Fury
a Suikoden I & II fic by Seiji

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Note: This is the sequel to "Zen and the Art of Dragon Sword Maintenance."
Warning: While this fic has yaoi undertones, there's more heterosexual flirtation in it than anything else.
Disclaimer: "Suikoden" is a trademark of Konami Co., Ltd. © 1995-2005. These characters do not belong to Seiji.

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I: Never Have Something Naked Seen

"My virtues are thousandfold," Viktor sang as he strode down the hall to Flik's room with a flag draped over his arm. "I don't have any sinful vices."

It was a lovely evening, and Viktor could not help but sing a bit of his favorite drinking song. Everything was in tip-top shape. His fort was completed--and rather fine-looking, if he did say so himself. The men had settled well into their new schedules. And now, he had the finishing touch that would make the fort perfect.

He rapped on Flik's door and pushed it open without waiting for an answer. "Yo, Flik--"

"Oh!"

Viktor blinked. No Flik, but he'd managed to startle a maid into dropping Flik's cape onto the floor.

"Captain. Oh..." The girl blushed and bent to retrieve the cape. "I... uh... Sir Flik isn't here right now."

"Hey, yeah, I can see that."

She hugged the cape to herself and nodded solemnly at him.

"Well," he said, "sorry for interrupting. Carry on."

He winked at her and sauntered out. Well, that explained why Flik's room was always spotless; the maid was spending extra time in there mooning over him. He chuckled.

Maybe I need to get myself a cape, too.

He flipped an imaginary cape over his shoulder and headed downstairs, singing as he went. "I never have something naked seen, not time a newborn child."

"Hey, Flik!" he called when he reached the bottom of the stairs.

Pohl had been hurrying towards the exterior door, but he stopped at Viktor's call. "Oh, Captain, Sir. Captain Flik is over at the bar, Sir. Talking to Miss Leona."

"Great. Thanks, Pohl." Viktor smacked him companionably on the back. "You should join us for this."

"No, really, Sir, I--" Pohl began to back away, but Viktor slung his arm around Pohl's shoulders and dragged him along towards the bar.

"Bet you're glad Leona agreed to open a bar here. Must be a relief that your duties don't include serving beer anymore."

"I didn't mind, Sir. My job's anything that keeps your army running smoothly. That's why Lady Anabelle sent me."

"Well, I'm glad she did. You're rather indi... uh, inde... What's that word?" Viktor scratched his head, and Pohl took the opportunity to duck and run.

"Indispensable," Flik told him, while Leona laughed and shook her fist.

"Hey, you brute, are you scaring the recruits?"

"Hell, even better than that, I'm scaring the maids." He grinned at her and sat down next to Flik.

"Ah, yes, I thought I heard you singing just now. That would do it," Flik said.

"Ha, ha." Viktor put his flag down on an empty stool, then helped himself to Flik's beer. "Where is everybody? I didn't think we had that many patrols out."

"I got hold of five bottles of wine from Chisa," Leona said.

"Chisa? Up in the Grasslands?"

"You got it. Anyway, Alfred had his eye on them. Kept telling me that he ought to have the first chance to buy them because his grandparents were from Chisa Village."

"Except he made such a big deal about it," Flik said, "that everyone else got interested as well."

"Is the wine that good? I've never heard of it."

"Eh," Leona said. "It's good, but not my thing."

Flik snagged his glass back from Viktor. "You know how Alfred is, though. I think the other men did it just to take him down a peg."

"Did what?"

"They bribed me," Leona said.

"They pooled their money and offered Leona a higher price. Then they declared an archery contest. Every bull's eye is worth half a glass. Alfred, of course, is a lousy shot."

"Sounds like fun. When are they holding it?"

"Right now," Leona and Flik said together.

"'Right now'? It's dark out!"

"They've got lanterns," Leona said.

"Lots of lanterns," Flik added.

"Our soldiers are out drinking and playing with arrows in the dark!"

