Love and War

Albel x Fayt, Cliff x Fayt

Disclaimer: I don't own SO3...

A/n: To start, I know some people have been waiting for this, so this is dedicated to you yaoi fans out there.

It was hot that day, extremely hot. Fayt had just returned from Ariglyph with Albel in tow, and he wondered how the weather changed has they were traveling back from ice cold, to summer heat. Personally Fayt hated to travel the way back through the Traum Mountains, but he knew Albel was going to be a valuable asset when they need to tame the Marquis.

Cliff on the other hand enjoyed beating the monsters unconscious with his bare hands. They also had taken Roger, to whom Maria wasn't too happy. Albel was currently griping about how Woltar had become so senile in his old age. After they reached Peterny, everyone split up to take a breather.

Fayt went over to chat with Albel to see why he was so restless.

"Why do you think we lost?" he asked.

Fayt was a little confused.

"What do you mean?"

Albel grunted, " Why did we lose the war?"

Fayt thought a while, then said something that he thought would appeal to Albel's liking.

"The King should have been more ruthless. I mean, what good can you do if you have no control over your people?"

" Well, I guess you have some brains after all." Albel smiled.

"There were lots of reasons, I guess-your meddling and that celestial ship among them-but the truth is that we lost."

Fayt couldn't think of a way to console him, so he left him to that. He talked to Cliff and Maria a bit, but then decided to rest.

That night a sharp blade landing next to his face awakened Fayt. He jumped up to see Albel staring at him.

" What was that for? Were you trying to hit me?"

Albel smirked and sealed his sword.

" I wasn't trying to hit you, I was Just practicing my aim....

Come outside, I want to talk."

Fayt followed the dark-haired man outside.

" Do you hate me?" he asked,turning around to face Fayt.

Well getting stabbed in his sleep wasn't one of his favorite things.

"I-I... what do you mean? "

Fayt said a little confused(again..).

" Just answer the question fool!"

Fayt thought a little more, he knew Albel had been through a lot, and the way he was imprisoned during the war left him a little out of it.

" ...Not really."

Albel jumped a little at the blue-haired boys answer.

" Why not, I hurt your friends and I did a lot of things to you"

Fayt smiled." So? I think you were just doing your job. You were only doing what you were supposed to. It's not your fault."

Albel just blew it off and walked back to his room.

" Whatever". He said as he walked off.

The next morning, Cliff knocked on Fayt's door to see what was the matter.

" Hey kid, you alright, you overslept. We were supposed to be gone an hour ago." Fayt looked a little disheveled.

" Oh, sorry I was just up late with Albel."

Cliff immediately jumped,

" What?"

He had taken it a bit out of context because of the way it had been stated.

" I mean, he was talking to me last night, he just seemed a little upset about something. Maybe we should treat him better, now that he's a member of our party."

"Kid, you gotta be crazy, you know what that guy did to us, and you know what he did to Tynave and Farleen."

Cliff went over the facts about how Albel was a crazy dress-wearing psycho, and then Fayt replied,

" But he seemed like he was sorry, he didn't mean to hurt them, it was all just his way of getting to us. Cliff, you have to understand, don't you?"

Cliff still didn't agree. " You just don't get it kid, that dude's a nutzo, what kind of guy is he to hurt someone else to get to us . Maybe I should have a talk with him."

Fayt could understand Cliff's point, but he just didn't see it fit to treat Albel badly,

" Maybe you should talk to him, you don't know how he feels, just be nice Cliff, please."

Cliff knew he couldn't compete with Fayt's puppy green

eyes, so he agreed he would talk to Albel.But he wouldn't enjoy it....

tbc

A/n: The next chapter will have Albel and Cliff goin' at it about who should be with Fayt. Don't worry.