My name is Edea Lee, daughter of the Templar, and right now I can't get this stupid grin off my face!

What was I even smiling for? It was just Ringabel after all. And Ringabel was a pig, a perverted womanizer; a philanderer! And yet…Argh! I just don't know why I care about that fool!

I must have expressed my frustrations aloud because, next thing I knew, the man in question was now walking alongside me, looking at me with concern.

"Are you quite alright, my dear?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I huffed, quickening my pace. Ringabel was just a friend, right? Besides, he could be practically unbearable at times! He was just a friend, nothing more. But what if... no, no, no! Bad head, stop making me think those things! But if… No! No ifs, ands, or buts! Ringabel is, and always will be, just a friend, so stop imagining those images, you stupid mind!

I was so busy shaking my head to clear my mind of those images that I forgot to watch were I was going. My foot got caught on a loose board, causing me to trip and fall. But, of course, Ringabel caught me before I hit the ground.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked again, once I had gotten back on my feet.

"Yes, I'm fine," I growled, storming ahead. I made sure to watch where I was going this time.

Thankfully, Ringabel kept is mouth shut during the remaining walk back to the inn, although he kept giving me sideways glances as we walked down the hall to the bath.

"We're here," I announced once we were in front of the door.

"Ah, yes, it seems we are," Ringabel half-whispered. Then, with a bow, he added, "Thank you for assisting me, milady."

Ugh, did he have to do that? And he talked as if he thought I was going to leave, but I wasn't budging. Ringabel stood there for a few moments, looking at me with confusion, while I simply stood there, arms folded.

"Ah, um, aren't you going to return to your room and retire for the night?" Ringabel asked.

"Nope"

He sighed."And I don't suppose there is any way I could change your mind, is there?"

"Once again, nope."

Ringabel smiled grimly, "Not even with sweets?"

"Not even that," I replied, "Besides, the Proprietress is surely asleep at this hour, and I highly doubt she'd be too happy if you used her kitchen without permission."

"Heh, I do suppose you've got me there," Ringabel admitted.

"Yup. Now, be a good boy and strip."

Ringabel's face turned a bright red, making him look like a tomato. He babbled some incoherent nonsense, and I turned my back to him, chuckling.

I sat down on the counter of the sink, and I heard Ringabel fumbling about as he tried to remove his clothing.

"Need any help?" I asked, teasing him.

"N-no, I-I'm fine, I've got it," he stuttered.

I chuckled. Oh, how I loved to tease him. Ringabel looked so cute when he was flustered. Wait, what?

Soon enough I heard the sound of clothes hitting the floor and then the squeak of the faucet and the sound of the water filling the tub. After a short while I heard the squeak of the faucet again and the running water stopped. I heard a groan as Ringabel lowered himself into the tub with a sigh, the water making a small splash.

During the next few minutes, I grew bored, and began to kick my feet back and forth. The only sound was that of the water gently sloshing about. It was too quiet and I couldn't stand it.

"Ringabel-," I began before I was cut off by a loud splash.

Startled, I jumped off of the counter, whirling around to face the source of the sound. "Ringabel, are you-."

"I'm fine," he interrupted, "you just startled me is all. I had forgotten you were still in here." Ringabel had one hand covering his now-reddened face, and the other held out infront of him, as if trying to block my view, although though the tub covered most of him, anyway.

"Oh, okay," I sighed, "that's good."

Ringabel was no longer hiding his face, and instead he sunk lower into the tub, as if trying to turn invisible, his face still flushed a bright red.

"Well, it was getting too quiet in here anyway," I commented, "Maybe we could we could talk, or something."

Ringabel looked at me blankly for a few moments, blinking. Then, giving me a questioning look, he simply states, "You're weird," before continuing his task.

"What, and you're not?" I countered, scoffing.

"Touché," Ringabel chuckled, smirking.

"At least I got you to smile," I pointed out.

"I always smile in your presence," he declared with a grin.

"Those false smiles earlier don't count," I told him.

Ringabel's smile vanished like a puff of smoke, transforming into a dejected grimace. He hung his head, sighing, "I'm sorry, I do not enjoy lying to you like that. I-I'm just so accustomed to hiding my deeper emotions, concealing my weaknesses. I just don't want to be a burden to anyone, least of all to you."

"You remind me of someone else I knew," I said.

"Alternis Dim." That's wasn't a question, that was stated as a fact.

After a few moments of silence I asked him, "It's true isn't it? You were the Dark Knight Alternis Dim."

Ringabel shook his head somberly, "Not were, I am Alternis, always have been."

"But you're Ringabel," I objected, "Just because your memories are returning doesn't automatically make you the person you were before!"

He sighed deeply, "Only for a short while longer will I really be the man known as 'Ringabel'. Once all of Alternis's, no, my memories have returned, I doubt I will really know who I am anymore."

I reflected upon my thoughts for a moment before I came to a conclusion. "Well, it doesn't matter who you were, are, or will be, because, at least to me, you have always been, and always will be, the Ringabel I know and love."

Ringabel's stared at me, his eyes widening in surprise, and I could feel my cheeks flushing hotly as I realized what I had said.

