The violinist nodded, figuring that her housemate wanted to discuss something related to her husband without having deal with Haruka’s tendency to crack wise whenever the subject of sex was given so much as an oblique reference. “Of course, Setsuna. Will my room be okay?”
“If Haruka wanted to come in, would you be able to keep her out?”
“What about your room?”
“Ranma has a tendency to stumble into conversations at the most awkward moments—and the fact that we’d be talking in his room means that he’d have no reason to think that he shouldn’t be in there.”
“Well, Hotaru’s gone to bed, so her room isn’t available…”
“Actually, when I said ‘somewhere private,’ I meant somewhere really private.”
Before Michiru could react, Setsuna grabbed her by the wrist and the two teleported away.
Ranma didn’t know where his wife had gotten to. She’s probably gone ta her room—I mean our room. Of course, he didn’t know where that room was. We are gonna share a room, right? I mean, we’re married, an’ we gotta be in the same room ta… ta “do” it, right? However, he’d realized long ago that when Setsuna did this kind of thing, she usually had a very good reason, even if that good reason was only obvious in retrospect. Still, it’d be nice if she—
“Ahem.”
Ranma was startled out of his thoughts by the sudden clearing of a throat. He looked up to see Haruka Ten’oh staring at him with a bemused look on his face. Eventually he struggled out a response. “Oh, uh, hi, Haruka—right?”
“Hmm, not exactly the most eloquent response, but at least you have good taste in women.”
“You mean Setsuna?”
“Either her, or your reflection—seriously, do you have any idea how hot that redheaded girl form of yours is?”
The martial artist looked downtrodden as he answered, “Yeah, I know.”
Haruka raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”
It took Michiru a while to realize where they were.
“Setsuna, did you teleport us to the Time Gates?”
“It’s the one place where I know we won’t be followed.”
Michiru wasn’t certain whether to be frustrated or worried by the Time Guardian’s inexplicable paranoia. “Alright, Setsuna, you’re starting to creep me out. What’s so important that you needed to make absolutely sure that we wouldn’t be disturbed?”
Even though she knew perfectly well that no one could eavesdrop on this conversation, Setsuna still looked around before answering. “Michiru, I…” The Senshi of Pluto’s voice trailed off before anything intelligible could be said.
“Yes, Setsuna?”
Setsuna closed her eyes and inhaled deeply; though she’d been carrying this particular secret for most of her 20,000+ years of existence, this would be the first time she’d ever told someone else. For perhaps the first time in her life, she felt really nervous. Intellectually, she knew that Michiru would be supportive—but that did nothing to assuage the roiling in her gut that told her she was taking a huge risk by doing this. Come on, Setsuna, just get it over with. That was the best way to do it, otherwise she’d just keep dodging, delaying, and basically getting nowhere. She took another breath and just said what she wanted to say: “Michiru, I’m bisexual.”
Haruka and Ranma continued making small talk back in the apartment, or rather Ranma was trying to make small talk (and only partially succeeding), while Haruka tried to evaluate him. She still wasn’t sure what to make of Setsuna’s husband. Sure, he was a martial artist, and a dedicated one at that, but people of all personality types could be dedicated to the Art—though Ranma’s level of commitment was certainly rare. It was also obvious that he didn’t like his curse, and the fact that he had almost no hope for a cure (and only himself to blame for that) probably didn’t make it any easier. However, she had already learned something important, simply from eavesdropping on the conversation he had with the Inners: he put the Art before his own masculinity. Haruka never thought she would meet a man who would be willing to go through a complete menstrual cycle simply so he could learn a martial arts style—in fact, she couldn’t conceive of a man doing that for any reason, period.
As their conversation continued Haruka learned other things about her new roommate—first off, he was apparently one of the few heterosexual males on the planet who wasn’t obsessed with lesbians. Ranma hadn’t responded to a single opportunity to turn the subject in that direction, and Haruka had provided several chances (mostly to make sure that Setsuna hadn’t inadvertently married an anti-gay bigot). Frankly, the blonde teenager didn’t know what this meant—she’d never met a straight guy with no interest (positive or negative) in sexual relations between two women. Well, at least that should make Setsuna less uncomfortable.
Michiru was still trying to take in what Setsuna had told her. “Y-You’re bisexual?”
“I believe that’s what I said.”
“How long have you known?”
“Oh, since I was a teenager.”
It took Michiru to a while before she realized the implications of that statement. “Twenty thousand years—and is this the first time you’ve told someone?”
“Technically, yes. I’ve slept with other women, but they all assumed I was a lesbian. And before you ask, it didn’t happen that often—with men or women. Through the millennia, my lovemaking sessions have been few and very far between, mostly to avoid becoming too emotionally involved with someone who couldn’t live as long as I could. When I did indulge, it was always in a very licentious context, like the orgies of ancient Rome, or some similar time and place where one could easily have casual sex with total strangers.”
“But you’ve married Ranma.”
“Only because the reincarnation of the princess—Michiru, the Ginzuishou lets Usagi wield the power of life itself—connecting Ranma’s life to mine won’t be a problem for her.”
“Alright, so you let yourself fall in love with Ranma.”
