Brother's Keeper

'Captain,

Forgive me for sending this letter without warning. 

 So, this is weird.

A letter sent by a Homo Ferox to a Princess might cause a stir, but we are both runaways now.

I still can't write correctly, considering all the lessons the old man gave me. Forgive me if some of the words are misspelled. 

I am grateful for this wild adventure. Helping you and all, it was enjoyable. Our job is to send you to Erythyl. Then, we will part ways as per our agreement. I'm not asking you not to do that, but maybe you should be careful around the Elves—all of them. 

Last I went there with my 'friends,' I got drunk, and Boyd had to carry me.

The Elves are prosperous, but every race has its secrets, even us humans. 

I hope your journey with us has stayed the same. You understand by now that it's life. You are doing a lot of evil to do a lot of good. 

But sometimes the bad is bad. And the good can come at one hell of a price. 

I won't be there by that time, and whatever you do, I know you will make the right choice. 

You're a good person, Princess Flare Edwen. One of the best I've ever met. 

When you were angry at me for wanting revenge and taking it as far as to battle me, regardless of whether or not you knew you'd win, I felt a sense of pride for some reason. I'm damn proud of you, princess. 

It's funny. Uncle Boyd told you a partial story of how we were assigned this job. 

We met your brother once, or rather, Uncle Boyd met him back when I was training in Atlis. That old man was told to write to him about your well-being, but I am sure he'll ask me to write it as part of my training. 

I wish I could write to him about your condition, but he is hard to find, so I'll write my thoughts to you, Your Highness. 

-Prince Mitchel. 

Your sister, Princess Flare Edwen, who is in our care, has completely changed. 

She is training hard under our watch every day. 

She is still bossy and a bit conceited, but she is trying. It will take some time to work on the damage from her pampered lifestyle in the palace, but she is now and will always keep doing her best, never stopping to move forward. 

She has matured into a fine young woman. (Forgive me for writing this. I don't know any other way to write it.)

I'm ashamed to admit I've learned something or two from watching her struggle. 

I know that she will become a strong person, as a princess and a warrior.

So, when she becomes competent, please show her your approval.

As her family, as her brother whom she thoroughly admires…

Can you please accept her?

I'm sure that's what she wants. 

She may constantly complain and whine, but I know how she feels. 

-

…Because it is too late for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

…..

"…That idiot…" Flare grits her teeth. 

"He's such an idiot…"

Marcia, holding Flare's waist from behind on their horse, remained silent as she saw tears flow down Flare's cheeks. 

When the three of them entered the rocky areas, they had to dismount their horses and pull them up to prevent injuries on their legs. Flare quickly took the time to ask Boyd questions regarding Weiss's letter. She approached Boyd as the two pulled their horses - plunging deeper into the mountainous area, but it took a while for her to get the words right. 

"During the last fight that ensured both his freedom and William's, William died in the ring…" 

"I know this is a lot to take in."

"…Take your time," Boyd comforts her. 

"…Y-You lied," Flare stammers. 

"Hmm?"

"You told me that you found that note. You didn't tell me that you met my brother," she hisses, slightly enraged by Boyd's deceit. 

"…"

"For what? To…scare me?" she asked. 

"Of course, I didn't. I monitored you, Your Highness," Boyd politely answers. 

"You what?"

"…"

Boyd stayed silent for a few seconds. 

"Memories can resurface. Wounds can reopen…"

"I never scared you." 

"I used, at discreet intervals, potential trigger words and assessed you to update myself as to your mental condition and your strength before telling you the full truth of the matter," Boyd states. 

Despite Boyd's statement, Flare became more puzzled than before she asked the question. 

"Truth? What truth?" she asked, perplexed. 

This time, Boyd looked at her. Flare does not know his expression, but she can tell by his subtle movement that he, too, is puzzled by her answer. 

"…You don't remember?" he asked. 

His tone is as if he is pitying her instead of telling her the truth he spoke of. 

