I'm sure you all were waiting for some Shelloyd moment in this fic, so here is it.

Remember that Shelloyd moments isn't just when our two heroes realize at the same time what they felt about each other, I think it's also about the developing of the feeling for one to another. So without more delay, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 14

Of Confidence and Feelings

As Raine finished telling Yuan what happened, since they ran to Mizuho, until they rescued Sheena from Kermish's grasp, the Seraph maintained a thoughtful expression while hearing the tale. In his office were also Genis, Presea and Regal. Lloyd, Sheena and Colette were treating their wounds at the infirmary with Zelos.

"I never heard of Kermish have this type of power while he was alive. He should have got this when he got resurrected.", Yuan pondered, not looking to Raine and the others.

"But from where? Even elves don't use this type of magic. By what Raine taught me, they consider spells like that fouls.", Genis said, remembering of his magic lessons with his sister.

"That I don't know, but you have a point. This type of magic isn't the one that uses the mana of a Summon Spirit to create spells. By what I felt when I got hit by one of these, the energy is the same demons use in their magic.", Yuan said, remembering the sensation of had his mana being drained.

Whatever was the magic that Kermish was using it wasn't common and that only bring another worry: from who or what he got his new powers?

"If he can inflict wounds that cannot be healed by magic, how do we fight against someone with this type of power?", Presea asked, spelling out everybody's doubt.

"Simple, don't get wounded.", Yuan answered like that was the most obvious thing of the entire world.

"You talk like it's easy.", Genis said.

- - - - -

"So don't you really need anything?", Zelos asked to Sheena by the hundred time, she was already getting annoyed with that.

"For the last time, no! And if I needed, I certainly wouldn't seek you to help me.", she said with a sharp tone in her voice.

Zelos got really sticky since the incident at Hilda's party. Lloyd thought he was trying to apologize for that, but by the way he was acting it would just get Sheena's repulse for him stronger. Lloyd tried to call him at the reason, but the Chosen replied with:

"Don't worry with me bud. It's not the first time Sheena and I got a fight. But in the end she always forgive me.", Zelos said with his typical smile, but it was just a mask.

He knew that now he really messed up the things and Sheena wouldn't forgive him that easy and, by the way she was acting, he was starting to doubt that she would ever forgive him someday.

In a corner Lloyd and Colette were talking to each other. Sheena, with her trained hearing, could notice that he was asking if she was alright and talking other things about the village of Iselia. Sometimes she found herself some of apprehensive to hear what they where talking about.

Why I always act like this when they got together?, she thought with herself. Well, they're long time friends, of course they would be talking like this, but... hey! What you're thinking about Sheena?! Control yourself! It's not like of you being this worry about a boy.

The female ninja started to think about all that she felt when he was near. She felt much comfortable with him around. Indeed, she knew with Lloyd she could be herself, without having to worry with what he would think about her, if he would judge her people by her behavior. Plus, she felt much more confident around him.

Hu, just look to you. Totally fall in love for him and he didn't even know this. Why don't I just eat my pride and go tell to him how I feel?, she thought, taking a step near the two teenagers, but when she saw Colette and Lloyd laughed at some joke she told Sheena took a step back. But... if does he already choose her?

Whenever she saw him near to Colette, she couldn't help, but feel a pierce of jealously at the bottom of her heart.

She thought back in all the stories she heard about people making the stupidest things because they were jealous about someone. Even the deities of her village had stories about one betraying another or handing their brethren to demons because they got jealous of the relationships of one to another.

"No! I'm not like this. I would never hurt or betray anyone because of someone, even if it's Lloyd.", she thought aloud.

"Hey Sheena, what's up? Why are you talking with yourself?", Lloyd asked, startling Sheena, some by the fact she didn't knew if he heard her and some because she didn't saw he coming.

"Hum... uh... nothing, it was nothing. I was just... thinking. Yeah, I was thinking about something.", she said, trying to remain calm and contain her sweat.

Lloyd seemed to buy that, he didn't ask anymore. Sheena sighed when he turned around. However, a part of her, part that she tried to maintain under control, wished that he had heard her.

