DarknessGryphon here with deepest apologies!!!!! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated, I truly am. But between school and homework and the impending holidays, I haven't really had much time to write. As a treat, this chappie is SUPER LONG. Okay, not that long, but pretty long for something that I've written. As an extra treat, I'm going to upload my secret gift for you all. It's another ToS ficcie!!!! It's a one shot, A KratosxYuan that I've been hiding since about chapter three. I intended it as a surprise for chapter 10, but since I haven't updated in forever, I think that now is just as good a time to upload it. It's called "Convincing Me."

Oh, and:

BLooDY-MaD-HaTTeR

Author sama277

Lanku

Kaoru Koganei

auntyuno

Nariko.Hoshi

Maiyoko Iwagashi

firedragongirl

StickmanRVR

Jana-Yggdrasil

tears of a mermaid

Aesira

emcey squared

SoulTaken

Raging Inferno

Liu Barrowin

brandy mallory

PrincessKaina2

Thank you so much!!!!! I love you for reviewing and thank you eternally. I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.

Chapter 8 Discoveries in Iselia

Two hours before dawn, the seraphim were already up and plotting. Kratos knew that it would be a very long day. Yuan secretly wished that Mizuho were closer than Iselia. Both wished that anyone else were first. Anyone but Colette: the clueless wonder.

The seraphim knew that the blond former Chosen was fond of Lloyd, but they simoply couldn't tell her that they were trying to set them up. The clumsy girl would probably blurt it out to Lloyd and the whole world. They weren't saying that she didn't have her moments; they gave her that, but she was probably was never going to catch on to their plan.

Honestly, Kratos wished that Lloyd didn't have such dumb friends.

-

By the time they had gotten Lloyd and Zelos up, eaten, packed and paid respects to Anna, it was already one in the afternoon.

After a troublesome trek through Iselia forest, without a berserk Kratos, they reached Iselia. The village folk smiled at them and greeted them warmly; Lloyd was their friend from long ago, as for everyone else, Colette and Raine talked about them so often , they might as well have known them all of their lives.

Colette and Phaidra walked out of one of the houses bordering the town square. Colette, no longer in her Chosen's robes, was wearing a simple cotton dress printed with flowers and tied with a green sash. She wore her hair up in a ponytail, which, since she no longer had a torque on, made her look much more mature. The moment she spotted the four travelers, she ran to them, positively beaming.

"Lloyd! Zelos! Kratos! Yuan! You came to visit! Raine'll be so happy to see you. She's working right now, but if she weren't, she'd be here too! Teehee!" Colette giggled excitedly. No matter how Colette changed, she'd still pull "brilliant" lines like that. Lloyd and Zelos gave her a warm hug.

Colette led them through the village, talking nonstop about... whatever. At the very least, it wouldn't be hard to leave Lloyd and the Chakram-wielder alone.

"Lloyd, we're going to check out Martel Temple, we'll see you at dinner. Oh, and Zelos is coming with us." Yuan claimed tactlessly. Lloyd and Colette faced them.

"Oh! We'll go with you," Colette chimed.

"Nah, my Cute hunny. It'll be boring. Besides, this is Lloyd's home; I bet there's loads you mean to show him," Zelos waved her off.

"Uh, Okay!" Colette grabbed Lloyd's wrist and began to drag him towards the town square. the twin-swordsman stumbled after. looking back questioningly.

Once they turned a corner and out of sight the seraphim turned to Zelos.

"Zelos-" But the pink-clad swordsman was walking away.

He waved them off dispiritedly.

"I'm going to scout for some hunnies. Do whatever you want." His voice was flat.

Kratos stared after the philanderer, frowning and looking as though he wanted to say something. Yuan placed his hand on the other man's shoulder and looked after the redhead with and odd glimmer in his eyes. it was hard to say whether it was satisfaction that Zelos kew about operation H.L.U., disappointment about the same, or something else entirely.

"Well, you heard the boy, Kratos. Let's go."

-

Lloyd wanted to protest as Colette dragged him down the streets of Iselia. He didn't like the way that Yuan had announced that they were leaving him with the blond. Furthermore, he was curious about Zelos' answer. When had this trip to Martel Temple been arranged? Maybe the seraphim had decided and not told Zelos until a few moments ago. But, then why was the red head so aquiescent? The whole affair was a bit suspicious.

