Hi- this is my first story on here – so any reviews would be much appreciated! I am sorry if the formatting on here is a little hard to work with... but I just think this couple deserves more love than they get! So enjoy (hopefully!) – there's more to come

Flynn had never really paid attention to the short, fiery mage in Yuri's nomadic group. His attention was always caught up in Yuri's stupid escapades, or checking up on the wellbeing of princess Estellise. The genius mage had always seemed to slink into the back of the group, escaping the drama and limelight of whatever crisis was going on.

But really, she was always at the forefront of it all; and without her, they would all surely be toast. Flynn found it hard to believe that this short little, messy haired girl had played a big part in saving the world.

And that made him curious.

So when he did have the opportunity to talk to her, he found himself strangely lost for words. It was in the castle dining room, and she was sitting on her own, at the furthest end. Dinner time had long gone, and the sky had set itself dark for the night. There was no one save for Repede, who was gleefully chewing on some meat he had gleaned from the elderly kitchen maid.

He stood idly with his food, wondering whether or not to go and sit with the girl. Would it seem odd for the commandant to eat with the grand mage? They weren't usually in the same company as each other...but they had fought together...they were comrades. Surely it would look odd to sit somewhere else seeing as they were the only ones in the room.

"Hey blondie, are you going to stand there daydreaming? Quit staring." She called, waking him from his reverie.

Blondie?

He stared, mouth open at her until she turned from her food, and the book she was reading, to glare angrily at him.

"Hey knight! Quit gawking already, your food is going to get cold."

Flynn frowned at her, before striding over and sitting directly in front of her. This was a new situation for him; he had never had anyone talk to him like this, except for Yuri, and he didn't think he could reply the same way he would to Yuri by elbowing him in the face. She looked up at him as he dropped his tray in front of her with a slight thud. She raised an eyebrow, seemingly questioning why he came over here.

"I never thought I'd see you away from your laboratory quarters," Flynn smiled, hoping to start a conversation with her. He decided that he would politely ignore the blondie comment. "What brings you out here?"

Her eyes flickered back to the book she was reading; 'Blastia Origins and Mechanisms'. "I couldn't be bothered to cook anything, and I was getting kinda hungry."

"So why didn't you come down with the others at dinner time?"

"Why didn't you?" she replied, voice maintaining that distinct lack of interest, keen not to entertain his questions.

"I was busy finishing some paperwork on that new Mana grid of yours." He took a bite of his food, carefully studying what he could see of her head. "So what is your answer?"

Rita sighed, and closed her book with a snap. "You're really chatty for someone who is supposed to be eating."

He chuckled, ignoring her scowl. "Well, I never really get to talk to you. I'm with the knights and you're busy keeping Yuri out of trouble. Makes a nice change to just chat without the conversation involving the world being eaten by the adephagos"

Rita continued to scowl at him, before turning it to her food. "Well, yeah, I guess. I'm glad that thing's gone anyway."

There was an uncomfortable silence, where the two chose to eat instead of talk.

"Though I guess you haven't had to chase after Yuri for a while, right? It's nice Yuri has settled down a bit," Flynn said, trying to provoke more of a conversation. "At least my troops won't be running around the lower quarter so much trying to haul his sorry self into jail."

She eyed him for a second before a slight smirk tugged at her lips. "What's the deal with you and Yuri anyway?"

"Pardon?"

"I heard that something went down between you two..." she replied, waving her fork in the air as she thought about it. "An argument, perhaps?"

"No, he's just..."

Flynn wriggled uncomfortably on his seat. Now that she had picked up on something interesting, he could tell she wasn't going to quit, not even to go back to reading her book. He had forgotten this girl was extremely observant.

"I knew it!" she grinned, her eyes sparkling with triumph. "You guys had a lover's tiff, didn't you? Come on, spit it out!"

"Ex-excuse me?" Flynn stuttered, completely lost as to what she was accusing him of.

"You've had an argument, haven't you? I wondered why you two had been moping around this place!"

