Even Though, I love you

An audiance pooled into the colleseum like a swarm of hungry flies. This match would be a good one. Prince Marth readied himself behind the scenes, taking a deep breath and making a good atempt to remain composed. The gaunt boy stood stifly, a hand planted firmly on his scabbard. His icy, blue eyes darted among the faceless shapes calling his name. He walked onto the feild, holding great dignity in his straight stance. The crowd roared in excitement. "MARTH, MARTH, MARTH!" They screamed and countless women leaned over the edge to get his attention. He ignored them, taking centerfeild.

The blue-haired boy waited for his unknown opponent to reach him. The other man was taller than him, with steeley blue eyes and wild blue hair. Marth coughed as his heart raced, his asthma. The other swordsman bore a cocky smile that infuriated Marth deep down to his core. "Ike and Marth have taken centerfeild!" A voice cried. Marth looked up curiously at Ike as the male extended a muscular arm. They shook hands repectivly, Ike's large hand closing around Marth's small, soft one. "May the best brawler win." Ike chuckled, backing up. Marth huffed. "He must think I'm a woman!" He thought bitterly.

Marth unsheathed his silver sword quickly, ready for battle. Ike on the other hand, had Raggnir planted firmly in the ground, his arms draped over it cassually. "Cocky Bastard..." Marth hissed under his breath, icy, emotionless eyes narrowed. Ike yawned and waited for the starting bell. It rang out, echoing and Marth sprang into action, using his intense speed to dash up to Ike, planning a quick stab. Marth was alarmed by how Ike remained unmoving, even as his sword came near him and he faltered, stumbling. Ike took his chance kicked Marth onto the ground, picking Raggnir up. Marth, still confused by the last blow recieved a firm punch to the chest. He coughed and rolled out of the way just in time to dodge a heavy blow from Raggnir. Ike went to recover and lift the sword again but Marth was too fast, knocking his legs out from under him and standing. He rushed toward Ike again and slashed, feeling the blade tear at cloth and then flesh.

Ike groaned in pain and stood, grabbing Marth by the sleeve. He punched the other male in the face and then kneed him in the stomach. Marth doubled over in pain and Ike planted a heavy, blood-splattering blow to Marth's backside. The smaller boy hit the ground with a thud and remained unmoving other than the heaving breaths that rasped from him. Ike grabbed him by the back of his hair and lifted his head up, causing him to cry in pain. Ike slapped him firmly across the face. Ike proceeded to lift Marth up by his blue hair, until he was standing, blood covering his face. "Fight me like a man." Ike egged him on, swinging Raggnir and shoving Marth forcefully. Marth, full of new hatred began a dancing flurry of furious slashes, most of them catching the extra cloth of Ike's outfit. Ike smirked. Finally, a powerful opponent. Marth grabbed Ike by the sleeve, imobilizing him just enough the slice him across the cheek. The crowd boo'd as more and more blood was drawn from both boys. Someone had to die.

Marth whimpered and attempted at standing up straight, one eye shut tight from where he'd been slapped. Ike looked up, covering the slice over his cheek, scarlet blood drizzling between his fingers. The mersenary then lunged forward and grabbed Marth by the throat, forcing him to the ground again. The match was obviously one sided. Marth just couldn't hit the powerful man. At every atempt, he was thrown to the earth again. The altean didn't dare stand again and remained motionless on the ground, sides heaving. Ike chuckled. "WE LIKE IKE! WE LIKE IKE!" The crowd roared and Ike sheathed his sword, victorious.

It would take quite some time to sort this one out. Marth was not in good shape. Ike, being the decent man he was, scooped the mangled prince into his arms and with the help of two Alloys, he slowly limped to the medical wing. The alloys took Marth to a seperate bed and Ike sat on another. Peach, the nurse came in and smiled sweetly at Ike.

"What have we here? Let's see. Ouch, those look pretty bad. I'll get some Dream Water." She said, skipping over to a shelf full of various healing potions, herbs and medicines. The princess grabbed a small vile full of purple water and returned to Ike. "Dream Water can heal scars, but takes longer than other healers. You've got a pretty nasty slice on your face, we want that to heal neatly, not into a scar." She explained, dropping the weightless liquid on a cloth. entered and checked Marth. He made a few 'tsk tsk tsk's and went into the other room to get something to clean the poor boy up.

Ike winced. Marth's condition was critical, his face swollen and his body gored and battered. The slender Prince's pretty face was scrunched into a pained expression. Ike had to admit, at first he'd believed Marth was a woman because of his rather feminine body and pretty face. He still found Marth to be pretty, even if he was a man. It was fine for Ike to think Marth was pretty right? Ike shook the thoughts away. Mario re-entered the room with a small damp cloth, accompanied by the Toadstool Princess carrying a small ceramic bowl. They washed Marth's body, finishing once he was no longer bloody and the white cloth was stained pink.

Peach turned to Ike. "The water will heal him now. Will you be a dear and bring him to his room? You know where it is right?"

Ike nodded. "Yes, isn't it right next to mine? Because we're from the same universe."

Peach giggled and nodded in return. "Yes, yes. Room Eleven, connected to yours, Room Ten."

Ike sighed and already feeling much better say for some aches and pains, slid off his bed and walked over to the fallen Prince, scooping him up. Marth groaned painfully in his sleep and wrapped his arms around Ike's neck instinctivly, earning a pink face from the mercenary. Peach giggled knowingly and pranced out of the room to tend to Fox.

Ike kicked his door open and walked into the blue-grey depths of his sancturary. He did most of his thinking here, alone. This was acctually the first time anyone else had been in here with him. He had been aware of Marth's presence, hearing him next door cooking and various other things, but he'd never acctually seen or spoken to the altean. He slid open the divider door between the two rooms and walked in. Marth's room was extreamly tidy and clean. Ike wouldn't be surprised to see sparkles in the air, or his reflection in the walls. He snorted and walked to the large bed Marth slept in alone and placed the blue-haired boy in it. Marth mumbled something in his sleep and rolled onto his side, making his hips appear even bigger. Ike chuckled and took that moment to gaze around the room. He looked under the bed curiously and found that it, too, was spotless. Not even one book or sock thrown under. "Neat Freak." He growled, straitening up.

"I do take that to offence." Ike jumped at the soft yet irritated voice. He spun around to see that Marth's icy, expressionless eyes were open and narrowed.

"I'm sorry...I uh...the nurse asked me to bring you up." Ike tried to explain why he was in another man's room and looking under his bed like some nosey theif.

"Well I suppose I should thank you. That doesn't, of course, give you the consent to snoop around my house." The altean was thuroughly aggitated as far as Ike could tell.

"I said I'm sorry, all right...it's just so clean in here." Ike grumbled, shifting in the stiffness of the air.

Marth snorted. "Right, well, I'd like to take a shower so if you don't mind..."

"Right, right. Cya later maybe?"

"Hopefully not."

"...nice to talk to you too..." Ike let himself back into his own room and slammed the door. What a snob.