"Lloyd, are you alright?" Colette had stopped them in front of the general store. She had been commenting on the additions made since the trouble with the Desians.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm great." Lloyd had been so focused on the desertion he had just faced, that he'd conveniently forgotten to listen.

"Are you sure? You don't need anything, do you?"

'Zelos,' his mind chanted at him, but he brushed it off as a fact of being used to the redhead being with him all day. Not wanting to worry one of his oldest friends, he put aside his suspicions of conspiracy and smiled, "No, it's just strange to be back."

There was a hint of worry in the blond girl's eyes, but she took his word for it and pulled him off to another sight. Lloyd shifted his thoughts to Iselia and Colette. He looked at her, commended her change of dress and more sophisticated demeanor, then noticed something:

They were running, running, through the dirt and cobbled streets, but Colette hadn't tripped, or even stumbled once.

This baffled him. Clumsiness wasn't necessarily a good trait, but it was one of the things that made Colette, well, Colette. the more he thought about it, he realized that, Colette was still his friend from so long ago, but she had undergone such a change since she left Zelos' mansion.

Some part of he twin-swordsman was sad that the former Chosen of Sylvarant had changed so much. But there was a smaller part of Lloyd that was irrationally angry. It had only been eight weeks and Colette had grown up considerably. What had happened to him?

Once again, his mind whispered, 'Zelos,' to him, but it was lost in a sudden tide of aggression and frustration. He had to prove to himself that Colette was just Colette.

They had stopped in front of the old school house at this moment, but class was far from dismissed. A bench had been installed near a trellis laced with ivy. The empty, but tranquil mood began to leech the sudden anger from Lloyd and he was able to calm himself. Colette guided the twin-swordsman to the bench and sat them both down. They were quiet for a moment, soaking in the warm vibe that gathered.

But Lloyd still had the burning urge to prove that Colette hadn't changed that much. He cleared his throat, "Hey Colette?"

"Yes Lloyd?" the former Chosen of Sylvarant seemed to glow in reflected sunlight.

"Tag." Lloyd tapped her head and ran, taking refuge behind a signpost. The blond quickly took up the game and ran after the twin-swordsman, knowing very well that she couldn't out run him. She began to use paraball to try to trip him up. He evaded and they ran around in circles until, finally, Colette tripped and fell forward. Lloyd stopped running, only to start laughing. Colette rolled over onto her back and laughed too.

It was a perfect moment.

Any bit of anger or jealousy the occupied Lloyd's mind dissipated and he fell, still laughing. Colette hadn't really changed from Colette at all. All she had done was act a little more mature, but growing up really hadn't changed her.

He looked at his friend with his eyes sparkling in mirth and found her looking back with a strange, almost sobering, look in her eyes.

It confused him; made him uneasy.

"Lloyd! Colette! You cam here and you didn't even bother to say hi? I'm a little bit insulted." Raine stood in the doorway of the schoolhouse, arms crossed with a gaggle of young children crowded around her.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Raine. I didn't want to disturb your class." Colette jumped up and smoothed her skirt.

Lloyd approached the half-elf with a cheesy grin, "Are you doing mother duck duty, Professor Sage?" The group of children pressed in closer to the healer. He frowned.

"Am I scaring them?" Lloyd did, after all, still have his swords strapped to his waist.

"They're just shy," the silver-haired staff wielder laughed.

One little girl in the back of the group called out boldly, " Are you really the hero, Lloyd Irving?"

"Umm.. It's actually Lloyd Irving Aurion, but, yeah." Colette backed his claim up by standing behind him and nodding.

Another kid, a boy this time, emerged from the classroom. He had been one of Lloyd and Colette's classmates; one of the few that hadn't gone to finish school elsewhere.

"Oh. Hey Lloyd1 I'd talk more, but I gotta get home. Bye!"

As if this was the confirmation that they had been waiting for, all of the children swarmed around the world's hero excitedly leaving a smiling Raine and a giggling Colette.

Lloyd was grateful for this distraction. He didn't want to think about the look that Colette had given him.

-

Of all places to go, the seraphim really had ended up going to Martel Temple. It was empty now, even though a sign outside boasted a soon-coming tribute to the heroes of the world.

