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Disclaimer: I don't own FE7 or any other FE for that matter

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Chapter Four: Are we friends?


Rebecca and Heath enjoyed each other's company tremendously. Heath allowed himself to relax around her and forget about his troubles. Rebecca on the other hand felt safe around him. Sain still bothered her on occasion.

"Lovely Rebecca! My heart leaps to see you safe and well! What a scare you gave us in the desert! If it only was me whose name you cried and leapt headlong into danger for. Alas! I fear that I am outmatched. Oh, woe, my heart breaks to admit defeat, but I will be the better man and admit defeat at Heath's hands."

"Sain, what the hell are you talking about?" Rebecca questioned. The army was back in Pharae and rested for the night at Eliwood's place. Athos transported them via magic.

"Lovely Rebecca! Do not look at me with those emerald pools of inocence! I have admitted defeat at the hands of my betters..."

"Cut the crap, Sain." the sniper hissed, cutting the paladin's drama short. "Speak plainly. I can't undertand what the heck you are trying to say."

"You are in love with Heath. Therefore I will no longer persue you for it seems like he feels the same about you too." Sain said matter-of-factly.
Rebecca was stunned.

"...you're joking, right?"

"No. I'm serious. I will admit that it is hard for any lady to be void of my affections, but Sweet Rebecca, be strong!" Sain said dramatically and strode away to charm one of the maids.

Rebecca grinned and shook her head. Sain was such a...handful to say the least.

Later that night after much tossing and turning the sniper got out of bed, deciding that a walk outside would clear her head from worry.
The air was cool and a slight breeze ruffled the grass. Rebecca walked around the courtyard only to find a certain red-head mercenary gazing at the moon.

"Sir Raven?"

Said man responded to his name by turning around. "Can't sleep?" he questioned.

"No, I take you can't as well?"

"Something like that." Raven returned his gaze to the moon.

Rebecca stood silently next to Raven and gazed at the moon as well. Every now and then the mercinary would glance at her, taking in her unbraided hair and soft emerald eyes, but Rebecca did not notice.

"He'll be good for you," Raven stated after a few moments of silence passed. Rebecca gazed at him dumbly.

"Heath," Raven explained to the confused sniper, "I've seen the two of you together. You look happy when you're with him."

Rebecca was completely dumbstruck. Of all the people...she did not expect Raven to say something like that. First Sain and now Raven? What was going on?! Did all the men in the army suddenly become interested in her relationship with Heath? Did they all think that she needed their approval to be with him?

"I...uh....don't know what to say. Sir Raven, are you feeling okay?"

The mercinary only grunted. "You don't have to pretend around me, Rebecca. I'm not as dense as Sain. I've seen the way you look at each other. Those looks tell me enough."

Rebecca's palms became sweaty. Oh no...please don't say Raven's...

Raven quickly read the expression in her eyes and smiled slightly. "Don't worry. I'm not jealous. I'm happy for you as a friend."

Rebecca smiled brightly at Raven and on impulse hugged his waist tightly. Raven was caught off-guard by her sudden actions, but quickly relaxed when she released him.

"You won't be lonely forever, Raven. You'll find her."

"I already have," Raven replied with an amused grin.

"Who? Come on you've got to tell me!" Rebecca bounced up and down with joy.

"Florina."

Rebecca could have been knocked dead with a feather. Raven grinned selfconsiously as Rebecca gaped at him.

"Florina? The shy, man-afraid, pegasus knight Floirina?"

"Yes."

"Does she know?"

"No."

"Oh...will you tell her?"

"I don't think so. I don't want to make a fool of myself if she doesn't return my feelings..." Raven caught sight of Rebecca's expression. "Is there something I should know?"

"I heard that Hector likes her too."

"Typical." Raven grumbled. First he takes away his home and now he's going to take away her as well. Right now he really hated the Ostian noble.

"Wait!" Rebecca warned upon seeing the dark look in Raven's eyes. "I never said that she liked him back! I can find out who she likes..."

