Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been putting up with my slackness enough to review this story, particularly Yuffie-Girl (so how about that other Lucca/Magus story that you were thinking about?) and Sage of Darkness (poke! Write more of the Sonic story). I've said that this is a Lucca/Magus story, and it is, but not very. The first kiss is coming up in a few chapters, not sure how many exactly, so that will be something to look out for, but it may not be quite what you'd expect…
Chapter Ten
"Um... great," said Crono into the silence that followed. "Our guide has just gone off and left us. Lucca? Would you care to explain?"
"She irritates me," was the only answer that Lucca could give.
"Lucca..." Crono flicked an anxious glance at Magus and, going to Lucca, tried to lead her a distance away from the others. "What's the problem? You're not jealous, are you?"
"No," Lucca spat. "I have to go and light the fire - "
"I'm sure Magus can do that," Crono shrugged. "Magus! Light a fire!"
"I really wish I could!" Magus snarled back. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Crono stared at him, then sighed. "That's right. You can't use magic until you've defeated Kelke. I'm sorry, I forgot. Maybe Schala...? Whatever." He turned back to Lucca. "I know I've been pretty out of it these past few days, and I'm sorry for that, but even I can see how much you hate her. Can't you control it until we get Marle back? We can't afford to have Tarreiz angry with any of us! She's the only one who can lead us to Marle!"
"And to Kelke," Lucca reminded him angrily. "You can't forget about getting Magus his magic back!"
"Oh, that. Lucca, look at it this way. If Tarreiz abandons us, then we wander lost in the wilderness until we eventually die of starvation or cold or thirst or craziness or something. Marle gets a life of slavery, Magus dies a magicless death, and Lavos ravages our world to make it that bleak future that we've all seen. We can't afford that!"
Lucca nodded slowly. "I haven't really been very nice to her, I guess. I won't ever be able to like her - "
"I'm not after that," Crono interrupted.
"Shut up, I'm talking. You never let me talk! I'll try not to be nasty... as long as she keeps away from Magus!"
"And there's the green-eyed monster. I doubt that she thinks of him that way. I've overheard what they talk about sometimes. It's all what spell does what and which particular, confusingly intricate way you have to wave your hands and chant to call up fluffy kittens from the depths of Hell. No one is going to even try to steal him from you. They'd get shot if they tried."
Lucca grinned. "Damn right they would."
"Oh, and no shooting Tarreiz. You kill her, we wander lost in the wilderness and die, Marle - "
"Gets sold into slavery, Magus dies without his magic, Lavos destroys our universe," she finished for him. "I get it. I get it, Crono. It's all good."
"Glad to hear it, now come and light a fire before Magus freezes to death."
Lucca lit the fire. When Ayla returned, it was with a number of animals that were sufficient enough to feed all of them. Roasted over the fire, they were absolutely delicious. After they had eaten, they had a chat about all sorts of general nothing before they decided it was time to retire for the evening. Crono chose his place and Schala curled up at his feet like a cat, as she had taken to doing lately. Frog had refused to sleep anywhere near Ayla on the basis that she might get hungry in her sleep and eat him.
While Magus arranged the cloak on the ground, Lucca went to check on Robo. She was concerned about the effect that the cold was having on his joints and wirings. He assured her repeatedly that he felt fine, but she went over him once or twice just to check for herself.
"Lucca..." a plaintive voice drifted over the site as she was completing her second safety check, lit only sparingly by the dying fire. Magus. "Come to bed."
Crono sat bolt upright (Schala made a noise of protest, a noise that sounded for all the world like a meow) and demanded, "What?"
"The invitation wasn't directed to you," said Magus smartly. "I'm cold, and Lucca always makes the bed warmer... why, what were you thinking?"
Over by the other side of the fire, Frog was trying to hold in a giggle. Lucca glared at him. "What's your problem? He was just inviting me to sleep with him."
Frog gave up and laughed. Schala joined in, as did Crono. Ayla went along with it, although she wasn't really sure what they were laughing about. Lucca gave Robo a final pat, then walked over to Magus. "Ignore them," she instructed him. "They're just immature dirty-minded people, is all."
"I beg to differ!" Crono exclaimed. "I wasn't the one who told you to 'come to bed'!"
That set Frog off again, then the four of them were laughing hysterically. Ignoring them, Lucca joined Magus on the cloak, closed her eyes, and tried to sleep.
She couldn't. For some reason beyond her understanding, sleep failed to claim her as quickly as it had every other night. Magus drifted off easily enough and by listening to Crono's steady breathing, a sound that she could hear only faintly, she knew he was asleep too.
Maybe taking a short walk would help. Lucca eased herself out of Magus' arms (she was reluctant to do so, but did it anyway) and rose carefully to her feet. The fire was still glowing softly, sometimes snapping, and she thought she could perhaps see a figure occasionally illuminated a little by some of the sparks. Tarreiz.
A little nervously, Lucca went to sit beside her. That evening Magus had attempted to tell her how strong Tarreiz's magic was. The only thing Lucca could remember from it was that the magician had enough power in her little finger to squish the scientist like any insignificant little bug.
Tarreiz hardly moved as Lucca sat down next to her. There was a long silence, then Lucca said awkwardly, "I'm sorry."
"Do not be. I remember what it's like for every woman sharing any of his interests to be a threat," Tarreiz responded almost warmly, although her voice quavered a little near the end of her sentence.
"Who did you lose?" Lucca asked, feeling brave.
There was another long silence and Lucca, knowing she had said the wrong thing, wondered how Tarreiz would kill her. "I do not usually speak of my private life," said the magician carefully, "but I suppose there is little harm in it."
A longer pause as Tarreiz collected her thoughts, then, softly, "I have not thought of him for a long time. I hate romantic soppy pathetic scenes and yet I find myself stuck in them. I met him here for the first time. In this forest - in this place. I... no, I cannot speak of him."
"Did he die?"
"No," answered Tarreiz; "but I wish he had. I see him, and I cannot touch him. Perhaps it would be better if I were dead."
"There's nothing so bad that you have to kill yourself," said Lucca with rising concern. "There's always a way out."
"Yes, and also should I die you wander lost in the wilderness until you perish of starvation, Marle faces a life of slavery, Magus will die without his magic, and Lavos ravishes your world," Tarreiz responded almost coldly. "Go now, for we still have a hard journey before us. I speak truth when I say that I will never become your friend, but perhaps I will not remain an outlet for your childish jealousy."
"You just can't bring yourself to thaw around me, can you?" Lucca shot back and stormed off, fuming. Childish! She just couldn't work the woman out! One moment they were having a heart-to-heart, the next Lucca wanted to kill the little bitch.
She performed the enjoyable task of snuggling up to Magus again. He put his arms around her, startling her because she had thought he was asleep, and said softly, "She's really not that bad if you just give her a chance."
"I don't really think she'll give me the chance to give her a chance."
"You don't have to like her. Just tolerate her." Magus whispered into her ear in a conversational tone of voice, "I will admit, sometimes I just want to kill her."
Lucca laughed softly. "You're not the only one," she responded and settled down to sleep.
