"Neil," Hilla Stadler came up behind the Irishman in the cafeteria.
"Excuse me ladies," Neil said to Feldt, Mileana and Yun, "What can I do for you, doc?"
"I've been hoping to schedule you for a physical since you returned."
"Of course, when's good."
"Why don't you stop by when you're finished with lunch?"
"Alright," Neil stood up with his half empty tray.
"I didn't mean you had to get up right now."
"It's not a problem," Neil assured her.
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Alright."
"See you later," Neil told the girls, "tell your father where I am if he asks."
"I will!" Mileana said with a salute as the pressurized door closed behind the adults.
Feldt stared after them with her hand on her lips.
"I wonder if he likes her," Feldt said.
"Who?"
"What?" Feldt realized suddenly her thoughts had slipped out of her mouth. "Nothing."
"You mean Doctor Stadler and Neil?" Mileana pestered.
"Huh?" Yun leaned over to hear.
"I-it was just a thought. He seemed happy to see her when he got back."
"He was happy to see you too," Mileana put it.
"Yes but, she's so pretty and…" Feldt pulled at her pink hair self-consciously.
"No." Mileana said simply and went back to her food.
"How can you be so sure?" Feldt asked the small girl. Mileana squirmed in her seat and looked at anything but Feldt and Yun who were leaning in with curiosity. It wasn't hard to tell when Mileana had a secret.
"Does this have to do with Ms. Hillary?" Yun asked softly, her English still accented but much improved.
"Well…" Mileana trailed off.
"Does Neil already have a girlfriend?" Feldt insisted.
"Ummm."
"Mileana," Yun took her friend's shoulder.
"It's a secret I promised Erde-san that I wouldn't tell anyone."
"Tieria? What does this have to do with him?"
"Eep!" Mileana gave a startled cry at her own slip up and covered her mouth.
"Mr. Erde? He and Hilla talk often." Yun said and gripped her friend's arm tighter.
"No, no, you've got it all wrong," Mileana shook her head.
"Please tell," Feldt begged. Mileana glanced between Yuns wide brown eyes pleading with her and Feldts simmering green ones full of apprehension.
"Ok, but you have to swear you'll never tell anyone that I told you."
"Swear," Feldt whispered.
"Zài wǒ de zǔxiān de línghún," Yun swore in Chinese.
"Ok," Mileana pulled them both close and grinned broadly. "I was with Papa and Erde-san in the hanger observation room before the long range 008 test run. Papa ran out to make last minute checks and Neil came in. He didn't see me at first."
"What was he doing there?" Feldt asked, remembering the day that Neil had been late to the 006 hanger.
"He was telling Erde-san to be careful."
"Is it that dangerous?" Yun inquired.
"Oh yes! First runs are dangerous, something could always go wrong."
"Neil and Tieria have been fighting together for so long it's only natural," Feldt whispered.
"That doesn't explain why Neil kissed him."
"Tieria?"
"Mr. Erde, but—" Yun covered her mouth and stared with wide eyes at Mileana.
"Yep! And it was so cute! Erde-san got more flustered then I've ever seen him and Neil was so charming. They're totally in love," Mileana gushed, so excited to be able to share her juicy secret. "And that's how I know that Doctor Stadler and Neil aren't in love because Neil's already in love with Erde-san."
"Neil and Tieria," Feldt whispered.
"Mileana," Ian's voice made them all turn. "Come on, your mother's on the phone."
"Mama!" She nearly jumped up but did a double take and turned back, pulling her friends close. "Don't say a word, remember." She winked at each of them then hurried off. Feldt stared at her meal, trying to imagine what it would have looked like, Neil and Tieria kissing. She couldn't picture it. It was easy enough to see Neil kissing Hillary Stadler and even Neil kissing a man but Tieria was unlike anyone else Feldt had ever known. He had always seemed so impersonal.
"Is that normal?" Yun scooted closer to Feldt, "They are both men."
"In some places," Feldt explained. Many first world countries were liberal about sexuality but it there were still laws against homosexuality in highly religious governments, which were more common in less developed nations. Celestial Being was a mixture of people who came from all walks of life with all kinds of beliefs and opinions. Feldt wondered what reactions even someone as well liked as Neil would get if he admitted to having a homosexual relationship. She frowned.
"They are—close?" Yun asked Feldt.
"Yes," Feldt said, "though they haven't always been." Feldt remembered the tension between the Meisters at the beginning. Tieria had been cold and uninviting, unwilling to compromise, deviate from plans or make allowances for anyone. He was quick to insult and slow to change his mind.
"They were in Yungang."
"What?"
"They came to save Dr. Stadler. She convinced them to take me too."
"Neil and Tieria?"
"Yes."
"I didn't know that."
"I should get back to the doctor."
"Alright."
Yun took her tray and drifted away leaving Feldt to her thoughts. The pink haired tactical operator got up soon after and made her way back to the 008 hangar. Her thoughts were still on Tieria and Neil, wondering if that was where Tieria spent his time on earth.
"You're late," Tieria's voice jerked her out of her thoughts as she drifted through the control room door.
"I'm sorry," She said quickly, her eyes wide.
"Please continue updating the software to the new alignment configuration."
