(no subject)
Author: wolfraven80
Title: Moments
Fandom: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Character: Eirika (Seth/Eirika)
Rating: PG-13
A/N: Seth/Eirika Modern-Day AU (Takes place after events of Seven but works just fine as a stand-alone)
Link to Table
Also on ffnet here
Day Eleven: Memories
I have a little time in between the last conference call and the next meeting. Another security briefing- and this one’s crucial. We’ll be turning over all our evidence to Duessel. He’s retired now but he still has contacts in the FBI. He should be able to help us- and keep things quiet. Today’s meeting will change everything... but it’s not due to start for another twenty minutes.
There’s a cup of mocha cooling on my desk. I just keep twirling the diamond ring on my finger round and round, thinking...
A year ago....The last time I saw Lyon was a year ago. It was just a few months before the incident with Grado, yet my memory of him that night is dim. Because Seth was there and everything seemed dim next to him. It was a charity event held by Grado Inc. and Ephraim and I were both there on behalf of Renais to present a cheque. Lyon had invited me but...
#
"What do you mean he’s not here?" Ephraim’s expression wavers between irritation and concern.
"I’m sorry, sir." The Grado security officer shrugs. "He’s not."
"Are you saying that Lyon skipped his own event and stood up my sister?"
"Ephraim." I don’t want him to make a scene. He scowls. "Let’s just go back to our table."
"He should have called you," Ephraim grumbles.
"He’s probably not feeling well. You know how Lyon’s health is."
"Even so..."
"It’s fine. Come on. It’s not fair to leave Tana all by her lonesome."
"You go back. I need to make a quick call." I cock an eyebrow but Ephraim pointedly ignores me. We sit through dinner and the speeches. And then the music starts. There’s always dancing at Grado’s parties. There always has been and I’d been looking forward to it. It must show on my face because neither Ephraim nor Tana moves a muscle.
"Oh go on," I tell them.
Tana shakes her head. "No, I’m fine. I’m not in the right shoes."
I smile. "Liar. You bought those shoes just for tonight. You told me all about it last week." She colours and I turn to Ephraim. "Go dance with your date."
He opens his mouth- to protest, I’m certain- but then something behind me catches his eye. And then all at once he’s grinning and he leaps to his feet and offers Tana his hand. "Well?" he says to her. I roll my eyes. Elegant as ever, Ephraim.
Tana hesitates but then takes his hand and he hurries her away, whispering something in her ear that has her grinning as well. Odd. I wonder what-
"May I have this dance, Miss King?"
My heart leaps into my throat. I look up to see him standing there by my table, dressed in a tux, his russet hair damp as if he just showered, and I catch of whiff of aftershave. "Seth?"
"Miss King."
"Eirika," I correct automatically. "We’re not at work. But... what are you doing here?"
A smile quirks his lips. "I was told you were in desperate need of a dance partner."
"Oh." I can feel a flush creeping into my cheeks. "Ephraim. I’m sorry. He shouldn’t have bothered you on the weekend for something so silly."
"You could never be a bother, Eirika," he replies with that earnestness I’ve always found so endearing, whereas I know others think him aloof or cold. He’s reserved and serious much of the time, but how could anyone not see the kindness in his expression? "Now..." he says, holding out his hand. "Would you do me the honour?"
I’ve been to a hundred of these balls and parties and fund-raisers and I’ve danced with business tycoons and playboys and never faltered, but my heart hammers against my ribs as I place my hand in Seth’s.
He leads me onto the floor and I’m suddenly terrified that I won’t remember what to do, that I’ll step on his toes or trip in my high heels like something out of a campy Hollywood comedy. I thought I was over this. I saw him so little while I was away at Harvard and then when I started working at our company I was so busy and Seth seemed intent on keeping out of my way... But he’s as handsome now as I thought he was when I was in my teens. I’m twenty-three, a Harvard graduate, an heiress, and a businesswoman... and I suddenly feel like a girl at her first prom.
I wonder if he’s nervous- his hand is slick. My heart leaps as he places his other hand on my waist. I don’t think I’ve ever been this close to him before. "What were you doing before Ephraim called?" I say, hoping that if I talk I can stop worrying about my feet.
He clears his throat. "Nothing much."
I can’t help but smile. "How did you ever manage to become our security chief, Seth? You’re an awful liar."
"I don’t need to lie to be head of security. I just need to be intimidating."
I chuckle because to me he’s always seemed such a pussycat. "You’re changing the subject. Really? What was it? Was there a Knicks game on tonight?"
"Well... Yes." He’s making a face.
"Oh no... Seth... Don’t tell me you were at the game?" He winces. "I’m so sorry. Ephraim really shouldn’t have-"
"It’s fine," he assures me. "He’ll get me tickets for another game. And better seats at that."
