Manu259: Yeah, frustration is understandable here. Yes, it would have indeed been too easy.
Oh, the training has most certainly been doing it's job. That said, Rean and Fie's battle did not include their S-Crafts, or Fie's flash grenades, so they're not quite equal just yet. But it's getting dangerously close...
It's coming, in some form, don't you worry. It might even be sooner than you think. Take that for what you will.
Most definitely, it is a head-space that is nearly insurmountable once you've ingrained it within yourself.
It would indeed be interesting.
That's pretty much how Fie is. Blunt as hell.
Of course! No problem!
I KNOW! I LITERALLY CANNOT WAIT!
Don't remind me. Ugh. But yes, we shall endure!
Okay. As always, thank you.
RedBurningDragon: No, no she does not. Indeed. Fair. More than likely. COLD STEEL 3 HYPE!
RosyMiranto18: Good to see ya! Or...uh, well, hear from ya...or I suppose read from ya...you know what I mean. Of course I prefer a more detailed review; I'm not aware of any writer who doesn't like detailed feedback. You're more than welcome. Oh, I would adore that. But please, do whatever works for you. Don't let my preferences bother ya.
I have been doing my best not to get spoiled, however, I've already received two huge ones regarding certain characters. I was honestly pretty upset about them...but there's nothing I can do about it now; I won't let it ruin my experience! As I have already said, it is not Rutger. So there's no need to worry about Xeno or Leo knowing or not knowing. Trust me, my promise will be fulfilled, just you wait and see.
-Rean, be well? If only he could catch such a lucky break. Yeah. Yep. I suppose.
-Pretty much. Nope, not Colette.
-Perhaps. No denying that. Yes, rest assured, the rest of Class VII will learn it earlier than in Canon.
-Fie can read Rean just as he can read her. Sara is adept at reading most people. That's all I gotta say.
-The secret Fie is keeping is indeed Rean's 'Ogre' power. As for everyone finding out about it, well, yeah, that is inevitable
-That's fair, I guess. That's how I see it, that's for sure.
-That's not untrue...
-Yep, just more snobby nobles. Don't concern yourself with'em.
-Well, not like they've seen it firsthand. That said, obviously Victor would have a problem with it.
-Most definitely.
-That is certainly one of the reasons.
-Yeah, he does need to learn there is a time and place for everything. Especially regarding grudges against nobles...
-No, of course not. That said, once word of those two 'getting along' gets to Dorothy, well...I'm sure it's only a matter of time.
-Could be.
-Not an actual person, no.
Fie, I'd reckon, is a pretty good hand to hand fighter. She'd need a way to defend herself if she was caught off guard or found herself disarmed. And with the band of warriors she was roaming with, and her ridiculous strength...well, yeah, I'd bet she'd be a pretty fearsome opponent in close quarters combat.
I'll admit, I was thinking the same thing even while I was writing the scene. As for the lemon, never, I'm afraid. Things might get a little scandalous, steamy and even risque, but never a lemon. Sorry.
-That's definitely one of the reasons I decided to approach things from that angle. I think it makes sense, and it seems you agree, so that's cool.
-Yeah. That is something to think about.
-Maybe that'll happen, who knows?
-She is, to some degree. But Fie stated her reasons as to why she chose Laura.
Elegy of a Killer is really good chapter title, and something I'd definitely use. However, it doesn't fit the entire theme of the chapter, and merely a part of it, which is why I can't use it for that chapter. You have my thanks for the suggestion though, I'll definitely use it in the future! :) As for the others, eh, pretty much the same deal. Except for 'Self-Loather', I took you up on that one and tweaked it. I don't quite think it fits as well as I'd like it to, considering there are integral parts of the chapter that don't quite fit the title, but it was better than what I had, so I went with it. Thank you!
Okay then. Thank you for your feedback!
Apex85: Hmm, well, alright then.
Eh.
See, now that's a reference I get. Pretty topical for me too, since I just finished Golden earlier this month. I'd played the original last year, then managed to get my hands on a Vita this year just to play the damn thing, since I love Persona so much. Well, I love Persona 4 and 5, at least. Not a big fan of 3. Anyway, I'm rambling now. Yes, Mystery Food X, I suppose that is a possibility. However, Laura is too responsible to ever serve such a thing to someone, and Fie...well, she wouldn't serve it to Rean at least. I have a feeling she'd have no qualms giving it to most others though. XD
YAY OF THE HIGHEST GODDAMN CALIBER! Yeah, it'd have been cool if it came out in my birthmonth like that, but alas delays do happen. I, too, have my copy preordered. More specifically the collector's edition, because fuck it, Trails is worth it.
Once more, allow me to thank all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update as well. Abyss seeker777, Sir 28, kyuubi archsage, OrdinetheAzure, The Lazy Wolf, YuShaji, thank you!
Remember how I said I hope you guys liked angst and fluff? Yeah, you're getting both.
UPDATE
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Touch-ups.
Please read, review, and enjoy.
"MACHIAS!"
"JUSIS!"
"LAURA!"
...
...
...
"FIE!"
...
Fuzzy, unfocused images filled their vision. They couldn't make out the battle before them, even as the cries of their friends pierced their ears.
"I... have to...have to get up...I have to help them..." They rasped out between their haggard panting.
They spoke of their friends, Machias, Jusis, Laura and...
Using all the might they could muster, they forced themselves up off the ground; onto their knees they climbed, before struggling upward until they were finally vertical; feet planted once more.
They faltered for the briefest moment, stumbling and almost taking a spill; they fought through it and remained upright.
"I won't let...I won't let you do this." They declared, as they lumbered unstably forward, looking like they might collapse at any moment.
Slowing for just a moment, they realized they couldn't locate their friends. They simply appeared to have vanished, no traces of them within sight.
Only one was still here, just one, the one closest to them...the one they would do anything for; the one they would die for.
The one they loved.
They knew because they could sense them, feel their presence...
"Rean..." As they - as Fie breathed his name, she found the strength to push on, even as her body weighed her down, feeling like an entire torim of lead trying to drag her back to the floor.
Her vision had begun to clear as she forced herself onward, allowing her to make out the vague shape of two bodies in the distance; locked in combat, the human-shaped colored blots darted back and forth, clashing with one and other over and over again.
They seemed so far away...it was taking so long to get any closer...
The petite girl's body refuse to cooperate with her attempts to keep moving, making it significantly more difficult to remain mobile. It was almost as if the floor was attracting her like a magnet; her sense of gravity pulling her ever downward, even as she valiantly resisted.
