STAY

Chapter 4

We laughed at what we were wearing. She wore a blazer, a white v-neck, black jeans and square-pointed-toe black shoes. I wore a cannary cotton dress. So much for wedding attires. We exited the municipal hall giggling like little school girls. I could see a few women, who has grown accustomed to seeing Haruka alone, frown at my presence. We went down a few flight of stairs and the inners greeted us.

"Congratulations TENOHs!" The five of them screamed, together with a smiling Mamoru who was carrying Chibi-Usa in her arms, a pang of pain went by me, but I brushed it off, this was not the time to feel sad.

"Yeah. Meet Mrs. Tenoh!"

Haruka proudly hugged me in front of evryone, we were laughing and laughing. After the civil wedding, we went to La Tasca, to have dinner with the inners. It was nice to be surrounded by familiar people.

"So how's your treatment going Haruka-san?" Usagi asked from across the table, as she shamefully ate her whole steak in one go. Everyone else sweatdropped.

"Well, you don't have to worry Odango-atama! I have great wife to take care of me." She motioned to grab my hand and gently caress it with her thumb.

"I'm glad to hear that." Ami said, "I heard there were a lot of break throughs, medically, in the past 5 years, with Michiru around, I'm sure you'll be just fine Haruka-san."

"Hai." Haruka proudly agreed.

"So, have you thought about starting your family again?" Minako asked, the rest of the inners smacked their foreheads, Haruka and I just smiled, knowing that the question was raised out of concern and ignorance and not to offend.

"There will be no replacing Hotaru in our hearts but who knows what the future will bring." I casually stated looking at the blonde on my side. We both exchanged knowing smiles before we share a kiss, to which the inners found delight.

It wasn't soon before we called it a night, bowing at each other before we separated our ways. They congratulated us once more as they called out to us from a distance before disappearing from our sight.

Haruka and I went back to the house, still giggling. She had me in her arms the whole time. Humming all kinds of tunes. We were happy. We were truly happy for the first time in twelve years. She carried me upstairs. Surprised that she yawned.

"Ooops. Don't blame my stamina, its the meds. Really." Who am I to hinder her from sleeping? She needs it. If it will help keep her alive. Then sleep whenever you want. She yawned, unaware that she was still wearing the clothes she wore the whole day. I just smile as I took off her clothes. I started with her shoes and her socks, then her blazer, her shirt, her pants and her underwear. She didn't budge as I put on her new set of clothes to sleep in. I'm beginning to be an expert at this. She didn't stir from her sleep at all.

I decided to make myself some tea before joining her in her sleep. A cup of earl grey's will do. I took the kettle and poured water in it, grabbing a tea bag, I placed it inside the cup. I waited for a few minutes then I hear the kettle's cry. I poured the hot water in my cup, surprisingly, I felt two arms wrap itself around my waist. I put down the cup for a while.

"I thought you were asleep?" I asked the blonde whose chin was now resting on top of my shoulders.

"Hnn, can't sleep without you near me... can I have some tea as well?" She asked kissing the bare part of neck in the process.

"I think there's some hot water left, what do you want?"

"Just green tea for me." She smiled before kissing me in the cheek.

She sat patiently in the coffee table while I juggle two tea cups in my hand. She was smiling at me, her hand propped on her chin. She gave me a wink and I just laughed. Everything looked normal, except it wasn't and I know we're living in borrowed time. Now I sat sat next to her, dragging the seat so I could be seated beside her, I leaned my head on her shoulders as we sip our cup of tea.