Author note: I don't own Bravely Default/Second!

So, I finally decided to do something I've been thinking of doing for a while. And that's a Fiore DeRosaxNobutsuna Kamiizumi fanfic. This is my first fic for this specific ship, so I hope I wrote them both well! I hope you all enjoy reading this as well!

Warning: Takes place post-Bravely Second therefore spoilers for both Default and Second (including the Wellspring Gem sidequest in Second), DeRosaxKamiizumi, implied/referenced sex (mentioned in conversation and there are a lot of post-sex or fade-to-black scenes but there is nothing explicit going on).

Enticed

Summary: Nobutsuna Kamiizumi didn't expect to end up in Fiore DeRosa's bed. He also didn't expect to get closer to him than just through physical intimacy. Also known as: Swordmaster Nobutsuna Kamiizumi, despite everything, falls for Red Mage Fiore DeRosa.

Red Mage Fiore DeRosa gazed out the window, a smile playing on his lips as he oversaw the sleepy town of Al-Khampis come to life. After a moment, he drew the curtains closed, stopping sunlight from invading his senses. Stretching his arms above his head, he lowered them as he turned towards the bed.

"Are you awake already, Swordmaster, or do I need to give you a good morning kiss?"

Nobutsuna Kamiiizumi sat up in bed, holding the blanket up to his chest. His grey eyes looked into DeRosa's own, retaining a mixture of hesitance and self-consciousness, as he spoke.

"I'm awake now, DeRosa. I don't think a kiss is necessarily required."

The Red Mage smiled at him, almost smirking as he walked back over to the bed, and he saw the older man's face flush a bit. Siting down on the bed, he leaned towards the Swordmaster, nipping at his lips, and he chuckled as Kamiizumi kissed him back.

"Crystals, you look dazed." DeRosa ran a hand through the Swordmaster's dark hair, admiring the other's still-flustered expression as he lowered the blanket from his chest to his lap. "Maybe you need more kisses. Or maybe further than that. You certainly enjoyed yourself last night."

The Swordmaster froze mid-kiss, eyes wide. "Don't tell Edea." He murmured against he other's lips.

DeRosa groaned, pulled his head back at the mention of the Grand Marshal, and shook his head. "Hell no, I wouldn't tell her. That would just give her another unecessary reason to hate me!"

"To be fair," Kamiizumi uttered, looking him dead in the eye, "You tried to kill her. She already hates you as is."

DeRosa almost glared back at him. "Should I remind you that you also tried to kill her? Neither of us can judge each other based on that."

"Perhaps that is so." His warm hand cupped the Red Mage's cheek, and DeRosa blinked. He hadn't expected the other to just do this. He'd expected a punch in the face, if anything.

"So what if we've both killed people and attempted to kill your pupil?" DeRosa murmured, chuckling despite the look on the other man's face. "She has her life. We have our own. Why not have a little fun with that?"

As DeRosa kissed him again, he felt Kamiizumi grab at him, trying to wrap an arm around him. The older man, leaning over him, ended up pushing him down on the bed, kissing him. The Red Mage couldn't help but grin, kissing him back and pulling him down on top of him. He heard the Swordmaster yelp, surprised, and DeRosa laughed, kissing him again.

Oh, this was good. DeRosa could go with this—

Knock knock knock! "Professor DeRosa? Are you awake?"

DeRosa swore under his breath, the Swordmaster's eyes widening as he covered his own mouth, before DeRosa looked to the door, calling to it. "Um…yes! Yes, I'm awake! Just leave the food outside the door, I'm not quite decent."

"U-um, okay!" There was a clatter of a tray of food on the ground, then retreating footsteps.

DeRosa waited for the footsteps to go away, before he laughed, looking to the Swordmaster above him. "That was too close, wasn't it?"

Kamiizumi bit his lower lip, moving off DeRosa and the bed, bending over to grab his previously-discarded kimono (and Fiore knew he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the view). "I should go," He managed, swallowing as he used the kimono to partially cover himself waist down before fully redressing. "You swear you won't tell anyone?"

DeRosa sat up on the bed, watching him with a grin. "I swear it. I promise."

