Lonely ---------

Writer's Notes: Suikoden 1 and 2 spoilers. I'm going by the good endings (all 108) for both games. Theres not really anything majorly sexual. It's more of a cute fluff fic, I guess. It's been a long time since i wrote a fan fic, I'm bad with terms. There are two stories, which at the end, are really just one. Nanami is the first story tell, and Gremio is the Second. It's pretty obvious, but just incase anyone was confused. Happens after Suikoden 2. Like a year or less. Enjoy! ---------------------------------

Her brown eyes, just staring at the sushi the maid had brought her, wonder, would this meal be better than the last?. With her chopsticks she picked a morsel up. Then she ate it. Now half bad, she thought. Then she sighed. Meals had not always been this lonely...

There were times when everything was just seemingly perfect. The castle was on a peninsula and it was so big. A shopping street on the far right and army barracks on the far left with great halls in between. But she was lucky. She did not live in a barrock. She lived in the VIP portion of the castle, not so much because she was important, but her adoptive brother was, and wherever he was, she would be not too far behind to follow. That life wasn't so bad. Watching her brother grow up into a great hero, yet knowing this was all wrong for him. But big sisters never get the point across.

She remember the day in Muse when the rude knight Gordo knocked into her and the geogeous Red Matilda Knight, Camus, apologized to her and called her a Lady. It was one of the first times ever. And because of the she had a crush. This Camus character was cute, she remembered thinking. So he was a bit older. Age never mattered. She wanted companionship. She had it back then. Her brother, Jowy, and Pilika. Well she thought so. But Jowy seemed to have betrayed them in Muse. He had killed Annabelle, the mayor. She remembered how in disbelief of Jowy, all she could do was try to make Annabelle save her last breaths.

So Jowy was lost. But her brother and Pilika were there. Pilika was like the child she wanted to have, except, maybe hers would talk?, she though. She always giggled at that thought, as wrong as it was, because of what happened to the poor girl. Her brother was the brave one. Following after Flik and Viktor and helping the mercenarys. Would he ever just stay out of the war?

The answer was no. Much to her protests, her brother became leader of what people called the New State Army. And he would be the one to unify them all. Sisterly instincts told her to worry. Could one boy really do that much? She didn't know. Nonetheless, she would make sure to watch over him. To Two River City, Greenhill, Matilda Kindom, Tinto, and even the Toran Republic she went. And she watch people join her brother's cause in an instant. Even Camus had. And yet, it became more and more apparent that her brother surpassed her in strength, and could take his own in a fight. Besides that, there were others capable of protecting him- Viktor, Flik, Valeria.. There came a day when this would be an important relization.

The Bows had not strung in unison. The were random shots aimed at her brother. And with all her might, she blocked all, but one of them. The last one. This was the last time she had seen Jowy and her bother together until after the war. The killed Gordo and both seemed so caring of her. Her brother wanted to protect her, even though losing him would mean the morale of the New State Army would go severly down. This couldn't happen. This is what she told Shu. If the was was ever over, she added, the kid will need a place to go home to. And thus, she returned home to where Genekaku was buried. And then she was alone. No one to be with. Not Jowy, not her brother, not Camus, not Pilika. Things would be allright, she thought. Her brother would end the war and come home soon.

He did. And so did Jowy. Finally back together. A Hero, a former king, and the girl who cared so much for them. They would travel to distant lands.

Yet their 'distant traveling' brought them back to the Toran Republic, because her brother missed McDohl, the Liberation Army Hero. And Jowy wanted to meet him too. And so she was left alone at the inn, eating sushi alone, again.

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The constant worry about stew seem a bit manic to most people, but not him. Scar on his cheek and tied back blone hair, he was. Stew was a good diet for anyone. And his stew was the best. No one could match it. The Young Master loved it, and for that, he would make it a million times. He was glad Young Master didn't feel bothered by his protection over him. There were times when he used to...

