((Here's hoping. I would really and truly love and appreciate R&R!

All rights to SquareEnix and tri-Ace.

Don't read if you aren't into fan-fiction, a developing guy-love, actual story and possible lemon, and plausible attraction between Albel Nox and Fayt Leingod. You don't have to deal with me, and I don't wish to deal with you.

So yeah. I write a little bit of fiction. This isn't my first, but this would be the first one I'm relatively proud of. My others...I'm the kind of writer who looks back at old works, and cringes. So...First chapter of probably a ton...I'm a big advocater for this couple. AlFay/FayBel all the waaaaaay...3

I'll have the next chapter up soon. Within the week.

Enjoy, and may the Grace of Apris be with you.))

The Ebb and Flow

Chapter One: Aftermath

Fayt Leingod, Savior of the Universe, Embodiment of Destruction, beloved by all, Obliterator of the Creator, and Emerald-eyed peacemaker, was sitting on his bed in his room for one at the Kirlsa Inn. The homey quilt, which felt soft to the touch, had grown to feel hard underneath him and his unmoving position. There he sat, the blue-haired warrior, contemplating his next step. He hadn't moved for several hours. Well into the night, he remained wide-awake and pensive. And thankfully, he noted, alone.

So many people greeted him with the cheeriest smiles and the most gracious thanks. They went out of their way to shake his hands, to bow as he walked by, to deliver to his door abundant gifts. These people were just coming out of a war which devastated their economy and welfare, and they still went out of their way to shower him with materials and food. The fruit baskets looked overly ripe, the meat with gray and maggot infested upon cutting, the metals and materials were small samples and worth next to nothing. They were giving him their best in all sad truth. No matter where he went, people followed or found where the Savior was staying for the next couple days. The thank-yous were ceaseless. The gifts were endless. And Fayt, quite frankly, was tired of it all.

He came back to Ellicoor in hopes of finding peace. His home with his mother and Sophia showed no promise. What was the point of going back to college, or wasting time in a cozy, pampered home, loafing about? He wanted to continue his training, and continue to help people. Going with Cliff and Mirage was just as unappealing, as he would be under their unrelenting watch and constantly training. Fayt didn't want to be cooped up in a dojo because of his need to travel. And in all truth, he absolutely did NOT want to stick with Roger or Peppita. It would only be babysitting, and those two were more hassle than he needed. He knew Maria would be all over the place with her missions and recon, and that Adray had too strong a personality to deal with. Nel already was at the helm of an army, and with all of that at her shoulders, despite the war being somewhat over, Fayt simply didn't want to add to the stress. Everyone was too caught up in their own lives to tend to what Fayt needed—not that he was needy, but the emerald-eyed Savior needed some kind of balance of R&R and violence.

He started his first month of travel in the beautiful city of Aquios. He loved it there. The air was so brisk, clean…everything brimmed with life, and the water was so pure, that it tasted faintly sweet. The food was fantastic, and the whole town itself was a picturesque scene of peace and prosperity when admired from a distance. But he couldn't step outside without a family coming his way to praise him. The city was a mess of stairs, twists, turns, and dead ends, which made the teen feel trapped and restricted. He stopped in Peterny for a week, but the busy marketplace buzzed with overwhelming excitement at the thought of hosting and serving the one and only Fayt Leingod. He managed to hide for well over a month here in Kirlsa, but the innkeeper couldn't contain herself while talking with her girlfriends that afternoon, and relinquished the secret she promised to keep on Fayt's whereabouts. Fayt sighed, a sad and bitter heave of breath that summed up his frustrations.

He knew he had to leave now, in the dead of night, when the town was asleep. But after considering his options as to where he should be headed, he wasn't sure where to begin. He pondered again, remembering that everyone was too active, or not active enough. He almost thought how he wished he wasn't a savior, but he quickly took it back. Such a selfish thought. He was glad, and admittedly proud, he had saved the universe. He saved endless lives…and to regret that was uncalled for. Gah…He moaned, disappointed with himself for letting it get to him. He went back to his original train of thought. Sighing, about to concede defeat, and just campout in a cave somewhere, it came to him. He snapped his fingers in realization.