"No."

"Why not?"

"..." Raven avoided her gaze, but he could not hide the slight blush on his cheeks from her sharp eyes. Rebecca giggled.

"I see. You're shy! I never thought you could be shy, Sir Raven."

"I told you before. I am human." Raven responed weakly.

"Hmm, maybe you could show your 'human' side to Florina?" Rebecca teased.

"Forget I said anything."

"Don't worry Sir Raven, I'll find out who she likes." Raven glared at her in protest, but Rebecca's eyes grew wide and sparkled mischviously.

Oh no... Raven thought.

"I've got a GREAT PLAN! But you've got to promise to go along with it."

"No."

"Please?"

"Forget it."

"You haven't even heard what my plan is!" Rebecca pouted.

"I said no," the mercinary replied firmly. The whole situation was starting to get ridiculous.

"Pretty Pleeeeaaaaaasssseeeee?" Rebecca dragged out the last word extra long just to vex Raven.

"Rebecca." He warned darkly.


The following day en route to Bern...


Raven mentally kicked himself for the millionth time that day. Why did he allow Rebecca to drag him into her ridiculous plan? He sighed as he shifted his position in the tree that the sniper ordered him to hide in.
"This is ridiculous..." he muttered beneath his breath, briefly considering to ditch her plan and get out of the tree. However as fate would have it Rebecca and Florina approached the tree at that same moment. Raven's heart leapt at the sight of the shy pegasus knight. The sun shone brightly in her hair and for once the pegasus was not with her.
He gazed down at them as they sat beneath the tree.

"Phew. It's a good thing Serra started to moan she's tired. My feet's killing me!" Rebecca said.

Florina smiled shyly. "Huey was getting pretty tired too. At least we can rest now."

"Yeah." Rebecca placed her hands behand her head and leaned against the tree. Florina followed suit, folding her hands on her lap instead.

"I wonder what it's like to fly..." Rebecca mused out loud. Florina gave her an odd look.

"But you know already. You flew with me the other day...oh," Florina gasped, "you mean on a wyvern?"

"Maybe..."

"You like him, don't you?" Florina giggled.

"Seems to be talk of the camp lately...hey, do YOU like Heath?"

Raven chocked in surprize. That was subtle... he thought sarcastically.

"Did you hear something?" Florina asked, looking around.

"Come on, Flo. Don't dodge the question." Rebecca said. "I didn't mean it like that anyway. There's a lot of cute guys in camp anyway. Like...hmm let me see...." she furrowed her brow earning her a shy giggle from Florina.

"Eliwood?" Florina asked after a moment. Rebecca gasped.

"You think he's cute?"

Florina pulled a face. "Not really. He's too..."

"Perfect?"

"I was going to say gentle," Florina said soflty.

"Oh, you like the meanies?" Rebecca teased.

Raven's palm connected with his forehead.

"...hey Flo, why are you scared of men?"

Florina fell silent for a while. "It's not that I'm scared of men...it's just I'm scared they'll use me and then forget about me...s-so I just try to avoid them where I can."

Raven closed his eyes. I would never do that to you...

"Aww, not all men are like that. Sure some are complete jerks, but others are just so sweet..." Rebecca trailed off dreamily.

Raven felt a bit nauseous. Blood and gore his could stomach, but girl talk...

"Like Heath?" Florina asked. Rebecca nodded.

"He's nice and handsome, but don't think that I don't apreciate the eye-candy around camp!" Rebecca said lightly.

"Me too!" Florina added with a soft laugh.

Raven nearly fell from his perch.

"Oooh, now you gotta tell me! Who's your eye-candy?"

Florina blushed furiously. "It's not like that..." she whispered.

"So you really like this guy, huh?"

Another shy nod from Florina confirmed this.

"Come on tell me who....no wait! Let's play a game. I'll mention a name and then both of us have to give our honest opinions about him, sounds good?"

"Sounds like fun," Florina agreed.

"Okay! Hmm, let's start with...Erk. I think he's too uptight."

