Melee Academy of Higher Learning for Boys

Year Three

-Eight-

It was the weekend, finally. Exams were almost over, the weather was warm (for January anyway), and no one bothered with studying except Ness and Lucas. And maybe Link, who was freaking out over his last two exams, but that was nothing unusual – he was like this every year.

Ness was up in the library with his Geometry and History books laid out neatly beside him, sheet after sheet of notes splayed out in front of him. He took great notes according to his teachers and he prided himself in that fact. As a result of his epically awesome note taking skills, his 300-sheet notebook for History was full, and the first semester was only just about to end.

Lucas was next to him at the table studying Algebra One and English. He didn't mind the maths since he was just that kind of person (and as a result, he and Ness got along great), but he absolutely loathed English – especially the stuff they had to read in class. In all honesty, who really cared about 'The Odyssey'? Lucas didn't. Lucas liked to read, but classics were just not his thing. And since he was only in Year One English, that was pretty much all they read. Only his teacher, Mr. M. Mario, gave a damn, really, about the material they covered in class, and Lucas thought him extremely boring because of it.

The other two members of their Mischievous Quartet (as Link had once dubbed them and the name stuck) were off doing their own thing, and Ness – the brains of the group – didn't really care where they were. As long as Young Link wasn't holding the bodega down the street up, anyway. (Ness was always under the impression that Young Link would one day end up as an escaped convict or something by the time he was in his late teens. No one knew why this was since Young Link was harmless to everyone whose name wasn't 'Ganondorf Dragmire'.)

-x-

"Hey, YL, did you go to that study meet Ness invited us to?" Popo asked as his friend approached him, Nintendo DS in hand. He nearly walked right into a tree and almost trampled Princess Peach's flower garden, but he made it to Popo nonetheless.

"Die you stupid Lucario!" Young Link shouted at his white DS. "I will end you with my Rapidash's Solar Beam—"

Popo took the handheld and closed the cover, nearly dropping it twice in the process of doing so. The battle theme music from Pokémon Diamond abruptly stopped.

"What the hell, Popo?" he demanded of the male Ice Climber. "I was almost done with that fight!"

Popo glared. "Now that I have your attention… Did you go to Ness's study meet thing today?"

Young Link snorted, crossed his arms, and shifted his weight to only one leg. Behind him, a bird landed on a nearby tree branch and began its chipper song. It was only Peach's pet Pidgeon she named Gaebora, which Young Link thought was a butchering of that annoying owl he met during his adventures.

"Do I look like I study?"

Popo hesitated and fidgeted with the DS's wrist strap. "No," he confessed.

"S'what I thought. Now then, if that answers your question, gimme my DS back before I fight you." He raised his fists to emphasise his point. Wordlessly, the Ice Climber handed the device back to his friend.

"Now where was I...?"

Just as Young Link continued on to the deck area of the yard, a huge pile of snow fell from a branch Pichu jumped on and landed directly on Young Link's head.

"And that's what you get for being a jerk," Popo said with a smirk on his face.

-x-

"Hey, Older Me," Young Link chorused as he barged into their room, "can I borrow your—" He stopped dead in his tracks, right in the middle of the room, when he saw what Link and Ike were in the middle of doing. Ike whimpered and tugged on Link's hair before bucking deeper and deeper into his—

"What the hell are you doing on my bed?!" Young Link pulled his hat over his eyes, but it was no use. The mental damage was already done.

Ike, surprised, pressed down on Link's head just a little too hard and Link choked.

"My eyes are ruined!" Young Link screamed, tears streaming down his face from underneath the green cap. "They burn!"

Link covered up Ike's bits with a bedsheet – Young Link's bedsheet – and glared at his blinded younger half.

"Don't you know how to knock?"

Like Link should really talk. He never knocked when walking into Marth and Roy's room, which was why Marth and Roy had new locks put on their doors and gave the keys to no one.

Young Link didn't dare remove his trademark hat from his eyes. "Yeah, I do, but in Kokiri Forest, we didn't knock on doors! You should know that."

Silence.

"We didn't even have doors," Link corrected as Ike groaned from sexual frustration.

Yeah, Link, Ike thought as he stared at the older Hero of Time, just forget that your boyfriend's right here next to you. Your younger self – who's probably going to end up in an argument with you – is much more important.

"Yeah, well… We didn't suck people off in Kokiri Forest, either!"