Being a fugitive was not what anyone expected Young Master McDohl to be. But that's exactly what he was. And meeting Viktor and helping the Liberation Army wasn't supposed to happen either. They were Imperial citizens. Not rebels!, he thought then. Odessa saw something in the Young Master that no one didn't, he guessed. She knew he was the one. So she gave him a earring. Little did they know then that the earing would destin them to be part of the Liberation army. And the Young Master as leader, too.

But that happened. They had two great things at the formation of the New Liberation army. A great old castle surrounded by Lake Toran and the Young Master. He alwas stood by. Hatchet in hand, ready to die if necisary for the Young Master. Same with Cleo, who had also grown to love the Young Master as a son, as well. He did his share of protecting the Young Master. Everywhere, actually. Until the day in the Solotaire Prison when Milich released man-eating spores. He shoed the Young Master out of the room, and was eatten by spores. His final words were about being proud of the Young Master and knowing he could fend for himself now.

He never expected to suddenly be revived at the end of the war. And so the rest was history. He did not know what happened to the Young Master while he was dead. He didn't want to. Perhaps it was horrible, or too painful to talk about. He never wanted to think of his almost-son as being hurt. So they wandered the lands, he protecting the Young Master as best as he could. Finally, however, did they settle at home, in Gregminster.

A great place. The Young Master even had some new friends. Genekaku's son, and former king of Highland, along with a brown haired girl, who he hadn't seen today.

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The blonde haired man wandered into the local inn, and eyed the brown hared girl fiddling with her sushi. He smiled casually, and walked over to her. He had brought a bowl of stwe for her, just in case fish got too boring. He set it on the table and the Brown haired girl looked up.

He noticed her eyes her beautiful. A bit glossy, as if she was perhaps remembering something painful from the past. "Oh, Gremio, it's you. You startled me." She gave him a warm smile. She eyed the bowl of stew. "Thank you for the stew," she added, looking back up at him.

He shook his head. "No problem. It's my pleasure." There was a small silence. Then Gremio took in a breath of air. "Why are you at the inn, anyways? You are, of course, welcome at our home."

Nanami's smile remained. "Yes, I know. Thank you. I just... I was thinking about how even though I have my brother and best friend back, I'm lonly. Besides, I figured they need their 'guy time' or whatever they call it."

"But all alone?" Gremio questioned. He was often aware of the feelings she described. He had them to. THough he loved the Young Master dearly, he was lonly in another way. In a romantic way.

"Not anymore," she replied. "I've got you. You'll keep me company."

Gremio nodded. "That I will. But let's not sit. Let go for a walk?"

Nanami stood up, and they left the inn. The bowl of stew was left behind.

The reconstucted town of Gregminster was simply beatiful. THey walked and Gremio told her about the YoungMaster and She told him about her brother. Their stories were similar. She pretended to die, and really had. They were the one closest to the two respected heros. Their walking lead them to a bench mear the infamous water fountain. They sat down Indian styled on it and faced each other.

"I know what you mean by lonly..." Gremio admitted.

"You do?" Nanami was shocked. She had figured a man as old as Gremio probably had this amzing wife or widow.

"Yes. You can only care so much for someone and not get anything in return. You want romance... I know what thats like. I've tried. Unrequited, of course." He was refering to Cleo.

She nodded. "Me too." She was refuring to Camus and Jowy.

And in a moment of passion, the two kissed, softly at first, and then more deeply. And all the while, The Young Master, the younger brother, and Jowy smiled, watchig from a window near by. The had all known the similar situations between Gremio and Nanami. It was bound to happen. Though they'd miss the un-needed protection, this is what Gremio and Nanami needed.

The next morning, Nanami awoke in Gremios arms, and she smiled. The loniness was finally going away. She heard the door creek from near by. She put on a robe and ventured outside. The Young Master, her brother, and Jowy all began to walk away from the house and toward the gated leading out of Gregminster.

She called to them. "You're leaving?"

Her brother turned. "You don't need me anymore. You found what you needed."

"What? But.."

The Young Master interupted. "We'll stop by and visit. Promise."

Nanami lowered her head and smiled. "Be careful."

And then they parted ways. Nanami back to Gremio's gentle hold, and the others off to travel.

-Fin-