FicWad

"Here, Miss Chere." Leo removed his cloak and gave her it, careful not to stare at her.

She took it gratefully and wrapped it around her body. It was warm.

"Are...you alright?" Leo carefully chose his words, unsure about the entire situation. He had merely left his sleeping quarters for a drink of cider and heard a female voice chanting an incorrect icicle spell from a room which was supposed to be locked up tight at night. It was his duty to the Emperor to investigate. He assumed Kefka's advances were unwanted, but then, some girls may have disturbing tastes.... He tried not to think about anyone with Kefka.

Celes tightened the cloak around her and tied the sash. "Yes, I am. ....Ah, I lost it!" She lifted her hands to her cheeks, her face filled with worry.

"It?" Leo coughed on her words. "Er...do you need to be taken to the nurse to be...checked out?"

Celes blinked, unsure of what he meant. "What? I'm fine, I think. Besides my feet, they feel like they are still smouldering. "I lost the keys! Please, help me search!"

"So it wasn't Kefka who brought you here?" Leo asked, surprised. He had been certain that Kefka had brought her here thinking that it would be the perfect place to remain undisturbed for such an activity.

"No, no, forgive me, but I wanted to see where my ice powers came from. I just had to look! But now, Cid will kill me if he finds out I've taken the keys and lost them!" Celes didn't wait to hear if he was angry with her; she fell to her kneels and inspected the floor. She was childishly distraught over such a thing. "I also can't find my pocket knife. It has a red handle, do you see it anywhere?

Leo wasn't sure whether he was supposed to be angry at the young girl so he gave in and helped her look.

Celes emerged triumphant with keys in hand. They were a little dusty from being kicked underneath the Esper containment capsule of the green haired girl who had originally intrigued her.

"I suppose I can rest easy now that both of my troubles have now been dealt with. I'll just forget about the knife, it didn't cost me much."

Leo stared at the blonde girl standing before him with the small smile on her face. He was amazed that she could maintain such spirit after Kefka had acted as he had with her. "Let me walk you to your room."

"You know, I didn't need you to save me, and I don't need you to walk me to my room. I was about to free myself when you came in," Celes said haughtily, "but thanks nonetheless. I'd kind of like the company though."

Leo smiled as she carefully locked the door behind them as they went upstairs to her sleeping quarters above the lab.

They reached her door, and she looked down at his cloak. "Oh, you'll need to get this back."

She began to undo the sash but he stopped her knowing what little there was underneath it. "Um, why don't you go inside your room and bring my cloak back to my room another time?"

"Oh, okay. Sure. Where is your room?"

"Do you have a piece of paper? I'll write you directions."

"Hey, I know my way around this place like the back of my hand! All I need is your room number."

"Oh, yes of course." He told her the number and she smiled. "I'll be there later then."



She was true to her word, arriving at his door early in the morning dressed in her magician's training uniform which was required for the classes she took for the Magitek Program. She knocked on the door and waited. Finally, Leo opened his door. He was drinking his morning cider which, she noticed, was half empty.

"You certainly are an early riser." Leo said, somewhat startled. "Four thirty AM and already awake."

"Well, not really, I couldn't get to sleep, so I was practising some magic. I still can't get that one icicle spell right, it's the only one I can't seem to master."

"I'm sure you'll get it soon enough."

"Well, here's your cloak back. Sorry to bother you so early in the morning. I'd better be off to train again."

She turned to leave but he stopped her. "Wait. Have you ever thought about getting into swordplay?"

"No, I haven't been taught to wield a sword in my life. Magic is enough for me. Why would I want to start?"

"You're only a magic user, Miss Chere. You're a sitting duck when it comes to situations where you cannot use your powers."

"Sorry for not being trained otherwise." she said rather rudely.

"I know, I know, I'm not trying to insult you. I was the same way at your age. I was trained to use the sword, and I am a master at it. However, there are plenty of situations where my sword would not be readily available, and I'd be defenseless. It's all about balance. Such as today. I didn't have any weapons on me, but since I trained with magic and my fists as well, it was alright, and I was able to save you."

She raised an eyebrow at his final comment.

"Helped you, helped you," he corrected himself and she nodded.

"I really was defenceless, wasn't I? Kefka told me when he discovered me earlier this morning that it was dangerous to be out at night in the facility. He warned me that I shouldn't be so trusting, but I didn't believe him, and look what almost happened. I was scared, I was really scared. With my hands disabled, I couldn't do a single thing. In any other situation, I could have avoided his flame with my own defensive magic, but I was stuck in a river with no oars."

"Hey, hey," Leo said gently. Celes had tears in her eyes again, and was making an attempt to hide it. "Come in and sit down. You can have some breakfast."

She gave in and joined him at the table, hiccuping a little. She felt like such a child as she drank back some orange juice he poured her.

"Do you want me to teach you?"

"Teach me how to use a sword?"

"Yes, for defence. I've got the perfect thing for you. Have you ever heard of a Runic blade?"

"I've heard of runes, but never of this blade." She shook her head.

