Only a Child?

Written for Daito Dei Gratia

Summary: Ivan is tired of being treated like a kid. When he's thrust into a dangerous situation, he's given the chance to prove himself to everyone...especially Mia...

Rating: PG-13-ish for violence and snogging.

A/N: I don't know where my mind went! I forgot the disclaimer! Menardi, would you be so kind...

Menardi: *ticked off* Vyctoridoesn'townGoldenSun. *cackles* I do! I own everything! Including you, readers! MWAHAHAHA--*Vyctori puts hand over Menardi's mouth*

Vyctori: That's enough from you.

The reviewers...

Daito Dei Gratia (x2): Well, here's your Ivan/Mia! I think it'd take me a solid month to figure out how to write for your other two pairs. Oh yeah, and I'm planning on reviewing "Petition of Repetition" as soon as possible.

I thank you for reviewing my first one-shot so nicely, that I do.

Yoshimi Takahashi: ^_^ Thanks! Better think fast, because already I'm swamped!

Miranda L: What do you mean, you're in no position to request? Feel free...except I've already written what you want, so never mind.... Thanks! ^_^

Void (x2): You're next!

CMAK: I'm sure you're just being hard on yourself. Do you have a Piers/Jenna? I want to read it!

Katsuharu Miyoku (x2): You're second in line right now, so check back in a couple weeks or so. Anyway, I'm glad you're all better now, and Yahoo definitely is the best mail provider. Trust me.

man (x2): You're number three. I'll do the Mia/Isaac and the hint of Jenna/Garet, but no Sheba/Ivan, okay? Sheba/Ivan=Windshipping. Windshipping=bad. Therefore, Sheba/Ivan=bad (at least, in my books). No offence. And thank you very much for the compliments!

Knightblazer 88: I'm probably going to do your request (which is fourth on the list) as an angst fic towards Felix. Not because I don't like him (he's actually about my fourth favourite, behind Karst, Saturos, and Menardi), but because I can see the story working out best. The Valeans actually have a reason not to like him. Poor Fewix-chan... *sniffs*

Empress Dotdotdot: Don't drown completely, because I want you to write more wonderful fics! But I'm very, very happy you liked it! *happy author dance*

High King Isaac: Love the name! Anyway, I suppose I am slightly hypocritical about Windshipping, but come on! I'm sure you have your couples that you like, dislike, or downright hate. Ivan/Sheba just happens to fall in the final category. I can't help it. *shrugs*

Anyway, you're fifth on the request list. And don't worry about the happy ending. I am the queen of mush--tragic endings are unthinkable in my books! ^_^

Akachi: Karst/Agatio, hmm? It'll be a while before I get around to writing it (six weeks minimum), but I'll certainly give it my best *shot.* Yes, bad pun. Very bad. ^_^()

Amarao-chan: I'll flip a coin when I come to your turn (which is number seven).

By the "no fifteen year plus age differences," that's a little security device so that nobody asks for an R-rated Isaac/Kraden fic. *has just made herself sick* Yes...

D. Wanderer: I'm sorry, but Ivan/Sheba's on my no-no list. Windshipping=Sheba/Ivan. It's just my least favourite pairing ever and I just don't think I'd be able to write it. Maybe you could request something else...? Sorry again.

But thanks for saying those nice things! ^_^()

oBsCuReDoblivion13: Your name is so hard to write! A Garet/Karst? Whoo...that's going to be a two-week fic. You're eighth in line, right after Amarao-chan, okay?

Bethany: Thanks, and I will keep it up! ^_^

***

That's it for me! Onward to the story! I hope you like it, Daito, that I do...

~ * * * ~

"Mia, I don't understand. Why do Isaac and Garet insist on treating me like a child?" Ivan's round face wore an expression of extreme frustration.

Mia smiled gently at him. "Well, Ivan, to them, you are a child. You're two years younger than them, and I must admit, you have an air of...innocence...to you."