"Gotta get...over there...I have to...help him..."
Blinking her eyes several times in rapid succession, she managed to banish the remaining blur; her eyesight was clouded no more.
As such, she finally caught sight of the two, the only two left here with her.
There stood Warrick, his machetes unsheathed and painted in a fresh coat of blood. The jaeger looked roughed up, but no worse for ware. He wore a feral grin; accompanied by a none too sane gleam in his eyes.
And then there was Rean, who looked like hell. His blazer was gone, his shirt, what remained of it anyway, was dyed crimson with his blood, the ruby liquid oozing from the wounds covering his body; he'd clearly been fighting on his own for quite some time. To make things even worse, his weapon was nowhere to be found.
'Where is everybody?! Why aren't they here!? WHY IS REAN FIGHTING WARRICK ALONE!?' These thoughts raced through Fie's mind at great speed.
"You promised me...you promised that you'd only kill the one who took your brother's life...and you still hurt them...tried to murder them..."
Rean spoke through labored, pained breathing; resentment filled his voice, his words edged with bitterness and a dash of disbelief.
"I did." The amoral jaeger confirmed easily with a sneer.
"And you decided you would stop me. How's that workin' out for ya?" He questioned mockingly.
"Not so bad..." The humble swordsman responded with a chuckle.
"I mean, they got away, didn't they?"
His voice was filled with fear, it was well-masked, but it was still there all the same. He was scared. But who wouldn't be, when they're about to die?
"I guess you got me there, punk." The Silver Haze conceded with a laugh.
"Get away from him!" The usually stoic girl demanded, as she bid her numb legs to move faster.
"Just...just don't hurt her, okay? I know you didn't keep your word before, but I have no choice but to hope you will honor it this time. So I'm begging you...don't hurt Fie..." The Schwarzer heir beseeched the killer for hire, his breath hitching near the end.
"Don't you touch him! You hear me!? Don't you fucking dare!" The silver-haired maiden exclaimed furiously; in spite of what was unfolding before her, she could move no faster, this made her growl with vexation.
"Accepting your death, huh? Kind of boring, but I guess you can see the writing on the wall. And you did put up a pretty decent fight. So good for you, punk." The veteran jaeger gave what very roughly amounted to a compliment.
"..."
Rean did not respond; closing his eyes, he braced himself for what was to come.
He was terrified, but he would not run. He knew it'd be pointless...he was far too injured, he wouldn't make it even if he did run for it; he would not get far before being cut down. Moreover, he knew trying to escape would ruin any chance of the older man abiding by his final request. He couldn't risk that, not when he knew it was the only chance Fie had of surviving this ordeal. There was only one possible outcome here...death.
No matter how much she ran, even in spite of the ever intensifying sense of numbness spreading throughout her body, Fie couldn't reach her childhood friend.
She ran and ran as fast as she could; never could she close the distance between them.
Nothing she did gained her any speed, she could not dash, she could not sprint, she could hardly even run; she was too slow, she wouldn't make it in time!
Heart pounding to the point where it felt like it'd burst right out of her chest; adrenaline filled the blood that flowed through her. Yet even with it powering her, she couldn't get closer, she wouldn't reach him in time...she wouldn't be able to save him!
"Stop! Don't! Please, don't do it! STOP IT, PLEASE!" She cried desperately, unable to control her emotions as she struggled in vain to reach her best friend.
"Time to finish what my brother started eight years ago." Warrick mused, killing intent dripping from every syllable.
"Die, punk!"
Fie's pleas fell on deaf ears.
A strangled gasp escaped Rean, as he was impaled on the twin machetes; steel punctured flesh, tearing through skin, muscle and sinew, before bursting out of his back, splattering the stone ground with crimson.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Fie screamed at the top of her lungs, the anguish in her voice palpable.
Blood poured from Rean's mouth and his eyes began to go glassy, as he finally seemed to notice Fie's presence.
"F-F-Fie...I-I...I'm sorry-"
His words were cut short, as Warrick maliciously twisted his instruments of murder, inflicting further pain as they scraped against the young teen's insides; a blood curdling scream was ripped from Rean's throat.
"REAN!" The ex-jaeger bellowed his name, tears like waterfalls down her face as she dropped to her knees; the minuscule amount of strength she had been running on dissipating into nothingness.
As fury and sorrow filled her being, her body became like stone; completely unable to move.
No matter how she struggled, her form would not budge; she had lost her will to fight.
Warrick's sadistic side shone, as he decided this wasn't enough. Tightening his grip on his machetes, he exerted his force and began to pull them apart, ripping the boy into pieces.
Fie, incapable of looking away, was forced to watch as Rean was torn apart from the inside, his form split into two halves; his mutilated corpse collapsing to the ground with a thud; a litany of wet smacks and squelches following, as his internal organs spilled out onto the ground in a mess of gore.
"REAN!"
She couldn't protect him...
She couldn't protect her best friend...
She couldn't protect the only family she had left...
She couldn't protect the boy she loved...
Warrick shifted focus to Fie, the young girl still as death, in shock.
"Ain't one just the loneliest number?" He cracked his sadistic jokes, as he approached her, ready to kill another.
Only a few strides and he stood before her. Placing his machetes on either side of her neck, he prepared to behead her.
"Don't worry, I'll just take a little off the top."
Fie made no move to stop him; she did not fight back, she did not flee, she did...absolutely...nothing.
What was the point?
She was all alone again...
ACT I - CHAPTER III - PART III
...
6/8 - Tuesday
Fie woke with a start; a strangled gasp escaping her as she shot up in bed, throwing the covers off of herself entirely, the fabric crumpling into a pile onto the ground.
Tears streamed silently down her cheeks, as she tried to return air to her neglected lungs; her breathing was haggard and uncontrolled, as her her heart beat erratically.
Beads of sweat rolled down her face, as she sat up on her mattress, surrounded by the darkness of her room.
Her eyes were opened almost unnaturally wide, her lime-green orbs trained forward, staring into the distance, into nothing; her chest rose and fell with each intake of oxygen; she was almost catatonic.
Her brain was struggling to come to grips with what had just happened, with the overwhelming fear that had consumed her.
It could not, not in that moment.
Terror had a stranglehold on her heart, as the images of Rean suffering and dying flashed before her mind's eye.
Closing her eyes so tight that it hurt, she shook her head furiously, attempting to banish those horrific images from her psyche.