Link wanted to wipe that shit-eating grin off his younger half's face. "That's because no one in their right mind would blow Mido of all people."

"Or that kid who humped a rock," Young Link added.

Ike tugged on Link's arm. "Link, I have needs you need to finish tending to here."

Link sighed exasperatedly. "Well, I just lost any mood I had, you know."

"Climb on top of me and I'll help you get it back, then," said Ike who was, by this time, very horny and desperate.

And just before Link could cry out "Oh Farore!", Young Link hightailed it the hell out of Dodge.

-x-

"Don't tell me," Marth said as a somewhat wet and frozen red head walked through his bedroom door. "You went in the pool in January."

Roy shook his head. "Nah, I went in the hot tub."

Marth deadpanned. "What's the difference? It's still water – you can just take a hot bath at that rate."

"And then I'd get out of the bathroom and come into this frozen room 'cause MH is a lazy bastard. He won't fix the heat."

Marth sighed and grabbed a towel from their bathroom and threw it at him. "I could've gotten you blankets or something if you were that cold here. Or let you cuddle with me. Something."

Roy grinned sheepishly as he toweled himself off. "…I could have done that, I guess."

Marth left Roy's freshly laundered clothes on his bed and then sat down next to it. "If you dry yourself off enough, my cuddling offer is still open."

Marth had never seen Roy strip so quick in his three years of knowing him. He wasn't sure if it was because he was offering something that would probably lead to sex, or because Roy was just that cold from all the water and the temperature in the room. In any case, Roy changed into his drier clothes and jumped stomach-first onto the bed, right behind Marth.

"Cuddle time," Roy said as he sat up. "Now. Or else." He made a vaguely threatening gesture with his hands that Marth didn't quite understand.

So Marth fluffed out his pillow and leaned against the headboard. Roy snuggled up next to him and took one of Marth's legs hostage with his own.

"Does my leg have anything to do with your, ah, 'or else'?"

Roy had an uncharacteristically evil look on his face. "Maybe." And then he stole Marth's lips in a kiss.

If anyone walked into their room, it was their own fault; Marth left the door wide open.

-x-

"Help me with this stupid thing, Ike!"

Ike sighed as a panicked Link practically ripped his homework assignment to shreds. Unlike Marth and Roy, Ike was unused to Link's mental breakdown moments over schoolwork. So he agreed, if only to calm Link the hell down. He sat down on the floor across from Link and took the homework.

"What don't you get, Link?"

"Everything!" Link cried, his head in his hands. "I totally just fail at life."

Ike exhaled loudly at Link's apparent lack of self-worth.

What am I getting myself into here?

"Um…okay… When's this due, anyway?"

Link looked up from his hands and sniffled. "Tomorrow."

The blue haired mercenary looked incredulously at Link. "You've got to be joking."

But Link just ignored him and continued. "It's due at the end of the exam tomorrow, and if I don't turn it in, I get points taken off my average and then I'll end up failing and—"

"I get it, Link," Ike interrupted as his brow furrowed. "What do I need to do here?"

Link shrugged. "I was kinda hoping you'd know."

Ike stared at the paper. He scratched the side of his nose and tried to figure it all out. Link sat there and waited patiently.

"Well," Ike said at last, "this isn't my area of expertise, so…" He handed it back to the Hero of Time. "Maybe Ness can help you."

It was Link's turn to look skeptical. "How the heck can Ness help me? He's a First Year!"

"This is true," Ike agreed. "But he's also really smart. The worst that could happen is that he has to look it up on the internet for you. You really have nothing to lose by asking him." He picked himself up off the floor and stretched.

"Where are you going?" Link asked.

"To the…training arena," Ike said in between yawning. "So I can keep up my skills. I have a match against that blue haired prince king guy dude later, and from what I've seen, he's really good. So I have to become stronger."

Link snorted. "Good luck with that."

Ike looked slightly annoyed and hurt. "What, you think I can't hand that guy's ass to him on a silver platter?"

"Ikey, honey, he cleaned the floor with all his opponents' derrieres in the last tournament. That's why he's not being cocky when he says he's the best."

"Well, I'm glad you're so positive, that you have so much faith in me," said Ike sarcastically. "Sometimes I think you care more about your friends and their skills than you do about me and mine."

And with that said and out of his system, Ike left the room.

"Are you saying I have no faith in you?" Link shouted after him, abandoning his homework in favour of running to the doorway.