"Hey," Leona said. "It's not that bad. It's only the guys who are off duty."

"Drunken archery! In the dark!"

"It's only wine, Viktor. It's practically harmless," Leona said.

"They'll knock a lantern over and set my fort on fire!"

"The chances of that are pretty low," Flik said. "They're much more likely to hurt themselves."

"And you let them do this?"

Flik shrugged. "It sounded like a game you would have invented."

Leona nodded.

"Gods," Viktor muttered. "Gods preserve us--wait a minute!" He jumped up. "Don't tell me that's why Pohl was going out there."

"Pohl's not that foolish," Flik said. "I think he went in case someone needs first aid."

"Gods." Viktor slumped back on his stool. "I need a drink." He stole Flik's beer again. "So how was home otherwise, Leona? Did you get anything good? Better than wine?"

"Sure, I got something good. Get back here and unpack this for me." Leona tapped the top of a large crate. "And I'll let you have a bottle of your own."

"Me? Why don't you ever ask Flik to do your heavy work?"

"Maybe because it takes more than a little free whiskey to bribe me," Flik said.

"Oh, whiskey. You should have said so first." Viktor hopped up and skirted around the bar. "Go sit with Flik, dear lady, and tell us all about the goings on in Toto."

As Leona passed him, he caught her in a quick hug and kissed her. She kissed him back for a second, then smacked his shoulder.

"That's enough of that." She sidestepped past him and settled herself on the stool next to Flik. "You know I only like younger men--" She crossed her legs, then adjusted her dress until its slits exposed an optimal amount of thigh. "--like Handsome here."

Viktor laughed. "That's not what you used to say."

"Ah, but you were younger then, a lot younger. We both were." Leona waved her hand. "Now earn your keep, Brute. And get Handsome another beer." She laid her hand on Flik's arm.

"Yes, please," Flik said and shoved his glass across the bar, knocking Leona's hand from his arm in the process.

Viktor took the glass, and Flik turned to Leona.

"I do have a name, you know."

Leona sighed. "One for me, too, Viktor." She smoothed back her hair and arranged her skirt in a slightly more modest fashion. "I know you have a name, Flik, but you should let me call you what I want. It makes Viktor jealous."

Viktor plunked their glasses down in front of them. "Right. I'm quite jealous. You got a crowbar, Leona?"

"Hmm?" She glanced over at him. "Oh, it's okay, Viktor. I promise to behave. You don't need to pry me off your partner."

"To open this." Viktor thumped the crate with his fist. "And my--"

"Back cupboard, on the left."

"Thank you." Viktor spun on his heel and opened the cupboard. "And my partner is more than capable of defending his own virtue."

"I didn't know you cared about my virtue, Viktor."

Viktor let the cupboard doors bang shut and looked back at his friend. If he wasn't mistaken, Flik had scooted his stool farther away from Leona.

"Sure I do," he said.

"Really? Not so long ago, you seemed awfully willing to pimp me out to that Kimberly woman."

"That--" Viktor pointed the crowbar at him. "--was different. That was for the cause." He set about opening the crate.

"Kimberly?" Leona asked.

"Besides," Viktor said, dropping the top of the crate onto the floor. "I knew you were safe. Forward women aren't your type."

"What is his type?"

Viktor brushed the top layer of packing straw off of the bottles in the crate. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

"You'll have to tell me when you do," Leona said.

Viktor glanced up to catch a strange smile on Flik's face. "Yeah, sure," he said.

I think I'll keep that information to myself.

"You're a pal, Viktor. Now bring one of those over here. You want some of this, Hand--Hey! Get any more of that straw on my floor, and I'll swat your behind with a broom."

"Viktor's into simple pleasures, Leona. That kinky stuff won't work on him."

Leona laughed, and Viktor gaped at his friend. Flik met his gaze, then lifted his beer and drank deeply.

