Yay, first and only review so far (hey it's been like... one day, what should I expect?), thanks, Sychotic! I hope you keep reading.

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"You're… concerned for me?" Raine quirked an eyebrow and watched him from the corner of her eyes while keeping her head facing forward. "May I ask why?" she breathed into her enclosed hands again.

"Hm…" he replied blankly. "I suppose you could call it a bad feeling I'm having."

"That's a logical reaction to something like that." she agreed. "One man, I take it, part of a larger organization has slaughtered all of your men single-handedly and in that manner…" she trailed.

"I'm not exactly concerned for them in particular… though there is this one fact that I find rather bothersome." he sighed, keeping his eyes glued on the fire. "Not one man was left… he killed all of them. Even discharged my defense systems. Nothing but a note, I didn't need an apology, I want people to work for me." he growled. "I want to kill him. Whoever it is."

"So you're not concerned for them, just the lack of people serving you…" Raine said, giving him a look lacking surprise. "How unsurprisingly heartless of you."

"I…" He turned to her, trying to decode her expression. "You don't have a problem with that?" he asked quietly.

"I'll just simply admit I half expected you to say that." Raine admitted, shrugging and turning from him. She rested her forearms on the ground and moved a little closer to the pit. "So am I safe to assume that we're setting up camp here?" she asked flatly.

"You seem a little cold, being so close to the temple of Ice." Yuan commented, "But I believe that if we're in a populated area those around us may be likely to be targeted because of a certain someone."

"…You say it as if I'm intentionally causing this for you."

"True." he admitted, "I suppose I can't exactly punish you for existing, can I? But then again, just because I don't doesn't mean that everyone else effected won't."

"I can understand that." Raine sighed. "…But are you certain we can't consider going to Sylverant?" she whispered. "It would be more wise to join up with the others would it not?"

"Our reihards were stolen and there seems to be some sort of damage to the portal at the base somehow. I'm not sure how, but there is."

"…" Raine couldn't help but letting an irritated sigh escape her lips. "And if I simply end up freezing to death…" she asked, then thinking to herself, I knew I shouldn't have spent so much time away from Sylverant…. I should have left here when I had the chance… "Or maybe you could fly us somewhere warmer…"

"I suppose." Yuan gave the sky a thoughtful stare, "If you like being knocked out of the air by hail and into the ocean… there are two of us after all."

Raine gave him a look of resentment. Muttering obscene words in the Elfin language.

A small smile tugged at his lips, he allowed himself a light chuckle. Watching the flakes land against the thin but curvaceous frame that stood on it's side against the almond-colored light of the fire. He was almost completely oblivious to why he was so entranced with the sight of her. But shook off the feeling, quickly averting his eyes when they met hers.

"I suppose I'll have to keep watch then." he rose again and put his hands in front of him, spewing sparks of flame into the fire pit from his palms.

Raine looked up at him with a blink, he was so tall, his long, turquoise hair fell down his back between long shoulders in a low ponytail. He was standing somewhat defiantly with crossed arms, but with a kind of deepness in his eyes, he had gone through so much, but he acted differently than she would have expected.

Fascinating. She thought with a sort of sparkle in her eyes.

By the time Yuan had actually glanced down, he had just caught the ghost of a smile playing on her lips softly. her eyes closed...

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"Wake up." Was the only thing Raine heard as warning before being pulled swiftly to her feet in one quick motion. She quickly regained balance and turned to the one responsible.

The professor yawned a bit and rubbed her eyes, she took note of the frost that had built up on her sleeves and the ever-so numerous flakes of snow on her pants. Then the warm cloak around her shoulders, which she touched the edge of lightly and pulled more tightly over herself.

"...Yuan?"

"I see a suspicious figure ahead. I don't think he's seen me yet, and I've never seen him before, but I don't exactly feel you're equipped for battle just yet. So lets briefly stop by Meltokio before returning to this area, agreed?" he told her smoothly.

"..." Raine hesitated, "Why does it seem as though you're making all of the decisions here?" she asked. "You do know that I'm--"

"A big girl?" he smirked. "Well I'm a tad bit bigger." Provoking a slight blush in her, Raine glared and clenched her fists.

"Don't mock me." she threatened, crossing her arms.

"Well in any case I'm simply suggesting the most logical solution considering our current situation." He said, and started off in one direction.

"Wait... I don't see a..." Raine trailed, suddenly reminding herself of his angelic senses, the man must have been miles away. "Ah..."

"I suppose I should explain him to you." he said. "He's wearing a cloak over bare flesh except for the black pants that drop passed even his feet which I think are also bare." he explained, Yuan stopped walking and took another look at him.

"That's interesting for a supposed human to be wearing so little here." Raine hummed. "But I'm guessing that that's not the focus of your attention for you to want to retreat again."

"...No."

"What is it?"

