Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places, etc. from the game Final Fantasy Tactics; these are copyright of Squaresoft and not mine. No copyright infringement is intended by this story. Claimer: It's mine! The story's mine I say, you hear me? All mine! Get back in there! Mine mine mine! MWHAHAHAHA!! Summary: A glimpse into the lives of two traveling heroes from the Lion Wars. Their names? Meliadoul Tingel and Rafa Galthanas. Mild Shoujo Ai Rating: PG Pairing: Rafa/Meliadoul Spoilers: End of Game, Throughout Game, Chapter 2. Feedback: Read and cherished. Flames used for fueling the Furnace during the Winter and used for running my Air Conditioner in the Summer. Category: Angst Author's Notes: This is my first attempt at shoujo ai, my best friend Seravy insisted that I try my hand at it, who knows I might just do good! Anyway hope you all enjoy!

Bottled Up
By: Christie Redfield

Rain pelted the worn animal hide of the tent; a cold howling wind blew sharply outside in the night air. More than certainly a flood would come tonight, worthy of the great beast Leviathan. Meliadoul Tingel breathed in the air deeply, a salty and sour smell hitting her nostrils. They were camped out near the great seas of Burgosa itself, the hopes of bringing home dragon hides and caches of fish and other underwater treats to trade at Zarghidas Trade City for gold and much needed weapons and supplies.

Meliadoul looked up from polishing the large blade held in her hands, her face reflected back at herself in the moonlight. It had long since past the great battle with Saint Ajora in the dark underworld of Lucavi. The brave warriors barely escaped the Ship Graveyard with their very lives. All of them had left looking worse for wear but alive nonetheless. Vowing to spread the truth of Ajora to Ivalice the group separated going their own ways. The Beoulves, Ramza and Alma fled the lands in search of a new life, their pasts left behind them in the shambles that was once the great castle of Igros.

Mustadio had returned to Goug, his hopes only consisting carrying on his work as he aided his father in his studies with his bizarre treasures. Reis & Beowulf left without word, both leaving to carry on their lives and perhaps start a family.

Agrias Oaks, the Holy Knight returned to the Capitol City to look after the Queen Ovelia Akatscha, furthering her body guard skills to protect the young Queen who had recently been attempted to have been killed by her husband King Delita Hyral.

Malak Galthanas returned to his home, where he and Rafa originally grew up many, many years ago. Attempting to suppress Barinten's evil ways Malak opened up a home for the war orphans providing them with a chance at having real lives and real families. His attempts were successful yet...

His sister Rafa did not accompany him. Sheathing her sword, Meliadoul brushed back the short strands of her brown hair as she contemplated her traveling companion.

Both she and Rafa had been traveling abroad, working as a team in an attempt to aid in hunting down wanted criminals and demons. The pay was good and they enjoyed each other's company greatly however Rafa remained closed up. More or less bottled up about something. What it was Meliadoul did not know, her past with Barinten? Her family? The battle with Saint Ajora? Whatever it was Meliadoul had to get it out of her; this was not good for one's spirit.

Tossing her green hood over her head Meliadoul stood up and parted the tent's flap. "RAFA!!" She called out her comrade's name again yet Meliadoul received no response. Cursing silently she stepped from the tent in the raging rains of the night, leaves battering at her form.

Trudging onward she continued to look for the dark skinned girl, the urgency in her yelling calls getting more worried.

"Where is that girl? RAFA!!"

Lightning flashed as Meliadoul walked across the muddied grounds, slick with water and debris from the impending storm.

Thunder flashed once and then again illuminating a crouched figure. Meliadoul hurried forward, as she spotted her missing partner and friend. Kneeling she helped the smaller girl up.

"What happened to you? Are you injured?" Rafa nodded as clutched at her leg.

"Morbols, they came out of nowhere when I was collecting dried wood and some of these Kirok Mushrooms I thought we could sell later in exchange for some rare medicines." Rafa saw that Meliadoul was beginning to lose some interest so she quickly explained the rest of what happened.

"And before I know it, I was surrounded by four Morbols. I managed to fend off most of them but one managed to.get a good shot at my leg, I think it's poisoned." Meliadoul leaned down to look at Rafa's leg for a closer look.

"I can't very well tell in this lighting but it indeed does look to be poisoned, we have some Antidote back in the Tent to lower the swelling but you'll need to see a doctor or most likely a White Priest at best." Rafa's eyes widened at Meliadoul's response.

"A White Priest? Are you sure!? Oh great, leave it to you to have all the nasty monsters rather the venomous types in this part of the world." Leaning down Meliadoul hoisted Rafa's arm around her shoulders.

"Well blame that on God not me, I just take care of the monsters and slay them, God just creates them."

"He certainly has a sense of humor about him your God." Meliadoul shook her head at Rafa's response.

"Do you want me to carry you or would you like to walk?!" She asked her voice acidic.

"I can walk, just fine thank you!!" Rafa slipped as she stepped forward dragging both herself and Meliadoul landing right down into a large ditch turned swampy pond.

