Blue Heart
By: deep.Indigo

            Claude sighed to himself, staring up at the artificial sky of Energy Nede from the town of North City. An impossible, crystal clear blue, azure beyond the palest azure... Opera was right when she called it depressing. But were her reasons the same as his? Perhaps, perhaps not... Although Claude liked to pretend to be confident to keep up the morale of the general party, inside, he had a black feeling of hopelessness. In the beginning, yes, Claude had been optimistic—even after the forced memories of the Four Fields, even after the destruction of Expel. In all truth, he had only really noticed it when he had been forced to watch the destruction of the Calnus and the death of his father. But still, that was enough.
            "I used to think I was strong," he murmured. "But now..."
            Leaning his head against the inn, he shut his eyes and hummed a verse from an ancient Earth song written by a great composer to himself. He followed the tune with lyrics recited in his mind: "O heavenly bodies, Why am I In this world?"
            "You look so serious," a deep voice said, startling Claude from his reverie. He turned to see Dias, observing him intently. "As if," Dias continued, "you were burdened with great tragedy on your mind."
            "Wh-what?" Claude stammered, feeling his face begin to grow hot. "I—no, I was just thinking. That's...all." He turned away, wondering at his own flustered reaction, and why he was blushing so.
            "Oh? Not thinking, perhaps, about that craft that was destroyed by the Ten Wise Men—the destruction towards which you reacted so emotionally, so violently?"
            His face growing yet hotter, Claude replied in a tone of voice that seemed alien to himself, "No...."
            There was a long moment of silence; then, Dias said, "All right; since you seem so insistent, I'll leave it at that."
            Claude could hear the sound of his shoes scraping against the dusty road as he walked away.
            "....." Claude sighed, waiting until he was sure Dias was gone before he looked up again. He was sure he was still blushing, if only somewhat, and he couldn't bear it if Dias were to see that. /Perhaps I should have talked to him.../ Claude glumly thought to himself. /He, too, understands the agony of losing one's family...but, I—I just can't.../
            Sighing again, Claude pushed away from the inn, then, taking a deep breath and putting on a smiling face, walked over to the door and entered. Rena and Celine were inside, chatting about something or another; when he entered, they turned their attention to him.
            "Oh, Claude, darling!" Celine called, smiling. "Could you do us a small favor, dear?"
            "Sure, what do you need?" Claude asked, walking over to them.
            "Well, Claude, we just picked up this great new recipe for marinated salmon filets, but we're out of a couple of ingredients," Rena explained. "I was about to go out myself, but if you pick up the ingredients we need for us, then I can help Celine prepare the kitchen instead. Will you grab us some fruit for us? Just citrus fruits, please, the recipe calls for a lot of lemon juice!"
            "Oh...sure, Rena," Claude replied, smiling and shrugging a little. "That's no big deal. I get to sample some when you're done, right?"
            "Tsk, tsk, how like a man, thinking of his stomach first," Celine clucked.
            Claude sweatdropped a little. "Um, I didn't mean it like that..."
            Rena laughed a little and gave him a comforting smile. "Don't worry, Claude, Celine's just teasing you a bit. Of course you can try it when it's done—in fact, I'd be honored if you'd be the first to give it a try!"
            Claude smiled back, his dark mood lifting a little. "Thanks, Rena. I'll be back in a hurry. See you!" He waved to the girls and left the inn again, heading for the shop up the hill. He smiled to himself a little, remembering one of his encounters with Chisato there. Though she was a force to be reckoned with in battle, whenever she got surprised or excited, Chisato became incredibly clumsy... Managing to cheer himself up a little with those memories, Claude entered the store and ordered the ingredients for which Rena had asked. As he waited for the order to be filled, he leaned against the counter and let his thoughts wander. Wander they did, particularly back again and again to Dias.
            /It's strange. Why am I thinking about him so much? Maybe I should go talk to him—it'd probably be good for me to get my feelings off my chest... Yeah. Once I've done this for Rena, I'll go find him./
            "Here you go, Claude!" Chisato's mother smiled as she handed over the requested items. "It's so nice of you to run errands for the girls."
             "Huh?" Claude uttered, disturbed from his thoughts. "Oh...yes, thank you, Mrs. Madison. Tell Chisato that she's free to come too, if she likes. I mean, I think it's okay. It probably won't bother Rena..." Feeling somewhat embarrassed but not quite sure why, Claude hurried out of the store and back to the inn.
            It occurred to Claude, once he returned to the North City inn, that he had no idea where Rena and Celine were cooking. They were no longer there, either, to tell him which kitchen they were using. With a sigh, he made an inquiry at the front desk.
            "Well, actually, I'm not sure where they went, but I'm sure they'll be back, so why don't you leave your groceries here?" the girl there suggested.
            "Thank you," Claude smiled, though he didn't feel the emotion. "Their names are Rena Lanford and Celine Jules. If they ask where I am, I'm, uh...at the library."
            The girl nodded, smiling brightly, and Claude left the inn, feeling strangely depressed. Since he had no other place of interest to which to go, and because that's where he told the inn girl where he would be going, he headed for the library, passing by Ernest and Opera at the summit of the hill as he went. They greeted him cheerfully, and he answered with the same enthusiasm, although in truth it depressed him to see the two of them, together and happy, while he was alone. It was, of course, not their fault, but he felt that way regardless... Feeling somewhat ashamed of his jealousy, Claude hurried into the library.
            It was fortuitous for Claude that he found Dias there as well, on the second floor, contemplating something. For some reason, Claude felt relieved to see him, and hurried upstairs.
            "Mm?" Dias noticed Claude as he approached, though he had been deep in thought. "Claude..."
            "Ah..." Claude hesitated. What could he say now? "I'm, uh...sorry. For being rude earlier..."
            Dias shrugged and resumed his study of the people on the first floor.
            Sweating slightly, Claude stepped up next to him and turned his gaze in the same direction as Dias'. He watched those studying downstairs for a moment, then questioned Dias, "Exactly...what are you looking at?"
            Dias remained silent for a moment. Finally, he replied, "Two things, actually... The first is the emotions of the people here. There is much one can tell from watching others."
            "You like watching people?" the gilded-haired boy asked, mildly surprised.
            Dias shook his head. "No," he stated. "In truth, it depresses me. It is, however, good for battle... Learning to gauge another's emotions and thoughts is essential to predicting an opponent's next move."
            "...Oh," Claude said, for lack of something better to say. Hastily, to make up for his ineloquence, he pressed, "And the second?"