It had been a nightmare. Just a nightmare. Nothing but a figment of her mind. A horrifying, appalling figment...a dreadfully heinous nightmare...
It wasn't real.
It. Was. Not. Real.
"I won't ever let that happen." She swore to herself then, trying to soothe her own frightened heart.
"I won't let anyone take Rean from me." She vowed to herself with conviction, even as she fought back a fresh wave of tears; her breath hitching in her throat as a ghost of a sob escaped against her will.
It was then she realized exactly what she had just said.
The gravity of her feelings had been sinking in for quite some time, but now, in this moment, the implications of such things finally hit her.
She wanted to be with Rean, always...
...
Suddenly, there was a knock at her door.
The light rapping of knuckles on wood surprised the room's resident, the noise nearly startling her.
Now aware of a presence just outside her room, she took a single moment to compose herself.
"Come in."
She already knew who was on the other side. She'd sensed him out the moment his knocking caught her attention.
Fie watched her doorknob turn, before her door slowly opened, revealing one Rean Schwarzer, in his grey and white pajamas.
The Schwarzer heir laid eyes on his childhood friend, taking note of the boy-shorts and the simple white shirt she wore.
"Sorry, I don't mean to bother you-"
His words died as a particular detail caught his attention: tear-streaks running down her face, evidence that she'd been crying. The visible signs of sadness were a stark contrast to the blank, emotionless expression she wore as she stared back at him.
"Fie." His voice was filled with compassion as he spoke her name with a worried tone.
His concern shone through his eyes, as he waited for her to say something, anything; to tell him what was wrong...
They locked eyes in that moment, and all the emotions she was feeling were there to see in her lime-green eyes: hurt, sorrow, fear; it was all laid bare.
The depth of her negative emotions made Rean's chest tighten, and spurred him to action.
The humble swordsman was no longer thinking as he entered her room, shutting her door behind him, before closing the distance between them.
Grabbing the petite girl by her hand, he pulled her to her feet and then into his arms, as he wrapped her tightly in his familiar embrace.
She put up no resistance, allowing him to hold her close.
"It's okay, I'm here, Fie. You're not alone." He whispered softly, attempting to comfort her.
'What could do this to her? What could possibly have freaked her out this much?' He fretted; his brow threatened to furrow as he tried to come up with something, anything that would elicit this kind of reaction.
"Rean..." She breathed his name, voice sounding...almost fragile in nature.
He took a moment to brush some stray strands of her hair behind her ear, and wipe her tears away.
She buried her face into his chest,as she finally returned the embrace; squeezing herself against him as hard as she could, wanting to stay in the warmth he provided.
She never wanted to let go...not of Rean, not of the boy she loved.
She knew she loved him.
She'd known since Bareahard.
She couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was that confirmed it for her, as it was no one thing he'd done that had won her heart.
'He's been capturing my heart, piece by piece, since we were children...'
She had known she felt deeply for him for a long time, but had been unable to put a proper word or title to the feeling. Now, though, she knew without a doubt exactly what it was.
Fie Claussell was in love with Rean Schwarzer.
'I don't want to be without him again. Not ever again.'
This revelation, brought on by the realization of the true nature of her feelings in Bareahard, combined with the horrid nightmare she'd just endured, weighed heavily upon her.
The overwhelming need she felt to be close to Rean, to remain by his side...it almost scared her.
Even still, she was more than ready to embrace it.
Only she couldn't. Not yet, at least.
'Not until he understands how I feel about him.'
"Are you okay?" Came the voice of the same boy she'd held in her thoughts, pulling her from them.
He had pulled back just enough to where he could look down and meet her eyes with his; his worried words registered in her mind then.
"Yeah, I'm okay." She assured him, her tone much firmer than before, far closer to what she usually spoke with.
"It was just a nightmare, is all." She divulged.
Rean's eyes widened a fraction at this information.
"What kind of nightmare could put you in this state?" He inquired with flummoxed curiosity.
He wanted to know. So, she told him.
...
Rean was unsure what to say.
The thought of his demise was morbid to contemplate, not that he hadn't done it before; but to think it would disturb Fie this much, shake her to this degree...he honestly wasn't sure how to feel about it.
'Fie is the strongest person I know, to see her like this...so vulnerable...it's almost unsettling.' He thought to himself in that moment.
'Though, it does remind me of when we were kids. She was so much more fragile back then...'
Unbidden, images of her frail little body from that day eight years ago, covered in blood, flashed in his mind.
Forgoing his thoughts, not wanting to think of that day or the state Fie had been in, the humble swordsman finally spoke up after hearing about his childhood friend's night-terror.
"I can't say I haven't had similar dreams." He admitted to her.
"I know how you feel." He openly empathized; closing his eyes in that moment, he took a deep breath.
"But, that said, it was just a dream." He stated firmly as he opened his eyes back up; his words were meant for both her...and himself.
"We won't let it come to that, all right?"
Images of Fie flooded his mind: all the times she'd protected him when they were kids, ranging from kicking the crap out of bullies, to protecting him and Elise from that jaeger. Then there was the present, how she stood up for him, how she'd used her own body to shield him...
'I talk about wanting to protect her, when she's always the one protecting me...' He mused to himself.
'I...I suppose I don't have a choice... I have to accept the fact that she's going to keep doing this, keep trying to protect me. No matter how much I want to protect her instead...'
Rean managed a small smile then, regarding the girl in his arms.
"I swore I'd protect you, and I know that won't stop you from trying to protect me, you've been doing it since we were kids, after all. So...we'll protect each other." He avowed to her with conviction.
"Between the two of us, we'll keep anything like that from happening." He stated confidently
"Ja." She affirmed, a ghost of a smile showing on her face.
...
They finally separated then, releasing their hold on one and other.
"It's not even four in the morning, why are you up?" The silver-haired maiden suddenly queried.
"For much the same reason you are. I had a nightmare of my own." He disclosed easily.
"I wasn't sure I could get back to sleep right away, so I opted for a late-night snack. Only, as I was about to head downstairs to get one, I sensed you. I'm not sure if I reached out unconsciously or what, but I could tell something was wrong. You presence seemed...off. I didn't know if you were awake, of course, and I didn't want to wake you up by barging in, so I knocked. To my surprise, you answered." He elucidated.
Fie nodded at that.
"Tell me about it, your nightmare." She requested.
"You probably already have a good idea what it was about, Fie..." He tried to avoid the topic.
