Fallen For You 2

Fallen For You

Chapter 1: Like

Part 2


“There ya go, Sis.”

Mist smiled at me before accepting the cup and downing most of it in three swallows. She gasped for breath afterwards. “Sorry,” she said, and then cleared her throat. “I was thirstier than I thought.”

I shrugged. “No big deal. Inter-dimensional travel will do that to ya.”

“I guess so,” she said with a chuckle, and looked over at the gazebo’s table, at my untouched breakfast. “It’s really not like you to pass up on food.”

She’s right, but I don’t want her to worry about me. “Well, eating is second to seeing you for the first time in eighteen years.” I hope that sounds more convincing to her than it does to me.

It doesn’t. “You’ve lost weight,” she observed.

Right again. “Yeah, but nothing I wasn’t willing to lose. Don’t worry about me. Like I said, I’m a big boy, and I can take care of myself.” I hate lying to her, but I hate lying to myself more. I don’t want to tell her that Marth has to remind me to eat sometimes. I’m getting better, but I’m still not perfect. It feels so wrong to eat when I know that he can’t.

Shit, I let my mind wander again. I watch as she sets her glass down on the table, and turns her full attention to me. “So, will you tell me more about Pit?”

My heart twists when she says his name, but as painful as it is, I want to keep going. Mist deserves to know the whole truth, and I intend to give it to her. I need someone to talk to about it that won’t judge me, like Marth, but someone also who knows me before I met Pit, before my life reached its plateau in happiness, and before I lost the one person who meant the world to me.

“Yeah, I’ll tell you, don’t worry.” I cleared my throat. “If meeting an Angel isn’t incredible enough, just imagine finding out that you’re going to live with said Angel in the same room.”

“You two were roommates?”

I nodded, and pointed out my old room’s window on the fourth floor. “Room 416. We shared a recreational room a bathroom, and a bedroom. Separate beds too… well, at first.” Goddess, I hope I’m not blushing. Keep your mouth moving! Distract her! “Uh, I let him have the bed over by the window, so he could watch the clouds. It was a day a lot like today when we first arrived here.” And one eternity later, I think I can appreciate that irony…

*****

“Are you sure, Ike?! I promise I won’t be mad if you want it!”

“Like I already said, Pit, it’s all yours. I’ve already put my things away on this side of the room. Go ahead and unpack.”

Ike bore the naïve Angel no ill after the public display of affection, and he’d already shrugged off the incident. They were going to be living together for an indefinite amount of time, so Ike figured that it’d be best to just shrug off the little things and try to get along. He was shocked when he felt a small pair of arms wrap around his waist from behind.

“Thank you,” the cherub whispered graciously into the mercenary’s back and tightened the hug to further convey his appreciation. Before the Crimean man could even murmur a “don’t mention it”, the arms were gone, and the Angel they were attached to was busy stowing away his personal belongings.

*****

“Awww,” Mist cooed. “You were so sweet to him.”

“I did my best,” I mumble. The words sound hollow. They ring around in the empty space in my chest that used to be filled with Pit’s love. At least the spread of that space has started to slack. I can remember a time when I thought it would take over me, and plunge me forever into the darkness of my depression. Who am I kidding? I still worry about that.

“Did anyone ever bother you about the kiss?”

I have to stop getting so distracted. “Nope, well… not our first day, anyways. We just hung out in our room, getting our things put away, and trying to get to know each other.”

“It’s not every day you meet an Angel from Heaven.”

“You got that right… I remember I told him that I came from Crimea…”

*****

It was past nine at the Mansion, and most of the Brawlers had retired to their quarters. Pit and Ike were no exception; the two sat in their shared bedroom, Ike’s lamp providing a dim light just bright enough for him to polish his sword by. Pit was laying in his bed, looking out the window at the stars, positively enchanted by the heavenly, shining orbs.

Conversation had slowed between them with the passage of time, and the two were currently enjoying a comfortable silence; each enjoying something that reminded them of their homes. Neither was homesick just yet, the excitement of being in another dimension still overwhelmed all other emotions, but it was nice to look at something familiar in a world where everything was so strange.

Pit was the first to break the silence. “What’s Crimea like, Ike?” he inquired, temporarily averting his gaze from the heavens to give his roommate his fullest attention.