            The blue-haired swordsman shook his head slowly. "...The people here. Their appearance is different from my own. You see, when Rena and I were growing up together, people would sometimes...make comments, sometimes innocent, sometimes intentionally hurtful. I myself wondered why Rena was different from the rest of us, but since all that mattered was Rena herself, I never bothered to ask. Now that we have come to the place of Rena's people, it seems that the situations have reversed, and I am the one with the odd appearance..."
             "You aren't the only one," Claude pointed out. "A lot of us look different. Ernest and Opera have three eyes, after all, and Leon has cat ears. Ashton has dragons sprouting from his back. You and I and the rest, we all share the same basic appearance. It's not as if you're alone...Dias."
            There was a curious pause, and Dias looked up at the young man, his expression unreadable. "...You may be right about that," he finally agreed. "Yes, my circumstances are not nearly so harsh as Rena's had been. But still, you must feel it, too. The feeling of being isolated from the rest of the world..."
            Claude blushed slightly, then looked away. "I...I guess—no, you're right," he softly acceded. "Even when surrounded by many other people—"
            "—you still feel alone," Dias finished.
            Claude's blush intensified, and he coughed into his hand. "...Yeah."
            Dias swept his long, sapphire hair behind his shoulder, regarding Claude coolly yet curiously. "Why are you blushing, Claude?"
            "Er—" Claude coughed again, feeling his face grow hotter. "I, ah, um...."
            "...I understand." Dias turned away and started walking for the small study room at the end of the hallway.
            "Ah—wait, Dias," Claude called, keeping his voice relatively low, and caught up with him. "There's actually...I would like to talk to you, if that's all right."
            Dias regarded Claude intently for a moment, then nodded once. Together, the two of them entered the study room and closed the door behind them. It was thankfully empty, but the two chose the most remote table at which to sit regardless.
             "...What did you wish to speak with me about?" the midnight-haired swordsman asked the blond explorer.
            Claude sighed a deep sigh, then softly replied, "...About what you mentioned earlier. That craft...belonged to my father. He and his crew were undoubtedly destroyed with it..." The gate opened, Claude continued to confide in Dias with his other fears and insecurities, the doubts that had plagued him since the beginning of his journey, including the thought that Expel probably no longer existed. Dias took this all in stride with a widening of the eyes upon hearing Claude's suspicious about Expel, but he listened quietly and attentively, gazing only at Claude and punctuating his consideration with occasional nods.
            When he was finally finished, Claude slumped over slightly, emotionally exhausted. Dias gazed at him with what could have been empathy and compassion, but as was his habit, he iced over his expression with blankness. He, too, stared down at the table.
            "...I understand how you must feel," he quietly said at length. "You know I'm a loner. I fight for myself, by myself. I take care of myself, by myself. Having been separated by death from my family due to my own weakness, I left Arlia to become strong and self-sufficient...but I think I lost something else in the process."
            "..." Claude looked up at him, weary but curious. Dias lifted his head to meet his gaze. 
            "...You, too, are suffering from fortune's hand, but you have something I do not—the ability to connect with others, to lessen your pain and share your joy. Make sure you do not lose that ability, Claude, lest you become truly alone..."
            Claude stared at the older man for a moment, sudden revelation washing over him. "Dias..." he started quietly, "are you really that lonely?"
            "......" Although he kept his gaze level and neutral, Dias did not reply. 
            Claude drew in a breath slowly, unsure of his feelings yet not allowing himself to doubt them, and moved his hand over Dias'. Blushing, he glanced upwards to meet Dias' crimson eyes, and saw they were widened in surprise. Claude felt his face burn, and moved to pull his hand away and stammer out an apology, but something stopped him. The indigo-haired swordsman's expression changed, softening slightly, and the ends of his lips turned up slightly. Claude suddenly had trouble breathing correctly, and had to fix his gaze on a knot in the wooden table before he could rectify it.
            "Claude..." Dias said softly. "Actually, I..."
            Claude glanced up, his cheeks still flushed.
            Then the loud knocking at the door caused him to jump, nerves spasming from the unexpected sound.
            "Hey, Claauuuuuuude!" Precis' voice called from the other side. "Rena asked me to come find you, and Opera said she saw you come in here! I know you're in there, so come on out! Olly-olly-ox-and-freeeee!! Hey! Bobot, don't knock over that bookcase! Bobot, come back here! Boboooot...."
            Claude pulled his hand away from Dias' so he could support his head as it sank towards the table.
            "The exuberance of youth," Dias commented dryly, getting to his feet. "We may as well go, Claude."
            "Ah...right," Claude agreed, pulling himself together. "Right." He sighed and joined Dias, who was already opening the door. The two of them left the study room and stared, Dias blank-faced, Claude somewhat exasperated, over at Precis. The young mechanic had tripped over a fallen book and landed rather harshly, the vibrations of which having caused Bobot to fall off the bookcase and onto her head.
            "Owwww...." Precis whimpered, tears forming at the corners her eyes. She grabbed the wayward mini-robot from her head and shook it fiercely. "You, you, you, YOU!!! The trouble I go through just trying to CATCH you! I should disassemble you and build a better robot!!" Looking suddenly thoughtful, Precis added, "Say, that's not a bad idea..."
            Bobot, scrambling and sweatdropping, went, "Chrrrrk!"
            "Yeah, that's right!" Precis yelled at it, her shades having fallen down to the tip of her nose. "You'd BETTER be sorry!!"
            Dias and Claude both sweatdropped, Claude leaning slightly to the side, and the young inventor finally noticed them.
            "Oh!" Precis laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck as she maintained a firm grip on Bobot. "Hi, Claude! Been waitin' for ya! Ha ha ha ha... Um... ehehehe... So...shall we go?"
            Dias and Claude shared a glance, going, "..." The golden-haired swordsman laughed a little himself, also rubbing the back of his neck as he turned back to Precis. "Yeah, uh...let's go, Precis."
            "'Kay!" the carrot-topped girl cheered as she bounded to her feet and sprang past them. "What's Rena want with you anyway, Claude? Hot steamy whipped-cream sex?"
            Claude crashed to the floor, twitching; Dias stared, unsure of how to respond. Precis giggled. "Just kidding!" she said, sing-song. "Hurry up, slowpokes! She's waiting at the inn!" With that, she bounded down the stairs and out the library. The library-goers were, for the most part, glad to see her leave.
            After a few more seconds of twitching, Claude managed to push himself up from the ground. Tears at the ends of his eyes, he whined, "That wasn't funny, Precis!!"
            Dias muttered darkly, treading towards the stairway, "I'm glad she isn't my little sister..."
            With a sigh, Claude stood up and ran a hand through his hair, then chased after Dias out of the would-be place of study.



            Rena sighed as the salmon dish steamed. /Where did Claude get himself off to?/ she wondered.