"You promised, Rean." She reminded him.
"Besides, you owe me for the last one."
The diffident swordsman was visibly shocked at this.
"You knew?" He asked, eyes wide.
"I did." She confirmed.
"I've seen it more than enough by now: how you look after having a nightmare. I'd say the one you had two days ago was something else entirely; you were bothered by it all day. Our classmates didn't know what it was that had you so anxious, but they could tell too, most of them at least." She informed him.
"It was clear to me you didn't want to talk about it, and that you'd just dodge the question if I asked you about it. So I left it alone when I really shouldn't have." She explicated.
"I'm sorry." The raven-haired boy averted his eyes as he apologized, feeling shame well up within him.
"I guess I broke my promise to you, didn't I? I've never done that before..."
"No" She denied with a shake of her head.
"You didn't break your promise. You just haven't fulfilled it yet." She gently reassured him.
"I..." The Schwarzer heir hesitated.
"I suppose you're right." He conceded.
"I won't come that close to breaking my promises again." He proclaimed with mixed emotions.
"Not with you..."
He resolved to himself to tell her.
"It was...I dreamt of all my failures. Of my fears. Of not being worthy, not being good enough...of losing control...everything I'm afraid of assailed me. Losing my friends, losing Elise...almost losing you..." He confessed, before stopping for a moment, doing his best to keep the pained expression from taking form on his face.
"I was assaulted by all the denigrating words I've heard in my life, from others...and myself. " He threatened to clam up, as he went silent for a few moments.
He didn't want to talk about this, not with anyone.
"I just..." Still, he struggled to get through it, as he'd made a promise to Fie, and he couldn't break it.
"I-"
"It's okay, I understand. You don't have to say anymore." The stoic ex-jaeger relieved her childhood friend of his obligation.
"Thank you for telling me."
She didn't tell him how wrong he was, how everyone was about him. She didn't have to, he already knew, even if it was difficult for him to grasp.
...
"We should probably get back to bed." Rean mentioned. "Don't want to be dead to the world tomorrow."
"Yeah." Fie agreed almost automatically.
"I'll see you in the morning, Fie." The raven-haired teen bid her farewell, as he moved to the leave her room.
"Wait."
She stopped him with that single word, getting him to look back at her.
"What is it?"
It was then that Fie closed the distance between them once more, before standing on her toes and pressing her lips to his cheek, kissing it.
"You're the best." She said sweetly before pulling back.
Unlike in Celdic, Rean was the only one of the two to blush this time.
"I, uh..." He was almost speechless.
Fie smiled at him then. "See you in the morning."
Rean let out a sigh as he exited the dorms.
'Time to get to class.'
For the first time in a while, he was alone during this morning routine. No one would be coming to catch up with him, and, of course, no one had accompanied him out.
'It's not like Fie to head to school this early. Wonder what's up?' He pondered silently to himself.
He'd found that she'd already left the dorms by the time he'd awoken.
'I suppose she could just be swinging by the Gardening Club...but somehow, I doubt that.' He ruled that possibility out.
Before he could think further on the subject, he was pulled from his thoughts as he bumped into someone.
"Oh, I'm sorry about that." The Schwarzer heir apologized automatically, before even looking to see who'd he'd collided with. "I wasn't-"
"Rean-Meister, what's up?"
Came the voice of a certain white-haired second year; the older boy ignoring the fact that they'd literally knocked into each other and simply addressing his younger friend straight-up.
"Crow?" Rean spoke his name with surprise.
"That's my name." The bandanna wearing youth quipped.
"No, I mean, I'm just surprised to see you is all. With the exception of last month, I never see you out and about in the mornings." The raven-haired teen explained.
"It's cause I'm too busy sleepin' in." The nineteen-year-old bluntly elucidated.
"Yeah, that's what I figured." The eighteen-year-old replied; the utter lack of shock or surprise in his voice could easily be mistaken for disapproval.
"Anyway, I'd love to chat with ya, but I ain't up this early for my health. I got things to do." The second-year student stated.
"Things that have nothing to do with school, I'm guessing?" Rean supposed with a dry tone.
"Not even remotely." The red-eyed jokester confirmed outright with a grin.
"Of course." The diffident swordsman sighed.
"Well, try not to get into too much trouble."
"Uh-huh."
There came the noncommittal answer he'd expected. Rean wasn't going to push it, and simply let it be.
Crow bid his friend farewell and moved to pass him, but stopped after a few steps and turned back to Rean once more, addressing him further.
"Oh, yeah, about that fifty mira I owe ya, I don't have it right now. But I'll get it back to you...sometime. Eventually. Probably." It was a rather flaky and unreliable assurance, yet he said it with a completely straight-face.
The Schwarzer heir shook his head at that.
"Don't worry about that. That second blade deck you got me more than makes up for it."
It was Crow's turn to shake his head then.
"Nah, it don't work like that. You told me you wanted to give that to your lady-friend as a gift, so I hooked you up. That's what buddies are for. That, and the fifty mira have nothing to do with each other." He asserted.
"Really, Crow, there's no need-" The humble swordsman tried again, only to be cut off.
"Dude, seriously, you need to stop trying to let people off the hook so easily. I owe you fifty mira, no big deal." The white-haired boy put forth with a shrug of his shoulders.
"You don't need to go out of your way to find some reason to excuse that. You're too nice for your own good." He remarked with a lighthearted chuckle.
"And you're too carefree for your own good." Rean countered with amusement.
"Yeah, maybe. But life's more fun that way." The older teen put forth with a wink.
"Anyway, I really do gotta get goin', see ya later."
With that, Crow moved on, clearly concerned with attending to whatever matters had him up this early.
"That guy..." Rean let out another sigh.
"Well, for now, I need to get to the academy."
First period was nearly over, and Rean had yet to see any sign of Fie.
It went without saying that he was rapidly becoming concerned. As such, he didn't hesitate to request permission from his instructor for the period, Thomas, to be excused so that he could go and find her.
The kind, bespectacled man had given it fairly easily, a knowing smile crossing his face when his student made the request; only sparing a few words of advice that the humble swordsman should make sure to go over the chapter on his own time to make up for this
Rean readily agreed.
...
"Where could she be?" He asked himself the moment he was out the door of the classroom.
'Ever since I've been taking those extra lessons, Instructor Beatrix has let me duck into the Infirmary from time to time for naps. She even gives me snacks sometimes.'
Recalling Fie's statement, Rean made a beeline for the Nurse's Office.