“Exactly. And I thought that we’d have a relatively normal relationship; well, as normal as one can have when one of the partners is a Senshi.”
“But then you found out about his curse.”
“Yes. You know, since the end of the Silver Millennium, I’ve actually had more lesbian encounters than straight ones? Not because it was safer, or to prevent pregnancy, but because for a long time I thought that though I could become sexually aroused by other women, I was incapable of having a deep, romantic relationship with one—and I guess it’s still true today. I’ve never been in love with someone who’s spiritually female, even if I’ve never had a problem screwing them.”
“But now you’re in love with someone who’s spiritually male…”
“…and he turns into the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen in my life, but he hates his female form, and would probably do anything to get rid of it—and ironically enough, he’d do it for my sake.”
“But I thought he couldn’t get rid of it.”
“Not for a while, no, but there’s no telling what Usagi will be able to do once she gets some practice with the Ginzuishou—though from what I know about removing multiple curses simultaneously, she’ll have her work cut out for her. I don’t think she’ll be able to even begin considering it for a century or two.”
Michiru changed the subject—she had to, or this conversation would never end.
There was one thing that was bothering the violinist. “Why didn’t you talk about this before?” Michiru asked bewilderedly. “I mean, if the others can accept Haruka and me, why not you?”
“Mainly because the two of you are in a stable relationship.”
“What do you mean?”
Setsuna sighed. “Michiru, because you two have each other, the others have never felt worried about you ‘coming after them.’ I know that all of them are intellectually aware that a person isn’t ‘converted’ to lesbianism, but whether they know that on an emotional level is something I’m just not sure of. Though if they were emotionally mature enough to handle it that way, I’d think that they wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the possibility that they could share your orientation.”
“Hold on, Setsuna. Are you saying that some of the other Senshi are gay too?”
“No, I’m not. I won’t talk about something that personal unless it is absolutely necessary, and in my experience, it’s never been necessary. Besides, even if some of them are attracted to women, that doesn’t mean that they will act on those attractions. There is one aspect of human sexuality that is decided entirely by the individual’s free will, and that is the choice to have sex. No matter how your genetics or environment have affected you, you can always choose celibacy, even if it’s only over a short period of time. Though I can tell you from personal experience that it’s not always easy.”
“So, I assume you’re looking forward to tonight, right?” “Uh…”
“You know, when you and Setsuna ‘consummate your vows.’”
“Ya mean when we have sex?”
“I take it you don’t handle subtlety that well.”
“Uh, no. I’m not real good at thinkin’ an’ talkin’ at the same time… but, yeah, I guess I’m excited.”
“Well, you’ve got a lot to live up to.”
“Whaddya mean?”
“You know that song I sang tonight?”
“Yeah, I didn’t think Setsuna could blush, at least not that hard. Why was she so embarrassed anyhow?”
“Well, like you, she’s been anxiously awaiting your return—and like you, she wants to get her freak on. But with out the real article, she’s had to make do with her imagination, if you know what I mean.”
Ranma’s blank stare indicated that he didn’t have a clue what Haruka was talking about.
“She touches herself.”
More blank staring.
Alright, so his grasp of subtlety is poor at best. Haruka would have to be a little blunt to get her point across. “Look, since you weren’t around, she usually masturbated while thinking about you. And she did so very loudly, loud enough that she can’t deny that that’s what she’s doing. So I tease her about it.”
Ranma blushed hard before replying, “oh.”
“But anyway, if you ever need a little advice on ‘spicing things up,’” Haruka continued with suggestively raised eyebrows, “Michiru and I will be glad to give you some pointers.”
“Um, thanks, I guess.”
For crying out loud, why won’t you just take the bait? Haruka was getting frustrated. What was the point of being a lesbian if you couldn’t manipulate straight guys?
“So, basically, I’m attracted to both of Ranma’s forms, but he can’t stand one of them. And I’m afraid that if I try and push for us to have sex as ‘just girls,’ he’ll think I’m insulting his masculinity.” Setsuna had finally managed to finish getting everything off her chest.
Well, I can see why she didn’t want Haruka around. She’d always told her lover that the way she teased the others would have adverse effects, and it looked like she was right; because of her habits, Setsuna not only felt that she couldn’t turn to Haruka for support, but that she’d just end up as the butt of her jokes. This has to change now. When they got back the blonde racer was going to get a major chewing out—but for now, she had a friend to help.
For a moment, Haruka thought she felt a chill down spine, but she became distracted by Ranma’s next question.
“So, how did a guy like you end up living with three girls, anyway?”
“A guy like me”? Okay, he’s horrible at picking up subtlety. Haruka’s current wardrobe didn’t hide her figure that much, yet Ranma had obviously spent the whole evening assuming she was male. Sure, Haruka could make a convincing man, but never when she wasn’t making a conscious effort. If Ranma truly thought she was male, then that would explain why he hadn’t reacted to the hints she’d dropped about her bedroom activities with Michiru—he thought the two of them were a straight couple.
But Ranma had asked a valid (from his perspective) question, and it deserved a an answer. Haruka made her decision quickly.
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(Posted Mon, 16 Jan 2006 19:11)
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