A/N: Not mine. Loads of text ripped straight from support conversations, so definitely not mine. Yay Intelligent Systems!

Severa stood at the entrance to the tent, hands firmly planted on her hips. She knew Owain had been out-of-sorts recently, but she never knew it was this bad. Jerking the tent flap back, she ducked into the tent and saw a dark figure in the corner.

"Owain!" she yelled at him. "What are you doing? Chrom just called an all-hands meeting, and the only person that's missing is you." She pushed the tent flap back a little more, allowing light to flood into the dark corners.

He raised a hand to block the sunlight streaming in but stayed huddled in the corner, clutching his knees to his chest and rocking back and forth.

"What are you still doing here, weirdo?" she shouted angrily. "We're all waiting on you. And why are you just rocking back and forth in the corner? It's weird. And creepy!"

He looked up at her with a hangdog air. "I am creepy."

"Hey, I was only stating the truth, wei-…," she trailed off at the unexpected answer. "Huh?"

"I am creepy," he repeated again insistently. "You're right. It is true."

She wrinkled her nose. "What's wrong with you? I mean, you're normally pretty weird, but today you're just outdoing yourself."

He stopped rocking and replied morosely. "Nothing's wrong with me. I'm just a creepy creep who likes to creep around with his weirdo hobbies."

"Look, this isn't about what I said the other day, is it?" she asked, staring at him incredulously.

"No, why would I be upset? You were only saying the truth." As he said this, he looked back down at the floor and resumed his rocking.

Severa huffed and rolled her eyes. "Ugh, okay! I'm sorry and I said a bunch of mean things and they're all not really true and now you're sad and blah blah blah get over it. There, are we good now? Now come on! Chrom is waiting for us." She ended her apology with crossed arms and a pout.

"Whatever," Owain intoned bleakly. "What would Chrom want with a creepy creep like me, anyway?"

She clenched her fists tightly. This was such un-Owainlike behavior! Although she was a bit flattered that she had been able to put him out of his deluded fantasies, this Owain was just…pathetic. "Listen up, mister!" she yelled at him, grabbing him by his shirt collar and hoisting him to his feet.

He blinked, surprised. "Muh?"

"Ugh…" Using his collar to pull him closer until their noses were almost touching, she glared at him. "I can't believe you're making me say this… Since when did reality ever get in the way of your happy little fantasy world? You don't care what other people say. You've never cared about what other people say. You walk your own path and whistle loudly! Deluded confidence and blind faith have always been your greatest strengths!"

"Y-you really think so?" He had a hopeful glint in his eyes. She rolled her eyes and hoped that she wasn't stroking his ego too much.

"I know so. So don't let a little criticism slow you down. Mine especially. Everyone knows I'm a huge jerk anyways, so just shrug it off and keep going," she replied.

"You're…" he sniffed loudly.

"Oh for Naga's sake, he's about to cry," Severa thought, releasing his shirt and stepping back quickly.

"Severa, you're…" he was still sniffling, head lowered.

She looked at him warily, backing away slowly. "I'm….what?"

Eyes blazing, he lifted his head and yelled. "Rraaaaaaaaaaaaaugh!"

She shook her head in exasperation. "…Oh, gods. It finally happened. The weirdo has snapped."

He jerked a thumb to his chest. "You're totally right, Severa! This isn't me! I never listen to what anyone says. Heck, half the time I don't even know they're talking to me! Thanks a ton, Severa! I feel a lot better! Now come on, I'll race you to Chrom's!"

He dashed out of the small tent, leaving a flabbergasted Severa no time to talk. "Wait, Owain! I'm not going to race you! How old are you, seven? Come back!"

"Ugh…" she sighed. "And now he's gone. Still, I'm glad he's back to normal now…a sad Owain is just…sad."

The next time they met, Owain still seemed…different.

"Severa? Sorry about the other day," he said.

"I said forget about it! I was just being a huge jerk, as usual. And why aren't you talking the way you normally do? You know…the whole 'my sword hand twitches' thing?" Severa asked. "It's weird. And unnerving. You're actually kind of acting normally, for once."

"So first I talk the way I normally do, and you call me a creep, and now that I've stopped, you're saying it's weird! There's just no way for me to win, is there?" Owain exclaimed. "No worries. The dark avenging avenger can take a hint, especially since your words are sharper than the Plus-three Axe of Vengeance! I was going to offer to name your weapon again, but forget it! Keep on using that poor unnamed sword. I'll just leave you alone now."

"O-owain! Hey! Wait!" Severa shouted after him, a note of panic in her voice. He didn't turn around. "You know, it's not very hero-like to run away from a girl!" she yelled.

He whipped around. "What, was that a challenge? My sword hand twitches! You have awoken my wrath! My blood boils with unholy fire! Behold!" He drew his sword, and Severa actually stepped backwards a few paces. She wasn't afraid, mind you, just…nervous that he might lose his grip on his sword or something.

"Put that away and stop swinging it around! Are you insane? You're going to hurt somebody with that!" she retorted, annoyed.

He stopped blustering abruptly and let his sword point fall towards the ground. "See!? That's exactly what I mean. No matter how I act, it's always the wrong way."

"Ugh! Shut up and listen to me, will you? You don't need to name my sword because…oh, whatever. Just look." She held out her sword to him, hilt-first.

"This is…hey! There's a name in the handle! I thought you'd never…and this looks really old and weathered, which means…I can't believe you've been making fun of me all this time while all along you'd already done the same thing! I guess that's why you've never let me look at hit," he speculated, laughing a little to himself.

"Hey! Stop laughing at me and look closer, you goof. Read it!" she insisted.

"Wait…" he squinted at it, furrowing his brow in the process. "Severa, I'm confused…this is my name," he trailed off, and looked at her inquisitively.

She chewed nervously on the inside of her cheek. "I know. That's why I was too embarrassed to tell you," she admitted.

His eyebrows went so high they nearly vanished under his crop of thick blond hair. "Why!? And how long ago?"

She avoided his eyes and kicked at the dirt, scuffing her boots. "Well…because you've always been nice to me, even when I wasn't nice to you. Because you're a person I've always been able to trust, no matter what. And because…oh, I don't know! I guess I just…like you. I always have," she sniffed, angry at the tears that had started to gather at the corner of her eyes. "I'm sorry Owain...I'm always shouting and saying such terrible things to you! I don't mean to, honest. These things just…pop out of me for some reason!" Now the tears were streaming down her face, and she realized she was hiccupping too. So much for looking attractive during her confession.

"H-hey!" Owain looked flustered, not knowing what to do with his hands. "I think you're great! It doesn't matter what you say, I like you just the way you are! And you named your weapon after me and everything, right? So come on. No more crying, I'm honored to be at your side!"

The torrential downpour slowed and Severa raised her eyes to meet his gaze. "You really mean it? Like…really at my side?"

"Are you kidding? You're gorgeous! I'd cut off my sword hand just to stand near you for an hour!" Owain replied enthusiastically. "Um…sorry. Did I say too much there?"

"No Owain, it was just right. ….What were you going to name it, anyways?"

"One of the most epic names that I have ever created!" Owain exclaimed excitedly. "Behold! I present to you….The Flaming Sword of Divine Punishment! Imbued with Naga's holy power, its blade is nearly as sharp as its owner Lady Severa's tongue!"

"That's completely ridiculous," she harrumphed.

"…Oh…oops, sorry. I'll stop going overboard now." He clamped his mouth shut tightly, but couldn't help starting to whistle not ten seconds later.

She giggled and looped her arm around his.

"I love it."

A/N: Quick, let's play a game of guess the author's favorite child in FE:Awakening! :P