FicWad

Michiru Kaiou sat behind the espresso machines, on the edge of the counter with her legs propped up against the cold drink station. The blenders, which had been long near silenced over the winter, would seem never to stop come summer; the older employees warned. But for now the aroma of coffee and scones was enough, the chill of mid spring just a few weeks shy of waning.
She had spend two seasons looking for a place to settle and taking one of those seasons just to pack everything into boxes and convince her parents to let her go at all. Finding a place cheap enough had been the problem and if there hadn't have been a number of hotels so close to the west coast, Michiru would have been in a lot of uncomfortable situations. Even if her bank account was near empty, when she finally found Artists Alley, it had all seemed worth it. She took up work in a well seasoned and well known coffee shop, 'café Luna'. And although it was new to her, never working in the lingo of coffee before or being a fan of it, she was a fast learner. It wasn't long before her sketch pad, which was worn and battered around the edges, leaned against her brought up knees once again.
The sun was just starting to set outside and reflected beautiful hues of gold and crimson. Blossoms floated by the window in a timeless gesture. A trickle of warm breeze would occasionally draft through the open windows and blow the sheer curtains. It was the type of day that held secrets and made you breathe shortly with anticipation.
Lucky for her it was a slow day, and she hoped perhaps at the end of her shift her feet wouldn't ache quite as much. It was a love hate relationship between her and the café. But on slow days like this, when she could hear the tea spoons tinkling together in the breeze from the home made wind chime the owner received half a decade ago, she had to like it, even if it was hard work. She was lucky though, the people weren't hardly as rude at times then most of the time at some of the cafe's in the city.
In the back of her awareness, the bell on the welcoming café door tinkled lightly as people drifted in and out, as if trying not to break the serene atmosphere. It was surprising to realise that there was a bustling city just in the out reaches of town, but this coffee shop was timeless. Light Jazz played in the background, giving it and a homey yet classy feel.

Michiru's eyes strained and almost unfocused as she fell into her task behind the machines, doing what her part-time job serving coffee midweek through weekends could not afford her; Art.
Her hand moved almost on its own, bringing wide deep strokes over light sketches as she captured the humming soft voices and laughing, before her. The main focus as she shifted to another section of her ivory sheet, were two women sitting at a small table; Lovers, Michiru guessed. A small blush flared on her cheeks as she drew the older woman's smooth strong face, and short spiked hair of light silvery wheat. Her eyes, which were like cool light green jade, could not be captured with the graphite, and which contrasted dramatically with the silver and teal turquoise rings which shined on her hands. However, Michiru knew exactly what colour to choose from her palette that night at home, and her eyes then moved to draw the details of the tiny ceramic espresso cup that the handsomely attractive woman held.
The pencil moved to capture the lines their mouth made when they smiled, but Michiru was interrupted by someone clearing their throat delicately enough to get her attention. She glanced up briefly enough to register someone was there and put down her sketchpad, getting to her feet as she wiped her hands onto her apron.
"What can I get for you?" She asked as she stood in front of the register, fussy and as old fashioned as the owner of it was. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up at the customer waiting patently but some what agitated as if they were always on the move and this timeless slow crawl made them jumpy. Their stance and eye contact demanded attention and attention Michiru gave, willingly. It took a pleasant moment to discover it was a woman, only more handsome, more intriguing then her previous subject. That glimmer of doubt was so attractive to Michiru; that moment of trying to decide which gender they were.

The woman in question had layered wisps of golden blonde hair which was parted at the side of her forehead and touched just past her eyebrows, threatening to cover one eye. Dangerously attractive. Her eyes, which only gave Michiru enough time in the day to order her drink, were a cool grey-green also, like cut jade, but also had a catlike feel about them. They sparkled a minute mysteriously, then looked away as she reached into her pocket for money. Michiru realised she had been given an order. She stammered awkwardly with the cup. "Two," the woman repeated in her deep sweet tenor voice as she looked to her with one eyebrow raised. "Two vanilla lattes, nonfat milk..." She patiently waited for her to ring up the drinks, as Michiru felt a slight flush on her face. 'Get a grip', she chided wondering why she was reacting this way. The woman didn't wait for Michiru to notice the total and say the amount, but rather handed her the money.

