a/n: Brian the NPC is having a bad day, but Lin and Gwin will help him out, for sure.

All the good things belong to Monolith Soft, and it's not my fault they never described Brian or gave him a name.

Brian: still 11 roses

Lin didn't turn to see who had come bursting into the barracks, but she recognized the voice. "Wow, that smells good, Lin. I'm really hungry, too."

"You'll stay that way, Gwin. I didn't make enough for you."

"Awwwwww." He was already peering over her shoulder. "Pancakes? For Valentine's?"

"Tatsu's favorite. And go away. I don't want any Interceptor sweat in my food."

"The 'tater's asleep. He won't know."

"Beat it."

Gwin laughed and headed for the elevator. "I'll be right back. Don't move," he called as he left.

Lin continued with her cooking, wondering what Gwin was going to bring her. Then she heard a sad human sigh behind her. She whipped around in surprise, dropping one pancake on the floor. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" she asked sharply.

A young man was leaning against the counter. With his hangdog expression and close-cropped hair, he reminded her a lot of Doug, if Doug were shorter, younger, and probably Samoan. From the scuffs on his regulation armor, today had not been his best day. "Waiting, just like Gwin said."

"Oh!" Lin blushed. "I thought he was talking to me."

"Did you blow up your skell too?"

"Uh, not today," Lin said in confusion.

"Because I did." He sighed again.

Lin stooped to pick up the pancake and dusted it off. Better make sure this one goes on Tatsu's plate, she thought. She squinted at the other BLADE. "Excuse me, but do I know you?"

"Um, probably not. I'm Brian. A Harrier." He straightened slightly with pride, then sagged again. "Except my skell's busted and I'm out of insurance. That's what Gwin's getting me: an extra insurance ticket."

"He has any left?" Lin said with amazement.

Brian nodded. "The Interceptors won the polls last week. It's nice of him to let me use it, because I'm going to need my skell for tomorrow's mission. I'll pay him back, but until I do I'm gonna be flat broke. Can't take my girlfriend out for dinner tonight." He looked miserable.

Lin resisted the urge to invite Brian and his girlfriend to dinner. She figured that romance and Tatsu's table manners wouldn't go well together. Then she smiled with sudden inspiration. "You should take her flowers."

"Can't afford them, even if I could find some today."

"I have a bunch. You can have some."

"Really? Do you mean the pink roses over there?"

"Those same ones." She glanced at the Nopon snoring on the sofa. "You can have them all."

"But I can't take them," he protested. "They must have cost a bundle."

Lin was already pulling them out of the vase and wrapping a paper towel around the dripping stems. "I insist." She thrust the amateur arrangement at the hopeful BLADE.

"Wow. This is great. I can't thank you enough," he babbled. He turned to look at Gwin as the Interceptor entered the room. "Check this out! Lin gave me these flowers to give to Lindsey."

"Jeez, Lin. 10 minutes ago I was the hero, getting him an insurance ticket. Or do you not need this anymore?" he asked, waving the slip of paper in the air.

"Oh, yeah, I need that too," said Brian, snatching it from Gwin's hand. A broad smile shone from his face. "Thanks a lot, Gwin. Between the two of you, you really saved my bacon."

"Limited skell insurance ticket, bunch of dead flowers, they're the exact thing," snorted Gwin as he watched Brian shoot out the barrack's door. "No one's giving me anything."

"Lemme give you a pancake for the road," chirped Lin. "I have an extra special one lying around."

a/n: Oh no, I have gone and named the character and his girlfriend, so now I have to feed them and take care of them. They both exist in-game, but only by mention. Couldn't get it down to 10 roses in this part, but I'll double up next story.

Next up: Sara-Ariel. (Who's she? Monolith Soft made her, do not blame me.)