Dicslaimer: I don't own T.O.S or its characters

(yawn) It's me Zumi: leather is really uncomfortable to cuddle with, so for my special offer period I'm going to throw in a plush Noishe toy for free. (on the condition you review :P)

genismithos: Yeah! Er…replied?

Jinxie: Lots of stuff on Sheena's mind alright, especially a certain someone. Whether she's cursing him to hell of thinking of snuggling near the fireplace…we may never know. Turkey day was on Monday, or perhaps it was just an excuse for me to skip school………naw….

Dutchygirl : Yup, can't forget about the little ones. Indeed a confession, I must say I have a feeling I would have like Shelloyd in the beginning if my friend hadn't bugged me to read a Sheelos fic. And T-day was on the Monday after I last updated.

AA-Tenks:…how, queer. I'll write if I feel like it (there's a reason my other fic's are on hold) and depending on reviews and their content.

Abombidal boo: in the U.S. it is, but ya see, me ain't from there. Eh?

lugiamania: I agree, because then when you need the rest to come in, it seems a bit odd and forced.

StrawberryEggs: It's in November in the U.S. but not where I'm at. Caught in the act…let's just say my "inspiration" for that fic has ran off, that and I'm pretty bored of both of them (this still a while to go) . It's a bad habit I have to break but I'll still update them…eventually.

It's moments like these…

Sheena sat by the window seat that Zelos had occupied earlier, staring out into Flanoir. The rain pounded heavily against the light frame of the window along with the large gusts of wind that battered it down. Sheena turned her gaze towards Zelos who was bent down near the fireplace, poking more wood into it. She couldn't help but notice how open at the collar his neatly pressed white shirt was.

Not much had happened since he had so dramatically thrown his arms around her. Sheena had just pushed him aside after a while of having her sides go numb and grabbed the herbal medicine she was supposed to force down before sleeping.

She gulped discreetly before swishing it around for a while, it was almost like paste. The thick green mass of herbs sat in blobs after settling down again. Sheena shuddered, was she actually supposed to drink this thing? It reminded her of the baby food they sold in glass bottles in larger cities like Meltokio. She must have made some sort of strange noise thinking about it because Zelos had stood up and was now walking over to her.

He chuckled before saying, "Good Martel, you've got it rough."

"Shut up." she snapped, "Or I'll force feed you it."

"Well aren't we a little touchy tonight?" he teased.

She snarled under her breath, "You have no idea how disgusting this stuff is, would like to taste test it?"

Leaning his weight on his one good foot he pretended to ponder on that, "…Um, I think I'll pass since you seem iffy about giving it up and all."

Sheena mumbled something rude under her breath that caused the eyebrows of the man beside her to shoot up.

"Relax Sheena. I though you said you were used to taking medicine like this." Zelos waved his hands in front of her still wearing that same old smile.

She sighed and set down the bottle beside her, "I know, and I am…but it's been a while and just thinking about the taste makes me want to throw up."

"Is it that bad?" he asked quietly, eyeing the translucent bottle.

"Worse." she replied rubbing her knees that had recently gone cold, "The smell just about knocks you out—like the perfume those Meltokio girls use—and don't even get me started on what it feels like trying to swallow it."

Zelos winced as he thought about it, "Plug your nose."

She looked up suddenly, "What?"

"You heard me." he closed his eyes before opening them again, "I used to do it a lot as a kid when my mo—Sebastian gave me a plate of Brussels Sprouts for dinner. Disgusting little things, that's what they are."

Sheena purposely ignored the fact that he was about to say something else. She knew just from listening to him that he had a pretty rocky relationship with his mother, so she didn't even let him know she knew he had almost let it slip, "Well, okay. But it tastes so terrible I doubt it'll do much…it's the after taste that really counts."

He rubbed his chin, away in his own little world, "Like bad orange juice left out overnight…"

"What?" she raised a brow wondering what he was talking about.

"I'll get you a glass of sugar water, it should help." Zelos turned to leave for the kitchen without bothering to answer her question, for the simple reason that he hadn't heard her.

Sheena smiled softly as he left through the swinging door; she never once doubted that he was a good person when it came down to it and this proved it on so many levels. It may have been a simple gesture but Zelos had done it. Without expecting something in return, she hoped.

She drummed her long fingers on the window windowpane, creating tiny designs on the frosted glass. The medicine lay beside her, cap loosened somewhat.

"Ah. I see you have yet to try the medicine I made."

That startled her and almost caused the gooey remedy to tip of the edge of the seat. Not that she would mind.

Anthony walked in shaking his head with a small grin, "You know it's not that bad."

Sheena calmed her heart rate with a deep breath and looked skeptically at him, "Yeah…sure. If it's anything like the way my grandpa used to make it it'll be just as…interestingly flavored. I still remember the taste from my childhood. It's not something that I can easily forget."

"No, it isn't is it?" it was more of a rhetorical question, "That's why I still remember how to brew just right, like the way your grandfather thought me so many years ago."

This surprised her but not as much as she would have expected, "You got this from grandpa?...the chief of Mizuho?" she added to make sure they were talking about the same person.

"Yes, that's the one." the doctor answered, "The one thing I remember most about him was how much patience he had while I was learning. I made my share of mistakes but your grandfather never seemed to mind."

Sheena nodded in agreement, "He was always like that…"

"I'm assuming he's still in a coma…?" Anthony asked carefully.

