PICTURE PERFECT

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Welcome to a Berseria/Zestiria AU featuring the pairing of Lailah and… Eizen. Yes, Eizen. My little heart is torn as I was a full-fledged supporter of Lailah hooking up with Zaveid, but one day I played around with the idea of hitching Eizen with Lailah and well… It never left my mind. I feel that if they ever met, they would have had damn good chemistry and not to mention, while Eizen is the Reaper, Lailah is usually portrayed as angelic and pure. They're kind of like the two sides of Eizen's coin, wouldn't you agree?

CHAPTER I

The town of Loegres. A small town centered in the continent of Midgand known for its compact marketplace. From the bath house owned by the Rangetsu brothers to the bakery belonging to the Crowe siblings, stores and shops of all kinds stood side by side and one stop to the market was all one needed to satisfy not only their essential needs, but materialistic ones as well. Working in such close quarters, the citizens were well acquainted with one another. The familiarity fashioned a comfortable environment, but it also entailed that the rumor mill was always turning. Personal issues rarely ever remained between those involved and it wasn't odd for an ill-timed gesture to be blown out of proportion.

It was for this reason that Eizen was grateful that he neither lived nor worked in the market – granted, he still often frequented for everyday necessities. He lived a few neighborhoods away from the hustle and bustle in a small suburb and every weekday he would make his way out to the university where he acted as the archaeology and history professor. The commute to the university was a 30-minute bus ride, but one could always expect him to be up and about by 6 o' clock even with his first classes starting at 9. As a male, he generally finished his hygienic routine and got himself dressed well within half an hour, but when calculating in the time it took to prepare two lunches, waking a 4-year-old, clothing, brushing, feeding, and then dropping said 4-year-old off to daycare, the extra hours were vital in getting to work on time.

But a few extra hours of sleep could never compete with the joy Eizen felt when he was with his little sister. A stark contrast from his usual gruff attitude, he never showed anything but tenderness, care, and love towards Edna. From rolling her out of bed to managing her mussed up hair and even dealing with her complaints and mutterings along the way, it was hard to find him without a smile on his lips when she was around.

Both born from two faceless women who were impregnated by the same wealthy businessman, they were both abandoned and forgotten; their fates left unknown to their birth givers and would-be father. But perhaps it was because of their unfortunate circumstances that their bond seemed stronger than the connection shared between any other pair of siblings. Edna may be all he had, but she was the only family he could have wished for.

It was Thursday morning and just like the countless days before, with 8 o clock just around the corner the blonde duo could be seen walking hand in hand down the path that led to Loegres' daycare. The closer they got to the building, the more kids could be spotted and Eizen could feel his sister's anxiety heighten as her grip got tighter around his fingers. He wouldn't label her as shy per se, but she was rather reclusive and tended to occupy herself with her own projects. It was no surprise that the group of kids would cause her some sort of distress as they disrupted her peaceful state of mind.

Kamoana, one of Edna's schoolmates, was a prime example of that. She was an overactive child; rambunctious, playful, talkative – the exact opposite of Edna. And if Eizen remembered correctly, it was around this time that she would be making her way to school. Perhaps Edna sensed her approach as well which was why she placed herself closer to her brother's leg. She had experienced a rather rough bump-in with her classmate and the experience had taught her to never stray from Eizen's side…

It was about two months ago at the beginning of the school year. As Kamoana was racing up the hill to get to school as per usual, Edna had inadvertently stepped in her path and the two collided. After Kamoana's forehead smashed into the back of Edna's skull, the little blonde was sent flying forward, resulting in scraped palms and bloodied knees. Eizen recalled quite clearly the tears that were beginning to fill her big blue eyes as he picked her off the ground. Of course, children weren't children unless they suffered bumps and bruises, but to see his little sister in such a pathetic state, he was ready to call in a substitute, cancel his classes or do whatever else was necessary to make sure that he could be by his sister's side.

However, the daycare teacher, Miss Lailah, who also happened to witness the event from her spot at the door, eased both of the siblings' nerves that day. After Eizen had carried Edna, who was fighting her tears back the rest of the walk over, into the building, he sat her on his lap and Lailah expertly went to work tending to the wounds. "Look at how brave you are," Eizen recalled hearing the teacher coo as she dabbed a cotton ball laden with antibiotic onto his sister's knees. She had a calming presence about her and by the time she had slapped on a band-aid of Edna's choice, much to Eizen's surprise, the 4-year-old's tears had vanished, albeit her nose was still slightly runny.

