College Life Part 2: Coming to an understanding by Greenbeans Disclaimers: They're the same one's from part 1. If you don't know the disclaimers from part 1, I suggest you go back and read them. And while you're at it, read the story too. There is some cursing in this one (from the expected sources: Haruka and Beans ;) Expect some in moderate quantities every once in a while. (I'll post this note when an episode has some in it) Comments, thoughts, complaints, compliments, ramblings, and flames are all accepted. But the latter two stand a serious chance of being printed out and turned into rat cage lining. (Especially since I finally got my printer working =) All characters are property of their respective holders. I belong to myself, thank you, and have a nice day :) Since no one has taken my computer away from me for bad fanfiction, here is part 2. Enjoy! **********Monday night********** "Oh God, Alex, I made such a fool of myself in lab today!" I lamented to my roommates. "I'd say you did!" Jeff was totally unsymathetic. He was enjoying the fact that I'd mistaken my Calculus partner for a man when she was really a woman. "Quite, Jeff," Alex chided. "I had met Haruka and I thought that she was man also, so lay off." I put my face into my hands. I'll never live this down! How am I going to survive having Haruka as my Calculus partner for the rest of the term with this between us? The phone rang and Jeff picked it up. "Beans, it's for you. It's Haruka." "What?" I had never given Haruka my number. She didn't want to wait until tomorrow to tease me, she was going to start tonight, I told myself. "Hello?" I asked. "Busy?" It *was* Haruka. "No, but I want to --" I began, but she cut me off. "I'll be in front of the dorms to pick you up in ten minutes." She hung up. This was worse than I thought. Maybe *I* should move to Japan just to get away from her. "Beans?" Alex asked concerned. "It's okay. I'm going out for a while." 'And will probably never come back,' I thought darkly. I grabbed my backpack with my Calculus stuff in it since I didn't know *what* Haruka wanted and I wanted to be prepared. Five minutes later I was standing in front of the dorms waiting. Two things occurred to me. The first was that I had no idea what Haruka's car looked like and if she was going to perform a hit-and-run I'd need the description for the police. The second was 'How did she get a driver's licence?' At ten minutes on the dot a yellow sports car pulled up to the steps leading into the dorms. Haruka was behind the wheel in a distinctively feminine blouse and slacks. I blushed slightly at seeing this. Michiru got out of the passangers seat to allow me to get into the backseat. Seeing her caused me to have a second shock. Haruka had said that *she* loved *Michiru*. I blushed even more and was probably to color of a turnip by now. "What's wrong with you?" Haruka asked after seeing me in the rearview mirror. "You *love* Michiru?" Aw, shit, not twice in one day! I'm going to have to learn how to put a leash on my tounge! "How many times do I have to tell you 'Yes', baka!" Haruka answered impatiently. Michiru turned around in seat to look at me. "Does that bother you?" "I don't give a damn if it bothers her or not!" Haruka said before I could answer. "No," I said quickly, "it just took me by surprise, that's all." Point in fact, I wasn't sure how I felt. I'd have to think about it. Michiru smiled at me. "It seems that you have been receiving many surprises today." "You're telling me," I mumbled. "Where're we going?" I asked in a louder voice. "For a ride," Haruka said. "Got a problem with that?" I was tempted to give her a piece of my mind. She'd stung my pride on multiple occasions throughout the last week and I was getting tired of having to lick my wounds. How Michiru could be with someone that was as gruff, haughty, and rude as Haruka could be was beyond my understanding. Aw, hell, I've already waded up to my hips, I might as well plunge in..... "Yes, I have a problem with it. You've *just* managed to be civil to me for the last week. I'm sorry if I mistook you for a man, but you brought that onto yourself. I'm sorry if I'm not as smart as your girlfriend when it comes to Calculus. I've never been good at math and it's your own damn fault for chosing me as your partner!" Haruka's eyebrow twitched slightly during my rantings. I got the feeling that she was more used to doing the yelling then being the yelled at by the look on her face. "It seems that you've hurt her feelings, Haruka," Michiru said to her in Japanese. For some reason, Michiru's sudden decision to use Japanese when she'd always opted to English when I was around struck me the wrong way. "You're damn right that you've hurt my feelings!" I yelled. Haruka slammed on the brakes. She pulled the car over to the side of the road and parked it. "You speak Japanese?" She asked in her native tounge. The startled look on her face told me all that I needed to know. She'd realized that she'd seriously under-estimated me and was about to take the fall. "Yes, and don't think that I've missed any of you snide comments to Michiru about how stupid I am," I snarled at her. "Shimatta," Haruka whispered softly. She laid her head lightly on the steering wheel. Michiru sat there not quite knowing what to say. I took several deep breaths to help calm me down. A lot of pressure that I didn't realize was there had managed to build up and just reached critical mass. For last the week, I'd felt like I'd been walking on glass when I was around her. Having her in my lab didn't do anything to improve my outlook. Not when I'd end up having to struggle with her *every* day. "I'm sorry," I said meekly. I wasn't really, except for losing my temper. Usually I can manage a little more cool than that. Haruka lifted her head from the steering wheel. "Why? Why are you sorry? You're not the one who's made an ass of herself for the last week." "Haruka," Michiru whispered softly. "No, Michiru, I told you that I would be nice to her and that I'd be her friend and then I go and treat her like shit. Even I can see hypocrisy of that." She turned to face me, "I'm sorry, Beans. I don't know how to make it up to you, but I will be kinder from now on." Hum... "Well," I drawled, "you could make it up to me by helping me get through Calculus with a passing grade." "Huh, you still want to be partners?" She seemed a little shocked by this. "Of course, I need Michiru's help if I'm going to pass...." I winked at Michiru, who began to laugh softly. "Now see here --" Haruka began to protest. "I'm kidding Haruka," I assured her. She started the car again. "Just so long as you remember that it's Michiru and me," she added defensively. "Trust me, in those regards, you can have her," I settled into the seat of the car. I was sure that things were going to be better from this point on. **********End part 2********** Okay, so the second part was short. The story didn't need to be any longer so I didn't add a lot of 'filler' into it. (Short and sweet, ne?) Oh, one thing I should make clear that I didn't in the first parts' disclaimers is that this is a Haruka and Michiru story. Not really Uranus and Neptune. Their alter egos may show up at some point, but I'm not really planning on it. Next episode: "Enter the competetion" is the first of the three part mini-series called "Love bytes." When a computer geek shows a liking for Michiru, it takes everything within Beans persuasive skills to keep Haruka from putting him "down for repairs." I'd like to acknowledge some of my favorite fanfic authors whom I drew insperation from: * Tim Nolan: "Awakening", "Obligations" Thank you for answering all of my outer senshi questions =) * Jackie Chiang: "Senshi Kurai" I really liked this fic for being serious and still having fun! * Brett Handy: "Oh my God!!" Series Thank for all the advice and encouragement you've given, mate! Check out his Oh My Goddess and Ranma fics at his website at: http://www.ozanime.com/darkwind/ * A Sailor Moon Romance: For posting this and providing me with plenty of fics to read ;) http://ctdnet.acns.nwu.edu/~aerdnahu/