- Stirring Earth -

.~.

Warnings: Shonen-ai, bridging on yaoi... Wait, it IS yaoi. o0; This chapter to Riyn, who requested more Alex! ^__^ Ooo, Alex-psychiatry -- wouldn't any girl die for that treatment?

[Felix] Hmph. -.-;

.~.

Chapter four: Learning How to Swim

- Experiments and kisses -

.~.

The sun had managed to pull through of the clouds. The grass was still wet, the leaves of the trees sent sprays of water when the wind whistled by quickly. Mia breathed in the 'new-earth' smell that came after a good rainfall.

"A beautiful day... Finally!"

"A beautiful day for a beautiful woman. Makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Isaac!" Mia giggled as Isaac pecked her on the cheek, standing beside her.

"It's only the truth." Isaac said pointedly. Mia frowned good-naturedly.

"You flatter me too much."

"It makes sense to flatter you! You helped save the world!"

"You helped too! Actually, you probably did the most out all of us! Except maybe Felix..."

"Why Felix?" He blinked, obviously confused.

"Well -- Felix was burdened with lighting the lighthouses, wasn't he? He knew all along what he had to do, but halfway through, we joined them, after chasing them all over Angara and Gondowan." Mia said. Isaac nodded.

"Yes, that is true. Speaking of Felix, I haven't heard him and Picard yelling at each other the past few days."

"Oh, the cow-thing?" Mia smiled.

"Yeah, the cow-thing. Of all the things he could've come up with..."

"Isaac, remember, our children have to grow up in a good environment."

.~.

--Earlier...

With an earth-shattering cry, the rooster awoke all of Vale as the sun began peeking over the northern mountains. Yes, that included Felix. So, with a tremendous 'WHUD!', our beloved Earth adept met the floor. The very cold floor.

"Ack... Beds need to be longer in width sometimes..." He grumbled, wriggling out of his constricting blankets. Swearing under his breath to kill that bird, he tossed the pillow back onto his bed, finding, much to his chagrin, that with the meeting-the-icy-floor-at-sunrise sort of thing had completely woken him up. Sighing grumpily, Felix trod downstairs, giving his sister a sleepy "Good morning," but she didn't look too happy with being up at five.

"That... damned... bird..." Jenna said, blinking sleep from her eyes. "I... shall... eat... it..."

"Jenna?" Felix asked, patting her arm. Jenna snarled and flopped over on the sofa, burying her red head under the pillows.

Picard gave him a stiff greeting as he entered the kitchen. Felix attempted to ask why he was ignoring him almost entirely, when the little incident that happened yesterday occurred to him. (His sleep-fogged mind sort of forgot that detail.)

"Umm, Picard?" He said delicately. "I..."

His sentence was cut off with a vicious snore from Jenna. He glared at Jenna momentarily before turning back to Picard.

"....I'm sorry. It... it didn't mean anything, did it?"

Picard looked as though he was on the verge of saying something, but the Lemurian let it go, shaking his head almost sadly. Felix winced.

Picard's eyes focused and unfocused rapidly. It was the water... Washing dishes at five in the morning, imagine... Of course it meant nothing, it'd pass... But then, why was he so tense still? As though Jenna would leap up at any given moment and try and stab him? At least his mind wasn't on Felix anymore... That was an improvement.

"Picard?"

He twitched. That idiot...!

"I'm sorry, Felix." He said quickly, not wanting to hurt his feelings, as they were probably already extensively bruised and battered. How he knew that, he didn't know...

"There's nothing to be sorry for." The Venus adept said quietly, his voice barely heard over Jenna's snores.

Picard smiled weakly at him. Felix looked concerned. Jenna snored.

.~.

Why can't he leave me alone? Always there... Always concerned about my emotions, my health, whether I want to go home or not... If you could call it home. I'm going insane...

.~.

"I'm going for a walk."

"What? At five in the morning?"

Felix blinked. Picard bit his lip.

"Yes, at five in the morning. A walk, Felix. Not like anything's going to try and bite me."

"You never know."

