Shinon's emerald eyes followed the small tactician. He found himself unable to look away; he knew not why or how the infatuation came to be, only that it began around the time the young sage had found his lonely self in a passionate relationship with the mercenary commander, Ike. Shinon disliked the couple as two separate parts, and loathed them as an item. He'd always thought of Soren as mesmerizing, even through the obvious aggression and dislike that so often arose between them. Suddenly seeing the person he most related to commit to another only forced Shinon to feel as if he had become insignificant. What did the commander have that the wise sniper did not?
Perhaps it'd been Soren's apathy to Shinon's hate, spite, and well-matched pessimism that had begun to tug on Shinon's heartstrings. Perhaps it'd been Soren's similarity to the disgruntled sniper that had drawn Shinon in. Perhaps it'd been the sudden realization that Soren had been able to trust in one person and begin living life, leaving Shinon as the only outsider of the tightly knit mercenary family. Perhaps…it'd been the envy in his black heart that forced Shinon to yearn for the infatuated Soren. Shinon longed for Soren to be with himself, and not that bumbling idiot Ike. Soren must be a saint, Shinon concluded, for Shinon was not able to put up with an idiot even if it meant love. Perhaps if Gatrie possessed something of a brain, and wasn't made of one hundred percent pure testosterone, Shinon too could be part of a successful relationship.
Once again, emerald green eyes locked onto the young sage. Controlling orbs bore into the slim curve of Soren's back, watching each move he made. Shinon admired how his feathery, ebony hair grazed his back, making Soren seem even more petite than he truly was. Soren's molten eyes jolted Shinon from his reverie, and the way his brows curved downward alerted Shinon to the fact that his person of interest was not as amused, nor as smitten, as he.
"Shinon," Soren's monotone voice rang out smoothly, carrying in the wind. "Make yourself useful. We've a hard battle ahead of us tomorrow, and I've grown tired of your nonsensical staring."
"I 'm observing our tactician so I may pick up some of his intelligent ways," Shinon responded sarcastically. His voice dripped with ill concealed resentment. "I could save a life in doing so, you know."
"We're all capable of fending for ourselves. Make yourself useful, and go help Gatrie prepare his armor for the battle." Soren ordered the sniper a second time, his tone firm and final.
"I'll do just that, so long as you contribute to the team as well. Go help Ike with his lust issues. I've noticed he fights better when he's not horny." Shinon turned his broad back to the tactician.
"I'd appreciate if you left my intimate affairs to myself. Gatrie's near the equipment tent." Soren turned and stalked off, keeping his shoulders back and chin high as he did so. He'd begun to find himself in these awkward situations more and more frequently with Shinon as of late, and they always left him unnerved. Not once did he bring them to Ike's attention, as he chose to regard Shinon as bored and deprived of attention. Shinon hoped to anger Soren and gain a bit of attention through a loud argument, and Soren had no interest in such a circumstance. The young sage had no idea whatsoever that the bizarre experiences had just begun, and that it was soon to worsen to a much more serious level…
Days passed until Soren discovered himself being watched once more. Crimson eyes smoldered with a wrathful intensity as they met cocky jade orbs. Shinon nonchalantly approached the working sage. Soren had never been fond of the sniper, but all he had to base his opinion off of were indirect occurrences around camp and the quickly becoming far too common instances in which he caught Shinon examining him. The fact that Shinon disliked Ike only affected Soren's opinion of the sniper further; had Shinon chosen to be loyal to Ike after Greil's death, Soren realized with a fearful shudder, he might have possessed some sort of…respect for the immensely talented redhead.
"You had a good strategy yesterday. You never cease to amaze me, you know? Maybe if you weren't so scrawny and reserved, people would respect you. You could easily be the commander, not just a lapdog." Soren bit his sharp tongue, commanding himself not to feel the offense intended. The sniper wanted just that.
"Thank you for your compliment. I do offer my deepest condolences on being nothing but a lapdog; perhaps if someone cared for you, you could own or be one as well." The young sage moved as if to leave, his peace now spoken. Shinon latched onto a delicate wrist, yanking Soren in easily with his flawless archer's arms.
"Why don't you be the one to show me what it feels like, then," Shinon sneered, his voice thick with lust. Arrogant emerald green eyes shone with poorly hidden desire. Soren turned his head from the sniper's, but was unable to pry his eyes from his handsome face.
"I'm less than interested in accompanying you in such an endeavor. You repulse me, and mock the one person I care for. I have no respect for you, nor am I a cheat. Release me before your commander catches word of this catastrophe."
"What will he do? Nothing, if an unfortunate arrow should pierce his head unexpectedly on the battlefield." Shinon's mouth curved into a pleased grin. He saw a spark within his prey's eyes at the mention of such a horrendous disaster.
"I'm not worth killing your commander." Soren seethed. "Seeing as I've no interest in you, it would result in a most contemptible memory for the both of us."
"You'd better get an interest me, and fast," Shinon advised. He licked his lips in a sort of taunt. "Because unless you get one, my finger may just slip from the hectic fight around me, and I may end up driving an arrow right through Ike's empty skull." In repeating his threat, Soren knew Shinon had come to a decision about this. He meant to kill Ike if Soren did not comply with his demands. Shinon released the younger man's wrist, only to have his own grasped firmly by a warm hand.