...
"Oh, hello there." Instructor Beatrix greeted Rean from her desk as he entered the room.
"I don't see any visible injuries, so I'd say it's safe to assume you're here to see Fie." She presumed accurately.
"She's right over there." She immediately pointed him in the young girl's direction.
The Schwarzer heir spared a quick thank you, before walking over to his childhood friend's bedside.
It was a great relief to see her sleeping peacefully.
He wasn't exactly concerned for her safety on campus, as he was sure there were few places safer than the top-ranking military academy in the country, but even still, he couldn't help but be worried for her regardless.
"At least she's sleeping inside this time." The raven-haired teen remarked to himself with a sigh.
'I'll probably catch a bit of trouble for this...but I think I'll stay awhile and watch over her for a bit.' He decided then.
As he was about to go and ask for a chair; Instructor Beatrix brought him one.
"I'm sure you'll be needing this, since you'll be wanting to stay a while."
"How did you...?" He started to question her, feeling like she'd somehow read his mind.
"Every time you're in the infirmary, Fie stays with you for prolonged periods of time. I've no doubt that you'd want to do the same, even if it's not under the same sort of circumstances." The elderly woman posited.
"I should probably scold you for not attending class, however, as far as I'm aware, this is the first time you've done anything like this; as such, as long as you don't make a habit of it, I suppose there's no real harm in it." She opined.
"Thank you."
...
Rean sat in silence for a good while with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company, watching over his childhood friend while she slumbered.
'She's been going through a lot lately...there was that whole debacle with Laura that only recently came to a close, not to mention all the students who've been giving her hell lately; heck, I've undoubtedly only been agitating things for her myself with the way I've been acting recently. I can't blame her for being exhausted.'
A heavy sigh escaped him then.
"She's been sound asleep for awhile now." Came the voice of the aging nurse, who'd once again come over to check on them.
"Instructor Beatrix..." Rean acknowledged her presence.
"Thanks for always taking care of Fie. I really appreciate it." He expressed his gratitude with a small smile; the thought of the Nurse giving Fie a place to rest on the regular a bit comforting to him.
The old woman chuckled at this. "Oh please, it's my pleasure." She assured with a kind smile.
"Besides, how could I decline a request from Instructor Sara herself?"
"Instructor Sara asked you to do this?" The diffident swordsman queried with some surprise.
"Yes indeed." The grey-blonde haired woman affirmed. "She's told me a bit about Fie's past, too. Not everything, of course, just what's pertinent. Her past as a jaeger, for instance." She disclosed.
"It's a good thing she did, as it seems like that's the root of some of her recent troubles." She remarked.
"I see..." Rean breathed a small, sad sigh.
"So you know about how some of the other students have been treating her?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Beatrix confirmed "It seems a few of the noble students were harassing her just this morning. She told me about it herself, not in so many words, mind you, just that they'd been bothering her."
"And when Fie admits someone's bothering her, it means it's probably something serious." Rean postulated, certain of it.
The older woman simply nodded her head at this.
Looking away from the instructor, his mind began to run.
'I can handle all the crap being thrown my way, but now Fie's getting messed with. And unlike me, she's got both nobles and commoners to contend with. It's not right, damn it. I've got to figure out someway to get them off her back.' The young teen ruminated, brow furrowing in concentration and concern.
Taking notice of the young boy's distressed state, the medical professional spoke up once more.
"Though, as concerning as it is, she'll be alright." She stated with confidence, snapping Rean out of his contemplative state.
His focus shifting back to his elder, the dark-haired eighteen-year-old looked up toward her from his sitting position, waiting for her to elaborate.
"After all, she's told me about how much you take care of her." Beatrix told him plainly.
"She was just telling me earlier about how you'd chased off some bothersome boys the day before. She has made it very clear how wonderful you are. And from everything she's told me, as well as what I've seen from you myself, I have to agree; you are a very kind young man and you seem to care very much for her." The elderly nurse regarded Rean with a warm, grandmotherly smile then.
"I'm sure she'll be just fine as long as your around."
"I-I, uh..." Rean was unsure how to respond to that, caught off guard.
"I think you overestimate how much I really help her..." He managed to respond, his doubt worn openly.
Instructor Beatrix said nothing to contradict him, however, the smile she wore said she didn't quite agree.
...
A few moments of silence passed between them then, as Rean's eyes wandered back over to the sleeping form of Fie.
"Instructor Beatrix..." He addressed her without making eye contact, his fuchsia orbs remaining locked on the young girl before him.
"Can I ask you to keep taking care of Fie from here on out?" The humble swordsman requested of the old woman.
"Of course, she's such a pleasant girl." Beatrix agreed easily.
"But I can't provide much more than a bed to sleep on. Beyond that, it's a student's job to sort out their own problems. It's a part of growing up, really." She put forth. "That doesn't mean they can't have a little help from those close to them every now and again, though."
Another few moments of silence passed between them then.
"You know, I've caught Fie sleeping in all manner of places on this campus. She was raised on the battlefield, but she's able to sleep peacefully when other people are around; I'd say that's quite the achievement, wouldn't you?" Beatrix posed this query to the young swordsman.
"Definitely." Rean concurred, regarding the aging instructor with a smile.
His eyes drifted back to Fie rather quickly then.
'I'll do whatever I can to make sure that Fie can always feel at ease.' He swore to himself in that moment.
...
Shortly after Rean had left the infirmary to return to classes, Fie woke, sitting up with a yawn and beginning to stretch.
Getting out of the bed, she went by Instructor Beatrix's desk to thank her and bid her goodbye, and then she was on her way.
Only, instead of heading back to class, she ascended the opposite staircase of the one that lead up to her classroom, and made for the Cooking Club room.
...
Once inside, she found a note addressed to her.
It read as follows...
Fie, everything you asked for is ready, so you can start anytime. I don't quite approve of you cooking during school hours, however, I simply could not turn you away after you explained your reason for doing so. As long as you put your all into it and cook from the heart, I'm sure Rean will love it. Best of luck. -Nicholas
'Glad I swung by this morning and asked for permission to use this room. Now I have the perfect place to get this done.'
Fie nodded her head as she put the note back down, before moving over to the large tables full of ingredients, utensils, and cookware.
She'd requested fairly copious amounts of foodstuff, so that she could make several attempts and go with the best one.
'Laura and I didn't make as much progress as I'd of liked last night. She's worse at cooking than I am.' She recalled.