The seraphim barely said a word to one another as they strolled through the bold reminders of their pasts. They stopped in front of a fresco depicting the four seraphim. In the center of the rendering were Martel and Mithos, wings spread, flying high over the earth. Martel's arms were spread wide, in a gesture of uplifting, bringing healing upon the land. On her left was Mithos, arms spread as well, but he looked as though he was casting a destructive spell such as meteor. Kratos was to the left of Mithos, sword unsheathed and fury in his eyes. Yuan stood by Martel, hands neatly on her shoulders, supporting and loving.

The blue-haired seraphim looked upon the scene with a great depth of contemplation. Kratos squeezed his hand, "Do you need to make your explanations?"

Yuan turned towards the auburn-haired swordsman with the slightest of smiles, "No. I don't think I need to. Martel was always rooting for us to get together, even after she accepted my proposal. For her, the obvious occurred between us," he sighed, "But, looking at this representation of our mistakes, I can't help but think if we're doing the right thing for Lloyd."

"This was your idea."

"I know." he turned away from his partner, "I still think that Lloyd will be happier with someone, but I don't know if we're handling the situation correctly."

"What other way is there?" Kratos sounded a little angry. Yuan bit his lip, but he understood Kratos' frustration. The auburn-haired swordsman just wanted his son to have the best, especially since he couldn't make up for all of the years he couldn't be there for Lloyd. Kratos let out a breath and put his arms around Yuan's waist from behind.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure that your plan will work. I have every confidence in you." the blue-haired seraphim turned in Kratos' grip to face his lover. He planted a soft kiss on the purple-clad swordsman's lips and they both looked back at the fresco. Yuan's head was comfortably resting on Kratos' shoulder and Kratos' on his head.

They stayed like that for a long time.

-

For a while, Zelos walked through the streets dejectedly, barely acknowledging the women who made passes at him. A chesty girl with what was supposed to be a devilish grin stepped in front of him with all the intelligence of a cinder block. The redheaded former Chosen looked up in a daze.

"Hi there, Mr. Wilder. It is Mr. Wilder isn't it? Hn... My name's Mera." She fluttered her eyelashes and tried to look coy.

"Good for you." Zelos rolled his eyes. He was tired of this, so tired of these substance-less girls. He easily slipped away from the chatting girl in front of him and took side streets until he was at the town's limits.

He broke into an abandoned warehouse and nestled himself between some empty crates. A whisper of his childhood brushed past him. His mind caught a fleeting fragment of himself hiding in a pile of stuffed animals for comfort that didn't exist for him. The redhead hugged his knees to his chest tightly.

'What'd you do Zelos? Now you're gonna lose him.'

"How can I lose something I've never lost?"

'Whadda ya mean? You lived with him, didn't ya? You were with him 24-7 and now what? If he gets together with Colette, you aren't gonna get to see him anymore. At least, you won't get to see your bud

"He's probably happier with Colette, and she obviously has Kratos and Yuan's blessing."

'Always givin' up, aren't you?'

"Shut up." Zelos succumbed to a deluge of tears. He remembered this feeling; the feeling of helplessness; the feeling of being crushed before he could even try to stand. It was there when the priests told the child that had been him that his friends weren't fit for him. It had come when the priests told him that he couldn't be what he dreamed of being. But this time, this time it was a thousand times worse.

'Hmph... You know, if you give up this easily, maybe the seraphim are right and you aren't even considerable as a match for Lloyd. If you were any sort of man- or person- you wouldn't give up like a wuss.'

Instead of furthering his depression, Zelos actually stopped crying and thought about his situation. He remembered Lloyd's perturbed expression as he was whisked away. Suddenly, there was a tiny thread of hope in Zelos' heart. Maybe the twin-swordsman didn't want Colette. The seraphim could be wrong.

Now determined, the former Chosen stood swiftly. He made a decision. He would use every fiber and facet of his being to make Lloyd fall in love with him or, well, never love again.

"No offense, my dear Colette, but I am not losing my Lloyd to the likes of you."

-

Dinner was awkward as the group sat around the table in Colette's house. Frank and Phaidra had left Iselia earlier that day to confer with healers from all around the new world in Sybak.