"You're paranoid."

Felix sighed.

"Fine, go. Be back for breakfast, okay? Jenna will throw a fit if you aren't here to try her 'porridge.'" Felix rolled his eyes.

"Oh, er... That is, if she wakes up, correct?" You could tell by the amount of enthusiasm in his voice that he was looking forward to trying it.

"Yeah."

Picard nodded, heading out the door with his coat.

What is he doing taking walks at five in the morning? Felix thought to himself, draping a spare blanket over Jenna's snoring form.

.~.

Picard walked down the stairs slowly, sighing. A wind hinting at previous rains brushed at his hair. He saw a bit of hair much like his own, standing next to a tree.

"Good morning, Alex." Picard murmured, moving to stand beside him. Alex nodded to him.

"How are you doing?"

"....Fine."

Alex stared at him, one blue eye hidden under silky locks. It was an unnerving gaze, and Picard turned to stare at the village below them.

"Is anything the matter?"

"Plenty." Picard sighed, loosing his hair from its tie. "Too many things for even a Lemurian to worry about, I'm afraid."

Alex smiled slightly, his arms tucked lightly around himself.

"Anything in particular?"

"Er... Confusion, hesitancy, not knowing the workings of love... Numerous things."

"Is that so." Alex removed his gaze from him (Picard sighed in relief) to look at the village. The only man up was the owner of the rooster, who was chasing the said bird around the plaza. (Nerk!) "You are in love?"

"Isn't everyone?" Picard replied, immediately realizing his mistake as Alex turned his gaze back on him, his eyes hardening slightly. "Er, sorry. I am. And I don't know what to do about it."

"Does it concern the laws of Vale?" Alex asked.

"Yes..."

"The laws..." Alex brushed aside a lock of hair behind his ear, licking his slightly chapped lips slowly. "...were made up by a bunch of old men who merely thought they were clever."

Picard blinked.

"Really." He said dryly.

"That's what I assumed." Alex said, shrugging. He tucked his scarf tighter around his neck as a chill wind blew past them.

"I'll have to ask Isaac about that." Picard said, his voice doubtful. Alex chuckled softly.

"You believe what you believe. Nobody will hate you for being... different."

"Tch. Did you tell Garet that, too?"

"Are you referring to his hair or his excessive lack of intelligence?"

Picard shook his head.

"Living with Kraden certainly does things to you, don't they, Alex?"

"Of course..." He sighed. "But if your friends have trekked the world with you, fought dragons and mermen beside you, and saved you from near death more than several times... Do you think they will really care?"

Picard pondered his words silently, watching the rooster attack the hapless farmer. (Nark!!)

"I... suppose not."

Alex smiled at him, his azure hair swirling around him and giving him an utmost innocent sort of look. Picard nearly snorted.

"You have your answer, then." Alex gave him one last look that gave him the chills, before he walked off, apparently back to his home.

Only then did it occur to Picard that he had given Alex no mention whatsoever of Felix. Sighing, silently cursing Kraden, and deciding never to go near a chicken coop, Picard headed back to his demise with Jenna's porridge.

.~.

Alex has always been weird, but that was just creepy. I wonder, is he really a Mercury adept, or a Jupiter adept in disguise? ....Does he know about -- ?! I hope not! If he knows, Alex could either choose to keep it a secret or tell all of Vale... This is bad....

.~.

Later that day, Picard lay on the sofa, staring at the ceiling while trying to keep his stomach under control. He could hear Felix's dry coughs somewhere nearby, and Jenna... Err, please forget I ever mentioned Jenna. It seemed as though her porridge backfired rather badly against her especially, and she was suffering the consequences of making porridge in the first place at six in the morning. Picard sighed.

"Felix, you okay?" He called. Another cough.

"...Fine..." Felix responded weakly. Felix came into his range of sight. He was rather pitiful looking, his cheeks ashen, a tissue held up to his nose, and his hair flying out more than usual.

"You sure about that?"

"What do you think?" Felix snorted, but it turned into a hacking cough. "I shall never touch porridge again."

