He raised an eyebrow, but was forced to smile in spite of himself. �Okay, okay. I forgive you. However, you really should know better than to try and handle this sort of thing without the rest of us. We're a team for a reason, sis. Ne?�
Groaning in relief, she grabbed her brother in a bear hug as he laughed. Before she can give him her customary noogie, he wiggled out of her reach. �Don't touch the hair! You have any idea how hard it is to get my hair just right?�
Rolling her eyes, she giggled. �Whatever. You wanna dance, Onii-chan?�
�That's okay. There are lots of luscious maidens out there, waiting for my attention.�
�Oh, is that it? I thought you just didn't want to be seen with me. Afraid I'd get all the attention. I can't help it if I look better in a tux than you do,� she said with a playful smirk.
�As if! For your information, I'm a hot commodity. While you on the other hand, are just a girl in a suit,� he retorted with a fake sneer.
�Yeah well I'd make you eat those words if we weren't both ordered by Dad and Mom to keep from rough-housing. That, and Morph would kill me too.� She instinctively looked around to see if her animal companion was watching her, before remembering that he was stuck on his home planet of Tala and couldn�t make it to the wedding. �Yeah, so, I'm going to stand here and drink my punch, and you'd better go chasing after all those maidens before I change my mind.� She winked at her brother as she nudged him in the ribs.
�How very generous of you,� he said, returning the wink. With a smile he turned and headed off into the crowd. �Ja na!�
Mi-chan shook her head in her brother�s direction, then realized that she had lost Jian-wa and scanned the dance floor for him as she drank her punch, unable to spot him right away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jian-wa avoided Neko�s eyes throughout the entire first dance. This dance meant nothing, merely something that had been agreed upon between Mi-chan and Neko as a nice idea for the reception. Mi-chan and Neko would switch partners after the maid of honor and best man�s first dance together, as a sign of the two couples� acceptance of each other, specifically Neko and Mi-chan�s acceptance of the other�s choice in partner.
Now it all seemed like a sham. Neko couldn�t possibly truly accept him as Mi-chan�s future groom. It had taken so much work to get her to trust him after the last time he betrayed the twins.
�Neko-chan,� he said softly. �I wanted to say� gomen nasai.�
�Ara? Are you apologizing for suggesting Mi-chan pretend to be me, or for shattering that illusion?� she asked, a small twinkle in her eye.
�I, huh?� He stared at her uncertainly. Maybe she hadn�t been told the reason for her kidnap. Would he be forced to be the one to reveal the more dirty aspects of his past to her? Jian-wa didn�t think he could handle that. But at the same time, he knew he was obligated to tell her. �I don�t know what you know about the guy who kidnapped you, but��
�I know, Jian-kun. It�s�,� she gave a small sigh, then looked him straight in the eyes. �Jian-kun�, I never deluded myself into thinking that Mi-chan and I were the first people you wronged,� Neko said softly. �But you�ve already been forgiven for your past. Please believe me when I say that we�re not going to take that all away, no matter what we find out you did before you met us. Your slate was wiped clean when you chose to help Mi-chan. Don�t think we�re about to give up on you now.�
Jian-wa�s eyes shone at her. �Thank you, Neko-chan. Th- That means a lot.�
She kissed him on the cheek. �Good. Then can you deliver me to my bride now?� He dutifully led her off the dance floor and back to Tenshi.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Jasper returned to the palace, he was disappointed, but not surprised, to find that the wedding had moved on to the reception. He entered the banquet hall and surveyed the scene, trying to figure out where to sit. It seemed he had missed the first couple dances, for many people were out dancing, while others were watching. Not too far in front of him was someone he recognized immediately as his princess, even from the back. She was watching the couples on the floor as they danced, but had no partner herself. Jasper thought that that was something to be remedied.
�Hey, Hime-chan, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?� he asked the tux-clad young woman.
She turned. Instantly he knew his mistake. �Wrong princess,� Mi-chan fumed at the blue-haired man.
Jasper stared at her for a moment, and then suddenly he was hit by how incredibly funny this seemed to him. He should have known that there was the possibility that this was Mi-chan, but it hadn�t even occurred to him. Jasper burst out laughing, ignoring the complete look of incredulousness and fury that crossed Mi-chan�s face. All remaining fear of the young woman seemed to melt away with his amusement. �I� I�m sorry, Michiru-san,� he said, doubling over. �It�s just�.� A second round of laughter hit, and he stopped talking until he could catch his breath a little. Finally, he had settled down a bit and could speak. �What the hell�,� he chuckled, �Michiru-san would you care to dance?�
For a brief moment she was speechless (*Wow, the first time ever* he thought). Then she opened her mouth, probably to tell him off for even suggesting such a foolish proposition. He beat her to the punch, though, goading her, �Unless you�re too scared to dance with me, that is.�
�I am not scared of you!� she sputtered angrily.
�Great!� He took her hand and swept her onto the dance floor before she could object. �Relax,� he said quietly into her ear. �This is going to thrill Neko-chan endlessly. Think of it as a wedding present if you wish.�
�I hate you,� she told him simply, as if he couldn�t see the fire of hate that burned in her eyes.
�That�s nice,� he replied nonchalantly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
