A Happy tale of Symphonia: chapter.11

Richter thought about the situation...But rather than stopping, he applied more pressure as he started to rub lower down Emil's waist, slipping the tips of his fingers under the boy's waistband.

"Richter-san….n-not there…" The boy panted, holding back a moan.

"Emil…" He whispered into the boy's ear, his hands trailing further down.

Although Richter wanted to ram the boy, he was content with just pleasuring the boy.

"R-Richter-san, No!" Emil blushed brightly, tickled from where Richter had touched him and almost instinctively moved in self defense as he elbowed the older man in the gut.

"Ngh...E...mil…." Were the last words of the man before he slid off the monster holding his stomach in pain, almost passed out.

"R-Richter-san!?" Emil cried, panicked and not sure what to do. "J-Jord stop!" Emil said. The most stopped, walking back to the older man and licked his face.

"Aroo!" He wagged his tail.

"Ugh…." He groaned.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Emil jumped down from the monster and quickly kneeled to the man's side.

"I'm a bit impressed you could pull of such an attack" Richter said, sitting up.

"R-Really?" Emil said, blushing in the fact that Richter was impressed with him.

"Yes...now let's go before the other two notice we've stopped moving. Emil nods and the two continue to ride on the monster...however, this time, Richter kept his hands to himself...however, that didn't stop Emil from fantasizing about what Richter was doing.

He threw his face into the monster's main, cheeks flushed red.

The older man rose a brow in question to the boy...finding the boy to be cute.

It wasn't long before they finally reached Iselia. Lloyd landed the Rheaird, putting it away after him and Zelos hopped off, greeting the two on the big fenrir.

Lloyd questioned Emil, who was leaned so forward that his face was stuffed in the fenrir's main, while the taller man wasted no time in getting off and adjusting his glasses.

"Hey four eyes, what happened to Emil?" Zelos asked, narrowing his brows.

"Nothing." He simply said, walking on ahead.

"Ah!" Emil quickly sat up, cheeks burning red. "R-Richter-san, wait for me!" Emil jumped down, allowing the fenrir to return to his monster pocket and catching up to the half elf.

"Eh? What's with them?" Zelos looked at Lloyd.

"Hmm…" Lloyd's gut told him something happened, he just wasn't sure what.

"Now come on brave hero, let's go find your little buddy" Zelos grinned, before walking away.

"Ugh...don't remind me" Lloyd sighed, following his lover.

Once the four of them entered the village, they decided it would be a good idea to visit the school first...although Emil was feeling nervous for some reason.

"Emil, what's up?" Zelos asked.

"W-Well...i...i guess because it's a school and i had never been into one before…"

"But didn't you come in here before?" Zelos said.

"Y-Yeah...But i was too blinded by my hate towards Lloyd...so…" He lowered his head.

"Oh yeah….right, sorry" Zelos looked away a bit, remembering the slight anger he held towards Emil for that when they had first met…

"Come on, it'll be fine Emil" Lloyd smiled. "Now you can enjoy it for the first time"

"Lloyd….Y-Yeah!" He smiled.

"..." Richter would have just walked in, knowing Emil would have just followed and gotten over it.

"Hey Lloyd...we were here when he told Colette about us"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Why didn't we just tell them while we were here?"

"B-Because...um...i-i don't know" Lloyd scratched the back of his head. Zelos chuckled.

"Lloyd! Zelos! And even Emil!" Genis called out.

"Genis!" Lloyd smiled at his friend..

"Lloyd, what are you doing here? Colette said that you had left already." Raine said.

"Professor" Lloyd turned his attention to the women. "We did...But…" Lloyd trailed off.

"We forgot some things here, that's all" Zelos said, throwing an arm around Lloyd's neck.

Genis was always a bit jealous of Zelos secretly. Being tall like Lloyd, and most of all...being so close with him, being the special friend that got to travel with Lloyd...Genis had always thought that he and Lloyd were best friends, so why did he travel with Zelos over him? Why did he start leaving Genis out of battle over Zelos?

"Glad to see you two are at least doing well." Raine said.

"And what about you Emil? Where's marta?" Genis asked.

"Huh?" It only just now hit Emil that no else knew about him leaving her.

"Yes, where is she? I assume she would be here since the two of you were so close." Raine said, crossing her arms a bit.

"Y-Yeah...uh.."

"And why is that Jerk with you?" Genis questioned, surprised by the half elf.

Emil was panicking, when suddenly Richter voiced.

"...You must be professor Raine" Richter suddenly approached the women.

"Yes, i assume that Emil told you more about me then if you're asking."

"Yes." He simply replied, scanning the women Emil seems to find amazing.

"...What do you want?" She asked, narrowing her brows a bit.

"I simply just wish to know more about you." He explained.

"...I see." She rose a brow in question.

Genis continued to question Emil.

"Well?" Genis asked once more.

