Good news; I'm not dead! Been busy reading and stuff and have done little writing unfortunately. I'm going to be starting a new story soon. This isn't it. Another thinking session and I decided that "The Love Bug" needed a sequel. And after I scared the heck out of the person sitting next to me in art with my muttering under my breath here it is… Oh and if you're wondering this takes place after the Renegade Treaty but before Yggy's little escapade at Altessa's. They are still in Sylvarant. SPOILERS!

By the way this in Mithos' POV so they're his sarcastic remarks, not mine. Sort of.

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'I swear, Genis is my "Best Friend" but honestly he can be so stupid at times!' Mithos thought to himself as he watched Genis walk shyly up to Presea and hand her a wild daisy he had found out in the fields while he had been wandering around outside of Palmacosta. They were staying in the local inn that night and were going to Rodyle's Ranch the next day; Mithos would be staying with Neal. Like he needed a baby sitter! The very insolence of it! But all that being beside the point; he continued to watch as Presea accepted the flower with a word of thanks and Genis blushed like mad, just sad.

Mithos had learned that women were never worth it, with the exception of his sister of course, he had watched Yuan and Martel do things like this for years and where had that gotten him? Heck if he knew. Now he just had to sit by as Genis made a fool of himself trying to impress this girl. She would have been better of making Rodyle that crystal and getting her life over with! Mithos clucked his tongue as he watched the disgusting display.

"Sweet, aren't they?" Lloyd of all people had walked up behind Mithos, who had been too intent upon his friend to notice the swords-man walk up behind him, "Colette keeps saying they make 'such a cute couple', but I'm just happy to see Genis happy."

Mithos, shocked speechless by Lloyd's choice to confide in him, only nodded silently.

"Yup!" Lloyd watched for a minute longer, until Raine began yelling at him to finish his homework.

Mithos was going to have to do something about that girl! He could not let his friend, even his fake one, continue to make a fool of himself! A few moments later Mithos got his chance.

He rose and went over to wear Presea was sitting with her knees up to her chin, huge boots covering anything too obscene from showing under her skirt. She was looking affectionately at the white flower in her hand.

"Hey Presea," Mithos sat down next to her, smiling, "that's a pretty flower, where did you get it?" Better play it dumb, must channel Lloyd.

"Genis gave it to me," now she was blushing slightly, she moved her fingers up to brush the warm spot on her face, "it is certainly warm tonight, isn't it." Mithos mentally rolled his eyes; he must be channeling Lloyd well to make her think that she could fake him with that little statement.

"Yeah it is."



"…" Presea went back to looking at her flower, "It is pretty isn't it."

"Mmmhmm… Genis really likes you, you know that?"

"And I like him very much too, he is one of my best friends." She stated warmly.

"No I mean like like you, you know like likes you."

"… I… do not understand."

"Like he really really likes you, likes you like that." Presea still looked confused, "Like how Lloyd and Collette are, he likes you, like that kind of like." Mithos could not believe how dense she was being, or that he was trying to explain it to her.

"I like him too, but I don't understand what you are trying to say. He like likes me, what other kind of like is there?"

"Oh for the love of—" Mithos whispered under his breath, "HE HAS A CRUSH ON YOU!!" it was in a loud whisper that he said this.

"O-oh… that is… very sweet of him…" Mithos slapped himself, Lloyd must be contagious. Presea blushed and looked back at the flower with new eyes, how sweet, as Lloyd would say, wow he really was contagious.

"I… Mithos can you hold a secret?" Mithos was startled at this.

"I guess… what is it?"

"I… like… him too." Wow, soulless chick actually did have feelings!

"Wha? REALLY??" Mithos was astounded, who knew she actually cared? He shook himself out of it but the shock was still too much, then it hit him: maybe she did really like him… Nah.

"Don't worry," he said in his best '14-year-old-I'm-so-innocent' voice, "he won't suspect a thing from me.

Okay so plan A didn't work on to plan B! Mithos wandered over to wear Genis was trying to fend off the stew from his crazed sister who seemed intent on trying to add half-a-dozen apples to it:

"… It'll add some new taste to your stew! It'll be fine Genis now get out of my way!"

"No way sis, you'll destroy the stew! You know that you can't just add random things to the food! And these are the only ingredients I have left! We won't have breakfast tomorrow!" Mithos waited quietly off to the side for his chance to interfere and stop the Professor from mutating their meal from stew to poo.



"Mithos, help!" cried Genis as he blocked his sister's wild jump towards the bubbling pot of brown food. Mithos rose and took a firm hold of Raine's arm, you didn't mess with his food, Yuan had learned that years ago.

"Professor Sage, perhaps you should wait until tomorrow to use those apples, we can have apple turn-overs for breakfast!" Raine looked rebellious but let her arm down from its position over the pot.

"Fine you win… for now." And with that as a parting she stocked off towards their packs to, with luck, put the apples away and find her book to read until dinner.

"Whew, thanks Mithos that was sure close!" Genis smiled at his friend, "Raine would have killed everyone with that stew!"

"Darn! Maybe I shouldn't have helped after all" Mithos thought fondly of watching them all get food poisoning from the goop.

"Somethingyou wanted?" Genis asked conversationally.

"Actually yes," Mithos thought about how he should put it, "You really like Presea, don't you?"

"…" Genis blushed strongly, "Is it that obvious?" he asked with a grin.

Mithos felt like hitting himself over the head, oh the stupidity of some people, "No, not at all," only the entire freaking world can tell, "I just wondered if you thought that she liked you too."

"I-I don't know, do you think she likes me? Do you know much about this kind of thing?"

"Did he know much about this kind of thing??" Of course he did! He had watched Yuan and his sister when they thought he was sleeping and he wasn't exactly a stranger to Kratos' antics!

"A little…" he admitted shyly, "My older sister was engaged before she… um…"

"O-oh, sorry to bring back such sad memories," Genis looked almost as red as to tomatoes he had been putting in the stew earlier.

"That's OK," said Mithos, "no problem. As for Presea, I don't know, is she always this… empty?"

"Don't call her that!" Genis cried furiously, "She still hasn't gotten over the effects of the exsphere yet!"

"S-sorry Genis but you know it's true, she really doesn't act all that different, my sister's fiancé was always trying to impress her and she would always blush and giggle." OK so he was lying his pants off but still, he had to save his friend from certain doom! "My suggestion would be to just wait and see if she does anything." That was a nice safe way to let them both down without too much pain.

"OK, I guess I could go ask her."

"Yes I think—wait what!?" But Genis was already off and moving towards Presea with a look that said "This is it! I'm going to find out once and for all." Crap, he had just screwed himself over.



He watched them for a bit, Genis went over with a look of determination on his face and when he reached his destination he seemed intent upon his goal, until he started stuttering out his thoughts that is. Presea looked up at him and he seemed to melt under her warm gaze. She said something that Mithos didn't catch and Genis reddened and muttered something in return. She beamed, yes Presea, the soulless chick of doom, beamed, her face was flushed as well. She stood and kissed his cheek and walked away.

Genis walked back toward Mithos in a daze.

"So? How did it go? Did you give her a piece of your mind?" If Genis had actually said anything to that effect, then Mithos was a girl.

"No, but she did everything you said your sister did, it went great! You're the best Mithos!" and with that he practically skipped away.

Yeah, Mithos was a great friend.

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So how was it? Good? Bad? Ugly? R&R for a brownie!