Still chuckling, Leona pounded on the bar. "Come on, come on. What's the hold up? Let's get that whiskey over here."

Viktor gave her the bottle. "Where do you want the rest of it?"

"Two bottles under the bar and the rest in there." She jerked her head towards a tall, locked cabinet while fishing a key out of her bodice. "Here's the key." She tossed it to Viktor.

He caught it, unlocked the cabinet, and began putting bottles on a half-empty shelf.

Leona broke the seal on her bottle. "Now, Handsome, you want some of this? It's good stuff, straight from Rockaxe."

"I'll pass," Flik said.

"You don't know what you're missing."

"Oh, I think I've got a pretty good idea." Flik set his beer down. "Hey, Viktor, before you got here, Leona was telling me there's a Rune Master in Toto right now."

Viktor kept working, though the back of his right hand suddenly seemed to be burning.

Stop that. It's all in your head.

"Are we back to that again?" he asked.

"Not only a Rune Master," Leona said. "The big doctor from Muse is there, too. For a week--and he's got the cutest little apprentice."

Viktor rubbed the back of his hand against the heavy denim of his trousers. "An apprentice, huh? Another of your younger men?"

"Oh, no. Young, but not that young, Honey."

"The fort's finished," Flik said. "Everyone has their schedules, and there's been no Highland activity in weeks--there's nothing here that can't survive without our attention for three days."

Gods, his hand hurt. He clenched it and kept it out of Flik's sight.

"Why is this so important to you?" he asked.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"It's none of your business," he told her.

"Hey, it's not healthy keeping secrets from your bartender."

Viktor took the last three bottles out of the crate, stashed two under the bar, and opened the third.

"Maybe so. But you're sitting on the wrong side of the counter tonight." He drank straight from the bottle, then coughed. "Damn." He took another drink. "It's good."

He set the bottle down next to Flik's glass and grinned at Leona. "Tell you what. I'll let you in on the secret if you let me put the key back for you."

She laughed. "It's been that long since you've managed to cop a good feel?"

"Oh, really," Flik muttered. "I'll tell her--"

Viktor grabbed Flik's wrist. "No, wait."

"Viktor..."

"Don't growl at me, Lightning, 'cause I've got a good idea." He squeezed Flik's hand.

"How much did you drink before you came down here tonight?"

"I'm not drunk, I'm thinking."

Flik twisted in Viktor's grasp until he was the one holding Viktor's hand.

"Your hand's hot, Viktor."

"No, it's not."

"It is. And you're not thinking, you're just trying to distract us."

"So," Leona said. "Do I get to hear a secret? Or do I just get to watch the two of you hold hands?"

Flik didn't release him.

Viktor looked down at their hands and then at Leona. "Tell you what--"

"It's not a secret," Flik said. "He's making a mystery out of nothing."

Viktor jerked his hand away.

"Leona, I'll let you in on the secret if you let Flik put this--" He waggled the key in front of them. "--back in your bodice."

"What? Give me that!" Flik snatched the key from him.

"Well, well..." Leona purred.

Flik slammed the key onto the counter. Then, in a move too quick for Viktor to follow, he leapt up and yanked Viktor forward.

"Now, I'll tell you what," Flik said.

"Good grief, Flik. Rip my shirt off, why don't ya?"

Flik tugged on Viktor's shirt a little more, forcing him to lean across the counter until he was eye-to-eye with the shorter man.

"You are not nearly as smart as you think you are," Flik said. "With Leona's permission--"

"Oh, Honey, you have it."

"I'll put the key back. But your payment for the show is going to see the Rune Master with no further complaints."

Viktor smiled. "Sure, Flik. Guess it can't hurt just to go and talk to the woman."

"You..." Flik closed his eyes and breathed deeply. When he opened them again, his face was calm, and his eyes were hard.

Viktor recognized the look, though he'd never seen it from so close before.