The Swordmaster left without another sound, dressing. DeRosa sighed, ran a hand through greasy red hair, and wrapped himself in a bathrobe before grabbing the breakfast tray from outside his door.

Maybe, he mused as he ate, he should find the opportunity to get out of Al-Khampis and spend a little more time with that Swordmaster in more than just a bed.

That would not be the only time the Swordmaster ended up in DeRosa's bed, or at least in some intimate scenario with the Red Mage.

Nobutsuna Kamiizumi knew better than to do this—he knew too well of the man's crimes from the past, and Kamiizumi knew he had his own crimes, too. Of course, he knew both had changed (at least somewhat) since then, but still. It was hard to think of Fiore DeRosa as a reformed man, but even if the man still was a total dandy and flirted with almost anyone (Kamiizumi himself included, especially), it was also obvious that the man did his research.

No wonder he got a position as Professor at Al-Khampis—all that experimentation did require a lot of hard work, Kamiizumi supposed, even if it was for evil doings. And to be fair, didn't places like Al-Khampis require people that did research?

Then again, that man's past schemes and methods (save for the somnial energy project that got shut down because that one was at least an attempt to do some good, even if at the cost of water that people needed) were just as revolting as Qada, and the Swordmaster swore that he would never trust a man like Qada again.

But Fiore DeRosa was not Qada. Qada was more blatant about his schemes and much less seemingly willing to change. DeRosa hid his own behind smiles, eloquently-said phrases and smooth, slick expressions. And to be fair, he had changed.

There was still this, however: DeRosa was much harder to read.

Kamiizumi didn't like that.

Also, there was no way in hell Kamiizumi would bed Qada, unlike DeRosa, because DeRosa was actually physically attractive compared to the slug. He could see why the women fell for his looks and charm, with or without that diabolical cologne.

He just never thought that he might like that, too.

It all started after the final battle against Diamante. People were celebrating the world being saved once more, and Kamiizumi was there when he heard that DeRosa reformed. Granted, the Swordmaster knew that DeRosa was now a professor and all, but he didn't know how much the other changed.

In Kamiizumi's opinion, not much. Sure, DeRosa at least sounded far less misogynistic than he used to be—and thank goodness for that, because Kamiizumi swore he'd punch DeRosa in the nose if the man hadn't changed that part of him—and of course there was the fact that DeRosa wasn't liquifying people left and right after seducing them, but…there was always something so off about DeRosa. Almost tempting, or intriguing. The Swordmaster couldn't put a finger on it—it was just an instinct he wasn't sure if he could trust.

It made him curious. Want to know more.

He just never expected it to lead him to bed.

See, he'd been so caught up in observing DeRosa whenever he had the time that he didn't realize the other noticed his attention. When DeRosa cornered him one night, Kamiizumi wasn't sure how to react, but at first blatantly denied having any romantic interest in him.

And it was true, Kamiizumi didn't feel that way towards him…but one proposition led to an eventual second, regardless of romance.

By the time a third one came around, the Swordmaster decided, despite how horribly wrong it might be, that he'd do it. DeRosa was offering, Kamiizumi got increasingly curious about it, and—

Fuck, I'll deal with consequences later.

Being in a civil war followed by travelling alone for about three years made him slightly more reckless. Just slightly.

"We really need to stop meeting like this."

"Why? Too ashamed of being with me?"

"It's not right. Us being together."

"For Crystals' sakes, it's not because of the fact that we're both murderers and nearly killed your former pupil is it? Because, I should reiterate, neither of us can judge each other based on that. And if we did, it would have to be by body count, which you clearly have more of compared to me!"

"Not counting all the Flories and Orochi killed for your cologne?"

"Okay, even if I counted those creatures, you still killed more actual humans than me and an overall higher body count. I never killed hundreds of thousands of people!"

"To be fair, a good portion of that was Qada's."

"How technical are we getting here?"

"As technical as we must get."

"That must serve as a fucking ego boost for you, isn't it? Comparing yourself to others on technicalities—all to make you feel a bit better when you're really not."

"…"

"You don't deny it?"

"My silence does not equate to full admittance."

"Or does it?"

"Push it any further or I swear that—"

"Or what? You'll cut me down?"

"You'll be moved back onto my own personal 'black as pitch' list—permanently."

