Stahl was at a bit of a loss lately. He had tried his best to stay out of matters of romance, he really had! Just the thought of getting into a romance with someone made his stomach twist. So what was he doing now?

His belly gurgled angrily, upset at their morning breakfast and this newest stress. This would never work. Stahl sighed.

It had started out innocently enough. He, Sully and Virion, being very good friends, loved to visit the town, albeit for different reasons. When they were together he and Sully had a system set up where if Virion got too out-of-control when talking and charming the ladies, they would take turns swooping him up from atop their horses. The blue-haired noble NEVER liked it, but Sully and he thought it was hilarious, and what the heck, Virion started laughing too.

Stahl covered his chin with a folded hand, thinking about Virion's laughter. Was that what did it? Or maybe it was the soft whooshing of his pampered hair. Or maybe it was how he felt when he picked him up, definitely not as light as a feather, but boy, it felt like it sometimes. Or maybe it was how he strung up his entire body, mirroring his bow, when he aimed to shoot. And the accuracy! He'd been saved more than once from some very nasty wounds.

He never should have started letting Virion ride behind him on his horse, with his strong arms clasped around his torso for safety and with light breaths in his ear in between complaints, ruffling his messy brown hair. Maybe that's what had happened. It was all Virion's fault! Sully would be inclined to agree with a cheeky grin that seemed to say "I told you so".

Oh, he couldn't tell Sully. She'd tease him to the ends of the earth, just as she had when he told her he had a crush on her, once, too. It was all in good fun, but still completely embarrassing. Thinking about that, too, made his belly gurgle in protest.

Maybe if he took his mind off of the charming archer, his stomach would feel a bit better. A bath could be the trick; food hadn't touched his thoughts at all. It didn't help that it was Virion who'd cooked their meal this morning. Stahl turned red at the thought of him cooking for him one day, making sure to make gentler food for his tender digestive system, just as he had this morning. That is ABSOLUTELY nuts! He shook his head and began the search for a running stream.

It was fairly easy to find, actually. Chrom, or rather his tactician Robin, had selected this campsite because of how close it was to running water. Very important if they were to survive going up against enemy forces. Stahl shrugged off his black linen under-clothes and stepped apprehensively into the water. It was a bit warmer than he expected, actually.

Maybe his thoughts and daydreams weren't as impossible as he had thought. While Stahl himself tried to steer clear of romance, he was pretty adept at spotting it. He noticed the fleeting glances that Chrom had given to Robin when he wasn't looking. And he HAD saved him for, well, pretty much no reason at a time when doing so could be dangerous (as Frederick would simply NOT stop yammering about).

Stahl popped open the large vial of medicine he had made for himself and tipped it back a little. Ahh, that's much better. Now feeling a little more peaceful, he closed his eyes and dozed in the stream, being careful not to actively drift off, whether into full sleep or off down the river.

"Dearest Stahl, would you mind terribly if I joined you? I am in need of a freshening up myself, if you wouldn't mind."

Stahl opened his eyes and flailed in one quick, clumsy motion, frothing the water around him as he turned to look at who had disturbed his morning bath.

The blue hair, lightly tousled from a night's sleep, twinkling brown eyes, and winning smile gave away immediately just who was looking to jump in the spring, too. Mouth open, Stahl nodded hesitantly.

"U-uh, yeah, of-of course." Virion began to shrug off his doublet, and cheeks burning, Stahl turned away. He was no prude, but he preferred bathing alone for a multitude of reasons. Hearing the water's disturbance, he turned back around.

The archest of archers had brought along with him a bit of flowery-smelling bar soap, and a bottle of shampoo that Stahl recognized as one his father had made. While not as important as medicine, shampoos and soaps were a booming business back at home and were very popular with the nobles. He had a bit more sense than Stahl, and hung his clothes and a towel neatly from a neighboring tree branch.

"You DO realize that it's better to bathe in the stream then it is to sleep, don't you?" Virion smiled mischievously.

"I guess I had that one coming to me, huh?" Stahl grinned. That felt natural. It was far better to have fun conversation than to be left alone with his feelings, even if the person who was CAUSING said feelings was RIGHT THERE.

"No matter. Would you like to borrow my soap? I see you've neglected to bring your own." Virion shrugged in the direction of Stahl's small clothing pile. The brunette cavalier turned red when he realized that indeed, he'd forgotten the most important parts of the bath.

"Thanks."

"Not a problem, dearest Stahl." Virion began humming to himself as he lathered his hair, and Stahl couldn't help but watch, fascinated with the way that his hair still shone even though it was sopping wet. Without even thinking about it, Virion strode over to him when he was finished with his own hair. Stahl had never really been one for this sort of thing, but as gentle fingers ran through his messy wet locks, he could easily see how one could be. There came the soft breaths again. "A little bird told me that someone in the army may have a bit of a fancy for me. I most certainly don't blame them. Do you?"

Stahl took a deep breath. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out. "It's me. It's me, Virion. I'm the one who fancies you." He forced himself to turn around and look Virion in the eyes. What he found there was a look of slight surprise and gentle bemusement.

"Well, I have to admit, it's not who I expected. I've never courted another man before. But I think we can make this work." He gave Stahl a wink that made his heart flutter. "I may fancy you a bit myself."

Stahl thought back to the sidelong glances Robin gave to Chrom, too, and thought that maybe, just maybe, romance wasn't so overrated after all. He splashed Virion suddenly, causing him to sputter "Wh-what are you, twelve years old?" and then share a hearty chuckle with him.

This small bit of peace was interrupted by a cry of "RISEN!"

There would be plenty of flirting to come in the days ahead.