In an effort to redeem myself, I hope this story can be marginally better than that mistake 1 day ago. It's spring break so I've nothing better to do, so I need to satisfy my own need to not have an awful story as the only representation of my for the past few months.

I don't own Fire Emblem or any related entities.

Light...

Soren pulled the ratty blanket over his head in a futile attempt to shade himself from the menacing sunlight that shined through his tent.

However, in this process, the blanket fell short at his feet and he began shivering as the chilly morning air filled his sleeping sanctuary.

So it was either becoming frozen, blind, or dragging his exhausted carcass out of the cocoon of cheap knit blankets.

And such was life.

'I could spend time brushing my hair, but what's the point? Its so thin and straight that it'll end up looking the same anyway,' Soren thought as he sat up in his makeshift bed. He stared at the piles of clothes he had to put on, besides the thin layer of black robes that he was already wearing.

'Have I really been bothering with these useless straps and belts for all of this time? I don't need to wear any of that around here,' he said to himself.

After deciding against wearing anything besides a single robe and his sandals, Soren slowly walked outside, steeling himself for his encounter with the morning.

The tactician trudged through the camp, in hopes of surveying the land they were occupying, should the Daein army attack them.

As Soren was coming up with strategies and scenarios in his head, he had realized that soldiers in the camp was staring at him.

He whipped his head around, and gave a venom-laced glare to the idling men.

"If you all have enough time to stare at me, perhaps I should double your workload? Is the amount of menial tasks I supplied you with not sufficient?" Soren said in a threatening tone, and the army members scattered within moments.

"I see you're in your usual good mood today," laughed a familiar voice. Soren turned his head, only to find Ike approaching him. His heart began beating faster.

"What is it, Ike? Here for the show as well?"

Ike nodded his head, "No, although I do find it amusing to see you without your pigtails or cape. Aren't you cold?"

"Cold is simply a state of mind, in my opinion. Its only for weaklings who can't stand to have their skin irritated by the temperature, when actually, they are still very warm internally. Did you know humans have an average body temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit? I'll only be cold when I'm getting frostbite on a mountain," the strategist explained.

"Sounds like something you'd say," Ike commented in an ironic voice.

"So what is it you came for again?" Soren decided that lingering on the topic of cold weather would test his patience.

"Oh, just to see how you were doing. It's not often that you're up at daybreak," Ike noticed

"Is it that unbelievable for me to be up so early? What if I simply wanted to gaze upon the beauty of the snow-capped mountain peaks?" Soren said in sarcasm.

Ike gave a small smile, because he knew this couldn't be the case, "Ha ha, very funny. But are you sure you're not too cold? I know you're too stubborn to admit it, but you don't seem to do well in the cold."

"I. Am. Fine. And I don't get cold!" Soren argued.

"Then how come you're shivering?" Ike pointed to the sage's quivering arms. Before the disagreeable magic user could protest, Ike took off his cape and gently placed it on Soren's frigid shoulders. He then grabbed his skinny arms and rubbed them to warm him up. Soren became slightly embarrassed and batted Ike's arms away.

"Thank you! The cape is enough! I have to go check our weapons now..." he said before he ran off to a storage tent. Ike gave a confused expression.

'Why is he so nice to me!? How can I help but be embarrassed? I doubt I'll ever get the chance to tell him my feelings. I bet he loves Princess Elincia anyway. How could he not? She kind, beautiful, brave, sincere. There isn't a way I can compete with that. I suppose I should just be happy being close to Ike at all. As long as he's happy,' Soren painfully thought as he walked into the musty storage tent. He then leaned on a wooden crate filled with half-used vulneraries, catching his breath. Being alone with Ike was bad for his heart.

"Soren? Sorrennn?" Ike's voice called from outside. Soren's sudden retreat had worried Ike, and he decided to chase after him.

'Dammit! He's persistent, I'll give him that,' Soren said to himself as he ducked behind a large barrel of rusty lances.

"Soren? I know you're in there," Ike called again as he opened the flap to the storage tent. He spotted Soren sitting on the ground.