            "REEENAAAAAA!!" Precis' overenthusiastic voice sounded as she bounded into the kitchen of Chisato's house, where Rena and Celine had been allowed to cook. She screeched to a halt and cheered, "I found Claude! He an' Dias are coming right now!!"
            Rena blinked. "Claude and Dias?" she queried.
            "Yup! They were both in the library together!"
            /I wonder if Claude and Big Brother are becoming friendlier toward each other?/ Rena mused. /That would be nice./ She smiled. /They'd make good friends for each other.../
            Claude entered the kitchen at that moment, Dias quietly following him. He gave a half-hearted grin to the girls inside. "Sorry I'm late..." he said sheepishly.
            "It's about time. You really made us wait, you know, darling?" Celine remarked, sitting at the nearby table and idly playing with a loose strand of hair.
            "Er..."
            "No, really, it's okay! We weren't waiting all that long, right?" Rena broke in, saving the blond lad from further chiding at the hands of the buxom sorceress.
            "Mm...I suppose," Celine conceded, nodding to the younger girl. "The food's still hot, after all." She smiled indulgently to Claude and Dias, who exchanged a glance.
            The two were seated and made to eat. Precis provided entertainment, with Bobot running frantically around the room, evading its mistress' grasp. The miniature robot was eventually caught, and the meals were eventually finished, and both men found themselves quite full and satisfied.
            "Thanks, Rena! That was a really good meal!" Claude smiled, leaning back in his chair.
            "No, I should thank you for getting the ingredients I needed!" replied Rena.
            Claude blushed slightly and scratched the back of his neck. "It was nothing, really..."
            Dias flashed his "little sister" a rare smile. "It was delicious," he commented. "You've always been a good cook, Rena."
            Rena beamed at the indigo-haired older man. "Thank you!"
            Celine leaned back slightly into her chair and sighed. She didn't mind Rena taking the credit, but she didn't appreciate being ignored. She instead opted to ask the two young men on something that she'd been wondering about since they'd arrived. With a winning smile, she queried, "So, darlings, what were you two doing at the library?"
            Precis piped in, "They were in a private room, all alone!"
            The room was dead silent for a full minute.
            Claude blushed faintly. "Um...we were talking...about guy things...."
            Dias stood, appearing unfazed by the implications of Precis' statement. "Speaking of which, we have not finished our discussion, Claude," he calmly cut in. "Would you mind coming with me?"
            Claude's blush deepened. "S-sure! I don't mind, not at all!" the young man hastily blurted out.
            Dias raised an eyebrow, but made no comment. He nodded to Rena and Celine and thanked them again, then left the kitchen. Claude hastily got up to follow after him.
            There was another full minute of silence.
            "They're...acting strange," Celine muttered, a hand on her chin.
            "Yeah, guys are always weird," Precis agreed, Bobot snoozing on her head. "So! Who's up for Tabasco & Caviar Jam?"



            The two men walked out of Chisato's house and far to the outskirts of North City. There was silence for several moments until Claude, unnerved by being alone with Dias, spoke up.
            "So, um, Dias, what was it that you wanted to speak to me about?" he queried, trying to meet Dias' gaze but failing.
            Dias sighed and was silent for a moment longer, then said quietly, his cheeks faintly flushed, "Claude...I...."
            Claude's heart skipped a beat. Was he going to say.....?
            "...I want to thank you. Besides Rena, not many people bother to come and talk to me..."
            /Oh,/ thought Claude, /he just wants to be a friend... of course... Why did I think he was going to say...that? I'm not that kind of guy.../ He smiled at Dias. "No, it's okay. I really enjoyed talking to you."
            "Mm," the older swordsman murmured in nonreply. "Even though you were the one doing all the talking..."
            "......I just needed to talk to someone. I couldn't talk to someone else...for some reason, I feel I can trust you."
            Dias glanced over at the younger boy. "Oh?"
            Claude looked off into the horizon. ".....I don't know why.... I just feel that way."
            The two men were silent for a long time. Eventually, Dias quietly queried, "Claude...tell me...what characteristics would you like in a life partner?"
            "Er..." Claude thought about this for a moment. "Someone I could trust, someone who could understand me....why?"
            Dias turned his face away quickly. "...I was simply wondering."
            Claude paused. "Well...how about you?"
            The crimson-eyed warrior stiffened slightly. "Excuse me?"
            He repeated himself, "What kind of qualities would you like?"
            Dias was silent for a long moment. Then, he replied in an odd tone of voice, "I...haven't thought about it. I prefer to be alone, after all..."
           "Really? I guess that's true, for you..." The words were out of his mouth before he thought about what he was saying. "Ah...I'm sorry! I didn't mean that...." Claude stammered out apologetically.
            The swordsman muttered, "Why are you sorry? It's mostly true."
            "....." Claude looked down and sighed. "Because...."
            He stopped. /Because what? What was I going to say? 'Because I...' No! I'm not like that!!/
            He started again. "Because....even if it is true... it's....rude to say so...." Claude finished, rather lamely.
            Dias considered the flaxen-haired boy for a moment. He hesitantly reached out a gloved hand to Claude's hair and softly traced his fingers in it...then started to laugh.
            "Eh?" Claude turned his head slightly. "What are you doing?"
            Dias continued to chuckle for several moments before he finally answered, "Claude, you're a terrible liar."
            Claude's face flushed. "What? What do you mean?" the lad questioned, attempting to not know what Dias was talking about.
            Dias smirked. "I told you earlier, Claude," the scarlet-eyed swordsman stated dryly, "that there is much one can observe by simply watching a person. Your subtle expressions and movements belie your true words..." He shook his head and withdrew his hand with a sigh. "Though what those true words are, I'm unable to decipher..."
            Claude said nothing, merely regarding the taller man. /I can't tell you... I'm not even sure what they are myself.../ he thought.
            Dias gazed off at the horizon, where the maroon sun melted into the earth. "We should probably go to the inn soon to meet with the others..." he remarked. "We shouldn't be late."
            "Yeah, you're right," Claude agreed.
            The two men rose to their feet and began the walk back to town. As they returned and entered the inn, they could hear the commotion of an argument.
            "Sounds as if we're the last ones here," Dias observed wryly.
            "Yeah," Claude responded as he pushed open the door.
            "What do you mean that there aren't enough beds?" came Precis' voice.
            "I'm sorry, but we only have four beds available!" came the reply from, evidently, the innkeeper.
            "But dear, there are twelve of us," Celine insisted.
            The innkeeper sweated. "I'm so sorry, we've never had so many people stay before. I suppose some of you could sleep on the floor..." the innkeeper said apologetically.
            "I can't sleep on the floor! I get horrible cramps just sleeping in a normal bed!" Ashton cried as Gyoro and Ururun snapped and howled behind him.