Ivan flopped back onto Isaac's straw roof in disgust. It was about a month after Isaac and Felix's combined parties had successfully completed their quest to ignite the four lighthouses. Until everyone decided where they were going to reside in the Alchemy-filled world, they were all staying in Vault with the rest of the ousted population of Vale.

"What did they do to you this time, Ivan?" Mia questioned, observing him as he watched the plump white clouds amble across the sky.

"Garet tousled my hair!" Ivan informed her in a loathing-filled voice. "And called me 'kiddo'!"

"He was only trying to be friendly," Mia pointed out, although inwardly she was annoyed. Ivan had been on a journey that would cause any young man to grow up, and quickly. She knew Garet meant well, but that was nothing to poor Ivan.

"All the same, I'd prefer to avoid such friendliness in the future." Ivan sighed. After a few moments, he sat up. "Well, thanks for listening, Mia. You're always great to talk to; I really appreciate it." He rolled off the roof and landed gracefully on his feet.

Mia moved along the scratchy straw until she could see him. "Any time, Ivan. See you around."

"Bye." Ivan waved and headed off, wandering the streets of Vault. After a while, he decided to drop in on Felix. The Venus Adept's quietness and solid good sense always had a calming effect on Ivan.

And I need to be calmed down, Ivan though, fisting his hands.

He found Felix performing a few repairs on his family's borrowed house, under the strict eye of his younger sister.

"No, Felix! The thatch is fine right there! I meant that you need to fix it there!" Jenna indicated rather confusingly. She turned as she heard Ivan arrive. "Oh, hello, kid. How's it going?"

Ivan pulled a sour face. "Well, everything was fine," he grumbled.

Jenna didn't even seem to notice his slightly rude answer. "Felix! What are you doing?" she yodeled.

"Fixing the roof so our house doesn't end up like Isaac's," was the reply. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Making a mess of things, that's what!" Jenna yelled at him, irked.

"May I help?" Ivan queried courteously.

"Nah, we need somebody big and strong, not a little shrimp like you."

Jenna had meant the remark as a joke, but Ivan did not take it as such. He stormed off.

"Hey, Ivan, I was only kidding..." She shrugged. "Ah well. Felix!" she cried as she caught sight of her brother about to make yet another mistake. Once she had corrected him, she totally forgot about Ivan's curious mood.

* * *

Ivan hadn't forgotten her comment, though. He stomped through the gates of Vault and out of the small town, muttering to himself as he moved through the tall grass.

A wail of terror broke his preoccupation. Ivan's focus immediately became razor-like as he discovered the source of the sound: monsters were attacking two small village children. They had strayed too far from the security of Vault.

Ivan raced towards them. Though his legs were short, he was an extremely quick sprinter. As he pounded closer, he discovered, to his shock, that the monsters in question were not simple Rat Soldiers, but Dirty Apes.

What are these doing so far north? Ivan wondered. Could it be that because of the release of Alchemy that even more powerful monsters are appearing?

Just then, a beast sprang at a child. Ivan didn't even think--he dove forwards, shielding the little girl with his body as its claws tore down his back. Red pain ran down his back; he could feel blood gluing his tunic to his back. He clenched his teeth and rose to his feet.

"Beat it, you foul things!" he yelled, trying to avoid a confrontation.

Obviously, the monsters didn't speak his language as two prepared to launch yet another assault.

"Fine! Shine Plasma!" Ivan held his arms over his head as he cast, biting his lip at the agony the movement caused.

One of the beasts was instantly crisped, falling into a small pile of ashes. The other, weakened, still came on, to slash Ivan in the thigh. Fortunately, it missed the huge artery that would have meant death had it been severed.

"Destruct Ray!" Ivan cried, this time destroying the second monster.

That left only one untouched third Dirty Ape. It prepared to strike the other child, a young boy of about four years of age.

"No!" Ivan shouted in rage. "Tempest!"

The powerful Psynergy blew the Dirty Ape away from the child, its spinning depths ripping it apart and destroying it utterly. Ivan looked about wearily; there were no more creatures.

The four-year-old boy sat down on the ground and began to sob, his friend running over and clinging to Ivan's wounded leg. Ivan sucked in his breath and tried not to make a noise, knowing it would only frighten her further.