'Between being up until almost three in the morning practicing, and that damn nightmare, I didn't get a whole lot of sleep. Thankfully Beatrix let me get a nap in, that way I could be ready for this.' She thought to herself, grateful for the woman's kindness.
...
"Guess it's time to get started." Fie said to herself aloud, picking out some of the things she needed from the spread.
"Here goes nothing."
Taking in a deep breath, she slowly released the air from her lungs as she prepared.
"Maximum Effort." And with that peculiar verbal expression, the silver-haired maiden got right into it.
'Fie missed all of her classes...'
Rean's thoughts were centered on his childhood friend as he walked from school back to the dorm.
'I need to talk to her about what's going on, tonight. If she's that bothered by how people are treating her, I'll take care of it somehow. And if it's something else, then we'll handle whatever it is; she can't miss the entire day like this. More importantly, if something gets to her that much, then I have to help her deal with it.'
The swordsman's train of thought was paused for the moment, as he passed by Brandon's General Goods, only to stop and come back to the establishment.
"I could use a few things; should probably pick them up before I go back to the dorm." He thought aloud to himself, before entering the shop.
...
Once inside, Rean was a little surprised to see one of his classmates there.
"Oh...hello, Rean." Laura greeted him as she took note of his presence.
"It's rare to see you here by yourself. What's up?" Rean inquired as he approached her.
The well-spoken swordswoman chuckled at this. "I actually found myself interested in this store's wares, so I decided to browse for a while." She explained.
"I'm surprised at how enjoyable it's been." She added.
"Mind if I join you?"
It was a spur of the moment decision, but the raven-haired boy decided to spend a little bit of time with his classmate.
"Haha. Feel free." The blue-haired maiden welcomed his company with a smile. "Maybe this would be a good chance to have you tell me about the things being sold here."
"I suppose I can, though I don't know too much about them myself." Rean replied.
...
"Hmm...they have a wide variety of items here on display. Most of which I'm unfamiliar with." Laura paused for a few brief seconds, closing her eyes as she seemed to contemplate something momentarily.
Opening them back up, her amber orbs found their way to Rean. "Which leads to a question I'd like to ask you, Rean. What sorts of goods and accessories do girls my age tend to like?"
"Uh...what?" Came Rean's eloquent response, blinking his eyes several times in confusion, clearly caught off guard by the sudden inquiry.
"I ask because, well...I've noticed that there's a significant difference between myself and the other girls here." The noble swordswoman elucidated.
"For example, I went shopping with Monica recently, only to find myself searching for equipment to keep my sword in shape. Meanwhile, Monica was fawning over cute accessories and the like. Doesn't this prove I'm rather...strange?" Her query was an earnest one; sincerity flowed from her: she seemed genuinely concerned by this.
"Well...you're from different class backgrounds, for one thing. That's a difference between you already." He pointed out to her.
"But even amongst other nobles, you are a little bit...different." He admitted to his classmate.
"Just as I thought." The Arseid heir acknowledged. "But this is of no issue. If there's something I lack, then all I need to do is take the opportunity to learn." She resolved aloud.
"Now tell me, which of the items here would most likely grab a girl's attention?" She posed this question to him.
"I mean, I'm not exactly an expert on the subject, but..."
Rean paused, taking a moment to examine the goods on the shelf closest to them. It took a few seconds, but he finally caught sight of something that fit the bill.
"How about this Mishy plush?" He put forth as he took the stuffed animal off the shelf and showed it to his classmate. "He's a pretty popular character over in Crossbell." He added as an afterthought.
Laura took a good long look at the plushy, examining it thoroughly.
"Fascinating." She remarked. "He's certainly charming, to say the least."
Rean couldn't help but show his amusement with a smile.
'It's honestly kind of adorable how seriously she's taking this.' The Schwarzer heir thought to himself with some mirth.
It was then that, out of the corner of his eye, the diffident boy noticed the price tag for the Mishy plush. The sight of it had him a tad annoyed; the eighteen-year-old giving the numbers a brief look of annoyance as he realized he'd paid nearly twice that amount to the salesmen in Celdic.
With a quick sigh, he let it go, as there wasn't anything he could really do about it at this point.
'Oh well, it was still more than worth it since I was able to give it to Fie.'
Rean's attention was pulled back to Laura, as she spoke once more.
"How about this?" The swordswoman presented a strap with a blue-haired, muscular man attached to it. "This character has a rather gallant look to him, doesn't he?" She commented with a smile.
The humble swordsman sweatdropped at this.
"I'm a hundred percent sure most girls wouldn't have any interest in him..." He bluntly informed her.
"O-Oh, this is more challenging than I expected..."
...
After putting the items back where they found them, the two decided to keep looking.
"Fie and I had quite the discussion last night." Laura brought up.
"Oh yeah? What about?" Rean queried.
"We spoke at length about her time in Ymir, and by extension, her time with you." She informed him.
"Hahaha." He couldn't help but laugh in a rather sheepish manner at that.
"I'm guessing she told you some embarrassing stories about me, huh? I was pretty pathetic, so I hope you won't hold whatever you heard about against me." He requested sincerely.
"Quite the contrary, actually." Laura contradicted that notion.
"She told me about how you'd saved her life no less than three times, even though you were only children at the time. Moreover, she talked about how you were a very kindhearted child who was always troubled, but never let that affect how you treated those around you. She described you as her friend and protector; I don't believe she had a single negative thing to say about you. She really painted a rather gallant picture of you, Rean." She divulged this with a small, very ladylike giggle, with an accompanying grin.
"Needless to say, I am now interested in you more than ever."
Rean's face resembled a tomato at that point.
"I-I, uh, I'm not sure how to respond to that..." He confessed, bewildered by this information.
He knew Fie cared for him, he'd have to be an idiot not to, however, he never even considered that she might think quite that highly of him.
"She said I was troubled?" He decided to focus on that aspect, unsure of how to deal with the rest.
"Yes, however, she would not disclose any of what troubled you so." She further informed him. "She explained that you probably wouldn't want anyone finding out unless you were the one to tell them."
"Yeah, she's right about that." Rean affirmed.
"I must admit, that makes me even more curious, I'm afraid. But I shall refrain from asking for more details. All I ask is that you consider speaking to me about it one day, since as I have said before, much like Fie, I desire to know more about you." She reminded him.
"Yeah, don't worry, I will." He assured her, blush dying down as he regained his composure.