Lailah smiled up at the sniffling child and ran a gentle hand through her short golden locks. She fixed the areas that had become ruffled from her collision with Kamoana and Eizen watched in amazement as Edna neither pulled away nor pushed Lailah from her space. "Are you feeling better Edna," Lailah asked after her hair was smoothed back to its original state before her stumble. Edna had given a slight nod before taking her teacher's hand into her own to help herself from Eizen's lap. The way Eizen recalled the memory, her hand never left Lailah's even as they waved him goodbye from the doorway as he left for the bus stop.

A few things were gained that day. Edna learned to never stop and sniff the flowers as you might get run over and Eizen, well he got to exchange numbers with Miss Lailah. It was primarily to check in on Edna throughout the day of her injury, but he would later on learn how vital having her in his speed dial would be. As the weeks went by, he often found himself dialing her number to inform her that he would be late in picking Edna up or make her aware of who would be taking her home should his schedule keep him at the university longer than expected. Their conversations were usually brief and to-the-point, but Eizen felt as if he knew the teacher fairly well through all of them.

Kind was an understatement when he tried to find a word to describe her. She was more compassionate, a mother hen per se. She was steadfast and serious when it came to her students, but, as Eizen came to learn from the other guardians and parents, she had a whimsical and even dramatic side to her. Whenever he stopped by to drop or receive Edna, they shared brief discussions that could be either thought-provoking and leaned more on the serious side while others were casual and carefree. But regardless of the topic of conversation they found themselves talking about, Eizen always found their chats pleasant; something he couldn't say about the other women in Loegres.

And as a man, Eizen wasn't afraid to admit that he found Lailah's physical appearance stunning as well. Of course, a lot of the women in Loegres had their own unique beauty, but for Eizen, the others couldn't compare to hers. Even now as they neared the daycare and he could begin to see her tall, slender figure standing by the front doors, he couldn't help but admire the way she dressed and even how she decided to do her hair. Small details such as her choice of barrette, the way the bow of her blouse was tied, and even the color of her lip gloss didn't go unnoticed by the tall blonde man and he mentally praised her for her fine taste.

He could have gone on absentmindedly staring at her, but was startled out of his thoughts as a high-pitched voice startled him out of his thoughts. "Miss Lailah!" It was the all too familiar voice of Kamoana; racing up and over the hill past him and Edna in her usual fashion. He had felt her brush past his legs and only caught a quick glimpse of her before she was already a few feet ahead of them, arms flailing wildly as she found herself speeding down the hill quicker than expected.

"Kamoana! How many times do I have to tell you…!?" Trying to catch up to the hyperactive girl was Kamoana's mother, Medissa, a part-time nurse but full-time homemaker. She ended up slowing down a few paces behind Eizen and Edna and the three watched the inevitable as the olive-skinned girl took a tumble down the hill. Medissa slapped a hand to her forehead and sighed helplessly. "I'm sorry Eizen," she apologized to the professor as she watched Kamoana slowly begin to get up from her fall. "I've been trying to tell her to be careful of others when she's running like that, but it goes in one ear and out the other…"

Eizen shrugged. "Kids will be kids," he told her. Although Edna may hold her own little grudge against the green-haired girl, Eizen was a 28-year-old man who wasn't going to hold resentment towards a child over a mere accident. He rather appreciated Kamoana's sprightly spirit. Especially when the girl's past came to light and he learned that she too had her own experience of loss, he was happy to see that she was experiencing life the way any toddler ought to.

As Medissa dusted off her daughter whose eyes were beginning to well up, the third member of their family made his appearance. Letting out a light chuckle as he walked past Eizen towards his girls, a tall and lean brunette called out, "You feelin' alright there Kamoana? That was quite the stumble." Appearance-wise, Dyle was quite put together; handsome, well-groomed, and made to be a male model. Back when he was a few years younger, women would flock and fall head over heels for him, and as the selfish playboy he was, he toyed with and broke countless hearts. He got into a lot of trouble with the women as a result, but so long as he got what he wanted in the end, Dyle showed no remorse.

