Sound of Heaven
Summary: Now that he thought about it, Leila was much like Serra. But still different. MatthewSerra, FE7
A/N: And, then, I remembered it all. The love for Raven (because... I just did), the hate for Serra (because she was so annoying, I guess) and that I sucked at playing it (making Eliwood hide in every, damn chapter wasn't a smart strategy, believe me).
I'm in a Fire Emblem mood. It all started with my big brother, as he somehow succeeded to send over FE to my laptop (!) so I could play it there instead, since I couldn't find my game boy.
But, now, Kent and Lyn has A support, and Matthew and Serra has C support. But, they will have A support at the end, believe me.
I really like the MatthewSerra couple. Ever since I promoted her to a bishop, I liked her even more. Pairings: MatthewSerra, of course, but I also added hints of SainRebecca (I didn't mean to!), ErkPriscilla (even though I'm a HeathPriscilla shipper, so I added hints of that too) and KentLyn. Tactician (meaning me): Her name is Amane, and it stands for 'sound of heaven' in japanese (points at title of the story). Even though I love Raven and Wil, she won't be paired with anyone. I guess... (shifty eyes).
Timeline: ... the night between chapter 25 and 26? (meaning Leila's dead).
(and, yes, the character ending for the couple MatthewSerra is listed at the end. If you wish to not read that, just...skip it).
Matthew couldn't help but stare.
He never really thought about Leila nowadays, but whenever he saw Serra, he couldn't help it.
Serra was like Leila whenever she was in a good mood. Laughing, joking, and smiling.
Yes, Serra was annoying, and almost managed to kill him with her talking. She wasn't bad looking, yes, he would admit that.
She was extremely good looking this night, when the whole gang was talking around the fire as they were camping somewhere in a forest.
Serra was laughing and joking with Erk and Priscilla, as they were (before Serra saw them) quietly talking about certain spells and a book that Priscilla had borrowed from Erk.
"Thinking of her again?" someone said behind Matthew, as he jumped in surprised. He was a thief, but he hadn't heard the person that sneaked up behind him before now.
As he turned around, he was greeted by dark blue hair and a heavy armor.
"Young master!" he exclaimed, surprised by his behavior (since when could Hector sneak?).
Hector laughed and sat down next to him. He watched with quite interest as Matthew's glare was directed to Serra again.
"You're going in a good direction, lad."
"What do you mean, young master?"
"You can't spend your whole life longing for a person that's dead." As Matthew didn't react, Hector stopped smiling.
"I know this is a touchy subject for you, Matthew, but you have to move on."
"I...was planning on marrying her, you know."
"..."
"I guess I was too slow." As Matthew tried to laugh, it came out as a cough. Hector got a sad look on his face.
"I know I'm not the right person to talk about when it comes to feelings, but...I really think you should look for another girlfriend, and-"
"Young master! With all respect, I'm not searching for a girlfriend! I am looking for...a soul mate."
"So, Leila was that soul mate?"
"Yeah...I think I never can find someone like her again."
"Matthew, you can't compare every single girl to Leila! Even though I know someone that's pretty lookalike..."
Matthew's eyebrows rose. "Oh really?"
"You know her quite well." Hector said as he laughed again, and received a stare from his best friend, Eliwood, and the paladin, Kent (who suspiciously could make Lyn laugh like no one else could...weird).
Kent continued his talk with Lyndis, ignoring Sain, who continued forming hearts with his hands, smiling at Rebecca who smiled back.
"You're not talking about Serra, do you?" he asked with disbelief as Hector patted his back.
"You two would make a good pair."
"I hope you are joking, young master." Matthew started to massage his temple as thoughts of him and Serra together started to form in the back of his head.
"Serra! Stop bullying Erk and come over here!" Hector said, ignoring the gasp and "Lord Hector!" from the pink-haired cleric.
Hector could see Erk mouthing a 'thank you' to him, earning a giggle from the red haired girl next to him and a grin from the axe wielder.
"Lord Raven, you mustn't glare at them all night." Lucius said in all his girly glory, earning a stare from his best friend.
"Shut up, Lucius." Raven grunted, glaring at the magician that were sitting next to his little sister, laughing and talking like they had known each other for years.
"You're acting like an overprotective-" Lucius started, but was cut off by Raven.
"I'm her big brother, so I'm supposed to be overprotective."
"I was going to say 'boyfriend'."
Raven shut his mouth closed.
"...I'm her big brother." he repeated, earning a serene smile from the monk next to him.
"Of course, Lord Raven."
"SHUT UP!"
"...is it just me or can you also feel a killing instinct?" Erk asked Priscilla, who currently was reading his favorite book, Between Light and Dark.
