(All characters © Nintendo)
Lost
Ike knows from the beginning that he is venturing into dangerous territory. Pit has admitted with some shame that loyalty is a quality he sorely lacks; the last thing he wants is for Ike to be another name on the list of hearts he's broken.
The mercenary acknowledges the very real risk of infidelity; he tells Pit that, even knowing that, he can't stand living alone with himself, wondering if maybe things would be better if he had shared them with one he loved.
Pit promises this day to do his best not to fall into old habits; for Ike's sake, his heart will stay pure, and his mind will not wander. Ike has said he could not live alone with himself; Pit knows that he could not live with himself at all if he betrays the mercenary's trust.
For months, he keeps his promise; never once does his gaze stray, and every word he speaks, whether outdoors in the early afternoon or in Ike's room late at night, is nothing but truth spoken from the deepest place in his heart. Ike knows this; every day, he wakes up, eternally grateful that he took the chance...
But misery has a funny way of finding new friends.
Pit's tolerance to alcohol is abysmal, at best; though it takes a lot to get him even slightly fuzzy, Ike has a notorious habit of getting involved in drinking contests. Combined with the idiosyncrasies of the others, the first party at Smash Mansion ends in total chaos; heroes bellow their drunken battle songs while the women run from the sights of lecherous men. The final hours are nothing but a whirl of faces, colors and sounds as people stagger off to bed or pass out in the living room...
It's early morning, barely dawn, when Pit wakes up, the sun poking through the cracks in the curtains and shining right in his eyes. Groaning, he curls slightly, raising a hand to rub the sleep from his eyes...
It takes a minute for him to remember that Ike's room has no curtains.
The room spins as he suddenly bolts upright; the angel clutches at his head as he looks around, wondering where the hell he is--
A quiet mumble next to him, coupled with the sight of Falchion leaning against the wall, makes it all too clear where he is.
Pit scrambles out of Marth's bed, ignoring the swirling sensation that messes with his balance; quickly, he locates his clothes, throwing them on before dashing out of the room, stumbling into walls as he hurries to his room--
Just as he turns the corner, he runs into Ike. It's impossible to tell that the mercenary is suffering from the worst hangover he's ever had; not even the smell of alcohol lingers on his breath as he asks Pit where he was.
After how Ike's treated him, how can Pit dare to lie? The angel bows his head, sorrow in his voice as he admits that, though he was unaware at the time, he ended up going to bed with Marth last night.
The words bury themselves deep into Ike's heart; even so, he pulls the angel close to him, unable to not forgive when he sees the pain in Pit's eyes. He knows that it was an accident, nothing more than an unintended slip; more than anything, he's angry at Marth for not being in better control. But none of these words reach Pit's ears; Ike just whispers soft assurances into the angel's ear, promising that things will be okay...
How nice it would be if he were right; alas, things are never what others say they are. Pit devotes himself to Ike once again, trying to forget the incident entirely; however, Marth's true colors begin to show, and he is not so eager to let the memory fade into oblivion.
A few weeks pass before he finally catches Pit alone, tiredly stumbling back to his room late one night. In an instant, the prince is at his side, hands on the angel's shoulders as he helps walk the brunette to his room.
Pit thanks Marth for his help, but can't shake the nervous feeling that settles in his heart; he wonders why the Altean has followed him here in the first place, why he not only is touching him, but holding him-- loosely, but tight enough to notice.
As they near Pit's room, Marth asks without warning if he remembers that night-- the night of the party. The angel shakes his head-- it's only a slight lie; he just can't remember anything that happened after his fifth drink.
Almost as casually, the Altean queries about Ike's current location...
Pit shrugs; he thinks Ike is in his own room, but he may still be in the basement...
The next sound that escapes his lips is a shocked cry as Marth presses him up against the door, his pale lips against the angel's neck--
Pit's efforts to push the prince away are in vain as he demands to know what in the name of Palutena he is doing--
I'm reminding you, is all Marth says as his hands slowly roam over Pit's body.