"What has come over you? How come you suddenly ran away from me, and now you're hiding?" Ike gave Soren a quizzical look.

"I-Its nothing. Forget it. I was just...in a hurry," Soren explained.

"Yeah, a hurry to get away from me! Are you mad at me? We all know I can be unrefined at times, so if I did something to offend you, please tell me," Ike said.

"Ha! At times? I thought being unrefined was simply a character trait forever present in you," Soren taunted.

Ike's tone grew more frustrated, "That may be true, but you're avoiding my question. Why are you mad at me?"

"I am not mad at you. Its just...something was bothering me," Soren looked at his feet.

"Soren, you know that you can tell me anything, and I'll try to understand. I want to be your confidant. Please, tell me what's wrong," Ike pleaded.

"But I can't tell you! Because I know it'll make you hate me! I know that you love Elincia, and there's nothing I can do about it!" Soren walked past Ike's surprised figure, but Ike grabbed Soren's shoulder before he could escape again.

"What do you mean by that statement? You know I don't love Elincia! I love..." Ike looked away.

"Who? Who would you love, if not Elincia? Marcia? Mia? ...Titania?" Soren gave a suspicious look when he listed the last name.

"No, no, no! None of those people!" Ike became slightly flushed.

"Then who?!" Soren had a pained expression on his face.

"I love...you," Ike whispered.

Soren was taken aback, "R-Really? Because...I love you too. I've...loved you for so long. I had always feared that you didn't love me back, but now..." tears began falling from Soren's face.

'He's so beautiful, so fragile. I wish I could just stare at him forever,' Ike thought as he gently wiped the tears from Soren's delicate face.

"Soren...don't cry. I never want your beauty to be marred by tears again. As long as I'm around, I will always protect you. I'll always love you...Soren," Ike lowered his face onto Soren's in a tender kiss. Soren put his arms around Ike's neck, and melted into his strong embrace. The kiss was passionate, fiery, and everything the two had imagined it would be. Ike grinded against Soren's torso, and pulled Soren's left leg up and around his waist. Soren pulled Ike even closer to him, and moaned into the kiss. Ike began running his hand up Soren's thigh and Soren put his hand under Ike's shirt when-

"Oh! Oh my goodness!" Rolf stumbled into the tent, "I'm so sorry! U-um, I'll leave, or, do you know where the bows...oh! Um, um I'm going t-to go now!"

Ike and Soren looked at each other, sweaty and flushed. They were embarrassed from both their extremely passionate kiss and being seen by the innocent Rolf.

"I suppose we should explain to him," Soren said breathily.

"Yeah." The couple chased after the fleeing archer with ex-virgin eyes.

"Wait, Rolf! We need to talk to you!" Ike yelled after the deflowered youth. Rolf ceased his escape and sheepishly turned to face his superiors.

Soren took a patient tone with Rolf, "Now Rolf, I don't want you to be afraid of what you just saw, because its a natural thing for matured people."

"I-I know, I just didn't know that you two preferred...men," Rolf mumbled.

"Oh, well that is less common, but I meant that when you get older, things like what you just saw will seem more natural," Soren explained.

Ike had to wonder if this was actually helping. Oh well, he didn't imagine that Soren could handle someone like Rolf anyway.

"Are you going to tell anyone Rolf?" Ike tried to say in the least threatening way possible.

"Would that be bad of me? Do you two not want people to know?" Rolf asked.

"Well we don't want to scare you, and we can't prevent you from doing something, but..." Ike started.

"We would definitely prefer it if you didn't," Soren bluntly finished. Rolf nodded his head eagerly and ran off.

"Well," Soren leaned his head on Ike's shoulder, "hopefully we scared him enough."

"That sounds so bad coming from you," Ike kissed him on the forehead.

Soren smirked, "I am cold, after all."

Phew...I hope everyone was remotely in character. Please review...I'm still rather new to this.

I used to prefer IkexElincia, but now I've seen the light! My new favorite couple right now!

Rrgh, btw I'm very jealous of Soren. His hair is so straight, naturally! Mines all thick and wavy, takes me forever if I want to straighten it...