Notes: I wasn't going to post this, but Maria told me to so whatever.

I also decided to turn this into a series of drabbles/one-shots

Crumbling Walls

Yamuraiha prided herself in the barrier she had erected around Sindria - she considered it to be one of her greatest accomplishments despite the dangers it posed to her as a whole.

But there was another barrier she had built, whether it had been done in consciousness or not, she wasn't sure, but she knew it was there, guarding her. It was an impenetrable barrier that no amount of magic could ever ruin, one stronger than any borg a magician had managed to create. She wore it like a bulletproof vest beneath the flesh and bone, and it had done it's job all these years, or so she had thought.

There was one who managed to find its weakness and slip past it, engulfing her heart as a whole - and he didn't even know it.

Hell, she hadn't realized it until just recently, but it explained a lot. The hitch in her breath whenever he stretched and the muscles beneath his skin shifted, the skip-beat of her heart whenever he smiled, or the tug on her heart strings whenever he so much as passed by her, it explained it all. But it hurt at the same time - because no matter how much she claimed it, he wasn't stupid, just completely oblivious.

He'd left a week ago to escort a trade ship to Heliohapt, and she thought she'd be granted a peace from the emotions that had taken ahold of her during the passing days, but all she had been left with was a feeling that something was missing and a longing she couldn't quite explain. She'd taken to secluding herself in her room, occupied with nothing but her scrolls.

Rumors had begun flying around the palace, and she suspected it was no thanks to a certain not-as-innocent-as-she-seemed General. But there was no surprise there, and Yamuraiha wondered if there was any possible explanation she could come up with to combat it - but she was at a loss.

The rumors were true - she had hidden away in her room to distract herself from missing him. She indulged herself in her scrolls to suppress the feelings that had been building within her - and she began to wonder when she started caring so much.

And if that wasn't enough, just when her mind was finally beginning to get back on track, he returned, sending her emotions rampant and while she did her best to avoid him, it wasn't easy, especially when it seemed like Pisti had some kind of plan in mind. More than once, while walking with Pisti they'd passed his room, or his favorite spot in the courtyard, or even the training grounds while he was practicing.

And if that wasn't suspicious enough, he showed up at her door, in the middle of the night, two days later with a book in hand. A magic book.

"I'm willing to bet my shells that Pisti put you up to this."

He shook his head, the chain that hung from his ear jingling slightly. "I haven't seen Pisti since before I left."

She cast a questioning glance to the book and raised a brow in disbelief. "Right, because I haven't known you long enough to know that you're a terrible liar and you don't just happen to have magic books lying around."

He gave her a sheepish smile and she felt a pull in her chest. "Okay, so Pisti did send me up here, but the book wasn't her idea. I…saw it in Heliohapt and…I didn't know if you already had it or not but…"

Despite his lack of suavity in the situation, she was oddly touched. She took it from him and opened it, quickly skimming its pages before letting out small laugh.

"If you're going to laugh at me, I'll just take it ba-"

"I've been looking for this book for years."

She turned away from him and retreated into her room, her nose still buried between the pages. The formulas and symbols were new to her and the thought of being able to decipher them was enough to put her in a giddy mood.

"You're welcome!" He called from the door, sounding almost…miffed.

"Goodnight, Sharrkan."

There was a huff followed by the sound of retreating footsteps.

Smiling, she plopped onto her bed and continued leafing through the pages. She had failed to notice the small white slip of paper that had been hiding in the pages until it fluttered out and landed at her feet. A good portion of it was scribbled out, and the words beneath her completely obscured, but after careful inspection, she was able to make out two of them: her name followed by the world beautiful.

He's such an idiot, she whispered to herself and seized a brush from her desk.

When Sharrkan woke the next morning, there was a small white slip sitting on his bedside table. He thought nothing of it, until the indentation of her name caught his eye. He swore. He'd been careless, forgetting to take that note out of the book before giving it to her,and he could only hope that someone else had found it - he wouldn't be able to look at her without burning with embarrassment if she had.

He seized the parchment from the table, ready to crumble it, but stopped as the writing on the back came into view. His face was already flushing with embarrassment - he'd recognize that handwriting anywhere.

Sharrkan,

You're an idiot. But thank you for the book.

-Yamuraiha.

Oh…and you should say what's on the other side in person, you big chicken.