AN: Something I'd like to note real quick – this fanfic is bound to be out of character, particularly on Shulk's end. I fully acknowledge this, so please don't point it out.
Alright, now that that's out of the way, let's get to the story. Enjoy!
Dark Pit was sitting high up on a tree branch, looking around with his legs dangling off from where he sat. He gazed at the bright blue sky, lost in thought. Ever since deciding to stay on land with his friends, he had taken to seeking refuge in the trees when he wanted to contemplate things.
In particular, he reflected on how he's always put up a wall to others, preferring to keep to himself. Why he did this was even beyond him, though the possibility of wanting to cut ties before he could get hurt did occur to him. He also thought about how he's always been selfish, putting his wants and needs before anything else. And for the most part, doing such had actually worked out well for him – but he realized that the isolation that came with it ended up making him feel trapped and suffocated.
It also dawned on him that merely acknowledging his past actions meant he had evolved to some degree. And for that, he had Lucina and Shulk to thank.
His two partners had been welcoming enough to make him feel like he didn't need to put up that barrier all the time, though he still did it as a force of habit. Regardless, Lucina had been very understanding of his problems and could even relate to some of them herself, making the two of them bond easily. As for Shulk... that was a more complicated story.
Initially, Dark Pit wanted nothing to do with him, even going as far as spitting insults at him whenever he'd persist in his endeavor to befriend him. But no matter how much venom Dark Pit put into his words, Shulk never retaliated once, much to the angel's surprise. All he would do in response to the insults was smile back at him with words of encouragement, without a single trace of hostility in his voice. Why did he even put up with me? Dark Pit thought, unable to figure out his motives. No matter what he did to him, Shulk always remained cheerful and friendly. It made Dark Pit almost nauseous to admit that his optimism was contagious. No one has ever been that nice to me... what are his intentions?
"Found you!"
Dark Pit jumped as he suddenly heard Shulk's voice from his side. He whipped around and stared at him in shock, his heart pounding through his chest. How did he manage to climb up the tree so quietly? I know I zoned out, but I never let my guard down! he thought in disbelief. Dark Pit turned his head away from him. "What do you want?"
Shulk only shrugged. "Nothing really. Lucina told me you might be here, so I came looking for you! She also said that you probably needed some alone time, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Sorry for bugging you!" he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Dark Pit eyed him from the side, then closed his eyes. "Well, she was right. I did need some alone time. But I guess I'm done now."
"Oh, that's good! Because I was wondering... did you wanna go for a walk with me? It's been a while since it's been this sunny," Shulk commented with a smile.
The angel turned to Shulk and blinked. He hadn't expected to be asked such a mundane question out of the blue like that. He looked down as he thought about it. "Sure," he muttered.
Shulk's face lit up at this. "Great!" he exclaimed. Then he positioned himself carefully on the branch he sat on before hopping down to the ground below. After steadying himself, he extended his arms out in front of him and looked up expectantly.
Dark Pit glared and let out a huff. "I can do it myself," he growled.
"Right, sorry," Shulk apologized as Dark Pit landed safely on the ground as well. Then Shulk grabbed Dark Pit's hand as they started walking across the grassy field, causing Dark Pit to blush slightly. Shulk happily swung their clasped hands back and forth as they strolled, seeming to be completely unaffected by the breeze that sent shivers down Dark Pit's spine.
The two observed their surroundings on opposite sides of each other, taking in the scenery around them. It may have been nothing special to look at, but somehow, Shulk's presence made the event worthwhile.
After they reached a large dirt road, Shulk suddenly withdrew his hand from Dark Pit's to run over to a puddle. Then he jumped in and started splashing water with his feet, much to Dark Pit's confusion.
"What're you doing?" the angel asked, giving his friend a look of disgust.
"Splashing in this puddle," Shulk stated the obvious. "You wanna join?"
Dark Pit turned away from him with his arms crossed. "Why would I do something like that? It looks childish. Plus, I'd just get my feet dirty."
"So what? No one else is around! And you could just wash them off when we get back," he countered. "Please? It'll be fun!"
Dark Pit paused for a few moments, gazing into his pleading eyes. Then he let out a defeated sigh. "Fine," he mumbled, hesitantly walking into the puddle. He cringed as the cold water hit his toes, but he tried his hardest to ignore it. Halfheartedly he lifted a leg and slammed it down, causing a small splash.
Nearby him, Shulk began laughing in delight as he ran to another puddle and jumped as high as he could, splashing the water up to his knees. Dark Pit blinked as he observed Shulk, then he looked down to his feet and kicked the water with more enthusiasm.
"Yeah! That's it!" Shulk exclaimed, flashing a big smile at him before he turned around and continued splashing in his own puddle.
Dark Pit's expression softened, unable to suppress the small smile that formed on his face as he watched Shulk. He looked up at the sky once more and stared at the fluffy clouds passing by. Perhaps that barrier wasn't as necessary as I thought. Dark Pit noted to himself. He looked back to Shulk, who was knelt down catching a frog with his hands. Maybe now I can finally breathe.