            "What's the big problem? Why not just rent another room?" Ernest suggested, leaning against the wall, Opera next to him.
            "I'm sorry, we only have this one room open for you..." the innkeeper apologized once again.
            "This is an outrage!" Leon fumed. "We paid good money for this room—and now we can't all fit!?"
            "There's nothing to be done about it now," Noel cut in sagely. "We'll just have to make do."
            "I can sleep over at my place—there's no real need for me to stay here," Chisato offered.
            Glomping onto her lover's arm, Opera smiled indulgently, "Ernest and I will share a bed—that's what couples do, after all!"
            Claude and Dias just stood there, mutely, in the doorway.
            Rena noticed the pair. "Oh, hi, Claude, Dias! We're having some difficulty with sleeping arrangements..."
            "I gathered..." Claude muttered.
            "Um, do you two mind sleeping on the floor...?" she asked, smiling apologetically.
            Claude sighed. "I don't have a choice, do I? ...It's okay. I don't mind."
            Dias shrugged. "It makes no difference to me," he replied noncommittally.
            "Ok, then, that's settled. I just need to ask the others about their preferences..." Rena replied, then turned, getting into heated debate with the others. After a long discussion, it was decided that Opera and Ernest would share one bed, Rena would have another, Ashton would have the next, and Leon would have the last. The eleven adventurers (the twelfth, Chisato, had already gone home) prepared for bed and, one by one, fell asleep.
            When Claude drifted into his first dream, everything was blurry for a moment, then slowly faded in. He knew, suddenly, where he was. It was the hall in Fienal, where his father had... had that happened? Or did he dream that? Or was this the dream?
            "Hmm...they seem to be holding up surprisingly well. In that case, why don't we increase the power to 30%...?" a figure, too blurred to be distinguished but obviously one of the Ten Wise Men, said. Above him, a screen with startling sharp clarity broadcast the Calnus, his father's ship...
            Claude's body felt leaden. /He's going to kill my father! No, no.../ He tried to move, to run at the man, anything, just to stop it—but he body refused to obey him. /I have to stop this, I can't let him die!/ But, it was no use. His body denied his will.
            "Stop it! Please, stop it! Please, don't..." he screamed, in agony.
            The Wise Man laughed cruelly and ignored his plea—and on the screen, a great beaming flash of light tore through the Calnus, which miraculously remained intact, though its shields were obviously destroyed.
            "Why...why are you doing this?" he spoke, his voice almost a whisper as tears began to run down his cheeks. "Don't kill him, please, I beg you..." he repeated.
            The Wise Man merely smirked, and continued with his demonstration. "Let's try, oh, 60%?"
            Claude's scream of anguish pierced the air, just as the Wise Men's energy weapon pierced the hull of his father's ship.
            The Calnus exploded, vaporizing into nothingness, absolute nothingness.
            Claude's scream broke off into a series of sobs. /Father...you must have thought I hated you... I never even said goodbye.../
            He was suddenly jerked awake, and his azure eyes flew open to gaze upon Dias' sharply defined face.
            "You were having a nightmare," the older man told him quietly.
            "Huh... ah... Dias?" It took Claude a moment to register where he was. /So that's what it had been. Just a dream,/ he told himself, his heavy breathing matching his pounding heart.
            He sat up regarded the other man. "Dias...um...." he started.
            "If you want to talk," Dias interrupted him, "this is not the place for it. Let's go outside."
            Claude paused, then nodded weakly. Then two men quietly made their way outside, stopping only briefly to pull on their shoes. Once outside, Claude wrapped his arms around himself as if to ward off the cold, though the night was balmy and clement. Dias waited several moments before he finally spoke. "It was about your father, wasn't it?"
            Claude sighed softly and looked down. "Yes....." His voice was almost a whisper.
            Dias' expression softened slightly, and he placed an arm around the younger man's shoulders. "Painful, isn't it...? Watching someone you care about suffer, die, while you stand there, unable to help..." He sighed deeply.
            Claude closed his eyes. "Yes.... ....I wish...there was someway to ease this pain..." the blond haired man spoke softly.
            Dias shut his eyes and softly stroked Claude's golden hair. "You'll find a way," he said softly. "Unlike me, you aren't the type to refuse the help of others...are you?"
            Claude shook his head slightly. "I guess not..." He opened his sky-blue eyes. Dias' hand running through his hair felt nice... His heart pounded in his chest. /What is this feeling...?/ Almost shyly, he turned his head and looked up at the sapphire-haired man.
            Dias noticed his gaze and glanced down at him. If it wasn't so dark, Claude would have been sure the older man was blushing...
            Claude felt his own face grow hot. /Why am I getting this way around him...? It's almost as if I met a girl I like—no...no way...not with a guy...not that Dias is unattractive...but why did I just think that?!?/ He was sure that if it were light enough, Dias would see his face flushed deep red...
            Dias sighed again and, as if sensing Claude's discomfort, drew his arm away. Leaning on the wall of the inn, he crossed his arms and stared up at the night sky.
            "..."
            They were both quiet for a while. Claude spoke, if only to break the leaden silence. "You really are a kind person, Dias. Rena isn't far off when she calls you her 'big brother'..."
            Dias smiled slightly, but it was void of emotion. "Do you think so...?"
            "Yes, I do. I don't have any siblings, but...the way you act is unmistakable," replied the younger man.
            Dias glanced up at him. "Oh? How so?"
            Claude smiled slightly. "Well...you cared enough to talk to me now... Many people wouldn't bother."
            "Heh..." Dias smiled again, this time with sincerity. "I went through the same thing. With that and other reasons in mind, of course I'd bother."
            Claude looked puzzled. "Other reasons...?"
            Dias did not reply.
            "Dias...?" the young man queried, somewhat anxiously.
            The man with the crimson eyes glanced over at Claude, then glanced away. "You wouldn't want to hear them," he muttered.
            Claude opened his mouth as if to speak, then stopped. /If he says he doesn't want me to hear them...then, I'll leave him be about that./ He craned his neck slightly upward. No stars. It was eerie, even disconcerting, to look into the night sky and not see any. On Earth, stars were associated with hope. Here, there were no stars; did that also mean there was no hope?
            "Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?" Dias queried quietly, startling Claude with its spontaneity.
            The blue-eyed young man was silent a moment, then spoke. "Forgive me if this seems rude, but...how did you get over the pain of losing your family?"
            Dias was silent for a moment, then spoke. "I...didn't. I immersed myself in the path of a swordsman, separating myself from emotion, both pain and joy, and simply forced myself to forget... But I didn't forget. I can never forget..."