"He never seems happy," Florina added.

"Will's an ass."

"He scares me," Florina quickly added, "his bow," in explanation to Rebecca's confused look.

"Bartre."

Both girls pulled a face.

"Heath is hot!" Rebecca giggled.

Florina nodded in agreement.

Raven groaned inwardly. How long was Rebecca going to drag this torture out?

"Hector." Rebecca said deliberatly loud so that Raven could hear extra clear.

The scowl on his face deepened.

"I don't like him. Not one bit! I swear he's some kind of creepy stalker. I always run away when comes close."

Rebecca and Raven was astonished at Florina's revelation.

"Wow, Flo. That's the most honest opinion I heard so far." Florina blushed.

"It's the truth," she added softly.

"...and Raven?" Rebecca asked cutting her list short. She intended to mention Raven last, but she had a gut feeling.

I AM GOING TO KILL REBECCA... Raven thought furiously.

Florina was too shy to answer. "Okay let me go first then," Rebecca offered trying to encourage her friend. "I think Raven's fridged. He never tells anyone whats bothering him and he always scowls. Only thing he's good for is eye-candy."

Raven's mind went completely blank.

"That not true, he's proud..." Florina said shyly. "I think he's hurting a lot inside, but don't have anyone to comfort him...and h-he's..."

"Yes?" Rebecca asked coyly.

"...more than eye-candy. He's easy on the eyes." Florina turned a bright shade of crimson. She never talked so openly about men before especially about HIM...
"...very easy on the eyes..." she added shyly.

Above the girls in the tree Raven was blushing just as much as Florina.

"Do you like him?"

Florina nodded. "He's not like the others. He doesn't pest me like Sain or creep me out like Hector. I-I really like him a lot....b-but h-he won't f-feel the s-same about m-me," Florina finished stuttered terribly.

Raven had heard enough. He leapt from his perch, landing behind Florina. The two girls screamed in unison. Florina because she was not aware of Raven's presence and Rebecca becasue he was not keeping to her plan.

"R-Raven...I-I...I uh..." Florina stuttered as she got to her feet. Rebecca slipped away quietly. Tears of fear stung Florina's eyes. Obviously Raven had heard everything. She wanted to run away, but her feet was rooted. She opted to stare at the ground instead.

"I won't hurt you," Raven softly said as he cupped Florina's face and wiped away her tears.

Florina gazed into his red eyes and saw the question that he hesitated to ask. "I-its the t-truth. I l-like you." Her heart hammered in her chest. She knew he was going to reject her. She just knew. More tears flowed down her face.

Raven smiled gently at her. "I like you as well," he nervously admitted.

Florina could no longer hold her tears of happyness, fear and disbelief in check. "R-Really...?" she chocked.
Raven pulled her against him, muffling her sobs against his chest.

"Really," he whispered and felt truly happy for once in his life.


Rebecca watched the pair at a safe distance. A huge smiled graced her face.
"So that's what you were up to, eh?" The sniper jumped on hearing the male voice next to her. Glancing to her side she saw Heath grinning at her.

"Playing match-maker are we?" he teased, earning him a light shove.

"Those two needed a hand." Rebecca admitted. "They look so cute! Don't you think?"

"Uh...sure...whatever." Heath replied waveringly. His glanced over at the hugging couple. Raven's arms were wrapped protectively around Florina as he whispered into her ear. Florina was smiling and crying at the same time, but she looked completely happy. The wyvern rider felt a bit jealous of them. He longed to have Rebecca in his arms, to stroke her hair and feel her body against his...
He shook his head and walked away. Rebecca following instantly. He would have to settle with being friends with her. After all he was a hunted man.

She deserves better... Heath thought as they headed back to camp.


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Aww, another fluffy chapter! I know Raven was terribly out of character, but love makes you do strange things, right?
Heh heh, I found the Raven X Florina quite cute. But let me know what you think!
Read, Review and Rate or RRR
Next chapter....Vaida will appear!