Denvir entered at the room holding a letter in his hand. He went to Lloyd and told:

"Sir Lloyd, we've caught this in the mail system. It's for you and since you are with us, we thought that would be good intercept in case of contain any important new.", Denvir handed the letter to Lloyd and before the Eternal Swordsman could said his usual "you don't need to call me sir" Denvir turned away and exited the room.

Lloyd opened the letter and read it.

"So what is it?", Sheena asked.

"It's from dad. He says he's ready to move and he wants I come to our house so that he can settle some things with me.", Lloyd answered, looking to the letter again. So his adopted father would finally go back to his home in the dwarven cities. "I'm going tell to Yuan, so I'll go to Iselia."

With this, Lloyd went to the Renegade leader's office and told to him he would go to Iselia to give a goodbye to Dirk. Yuan didn't oppose, he just said to Lloyd to take care.

After took his Material Blades and a few supplies for the trip, Lloyd went to the base's gate and exited to Triet desert.

"Lloyd, wait!", Sheena came out from the base as well, running to catch him.

"Uh? Sheena what are you doing?", Lloyd asked, confused.

"I'm going with you, what more? I don't thing I can stand that stupid Chosen for too much time without beat him out to the crap.", Sheena said, glancing at the base. "You don't mind, did you?", she asked, now some of concerned that he would decline her company, but for her relief he just smiled and said.

"Of course not. Let's go."

- - - - -

Inside the gates of Triet Base, a blond figure observed Lloyd smiled to Sheena as he accepted her invite to come with him. She observed they got the Rheairds and departed on the flying crafts, leaving to the skies.

She noticed how close they seemed to be each other. Well, they were good friends after all and friends liked to be close to each other.

Just "good friends" are they? The way she looked to him, it's not the type of look of someone who wants to just be a good friend., a voice said in Colette's head.

Yes there was something with the way Sheena looked to him. She noticed that in the party of Verius Temple's inauguration and when she and Lloyd were talking to each other, she noticed the quick looks Sheena casted to them. But what could that looks mean?

You honestly don't know? You can be some of dumb in some matters, but you're not completely blind., the voice replied, leaving Colette with doubts in her mind...

- - - - -

All seemed the same when Lloyd and Sheena arrived at Dirk's House. When they entered they saw a pile of suitcases in a corner and three tool boxes on other.

"Hi Lloyd! Glad to see you come.", Dirk greeted him and came, carrying a backpack. "I feared the letter just arrived when I already had gone."

"So, you're really going.", Lloyd said, with a lightly heavy voice.

Sheena could understand how Lloyd should be feeling. Didn't have someone that you knew would always lend to you a hand in the worst hours. Can't talk with the one who was like a member of family to you. She experienced all that when Igagury got in coma after Volt's attack.

"Don't get that look on your face, I'm just going to my birthplace not to the underworld.", Dirk said.

"But... I don't even know if I can go there."

"It's because of this I called you. Come here.", Dirk pointed to Lloyd sit in a chair near the table. Sheena stood near a wooden pillar of the house. "You can sit if you want lad."

Sheena refused, saying she was good standing. Dirk then dropped his backpack on the floor and searched trough the multiple pockets of it. When ee seemed to have find what he searched, he took out a ring and handed it to Lloyd.

At first the swordsman seemed confused, but after gave a good look at the ring he seemed surprised.

"This is..."

"Yep. It's a Confidence Ring. It's yours.", Dirk said with a smile.

Sheena approached to Lloyd and looked to the ring. It was a golden ring carved with some letters that she wondered to be dwarven writing. The ring shone with the lightest light of the ambient. She never saw such type of work.

"What's a Confidence Ring?", she asked.

"It's a ring that the dwarves give to people that they judged to be trustworthy. They carve patterns in the ring saying how the wearer gained their trust. They're really rare, since there aren't many dwarves in the surface.", Lloyd explained, remembering about what Dirk taught to him about his people culture.

"And it's also a lifetime pass to our cities. Plus, any other dwarf that see you wearing this knows he must help you with whatever you need.", Dirk completed.

Lloyd looked kind of surprised by the last parts. Dirk never had told to him about the other privileges the ring gave. Sheena also looked surprised, she never heard about this type of thing even when she researched about inhuman races.

