Thoughts of Home: The Morning After

By Sailor Doc

*Author's Note*

This story takes place directly after 'The Journey Home", and like it, is set four years into Ami and Makoto's romantic relationship. You don't have to read that story first, but it may help this one make more sense...or not! Chronologically, the series goes in this order:

1--A Picture-Perfect Afternoon

2--The Reckoning

3--The Journey Home

4--The Morning After

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The early morning sunlight gently warmed the balcony of her small apartment as Makoto enjoyed its warmth, as well as her first cup of tea for the day. A smile played across her lips as she leaned on the railing, watching the activity on the street below, her thoughts on the person still sleeping in their bed.

'Ami'.

The night before had been the second anniversary of their decision to live together. Makoto knew without the shadow of a doubt that it had been the best decision she had ever been a part of! In a life that could never really be considered normal, Ami was the anchor that steadied her. Her calm demeanor and steady, steadfast devotion to her beliefs, her ideals, and her friends, was a beautiful thing to see, but the application of these wonderful traits to the woman she had decided to share her life with touched Makoto in ways she still, after all their time together, was awed by.

A soft breeze blew across the balcony, ruffling her loosened hair around the shoulders of her lacy negligee and cooling the warm skin beneath it. She shivered slightly---but not from the sudden chill. A soft moan came unbidden to her lips as she closed her eyes and let her memory take her back a few hours to the very personal and private celebration of their anniversary.

The smell of Ami's hair...

The feel of her skin, soft as satin as it moved against hers...

The sound of her voice, at times soft and gentle, at others almost incoherent as her passion took her beyond words, beyond reasoning thought...

The sight of her, eyes closed in ecstasy, her body tense in anticipation of her release, then moments later, those self-same eyes filled with a love as deep and bottomless as the very blue of them.

The smell of her. Not simply the light perfume she always associated with her lover, but of Ami herself. An intoxicating combination of that scent, warm, clean skin and her undeniable arousal that never failed to go straight to Makoto's head.

How could she not answer that sirens' call? After all, she was only human!

She wondered if Ami knew that all she had to do was crook her little finger, and Makoto would move mountains at her slightest whim?

With a wry smile, Makoto lifted the teacup to her lips, then paused as the sunlight glittered off the new ring on her finger. The sapphire icicles twinkled merrily at her from their broad, golden band, not unlike the sparkling blue eyes of her lover. With a tender smile, she raised her hand to eye level so she could get a closer look at it. As she suspected it would be, it was indeed the perfect counterpoint to the ring she had given Ami last year. The same wide gold band, but her gift had been ringed with emerald lightening bolts. She had never seen it off of Ami's hand, and she silently vowed that her partner would never see her wonderful gift separated from her hand either.

With a soft sigh, Makoto took another sip and let her gaze scan the rather drab, unremarkable buildings across from her. The air was crisp, with the heavy tang of moisture that promised a cool, drizzly day. 'Just the perfect type of day for staying in and cuddling,' she thought to herself, extremely happy that it was Saturday, and neither one of them had any pressing commitments for the day.

A small sound alerted her to the presence of someone else on their balcony just seconds before a pair of arms encircled her waist. Placing a hand over them where they crossed at her waist, she grinned as she felt the press of her lover's cheek against the area between her shoulder blades and heard Ami sigh as she gently tightened her embrace.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" she said in greeting. "What's gotten you up so early on a Saturday?"

Snuggling closer, Ami mumbled, "missed you."

Smiling softly, Makoto said, "Sorry love! You looked so peaceful when I got up, I couldn't bring myself to wake you up. I thought I'd just stir around a bit, have a cup of tea, and come back to bed before you woke up."

Feeling Ami nodding against her back, Makoto heard her say again, "missed you."

Laughing, Makoto said, "sweetheart! You've already said that! Can't you think of anything else to say this morning?"

Feeling Ami nod again, Makoto heard her say, "cold," followed by what could only be a shiver.

Frowning, Makoto turned her head to the side to look behind at her partner.

"Cold? Why are you so cold?"

Turning completely around within Ami's embrace, Makoto quickly saw the reason why.

"Ami! Love?! Are you out of her mind???"

There Ami stood, still half asleep and as naked as the day she was born.

"Missed you," she said again, her sleepy blue eyes beseeching her lover for the warmth she had come in search of.

Pulling the smaller woman into a tight embrace, Makoto tried to share her body heat with her shivering mate, vigorously rubbing her arms and back.

"Ami," she laughed, her eyes darting across to the other building and back. "What if that old pervert on the fifth floor over there had been out with that telescope of his again? We may have found your picture all over the internet tonight!" Chuckling, she pulled back a bit to see Ami's eyes. "Are you even awake yet?" At her lover's nod she smiled and added as she shook her head, "What am I ever going to do with you?"