Michiru, luckily by now, could make change automatically enough that this wasn't too fouled up and the transaction, however choppy--ended for now. She sighed a bit in relief as the woman strode to the end of the bar, hands in her pressed grey suit pockets as she waited. Michiru peeked at her from behind the machines as she made the drinks. She cursed her fumbling hands and her blushing cheeks and decided to at least sound professional as she relayed their order.
"Okay, here's two vanilla lattes.." she gave her most winning smile.

The older woman, blinked and asked, "nonfat?." Michiru blanched and took them back a new type of red on her face. "Anou..Iie, I'll remake them, Goman Nasai.. " She remade them as quickly as possible, wondering why suddenly she was so nervous. She hadn't screwed up since the past few weeks that she had begun working there.

"There you go, sorry again about that." The woman nodded, took her drinks and turned friendly greeting the other woman Michiru had been drawing, before walking off through the door. The scent of her cologne lingered teasing however; and Michiru swooned on the spot. She took a moment to lean again back against the counter her eyes closed as she regained her composure. The glass door shut with a disappointing 'whoosh' and with another melody of bells Michiru swore that the mysterious woman took a small part of herself along.
Unfortunately she could only recover for a moment before two new customers watched her with expectancy.
As a result of the striking woman, Michiru was fumbly and twitter-patted until closing time.


Watching the stars twinkling in the sky as she walked home, Michiru sucked in deep lung fulls of spring air. Couples passed her, walking slowly hand in hand. She paused to sit by the fountain which was turned off at night. She looked up to the cool faces of the Mer-women and wondered if they felt the same disappointment she did. They stared out lifelessly, frozen smiles on their faces. Prisoners to their own bodies, wanting what they couldn't have. She let her fingertips brush against a few stray cherry blossoms on top of the stilled water. There didn't seem to be any butches her age here, or if there were, they were taken. She brought up her knees resting her cheek against them. The air echoed quietly, some strums of guitars or random lines of song in the distance. Her eyes began to feel heavy until she heard the first few chords of a piano, she looked up at her apartment building knowingly. "She's feeling it too.." Michiru said softly rubbing the chill off her arms. 'Maybe one-day shell be willing to mention it..'
Once the moon was high in the sky, Michiru stood stretching before bending to pick up a heart shaped blossom. She had tried all night to put her feelings into words, so many clashing together. All she could focus on was that beautiful stranger and how familiar she had seemed. How she loved them without wanting to, how she suddenly wanted the day to come, another glimpse and yet knew it would never be. The mysterious woman had a thin gold ring on her finger.
'Thank you, non the less..' She whispered, letting the blossom go. Climbing the steps, she fumbled with the old fashioned lock, before finally entering. Sighing with relief, Michiru heard the music stop above her. Maybe she could sleep soundlessly tonight. She changed before easing against her sheets, letting the silvery shadows of the cool spring night bathe her. A stray alley cat who was well loved and fed, came stretching in through her open balcony doors. Michiru smiled and patted her stomach in a welcoming gesture. However the indifferent tabby, who acted as much as he looked the part (of a royal fluff ball), just ignored her. Huge in roundness, squat in height, and golden yellow in colour, the cat delicately cleaned his paws and face; despite how awkwardly fluffy and he was. Michiru sighed at the overkill of cuteness before her.

"Kawaii.. What did I hear Lady Anigusta call you.. Buttered Stuff?..come'rre Kitty" Michiru cooed wanting something to focus her unresolved love on. The cat simply looked at her with glowing green eyes, like jade. She watched him knead her areal rug, before patting out of her room and sniffing her flowers outside. Michiru waited a moment feeling almost numb before finally switching on the light. She took out her sketch book again and closed her eyes. She still felt as though she had been spinning around and around in circles and suddenly stopped trying to be balanced. Her pulse spiked as she thought of that day and how much she wanted to be close to that beautiful stranger. She opened her sketch pad, and began to draw what her minds eye remembered. Finally two hours later, as she touched the last dab of paint to the jade eyes looking back at her, she turned her light out and watched the ceiling for answers. Her fast breathing slowed and overcame finally to sleep.