"I'm sorry I spoke about it, but we can continue this another time," he added, dismissing the conversation. 

"Wait, wait a second, hold on!" Flare stopped him, wanting further answers. 

"I can only tell you one thing, Your Highness," he reveals, even though he is not facing her. 

"…There is another mission that must be done before sending you to Erythyl, and it is here, on this very island."

"There is another objective besides making you stronger and letting Weiss settle his petty vengeance," he adds.

"Come on, we're almost there."

The armored man turns silent. 

Flare tries to ask more, but Boyd avoids talking to her by pacing faster. She tries to persist further, but Marcia stops her. The little girl grabbed her arm. 

"…You…You can trust him, Your Highness," Marcia assures her. 

Hearing this, Flare turned more puzzled. 

-Since when did Marcia become on good terms with Boyd?-

-Why is she defending him?-

Tons of questions bombed her mind, but ultimately, she trusted Boyd's judgment. She doubted him once and planned on not doing it again despite every bone in her body telling her the opposite. She paced faster, which puzzled Marcia. 

"-Princess Flare?"

"Fine, whatever! I'll tag along with you wherever you want, then!" she irritatingly states. 

 * * * * *

Owen instantly dodges the attack and swings his axe, aiming for the right side of Weiss's head. Weiss managed to avoid it with his parrying dagger, which surprised Owen. That dagger was planted 6 inches into the ground the last time he checked. It takes immense strength to pull it out with brute force. 

"Whiny little bitch?" Weiss repeats, angered. 

"…Even if a part of me still behaves like that, it dies today!" 

He pushes the axe away and jumps upwards before slamming the great sword to the ground. The sword's weight created enough smokescreen to block Owen's vision temporarily. Before Owen can do anything, Weiss suddenly appears behind him and knee-kicks his back. Owen manages to channel enough energy to prevent a lethal blow. Still, it is painful enough to blast him to a tree near the lake. The impact breaks the tree into two as the top part crashes into the clear lake. Weiss instantly tried to plunge his dagger, but for some reason, he switched and punched Owen's gut, which incapacitated him.

Hawke is calmly fishing from afar as he watches the battle unfold and puffs out the smoke from his cheap cigar. Next to him is a basket filled with three fish he caught with his newly made fishing rod. 

"…Owen is crazy," he mutters. 

"If they got here, he had used an illusion projection, which failed."

"So, from the moment Weiss broke through it, that kid is seizing control of this battle."

"He is stronger than Owen was during his prime."

He looks at Weiss. 

"That kid is strong, but I never thought he was this strong."

"…But I guess it is still early to tell."

"His movements are…he seemed uncertain," Hawke guesses. 

Back at the fight, right after Owen vomits blood, Weiss grabs his face and smashes his head against the tree. He stabs the man's arm with his dagger, making him incapable of using his wrist. 

"I focused all my hatred towards you. The 'Underworld King' title is too big to fit someone like you who is not hateful enough," Weiss scowls. 

"You should've stayed home in Cantor, make a family or something."

"Why did you intend to face me knowing that I can beat you when you lack the resolve to be hateful?"

"I've already got nothing to lose."

"You will die, unable to protect anything."

"…Just like what you did back to us!" Weiss roars. 

Weiss quickly attempts to punch Owen in the gut again. Still, once the last sentence reaches Owen's ears, the man's weary eyes return to life. He quickly uses his other hand to push Weiss's left punch away and hits the tree. In an instant, he locks Weiss's arm between his and his waist before breaking Weiss's left arm with his knees. Weiss is taken aback by this, which left an opening for Owen. The king smashes his head against Weiss's and kicks the man away from him. Weiss slides backward, using his hand to grab the ground, and regains his balance. Owen slowly stands back up and removes the pierced dagger from his wrist. His right hand is useless to hold a weapon, but he ignores it as he stares at his axe on the ground. Instead, he unsheathes his second axe to his non-dominant left hand. 