Raine, who had joined them that evening, and Colette took turns telling stories, but otherwise, there was an unusual air of quiet permeating the room. The sound of wooden spoons touching down at the bottom of their wodden soup bowls was surprisingly audible throughout the duration of the meal.

Raine abruptly put her spoon down with a deliberate motion and stood, hands on hips.

"What is wrong with all of you? I understand that you must be tired from your travels, but you guys, particularly you two," she turned an accusing finger towards Lloyd and Zelos, "not talking is just too strange!"

"It's just been..." Lloyd groped for the correct words to articulate his excuse.

"...a long day." Zelos finished for him.

"Yeah. That's it."

Raine blinked, a little taken aback by their downcast attitude. She was worried for her normally cheerful friends, but decided that they would come to her if they wanted to talk.

The room settled back into eerie almost-silence.

Lloyd cleared his throat moments later, "I'm gonna go get some fresh air."

He placed his bowl in the sink and walk outside, shutting the door almost angrily. Colette fretted silently for some seconds, then followed the red-clad swordsman into the night.

The following quiet was unbearably uncomfortable.

-

Lloyd was reflecting on his day throughout dinner. Colette's expression in the courtyard had bored into his mind and was now beating against his thoughts unrelentlessly. Slowly, his thoughts traveled to others; to his friends; to Zelos. The redhead's dismissive attitude baffled him. Truthfully, Lloyd felt a bit betrayed. He had become accustomed to and immensely enjoyed the attention and presence of the former Tethe'allan Chosen. Lloyd almost felt that Zelos was abandoning him, casting him off because he was tired of him.

These thoughts made Lloyd increasingly tense. Caught in the tumult of his emotions, the nearly silent dinner became too much for Lloyd to handle when Zelos finished his sentence for him.

What the hell is this?! If he knows me so well, why did he just leave me like it was nothing?'

The red-clad swordsman finished his meal as fast as he could and decided to go outside. Being around Colette and Zelos at the same time was driving him insane.

"I'm gonna get some fresh air," he excused himself as painlessly as possible. He was trying his best to refrain from screaming in frustration. The twin-swordsman got up, deposited his bowl in the sink and ran out, unable to stop himself from shutting the door forcefully as his annoyance seeped out.

The outside air did Lloyd some good. The chilly breeze cooled his head and cleared away the pent-up emotions he was harboring. Somewhere behind him, the door opened and closed.

A small hand touched his shoulder lightly.

"Hello, Colette." Her expression was worried. As she opened her to express this, Lloyd turned around to find that look in the blonde's eyes again. He frowned and his anger came back with a vengeance. The red-clad swordsman spun away from Colette who reached towards him.

Lloyd shrugged her hand away, "Don't."

Colette persisted, "Lloyd! What's wrong?"

"You," Colette drew back, hurt, "I can't figure out this look that you keep giving me! It's driving me nuts!"

The former Chosen of Sylvarant drew closer again, "Lloyd... that look... it's because... I l-love you."

Spinning around, Lloyd's eyes widened and he stepped back a bit, "W-what?!"

Colette's eyes were brimming with emotion, "Lloyd, I love you! I've loved you since the Regeneration and ... um... liked you since before then!"

The red-clad swordsman gaped at her and with pleading eyes she took hold of one of his gloved hands.

"Colette... I-," he almost faltered in the face of her hope and love, "I'm sorry. I don't love you as anything more than a friend or sister."

The blond grew still and chewed her lip a little before letting out a shaky laugh. Lloyd feared that his rejection had sent her over the edge. Colette turned to face the newly risen moon and tears that she could not contain flowed from her eyes.

"Colette..."

"You know, when my Grandma asked me to come back, I wasn't going to go. Then when I thought about it, I saw how useless I must've seemed. All I ever had been was the chosen, but you ended up being the hero and then the worlds became one again which left me nowhere. So I came back to Iselia with the hope that my choice would impress you. I tried my hardest to grow up even a little, and I stopped dressing like a Chosen girl instead of a women. I even worked on my poise and balance. I tried, but I guess I can't make you love me."

Lloyd found himself crying with her, suddenly feeling like a terrible person and an even worse friend.

"I really am sorry, Colette." He looked up at her only to find her smiling at him.