~*~

A week had passed before Haruka Tenou got into her little yellow sports car again in font of Café Luna, realising at last that the young Barista's eyes had followed her as she exited. She chuckled to herself, as the engine roared into life. She sat the second set of twice done lattes in the carrier and pulled out of the small little town, feeling a bit remorseful.

She loved this little town, but she loved the city equally as much. She loved the wind in her hair and driving through this town for joy rides. It had been her favourite thing, speeding along the long stretch of route forty-five, the ocean twinkling over the horizon in the distance, the sharp breeze hitting her senses. However, her current fiancé, hated sand and having the wind blow her hair as it always got tangled. She didn't really see how, as Morgan had cut it just last month, and it was now just touching her shoulders. Haruka swore she did it just to annoy her.
Besides, the smog of the city didn't leave much to be desired unless it had just rained, so she rarely had the convertible cover down these days.

Her fiancé Morgan, was very particular, and preferred the 'why bother' variety of coffee. I.E: Decaf, sugar free, nonfat, and didn't like anything in her lattes. But Haruka managed to encouraged her to try different things, as she thought plain they were so bitter on their own. She did give in to Morgan's demand of nonfat, even if she could have let herself gain a few pounds. Haruka didn't complain, she was easy-going for the both of them and this femme was beautiful, despite her hair.

At a red light Haruka absentmindedly played with the glinting gold band on her finger, never used to a ring before. She told her fiancé she preferred silver or platinum, but gold it was. Being stuck in traffic, she glanced at the clock and winced knowing she would be late; another pet peeve.

Her mind drifted back to the young woman in the café, and how it was seemingly obvious that she had a crush on Haruka. Or simply she liked what she saw. Haruka's knuckles clenched the steering wheel a bit as she tried to recall the last time Morgan thought about her or looked at her like that. Or blushed, or said she were sorry and really meant it like that young (pretty!) woman had.

Being a week or two since the last time Haruka were there, her schedule being as busy as ever, the blonde had noticed the hungry glance in the teal haired woman eyes as Haruka chatted friendly to everyone; As if she wanted so badly to be recognised as well. This somehow made Haruka's grin a bit wider, as it had been so long since Morgan had wanted her with such dark hungry eyes.

A horn behind her blew, as she realised she had zoned off again. "Yeah Buddy, I'm going!" She shouted out the window before she took off again.

Finally five minutes later, she pulled into the parking garage of Morgan's apartment building. She snickered a bit taking up the drinks and thinking it over for once in a long time. It was her apartment and she had liked the decor, but since Morgan moved in, things began to change.
Being gone on tours didn't leave much time to be at home anyway, so Haruka didn't say anything out of all fairness and let it be. She took the stairs two at a time and decided when she got in she would try to compose something. It had been too long, since her bachelor years, when she spent all night in her boxers and wrote a piece till dawn, which usually ended with her crashing on the couch and grabbing a breakfast burrito down the corner somewhere around one. But too, that was right before her career began to become more professional. As it was, she was becoming more recognized and more agents called her every week. Maybe that was why she liked Artist Alley. She fit in because she was like a grownup peter pan, who became a kid again when there. Her music always had a place at Artists Alley, something Morgan didn't know about. Sometimes she would play at one of the smaller cafes with a stage, and usually would end up with appreciative applause, and a date that shed have to decline for the evening..

Morgan didn't like the piano much, if at all. Whenever Haruka would go, sit down and begin to pick out a tempo, a pitch or even a chord, Morgan would sneak her arms around her and say, 'Aw Haruka, I've missed you all day, how about we take a long bath together.. Make our own music?' Haruka would close her eyes and smile a bit and agree and that would be that.
But that night, it had gone too far.

"What do you mean, you sold the piano...." Haruka's voice was soft, deadly quiet, and disbelieving. Morgan just took her latte, sipped it, made a face muttering. "Haruka, its ice cold. Blech, too sweet.." she tossed it in the trash and distantly Haruka thought about nearly four dollars being thrown away. "Morgan, explain." She tried to keep her voice steady, and strode right passed her lover who sighed and followed her long strides to the back room where the Piano was. The beautiful piano had been in the front room, in the living room beside the huge window which over looked the city, till Morgan moved it saying that it took up too much room.

