Jasper took her out for a celebratory dinner at the Crown.
You looked like you were having fun,� he said.
�It was fun. But it was so much work.� She flexed her biceps. �Lots of upper arm strength.�
�There�s no doubt you�re in shape,� he said appreciatively. She blushed. It was so kawaii. �So,� he asked nonchalantly, �you�re getting along with Tenshi-san?�
�No!� she said quickly. Then she revised it. �She makes me uncomfortable and mad.�
�But�?�
�But sometimes she can make me laugh, and she can be really considerate at times.� Neko stared at her menu. �She�s going to spend the rest of the school year helping me with pole vault, even though it means she won�t have time to practice herself.�
�It�s very important to her,� he said.
�Why?�
*Because she loves you!* He didn�t answer. Neko knew, and he didn�t want to remind her.
Unazuki came by to take their order. Neko desperately scanned her menu again, glancing at Jasper a couple times, before sighing and ordering simply a mocha shake. Jasper ordered a strawberry one, realizing that Neko had only done so because she hadn�t known what to get herself.
�I�m sorry, Hime-chan,� he murmured.
�For what?� she asked.
*For not letting you go. For not letting Tenshi-san steal you away from me.*
�I just am.�
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They had been there for half an hour and had already run into an awkward silence. It was surprising since there were so many things Neko could ask him. But they seemed to be avoiding the topic of Team Eclipse, and she had already asked about his home planet and his time on Eryx. He couldn�t think of anything new to casually bring up.
Neko broke the silence. �Jasper-kun,� she asked curiously as they sipped their shakes, �if I asked you to, could you order for me?�
�Sorry, Hime-chan, except for the ice cream, I don�t know your food preferences anymore than you do.�
�Ne, why do you refer to me as your princess every time I make a request? I know you mean it as a nickname, but is that all?�
�Neko-chan, you are my princess,� Jasper pointed out. �That doesn�t change just because you�re my� my, uh�.� Friend? Koibito? He faltered, trying to figure out what he should call this relationship. She had never told him what she thought of their outing the other day. Would she think he was too forward if he called her his girlfriend?
She caught his hesitancy. She smiled at him sweetly, but shyly. �Let�s go for a walk, ne?�
They left two half-finished shakes and enough to cover them on the table and exited the Crown.
�It�s dark,� Jasper said as they walked down the steps. �Maybe I should just take you home.�
�It�s not too far. You can walk me there,� she requested, taking his arm.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Mi-chan called Tenshi up, impatiently waiting for Neko to come home. It was after dark, surely she and Tenshi were done with pole vault by now.
Haruka answered the vidphone. �Michiru-chan! Long time, no see,� she kidded her.
�Hey, Haruka-san. My sister�s not there, is she?�
�Sorry, haven�t seen her.�
Mi-chan was disappointed. �Is Tenshi-kun there?�
�Yeah, I�ll get her. Tenshi!�
Well, that was even more discouraging. Mi-chan frowned as Tenshi appeared on the screen. �What�s wrong?� Tenshi worried.
�Where�s Neko-chan?�
�Oh. She�s with Jasper-san,� Tenshi answered, looking as though she had lost her best friend. �They went out after we finished practicing.�
�You let her leave with him?! How could you do that?!� Honestly, didn�t Tenshi realize he was her competition?!
�Mi-chan, I can�t just forbid her to go out with him. She won�t listen to me. She doesn�t even like me!� Tenshi lowered her eyes. �I blew it, didn�t I?�
Mi-chan�s anger dissolved as she saw the tortured look in Tenshi�s eyes. �No, don�t say that! You�re still her true love. Don�t give up, please!�
�You should see her with Jasper-san. She was completely at ease and happy when he came by. I just make her upset all the time.�
�That�s because she won�t��
�No, even before. Our relationship was filled with worry, and distress, and sadness��
��And support, and joy, and love,� Mi-chan added. Couldn�t Tenshi see all that? Her words were filled with passion as she continued, �It wouldn�t be real if you didn�t worry about each other. You two share your sorrows, as well as your joys. She wouldn�t be half as upset with you now if she didn�t care for you. She doesn�t fight with people she doesn�t love, you know that. Come on, where�s all that faith you�re so famous for?!�
A hint of a smile touched upon Tenshi�s face. �You�re right,� she said. �I can�t give up on her.�
�Good. Come over, we�ll devise a new plan.�
�Demo, what if she comes home?�
*That�d be great. Then she�d be out of his clutches and you can woo her right then* Mi-chan thought optimistically, but quite seriously. To Tenshi she said, �Then she�ll see us getting along, and you�ll win more points with her, won�t you? Besides, you seem to be under the impression this was a request. It�s an order.�
�An order?�
�Get over here now, Tenoh!�
�Yes, ma�am. I�ll be right over.� Tenshi saluted and hung up. Mi-chan laughed. That was the Tenshi she needed back. The optimistic one that would fight for Neko.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They were about a block from Neko�s house, and she had yet to let go of his arm. Her head lay on Jasper�s shoulder as they walked. He was glad she had suggested this.
�Ne, Jasper-kun, did you really love Amethyst?�
He stopped walking abruptly. When had Amethyst entered this scene? �I did, very much,� he admitted softly.
�Ne, do you love me?�
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