"Yes." She quickly followed his instructions and got to work. She tried to focus for the rest of the day. She'd told Tieria the evening before that the Gundam would be in complete working condition that night. As hard as she tried she found her eyes straying to the windows and watching Tieria as he went through the operational checks. Every time she let her mind wander she ended up frowning and thinking about Neil. Could Tieria ever make Neil happy? He'd smiled so little after losing Ptolomy. Ian had told her it was his injuries and he would be back to his old self soon.
Neil seemed himself again after his time on earth. It had been almost two years since he was last on Krung Threp and longer since that Fateful Battle. Some days the memories weren't as strong and Feldt could go nearly a day without morning for her lost comrades. Other days it felt like only days had passed since the Fallen Angel Operation and her hurt was fresh and new again.
Before that battle she had been afraid but looking back it was never enough. She didn't know then how bad it could be, she didn't realize that it was worse to survive alone then to be killed. Now she was afraid even the few people she still had would be taken away from her. So she had resolved that no mater what happened she would support the Gundam Meisters however she could. She would protect the only family she had, Ian and Linda, Mileana, Neil and even Tieria. She smiled a little for the first time. Yes, she thought, Tieria is family. She paused and wondered when she'd decided that.
She had a hazy memory of a conversation she overheard on Ptolomy just before the second attack. Perhaps… Her thoughts drifted off as she considered what the overheard conversation could have meant to Neil and Tieria. More and more she could see a tenderness in Neil's words and actions towards Tieria that had not been there before.
"Feldt? Is something wrong?" For the second time that day Tieria's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Umm…no…sorry."
"You must be tired."
"M-maybe," She lied.
"I know you worked late on the new systems."
"Yes." Feldt knew blood was rising to her cheeks. She had been working after normal hours on the new systems but it wasn't exhaustion that was distracting her.
"Thank you, for all the hard work. I am anxious to have 008 completed. Krung Threp has no other protection."
"Tieria," Feldt was surprised that he even noticed her work much less thanked her.
"The new Federation forces are moving further into space. We should be prepared for the fight to come even here."
"Here?" Feldt murmured. His words sent a shiver up her spine. She could see the ruins of Ptolomy floating in space, gaping holes and billowing debris clouds so clearly. Krung Threp was her home, her first home, her birthplace, hometown, her parents home...
"That is why it needs to be protected," Tieria said looking at her intently. Feldt gulped dryly. She looked back out at 008, the machine that would protect her home.
"Thank you," She whispered softly, unable to lift her eyes to his because she didn't want him to see her wet eyes.
"Of course." She heard him move away and smiled a little to herself thinking, he's changed so much. We have both changed because of you Neil. Thank you. She wanted to tell Neil somehow. She almost blurted out the words when she saw him at dinner.
"How is 008 coming?" Neil asked as Tieria slipped into the seat on one said of him and Feldt took the other.
"It is almost complete."
"As soon as we finish adjusting the system, it will be fully operational," Feldt added after Tieria.
"Ah, so what's the name?" Neil turned to Tieria who frowned and paused with his fork halfway to his mouth.
"We haven't decided on one," Feldt said softly and followed Neil's gaze to Tieria. Mileana turned from her conversation with Yun to interject.
"Neil, you said I could name the new long range unit right?"
"Yes I did."
"I think I've got one."
"Let's hear."
"Cupid."
Ian nearly choked on his meal then loudly exclaimed, "we can not have a Gundam named Cupid!"
"Why not?"
"Because it's—it's—"
"What is cupid?" Yun asked.
"Well…" Feldt trailed off as she tried to find an explanation.
"A vapid fantasy of romance." Tieria put in.
"Hey, I don't think it's so bad," Neil returned, "It's not like I have to pilot the thing."
"Whoever that is will not thank you." Tieria reminded Neil who just laughed.
"It sort of fits."
"How?" Yun asked.
"Cupid is a winged child who shoots arrows that make people fall in love," Neil explained to her.
"Oh."
"Like I said," Ian cried over his daughters pleas, "not an appropriate name for a state of the art mobile suit with the most advanced and accurate long range combat abilities yet."
"Papa! Don't brag."
"What? I'm not aloud to be proud. I've been working damn hard on these machines. Then you go and wreck them." Ian waved at Neil and Tieria.
"Sorry, Ian," Neil said half-heartedly.
"They were designed for combat, it was inevitable that they would sustain damage and eventually be destroyed once they became obsolete."
"Tieria, have a little pity. Even you wouldn't like to see your life's work reduced to scrap floating in space."
"Nor do I like to see Gundam in such condition," Tieria replied. "I'm grateful for the Gundam but their purpose is integral to the machines themselves. I see no reason to think of them as anything different."
"Be careful, you're starting to sound like Setsuna."
"I have not reached his level of obsession."
"Obsession, more like devotion." Neil shook his head but he and Tieria were both smiling small contented smiles. Feldt had a similar expression pulling at her own face.
"Feldt, is something wrong?" Neil asked her. "You've been staring at me. Is something on my face?" Tieria looked over Neil's shoulder at the young girl. She looked quickly between the two and shook her head.
"No, no. I'm just happy to have you back."
"It's good to back with friends but I can't say I've missed the coffee."