Ryoko stood outside the Masaki home, on the deck with her feet dangling off into the water. She was thinking about things. She did it fairly often, but she never really set aside time for it. Tonight she had. She sat there and said to herself all day that after supper she would get outside to think.

She was GOING to talk to Tenchi. Seriously. She loved to latch onto him, and seduce him, and try to trick him into stuff. But that was just the fun part of it and the trying to be close to him. She wouldn't really completely force him. Hmm. Everyone thought she would though. It was as if everyone thought the worst of her, just a seductive pushy demon. Well someday she would show them! Bah. She would probably mess up and get Tenchi mad at her. Maybe she was better off locked in the cave. She let a small tear run off her cheek. Dammit! Why did she let herself get upset like this?

Guess mine is not the first heart broken,
My eyes are not the first to cry
I'm not the first to know,
There's just no gettin' over you

I'm just a fool who's willing
To sit around and wait for you
But baby can't you see,
There's nothin' else for me to do
I'm hopelessly devoted to you

Tenchi had just helped Sasami clean up the kitchen. Technically he had helped Ayeka and Mihoshi as well…even though their claim to helping was each washed a counter and went to watch dramas on the tube. He just had to shake his head. He had tried to get them to do chores but it never worked. Ayeka complained about Ryoko and went to sit on the couch every time, and Mihoshi just forgot what she was doing and followed. Actually, speaking of Ryoko…. "Hey Sasami, have you seen Ryoko?"

The blue haired princess shook her head. "Nope Tenchi, but you know she never sticks around to help out anyway!" She giggled though; Sasami didn't really get mad at any of the household easily.

"Yea…" He nodded. "But…usually she is in here lazing around, she could be getting sake I suppose but she usually does that when it is still light." He eyed her rafter. "I don't see her."

Ayeka of course was listening. She didn't like it much when Tenchi showed concern for Ryoko, especially when she was probably just fine. Ayeka sighed and leaned back. "She probably found a new comfortable spot to be lazy, what is the matter?"

"Hmm." He more or less ignored Ayeka. She never really had anything important to add. Just mumbo jumbo to discount Ryoko. "I'm going to look for her anyway." Before Ayeka could break into a fit, he was out the door.

And it wasn't as though he had very far to go. He saw her form after a few steps, and slapped his head. Geez. Why didn't he see her before? Never thought to look there. "Ryoko! What are you doing out here."

"Oh!" She stiffened, she had been crying a little. She put on her toughest voice, trying to be suave. "Tenchi dear I'm just sitting here to get some air! Ha ha! I don't want to be trapped inside tonight." She tried her best to fake it.

As dense as he might be picking up on the girls' feelings, Tenchi could tell by the heaviness in her voice something really was wrong. He knelt next to her and chanced a glance at her face. He almost jumped back. Tears? What for? "Ryoko, are you all right?"

Couldn't he see her crying? She gaped at him. "Do I LOOK all right?" She almost screamed it, and it was so sudden she scared herself. But not enough. "You see me crying and ask if I'm okay? Gee Tenchi, what clued you in that I was feeling down huh?"

"Hey Ryoko I'm sorry!" He crawled back. "I'm just...surprised to see you crying."

"Yea…you would be surprised." She sniffed and looked at him. "You know, you don't realize a lot." She suddenly felt rather mean. "You don't realize maybe I have things to cry about. Like how the boy I love most in the world can't seem to see it." She had no idea why she was out bursting. It finally had gotten to her.

"Hey Ryoko!" Tenchi called, before letting her words sink in, but she had teleported away. She sat on his hands and knees on the deck, staring where she was as the words sunk in. He was going to give them some thought, when he noticed faces watching the scene. Sasami was quiet, while Ayeka also looked confused as heck. Mihoshi was still inside, laughing at something on the television.

Ayeka walked right out and grabbed onto him. "Lord Tenchi, what happened? Did demon do something to you?"

"Er…no. I'm…it's late. I'm going to bed." He shook her off and went in his room, causing Ayeka to step back and watch, alarmed.

"What's wrong Tenchi?" Sasami looked at her older brother worriedly.

He managed a smile at her and patted her shoulder as he passed. He was going up to his room to lay down.

But now there's nowhere to hide,
Since you pushed my love aside
I'm not in my head,
Hopelessly devoted to you
Hopelessly devoted to you,
Hopelessly devoted to you

Ryoko had fallen asleep in the cave. She woke up somewhere in the middle of the night, the rocky ground not being very comfortable. She yawned and rearranged her robe, trying to figure out why the heck she was there. Then she remembered. That caused her to gather into a tight ball. What the hell had she been thinking? Letting Tenchi see that? She wanted to be able to show him her true self sometimes...but it didn't always feel right. If he couldn't open up and love her and show her every side of himself…why should she feel she had too? Course, her mind couldn't even make sense of that.

