Copper between Silver and Gold

Chapter 1: Disquietude

Luneth was jealous.

He denies it, but it's been a while since he felt that irritating, weird, nagging feeling whenever he saw those two together. It's so obvious that Ingus was making moves to his best friend. Of course who would not be attracted to Arc's cute face, shy personality and the adorable freckles on his skin? Arc has always been like a brother and best friend to him, but that doesn't stop him to admire the boy for even he, himself had fall for his best friend's charm. Somewhere in his heart, he knew that there was something more than being comrades and brothers between them. But hesitation always surfaces whenever he tries to ask Arc about it and he always tend to chickened out to and to confess and accept what he truly feels.

He didn't want to spy on the two but he can't help it. Just the other day he was confronted by Ingus asking if he and Arc do have a romantic connection towards each other. He was taken aback, out of his consternation and panic he answered no. The blond asked him again if he has affection to the boy. Luneth hesitated, knowing from the very first that Arc was not too far out of earshot and was obviously listening to what they're talking about, he again answered no. That's when Arc started to avoid Luneth and began to spend much time alone with himself and was often see with the blond. It's been a week now since that incident but Luneth can't sit still and was uncomfortable to watch Ingus lingeringly look at Arc's entire being. That's why Luneth made up an excuse to gather more firewood while they were on Healing Copse so that he could stalk the two alone.

The sky was dancing in the colours of orange, magenta, blue, and indigo as the stars began to peek out from heavens.

"Hey Arc," Luneth silently watch from above the nearby tree as the golden haired knight approaches his copper haired friend. Watching Ingus bent to trace the younger man's jaw line made Luneth's blood to boil. Aside from he is not enjoying the show, he is not pretty much happy of his best friend's reaction to Ingus' touch.

"H-hey Ingus" Arc stuttered nervously, face red to the tips of his ears. "D-do you need something?"

"There's something I want to ask of you." Ingus settled down beside him but Arc moved a bit away from the blond, eyes planted on the ground. "Do you... Are you and Luneth... really not some kind of... lovers?"

Arc's eyes widen in surprise and turn even redder."N-no! We're just friends." He swallowed and blinked tightly as if he was gulping a stone before he continues, "I mean no, I-I am just a friend... to him."

Ingus smiled at Arc "But do you see him as friend?"

Arc turned away, face still red and glued his gaze to the ground again before he solemnly asked. "Why do you ask such question?"

Ingus shrugged "I don't know. Maybe I tend to ask what's obvious."

Arc lets out a defeated sigh. "It doesn't matter how I feel, he only sees me as his friend. I won't risk losing that friendship over my unrequited love. Besides," Arc pushes the image on the back of his mind, it hurts him badly by just remembering it. "I don't want to ruin what he has with Refia."

Luneth was confused for a moment but then remembered how Refia acts all too suddenly intimate towards him. He mentally kicks himself when realization dawned on him. He remembered that one merry, drunken night in Canaan, he let her kiss him... IN FRONT OF ARC. It doesn't mean anything for him, it was just a dare. Honestly a dare which Phoenix Down is the prize. He thought the hurt expression that flashed on the boy's face was only his drunken imagination. After he saw that expression, he did thought of the possibility that Arc likes Refia, and he's got jealous. That's why he let himself get wasted that night, and didn't payed much attention to anything else aside from his liquor.