MVP

Everyone was about to move on down the dungeon before they noticed Percival staying behind on his knees.

“Percy?” Katie was the first to turn around and recognize his position. He had this look on his face like he was seeing planets spin.

“You… you…”

“What about me…?” Traveling with her sister this whole time, she wasn’t used to being singled out. Hadn’t really happened since she was still in school. The familiar feeling made her happy.

“You’re so… cool…!” The boy fell to his hands. “And… you don’t try to show it off… you just do it! Like it’s nothing…”

“Oh… um, thanks!” She tried sticking her tongue out in a goofy pose, but it wasn’t nearly getting through to her the storm of emotions the knight was feeling.

“I trained my whole life… to be as cool as you are just playing around.”

The swordswoman blinked.

“I’m not playing around.”

“Huh…?” He looked up at her, a soothing, almost motherly face gazing back at him. She was holding her hand out.

“I’m trying just like you are. If you think I’m that good, that really makes me happy! I mean, who’d know better than you, right?”

She smiled and tilted her head with closed eyes.

Percival could almost cry.

“Hey! No falling in love over there.” Serah puffed air out her nose and stuck her head to the side, looking away from the sorry display.

“T-Thanks…” Percy took her hand, raising to his armored legs as he composed himself, brushing off the random particles of wall. Leaving his once so-important dignity behind, he gave an honest smile in return for hers. “Now that I think about it… you really inspire me, Katie. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“Anytime, sir knight.” She shook his hand with a grin, proud to hear it.

“We must keep moving.” Rocco stressed.

“You can say that again!” The original team thief was happy to interrupt the sappy little interaction. “Follow me, you bloody losers. I’ll deal with all the traps.”