The two locked eyes, causing an alien emotion to befall The Crimean Lord. His stomach flopped, but he tried to ignore it. He thought for a moment. “Well, I suppose you could say that it’s a lot like Mushroom Kingdom, but we had more wildlife and humans, and the colors were less… intense. Everything here seems… exaggerated.”

Pit nodded, and smiled. “Were you happy there?”

Ike smiled in return. “Of course I was. I was born and raised there, so it will always have a special place in my heart.”

Seemingly satisfied with the answer, the little cherub resumed stargazing. The silence didn’t bother Ike, who was now finished cleaning his sword, and set it down beside the bed. Right before he turned out the light, he saw Pit cock his head to one side in an adorable, inquisitive fashion. “If it’s so special, Ike, then why did you leave?” he didn’t ask rudely, only curious.

Ike lay down in his bed, leaving the light on for the moment. “There just wasn’t anything left for me,” he explained, crossing his arms behind his head. “I’d saved everyone and I was a big hero. I was on top of the world with no where left to go. I was actually planning on leaving with my good friend, Soren, when I got my letter from the Hands, inviting me here.

“What about you, kid? Where did you come from? Heaven?”

Pit nodded enthusiastically and flapped his wings for extra emphasis. “Well, it isn’t quite what you would call “Heaven” because mortals don’t go there when they die, but it’s very close. I live in Skyworld, and Angels are the only ones allowed to live there,” he explained. He saw the mild disappointment on Ike’s face, and added, “But don’t worry, Palutena’s still watching over you. In fact, when Medusa, her sister, tried to kill all the mortals, Palutena kicked her out of Skyworld forever. She cares about all mortals.”

Ike smiled. “It’s good to know that your Goddess is looking out for everyone, but,” he paused to turn the light off, “isn’t Medusa going to be pissed that her own sister kicked her out?”

Pit pulled the covers up and settled in to go to sleep. “Believe me, she was.”

“Was?”

“Yeah,” he paused to yawn, “she’s dead now. I had to kill her when she invaded Skyworld, tortured its citizens, and imprisoned my Goddess,” the young Angel concluded nonchalantly. When Ike didn’t reply, he asked, “Did you fall asleep?”

The Crimean Lord shook himself back to his senses. “Naw, I’m awake. I just never really pictured you as… Nevermind. I underestimated you, Pit. I’m actually quite impressed with you.”

The young cherub’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head, as he sat up bolt-straight in his bed to make sure his mind hadn’t deceived him. That Ike had truly praised him. Suddenly self conscious, he looked down at his hands in his lap. “Th-th-thank you, Ike.”

Ike smiled at Pit’s bashful display. “Your Goddess must be proud of you,” he complimented, bringing out a light pink blush in the Angel’s Cheeks.

The fidgeting increased tenfold. “Y-yes! She is. Very… Proud th-that is… It’s not every fifteen year old that gets blessed with the opportunity to be the Goddess’s personal bodyguard… But,” he looked down, perhaps too shy to go any further.

“But?” Ike coaxed, now sitting up as well.

Pit, not wanting to deny his only friend an answer to his question, replied, “But I know she worries about me, too. What would she do if anything happened to me? Who would protect her?”

Ike considered that. “Those are some awfully big questions for a kid your age.”

“It’s my job,” Pit insisted, fully facing his mercenary friend. “I’m her bodyguard! It’s my duty to protect her so that she can protect the Heaven!” He looked back down at his hands.

“That’s a heavy burden on you,” Ike mumbled, and rolled out of bed to join his Angelic companion on the other bed. The younger male scooted over to accommodate him. “But who protects you?” he asked gently, trying to look his young friend in the eyes. When he didn’t immediately answer, Ike added, “You know what? Maybe I’ll look after you.”

The younger’s eyes lit up. “You’d really do that for me, Ike?”

“Yeah, sure. Why not? You’re my best friend here… if not my only…”

The little cherub leaned over and squeezed his friend tightly around his middle, smiling all the while. “Thank you, Ike! It’s good to know you’ll protect me!”

*****

Oh, Pit.

You were so trusting back then. If only I could have protected you like I’d promised.

(End Chapter)