The story takes place after the senshi defeat Neherenia. So Hotaru reached her normal age again and lives with the Outers and ChibiUsa with Usagi and her family. Hotaru is about 14 and ChibiUsa a bit younger. Before we begin I would like to thank Naoko Takeuchi for creating the beautiful legend of Sailor Moon. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotaru ate her lunch in silence as her classmates laughed and had fun around her. It seemed like nothing had changed from yesterday. Her classmates were still ignoring the silent and a bit weird black-haired girl in the back row. What was wrong? Everybody had seen how she healed the boy yesterday, everyone had stood in the circle around them as she put her hand on the boy's head and made the blood disappear. They weren't calling her a witch. Well, at least not more than once. But still she didn't know what they were thinking about her. She knew they were talking about her, but she did not know what they were saying. She saw a pair of eyes turning her way but as soon as her eyes wandered across the room to meet them the pair quickly turned away. <Okay, let's see now... Mio thinks I'm a... a witch > It was still hard for Hotaru to say the word, even in her mind. <She stated that pretty clearly. How about the others? Mio's been walking around the class talking to everybody all day. Why does she want to make everyone hate me?. Why is she so mean to me? ...just because I'm better in history?... What about Ryu?. 'Twas almost funny how he thanked me in the morning... so respectful and official... but he said he'd have lunch with me > At these thoughts Hotaru blushed. <He's not even in the room now... he was talking to Mio a while ago... maybe she persuaded him not to eat with me... maybe he just forgot... > Hotaru was watching Mio wander around the class, as the blue haired girl was making sure she wouldn't let anyone out. Hotaru was feeling like she was trapped inside a circle. Inside a circle of people, turning their backs to her. Suddenly a shadow fell over her... "Hi!" "R- Ryu..." "May I sit down? Why are you so amazed? I said I'd have lunch with you." "I... I thought you forgot..." Hotaru replied silently. "How could I forget? You saved my life." Hotaru remained silent and was looking down. "What?! Aren't you proud of what you done?" Ryu asked surprised. "I... I don't know. Now everybody thinks I'm a witch." Hotaru said, looking at Mio now, who was still running around the class. "You think she's telling that to everyone?" Ryu asked, slightly grinning. "What else..." "Well, actually... I talked to her earlier. I told her not to call you that - what she called you yesterday... Now she's telling everyone that I'm in love with you! HaHaHa!" As Ryu was laughing loudly Hotaru just blushed. The fact that anyone - other than ChibiUsa - would like her *that* much seemed totally absurd to her. Obviously Ryu was thinking pretty much the same about it. "See Mio, I'm talking to Tomoe Hotaru and I'm not dead yet!" Ryu shouted across the classroom. "Well then why don't you two find a quiet place where you can do what you *really* want to do!" the blue-haired girl shouted back. "Are you getting jealous?" Ryu teased her. The whole class knew Ryu and Mio had a crush on each other since they first laid eyes on each other. As the two and the rest of the class were enjoying their quarrel Hotaru went through hell. She never liked to be in the center of attention. Ryu and Mio made her a part of the show they were putting up. "Jealous of her? No, the poor scared girl wouldn't dare to do anything." "So, what's the problem then?" "You! If you're so nice to her she'll think you like her!" Then someone cut in: "Yeah, and we all know whom he *really* likes!" The two just blushed, which doesn't happen often and simultaneously shouted back to the other boy: "Shut up!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I'll get it!" Hotaru chimed cheerfully as the doorbell rang. Just before she opened the door she looked at Haruka and Michiru, who were sitting on the couch. "Can't you two ever stop? Haruka-papa, take your hand out of Michiru-mama's blouse!" As Hotaru turned to open the door she said over her shoulder: "And from under her skirt too!" It was an unusual view: this time it seemed like Hotaru was the more cheerful one and ChibiUsa had a somewhat sad look in her eyes. But she didn't want Hotaru to notice. "So, how was it in school?" ChibiUsa asked Hotaru as they entered her room, trying to disband the heavy thoughts that lingered in her mind. "I think I met new friends." Hotaru said with a big smile on her face. "You think?" "Well, I don't have that much experience in making friends, ChibiUsa-chan." "That's great then." ChibiUsa said. "What is with you ChibiUsa-chan? You're strange." Hotaru inquired concerned. ChibiUsa looked her best friend square in the eyes. "I got a letter today.... It was from my mother... from the future..." ChibiUsa saw something break in her best friend's eyes. "Oh, ChibiUsa-chan..." "I'll have to go home soon..." To Hotaru it seemed like the world stopped turning and this moment of pain would last for an eternity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Haruka-papa? Michiru-mama? Can I come in?" Hotaru asked as she knocked on the door of the pair's bedroom. "Of course, come in." "What is it, angel? Why aren't you asleep yet?" Michiru asked the figure who sat down on their bed in the darkness. Not answering the question Hotaru asked immediately: "How do you know you love somebody?" "Uhm... Errr... I... I... Haruka, would you like to answer that?" "Me? Hmmm... Errr... When you like to be around that someone. Michiru, would you care to continue?" Haruka picked up the game Michiru began. "When you like to hug someone!" Michiru said as she hugged Haruka. "When you like to kiss someone!" Haruka kissed Michiru. "When someone is more than just a friend to you." As Haruka and Michiru began kissing passionately Hotaru figured they wouldn't be of any more use to her. <More than just a friend...> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotaru was walking down the hall toward her own room when she bumped into Setsuna. "Oh, sorry Setsuna-mama." Hotaru apologized. "Hotaru-chan, wait. I have to talk to you." Setsuna said as put her hand on Hotaru's shoulder to stop her. "Why, what is it?" Hotaru replied. "...let's sit down." "Here? On the floor?" Hotaru asked but Setsuna already began speaking. "In a few years ChibiUsa will be born." Setsuna took a long breath. "You know she didn't know you when she came to our time, right?" Setsuna knew she was about to break the girl's heart. "I know it's hard but... you will have to..." "No, no, no! You can't demand that!" Hotaru screamed with tears building up in her eyes as she ran toward her room. Setsuna let out a sigh in the dark corridor. She was sure she wouldn't get any sleep tonight, just like the last six weeks. There must be another way. And so another sleepless night would go by. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotaru was again crying herself to sleep this night. In a few days ChibiUsa would go away and she would lose the sun that made her dark world brighter. The fact that maybe she wouldn't even be allowed to see her friend for the next one thousand years only made her tears flow faster down her cheeks. Without ChibiUsa her own life seemed meaningless to her. What was she really feeling for ChibiUsa? Was she just a friend... or was she... more...? Her feelings for the small pink bunny were much stronger than for any other of her friends. Even stronger than for Haruka-papa, Michiru- mama and Setsuna-mama. Is it... love? But she's a girl! In school they say girls should love boys! But Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama love each other, and they are girls... "Oh, ChibiUsa-chan..." a whisper echoed silently in the dark room. Why does it hurt so much...? Love... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was an ordinary Saturday morning the next day at the Outers' mansion. Michiru was making breakfast, Haruka was reading her sports magazine and glancing every now and then over to Michiru. Michiru would then bend over, on purpose of course, so Haruka could admire her long legs and firm butt. Setsuna was rambling something about the "damn primitive clocks" like she always did when she was waken by the alarm clock. Hotaru was silently eating her breakfast, just like always, but the three young women knew Hotaru was restless inside. Haruka stood up, wanting to comfort Hotaru. She always felt so guilty for trying to kill the fragile little girl so many times. She had a very feminine and motherly side - the side only Hotaru and Michiru knew. Just as she wanted to say something to Hotaru - what, she did not know yet - the telephone rang. Saved by the bell, Haruka picked up her savior. "Hello?... Hi Usagi-chan... Yes, she's here... Wait a minute. Hotaru-chan! It's for you. It's Usagi. ... Take the phone in the living room, we don't want to disturb you." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotaru sat down on the couch and picked up the phone. "Hello?" "Hello Hotaru-chan, it's me, Usagi." "Hello." "So you heard the news..." "Yes..." "I need to know something Hotaru-chan. What do you feel for ChibiUsa-chan?" Hotaru was hit in her weak spot. "I... She's my best friend." "Do you... ... Do you love her?" "I... I... I don't know. ...yes..." The last word was just a whisper, as if Hotaru didn't want Usagi to hear it. Or maybe she didn't want herself to hear it, knowing it would only bring her a lot of pain once it's said. "You have to tell her that!" "No! I can't! She... I... She won't understand." "Hotaru-chan... You know she will. She a smart girl." Hotaru could hear the shaking in Usagi's voice. Usagi would miss ChibiUsa just as much as Hotaru will. "But she'll be gone in a few days anyway. It doesn't matter anymore..." A tear - a silent witness of Hotaru's pain - ran down her cheek. "You're wrong, it does matter! If you don't tell her, you'll never know what she feels." "But- , but-" She couldn't say anything beyond that. Her sobs choked away the fake excuses. "I'll- I'll send her over, okay?" Even Usagi started to sob now. "O- o-kay." "Hotaru-chan, I'm gonna put down the phone now, OK?" "Usagi-chan, tell me... that it's gonna be alright..." "Everything is gonna be okay... I promise..." "Thank you..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Except for Hotaru the house was empty when ChibiUsa came over. Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna said they had some business to attend to. Although they had the house for themselves Hotaru led ChibiUsa to her room. Hotaru needed the shelter of her room to say what she intended to. For the last hour she was grinding the words in her mind but she still had no clue of what to say. She sat down on her bed and ChibiUsa sat down beside her. They were sitting in silence and tension for a minute, Hotaru was still thinking of what to say. Suddenly ChibiUsa hugged Hotaru around her waist. "Oh, Hotaru-chan..." Within ChibiUsa's embrace Hotaru's mind finally found the peace it was longing for. ChibiUsa put her head on Hotaru's chest and closed her eyes and Hotaru put her arms around ChibiUsa's back and closed her eyes also. After a while ChibiUsa began: "You know why I like to hug you?" "You... You like to hug me?" Hotaru said in amazement, thinking of what Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama told her yesterday night. "I like to hug you because you're not as tall as the other girls." "What?" "You know, if I hug them my head reaches only their tummy. And except for Usagi, all of them have really strong muscles there - they are not soft. If you look up from there you only see two big balloons hanging over your head. I get really scared if I hug Mako- chan." Then she paused for a moment. She remained serious when she continued to speak: "But if I hug you my head lands straight on two soft pillows - with two chocolates on it, just like in a hotel room. Sometimes the chocolates are soft and I want to eat them, but sometimes they are really hard and I want to hold them in my hands so they would get softer. And if I look up from here I can see your beautiful face and your beautiful eyes looking down at me." Their eyes met but Hotaru turned her head away. "ChibiUsa-chan, I have to tell you something..." Hotaru took a deep breath. "ChibiUsa, you have been my first true friend. You made me laugh when no one was there to care for me. You were the light that made me hang on to my life when I was almost dead. You mean everything to me... I... I love you ChibiUsa..." Hotaru's eyes were closed as she whispered the last words. Her head wasn't facing ChibiUsa. Moments seemed like hours, seconds like eternity. Then, she heard a soft whisper. "I love you too, Hotaru." Hotaru felt a pair of soft lips press against her skin, sending shivers down her body. "...oh, ChibiUsa..." ChibiUsa was kissing Hotaru all over her face - on her cheeks, on her nose, on her forehead - until finally Hotaru felt the soft lips touch her own. Hotaru opened her mouth lightly and her tongue carefully touched ChibiUsa's lips and tasted their sweetness. ChibiUsa pushed Hotaru's body softly so Hotaru fell backwards on her bed and ChibiUsa right on top of her. "...oh, ChibiUsa... I dreamed of this..." ChibiUsa was sitting on top of Hotaru, her hands placed on Hotaru's belly. Hotaru felt the two hands move upward, slowly reaching her ribs and the base of her breasts, stopping there. Hotaru opened her eyes and found ChibiUsa's questioning face. "Go on... please..." Hotaru whispered. She felt the two soft hands finally reaching the end of their journey as they softly squeezed the tender flesh of her breasts through the fabric of Hotaru's shirt. Hotaru sighed when ChibiUsa began kneading her breasts. ChibiUsa saw Hotaru's nipples push against the fabric and she took one between her fingers. Hotaru felt the little fingers squeezing her nipple and sighed once more, the sensations driving her crazy. She couldn't bear it any more. She reached to her waist and pulled off her shirt, revealing her aroused breasts. "... my chocolates..." Before Hotaru could realize what ChibiUsa was doing she felt something warm encompass her nipple. ChibiUsa was kissing it! Hotaru never felt this kind of pleasure before. The warmth of ChibiUsa's mouth, ChibiUsa's tongue flicking over the nipple. Hotaru was panting heavily. Hotaru was on the brink of the greatest orgasm she ever had. Her hand traveled down her belly toward ChibiUsa's pussy that was placed on Hotaru's lap. ChibiUsa jerked when she felt something on her pussy, but Hotaru squeezed her hand gently past ChibiUsa and cupped her own sex. As her fingers were teasing and pleasuring her own pussy through the skin-tight pants she felt the warmth of ChibiUsa's sex against her wrist. ChibiUsa was licking and sucking on Hotaru's nipples and rubbing her crotch against Hotaru's wrist. Then Hotaru's body froze up and in the same moment her scream of pleasure filled the air of the room. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eleven young people gathered in the park a few days later. But the group was not a happy one, the heavy thought of farewell hung in the air. It was a sad ceremony - ChibiUsa was saying goodbye to all her friends. Usagi was trying very hard not to cry by holding on to Mamoru as hard as she could. Their goodbye present was a box of all the photos of her they had. Amy bought her a book. Makoto baked cookies for her. Rei gave her a special lucky charm. Minako presented her with a big poster of Sailor V. The only one left to say goodbye to was Hotaru. She hugged ChibiUsa gently and they kissed. They didn't bother about what the others would think and they whispered into each others ears a soft but definite "I love you." "ChibiUsa, my present is a poem. I've written it for you." Hotaru promised herself not to cry, not to make it even harder for ChibUsa. But as soon as she saw ChibiUsa's eyes fill up with tears when she gave her the envelope, she knew she wouldn't be strong enough. "You've written a poem for me? No one ever wrote a poem for me..." "But don't read it now. After you get home..." "I have something for you too, Hotaru." ChibiUsa said, reaching into her pocket and giving the dark beauty a picture. It was a picture of ChibiUsa and Hotaru holding hands, smiling brightly into the camera. It had a precious carved frame and in the corner of the picture were the words "I love you, Hotaru" written. They hugged again and let the tears of their loss flow in silence. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm lonely when I close my eyes. Say, Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama, Setsuna-mama? Hold my hand tonight. Stay with me all night long. I want to have happy dreams. Dreams the color of rainbows. Dreams where the people precious to me are smiling with joy. Dreams that won't disappear when I open my eyes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The last few lines are from the poem Dreams.
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