A/N: This shall be the first scene when Vyse and Fina show stronger feelings for each other. Perhaps not quite love yet… but pretty close.
Thanks again for all the reviews! Keep sending them in, please!

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Chapter 4: Moonlight

Fina walked into the Sailor's Island inn with Cupil following close behind. The keeper looked up from a book he was reading and smiled when he saw the graceful girl walk in.

"Why good evening Miss Fina," he started politely. "Are you ready to check in for tonight?"

Fina smiled back and nodded. "Yes sir. Could you tell me what room Vyse is in?"

The innkeeper frowned a bit and bit his bottom lip. "3-B, Miss Fina. He's already checked in, so it should be unlocked. Is he ok, by the way? He looked both angry and sad at the same time when he came in earlier."

Fina looked away for a moment. "Ah… he… just had a bad day. That's all."

The keeper nodded. "I see. We then, here's the key to your room." He tossed her a key which she caught with little difficulty. "Have a good evening miss."

Fina offered a slight bow. "Thank you very much sir. Good night."

Key in hand, Fina and Cupil made their way upstairs and walked around the first bend to reach the "B" section of the inn rooms. Sure enough, the 3rd door on her right was cracked slightly and a breeze could be felt through it.

Fina cracked the door open a little further and peeked inside. She could see Vyse standing on the outside balcony, watching the Silver Moon rising far off in the distance. She let herself and walked towards the open balcony.

Once she was about 5 feet away from him, he turned his head in her direction and a look of surprise came across his face. "Fina? What are you doing here?"

She walked outside to the balcony and stood next to him and looked out towards the open skies and the stars above them. "I'm sorry Vyse. Did I come at a bad time?"

Vyse looked downward, feeling a bit ashamed of what happened earlier at Polly's bar. "No Fina. You never come at a bad time. Besides… I'm the one who should be apologizing to you."

Fina turned to Vyse with a concerned look in her eyes. "Vyse?"

Vyse put both hands on the railing of the balcony and leaned on it. "Back at the bar, I lost complete control of myself. When I found out that that man was a part of the pirates that killed Aika, I felt an insane amount of rage and sadness inside me. All I could think of was making him pay for his crimes, even though, more than likely, he wasn't the one who actually carried out the destruction of Aika's ship."

Fina looked down, unable to say anything. Growing up as a Silvite, the elders taught her little about emotion, so any emotion she felt was a result of her naturally kind nature. She was learning, but was not quite on the level to be able to say the right things to help Vyse.

Vyse continued. "I… I still can't believe that Aika is really gone though. It's only been a little over a day since she passed away and I'm already feeling like I'll never get over this feeling of despair. I keep hoping that this is nothing more than a bad dream, y'know? Like I'll wake up any minute and I'll be back together with both you and her and we can be as happy as we always were."

He paused a moment and sighed as he shook his head. "When old Drachma passed away, it was hard enough. We hadn't known him for very long, but he was so much like a dad or grandfather to us, right? That's why it was so hard to bear when we heard that he had died of old age."

He paused another moment and turned to Fina whose eyes began to grow watery. "It was much worse yesterday when Gilder brought us the dead body of my childhood friend. Aika… we had been best friends for nearly 15 years; almost my entire life. I just… I just don't know what to do. I keep asking myself "What would Aika do?", but I can never answer my own question. I'm running on nothing more than instinct.

He turned back to the starry sky in front of the balcony and clenched his right hand into a tight fist. "And my instinct is telling me to hunt down every single damn one of those rotten pirates. They're going to regret hurting us like they did. I'll destroy them all… for Aika's sake."

Fina grasped Vyse's well muscled and tensed up right arm with both of her small, soft hands. "Vyse… I know I didn't know Aika as long as you did, but she was a very dear friend to me as well. You and Aika were the first friends I ever made besides Ramirez. So, since I can't fully understand your pain, I want you to… share it with me."

Vyse eased up a bit once he felt her delicate touch. Along with her soft voice, it soothed his heart to no end. "Share my pain… with her?" he thought to himself. No… he couldn't do that. Fina was too sweet and innocent to have to feel the pain that he did. Not knowing what to say, he put his left hand on her clasped hands and lightly held them. Her hands were icy and could feel a light shiver run through her as he touched her.

"Fina, your hands are like ice! Are you cold?" Without waiting for her to answer, he took her in his arms and held her tightly but not too much so she could remain comfortable.

A bit surprised, Fina smiled and held the arms that held her. "Thank you Vyse. I was a little cold." It was a white lie. She was actually very cold, but she didn't care. Just the concern that he showed her was enough to make the cold seem like nothing to her. She felt so secure… so safe in his arms. She didn't want it to end.

Vyse looked upward. "I wonder how Aika's doing up there…"

Fina looked up too. "I wonder what heaven's really like…"

They both looked back towards the sky. "We may found out… someday," Vyse said. "Until then, let's do our best here on Arcadia. For everyone's sake."

Fina nodded. "Yes. I'll try my hardest."

As they stared out at the open sky, a million thoughts crossed Fina's mind. She thought of how the security Vyse offered her made her feel so wonderful. The feeling was new, not being one that she learned of while at the Silver Shrine. She wasn't sure how to assess it. She could only hope that she could live and learn, relying upon her naturally kind demeanor to see her through.

Vyse spoke again. "Fina… are you absolutely sure you want to come with us? It's not too late to take you back. I don't want to see you hurt, but I won't stop you if you're sure about this."

Fina thought for a moment and then looked up at Vyse. "I'm positive. I want to help you avenge Aika. I'm scared, but-"

She was cut off by Vyse who held her a little tighter. "Then I swear to protect you! I promise I won't let anyone ever hurt you. Blue Rogue's Honor! I care about you too much to ever let anything happen to you. You're the most special person in the world to me."

Fina turned around, still in Vyse's arms. A tear of happiness fell from her beautiful eyes. Not fully thinking it through, she suddenly leaned up and kissed Vyse on the cheek.

Vyse could only stand there, shocked and wide-eyed. "F-Fina?"

Fina stepped away from him, obviously embarrassed. Judging by the look on Vyse's face, she thought she had done something wrong.

Fina tried to speak. "Vyse, I… um, uh… I should probably get to bed now. Good night!" With that, she ran off. The look of worry on her face did not go away even when she reached her room.

Vyse was still standing on the balcony. He rubbed the cheek that Fina had kissed grinned. "Heh. So that's it then. I must've sent the wrong message to her. Poor girl… I'm sorry Fina."

He turned once more to face the outside world. "Fina, if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, I feel the same way about you," he said to himself. "I want to tell you know, but perhaps now isn't a good time. I think I'll wait until after we're completely done with the pirates."

He began to walk back into his room and took one last look outside.
"I think… I love you, Fina," he said, speaking once more to himself. "Wait for me. I promise I won't let you down." He closed the doors to the balcony and turned off the lights as he prepared for a short night of rest.

Not far from his room, Fina sat in her own room and cried. "Vyse… did I do something wrong?" she said to herself. "He makes me feel so good… so safe. I want to always be with him. Is this… love?"

She calmed down a bit and turned off her lights. After a short prayer dedicated to the 6 moons above, she climbed into bed and sobbed herself to sleep.

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Woo! Chapter 4 is done! Kinda short, but I hope it was ok. Looks like they both love each other to an extent, but Fina doesn't think Vyse feels the same way about her, which is false, as you have read. Will their love grow? Only time will tell… and so will more reviews!