Where did this come from? I'm not quite sure honestly. See I like RavenLucius, second favourite FE pairing. But I always thought I'd write a MatthewGuy fic first. (Well, I tried to write one but was on a writer's block and nothing good comes out of forcing a story when you have that.) Blame it on the MG fics I've been reading with the backdrops of RL.
Anyways, Kat's never played FE (though she looked up enough information on Wikipedia to know who I'm talking about and wants to play it now), but she likes it. So I hope you do too.
Dedicated to the beloved works of RianneHime... I may not have known her, but I miss her... She was good... Really good. Go check out her work!... God knows it's better than mine...
Enjoy!
Oh, and btw, has anyone noticed how... fluffy my work has gotten? Seriously! What am I? A freakin teletubby? Well, no, unless they have a reclusive outcast sister named 'Yaoiee' or something... Heh heh, I like that.
Gah, I'll have to write something depressing just to even out all the fluff. I did a good job of that with my SasuNaru fic, but I think I'm due for another one... And I have an idea... But it'll be chaptered... Gah... I suck at chaptered fics. Meh, maybe Kat'll get me to keep it up. I'll try. Cause it's a damn good idea that's been in my noggin for quite some time.
Disclaimer: ...Well, now how does this work? I own Fire Emblem, but I don't OWN Fire Emblem... How confusing.
"Stay behind me Lucius." A hand on his arm, Lucius was pulled behind the swordsman, who did in this case have a sword drawn.
"Ah… Very well Lord Raymond." Said-monk replied.
Though he thought it unfair, Lucius tucked his book of light magic under his arm, knowing better than to argue.
He could fight! But he could never argue with Lord Raymond, or Raven, as the others knew him. He could never deny his Lord anything.
Also, it was pleasing to watch him fight. The way his sword strokes blocked and parried, slashed and bit. The way a slight sweat would trickle on his skin, irritating Raven until he had to spare precious seconds to wipe it away. And though Lucius couldn't bear carnage, he could never repress an internal cheer every time the swordsman won.
Which he always did, without fail.
A jump to avoid a swinging axe, a quick movement, and it was over.
He watched his Lord wipe the residual sweat away, wishing he could have the honour of doing that.
It took a while for him to realize how school-girl pathetic he was being and he squashed his desires as Raven walked towards him.
"Are you alright?" Raven asked him.
Lucius couldn't help the small smile. Here was his Lord covered in sweat, and more than a good amount of blood and he still asked about his health.
"I am fine milord. However, you seem to have many injuries that could do with some tending…" He trailed off as Raven waved his hand with an unconcerned air.
"It's nothing. I've had worse, and I'll have worse again. I'm fine." The red-haired man told him.
"But you-"
However Raven was already walking back towards the camp and Lucius had to rush after him.
"But milord! There are some wounds that look very severe! If you'll just let me use my staff…" He pleaded.
"No." The reply was curt. "We have few supplies. And even fewer funds. And are nowhere near a Shop even if we did."
"I…" But he was moving again. "Ah… Lord Raymond! Wait for me!"
Though he very much did need the healing, Lucius kept silent, and didn't press the matter.
Something he regretted immensely not too long afterwards.
"Mmmaa…" Came the pained groan from the other side of the tent, and Lucius quickly hurried over with the cloth he had been wetting.
Laying it on the forehead of the flushed man before him, Lucius had to give a sigh.
"I told you milord. But you wouldn't listen. And we lost the chance to heal you when we could…"
Raven was, and had been for over an hour, sweating, and moaning, and looked altogether too uncomfortable for Lucius's taste. Though there wasn't much he could do. Except feel guilty and very responsible for his Lord's illness.
Flashback
After the battle, they had packed up, and left in search of an inn, as many of the members of their group were complaining about needing a real bath. Soon marking out one nearby, they set out for it.
However, during the trip Lucius had noticed that his Lord was acting… odd.
Not an 'I've decided to willingly talk to Will' odd, but a stumbling, tripping 'I'm going to pass out' odd.
Lucius noted the flushed forehead and, after checking Raven's injuries (the fact that he couldn't protest only confirmed his worries) and seeing the rather ugly state of them, realized that the red-haired man was very very sick. However he knew his Lord wouldn't appreciate being babied. And would deny it if he said anything. So instead, Lucius kept a firm grip on his elbow to keep Raven walking, and in the right direction. Unfortunately he was too weak to hold him up when the swordsman finally collapsed.
"Mi… Raven!" He corrected himself. Kneeling beside his fallen Lord, he felt his forehead and pulled it away quickly.
"What's wrong with Raven?"
"Eliwood!" With his help, Lucius picked up the swordsman (not an easy task) and got him over to the Tactician.
"He… He was wounded earlier… And he wouldn't let me heal him. And I tried to help! But he's so stubborn! And I noticed earlier that he was feverish. But I couldn't say anything, because he… He's just so stubborn!" Lucius frowned in annoyance and worry, and what was he supposed to do?
They reached the Tactician, who gave a frown of his own.
"I'm afraid," He said. "That we have no spare healing staffs at the moment. The best I can give you is a vulnerary, but I'm not sure if they will work on a fever."
He directed them over to Rath, where Raven was laid over the back of his horse, and Eliwood placed a comforting hand on the monk's shoulder.
"It's alright Lucius." Eliwood told him in a soothing voice. "It's not your fault."
And while Lucius nodded, he knew not-so-deep down, that it was.
End flashback
Lucius sighed again.