"Relax Honey, they're coming to sign the papers tomorrow-"

"No, they're not." She answered cooly, sitting on the bench and sliding her fingertips against the pearly keys, her hands shaking with her suppressed temper.

"They're not?" Her fiancé shot back blinking, her body language showing determination and exasperation.

"No, they're not." Haruka repeated in that cool monotone. "This is my Piano."

She stood, her short hair covering her profile dramatically, her knuckles gripped the key cover trying hard not to shout. All the years they were together, she thought Morgan knew how important music was for her; How personal it was.

"Haruka really, this apartment is too small, we need a house in the upper city now. That extra income could go toward that classy bedroom set we saw. Remember, darling?"

"But I like my furniture." Haruka countered, the small outrage starting to build.

"I understand you have a say in our life, and when we have a place someday, (Haruka was always tempted to say 'if' when she used this sentence) I'll let you design it to your hearts content." Morgan crossed her arms as Haruka continued. "But this is my apartment, I cant change it now. And you know how much this piano means to me-"

"Honestly Haruka, that clutter some eyesore has been collecting dust for months. I'm sick of looking at it. I'm every bit part of your life, as much as that old piano was. And as long as I live here, I have a say." Morgan narrowed her eyes, her hands on her hips. "The piano needs to go. Were adults now, adults make sacrifices.." She said finally, more softly, laying her hand on Haruka's shoulder who then stiffened more under her touch and shook a bit from her temper. "You're not a teenager anymore, Haruka. A musicians life doesn't bring food to the table."
A cold trickle of anger and awareness slid slowly from Harukas neck down to her toes, as she heard her mothers voice again in her mind, screaming at her father as he stood in the same way over the piano.
'Musicians cannot support a family, Tesaga!"
'
Haruka looked at her reflection, at the pain only she could recognize.
She heard herself say they next words as though she were in a dream. "You're right Morgan, I think I could make a sacrifice, right now, actually." She chided, standing straighter and striding again out of the room and reaching the apartment door.

"What do you mean?" Morgan asked wide eyed and following at her heel.

"Yeah." she said more certainly shaking her head as if trying to clear it. "Get out." She opened the door wide, her expression like ice. "You don't know me anymore Morgan.. I don't think you ever really did, and I'm sick of being pushed around in my own life."

Morgan froze and reached out touching Harukas stony face. "Haruka, baby, you don't mean that. You're just tired. Tomorrow you'll feel better and when that man comes with the papers, well go shopping and-"

"You still don't get it, do you? You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Haruka yelled. "Morgan, I love you, but its not going to work.." Her voice cracked a little and she pried the ring off her finger and pushed it into Morgans reluctant hands.

"FINE!" Morgan yelled, grabbing her coat and purse, she glided out the door while slipping on her shoes as she went. "You're a real Bastard, Haruka! Immature, breaking us up over some old piano your dead father left-"

Haruka slammed and locked the door behind her, swore, then opened it back up and yelling to her.
"I want the spare key back!"

"Baka Yaro!" Morgan spat, tears running down her flustered face.

Haruka growled closing the door three times before she realised her tie had been stuck in her fury.
"Kuso.." She muttered straightening and re-locking the door. Suddenly she felt very numb inside. Turning on some music, with the volume up as high as the co-tenants would let her, Dir En Grey's, 'Spilled Milk' played back to her, echoing all the rage sadness shed feel if she let herself.
She paced the apartment brooding, the bass making their dishes rattle just enough to satisfy her bleeding insides. Usually by now the phone would ring, and it would be Morgan on her cell just at the bottom of the stairs apologising, she thought. Twenty minutes passed.
'Any minute now, she'll admit she was wrong..'
Haruka stared at the phone expectantly. They always had bitter fights lately, this was just another night in the week, or was it?

Ten more minutes passed. Finally she went out on the balcony for some air, leaving the door open incase she would call. She already had it made up in her mind to let it ring five or six times before answering and sounding all apathetic. But even if her voice wouldn't betray her, her eyes did and she scrubbed away cooling tears.