"Whatever." She sighed. Tenchi would worry. She would just go back to her normal latching. Maybe he would forget about last night. She probably creeped him out with her outburst.

My head is saying "fool, forget him",
My heart is saying "don't let go"
Hold on to the end,
That's what I intend to do
I'm hopelessly devoted to you

Tenchi hadn't slept well that night. In fact, he got up at one point and sat down at his desk. He opened a drawer and pulled out some photos to look at of Ryoko and Ayeka. He wasn't sire why he did it. But maybe it would help him in understanding himself. He had felt pretty bad for making Ryoko cry. And he knew she loved him, well sort of. He always thought it was competition, though with Ryoko the feelings seemed more genuine.

But he needed more than feelings. Being him, it was taking forever to make sense of everything. The pictures might help. He looked at some group pictures. Ayeka looked more pissed off in each, while Ryoko looked more playful and happy. Obviously she didn't let it get to her that Ayeka didn't like her on Tenchi. But Ayeka wasn't happy with clinging to his other arm and just snarled at Ryoko.

Hmm. Interesting, if being close to Ayeka wasn't enough to make her a little happy….and Ryoko only had to touch him to be in a good mood…He took out more pictures. Ryoko was relaxed and happy in most of them. Or bored. She was in her robe a lot, relaxed. Ayeka was either on the couch, pissed at Ryoko, or trying to impress everyone with chores. And she was always in her royal robes. Was it impossible to kick back and relax for her?

As normal as he tried to keep things, Tenchi didn't like boring and stuffy. He set aside the pictures and leaned back. So what DID he want? Well, he already found Ryoko more attractive than Ayeka, that was a given. And she was always sweet to him, and wanted to be with him so much. Ayeka tattled and screeched around him, and wasn't as eager to come hug him. He liked Ryoko's hugs. He liked them a lot.

He sighed as he got up and went back to bed. In fact, he liked Ryoko's hugs so much…he wished she were there to hug right at that moment.

Morning came early. Ryoko was on her way up the stairs as Sasami got breakfast ready. Ayeka was helping a little this morning, mostly because Mihoshi was sleeping on the couch and there was no room to sleep. The whole household was relatively normal.

Ryoko paused on the stairs and froze as Tenchi's bedroom door opened. She was not moving, and it caused Ayeka and Sasami to stop and stare. "Ryoko!" Ayeka lectured, "That is even less helpful than usual!" She fumed a little but gave up as Ryoko didn't move.

Tenchi had gone to the bathroom first, so Ryoko had time to move. But she couldn't She didn't want to run off again and she didn't want to face him at the moment. Then all too fast he was out of the bathroom and headed her way, the usual smile on his face. Good! Maybe he had…forgotten or hadn't noticed? She immediately latched to him. "Tenchiii! Hey, stop and give me a hug."

"I'm going to be late. No hugs." But he did stop. And he turned his face to hers, grabbed either side of her face with his hands, and gave her a kiss right on the lips, which lasted a couple seconds. Then he backed up. "Okay, happy? Bye." And he ran down the stairs, grabbed an already prepared lunch from Sasami, and left.

Ryoko just stood there, before teleporting away some minutes later.

What the HELL had just happened. Ayeka couldn't bring herself to believe it. But it had happened. She was falling down without realizing it, and landed on her hands and knees on the floor, choking and crying. "Tenchi…." She was already crying buckets.

Sasami of course came rushing over, dropping her spoon on the floor and attempting to hug her older sister. Ayeka pushed her off lightly at first, but then gave in and let her sister hug her. "Shhh Ayeka….it'll be okay."

All Ayeka could do was hope her little sister was right. Because things looked horrid right now.

Ryoko teleported after Tenchi-but where he couldn't see her. She could not believe what just happened. And she was EXTREMELY giddy about it at the moment. But she didn't try to stop Tenchi. In truth he really was late, and heck, she had gotten something…nice anyhow. She smiled and sat in the last tree before he got on the bus.

He turned around for a moment to look behind him, and for a moment she thought he'd see her. But he didn't seem to. And so he got on the bus. Ryoko sighed and blew a kiss…teleporting home right away after.

She had meant to collapse on the couch in a fit of happy…but that nice feeling left as she saw the state poor Ayeka was in. She was crying on the couch now, Mihoshi long kicked off and Sasami trying to make pity food in the kitchen. Ryoko looked around…took a deep breath…and sat down next to the princess. "Um…I'm sorry." She was sorry for making her so upset. She wasn't sorry about the kiss or good feeling. But she wasn't happy Ayeka had to feel bad.

Ayeka looked up and sniffed and looked at her. "Ryoko…you won fair and square." All the fight was out of her. "Now please…please just go away."

