Water Lilies: Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight: Oblivious

Right before graduation Makoto was offered a job in the botany department of the university. Considered one of the more promising students, she was assured a research and fieldwork position. Overjoyed, the brunette immediately accepted. Not long after, she heard rumors of a new strain of water lilies circulating and she set out north to find out for herself. It was near Mount Yukikura Makoto located the strange and exotic plant flourishing in a large pond. She made note the plant did not seem to affect either flora or fauna in the surrounding area. There were no forthcoming clues about how the plant came to be but she vowed to find the origin. She also wondered to herself why the name Yukikura sounded so familiar.

It was not until she returned to Tokyo and explained her assignment to Ami and Usagi over dinner one night that she discovered it was the younger woman's hometown. She noticed Ami seemed eager for news of her village and Makoto filled her in as best as she could. The botanist was invited to stop by her home once Ami was back in Yukikura, which would be less than a year's time.

Throughout the years, the village of Yukikura along with Ami and Hana saw Makoto intermittently. She visited the young doctor and her grandmother every time she was in the region to inspect the growth of the waterlilies. Calculations were all well and good in a lab but the botanist was in her element in the midst of nature while taking samples and making notes.

Sometimes Makoto gave notice of her impending visits, sometimes she did not. It did not disturb either Hana or Ami, having a guest, unexpected or not broke the monotony of their days; Hana especially got along very well with the botanist. The doctor, having buried whatever emotion Makoto evoked had done so for so long it was now second nature to her. Their relationship was one of easy friendship on the surface.

The only person who suspected the woman even harbored feelings for the brunette was Hana. However, the old woman thought it was not her place to mention anything, she was very aware of Ami's reserved nature and respected it. She also suspected their relationship would not stay the same forever, even if the changes happened minutely. Hana had a hunch that water lilies weren't the only things that kept the botanist coming back to Yukikura. If only Ami was cognizant of that fact and Makoto honest with herself.

-x-x-x-

The present:

The slap resonated throughout the living room and Ami would have been horrified at her own action if not for the fact that she was too incensed. The entire evening she felt as if she'd been a step away from careening over a precipice with her emotions while Makoto sat, spoke and even ate dinner nonchalantly. How dare Makoto show up three months later and act as if nothing had occurred. As if it had not happened? It was simply too much to take and she refused to stand for it. She was not a teenager anymore, she was a grown woman who deserved more than a wave and a 'see you', she was entitled to an explanation.

"What the-?" Makoto, startled, could only hold her face at the unexpected sting. Her green eyes were large as saucers.

"How could you?" Ami was furious, her blue eyes ablaze.

Makoto's brow furrowed, thoughts flying fast as she tried to find an explanation for Ami's actions. Did she do something? Did she not do something? Nothing could come to mind from her last visit to Yukikura. Well, except her growing attraction to Ami. Did the other woman find out somehow? No, there was no way she could have. The pain of the blow receded but faced with Ami's ire Makoto could not help but respond in kind.

"What do you mean?" The brunette asked, trying to hold back the frustration from entering her voice but doing a poor job of it.

"How can you not remember?" Teeth clenched to prevent herself from shouting, Ami exclaimed, "How can you sit there and not remember kissing me! And then you leave without a word the next day!"

Makoto's jaw dropped and she gaped at Ami for full minute in silence. She felt incredibly obtuse when the only sentence she produced was, "I...kissed you?"

-x-x-x-

Yukikura,three months ago:

Yuri gave her a grin, presenting a folder with a flourish and Ami smiled back warmly at the younger woman as she collected the patient's chart. Yuri Saki was her recently hired medical assistant and Ami was happy to see things were working out well between them. The younger woman was very friendly, incredibly efficient and could be counted on should an emergency arise. Ami should know, the woman came highly recommended from a fellow doctor Ami respected. She also thought the young woman reminded her of someone she couldn't place.

"Since it's Friday, are you doing anything this evening Ami-san?" Yuri asked casually as she shuffled through the records on her desk. The clinic was empty and they often passed the time in conversation during the lulls in between patients.

Ami answered absently as she filled out a form, "I have an old friend coming for a visit, she will be arriving tonight."

"Oh."

Ami missed the young woman's faltering expression before she pasted a smile back on her face.

"That sounds like fun, catching up with your friend."

"Yes, I really enjoy her company, we've known each other since our university days." Ami smiled fondly, if a little bittersweet and Yuri appeared put out as she noticed the expression on the doctor's face.

Yuri tried once again, "Well, I hope you're free one evening for dinner. I'm a very good cook." She offered her best toothy smile to the older woman when Ami looked up.

Ami smiled again, "That sounds delightful, Yuri."

A knock came from the entrance of the clinic and Ami turned in that direction to see the very brunette she spoke of leaning against the open doorway.

"Makoto!" Ami exclaimed, a pleased expression on her face. "I didn't think you'd get here so soon."

"Hey Ami." Makoto greeted her cheerfully in response. She looked at Yuri with a smile as well and the younger woman returned it but with less zeal than she had shown Ami previously.

"This is Yuri Saki, my new medical assistant. Well, not so new, she's been here for two months already." Ami introduced, as Makoto entered the clinic to stand next to Ami, throwing an arm over the doctor's shoulder.

The sight of Makoto and Yuri standing next to each other made Ami's eyes widen. Although the younger woman was not as tall as Makoto she was statuesque in her own right, with sepia hair and hazel eyes. It was no small wonder Yuri radiated familiarity, she gave off the same energy as Makoto; they even had similar looks. Ami winced internally, the likeness between the two women was incredible and she felt rather dense for not making the connection before. An inner voiced she nicknamed Usagi, spoke up stating, 'Why are you getting so worked up? It isn't as if you picked Yuri to be a replacement for Makoto. You don't even like Yuri in a romantic way. '

Ami stiffened and Makoto immediately felt the shorter woman's body tensing. "Is something wrong, Ami?"

The woman did not answer right away, unaware of the concerned apparent on the botanist's tanned face. Before she could speak again, Yuri directed a question at Ami, placing a hand on the doctor's arm.

"Are you alright, Ami-san?"

The botanist shot the young woman a look of minor irritation at the tone Yuri used when saying Ami's name. Ami was suddenly confused at the animosity. Fortunately Makoto's expression smoothed out before the assistant took note of it.

"I'm sorry, I'm fine. I was distracted for a moment." Ami finally answered their queries, her thoughts wandering to the look on the botanist's face.

"Okay," The brunette smiled and hugged Ami which caught her off-guard. "I'll go catch up with Hana-san since you're still working."

Ami gave her a weak smile as she departed. Yuri seemed to be relieved as well now that Makoto was leaving. How odd, Ami thought to herself. 

---