Flik's reflexes matched his name. The Blue Lightning was lightning fast. His opponents' downfall was rarely his speed, however. Instead, in the midst of battle, Flik would go suddenly calm and still. Not recognizing this as the dangerous lull before the worst of the storm, they misjudged him and left themselves open on their next attack. Flik never gave them a chance to learn from their mistake.

Never let it be said that I can't learn from other people's mistakes.

Viktor kept quiet and waited.

"You're not amusing me right now," Flik said.

Leona reached out and stroked Flik's arm. Viktor idly noted that her long red nails didn't look right against Flik's jacket. They were too sharp and dark and--

"That's okay," Leona said. "I'll amuse you for a while, Handsome."

Flik let go of Viktor's shirt and plucked Leona's hand from his sleeve. With a courtly manner that Viktor hadn't seen in his friend since their early days in Gregminster, Flik bowed over her hand and kissed it.

"Oh," she cooed.

Don't be so pleased, Sweetheart.

"I'm terribly sorry for needing to take this liberty with you, Leona."

Oh yeah, Flik was definitely hiding behind his nice manners.

"Don't be sorry," Leona said. "After all, Viktor's to blame for any liberties taken."

"'To blame'? You'll be thanking me, Sweetheart."

"Shut up, you," she said.

Flik's hand cupped her elbow now. "This will be easier if you stand."

Leona slid off her stool and bumped chests with him. "Oops."

Flik steadied her, and she looked up him, her expression radiating mischievous delight.

For a moment, she was eight years younger, and Viktor felt a bit of remorse for the girl who'd briefly been his lover. The years--and the way townspeople treated young, single businesswomen--had hardened her. Seeing her delight was worth whatever revenge Flik had in store for him later.

Flik studied Leona's dress for a moment. It had a deceptively modest neckline. Three buttons held its high, band collar closed, while below, a deep, narrow V flashed glimpses of pale skin whenever she moved. Viktor would have shoved his hand right in, but Flik hesitated with his fingers at her collar.

"May I?" Flik asked.

"Yes." Leona tilted her head back, and the line of her neck looked so elegant, and Flik was unfastening those buttons so slowly--

And what was Flik thinking? He should just kiss her. Why waste an opportunity with someone attractive and willing--

Or would that be weird? Viktor had just kissed her, after all. Would she taste like him? That was--

Viktor shook his head. No. No, she had a beer after that. His taste was probably gone.

The buttons were finally undone, and Flik paused with his thumb against her throat.

"How exactly--"

"There's a pocket." Leona's voice was huskier than usual. "In the lining on the right."

Flik shifted to her left. He pressed the key against his palm with his thumb, and slipped his hand into her dress.

The way he was going at it, his knuckles would brush against her skin. Viktor would have gone for his fingertips against her breast and the chance to squeeze a palm-full on his way out, but watching Leona shiver, he decided that Flik had made a good choice. Sure was taking a long time, though. He would have thought that Flik would want this over as soon as possi--

"Leona, where is the pocket?" Flik asked.

"Hmm?" She lowered her head and blinked innocently. "Did I say 'right'? I meant 'on your right.'"

Viktor snorted. "You've done it now, Leona. He's going to kill us."

"I'm not worried," she said.

"Well, you should be. He's a fine swordsman--almost as good as me."

"'Almost'?" Flik said.

"Yeah."

Leona stepped up on stool rung, reached over, and ruffled Viktor's hair. "I'm not worried, Sweetie. I'll have plenty of time to get away while he's killing you."

"'Sweetie'?" Viktor said.

"Might as well be nice to you before you die."

"What makes you so sure he'll come after me first?"

"Because--"

"Because," Flik said, "she's a lot smarter than you are."

"Here, here!" Leona said, then pushed her glass towards Viktor. "Now, fill 'er up while Handsome tells me what's going on between you two."

"Nothing's going on," Viktor said.

"Right. I believe you." She turned her attention to Flik. "So, what's going on with you guys?"