"Even when Mia makes it?" It was well known in Vale that Mia could make a porridge that made even Garet's mother proud.

"I'm not trusting anybody!" He blew into the tissue. The sofa creaked as he sat down, near Picard's legs.

"You're paranoid." Picard said. Felix pinched his leg.

"You've said that already."

A silence settled over them, the only noises were the grandfather clock ticking slowly but surely, and Jenna's occasional retches and curses. Felix leaned back, his hand settling on Picard's knee. He appeared to have fallen asleep.

.~.

He's appears so innocent when he sleeps... He doesn't look at all like a warrior who has killed and spilt blood before... He looks like a child. Not at all the now-legendary man who lit the lighthouses and helped to save Weyard from the Abyss. Amazing how sleep opens up a whole different side to even the hardened criminals..

.~.

Picard sat up slowly, shifting to make Felix as comfortable as possible. There was a hitch in the Venus adept's breathing, and he held his own breath. When his breathing evened out again, Felix's head lay on a pillow propped up against the arm of the sofa. He knew he was taking his chances in doing something like this, but Picard twisted his arms loosely around Felix's torso.

Unfortunately for Picard, he fell asleep as well.

.~.

Felix awoke at a particularly nasty string of curses from his sister. Where was -- wait, he was on the sofa... Against something peculiarly warm. The sofa didn't radiate warmth. Period. So what was...?

He noticed the strand of blue hair on his cheek at that moment. His eyes widened.

Oh, oh, bad, bad, bad! -- Was what was running through Felix's mind. He did not just --

Oh, good. He was still in his clothes. He sighed in relief. Wait, why WAS he sighing in RELIEF? His practically illegal crush was holding him! Around the waist! And he couldn't get up!

He heard another stream of curses. My thought exactly, he thought to himself grumpily.

Picard's hold on him tightened. Felix squeaked.

"...Picard?" He whispered. Picard growled and tightened his grip further. "...Dammit."

Picard held back the urge to yawn as he opened one eye sleepily. Crap, he fell asleep? ...Not good.

"Picard?" Felix asked again, a little louder.

AGH!

"Nngmph?"

To those who get stuck in a position similar to this -- take the "Incoherent Speech" route to get out of it. (*Sigh*)

"Picard... Why are you... *Holding* me?"

"Mmgh." Picard responded into his hair. Felix flushed, glad the Lemurian could not see it.

"Could... Could you let go?"

Felix's hand felt so nice on his own...

"Do you really want me to?" Picard asked slyly. He could hear a squeak from Felix.

Dare he respond?

"Not... really." Felix admitted, moving his head slightly, tickling Picard's chin.

"Mm..."

Felix snuggled into Picard's form, loving the way the Lemurian's soft hair felt on his neck. . . .

"FELIX!" Jenna roared from the top of the stairs. Felix bolted upright, and Picard yelped.

"It's that time of the month, isn't it?" Picard asked, taking Jenna's intrusion as an excuse to run his hand up and down Felix's spine. Felix wriggled out of his grasp and stood, looking very much like he had gone through an oven.

"What, Jenna?" He said nervously. Jenna looked murderous.

"Get me some water and a bucket!" She yelled, before stomping back to her room. Felix gaped a moment, blinking all the while.

"Better do what the woman says, Felix. You might not live to see tomorrow if you don't." Picard chided him, running a hand lazily down his jawline. Felix squeaked and ran off to the kitchen. Picard sighed, stretching.

...That was a nice nap.

.~.

After taking care of Jenna (Who was still sick in the stomach, but Picard thought in the head as well), Picard cornered Felix in his room.

"Felix..."

Felix was reminded eerily of velvet as Picard drew near, a low, steady flame in the Mercury adept's golden eyes.

"Uhm?" Felix said weakly, as Picard lunged forward, snaring him around the waist. "Picard?"

"I won't lie to you. I enjoyed that accidental kiss, chaste as it was." Picard said, one hand fingering the string that held Felix's hair back. Felix leaned forward, pressing his cheek to Picard's chest. The string fell to the floor. "You're beautiful."