            Claude mulled this over. "You can never forget..." He sighed. "It's going to be hard. If I ever get home, I'll have to tell...Mom..." He was barely able to get the last world out; it felt as if his throat was closing up. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. /I don't want to cry.../
            Dias turned his gaze back to the flaxen-haired boy; after a few seconds' hesitance and a sigh, he closed the distance between the two of them and wrapped his arms around the young swordsman. "Claude..." he whispered.
            Claude couldn't hold back his tears. He shook slightly as he cried into Dias' shoulder.
            The swordsman so many thought to be without emotion held the young man tightly, stroking his hair and gazing down at him with an untold sorrow... Shutting his eyes, Dias rested his cheek on Claude's trembling head and let him release his pathos. After a time, Claude's tears ceased. He slowly withdrew his face from Dias' shoulder and grasp.
            "I'm sorry..." he whispered as he wiped his face.
            "No..." Dias whispered with some hesitance. What he wanted to say was...but that would surely only make things worse. "Such strong feelings—you can't stay them forever..."
            Claude sighed. He glanced at Dias, then, looking away, spoke, "It's really getting late... We should try to get some sleep..."
            Dias hesitated, then slowly drew back, taking one step at a time. "Yes, you're right," he concurred. "We have much to do tomorrow...we'll need all the rest we can get." With a curt nod and a retreat to his usual cool demeanor, the indigo-haired swordsman walked past Claude, back to the inn. "Good night."
            Claude simply sighed and followed Dias into the inn.
            Dias returned to the spot on the floor he had been sleeping on, and lay down. He heard the younger man enter the room and softly make his way back to where he had been sleeping. Dias rolled over, his back to the blond young man.
            Unwillingly, his thoughts turned to the one to whom his back was turned. The two of them had met not so very long ago, and at first there was definite tension between the two, but now... Things had changed so radically. Though Dias had once been certain that Claude despised him, he had now come to think that that same one instead admired, perhaps even liked him...
            /...But only as a friend. My feelings for him...are much different.../ He reflected on this for a moment. /I felt like this long ago... I thought it was gone, buried...but, now.../
            It had been nine—no, eight years ago, before he had begun his training as a swordsman... There had been another boy around his age in Arlia, one handsome and admired by all the girls. He was also friendly and kind, and Dias had been a friend of his at one point. However, his feelings toward this boy had gone beyond mere friendship. One day, he had finally confessed his feelings to the lad. But...his friend hadn't felt the same way—not even close. Even now, Dias could still see the look of horror in the boy's eyes. After that day, the boy he thought had been his friend always went out of his way to avoid him, and although Dias was never sure if the boy had told his parents, they eventually moved north to Salva. That his friend would reject him so completely—that hurt young Dias more than anything... After that, the pain became so great for him that the only way he could cope with it was to bury it deep inside and pretend it didn't exist. It continued to be that way all throughout his life... And now...he felt the same way with Claude.
            /I won't let it turn out that way again. I don't want to be hurt like that again./ He repeated these thoughts, as if they were a mantra; but it didn't ease the ache in the center of his chest. Wrapping his arms around himself, he was able to finally drift off into a sort of rest—his own private oblivion.
            On the other side of the room, Claude slept, his stomach on the floor and his face buried in his pillow. He was thankfully not experiencing another nightmare; on the contrary, his current dreams were quite pleasant indeed.
            He and Dias were together under the starlight, fighting a practice duel under the heavens. Their fight continued for hours, furious and unrelenting, until they finally both collapsed onto the cool grass, exhausted. Claude was lying next to Dias, who was smiling at him so tenderly...
             "Dias...." Claude breathed, his voice husky. He reached out, hesitantly, and grasped Dias' rough hand.
            The older man threaded his fingers into Claude's and drew their hands up to his lips, touching Claude's with a kiss as his crimson eyes never left the younger man's face.
            A sudden tingling feeling surged through Claude's body. Gently, he disentangled his fingers from Dias', and slowly, moved his hand down the side of Dias' face, to rest on his shoulder. He shifted his own body, moving it closer to the swordsman's.
            "Claude..." Dias whispered throatily, placing a hand on the small of the younger man's back and helping him along. "You're beautiful..."
            Claude flushed slightly at that...he had never been called 'beautiful' before. Regaining composure, he whispered back, "You are, too..."
            The midnight-haired swordsman smiled softly and leaned in.
            Their lips met in a long, sweet kiss.
            Claude's heartbeat doubled as heat coursed through his body, and he pulled Dias closer, wrapping his arms around him and running his fingers through his long hair.
            "Mmph..." mumbled the boy into his pillow. His eyes opened slowly to the intrusive daylight. Was it morning already?
            He then remembered the dream he had just had. And realized that he was very, very hard. Claude froze and clutched at his pillow, slick with sweat though he felt extremely cold. He was thankful, at least, that he was lying face down...
            "Oh, Claude! You're finally awake!" Rena's cheerful voice sounded. "Breakfast is almost ready, so get dressed soon, okay?"
            /Oh god.... I don't want her to see me like this... I don't want anyone to see me like this!/ he thought, panicked.
            "Uh, yes, just give me a moment, okay?" he replied, hurriedly.
            "Still tired?" Rena guessed incorrectly. "Okay, I'll let you sleep a little longer, but don't take to long, all right?"
            "Okay," Claude replied simply, his thoughts elsewhere. /All right, I just need to wait until nobody's around and make a break for the bathroom... Oh, God, please don't let anyone see.../
            Rena left, and since everyone else had already left, Claude managed to make it to the bathroom without incident. The first thing he did was take a frigid shower, which solved his problem almost immediately; then he dressed again and joined the others, still freezing, but managing not to shiver.
            "So," he said casually as he joined them, "what are we doing now?"
            "Don't you remember?" Bowman said, drinking coffee. "We're going to Armlock."
            Claude laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh yeah, I remember... I must be still tired or something..."
            "Bad dreams?" a quiet voice queried. Claude knew without looking that the one who spoke was Dias.
            His face flushed, slightly, as he recalled the dream. "Er...no, I'm just tired, that's all..." he stammered.
           Dias frowned, unable to fathom the reason for Claude's embarrassment. Perhaps he had guessed... He looked away. If he had, then... "...If you say so."
            The rest of the table looked back and forth between the two, bewildered. Rena's expression was one of complete confusion. "What's going on?" she asked no one in particular.
            "...It's nothing," Dias said, standing. He checked his equipment briefly, then turned back to the group. "If we're done eating, we should hurry over to Armlock."
            Rena, still confused but deciding not to press the question further, agreed.



