Summary:
(MillisarxReiha) Reiha finds herself taking care of an injured but cranky and annoying Summon Beast.

Disclaimer: Summon Night is not mine! I just wanna mess around with its characters for a bit.

Author's Notes:

Hello, people! Honestly, I have no idea if this story is going to be read or what. This game isn't popular for some reason and I'm really disheartened to find no fans shipping MillisarXReiha. I like this couple a lot and this inspired me enough to write a story about those two. To those of you who will read this lil' story of mine, I hope you enjoy!

This is a "What if?" story in which Reiha volunteers to stay and look after Millisar while he's taking his sweet little time to wake up after being attacked by Ghardib. And yeah, this story's gonna be full of spoilers.

To Tame a Summon Beast
by fascifemina

Chapter One

Reiha sighed heavily as she bent down towards the unconscious young man tucked comfortably inside her sleeping bag. The cover of her sleeping mat covered him from neck to toe. His pale hair and a few details of his face were the only things she could make out in the dark since he was hidden in the deepest corner of the cave where the shadows took up the rest of what could be seen.

Her green eyes had yet to adjust to the darkness, so she reached out her hands in front of her and felt for a good spot to sit and rest. The ground felt damp underneath her palms, and she leaned her back against the slightly ragged surface of one of the many stones and rocks that took up most of the space in the abandoned cave they were in. She winced slightly when a rather sharp edge poked her at her side.

She had been waiting for more than six hours already, and still Millisar hadn't shown any signs of waking up.

She bit her lip to supress the slowly growing worry that was clutching her chest and distracted herself by pointing her full attention towards the scenery outside. Dark orange hue and streaks of bluish purple painted the sky, casting a mellow glow over the distant horizon. It was already getting late and Reiha thanked the heavens that they had found this small cave somewhere in the forest to rest at for the night.

She wondered how the others were doing. Were they doing all right? How close were they in reaching Krestae ruins? Would she and Millisar be able to catch up with them on time?

"I hope Aldo's all right..." She murmured to herself as she pulled her knees to her chest, staring silently at the ground. Aldo... He was the one who had been so against of the idea of leaving her alone with Millisar. It wasn't that he feared that Millisar would do something to hurt her, he just didn't want to be away from her and not know if she was okay or not.

If the situation at hand wasn't this serious, she doubted that Aldo would even agree to be separated from her.

Personally, she'd prefer if Aldo would stay with her to look after Millisar, but she knew that the others needed him more than she needed him right now. Stopping the other Summon Beasts from destroying the world was their main priority and they were going to need all the help they could get. Aldo's powers as a Summon Beast contributed greatly to their success ever since their journey started. They would need those powers to deal with the dangers lying ahead.

Reiha closed her eyes, remembering her foster brother's pained expression as he left with the others. He was not the only one who was having a hard time at their sudden separation for she, too, was suffering from the loss of Aldo's presence beside her. Now, however, all she could do was to trust in Aldo and pray that he, along with everyone else, would be safe from harm.

Darkness crept inside the cave and a cool breeze swept past Reiha, making her shiver slightly. "I guess I'll start building the fire." She glanced at the still sleeping Summon Beast, not really expecting him to reply but was just needing someone to talk to at the moment. "You wait here, okay? I'll go look for some firewood."

Reiha stood up with a groan, stretching her arms and legs and dusting off the dirt from her clothes. She grabbed her staff lying next to her backpack and headed off into the woods. What greeted her outside was a blast of cool wind and she shivered even more as it engulfed her in a chilling embrace. Her thin clothes did nothing to protect her from the cold as she hunted for branches and twigs for firewood. Her only small comfort was her long hair as this somehow helped warm her neck and shoulders.

She could tell just how agitated the Spirits were getting judging from how her energy was slowly being drained from the hostile weather. Worry gathered at the pit of her stomach and she couldn't help but think of the others again.

Aldo and Ayn must have been feeling really sick right now... She hated the feeling of not being there to help her friends...

She didn't know how long she stayed outside gathering firewood, but by the time she got back to their cave, the moon had already risen to the skies, blanketing the entire forest with its ethereal light, her surroundings settling into a peaceful silence. She checked her companion for any signs of movement, but he still continued to lay there without a care in the world. With a heavy sigh, Reiha dropped the firewood she was holding in both her arms and started working on building the firepit.

Now what was it that made her choose to stay with Millisar? After all, she couldn't stand the presence of the pale-haired Summon Beast. They didn't exactly get along when they first met. Even after their next confrontations, the guy didn't make it easier for her to like him. He was a really rude brat, accusing her of things he knew nothing about.

After Reiha finished building the firepit, she stood up and readied her staff. "Spirits, lend me you powers..." She concentrated on the power that suddenly surged through her as she continued her mantra of calling the fire spirits for help. With a swirl of energy, a ball of fire shot out of her staff and hit the firepit, instantly covering it with flames and lighting the whole cave in the process.