"What makes you think I'm not hateful, Weiss?" Owen utters as he slowly approaches Weiss. 

"It is true. As you say, I am far from being the 'Underworld King,' like the previous one before me. My magical abilities focus more on trickery and skill, not brute force. You may be much closer to it-."

"-But I still don't see myself losing," Owen declares. 

This puzzles Weiss. Owen grips his axe tighter and points it at Weiss. 

"The strength that has nothing to lose is the same as a weakness that can't protect anything."

"You can't take anything, or anyone, from me," he adds. 

However, Weiss retorts with a sneer before suddenly appearing before Owen. 

"You can't even protect yourself, much less William!" Weiss roars, kicking the man's head. 

"What could you possibly protect from me?" 

"If you can't protect something, keep your hands off it from the beginning!"

Weiss sequenced his attack with a left stomp. Owen's eyes shot open again, looking straight at Weiss. Weiss croaked a bit, but he continued the attack. Owen instantly counters by rolling to the side and punching the right side of Weiss's face. 

"…"

Weiss instantly replies to his punch with another knee kick, which blasted Owen to the side. 

"Was that fear?" Hawke assesses as he watches the fight from afar. 

The thought crossed his mind when he noticed Weiss's croak. 

"No, he's being thrown off…"

Weiss unsheathes his great sword and jumps upwards for an aerial attack. 

"-By Owen's eyes that kept coming back to life, despite those direct hits."

Weiss strikes the ground, creating a cloud of dust and debris. As it slowly dissipates, he notices that Owen is not on the ground. He quickly realized the slight shift in the cloud of dust and prepared to counter. Instead, both of them took a direct hit from the other, cutting their chest wide open. The cut was not deep enough to be considered fatal, but blood began oozing out nonetheless. The two of them fell to the ground. Their hands shook hard as they struggled to push themselves back up. Weiss looks at Owen, whose eyes still hang on life, which infuriates Weiss. 

"…What are you looking at, old man? What are your eyes fixed on?" Weiss asks. 

"You're not looking at me."

"Since the start of this battle, your eyes are fixed on something else. You are off fighting a different battle all by yourself."

"Who are you fighting, old man?" Weiss shouts.

"Are you fighting just for the sake of your name? Underworld King?" 

Owen remains silent, slowly standing up. He stood firmly, looking at his nephew's bloodied face with his own bloodied face. 

"…After William died-."

"I got so angry and wanted revenge on the king…"

"…But I didn't realize I was leaving you behind."

"Then, you closed yourself from everyone. You built a concrete wall around yourself and the hole you are already in. The bratty nephew I once knew was lost to me. After I instigated a rebellion and killed the previous Underworld King…you were already gone."

"…I lost everyone I know, and I learned how terrifying it would be. To let down everyone who held you highly, it sucked."

"I kept living on this road, hoping we would meet again one day."

"…But I knew when you did, if you did, it would be to kill me for my failure. That is fine…"

"-That is enough-."

"I am not naïve enough to think we can shake hands and hug, grab another whiskey, and pass out drunk."

"-That is when I realized…"

"I've been given another chance, but I was just cowering and running away."

Weiss looked down, just staring blankly. 

"I'll never run away again…"

"Not from protecting someone or losing it…"

Weiss bit his lips. 

"…I don't need a fancy title like 'Underworld King' or one as sorry as 'Baldy.'"

Owen raises his head and faces Weiss with a smile on his face. Weiss looks at him, bewildered and puzzled. 

"I'm Uncle Owen."

"I swear on this name, William, this name that you once called, that I won't lose…" Owen states with a gentle, honest tone. 

"Not to you…"

"-Or myself."

"So, Leonard Weiss…"

"-You shouldn't lose, either," Owen tells him. 

"Remember."

Flashes of Weiss's past storm his mind. Memories of his time with William. Memories of his time complaining to Owen. The frightening times. The infuriating times. The happy times. 