            In a daze, Claude stood outside the portal back to Armlock, his back to the hidden laboratory where Rena had been born over a million years prior, as he had just learned. That Rena was not only an alien to Expel, she was also older than it...if that information was affecting him so badly, how was she taking it? Yet, even though he knew she must be the worst off, Claude thought again of Dias. What did he think, knowing that his "little sister" had been alive before the birth of his home planet?
            Claude paused. It was strange; why, now, did he care so much about what Dias thought...? With a sigh, the young swordsman remembered last night's dream once again...
            /What's wrong with me? My heart pounds when I'm near him, yet it aches when he's not there... And that dream...that's not normal, is it? I've never felt this way about a guy.../
            He was startled out of his reverie by an all-too-familiar voice.
            "You seem troubled," the indigo-haired man stated, standing only a few feet away, his arms crossed. "May I ask the reason?"
            "Er, I was just thinking... I'm okay, really..." Claude replied.
            "Thinking..." Dias repeated in a low voice. "About what?"
            Claude thought for a moment, and then quickly said, "Ah... mostly about what happened today..." It wasn't all a lie.
            "...I see." Dias paused, looked away, and then looked back. "Claude...knowing what you do, what we all do now, what are your feelings for Rena?"
            "No matter where or when she was born, she's still Rena..." the blonde man spoke immediately, certain in his feelings for her, at least. "She's still my...our...friend."
            "Just a friend?" Dias queried, gazing at Claude piercingly. "Or is she something more to you?"
            Claude could not meet Dias' gaze. /When he looks at me like that.../ He cut his own thoughts short, and replied, still not meeting the older man's gaze.
            "I...I really don't know..." he stammered.
            Dias took a few steps, placing himself in front of Claude. Looking down at him, the crimson-eyed warrior said softly, "You and Rena...would be good for each other. I'd feel at ease if you were protecting her."
            Claude blinked in surprise. "Really...do you really think so?" he responded.
            He nodded, turning. "The two of you would make a good match. You should go to her...she needs you."
            Claude considered the older man for a moment; then, something came to him. "Dias," he started quietly, "what kind of girl do you prefer?"
            Dias was silent for several long moments. Finally, he replied in a voice devoid of inflection, "I have no interest in girls." With that, he began to walk away.
            Claude stood there for a moment as Dias walked away, then set off for the inn, where Rena was likely to be.
            /I don't know... I guess I like her... But, as a friend, I should comfort her. Perhaps with time..../



            As the band of twelve adventurers made their way from the Synard to the BARKER Cave, Claude found himself glancing over in Dias' direction far more than usual.
            /Dammit, don't look at him!/ he admonished himself. Regardless, a few minutes later, his gaze strayed again. /He's beautiful..../ He flinched inwardly. /I can't believe myself...we're both men, but.../ His face fell slightly as his cheeks turned red. /...I think I'm falling in love with Dias.../
            He was so caught up with this sudden admission to himself, that he did not notice the approach of the group's herbalist.
            "Claude, are you okay?" Bowman asked suddenly, jarring the young man from his thoughts.
            "Huh?" Claude uttered, looking up. "Oh..." He looked away despondently. "Not really..."
            Bowman regarded the blonde man. "You've been acting a bit strange lately. What's eating you?"
            Claude bit his lip slightly, not wanting to admit the full scope of his "problem". After a moment, he quietly queried, "Say...Bowman... You've got a lot of experience in love, right? Say, um, just hypothetically...say you love someone but you don't want to love them...what can you do?"
            Bowman had to consider this for a moment. Finally, he replied slowly and thoughtfully, "I'm honestly not sure... Usually, if you fall in love with someone, it's because you like them and want to be with them..."
            In a very tiny voice, Claude replied, "oh."
            "Is this what's been bothering you?" Bowman queried.
            With a sigh, Claude gave a defeated nod.
            "May I ask who it is?" Bowman pressed slightly.
            Claude flushed slightly. "I'd.....rather not say....."
            The brown-haired physician nodded. "All right, let's leave it at that, then."
            Claude smiled faintly. "Thanks..."
            Bowman shrugged. "No problem. Just try to cheer up, ok? I have one piece of advice, though."
            Claude looked up at Bowman, curious.
            Bowman looked back down at the younger man, serious. "Whomever it is you love, you should face her and talk to her—get all your feelings out in the open. Otherwise, you'll definitely regret that you did nothing."
            /Only...the one I love is not a 'she'.../ Claude mused to himself before replying. "Ah...okay, then..."
            The older man smiled and thumped Claude on the back. "Don't give up, all right?"
            Claude gave a slight, forced grin. "I won't..."
            The rest of the journey was short, and for that the young man was grateful.



            The dark interior of the BARKER Cave seemed to loom endlessly before the twelve adventurers, and the monsters within always struck whenever it was most inconvenient. Soon it became apparent that they were not going to find the BARKERs so easily. Paths meandered wildly, often leading into dead ends. Finally, after finding themselves lost for the sixth time, the group convened for an emergency meeting on their next move.
            "If we're ever going to find the BARKERs, we have to split up," Ernest stated off the bat.
            With a worried look, Rena said, "But then we'll be that much weaker against the monsters on the way and the BARKERs themselves..."
            "We can probably find them better if we split up. All the noise might be scaring them off," Noel remarked.
            Rena sighed. "I still don't like it... These monsters are tough."
            "The monsters here are formidable, but if we divide ourselves correctly, then we should be able to handle it," Dias mused. "I propose three groups of four. Any ideas on the particular members, anyone?"
            Ernest surveyed the group. "Since Rena and Noel can heal people, they should be in different groups," he stated.
            Bowman spoke up, "I'll go with the group they're not in, since I'm a doctor."
            The discussion went on in this way for another fifteen minutes, until it was decided that Rena would head the first group with Ashton, Precis and Chisato, Celine would lead the second with Ernest, Opera and Bowman, and Claude would command the third, with Noel, Leon and Dias.
            The groups went their separate ways, with Claude's party heading towards the back of the cave. After an indeterminable amount of time, they encountered a group of vicious monsters that, as soon as the group was spotted, attacked ferociously. It was all the four could do to bring up their defenses as the beasts bore down upon them. However, the group recovered quickly, and with Noel's healing, Leon's quick spell casting, and Dias and Claude's respective sword skills, soon the monsters were the ones defending for their lives.
            /Yeah, I got you now!/ Claude thought as he finally drove his blade past one monster's defenses. This one had been particularly tough, having blocked most of his earlier attempts. With this new advantage, he was quickly able to end its existence.
            He grinned slightly. That wasn't so bad....
            "CLAUDE!"
            "Huh?" He instinctively turned his head to look behind himself. Too late, he saw the mate of the monster he had just killed rushing him. Too late. Its claws dug deep into his back, making him gasp in pain.
