Thankyou to ADashOfInsanity, BunnyFleur, Kufuffelupagus, IlikeYuki, FuneralBell, AlteaAuroraRia and Nayunari 'Ayu' Tsuki for reviewing! Sorry for the late update - I get easily distracted.

"Really?"

"YES!" Elisse screamed. "Find me at the hospital – I need you. I'm just on the way there."

"Right." But Elisse had already hung up. Marth headed back to tell Ike, but Ike was already halfway down the stairs.

"Elisse is giving birth," he rushed. Ike just nodded. Marth was torn. "Come with me?"

Ike took a deep breath, sighed, then nodded.

The hospital was busy and noisy, but when they both finally reached the room where Elisse was all was quiet.

"Oh Marth, there you are."

Marth hugged her tightly. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, wonderfu– AAAUUURH!"

"Elisse!"

"Sit down and hold my hand you idiot," she growled through gritted teeth. Marth obeyed her, taking a seat by her bedside. Ike took the seat on the other side. She registered him for the first time.

"Aren't you that artist?"

"Yes. I'm Ike."

"Ike, that it – AAAARGH – Take my other hand." She looked at them both, then smiled suddenly. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No," Marth blushed.

"Yes," said Ike at the same time.

Elisse laughed and looked at Marth. "You both have red paint on you, your chest is bare which it never is, with just a coat slung on and not even buttoned up."

"Um…" Marth didn't know where to look.

"Aw, this is so swee– AAAEEEURRR! GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME GODDAMNIT!" After a short pause, however, she continued, "I'm glad that you've got a boyfriend at last."

"Oh no, he's not my boyfriend," Marth corrected. Elisse raised an eyebrow. Marth smiled back at her, unable to look at Ike. Luckily any further conversation was lost as Elisse finally went into the last stages of labour.

A few minutes later, having cut off the circulation in both Ike and Marth's hands, Elisse gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. They all admired it for a few moments, then Ike wished Elisse the best and left. Marth watched him go, feeling suddenly abandoned. Elisse watched Marth in turn.

"Go after him."

"He's fine. I'm staying here with you."

Elisse looked at him seriously. "Marth, I'm going to fall asleep any moment. I'll hardly be stimulating company. Go and get him."

Marth hesitated.

"Go get him bitch!" Elisse laughed. Smiling, Marth left the room.

At first Ike was nowhere to be seen. Nurses and doctors moved this way and that, giving Marth little view. But then a space cleared and Marth saw him sitting on a seat a little way away.

"Ike?" He approached quietly and sat down next to him. Ike was asleep. Marth smiled in affectionate sympathy. After a moment, however, perhaps somehow sensing he was being watched, Ike opened his eyes.

"Ike?"

"Sorry…tired."

"It's ok."

Ike blinked tiredly. "Marth?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you sell my painting?"

Marth stalled, caught off-guard. "I needed the money. I didn't realise you would pay me back the £260 and I didn't feel like I had another option."

Ike sighed. "I know…but why did you sell the painting?"

Marth couldn't think of an answer. Ike rose to his feet.

"Never mind. See you Marth." And with a small wave and a half-smile, he turned and began to walk away. Marth watched his bare back, smeared in places with red paint, retreat down the hallway. After a short pause he turned, with mixed emotions, to head back to Elisse.

By noon on Monday Marth had made up his mind. Ike had finished painting his house, there was no official reason for them to meet again. And they wouldn't. Well, shouldn't. He barely knew Ike, had only known him a few days, and their closeness scared him. A relationship begun on such short acquaintance could only end in disaster. It was just as well they hadn't had sex. No, as far as Ike went, it was over.

"Marth?"

Roy, on the other hand…

"Hey Roy." He smiled.

"You sound happier today."

"Elisse had her baby yesterday."

"Oh super!"

They continued to talk of inconsequential nothings.

"Are you doing anything after work?" Roy asked after a while.

"No," Marth confessed.

"That artist bloke finally gone then?"

"Yes."

"Good – perhaps I can come over and check out his artistry sometime."

"Sure."

"I was thinking we could hang out around town for a bit after work."

"Ok."

Unencouraged by his monosyllabic answers, Roy fell silent. Marth, his mind elsewhere, served the next customer. Whilst he was working, the very subject of his thoughts appeared at the corner of his eye. Quickly moving from the counter he went to grill the paninis, leaving Roy to attend the counter.

"One large coffee please," said Ike. Roy, recognising who he was serving, glanced over at Marth, suspicious of is sudden absence from the counter. Marth ignored both of them, keeping his eyes firmly on the task in hand. Had Ike come to visit him?

"Thanks for the letter, by the way," Ike added. Marth turned around. He hadn't sent Ike a letter!

"No problem," Roy replied. Roy had sent Ike a letter? Marth turned back to the paninis, watching them both out of the corner of his eye. But nothing more was said, and after receiving his coffee Ike left. For a few more minutes Marth distracted himself, but eventually his curiosity got the better of him.

"You sent Ike a letter?"

Roy shrugged. "Yep."

"Why?"

"I decided to send him the cheque by post."

"What cheque?"

Roy froze. "You mean he didn't tell you?" He frowned.

"Tell me what?" asked Marth, getting flustered.

"I'm paying for your walls to be painted."

Marth blinked. "What?"

"Marth, there's no way you could have afforded £1050. I can guess how it went – he was probably halfway through before cost was mentioned, and feeling shocked but unable to back out you would have paid him. Did you pay him then if he didn't tell you?"

Marth, who had so far been too busy collecting his thoughts to interrupt, now burst out,

"I was never going to pay him!"

"Aw, Marth. Just as well I stepped in then."

Marth shook his head. "No, you don't get it. He never charged me – he was doing all the work for… free."

"What?" It was Roy's turn to be confused.

"He was always going to do the work for free." Marth decided it would be pointless to explain the whole business of the £260 and one night.

"But… he said…" Roy faltered, trying to remember. Marth, bewildered, watched him. When Roy failed to finish his sentence Marth said,

"You have to get your money back."

Roy looked in a state of shock.

"Why did you pay him?" Marth asked. "You can't afford it any more than me!" Marth frowned. "Why did you take it upon yourself to foot the bill?"

"If he was going to do it for free – why? What does he get out of it?" Roy wondered, ignoring his question.

One night, Marth thought. But he couldn't tell that to Roy.

"I don't know," he said instead. "But you'll have to get your money back."

Roy's mind was drifting. "He made it sound like he was charging you…"

"Why did you take it upon yourself to pay for me?" Marth persisted. "I don't need charity!" He would have yelled louder, but remembered where he was.

"I was just trying to be kind..."

"Kind enough to assume I couldn't afford it myself, though assuming you could afford it yourself – ON THE SAME SALARY. What are you trying to say?"

"Marth…"

Marth ignored him.