"Remember that thing lying at the very depths of the hateful you…!"

Without even thinking further, Weiss lunges toward Owen with full intent to kill.

"YOUR TRUE SELF!"

Owen blocks the attack as he finishes his sentence. Weiss shouts, for some reason, still angry with Owen. Weiss took advantage of the block to grab Owen's right arm and kick his face with his knee. Owen retorts by holding Weiss's face and throws him to the ground. 

"…Huh."

"That's how that old man always is," Hawke chuckles. 

"If they have something to fight for, they won't hesitate to face someone, be it their own…no, for their blood."

"His eyes are not fixed on your hatred, Weiss."

"Rather, his own. His hatred for his failure."

"To save himself and the ones he care."

"He will keep on struggling, fighting everyone's biggest enemy…"

"Themselves."

The two men dropped their defenses and assaulted each other on total offense. Each strike is responded to with another. Owen spits out a few of his knocked-out teeth. Weiss's previous wounds reopened. However, the two didn't seem to care as they punched each other and did not stop. Not until one of them falls and accepts the other's truth. Owen wanted reconciliation and salvation from his failures. Weiss wants to release all of the pent-up anger he had kept from a young age after William's death and cut down the person the person responsible for it. However, bit by bit, the resolve he had held so closely gets chipped off. By Flare…By Owen. 

"Weiss…"

"The stronger you are, the stronger his resolve will be," Hawke declares. 

Weiss punches Owen's forehead, but the man withstood the force. He fought a direct hit to his head and blocked it, leaving an opening for an attack. 

"…How many walls remain?" Owen asks himself before punching Weiss directly in the gut. 

This incapacitated Weiss. Owen quickly grabs his axe and swings it with his full might, but Weiss quickly blocks the attack with his broken left arm. The axe cleaved halfway through Weiss's arms but got stuck once it struck his bones. Weiss responds with a direct uppercut to Owen's jaw, launching the man away from him. Once he crashes to the ground, Weiss again lunges towards him, utterly indifferent about the axe stuck in his arm. 

"This is as far you can go!" Weiss shouts. 

"…"

Suddenly, a golden figure stood in front of him. Her golden hair and her elf ears blocked his view. Her body fully opened, protecting the fleeting Owen. Weiss could see the sweat on her face. The armor was filled with dents and chips after his fight against her remains. At that moment, his enraged eyes met her impetrate, sorrowful eyes. 

"STOP, WEISS!" Flare shouts, begging. 

Weiss's hand shook slightly, but he shouted angrily as he launched the punch. Right now, he does not seem to care how to attack Owen, be it through Flare, until…

"…And-."

"This is as far as you go, you stupid 'knight,'" Owen states. 

The man stood up despite his weary bones, pulled Flare backward to protect her, and punched Weiss in the face. He managed to land his hit first and evade Weiss's. Weiss is blasted back and crashes to the ground. The only ones standing around them are Flare, Owen, Hawke, Flare's horse, and the second approaching horse. Hawke just looked at them in amazement. 

Flare slowly lowered her arms, still shocked at what she saw just now. 

"…"

"For a moment, he just…," she recalled Weiss shaking hands. 

"He hesitated…" Hawke murmurs to himself. 

Owen puts his hand on Flare's shoulder, desperate for support to stand up straight. Flare didn't mind. She is recalling Weiss's attempt.

"Did you get a look at the depths of your hatred?" Owen coughs. 

"What you saw there is your true self," he finishes. 

He almost fell, but Flare quickly helped and prevented him. 

However…

"…"

"…"

"…"

Breaking the silence, they could hear the sound of tearing muscles and breaking bones. When they saw what caused it, both Flare and Owen's eyes shot open, shocked at what they saw. Green light illuminates the barren surrounding. Both the sound and light came from one person. That person is standing there, looking at Owen and Flare with monstrous eyes. Bits of blood ooze out from his skin as he gazes at them, filled with rage, only rage. 