Eizen had suspected that he was the kind of guy that would forever remain single. There were just some people in the world who couldn't commit and Dyle, Eizen believed, was one of them. However, five years ago, Medissa stepped into his life and suddenly the roles were reversed. It was a love story well known throughout Loegres. After an incident at work that left him with a slipped disc along his vertebrae, Dyle met the nurse and immediately became a lovesick puppy. Medissa however wasn't at all impressed by the winemaker's uncouth speech and dating history and it took a lot of coaxing before she would eventually give him her left finger.

At the sight of her father, Kamoana's face lit up and she bounded towards him while he opened up his arms to gather her into them. "What's with the tears, eh kiddo," Dyle said as he wiped Kamoana's cheeks with the back of his hand. He planted a kiss to the side of her forehead which elicited giggles from his daughter.

Medissa joined them, but by the looks of it, she wasn't planning on sharing in the laughter with them. Instead, she had her hands on her hips as she tossed her husband an icy cold glare. "This is all your fault Dyle. You need to stop encouraging this behavior of hers."

"Ah, don't be like that baby," Dyle said as he dropped Kamoana onto his shoulders. "A little dirt isn't going to kill anyone." He pinched his wife's cheek as he passed her a bold grin. Although she put on a fierce façade, she showed no resistance towards Dyle and eventually gave in with a hopeless sigh as the father-daughter duo chuckled away.

Eizen and Edna looked on at the trio, Eizen realizing that Edna seemed to be more invested in the family happenings more so than he thought. It wasn't often that Edna's curiosity was piqued by the goings-on of others, but Eizen couldn't deny it either; there was something charming about a simple, small family such as theirs. Due to his upbringing, Eizen was denied the experience of having a father and mother figure to look up to as he grew up. The simple things such as having someone carry you on their shoulders or someone tending to your scabbed knees were all foreign to him.

But perhaps that's why he put in that extra effort to assure that Edna would experience those simple joys. Though he was her brother, he treated her more so like his daughter and due to the age gap, he wouldn't be surprised if that was how she saw him. They were happy, that was a known fact. But try as he might, there were some roles Eizen simply couldn't satisfy. He was a lousy cook and had no idea how to style the hair of a little girl. He was the last person anyone should go to for emotional advice and he hadn't the time in his tight schedule to attend events such as a school play.

So, it was always there in the back of his mind. A third member to their family. Someone who could dress his sister, prepare a full three course meal for her, lend helpful advice and a listening ear, kiss her wounds, and sing her to sleep. A mother figure to fill the roles he couldn't. Someone like…

"Good morning Edna, Eizen." Lailah. Eizen looked up from his sister to spot the daycare teacher waving at them from her spot at the entrance. Her silver hair had a date with a flat iron this morning and she had slipped on a teal pencil skirt and white blouse. At the sight of her, Edna began to tug her brother along as her short legs began to speed up. He could tell that she was eager to meet up with Lailah so let her go and she was off.

Eizen watched from a few feet away as the two of them interacted and couldn't help the gentle smile that formed on his lips. Edna's lips were moving more than he was accustomed to seeing them as she spoke with her daycare teacher and her big blue eyes were bright as she gazed up at her. She appeared genuinely happy and in turn it made him happy. It wasn't often that Edna was open towards anyone but him so to see her trust Lailah in such a way spoke volumes of the woman's nature. Man or woman, Eizen was the overprotective big brother who was often wary of those who entered his sister's life. Even some of his close buddies had little to no interaction with Edna despite how often they visited their home. Yet before he knew it, Lailah had become the exception.

He was so absorbed in watching the two females that he had become oblivious to Dyle who was trying to talk to him. "…pay Aifread a visit?"

Suddenly aware of the man's presence, Eizen turned to face the mustached man and raised an eyebrow at him, "Pardon?"

"What's the matter Eizen, you got some fluff in your ear or sumthin'?" Dyle chuckled. Unknown to Eizen, he had been trying to get his attention for the past few seconds but his words were lost on deaf ears and a clearly distracted mind. Definitely unlike the brawler he often saw frequent the gym and whose senses were always on point.

