Hi reader. This is my second fic in English, my native language is Spanish! I'm really exited! OH! And please forgive me and my misspell words and grammar errors, I'm working on it.

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DISCLAIMER: Etrian Odyssey games are property of ATLUS and Nintendo.

RESUME

Dust hated himself for liking her. How he ended up like this!? Maybe she had been planning this all the time. Maybe she tricked him. Maybe she fooled him.

Post - ALIKE. Chronologically located at their first steps in the First Stratum.

FOOLED

He doesn't know how he always ended up falling fooled again and again over her words. Not like it really bothers him at all. It was just amusing how stupid he can become every time she opened her mouth and… DARN IT, TALK, JUST TALK. He rolled in his bed and buried his head in the pillow. The young Landsknecht tried tied his best to stop his mind but it was already too late.

Maybe it was because he always felt unsure of himself and always ended up walking to the Pub, across it, just to asking her what's the best thing to do. Maybe it was the way she talk, how she tell him how much she trust blindly in his decisions, in his "way to good instincts", in his "abilities as leader". Maybe the way she "innocently" move her golden hair around her fingers while he babble al the "what if" and possible options. Or maybe, just maybe, the way she walk.

He rolled again, facing the ceiling now. Yes. He'd love everything about her. Even if he sounded like a perv admitting this in his head as he remembered the way her body moves as she walk and… He couldn't admit it in front of the others, she got him crazy. Crazy in every single humanly possible way.

She is so perfect. He couldn't get how she could even trust him, he is just a rookie! She only knows him for, what?, two weeks at the most. Even with that, she said she could only go deep into the labyrinth if he is the leader. Even with her two brothers in the guild and with more members with further more experience into that place. Even with those whom just dissolved their guild and joined in. Even when she was that perfectly capable of taking that responsibility.

Truly he must have been fooled. That was the only option. It was a plan of hers to… To destroy him? To tricked him!? He sat in his bed before that revelation. Yeah! That's it! This was way too much suspicious! Considering that she is, in fact, one of the most capable Dark Hunter he have ever meet, that woman had something with her body and the way she talks that leave everyone merciless. She knew every single trick to make anyone fall for her. In fact, if he can recall everything went up like this the first time he saw her: She arrived the town, tried to create a guild but needed members, went to the Pub, got everyone's attention, saw that he looked stupid enough to fool him and winked at him before to leave.

He lied in his back again. How he could have being so much reckless!? And stupid! To let his guard down in front of a Dark Hunter! He knew they were dangerous but her! Man, she was the worst! But anyway, it was his fault, why in the world possesed his body to make him accept his best friend, Somnia, greatest idea to go to the Pub and grab some drinks. He never goes to the Golden Deer Pub. He hate pretty much everything about that place. The drunk people, the drunk explorers talking about their failures in the labyrinth, the silence every time a explorer died…

With only ONE wink. O - N - E. He was already eavesdropping the other men while them ask frantically Valerie about HER. Even Somnia "helped" him asking Valerie if the "mysterious blond hottie" will be back and obligate him to went the next day to the Pub and try to invite her a drink.

Now he hated himself and that wink. He can recall that day too. She arrived and sat at the bar, turned down every guy in the Pub and acted "surprised" when he accidentally almost tripped and poured the drinks he, ironically brought to share with her, in her short tank top. She didn't stop him when he tried to clean her up and let him invited her a drink just if he promised to share the rest of the night with her.

Obviously she tricked him! She tricked him with kisses. Yeah, sure, he didn't complain when she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and kissed him. By the way, it was his first kiss. And, sure, she let him kiss her back once he got the courage to grab her hand and ask if he can go on. He knew immediately that he wasn't her first kiss, she is 21 and he had just turned 18! She have that look that makes you think she is easy to get, but played hard with everyone who tried to approach her. Everyone but him.

But that was just her first move. She wasn't playing yet, of course. She was just getting started. She made him drink too much and almost convinced him to take her home and… Well. Almost because he actually takes her home. Almost because he let her take her cloth off. Almost because he almost lost his mind. Almost… He rubbed madly his head with his hands. Even drunk he is stupid! He ask her for a date instead! He told her that he prefer having something that could last longer than a kiss! Or longer that all the kisses they shared that night. His innocent and stupid drunk self asked her to go out and try dating because he was already crazy about her. He vaguely remember her beautiful, playfull, sinfull, sexy smile and her accepting the offer with more kisses before he fall asleep holding her. Have he need to recall she was naked in his bed?

He also remember all the chaos in his apartment next morning. He covered his head with the pillow just remembering his hangover. When he woke up, she had already have a shower and was almost dressed up. ALMOST, YES, ALMOST. Godess. She tricked him into letting her wear one of his shirts, HIS FAVOURITE SHIRT, because hers smelled like the drink he accidentally poured at her. He asked, NO!, pleaded her to stay in his room before he went to take a shower. He didn't knew the little sister of Somnia and her two best friend were at the guest room. She didn't obey him, of course. It wasn't a surprise to hear the screams of the three girls in middle of his shower.

She tricked everyone. She told everyone that he helped her since she was drunk and let her sleep in his bed while he slept in the sofa. None one believed a word but didn't complain. She tricked everyone. Tricked everyone with her amazing cooking skills. It didn't stop Somnia to send him winks repeatedly at him from across the table and the three girls to glare at her. Everything was fine. Until she remind him about that date he asked. She said "yes".