"Huh, that moronic kid went and got himself consumed by his magic," Hawke sighs and continues fishing. 

"That's no longer anyone's bratty kid or friend anymore."

"That's just a beast that's even forgotten his name," he adds. 

In an instant, Weiss disappeared from both their sights and appeared in front of Flare, prepared to attack at full power. Flare needed a moment to reach. Thankfully, Owen quickly jumped and saved Flare from the attack. Although Weiss missed, his full-powered punch created a loud snap sound at the empty air in front of him. At first, Flare thought that he had broken his arm due to his reckless thoughts. However, after seeing his hand in regular shape, ignoring the cuts and blood she saw when she arrived, another thought came into mind. 

"...That sound…He punched the air and created that?" she thought.

More blood oozed through his skin, and Flare could see his broken arm and his right arm tearing off. 

"That stupid…," Owen mutters, but he quickly pushes Flare away and takes a direct hit from Weiss's kick. 

Owen's ribs cracked, and he was blasted far away from them, knocked out of consciousness. 

"Stop it, Weiss!" Flare begs, yelling at him. 

"If you keep going, your body will…" 

Weiss ignores her plea and lunges high into the sky, prepared to attack Flare. The lunge nearly rips his ankle off as it slowly tears bit by bit. Suddenly, a figure just shoots at the sky and kicks Weiss. The momentum prevents Weiss from moving mid-air. So, both the silhouette and Weiss crash into the lake. A loud splash sound echoed through the empty land. The murk underneath the lake rises. In an instant, Weiss stands up. Half his legs are in the water, soiling it with his blood. Another figure, already standing, is looking at him, fully armored with his still-sheathed weapons. 

"Run away. Just take that baldy and run away," Boyd commands. 

"Damn, what a pain you are, Weiss."

The old man pats his stiff shoulders, not letting his guard down. 

"I have no interest in your family spat, Weiss, as I have told you countless times you come to me for reassurance."

"If you want to kill your uncle or your captain, feel free to do so."

"…But, kill them when you're yourself, you bratty potato," Boyd states. 

Weiss frowned when he heard this, but he didn't move. 

"Do your uncle's punches hurt so much that you lose yourself to your magic?" Boyd sarcastically taunts. 

"Does punching your captain, your only friend, hurt that much?" he continued. 

Flare looks at Boyd and then turns to Weiss. 

"These guys are the same," Boyd reminds Weiss. 

"They're enduring that pain to fight you and drag you out, and yet here you're running away?" he taunts him again. 

"Take your advice. If you're going to run with your tail between your legs from a fight you started, don't raise your hand to begin with!"

"If you're going to fight, do it with both hands! Not running away and blaming your hatred! That's the cowardly way!" 

"…And if you refuse to listen to your teacher's advice, then so be it."

Flare turns to Boyd. She could not see his expression but could tell he was smirking. 

"I'm used to being forced to tag along with my stupid student and drag him out from the mess he makes," Boyd sniggers. 

"If you're going to fight to the death, I will fight with you all the way!" 

"Go!" Boyd commenced the fight, and Weiss lunged towards him.

"Uncle Boyd!" Flare cried out his name. 

 * * * * *

Years earlier…

His heart beats rapidly fast, and every cell in his skin tells him to fight it off for survival. That bread from his mouth will never be returned. The merchant he stole from had hired muscle guarding him, but the teen grabbed his sword and attacked them all. It seems that everyone despised, detested, and feared him. A feral beast can never live among 'civilized' humans. He hacks and slashes. Once his blade broke, he used his hands. He punched, and punched, and punched, to no avail. He was beaten and bruised with a sword on his neck, and the next moment, he came back from his unconsciousness. 

"This brat is the one stealing stuff from the market!" 

"We should just kill him!"

"No, no, don't be so fast!"

"There is no one to help him anyway. Why not have some fun on our own?"