Her thoughts returned to her silent companion. With an unladylike snort, Reiha threw a glare at Millisar's direction, not caring that he was still sleeping at the corner. She disliked him as much as he disliked her, and if it weren't for the fact that he had saved her from Ghardib's attack a while ago, she would probably think twice about helping him, which was already very uncharacteristic of her since she had always been a very caring and thoughtful person.

However, as it was, she was responsible for his current predicament.

Now that she had brought that thought up, why did Millisar suddenly rush out like that to protect her? She remembered in clear detail how he had detested the idea of being friends with her and the others since he had thought they were his enemies... She remembered his rude words to her when she had asked him to say thank you to everyone for saving his life. She only wanted a simple thank you... It wasn't as if she was asking him to bow down and worship them for it!

It was then that a stray thought hit her. They had saved his life before...

Could it be that that was the reason he went out of his way just to protect her? She didn't think that Millisar was the type of person to like having debts to anyone... And now that he had saved her, he didn't owe them anything anymore...

"Well now, if that's really the case..." Reiha mumbled to herself as she took a seat beside her sleeping companion, watching the way his shadows danced in rhythm with the flames. "...I shouldn't be feeling responsible for you anymore. We're even." She narrowed her green eyes at him before turning her attention towards the fire, knowing that she was lying to herself and was still feeling a great deal responsible for his condition. Her hands reached out to pull her knees to her chest and she leaned her chin on top of her crossed arms.

The comforting warmth of the flames and the soft crackle of burning wood was slowly lulling Reiha to sleep that she couldn't find it in her to fight back against the heaviness of her eyes. It wasn't too long before she succumbed to the darkness and it enveloped her in a dreamless sleep throughout the rest of the night.

For once in the entire time he'd been living in this sad, miserable world, Millisar didn't wake up because of some human bastard painfully draining the strength out of every bone in his body. Instead, he woke up and found himself staring at the damp and rocky inner walls of some sort of cave, which was illuminated by the sun's rays that was coming from outside.

Where am I...? His eyes narrowed in confusion when he realized that he was surrounded by something warm and soft and he looked down to see that he was lying on a sleeping mat. His gaze fell to his side and he found his weapon lying on the ground at arm's length from him. The musty smell of smoke from burning wood invaded his sensitive nose, but he couldn't help but relax as the mat he was lying on was mixed with a sweet and pleasing scent that immediately calmed his nerves.

He heaved a sigh as he closed his eyes and reveled at the nice sensation. It was a scent that reminded him of the home he was forcefully separated with... The home that he had almost lost hope in returning to after years of being stuck in a foreign land and exposed to pain and suffering at the hands of unmerciful humans... The home that not only he, but also the other Summon Beasts, would give anything just to return back there once again.

Home... That was the main reason why both him and Miss Phicra were fighting so desperately against anything that came in their way.

At that moment, memories from yesterday flooded his mind, causing his eyes to snap open and he sat up with a sudden jolt. "Miss Phicra!" He cried out loud in utmost worry. Ghardib! How could he forget about that no-good, traitorous bastard!? He murdered all the Summon Beasts at the 16th Catheirn and he was plotting to harm Miss Phicra if she stood in his way!

With renewed strength, he grabbed the cover of the sleeping mat and yanked it from his body. He turned to stand up, but his badly strained body and the sudden wave of pain from his ribs kept him from being steady. With a grunt, he fell to the ground in all fours, his face sweaty and his lungs gasping for air.

It was then that his red eyes caught something directly in front of him. He found his gaze locked with a set of green eyes, eyes that were staring at his with the same confusion and curiosity.

"M-Millisar..." She murmured so quietly that if it weren't for his highly developed ears, he wouldn't be able to hear nor understand her. "You're finally awake..."

Narrowing his eyes even further, Millisar bit back a snarl that suddenly surged in his chest upon seeing the human girl before him. She was lying on her back a minute ago and was now scrambling to sit up and edge away from him, her expression wary. He then noted that she was making eager glances at her staff which was lying a few meters away from her reach.

Millisar frowned, noticing how extremely defenseless she was at that moment. He didn't think she'd survive a minute at the outside world without her friends. With a snort, he decided to ignore his irritation with the pathetic-looking girl and deal with more pressing matters instead. "Where are we? And what am I doing here?" He demanded and forced himself to stand again, gritting his teeth at the jolt of pain at the effort.

He watched as the emotions played on her face turned from wary to concern. Why should she be worried about him?

"You shouldn't be forcing yourself like that. Your body's still weak from Ghardib's attack..." Much to his surprise, she stood up and reached out for him. His eyes widened in alarm and he stood still, suddenly angry at the thought of a human in close proximity. He edged away and his hand instantly turned to grab his cape, needing to feel safe, but he stopped cold when realization hit him that he was no longer wearing it.