"For crying out loud, you have one too!? I thought it was just your pupil!"

Nobutsuna Kamiizumi ended up bedding Fiore DeRosa despite their arguing, filled with rough scratches and heated kisses. And in the morning, despite everything that happened the night before, Kamiizumi found himself regretting it a bit less.

It was hard to keep his 'relationship' a secret from Minette, and Kamiizumi expected her to be the first to find out, if not Edea. He was just glad that, when Minette finally did, it wasn't while he was in the middle of a tryst with DeRosa but on his own terms of telling her straight-up.

"Mew're with him?"

"Yes, Minette. I am." He fidgeted a bit as he sat on the couch beside her in their small, humble home. "I know it's a bit sudden, but…promise not to tell anyone?"

"Especailly Edea?"

"Especially Edea."

"Do mew love him?"

His heart stung at the question. "I think I'm still trying to figure that out."

And that was all he could say, because that was true.

DeRosa wrapped his arms around Kamiizumi's waist, both of them curled up under the sheets. The Swordmaster was on his side, facing away from the Red Mage, but Fiore didn't mind. He just liked the contact they had—skin to skin, kisses against the back of his neck.

"Fiore?"

"Mm?" DeRosa stopped kissing his neck, opening his eyes. "What is it?"

A sigh escaped Nobutsuna as he turned on his side, now facing him. Tiredness sunk into his gaze. "Why do I keep coming back to you?"

DeRosa paused. He never thought so deeply about this sort of thing. Romantic relationships were not something he necessarily did, even if he fancied himself as the ladies man or Casanova who was still virile as ever.

"Well," He started, lifting a hand and running it through the Swordmaster's hair, "I imagine it's partially 'cause I'll be the best lay you'll ever have, but I assume you're thinking more than a physical level."

Kamiizumi frowned, but it was faint. He didn't push the other's hand off him, even when DeRosa moved his hand to briefly cup his cheek. "I think it's more than physical but…I don't know if it's love. I don't think it is."

DeRosa couldn't help but smirk, maneuvering himself so that he hovered above the Swordmaster on his knees, leaning down to kiss him. "You're lonely." He murmured. "You're lonely and you want connection with anyone or anything. You're scared of being alone in the end."

"I don't think anyone likes being alone." Kamiizumi murmured, but DeRosa couldn't stop himself from smiling as Kamiizumi followed that statement with a kiss.

"Why are you," Fiore murmured, "So hesitant about your own feelings? Do you think yourself to be selfish?"

"No."

"Then why the hesitation?"

He watched the Swordmaster close his eyes, still frowning, before his eyes opened and locked with DeRosa's own.

"It's the judgement. Not from me. It's everyone else that I'm afraid of."

"Well, that's just bullshit."

Kamiizumi gave him a look. DeRosa sighed, kissing the other's cheek, then his jawline. "People will disapprove of what you want or what you do, even if you aim to please. And honestly, you shouldn't be trying to please everyone. You do that too much."

"Do I?"

"Mhm." DeRosa nipped at his neck now, and he heard the other sigh, relaxing underneath him. "That's a pretty sound."

"Fiore, I'm gonna—" A groan escaped the Swordmaster as DeRosa straddled his hips a bit more firmly, just before kissing him on the lips. The kiss deepened, after a moment, and he felt Kamiizumi grip the back of his head to keep him there.

The Red Mage couldn't help but grin as Kamiizumi's grip on his head loosened, fingertips running through his hair, before DeRosa pulled his head back a little to breath.

"Gonna what?" DeRosa cooed, smirking at the other's flushing face. "Be ready for a second round?"

The Swordmaster sucked in a breath, his hand now cupping the Red Mage's cheek, before nodding.

"I'm ready."

With that, he kissed him.

The Swordmaster wasn't sure how to feel about him and Fiore DeRosa.

Sure, both of them did heinous things and also nearly killed Edea, his own pupil, on separate occasions. And sure, that was in the past.

Fiore DeRosa was enticing enough to be in bed with, he had to admit. And…maybe more, despite everything. Maybe DeRosa was right, about Kamiizumi wanting to please everyone.

Do I love him? He found himself repeating the question in his mind. What's stopping me?