"He's a street urchin with no parents or a home. No one's going to complain!"

"We'll teach him humility!"

"Then sell him for prostitution! There's a market for little boys like him!"

The brigands laughed as he struggled to break free until suddenly he heard something smash to the walls and the ground. A knocked-out tooth landed before him, but he didn't see it. Instead, he is just looking at the person in front of him. A man, entirely covered in armor from head to toe, stands before him. 

"How many times do I have to save your ass, brat? I rejected your offer once. Now, you're creating a hassle to make me take you?" Boyd sighs, looking at Weiss flat on the ground. 

Boyd squats and looks at Weiss. He then proceeds to touch Weiss's forehead. Without warning, Weiss attempts to bite his finger off, but Boyd pulls his finger away and touches his forehead again. 

"…Hmm…Mmm…"

"Ahahaha…."

"You can't form lines like those without going through a lot," he points at Weiss's scowl lines. 

"I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner…"

"-You suffered a lot, haven't you, kid?" Boyd asks. 

Weiss looks at him defiantly. Seeing this, Boyd laughs again and stands up. 

"That settles it then. I'm taking you in," Boyd declares. 

"I'll train you until those scowl lines disappear, and you can laugh as loudly as I can!" he laughs and walks to the end of the alleyway, leaving Weiss alone.

Boyd stops at the end, looking at Weiss. 

"…Are you done?" Boyd smirks. 

"I had hopes for you as a warrior since you wanted to take my brutal training schedule. But it looks like I overestimated you."

"If you can't stand up, this world is no place for cowards like you," Boyd teases him. 

"…What does that make you?" Weiss asks. 

"Hmm?"

"Can you call yourself a knight if you can't help one feral dog?" Weiss responds. 

Boyd just looked at him. 

"Deep down, you wanted someone to stop and scold you, didn't you?" Boyd asks. 

"Isn't that why you created a hassle in a busy place?" he adds. 

"You are a teen, not a child anymore."

"It is not too late. You can still turn back if you want to," Boyd expresses. 

However, his tease and sarcasm gave Weiss the strength to stand up despite his injured, shaky legs. He lends on the walls for support as he drags himself towards Boyd. He nearly tripped, but Boyd instantly appeared before him and caught him. He puts his arm around the back of his neck and carries the teen away from the alleyway. 

In Weiss's eyes, there was no enmity or insult. The first adult who ever smiled and laughed at him was probably more of a feral monster than he was. To Weiss, it may be because he nearly killed ten brigands quickly. Nevertheless, despite the hostility between them, the teen smiles.

 * * * * *

"Back then, you started walking towards me without hesitation, and I couldn't stop you…"

"Because I was the same as you – maybe I still am…," Boyd smiles as he blocks Weiss's full-powered attack. 

Weiss lunges toward him with a monstrous smile, but Boyd opens his arms wide as if he taunts Weiss to attack. 

"Nowhere to go back to. No one to fall back to. The only way was forward. The world is filled with people like us." 

"That's why, when you move towards me without hesitation, filled with determination-."

"-When you rushed ahead of me, creating so much mess to be cleaned up."

"I was drawn to you."

Weiss punches Boyd in the gut, and Boyd takes the hit. He withstands it despite his whole body shaking. 

"Hateful or not, the sight of you relentless charging in pursuit of strength…"

"That smile you always give, and the drunk laughs we had days after you got drunk for the first time, after the various deathly jobs we took, is my pride and joy."

"If that's a sin, then I'll atone for it as the guy who couldn't stop you despite the many chances I was given." 

Weiss raises his fist higher, prepared for another attack. 

Boyd raises his head and looks at Weiss. His eyes and shaky fists hesitate, preventing him from attacking as he looks at Boyd with eyes pleading for help. He gives a pitiful wheezing sound as he attempts to attack Boyd. 

"So…Smile, my potato," Boyd expressed. 