"I know what you must be thinking. But I never told to you because I never thought it would be necessary for you to visit a dwarven city and you needed to deserve the ring.", Dirk added.

"I understand. You may have adopted me, but this doesn't mean the other dwarves would see me like you see.", Lloyd said. He knew some things you needed to deserve by your own actions, if not the others could think you were just taking advantage of your raising or birth.

"I carved the story of all your adventure in the ring and a note that you're my son, so if you want to visit me just go to Hima and show this ring to the Inn keeper. He's an ancient friend of us that know the path to the city.

"Oh, and also... take this.", Dirk took a mold of keys from his pocket and handed to Lloyd. "These are the keys of this house. It's my final gift to you. Now that I'm going back I don't need this house anymore, so it's yours now."

Lloyd was without words. He never expected to receive presents like that. Without find the right words, he just stood and knelled to hug Dirk saying:

"Thanks dad."

"Don't mention it. Just make me a favor.", Dirk whispered the next phrase so only Lloyd could hear. "Make this house the lair for a special girl of yours."

Lloyd bushed. Dirk gave smiled at that.

He still didn't find how one of his friends really felt about him. the dwarf thought, glancing over Sheena, who seemed confused by Lloyd's expression.

"Oh I almost forgot.", Dirk went to a wooden box near and opened it. He took from inside the twin blades Nebilim. "I think this is yours."

Lloyd took the swords back, he had totally forgot he left the accursed weapons to Dirk analyze. The dwarf seemed disgust to look at the weapons.

"Whoever forged this made a more then perfect work. It pains to me see what have become of these weapons. You also told to me that there were other weapons like this, it's probable they were united when this Dark Lord's spirit was sealed."

Dirk sighed at this thought. Lloyd knew that the dwarfs, above all, always respected a good work, so they considered an unforgivable crime when a weapon was used to cause harm to innocents or got accursed.

"In my opinion, who made this should be burned by Efreet's hellfire! You should search for a way to destroy these things quickly, there's something really bad about these weapons that gives to me shivers.

"Well, I'm going then. Frank will send my things to Hima latter, just leave the house key with him.", Dirk took up the backpack and went to the door, Lloyd and Sheena companied him. "Goodbye Lloyd. Goodbye lady."

"You know my name Dirk.", Sheena said, with a playful tone in her voice.

"I know, I was just being educated." Dirk laugh. "I hope our paths cross again, but until then: take care Lloyd.", with this last remark, Dirk walked by the wooden bridge and entered in the forest, disappearing of sigh.

Sheena looked to Lloyd and saw tears forming in his eyes.

"Lloyd, are you crying?"

"No... I'm not... it was just dust that fell in my eye.", he said, quickly wiping the tears of his eyes.

"Come on, you can tell to me. I'm not going to laugh. I'm not Zelos.", the female ninja said. "And besides, it's like he said: you can visit Dirk whenever you want. You just won't see him so often now."

Lloyd wiped more tears from his eyes. Sheena led him back to the house and made him to sit at the table while she sat on the other side. They remained quiet for some time, waiting for Lloyd's tears to stop.

After some minutes, Sheena heard a strange snoring. She quickly stood, thinking it was a monster, but after heard it for the second time she recognized the sound: it was Lloyd's belly.

"Ok, I'm going to cook.", Sheena said, receiving an embarrassed look from Lloyd.

After some time, the food was ready. Sheena looked to the window and discovered it was night.

"Uh... how about we pass the night here? I don't think it's safe for us to go back at night. We could be attacked.", Lloyd said, also noticing what time was. Sheena nodded.

They ate their meal quietly. The silence was getting Lloyd nervous. He was used with the sound of Dirk working on the stove, sharpening metal or carving wood. None noise in that house made him to feel so out of place.

"Hey Sheena.", he said, calling the ninja's attention. "What do you think?", she casted to him an interrogative look. "I mean, about all of this. Kermish, Merilius, the expheres."

Sheena swallowed what was in her mouth and thought a little before answer:

"I think that Chosen guy is nothing, but a selfish bastard. He abused in the past of his position, didn't care about anything but that crazy research and now came back just to make people suffer without any apparent motive. Compared to him, Zelos could be considered a saint.", Sheena pronounced.