Ryoko sighed and leaned forward to get up. But she thought better of it. Ayeka was saying that to sound like she wanted to be alone; she didn't want to sound any needier than she seemed. But she was upset. She had depend on Tenchi to replace Yosho and now…unless it was Tenchi's new way of saying hello, it looked like Ryoko had won. The spiky haired woman leaned back and plopped her arm around Ayeka's shoulders. It was an instant reaction, and Ayeka's face was on Ryoko's shoulder, crying and clinging to her rival.

Tenchi had run to the bus not only because he was a bit high spirited and feeling good…but because he didn't want to see the results in Ayeka. He felt bad about that, so bad he wanted to take the kiss back. Well, he didn't want to take it back. But he wished he had waited till no one was looking. But then again he didn't want Ryoko to feel like he was hiding it all. Ahhh! He screamed inwardly.

The bus seat was not the most comfortable place to think but he did so anyway. He had made the decision he didn't want to make Ryoko sad anymore. He decided he liked her over Ayeka. He had decided in the end, that he loved her. There was nothing that was going to change that.

Still, he was confused about himself. Maybe he should have told her that first. Heck, if she had talked to Ayeka yet…was she even still in one piece? Maybe he should have kissed her when he got home. He stood quickly, the thoughts ending abruptly. He had almost missed his stop! He walked towards the rebuilt school, his mind stressed and eager to go home later.

Later came flying at them all. Ayeka had fallen asleep with her head on Ryoko's shoulder still, and Ryoko well, had fallen asleep with her head on top of Ayeka's. Sasami had decided to let them be, and Mihoshi was…well, chased away before she could be loud and wake them up.

The door to the lab finally opened for the day, and out walked Washu, her arms over her head in a stretch. She had been working on a new discovery all day and it really had been too interesting to get away from. "Ahhh…" She sighed happily; she could eat now, plus see why Ryoko was so darn happy and so darned sad. She could feel happiness and pain over the link.

She didn't have to go far, and she saw them sleeping on the couch. The red-haired scientist blinked. "Well you don't see that everyday." Sasami tapped her on the back, and led Washu into the kitchen.

"To say it quickly, Tenchi stopped and kissed Ryoko on his way to school this morning!" She was excited mostly. "But Ayeka was real sad." The tone changed. "Ryoko comforted her a little and they've been like that for hours."

"Mental strain will do that." Washu chuckled. She should know of all people. "But, I am surprised Ayeka let her comfort her…she must be very very upset…." She grinned. "Or she truly is Ryoko's friend more than her hateful enemy."

"Hey everyone I'm home!" Tenchi's loud voice made them wince. Both rushed at him, fingers to their mouths trying to shush him. He just looked at them. "…What?"

But their shushing was of no use. Ayeka stirred anyway, and nudged Ryoko awake. Ryoko blinked and looked around, and at Ayeka. She mouthed "You okay?" at her, and Ayeka shook her head, but smiled a little. She mouthed back "I'll manage." She would be managing for a long time…but it would happen.

Ryoko nodded and floated toward Tenchi. She stopped right in front of him. "Hey…"

"Hey…" He stopped in front of her too, and stared at her. They both stood there for some minutes before Washu finally snapped her fingers.

"Hey! Move it and get on with it you two…no one ever got anywhere by just staring, unless you were doing some kinda research."

"Mmmm…" Tenchi barely nodded, but then seemed alarmed. "Wait a second, how is Ayeka? Where is she?"

Ryoko was going to answer but Sasami jumped in. "She's on the couch Tenchi, don't worry, Ryoko already took care of her! But I wouldn't talk to her right now."

"Ah….well…follow me then Ryoko." He walked by her and up the stairs, headed to his room.

Ryoko teleported, and was there to meet him as he shut the door to the room. "So Tenchi…do you have something to say to me?" He heart leapt in her throat, wanting and pleading him to say the words.

"Well…I do. Sit down." He sat on the bed and waited till she sat beside him. "I…I did a lot of thinking, heaven forbid, and concluded a lot. If the kiss this morning meant anything……" His mouth went suddenly dry and he licked his lips nervously.

He needed some urging it seemed. So Ryoko grabbed his hand and looked him in the eyes. "I love you Tenchi. You know that. If you love me too, just say it. I feel the same way. It's hard when someone doesn't feel the same, but you know I do."

He considered it, and then raised his hand to stroke her cheek, bringing her face closer to his. "I-I love you Ryoko, with all my heart." He noted her reactions, her whole body noticeably relaxed and her eyes closed happily, not opening until after he had brought her closer and given her a deep kiss.

"I've waited for that so long you know…." Her face was flushed a little happy, VERY happy. "I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything." He whispered in her ear and started to lay down, grabbing her hand to take her with him.

And of course, she laid right down with him.