Title: Shades of Pink
Pairing: Matthew x Serra
Word Count: 933 (so miracles do happen! Oo)
Timeline: A few months after the end of the game.
Summary: Matthew reflects on two of his companions.
Spoilers: The Matthew x Serra support ending. Also the chapter entitled "The Dread Isle" in the game.
Disclaimer: Nintendo and Intelligent Systems have the rights to Fire Emblem. No thieves or clerics were hurt in the making of this fic.
A/N: I thought this one would be short and sweet, like one page only. I was so very, very wrong. Well it's shorter than the previous ones but still, it ran away with me. / All requests are being considered so hang tight. I've already written a few other one-shots after this so it might take a while.

He couldn't understand it.

Both women were polar opposites of each other but they had managed to capture his attention as surely as, well, the sun rising in the morning.

From the battlements Matthew watched the dawn as it turned the sky a pleasing shade of pink and orange.

There was that accursed colour again.

The only similarity the two ladies shared were their hair colour. But even that was a weak link. One had hair similar to the pale pink of roses while the other's locks had bordered on being red.

His first love had been quiet and discreet, often mistaken as a shadow during dark nights. His current (and largest) source of frustration couldn't stand still or keep silent if her life depended on it, which in the past, it had. He didn't know how many times he'd had to save her hide because she didn't know how to shut her trap on the battlefield.

The former top spy of Ostia had slavishly attended to her duties, so much so that it had cost her very life. However the newest bishop of Castle Ostia still had to be chastised by Oswin every now and again to keep her in line. It still puzzled him how she had managed to get promoted from a cleric to a bishop. Perhaps the officials of the Elimine Church had done it just to make her happy. He knew firsthand how annoying she could be when she didn't get her way.

Matthew recalled how easily it had been to work with his earlier associate. Often words were not needed; they had comprehended each other perfectly. They were quite similar after all; both were cunning and intelligent. As for his latest co-worker they were often at odds. Even if he could get a word in edgewise, which was extremely rare, he didn't think he could explain himself to her so she would understand him.

However the biggest difference he could see were their professions.

Leila had been a spy and assassin. She would steal, lie, and kill without hesitation.

Serra was a healer and preacher. She would mend your wounds, pray for your soul, and renew your faith in humanity and the gods.

Honestly, he couldn't understand how he could work with such vastly different women. They were complete contradictions of each other, like Life and Death.

"Yoo-hoo! Maaaaaaaathew!"

The all too familiar greeting grated on his nerves and made his empty stomach drop to the soles of his feet. Lord have mercy, why did that demon in disguise have to wake up so early?

Serra sauntered over to his position and tucked her staff under her arm. She beamed at him and instantly he was wary. She never did stop asking Lord Hector for her own vassals …

"There you are, Mathew, I've been looking all over for you!" she admonished him.

"I knew I should have stayed in bed."

"What was that?"

"I said good morning to you too, Serra!" he replied in a forced chipper tone. He knew he'd regret it but he had to follow his statement up with, "and what can I do for you this fine morning?"

"Weeeeeeell," she dragged the word out.

Matthew's left eye twitched. Was this witch in bishop's clothing aware of how much it irked him when she did that?

"Lord Hector told me to bring you to him. I think he wants you to repeat your report on Bern again."

"But I already told him yesterday night!" he huffed. "Wasn't he listening?"

"Lady Ostia was there as well so no, I don't think he really was," Serra grinned. "After that he wants you to talk to Jordan. He nearly lost the scrolls he was delivering to us, which would have given vital information to the enemy. Then you can help me in cleaning out the chapel. A family made quite a mess after their baby's christening."

The young thief groaned out loud. It was early in the morning but already it seemed like he was going to have a long day. And to add salt to the wound, Serra wasn't done talking yet.

"And then …"

"And then?" he asked in an utterly dejected voice.

"Cookies!"

"What?" Matthew frowned. "Are you insane?"

"I am in possession of all my faculties, thank you very much," she answered primly. "Besides, I don't think it's comfortable to be in a paladin in the first place!"

He groaned at her bad joke.

"Well what did you mean by cookies? You want me to go buy you some?"

"Hmm," she gave it some thought but laughed when she saw his aggrieved expression.

"No, silly! I'm making some cookies later on for the local orphanage. And if you're a good boy, a really good boy, I might make some extras for you."

"For me?" his sandy brown eyebrows rose in disbelief.

"Just for you," she smiled.

For a brief moment the two of them shared a smile while thinking the exact same thoughts. But eventually Serra turned around and headed back to the castle proper.

"Well come on!" she said. "Lord Hector is waiting! And you know how that brute has no patience at all."

As Matthew watched Serra walk off, he thought about how different he felt from before. When he was honest with himself, like he was now, he knew that he had wanted to kill himself when he had found Leila's cold body. He would have welcomed Death.

But as he followed the still chattering bishop to their liege lord, he realized he was slowly learning to love Life.

A/N: In case you were wondering: a) Lady Ostia Hector's wife. Since he has a lot of possible wives, I left it open and didn't mention any specific character; b) Jordan is an OC I made up. He's a rookie spy just starting to learn the ropes, hence the need for Matthew to talk to him. I doubt you'll see young Jordan again so yeah … c) anyone get Serra's joke? Insane? In Sain? Ahahaha #dies by rubber chicken#