Valgaav was a smart boy. His mommy always told him so, and the other children thought he was wierd for it. She was so proud of him for learning how to take a human form very young. And now that he could, he could go out and play with the other kids in the village. All the adults liked him. Valgaav was a good boy, because it made his mommy happy. On nights when people would visit and tell her of his good deeds helping the older villagers, he would get a wonderful present. Before bed, she would lean down, ever so gracefully, and kiss his horn. It made him happy, because she would tell him it was a lovely horn and that the other children were just jealous they didn't have one.
Currently, little Valgaav was looking thoughtfully at the mace hanging haphazardly near his hiding place in Filia's skirt. The wierd man was out there. He hated it when the wierd man came to visit, and so did his mommy. He swore that when he got big and strong, he was going to make the wierd man leave them alone.
"Why you brat! Get out of Filia's skirt!" Xelloss said, pointing Amelia-style. To Filia's unimpressed look, he continued. "He's a pervert! Why don't you hit him like Gourry?" Filia sighed, Xelloss was overreacting again. She gently reached down and patted little Valgaav's shoulder through the pink material.
"You were scaring him with those tricks of your's. Of course he's going to hide, Xelloss. He's just a kid! You have to stop treating him like an adult," She chastised, brushing blonde hair from her face. She was rather protective of the little ancient dragon that she had taken to raising, and wouldn't hear of Xelloss' odd comments every time he came to bother her. Sure, he had expressed his true feelings in the battle against Darkstar, but he didn't have to be jealous of little Valgaav.
Little Valgaav had impressed her early on when he began to talk. And since then, he had been nothing but pride to Filia. He was very good, very eager to learn and very sweet. There were always a vase of wild flowers on her kitchen table, fresh daily for her enjoyment.
"Oh, I see. So you like little boys, Filia? Must have been bad influence from the priesthood-" Xelloss never finished this statement, as the mace came out swiftly. However it wasn't that that stopped him dead in his tracks. It was the small flash of little Valgaav that came with the lifting of the skirt. He only reached her thigh in height, and had wrapped his arms around the leg he was standing beside. The gleam in his eyes was unnaturally possessive, catching Xelloss' attention.
"NAMAGOMI!" Filia growled warningly. Xelloss was feeling quite safe from her wrath, as little Valgaav made a convenient anchor on the golden dragon. But it still tugged at him a bit. Did little kids really look that way? He became more irritated the more he thought about it. Filia had time to stop her angry face by then and was thinking. "You know Xelloss, you just haven't had time to get to know how sweet Valgaav is."
"I'll best he is," the mazoku grumbled under his breath. He crossed his arms in a child like gesture, looking away.
"Now don't interrupt me-!" She said, arching one blonde eyebrow. "Why don't you stay with us for a night or two and make a better impression on Valgaav? I certainly won't have you hanging around in the future if you can't even be nice to him."
The words stung Xelloss, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. His favourite golden dragon, whom he had not spent any real time with since little Valgaav started talking, was going to really commit to such a thing? But then again, even back then it was him...
"Mommy, the wierd man is going to stay with us?" Valgaav asked, emerging from her skirt at last. Replacing her mace, she smiled warmly down at him. He was suddenly feeling insecure, and she could see it in his golden eyes. She was careful to be gentle picking him up, after her frazzlement with the mysterious priest. Careful of his horn, she lifted him to her chest where he settled rather comfortably. He liked when his mommy held him like this the most because it reminded him of something warm and nice. He couldn't recall what it was, but didn't care to as his head fell drowsily into a convenient niche in the crook of her neck as to avoid hurting her with his horn. Supporting the little ancient dragon by his bottom and curving her back to a more comfortable angle, Filia set back to the little cottage that hosted for a store and home. With her free hand, she rubbed his back gently. She had figured he was tired, and Xelloss' appearance hadn't done the child any good. He should have been in bed for his nap that afternoon, but had refused to sleep while Xelloss was around.
"But Filia..." Xelloss began, appearing beside her. "Don't tell me you're just going to continue-"
"Xelloss, hush," she stopped him. Once she was sure the child was sleeping by his calm breathing, she continued. "Valgaav is my child now, and I won't let anyone ruin his childhood again. I'll defend him against even you." The seriousness in her eyes quieted the priest until they had made it to the door of the warm little cottage.
"You're not his mother," He sighed quietly. Filia stopped, the light she had left on in the cabin illuminated her face. There was something akin to sorrow there, and it almost pained Xelloss that it wasn't something he could eat.
"This Valgaav is my son. Period. I'll make sure that he grows up safely with my own two hands. Doesn't that at least make me qualify for the position?"
Filia didn't wait for an answer, but continued into the cottage. She rested one hand in Valgaav's brilliantly green hair, wondering if she ought to get it cut. She ultimately decided against it once she had tucked him into bed in his night clothes. In that memory... Valgaav's hair was longer when he was young. She liked it better that way.
"Mommy?" said a quiet voice, surprising Filia. She jumped, only to find Valgaav's golden eyes watching her. Had he been awake? Had he heard it all?
"Yes, my sweet?" she said, kneeling beside the low bed. She had fallen into using such terms of endearment when she was putting him to bed, because he was sometimes adverse to the idea. He always wanted to stay up with her and help her make the maces and vases. Reaching out, Valgaav gripped her larger hand with his small one.
"I already knew you weren't my real mommy. But I love you more, because you're still there after the nightmare ends."
Tears pricked at Filia's eyes. So that was it, he was still dreaming of then? These nightmares, he had never told her what they were about, too upset to speak whenever he had them. She could barely understand a word he said when he was crying so hard after he woke up from his night terrors.
She smiled, though she wanted to cry. And ever so gently, she kissed his forehead.
"What a handsome boy you are, my little Valgaav," She said, the words coming naturally after so long. And then she kissed his horn, neither repulsed nor hesitant. "And what a lovely horn you were blessed with."
A/N
For some odd reason, my muse decided that a fic with Valgaav and Xelloss fighting over the girl while Valgaav is a little kid seemed like a good idea. And honestly, you knew the two would never get along. I had actually wanted to make a V/F for the sheer fact that there simply isn't enough of it here but nothing struck me on that note. And besides that, having this end V/F would be very sick and wrong. Or not suited for this site, anyway. I'm sure there are lots of interesting places on the web that might welcome the idea. But like I said, that's not how I wanted to write it.
So far I'm seeing two chapters, and after that it's up to the reviewers whether it should be longer. Also, please don't kill me! You see, I used to have microsoft word and now I don't so basic wordpad has left me back to my old tricks without a spell check. Which, should be an advantage as people rely too heavily on it anyway. So if you spot a mistake, let me know and I'll fix it. Besides, it's an excuse for you to review, even if you didn't like the first chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. As much as I'd love to have the cute little version of Valgaav, the lawyers say it's non-negotiable. :(