"U-Uh...i..i thought it would be nice if….we...split up" He said nervously.

"What? But i thought you liked Marta?"

"I-I do! But…" Emil glanced at Richter for a moment.

"Hey Genis, let's talk for a minute!" Lloyd butt in, pulling the half elf away from the the blond boy.

"Yeah shorty, we need to talk. You can talk to Emil later" Zelos walked with Lloyd who was dragging Genis outside.

"What? L-Lloyd, Zelos!" Genis flailed to escape. But only to end in vain.

Emil chuckled a bit at the sight of the three, just glad he didn't have to explain the hole leaving Marta for Richter thing.

When Emil turned to see what Richter and Raine were doing, he was shocked to see how well they were getting along...in fact, they seemed delighted to have someone to talk to about history, ruins and other such things that could actually understand them.

"R-Richter-san….and Raine-sensai are...talking?" Emil couldn't believe it, especially after being at the tower of mana and Richter caller her out to be dumber than he was.

"Amazing! I had no idea you and Emil had found such a thing in the Balacruf ruins" Raine said, amazed by the other man's vast amount of knowledge.

"And you really are a profesore, and not some low class teacher." Richter replied.

"You must tell me more of your studies" The women asked with sparkles in her eyes.

"Well, me and Aster looked into more than just Ratatosk, so i have some papers i would be willing to let you read through." Richter pulled some papers and a book from his bag, setting it on the teacher's desk. Both going over some thing, pointing things out, stating their opinion on different matters.

"..." Emil felt completely shut out from their bubble, unable to understand anything that they were talking about.

"Sigh...i might look like Aster...But i don't have his brain, that's for sure" Emil sighed in defeat.

Emil wished that he could have gotten to know Aster...He was so angry at the humans and elves for killing his tree, not giving Aster a chance as a friend...or Richter...But then when he thought about how close he and Richter became, he realized...just...just how weak he really was to the half elf. Being killed by him so easily without demon powers, losing to him so easily with demon powers, and losing his heart and body to him easily as well. Emil blushed.

"Tch...I guess...i guess maybe...even if i liked Aster...i would have ended up being jealous of him...after all, he and Richter were really close…" Red eyes stared at the floor…

"Yeah...i mean, even if we could have all been friend's, Richter-san would have liked Aster way more then me...and that would also mean that our first meeting him in Luin would have never happened and...all those other things we did...they would have never happened…" Green eyes became full of tears.

"D-Don't cry you idiot!..." However, it's not like Ratatosk didn't feel the same way.

Emil looked back at Richter, who was looking through some of Aster's note.

"When he reads through those notes...i bet he wishes Aster were beside him again..." The boy continued to watch the other man…a thin stream of tears ran down his cheeks.

"Stop...Stop thinking like a stupid emotional girl…!" Red eyes once again in the place of green, thicker streams of tears flowed down.

Remembering all the travels he shared with Marta, Richter had always seemed to care for him...But in the end, he still chose to kill him for Aster...Aster will be, and still is, far more important to Richter then he ever will be….

"Dammit…!" He clenched his fists, unable to stop the tears, and made a run for the school exit before his quiet crying was heard by the two adult's.

"Emil./" Richter rose his voice, taking notice of the boy's sudden leave, going after him. Raine followed as well, worried for the blond.

Running out the door, he ran passed the three outside, making his way out of the village. It wasn't long after that Richter ran passed as well with Raine behind him.

"Emil?" Zelos a bit surprised by the three.

"Emil? Professor?" Lloyd also surprised and confused.

"Sis?"

"Emil!" Lloyd suddenly ran off to take chase to the four.

"L-Lloyd!" Zelos followed.

"Oh sure, leave me behind...Wait for me!" Genis complained before also giving chase.

I'm not Aster, i'll never be Aster, i won't ever mean more than Aster! Were the boy's thoughts, as he ran out the village.

"Emil!" Richter called out.

"Emil come back!" Lloyd called out as well.

"Emil-cahn, let's talk about this!" Zelos said, ready to fall over..

Raine and Genis behind as they try to catch their breath, both not made for this kind of running.

Emil could hear the other's calling to him...But he continued to run.

"What did you do to him!?" Lloyd shot a glare at the half elf, as they ran.

"You think i did this? Aren't very bright." Richter scoffed, trying to focus on running.

"Hey, it's not like you've ever given us a reason to like you" Zelos also shot a glare.

"Think what you will. But i need to find Emil" He said, looking away from the two.

"..." Lloyd let it go, as he was also worried for Emil.

Emil came to a halt at a big tree, As Ratatosk was done letting Emil be emotional…He realized something...something selfish of him deep down...

"Huff….Huff….Emil-chan, y-you okay" Zelos huffed, falling over, trying to catch his breath.

"Emil...what's going on?" Lloyd asked.

"Emil, explain yourself." Richter stood next to lloyd, eyeing the boy.

