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I’ll Be There

Chapter 3

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If you stop and really think about it, it’s incredible the lengths one will go to just to get someone to nothing him. I suppose that’s why I’m here now, in Ike’s homeland, acting as a bodyguard for him and Pit… I only wish for Pit to turn around and see that I am right being him every step of the way.

“Yoo-hoo! Link!” Pit called cheerfully, snapping the blonde from his thoughts.

“Nyah! Er… sorry, Pit. Guess I spaced out for a bit, huh?”

The Angel offers a bright smile, making the blonde’s heart soar to new heights. “Ike says that we are a little more than halfway there. We’re going to stop for the night, okay?”

“Oh, sure that’s fine…” the blonde looked over and watched in amazement as Ike-singlehandedly set up camp. Pit was mesmerized for other reasons.

“He’s incredible, isn’t he?” the cherub asked.

Link watched Ike grab some flint to light the fire. The bluenette beat the stones down to dust before he got a spark. He seemed to be in fast-motion; as if speeding up the process would make the dawn arrive sooner. “Yup, pretty intense. He must be worried about his friend.”

Pit dismissed the idea almost as quickly as Link said it. “Or maybe he just doesn’t like to waste time. He is very organized.”

The Hylian’s ears drooped along with his heart. You only have eyes for Ike, don’t you? “Yeah, that too,” he agreed if only to see the boy smile.

“I am going to go see if I can help,” the Angel said before fluttering off to the mercenary’s side.

Link shook his head and sighed heavily as he dismounted Epona. I wish…. With my whole heart, I wish I could make you light up the way he does… I would do anything to have you at my side.

Camp was quickly set, as Ike had already done most of the work, and the three sat down to stew for dinner.

“This is very good, Link,” Pit complimented suddenly, causing the Hero to beam.

“Ah, thanks. I didn’t do too much, really,” he mumbled, hoping that the warmth in his cheeks wasn’t a blush. “Just threw some meat and vegetables into a pot of water.”

The brunette shook his head. “It’s more than that. I can throw food into water to make it cook, but you do something special when you do it. I love it!”

“Really, ah… Nothing special…” the blonde stated, now certain that his cheeks were as red as the embers in the fire.

Ike grunted and pushed the partially-eaten bowl away in favor of staring up at the night sky. Pit and Link exchanged an uneasy look before both went back to their meals.

“Ike,” the Angel called softly, setting his bowl aside. “Can you tell us a story? It’ll pass the time, and I know nothing of your friend.”

“Hmmm,” the bluenette sighed. Link was unsure if the swordsman was even paying attention.

The brunette fidgeted, unsure if he should continue or leave the larger man alone. “Where did you meet him?”

Silence.

“Ya know,” Link started. “I could always tell a story--”

“I always thought he was just a random person,” Ike began, as if the Hylian had never spoken. “Someone off the street who just needed a job… I didn’t know that he’d spent the last nine years searching all of Crimea for me. By then, I had forgotten the day we first met, and even though I didn’t have a clue who he was, he stayed by my side, just so he could be close to me and protect me.”

A jealous pout on his face, Pit replied, “He sounds like a loyal friend.”

The bluenette nodded. “The best. He would do anything for me, if only I asked… Sometimes, I did.”

“Everyone makes mistakes,” Link offered.

The large swordsman shrugged. “Maybe. I can make excuses for myself, but I know in my heart that I took advantage of him from time to time… I was the first one to treat him like a human being… I know he loved me for it.”

The Angel huffed, “Well, did he ever confess his love to you, or did you just assume his feelings were those of love?”

“He did tell me. He poured his heart and soul out to me, the day that I left for the tournament…”

Link watched Pit’s eyes widen in a crestfallen look materialize on the youth’s face. Pit… Don’t be sad. You deserve only to smile.

“And… What did you do?” the brunette questioned softly, his interest in the conversation already diminished.

“… Nothing.”

The blonde’s ears perked up. “What?”

“It was terrible. I knew that he would always love me, and that his every word was true, but I was selfish. I didn’t want to commit, I wanted to flee, so when he finished telling me everything he had been holding back for nearly fourteen years, I… pretended that I didn’t hear him, and I walked away… I took advantage of the fact that he wouldn’t have the courage to repeat himself, and I left…

“It was an asshole move, I know…”

Gods, Ike! What does Pit see in you? How could you do that to another person? I’d be shocked if your friend ever talks to you again. Asshole doesn’t BEGIN to—

“Everyone makes mistakes, Ike,” Pit whispered. “You’ve grown up now, and you’re going to make this right.