"Oh, I think it's just my brother Raven. Just ignore him, he will calm down." Priscilla answered, and continued reading, a smile grazing her lips and Erk glared at the mentioned brother.
"You think Lucius is strong enough to hold down your brother from killing me?"
"Erk, I'm sure someone would help Lucius in that case."
"Lady Priscilla, are you serious?"
He was given a giggle instead of an answer.
"Lord Hector! That was very, very, very rude of you. I wasn't bullying him! I was just starting a conversation!" Serra explained, waving a finger in front of his face. Hector completely ignored her.
"Serra, I was wondering if you could keep Matthew company, I was planning on talking with Eliwood about tomorrow."
Ignoring the surprised look in Matthew's eyes, his flapping with his arms and that he mouthed 'no' to Hector, Serra smiled.
"Of course I can."
"So, Amane, any ideas about tomorrows traveling? We have to get to the palace where the prince is, so we can rescue him." Eliwood said, as the girl in green clothes closed her eyes.
"Um, as usual, we have to make sure that-"
"So, you started planning without me, huh?" Eliwood and Amane turned around and saw Hector grinning, and sat down next to his friends.
"I thought you said you were going to cheer up Matthew?" Eliwood said, surprised.
"I did. Now, it's up to Serra."
"...you said that Serra would make Matthew happy?" Amane asked, as she raised an eyebrow. "I would like to have Matthew alive tomorrow, thank you."
"No worries!" Hector said, as he laughed and slammed his hands on Eliwood's and Amane's backs. "I'm sure they're going to be just fine! So, what are you talking about?"
As Amane still was massaging her back, saying something about needing a vulnerary, Eliwood stood up.
"About tomorrow's traveling. Amane, which ones should I gather to hear your plan?"
"To begin, bring Wil here. Lyn's seems...busy."
Yes indeed, Lyn was busy talking with Kent, having a good time and just forgetting that this was, after all, a war.
The fact that they were on a dangerous mission didn't enter their minds, and they were talking just like they were on a camping trip.
"And, then, they were like ignoring me. Can you believe it, Matthew?"
Matthew was quiet.
Very quiet.
"Matthew?"
"Damn...what now?"
"So you're alive! Just wanted to make sure."
And Serra smiled, briefly closing her eyes and poked him in the stomach.
"You're so quiet!"
"Am not."
"Leila, admit it. You are too quiet. If I can't hear you, I'll be afraid that you aren't here." Matthew admitted, happy that it was dark outside so the creeping darkness hid his blush, that in an incredibly speed was spreading across his cheeks.
"Really? Now I'm in such talking mood, Matthew."
"Oh, shut up."
"Just admit it, you like girls that like to talk?"
"Um...I never really thought of that..."
"You do!"
"I do not!"
"I can see through you sooooo easily, Matty."
"I...you're not good to be around for too long, Serra."
"What are you talking about? Everybody loves me. EVERYBODY!"
"I'm not sure about that."
Snort.
Glare.
"But, why...? Don't you like being around, Matthew? Am I not pretty enough?" Serra hiccupped, and Matthew stared at her.
"You have such weird moodswings, Serra." he sighed, and patted her head.
"So...it's not my looks?"
"I don't care about your look, Serra. You can color your hair blue, whatever you want."
Big lie.
That was one, big fat LIE.
Matthew was very, very aware of how Serra looked. Ever since Amane promoted her to a bishop, she looked even nicer (if that was possible).
She looked...serious.
Seeing her confused look, Matthew sighed in defeat.
"Being with you brings back memories of Leila."
"...and this Leila is?" Serra asked, fixing her nail painting, not really bothering to listen what Matthew was saying.
Matthew shot her a confused glance. She meant that she didn't know?
"You don't know?"
"I just told you that. Oh, wait...you mean Leila?" Serra stared at him in disbelief. She remembered a spy, a friend of Matthews, with red/pinkish hair, and she always looked...angry. It looked like...
She had nothing to live for.
'Guess I was wrong.'
"And...you are telling me that this Leila brings back memories whenever you are with me? That is not a fine thing to say to a lady, Matthew!"
And there was the old Serra. Always nagging.
"You're definitely not worth the trouble..." Matthew sighed; a little smile was dancing on his lips.
"--you like girls that likes to talk?"
"Um... I never really thought of that."
"You do!"
"Maaaaatthew! You have to listen to me! I have something to ask you!" Serra screamed, and as Matthew mumbled something about "So loud..." he got a sympatric look from Erk, meaning that he has been through the same thing.
"Oh, was that Amane screaming? Let's go to her!" Matthew said in an attempt to get free from the screeching cleric next to him (although he liked the attention he got from her, he would never admit it), and stood up.
"Not funny, Matthew!" And she took his arm, and dragged him down so he sat down next to her. "So, back to my question..."
"What now?"
