Ike and Soren

GIFT

"It's a shame," Ike muttered one day.

"What is?" Soren asked, looking at his friend's blue eyes.

"It's a shame that you don't remember your birthday…" Ike said.

"You… noticed," Soren murmured.

"Of course I noticed. It's odd going year after year living with ten other people and only hearing nine other birthdays," Ike smiled.

"If you really want to celebrate my life, although I can't imagine why you would, why don't we celebrate the day we first met? I mean, my life would've ended long ago had that not happened," Soren pondered.

"And what day was that?"

"Midsummer, 14, 635," Soren responded without hesitation. "Honestly, Ike, how could you forget something like that?"

"I don't have an amazing memory like you… wait, isn't that today?"

"Well it is 649…"

"No, I mean Midsummer 14."

"Yes," Soren said, upon realizing this.

"I'm afraid I don't have a gift for you," Ike said shamefully.

"Ike," Soren said, "You chose me. You could've had anyone, and you chose me. That is the greatest gift of all."

Ike pulled Soren into a kiss. It was a very nice gift indeed.

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TALK

Snuggled next to one another on a cool wintry morning, in the warmth of their double bed, Ike and Soren talked. It didn't matter what they talked about. They were content to hear each other's voices.

"Soren," Ike asked, "Are you happy?"

"I suppose I must be, considering that my one greatest wish came true," he said, beaming.

"And you used to say miracles didn't happen," Ike teased.

"I believe in a miracle. That miracle is teasing me about not believing in miracles," Soren said, kissing Ike on the cheek.

"I love you," Ike said, causing Soren to blush.

"I wonder what Shinon did when we left…" Soren pondered.

"He probably threw a wild party that nobody came to because they were all too sad about me leaving," Ike responded.

"Except Titania who just couldn't resist jumping for joy that I was gone…" Soren added.

"Let's see if I can imitate what our new company motto is now that SHE'S in charge… 'we will help those in need regardless of whether or not it's a wise idea. Screw wisdom, I have friendliness!'" Ike answered.

"I'm sorry," Soren said.

"Why?" Ike asked, puzzled.

"You sound like me now, Ike, and that's my fault…" Soren responded with tears running down his cheeks.

"It's not a bad thing," Ike assured, "Why do you think I fell for you in the first place?"

"You were drunk, having a mental breakdown, or mistaking me for someone else?" Soren asked, causing Ike to playfully bat at his hair and call him silly.

The two laughed with each other deep into the day, reminding us that friendship is the strongest basis for all the best couples.

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HARDSHIP

"Soren," Ike said worriedly, "Honey, you didn't eat your dinner."

"It's okay. I'm not hungry," Soren responded quickly, right before his stomach rumbled loudly. "Okay, maybe I am, but it's a bit late for dinner now."

"Eat," Ike demanded, "I'm not having you starve to death. Not after I worked so hard to deter that."

"Ike, I'm fine! I'm not going to starve to death!"

"You better not," Ike said, "I love you too much."

The next day, Ike made Soren eat at least half of his dinner before leaving the table.

"But Ike," Soren said, "I don't want it!"

"Is it my cooking skills? Because you know cooking is the wife's duty so…" Ike suggested.

"I'm worse of a cook than you, I'm sure," Soren complained, "Besides, I'm trying to watch my weight."

"Watch your… Soren, first of all, you're emaciated. Eating MORE would be 'watching your weight'. Secondly, you are already together with the man of your dreams, so it obviously isn't important for you to change your appearance. And lastly, even if you wanted to lose weight—which you shouldn't—there are other, less dangerous methods than not eating. Like exercising more," Ike responded, "I'm sure I couldn't persuade you in my rational honest speech, but, please, consider being safe… for me, and for yourself," Ike spoke. Soren cried at the thought that he was hurting Ike.

"Okay, Ike," Soren said, "I'll stop watching my weight, for you."

"Thank you," Ike said, planting a kiss on Soren's forehead, thankful it was still around on his living body.

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ARGUMENT

The argument was petty. Soren's pen had disappeared. "Ike, did you take my pen?"

"No," Ike responded.

"Then where is it?" Soren asked.

Ike started laughing hysterically when he saw Soren's face.

"What?" Soren asked, "Is there something on my face?"

"Not quite," Ike said, still laughing.

"Are you laughing at my face, Ike? I'm sorry I can't be tanned, blue-eyed, and pure-bred like you!" Soren responded, indignant.

"No, Soren, you misunderstood completely," Ike responded.

"Oh, so I'm not good enough to understand you either!" Soren said, now getting angry.

"No, that's not what I meant…"

"Stop trying to explain yourself, Ike," Soren said, "I'm mad at you."

Before Soren stormed off crying as he would during their fights, which were few and far between, Ike pointed out, "The pen is behind your ear."

Soren reached his left hand behind his left ear and pulled down a pen. He looked at it for a moment, and said, "Oh, that's where the pen went. I'm sorry I yelled at you Ike."

"It's perfectly okay, Soren," Ike said, "We all make silly mistakes."

To avoid another argument, Soren quickly agreed.

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RELAXATION

It was time for the night to fall so Ike took Soren in his arms, and placed him in bed. Ike crawled in next to him and put his arms around his partner. Soren was having trouble relaxing, and he kept having this recurring nightmare where Ike died. Ike tried his best to quell the nightmares by holding his partner tightly through the night, and kissing his tears away if he cried in his sleep. But it wasn't nearly enough, Ike feared. So he moved himself closer to Soren and asked him something quietly. The small mage responded with a soft kiss on the cheek. Ike wrapped the blanket around Soren's shoulders and said those three words, "I love you."