"I-I mean, like a friend! Completely platonic friendship! Nothing romantic at all! Nope, nada, not at all!" I was rambling at this point, so I highly doubt I sounded even remotely convincing. Hell, I even doubted if I was being truthful, even in my frantic state.

Abruptly, Ringabel starts cracking up. At first a small chuckle that quickly turned into a full-blown guffaw.

"Hey, quit laughing at me," I shouted, pouting.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he apologized, struggling to catch his breath. Still struggling to contain his snickering, he continues, "You're just so adorable when you are all flustered like that."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

In control of his breathing once me, Ringabel replies with a genuine smile, "I mean just what I said, Edea."

"Oh, just can it, Ringabel," I grumbled, "This isn't the time for your casanova attitude."

"I'm being serious," he replied, his expression confirming that he was, indeed, serious. "I really do love you."

I had no idea how to respond to that, so I just stood there in shock, looking like an idiot. Then I punched him in the shoulder.

"You're going to be the death of me one day," Ringabel said, rubbing his arm where I had hit him.

"Good," I answered.

The both of us began breaking into laughter. We laughed until we were both gasping for air, giggles still bubbling to the surface every once in a while.

"Well, it seems that we've been talking for so long that the water has gone cold," Ringabel began, after we had settled down, "and I have yet to wash my back and hair. Guess I'll just have to deal with the cold."

"I could do it," I offered, "It would get the job done faster."

Ringabel was silent for a second before nodding. "Alright."

I knelt down beside the tub, Ringabel's back facing me. I poured a handful of soap onto his drenched back and began to lather it. Upon closer inspection I noticed that his back was toned and the muscles well-defined. However, I also noticed that he was covered in scars, bruises and other assorted injuries, some faded and others more recent. When my hands touched the marked areas he tensed up, as if wincing in pain. These couldn't have been from the battles we had all fought along our journey, could they?

"No, these aren't from any of the enemies we've faced," Ringabel said, interrupting my thoughts as if reading my mind, "Agnes is an excellent healer. I only have a few marks here and there from our adventure across these multiple Luxendarcs. Most of those are from, ah, before."

"Most of them?" I repeated, putting emphasis on the "most"."What of the others that weren't from before."

"Nothing you should be concerned with, my dear," he sighed, dismissing my question with a wave of his arm.

"No, I should be concerned," I insisted, grabbing his wrist. I gasped at what I saw. His arm was also covered in scars. I recognized these kinds of scars. He wasn't, he couldn't have been…

"Ringabel," I said, my voice barely a whisper, "Tell me the truth. Have- have you been harming yourself?

Ringabel bit his lip, turning his face away from me as if ashamed.

"Ringabel, please," I pleaded, "Be honest with me. I-I can't bear to not know why you're in such pain. Why have you been doing this? Please, just tell me, I'm begging you!" I could feel the tears welling up in the back of my eyes.

"It's the nightmares," Ringabel manages to choke out, "It's those damned nightmares." I had let go of his arm at this point and he was covering his face with his hands, sobbing.

"Ringabel, please, just tell me. Why are these nightmares causing you so much pain as to cause you to do this?" I continued to rub his back, more out of comfort than anything.

Ringabel takes his hands away from his face, and gazes up at the ceiling, tears streaming down his face. "Every time it's the same thing. Every night I have to watch you, Tiz, and Agnes die before me. Over and over I watch as you are slain right before my eyes. I just stand there helplessly as your life is taken away by some terrible monster. And there is nothing I can do to stop it."

"Shhh, it's alright Ringabel, we're here. I'm right here," I said, trying to comfort him, "And we always will be. But, please, you need to tell us about these things. I feel guilty for not knowing how much pain you've suffered. Please, you need to tell me when you're hurting. I'll always be there for you, like you're always there for me. Sure, you can be a real pain in the ass sometimes, but you're an essential part of our team. You're our friend. And it makes me sad that you still feel as though you need to hide from us. Listen; from now on you're gonna tell me when something's wrong all right? And we'll kick those nightmares right into Mount Karka!"

Ringabel chuckled. "How can you kick something that isn't physical? I appreciate the gesture but it's not possible."

"Well, I can still try!" I declared, standing up and clenching my fists, "Ain't nothing gonna escape the power of Edea Lee!"

Ringabel shook his head, chuckling, "You really are something."

I laughed as well, "Hahha, I try."

"Anyhow," I began, sitting back down, "I really ought to finish washing your back and hair. The water must be freezing by now."

"Hahaha, well I can tolerate it for a little longer. Besides, as long as you're by my side, I'd be willing to travel to the moon and back."

"The moon?" I scoffed, as I rinsed off his back and poured water over his head to get his hair damp, "What a silly idea, traveling to the moon. How would you even do that?"

"You never know," Ringabel replied, "If Grandship can fly, maybe someday people will be able to fly to the moon someday."

"Maybe," I said as I ran the shampoo through his hair, "but still sounds silly. Why would you even want to go to the moon?"