I hardly know what to say, torn between embarrassment and gratitude. We move back and left, forward and right in step with the music. A simple waltz. Yet nothing is simple. He’s so dear, so handsome, but for all I know he sees me still as the little girl who played with dolls at his first company picnic, or the rich girl who rented an island one year for spring break. I’ve considered him a friend, but always there’s been that distance of age, of status. There are times when he’s so open, so honest with me- how can he be anything less than a friend? But then sometimes there’s a wall. His expression goes blank and he becomes the man in the suit and tie, our head of security, calm and detached and unreadable even by me.
A glint of gold catches my eye.
I glance at Seth’s sleeve only to find a cufflink- a cut sapphire ringed with yellow and white gold. "Eirika?" he says and I realize that I’ve stopped dancing.
I drop my eyes. "Sorry," I murmur and begin stepping in time with the music once more. "You kept them."
"Hmm?"
"The cufflinks." I’d given them to him years ago, the Christmas before I started college.
"Of course."
I look up at him and our eyes meet and he doesn’t look away. And it dawns on me. I’m not over him at all. He’s still as dear to me as he ever has been and I want him as much as I ever have. And I’ve no idea what to do about it.
"I’m glad," I say finally, glancing down at the cufflinks, feeling flushed. "You look very dashing tonight," I add, somehow finding the nerve to look up.
"And you look lovely."
"Thank you." And then somehow it’s comfortable again. We lapse into an easy silence, talking only now and then.
It’s late when he leads me back to our table and I’m surprised to find Lyon there, looking pallid and shaky. He apologises and I assure him that everything is fine. And it’s true. I spent the night in Seth’s arms. How could I want for anything more?
And yet I do...
#
"Earth to Eirika."
I start and look up to find Ephraim in the doorway to my office. "Sorry. Is it time?"
He nods and crosses the room. "Duessel’s here and Gerik. Artur and Lute too. We’re all set to go." Something must show on my face because as I stand, Ephraim reaches out to grip my shoulders. "It’s going to fine. You just worry about that wedding of yours. This’ll all be taken care of by then."
I smile. Ephraim has always gone out of his way to make me happy, even when I want something well nigh impossible. I swear, even back then, if it had been in Ephraim’s power to give me Seth, he’d have wrapped him up in a package and tied a bow around his neck. And now... all I want is for this mess to be over. But peace of mind, too, is something that Ephraim can’t hand over to me in a wrapped package.
It’s still March, still the month of Mars, and there are battles to be fought.
I take a deep breath, square my shoulders, and look up to meet Ephraim’s eyes. "Let’s go," I say. Ephraim nods and side be side we march in time like soldiers.
Title: Moments
Fandom: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Character: Eirika (Seth/Eirika)
Rating: PG-13
A/N: Seth/Eirika Modern-Day AU (Takes place after events of Seven but works just fine as a stand-alone)
Link to Table
Also on ffnet here
Day Eleven: Memories
I have a little time in between the last conference call and the next meeting. Another security briefing- and this one’s crucial. We’ll be turning over all our evidence to Duessel. He’s retired now but he still has contacts in the FBI. He should be able to help us- and keep things quiet. Today’s meeting will change everything... but it’s not due to start for another twenty minutes.
There’s a cup of mocha cooling on my desk. I just keep twirling the diamond ring on my finger round and round, thinking...
A year ago....The last time I saw Lyon was a year ago. It was just a few months before the incident with Grado, yet my memory of him that night is dim. Because Seth was there and everything seemed dim next to him. It was a charity event held by Grado Inc. and Ephraim and I were both there on behalf of Renais to present a cheque. Lyon had invited me but...
#
"What do you mean he’s not here?" Ephraim’s expression wavers between irritation and concern.
"I’m sorry, sir." The Grado security officer shrugs. "He’s not."
"Are you saying that Lyon skipped his own event and stood up my sister?"
"Ephraim." I don’t want him to make a scene. He scowls. "Let’s just go back to our table."
"He should have called you," Ephraim grumbles.
"He’s probably not feeling well. You know how Lyon’s health is."
"Even so..."
"It’s fine. Come on. It’s not fair to leave Tana all by her lonesome."
"You go back. I need to make a quick call." I cock an eyebrow but Ephraim pointedly ignores me. We sit through dinner and the speeches. And then the music starts. There’s always dancing at Grado’s parties. There always has been and I’d been looking forward to it. It must show on my face because neither Ephraim nor Tana moves a muscle.
"Oh go on," I tell them.
Tana shakes her head. "No, I’m fine. I’m not in the right shoes."
I smile. "Liar. You bought those shoes just for tonight. You told me all about it last week." She colours and I turn to Ephraim. "Go dance with your date."
He opens his mouth- to protest, I’m certain- but then something behind me catches his eye. And then all at once he’s grinning and he leaps to his feet and offers Tana his hand. "Well?" he says to her. I roll my eyes. Elegant as ever, Ephraim.
Tana hesitates but then takes his hand and he hurries her away, whispering something in her ear that has her grinning as well. Odd. I wonder what-
"May I have this dance, Miss King?"
