A story from my Ao3 that I figured I would finally post here.

Enjoy!

Leading was difficult, it was stressful, it was so much pressure, and while Felix was fully prepared to shoulder that burden, sometimes it was just too much. Piers and Isaac were capable and could often lead in his stead, but choices were often brought to him for the all clear, he could never really escape from the responsibility. Not that he minded, but sometimes he just wanted a break, he just wanted time to escape and be free from it all.

And lately at night he had been able to find relief in the form of a blue haired maiden from Imil.

"Lie down." Felix couldn't quite tell if it was an order, a suggestion, or request, but he found himself obliging, turning until he was lying down in his bed.

He kept his face straight up but his eyes glanced to his side, drinking in the body standing there. Unconsciously he felt himself swallowing, eyes drifting up and down along Mia's form. Her porcelain skin seemed to glow in the lantern light, shadows dancing softly across her curves and scars.

He traced one along from beginning to end, deep along her right hip, a manticore attack she had told him. None of them had the Psynergy reserves for effective healing, leaving her to heal it the more conventional way with sutures and herbs.

His gaze continued up past her breasts, pausing briefly to trace around them and watch the turquoise hair lightly brush around her shoulders and down beside them. He followed the locks further up until he was looking directly at her, her face aglow with the gentle serenity he knew her for. She was smiling that soft smile that eased him so, before she raised an eyebrow and gave a quick nod gesturing to the headboard above him.

Felix smirked and raised his hands above his head, one wrist above the other just behind the wooden bars of the headboard. Next he knew Mia was leaning over him, the soft brush of silk against his wrists as Mia tied them together.

He found himself unable to resist leaning up and placing kisses along the skin he could reach, gently brushing his lips against her collarbone and breasts.

"Ah-ah-ah~" Mia leaned back, waving a finger at him, "Not yet."

Felix could only smile back, lightly raising his eyebrows for a quick moment before testing the bonds around his wrists.

"All okay?" Mia asked, a cool hand lightly tracing along the muscle definition of Felix's chest. Felix paused before answering, greatly enjoying the sensation of her fingers against him.

He gave a quick nod, tugging and flexing his arms slightly as a demonstration. Mia smiled both in satisfaction that he was comfortable, and from the rather pleasing show of his muscles bulging with his demonstration.

Leaning down again she placed her lips against Felix's and nothing more. Longing, Felix leaned up wanting more contact, doing his best to deepen the kiss, but as quick as it happened Mia was apart from him again, leaving him to whine.

Mia chuckled lightly her fingers twirling around lightly as the silvery rings of Psynergy began to envelop her. Within seconds a trail of water materialised in the air above Felix.

"Ready?"

Felix watched the orb twirling around above him, curious if he really was, before he gave an affirming nod. Mia smiled and took a seat beside him, one hand resting against his chest while the other guided the water to the foot of the bed. Felix's eyes trailed down Mia's back, seeing the light flecks of skin that peeked through the streams of hair that spilled down along her before pooling on the sheets below, obscuring Felix's view.

"The safeword is 'grass'." She whispered tearing Felix gaze back to the orb above him. He watched the orb split apart, forming two long streams of water.

Felix inhaled sharply as he felt the water curl between his toes, sliding between each before snaking around his feet and to his ankles. It was an amazingly curious sensation; the cool brush of the liquid against him teased him ever so slightly. The gentle feeling of leftover drops sliding down over his skin, the cool trails warming back up slowly.

With the gentle pulse of constant Psynergy and the sensations of water twisting around his shins, Mia summoning a small cube of ice went unnoticed by Felix. He gasped as he felt the freezing block pressed against his nipple, feeling it slowly circling around it.

Felix felt Mia's weight shift as she turned to look at him, offering him a sly smile, "Let me hear you." She lifted the ice cube away, her other hand still busy making the snakes of water trail around his thighs, before teasing the ice around his other nipple.

A groan rose up out of his throat before escaping through his lips as he twisted in the bed from the sensations. Mia chuckled, shifting the cube around his nipple, watching its base melt from the heat of Felix's body, leaving small trails to drip down through the definitions of his chest.

Felix closed his eyes and breathed happily through the feelings running over his skin, the chill of the ice, the cool gliding touch of the water as it traced circles around his thighs, the gentle brush of Mia's fingers through the water melted from the ice cube.

He gasped aloud again, feeling the water swirling its way up and around his dick, constricting ever so slightly. He didn't know how Mia did it, but gods however she did it was amazing, it was just enough to tease and no more, and just as quickly the water had snaked away leaving him twitching and wanting.

He tightened slightly as he realised the water was spinning around his midriff now, sliding up to his chest to collect whatever water had melted from the ice cube before trailing in between his abs and around by his hips.