Meliadoul puffed her hair out as she sat in the water filled ditch, face now covered with mud. She turned to look at Rafa who was giggling, her shoulders shaking as she attempted to suppress her laughs.

"What's so bloody funny?" Meliadoul asked.

Rafa gestured to her face. "You say never use beauty techniques, yet here you are wearing a mud mask!" The dark skinned warrior remarked between giggles. Meliadoul lifted a handful of mud into her hand.

"That's not funny! I'll have you know I get my looks from other methods.and wait a minute you think I'm pretty?" She asked hand lowering.

Rafa shrugged. "Perhaps, in a natural sort of way, can we try and get back to camp now I'm freezing." Meliadoul nodded and waded over to Rafa.

"Yeah, come on let's get back to camp."

Such a sunny personality about her Rafa, but what was it that made her go out her by herself? Meliadoul let that thought linger as she helped her comrade as the two worked their way back to the camp.

Rafa shivered as she rubbed the Antidote herb into her injured wounds. Tying a bandage around both the herb and wound she tilted her head up slightly as she looked over to where Meliadoul stood hunched over a dry pile of wood, flint rock in one hand, her mighty blade "Save the Queen" in the other. Long, dirty, strands of brown hair hung in the knight's eyes as she attempted to start a fire inside the tent's shallow fire pit.

Smiling Rafa continued to watch Meliadoul intently as she worked, her companion appeared gigantic to herself, the bulk of her armor draping her form. Rafa wondered what Meliadoul often resorted to dressing in when she wasn't on duty or in her proposed knight mode. Rafa turned away as Meliadoul struck a fire to life and clink clanked her way over to Rafa. Meliadoul sat down heavily next to her dark skinned companion on the makeshift sleep rolls.

"How is your wound?" Meliadoul asked as she sheathed her blade setting it off to the side.

"The antidote is helping the swelling go down, with any luck it will be down tomorrow."

Nodding Meliadoul leaned back against the wall of the tent. "Good, come tomorrow when we get to Zarghidas we will go to the clinics and treat your wound."

Meliadoul focused on a patch of the tent wall as the question that had been testing her mind earlier found it's way back to her again. "Rafa." Taking another breath Meliadoul started again. "As of late you have seemed somehow, how I shall I say different? Is something bothering you?"

Rafa shook her head and rubbed her arms as she looked over at Meliadoul. "No, of course not, the only days I ever carried worries were during the time of the Lion Wars, and my childhood.." Meliadoul turned to look at Rafa.

"Something, did Barinten do something to you?" She asked searching her friend's eyes. Lowering her dark eyes, Rafa nodded.

"Many things but that which you ask me of, I hated him for this specific act more than anything." As she continued, Rafa's eyes flew to the ground. "He.robbed me of my purity." Meliadoul's eyes went wide.

"He.raped you?"

"Yes, Malak knows this but to this day he refuses to believe Barinten truly committed this act..he still considers him our.his father.despite that which has happened." Rafa chuckled "I suppose you could say it's one of the reasons we went our separate ways, with you though I hope to survive, to find my life again, I doubt I'm truly a Galthanas but something much greater, something worthy of my Heavenly Knight skills."

"Rafa, you know you could survive even without my skills.you know this because of the power you know possess." Meliadoul started as she looked away briefly.

Rafa looked over to Meliadoul eyes softening. "Actually I was hoping you would travel with me, it comforts me to know I have you in my presence to complete my journey.Meliadoul." Meliadoul reddened uncertain of what to say to the young dark skinned girl sitting next to her.

"Well at any rate, if you're going to survive, the least you can do Rafa, is work on dressing better for harsh conditions." Standing up Meliadoul removed the belt from her waist and drew back the hood from her head revealing her short brown hair.

"Meliadoul you'll freeze!" Rafa protested.

Meliadoul continued to remove her green robe revealing her to be wearing a type of armor not dissimilar to that worn by the Archers and Squires. Meliadoul kneeled next to Rafa, and draped the large cloak around Rafa's small, shivering form. Rafa reveled in the warmth of Meliadoul's warm cloak. "Thank you, but what do you plan on doing?"

"Just sleep Rafa, I'm not going anywhere.the fire will keep me warm." She reassured, nodding Rafa yawned as she rested her head against the tent's wall.

"Sleep such a wonderful comfort, like the presence of yourself, it warms my soul."

Meliadoul's eyes went wide as she looked over at Rafa. "Rafa? Rafa?" Sighing Meliadoul smiled and shook her head. Leaning forward, the knight dropped a kiss on Rafa's forehead. "Sleep my exotic princess, I promise to stay by your side throughout your journey to find yourself." Hefting her blade into her hand, Meliadoul slipped an arm around Rafa's small shoulders as she looked up into the night sky through the hole in the top of the tent.

I promise, we will survive together.

FIN

AN: The scene Rafa mentions about Barinten raping her is hinted at right before his death when he and Rafa are talking on the roofs of Riovanes Castle and she is holding her weapon in hand(s) ready to strike him down.