"It's fine, Lloyd. I just hope that this doesn't change anything between us as friends. I have plenty of time to fall in love again and even if I don't, I know you care about me. Why else would you cry when I'm upset?"

Lloyd laughed a little at that and an odd pang made him think of Zelos. He sorely wanted- no, stronger than that,- needed to be with the redhead.

"Uh, Colette?" I'm kinda tired, I think I'm going to go inside."

"Go ahead, I'm just going to stay out here a moment longer." Colette smiled at him encouragingly.

"Um, okay... Goodnight then." Lloyd turned and walked back to the house, looking back once to Colette who waved at him cheerfully.

As he disappeared into the building, the former Chosen of Sylvarant dropped all pretense of cheer. To quietly for anyone to hear, she whispered softly to his back, "I hope... I hope he makes you happy Lloyd."

-

Zelos spent dinner trying not to stare amorously at Lloyd who was sitting next to him. He knew that all would be lost if he ended up in a glazed state over the boy. To distract himself, the former Tethe'allan Chosen found himself thinking about the potential and actual relationship between Lloyd and Colette. The two Sylvarant-born had known each other since they were for a long time, since they were children. This gave the blond a leg up and the two had seemed awfully close during the Regeneration. Zelos found himself feeling increasingly agitated and a growing sense of futility gnawed at him.

His anxiousness dissolved when Raine stood up addressing their silence.

"What is wrong with you? I understand that you must be tired but you guys, particularly you two, not talking is just too strange!"

"It's just been..." Lloyd's tired, resigned tone went straight to Zelos' heart. The red-clad boy's emotion matched the redheaded swordsman's own so well that the end of the response flew out of his mouth before he could register saying it.

"... a long day."

"Yeah, that's it." Did Lloyd's voice carry a hint of annoyance, or was Zelos just imagining it?

Zelos began to think furiously about what he could have done to annoy the brunette. His speculations came from every direction- from Lloyd having missed him all day to Lloyd being annoyed at having to be with Zelos again.

His despair increased as the twin-swordsman departed in what seemed to be anger. Zelos sullenly watched Colette rush out after Lloyd and flung himself into a fit of angst.

He stood up abruptly, surprising the seraphim and Raine.

"I'm gonna go to bed."

The redhead quickly ran up the stairs, increasing speed as he went. He burst into the room he would share with Lloyd that night. Lloyd, the exact reason he decided to run out on dinner in the first place.

"Lloyd! What's wrong?"

Zelos' head snapped up. Colette's voice? Where was it coming from? The former Tethe'allan Chosen crept over to a slightly open window. The window opened out to the front of the house and from there, Zelos could see Lloyd and Colette.

Lloyd snapped at the blond and Zelos quickly found a chair and moved it over to the window. He sat there, watching intently.

Colette began to say something, but Zelos couldn't hear her until she confessed, "... it's because... I l-love you."

The former Tethe'allan Chosen felt his heart stop. Everything he could have done to prevent that moment fleww through his mind. Unbidden tears traced their way down his cheeks and with every drop that left him he felt more alone.

"Is there something you need to talk about, Zelos?"

Raine was standing in the doorway, having gone after Zelos to see why he was so upset. The half-elf scholar strode over to the redhead and yelped as he latched on to her, tears suddenly ended.

"It really hurts, Raine"

Raine said nothing for a moment, afraid of Zelos realizing that he was pouring his heart out and shutting up again, just stroking his silken, strawberry-red locks.

She let him stay where he was, but craned her neck a little to watch the world's hero and the Former Chosen of Sylvarant.

"Colette I-"

Raine watched the Brunette falter and realized that rejection was coming for the blond. She nudged Zelos slightly and pointed with her chin. The Tethe'allan turned his head to hear a little better.

"I'm sorry. I don't love you as anything more than a friend or sister."

Zelos was crying again, but this time with relief. He wasn't going to be alone again, and, although he couldn't place why, he felt that Lloyd had chosen him over Colette.

So absorbed was he, that he didn't even notice that Raine had gently pushed him off and gone to get him a handkerchief. She came back, not missing a beat of Zelos' joy and offered him the handkerchief.

Zelos took the proffered cloth and the staff-wielder patted him comfortingly.