"Did you really think Lucius was a male when you saw him?"
Whoa.
That was unexpected (he could've sworn she would've asked him about Leila, but clerics are mysterious creatures...)
"Um...actually, I didn't."
She laughed, and as he joined her, he realized that he always found himself whenever he was around her.
"Um, Lord Raven?"
"What now?"
"You are glaring."
"Hmpf."
"Again, if I may add that. I personally think that it would just do Lady Priscilla good to meet men, maybe settle down and-"
"You don't want to finish that sentence, Lucius."
"I'll be quiet, Lord Raven."
Raven stared some more at his little sister, that was currently reading something out loud from her book, earning even more attention than before (like it wasn't enough with that magician, now that green/white haired bastard has to look at her like that).
"I don't think she's appreciating the way you are-"
"I thought you said you would shut up seconds ago, Lucius?"
"I'm sorry, Lord Raven."
"...hmpf."
"So, I totally thought he was female until he explained to me that he was a male. It was SO embarrassing, can you believe it? But, he's so beautiful. It's very rare, trust me. Most of the men are...good looking, or handsome. But I've never described a man as 'beautiful'. I mean, he wears a dress! And his hair is just...amazing."
"I'm sorry Serra, but I've forgot the point of this conversation."
"You're such a bore!"
"Urgh...sometimes, I wish you had an off button."
"I can be quiet!"
"Of course you can."
"Yeah."
"Just like the fact that young master has pink hair and that he's a she."
"Sooooo funny, Matty."
"..."
"I can see through you sooooo easily, Matty!"
"For God's sake, don't call me that."
"-hew? Matthew?"
Matthew looked at Serra, who for the first time looked at him with a glint of surprise, concern and worry in her eyes. Her pink locks were still in her pig tails, she still wore her same, old dress and her eyes were still the relaxing color of violet.
But something made her look different.
Maybe it was the way her mouth was slightly open in surprise that he suddenly stopped listening to her speech, the way she lifted her hand to touch his arm, the way she looked at him with such intense, or maybe the way she crawled closer to him, to lift her other hand to feel if his forehead was warmer than it should be.
He couldn't help it anymore.
She was much like Leila, now that he thought about it.
Both of them were pretty, managed to speak with him like no one else could, had known him for a long time, and both had something in their eyes that made Matthew lost in them.
But, still, they were very different.
Serra was a cleric, a bishop, whose mission was to heal, not to hurt. She was important, she helped people. She was cheerful, social, and knew how to feel.
Leila was a thief, a spy, whose mission was to steal, to hurt, and to lie. She had her life on a thin line every day; she could be killed every day. She was playing a dangerous play, but she was nothing important. Leila had problems in showing feelings, and learned to be cold, just so she couldn't get close to anyone.
They had one thing in common, besides those things.
I always...
He pulled her closer by grabbing the back of her head, crushing her nose into his shoulder. He was sitting up; she was nearly laying on him.
...fall for the annoying girls.
"Ma-Matthew! What are you doing?"
He could hear it clearly; the nervousness in her voice.
Strange...she, who could talk herself out of every, single situation was nervous.
"You never been hugged before? Che, and here I thought you were experienced in this area. Aren't you loved by everybody?"
He, unlike her, had it easy to talk whenever he was nervous or embarrassed. It was on a reaction that he started talking (too bad that he forgot what they were talking about two seconds after he mentioned it).
"Yes, of course! I am, after all, a pure cleric-"
"Bishop."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
He could feel her smile, even though she tried to hide it.
Matthew slowly released her from his grip, and smiled at her in an apology for his sudden actions. She, on the other hand, stared at him with wide eyes.
"Why did you do that?"
"...no screaming?" Matthew asked, half expecting an outburst from the girl in front of him (now sitting).
She smiled, once again. But, then her gaze turned serious again.
"It wasn't something I said, right? Oh my, I can take it back, if you want! I didn't offend you, right? Right? I feel horrible! Was it something about Lei-"
For one of the first time since he met Leila (well, sort of), he didn't care about what the person was going to say about her.
Any other time, he would've been mad, sad or hurt. He maybe would scream at the person, he could've thrown a chair or something, but this time...
...it was different.
He, as the wonderful thief he was, took her hand in one, swift movement and dragged her closer, and at the same time, he pulled his face closer to hers. Inches apart, he could see the pink blush that was spreading over her cheeks, almost invisible due to her light skin.
"Wanted to say something?" Matthew smirked; he LOVED having an upper hand whenever he was talking to Serra.
Serra gulped.
