Author's Notes: Eh, AOL's being screwy...and I'm having formatting problems...like some things aren't italicized when they're supposed to be. Or centering isn't made. It makes me almost want to do this in sheer html format just to try it. e_e;. But anyway, as always...I hope you enjoy...since it's been a while since I've had a chapter out. Though, I have a feeling this story's gonna be in for a serious re-write x__x



Morning inevitably arrived, and after a big supper the night before, Catherine and Folken fell asleep in each other's arms. Folken wasn't about to say that the whole relationship thing was easy. There were several awkward should-we-kiss moments, and even more times when conversation was hard to come up with. But, sleep was something they could very easily do. Just cuddle up real close, and enjoy the feel of one body against the next...and fall away into the dream world. Though, all dreams do come to an end eventually, and it was because of that, that Folken was slowly waking up.

It didn't at all feel unnatural to be holding Catherine like that. Several times he climbed into bed with her...and no...not for any other purposes...other than to hold onto her. The live hand raised so fingers could move through the subtle waves of her hair. He didn't want to do too much...just because she needed her rest after all. But, Folken wondered if he made the right decision. Was it being selfish to want to be with Catherine? Or was he doing it to be fair to her...? On one side, it seemed so beautiful and sweet, but on the other...it seemed cruel. He still needed to bring her back to the sorcerers if they wanted to experiment on her...and what kind of a boyfriend would do that to their beloved?

Before he knew it, Catherine had rolled away from him, releasing a yawn as one hand rubbed lightly at her eyes. The other hand created a loose fist against Folken's chest, and slowly the arm moved away. Once all sleep was pushed away, Catherine raised her attention toward the sorcerer beside her, and she offered him a light smile. That smile was returned to the best of Folken's ability.

"G'morning..." She mumbled sleepily, leaning her chin forward to rest against the center of his chest.

"Good morning, Catherine..." Still so very formal. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a baby..." The girl smiled contentedly.

Laughing softly, he nodded, "That's good to hear."

"I'm looking forward to so very many times waking up beside you..."

"Don't go planning our future on me. This has only been a one day thing. Not even that..."

"Oh, but it feels like forever..." Catherine peeked up at him, and then grinned coyly. "So, what's for breakfast?"

"When you're not ranting about how much you love me...it's all about the food huh? Sometimes, I think you're just using me..." Folken smirked.

"I would never use you!" She quickly rolled over, reversing the positions so that she was atop of him.

Blinking in surprise, he cleared his throat nervously, just deciding it was better to sit there doing nothing, rather than do something stupid with her on him like that, "O-oh?"

"Mmmhmm..." Fingertips tapped their way along his chest...moving up it slowly before she paused, and quickly leaned in to steal a kiss.

Folken pushed lips back against hers lightly, and drew back so that it couldn't progress any further, "Well, if you want breakfast, you know you're going to have to get off of me."

"Aw, and here I was thinking I'd just make you drag me all the way down to the cafeteria..." She giggled, finally rolling onto her back.

The sorcerer rose to his feet afterward, and brushed away a few wrinkles from his outfit. He spared a glance toward his reflection in the mirror, and then toward the closet of clothing and cloaks. Picking out a choice, he looked toward her, then down to the clothes again.

"Uh, I'll just get changed in the bathroom..."

"Oh ho ho, scared of showing off your body, now are you? I bet you're really sexy beneath it all..." Catherine gave him a saucy wink.

"Er...yeah. I'll just...go now," Nervously, Folken darted for that bathroom.

The door was sealed behind him, and he let out a breath of relief. It was just far too much for him to deal with in a moment's time. Maybe, he would get used to it...but all those comments she had been making about his body got him rather flustered and embarrassed, not to mention curious. Maybe, she was suggesting something. Maybe, all this playing meant that she wanted something from him.