Panic churned wildly in his chest and he directed an instense glare at the human girl, causing her to squeak. "Where's my cape? What happened to my cape!?" His anger getting the better of him, his hand shot out and grabbed the girl's wrists in a tight hold. It was the girl's pained yelp that brought him back to his senses and caused him to loosen his hold on her, allowing her to slap his hands away.

"What's wrong with you!?" The orange-haired girl cried out furiously, her hands rubbing her wrists in an attempt to soothe the pain. Millisar was oblivious to her discomfort and didn't feel the least bit intimidated by the girl's anger for he himself was angry. "Your cape's gone, okay? It got all torn up when Ghardib attacked you."

His dark mood was drained away and replaced by sadness at her answer. That cape was given to him by Miss Phicra! Why that Ghardib... He'd never forgive him!

"I think that cape even saved you..." The girl paused, as if contemplating something. "If it weren't for it, you would have suffered an even more serious injury."

The cape saved him? Millisar felt even more worse than what he was already feeling. His worry for Miss Phicra grew each passing second. He had to tell her about that bastard Ghardib! He had to protect her! With a determined look on his face, he turned to pick up his dao and dragged himself forward, not caring about the look that his companion gave him as he passed her by.

It was when he was at the mouth of the cave when she heard her shout. "What are you doing!? You just woke up from a nasty injury!"

Feeling annoyed once more, he kept on going and didn't bother to look back. "Leave me alone. You're my enemy." Unfortunately, he didn't manage to get that far because his legs eventually gave in. His weapon fell to the ground with a loud thump, and it was a good thing that he was able to hold out his arms to stop his fall or else he would have fallen down face-first to the ground.

His anger flared again and he cursed his currently weak body. Just when Miss Phicra needed him most...! He had to get up! He had to help her!

Something shifted beside him and he turned his head slowly to face its cause. A few seconds later, he found himself staring at two muddy boots and dirty white stockings. He looked up to see the girl towering over him, her face wearing a look of seriousness. She kneeled down, her gaze not breaking off of his. "You are really stubborn. I told you not to strain yourself."

"Why are you even helping me?" He bit out and directed his eyes somewhere else. He didn't want to be associated with any human, much less her, a girl who had a Summon Beast following her every whim! "Go away! Miss Phicra's in trouble. I have no time to deal with the likes of you."

Having the persistent need to prove his point, he forced himself to stand up again. He felt dizzy in the head for forcing his body to its limits, but he just didn't care. He wanted to get away from this place and the girl as soon as possible. It wouldn't be long before Ghardib reaches Miss Phicra and who knows what he'd do to her behind her back!

He was already on his knees and he just needed a little more push to be able to stand, but all of a sudden, something struck his side and his back met the hard ground as he fell down, wincing in pain. He inhaled sharply, directing the girl who had slapped his side with a murderous glare. "Why did you that for!?"

The girl's cheeks grew red. "Oh, sorry! I think I slapped you too hard..." She fumbled and then tried to compose herself. "A-Anyway! See? You're not in any condition to fight! Let alone walk! Why don't you just listen for once and let me help you?" She was looking at him with fire in her eyes and Millisar didn't think she'd back down no matter what he'd say to her.

What the heck was her problem? He couldn't think for the life of him as to why she'd help him... She should just leave him alone!

He was about to demand again why she wanted so badly to help him out when she abruptly cut him off. "I'm helping you not because I want to, all right? I'm just returning the favor because if it weren't for you, I would have been the injured one, not you."

For a moment there, Millisar was still, wondering what she was talking about. Eventually, he remembered the whole reason why he was badly hurt in the first place.

He had saved her.

Now that he had thought back at that moment, it was him who had desperately jumped between Ghardib and the girl, causing him to get the full force of Ghardib's attack.

Now why would he do something like that...?

He saw her stand up and pick up his dao before she turned to reach for his arms. Millisar wanted to fight back but realized that he didn't have the energy left to push her away. Without a fuss, he took his sword from her when she handed it over to him. He then let her slung his arm over her shoulder while her other arm wound around his back. With a loud grunt, she forced themselves to stand.

"You're such a brat... I know that you only saved me because we saved your life once. Nevermind that I'm helping you again because even though we're even, I still can't help but feel responsible for you. I swear I won't bother you anymore once you're well enough to stand on your own." She muttered. If things were different, he would have been amused at the faces she was making as she tried all her might to support his weight. "You're really heavy, you know that?" She groaned as they made their way back inside the cave.

"Shut up." He snapped back, albeit gently this time. His mind was getting too tired and he didn't feel like arguing with her at that moment. Strands of orange hair wafted under his nose and he scowled as he turned his head away, irritated at himself.

That scent... He thought grimly. ...it was her.

He'd have to pound it in his head not to revel in that scent anymore.

Authors Notes:

So...? What do you guys think? Should I continue this or not? Although, I probably still will even if you don't want me to. Hehe! I'm rather enjoying myself writing about those two, so... yeah. Of course, reviews are very much appreciated. I certainly do hope I find and make friends with people who support this pairing as much as I do!