My heart leaps into my throat. I look up to see him standing there by my table, dressed in a tux, his russet hair damp as if he just showered, and I catch of whiff of aftershave. "Seth?"
"Miss King."
"Eirika," I correct automatically. "We’re not at work. But... what are you doing here?"
A smile quirks his lips. "I was told you were in desperate need of a dance partner."
"Oh." I can feel a flush creeping into my cheeks. "Ephraim. I’m sorry. He shouldn’t have bothered you on the weekend for something so silly."
"You could never be a bother, Eirika," he replies with that earnestness I’ve always found so endearing, whereas I know others think him aloof or cold. He’s reserved and serious much of the time, but how could anyone not see the kindness in his expression? "Now..." he says, holding out his hand. "Would you do me the honour?"
I’ve been to a hundred of these balls and parties and fund-raisers and I’ve danced with business tycoons and playboys and never faltered, but my heart hammers against my ribs as I place my hand in Seth’s.
He leads me onto the floor and I’m suddenly terrified that I won’t remember what to do, that I’ll step on his toes or trip in my high heels like something out of a campy Hollywood comedy. I thought I was over this. I saw him so little while I was away at Harvard and then when I started working at our company I was so busy and Seth seemed intent on keeping out of my way... But he’s as handsome now as I thought he was when I was in my teens. I’m twenty-three, a Harvard graduate, an heiress, and a businesswoman... and I suddenly feel like a girl at her first prom.
I wonder if he’s nervous- his hand is slick. My heart leaps as he places his other hand on my waist. I don’t think I’ve ever been this close to him before. "What were you doing before Ephraim called?" I say, hoping that if I talk I can stop worrying about my feet.
He clears his throat. "Nothing much."
I can’t help but smile. "How did you ever manage to become our security chief, Seth? You’re an awful liar."
"I don’t need to lie to be head of security. I just need to be intimidating."
I chuckle because to me he’s always seemed such a pussycat. "You’re changing the subject. Really? What was it? Was there a Knicks game on tonight?"
"Well... Yes." He’s making a face.
"Oh no... Seth... Don’t tell me you were at the game?" He winces. "I’m so sorry. Ephraim really shouldn’t have-"
"It’s fine," he assures me. "He’ll get me tickets for another game. And better seats at that."
I hardly know what to say, torn between embarrassment and gratitude. We move back and left, forward and right in step with the music. A simple waltz. Yet nothing is simple. He’s so dear, so handsome, but for all I know he sees me still as the little girl who played with dolls at his first company picnic, or the rich girl who rented an island one year for spring break. I’ve considered him a friend, but always there’s been that distance of age, of status. There are times when he’s so open, so honest with me- how can he be anything less than a friend? But then sometimes there’s a wall. His expression goes blank and he becomes the man in the suit and tie, our head of security, calm and detached and unreadable even by me.
A glint of gold catches my eye.
I glance at Seth’s sleeve only to find a cufflink- a cut sapphire ringed with yellow and white gold. "Eirika?" he says and I realize that I’ve stopped dancing.
I drop my eyes. "Sorry," I murmur and begin stepping in time with the music once more. "You kept them."
"Hmm?"
"The cufflinks." I’d given them to him years ago, the Christmas before I started college.
"Of course."
I look up at him and our eyes meet and he doesn’t look away. And it dawns on me. I’m not over him at all. He’s still as dear to me as he ever has been and I want him as much as I ever have. And I’ve no idea what to do about it.
"I’m glad," I say finally, glancing down at the cufflinks, feeling flushed. "You look very dashing tonight," I add, somehow finding the nerve to look up.
"And you look lovely."
"Thank you." And then somehow it’s comfortable again. We lapse into an easy silence, talking only now and then.
It’s late when he leads me back to our table and I’m surprised to find Lyon there, looking pallid and shaky. He apologises and I assure him that everything is fine. And it’s true. I spent the night in Seth’s arms. How could I want for anything more?
And yet I do...
#
"Earth to Eirika."
I start and look up to find Ephraim in the doorway to my office. "Sorry. Is it time?"
He nods and crosses the room. "Duessel’s here and Gerik. Artur and Lute too. We’re all set to go." Something must show on my face because as I stand, Ephraim reaches out to grip my shoulders. "It’s going to fine. You just worry about that wedding of yours. This’ll all be taken care of by then."
I smile. Ephraim has always gone out of his way to make me happy, even when I want something well nigh impossible. I swear, even back then, if it had been in Ephraim’s power to give me Seth, he’d have wrapped him up in a package and tied a bow around his neck. And now... all I want is for this mess to be over. But peace of mind, too, is something that Ephraim can’t hand over to me in a wrapped package.
It’s still March, still the month of Mars, and there are battles to be fought.
I take a deep breath, square my shoulders, and look up to meet Ephraim’s eyes. "Let’s go," I say. Ephraim nods and side be side we march in time like soldiers.