"Yeah. I just want to know what he wants with the expheres. If it was for him to get more power or conquer cities he would just equip everybody that work for him with it.", Lloyd ate another spoon of his meal.

"I don't know. All that I know is we have to defeat that madman before he causes any more harm.", Sheena clutched her fists. She stilled not forget about Mizuho.

After they ended to dinner, they washed the dishes and Lloyd insisted to Sheena took his bed while he slept at the bed under the stair.

"The house is yours Lloyd, you should slept in your bed.", Sheena insisted. Lloyd tried to reply, but instead he yawned. He was really tired. "See. Now got to there or I'll drag you stair up.", the female ninja said with a dangerous and playful tone in her voice.

Lloyd decided to not discus anymore. He went up and started to change himself. The night was cold, so he took some blankets from a nearby wardrobe and went down stairs to give another to Sheena.

"I take some blankets for you. It'll be a cold night.", Sheena took the blanket and put it on the bed.

"Thanks.", Lloyd turned to go up. In that moment, seeing she wouldn't have another opportunity, Sheena asked. "Hum, Lloyd... could I ask you a personal question?"

"Uh? 'A personal question'?"

Sheena had to control herself to not blush wildly. Lloyd got closer and now was looking directly at her eyes, it always made Sheena got embarrassed when he looked to her like that.

Lloyd noticed how she seemed uncomfortable and didn't understand exactly why. Dirk always said to him that when talking about serious matters you should look into the people's eyes.

"Hum... well... did you... I mean, what do you... feel about Colette?"

It was that, she made the question. The female ninja expected he asked why she was talking about it or that it wasn't of her business, but instead Lloyd seemed to blush at the question.

"Hum... I... I...", he scratched the back of his head, in clear discomfort. Sheena didn't like to see him like that.

"Sorry. I know this none of my business, so if you don't want to talk I'll just...", she was going to her bed when Lloyd stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

"Wait. I... I need to talk this to someone.", he then noticed he stilled grabbing her hand. He released her, blushing more. "Ok, this is the thing: I like her...", the summoner felt like her heart was about to drown deep down her chest. "I really like her how she was my sister, or another member of my family.", now Sheena almost fell due the loss of equilibrium.

"Wh... what?! Are you serious?!", she asked without being capable of believe in what her ears were catching.

"Yes. I want her to be happy and I like her like we are bothers, but... sometimes I feel like she was... waiting something more from me. In the begging I didn't notice it, but now I can see it. I... I don't know what I should do.", Lloyd went to the bed and sat, holding his head in the hands. "I want her to be happy, but she waits from me what I can't do for her. I'm so confused."

Sheena couldn't help, but felt happy and pity on Lloyd at the same time. She now knew what he really felt for Colette and now she knew she had a chance. By other side, she felt sorry for him to be in a complicated situation like that. Why could the things never be simple?

"Lloyd, you have to tell her.", she said in a neutral voice, sitting at the side of Lloyd.

"But... I'm going to make her feel sad if I do. And if does she hate me?"

"It's better you tell to her the truth than she still believing you can be something to her that you can't. She'll suffer at first, yes, but with the time she'll overcome it. And I don't think she'll hate you, Colette isn't this type of person.", Lloyd looked to Sheena while she stilled talking. "But don't you think it's worst she live with a false hope?"

Lloyd seemed to calm down a little. He breathed deeply and reflected. She was right, it'll be worst if he left Colette in that condition just to make her to suffer in the future.

"You're right.", he stood when he talked that. "It's better I talk to her the truth than leave the things like this. Thanks Sheena, you really understand about these things.", Lloyd smiled to the summoner, making her to blush.

"Ah, it was nothing.", she said trying to maintain her pose.

Lloyd yawned again, it was getting really late.

"Well, I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Thanks again Sheena. I liked to have told this to you. You're really a great friend."

The Eternal Swordsman went to his bed at the second floor, leaving Sheena behind, who was trying with all her strength didn't shout "Idiot!" to him. How could Lloyd have noticed what Colette felt for him and didn't notice how she felt about him?

I know he's really dense sometimes, but this is the last straw of denseness I ever saw! What do I need to do for you to notice me Lloyd?!