"Don't fight with a look that's totally unlike you, you moron," he smiles. 

Again, Weiss is bombarded with memories, this time with him and Boyd. All from when Boyd picked him up after he escaped, his training, the infuriating times, and their fun times. Weiss hesitates to finish the punch as he grits his teeth. Nevertheless, he discards his hesitation behind and attempts to punch Boyd. Boyd just left himself wide open for an attack. However, a sudden jet of water emerged from underneath before Weiss's fist could reach him and shoot him out of the lake. The attack launched him from the wet battlegrounds, leaving him soaked on the barren land. Weiss slowly stood back up and looked in front of him. He sees Flare looking at him with the circuits at her palm activated. She had controlled the water to bring him out and stop him. 

"…I won't let anyone die here!" Flare declares, charging towards Weiss. 

"I swear on my birth name!"

She strengthened her fist and hit Weiss, temporarily incapacitating Weiss in the gut.

"Weiss, you're not going to die or kill anyone!"

"You're not going to lose anything anymore!"

"I…I will protect the name of the only knight I hold dear to!"

"So don't let your stupid instincts beat you, you stupid knight!" Flare added as the two of them exchanged blows. 

During their exchange, Weiss noticed Owen, who is currently incapacitated, and kicked Flare away. He zeroed his eyes on Owen, but something was pulling him back. He looked down and saw his right foot wrapped in the earth. Flare had used her magic to stop him again. Weiss was temporarily incapacitated, unable to move, so Flare closed in to knock him out. Suddenly, Weiss spins, twisting his leg until it is broken and kicking Flare in the face. Blood shoots outwards from his torn skin, but Weiss doesn't seem to care about it as he pulls the leg out from the earth. Before realizing that Owen has snapped out of consciousness, he closes in on Flare. Owen charges towards him and swings his arm. However, Weiss instantly takes the axe stuck to his arm and attacks Owen. Owen managed to block it by clasping the blade between his palms. Weiss took the opening and kicked Owen out of the way. Again, he zeroes in on Owen until he realizes he left a wide opening for Flare. 

"I never did find the happiness I wanted with my family, but I did find people I can trust."

"…The biggest fool."

"…And the apathetic old man."

"That's why I won't lose to you."

"So long as the three of us have each other…"

"You can laugh by my side-."

"-And cry by my side," Flare states in her head, remembering the conversation the two of them had back when Flare was in a pinch. 

"I'll laugh and cry with you too-."

Flare concentrates all her energy on her fist and punches Weiss. Weiss counters her punch with a kick to her gut. The two of them withstood each other's attack. At the same time, the two of them prepared to sequence their next attack. 

"I'll fight by your side, just like you always fought alongside us!"

Instead of launching another attack, both channeled more energy to their fists and legs until they could no longer withstand the other's attack. The two of them were blasted away from each other. Flare splashes into the lake while Weiss spins uncontrollably on the ground and stops. 

Owen desperately tries to stand back up, trying to suppress his wounds. Boyd walked towards Flare and raised her to stand on her two feet. The two of them looked at Weiss, who seemed to be knocked out, until…

Blood continues to splatter out through his tears as Weiss pushes himself up with his face and his knees. His whole body is shaking uncontrollably, exhausted by the damage he had taken. Flare walks out of the lake and approaches him with an angry face. Weiss coughs out blood as he pushes himself upwards with his right arm pushing his left leg. He looks at Flare, who's standing in front of him, exhausted with blood on her hands. 

"You're a real nuisance…" 

"Get lost, my hatred…," Weiss utters, dazed. 

Slowly, his green circuits dimmed out. The man had forced himself out of his stupor, which surprised everyone, including Boyd and Hawke. 

"It's just a friendly spat…"

"Let me fight with my own hands," he gasps, blood pouring out his mouth. 

He hops and drags himself towards Flare, who's still approaching him with an angry face. However, her expression slowly changes from angry to happy. For some reason, she is smiling as she drags herself towards him. 