He was afraid of the judgement, because he knew a lot of people would be pissed at this. He was especially, mostly, worried about how Braev, Mahzer, or Edea would react—especially Edea.

So he was shocked to learn from Alternis, two weeks later (and now about two months into whatever he had going on with DeRosa), that Edea found out.

He knew he couldn't just avoid her. He had to talk to her and explain, as best as he could, the situation between him and the Red Mage. He knew Edea had an unsavoury past with the man, and Kamiizumi knew he shouldn't be surprised if she was upset. But…he had to at least talk to her about it. Maybe talking it out would help.

Right?

"How long has it been going on?"

"Edea—"

Edea held up a hand, shaking her head as she put it down on the desk separating her from him. "Just tell me, Master. Please."

Kamiizumi saw the hesitance in her blue eyes, saw the disappointment grow as he answered her question. "I've been with him for…about a month. Maybe about two months, now. We've kept it under wraps the whole time."

"You never told me." Her words turned steely, and Kamiizumi swallowed.

"I didn't know how I fully felt towards him for at least the first month, Edea. And I knew you would disapprove. I know you and Fiore have your…past conflicts."

"You don't know what he tried doing to me, Master."

"And I'm not forcing you to speak up about it, if you're still uncomfortable about that. But just as much as he did heinous things—I did heinous things, too. And…we can't live in the past forever, Edea."

"I know, it's just…" A rough sigh escaped her, lips twisting. "I know we can't just live in the past, Master. But you're with…I just never thought you'd be with him. Like that."

"I wasn't expecting it either, but that's how it is." He tried not to sigh. There was no getting through to her, and he wasn't about to persuade her to start being nice to Fiore DeRosa, because he knew that would never happen. "And to be honest—if I'm capable of being forgiven and changing, he's capable of those things as well. It's not like he's out to destroy the world or something worse like those several years ago."

"Is he really…?"

"I'm not asking you to forgive him." The Swordmaster cut in, daring to look into her eyes. The disappointment hers became fury that she wouldn't unleash. He knew she wouldn't up and do that so easily, and that was his saving grace right now. "But I do ask that you try to be civil with him, and I'll ask him to do the same towards you. Try to move forward."

"No offense, Master," She finally snapped, "but I don't think I can."

"Edea—"

"Can you just leave me alone for a bit? Please?"

Kamiizumi booked it back to Al-Khampis, back to DeRosa, filling the adjunct professor's room with the smell of sex and sweat. Perhaps it was desperate to do that for relief, in such a short time, and Kamiizui knew that there were better things he could do, but that was what he defaulted to.

Again, being in a civil war and then travelling alone for about three years made him slightly more reckless. At least, that was what he thought.

Maybe he was just always reckless, all along.

DeRosa grimaced upon hearing all that happened, sitting up in bed. "So, Edea found out."

"Yes."

"And she's no longer talking to you."

Kamiizumi couldn't help but sigh, nodding, but he didn't bother sitting up. "Not for now. I don't know if she'll come around."

"I'm sorry."

Kamiizumi stared up at DeRosa, seeing the other's face. The Red Mage looked actually a bit upset at that. "You're…why…?"

The younger man sighed, shrugging. "Look, I know she'd be mad at me but that doesn't mean you being with me should mean she needs to extend her anger towards you. It's not fair for her to do that. At least, I don't think so. And since she's doing that, as you so eloquently told me just now, she's being a bitch."

The Swordmaster raised an eyebrow, sitting up this time as well. "She's still my pupil, Fiore. She and I have our conflicts. The topic of our relationship just happens to be the newest one."

"Alright." A pause, then, "To change the topic…I didn't want to tell you this, but we might not be able to meet up at Al-Khampis as much as we used to."

"We're not?" Sneaking off to Al-Khampis, to Kamiizumi, became something like a second home. Whenever he stayed the night with DeRosa, he usually just slept in the same room as him and snuck out in the wee hours of the morning. "What's happening with that?"

"I'm…going to be jobless and homeless in about a few months. Or at least, it's possible that could happen."

"Wait, what?"

