Title: Cheating Fate

Summary: A desperate attempt to ignore the ending, that's all.

Pairings: Fafnir/Flavio

Warnings: Spoilers, some knowledge of the final battle against the Yggdrasil Core is advised

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing

AN: Come wallow with me in the pit of blatant denial.

Lying upon the cold, hard floor of the fifth level of Ginnungagap, Fafnir jolted himself awake. Lifting his head, his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach when his sight was filled with a being of pure devastation. Three heads with piercing red eyes. Two life stealing tentacles. Two metal crushing claws.

That putrid smell of death incarnate. The aura of slaughtered thousands.

The Yggdrasil Core.

The Calamity still existed.

Tearing his gaze away from the withering, violent mass of twisted limbs and razor sharp claws, Fafnir frantically looked around and counted three people. Arianna, Bertrand and Chloe. All lying on the ground. They were unconscious. Simply knocked out by the same attack he had succumbed to. But where was Flavio?

Ignoring the aches of protest his body gave, Fafnir launched himself to his feet and staggered slightly as he looked around the horrid den once more. Then he heard it. The sound of raining arrows. Sagittarius Shot.

Flavio...he was still trying to fight. By himself. He had purposely lured the Calamity's attention away from his fallen comrades. Firing arrow after arrow. Sweat glistening on his brow. Numerous cuts and scrapes covering him from head to toe. Desperation on his face.

Fafnir had to stop him. He was going to get himself killed. Fafnir would not allow that. He had tolerated much during his journey, but he won't tolerate anything having to Flavio. He won't accept it.

"Flavio!" Fafnir called as he rushed toward him.

"Fafnir, get the others and run!" Flavio shouted to him as he aimed skywards, to unleash another Sagittarius Shot. "I'll hold it off for as long as I can!"

Flavio…Stop it, Flavio. Stop sacrificing yourself for his sake. Just stop it.

"This is my duty to endure," Fafnir stated firmly as he continued unheeded toward the battlefield. It was his fate.

"I don't care about your fate or duty!" Flavio unexpectedly snarled, his face creasing into a glare. "I won't allow it. Fate can go to hell. I'm taking charge of my own decisions from now on!"

Fafnir found himself staggering slightly as a small sense of confusion bubbled within. "Flavio?" What did he mean?

"I won't accept it anymore!" Flavio continued as he tried to set an arrow with trembling hands, refusing to succumb to his pain, fear and exhaustion. "I won't let fate pull you along for another moment!"

"Flavio…"

"Fafnir, just run already!"

Fafnir shook his head. "I can't do that." He won't do that.

"Yes, you can!" Flavio said as he whipped around to face him, an unsettling sense of pure desperation in his expression. His face then crumbled as his bow tumbled from his trembling hands, tears pooling along the thick lashes of his eyes. "I'm sick of fate hurting you."

"You can't fight it on your own!" Fafnir shouted back as anger boiled inside of him. "Think about your own future for once!"

"You are my future!"

Fafnir paused, his eyes widening.

"I love you," Flavio choked out as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I just want you to be happy..."

Fafnir felt his chest tighten as a warm sensation suddenly flooded through him. There was a strength building, increasing at a rapid pace. And he knew what it was.

He closed his eyes, allowing for that familiar sensation of transforming into the Fafnir Knight to wash over him. But it was different this time. The power was infinite. Absolute. It wasn't god-like – it ascended far beyond that.

He loved him, too.

Flavio red and watery eyes widened and his face drained of colour. He shook his head slowly in disbelief before a heart breaking expression appeared and he abruptly dropped down to his knees. He covered his face with his hands as he sobbed, his shoulders trembling violently.

He took his transformation as a bad sign. But it wasn't, Flavio. He wasn't leaving him. He was doing this not only for him, but for himself. For Arianna, Bertrand and Chloe. He was going to fight because he wanted to eliminate the one thing, the one single thing that was trying to take away his free will.

"No…" Flavio sobbed. "No, don't. Not this sacrificial bullshit again. I can't…"

It was all right, Flavio. He didn't believe in making the ultimate sacrifice for the one you loved either. Dying was cowardly. Leaving the one you cherished to face this world alone was gutless. He wasn't going to allow that. He wouldn't do that. Not to Flavio.

Knowing that his words would not be able to penetrate Flavio's suffering and mourning at the time being, Fafnir turned and focused upon the Calamity, the vile atrocity withering as it prepared to unleash hell on earth.

Not today. Not ever.

As he approached the Calamity, he thought of all the reasons why he would win and what he was looking forward to in the future.

He was going to hold the Grand Duchy and Minister Dubois to that suggestion of being ennobled. He would accept it. Then he would find a house to live for him and Flavio. Oh, the inn was nice and all, but a place of their own would be perfect. Not too big. Not too small. Enough for the two of them. They never had a place to call their own before. He was sure Flavio would relish in looking after their home.

The Calamity flailed out an attack at him, but he brushed it aside, instantly healing.

After getting their own place, he might help out at the guildhouse. Train a rookie or two. They'll continue to explore the labyrinth, of course. And Flavio? He'll try to talk him into becoming a scholar or something like that. He had always enjoyed reading up about legends and learning about the mystical qualities of items and materials that could be gathered in the labyrinths. The Midgard Library would be more than pleased to hear his input, he was sure.

Without much thought, Fafnir pooled his powers, readying himself to unleash three powerful attacks with ruthless precision.

Arianna would have duties to attend to back in her home kingdom, but she was welcome to stay with him and Flavio. She could have her own room. Maybe she could become friends with Lady Gradriel. After all, they were similar in ages. They would make good friends.

Before the Yggdrasil Core could unleash Armageddon, Fafnir simultaneously released Meteor, Fire wave and Blade Recoil. A tentacle or two went flying, gouges in warped flesh bleeding out vile black ooze. The three heads howled monstrous wails as red eyes narrowed fiercely.

How weak.

He didn't have to worry too much about ol' Bertrand and Chloe. Wherever Bertrand went, Chloe would follow. It would be nice if they stuck around Lagaard with them, though. Flavio would like that. Maybe they could get a place of their own? A little piece of paradise to return to after exploring who knows where.

But before all that could happen, he had to destroy the living shit out of the Calamity.

Energy coursed through him like a raging fire. One final attack.

His path was clear. He was going to destroy the Calamity, keep his Fafnir Knight abilities, marry that sobbing mess of a best friend down there and settle down in Lagaard. That was what he was going to do. And nothing, absolutely nothing, was going to stop him.

"Burn to ash you worthless piece of shit."

AN: Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to lie on the floor for a while.