-1"Natalia!"

The once-princess turned to the sound of the voice, finding Tear trotting to meet her. The beautiful dish-water blonde stopped in front of her, brushing the sand off her dress. She smiled brilliantly, a smile Natalia only remembered being used for her. She blushed a bit at the thought.

"Are you too hot? Chesedonia's heat is deadly if you're not used to it. Let's go inside the Inn for a while, so you can cool off," the Oracle Knight suggested.

Tear took her hand and led her into the Malkuth side Inn. She entered the room they had reserved for the night. Immediately going out again, she returned with a bucket of water and some glasses. Removing her white gloves, she dipped a glass in and handed it to the golden-haired archer who was sitting on one of the beds.

Natalia drank it down, truth be told she was a little too hot. She sighed contentedly. Tear blushed slightly and the princess raised an eyebrow in question.

"I-it might help keep you cool if you…take your outer clothes off," the normally composed woman stuttered.

Natalia turned a deep red, a princess was never supposed to be indecent in front of people. Then again, she wasn't really a princess, was she? Glancing at the fellow Seventh Fonist, she thought of a way to make things slightly less embarrassing.

"I will, but only if you do too. You must be hot under that as well."

Tear's eyes widened a bit, and after some thought, she nodded. Her heels and leggings were the first to go, as Natalia removed her dress. She set her quiver on the floor and went for her white high-boots. Tear folded her dress neatly and set it next to her other clothing. Natalia took off her tights and gloves, leaving both of them in only their bra and underwear.

The archer's eyes took in her companion's rather fantastic body. Her eyes latched onto a scar on Tear's right side. It was thin and about 3 inches long. Without thinking, she slipped off the bed and inched over to wear the blue-eyed beauty was sitting on the floor. She ran a bare finger over the mark, making Tear blush cutely.

"What's this from?"

"Earlier in our journey, I jumped in front of Luke when he couldn't finish off an enemy soldier and they were going to kill him. I was able to heal most of it but it left a scar."

"Luke, he's such a problem, isn't he?"

"He's getting much better, just look how he was at St. Binah. And the Passage Ring."

"But still. I don't really know what Guy sees in him."

"He can be kind, when he needs to be. And he's perceptive when it comes to the health of the people around him. He'd rather die than see any of us hurt. But, he lost his sense of self-worth when he destroyed Akzeriuth and learned he was a replica. I'm just glad Guy is there for him. Those two really need one another, don't they?"

Natalia laughed, a sound that made Tear smile. "Yes, I always wondered if Guy was gay, seeing as he's horrified of women. It was painfully obvious that all his hitting on women was just a ruse to make him appear straight. It's really kind of cute the way he always hides behind Luke when a woman jumps up behind him. But, you like Luke, don't you? Aren't you bothered by it?"

"Well, he's really not my type. I love him more like a little brother than anything else."

"Oh, that's good," Natalia sighed in relief.

Tear felt warm inside that Natalia cared so much about her feelings.

"So, who is your type then?"

"Um…Confident, green eyes, a little proud sometimes, a bit pushy, absentminded about people's feelings sometimes but cares about you if you're down."

"So," Natalia processed the information and tried to find someone they both knew who would fit the description, "Asch?"

"No, not at all. Besides, he's yours."

Natalia sighed morosely.

"I'm not so sure anymore. I still like him, but I don't think I have the same feelings for him that I used to. He's a different person now, and I don't think I really like the new him."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Don't worry, a pretty woman like you will attract many more potential husbands."

"I think I may have attracted the one I want though."

"Oh, that's good," Tear smiled again.

Natalia really liked her smile.

"So, who is it that you like?" The green-eyed woman prodded.

Tear blushed a deep red. "You know them well."

"I do? But, the only people with green eyes that you know are Ion, Asch, Luke, and I. Ion then?"

"No, Anise would chop me into bits."

"Then…Who?" Natalia asked finally, out of ideas.

"First, tell me what your type is."

"Well…Tough, a little cold, blue eyes, and cares about people's feelings a lot."

"Hmm, Guy?"

"No!"

"Peony?"

"Absolutely not, Jade would have my head."

"How about this, we both say the person we like at the same time?" Tear tried, out of options.

Natalia blanched a bit, but agreed.

"One three then. One…Two…Three!"

"You!" They said to each other in unison.

There was an awkward silence for about two minutes as they both tried to figure out what the hell had just happened. Were they dreaming, or had they both just confessed their love for each other?

Tear leaned in, lips meeting the other's tentatively, becoming bold when she received no refusal. Her tongue flicked out to run along the bottom of Natalia's pink lips, the strawberry blonde opening her mouth obligingly. The false princess wrapped one arm around Tear's waist, the other finding itself behind her head, holding her there gently.

It was at this point that Luke opened the door to check on them, the others behind him.

"Hey, I just wanted to make sure you-Whoa!" He exclaimed when he realized that the two were making out, in their underwear, on the hotel floor.

They both gasped and pulled apart guiltily. Luke blushed, Jade smiled, Anise nearly fainted, and Guy grabbed Luke's arm and pulled him out of the doorway. Jade started to walk away.

"Way to go you two! Too bad for Asch though. Oh well, guess I'll just have to console him…And his money," Anise giggled conspiringly as she shut the door on them.

They both looked at each other and then bust out laughing.

"I guess maybe they're used to it?" Natalia offered.

"I suppose so. I hope we didn't traumatize Luke too much."

"Aw, he'll get over it. Now, where were we before we were interrupted?"

They resumed the passionate kiss, both a little heady. Suddenly, the heat wasn't so bad anymore.