Albel Nox! Fayt's posture straightened out, and his whole demeanor changed. Albel the Wicked was Captain of the Airyglyphian Black Brigade. Always on the job, his missions were often drawn out over the course of a week, or even months, due to rigorous travel and necessity to restock supplies in towns and such. The Embodiment of Destruction smiled to himself, having found the perfect solution to his problem. He would go to the Royal City of Airyglyph. He had never considered the Wicked One as a potential travel companion. Hm…but will he accept me? This should be interesting…

Fayt readied his pack with his elixirs and such, making sure he left nothing behind. Satisfied, he fastened his sword onto his belt and silently crept past the sleeping innkeeper, leaving his key on the desk in front of her. He took a half step forward, and mentally kicking himself for being rude, he pulled out 1,000 Fol, and left it underneath the key as her tip for her effort to keep his existence secret.

The night air was crisp and clean, untainted by industrialized machinery and new technologies, and Fayt couldn't get enough of it. He loved it—he loved so much about this planet. But his fame was ruining it. Hopefully Airyglyph won't put me in the spotlight. He swiftly moved west, towards the Traum Mountains, keeping a sharp eye out for any potential stalkers. But much to his relief, all of the people of Kirlsa were sound asleep. He also thanked the gods for the Iron Maiden Inn being so close to his escape route.

ooooooo

Save for a couple of Pit Tarantulas and Porcupines, Fayt's journey through the nighttime Traum Mountains was quick and easy. He didn't have to use much of his supplies, and he hadn't been hit by fatigue yet for not sleeping. Sleep wasn't something he found easily. Or at all…The night was sable and still, but Fayt knew that despite his speedy travel, the sun was going to rise in a few hours. Despite his second-wind energy, he thought it wise to grab just a couple of hours of sleep before he approached the castle.

But it was too early. Everyone would be asleep. Fayt contemplated whether or not it was worth it to wake up the innkeeper just to ask for a room that he would only be using for the next couple of hours. Deciding against this, and not wanting to draw attention to himself, he slowly proceeded to walk towards Airyglyph Castle.

I wonder how Albel's been doing? Fayt was curious and admittedly eager to see his old companion again. After they had defeated Luther, Albel seemed to have left without a word to anyone. Fayt knew that the Crimson-eyed warrior was very solitary by nature, so perhaps his soundless departure was just his natural goodbye. Fayt recalled how he had wanted to come to the Royal City, but for whatever reason, he didn't. Perhaps it was the imminent endless sea of thankful residents that stopped him.

He came upon the entrance of the castle, hesitant to wake the sleeping guards. They shouldn't be asleep anyway, so I'll be doing them a favor…He gently shook one guard, who groggily became aware that he was sleeping on the job. He snapped to attention, rather noisily, which woke his partner up, and both began to apologize profusely. "Guys," Fayt coaxed, "I'm not here to berate you. I just need to get into the castle. I'm here to see Albel." The guards look bewildered, then embarrassed.

"Hey, don't tell anyone about this, please?"

"Yeah, or we'll both be brutally dealt with."

Fayt reassured the men he wouldn't say anything, then asked again, "May I enter to see Albel Nox? I know it's extremely early, but it's urgent."

The guards looked at each other, wary. They looked back at Fayt and said, "Well, we aren't supposed to let anyone in, but since you caught us sleeping, we'll go ahead and let you in for your kindness and mercy." Fayt nodded his thanks as they opened up the castle doors for him. He moved inside as soon as the door was cracked open to just enough room, and proceeded through some several hallways towards Albel's quarters.

Thank gods it was pitch dark outside, Fayt thought with a wave of relief, or that would've been hell…He passed several soldiers' quarters, remembering clearly where he had to go, then finally came to the door of Albel Nox. He stared at the door, not sure if he should go in. How awkward would that be? If I go in, should I wake him up? No, that's a stupid idea. He would kill me in a split second. Suddenly, this idea was becoming less and less tangible. He hadn't given much thought to Albel's reaction to his abrupt entry. Uh, hey Albel, I know it's the crack of dawn, but I figured since we're somewhat good friends, I should drop a line and crash here at your place. Is that cool with you? He sighed in his head, kicking himself for not thinking past the concept of "getting to Airyglyph without being noticed." Albel wouldn't be pleased…

There was the sound of footfalls coming around the corner. Fayt looked to see a shadow drawing near, flickering with the dance of the candlelight in the hallway. He looked around for a place to hide, but the hallway was barren. If it was another soldier, they would question him and his sneaking around, or worse, they would praise him and thank him and ask how long he planned to stay. Not for much longer…

He panicked and mindlessly pushed himself into Albel's room, quickly and quietly closing the door. He put his ear to the door, listening to make sure the guard had passed. When he was sure the danger of being seen was over, he felt a small wave of relief pass over him. But that feeling ceased to exist when he found he couldn't breathe because of a cold, clawed gauntlet snaking around his neck. He was forcibly pushed against the wall, causing him to gasp quietly.

