Though there is no romance in it, to get to part 1 go to my profile and read the first chapter of Gain a Friend, Lose a Friend
Gain-a-Friend-Lose-a-Friend
Peach strolled down the hall, making her way to the dining room to have lunch with her fellow fighter when she heard a door opening down another corridor. Out of simple curiosity she stepped back and peeked around the corner and then took in a sharp gasp.
Marth, along with many others sat enjoying a hardy Cesar salad when a sudden yell caught their attention.
"MAAARTH!" Came the princesses voice as she charged through the door. The whole room seemed to jump in surprise, especially Prince Marth who nearly choked on his food. Before he could respond he quickly swallowed and dabbed his mouth with a nearby napkin. Just as he finished wiping Peach gripped either side of his head and forcibly turned it to face the door behind him.
The prince made a noise of discomfort and was about to question the woman when his eyes fell on the man in the doorway. His heart leapt as the room seemed to freeze, every sight, sound and feeling disappeared as his mind focused on him. The royals napkin dropped to the floor, thought his mind was to fixated to notice and his throat clogged, tears close to welling up. The room stood at a standstill as people glanced between the two men who only saw one another. The silence was finally broken when the man in the doorway said in a soft loving voice.
"Marth." At the near whisper of his name a flurry of emotions hit the royal as tears formed.
"Ike." He called back, his voice cracking as he attempted to hold back the emotions. He gripped his chest, feeling as if his heart would leap out.
"Okay everyone, lets take our tea in the garden." Peach suddenly called.
"What? Why?" Mega Man asked, only to have Peach grab his arm.
"I'll explain later, for now everyone give them some privacy." She ordered, a rare instance to be sure. Aside from the odd complaint or puzzled look from the new comers, the rest left quietly, emptied the dining hall in less then a minute.
There was another pause of silence as the two tried to settle their emotions, forcing themselves not to rush to each other for an embrace. Ike had a slightly easier time, having held his emotions down since he had first received his invitation, but now having the royal in front of him shook his whole body, emotionally and physically. It had been so long and resisting the desire to sweep Marth into his arms again was like holding down a dragon, extremely difficult and painful.
Finally the prince stood, his entire body shaking as he forced himself to slowly walk over to the taller, wiping away the tears he wouldn't let fall. Even when the two stood barely a foot apart, the royal kept his gaze down in both embarrassment and fear that looking at the other would cause his heart to feel as if it stopped.
"You're shaking." Ike stated, struggling to keeps his hands at his sides.
"I know, sorry." Marth apologized, holding one shaky hand with the other. "I'm just so happy." he said, finally looking up at Ike, a smile unmatched by any before in beauty and happiness. Ike smiled as well, feeling blessed and sane again to see the smile he loved so much after so long.
"You've grown." The prince pointed out with a sniff, feeling as if his heart had finally began to beat again. "Though it has been a while." He said with a somewhat forced laugh.
"Yeah, over two years." This caused the royal to pause again, this time in not only shock but confusion.
"Two years? Ike, it hasn't even been a year."
"What?" the mercenary asked, now just as lost as the other.
"Wait, Ike, how old are you?"
"20, I'll be turning 21 in a few months." Ike explained, receiving a shocked look from the shorter.
"I've only just recently turned 19." Said the prince, bringing on another silence. A year and a half, an extra year and a half has been added to their age difference. When in the last months of Brawl the two celebrated their 18th birthdays, now Ike was almost two years older then the royal.
"They made me wait longer." Ike said, almost under his breath, anger began to sizzle within him.
"It doesn't matter right now." Marth said, noticing the mercenaries anger, placing a hand on the others forearm, an electric current going through them at the long desired contact. "What matters is that you're here, I'm here, we're together again." The prince smiled, forcing himself to let go before emotions ran too rampant. "Lets take a walk, catch up with each other."
Princess Peach and the robo-hero strode side by side down the path back to the mansion after talking their impromptu walk when they noticed the two blunettes strolling and chatting by the house.
"Ooh, Iiike, Maarth!" the royal called, skipping over to the two, an embarrassed looking Mega Man following behind.
"Soooooo, how are the two love birds doing?" She practically sang, clapping her hands together in glee.
Ike and Marth glanced at each other in awkwardness but quickly turned away as memories flooded back.