Ringabel shrugs. "I don't know, it just seems interesting. Like, space is supposedly a vast infinite void. Yet, we don't know for sure what's really out there."

"I suppose you're right," I chuckled to myself as I began to take bunches of his platinum-blonde hair, forming the soapy locks into little ponytails.

"What are you doing?" Ringabel inquired. Oops, looks like I had been caught.

"Just playing with your hair," I explained, "Mother always messed with mine when I was little."

Ringabel chuckled, "And I vaguely remember some evil little girl who was always trying to put her adopted brother's hair into pigtails all the time."

I gave his hair a quick tug at the "evil" comment before chuckling at the memory of a young Alternis wandering the halls with his hair in several little ponytails tied with assorted colors hair bands.

"Okay, you're done," I announced once I had finished rinsing his hair.

"What, already?" Ringabel whined, "I hoped to be serviced by my angel a little longer."

"Don't make me regret doing this," I said, throwing a towel at him.

"I won't," he promised, toweling off his we hair," Although I will have to return the favor someday, Edea."

"In your dreams, Ringabel," I scoffed,"But from now on you need to tell me when you're troubled, okay?"

I faced towards the door to offer Ringabel some privacy while he finished drying off.

"Once you've finished drying off, we're heading back to our rooms," I told him.

"Can't I at least get dressed first?" he asked.

"No," I answered, "those clothes reek, Ringabel. I won't allow you to get that stench all over yourself just after you've taken a bath."

"But it's cold," Ringabel whined.

"Don't be such a baby, our rooms are right upstairs," I said, "besides. You put up with the cold bath water so you can survive a twenty second walk."

"Fine," he grumbled, leaving the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

We walked back to our rooms quietly, and the only noise breaking the silence was the creaking of the wooden boards beneath our feet.

"Hmm, how peculiar," whispered Ringabel, peering into the darkness of his room, "Tiz isn't in his bed."

"Maybe he got up to get a glass of water or something," I shrugged.

"Perhaps," Ringabel murmured in reply.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go back to my room now. See you in the morning," I said, turning away and beginning to talk a step towards my own room.

"Edea, wait," he called, grabbing my wrist, "please."

I turned back to face him again, asking, "What is it, Ringabel?"

"Stay with me," he replied.

"Ringabel, w-what-," I stammered, warmth crawling up my cheeks.

"I need your presence by my side," Ringabel whispered, "at least for little while. Please."

Oh, so that was all. "Ah, alright, just let me get something from my room."

Ringabel nodded, going into his own room, and I walked down the hall to my own. I was about to open the door when I heard voices coming from within. I listened closer and was able to detect the voices of Tiz and Agnes. Ah, so that's where he was, that sly dog. Chuckling softly to myself, I doubled back and returned to the other room and found Ringabel already dressed, well, in his drawers and a night shirt, anyway, and lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Not tired?" I asked, pulling a chair up next to the bed before sitting down.

"No, not really," Ringabel replied, "did you find what you needed?"

"Nah, it wasn't important anyway," I told him, "but I do know where Tiz ran off to."

"Oh, really? Do tell."

I jabbed my thumb in the direction of the wall that separated the girls' room from the boys'.

Ringabel raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "With Agnes, eh? I never imagined that Tiz would have ever been able to get into her bed."

"Oh, be quiet, Ringabel," I said, lightly punching his shoulder. We both laughed.

"If only this happiness could last forever," Ringabel sighed.

"Well, it can't," I replied, "without the bad times you can't properly appreciate the good times."

"Heh, I suppose you're right, Edea."

"Um, is there anything I can do to help you sleep?" I asked, "Tea, a story, maybe a song? Although I'll admit I'm not the greatest singer in the world."

"Well, there is one thing," Ringabel replied, grinning cheekily.

"I can, and will, flip this bed over if you keep that up."

"I don't doubt that," Ringabel chuckled.

I sighed, leaning my back up against the chair. "Ugh, I'm not that tired either, but we need to sleep. We've got another crystal to awaken tomorrow."

Ringabel nodded. "Yes, we all need to get a good night's rest. However, even if you do fall asleep, you aren't going to get a sufficient amount of rest in that chair."

"Well, where else do you expect me to sleep?" I huffed, "I don't want to use Tiz's bed in the off chance he does come back."

"Oh, well, you could always, um…" Ringabel began, struggling to get the words out, "you could, ah, sleep here in, uh, my bed."

"I'm gonna flip the bed."

"No, wait, please!" he protested, "I-I swear, my intentions are pure!"

"Uh-huh," I responded, still not believing him."

"B-but if you truly still doubt me," Ringabel added, "I can just sleep on the floor and let you have the bed. After all, you need your rest more than I d-"

His words were cut off as I kissed him. At first his eyes were wide with shock, but then his face softened, closing his eyes and kissing back.

"No one is sleeping on the floor," I said once we broke apart, "I'll take you up on your offer."

Ringabel seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as I got under the covers.

"But no funny business," I warned him one last time as I settled in.

"I would never dream of it, my angel."

For a second I considered pushing him out of the bed, but I was tired. I closed my eyes, allowing the comfort of sleep to surround me.