told Mamoru about my true 
feelings."

Michiru just sat there. She didn't know where this was going although 
deep down inside of her she secretly was wishing for a bold love 
confession."But I have felt that stinging pain in my heart before this 
day. Not when I saw Rei and Minako. And although I felt a certain sting 
in my heart when I confessed to Mamoru that I didn't love him it didn't 
feel that strong. But I did feel that strong feelings when I walked out 
of your room this morning Michiru..."

Usagi paused for a moment as she waited for Michiru to say something. 
When the other didn't say anything she looked up again. Much to her 
surprise Michiru was crying at this point. Not crying out of sadness but 
it more looked like she was crying out of, happiness?

"Last night wasn't just sex to me." Usagi went on, somehow feeling 
confident about all of this."It meant so much more to me but I didn't 
realise it until earlier this day. You've always been here for me. Not 
as close with me as lately but you've always protected me. Even when you 
and Sailor Uranus were testing me as a worthy princess. When you held my 
hands to my back as Uranus came closer to me. I still remember what you 
said, you said to me before I managed to cut myself loose from your 
grip, you said..." Usagi paused once again to recall the other's words.

"I said I am sure you'll prove us wrong princess. I have faith in you." 
Michiru said instead of waiting for the other to say it.

Usagi nodded."Your words were what gave me enough courage, enough power 
to free myself." She then whispered."Michiru, I don't know how you feel 
about me but I just want you to know that...I like you. And I don't like 
you as just a friend but..."

Michiru cut her off ."I like you too Usagi..." It had only been five 
words but hearing Michiru say that meant the world to Usagi. Without any 
hesitation Usagi jumped on top of Michiru and pressed their lips 
together. At first their kiss stayed innocent like the previous night 
but then it started to become more passionate as they let the other's 
tongue explore the other's mouth once again. They held that position for 
quite some time until they both pulled back at the same time, both a bit 
out of breath.

"I-is it too early to say..." Usagi wanted to ask but once again Michiru 
didn't let her finish.

"No.." She stated with a loving look on her face.

"I love you..." Usagi then whispered as she gave Michiru a small kiss on 
the lips.

"I love you too Usagi." Came the reply. Usagi's heart was filled with 
joy at this point. All the pain she had felt before, all the guilt and 
doubt was now gone. And all Michiru had done was tell her she loved her 
as well. Usagi knew that Michiru wasn't completely over Haruka yet and 
she knew that it would take her new found lover some time to fully get 
over Haruka as well but she didn't care.

She knew that Michiru loved her and she was certain that they would make 
it through the hardship of this world together. She would never abandon 
Michiru like Haruka had done. She would never lie to Michiru like she 
had lied to Mamoru. She may have lost some things but she had certainly 
gained something better in return.

Once again their lips met in a kiss.'And sometimes you get lucky enough 
to find that the angel you've tried to reach for... loves you too.' 
Michiru thought as she pulled her lover closer. Together they would make 
it, she was certain of it. She had never felt like this before, not even 
with Haruka. Probably because Haruka had never really loved her but this 
must've been what everyone called true love.

The End

As I proved in the previous chapter, Haruka loves Setsuna and that's why 
she was able to keep smiling even though she guessed that Michiru and 
Usagi slept together. Hotaru's words, saying that Serenity came crying 
to her because Haruka made a mistake, well that's another story. And 
nope there won't be a sequel to this so I'll leave that up to your 
imagination. Usagi and Michiru finally became an item and that was 
enough in my opinion. I am sorry if you wanted this story to last longer 
but I don't think that'll be a good idea.

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