The mood instantly darkened but Sheena tried to keep it to a minimum, "Yes, but I know he'll make it out…he has to."

A calloused hand patted her sympathetically on the back but no words were exchanged. They weren't necessary; after all he was a trained professional. He would know that a situation such as this would not always have a happy ending. Though he was a straight-forward practical man, he would not tell the young woman what she did not want to hear even though it's most times what is needed to be heard.

After what seemed to be hours for the distressed woman the hand left her back and Anthony softly said, "Goodnight Sheena. If you need me I'll be in the next room over."

She nodded bluntly and got a hold of the foul smelling medicine; somehow she felt if she drank it now it would affect her least. The minute she took the first sip she knew she was gravely wrong. It took all she had to keep from throwing it all out and rinsing her mouth with water until the horribly bitter taste left her. One hand reached up and pinched below the bridge of her nose, drowning the rest of the paste in a matter of seconds.

Zelos returned shortly after she finished, holding a tall glass of sweetened water, "So you finally decided to go through with it?"

Not even looking at the man she snatched the glass, spilling a bit of the water and drank it all in two gulps. When she finished she was panting somewhat heavily as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"You're very welcome." Zelos bowed sarcastically as he took the empty glass and bottle from her, only to sit it down on the coffee table.

Taking a hint Sheena snickered before saying, "Thanks."

"That's it?"

Sheena looked quizzically at him, "What do you mean, 'that's it?'"

The gleaming knight pouted childishly, "That's what you always say…thanks, thanks and some more thanks. To think, after all I've done for you you'd give me a little more?" he now was ticking off the ways on his slender fingers, "When I saved you from killing yourself it was below your dignity to muster up a simple thank you and now--"

The Mizuho native had grown sick of all this ranting and had decided to shut him up in the quickest way possible. In a way she never dreamed of thanking him for all of her hopefully long life. She, Sheena Fujibayashi of Mizuho had hugged him.

Zelos was so taken aback by this simple movement he still had his arms suspended in mid air, "S-Sheena?"

Once again she ignored him; his scent was so strong from where her forehead was resting against his open chest, "Thank you Zelos. For stopping me from making a huge mistake and for the water and for…" she hesitated, "and for this dress…"

Upon hearing this he broke out in a genuine smile, one that she would not be able to see. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, moments like these came far and few between, "You're welcome. See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

With an unfamiliar pang of regret she broke away from him, "You have no idea."

Zelos took his spot on the vacated window seat, "Is it really that hard to get friendly with me to some extent?"

Sheena played with her thumbs, her back towards him, "No…it's just that…it feels different."

"I see. But you hug Colette and Presea and Genis all the time. Why is it so hard when it comes to me?"

She let out a frustrated breath, "For one thing, Colette and Presea are both of the female species so it doesn't feel different and Genis is just a kid!"

"I've seen you hug Lloyd before."

That was when she lost it, at that casually muttered sentence, "What the hell is wrong with you?" she saw Zelos dig his fingernails into the wooden window seat but she didn't care, "What is up with you and Lloyd? Lloyd this, Lloyd that, why do hate him all of a sudden? Don't think I didn't notice how back at the cave you wouldn't let him take me on his Rheaird, because I did. What are you? Don't tell me you're mad at me or Lloyd for that matter because I pay more attention to him. Because I really don't see why you would care."

He couldn't look at her so he remained still glaring out the window, "I don't."

Sheena couldn't care less about what he said because she was nowhere near finished bantering on about how much Zelos bugged her, "I really don't get you, you know? You always know how to ruin a mood; you just can't leave things as they are can you?--"

"Finished yet?" he interrupted.

"You're constantly fighting me on something! And I don't even want to count the times you've interrupted me when I'm trying to say important!"

"Sheena—honestly," he now stood up facing her, "You do realize that it takes two to start a fight, don't you?"

"Yes—I'm not stupid you know. But did you know it takes one person to initiate it? Because that's what you do, you start things and ruin them, because you're a ruiner!" she didn't care if it wasn't even a word without a proper definition but in her mind it suited him just perfectly.

Folding his hands across his chest Zelos heaved a heavy sigh, "That's your fever talking."

"No it isn't!" she snapped, annoyed that the man before her never took anything seriously, "Why can't you ever listen to me for once?"

"Fine, fine hunny no need to get all squeaky on me." he said informally, "I'm listening. What do want?"

Sheena hadn't expected him to say anything so suddenly that she fumbled before the right words came to mind, "…well, why do you continuously say things to annoy me when you know I'm just going to get angry?"

Zelos smirked and stared intently at her visage, "You're cute when you're mad."

The young ninja flushed a pretty shade of pink, "Zelos you--!"

He titled his head to one side, enjoying the confusing effect he had on the woman, "And you're even prettier when you're lost."

Sheena got over herself and growled, "See! That's exactly what I mean! Is it so hard for you to hold your tongue?"

Tethe'alla's Chosen still had a lazy smile that seemed to stay fixed on his features, "Is it so hard for you to take a compliment?"

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Hmm, that seems a little shorter than the rest…about by a page in length. Anyways, I want to work more on building up their relationship for a while, and I know it seems slow but I need it to be realistic. You all know that sadly, Sheena's character type doesn't run into the arms of any man easily, especially Zelos since she appears to be intent on hating him. But that will change with time, now won't it?

My dearies, all you have to do to make me a very happy authoress is drop of a review. Pretty please with a strawberry on top? Or cherry.