Warning: This story contains shounen-ai. That's right: male-male relationships. So if you feel like flaming, do it because there's something wrong with the story, not because you saw something that offended you. : )

This is not a oneshot. I have every intention of continuing this story. However, more reviews might just make it come along faster. (Oh, I am a subtle one. ; ) ) I am a supporter of Hugo-as-Flame-Champion, since it's really the only thing he's good for ingame, so just a heads-up in that department.

Disclaimer: I don't own Suikoden I, II, III, or IV. I don't own Borus or Percival. I'd probably have to beat all the raging fangirls off with cattle prods if I did. Which would actually be kind of fun. I wish I had a cattle prod...

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"And just what are you smirking at?" Borus asked, unbuckling his chestplate and tossing it unceremoniously onto his bed with the rest of his armor.

"Nothing important."

He gave a gruff snort.

"I'm just thinking."

He snorted again, shaking his head so that his blond hair waved ever so slightly. "Well, think of something else, then. The look on your face is creeping me out."

Always gets straight to the point, Borus does. It's one of the things I love about him.

What was I smirking about, you ask? Why, nothing other than how cute Borus is when he's miffed about something. Not all-out fire-eyed kill-everything-in-sight rage, mind you;this was the look he gets when something in the back of his mind is bothering him. I just love the way his eyes scrunch up, his brows dive low, and his lower lip juts out in a barely perceptible pout.

Something was certainly bothering him now, and I had a vague idea of what that something could be... After all, Borus Redrum would most certainly find Lady Chris being invited to a ball quite perturbing, much less when it was by that Harmonian agent. How Nash Clovis had gotten invited to some shindig in Vinay Del Zexay was far beyond my powers of deduction, as was the reason why Lady Chris had accepted his invitation.

After the initial explosion, Borus had settled down into that usual rhythm he finds. It'd been a good two days since we had watched Clovis approach Lady Chris with his proposal, and here, Borus' eyes still held the trace of an annoyed frown.

So damned adorable.

"You're doing it again, Perce!"

"I apologize, Borus." Obligingly, I shifted my seat on my bed and turned my mind to other things. I slid my hands beneath my head and closed my eyes, willing myself to relax after a long morning of training grassland soldiers out on the Budehuc grounds.

It was odd, the wary peace that had been forged in this time of war. Teetering on the brink of doom has a way of bringing people together, I guess. I've never seen a more cohesive army than one on the eve of destruction. Odd to think about...

It all came down to the Flame Champion. Young though he may be, he was a figurehead stronger than any spirits or saints, a tangible here and now. It was the same sort of presence that drew Zexens to Lady Chris, except Hugo's pull was much stronger and much broader.

If the boy were to fall in battle...

I ran a hand over my face. That was just too heavy to consider at the moment.

"Ugh. I need a bath."

I peeked through my fingers at Borus. He stood in the middle of the room, naked to the waist. His hair was tousled so that a few blond tendrils obscured his eyes. A layer of slick sweat gave his bare skin a bright sheen. It made him glow richly in the light of the afternoon sun.

Dammit, Borus. Stop being so beautiful; I'm trying to brood.

He turned his golden eyes at me and scowled. I honestly tried to stifle my amusement at his expression. Really, I tried.

"Now what are you smirking at?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "You're right. You do need a bath."

He gave me a heated look and threw a shirt at me, which, of course, only made more laughter swell in my throat. His volatile mood swings amuse me to no end, sometimes. He's such a fiery bundle of stubborn beliefs and powerful passions.

Then I remember one of those powerful passions is Lady Chris, and the laughter dies in my throat. Pardon the angst.

Borus commenced storming his way about our room on Budehuc's second level, no doubt attempting to find bathing supplies. It was something of a production to watch as he threw dirty clothes this way and that in an attempt to find a clean towel.

Eventually, he found one and straightened up as if he hadn't just been pillaging his own room. A light of satisfaction shone in his eyes. Such a simple thing to be smug about, really, but that's Borus for you. "Coming?"

I shook my head. "Nah. You deserve a little alone time."

"Huh?" Smug to confused in two seconds flat. One of his quicker mood swings.

I chuckled again and made shooing motions. He looked utterly lost, and stood blinking at me for a time before turning and trotting off.

Sighing, I laid back on the bed and closed my eyes, feeling relaxed and carefree. I can never keep a bad mood whenever Borus is around. Oddly enough, he never seems to keep a good one when I am around, which only leads to more amusing situations.

In retrospect, I probably should have gone down to the baths with him. I was as sticky and sweaty as he had been, and probably smelly to boot. But I was far too content lazing about our room.

I especially regretted not going with when Borus came thundering back into our room ten minutes later. I picked up the words "Harmonian bastard" among his long list of epitaphs and rantings, and didn't need any more information.

Although I will admit that my curiosity had been roused.

"I take it your bath was an enlightening experience?"

He gave me one of those looks, wrinkling his nose. "One of these days, I'm going to kill that bastard."

So he'd been saying since Lady Chris had returned from her little adventure to Alma Kinan. It was an empty threat; Borus wouldn't actually act so rashly when the wellbeing of the Zexen Confederacy was at stake. But if it helped him blow off some steam to throw the suggestion out every now and then...

"Care to talk about it?"

He scowled at me. "Do I look like I want to talk right now?"

When do you ever, oh pigheaded one?

I sat back, resting the back of my head against my hands. I could wait him out, however long it took.

Borus flopped down on his own bed with a tortured sigh. He'd changed into a dashing blue tunic with ruffles on the sleeves for the afternoon. His hair still dripped from time to time. I amused myself by watching the droplets inching their way along strands of his hair, sometimes splitting as they wove.

Then: "He wants us to escort," Borus burst out, glaring at the wall in front of him as if it had insulted him.

"Escort?"

"Clovis. He wants the Knights to escort him and Lady Chris to that bloody ball."

"Ah."

"Escort. Like we're his bloody guards, or something!" He sat up abruptly, pounding his fist into the mattress. "He's such an arrogant, pompous, self-righteous..."

"So," I interrupted, hoping to distract him before he got himself too worked up, "what did you reply?"

He blinked at me for a second, as if taken off guard. Then, he smiled sheepishly.

"Or should the question be, 'how did you reply?'"

His eyes sparkled. "I... threw him over the side of the ship..."

I threw my head back and laughed. The mental image of sleek and elegant Nash Clovis being sent tumbling into the lake was just too amusing. Borus joined in, and I forewent chastising him this time in favor of sharing a few enjoyable minutes with him.

After we'd both fallen silent again, I ventured, "So, what do you have planned for this afternoon?"

He laid back and closed his eyes, all signs of his previous tension gone. "Nothing planned, really. I figure I'll see what Lady Chris is up to." Ah. Of course. "What about you, Perce?"

"I've got a long afternoon planned down at the track."

He glanced at me sidelong. "Again? Sometimes I think you're married to those horses."

I shrugged and sent him my best grin. I couldn't help but let the next words slip out. "Sometimes I think you're married to Lady Chris."

His face immediately flushed to a vibrant red. "I've n-no idea what you're t-talking about," he mumbled with a slight stutter. I think I chuckled.

Just so damned adorable.

Standing, I gathered my things for a bath of my own. "Play nice today, Borus."

"Hmph." I think he was miffed at me, now. That tends to happen quite often, it seems. Well, at least I know it will pass. Eventually.

I threw him a last wink before slipping out the door. I think the slight widening of his eyes was my favorite expression of all.