Author: Winter Crucification

Rating: PG for some mushy romance stuff.

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Sony, I just like fiddling with their characters.

Author's Notes: Woah, been a loong time since I've written a fanfic. ^_^; Enjoy?

When We Were Innocent

Part One: Rose

"I used to be this innocent."

It wasn't like him to brood. That was more like Syuveil. Zieg was always the one to help Belzac drag out Syuveil for a good-natured wrestling match, or start a fight. Hot-headed idiot. I could feel a slight smile tugging at my lips, but I didn't pay it much mind. But yet, there he sat, chin in his hand, staring at the wall, and looking far too old for his mere seventeen years of age. I could almost hear the wheels turning in his head.

I shifted a little, and the soft scraping noise of my armor against the wall of the common room he shared with five other boys drew that intense blue gaze. He looked angry for a split second, then - perhaps realizing who he was looking at - smiled just a bit.

"Sorry to disturb you."

He smiled a little more - curse that smile! "Don't worry about it. I think I needed to be disturbed." That smile turned into a sheepish grin. "'Cause, ya know, I was thinking disturbing thoughts."

I rolled my eyes. Males. "That was a bad joke, Zieg."

The blond rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged a bit. "I know."

I hate long, awkward silences. Comfortable silence is always a good thing in my book, but this…"Say, Zieg…Want to go for a walk?"

He tilted his head and quirked an eyebrow at me. "It's raining."

"So? Don't you like to play in the rain sometimes?"

He shrugged a bit. "Well, if you want to…Let me go change. Leather armor and rain don't mix well, but we may run into monsters."

The red-clad blond walked off, leaving me in the doorway, alone with my thoughts. I can't even begin to describe what was going on in my mind…But I didn't have to wait long, as Zieg emerged from his bedroom, fiddling with the buckles on his armor for a moment. I snorted. "Red. Is that all you wear?"

He grinned at me. "Yup. You don't have any room to talk, Miss Black and Blue."

"Purple, too." I led the way out of the large, stone building that was home to many freed slaves like Zieg and me. "At least I have a little variety."

He stuck his tongue out at me.

Ignoring him, I ran ahead a bit and randomly spun a circle in the rain, cold, mist somehow seeping through cracks in my armor, making my skin rather clammy, but I didn't much mind, for the moment. Stopping, I waited for Zieg to catch up before falling in next to him, somehow keeping stride with the taller man.

Eventually, we ended up on a high bluff overlooking the plains to the south. I tilted my head back, closing my eyes. I had always been rather fond of rain. After a few moments, the mist seemed to have ceased, and Zieg nudged me. "Hey, look, a rainbow!" I glanced at it, a band of color against the reddish light of the setting sun, only half-interested, before stepping onto a nearby low rock, suddenly almost of a height with Zieg. He gave me an odd look before taking the half-step over to where I was. "What are you-"

I leaned forward, just slightly, and caught his lips with mine. After a moment's hesitation, he leaned into the kiss, as well, and his hand slowly slid up to cup my cheek as I wrapped one arm around his neck.

He gave me the most bewildered look I had ever seen, when we finally separated, that I laughed aloud. He scrunched his nose up at me and scowled, starting to walk off with my arm still around his neck, which dragged me off the rock. I lost my balance and fell to the still-wet ground with a thump. He looked down at me in surprise, and it was my turn to scowl.

"Why didn't you let go?" Such a little lost puppy look, he looked kind of cute. Pitiful, but cute.

"Why would I?"

"You laughed at me."

I shook my head and barely restrained another laugh. "Not at you. Never AT you." My lips twitched in a half-smile at his suspicious look. "What, don't you believe me?"

He grinned a little bit. "Yeah, I believe you. But…You kissed me."

"Yes, I did."

He shrugged and grinned more widely, offering a hand to help me up. I took it, and he pulled me up a little too hard, so that I landed against his chest. Lifting my chin and leaning down, he kissed me again…and that certainly wasn't the last time.