Warm
A one shot that I felt like writing as a birthday gift to myself.
Not much to say, it is set after Cold Steel 2 and before Cold Steel 3 and was written in around two hours, the first version wasn't beta-readed but UnKnown Salvation fixed that after I asked.
Partially inspired by a comic of Gudao and Mash from Fate Grand Order.
I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: Is it even necessary? No, I don't own ToCS
"So, how are things going at the Bracer Guild?" Rean asked.
He and Fie were currently fishing at the Ymir valley.
They had both managed to get some off-time after some time of constant missions.
Although, to be fair, Fie had some off-days somewhat frequently but saved them up so she could spend time with Rean when he finally wasn't needed for missions by the Chancellor.
"They're good, Sara taught me the ropes". The silver haired girl answered with a nod.
She didn't ask how things were going at his job, she can guess and she knows it's not something he likes to talk about.
'Just for today, let's forget about any heavy topics and enjoy ourselves'. The swordsman had said after she arrived to the fishing spot (she had insisted he should be there to greet her and not at Ymir's cable car station) and they greeted each other.
They invited the other members of Class VII but they were all busy for one reason or another so it was just the two of them this time.
Funnily enough, every time the former students had free time it seemed to always align with Rean's own.
Not everyone at the same time, except on a few rare occasions, but the Eight Leaves practitioner was always at their reunions.
"You've grown your hair". The black-haired teen mentioned off-handedly.
He had mentioned it before; after all, the former jaeger's once short hair was now almost reaching her lower back, one would have to be blind to not notice.
"Yeah". Fie answered.
"Any particular reason for it?"
"I just don't feel like cutting it". She said with a shrug, earning a grin from Rean.
"That response is very like you".
They stopped their chat when a fish bit on Rean's rod and he brought it out of the water.
As usual, the swordsman let it go back afterwards since they weren't fishing for food.
"…how are you, Rean?"
"I'm taller". He answered in deadpan.
And it was true, in the time between the end of their school year and now he had grown taller, his outfit was the same as back during the civil war but a size larger except for the jacket that he had given to her because:
"Even if you say you're not cold you could get frostbite so please wear this" and she had long since learned that when it came to things like that Rean was way more stubborn than her.
Fie had changed as well, aside from growing her hair she had also developed more; she also wore her old civil war outfit but like Rean's it was a new one she got when she outgrew the old one.
However, that's not what she meant.
"I'm serious". She pressed "How are you?" She knows he said to forget about any heavy topics for today but he didn't make it easy.
On the surface, it didn't look like much had changed; he was still the same person as he was back in Thors but to those who spent a year with him it was easy to see the differences.
His smile wasn't as wide.
His posture was a bit slouched.
His eyes that always seemed to focus on the people he was talking with would sometimes avoid meeting their gaze.
"…I would really prefer not to talk about it". Rean said looking down, his bangs hiding his eyes.
Fie moved a bit closer so their shoulders were touching.
"Just… please answer me this". She spoke in a quiet voice earning a side glance from Rean. "Are you going to be okay?"
"…if you mean in terms of health then yes, I don't think there would be any trouble". He knows she didn't mean that but wanted to avoid talking about the elephant in the room if even for one more second.
He knows there is a new mission waiting for him and that he would have to fight, it's what he does these days after all, get a mission, accomplish the objective, come home, rinse and repeat.
But he isn't worried, it's not that he thinks he is invincible; he is not so arrogant as to think no one can defeat him.
Hell, he has someone that can fight evenly and defeat him right beside him; if you don't count Valimar, of course.
It's simply that he will do his best to come back, if he finds a situation where he can't win and his only choice is to flee then he will do just that.
That hasn't happened so far, thanks in no small part to his Divine Knight, but it's something he keeps in mind, no one ordered him to fight to the death after all.
"And in other ways?"
"…I'm tired". He answered with a sigh, while setting his rod down beside him.
Fie took hers out of the water and did the same.
"I just… I don't want to keep doing this Fie, I hate every part of it… but I can't just stop because I don't like it". Rean began to explain some of the missions he had accomplished under Osborne's orders, they weren't 'illegal' or anything like that but they both know the blood and iron Chancellor has more plans than he lets on.
'It's unfair'. Fie thought as she heard him talk.
Every other member of Class VII had gone to do what they wanted to do; he was the only one trapped doing what someone else tells him to.
"I'm tired". The black-haired teen repeated with another sigh; he'd been doing that a lot ever since the end of their first, and for most of Class VII only, year at Thors.
"…". Fie could only keep silent.
No matter how much she wanted to comfort him.
"…I want to say that it'll be okay". The silver haired girl finally spoke.
"But you don't know that so you won't, right?" He already knew the answer.
"…I'm-"
"Don't". Rean interrupted. "None of this is your fault so please don't apologize".
"…all right". She nodded slowly before moving closer and lean on his arm.
He didn't protest.
The two sat there in silence staring at their reflection in the water as time passed by until eventually.
"Maybe we should go back". Rean said, they didn't have that many days off and he would rather do something other than sulking about his situation.
"Hmm". Fie hummed in agreement and nodded.
The two got up and-
"Achoo". Rean sneezed.
"…you are cold after all". The silver haired girl said with half closed eyes.
"No, I'm fine". The swordsman denied. "Someone must be talking about m- achoo".
"See? You should have kept your jacket". The former jaeger chastised.
"You need it more than me". Rean countered.
"No, I don't".
"Yes, you do".
They stared at each other until eventually Fie relented with a sigh.
"Fine".
The black-haired teen nodded and-
"But at least take my scarf".
"Really, I'm fi-"
He never got to finish that sentence since Fie had already taken off her scarf threw it over his head and when it was at the back of his neck she pulled, forcing Rean down a bit.
If someone were to look from the distance the would have noticed the two teenagers 's heads close to each other but the scarf blocked any view of them.
A moment later Fie pulled back and finished putting the scarf around him.
"There, that's warm right?" She asked with a smile and the faintest hint of a blush.
"…heh, sneaky, aren't you?" Rean said with a grin while securing the cloth around him, his face also red.
Fie simply shrugged in response.
The two packed up their gear and started the walk back to Ymir.
"Fie".
"Hmm?"
"Thanks for taking time to meet me". The Eight Leaves practitioner moved closer and grabbed one of her hands.
"Don't mention it". The silver haired girl answered as she leaned closer to him.
There, the first fic for this fandom that I finish.
I hope you enjoyed.
Until next time.