He got up of his bed. It is almost 2AM in the morning. He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. He needed to calm himself! She said yes. Yes, she had been dating him for almost two weeks. HE have been dating HER for two weeks. He have been fooled for two weeks. He falled in that Dark Hunter's trap for two good weeks. He suddenly felt empty. If she has lied to him, he... Now that he think about it, he couldn't remember how was his life before her. Not literally, just about emotionally. How could have him manage that… that loneliness he felt now. Or maybe he was perfectly fine before she crashed into his life. His miserable. normal, stupid life.

That exact same day he asked her to their first date. He remembered how hyped he was with that yes. That simple yes...

He bringed her to the B1F and told her how he have grew up in that forest, cutting wood, training with his father, everything. Even told her how much he wish to be like his father's uncle, a legend in the town, a great explorer. She fooled him. She told him her wishes and dreams. She told him about her grandmother and the great explorer she was. She told him about her not-so-great first experience with a guild. She told him about her first relationship with one of her teammates. She told him about his first boyfriend death and the relationship she was forced to have with the leader of that guild. She told him all about that man, about that five years of nightmare and the end of it by the hands of her other teammates. She fooled and tricked him to say those words. He promised that he will protect her if she let him. She fooled and tricked him. She asked him to be the leader. He said yes.

He forced himself to get up of that chair and walk out of the apartment. He forced himself to walk around the town.

The next day he discovered she had already asked some explorers to join a new guild. She tricked everyone. She tricked those kids that just dissolve their guild to join in. She tricked her own two brothers, that wanted to take her home, to stay and join in. She even tricked his best friend, the three girls and his sister. And she ticked him. She almost reunite the grandchildren of great five explorers. Almost. She planned it all.

He doesn't know how he always ended up falling fooled again and again again and again AND AGAIN over her words. And he will be fooled until his death. It really never bothers him at all… Until now. It is just amazing how stupid he have become every time she opened her mouth and…

"Dust?"

Talk,. He froze. He feel a hand above his shoulder. He didn't got time to react. She was already in front of him, looking straight at his eyes with her big blue orbs. Moving her golden hair around her fingers. Moving her lips.

"Ailee..." Was the only thing he was able to pronounce. Her name. Her.

"Hon, whatcha doing here? Aren't you cold? You look really pale. C'mon. Let's get moving before you catch a cold or something."

She holded his hand and started walking, but he didn't move. He didn't wanted to fall for her tricks even longer. Didn't want to be a fool anymore. He wanted it to stop.

She turned to see what was happening. The red haired boy looked a bit flustered. His beautiful green eyes were fixed in the ground. Every muscle in his body looked tense. She recalled their last talk that day. He asked her something she didn't wanted to answer. She didn't expect it to haunt him like that! The poor man looked almost lost -if he wasn't already lost!-. Maybe if she opened up a bit, he could relax a bit.

She didn't give it any more thoughts and put her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder. He almost fell. That move got him totally off guard!

"Dust. I'm so, so deeply sorry. I didn't..."

"Wha- Why would I have to apologize you if you haven't done a thing?"

He felt lost! She was apologizing for… for fooling him? Even if he wanted her to confess that minutes before, right now he regretted that mere thought. He wasn't prepared. He wanted to be tricked! He didn't care been fooled by her till the rest of his life as long as she stay forever -or as longer as she could- by his side. I doesn't matter as long as she…

"I must have answer that question earlier... "

"Ailee…"

He holded her tight. He wanted it to be a bad dream. He closed his eyes and waited. Waited for something that never come. He looked up at Ailee.

"Dust, can't breath"

He let her go off his grip, but instinctively held her hands tightly while looking straight at her eyes.

"Stop being silly, please. I'm trying my best to be serious… So the thing is… You asked me if I really like you. Since I accept the date and all that stuff."

He remembered that… Now that he really think about it, she didn't answer his question at all and ultimately evade it! How can he have missed that!

"The point is that… Okay, to be honest I hate talking about feelings so I'm gonna call it a 'something', kay?"

Dust was breathing heavily, he just moved his head affirmatively because he was dying to know.

"It started with something like 'Oh, he's hella hot, I want him'. Then it became something like 'Okay, I will date him just to make him happy and then get what I want'... So today, in this right exact moment, that something is more like a 'Maybe, just maybe, I'm starting to fall for him, please help, punch me harder and make it stahp.' "

Wait. What? Maybe? He was wide awake, he make sure to pinch himself! She say maybe she liked him? Maybe she...

"Do I get myself clear? Cause I'm never ever saying that again. Like ever. So don't you overreact, it's just a maybe and I want to keep it like that till- "

He interrupted her before he was able to stop himself. He passionately kissed her like it was their last kiss. Like the world was about to end. Like he was about lo die. Like that were his last words. She allow him. Her hand were tangled with his hair. His hands around her to make sure she wouldn't escape. Her body as closest as possible to his.

Until she broke the kiss. She was gasping for air. He couldn't accept to lose any more time!

"I- I love you. Ailee, I'm fooly and madly in love with you in every human possible way. I love you. I love you so so much I-."

"Love you too, Dust. I- "

She answered without thinking and froze. It was too late.

"I… I didn't- "

He kissed again. He didn't wanted to know even more. She loved him. He kissed her with more passion, with more hunger, with more love. Even if it wasn't possible, he did.

He don't even know how he always ended up falling fooled over her words and surely it will never bother him again. It was just amusing how utterly stupid he can become every time she opened her mouth and talk. The only thing he was totally sure is that he didn't want her to stop.