God! How could he even think that! Folken shook away the thought, and sighed. He was only a fifteen year old boy after all, but he was far more mature than all of the other ones. He didn't need...that. Clothes were shed from his body, and replaced with the clean ones. He straightened himself out a bit more, combing through the silver-blue strands and then dealing with the normal cleansing activities, before he moved out once more. Catherine was of course waiting for him, seated upright with a gentle smile across her face...one that Folken couldn't help but return. He pulled on his cloak, and inserted the button into it's respective slot, a skill that took many days to perfect with that metal claw.

"So, are you going to get something different...the same thing, what...?" Catherine tilted her head.

"I'm not sure, I'll decide when I get down there..." Folken replied, making his way for the door.

"Oh...? So, it's going to be a surprise. I like surprises..." She nodded as a matter-of-factly, offering him a wink.

The sorcerer chuckled, "Well, I hardly think this is a surprise that merits anything..."

"I find joy in the simplest of things, you should know that about me by now."

"Sad but true...I have noticed that about you. I suppose it's a nice way to be. It's how my brother used to be..."

"Van...the youngest prince of Fanelia. See, I know your country...even though I'm from a big one like Basram. I always read about places like that, you see...I really liked what I heard about Fanelia. Simple, but nice. It had a type of...familiarity about it, as though I just...belonged there. It may have been a small country, but that has nothing to do with it's beauty...isn't that right?"

Folken glanced away, "I suppose you could say that..."

"Do you...miss your homeland...?" Catherine watched his expression change to an even more solemn one, if such a thing was possible. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up, should I?"

"No, it's all right, Catherine. I just don't really...feel much up to talking about it now. I'm sorry. Maybe, someday...I'll be able to speak of my routes again, but for now, I just don't feel as though I have a right."

"Oh...well, still, Folken. I'm sorry...really sorry..."

He offered her a smile, "Don't worry about it. I'll get us something to eat now, all right? Just wait right there...Jack will be close by if you get lonely and want to speak with him."

"Okay..." She nodded. "Then...I'll see you in a bit, hm? Hehe, with my surprise meal and everything...I can't wait!"

* * *

The day progressed on as most days often did, only the hours in this one seemed to go by much quicker than they ever had for Folken since he had gotten to Zaibach. He didn't spend much of the time at all doing experiments as he should have been, but rather he was with Catherine, enjoying her company and talking away as evening began to settle in. It brought him back to those days before Zaibach, before the failed dragon trial. It reminded him of how life used to be...and most importantly, it reminded him what it was like...to have fun.

Catherine and Folken chose to eat their supper with Jack's company, since after having laughed so much...Folken really didn't mind the presence of the otherwise annoying astronomer. And the amazing thing was, the three of them actually had a good time. True, they had to suffer through a few corny jokes, but all in all, it was rather enjoyable. They allowed Jack to stay around for a quite some time until finally kicking him out for rest as they said. Really, Folken had only wanted some time alone with his new 'girlfriend.'

And so, at the current moment, Catherine had discarded her tattered dress, and was wearing Folken's sorcerer cloak, which she looked absolutely ridiculous in, but she insisted on keeping it on. She claimed that it was rather comfortable, which Folken somehow doubted since he knew what those things were like...and really knew at that, because it was a part of his everyday attire. The teenager, however, was relaxing on the bed, watching her admire herself in the mirror on his wall. He chuckled somewhat, shaking his head.

"You know you look silly in that..." Folken pointed out.

"I do not!" Catherine protested. "I think it looks good on me. Much better than it does on you..."

"Well, I'm not arguing with you there..." He snickered.

"Besides, I think I could pass off very well as a sorcerer..." She held up her finger and struck some random thoughtful pose.

"Sorceress..." Folken corrected. "The female version of the word is 'sorceress',"

"Blah...sorceress...you men and your sexist...words!" Catherine stuck her tongue out at him.

"You are truly childish..."

"It's not like you don't like it. I bring out the child in you, and for being...you, that's a really good thing."

"If you say so..."

"I know so...! You're forgetting who you're talking to here!" Catherine beamed. "Catherine Fern, the noble daughter of Lord Jonan Fern...and next in line for the Fern dynasty...provided, I found myself a nice rich prince...who would court me, and then eventually marry me. Ooo, and he has to be handsome too...a definite must..."

