A small gasp escaped the lips of the small dark-haired woman standing in front of the screen that let those behind the scenes watch the Angelic battles as Angel Hikaru was sent slamming into the surface of the layer. This was the normal reaction that was incited from the woman whenever that Angel took a fall. Her eyes would flit back and forth between Hikaru and her Deus, Misaki Suzahara, worried. The Angel would always get back up and go back to the battle, but it never made her nerves calm.
A firm, warm hand rested comfortingly on her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder at the man behind her. He was much taller than her, his dark hair disheveled slightly, his eyes covered by glasses. She could still tell he was watching the battle as avidly as she’d been, but he wasn’t as worried.
He looked down at her, and smiled. “Don’t worry, she’s fine. Misaki is a sort of Angelic Layer prodigy, if you hadn’t noticed-she’s a lot like you.”
The woman blushed, her eyes moving back to the screen. He always told her that; how much Misaki was like her. It made her more nervous, but on some level, it comforted her.
Her eyes moved back to the screen, as Hikaru took another hard fall. She winced, eyes closing, almost feeling the Angel’s pain, and the pain the Deus must be feeling. She knew how much Misaki cared for her Angel…
The man wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. “I told you, she’ll be fine. Look at her…she’s taking hits, but she’s determined; just like you would be.”
A few minutes passed in silence, the only sounds coming from the battle and audience outside the room. Then a sudden loud cheer rang in her ears, and her eyes opened. The screen had zoomed in on a grinning Misaki-she’d won.
Ichirou Mihara-Icchan to a few-tightened his arms around Shuuko Suzahara, and leaned down, kissing her lightly at the edge of her lips, causing her to blush. “I told you so.”