Flynn took a moment to regain his heartbeat, waving aside what he thought she may have been implying. "I guess you could call it a misunderstanding..."

"Misunderstanding? He's been acting like a sulky kid. So what happened? Aren't you two supposed to be best buddies or something?"

"I just- suggested that he ought to be careful of his relationship with Lady Estellise." He mumbled.

"So you're jealous..."

Flynn startled his plate, ears turning pink at her outrageous conclusion. "No-no-"

She took a bite of her food, looking smug. She really thought that he was jealous of Yuri? How more wrong could she be? Estelle was his friend, and he was happy that his two friends had found happiness with each other. It was just... he didn't know what. Something had been bugging him about the whole thing recently.

"Look, I-"

"Don 't get your knickers in a twist blondie, I'm messing with you," she said, taking pity on him. He didn't want to think about how red his face must be. "But you got to trust Yuri; he isn't going to do anything that is going to cause any trouble. He may be rash, but he's not stupid."

"But Lady Estellise isn't-"

"Isn't what? She's not the little naive princess she used to be, so you don't have to worry about her, she can think for herself now. You should be worrying more about yourself you know."

"Me?"

"Yeah," she shrugged. "You've got more on your plate now, with no barrier. You should look after yourself better. The monsters aren't going to cut you any slack because you're in a bad mood."

"Oh no, I'm just fine." He smiled politely. "It's my job. You don't have to worry about me."

"Well I am, even the old man has noticed that you keep yawning. Which is why I'm going to help you out."

Flynn blinked at her. "You're helping me because Captain Schwann is worried?"

"No!" she hissed, throwing her book at him. It caught his shoulder, making him flinch. He rubbed it as a dull ache followed. "As if I would help that smelly old man! I'm doing it because we don't need Estelle moping around because you can't keep yourself healthy. She's got a country to run you know."

"Well I guess that makes sense..." Flynn muttered, raising an eyebrow. "But really, it's fine."

"Then why are there bags under your eyes?" she asked, gesturing her fork at him.

Blinking at her, he sighed. "There aren't any bags under my eyes..."

"Are you kidding me?" she leapt up and leant over the table, her gloved fingers tracing exaggerated lines underneath his eyes. "They're so big the kid could probably fit his stupid axes in them."

Startled, Flynn knocked his plate, the gravy sending small waves of his roast onto the table. He sat back, holding his gravy drenched elbow away from him, and let his shoulders fall.

"Perhaps, I am a bit tired," he conceded, mopping up what he could of what was his meal.

"Idiot," she sneered. She looked at his gravy stained elbow and muttered something. Warm water gently poured on his elbow, before she grabbed his arm firmly and held a small flickering flame that rested in her palm up towards the wet material. It dried within seconds, and he stared, marvelling at how quick and effective her magic was.

"T-thanks", he said, smiling at her.

"It's nothing", she coughed, backing away. Looking towards the kitchen and realising it had now closed, she then picked up her own, unfinished plate, she placed it before him. "Take it. I'm full anyway; I don't really like this stuff much anyway."

"I can't-" he protested.

"Just eat it! Stop your moaning, I said I was full!" She picked up her book and began walking towards the wooden doors. He stared after her, not sure whether this was a kind gesture or whether she just wanted to get away.

"Um, thank you Miss Mordio! Perhaps I'll cook something for you one day- as a token of my gratitude."

"No thanks", she said brightly, giving him a casual wave as she sauntered off. "I saw you in the cook off. That Beef stew could have corroded metal."

He stared disbelievingly at her figure disappearing down the corridor. With another smile, he shook his head, the material by his elbow still warm from her spell. Seems like he would have to practise his cooking... he couldn't let such kindness go unrewarded. Repede wandered over and made a growly noise which sounded like a laugh.

"Repede..." Flynn sighed. "Is my cooking really that bad?"

"Rita! Oh Rita my dear!"

Rita inwardly sighed as she heard the unmistakable clang of armour echo off the castle walls. She didn't need to look to know that the stupid sing song voice belonged to Raven, or as he was dressed now, Captain Schwann. Why couldn't she just walk back to her study without running into the goofball?

