A/N: Just to sum it up short.
This is a short story about the origin of Terra's inferiority complex (especially towards Aqua) and at the same time the start of their romantic relationship.
This is prior to BBS and shortly before Ven appears.
„So, do you accept the challenge?" Aqua asked him.
Terra hesitated for a moment and thought about the situation.
Master Eraqus was gone today, because he had to „talk to Master Yen Sid about important business" or something along those lines, and so nobody would find out that he and Aqua were making a bet out of their sparring match.
Aqua and Terra both knew, that Master Eraqus didn't want them to make a sparring match more or less serious by betting on it, but there was barely a chance of getting caught, while he was away.
„It depends... What do I get if I win the match?" he asked her.
„Well, if you win, then... I will bake you your favorite cake today!" Aqua responded.
Terra grinned.
„Fine! And if you win, I will..."
„Rub my feet."
„Wh-What?" Terra blushed and backed away.
He thought he misunderstood her, so he waited for her to talk again.
Aqua looked at him with a serious expression.
„If I defeat you in battle, you will have to rub my feet."
„But why would you want something like that as a reward for winning...?" he asked.
Terra really, really, really liked Aqua.
She was his best friend after all, but he wasn't all that excited to think he would have to give Aqua a foot massage.
Now it was Aqua, who blushed a little.
She didn't want him to know, that the main reason she wanted this foot massage, as a reward for her possible victory, was that she read that a boy giving a girl a foot massage was a very romantic thing to do and could also help her exploring her feelings for Terra.
No, she really couldn't tell him that, so she went with the other reasons she had.
„Well, my feet get extremely sore very fast... and besides I always wanted to know how a foot massage feels!" she said.
And as she looked at him smiling, she hoped he would believe her, because the reasons weren't made up.
True, they weren't her main reasons, but they still weren't lies.
Terra just looked at her, as if he waited for her to burst out laughing, screaming „just kidding!" or something like that.
But she didn't.
He wasn't sure what to do now, on the one hand he really didn't want to give her a foot massage, but on the other hand he also didn't want her to think he was scared of a challenge.
Since he didn't want that awkward silence to go on, he just started talking again, unsure of what to say.
„Maybe, they wouldn't be so sore, if you didn't always walk barefoot around the castle, in your free time..."
Aqua just rolled her eyes.
He was avoiding to accept the challenge...
„It doesn't matter WHY they're sore, it's just a fact, THAT they are really sore and I would like a foot rub as a reward.
Look, you even have the advantage to fight me, while I have sore feet, so your chances of winning are higher." she said.
She knew she could provocate him into accepting her challenge by hitting a particular nerve of him: losing.
„That's not it, it's just..."
„Oh, I get it.
You are scared, that you could lose against me.
Well, I can't blame you...You would be SO ashamed if you actually lost against a girl.
Just imagine it: the great Terra being weaker than a girl. A girl that can't even fight to her fullest, due to having sore feet..." Aqua said, teasingly.
She looked at Terra, grinning and knowing, that he would surely accept her challenge.
„Fine! Since I won't lose, this whole discussion will have been pointless anyway!" he said, slightly angered.
Aqua was amused at how easy it was to tip him over the edge by teasing him with his power complex, that he had according to Master Eraqus.
„Okay, so the first one to lose his weapon or being unable to continue the match otherwise, loses and has to fulfill his debt!" Aqua explained.
„Yeah, yeah. I hope you are ready to get schooled!" Terra grinned and summoned his keyblade.
Now Aqua summoned her keyblade and took on a more serious expression.
She didn't want him to win and was going to take this fight as serious as she could without hurting him.
Although she knew he would get angry over being crushingly defeated by her, she would do everything she could to leave him no chance in this match.
„Ready or not: Here I come!" Terra shouted, running at her, as she did the same moments later.
Their keyblades met in the middle and Aqua was thrown back a little from the impact, as her footing wasn't on it's best today.
She didn't lie to Terra about that, earlier.
Her feet really were sore and that would be a handicap while trying to block Terra's mighty swings, so she would have to tire him out a little bit first.
She jumped back and shot a fire spell at him, which almost hit Terra off guard, but he brought his keyblade up just in time to block the spell.
Terra, still shocked that he was nearly hit even though he should have had the advantage, tried to run at Aqua, but was fired at with another fire spell and this time it nearly knocked him of his feet as he tried to block it.
Aqua immediately ran at him as he was still struggling to regain his footing and hit him in the chest.
Terra was thrown back, but stood up in seconds, while huffing and holding his chest in pain.
He couldn't believe, that she was slowly taking of the match and that he had already been near defeat after just a few blows.
„I thought you were going to school me?" Aqua teased him, grinning. „But it seems you're the only one here getting schooled."
The brown haired boy knew he had to keep his cool and just grinned back at her.
„I'm just getting started!"
And with that he ran at Aqua, swinging his keyblade with force, only for the blue haired girl to jump over his head.
As his back was completely exposed now he knew a slash from Aqua could end the match.
In horror he realized, he wouldn't be able to turn around in time, but was surprised that Aqua didn't hit him with her keyblade, but simply pushed him forward with one hand.
He fell to his knees as he wasn't prepared for that and was waiting for Aqua's next move.
But the water maiden just stood there and giggled.
„For „just getting started" you are brought to your knees relatively easy. Do you really want to win? Or did you surrender because you realized I will win, no matter how hard you try?" she teased him again.
Terra felt pathetic as he knelt there, panting for his breath.
But he wouldn't give up that easily, even if it was just a sparring match.
Nevertheless would make her regret that she was toying with him and her victory.
The young earth knight rolled forward, catching Aqua off guard and got up in time to turn at her and slash at her.
This time she was also nearly fully it and brought her keyblade up a little bit to late, so that Terra was able to hit her in the ribs.
She jumped away and held her side, huffing lightly.
„So you really don't give up... but nevertheless I am going to end this now!" Aqua said with a smile and cartwheeled out of the way of Terra's next attack.
As he was still out of breath he wasn't fast enough to block her next fire spell and was fully hit.
With a cry he flew back and his keyblade slipped out of his hand.
Aqua landed next to him, setting a foot on his chest in victory, as he was laying on his back, breathing heavily.
She smiled, as she let go off him and casted a cure spell on both of them.
„So, it seems I am getting that foot rub!" Aqua grinned widely.
Terra stood up, just sighing.
„Seems so, doesn't it...?"
A/N: So, guys.
That's it. I know the ending is abrupt and crappy, but that's because I wasn't sure if I wanted to make this a two-shot (with the second chapter being about Terra and Aqua talking, and him fulfilling his debt).
I'm not sure if you guys would find that interesting, so I won't publish the second chapter until I know there are people interested in it...
Please review and don't hate me for the randomness of this story! :)
PS: If you wonder how I even came up with such a theme, feel free to send me a pm, maybe I'll even write it in the Author's note of the next chapter (if there will be one).