Albel the Wicked had heard shuffling outside of his door. Irritated, he got up to see what the commotion was, and to permanently solve his temporary problem. "What do we have here? Vermin sneaking around my castle, waking me up and getting me in a bad mood this early?" His voice was silent, a deadly whisper in Fayt's ears. Fayt shivered, not sure if he was afraid for his life, or slightly aroused by the force. He very quickly disposed of this thought. Using what little air he had left, the teen managed to say, "It's…me. Fayt…"

Albel took a second to digest this new information, then released the suffocating teen, who fell to the ground. Trying to catch his breath, and holding his now raw neck, Fayt turned to look up at his captor and smiled. "Nice to see you too, Albel," he said in a breathless voice. He pushed himself to his feet, but stood a small distance away from the murderous Albel.

"What the hell are you doing here maggot? And at this time of day?" Albel demanded angrily. He was surprised at the whole scenario, Fayt's being at the castle at all. He didn't expect to ever see the young fool ever again, but here he was, sneaking into the castle. Waking him up from his sleep. Not that he was getting any sleep anyway…

Fayt rubbed his neck and mumbled, "Well I came to see you. And I needed to see you as soon as possible." He dropped his hands to his hips, posing in the familiar akimbo stance, and asked, "Am I not welcome here? Maybe I should go talk to Woltar instead…"

"Fool!" Albel pointed a sharp claw at Fayt's chest. Fayt winced, as the claw was, in fact, sharp and slicing into his skin, but Albel didn't cease. "What makes you think you can come here and strut about as if you own the place? Can't you see that all of the city is asleep?" He glared at the apologetic warrior. Albel retracted his accusing claw, gave some thought, and asked, "What's so urgent that you feel a need to come begging to me?"

Fayt bowed his head in regret. "Sorry Albel, it was rude of me to intrude like this, but I really just need a place to sleep for a couple of hours…I haven't gotten a decent sleep in a couple of days." Weeks. Months. Who's counting? He looked at Albel with his pleading green eyes. Albel scoffed angrily and asked, "Why not sleep at the inn? Or do you enjoy making me angry and causing me personal inconvenience?"

Fayt squirmed a bit, "Well…ever since we saved the universe…I can't seem to live…peacefully." He gave the Crimson warrior a sad look, which only made him scoff again, then continued, "People are giving me a lot of attention, and all I really want is to lie low for a while and just live my life." His posture seemed to shrink as Albel's glare bore a hole straight through his head.

"Too much attention? Bah," Albel sneered, "The fool can't take much of anything without running to someone for help. Make yourself comfortable, maggot. And pray that I don't kill you if you're still asleep when I get back." He moved to the door, shoving Fayt out of the way, and left without so much as a goodbye.

Nothing's changed…Fayt smiled inwardly, comforted by the thought. Everyone treated him differently now, but Albel managed to treat him just like he always has. With cruelty. Despite the oddly comforting realization, Fayt set down his pack and sword next to the door, and rubbing his chest where Albel had poked him to soothe the pain away, he looked about Albel's room. Dimly lit by scattered candles hanging from the walls, he saw the shadows of several miscellaneous objects lying about. The bed was a grand four-poster, with a dark and smooth wood for the framing. There were assorted trunks in different places, and in no visible order. A rack with katanas sat in a corner with two missing, although, Fayt noticed, these weren't part of the décor, as they had fresh bloodstains upon them. He probably had a mission earlier…and I think he just left for another. He wondered what the mission was, and why he would have to leave this early. "Because the early bird," he yawned sleepily, "catches the worm…?" He didn't bother to remove his armor as he crawled into Albel's bed, completely overcome by exhaustion. The bed was warm and welcoming, and Fayt thanked the stars for this opportunity to relax.

ooooooo

Albel walked out of his room and stormed down the hallway. Why the hell did he have to show up now of all times? He swiftly made for the exit, opening the castle doors with more power than necessary. The guards outside jumped to attention and greeted Albel with fear and admiration. He gave them no acknowledgement as he sauntered past them, and ignored the fact that they seemed more than a little jumpy upon his appearance.

