Leave Me Breathless

Author's Notes: Another fic for that One Word Prompt meme thing going around on LJ. This one is written for penandpaper71's prompt "magic".

"It's like magic," Merric said, his eyes wide, a huge grin on his face. He folded his arms on the table he and Marth were sitting at, towards the back of Castle Altea's sizeable library, making sure to keep his elbows off the table. He was a noble, after all-they didn't put their elbows on tables. Or that was what his father told him.

"What is?" Marth was talking more to the book than to Merric, fingertip tracing the words as he read. He was only half paying attention anyway. Though Marth knew he had no talent for magic-they found that out pretty quick, in fact-he still found it fascinating to read about. (It still bothered King Cornelius, however, for he was afraid Marth would wake up one day and be able to chant all sorts of spells and leave the sword to rust. After all, that was what happened to King Maciel, the other brother of Anri no one bothered to bring up for various reasons besides.) Lucky for his father, magic was too complicated for Marth to master properly, and he had no constitution for it anyway. He was made for the sword.

"Kissing." Merric's grin grew, if that was even possible. Marth flushed briefly.

"You shouldn't talk about such things, Merric," Marth chided. "We are here to study, not discuss romance stories."

"I'm not talking about those stories your sister reads," Merric said, and he frowned. "Why would I be interested in those things, anyway, when I can just kiss a real girl?"

Marth buried his face further into the tome. "This is embarrassing."

"Do you want to know what it feels like?"

Marth glanced over the side of his book. "No. I have studying to do. Father will-"

"Marth, you're not even studying what your father wants you to. Give me just a couple of minutes of your time, will you?"

Marth sighed and closed his book. He trained his gaze on Merric and nodded.

"It feels like being hit by a thunder tome," Merric said wistfully. Marth winced.

"That doesn't sound very...pleasant."

"Oh, but it is." Merric elbowed Marth lightly. "It's not painful at all! It's just... It's just a shockwave through your body."

"I've had enough shockwaves going through my body from you missing the target with your tomes. I don't need more."

Merric pouted. "The only way you can experience this kind of magic is by doing it yourself. You'll see."

Marth rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever you say, Merric. Whatever you say."

-x-

The bark against his back wasn't the most pleasing sensation ever, Marth thought, but the feel of silky hair and soft lips was. It even made him feel warm, too warm for the ermine cloak his mother insisted he wear, even though the air outside was quite cold. They parted and Marth was left breathless.

"I told you so, didn't I?"

Marth blinked and tried to focus, but all he wanted was more.

"You said it was like magic, not that it was head-reeling and breath-stealing."

Merric laughed.

"That's the magical part-I can take your breath away just like that. Oh, and get you slumped against a tree. Although I have to admit, I've never had a girl do that before..."

"Be quiet," Marth said, all flushed now. "You just... You surprised me."

Marth was better prepared when Merric stole another kiss from him. He didn't care that there were going to be broken pieces of bark and splintered fragments embedded in the fur of his cloak from sliding down the tree. He didn't care that there was also snow on the ground, or that it was freezing out. All he cared about was making sure he hadn't knocked the breath from Merric because he landed on top of him.

He also hoped that no one would see them like this.