"Wait, what?" Chrono blinked.

"Like I said, Yuuno-san and I are going to start dating." Vivio repeated firmly to the assembled Takamachi and Harlaown family members in the room. Yuuno had insisted they make the announcement to all of them at once, stating he probably couldn't handle the stress of two meetings.

"… Oh my."

"This is certainly an interesting turn of events."

"Amy, mom, you're not helping." Chrono sighed and looked at his niece. "You're serious?"

"Yes, I am. Is it really such a big deal, uncle Chrono?" Vivio asked.

"Um, he's kind of older than you."

"Aunt Amy is older than you." Vivio retorted.

"That's different. Back me up here, mom."

"I can't say I have a problem with the age thing." She shrugged. "Clyde was five years older than me and I did get pregnant with you when I was only seventeen, you know."

"Gee, thanks mom." Chrono rolled his eyes. "But even then, there's a big difference between five years and thirteen years. What do you say, Mr and Mrs Takamachi?"

"Well," Momoko spoke up. "If this is what she's decided, I'd like to support her. I know how she must feel right now. My parents weren't too keen on the idea of me marrying Shiro-san either as he's fairly older than me, was already raising two children, and had a dangerous job on top of it. But I went against their wishes anyways and I couldn't be happier. Vivio, if we said we disapproved would you do the same?"

"Yes, grandma Momoko." The teen nodded. "Even if you said no, it would not change how I feel."

"I also can't oppose due to age alone." Shiro added.

"But…"

"I really don't see the problem, uncle Chrono." Vivio said. "No one had any issues accepting Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama's relationship, so why can't you accept mine? I grew up believing that love transcended things like gender, social status, and age differences. Or can love only transcend a maximum of five years?"

"She's got you there, dear." Amy patted her husband on the back.

"Putting the age difference aside, there is a more pressing matter." Shiro turned a stern look at Yuuno. "What is the nature of your feelings to Vivio?"

Momoko turned to him as well. "I know you've been good friends with Vivio since she was a child, so I can't help but wonder… Do you know who Hikaru Genji is?"

"Yes, m'am, I do." He nodded. "But I assure you, the thought of raising Vivio to be my ideal partner never once crossed my mind. I did not purposely try to manipulate her feelings to that effect and it actually came as quite a surprise when she told me how she felt."

"As to the nature of my feelings, I have to honestly say I don't know." Yuuno admitted. "I think I might be in love with her as well, but I need time to find out."

"I don't like that." Shiro's stare remained stern. "You're entering this with uncertain feelings… Just what exactly do you intend to do in this relationship? I know you're a nice boy, Yuuno, but it's still possible that you're merely toying with her and taking advantage of her feelings."

"Grandpa Shiro, that's not…" Shiro silenced her by holding up his hand.

"Well, Yuuno? Just what do you hope to get out of this?"

"Like I said, sir, I need time to clarify my feelings." Yuuno's voice remained firm. "All I wish to do is be able spend time with Vivio with the pretext of being a couple to see how receptive I am to the idea. I assure you that's all I wish to do. I would not take advantage of the situation and do…" He paused to find the words. "What most couples do behind closed doors. I would not take it to that sort of serious level unless I was certain my feelings were genuine."

"If you discover your feelings are not genuine, what then?" Shiro questioned. "Would you pretend they were for the sake of not harming Vivio?"

"Well… If that turns out to be the case, then I would have to be honest," Yuuno admitted. "Even if it may hurt her as a result."

"That's what I'd want him to do as well." Vivio agreed. "I don't want to force him to do something he doesn't want to just for my sake."

Shiro remained silent a moment before turning to his daughter. "Are you ok with this, Nanoha?"

"Well, I'm still apprehensive about my daughter dating my best friend." Nanoha replied. "But this is what they've decided after thinking it through carefully, so I'd like to let them give it a try. Of course I have every intention of keeping my eye on them and putting my foot down if I see it doing more harm than good."

"I'll leave that to you, then." Shiro nodded. "I guess you could consider yourself on probation, Yuuno. Don't do anything we'll make you regret."

"Yes sir." Yuuno replied, hoping his sweat wasn't too visible. "I swear I won't."

'Well, I guess we have the ok for now.' Vivio mused. 'At least they didn't say no.'