'What am I to do?'
The vulnerary didn't help much. While it had healed the wounds and most of the infection that caused the fever in the first place, it didn't get rid of the fever itself.
"Ngghhh…" Raven groaned and twisted back and forth, tangling the sheets he was under and the cloth fell from his forehead.
"Oh…" Picking it up, Lucius noticed it was warm again. He sighed and went back to the bowl of water he had not too far away.
Soak, ring out, soak, ring out, once more, and the cloth was damp and cool again. He moved back and placed it back on his Lord's forehead.
He sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time today.
"What am I to do?" He asked himself again.
He hesitantly brushed his fingers against Raven's cheek. Nothing happening, he moved his hand up to thread through the auburn hair feeling the soft strands.
"I tried to warn you milord. But… Oh why are you so stubborn?!" He kept his voice down, but he couldn't help his annoyance. "Sometimes I wonder about your sanity. 'It's nothing'. Ha. Right!"
Soon Lucius lied on his stomach to make himself more comfortable, his ankles crossed together. Bravery he didn't know he had stirred and with a quick glance to make sure Raven was still asleep, he shifted slightly to rest his upper torso somewhat on his Lord's chest. He couldn't help but smile as the red-haired man moved an arm in sleep to curl lightly around him. His hand continued his brushing movements.
"Just what am I going to do with you? I can't stay mad at you. I can't reprimand you, because you get all huffy and refuse to listen. Why can't you ever listen to me? At the very least let me help you sometimes… And I wouldn't mind a thank you sometimes either…" He realized he was being petty. Lord Raymond did thank him. Maybe not verbally, but he did all the same, through his actions.
Raven moaned again, though it was weaker. Feeling his forehead he realized that the fever was dropping. Lucius smiled, but it was strained with concern. "I don't know what to do with you. Why must you be so stubborn?"
His hand was still in his Lord's hair when he felt him stirring. Squeaking, he shot up, his hand letting go of his (very soft) hair, and he sat up. However, he couldn't help his anticipation, and still somewhat hovered over the man.
"Lord Raymond?" He asked quietly.
"Nyaa… Lu… Lucius…" He moaned, and his eyes fluttered open.
"Lord Raymond! Are you alright?"
"Lucius… Don't… Please…" Raven's voice was unsteady and quiet. It wasn't right, and when Lucius took a closer look, he saw his Lord's eyes were glazed. He was still sick, and from the looks of things, hallucinating.
"Don't leave… Lucius…"
"I'm right here milord." Lucius told the man.
"Lucius… Please, don't… Don't go… I…" Raven started to struggle with the sheets. "Lu… Lucius."
"Milord. It's alright!" His one hand rested on the swordsman cheek and the other grasped the hand twisted in the sheets and threaded their fingers together. He moved his head to lie on his chest. "I'm right here." He whispered.
He held back a gasp as Raven's arm wrapped around him tightly, more-so than before, and his head (for lack of a better word) nuzzled into his hair.
"Lucius." He whispered. "I… llmmm"
Feeling his body relax and his breathing even out, Lucius realized he had fallen asleep.
And when he tried to move, he noticed a slight problem.
Raven pulled him back. And he couldn't really pull himself free… While he wasn't that weak, he had found that when he was involved with anything concerning Lord Raymond he was helplessly inadequate. Whatever the case may be.
In this case, it was breaking free.
Sighing in exasperation, and knowing how useless it would be to struggle, he settled into his Lord's grip, and with the exhaustion of the day, fell asleep.
Raven woke up to a familiar tent, and an unfamiliar weight on him.
Shifting he was able to move his head enough to see blonde hair and a pale face, lighted by the moonlight streaming through the un-shut flap of the tent.
Feeling something damp slide down his forehead, he reached up to find a warm cloth.
'What?'
As he looked around, he saw all the makings of a medicine tent, and realized that he must have been sick.
'Ah. That's right… I collapsed… Damn.' He frowned at his weakness.
Thinking back he could remember somewhat back into his fevered state. He looked down again, and gave a small smile at the monk draped over him. Instead of keeping him in the sick bay (which he would have detested), Lucius had the forethought and cared enough to keep him here and care for him alone.
Seeing his one arm around the monk, he realized exactly why the monk was sleeping on top of him, and he couldn't help but chuckle.
He saw the blonde stir, and he waited, but he merely sighed and hugged him tighter, his head moving to rest under his chin.
"Lord Raymond…" Lucius whispered on a breathy sigh.
He gave the monk another smile, though he knew the blonde wouldn't see it, as he had fallen back asleep.
Still trying to remember what all had happened, snatches of a conversation gave back to him.
'And I wouldn't mind a thank you sometimes either…'
Tipping Lucius's head up slightly, he moved to press a tender kiss on his forehead. Hesitating, he finally also pressed his lips lightly to the others.
"Thank you Lucius." He whispered, and laid back down both arms hugging the monk close. Soon, he was asleep.
And in the dark, a certain blonde-haired man tilted his head up to look up into a certain red-haired swordsman's face, and smiled, before also returning to sleep.
Lemme know what you think alright? I'd appreciate a review.
Heh, are they together? Or aren't they? I wrote it like they aren't (I'd like to think of it like that), and Raven's just being unusually sweet. Maybe side-effects from the fever are making him less of an uptight pain.
...I realize I used 'stubborn' four times... Now five. I'm sorry, but how else do you explain Raven??
Anyways, enjoy the fluff. I might write another fluff TyKa before I start on my chaptered.