He can't help it; his moral strength stands as an insignificant force in the face of Marth's desire and subtle charm. As a final testament to his weakening defense, his moan is followed by Ike's name...
Marth simply replies by informing Pit of his name.
The light that wakes him this time is from a more beautiful dawn through uncovered windows; even before he opens his eyes, Pit knows exactly what had happened.
Without a word, or even a groan, he begins to crawl out of bed--
Marth simply pulls the angel back down, causing a surprised gasp to escape the brunette's lips.
As he regains his wits, Pit demands to be released. The Altean isn't so keen on the idea; his grasp tightens as he asks what the rush is. The day's just barely started, he points out; there's no need to go anywhere, not just yet...
You've already used me, Pit growls, his sapphire eyes reflecting inner rage. Don't even bother with the facade; you've taken what you wanted. Let me go on with my day.
Marth ignores the angel's demands; Pit struggles to pull away--
The door opens just as he finally breaks free; he glances up, fear and horror written in his eyes as he watches Ike's expression shift from shock to fury...
There is no pause between Ike's roar and Marth's panicked scramble to pull on some clothes; the prince runs out of the room, narrowly dodging the heavy boot hurled towards his face--
The mercenary turns to face the angel, his incensed expression softening as he sees Pit trembling, shakily pulling blankets over his body...
He walks out of the room, slamming the door behind him before leaning against the wall and waiting.
A short while passes before the door opens again; Pit steps out, timidly handing Ike his boot back. He pulls it back on before insisting on knowing what had happened.
Fear tempts him into lying; the small bit of loyalty he has developed proves to be stronger as the brunette quietly admits that Marth came to him in the night.
The first question out of the mercenary's mouth is why he was still there in the morning-- why he had been there, without his clothes.
Pit counters by saying that Marth had tricked him-- that he couldn't say no--
Ike storms off, unwilling to listen to Pit simply displace blame.
Throughout the day, the angel tries desperately to get close to Ike; at every turn, Ike demands to know if he'd finally admit it was his fault as much as Marth's. Every time, Pit insists that he could have done nothing to change the situation; the mercenary then leaves him standing in the hall, leaving him to deny any involvement to nobody but himself.
Well, fine, Pit fumes. If he won't listen, then what would he care if I did it again?
That night, Marth answers his door-- and is greeted by a tempting smile, followed by an unexpected kiss as Pit falls into his arms, shutting the door behind him without a care in the world...
Pit is not so carefree in the morning, when angry rain against the covered windows pulls him out of a dreamless sleep. It takes a while, but guilt takes up residence in his heart; he curses himself for being so rash...
This time, he manages to slip out of Marth's grasp unnoticed; he can't help but smile bitterly as he realizes he's gotten quite good at putting his clothes back on rather quickly...
The tension in the air this day is oppressive; Pit wants to be close to Ike, but every time Marth enters the room, their tentative conversation dies, and hateful glances are exchanged between the blue-haired swordsmen.
Despite the loss of trust between them, Ike lets Pit stay with him that night; when the angel wakes up and they're both fully clothed, it dawns on him that for the first time in a few days, he doesn't feel used...
Ike wakes to the sound of Pit's muffled sobs.
For him, it's an instinct; he gently brushes away the tears that stain the angel's face, apologizing for being so stubborn...
Pit doesn't hear Ike's words-- only the sound of his mind telling him that he isn't worthy of the love Ike's given him, that he doesn't deserve this.
And he believes that small voice.
Pit's careless actions have emboldened the Altean prince; it's rare for the angel to go through a whole day without Marth making some form of advance. The voice tells him that this is all he's worth; and even then, he only barely makes the cut...
Time that used to pass by as a happy blur now drags on for eternity; the respect Pit had for himself is all but dead as he begins to choose Marth over Ike, ignoring the mercenary's looks... never noticing Ike's heart cracking before his very eyes...
Nothing Marth ever does for him brings him joy, either; every time, Pit wakes up feeling used, another piece of him gone, forever lost to the Altean's selfish pride...
There are times Pit looks out the window, late at night-- if he's alone that night. He remembers the conversations he and Ike used to have under the stars...