… Pit…

The former lord shook his head. “Some mistakes shouldn’t be forgiven… Walking away – turning your back – on the person who has stood by your side for… years just--”

Too disgusted with himself to finish his own thought, the bluenette stood up and stalked off to his own tent. The remaining two sat in silence before the Hylian scooted closer. The Angel looked up at him and smiled, though the worry was still evident in his features.

“I never knew that Ike had so much going on with him,” the cherub stated, while bringing his legs to his chest and resting his chin on his knees.

“Me neither. Poor guy has some issues, but I’m sure he’ll get it worked out tomorrow,” Link replied. Are you cold? He wondered and took off his green tunic, draping it over the youth’s shoulders like a blanket.

The young Angel mindlessly hugged the garment to him. His downcast expression gave away his unease as did his silence.

“Is something bothering you, Pit? You know you can always talk to me,” the blonde offered. I want to be there for you. You can always lean on me.

The youth sighed and ruffled his feathers. “You don’t think… Ike’s not in love with his friend, right? He’s just doing this to be nice, isn’t he?”

Link bit his lip. “I’m not sure. He certainly is going to a lot of trouble for someone who is just a friend, but given their history, who knows?... Do you no want Ike to be in love?”

“I want Ike to love me!” the cherub boldly stated before turning his gaze to the Hylian. “I know it sounds horribly selfish, but… I don’t know. Ike is very special to me. Have you ever felt that way before? Like you would follow someone to a strange land in hopes that they would see how much you care?... What lengths you would go to for them?”

I know exactly how that feels. I just want one chance, just the smallest hope, that I could one day call you mine. For that, I would follow you until the end of time. “Yeah, I do know what that feels like.”

“It hurts… but I hope that when this is all over, I can show Ike how much I care, and maybe he will love me,” the boy said wistfully.

The blonde forced a smile and nodded. So long as you are happy… I only want you to smile…

(End Chapter 3)

Description
I’ll Be There

Chapter 3

#######

If you stop and really think about it, it’s incredible the lengths one will go to just to get someone to nothing him. I suppose that’s why I’m here now, in Ike’s homeland, acting as a bodyguard for him and Pit… I only wish for Pit to turn around and see that I am right being him every step of the way.

“Yoo-hoo! Link!” Pit called cheerfully, snapping the blonde from his thoughts.

“Nyah! Er… sorry, Pit. Guess I spaced out for a bit, huh?”

The Angel offers a bright smile, making the blonde’s heart soar to new heights. “Ike says that we are a little more than halfway there. We’re going to stop for the night, okay?”

“Oh, sure that’s fine…” the blonde looked over and watched in amazement as Ike-singlehandedly set up camp. Pit was mesmerized for other reasons.

“He’s incredible, isn’t he?” the cherub asked.

Link watched Ike grab some flint to light the fire. The bluenette beat the stones down to dust before he got a spark. He seemed to be in fast-motion; as if speeding up the process would make the dawn arrive sooner. “Yup, pretty intense. He must be worried about his friend.”

Pit dismissed the idea almost as quickly as Link said it. “Or maybe he just doesn’t like to waste time. He is very organized.”

The Hylian’s ears drooped along with his heart. You only have eyes for Ike, don’t you? “Yeah, that too,” he agreed if only to see the boy smile.

“I am going to go see if I can help,” the Angel said before fluttering off to the mercenary’s side.

Link shook his head and sighed heavily as he dismounted Epona. I wish…. With my whole heart, I wish I could make you light up the way he does… I would do anything to have you at my side.

Camp was quickly set, as Ike had already done most of the work, and the three sat down to stew for dinner.

“This is very good, Link,” Pit complimented suddenly, causing the Hero to beam.

“Ah, thanks. I didn’t do too much, really,” he mumbled, hoping that the warmth in his cheeks wasn’t a blush. “Just threw some meat and vegetables into a pot of water.”

The brunette shook his head. “It’s more than that. I can throw food into water to make it cook, but you do something special when you do it. I love it!”

“Really, ah… Nothing special…” the blonde stated, now certain that his cheeks were as red as the embers in the fire.