"She also told me a great deal about your family and what wonderful people they are; I was not aware you had a sister." The young Arseid girl followed up.
The two swordsmen would speak on the subject of Fie's time in Ymir for another few minutes, before returning to their search.
...
Eventually, after another good long look around the store, the two ended up deciding on the Mishy plush.
"I couldn't be more grateful for your assistance, Rean. If it weren't for you, I never would have purchased something so nice." Laura voiced her gratitude.
Rean chuckled at that. "Not a problem."
"Still, my grasp on what other girls my age like remains tenuous." The well-spoken seventeen-year-old stated.
"It seems I have a long and harsh path ahead of me if I'm ever to truly know." Her brow had noticeably furrowed in concern as she said this.
"You know, you don't have to force yourself to be like everyone else." Rean suddenly told her.
"Because...you aren't like everyone else. You are who you are, and that's exactly why we like you." He delineated this fact to her with all the heartfelt honesty he was coming to be known for.
Laura regarded her classmate, her friend, with a warm, grateful smile then.
"Thank you. You've given me a lot to think about today." Her gratitude was abundant.
She'd clearly taken a shine to him, just as she had with Fie.
"I feel kind of relieved, thanks to you." She admitted. "I'd like for us to go shopping again if you ever have the time."
"Sure, that'd be fun." Rean met her smile with one of his own.
Crow sat on one of the benches the small slice of a park in the middle of town contained.
His arms stretched out and resting on the back of the wood, he watched as people all but ignored his presence and went about their day: stopping by Jane's Gardening Shop, popping into Kirsche's for a bite to eat, and the occasional sucker wandering into Micht's Pawn Shop.
Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes as he took a moment to contemplate.
'I should probably go see if Towa could use any help... Don't wanna slack off too much.' He rationalized.
'Sides', she's been pretty overworked this semester. I can sacrifice a little of my time for her.' He decided.
"S'gonna suck though." He acknowledged to himself aloud with a sigh.
"I've finally found you, imbecile."
The white-haired youth's head returned to it's original position, as he opened his eyes to catch sight of who was addressing him: standing before him was none other than Verrat Cayenne, and he did not look happy.
"I don't know how, but you've managed to evade me for quite some time. But you can't hide anymore. Your small brain-"
The scion of one of the Four Great Houses continued with his little spiel, but the red-eyed slacker couldn't tell you any of what he really said, as he effectively tuned the younger teen out; he was not up for being talked at by this brat.
'Punk's had a hard-on for me ever since I interrupted his harassment of Rean. I suppose I'm not entirely blameless, I did have him looking like an idiot more than once when he was trying to corner me over the past month. I wouldn't be surprised if other nobles have started talking behind his back about how he looked like a maniac chasing shadows with the way he followed me around yet always remained two steps behind.' The carefree jokester mused to himself.
'He's no doubt here to give me hell about it, and that does suck; the last thing I wanted to do today was be forced to listen to him drone on and on about 'my daddy this' and 'my daddy that'. Well, whatever, it's effectively kept him off Rean's back, so it all works out.'
"You are nothing more than empty-headed commoner filth! Barring that scum Schwarzer, you are the the absolute worst of all the street rats and miscreants that dare to attend this academy with us nobility, and you have the audacity to try and make a fool out of me!?"
He caught that last part of the pompous windbag's monologue, and decided to respond.
"What's your problem with the Rean-Meister, anyway?"
"My problem? You want to know what my problem is!? My problem is that he has no right to any position within the nobility! He is disgusting trash that was given an unjust due, who was elevated to status he does not deserve, that he has no blood-claim to! Worse still, he dared to lay his dirty hands on me! ME! To strike one such as I...he had no right!" The orange-haired noble vented.
'Hell, I can't say I blame him. You are one annoying bastard.' Crow thought while stifling a groan.
Still not feeling up to dealing with this, he zoned out once more.
...
"He is the bane of the proud heritage of all nobility!"
'Is he still goin' on about Rean?' The bandanna wearing nineteen-year-old wondered.
'He is, isn't he?' He realized with some exasperation.
The young noble's tirade had drawn the attention of those moving about Trista more than once, but the long-winded nature of it had any interest fading quickly enough, and people would simply go about their business. It wasn't like he was screaming or anything; so long as he didn't get too loud and start disturbing the peace, no one would pay him any real mind.
"That is why I was not surprised in the slightest to find your pathetic self associating with the worthless Schwarzer! You share the same foolishness as he, thinking you can treat me however you care! I shall tell you the same thing I told him: stay out of my way. Keep your distance. I don't want to even spot you out of my peripheral vision, unless absolutely necessary. Keep your head down and everything will be fine. This is your first and only warning; do not test me! You are just street trash that has no right to even be in my presence, let alone attend the same academy. Respect your betters and don't even think of showing me such disrespect again, otherwise, you will know what happens when you wrong one of the Four Great Houses. Trust me, nothing could possibly prepare for the consequences my father could bestow; you do not want to get on his bad side."
Verrat's face was the epitome of smug as he threatened the older boy.
Crow couldn't hold back his abundance of amusement, as a strikingly sardonic grin made it's home on his face.
'You poor fool; you don't know a damn thing.'
The cynical amusement radiating off the older teen nearly sent Verrat into a tizzy.
"What the hell are you smiling about, damn it!?"
'He's steaming. If I don't placate him, he's gonna come out swinging.' Crow predicted.
Standing up, he laughed.
'It wouldn't do any good to get in a fight. I'll take the punch and let him vent his petty frustrations.'
"You think this is funny!? Am I amusing to you?!" Verrat demanded, furious.
"You have no right to laugh at me!"
And with that, the impulsive noble swung on his fellow second-year.
Only, to the shock of both parties, while the fist did make contact, it wasn't the intended target that it hit.
...
Rean stood between them, his head turned from the force of the strike which had collided with the side of his face.
Verrat pulled his fist back, a dumbfounded expression plastered on his face; he clearly had no clue what had just happened.
Crow was caught off guard, his surprise written all over his features.
Verrat eventually cornering him he'd seen coming, the spoiled brat blowing up he'd seen coming, the punk decking him he'd seen coming.
This...this he hadn't anticipated.
"Back off." Rean spoke firmly and resolutely in that moment, no trace of hesitation in his voice.
"You can push me around all you want, Verrat. I can put up with your bullshit. But leave my friends out of it." He commanded, his tone and demeanor unbending.
The Cayenne heir did not take this well.