"Peach..." Came Marth, showing an expression that tried desperately to hold down sadness. "Ike and I aren't dating." There was a quick pause of silence before Peach asked.
"W-what? Why not, you two were so sweet!" she practically whined, having witnessed the two's relationship in it's prime.
"Th-thank you," The royal stammered, not sure whether he could still say that, and also suppressing the memories he had shared with this man. As was his typical behavior, Ike stood silently, trusting the prince to speak on his behalf. "but back before Brawl ended we promised each other we shouldn't immediately jump back into a relationship." This upset the princess more as she frowned, lowering her head.
"But why? You were so happy."
"Yes, but you are familiar enough with us to know we are logical thinkers." Marth said, bending down slightly to be on the same level as her, as if consoling a child. There was a random momentary glance between Ike and Mega Man which caused the robot to turn away in embarrassment.
"Ike and I didn't know how long or even if we would see each other again. Of course we're happy to see one another but we can't base our relationship on the past. It's been a long time and for all we know the two of us could have changed. The things we loved and admired about each other could no longer be part of who we are." The prince explained, gently combing his fingers through Peach's hair. "Do you understand?" Peach nodded, raising her head, allowing Marth to stand.
"Yes," She said with almost a laugh. "I'm sorry, I just go so excited, you know how I can be about relationships."
"Yes." The prince agreed with a smile.
"I just want you two to be happy."
"We understand and we thank you for having our best interests at heart, but we ask that you give us time to figure things out between us." Marth said, but then turned to the mercenary with a concerned look, realizing he had just contradicted himself. While in a relationship Marth was always the spokesperson being that his background had taught him to be so and that the royal knew Ike's feelings inside and out. Yet here he was explaining what Ike felt about how they didn't know what each other felt anymore, irony at its finest.
Marth received a reassuring nod that he had conveyed the mercenaries feelings well.
"Right, if you don't mind, I'll start spreading that info around so no one hounds you like I did." Peach turned, putting on a smile though her chest still hurt.
"I'd appreciate that." Said the prince, making sure to say I instead of we.
"Oh, and since I have you with me," Peach started, grabbing the shorter of the two silent males by the arm and pulling him forward, "Mega Man, this is Ike, Ike, this is Mega Man, who's actually quite famous in the industry."
"H-hello." Mega Man stammering slightly, holding out his hand to the other.
"I've heard good things." Ike said plainly, gripping the shorter's hand in a shake.
"It's good to meet you." Mega Man blurted out, pulling his hand to his side as soon as he could in embarrassment and an attempt to show respect. "I-I promise, whether you get together with Marth or not or some other man, I'll support you. I wont judge you on who you decide to love. I've battled with Marth before and he is a great swordsman and I'm sure you are too so..." the robotic boy spit out rapidly, almost at a speed that made the words unidentifiable. "I'm sorry." he apologized. "I've never met someone like you so,"
"Don't be," Ike butted in. "It's nice to have the support."
This WILL continue, just cuz I like Ike x Marth so much. ^^
When I heard Ike was returning I was in the middle of class and I literally screamed and only one person said anything. My gay friend came over and asked whats up and I pointed Ike out and we shared a girly scream and sissy fight of excitement before he focused back on his work, it was fun. I'm surprised the teacher didn't say a thing as the last half an hour of school was spent screaming and attempting to breath. At one point I actually ran out of the room to call my mom, though I decided to save it till I could tell her face to face.
I don't know if the fact that I was the only female in the room and am usually the only girl influenced them ignoring my fangasm but who cares, IKE!
I have been thinking of this story forever and am glad to finally be writing it. I wont be too long but hope you still like it.
The line "resisting the desire to sweep Marth into his arms again was like holding down a dragon, extremely difficult and painful." made Mom burst into tears instantly, then she made me cry, we're so sensitive.
I hope to have had a few surprises in there, the main one being that the two didn't get back together, but I see my reasoning totally making sense to them.
The thing about Ike being older now is based on the fact that he looks like he has aged more compared to Marth.
The line "There was a random momentary glance between Ike and Mega Man which caused the robot to turn away in embarrassment." was, as it said, rather random, but I just wanted to point out that they where still there and they did notice each other instead of just Marth and Peach having a conversation.