DeRosa didn't look like he was joking. A rough sigh escaped him, before he ran a hand through his own red hair. "Thing is, I've been living at Al-Khampis for quite some time as an adjunct professor. Because my somnial energy project got shut down, no thanks to our new Grand Marshal, my position isn't as stable as it used to be—doesn't help that I lifted everyone's spirits about it for basically nothing. And on top of that, I overheard the headmaster and some other officials talking the other day about making a couple cuts. It's highly possible I might lose my position after this term is over."

"Crystals." Kamiizumi had a hard time believing that, for a moment. Last he heard, DeRosa had been doing relatively well as an adjunct professor and all, even if the project was shut down. He didn't realize it could be that bad over there.

The Red Mage kept talking, eyebrows furrowing. "Should it happen, I'd hope they're willing to let me at least stay through Christmas, but after that I need to find my own place."

"I see." The Swordmaster needed a moment to think. He had his own humble home, but it was already had him, Minette, Tsubaki and Bismarck in it. Then again…

He looked to the Red Mage, silent. He remembered what he said to Edea, about not living in the past forever.

Maybe this was a chance to move forwards. Probably a type of opportunity he never thought of, but it was still something.

"If you do lose your position, don't hesitate to stay at my home for a bit if you need to, until you find your own place."

DeRosa's eyes widened. "You'd…do that for me?"

"Yes." That reply came out faster than he thought, but Kamiizumi kept going despite it. "I've traveled by myself for three years with no permanent home before settling down again, recently. Being alone with no permanent home isn't something I necessarily wish on anyone, especially given circumstances such as yours. Just keep in mind that if you do ever come to my home, you'll have more than me to learn to live with."

"More than you—right. The cats and your daughter."

"Exactly."

"Well…" It was the Red Mage's turn to pause, before he gave one slow nod. "Thank you, for the open invitation. I'll keep that in mind, should the worst come to pass."

"You literally opened up your room and bed to me every time we met up for the past two months." Kamiizumi pointed out. "I'd like to be just as open to you. Provided we don't cause any disturbance to Tsubaki, Bismarck and Minette of course."

"Riiiiight." The younger man laughed a bit, a smile cracking on his face.

The Swordmaster, despite everything that went with Edea, despite knowing that he'd probably get in some amount of trouble with Braev and others later about this (and he didn't even want to get started on Einheria and anyone else who generally disapproved of Fiore DeRosa), smiled back at him.

Perhaps this was the strangest and newest relationship the Swordmaster was in, but it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. DeRosa still had another month and a bit to go until the term was over, and Kamiizumi still worked in Eternia's Central Command, teaching new pupils the way of the sword. Occasionally, it wasn't him going to see DeRosa in Al-Khampis, but DeRosa would visit him here.

Today was one of those days.

He didn't expect DeRosa to come so early in the morning, because the man usually despised waking up early to go anywhere if he didn't have to, but it was nice to see him.

"I'm not going to be able to bring those roses home until later today! You didn't have to…"

"I know. But I thought you'd like this, anyway." DeRosa extended the bouquet to him, and Kamiizumi gently accepted it. "You appreciate cats, so I thought you'd appreciate flowers."

"Cats and flowers are two different things, but I appreciate your attempt at logic."

"Hey! You like nature. And what kind of Red Mage would I be," Fiore gestured to his own red and blue outfit, laced with roses, "If I didn't have actual roses with me?"

Kamiizumi laughed, still holding the bouquet in one of his hands. The other gently rested on the Red Mage's shoulder. "True, I suppose. It's just so…romantic."

"That is what we are, isn't it? Romantic."

"We are."

DeRosa leaned forwards, to kiss the older man, but paused, eyes darting to the left and right. "You don't mind making it public now, do you? Edea already knows, anyway."

"Everyone will know at some point. Alternis and Minette already know. Braev will probably find out in due time." The Swordmaster cupped the younger man's cheek, before sealing his lips with a kiss. He let it last a moment, before pulling his head back to breathe, grey eyes locking with the younger man's matching ones. "I don't think there's much point in hiding it anymore."

DeRosa pulled him in for a deeper kiss, and several pupils of the Swordmaster, awaiting a lesson from him, ended up walking in on them both.

News of them really spread like wildfire after that.

This time, Kamiizumi didn't care. He was too enticed with the Red Mage to care, and he had more than enough trouble without thinking of what anyone thought of them together.