Ike turned sharply on his heel. "Yeah, Link, that's exactly what I'm saying. You love your friends; I don't mind that at all. I love my friends too – they're pretty much all I have in terms of family aside from my sister. But it wouldn't kill you to love me, too."

And Ike turned back around and continued his way down the hall, down the flight of stairs, and out of Link's sight.

"…I didn't know you had a sister," Link murmured.

What else is there that I don't know about?

-x-

"Well would you look at this," Marth teased. "Roy's actually eating at the kitchen table instead of at his computer."

Ike tried to not laugh, so he ended up smirking instead behind his hand. Roy chewed thoughtfully on his fried rice as he finished writing something down. From what Marth could make out from the doorway, Roy was writing some sort of 'cheat sheet'.

"Guess he's decided to not be antisocial," said Ike, who sat down at the table.

"Ha ha ha," said Roy dryly. "What brings you guys here?"

Marth sat down next to Roy and couldn't help but clean up some spilled soy sauce.

"We're starved and saw the Chinese food on the table," Ike answered as he tipped back his chair, fingers linked behind his head.

"I was going to share it anyway," Roy said once he caught their gazes on the food. "There's certainly enough for the whole Manse."

It was then Roy noticed Ike and Marth were dressed in their fighting gear. "I thought your match together was tomorrow." He mixed his food around on his plate with his chopsticks.

"Obviously not," Ike said. "Master Hand changed it at the last second for some reason. So we're going at it today."

"You're coming to watch, aren't you?" Marth asked as he stole a container of the untouched white rice.

"Of course. I have to lend my support, you know. To both of you."

Roy's response made Ike raise an eyebrow. " 'Both of us'?"

"Well yeah," Roy said, as if it was so obvious. "Marth's my boyfriend and you're one of my friends. That's what we do, right? I mean, it'd be nice if Marth won, but that's because I'm slightly biased. But I wouldn't mind if you won, either, since you're my friend and I give a damn."

Ike chowed down on the beef with broccoli since Roy wasn't a huge fan of it and Marth was a vegetarian.

"I'm sure Link'll be there," Roy added. "He'll want a front row seat, probably. You'll be able to hear him – he is a cheerleader, after all."

Ike grunted. "He'll be cheering for Marth."

"And you," Roy corrected.

"No," Ike said with a shake of his head. "Just Marth. He already told me he has more faith in Marth than me."

Both Marth and Roy had no idea what to say.

"That doesn't sound like something he'd say, though," Marth said. "Link's always cheered for everyone in matches. Like that one fight between Samus and Roy where he alternated between them. The only person he never cheers for is Ganondorf, and that's understandable."

"Maybe you just misunderstood him," Roy interjected. "Sometimes Link says things that have other implications. Just because it comes out the way it does, doesn't mean he actually means whatever he says."

"…I guess we're saying to just verify it," Marth finished. "Sometimes when you point it out to him, he realizes it and corrects it."

Ike just sat there and absorbed everything. "Somehow, I doubt that's it."

"See, this is what happens to couples. They refuse to talk about something that's bothering them and that's just not good." Roy dumped a good portion of lo mein onto his plate. "That's how relationships end. That's how Link and Zelda's ended, and according to Zelda, that's also how yours ended…"

"That was on her part," Ike argued. "I tried and she just…didn't want to open up. I think it's the fact that I have no status compared to her."

Roy looked thoughtful once more as he slurped at a stray noodle. "Funny, that was the issue with Zelda and Link."

"Zelda's a princess, so it's been hardwired into her head to only look for eligible princes or kings," Marth said. "I have no idea how Hyrule's royal system works, and I don't claim to, either. But that's just something common with all royalty. …I don't know what Link's excuse is, but really, you should talk to him."

Roy would have said something, but his mouth was full, and Marth would have had a breakdown if Roy broke etiquette rules.

"Just try it," Roy encouraged. "After the match with Marth, catch up to Link before he leaves and say you have to talk with him about something."

"Mmm," was all Ike said. He wasn't too sure it would work, but he had to at least try it.

Hopefully he won't take this the wrong way, Ike thought.

Ike decided he should get in some last training and left after saying his goodbyes. Just as he did, Mewtwo and Ganondorf entered the kitchen for their coffee break. Actually, it was less of a coffee break and more of a food-stealing break. And just what was this break from, you ask? A World of Warcraft raid, of course. Anyone who said World of Warcraft was stupid was just jealous of them, that was all. That was what they told themselves, anyway.

