Raine grunted unhappily under her breath, glaring at the chessboard for the what had to be the hundredth time that night. She had kept it the same for the past two nights, spending every minute pouring over the details of her moves until she was too tired to think properly. Regal's laughing words rung annoyingly in her head, making her furious and exasperated. 'I want to give up but I can't let him know I'll fold under pressure that easily. I'm an intelligent person, I should be able to figure a way out of this checkmate if he insists there's a way out!'

She moved her knight, but frowned when she realized it had simply left her open for another attack on her king. Setting the piece back down, she bit her lower lip and narrowed her eyes, concentrating. He had easily manipulated her moves, she had played right into his checkmate. Moving any piece would result in certain death. 'What in the world was he talking about? There is no way out of this checkmate, no matter what I move or how I move it, I risk leaving my king wide open!'

"Why did you surrender? Did you not see your option?"

"What option?"

"You could have... Heh... Never mind, it wouldn't be fair of me to point it out. You should examine the board carefully and find it for yourself. That is how a true player learns."

Frustrated, the half-elf was of mind to march up the stairs, drag the former convict from his bed, and force him to tell her what she was missing. She scoffed at her own thoughts, mentally doing the math without having to blink. 'He has to outweigh me by at least seventy pounds, there's no way I could make that monster of a man do anything against his will. But this is so damn frustrating!'

"You know, it doesn't really matter how long you look at that chessboard, the solution won't appear there if you don't focus." Regal's laughing voice interrupted her train of thought, and as though she had been shocked, she bolted to her feet, knocking the chessboard and sending it flying.

"Shit!" Raine cursed at her own clumsiness, immediately dropped to her knees to gather the fallen pieces. She heard Regal's rare laughter as he joined her, and cursing herself silently, she scolded the man in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. "Don't you have anything else to do than sneak up on suspecting people? That's how you give them heart-attacks!"

"My apologies Raine." He was still laughing as he got to his feet, gently placing the pieces he'd received back on the board. He arranged them as they had been before the half-elf had upset it, watching as she flopped back with a loud huff into the couch. Her eyes were narrowed and flashing with annoyance, and with another huff, she returned her gaze to the chessboard. "Still having trouble I see?"

"I don't understand your logic behind this, there simply is no way out of this checkmate." Raine replied pointedly, not caring if she sounded petulant. She was frustrated and his lopsided smile only added to her turmoil. Pointing to her king, she snapped, "The only logical way out of this move is to surrender, which is what I did. There is no way I could slip past your queen and rook with any of my pieces, not without leaving my king exposed. I don't understand the way out of this checkmate. If you were trying to console me, I hope you know I will be quite angry with you."

"You already are angry with me." Regal couldn't help but point out, raising his hands to disguise his chuckles as a cough. She glared up balefully at him, annoyance darkening her crystal eyes. Her hair was messy from her constant toying with it and she appeared as though she hadn't slept properly in months. Having seen her violent behaviour when she was truly angry and wanting no part of it, the man tried a much more peaceful tact; topic change. "What did you take of Sheena and Lloyd's reconciliation earlier today? I assume you heard all about it from Presea."

"Actually I heard of it from Colette, who heard it from Presea because it seems the walls have ears." Raine answered him flatly, knowing that he was hoping to distract her. She had no want to be distracted from the task at hand, especially when she was nearly ready to fly at his throat and demand for an answer. 'Puzzles are fun when played properly, but this is not a puzzle, it's a death-trap. Perhaps I am taking this too seriously, but I'll be damned if I let this man get the better of me!' Knowing that she had no chance of carrying out a threat but too annoyed to really care, the half-elf snapped, "Don't change the subject. I want you to tell me what the hell I'm doing wrong here before I lose my mind and force the answer out of you."

"Force? That sounds nearly like a threat." To say that the duke was amused would have been a grand understatement, his shoulders were shaking slightly in his attempt to mask his mirth. She looked fragile sitting there on the couch in her pale purple nightgown, her robe hid her slender body well, and the way she carried her staff gave off a powerful air of a healer that could do damage. But now he only saw a woman that was annoyed with him. Very cheerful and not sure why, he teased, "I cannot tell you the answer Raine, it would be cheating to help out an enemy. I do not wish to become a traitor to our own cause."