"Look, kids, we've got to get back to Vault, all right?" he coaxed. "So just come with me..."

The girl looked as if she was ready to comply, but the boy simply howled all the louder. Ivan frowned, then walked over and picked up the boy. Then, with the two children, he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other to make it to Vault.

The Jupiter Adept was met at the gate by a worried Piers, who had seen the lights of his Psynergy from Vault. As Ivan set down the child and the boy and girl ran off to play without a care in the world, the Lemurian watched Ivan with a set look on his face.

"Ivan, are you all right? You should go get those wounds examined by Mia--they look terrible!" Piers sounded very concerned. He made a motion towards Ivan, ready to support him on the way to Mia's home in the village.

"I don't need help! I can get there just fine." Ivan, however, was more exhausted than he thought. Blood loss had weakened him, so that when he took another step into Vault, his legs wobbled and gave out.

Piers eyed Ivan, who was lying on his front on the grass. "Yes, I can see you have the situation perfectly under control." He swept Ivan up into his arms--to the teen's incredible embarrassment--and, casting Ply now and again, carried him to Mia's house.

Piers kicked Mia's door by way of a knock. When the girl answered, he commented shortly, "Ivan was injured by monsters. Do you want me to help with the healing?"

Mia covered her mouth with a hand at the sight. Ivan was a bloody mess. "N-no, I don't think so. Bring him in here and set him on the couch, please."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not even there," Ivan complained.

Piers' eyebrows twitched downward, but in a display of excellent self-control, he said nothing about Ivan's ill mood. Instead, he entered Mia's house, laid Ivan facedown on the indicated piece of furniture, and with a soft "goodbye," left them.

Mia couldn't help but gasp as she discovered the deep rips in Ivan's back. "Oh, Ivan, however did you do this to yourself?" Her hands hovered over his back as she began with a Ply Well.

Ivan briefly gave an explanation of what happened, sighing with relief as the healing sank into the depths of his bones. His story and Mia's cures coincidentally concluded at the same time.

Mia leaned back against the couch, her face grave. "Ivan, you shouldn't have taken on those monsters all alone. You could have been killed!"

All the events of the day boiled over in a froth of emotion. Suddenly, Ivan was furious.

"What, you wanted me to wait for Garet or Felix or one of the warriors to come and save me?" he exploded. "Because I'm too young, too small, too much of a child to make a difference? Those kids would have died. I couldn't have run off to find someone else--someone older!

"All my life I've been treated like a child. I'm sick and tired of telling people over and over--I am not a kid! It was tolerable at first, because it was only Garet and occasionally the others who treated me like that. But Mia, when you start acting like that, it hurts. Really hurts."

"Ivan, no...I never intended..." Mia began, frantically trying to soothe him.

"You never intended, but that's what you're thinking, isn't it? Isn't it? Well then, if my words won't convince you, then maybe this will!"

Without warning, Ivan leaned forward and kissed Mia hard on the mouth. For a long moment, his lips moved against her, tasting her shock. Then he pulled away and wrapped his arms around his knees, eyes on his feet.

"Mia...I'm sorry...I never should have..." he apologized, feeling terrible. How could I have let my emotions get away from me like that? he thought, furious at himself. She'll hate me now.

"Sh." Mia smiled at him, then took his chin in her gloved hand. Blue eyes met violet as she continued, "Never say sorry, Ivan. Because..."

And, to his complete surprise, she kissed him softly on his lips. She took her mouth away only long enough to murmur, "...I love you. I always have. I never thought you were only a child."

"Mia..." he whispered. "I...love you, too."

Their lips met, passion blazing, love entwining…just the two of them.

~ * * * ~

Vyctori: Ta-da! I am the queen of the soppy ending!

Menardi: You say that like it's a good thing. Anyway, review and/or request a one-shot, because if you don't, you won't like where this scythe is going to go. *raises sickle menacingly* Understand?

Vyctori: *raises eyebrow* They'd have to be fantastically stupid not to.