Feeling Ami's hands begin a slow decent down her back, Makoto started coming up with a few ideas of her own before she heard Ami's voice, still raspy with sleep, respond to her question:

"Are you open to suggestions?"

Makoto couldn't help the shiver that escaped her as Ami's hands continued their journey south, finally reaching their destination and pulling Makoto's warmer form snuggly against her own.

Closing her eyes, Makoto reveled in the feel of Ami's chilled body through the thin material of her nightwear, that same slight chill on her fingertips sending shivers of delight racing down her spine. She became aware of Ami reaching up on tip-toes and subconsciously leaned forward toward her lover, feeling the cold touch of the very tip of Ami's nose against her neck mere seconds before the icy touch of her cool lips against the warmth of Makoto's neck, placing delicate, whisper soft kisses against it. Then, the unexpected, welcoming warmth of her lover's mouth as the lobe of her ear found comfort there.

An abrupt, involuntary intake of breath, and Makoto could feel her body beginning to reverse the effect. Now, a sudden rush of warmth seemed to infuse her from somewhere deep within. Opening her eyes again, she could feel them flash with a reawakened desire and an urgent need to share that warmth.

Looking up into her lover's eyes, Ami felt a sudden thrill at what she saw there, just before the taller girl pulled her fiercely against her deceptively powerful form. Makoto lowered her head, tasting the sweetness of Ami's lips and mouth, drinking deeply of the rare and special sustenance she had discovered there, and relishing in the knowledge it was for her alone.

Pleasantly shaken by the fervor of Makoto's assault, Ami was surprised when the girl pulled away from her eager lips. Dazed and more than a bit confused, she looked up at her lover in silent question. The beautiful emerald colored eyes were now a deeper than normal green, seeming to crackle and pop with the electricity she wielded so easily. Her intense gaze seemed as if it were seeking to capture and entreat the brilliant young woman all at once.

"Let me be your shelter. Let me be the home that comforts you. Let me be the fire that warms you...always."

Reaching up, her hand trembling with the strength of her own emotions, Ami caressed Makoto's cheek, her eyes following the path of her fingertips as she smiled lovingly at their journey; first over the cheekbone, then gently following the delicate curve of a reddish brown brow, and finally combing through the thick locks of hair she loved so much to lightly scratch the scalp beneath. Looking up to meet her partners eyes she whispered:

"You. Only you, my love. My home. My heart...always."

Ami was rewarded with two things, both of which happened rather quickly. First was a searing kiss that seemed to totally stop the flow of her blood, as her knees went weak and she got light-headed all at the same time. Next was a sense of sudden vertigo as the earth seemed to tilt on its axis and totally shift beneath her feet. Reluctantly opening her eyes, when she realized she wasn't being kissed anymore, she found herself being carried in Makoto's arms, across the balcony to the french doors, a look of serious intent on her face.

"Mako!" she laughed, "What do you think you're doing?"

"You're cold," her partner said as she maneuvered them through the doors and into the warmth of their apartment, not stopping but proceeding with determination toward their bedroom. Placing Ami gently back down on the bed she said, "I have to do everything I can to protect you from becoming ill or hurt, you know."

"Oh," Ami said, looking up at her partner as Makoto first straightened the covers, then pulled them over her not-so-chilled-anymore form and tucked them firmly up under her chin. Just a bit disappointed that things didn't seem to be working out exactly as she had originally planned them, she added, "So what's next? Warm tea and homemade soup?"

"No," Makoto said, never pausing in her work. Satisfied that Ami was properly tucked in, Makoto removed her negligee, unmindful of its decent to the floor. Quickly slipping beneath the covers, she pulled a delighted Ami tightly against her larger frame, wrapping her in a living blanket of warmth and security.

"Feel better now?" Makoto asked as she held Ami close in her arms.

"Oh yes, much!" Ami responded, burrowing against the solid chest beneath her and thoroughly enjoying the glow of warmth that came from feeling so loved and cherished.

"Good," Makoto replied softly in her love's ear. "Because it is no longer only Sailor Jupiter's job to protect Sailor Mercury. It is her honor and her privilege."

Smiling tenderly, Ami said, "I love you Makoto! Sometimes the words seem so inadequate, but they are no less true...I love you."

"Ami-love," Makoto whispered, "my heart."

For awhile thereafter time seemed to still as they continued the journey they had been on the night before. A journey not at all diminished by the years they had been traveling it together. A sinuous journey of love and devotion, both given and taken...

cherished and shared...

nurtured and nurturing...

and always, always growing.

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THE END