            The monster continued its assault on his body. It happened so quickly, but for Claude, it seemed an eternity. He opened his mouth in an attempt to cry out, but a sudden blackness rose, and seemed to engulf his being. He collapsed to the ground, the monster continuing its unrelenting battering of his body.



            Dias, having previously been occupied with another such beast, defeated it and checked on Claude just in time to see him fall.
            A crimson fury burst into his body. How dare it do that to Claude...!! Dias sped to the fight so quickly it seemed as if he had flown. "You are DEAD!!" he snarled before his first strike fell.
            The monster recoiled in pain. Remorseless, Dias struck it again.
            /If Claude is.../ He could not finish the thought. Instead, he channeled his sorrow and rage into his sword blows.
            The beast was on its knees, certainly done for. He brought up his sword, certain to end this.
            The goat-like dimension-warping demon screeched, and the light of a spell sprung from its cloven hooves just before Dias brought the blade of his sword down upon its skull.
            Just as Dias cleaved the beast's head in two, the entire cavern shuddered under the influence of the spell. Huge blocks of rock tore loose from the wall and ceiling, plummeting towards the cave floor.
            "Dias, Claude, watch out!!" Noel shouted futilely; he and Leon were on the other side of the cave, without any hope of being able to reach them in time.
            Dias stooped to pick up Claude and ran further back into the cavern, where the spell would have no effect.
            He made his escape just in the nick of time; tons of igneous rock and dust crashed onto the very place where Claude and he had been only seconds before.
            Dias waited a moment to make sure that the cave-in was truly over, then gently laid Claude down on the floor. Fortunately, the young man was still alive. The bloodred-eyed swordsman sighed, gazing down upon Claude's fair countenance. Moving a few strands of hair out of Claude's eyes, Dias thought again unwillingly on his feelings... His eyes hardened again. Now, he reprimanded himself, was not the time for such sentimental foolishness. If Claude didn't receive proper medical care, his condition would surely worsen; fortunately, used to relying on only himself, Dias kept a medium storage of herbs with him at all times, just in case. Carefully turning Claude over, he examined the extent of the injuries. He was going to have to remove Claude's shirt to properly treat them. Keeping his thoughts strictly neutral, Dias carefully peeled off the bloodstained fabric, wiping the blood from Claude's wounds as he did so. He then carefully applied some of the herbs to the wounds, and, after tearing the shirt in two, bound them in place with the tattered pieces of cloth.
            Dias hesitated a moment. Even all he'd done so far might not be enough...the caves were uncomfortably cold, and if Claude's body temperature were to drop too much...
            With a sigh, the indigo-haired man pulled off his cloak, set it down, and moved Claude on top of it, then removed his shirt and placed it on top of Claude as a makeshift blanket. He stood, and taking a quick glance around him, began to search for anything flammable.



            Hours later, Claude awoke. His back ached, and so did almost every nerve in his body. He sat up, putting distance between himself and the hard ground surface.
           /Wait a sec.... I know I was wearing a shirt..../ He looked down at his body, and realized what had happened to it. /Oh. Never mind...../
            Dias glanced over at the movement, sitting vigil beside the meager campfire he'd managed to start. "You're finally awake," he commented. "How do you feel?"
            "Okay, I guess...." the young man replied. He glanced over at Dias, and noticed that he wasn't wearing a shirt. Claude felt light-headed and quickly looked away. Doing so, he noticed that they were alone.
            "Um, Dias? Where's everyone else?"
            "We were separated," Dias told him quietly. "After you fell defeated, I ran to kill the monster. I did, but it managed to fire one last spell before it went...that spell resulted in a cave-in, and I just managed to carry you to safety. I treated your wounds and started a campsite...since then, I've just been waiting for you to wake up so we can get moving."
            "Ah," was all Claude managed to say. He stared into the campfire.
            /I wonder if we can get out of here at all.../
            "Well? Can you fight?" Dias asked as he stood, breaking Claude from his thoughts. "The sooner you can hold your own, the sooner we can leave."
            "I... I'm not sure...." the younger man said quietly, beginning to check his equipment. /Wait, where is my sword?/ he realized when he couldn't find it. /Shit, it must have gotten left behind!/
            Somewhat nervously, he turned to Dias and said, "Um... I don't think I have my sword anymore..."
            /He'll hate me. I'm useless without a weapon.../ he thought miserably.
            The older swordsman frowned slightly at the news. "That won't do..." he murmured.
            Claude sighed. /I knew it.../
            Dias walked over to Claude and sat down beside him. "In that case, we'll just have to wait here for the others to find us. Noel and Leon were on the other side from the direction we had been coming, so they should be able to find another group soon. Eventually, they'll come back here and help us get out. We'll just have to sit tight until then."
            "I'm sorry," Claude said, softly, to him. 
            "Mm?" Dias glanced at him. "For what?"
            "For slowing you down," the blonde man replied.
            Dias regarded Claude quietly for a moment and then shook his head, his indigo tresses brushing over his bare shoulders. "Don't sound so worried about it. This is probably for the best, anyway."
            Claude did not reply. He fixed his gaze on the low-burning fire, and returned to his thoughts. /I wonder if I should tell him how I feel... I'm afraid to lose him, though.../
            There were several moments of silence, the only interruptions being Dias adding meager fuel to the fire.
            /I'm afraid.../ thought Claude. /But if I don't do something...I'll regret it, like Bowman said.../
            He steeled himself, and took a deep breath. "Dias...?" he asked. "There's something I need to tell you..."
            The crimson-eyed warrior glanced over at Claude, but said nothing.
            "...I love you." He spoke the words quietly, but there was no way the older man could have missed hearing them.
            Dias immediately tensed as his heart skipped a beat. Had Claude really spoken those three forbidden words...? To him...? No, he knew. Either he was hearing things, or Claude was making fun of him.
            Dias turned fully to the younger man. "Repeat that," he demanded rather than requested.
            Claude's face turned a deep shade of red. It was just as he had feared—Dias didn't want to hear this. Half of his being screamed at him to run, to get away, but as if rooted like an ancient redwood, he couldn't move from the spot. He obeyed the 'request' and repeated himself.
            "Dias.... I... I...love you..." he spoke, stammering.
            Dias stared. And...stared. He was, for the first time in his life, completely dumbfounded.
            Claude could not meet his gaze. He was certain that he had terribly upset Dias. He spoke, hesitatingly, ending the awful silence.
            "I'm sorry....... I just...had to tell you how I felt.... I can keep this to myself, I think..."
            Dias' mouth worked wordlessly for a few moments. This was real, wasn't it...? He reached out and softly touched Claude's shoulder. This was real...
