Okay... whenever there's a short chapter, I'll try to do a double. Happy? Hope so. Enjoy!

Ike sent a text message to Lyn, telling her to stay at the Assist Trophy homes for a while to give Marth some space. He had realized that he was the only one who could do this—the boy that Marth had known the longest. He knew that Pit and Pia and Link and Zelda needed each other alone. Now he needed to help Marth alone.

Ike found Marth in his bedroom, on the bed. He was still in his clothes, even though it was getting late. Ike checked the clock. Almost seven, but it was already dark outside. Ike lit some candles, to make it homier.

Marth lay on his back, with his hands folded over his stomach. His face was tense, and his mouth was taut. It was hard to see under Marth's bangs, but Ike guessed that he was scowling. Ike wondered if he was asleep. His question was answered momentarily.

"That you, Ike?" Marth's voice sounded a bit cracked. He didn't open his eyes.

"Mmmm. Are you okay?"

"That depends. Do you define 'homicidally angry' as okay?" Marth opened his eyes, and his face softened. "Where'd everyone go?"

"Link and..." Ike sensed impending danger in Marth's clenched fists. "Ummm... Link and the princess went home. Pit and Pia did too. I told Lyn to stay at her Assist Trophy home. I figured you needed some time... alone."

"You figured right." Marth rolled over to face Ike, his head resting on his hand.

"Seriously, though, are you okay?"

"No."

"Do you want to talk? About it?"

"Not really."

Marth rolled over again, this time with his back to Ike. Ike turned to leave, but stopped when Marth spoke again.

"Ike?"

"Yeah?"

Marth turned toward Ike. His bangs covered his eyes again. "Why does everything... always happen to me?" A tear rolled slowly down his cheek.

Ike sat on the side of Marth's bed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean Zelda, I mean Altea, I mean my name, I mean losing Roy. Heck, losing everyone. I mean getting gay accusations all the time. Everything."

"Well, heck, Marth, people in the real Worlds don't even think you exist. They know you can't retaliate. I mean for your name, and being called a girl and stuff."

"Mmmm. And the real bad stuff?"

Ike sighed. "Maybe... it all happened for a reason. Maybe it's for the best?"

Marth was quiet for a long time. He put his head down as he spoke. "Ike. If Altea—if the whole of Akeneia—hadn't been destroyed, I would have been the emperor of the kingdom of Akeneia. Married... and with my sister by my side. I would have met you anyway when I came here. And Lyn and Roy... they'd have their families back too."

"But there are bad things about that too. I mean, there are more bad things than good—way more—about that, but... look. If you had gone according to the game, you pretty much would have been an pricky emo king. Not the awesome prince you are now." Marth smiled at that weakly. "And Lyn," Ike went on, standing up. "She woulda had to leave Hector anyway, but we couldn'ta been together. Roy'd still be being hounded by like fifty girls—well, that's not exactly bad, but still. Um... so, yeah. It'd be different here if that hadn't happened." Ike hoped, really hoped, that Marth would be comforted by his words.

Marth sat up, and Ike sat down next to him again. "You're right, Ike," Marth said blankly. "You are one hundred percent correct. But would it really be so horrible if... if I had... my sister and girlfriend back?" His voice trembled. "Is that too much to ask, dammit?"

"How much do you think I want my parents back?"

"Mmmm. Are you through talking about this? I think I'll have a nervous breakdown if I dig any deeper."

"Yes, how about we be done now?" Ike got up. "Wanna sleep together in the two-bed room tonight?" Ike blushed as soon as he finished. Marth cracked up. Soon, he was nearly crying from laughter. Ike laughed too. It felt good to laugh. And to hear someone laugh with you, especially when both of the laughers had been really sad a moment before.

"Oh... ha... oh my God, you wonder—" he paused to laugh more. "Ha, you wonder why everyone thinks we're gay. Next time, just—ha... ha...—just say, 'Wanna sleep over, non-yaoi?'"

"Well, wanna?"

Marth shrugged. "What the heck. Sure."

Ha ha. I guess once you're older, it's kind of hard to ask someone to sleep over, especially when you live in the same house but in separate rooms. As for the abrupt change of mood... Marth's feelings might not be completely suppressed.