He has forbidden himself from doing so; it makes him cry, and tears are a luxury someone with morals as appalling as his can't afford.
Everything in his dysfunctional life finally shatters the day Marth convinces him that they should use Ike's room. The angel doesn't really realize where they are; he just agreed to whatever the prince suggested-- agreeing lets him shrink back into himself that much sooner than if he puts up an argument.
It's when Marth is leaving a trail of meaningless kisses down Pit's neck that the door opens-- and there stands Ike, his face blank before he turns and leaves...
The door swings shut of its own accord.
When Pit awakens later that evening, he is the only one on the bed; he hears the sound of clothes being haphazardly stuffed into a bag, of small solid objects being swept off a shelf and into a box...
He opens his eyes as a hand slowly brushes his dark brown locks out of his face--
Ike stands above him, sorrow filling his eyes, displacing the tears.
Pit frowns in confusion; he asks why the mercenary is crying-- there is nothing to cry about...
Yes there is, Ike replies softly, not once looking away from the angel. There's so much to cry about... how you had something, and threw it away. How you were once so happy, and now look so miserable...
He bites his lip, unable to choke back a quiet sob...
...how I'm not going to be here to help you when everything goes to hell.
Pit bolts upright, now wide awake as he stares at Ike incredulously...
What do you mean? he demands. You'll still be here-- won't you?
Ike doesn't answer as he walks out...
Pit cries Ike's name, scrambling off the bed and chasing after him, only vaguely aware that he is clothed...
He runs into Ike at the front door; his thin arms wrap tightly around the mercenary from behind as he pleads for him to stay...
All the mercenary mutters is for Pit to let him go.
No, Pit shakes his head. I won't let you go, not now...
Pit, now...
No, I--
Pit.
The angel pauses, fearful of the stern tone in the mercenary's voice...
Let go... so I can forget you, like you've forgotten me.
His heart stops; blood drains from his pale face, and his hands begin shaking violently...
But he lets go.
It's only when Ike's walked off into the distance that Pit finally looks down at himself to see what he wears...
It's the blue tunic shirt.
The one Ike made for him months ago, when Pit begged and pleaded for a shirt like his...
The one Ike tore, just so Pit's wings wouldn't be stuck under the cloth.
A soft sob suddenly escapes his lips; tears roll thick and fast down his face, his cerulean eyes quickly becoming red and swollen...
Dawn finds Pit sitting on the porch, his face still damp with new tears. He doesn't glance over as the front door creaks; he doesn't flinch as Marth sits beside him, draping an arm across the angel's shoulders.
He's gone, isn't he? the Altean asks, no worry or shock-- or anything-- in his voice.
Pit nods slowly.
Marth makes an insincere comment about how Ike will be missed...
He stares in surprise as Pit rises to his feet.
I lost him, he whispers, the quiet wind blowing his hair away from his face.
He was never yours to begin with, the prince smirks. And you were never his...
It is a very poor choice of words.
And I am not yours, Pit growls, his pale hands clenching into fists. I never was, I am not now... I never will be.
Is that what you think?
Marth stands, grabbing the angel's shoulder and turning him so that they face each other...
Now that he's gone, you have nothing, he hisses. Nothing but me... so you'd better rethink what you just said, angel... or the only possession you'll be worrying about losing will be your life.
How could he have ever been swayed by the charm of this adder? Pit wonders as Marth storms off...
For the first time since this mess began, Pit truly thinks.
Marth took; Ike gave. Marth lusted; Ike loved. Marth poisoned; Ike healed. Marth belittled; Ike raised to the heavens...
He can't help but laugh as he wonders how he fell for something so filthy, when he had something that made him feel so pure; his tired eyes glance to the cloudless sky...
He promises to himself this day that no more will he be used for someone else's gratification, or be swayed by simple words. No longer will he listen to the voice that says he is not worth anything; he has enough worth left to live, and being with Marth is not living.
He knows it is too late for things to change now with his promise...
But he can rest assured that he will never make that mistake again.
--Fin