Chapter 4: You did WHAT!?

"Master!" Ruby exclaimed, landing on the balcony.

Eli turned quickly. "Ohayo Ruby. Out bugging Yue again?"

Ruby blew him a raspberry at Eli. If I wanted to be curtsied I could go talk to Benny."

Eli laughed. "I was only joking. But then why do you seem so happy?"

"Is it a crime to be happy?"

"For you it is," Suppi said from where he laid on the sofa in the living room. "You are always up to something when you're this happy."

Ruby gave them a look of innocence. "Me? Never."

Eli gave Ruby a stern look. "Ruby, what did you do?"

"Nothing serious," Ruby said with a smug look. "…just invited Li over for tea, at your invitation of course."

Eli went pale. "You did WHAT?!"

Ruby gave him a cheek smile. "He'll be here at 1."

Eli's face reddened in anger. "What would possess you to do such a thing!? You'd best go tell him the truth—"

"Don't be so uptight, master. He seemed excited when I asked him—"

"He did?" Eli interrupted, his anger disappearing quickly. "He was excited?"

"Yes he—master!" Ruby quickly went running after Eli, who had gone inside.

'This will be perfect.' Eli thought. 'Now I can tell him.' Eli began to chew on his lower lip. 'But what if he doesn't fell the same way? What if hates me and I lose his friendship, what little I already have of it.' Eli groaned, sitting down in his chair.

"Master? Daijobou desuka?" Suppi asked looking up from his book.

"Yes… no… I don't know!" Eli sighed. "Li's coming in…" looks over at the grandfather clock, "… 3 hours and I have to figure out what to say to him."

Suppi spoke up after a moment. :How about the truth?"

"How about I sign my own death warrant? Heavens knows it will be a hell of a lot easier then telling him how I feel about him," Eli responded sarcastically.

"It was just a suggestion," Suppi said, sounding offended.

"Gomen nasai Suppi. I didn't mean to offend you. It's just that…" Eli paused, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "… What if… he doesn't…" Eli didn't have the heart to finish the rest of the sentence.

"Master you shouldn't think about the 'what ifs'. It does no good to worry about something that you have no control over. You'll never know what will happen until it happens."

"Demo…"

"There are no 'demos' in life master. You have 2 choices. Either you tell him, or you let it keep eating you up inside."

"Maybe you should start taking your own advice Benny," Ruby muttered, giving been a sly look.

Suppi blushed. "Shut up, Ruby."

Eli gave them both a confused look. "Is this something I need to know?"

"Yes," Ruby said with a smile.

"No!" Suppi yelled at the same time, glaring at Ruby.

"Um…?" was the only response Eli could think of at the moment.

Suppi continued to glare at Ruby. "It's nothing important master. You have no need to worry about it."

Ruby snorted. "Yeah right."

"Okay," Eli said still worried. "If you believe that it's not important I won't pressure you about it."

Suppi let out a deep breath. 'Damn Ruby and her big mouth,' he thought to himself. 'She needs to learn when to keep her trap shut.'

"Now about your meeting with Li…" Ruby declared, breaking an acquired silence.

Eli groaned. "Can't we cancel this?"

"No! You invited Li here!" Ruby said in shock. "Do you know how insulted he would be?"

Eli gave her a skeptical look. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who invited him over without conversing with me first."

"That's true, but if you had thought of the idea of having him over for tea would you have had the guts to ask him, personally."

Eli blushed. "Well, since you're the one who planned this, what should I do?"

Ruby gave him a blank look. "Uh… I didn't think that far ahead."

Suppi sighed. "Can I make a suggestion?"

Eli looked over at him. "By all means, go right ahead."

"Try finding out about how he feels about love before deciding whether you should tell him how you feel or not."

Eli thought for a moment. "That's a good idea Suppi, but what exactly should I say?"

"That you will have to figure out all on your own, after all we won't be here."

"What! Why?"

"We don't wish to interfere, master." Ruby answered.

Eli opened his mouth then closed it moments later.

"As shocked as I am to say this, but Ruby's right about this," Suppi said with a nod in agreement with what Ruby had said.

"Thanks. I think," Ruby muttered.

"I think it would be best if you take the 2½ hours you have before Li comes to think of what you want to say," Suppi suggested, closing his book.

"But what about—" Eli began

"Ruby and I can take care of the food. If that's what you're worried about." Suppi interrupted.

Eli opened his mouth again, only to close it.

Ruby said after a moment, "You shouldn't waste you time."

Eli sighed. "Yes. You're right." Standing up he looked over at Ruby and Suppi. "Arigatou. If you need me I'll be in the garden." With that said he left closing the door behind him.

Ruby smiled evilly. "Perfect. Everything is going as planned."

"Planned? What do you mean Ruby?" Suppi asked, afraid of the answer.

"Why to get those 2 together, of course." Ruby gave him a 'well duh' look. "What else would I be planning?" shaking her head she went into the kitchen.

"What exactly are you 'plans'?" Suppi asked, flying after her.

Ruby didn't answer, but took a book off the shelf and began flipping through it, lightly muttering under her breath.

"Ruby? What are you doing?" Flying over, Suppi looked over her shoulder to see what she was reading. Reading a few words his eyes grew large. "Ruby! You can't do this!"

Ruby looked over her shoulder at him with a glare. "And why can't I?"

"The master… he said… he doesn't want…" taking a moment to collect his thoughts he glared back at Ruby. "The master won't like this Ruby."

"If the master doesn't know about it, he won't have to worry about 'not liking' my plan," Ruby's glare turned icy.

Suppi shivered. 'Is it just me, or has it gotten colder in here?'

"And he won't find out unless SOMEBODY tells him," her glare turned deadly. "Are you going t BE that someone, Benjamin?"

Suppi gulped before shaking his head, no.

ruby gave him a bright smile. "Great." Turning back to the book she began flipping through it again.

Suppi breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking it best to stay out of Ruby's way he started to fly away when Ruby grabbed him and pulled him back. "What the—"

"You weren't planning on leaving now were you Benny?" Ruby asked or more like told him 'he wasn't going anywhere' but making it sound innocent. "I hope not 'cause I really need your help in this Benny-baby."

Suppi sighed, accepting his fate. "How can I help?"

Ruby's smile turned positively evil.

TBC

Kinda long, but I got my point across. Tell me what you think.