"That's what we need, Ganon," Mewtwo said as he pointed to the pantry. "Ramen. Lots of it. We have to raid the Molten Core tonight and there will be limited breaks for anything."

When an argument broke out over which flavour of ramen was better, Roy took the remains of the Chinese food and snuck upstairs with Marth to their room.

The sheer weirdness of The Manse's residents was one of the reasons why Roy (and sometimes Marth) never ate with them for dinner. Breakfast was one thing because most of them were gone, but dinner was around six, and everyone was home by then. And let us face it – would you eat with them? No, probably not. Hell, they didn't even really want to eat with each other.

-x-

"This reminds me of a slumber party," Link said as he chowed down on the stolen food from his place on the blue carpeting. "Except we're not girls and it's usually pizza that's served."

"That's great to hear, Link," Roy said as he doodled in Photoshoppé. "Why're you here again?"

Link took that opportunity to shove more food in his mouth. "Because the kitchen's a warzone between Ganondorf, Mewtwo, and Bowser; you have food and a computer; and because we're going down to see the match later tonight together like you promised yesterday."

"Oh," Roy said. "Fair enough." And then he did a double-take. "Wait, what'd Bowser do to get sucked into the Ramen War of 2009?"

"Well, Ganondorf threw some coffee at Mewtwo, missed, and Bowser got hit instead."

"…I see."

Link nearly choked on a lo mein noodle. He coughed and sputtered a bit before he dislodged it, and instead of it coming out of his mouth, it came out of his nose.

"Oh no, my brain's coming out!"

Roy turned around to see what was going on and found the offending article of food dangling from Link's nose.

"What the hell, Link?"

Link sputtered more and the noodle popped out. It could have landed in Link's lap, but just to be a pain and offend the masses who lived there (that is, offend Marth's sensibilities), it landed on the carpet instead.

Roy and Link both just stared at it.

Of course, Marth took that moment to come into the room to retrieve Falchion from under his bed, and thus could not miss the fact that there was a noodle on the carpet. He stopped right next to Link and, with both hands, gestured to the offending food piece.

"Why is there a noodle on my carpet?"

"Because Link's digestive tract works weird, and instead of him choking and it coming out of his mouth, it came out of his nose," Roy answered; he was trying hard to not laugh at Marth's serious and freaked out expression.

"...I refuse to touch that." And Marth then promptly walked a good two feet away from it, towards the bathroom.
Roy didn't understand why Marth was making such a huge deal out of it. "Just get your gloves out and clean it. Or use toilet paper if you're so afraid of touching it with your bare hands."
But to Marth, it didn't matter if it was already in the trash. Or covered in toilet paper. "I refuse to touch something that came from Link's nose."
Link looked affronted. "It's not like there's snot on it or nothing, Marth." He didn't see the big deal, either.

Marth took that moment to twitch. Just a little.
Roy sighed and got up from his chair. "Fine," he said. "I'll clean it. You won't even have to go near it." So Roy went to the bathroom, grabbed some toilet paper, made a huge wad from it, and ventured back over to where the noodle was. He wiped it off, saw there was no residue or anything, and threw it in their rubbish bin.

"There," Roy said. "That wasn't so hard."
"Now I'll have to scrub the carpet with bleach again. And then scrub my own hands a dozen times because that is just disgusting."

Link only made the situation worse when he remarked, "You know, Marth, you sound like Hikaru Midorikawa when you're pissed off."
As if to only further encourage him, Marth replied with, "I will kill you."
Link stood up suddenly and pointed a finger at the prince. "See? He totally does! Roy, you can't tell me he doesn't!"

Roy crossed his arms and Marth continued to stare at the spot where the noodle once was.

"Says the guy who once told me I sound like Jun Fukuyama when I scream something."

Link too crossed his arms and stared Roy down. "Well, you do."

Marth decided it would be best if he left the room, otherwise he would have put on gloves, would have retrieved Link's blown out noodle, and would have attempted to strangle the Hero of Time with it.

"See what you did, Link? He's gonna have a panic attack now 'cause the rug isn't clean."

Link merely hmphed. "You know, they make pills for OCD."

Roy sat back down in his chair, only to realize it was eight at night; the match between Ike and Marth would be starting in ten minutes.

"Let's go to the Stadium before Marth and Ike have a shitfit over us not showing up." Roy got back up and dragged Link out of his room and outside.