However, when an hour passed and still the phone did not ring, Haruka chewed on her lip and worried a bit. She nearly jumped over the side of the railing to knock whoever had their arm around Morgans waist, when she saw the new couple emerge moments later.
"You have to be kidding me," she muttered numbly. Morgan turned looking up and waved sweetly, laughing before getting into the car with her new date. Haruka just stepped back until her butt bumped into the glass door. "..Ama.."

"She met someone that fast.." Haruka said in outrage mixed with disbelieve. Then came the real pain. 'She never really loved me, apparently..' Her eyes softened and burned with tears of remorse and loneliness. She stepped in her now much emptier apartment, switched off the music which volume threatened to give her a migraine and tried to tell herself it was for the better.

Sliding again onto the piano bench she fiddled with the different keys for two hours without really hearing their notes while drinking two or three glasses wine, and going to bed.

~ * ~

The next morning at eight am, when the sunlight had begun to sting Haruka's sleepless eyes, there was a intrusive knock at her door.

Knock
Knock..Knock..
KnockKnockKnock..

KNOCK..

Grumbling, she got up and for a fleeting instant thought it might be Morgan. However when looking through the peephole, she found she was wrong. Scowling she grabbed the candlestick off the mantle before returning and opening the door, hair wild, smelling of wine and in just boxers and her under shirt.

"You're not getting it." She said in a matter of fact tone. The little man before her blinked.

"But the woman, whom I talked to yesterday, said it was for sale. I have the papers right-"

Haruka took the papers and ripped them in half, letting the pieces fall to the floor. "Thanks but no thanks." She waggled the marble candle stick threateningly, "Now beat it." The man nodded and scurried off down the hall, almost slipping down the first few in his rush. Haruka sighed closing and bolting the door again feeling very antisocial and tired. She replaced the candle stick heavily. She decided to go back to bed only after taking a swig of orange juice and drawing the blinds shut.
'Hey,' She told herself, 'It could be worse..she could have had a little yippie nappy dog biting my ankles all this time.' Haruka allowed herself one last faint smile, before slipping into a depression which was seemingly out of character for everyone who knew her, except herself.

~ * ~

Haruka spend nearly two weeks de-Morganing her apartment. As much of a bitch she was, the stubborn blond had been with her for the better of three years and fighting was normal for them. So she simply resigned the situation, figuring they just pushed each other too far over the edge this time. She had a box and went about her apartment filling it to the brim with photos, clothes, frilly things, makeup, accessories, her valentine mugs with matching saucers and heart impressions around the rim; Anything she could find.
Finally, it got down to the heavy things. First most, the piano rightfully found its place in the livingroom again, more in front of the window then ever. She then pushed the love seat set Morgan insisted on Haruka buying for their second anniversary, out into the hallway. She rolled up the pink shag rug in the bathroom revealing the glossy black and white diamond linoleum to match her equally monotonous and sophisticated black and white bathroom, which was 'one of the first things to go' Morgan had said. Haruka ripped off the soft scented linens on their- her bed, which perfume made her eyes sting with tears as it agitated her wound. She crumped the sheets up a moment, before her eyes grew soft. She eased onto the edge of her bed, and slowly folded up the sheets as neat as any butch could, and then she cried. Almost like swallowing poison, she called Morgans phone, got the machine, told it that her things were ready and hung up. She then took a shower; a long, hot, distracting-ly scolding, shower. Her thoughts and actions were all jumbled and came to her like static. New and clean, she plopped another shampoo bottle of Morgans into her box by the door, before remaking her bed. The sheets were thinly striped in black and white, which resembled and felt like a suit shirt. She topped them, with flourishing flicks of her wrists(or lack thereof) and elegant lack of femme grace, with a down feathered black comforter. It was crooked and bumpy in places but it was hers again.

"There.." Haruka muttered and unceremoniously tugged on a T-shirt and jeans. Grabbing a cap and her jacket, she slid her car keys off the table by the door and kicked the box out into the hall as well.
"Time for a drive,. Maybe it'll clear my head." She hoped, as she closed and locked the door behind her.