            Claude started slightly, under his touch. He looked up again, at Dias.
            "Dias...?" he asked, softly.
            Surprising them both, the older man slipped his arm around Claude's waist and drew him close into an awkward embrace. "Claude...you..." Dias whispered, feeling vaguely frightened that it was simply a dream, or a hallucination.
            Although surprised by the action, Claude found that he enjoyed being this close to Dias. /His hair smells good... I don't think I ever noticed that before. I don't think I had the chance to.../ he reflected. /But, why is he...? What's happening? I could deal with it, I guess, if he never wanted to...but now, he's.../ His thoughts became tangled the more he tried to sort out the situation.
            Dias drew away slightly, his face drawn with anguish. It was surely real, but...his walls had been broken far too suddenly... His arms still wrapped around Claude's torso, he gently traced the younger man's jaw line up to his ear, where he moved strands of hair out of his azure eyes.
            Claude remained still, his face flushed slightly, as the indigo-haired man lightly traced his face with his fingers. He was still unsure as to how, why, the situation had even started, but he didn't dare move, lest the beauty of the moment be sullied.
            Caressing the younger man's smooth skin, Dias felt slightly faint; there was no struggle, no expression of horror, no retribution... Touching his fingertips to Claude's lips, the older man smiled slightly. There was but one way to find out for sure, and although it was certainly a bold thing to do...well, he'd never been one to back down from a challenge.
            Grasping Claude's chin and tilting his face up slightly, Dias leaned in.
            Claude experienced a slight but enjoyable shock as their lips met. It felt so good, being this close to him... How could something that felt this wonderful be wrong, anyway?
            /I think I know how Dias feels now.../ he thought dreamily. He slipped his arms up behind Dias, and pulled him just a little closer.
            The two swordsmen lingered this way for a long moment before they finally surfaced for air. Breathing heavily, Dias gazed down at Claude with an impenetrable crimson stare. "...."
            Claude was unable to read Dias' expression at all.
            "Dias.... are... do you...?" He was uncertain of the words, or even what he was trying to ask.
            Dias' expression softened, and he whispered, "Claude...You don't know how painful this is for me..." He lowered his eyes slightly. "That the walls I built up my entire life should be shattered so swiftly... It hurts..."
            Claude simply looked at him for a moment, then, suddenly, wrapped the older man in a tight embrace. "You held me once, when I was hurt... so... I want to do the same for you..."
            Like that, the two held each other for a long, long time.



            Claude stared up at the ceiling, lying on one of the beds in the Fun City hotel. He still couldn't quite believe it...Dias returned his strange feelings. How long had he done so, though...? The young swordsman found himself thinking back to the end of the Arms Tournament back on Expel, where he had placed second, beaten by Dias... After the end, Rena had them all visit Gamgee, the old artisan who had forged the winning sword. When they had gotten there, though... There was another sword, waiting for Claude. Dias...had requested that Gamgee make it especially for him. At the time, Claude had wondered why, but later events pushed the incident from his mind. Now, though...
            If he had felt that way even back then...it made sense, now. The blond young man smiled softly to himself. It was funny, really...how things had turned out this way...
            "I never figured Dias was gay," he muttered to himself.
            "I rather resent that," a familiar voice remarked dryly, startling Claude upright. He of course saw Dias leaning against the doorway, looking faintly amused. "The feelings one has for another shouldn't be defined so harshly."
            Claude blushed, embarrassed because he also had those same feelings. "I, I didn't mean it like that!!" he stammered. "Have you been watching me lay here, Dias?!"
            Dias' tiny smirk increased by a fraction of a notch. "Perhaps," he chuckled, straightening himself and walking over to the bed. Claude watched him nervously but also with anticipation, feeling his face grow hotter as Dias drew closer with each step. Finally, the cobalt-haired swordsman reached the bed and sat next to Claude, reaching over and stroking his cheek with one hand. Blushing, the younger man reached up a hand and touched it to Dias', clasping it lightly.
            "S-say..." Claude stammered after a moment, "um...I only realized my feelings...for you...um, recently, but..." He glanced up at Dias' face, patiently watching him, and flicked his eyes away, resisting the urge to swoon. "Ah...how long have you...felt this way...for me?"
            The scarlet-eyed man considered the question for a long moment, running his long fingers into Claude's wheat-colored hair. Finally, he quietly replied, "I thought...you were attractive from the beginning, but...that was all; I hadn't seen your true colors, so I just viewed you as a child novice, thinking he could become a great swordsman the easy way..."
            "Well, excuse me," Claude grumbled, annoyed but also good-natured.
            "Heh...you didn't let me finish. I thought you were attractive since the beginning, but...I started to respect and perhaps like you...when I found out that you weren't just a kid—namely, when I found out that you defeated the one who sold out Mars Village." Dias gently pulled Claude down onto the bed and lay over him, his deep blue hair washing over his shoulders onto the younger man like a waterfall. "Then I got...a bit curious."
            His heart pounding in his ears, Claude repeated faintly, "Curious...?"
            Dias smiled softly, his crimson eyes unusually gentle, and traced the younger swordsman's jawline with his fingertips. "About your real strength. Rena kept speaking highly of you, and it isn't like her to make bad judgment calls on peoples' character..."
            "I'm flattered...by you and her, I mean," Claude smiled.
            The older man made a small sighing sound, and moved the ends of his fingertips to Claude's lips. "In any case, as we met again and again by chance or fate, I was continually surprised by how much your skill had grown since the last time."
            "Although I was never quite as strong as you?" the blue-eyed younger man added dryly with a half-smirk.
            Dias chuckled. "The word known by the name 'strength' means different things to different people in different situations. My 'strength' is that to protect myself, whereas your 'strength' is that to protect others. Because of that, when we fought one-on-one back in the Arms Tournament, I defeated you; but, when we fight together with the others, you are the better warrior."
            It took a moment for the implications of Dias' statement—that it was actually a compliment!—to sink into Claude. When it finally did, though, his face turned bright red, and he found that, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop his stammering long enough to get out a "thank you". Perhaps it was just as well, for Dias smiled, understanding the message Claude couldn't convey, and dipped his face down.
            Claude froze at first, but then he relaxed and clasped his hand with Dias' as they shared a sweet, simple kiss.
            They parted eventually, the sapphire-haired warrior allowing himself to fall over to Claude's side, their hands still locked in the lovers' grasp. Their chests heaved as they gazed deeply into each other's eyes, and presently the flaxen-haired young man drew closer to his newfound love, resting his head on Dias' chest. Dias touched his lips softly to Claude's forehead as he stroked the younger man's hair with his free hand, and they enjoyed the quiet company this way, undisturbed, for a long time.