"Better? I think Lloyd is going to come up in a moment, so if you need me, I'll be at my house." Raine squeezed his shoulder and began to leave.

"Hey, thanks." Raine paused and smiled, but didn't turn around.

"No problem." She started to walk again. Her soft footsteps seemed to echo with encouragement.

Zelos dried his tears and calmly lay down- flat on his back with arms folded behind his head- on the second bed in the room, closer to the window.

True to Raine's estimation, Lloyd came thundering up the stairs and running into the room. the red-clad boy stopped in the doorway, flushed and grinning.

"Zelos!" he shouted exuberantly.

Zelos shot up, sharing an infectious grin with Lloyd.

"Lloyd!"

They shared at each other for a moment before breaking into peals of laughter. By and by, their laughter ceased, leaving a warm glow to inundate the moonlit room.

Lloyd moved to take his swords off and get ready for bed. Zelos lay back down. Their smiles seemed unable to fade.

Lloyd sat on the unoccupied bed, facing Zelos. He cleared his throat slighty and started to chew on his lip.

"It was kinda weird spending the day without you, Zelos." He had his sight fixed on a space about a foot from his bed.

"You too, bud. I'm here now though, right?" Zelos had his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

The brunette laughed a little, "Yeah, you are."

A warm glow still filled the room.

"I guess it's time to turn in," Zelos sighed.

"Yeah..."

"'Night, Bud."

"'Night, Zelos."

And though they both fell asleep swiftly, a figure in the dark chuckled at the warm situation.

-

After Raine left to check up on Zelos, the seraphim were left in the silence.

Yuan used an overly deliberate motion to put his spoon down. Kratos cleared his throat loudly.

All at once, they not-so-stealthily rushed to the door to listen in on Colette and Lloyd.

"'Lloyd, I love you!" Colette burst out.

"That's a good girl..." Kratos cheered in a low voice.

"Shh!"

They listened on, Kratos feeling more ashamed for the action as the moments ticked away. Yuan could feel his Kratos' muscles tensing as it became apparent that Lloyd's heart would did not belong to the blond ex-Chosen.

The blue-haired seraphim turned ad gathered his lover in a soothing embrace.

"Come on, Kratos. There's still time and plenty of opportunity for Lloyd. Even if we don't find it for him, love is bound to come to him." Yuan's heart broke when he felt Kratos draw a shuddering breath.

"Can't I do anything for him as his father?"

"Of course you can," Yuan's seraphim hearing picked up a sound, "Just- he's coming Kratos, we'll talk about this later."

The two seraphim rushed to their abandoned seats at the table. Seconds later, Lloyd crashed through the front door. For a silent moment, the three were engaged in a staring contest.

Suddenly, a manic grin exploded over Lloyd's features. He strode over to Kratos and Yuan broadly, and boldly gave them both hugs and kisses on the cheek.

"G'night dad 'n dad!" The red-clad boy then rushed up the stairs, nearly colliding with Raine and leaving two wide-eyed, but faintly smiling men in his wake. A wild yell from above signaled Lloyd and Zelos' meeting.

Raine nodded, taking her leave of the dazed seraphim. Before she reached the door, she stopped and caught the attentions of Yuan and Kratos, "Just so you know, I'm going to take Colette home with me. I have a feeling that she needs company that isn't male tonight."

The healer disappeared into the night, once again leaving the seraphim alone.

"You know, Kratos, even if you didn't find him a girlfriend, I'd say that Lloyd already thinks that you've done something for him," said slowly after a time.

A small smile graced the auburn-haired swordsman's features, "You might be right, Yuan."

"Shall we turn in then? We're traveling tomorrow." Yuan smiled. Kratos nodded and calmly took their bowls to the sink and began to wash them.

"I'm going to check on the boys and make up our packs, Kratos." Kratos grunted in assent and Yuan took off with a candle.

Washing the dishes by the flickering flames of a few candles put the purple-clad swordsman into a pensive state.

'Don't worry, son. We'll find you someone.'

Whew! That was a long chapter for me! It kind of fell apart at the end, but I will try to make the next chapter better. School has left me without much time to write and I'm going to try my hardest to update sooner. Please review and don't forget to check out my new Yutos fic: Convincing Me.