"How much of an interest need I muster?" Soren questioned the sniper with a tone of utter repulsion. Shinon looked, chuckling a few times to himself. His emerald green eyes looked up, scrutinizing the flawless face of the tactician.
"Depends how much you love him." Soren clenched his teeth, subconsciously gripping the sniper's wrist with a violent ferocity. He released the wrist after a moment, finally aware of what he'd been doing. Soren looked back at Shinon, finding it insufferable how he felt attracted to such an ugly being. A slim finger reached up to lightly trace Shinon's waiting lips. Shinon flicked the pad of Soren's finger with his tongue, ridiculing the cornered sage further. Soren's free hand rested on the nape of Shinon's neck. With that contact made, Shinon lazily encircled a burly, greedy arm around Soren's slim waist. Shinon wrenched Soren against his broad torso as if Soren weighed nothing to him. The sage stared at Shinon with direct detestation, but opted to abide by Shinon's request as seriously as he could. Perhaps it would keep Shinon from asking for such a thing in the near future. In any case, he loved Ike with all he had to give, and it was time for Soren to repay Ike by making sacrifices for his safety and his sake for once. Soren's other hand came to rest upon Shinon's smooth cheek. The hand upon the nape of the archer's neck tugged him downward and within Soren's reach. The small tactician stood on his tiptoes as he awaited the dreaded moment that was soon to come.
Crimson orbs bore into sadistic emeralds in defeat. Soren relaxed his jaw before pressing his lips to Shinon's, watching as Shinon's eyes drifted shut. The taller man applied pressure to thin lips, almost immediately deepening the kiss the sage so desperately opposed. In spite of whom Soren found himself kissing, he could not help but feel ashamed with himself. He enjoyed the kiss, albeit the kiss was against his will; Ike was always so incredulously gentle with Soren. He treated the sage as if he were made of glass. He touched Soren tenderly, and kissed him so lightly their lips barely brushed one another's. Each movement was made to keep Soren safe, and he felt truly loved and accepted when Ike treated him so gently. How Shinon treated him was wholly opposite. Shinon crushed his lips to Soren's, and seized Soren so fiercely that the young sage could not help but be intrigued by such things. Shinon always did as he pleased, and he did so with intensity; the way he controlled this moment was no different. The tactician wound up curious of what else the archer had to offer.
Shinon forced Soren backwards against a crate, and parted their lips fleetingly to breathe. He was not yet done with the sage, nor did he predict he would be soon; if Soren was done with him, then Ike was to become nonexistent. Shinon opened his eyes only to be left in incredulity. Soren's eyes were shut, and a light, shameful pink graced his pale cheeks. Dark lashes fluttered open to reveal wistful eyes, and Shinon couldn't help but to place a twitching hand on Soren's firm rear end. That contact only deepened Soren's coloration, and Shinon kissed soft lips briefly. He kissed the side of Soren's face to a sensitive lobe, his hot breath teasing the sage until he shivered in anticipation.
Soren tilted his head to the side, giving Shinon the incentive to continue. The archer nipped at Soren's ear, delighting in the half restrained moan he heard from the younger man. His lips wandered to Soren's neck after losing interest in his ear, and curved up in a coy smirk as he sucked on the tactician's neck. Perhaps Soren would stay away from Ike for a bit if he strived to maintain a relationship with him; Ike would have no choice but to wonder where the hickey came from. Soren seemed to overlook this fact, and only allowed Shinon more room to do as he pleased to his neck as he pressed his other ear against his shoulder. Shinon remained gentle for only a short while. Losing interest and formulating a plan, he glibly bit Soren's neck, leaving a second, darker mark. Something clicked in Soren's head, and garnet eyes snapped open. The sage pushed Shinon backwards, and his hand clapped against his neck. He knew what Shinon had done, and he didn't doubt it'd been the sniper's intention all along.
Soren glared at Shinon in disbelief, rubbing his neck as if he meant to erase the marks Shinon had left. Soren huffed in anger, already formulating ways to avoid Ike or explain the marks to him. He was to be lying to Ike in either case, and it was something the sage was devastated to do. What set him off further was that Shinon had such a smug presence. He was aware of the trouble he'd gotten Soren into, and he meant to hurt his relationship with Ike from the instant the affair had commenced. If Shinon hadn't made such a grave mistake, perhaps Soren would have thought about bringing up Ike's safety issues with Shinon again when he found himself having nothing to do.
"That's all the interest I can muster," Soren told him through clenched teeth. "I expect to see Ike alive and well for several weeks." Emerald green eyes glinted in contemplation. Shinon could restrain himself for a week or two. It would only allow him more time to formulate ways to corner his little sage.
"I'll see to it, Soren. I look forward to the next time I'm feeling uneasy prior to a dangerous battle." Shinon lazily smoothed the front of his tunic as he spoke. He turned, lifting his hand in a casual farewell. Soren's eyes were fixated on the archer's faultless back as he exited the tent, bringing his hand down from his neck and to his side. He looked at the ground in wonder, curiously touching his tingling lips.
'If I manage to keep out of trouble with Ike,' Soren thought to himself, tugging up on his collar. He combed his fingers through his hair to make it appear as if he were untouched, and fixed his cloak to remove the wrinkles. 'Then…perhaps even I will look forward to that time as well.'