Flik handed her the key, and she tucked it into her bodice. They both sat down.

"Viktor's had his Fury Rune for too long," Flik said.

"You think I've had it for too long."

"I know he's had it for too long." Flik didn't even glance in Viktor's direction. "He got it embedded early in the war."

"But haven't you had yours longer?" Leona tapped the back of Flik's hand.

"Yeah," Viktor said. "You've had that for as long as I've known you. There's nothing wrong with me having mine for a couple of years."

"Lightning's an element." Flik spoke as if he was talking to a child. "Elemental runes have completely different properties."

"Since when are you a Rune Master?"

Flik ignored him. "Have you noticed how he's been... unstable lately? How he keeps overreacting to things?"

Leona nodded.

"And how his temper has gotten even worse than his sword's?"

She nodded again.

"Hey! Don't go comparing me to that piece of junk!"

"He has been moody lately," Leona said. "I figured he wasn't getting laid enough."

"What? And you didn't offer to help me out?"

"Oh, Viktor. I'm a busy woman. I can't 'help' everyone."

"Oh?" Viktor propped his elbows on the bar and leaned forward conspiratorially. "Who have you been helping?"

"A lady doesn't kiss and tell."

"So don't tell me about the kissing--tell me about the good stuff."

Flik cleared his throat.

Viktor looked at him, then back at Leona. "Oops," he said, and winked.

"I give up," Flik said, standing. "Viktor, be ready to leave after breakfast. We will be going to Toto."

"Hey--"

"You're going. Either walking or bound-and-gagged, I don't care." Flik turned and left.

Viktor stormed after him. "Hey. Hey! Don't you--"

"Let him go," Leona told him.

"Why should I?"

Gods, listen to him. He was growling, and his hand was at his side, ready to draw his sword. Good thing he wasn't armed or...

Viktor shoved his hand through his hair. What is wrong with me?

"Give me one good reason," he said.

"I've got two. Which do you want?"

He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Better hit me with both."

"Are your muscles tight?"

"Yeah."

"Get over here, and I'll give you three," she said.

"Three?"

"One, someone needs to keep me and this whiskey company."

"Story of my life. Always the chaperone, never the bride."

Leona rolled her eyes. "It's best that way, Honey, you'd look awful in white lace. Now shut up, I'm talking. ... What was I saying?"

"Two."

"Right. Two, I still give good back rubs." She patted the stool next to her. "Plant yourself here."

She stood, then hoisted herself up to sit on the bar.

"A lady doesn't kiss and tell, huh?"

She wiggled a bit and fixed how her skirt had ridden up. "What, this? All the genteel ladies sit like this nowadays. It's quite fashionable."

"And that's the big news from Toto?"

"You bet. Sit down."

He sat with his back to her, and she ran her hands over the line of his shoulders.

"You're even broader than you used to be," she said.

He shrugged. "Started bulking up once I stopped getting taller."

"I didn't think that was ever going to happen." She poked at the back of his chest armor. "I thought you were going to be a giant... How does this come off?"

Viktor tugged the strap to loosen its buckle, and she peeled the leather armor off of him.

"What should I do with this?"

"It's like me," he said, taking it from her. "It can take a beating." He dropped it on the floor.

"Oh, a tough guy." She dug her thumbs into a knot of muscle at the base of his neck.

He winced at the sudden stab of pain, but knew he'd feel better in a moment. Some of the best pleasures in life came at the cost of a little pain.

She kneaded his muscles for a few minutes, then paused. "Now, don't get any funny ideas."

"Who? Me?"

He felt her shift behind him, and then her knees were against his sides. He leaned back between her legs.

"You sure you don't want to 'help' me? For old times' sake?"

She rubbed his collarbone, but did not answer.

"Or should I not have asked?"

"Oh, Viktor." She pet his hair.

"No?"

"You'd be welcome in my bed--for a night or two--for old times' sake..."

