A/N: Wrote this when I got stuck during Heracles uvu Could not for the life of me find the control room! So I like to think all the time wasted trying to get into the damn locked engine room was when this would've happened.

Warmth

As important and undeniably expensive Heracles must've been to construct and operate, the members of Brave Vesperia unanimously agreed it's living quarters were absolute shit. When Rita and Karol began dragging their feet, Raven directed them all into the hidden room usually frequented by knights. Coming as no surprise, the room was bare save for two full sized beds and a lonely lamp seated between. Though the knights served nobles, there was nothing luxurious about the dingy little room ― however, Raven had had a near death experience far too recently to complain.

"I'll take the first watch," Yuri said off-handedly, though his apprehension hinted that he was not looking forward to cramming into one of the dingy little beds with his comrades. No one offered in his place so the raven-haired man slipped right back out of the room.

Raven seated himself on the closest bed, patting it invitingly. "So, which one of you lovely ladies wants to bunk with ol' Raven tonight?" he grinned, peering between Rita and Judith eagerly.

Rita scowled reflexively, huffing at the old man. "You're such a pig!"

Judith laughed politely before dropping some of her gear on the ground. "You know," she said nonchalantly, "I think I'll keep Yuri company."

Realizing she was about to be left alone with the perverted old man, Rita scoffed at Judith, climbing into the adjacent bed. "You mean you don't want to deal this old pervert anymore."

Judith smiled coyly and said nothing, disappearing out the door to rejoin Yuri. While Raven appreciated the Krytian's beautiful body as any red-blooded man would, her presence could be a little intimidating. As rude as Yuri could be with women sometimes, it dumbfounded Raven that she preferred his presence but he couldn't bring himself to complain.

As displeased as Raven was with the lack of women in his bed, he was equally displeased with the little guild leader pouting at him from the end of his bed. "You know, as the leader of Brave Vesperia I should probably get a bed to myself." Karol pointed out, though he made no move to try getting in the bed. It only took Raven crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest for the boy to give in. "Fine. I'll take the floor with Repede."

The dog in question gave a silent glare between Karol and Raven but allowed Karol to lean against him on the dank floor regardless.

This was going to be a long night, Raven decided. Without any further interruptions, he turned onto his side to face the blank wall the bed was hugged against. Before the night was over he needed to turn over some thoughts in his head.

Just by laying comfortably with the little guild he was betraying the man that had given him a second chance at life ― Alexei Dinoia. The notion of someone having control over his life had never bothered him before, in fact it only seemed to give him more of a sense of purpose knowing that he was so useful to Alexei he chose to extend his life. But now he felt an entirely foreign fear he'd never had to consider before; he feared his death would come before the end of his adventure with Brave Vesperia.

After everything he'd been through with them, it felt like such a shame missing out on where the winds would take the motley crew. The very thought of Brave Vesperia being the ones to save the world from the Adephagos made his spine tingle with excitement. All of the members had so much skill and potential to become greater with time ― it was absolutely criminal in his mind if he were to miss the events as they unfolded.

Restlessly, Raven rolled over to his other side, recalling Brave Vesperia's guild laws ― striving to always do the right thing and punishing those who don't. Technically speaking, if he didn't want another beating from the brats, he simply couldn't die before seeing them through to the end. That settled it!

Feeling a little more at ease, Raven fluffed his pillow absently and prepared to rest ― however two forest green eyes were peering at him with precision from across the room. Her lips were moving, forming words only she could comprehend under her breath; Rita's gaze remained fixed on the old veteran.

"Can't sleep?" Raven grumbled good-naturedly, beginning to find her murmuring a bit unnerving as it was undoubtedly about himself judging by the intensity of her staring. Rita simply nodded, her eyes appearing to look through him rather than at him. Admittedly, Raven admired the determined intelligence of someone so young ― she had too much tenacity to let any knowledge escape her grasp. But sometimes it was just a little eerie seeing all the hypothesizing going on behind those eyes of hers.

Straight to the point as usual, Rita asked absently, "I'd like to get a closer look at your blastia core."

"My ― ?" Raven coughed, finding that his mouth had become incredibly dry. He'd been expecting this moment since Rita laid her eyes on the glowing bulge in his chest, even though at the time she could barely control her unbridled rage. He had expected it but he certainly had not been looking forward to it.

"Did it take over all pulmonary functions?" She wondered aloud, her eyes drifting back to his clothed chest where his core lay beneath. "That wouldn't make sense... he wouldn't be able to bleed otherwise..." As if entranced, she pulled herself into a sitting position and placed her mismatched sock covered toes on the dank floor.

That muttering was getting on Raven's nerves, though it was only indicated by the slight twitch of his brow. "Here's an idea, sweetheart," Raven said through his teeth, rolling onto his back. "Why don't ya come over here an' keep me company an' I'll consider telling ya about my mysterious blastia." Initially, he expected a scowl and an angry reply but either Rita hadn't heard his flirtatious offer or she was considering the idea of it.

Silently she stood, erasing the space between their beds that now seemed very small. A nimble hand reached toward him, pausing at his arm as if waiting for further permission. Raven felt chills fly from where her hand connected to him and he had to will himself to choke out, "G-Go ahead then." Almost bashfully Raven pulled his purple robe down his chest so that his blastia core shone faintly in the dim light of the room.

As uncomfortable as the scrupulation made him, he couldn't help but enjoy the look of the faint blastia glow in Rita's eyes ― it was certainly something special.

"It's warm." Rita murmured in amazement, her hand exploring the scarred flesh where his heart had been forcibly removed and replaced.

"If I was cold this ol' body would be useless." Raven quipped nervously, searching her expression for some finality but her eyes still roved over his body hungrily for the secrets it held. "The ladies like a hot-blooded man, not a corpse."

Rita didn't seem to hear him, her eyes meeting his with sudden realization. She all but jumped to her feet, leaning over Raven where he lay and placed her head against his chest. "It pulses!" She exclaimed quietly, "Like a real heart! This shouldn't be possible! Yet..."

"Yet here we are." Raven sighed, stretching his arms up over his head. "If ya don't mind, sweetheart, I'd really like to catch a wink a' sleep before we go toe to toe with Alexei. He didn't get the title of Commandant for nothin' after all."

At the mention of Alexei, Rita seemed to harden a little. As much of a hardass Rita could be, she cared deeply for Estelle. This was probably one of the few moments since Estelle's abduction that Rita had thought of anything but saving her, Raven realized sadly.

Guiltily, Raven placed a gentle hand on the blastia researcher's shoulder, rubbing it in what he hoped was a comforting fashion. "Get some rest, kiddo; it's been a long day."

"Yeah..." Rita said in the breath of a whisper. "I suppose you're right." With what seemed like a lot of effort she climbed back to her feet and shuffled back to her own bed. Raven sincerely hoped she wouldn't dwell on it too much. So far Brave Vesperia had more or less accomplished their official guild missions without a hitch so he couldn't imagine Alexei standing in their way of upholding justice and punishing the unjust.

"Yuri won't let anything happen to her, you know that." Raven assured, though he wasn't quite sure who he was trying to reassure in the process. Rita seemed to appreciate the sentiment though, for she smiled softly as she crawled underneath the sheets.

"Thanks Raven," she said in a near whisper as unconsciousness began to overtake her. "For everything."

Raven couldn't help but smile, her words warming his blastia core and throughout his body. The brat was alright.