"I can't afford to hesitate or lose to you anymore, Captain," Weiss joked. 

He remembers when he hesitated back during their fight, and Flare used her body to shield Owen. 

"Like hell, a first knight could lose to this…royal-born," he joked again. 

"A man cannot keep losing to a lady like this." 

The two stopped once they were one meter away, filled with sweat and blood. However, both of them were smiling as they gasped for breath. 

"Let me win this already, Your Highness," Weiss states. 

Once he finishes, they lunge towards each other with a fist aimed at each other's face—Flare, filled with determination to stop her friend. Weiss, whose hope and rage vanished from his face, prepared just to end it all. Their fists closed in on each other. Flare tilts her head slightly to evade the attack, but Weiss just dropped his defense, ready to accept a knock to the face. 

"…"

"…"

In his dazed, semi-conscious state, Weiss suddenly had a pair of warm, soft arms around his neck despite the layer of leather covering it. His face is buried on a chest plate, but he can almost feel the warmness on his ragged, bloody face. His arm to hit his opponent missed and rested on the lady's shoulder plate. His right cheek touched his opponent's soft cheeks with no distance apart, and he could feel the warm tears on his cheek. 

"The fight is already over, Weiss," Flare addresses, wrapping her arms around Weiss. 

"Whether you chose not to punch me or just couldn't do it…" 

"Your fist can't beat me," Flare laments. 

She tries to hold back her tears from reaching Weiss's cheek. 

"You can't shake off your friend's arms…"

Flare kneels while preventing Weiss from falling as he buries his face into her. Slowly, Flare gently grabs his head and rests it on her lap, with his face facing upwards towards Flare. Weiss lies there, his back resting on the ground and his head resting on Flare's lap. Flare wiggles a bit, probably because it tickles, but she looks at Weiss benevolently. 

"Huh…you're letting me rest on your lap," Weiss chuckled, trying to make a joke. 

"It's embarrassing when you say it out loud!" Flare squeals, wiggling her legs. 

Weiss chuckles and apologizes, but he stops once Flare gently pats and strokes his head, which puzzled him. 

"You don't have to put on the tough act now-."

"You told me once that we can lean on each other."

"It's better to live true to yourself than to throw it all away."

"I can't do this daily, but today is special."

Weiss remains silent. 

"It's plain to see that you are overwhelmed."

"You won't tell me what's happening, but I figured it out." 

"…I can't imagine this will make things easier, but this is all I can do now," Flare comforts him, gently stroking his head. 

"Huh…if you're this nice, I'm going to fall in love with you, you know," Weiss jokes. 

"A stray bumpkin dog falling in love with a princess."

"It's almost…story-book," he joked again. 

"Back in my matches, you were always watching me from afar. No matter how much you run or how far you go, you can't shake us off," Flare cries. 

The tears she tried to hold back dropped onto her cheeks and fell on Weiss's face. The man just looked at her, with his own eyes turned teary. 

"It's been rough, hasn't it?" Flare comforts him, looking at the bloodied man resting on her lap. 

All that pent-up anger, rage, sorrow, grief, confusion, just…emerged instantly. All those expressions just occurred on Weiss's face as he forcefully tried to hold back his teary eyes. Flare's tears again rolled down her cheeks as he looked at her with his pitiful expression. 

"…Thousands of punches, kicks, slashes couldn't ever take that Homo Ferox out," Boyd murmurs.

Flare's tear fell near to Weiss's eyes. Weiss closed his teary eyes, and a tear, combined with Flare's own, rolled down his cheek. 

"-But just one teardrop from his friend knocked him out."

Flare gently continues to stroke Weiss's head before eventually passing out due to her injuries not yet healed completely. The two of them passed out and remained there with no one disturbing, not even Boyd. 

"His face looked like he'd cried to sleep on his mother's lap…"

"Like a little boy…"