"...Shut up!" Ratatosk turned around to face the three, glaring as he drew his sword.

"..." Richter narrowed his his brows.

"O-Oi! Why are you pointing your sword at us!?" Zelos asked, surprised by the boy.

"Emil, talk to us!" Lloyd said.

"Shut up!" He looked at Richter. "Fight me." He glared.

"...What's the meaning of this?" Richter rose a brow.

"I-It doesn't matter!" He growled.

"...Very well then." Richter drew his weapons.

"What!?" Lloyd looked at the half elf, glaring.

"Hey, let's not fight guy's" Zelos said, waving his hands in front of him a bit.

"If he want's to fight then i'll fight. You two just stay out of it." Richter said, walking towards the boy, weapons ready.

Lloyd didn't like the idea. But he tried to have faith that maybe Richter had an idea, or maybe even knew what was causing Emil to act this way.

"Alright…" Lloyd wanted to have faith in the man...because Emil loved him.

"Lloyd…" Zelos held Lloyd's hand.

"Let's hurry up and get this over with." Richter scoffed.

"I couldn't agree more!" Ratatosk came at him. As the two were fighting and clashing with each other, Richter realized something...in all the times they had faced off against each other...Emil wasn't just losing out of the lack of strength. But because...he was hesitating to hurt him...and yet, he on the other hand never really held back when fighting the boy...

"Enough!" Richter swung the heavier hand axe, breaking the boy's guard and slashing him down with his sword.

"AGH!" Ratatosk cried, falling over, bleeding in a multiple places.

Lloyd hated not being able to do a thing, and was only able to continue to watch thanks to Zelos holding his hand the hole time. Zelos found it hard to watch…

"D-Damn…" He grunted, trying to sit up.

"What are you doing fighting all of a sudden? Much less holding back." He scolded.

"S-Shut up…!" He threw his sword, only to miss by a long shot.

"Now stop acting childish and talk. "He scoffed, staring down the boy.

"Why….Why can't i win!?" He yelled, shutting his eyes tightly as he dug his nails into the earth.

"..." Richter continued to watch the boy.

"And you...you would have killed me a long time ago if it wasn't for all of these people around me, along with this face you love so much!" He glared, holding back the tears.

" !?..." Richter was shocked to hear this, as his eyes widen for a moment.

"I mean, you would have done anything for Aster, even killing me…!" Ratatosk shook, unable to hold back the thin stream of tears.

"Emil…" Richter now understood the boy's reason for lashing out.

"E-Even if we had been friend, you would have still loved him more then me..!" Red eyes softened to green,dropped their gaze to the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"..." Richter wasn't sure what to say.

"Even after all the time we spent...all the feelings i had for you….you honestly tried to kill me for Aster...you...you even admitted that it was only my face that stopped you before….." He cried harder, putting his hands to his face.

"Emil…" Richter didn't know what to say...Emil had been right, it was all true….But was it still true anymore? Richter had decided to let go of Aster, letting him rest in peace...though it's not like he had much of a choice…

Lloyd and Zelos looked away, feeling the pain for their friend. There was nothing they could say...

"I felt like such a monster for killing Aster...b-but after coming to love you so much...i...i feel more like i monster then i did before, because i….i started thinking…maybe...maybe i was better off killing aster to be where i am now with you…!" He sobbed.

"I-I've never felt this way before...a-and i it's wrong of me to even think such a thing...especially because i know how much you loved Aster…" Sobbing, the boy explained hidden and hurt feelings that he had been bottling up for so long.

"..." Richter would have normally been angry hearing the summon spirit say such a thing about killing Aster...But...He had come to love the summon spirit, and enjoyed the time he spent with both sides of his personality's...in fact, Richter sometimes forgot his goal in killing Ratatosk because he enjoyed his time with Emil so much, feeling so carefree and...Happy.

Richter kneeled down to the boy, and wrapped his arms around him.

The boy had a surprised look on his face.

"Emil….I loved and always will love Aster...But...But if losing him means being able to make all of these new and wonderful memories with you...then...i don't regret a single moment."

"R-Richter-san…..?" Emil couldn't believe what Richter was saying.

"Emil...I will always treasure Aster...But maybe knowing him was just a big part of leading up to this moment...to meeting you."

"R….Richter-san you…." The boy clung to the man's coat, looking up at him with a runny face.

"I love you Emil…" He wiped the boy's tears, and held his face gently before kissing him.

Emil returned the kiss, so many feelings overflowing.

Lloyd and Zelos both shared a smile, relieved and happy for the two, knowing that it would be okay to leave the two be, and silently made their exit and returned to Genis and Raine.

"Richter-san….Richter-san…!" The boy clung to the man, trying to stop his tears.

"Emil...it's okay.." He held the boy close in his arms, petting the boy's head gently, slowly soothing him.

Emil wrapped his arms around the man, feeling himself drift to sleep, as he felt the warm and kind embrace of the hand stroking his head.