"Now that's just being belligerent." Raine muttered unhappily, crossing her arms over her stomach, staring angrily at the board. Every piece was accounted for and in the exact same place it had been left in when she surrendered the first time. Feeling remarkably childish but unable to help it, she looked up and asked wearily, "I'm begging you for the sake of my sanity, a hint?"

Regal laughed outright, and without waiting for her permission, he sat down beside her. The look on her face was as amusing as it was adorable, her eyes were wide and hopeful, her hands folded primly in her lap. Shaking his head, he nodded towards the board and she immediately did the same. 'How can she not see the move that would turn the game around on me? It's so simple... One single move and she has won, but she doesn't see the use...' Deciding that if he didn't give her a hint, she wouldn't speak to him for quite some time, he began casually, "Try not to look at your board as if it were simple a game... Imagine something completely different. For example..." Regal reached out and touched the knight gently, explaining pleasantly, "This knight, imagine it is Zelos. Capable of moving in a L shape manner to squeeze into places others could not reach." Then he touched the castle. "The castle could be Presea or myself, strong and efficient but only moving in a straight line. Able to do massive damage, yet easily taken out if you don't move carefully."

Raine sat on the couch completely mystified as Regal compared the team to chess pieces. As baffled as she was, she felt an odd intrigue, it was certainly a different way to imagine chess at any rate. 'I can't help but wonder, what is he going to call me...?'

"The pawn could be Colette or Sheena, a weak and underestimated piece at first, but if it can successfully make it through the trials, it can transform into the most powerful piece in the game." Regal pointed out with a small smile, quite pleased to see that he had captured her complete and total interest. "Then there are the bishops, like Genis and yourself. Moving in a way no one else can to attack or save their fellow pieces. Lloyd, and do not tell him I said this, can act like the queen, strong, capable, efficient and adaptable."

"I never thought of chess that way before." Raine admitted with a sheepish laugh, though she could see where the man was coming from. "It's such an unorthodox idea..."

"Sometimes the most unorthodox ideas end up being the best in the worst situations." Regal replied mysteriously, earning a confused gaze from the professor. He merely smiled and shook his head, gesturing back to the chessboard as he got calmly to his feet. "When you solve that puzzle, I hope you call me so I can see what you've done with my advice. Goodnight Raine."

"Ah!" Raine almost stood up to follow, wondering why a wash of cold suddenly swept over her body when he got up to leave. Sitting back down with a slight blush, the professor glanced at her knees and mumbled quietly, "Would you... Would you mind staying with me a little longer? I can think more clearly when you're around."

"Can you...?" Regal asked with a raised eyebrow, but she didn't meet his unspoken challenge. She kept her eyes down, her silvery hair hiding her eyes from his view. He sat down slowly, wondering what had caused her sudden awkwardness. 'Perhaps...' He shook his head silently at his thought, trying to banish the warmth it set in his scarred heart. 'No... It couldn't possibly be. I'm thinking too much.'

Even with that thought in mind, he sat beside her for the rest of the night, striking up a conversation as casually as possible. They lost track of time in the end, and on the board which had brought them together in the first place, the puzzle remained unsolved. Oddly enough, neither of them really seemed to care.

Raine grinned a little to herself as she watched Lloyd lean over the pond, intent on examining the fish swimming in the water. 'Wait for it...' Almost immediately as she finished her thought, Lloyd leaned forward too far and automatically Raine made to cover her eyes so she wouldn't have to see her student fall face-first into the water. He was spared the embarrassment however when Sheena grabbed him by the back of his shirt, yanking him backwards and away from the water. She couldn't help laughing out loud, shaking her head in fond exasperation. "He's a handful..."

"I don't believe she minds." Regal commented from behind her, chuckling quietly as he watched Sheena playfully punch the swordsman in the shoulder for his near accident. He smiled gently at their behaviour, muttering mostly to himself, "They only reconciled last night yet look at them... It's amazing..."

"It is, but at the same time, I'm not truly surprised." Raine replied with a short laugh, shaking her head at Regal's surprised expression. Waving a hand at the two, she watched as Lloyd's arm made its way around their comrade's waist, pulling her close until she gave in and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's something that was just waiting to happen."