"But?"

"If," she said. "If... I thought you really wanted to be there."

"Ah..."

She waited a moment. He didn't say anything else.

"Exactly," she said. She took a drink of her whiskey, then handed the glass to him and continued the massage in silence.

Viktor slowly relaxed. His skin tingled under her hands, and his shoulders ached pleasantly, and her thighs were soft against his bare arms.

He breathed deeply. She smelled good... like rosemary and warm skin and good liquor and... Hmm, that was odd. Shouldn't she smell more like leather? Leather and oil and--no, that wasn't right. He was confusing her with--who?

He shook his head. Maybe that was enough drinking for tonight. Best to just finish off this glass...

He drank, then pivoted on the stool and set the glass down near her hip. "What was three?"

"Huh? 'Three'?"

"You said you'd give me three reasons."

She scooched back and poked his chest with her bare toes. "I guess I did. Foot rub."

He tickled the arch of her foot. "Talk."

She kicked at him playfully. "Three, Flik doesn't want to fight with you."

"Sure he does. It's all in fun."

"Didn't seem like fun to me."

"That's just how we get along--it's a guy thing."

"That wasn't getting along. He's worried about you."

"It's not a big deal," Viktor said.

"Is he right?"

"Do I look like a Rune Master? How should I know?"

She brought her foot down hard in his lap.

"Hey!"

"Viktor, is he right to be worried about you?"

"Maybe."

"'Maybe,'" she repeated.

"Look, I don't know. Okay? I think you guys are exaggerating about my temper. I feel fine. But sometimes--Gods, give me another beer, will ya?"

"Keep talking," she said without budging.

"My hand burns a little sometimes, that's all."

"What, like touching a hot frying pan?"

"Like it's on fire... from the inside."

"Doesn't that hurt?"

"Nothing I can't live with."

"Oh ho! You're so stoic. Let me see." She shook her foot till he released it, then slid forwards and held out her hand. "Come on, let me see."

"I said it's nothing."

"Then why are you fighting with him?"

"I don't want to get rid of it."

Actually, his skin crawled every time Flik mentioned his rune.

He sighed, folded his arms on her lap, and rested his head on his arms. Leona stroked his hair, letting her nails lightly scratch his scalp. He sighed again.

"Shaggy old bear," she said quietly.

After a few minutes, Viktor kissed her knee. "I lied," he said with his lips against her skin.

"I know."

"I can handle it, but it hurts like hell."

"Why don't you want to get rid of it, then?"

"I don't know."

Just the thought froze him with fear. Fear that was so cold, it burned.

"Maybe it doesn't want to be removed," he mumbled.

Her hand stopped. "'It doesn't want'--how does it want anything?" she asked.

"Or maybe I'm just imagining things."

"You really should tell Flik about it."

Viktor shook his head.

"You're going to have to talk to him about it," she said. "You can't avoid it forever."

"Sure I can."

"Not a chance. I know you, Old Bear. You hate keeping secrets from your friends."

"So?"

"Flik's your best friend."

"No, he's n--"

Best friend?

He remembered their first meeting five years ago. Flik had been this quick-tempered--and even quicker-witted--boy with a wickedly dry sense of humor. Viktor loved a good laugh, and he'd been inclined to like the kid--until Flik made it clear that he had time for no one but Odessa. As a distrusted newcomer, Viktor had taken enough crap from everyone else in the Liberation Army to put up with it from a pretty boy, too. And that had been that.

He remembered the look on Flik's face after they had fought side-by-side for the first time. That had been two years later, under McDohl's command--Odessa had never sent them on missions together. When the battle was over, they had both turned to stare at each other in surprise. Neither of them had been half as incompetent as the other had been expecting. Flik had looked completely baffled, and Viktor had laughed at him. Flik had slugged him and then joined in the laughter.

