Smile

A/N: ArfxZafira needs more loving.

xxx

Arf and Zafira would meet each other to take a night stroll by the Clanagan coast. Arf would always start the conversation and talks about her everyday life, and she would sometimes rant on how hard it was to work in the Infinity Library as the assistant of the Head Librarian, and complained about the short deadlines and lack of rest she was experiencing. Zafira was always one meter behind her following her as he listened to her quietly; he gave her nods and rarely spoke. Arf didn't mind the one-sided conversation and the lack of response she was receiving.

They just enjoyed each other's company as they enjoyed the sound of waves splashing unto the seawall, the gentle wind from the sea breezed their figures, and the beautiful stars that littered the night sky and the two moons emanating its light upon them as they followed the trail of fluorescent lamps.

Arf had known, that they knew each other well for six years now and became best friends because of the night walks they had been doing every evening. She had learned that their personalities are polar opposites of each other. She was loud, cheery, friendly and hot-headed, while Zafira was quiet, passive, reserved and calm. Despite the stark differences of their behavior, they had had many things in common. Both of them are servants of their own mistress, they passionately served and protect their own mistress just as how much they loved them. Both of them love to go on walks, eat dog biscuits and many more.

"Do you know how to smile?" Arf asked Zafira one night on their usual night walk.

The guardian beast who followed behind her was quiet as always, "…"

"Don't get me wrong" Arf said, "I'm not saying that you're a miserable person. It's just that I never saw a happy side of you, and you always look…uncaring and…um", Arf scratched her cheek left with her left index-finger, "…sad".

"...", Zafira blinked his eyes.

"I'm very noisy and reckless," She admitted, "Guys don't like me for that...I worked in the library and some people around see don't like me for being talkative, they usually make a face you're making - the 'stone-face' look - to show their annoyance"

"…"

"Does that mean that you don't like me?"

"…"

Arf sighed from the lack of response, "You can just tell me the truth", she said sadly.

Zafira raised his eyebrows slightly and stopped his walk, "No, I don't dislike you", he said.

Arf swirled her body, her hands behind her back, she was taken aback by her companion's reply, "You don't dislike me? Not even once?"

Zafira nod

"I mean...you didn't dislike me for complaining too loudly?"

Another nod

"Or that time, when I reached out to your collar and shook you as I complained just how I missed my mistress so much when she was far away, doing her job as an enforcer while I'm in the Library, unable to help her with her battles?"

Another nod

"I'm glad" Arf said with relief. "But, really I've never saw you smile, even once."

"…"

There was silence as the wind brushed their skin gently.

Zafira broke the silence, "I know how to smile"

Arf's eyes widened, "Really?"

A nod

"I want to see it", she gave her companion a grin, "I want to see you smile". She waited for a while and frowned when she did not received what she wanted. "See, you really don't know how to smile, your lips didn't move one bit, like this," Arf said as she smiled widely, her index-finger traced a 'U' in the air. "Try it".

The guardian beast walks towards her and stopped close, very close to her, the height difference forced Arf to snap her head upwards. Their eyes met.

"I just did" Zafira said but the side of his lips didn't curl upwards. His breath touches her face.

Arf blushed slightly from their close contact, she planted her hands on her hips,"Well…your face didn't move" She said in disappointment.

"I don't need to smile with my lips. A person can fake a smile with a slight movement of the lips to pretend happiness" He said gently. His eyes were kind and gentle, but his eyes did not touch his lips, "My lips are not needed to convey the feelings, I'm holding for you" He said as he hold her arms tightly.

Arf's blush starts to intensify; the tone of his voice was gentle, unlike the bland tone that she used to hear from him. She had known him for six years and she had never seen him this gentle before…

Wait a minute, a gentle Zafira? This might be a trick to hide his anger through a gentle approach. It's like going through Nanoha's wrath again.

Nanoha had used this trick on her before, when she got angry at her for eating her after-noon snack, the white devil glared at her before she gave her a very gentle smile when she heard from Chrono that there was going to be a sparring exercise.

Arf shuddered from a painful memory of a Divine Buster hitting her at full force.

Then Zafira really was angry at her for the things she had done to him, for complaining very loudly in his face.

She tried to get loose of Zafira's hold but his grip was strong. Undefended from harm, Arf closed her eyes and prepared herself for a painful blow. "T…Then, what do you feel for me right now?"

Zafira leaned forward.

Their lips met.

Arf did not feel any pain. She only felt warmth touched her lips. She opened her eyes opened to see her companion kissing her. She tried to resist at first, but something entered her mouth, exploring every part of her, and playing with her tongue. Her legs weakened from the overwhelming experience.

Moments later they pulled away as they gasped for air, a thin line of saliva trailed between them.

"Happiness", He whispered huskily before leaving a stunned Arf behind.

"Eh, He-he-he…" Arf giggled in a daze.

'He kissed me' She thought

'He kissed me, wait…he kissed me with his tongue!'

Arf snapped out of her daze to see her companion gone from sight. She squinted her eyes and used her inhuman eyesight to search for him. She saw a familiar figure in a distance "Wait for me!" she yelled, her face as red as her hair.

If one were to see Zafira's point of view, the sides of his lips curved slightly.

He smiled his genuine smile.

Xxx

The End

xxx

A/N: Zafira, you naughty beast! I didn't know that quiet types like you can be that bold.