"Hmm, perhaps." Regal nodded in slow agreement, his gaze moving from the young couple to the professor who was now walking alongside him. Her smile was remarkably gentle, her pale eyes glinting with affection for both of the young warriors. He tried not to let himself laugh, and teased her quietly, "You have that motherly look on you again. Is it Genis that brought out that quality in you?"

Raine felt the blood rush to her face and she immediately turned her gaze from the couple to Regal, noticing his playful smile. His eyes twinkled oddly, something she had never seen before and that only furthered her awkwardness. 'Again, he's doing it again to me. What's going on?!' Forcing her voice to be calm and to ignore her heart thudding in her ears, she answered him as primly as possible, "I-I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about, Regal."

Regal let himself chuckle, knowing there was really no point in trying to get her to admit to it. She wasn't just stubborn, she was self-conscious, and he had no desire to push her away from him. Raising his handcuffed hands in a sign of surrender, he told her with a small smile, "If that's how it is, I will say no more. The victory is yours."

Raine said nothing more, though she did feel her face still burning in the afternoon sun. Trying to preoccupy her suddenly flustered mind, she watched as Lloyd ducked his head to press his face against Sheena's hair. Whatever he said made the summoner go as stiff as a pole, and her student laughed and kissed her cheek as though it was the most casual thing to do. 'He knows next to nothing about these kind of relationships, both physical and emotional, yet he seems to be getting along just fine with Sheena. His instincts must be kicking in...'

Unaware that they were being watched, Sheena turned towards him and stood on tiptoe, winding her arms tightly around his shoulders. Lloyd moved immediately, picking her up around the waist and engulfing the girl in a bear hug before he spun around. Her loud laughter echoed in the small recreational area, but they didn't seem to mind.

"So the leap from friends to lovers has been made. I'm glad. They both look incredibly happy." Regal mused aloud, noticing that even when Lloyd set her down, he did not release her. His hand always seemed to linger on her own or around her waist, as though he was afraid she would vanish if he let her go. A bit of a frown growing on his face, the duke continued in a low voice, "He still seems hesitant though, as if it could all vanish in a blink of an eye..."

"It could, and Lloyd knows that from experience. He'll tread cautiously, I hope at any rate." Raine agreed with a mild shake of her head, frowning in response to Regal's. "Sheena has long been carrying a torch for Lloyd, and I doubt she will stop now. He's trying, that's all I can say. He's improving, and that has to count for something. It will all work out, I believe that." Raine bit her lower lip after she spoke the words, her mind reeling. 'I don't just want to believe it...' Looking sidelong at the silent duke, something in her chest moved with an audible moan. 'I have to... Living without hope... is truly worse than death.'

"Perhaps we should leave them to their own devices again." Regal suggested casually, turning to see Raine nod and smile gently in return. With a mirroring smile, the duke continued pleasantly, "There is much we haven't done in Meltokio, but seeing as we already visited the library, I wonder if perhaps there is something you would like to do today? After all, you are just as much a member of the team as they are, taking a break on your vacation is hardly a crime."

Raine stifled a giggle, knowing that tone. He always made an attempt to speak in a deadpan manner, but in the time she had gotten to know the president, she was adept at reading between his lines. There was laughter in his voice but also a subtle hope, as though he wanted to be alone with her, away from the others. Oddly pleased with this secret, and vastly conjectured knowledge, the professor allowed herself a moment to think. 'Hmm...' "If it is alright with you... There has been one place I'd like to go."

"Yes?" Regal asked, immediately intrigued by her tone. It was almost wistful, but somewhat embarrassed. Her pale face only made the hint of rouge on her cheeks stand out all the more. In a much more quieter, and what he hoped was an inviting voice, he repeated, "Where?"

"I know it sounds foolish to say this, but... I would like to go to the Otherworldly Gate."

Regal blinked. Her voice had fallen down to a bare whisper, and she almost looked ashamed of the request. He reacted instinctively when she gazed at the ground, gently setting his thumbs under her chin to lift her face up to him. She was still faintly pink in the face, and hope danced in her light blue eyes. Very quietly, sensing the sacredness of this intimate moment, Regal whispered, "If that is where you wish to go, I will accompany you if that is what you desire."