"Y-You dare...!? You dare to order me around?! YOU DAMNED-" He swung again, ready to hit him once more.
Only he found his fist would never get the chance to make contact, stopped in it's tracks; Crow had caught it mid-motion.
"Get lost already. Before I knock you on your ass." The white-haired slacker warned him.
Rean nearly did a double take at that, as while Crow's general demeanor hadn't changed, the intensity in his voice had risen; he had not expected that.
"I-I, YOU, UGH!"
Wrenching his hand away, Verrat looked like he might have a meltdown with the overabundance of anger and embarrassment he was feeling in that moment.
"I-I'll make you pay for this!" He promised them, before stomping off back toward the noble dorms, brooding with rage.
...
Once the brat was out of earshot, Crow regarded his underclassmen with a grateful smile.
"You didn't have to do that, but thanks all the same."
"I'm sure you could have handled it, but that's not the point. You intervened the last time Verrat was giving me a hard time, and now he's harassing you over it. That isn't fair." The humble swordsman said with a shake of his head.
"You're my friend, I won't let him treat you that way." He assured him, rubbing his now sore cheek to alleviate some of the pain.
"Especially not when the whole reason he turned his attention toward you is because you helped me out in the first place." He added further. "And besides, I should be thanking you. I didn't feel like getting hit again, so I appreciate you stopping him."
Crow's smile widened at that. "You're a real friend, Rean-Meister."
The genuine sincerity coming from his slacker friend surprised Rean, but he was grateful for it nevertheless.
"You give me too much credit; but still, thanks. That's very kind of you to say."
Most of Class VII had adjourned to their rooms, deciding to call it an early night.
Rean, however, was still downstairs, seated in the dining room.
Fie, after showing up a few minutes earlier, requested her childhood to wait in there for her.
He'd tried to ask her where she'd been all day, but she'd been right back out the door after asking him to wait. So he'd simply done as she asked, and waited there for her.
'What is she up to? What's she been doing all day? I know she left the Nurse's Office by lunch, since I'd tried to bring her some food only to be greeted by empty beds. What is going on?' He wondered to himself in a rapid-fire manner.
He would usually press the subject at this point, but with how things had been going lately, he didn't feel he had any right to. Even still, it was seriously starting to bother him.
Just as he was going to stand up and go looking for her, she returned, coming through the dining room door, plate and utensils in hand.
"Um, Fie, what's going on? What's that you got there?" He questioned her.
"You haven't eaten yet, right?" She answered his question with one of her own.
"No, not yet. I was about to fix myself something before you asked me to wait." He answered simply.
"Then, this is your dinner." She supplied.
"Um..." She hesitates for a brief moment then, a bit of doubt nagging at her. "If you want it, that is."
While attempting to bury her shred of self-doubt, she placed the hot bowl before him and handed him the utensils.
"I'll get you something to drink." She said then, before moving to the kitchen area to get him a glass.
"Did you make this?" He queried dumbly, staring down at it; he was rather surprised at this turn of events.
"Mm. I've been practicing to try and get it right. Nicholas let me borrow the Cooking Club room." She explained.
"Is this what you've been doing all day?" He inquired further.
"Yeah. Sorry for not telling you. I wanted it to be a surprise." She further elucidated her activities, bringing him a glass of cold water.
Rean found himself tongue tied for a few seconds at this, "I-I, I mean, why..."
He didn't need to finish the question, as she responded, "No real reason. Just wanted to do something for you."
He fumbled for words for another moment or so, before finding the ones he was looking for.
"That...that's really sweet of you, Fie. Thank you." He expressed his gratitude to the best of his ability in that moment; he was genuinely touched.
"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to." She told him then. "I'm not exactly a great cook, so I wouldn't blame you. So just try it, and if you don't like it, I'll toss it." She assured him.
Rather than respond, Rean looked back down at the food before him.
He could tell what it was supposed to be; Fie had clearly attempted to make a nice refreshing pasta soup. However, what he was currently looking at was colorless noodles bathed in a red, soupy broth.
"No, don't worry about it. If you made it, I'm sure it'll taste wonderful." He looked to her and reassured her with a smile.
With that, he returned his attention to the food before him, took hold of his spoon and had his first bite.
His tastebuds were immediately assailed by the soggy bitterness of the noodles, at the same time, the broth softened the sharp unpleasantness; soothing his tongue, in a sense, with it's tangy and very herby taste. However, even with the broth to make it more bearable, the humble swordsman could not completely hide the ever so subtle cringe he gave at the less than pleasing taste.
It went without saying that Fie noticed this, her disappointment shown openly with a frown.
It bothered her that he didn't like it, but there was nothing she could do about it at this point.
'I'll do better next time.' She assured herself.
So, letting a sigh of defeat escape her lips, she reached to take the bowl from the table as Rean took a much needed drink of water. Only to be surprised as he put his glass down just to take another bite.
Pulling her hand back, she watched with confusion as he took a third bite.
"What are you doing?" She queried, her brow furrowing in puzzlement.
"I'm eating." He answered her simply, before taking a fourth bite.
"But you don't like it." She pointed out the obvious.
"I never said that." He countered, no longer showing any outward signs of his dislike of the meal.
"You didn't need to. It tasted so bad you cringed." She retorted.
"I was surprised by the taste is all. It's certainly unique." He commented, following his words with a larger bite.
"Stop it." She spoke firmly, her demeanor returning to that of her usual expressionless self.
Rean didn't listen.
"Stop. It." She insisted, a bit of heat entering her tone.
"Stop what?" Her childhood friend queried, taking a moment to pause eating the dish,
"Stop forcing yourself to eat just to spare my feelings." She demanded of him, sounding just the slightest bit upset in spite of her lack of facial expression.
Fuchsia met lime-green as he made direct eye-contact with her.
"Fie, you spent all day making this for me; I love it." The sheer sincerity in his words, and the abundance of gratitude in the grin he flashed her made her heart flutter.
Red dusted her face, blushing at his kind words.
Even with that sentiment shared, Rean continued to eat what had been prepared for him.
...
"You ate the whole thing..." She muttered in a bit of disbelief.
"Thank you for the meal, Fie. It was wonderful."
The stoic maiden did not respond verbally, instead, she simply embraced the diffident swordsman.
She hugged him tight, wanting to convey how good he'd made her feel by doing what he'd done. There were words on the tip of her tongue, she wanted to say them so badly...but, for now, at least, she settled on keeping them in her thoughts.
'I love you.'