"Oh heck, what do you want old man?" she growled, narrowing her eyes at the gangly, long haired, sorry excuse for a comrade. He caught up with her in the corridor, and begun to rummage in large, and rather old looking bag. She just wanted to go back to her lovely room, where she could be alone with her book.

"I heard that ya were joining the knights, so ol' Raven here had kindly brought you a uniform from his brigade!" He grinned gleefully as he held up the material, and Rita wondered what would be the best thing to do... Fireball or stalagmite magic?

"You idiot! Like I would wear that piece of garbage! Looks like you've stuffed it down your trousers for years", she said, scrunching her nose and swatting away the orange material. "Where did you hear that anyway? Or is this one of your lame, old man pervert dreams?"

Feigning a look of hurt, he clutched the material to his chest. "Rita my dear girl, how could ya even think Raven would do such a thing? Besides, if ya gonna go chasing after someone with ya scary magic fireballs then you better go find that Yuri of ours."

"What did he say?" she asked, turning on Raven and folding her arms. He stepped back, slightly wary of her menacing stance.

"Jus' that he heard ya were helpin' the Knights out, and he wondered if ya were joining the Schwann Brigade."

"For your information, I'm not joining the knights, and I would rather eat my books then join the losers you call your brigade. I'm just helping out, 'cause Estelle's getting all worried about nothing." Okay, she was lying – it wasn't over nothing; Flynn did look really downtrodden and in need of a decent meal. But she'd never live it down if she told the old man this.

"Oh, so ya have a heart after all, who'd have thought it?" He teased, winking at her. Rita felt her blood boil.

"What's it to you old man? Unless you like getting blasted out of the castle, then you better shut up!"

Raven laughed, and patted her on the head. "Calm down Rita dear. Nothin' wrong with doing somethin' to help a friend. So what's our princess got you doing, eh?"

Rita batted his hand away, eyes just threatening to send him flying through the window behind him, but he didn't back down, fully aware that she knew she would have a hard job of explaining to the army of guards outside why she had decided to blast a captain of the knights out of the window. Yep, he had her cornered.

"Flynn." She mumbled, refusing to go into details.

"Flynn, eh? Didn't he have a bust up with Yuri? I'd have thought she would've wanted to go talk to the guy herself. Never been good with people arguin' and fightin' has she?"

"Don't think she knows about that to be honest, she's more worried that blondie isn't looking after himself properly now the barrier blastia isn't there to do his job."

"Oh and here is the cold hearted Rita we all know an' adore..." Raven sighed. "Just don't go blasting magic at the poor guy will ya'? He has been looking a bit sorry fer himself lately. He doesn't need our little miss sunshine adding some broken bones to his list of worries."

"Someone will have their own broken bones to worry about if they don't shut up right now," she warned, clenching her fists. "He's fine anyway; I'm just helping to teach some tricks to the soldiers to help get rid of those monsters. Then the guy can do whatever he wants, Estelle is happy again and I can go back to researching my mana grid."

"Seems like ya got it planned then. Ya joining Flynn's brigade then?"

"No, I am NOT, like I would ever be a brain dead lackey for anyone, especially goody too-shoes Flynn", she cried, shaking with irritation. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think Yuri needs his hair burnt off...and if you don't keep your mouth shut, you'll be next."

Her stomach gave a loud grumble, unhappy at the lack of dinner Rita had given it. She glared at Raven, just daring him to say anything, but when he didn't, she chose to turn on her heel, cursing her decision to give blondie her meal, before hurrying back to her study.

Raven chuckled to himself as she rushed off. The girl didn't know it yet, but this old man could tell that Estelle was probably being her usual romantic self, and trying to play a bit of cupid. Seemed to him, that the blond boy was jealous of Yuri and Estelle, and this was her way of fixing the problem. He shuddered, thinking idly that he was glad it was Flynn and not him who had to deal with the ice queen; it meant he got to keep his fingers.