"Please."

Unbeknownst to them, the two teenagers and taken that exact moment to turn around to see how their followers were faring. Lloyd blinked and his jaw dropped as he watched Raine turn crimson and say something to the man who smiled gently in return. He brushed a cuffed hand over her red cheek, causing the half-elf to halfheartedly slap his hand away. Baffled, he turned to Sheena, asking, "What the...? Are they...?"

Sheena watched with interest as Regal offered his arm to the woman, waiting for her reaction. Much to her surprise, the half-elf took his invitation, though she was still a bright crimson shade as she allowed herself to be led away. "That was... unexpected. I think they're going on a date or something?"

"A date? What's that?"

Sheena fought the urge to palm her face as it reddened in response to his innocent tone. 'He's an idiot. I'm head over heels for a complete idiot.' Trying to control herself, the ninja watched the two walk away as she explained weakly, "Well... I guess it's when you spend time with someone special to you." She couldn't find the courage to look up at him, wondering what was possibly going through his mind. 'It's like we are but at the same time, we're not... I don't...' "You go out to places, like dinner or to somewhere like Altamira so you can be alone with them. That's kind of what a date it."

"Oh..." Lloyd blinked before he began to rub his chin, looking thoughtful. She was still blushing pink, but something in her tone made him smile. Keeping his arm tight around her waist, the swordsman asked her innocently, "So then, if that's the case... Are you and me on a date right now?"

"E–Eh?

"Well, you're special to me, and we're spending time alone together in a nice place." Lloyd explained with a grin, enjoying the look of surprise and delight on her creamy features. Her topaz eyes were wide and glittering, and the way her lips spread into a grin brought back the memory of their kiss from last night. 'I want to do it again... It's all I could think about before I went to bed...' "So are we on a date?"

"I don't know, are we?" Sheena replied with a playful laugh, still pink from his teasing tone. 'He makes it so easy...' Leaning on his shoulder, the ninja gave him a gentle elbow to the ribs. He doubled over as if in pain, taking her down with him, his cheery laughter ringing in her ears.

"I don't know, we could be if you want." Lloyd chuckled again, leaning down to press his face against her hair. She never struggled against him, breathing in the intoxicating scent of leather and skin. Moving his gloved hands absently down her arms, he let his mind wander like it was prone to do whenever she was near. 'I'm having trouble figuring out what to call her now that we've cleared things up... She's my friend, she'll always be my best friend, but somehow that word doesn't seem to be nearly strong enough to describe things...' His voice quiet, he whispered into her hair, "Sheena...?"

"Mmm?" Sheena didn't bother to look up, too content to feel his heart thudding against her cheek as he held her close. Wrapping her arms loosely around his waist, she listened intently to his even breathing. "What is it Lloyd?"

"What exactly do we call each other?" Lloyd asked aloud curiously, drawing her puzzled gaze. Blushing a little at her confusion, he stammered hastily, not wanting her to misinterpret his words again, "I mean, you're important to me, you mean so much to me! Calling you my comrade or my friend doesn't seem nearly enough to describe how important you are! I just wanna know if there's something special I ought to call you or something..."

Sheena blushed a dark crimson, smiling in delight at his words. 'He honestly has no idea how incredibly sweet he is, does he?' Straightening, she tugged on his collar and pecked him lightly on the mouth before laughing at his stunned and goofy smile. Quite smug that she could make him look like that, she wracked through her mind for something to aid him. 'His calling me a "friend" was painful... He's getting that now I guess, better late than never... But... How...? I guess...' She began nervously, unsure of whether or not she should be telling him this, "Well... In Mizuho, we have a word for couples that we use sometimes if they share a very deep connection. I'm not too sure it fits for us but I guess it's better than 'friends'..."

"What's the word, Sheena?" Lloyd asked with a little shrug, oddly amused and pleased by her sudden embarrassment. He returned the gentle kiss she'd given him, though the contact only lasted for a moment. It left him oddly empty, hungry, but he shoved that aside, wanting to focus on her assessment of their relationship. "Do you remember it?"