Everyone was busy doing other things, like talking (Kent and Lyn), planning (Amane, Hector, Wil, and Eliwood), laughing (shyly, as Florina watched Hector's struggle with understanding the things Amane and Wil were talking about), brooding (Fiora, watching Kent and Lyn, holding each other's hands and blushing/laughing, whatever they were doing), muttering (Raven), singing quietly (Lucius), discussing (Erk and Priscilla), dancing (Ninian), joking (Rebecca and Sain), cooking (Lowen and Marcus), training (Dorcas, Bartre, and Dart) giving food to their companion (Heath), pretending to be cool (Legault), trying to get back memories (Harken), trying to help with everything going on in the camp (Isadora), demanding training sessions (Guy), ignoring people (Karel), reading (Canas), sleeping (Rath), snoring (Nils), talking about directions back home (Oswin and Wallace), whispering (Pent and Louise), and watching the whole scene (Hawkeye), so they didn't notice Matthew's and Serra's discussion.
"I...you are very close, Matthew."
"But you like it."
"...well..."
And, then, he kissed her. It all started with a peck on the lips, her lips slightly parted as she was trying to breath.
It all turned into something much more within a couple of seconds.
Because she did something unexpected.
She kissed back, with full force. Even though Matthew was confused at the beginning, he got the message and kissed back, touching her lower lip with his tongue.
She then pulled back.
"What in...?" Matthew asked, surprised and eyes wide open. He was greeted by a feminine giggle, and then kisses to his neck.
Wow.
He could get used to this.
He closed her eyes, just...enjoying the moment. As only one thought slipped away to Leila, he ignored the sentence that was repeating itself inside of his head.
"Hector, you can't stare!" Amane smacked Hector on the back of his head, trying to make the Lord to look away from the kissing couple.
"Lord Hector, it is not appreciated by those two that you are staring." Wil stated, as he started to arrange his bow again, so it was perfect tomorrow.
"Listen to the genius!" Amane exclaimed, smiling and slightly blushing as Wil smiled back, in his social glory.
"They don't even realize we're looking!" Hector defended himself with, now looking away from Serra and Matthew.
"Well...probably, since they're not there anymore." Amane pointed out, sighing and returned her attention to the archer in front of her.
Hector and Eliwood looked at the spot where Matthew and Serra used to sit.
It was now empty.
"What the...?" Hector muttered, touching his soon-existing beard as he tried to come up with explanations in his head, but failing miserably.
"Remember, he's a thief. She's a bishop. They're used to be careful, to not wake anyone's attention; of course they ran away." Lyndis explained to Hector, finally directing her attention to the other lords, still sitting next to Kent.
"We did not."
The lords (meaning Lyndis, Eliwood, and Hector), Kent, Amane, and Wil turned around to see the missing couple. They were not showing any signs of affection, not even holding hands.
"Mou, I'm hungry. Matthew, run to that cavalier with greenish hair, I want food!" Serra exclaimed, puffing out her cheeks in showing her sadness.
"Go get it yourself." The boy answered.
"Matthew!"
"Right, right. So loud..."
And he ran away. But she followed him, to Lyn's surprise, walking slowly behind him. They left six faces with eyes widened, still surprised by their actions after kissing each other seconds ago.
Matthew muttered something quietly when Serra finally caught up.
"Did you say something, Matty?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes and smiling.
"I said you are a pretty good actress." he said, slightly raising his voice, earning a glance from Heath, who quickly returned to his dragon, Wimperion, when he saw who it was.
"Oh, as I said, everyone loves me."
"...what has that to do with that you're a good actress?"
"Everything! Now, quiet."
"Yeah, yeah." he said, sounding annoyed, but in the inside, he felt something different.
He felt peace.
His own hand searched for hers, and seeing his desperate actions, Serra catches his hand with her own. Smiling, not looking at each other, they took a step closer to Lowen and Marcus.
Maybe not a big step for humanity, or a step for getting closer to Nergal, but a step for them.
A step for their love.
Matthew returned to Ostia, where he led the network of spies for the new marquess.
During this hectic time, his thoughts turned to Serra. Thanks to her, the pain of losing Leila slowly became more bearable.
A/N:
Wow...
It didn't turn out like I expected.
I WANTED FLUFF, 'KAY?
And, major hints of KentLyn, RavenPriscilla and ErkPriscilla.
What...in...hell?
Let's make this clear: Raven is overprotective as a brother, nowhere near a boyfriend. Heath would make a wonderful example of that, though.
The relationship Erk and Priscilla have...is like friends. I like them being together, but not as a couple.
I worship/adore/support HeathPriscilla, so sorry.
And, no, I don't like the LuciusRaven pairing, although I like the fact that Raven opens up to Lucius. Lucius is the prettiest person in the whole game, I think. He's just so adorable!
I love KentLyn. That is why I made it so obvious that they liked each other. T.T
(crosses fingers for reviews or happiness from the readers)
love /nazaliasan (heart)