Folken felt his cheeks grow a bit hot, as he lowered his gaze with an embarrassed cough, "Marry, huh? Well...I don't know...maybe you need to start looking for more handsome princes to fit the role."

The girl flopped on the bed beside him, throwing her arms around him, "I don't want anyone else...just you. Only you..."

"Are you sure about that, Catherine? Really sure...? I mean, I'm not Folken of Fanelia anymore. I can't...be anything but a sorcerer really. Is that what you want?" He glanced toward her, curious to see what her answer would be.

"Yes, Folken. I mean, I'm sure...that no one else is going to make me feel the same way you make me feel. There's something about you, like...I'm certain...positive, that you're the one for me. The only one in the whole world of Gaea."

"Then...there's something I must show you," Folken pushed himself off the opposite side of the bed and up to his feet.

"Hm? What's that...? Ooo, is it another surprise...?" She grinned brightly.

"I suppose you could say that..." The fifteen year old nodded, and then slowly removed his shirt, allowing it to drop to the floor.

Eyeing the shed clothing, Catherine's jaw dropped. She appeared quite nervous as she looked back up at him, "W-what...are you doing, F-Folken...?"

"I can't show you what I want to by keeping my shirt on. There's something about me...and my family that's far different from what you would expect. And I'm not talking about the claw I have...or any other visible physical mark on my skin. It's the blood inside of me, and the...part hidden inside of me..."

"I don't understand..." Catherine furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Here, maybe just...showing you would be best..."

Folken lowered his head, keeping his eyes closed as he concentrated. It would require quite a bit of concentration since he hadn't done so in a while. Shoulder blades pressed together, and he winced some feeling his bone structure shift and open up on the inside to provide room for what was about to break free. Feather by feather, a cloud of snowy white exploded from the sorcerer's back. He stumbled back somewhat at the sudden weight, but managed to regain himself. The quills lowered themselves, stretching out in front of his body and enveloping his torso as he looked toward the awed Catherine.

"This is what I am...what I truly am. My mother was a full-blooded Draconian woman, and that makes me half. These white wings are proof of that..."

"A...dr-draconian..." Her lips parted to let the first words of her own break the silence. "They're...they're...the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Can I touch the feathers...?"

Folken raised his brows at the odd request before he slowly nodded. Catherine scooted forward, and slipped one hand through the cloak's center. Her fingertips moved over the soft edges of those pinions, racing over them slightly. It caused a shiver to run down Folken's spine as he wasn't used to this sort of caressing. It didn't feel all that bad to have someone else touch them, mainly just unusual. Her hand grew a bit more bold, and buried itself in the cushy depths. Those wings shifted involuntarily, stretching out slightly before him, and Folken closed his eyes at her wandering digits. The sensation was enjoyable, he imagined it would be the same feeling an animal (mostly a cat) had when they were pet. Just such intense feelings, though Folken blinked open those eyes finally. Maybe it wasn't a wise idea to keep doing this, and so, he swiftly moved the wings away from her...and retracted them back into his body.

"Folken...?" Catherine raised her brows, dropping her hand against her side.

"I...um...I think that's enough. I mean, it hurts to keep them out that long," Folken lied.

It was a harmless lie, though. Catherine had no way of knowing the truth about his wings. So, the youth motioned toward the bed quietly, suggesting that they rest rather than stay up any longer. The girl understood, and nodded slowly to the silent question. Both of them made their way to opposite sides of the bed, and climbed beneath the covers. Catherine snuggled up against Folken, and he kept one arm around her.

"Goodnight, Folken..."

"Goodnight."

One day of their newfound relationship was now over, which would bring only one more to follow. Folken wondered if it would get easier over time, or if it would always be that awkward at moments. Relationships, now that was something he didn't know. He had all this knowledge of life and machines...but that still didn't help him out in this situation. But, to live in the moment...the moment that was then, Folken closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep, ready to embrace the new day and whatever would come along with it.