"Of course I remember, it's just embarrassing, that's all!" Sheena burst out with more force than she expected. Desperate to remain calm, she took several deep breaths. "In my tongue... The words we'd use are kokoro no tomo." She was startled, the words tasted sweet on her tongue as she whispered them, sending a flood of pure pleasure through her blood. 'It just feels... right.'

"Kokoro no tomo?" Lloyd repeated clumsily, trying to grasp at the foreign sounding word. She smiled shyly at him, and he immediately knew that she was in on some secret he knew nothing about. Unable to be annoyed with her, he gave a tender tug to her ponytail and asked, "What's it mean Sheena?"

"It means soulmate." Sheena explained with a little smile, unable to get away from the feeling of contentment and pleasure. Winding her arms around his neck, she smiled up into his eyes and repeatedly gently, "You're my soulmate, Lloyd."

"Soulmate." Lloyd tried the word out, enjoying the way it sounded in his ears. Rubbing his nose to hers and smiling at her soft laughter, he continued quietly, "Then you're my soulmate, Sheena. Yeah... That seems to fit better than anything I was thinking of. Soulmate."

"Just don't call me that in front of Zelos, he'd have a field day." Sheena grumbled, seeing the image of the redhead laughing at the word. 'He has no idea what love is or what it's like to love someone, the pervert... I definitely don't want him screwing this up either, if he thinks I hurt him when he sneaks around my room...' She left the thought unfinished, rudely interrupted by the feel of Lloyd's mouth pressing against her own for the third time that day. 'Oh!'

The hunger was back again, though it was stronger than anything he had ever felt before. The feeling was akin to the anger he remembered from the thought of her being with anyone besides him. Not really sure why he was doing it, Lloyd's hands tightened on her back and pulled her closer as her hands twined into his hair.

She felt him nip her lower lip gently as if asking for permission to take the kiss further. She replied immediately and unconsciously, closing her eyes as his tongue slipped into her mouth to touch her own. 'Jizou that feels so nice...' Her lungs were begging for mercy but she ignored them, nearly drowning in the dizzying array of sensation. The kiss sent sparks of want up and down her spine, making her nearly go limp in Lloyd's tight hold.

"Sheena." His voice was nearly a groan as he wrenched away from the embrace, breathing heavily. The taste of something sweet lingered on his mouth from the kiss, and he was eager to find out what it was. Struggling to control the demon raging in his blood, his forehead touched her shoulder and he repeated her name.

"Whoa..." Sheena whispered, entirely breathless from the kiss. Her mind spun and her entire body felt like it was on fire but it was pleasant. Turning her head a little, his hair tickled her lips as he breathed in heavily, still recovering. 'What... Oh who cares, that was amazing.' Unable to help herself, feeling so giddy she didn't know if truly was in control of herself, she teased, "Lloyd... I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but you are an excellent kisser."

"Nope, no one's ever told me that before. Mainly cause I've never kissed anyone before." Lloyd explained with a weak laugh, feeling the exact same sense of giddiness in his body. It felt more than just right to kiss her, to hold her now it was the most natural thing in the world. Breaking the embrace however had only left him feeling bereft, something he didn't understand. 'I'm out of breath, completely happy, but I still want more? What in the world?'

'Ughn, my entire body feels like it's on fire... Lloyd, what are you doing to me?' Sheena allowed herself a soft sigh. She was no stranger to lust, it had been on of the many things that kept her awake at night, especially in these later weeks. A simple, yet amazingly not so simple, kiss had brought back all of the fervour of her dreams. Trying to shake the desire that made her want to do things she would never dare to phrase, she forced her voice to be cheery, "So Lloyd, do you want to go on a proper date?"

Her words snapped him out of his thoughts, which he was eager to entertain even though he had no idea where they had come from. Her body pressed against his had done strange things to his mind, and the kiss brought a new edge to his imagination, one he had no idea he had possessed. Like a switch going off in his brain, all of Zelos' jokes he had never understood immediately made sense. 'Oh. My. G–'

"Earth to Lloyd, are you doing alright?" Now worried by his silence, the summoner pulled away from his arms, though she loathed to leave any part of his body. His eyes were dazed and dark, and his expression was unfathomable but she could tell there was a certain horror that had frozen his mind. Immediately concerned, she pressed her hand against his warm cheek and asked softly, "Lloyd...? What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Her hand on his face brought a new round of images into the swordsman's head. Instead of indulging in his imagination like he desperately wanted, he wrenched away from it. He was disgusted suddenly with the very pleasant ideas, turning his mind away from them despite the cry of indignation from his body. 'What the hell is wrong with me?! I'm not Zelos! She means more to me than any woman he's fooled around with! I could never do something like that to her! That's sick and wrong!'