He had started the day with a barrage of missions that were, in his honest opinion, not important in any way. He killed off several weak "threats" to the city, then scouted around for potential threats, and as usual, found none. He was now headed off to patrol the Traum Mountains as per procedure, to ensure that no idiotic and weak vermin decided to entreat upon the Royal City.

As he found himself crossing the bridge to Traum, he slowed his pace, taking his sweet time. The sky was getting lighter, signaling the start of a new day. And to top it all off, that fool invades my life without warning. Albel didn't have a particular problem with Fayt, but he thought that the blue-haired teen had gone back to his home. Albel had accepted that his greatest opponent had left, and that any potential challenge between the two was as good as gone. But just when Albel least expects it, Fayt is shuffling around the castle, looking for him. I should've known he would come looking for me…I'm the only person worth coming to. Everyone else is next to worthless. I pose a real challenge. He figured the teen had gotten bored and needed a sparring partner. But he remembered what Fayt told him about his new reputation, and how it was making him miserable.

Hmph. Fool. He should've known that was going to happen…While Fayt got all of the glory for saving the universe, Albel got a warm welcome at home, and immediately began working again. He wouldn't allow himself to be praised in the assistance of saving the universe, as it was a stupid thing to be recognized for. Assisting. So he was quick to get back into the swing of things, glaring death at villagers who wanted to thank him, or promising death to those who thanked him anyway. He was admired by all for his past actions, and now for helping save the entirety of space, but he swiftly knocked down the thankful air by re-instilling the fear that people had for him by going on more missions and killing more things with threatening fluidity. I managed to suppress any potential and unwanted fame. The fool is merely weak. He can't do anything on his own.

He panned over the landscape, breathing in the crisp air of the morning, and despite the cold, he was unmoving in his watch. He contemplated what he should do upon his return to his room. Should he kill Fayt for intruding or merely leave him with severe injuries? He decided, after slicing open another weak porcupine, perhaps having the boy around would be interesting, and needed no punishment. He would have a decent sparring partner, as he observed earlier, and perhaps missions like these would go by faster, and be more…entertaining. As weak as the fool was in the mind, Fayt was perfectly capable of taking care of himself in battle. He managed to cross these lands in the dead of night…so he must still be worth something. This observation proved both points: Fayt should not have traveled alone at night through these mountains, if he had common sense. And despite this lack of thinking, he managed to get through without many injuries, as far as Albel was concerned. He nodded absentmindedly as he cut down another enemy. When he saw no other weaklings loitering around, he turned to head back for the castle to give his report.

The guards were now very much awake, and not as jumpy, as they opened the doors for Albel. The sky was turning from an orange to a very light blue. He remembered his death threat to Fayt before he had left. The fool better not still be asleep when I'm done with the report…

He headed upstairs to the throne room, passing several wandering soldiers, who all greeted him with the same admiration as the guards outside had. But again, he gave no acknowledgement.

He was pleased to see the king was waiting for him, and with a formal exchange of greetings, the king inquired about Albel's recent observations.

"Nothing but mere weaklings littered the gateway to our city. Easily taken care of." The king nodded his approval, and just as Albel nodded and turned to go, the king inquired, "What is Fayt Leingod doing here?"

Albel stopped, and turned full around. How does he know? Is Fayt wondering around the castle? I thought he wanted to lie low, that maggot…"To be honest, your majesty, the fool appeared in my room very early this morning, asking for a place to stay."

The king raised an eyebrow and pushed further, "Is that all he wants?"

Albel replied curtly, "As far as I care, yes. He will be accompanying me on missions from now on. Not that I need the help, but he appears to be simply bored with his petty adventures."

Thoughtful and distant, the king nodded and dismissed Albel. What was that all about? He moved downstairs, and past several hallways before coming upon his room. He opened the door to see that Fayt was still asleep. He quietly closed the door behind him, and muttered about the inconvenience this whole scenario was, and how he'll have to arrange for Fayt's own sleeping quarters, and this and that…and how easy life would be if he followed through with his promise to kill Fayt. That thought made him chuckle to himself.