"I hadn't expected as much. What do they even teach in those classes anymore?" Leo laughed a little. "It's a blade with runes scribed on the side, and if you have a magical touch, it can be used to absorb magical attacks derived from Espers and convert it back into magical energy for you to use. It's quite useful."

"That really does sound like it would be."

"Do you want me to teach you?"

"I'd like that, I want to be able to protect myself in the future. Are you a good teacher?"

"Well I'd hope so, since I have to lead the training of every man in Vector who joins the Imperial army. But I guess we'll have to wait for the current war to get off the ground before we can judge my teaching skills."

Leo led her down the hallway, and she was amazed by how much larger his quarters were. She had a bed, a couch, and a wood stove in one room, then a small offshoot of a bathroom on the side. Each of his rooms were fully furnished, and although small, were very private. He opened a door at the end and was amazed to see that it was an equipment room which was set up like a showcase. Not a speck of dust lined any of the glass cases protecting each item.

"Impressed?" Leo asked with amusement at the look on her face.

"I'll admit that," she breathed out as she touched the handle of an exquisite looking sword. She noticed the carvings in the side and knew at an instant that this must have been one of those Runic blades.

"Go ahead, pick it up," he guided.

She lifted it awkwardly out of its case and tried to hold it with flare. She wasn't exactly successful so he positioned himself behind her and moved her hands to the right places with his. "Like this." She felt like she was glowing as she stood so close.

He taught her the necessary spells, he taught her the proper stance. She wanted to learn more.

Hours had past and Celes realized that she was late for her real classes. "Thanks for your help today, for everything." She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Now don't go thinking I'm some love-starved young girl falling for her teacher! It's just to thank you."

She beamed and ran off to her class, hoping she wouldn't get scolded. Leo shook his head with a silly smile on his face. She definitely was an interesting girl.

She had completely forgotten that Kefka was now her class' instructor, and he was particularly difficult with her compared to the other students.



Leo was really growing on her, and she came to his quarters often to learn more and more about physical combat. She trained with him nearly everyday for two years, and eventually found herself climbing the ranks of the military ladder. She passed Kefka's status of military trainer, joining Leo as a General, becoming the youngest Imperial general at the age of seventeen, and the first female at that. With the gain in status, she attained her own Imperial General sleeping quarters beside Leo's rooms.

To celebrate, Leo had a surprise for her. "Celes," Leo called, no longer calling her by her last name, "there's something I want you to have." He gave her the sword they had been practising with over the last few months.

"Your Runic blade?"

His Runic blade had been their connection for such a long time, and he had wanted to give it to her from the beginning when he first laid eyes on her. But he knew that as long as he had it in his possession she would always come to his quarters to ask him to train at any hour of the day. This pleased him. But while spending so much time with her, he gained confidence that even if he didn't have the Runic blade, she would still come to see him.

"Yes." He gave the blade one last touch for good luck, then placed it in her hands.

"But Leo, I couldn't take it from you!" She was shocked that he would even suggest it. "I thought you had said that this is a family heirloom? You couldn't be serious, giving away something as important as that to someone outside of your family line."

"Well, not exactly."

"What do you mean?" Confusion crossed her features as she held the blade close to her body.

"I thought that one day you would become a part of my family. Celes." He pulled a little velvet box out of his jacket pocket and held it out to her.

The din of the blade crashing into the floor reverberated against the walls of the small room.

"What is this? Leo?" She stepped back from him, nearly tripping over the blade.

"I'm in love with you, Celes. Since I saved you that day, I knew that I wanted to protect you from harm's way. You're the delicate little bird I want to spend my life with."

Mixed emotions flooded her mind, sending signals to her brain and her heart. First, a feeling of relief, that her clandestine feelings had been returned. However, something about his confession infuriated her. "Is that how you see me?" Celes could feel herself getting angrier. "As a weakling who needs a strong man to teach her how to survive in this world? I was letting my heart be taken away in you, but that's not how it is!"

"Cel, I didn't mean it as a negative connotation -"

"Then how did you mean it, Leo? How did you mean it?" She flinched at the sound of the nickname, 'Cel', it had been what Kefka had always called her during their years of friendship. "And why must you call me that? Why now?"

"Listen, I just want you be safe and happy, whether or not you're with me. I thought that you felt the same way I felt about you, with the way you always acted around me." He clenched the little red box in the palm of his hand. It had never even been opened.

"I did feel the same way about you, Leo! I still do. But I thought that you saw me as a person with real feelings as an equal. And whether or not I wasn't strong when we met, I thought that you saw my inner strength and spirit. I think I've been wrong about you this entire time." Her emotions betrayed her, allowing tears to escape from her eyes.

She covered her eyes with her hands, trying to hide from him, but she continued. "I saw your spirit immediately. I had been calling that day for someone to come and find me; I didn't want to give in to Kefka's demand for me to cry out in pain. I wouldn't do it, but inside, I wanted to give up and die if he was going to go through with his intentions. And then you appeared, and I believed that you had heard me by whatever miracle."

She picked up the blade and placed it in his empty hand. "Listen, I do love you, but I must decline your offer. I don't need your shelter and security."

Celes pulled open the front door, leaving Leo standing in shock. Their loving friendship had suddenly turned into nothing.