"In a feminine way?" Felix asked, enjoying the way Picard's fingers ran through his dark hair. Picard chuckled.

"You could pass for a woman."

"Hey..." Felix said indignantly, but there was no anger whatsoever in his voice.

"But I think I like you the way you are." Picard tiled Felix's face back up, their eyes meeting, neither dropping their gaze. With one hand still entangled in Felix's hair, Picard leaned down to kiss him.

Their lips meeting were like bolts of electricity -- Felix wanted to step back and take a gulp of air, but Picard held him still. And a part of him wanted to stay in that embrace for as long as possible.

"Ah... Picard..." Felix gasped once Picard let go of him. Picard pressed butterfly-light kisses on his cheek and jaw.

"Did you enjoy that?" Picard asked, after kissing his nose. Felix didn't spare him an answer; rather, he yanked Picard down by his collar for another kiss.

But of course, the gods were fooling around with them, right?

"Fe - *Cough* - LIX!"

Felix took a step back in surprise. This little action caused him to trip, bringing both him and Picard down to the ground with a loud whump.

"Damn that woman." Picard hissed, rubbing his forehead. Felix groaned.

"Don't get mad at my sister." Felix said. He paused a moment. "Get mad at whatever the hell's possessing her."

Picard grumbled.

"Feliiiix! Sometime before Christmas!"

"Hold on, hold on, I'm coming!" Felix pulled himself out from under Picard, who looked none-too-pleased with Felix leaving.

"If you take longer than ten minutes, I will kill your sister." Picard said. Felix kissed him on the cheek and dashed off.

.~.

Whoo, that was fun.

.~.

End IIII

.~.

Eheheh! And Felix is currently gagged, so no commentary from him. Onwards with the reviews...

**Selena**: Thanks for your views. ^__^ I guess that is true. . . . And my views have changed. Like I've told Akiko-san, my world views change daily, if not minute-to-minute. And I guess it's my fault that I forgot to mention that the characters (the main characters, at least) are slightly OOC. I like stories with characters... well, OOC. It takes a new spin to the story, and I mean, the same plotline over and over, i.e.: The hero goes to save the damsel in distress, gets boring, so why don't you have: The hero is kidnapped, the damsel, secretly a warrior in disguise, goes to save him, while a war is raging and an assassin is after her blood? Er, something like that. ^^; You get it, right? I hope so. I'm terribly sorry for my ignorance. . .

**Shadow**: Hn... Really? I'm sure Luana would think differently. . . .

**Taidigimon**: Thanks. I guess so... The things left unanswered, huh?

**Shiro Amayagi**: Go ahead...

**Reyan**: Alex is creepy, but nearly everyone is OOC in this fic... Yeah, Mia dies. Ha.... But I need to revise it, some parts are cheesy... May be up in the future. ^^; If Felix... Nah, no need to bother with Felix.

[Felix] Mmf. -__-;

**Dragoness**: Heh. Yeah, you hear that, Felix? ^_^

[Felix] Mmf.

**Riyn**: Alex, huh? Guess you got your wish, then. ^^ I'm afraid that's all he'll get... Maybe I'll do something with him in another story, ne?

[Felix] Mmf!

**Ookami**: Of course I'll continue! ^___^

**Killing Perfection**: Why do people LOVE doing the Isaac/Felix impression? Eh...

**Taylor**: You're weird. I'm weird. We're all weirdos living in a weird world, so it only makes sense, yah? And I'll remember that, I suppose you have a point... Even though your wording confused. me. 0o;;

Anyhoo, many thanks to Selena, who changed my views. And lotsa thanks to the rest of you guys for reviewing! I never thought this story'd get off the ground... Twenty-something reviews for three dinky chapters! Kewlz! ^___^ ChibiD, tell me where those pics are! I've searched for everything for pics, but nothing... Eck! TELL ME! Oh, and... I WILL have a further use for Alex! ^_^ Next chapter!

[Felix] Mmf.... -_-;;

-to love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.- --david viscott