-x-

"Shove over, Mini Me, I wanna get down front."

" 'Scuse me, Older Self, but I was here first."

"I will throw you over the railing and then Ike and Marth can double-team you."

"…Is that some sort of sexual reference, Older Me?"

"Link, another row just opened up closer to the field… Let's just go there," Roy interrupted. Link was about to throw Young Link over the railing when Roy informed him of the new row. He none-too-gently threw his younger half back in his seat. Roy led the way down to the row right out by the stage, and it gave the perfect view of all the action.

There were only three other Smashers sitting in it: Samus, who was rooting for Marth; Falcon, who was rooting for Ike; and Luigi, who was rooting for them both. Link nearly tripped over his own pant leg and bolted into the row, almost headbutting Luigi, too. He plopped down unceremoniously in the seat with Roy close behind.

"The popcorn actually tastes good this time," remarked Zelda, who was sitting directly behind Samus.

"If it were absolute shit, you could've just given it to Kirby," Samus said. "He'll eat anything."

The lights in the stadium dimmed and a spotlight centred itself on Master Hand, Tabuu not that far away. Master Hand was floating somewhat lethargically, as if he couldn't be arsed to truly do any announcements whatsoever, or like it inconvenienced him in some way. Tabuu, however, looked very overjoyed, to the point where someone might think he overdosed on anti-depressants or had more caffeine than was considered healthy.

"Tabuu looks like he's got a stick shoved up his ass," Falcon remarked as he casually and very nonchalantly rested his arm on Samus's seat.

"Maybe he got some before the match," Samus bantered. "Maybe some from that blue haired, big sword wielding guy."

There was silence as Falcon examined the field. "Uh, Sammy…"

"What?"

"Are we talking about Ike or Marth here?"

Samus smacked her palm against her forehead. "I don't think I'd be insulting the guy I'm rooting for, you moron."

"Silence, fools!" Master Hand shouted. It echoed off of the walls and made him sound otherworldly. He liked the effect and mentally noted to use it more often.

A hush fell over the stadium.

"Welcome, Smashers and visitors alike to Level Nineteen of our famous Brawl Tournament. Today's match will be up against Middle Tier Swordsman, General Ike Paris Troy of Crimea—"

The crowd of people from The Parthenon cheered and saluted, and a select few of The Manse people joined them.

"—and his opponent, Top Tier Swordsman, Prince Marth C. Lowell of Altea!"

Everyone except Falcon and two people from The Parthenon gave thunderous applauds. Link nearly jumped over the railing from all the enthusiasm and Roy had to pull him to safety.

"I would've just landed on the stage," Link mumbled as he accidentally elbowed Luigi.

"And you really wouldn't want that," Roy said.

Tabuu stepped up to the microphone and cleared his throat. "It is customary for my fighters to salute their opponent before the fighting commences – I suppose it is the same for yours, Master Hand?" He looked to the disembodied hand.

"Yes. Yes, it is," Master Hand replied. "We are not a bunch of barbarians."

"Yes, well… I would like to wish both fighters good luck and…"

Master Hand decided that, if he didn't intervene, Tabuu's speech would be five hours long. "Troy and Lowell! Salute to each other!"

Both swordsmen drew their swords. Ike did a sweeping bow, sword extended to his side; Marth went for something less flashy and more appropriate and gave a knight's salute, which consisted of holding the sword parallel to his face with the tip pointed ever so slightly towards Ike, and he too bowed.

"…What kind of salute is that?" Link wondered aloud as he dangled his legs over the railing.

"Whose?"

"Marth's."

"It's old fashioned and very simple. You do it in Fencing and when you're, uh, saluting someone of equal or higher status," Roy explained.

"Oi, Marth."

"Yes, Ike?"

Ike flashed a grin as he shouldered Ragnell. "Good luck. I mean it."

Marth twirled Falchion in his hand and kept it at his side. "May the better of us win."

Once the formalities were exchanged, they each took their places on opposite sides of the field and waited.

"So if Marth wins the tournament, are you gonna go and run out on the field and kiss him or something?" Link was never one to stay quiet during a fight until something interesting happened.

"Maybe," Roy answered. "You have to remember that not everyone in The Manse knows about us yet."

"Well, they must be pretty stupid to've not noticed by now."

"What about you? You gonna kiss Ike if he wins?"