"The blood on him, I can see stained into his pants from here. The look in his eyes as he stares towards us, as if he can see me as well as I can see him... I doubt it, but like he has a feeling. And not to mention the interesting crest that's holding together his cloak at his chest."

"What does it look like?" Raine breathed, feeling incredibly fascinated by the range of his vision, what kind of details could he pick up? How far exactly could he see? Could he choose a particular distance to see at once? How much of the details closer to him did he pay attention to? Was the sound of her breathing loud? Could he hear her heartbeat from there?

"..." Yuan gave her a stare with dark blue eyes, he noticed the interest she displayed, but more-so in what she seen in him at the moment. "Well from here It looks like a crossing of wings with a sword stabbed through them both."

Glancing at the softly parted lips that spoke not, and back up at the eyes that examined his.

"Your eyes, the motion of them when you look at something so far...." Raine narrowed her eyes and whispered, "Do you think you could do it again?" she put a hand on her chin.

"..." Yuan didn't reply, but instead stepped forward and took her by the arm so they could move on. "The snow's cleared and it's day, so we can fly now."

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"Stay close. I don't want any attention being drawn to us." Yuan mumbled to her as they maneuvered through a crowd that was a little thicker than usual. They had attained two cloaks with hoods that completely covered their faces and were now sneaking around silently. It was even a little crowded with people when they retreated into the poor area of Meltokio.

"Do you suppose you have any reihards in the area...?"

"I do." he said.

"I see, then I'm guessing that's where we're headed."

"Indeed. Stay low," he suddenly whispered to her.

"What now?"

"Hm..." Yuan pulled them both over between two houses, he motioned for her to get more out of sight with him. "There, someone wearing the same type of outfit as that man from earlier. They're everywhere...." he muttered irritably.

"Ah... so it's as I suspected." Raine commented, sinking into the shadows with Yuan, she looked into the direction where Yuan watched. She seen the man whom he was indicating and looked like what he had described earlier. "There are more of them... I wonder why they would need someone like me. It's interesting that they're just now appearing."

"...This is not something for you to just study single-handedly, Raine." Yuan hissed. "I'm uncertain of the enemy's power."

Raine blinked, that was the first time that he actually had addressed her wither her name directly, it was.... how to describe it...

"We can't jump into battle either, with our current lack of information regarding their abilities." Raine spoke, allowing herself to breathe again, inching further back.

"..." Yuan seemed to notice, shifting a bit due to the sudden lack of space they were provided in between the houses. Yet the sun seemed to be spreading towards them still.

"This seems a little cowardly, hiding like this."

"Considering what had happened to my men, I'd like to gather more information before jumping into battle."

They moved further back again, their legs were slightly tangled at this point.

"What better way to do that than first hand?"

"That's correct in some cases, but I've learned to never underestimate the enemy long ago. Do you think that they'll hesitate to harm you?"

"You're just scared." Raine looked up at him daringly.

"That's easier for you to say considering you're the one they want."

--Silence--

"...A-ahem...." Raine stiffened slightly but the new suggestive position of her legs against him. One was pressed between his inner thighs and the other leg was slightly raised and starting to wrap around his. "S-sorry." she swallowed. Yuan shifted and groaned a bit, trying to keep himself from just sprouting his wings and flying off without her, but he had to keep her with him...

To have something that they didn't but that they want. And not to mention his wings' light would give them away. But he was feeling rather flustered, he looked into her apologetic eyes, a little shaken, he tried to move again but caused Raine to be shoved further upwards by a slight, conveniently upward slope underneath her.

Yuan was starting to wish that people were better at building houses in straight lines.

"N-ahh--" Yuan cut himself off, his chin just over her shoulder now, he tried to maintain distance between them by placing his hands on either sides of her waist on the wall. His head dropped, he gave the 'fighting defeat' look.

They were so close together, Raine could feel his hot breath on her neck, it was as though he was breathing heavier, while it seemed like he wasn't at all before.

Yuan groped at the wall desperately for where the edge was almost within his reach, for some reason he was feeling on the somewhat helpless side in this position.

Raine's forehead was pressed into his firm chest when he slid them towards the end of the opening between the houses. She had a slow intake of air while putting one soft hand on his robust shoulders and another on the wall, snaking below his arms.

"Again, I-I'm..."

"Just be quiet..." Yuan whispered quickly, regaining hope when he finally got ahold of the edge of the wall, he pulled himself through and Raine right after him, they were still in the shadows of the back of the house when they were released from the tight hold.

"That was ah... close,"

"..." Yuan shot her a quick look.

"That man had almost seen us there I mean." she clarified.

Yuan gave an almost-nervous half-smile "ha..." he attempted to calm himself, slowly and silently breathing in with parted lips while running thin fingers through his cerulean strands of long hair. He appeared to be in a flustered state, taking cautionary steps from the platinum blond half-elf to his left.

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Tee hee... ooh Yu-chan doesn't think he can control himself....

Review if you want. It sometimes makes me enthused to update.