Ike grunted and pushed the partially-eaten bowl away in favor of staring up at the night sky. Pit and Link exchanged an uneasy look before both went back to their meals.

“Ike,” the Angel called softly, setting his bowl aside. “Can you tell us a story? It’ll pass the time, and I know nothing of your friend.”

“Hmmm,” the bluenette sighed. Link was unsure if the swordsman was even paying attention.

The brunette fidgeted, unsure if he should continue or leave the larger man alone. “Where did you meet him?”

Silence.

“Ya know,” Link started. “I could always tell a story--”

“I always thought he was just a random person,” Ike began, as if the Hylian had never spoken. “Someone off the street who just needed a job… I didn’t know that he’d spent the last nine years searching all of Crimea for me. By then, I had forgotten the day we first met, and even though I didn’t have a clue who he was, he stayed by my side, just so he could be close to me and protect me.”

A jealous pout on his face, Pit replied, “He sounds like a loyal friend.”

The bluenette nodded. “The best. He would do anything for me, if only I asked… Sometimes, I did.”

“Everyone makes mistakes,” Link offered.

The large swordsman shrugged. “Maybe. I can make excuses for myself, but I know in my heart that I took advantage of him from time to time… I was the first one to treat him like a human being… I know he loved me for it.”

The Angel huffed, “Well, did he ever confess his love to you, or did you just assume his feelings were those of love?”

“He did tell me. He poured his heart and soul out to me, the day that I left for the tournament…”

Link watched Pit’s eyes widen in a crestfallen look materialize on the youth’s face. Pit… Don’t be sad. You deserve only to smile.

“And… What did you do?” the brunette questioned softly, his interest in the conversation already diminished.

“… Nothing.”

The blonde’s ears perked up. “What?”

“It was terrible. I knew that he would always love me, and that his every word was true, but I was selfish. I didn’t want to commit, I wanted to flee, so when he finished telling me everything he had been holding back for nearly fourteen years, I… pretended that I didn’t hear him, and I walked away… I took advantage of the fact that he wouldn’t have the courage to repeat himself, and I left…

“It was an asshole move, I know…”

Gods, Ike! What does Pit see in you? How could you do that to another person? I’d be shocked if your friend ever talks to you again. Asshole doesn’t BEGIN to—

“Everyone makes mistakes, Ike,” Pit whispered. “You’ve grown up now, and you’re going to make this right.

… Pit…

The former lord shook his head. “Some mistakes shouldn’t be forgiven… Walking away – turning your back – on the person who has stood by your side for… years just--”

Too disgusted with himself to finish his own thought, the bluenette stood up and stalked off to his own tent. The remaining two sat in silence before the Hylian scooted closer. The Angel looked up at him and smiled, though the worry was still evident in his features.

“I never knew that Ike had so much going on with him,” the cherub stated, while bringing his legs to his chest and resting his chin on his knees.

“Me neither. Poor guy has some issues, but I’m sure he’ll get it worked out tomorrow,” Link replied. Are you cold? He wondered and took off his green tunic, draping it over the youth’s shoulders like a blanket.

The young Angel mindlessly hugged the garment to him. His downcast expression gave away his unease as did his silence.

“Is something bothering you, Pit? You know you can always talk to me,” the blonde offered. I want to be there for you. You can always lean on me.

The youth sighed and ruffled his feathers. “You don’t think… Ike’s not in love with his friend, right? He’s just doing this to be nice, isn’t he?”

Link bit his lip. “I’m not sure. He certainly is going to a lot of trouble for someone who is just a friend, but given their history, who knows?... Do you no want Ike to be in love?”

“I want Ike to love me!” the cherub boldly stated before turning his gaze to the Hylian. “I know it sounds horribly selfish, but… I don’t know. Ike is very special to me. Have you ever felt that way before? Like you would follow someone to a strange land in hopes that they would see how much you care?... What lengths you would go to for them?”

I know exactly how that feels. I just want one chance, just the smallest hope, that I could one day call you mine. For that, I would follow you until the end of time. “Yeah, I do know what that feels like.”

“It hurts… but I hope that when this is all over, I can show Ike how much I care, and maybe he will love me,” the boy said wistfully.

The blonde forced a smile and nodded. So long as you are happy… I only want you to smile…

(End Chapter 3)