Renewal

Renewal

"What the hell-"

The slam of the bathroom door punctuated Makoto's exclamation. Long legs in faded blue jeans strode to the door and tanned knuckles rapped on the unyielding wood.

"Come on Ami, open the door now!"

"You were undressing her!" The muffled shout did not prevent Makoto from discerning the seething tones in which Ami spoke.

"I explained what happened. Ami, will you just open the door? Please?" Cajoling did not seem to work at all as silence spread through their apartment. Makoto could feel a fury growing despite her efforts to stay calm.
Her hands grabbed the trim around the door, squeezing the wood with increasing force that would splinter and break if she did not stop. Her knuckles protruded whitely from the backs of her hands.
One minute of quiet.

One minute, thirty seconds.

Two minutes had passed since Ami last replied. No sound emerged from the bathroom beyond the door.
Makoto's forehead made a small thud as it dropped on the wood. "Ami..." A soft snarl of her loved one's name, and still no response.

"Fine then. I'm leaving." Her hands dropped to her sides, she could still feel the grain of the wood pressed into her palms not a moment ago. She made her way back to the couch where she had carelessly dropped the motorcycle helmet and her keys upon entering the apartment.

Makoto had almost made it to the front door when she heard the click of the lock and the door opening behind her.

"Wait, Mako..." The voice called out hoarsely from behind her and Makoto's body stilled, and stiffened. The balls of her feet were planted flatly on the floor, her back straight, her shoulders thrown back. In that instant she resembled a strong steadfast oak neither bowing or bending to the harshest wind. She did not turn to face Ami.

"What?" She could have been asking for a second cup of tea, the anger which had quickly flowed into her nowhere apparent in the word.

Once again there was no response from Ami but Makoto heard the tentative footsteps of the smaller woman as she crossed the room behind her. Even so, she did not turn. The set of her shoulders relaxed when she felt Ami's arms wrap around her waist from behind. She could feel the warmth from Ami's body as it pressed against her back.

"I'm sorry. Please don't go." The words were muted, absorbed into the cloth of Makoto's shirt but she heard them clearly. "I'm sorry."

There was a loud thump as the helmet fell from Makoto's fingers followed by the jingle of keys as they crashed to the floor. She gathered the smaller woman into her arms as she turned and Ami buried her face into Makoto's chest.

"You know, of the two, people usually call me the hothead." She joked. Ami trembled in her arms and Makoto felt a wetness penetrate the shirt. "Ami..." Surprise and concern colored the name of her beloved.

"I-I'm sorry!" Ami sobbed into Makoto's chest and the tall woman brushed the shorter woman's hair soothingly.

"It's okay," she reassured, "It's fine now. I just wanted you to talk to me."

"I walked in and saw the two of you and she was shirtless and I was so scared I lost you to someone else."

"Nothing happened, love. She received a cut while training and I helped her clean and dress the wound," Makoto explained once more.

"I know." Ami nodded, "I believed you but the picture of you two standing there...it couldn't leave my head and I got so angry at myself for even thinking you would do that to me. My love is selfish, I only want you all to myself."

"I feel the same," Makoto said quietly before a soft laugh erupted. Ami looked up at her in puzzlement and Makoto grinned while she gently swiped at the smaller's woman's tear trail with a callused thumb. "Imagine if the shoe was on the other foot. I would have probably killed someone if I had seen you in a situation like that without knowing the circumstances."

"Well, it really is no surprise you're known to be hot-headed." She rested head against Makoto's chest again.

"Wha—what are you doing?"

The brunette had bent and picked up Ami in her arms, her calf and thigh muscles flexing under jeans as she strutted towards their bedroom. "Why, I'm going to renew my vows I made that day."

"Mako-" a blush of excitement spread across Ami's cheeks as she stared wide-eyed at the brunette.
Laying Ami gently down in the middle of the bed Makoto bent and kissed her at the corner of her parted lips. "I'm going to prove how much I love and want you over and over again."

"Mako..." It was the barest of sighs, yet Makoto heard and felt the love uttered in those two syllables.
"Only you."