Chapter 1

After a normal day of classes, Anthy quietly headed back to the apartment that she and Utena had shared since she had become Utena's Rose Bride. Slightly worn out, she headed towards the bedroom for a nap, where through the doorway she saw Utena neatening up. As she watched, Utena sighed.

"Wow, my bedroom looks better without all that dust." Utena smiled to herself. "Not that I mind cleaning, it's just that I don't get around to it very often...hee hee..." She looked around. "Now I just gotta put all my clothing back away." She sang as she put everything away in her closet.

Mildly startled but fascinated, Anthy watched the pink-haired girl dusting and picking up stray bits of laundry, noting how lovely she looked no matter what she was doing. She sighed softly, careful not to make a sound, not wanting to startle Utena. She didn't dare go in without some sort of warning, figuring her sudden appearance would come as a surprise, so she stood in the doorway, silently admiring the girl she had slowly fallen in love with, the one she could nevre tell her heart's true desire.

Utena stretched up to put a box on the top shelf. As she did so, it opened, knocking an avalanche of junk down on her. "Itai," she moaned, jumping back after something hit her on the head.

Anthy giggled a little in spite of herself, suddenly forgetting her resolve to remain unseen. "Utena-sama, are you all right? That looked like it might have hurt!" In Anthy's voice there was a definite note of genuine concern.

"Anthy?" Utena turned around. "Iie, I'm alright, I think..." She put a hand up to her forehead, and touched something wet. "Itai, the corner must've cut it a bit," she said, looking at the drops of blood on her finger. With a gentle touch, Anthy smoothed the hair back from Utena's forehead to get a better look.

"Not too serious," she pronounced. "Just let me get a bandage and I'll fix you up." With that, she walked towards the bathroom to get supplies with which to heal Utena's wound.

"Okei." Utena flopped down on the bed to wait. Within a minute or two, Anthy was back with a boxful of medical supplies.

"All ready. Time to fix you up, Utena-sama. Just be glad, it's not a major injury! Someone may think you were injured in battle!" *And we can't have that,* Anthy thought to herself. *I don't know what I'd do without you.*

Smiling, Utena said, "Only a battle with the contents of my closet. And, onegai, stop calling me Utena-sama."

Anthy blushed, feeling like she had made a mistake. "Gomen, but you are my superior. You rescued me, and you take care of me... well, sort of." Looking at the bandages in her hands, she giggled a little. "Or perhaps we take care of each other." With a delicate touch, she applied first aid cream, gauze, and tape to the gash, being careful not to cause any pain. "There. As long as you're careful, there should be no scarring."

"Arigatou, Anthy. I'll try to stay away from dangerous books from now on." Utena giggled. "Demo, I'm not your superior...really..."

"How else could I refer to someone who holds my fate in their hands?" Anthy suddenly looked away, afraid the tender gaze that she had been focusing on Utena may have given something away while she wasn't thinking. *I can't tell her, I can't let her know... she has enough things to worry about without me... after all, the girl can't clean out a closet by herself!*

"Nani? Are you worried that someone else is going to challenge me again?"

Anthy shook her head, more to clear her thoughts than any negative indication. "It's not that so much as I'm just afraid of the future. This is good for now... but what if you are challenged someday and you lose?"

"I"ll do my best to protect you, and I'll fight to get you back if that were to happen." Utena squeezed Anthy's hand. "I promise."

"You would do that for me?" Anthy looked startled, both by the statement and the sudden gesture of affection. "But why? I'm not important. You don't need to worry about me."

"Iie, Anthy. You mean a lot to me. You're my friend. I...care about you. A lot."

"Utena-sama, what do you mean by 'care'?" Anthy regretted the question as soon as it was out of her mouth. *Baka*, she thought. *There's no way she's not gonna catch on to your feelings now.. and there's no way you can take it back. You promised yourself you'd be strong and keep it all inside!*

"Nani, Anthy?" Utena bit her lip, not wanting to answer. *I love you.*

Noting Utena's expression, Anthy felt momentarily emboldened to speak. "Utena-sama... I.. umm... care about you too. A lot. Only thing is, I'm afraid you'll hate me if I tell you how I feel. I mean, it's difficult... a difficult feeling-- I mean emotion-- oh, I don't know *what* I mean!"

She paused for a moment in order to collect herself, and then looked at Utena with a look that explained all. *I love you, my princess who wants so much to be a prince... I would be yours if only you were to ask.*