Suddenly he was hyper aware that this was water and as it swirled against him he felt a pit form in his stomach. He swallowed and squeezed his eyes tighter trying to force the thoughts out of his head.

No, no, no that was years ago, he had grown, he was a warrior now, strong, he could handle this.

In one fluid motion he felt the water slide from his chest down to his hips and back again.

The water was crashing against him. Water pouring against his face from the heavens. Water obscuring his vision. There were his parents up ahead maybe? He heard them calling. Water all around him. He was under. He was struggling back up. He gripped the wooden beam tighter. He pulled with all his strength. He was above again. He was sure he could hear more voices. The water was pummelling him, crashing against his bruised body. There was thunder. Lightning. The rush of water in and against his ears. Voices. Screaming. His throat blocked by the river.

"Grass…!" Felix voice gasped out, suddenly very aware that Mia's psynergy was no longer the only water on him.

Within moments Mia was moving, the water gathered up in an orb and directed to a glass with the ice while she worked to untie his hands.

As soon as he was free Felix was upright, hands wiping at his eyes and his forehead as he brought his knees closer to himself.

"Felix? Felix I'm here, it's okay."

He could hear her, but part of him was still there and he just needed a moment. He sat there reigning in his breathing, lightly trying to physically shake the thoughts from his head.

"Sorry…" He mumbled a little, not very loud, but he was sure Mia picked up on it.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Felix, that's why we have the word." Mia reached a hand to him, but paused before placing it on his shoulder, "Are you okay with physical contact?"

Felix gave a weak nod, still curled into himself. He felt Mia's hand on his shoulder, softly and methodically rubbing over it. Strange, her hands were normally so cold to him, yet now they seemed the only source of warmth.

She moved slowly, doing her best to not overwhelm him, bit by bit adding more contact. At first it was just the hand, then another rubbing up and down his shin supportively, then an arm around a shoulder, before Felix leaned into her and she wrapped him in a hug.

Her fingers softly brushed through his hair, moving any of his hair out of his face, as she hummed an old Imilian lullaby to him. No words were spoken, simply the sound of their breathing and Mia's humming for quite a while.

"I'm sorry." Felix repeated, he wasn't sure how much time had passed or even if he had said it already, but he was. He blinked out a final tear and sat back and up, feeling more steady and sure of himself.

"Felix," Mia reached out and brushed his cheek with her hand, "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Felix felt himself tightening his jaw, swallowing before he spoke up again, "I thought I had gotten past this… I'd been doing better hadn't I?" Now he wasn't so sure, seemed like no progress had been made.

Mia shuffled closer to him, holding his face in both of her hands before softly kissing him. Felix felt himself calm slightly, leaning into her embrace. "You have, Felix, you've been doing very well. In combat you're able to hold up against water Psynergy better, on the deck during storms you keep your cool, you're able to relax in baths and you don't have to rely on quick showers to clean, we played in the sea only a few days ago."

She brushed the hair out of his face and lifted his chin to look into him with her eyes, those perfect eyes that soothed Felix so much, "You have overcome so much and have made so much progress. I couldn't be prouder of you. But these things will still happen, they will never fully go away. You don't have to apologise for it ever, I promise you. I will always be here for you."

With that Mia leaned in and wrapped him in her arms, softly nuzzling his neck and squeezing him closer to her body. Felix remained still for a few moments reflecting on her words before he lifted his arms and held Mia closer to him.

"Thank you."

And he truly was. He felt safe with Mia, he felt he could be weak with her and not worry. She knew about his weaknesses and fears and still loved him all the same. She had done her best for everyone since she joined the quest to light the Mars Beacon, especially for him. Whenever things got to him she was always there to listen and offer help.

"I love you."

Mia leaned back, showing him that wonderful smile he adored, before kissing his cheek, "I love you too, Felix." She pressed another kiss to his lips and softly brushed her nose against his, "What would you like to do?"

Felix took a moment to think, their initial plans for the night had gone out the window, "Can we sleep?"

"Absolutely." She beamed wide and helped him up. Their current bedding was a little damp from their activities so she quickly busied herself with changing the sheets, insisting that Felix sit and rest. A minute later and the two were in each other's arms beneath the covers, holding each other closer and enjoying the warmth of one another.

"Good night, Felix." Mia whispered, nuzzling into his chest and yawning.

"Sweet dreams, Mia." Felix smiled, gently stroking her hair as he shut his eyes and drifted off contently, feeling safe and free of worries for the night.

Whoa softshipping too!? This is some day, huh?

Well, I hope you enjoyed!
Your friend and writer,
Droory