Link shrugged. "Only if you go out and kiss Marth."

Roy took it on as a challenge. "Fine then."

"Ready…"

Ike readied himself, mentally preparing himself for what Marth might have in store for him. He studied the crowd and saw Link sitting near the middle of the stage, up front, in the bleachers.

So he showed up after all, Ike thought. Well, I'll have to show him that I am not to be underestimated.

"Hold on a sec!" Roy called to Master Hand as he flagged him down with Link's bandana.

"What's the matter, Pherae?" the sentient hand inquired, floating over to him.

"…Can you call Marth over here for just a few seconds?"

If Master Hand had a face, he would have probably given him a look that said "you do realize this is a battle, right?" But since he didn't, he couldn't give him such a look.

"Please?"

Master Hand sighed. "Thirty second time-out!"

Ike and Marth both looked surprised.

"But…the match hasn't even started yet!" Ike yelled. "What gives?"

Master Hand didn't give a damn about Ike's yelling. "Lowell, go to section B, row 1 of the bleachers."

Marth sputtered. "Why?"

"Just go or else I will disqualify you and Ike will be crowned champion of the tournament."

Taking the hand seriously, Marth went over to section B, row 1, and found Roy and Link sitting there.

"You called?"

Roy gently pulled on Marth's collar. "You left so suddenly, I didn't get a chance to wish you good luck or anything."

"…Are you here to guilt-trip me for it?"

Roy shook his head. "Nope, just wanted to tell you 'good luck' and…" He gave him a peck on the mouth.

Marth blinked, surprised. He wasn't the only one, either, who was taken aback by such an action.

"There's your good luck kiss," Roy said, unaware of the stares. "Now go and show Ike who he's messing with."

"Time's up, Lowell! Return to the field or you will have forfeited."

Marth trotted all the way back to his starting position.

"You know, he looked like a horse doing that," Link observed.

"Shut up, Link."

"Ready…"

Marth didn't look bothered by anything at all – if he was bothered by anything, he kept it behind his mask of utter calm and nonchalance. And it perturbed Ike to see that.

Either he's not taking this seriously or he's going to be one cunning bastard and hard to figure out.

"Set…"

"Well if no one knew you were gay, they do now," Link said to Roy as he shoved popcorn into his mouth.

"Does it look like I really give a damn?"

Link stared at Roy's face. He saw minor annoyance, but other than that…

"No."

"Good." Roy turned back to the impending fight. "Now don't say anything the rest of the fight or I'll throw you over the railing."

"Go!"

Ike charged at Marth right away, sword poised over his head. Marth didn't look surprised or worried in the least; in fact, he chose to stand there and wait.

What the hell is wrong with this guy? Ike thought it strange, but that didn't stop his attack. Rather, the sound of metal against metal stopped it.

When the hell did he even move?

Marth put a bit of weight behind his sword and broke into a parry, ending up behind Ike. Ike managed to turn around just in time to see Marth coming for him, but he could barely dodge the attack in the first place.

Link wasn't kidding when he said Marth was tough. It's hard to read his footwork at all.

Out of nowhere, when Ike least expected it, a Smash Ball appeared on the stage, near his starting point. Marth noticed it and dashed over there, Ike hot on his heels. Ike stabbed at the prince and Marth fell into a roll of sorts.

Shit, that didn't even faze him.

"You look surprised," Marth said.

"I have to admit, I've never been up against someone with your style before."

Marth chuckled and struck Ike, who fell backwards and slid a good ten feet.

The minutes ticked by. One minute, Marth had the lead; the next, Ike managed to overtake him. It was, surprisingly, quite close, and this fact was what kept the crowd excited beyond belief.

"I dunno who's gonna win this one anymore," Link said as he rubbed his temples. "Just watching it makes my head hurt."

"Marth's unexpectedly ruthless today," Roy observed.

"That just makes him more dangerous. Oh, Ike! Watch out!"

Ike went to dodge another strike, but Link actually distracted him and he instead got hit.

"…You don't realize how distracting you are, do you, Link?" Roy asked.

"I'm just making him aware…"

"He's fighting Marth. I think he's plenty aware of what's going on."

"Time!" Master Hand called. Their fifteen minutes had flown by so quickly, and Master Hand almost lost track, he was so engrossed. "It looks like we have a draw, ladies and gentlemen! That means—"

Ike was leaning against a well placed tree on the stage to catch his breath. Marth wiped the sweat off his brow as he stooped over to calm his heartrate.