Rubbing the back of his head the blonde muttered, "Sorry." Seeing the smirk on Dyle's lips, he feared the man was piecing together the scene and conjuring a hypothesis that was, he had to admit, probably near accurate as to what had captured his attention. Of course, he would hope that Dyle was wise enough to avoid getting on his bad side and avoid spreading rumors lest he was asking for a good wallop. "What was that about Aifread," he proceeded to ask.

"He's been wondering when you're going to stop by the bar again," Dyle answered.

"Ah… About that…" Aifread was Eizen's longtime friend. The moment he turned 18 and left the orphanage he grew up in, it was Aifread who helped him get a job and his first paycheck here in Loegres. While he attended college, he worked at his bar and was given a spare guestroom upstairs – free of charge. It was an understatement to say that he owed the man, but Aifread, nor himself, were one for thanks and cordialities. Since becoming a university professor and taking Edna under his wing, a nighttime trip to the bar wasn't something he could do on a whim as it was in his early twenties.

"It's tempting, but I'll have to pass. At least until this semester is over." Paperwork and projects were in need of grading this time of year and his students too were in need of his time and attention. But even so, remove his pupils from the equation and Eizen still found himself occupied with his archaeological work. He was in the process of studying artifacts and curios recently retrieved from a dig he led and his superior was eagerly anticipating what Eizen had to say on the find.

Eizen turned his attention to his wristwatch and saw that he only had a few minutes before his bus to the university would be arriving. He clapped Dyle on the shoulder, "Give Aifread my regards until then." He turned then and began to make his way over to Lailah who was now being bombarded by children who were rushing past her to get into the building. Edna, by the looks of it, had probably already headed in to avoid the flood of children.

Spotting the approaching blonde who towered well over her students, Lailah passed him a smile and waved. "Are you heading to work now, Eizen," she asked when he stood before her.

Eizen looked down at her and nodded. There was something new he learned about Lailah every time he came across her and today it was, oddly enough, her height. Perhaps it was due to their closer quarters as he tried to make way for the kids to get through, but he couldn't help but note that with her heels on, the top of her head just barely lined with his collar bones. For someone who was as tall as he was, he did prefer taller women if he was allowed to pick and choose and Lailah was definitely on the taller side when compared to the average woman.

Not that he was assuming anything with his recent discovery.

"Aye. And I apologize in advance if I come back later than usual."

"You know I don't mind, Eizen." Lailah looked into her classroom and spotted Edna in the library, already sifting through the selection of books to stick her nose in. "It's always a privilege to look after her." She turned back to look up at Eizen and he could have sworn he saw a light blush flood her cheeks when she said, "I would love to have a daughter like her someday… You raised her well."

Eizen, so entranced with the sparkle of her eyes and pink of her cheeks, gulped and forced himself to turn away. "You're too kind…" He muttered.

Just as he was about to speak his final farewell to the teacher and head off, Kamoana, who had just plucked a flower from the lawn, was forcing her way through her classmates to show off her new discovery to Lailah. Through her efforts, she unintentionally found herself crashing full speed into the back of Eizen's legs which in turn caused him to go stumbling forward towards the silver haired beauty…

Had it not been for his quick reactions, it's most likely that Lailah would be crushed beneath him or suffering a bloody nose. Fortunately, she was spared both. However, after Eizen had caught himself, the two found themselves in a rather compromising position. With his palms pressed against the door on both sides of her head, Lailah found that the university professor was only an inch – if even that – away from her. One movement forward and their noses, and perhaps more, would have made contact.

Medissa witnessed the event and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Oh Kamoana…" She groaned.

As his wife ranted about their daughter's carelessness and inability to absorb anything she was told, Dyle on the other hand kept his eyes trained on Eizen and Lailah. He settled his chin between his thumb and forefinger and smirked.

Whatever their relationship was, they made a damn good-looking couple.

CHAPTER I: END

AUTHOR'S NOTES: And there we have it. The first chapter to what I think is the first story featuring Eizen and Lailah romance. I have a lot of ideas as to what will happen to our odd couple and their soon-to-be blooming romance, but it might take a little extra time, motivation, and organization to get it all written out, so I make no promises as to when the next chapter will be out. Just be prepared for future fluff and romance when other ships make their debut.

See you in 2018!