Neko angled herself towards the college women�s locker room. Tenshi probably was still changing for Kempo. Neko had to laugh at the memory of how long it had taken Tenshi to learn to tie her belt when she had first started. Of course, by now she had it down. She was actually pretty good at Kempo, especially since she only started it about a year ago when Ryo suggested that she take it to help in her role as Neko�s protector.
Neko sighed happily at the thought of Tenshi as her protector. Tenshi was the ruler of her moon, her Knight. And Neo-Queen Serenity had made certain that no matter what, Neko and Tenshi would be together. They were fated for each other, Neko was certain of that. Why else would things have worked out so well? For her to be a lesbian and Tenshi to be born a girl even though she was also born to be a Knight? For them to be able to overcome all the overwhelming obstacles that seemed to try and come between them? For Tenshi to so perfectly compliment Neko that Neko could imagine that the two of them made each other whole, when previously only Mi-chan had even come close to filling that role in her life?
No, she and Tenshi were meant to be. That�s why it was so important to talk to her right now. After the Team Eclipse incident, Neko had sworn not to keep anything from Tenshi again� at least not anything important. Back then she had hidden the horrible nightmares she had been having, nightmares that suggested that if she didn�t break up with Tenshi, either Tenshi, Mi-chan, or both would die. So she had broken up with Tenshi, an act to which Tenshi had reacted so horribly that she had practically signed herself up to be a minion for their enemies. Luckily for them, their love had been able to break even the spell Tenshi had been put under, and everything had ended well. *Just more proof that we�re meant to be* Neko thought encouragingly to herself. But because of that event she had decided to tell Tenshi anytime she was worried about their relationship.
This time it was Tenshi who seemed worried, though. And the worst part was that Tenshi was unwilling to disclose what the problem was. Neko knew that Tenshi was a bit proud, and that she really didn�t like having to be dependent on people, but Neko was determined to find out what was wrong and help Tenshi overcome it.
�Tenshi!� Before she reached the college girls locker room, Tenshi came out of it. Tenshi looked a bit stunned to see her there, but recovered quickly.
�Koneko, what are you doing here?� Neko was usually too shy to come into the upper level locker room.
�I came to tell you that Kempo was cancelled.� A bit of color rose to Neko�s cheeks as she realized that Tenshi was not in her gi, but in a loose-fitting red T-shirt and blue jeans. �I guess you know that, huh?�
Tenshi nodded and smiled at Neko�s blush. �Hai. But it�ll be a nice change for you and Jian-kun, ne? Getting to relax a bit before soccer?�
�Yeah� no!� Neko suddenly took Tenshi�s hand and said eagerly, �Tenshi, let�s you and me go out to your beach instead. I�ll skip soccer, and we can watch the sun set and just talk for a bit.�
�That sounds nice,� Tenshi said softly. She looked at Neko with such longing in her eyes. And then suddenly a shadow crossed her face. One of pain? Confusion? Neko didn�t know what it was, but the result was that Tenshi apparently decided that the idea wasn�t nice enough. �Demo you should get some soccer practice in. It�s important to you.� Somehow Tenshi had managed to make this sound like she wasn�t brushing Neko off. But Neko knew it for what it was.
�It�s not as important as you,� Neko insisted. �Please, Tenshi, tell me what�s wrong!�
Tenshi looked away. �I�.� She seemed to fight for the right words, before finally crying out a frustrated, �I can�t!�
Neko�s heart wrenched as Tenshi turned her back on her. �No, Tenshi, please!� She ran up and embraced her from behind. �Tenshi, I love you. Whatever it is, we�ll get through it together. That�s what being in love is about! I know we haven�t had our wedding yet, but I�ll mean every word of our vows. I want to be there for your problems and help you get through them, just as much as I want to be there when you�re happy. I love you, and no matter what�s going on that�s not going to change. So please� please tell me what�s wrong!�
Tenshi didn�t answer. Neko buried the silent tears that were beginning to fall into Tenshi�s shirt as she continued to hold her lover. *Please don�t push me away, Tenshi* her mind whispered, as she closed her eyes and tried to shut out the worry. *I love you.*
�Please don�t cry, Koneko,� Tenshi cried softly as she turned back to Neko. But she didn�t hug her back, though she looked as if she wanted to. �I don�t mean to push you away. Forgive me, I just�.�
She trailed off, leaving Neko without a clue of what was going on. �Just what?�
Tenshi shook her head. �I�m sorry, Koneko.�
Hurt and rejected one too many times, Neko didn�t even bother to cry out an answer as she spun around and ran off.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tenshi couldn�t stand to see Neko so upset. �Ko�� she started after a moment, but stopped as her head filled with anger. �No!� she cried out, as she grabbed her head and fell to her knees. She couldn�t let anything take over her mind again, couldn�t chance that it would make her become someone who might hurt Neko again.
But just as suddenly, her mind cleared, and her thoughts were her own again. She glanced up to make sure that Neko hadn�t seen, but her fianc�e had been out of the vicinity before Tenshi had even cried out.
*It wouldn�t matter even if she had* she told herself. *Just admit it. You need help!* She picked herself up off the ground, but felt like she was still cowering down there. She was supposed to be able to beat any obstacle that came between her and Neko. She was Neko�s Knight, but what good was that if she couldn�t even defend herself?
But� the best way to do that right now was to find out what was wrong and beat it, right? *Baka, if you love her, you�ll go find her right now and tell her what�s going on!*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Making out with Jian-wa was so nice that Mi-chan almost didn�t notice when Neko dropped off her radar again. At least something took the edge off of that sensation! She was so grateful that she kissed Jian-wa even more ferociously.
But suddenly Neko reappeared, and now her emotions were a great mix of anger, fear, confusion, and disappointment. While Mi-chan had grudgingly begun to lighten up with the idea that Neko was disconnecting from her every so often, she instantly reacted when she was connected to Neko during a time when Neko was upset for any reason.
She pushed back from Jian-wa. �Gomen, sweetie, but I have to find Neko-chan right now,� she said quickly. Not even bothering to wait for a response � she figured he understood; after all, she was always running off to save Neko from one thing or another � she disengaged herself from him, and ran off in the direction that she knew Neko was headed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jian-wa kicked at a rock on the ground, watching it with some small satisfaction as it hit the school building�s wall and shattered into two. He really couldn�t blame Mi-chan for going to find her twin if Neko was in trouble, but it would�ve been at least nice to know what exactly she was running off from him for. For all the information she gave him, she could be just as easily running off to compare their significant others� kisses� in which case, he�d probably lose, he thought, but that was beside the point.
Home