"Oh gods," said Ike upon realizing what Master Hand was going to say. "We're going into a Sudden—"

"—Death Match!" Master Hand finished.

Ike limped over to his starting position and stretched as best as he could.

"Not sure I can do this… I'm too—"

"Tired?" Marth inquired, unintentionally finishing Ike's sentence.

Ike could only nod.

"Ready…"

"If you want, I can go easy on you," Marth offered.

Ike spat off the side of the stage as he positioned himself. "Why would you even think of such a thing, let alone suggest it?"

"Because I don't want you to keel over and die from overworking yourself." Marth wasn't faring much better than Ike, but he refused to show any weakness.

"Set…"

Marth wiped his blade off with the edge of his tunic as he awaited Master Hand's signal. "Contrary to popular belief, there's nothing wrong with recognizing your limitations and forfeiting the fight."

Ike spat once more. "My father would be ashamed to know his son took the easy way out." He smirked. "We of the Greil Mercenaries refuse to back down. You'll have to kill me, Marth. Or at least knock me out."

"Go!"

The roar of the crowd seemed to ring through Ike's ears as Marth advanced towards him.

"Ike! Don't give up!" Link shrieked as he stood on the railing.

…Sorry, Link, but I think I've already conceded the battle.

Ike tried to parry, but failed, and with a swipe, Ike plummeted to the Oblivion below.

And then everyone was shocked when Marth fell to his knees and then face down in the dirt. Roy, naturally, was the first on the stadium field.

-x-

"Hey, Ikey."

Ike nearly had a heart attack when he saw Link waiting for him. "Thanks for scaring me half to death."

Link smiled softly. "My specialty." He walked over to his lover and embraced him tightly.

Ike wasn't sure of what to do exactly. "What's this for?"

"For trying your best today," Link replied as if it was supposed to be apparent. "I was cheering for you the whole time."

Ike finally returned the embrace and rested his weary head on Link's shoulder. "…I know, I heard you."

"You know I said that stuff about Marth being better than you so you could try your hardest, right?"

Ike smiled discreetly. "…Yeah, I do."

"You know," Link muttered in Ike's ear, "YL's having a camp-out in the yard with Ness and everyone else. You can stay with me tonight if you want."

After a slight pause, Ike responded with, "…Yeah."

-x-

"If you scare me like that again…"

Marth and Roy were in their room, sitting on their bed. Roy had the look and voice of a parent scolding their child. If anyone from Pherae had seen their lordling then, they would have remarked on how much like Eliwood he looked. Especially now, what with the expression.

Marth picked at the bandage on his cheek. "I know, I know. I'm sorry."

Roy batted Marth's hand away. "Stop picking at it."

Marth practically sat on his hands. "Right. Sorry."

They sat there in silence for a while, neither knowing exactly what to say to break it.

"Everyone knows now," Marth said quietly.

"About?" Roy had his head against Marth's arm and was gradually finding it harder and harder to stay awake.

"Us," said Marth simply. "After what you did today at the match, I'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't know."

Roy said nothing for a bit. "…Sorry."

Marth snaked an arm around Roy's shoulders and absently played with his red hair, dulled from the bleak winter skies. "Why?"

Roy found Marth so warm and so comfortable, he could have just fallen right asleep…

"I forgot you weren't a fan of public displays of affection, and I didn't know you wanted this to be a secret from everyone."

Marth kissed Roy's forehead and pulled him just a little closer. "It's true I'm not a fan of kissing out in public – I'm a prude like that. But I never once said I wanted this to be a secret." He looked into Roy's eyes and pressed his forehead against Roy's. "I'm not ashamed of anything. If I were the type, I'd shout it from The Manse's roof. But since I'm not a fan of heights, I'd rather go out on the lawn and shout it from there."

Roy smiled, practically asleep. "Picturing you on the lawn shouting, 'I'm gay!' is just so funny."

"I'm glad I amuse you so." Marth then noticed Roy had indeed fallen asleep, so he moved Roy into a much more comfortable position on the bed. He slipped into bed next to him and turned the light off.

"Marth…?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you kiss me goodnight?"

Marth couldn't help but grin at such an innocent request. He rolled onto his elbow, caressed Roy's cheek, and kissed him tenderly.

"You know you don't have to ask me."

"… …Yeah, I know."

You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall.

You steal my heart, and you take my breath away.