Misinterpreting his suddenly angry look, Sheena bit her lower lip and pulled away. Nervous, she began quietly, "Lloyd, if I did something wrong..."

"N–No... I'm okay..." Lloyd managed, hearing her voice crack painfully in apology. Not liking to see that torn expression on her face, he wound his arm around her waist and pulled her close, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her hair. Banishing the thoughts yet again, he continued in a more pleasant tone so he wouldn't worry her, "I just got sick there for a second. I'm alright, I just needed a breath of air. So you wanna go on a date?"

"If you're sick maybe we should head back..?" Sheena began uncertainly, instinctively knowing he was trying to hide something from her. But he kissed the crown of her hair again to ease her nerves and gently gave her hand a squeeze. When she looked up at him, he wore the same boyish grin she adored and it washed away her fears. Knowing he wouldn't go back even if she begged, the summoner used a better tactic. "Alright then, how about we go and see Noishe, we can play fetch or something with him. I bet he's lonely."

"Yeah, let's do that." Lloyd agreed, not really hearing her words as she spoke them. 'There has to be something, anything that I can do to stop this stupid imagining I'm doing... I'll need to have a talk with the professor, she has to know something about all of this...' With that thought in mind, he took his soulmate's hand in his own, chuckling as they walked in comfortable silence through Meltokio. 'I need her more than I need to breathe... I can't be stupid with her, I... I need her too much.'

AN

I'm sorry this took so long, a lot of stuff came up that had to be addressed. I put writing on a major hold (after all the goddamn block too, yeesh!), and so it turned out messy, and short. Blahah. XD Thanks for putting up with me though... And to respond to the questions in last chapter's reviews....

No way! I've still got a good deal up my sleeve for this story, hehe! Jealousy isn't one of the only things they'll be dealing with, though it will be a major plotline in the story, though not just for Lloyd and Sheena. There's a lot left that I still want to explore, and I'm hoping to continue this for a few more chapters at the very least. I'm hoping to end it with the royal party (aka, the end of the Princess Rescue side-quest), and there's more I'd like to do before I get there. Thanks to all of you who reviewed, and I'll assure you again, there's more to come!

Brave Soul: XD Okay. I feel safer knowing that there are people who will admit to being fangirls/fanboys other than me. Fans in general (those who take it to the extremes anyway), scare the living hell out of me. And that's hypocritical coming from myself, I've been a fangirl for about three years now. We can form angry mobs and lynch people, that's epicly terrifying, isn't it? I digress. XD Anyway, you hate the Meltokio sewers too? Thank Martel! Question, lol, (I'm all over the place, lol), I just wondered since you've played it about as many times as me, did Kratos spam the hell out of you with Grave in his battle or was that just my system? Because it's all he used, that and "Lightning Bla-Super Lightning Blade!" Thank god I could use items or I would've been screwed the first time around...

Sychotic: Hey, I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for the review you sent off in Chapter 5, I know it's late but I didn't forget about the whole chess thing. Hehe... The puzzle won't be solved at all though just to give you fair warning, it's something that will continue through the story as a mild subplot kinda thing. (Did that make sense?) Heheh... Hopefully I did well on the scene here, I definitely had you in mind while I wrote it!

Btw, yes I did do research for that blasted word/phrase, lol. (Evie: If you call typing in the phrase "Japanese translation for soulmate" into Google, research.) Get away you evil plot-fairy. Lol. Something I noticed while playing ToS was that they used the Japanese language for Orochi's name and I guess it just made sense that maybe they'd be using it somewhere else in their culture. Meh, it was a random thing and I thought it'd be a funny piece of trivia to add. (Grin) FFN won't let me link you, so grawr, but if you'd like to see what website I used, I'll link you in pm if FFN lets me do that.

Whoops, I've spammed the AN. Thanks for the reviews mon amis, until next chapter!

Sky