He remembered how well they had fought together against Barbarossa's Sovereign Rune, and how he had found Flik later with an arrow in his gut and a pleased look on his face. He remembered his relief when Flik agreed to put off his reunion with Odessa for a little longer, their difficult passage across the Badlands, and countless moments of Flik laughing at him and his bad-tempered sword.

"Huh," Viktor said. "Wonder when that happened."

"Oh, it usually happens when we're not looking."

"Strange..."

"But nice, isn't it?"

"Mmm." Viktor closed his eyes.

She brushed his hair back from his temple. "You going to sleep on me?"

"Maybe..."

"Come on, then. Let's get you to bed."

Viktor nodded, and Leona took charge. She scooped his armor up from the floor, dumped it in his arms, and herded him up the stairs. They were halfway up before Viktor remembered.

"My flag."

"What?"

"My flag. I brought it down to show Flik. I left it... on a stool."

"Oh, I'll go find it for you."

When Viktor didn't move, she swatted his behind. "Go on. Get in bed. I'll bring it to you."

"I wanted to show it to Flik."

"There will be plenty of time for that later. Now go on."

Leona waited until he began to climb the stairs again, then went to fetch his flag. She brought it up to his room, where she teased him about not being able to hold his drink anymore and tucked a blanket around him. She thought about putting his boots away so he wouldn't trip over them in the morning, but decided that one of the benefits of never marrying was that she could laugh over such things when they happened, instead of worrying about them happening.

She left, taking care to close his door quietly behind her, turned, and crashed into Flik.

"Oh." She blushed. It was one thing to purposely bump into a handsome young man and another thing entirely to do it accidentally--while exiting another man's bedroom.

Flik steadied her, then drew her down the hall away from Viktor's door.

"Ah, Flik, that... wasn't what it looked..."

Flik shook his head, and her words trailed off.

"It didn't look like anything, Leona. Don't let it bother you."

Well, that wasn't very flattering.

"It could have been something!" she said, then cursed herself for speaking faster than she thought.

"Yes, it could have. You're a beautiful woman."

Leona nodded.

"But," Flik continued, "Viktor considers you as his friend--not as a lover. And he thinks those categories are mutually exclusive."

"Actually... I doubt he knows what 'mutually exclusive' means."

Flik bowed his head in acknowledgment of her point.

"You're most likely right," he told her and smiled.

They were standing in front of his bedroom now, and it was a pity that she knew what his answer would be if she asked him to consider her as a lover. He was so handsome and good-natured, so unfailingly polite to her--and so patently uninterested in her charms--that he made her nervous. But he was blocking her way as though there was something that still needed to be said.

She shuffled her feet. What was he waiting for?

"Flik?"

"Hmm?"

"Look, I'm not one to break a confidence..."

"You're a good bartender," he said.

"Right. So you understand..."

"It's safe to tell me. I won't let him know you talked to me."

"Thank you. He said something that I didn't understand. He said..." She tried to remember exactly how he had said it. "That maybe his rune didn't want to be removed. Does that mean anything to you?"

The lines of Flik's face seemed to tighten. "Yes, it does."

"Is it... is that bad?"

"No, Leona." Flik opened his door. "Even if he is right, I'm not going to let it be a problem."

Ah, so it was bad, but Flik had it under control.

She gave him a sisterly peck on the cheek. "Thank you for keeping him safe."

He patted her shoulder. "Don't ever let him hear you say that."

"I won't."

He smiled. "Then have a good night, Leona."

"Yes, thank you. You too." She watched his door close, then headed back to her room behind the bar.

TBC

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Notes:
1. Viktor's drinking song is a translation of the Swedish drinking song, "Jag har aldrig vatt på snusen" (which I found at http://www.breitlingweb.de/PAGEBILD/SE_TRLe.HTM).

2. Viktor doesn't necessarily have a Fury Rune in the games, but I always give him one as soon as I can (and never let him exchange it for another). I guess it's my fault that he's having problems with it now.