by Sara Jaye
I've had this image in mind for a while of Erk giving a girl his cloak and blushing adorably as he did so. So I decided to write about it. Of course, considering who the girl IS, it's not gonna be all cuteness and fluff here. XD
(Fire Emblem isn't mine, I'm just borrowing the characters for a while.)
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"Oooh, it's so COLD!!" Serra wrapped her bare arms tightly around herself. "Of all the places we could've gone to look for the Fire Emblem we had to go here!"
The mage walking beside her gave an irritated sigh.
"Serra, you knew we would be going here. You are the one who forgot to bring your cloak," he said.
"Well, it had blood all over it from those icky wyverns!" Serra said. "And I didn't have time to wash it before we left!"
"There wasn't THAT much blood on it and you know it," Erk said.
"But it's still icky! A lady such as myself could never wear a cloak that was stained with blood!" Serra argued.
"A lady. Right." Erk began walking faster, almost if trying to lose her. But he knew he couldn't. The tactician had asked him to guard her and he wasn't about to disobey authority.
"Well, I am a lady!" Serra snapped, shivering.
"Look, we're already behind the others as it is, can we please finish the rest of the march in silence?" Erk sighed.
"There you go again, being all grumpy and cold!" Serra said. "Fine, if it'll make you stop muttering under your breath."
"Thank you."
So they continued to walk. Despite his efforts not to, Erk found himself looking at Serra on and off. Fortunately, she didn't seem to notice as she was too busy hugging herself and walking faster.
The group was only a few miles ahead...once they were caught up, then they could prepare camp, light a couple fires, and get warmed up. Of course, many of them would have rather stayed at an inn, but they were trying to keep a low profile until their mission was complete, lest anyone accidentally see through Lyn, Eliwood and Hector's simple traveler disguises.
Though maybe they'd find a cabin someplace, he thought.
"Argh! I can't stand this!" Serra suddenly whined. Erk sighed and looked over at her. He wanted to write her off as being a complainer again, but she really DID look like she was freezing...her nose and cheeks were a bright red, her arms were coated with snow, and her lips were even starting to turn blue.
"Serra..."
"I'll probably freeze to death or get really sick with some horrible disease before we reach the others!" she said. "Either that or my toes and fingers'll turn to ice and snap right off! I hate the cold!"
Erk sighed, suddenly feeling very sorry for her. Before he knew it, he was removing his cloak and draping it over her shoulders with shaking hands.
"H-here. It's not the softest, most luxurious material in the world, but it's better than nothing," he said. Serra blinked.
"...Erk?"
"No, you're not starting to hallucinate. I...I'm letting you borrow my cloak for a while." Erk blushed furiously, then silently cursed himself. If she noticed...
"But now you'll be cold!" Serra said. "See, your cheeks are already getting all red!"
Erk sighed with relief. That was a good thing about the cold-if you were blushing, people couldn't tell as easily as they could in other circumstances.
"I have long sleeves, and these clothes are made of somewhat heavy fabric," he said.
"Well...that's good, then."
"I'm only doing this to stop your complaining, mind you," he said quickly, despite knowing that wasn't the only reason.
"Hmph! Some favor!" Serra pouted, then softened a little. "...Thanks, though. I...I'll try not to get a lot of blood or tears in it," she said, loosely fastening the collar around her neck.
"Hm. You're welcome." Erk brushed some snow out of his hair, trying to stave off his sudden awkwardness. "Now let's go. If we keep at this pace without stopping, we'll have a better chance of catching up with the others before sundown," he said.
"All right." Serra pulled the cloak tightly around herself, and they resumed walking. Erk's blush refused to go away as he looked at her.
'How ironic. Arguing with her feels perfectly natural, but having a pleasant exchange with her makes me nervous,' he thought. 'But...maybe she's not as bad of a person as I always make her out to be.'
Serra sighed, casting a sideways glance at Erk.
'It doesn't matter if he's wearing warm clothes...he's still a cold person,' she thought. 'Then again, if he can so easily give me his cloak, maybe he isn't.'
Without thinking, she extended her hand to him. 'Maybe this'll help him warm up a little, inside and out!'
"Here."
"Eh?" Erk blinked.
"If we hold hands, we won't have to try to keep up with each other and it'll be a faster walk," she said, half-lying. "And...and maybe we'll be a little warmer from the body heat!"
"...Well..." Erk blushed more deeply and sighed, taking her hand. "All right."
"Good!" Serra smiled.
Erk found himself smiling back. A small smile, but it was a smile nonetheless.
And they continued onward.
Erk didn't know why, but he suddenly felt a lot warmer, with or without his cloak.
Serra, meanwhile, was silently cheering over the fact that Erk actually smiled for once.
'Maybe you're not so bad after all,' each thought.
-End-
It's very hard trying to make Erk serious/annoyed and dorky at the same time, but...somehow, I managed. XD