All right, I hope this chapter is all right. I tried to keep everyone in character as much as possible, so please, let me know if I did okay?

I am open for suggestions lovelies~ c:

Have you ever been so comfortable before, so utterly happy, you didn't want to move from the spot you were in? This was something I had never personally experienced until now.

I awoke from a sleep that was soothing, numbing to the reality that surrounded me. There was a ray of darkness that cascaded above Brago and I on the bed, crossing over our bodies and shielding us from the painfully bright sun that was outside the window.

I supposed somewhere during the night Brago and I had shifted, because I was much more comfortable than when I started out to sleep. It's not like I wasn't comfortable before, because I was, but now it was more like…like bliss, really.

I cracked my eyes open to let them adjust to the morning atmosphere. My vision was cloudy and uneven for a moment, before focusing in on the grey in front of me.

It was Brago's chest. I was surprised how close I was to him. My cheeks blushed with a deep red, hoping, praying Brago wouldn't wake from his meditation just yet.

I assumed he was meditating since he never slept, but I would milk this moment for all that I could. His left arm was draped over my body, and my two arms were scrunched up together by his chest.

I scooted myself a little closer, very slowly and cautiously untangling my arms and letting my right move over his waist. I rested my arm on his skin and brought myself closer, closing my eyes and letting my head rest on his chest.

My legs had made their way between Brago's, and I had successfully entwined us beyond proper sleeping arrangements. I couldn't help it though, because I never got to be this close to Brago.

I had never known the joy of feeling my head move up and down in unison with his breathing. I had never known the happiness that accompanied the feeling of warmth that radiated from his body.

I didn't know any of this, especially the feeling of one of Brago's arms around me. Involuntarily I scooted a little bit closer, burying my face onto him as much as possible.

I didn't want him to wake up, I didn't want him to move, but I knew he would. The second I felt his muscles begin to move and then tense, I knew he was awake.

Still I did not move, and to much of my surprise he didn't either. His arm left from around my body, but that was all. I was…content, where I was.

Just lying here, basking in the pure hope that was Brago…this is what I wanted from the day; I knew it was impossible, especially when Brago spoke.

"Sherry, are you even sleeping?" His voice was low, as if to not wake me if I wasn't, but I was, and so I shook my head lightly. I didn't move from my spot though. I waited for Brago to move me if he wanted.

Very carefully he pried himself from my grip and slid off of the bed, leaving me there to squeeze my grip around the sheets. I buried my face into them and tried to find the will to move, tried to find the will to do anything, but it just wasn't there.

"What are we doing today, Brago?" I asked him in a small voice. I saw him shrug as he placed his cloak around him.

"What we usually do." I groaned to myself before swinging my legs off of the bed and getting up, walking over next to Brago in front of my dresser. I spoke up to him, my eyes not looking his way as I did.

"It's not often you stay in my bed," I spoke with a hint of caution in my tone as I continued to gather my things.

"Are you injured?" I asked, turning to look at him- or more precisely, the back of his neck now.

"No." Was his response, causing my face to shift into a minor scowl.

"Very well." I grabbed my things and began marching into the bathroom, moving to shut the door with a small slam- but I was stopped. When I looked behind me there was a foot in the door, and I heard Brago speaking.

"You did well yesterday, Sherry." I found myself smiling like an idiot in love, moving to place both of my palms onto the door and speak to him.

"Thanks, Brago." I could almost picture him nodding before his foot slipped from the doorway and it shut.

Today was an overly sunny day, and I didn't exactly care for it. I didn't enjoy overly hot days or overly cold days- both proved to be nothing but a nuisance to me.

But here we were, walking through the forest as if it were the perfect temperature out. I had brought a small parasol with me, having it open and shading me from the sun as we walked. Brago had made fun of me for it, but I didn't care; there was no way in hell I would walk for hours in this type of sun.

It wasn't very lively today. I didn't say much and neither did Brago. When I asked why we were here, I was told there was a mamodo that was powerful around.

That was all that seemed to motivate Brago these days, but I couldn't blame him. All I wanted to do was make Brago king, that was it.

My eyes flickered to him for a moment, studying his features from the corner of my eye. He looked so determined, so ready…and then there was me. I looked so awkward, so out of place.

I sighed though, knowing this was inevitable. I knew that fighting was something that would need to happen in order to get rid of the competition, but I just, I wasn't ready to lose Brago.

I wasn't willing to give him up. No. Not yet.

I had to stop thinking about this, I really did. Every time it crossed my mind I felt my nose sting and my throat close up, but I quickly pushed it into the utmost back corners of my brain.

Instead I let my mind focus on the area around me. There were trees everywhere and they just seemed to stretch on for miles and miles.

But I was quickly proven wrong as Brago and I walked into a semi-open, circular field. It was lengthy, but it wasn't extravagantly long. I sighed and kept walking with him, but then there was a sudden…heat bloom, of sorts, and I found myself caught off guard.

"Gadyuusen!" I whirled to my right, my hand pointing at the oncoming fireball as I shouted.

"Reis!" Brago let off the attack as it clashed with the fire head on, my body taking a few steps back out of fear. I could feel the heat of the fire from even this close. I could feel the seat forming on my porcelain skin as my knees shook minorly, Brago standing in front of me and glaring down our opponents.

The human was a male, his golden hair arching above his eyebrows and falling down to about his shoulders. He had on a plain white dress shirt and jeans, grinning at us.

His partner was a fire mamodo with wicked orange hair that pushed upward, as if it too, were a flame. His orbs were golden and red, shinning as he crossed his hands over his chest and looked at us.

"Ohhh, you two look like a challenge!" His voice was child-like as he spoke, grinning at us. I let my face form a glare as I studied him closely.

"Surrender now and we promise not to hurt you…too much." I spoke with clear malice in my voice, grinning devilishly as our own book gave off a strong purple glow.

"Don't make me laugh! Adora!" His own book began to illuminate brighter than what I imagined normal, and I blamed it on the sunlight.

I hissed through my teeth; he would be stronger than normal because of the weather. I focused myself some more, trying not to pay attention to the fact that his attacks were fire based. I heard his next spell being called out, and immediately I froze.

"Woru Gadyun!" I saw a wall of searing flames come flying at us, and when I tried to speak up, my throat was raspy- as if I had lost my voice.

I couldn't call out a spell.

I couldn't move my body.

So Brago did it for me. He pushed us down to the side, yelling my name as he landed above me. I let my eyes stare directly at Brago, his mouth formed into a menacing scowl as I shook my head, trying to get out of my mind set.

"Oh, lucky for us Adora, Miss. Rich over here is scared of fire." I heard him laugh with that childish voice, imagining his partner smiling as well before I shoved myself up to my feet. I glared deeply at them.

"Sherry, focus." I heard Brago speak to me, breaking me out of my train of thought before I nodded and straightened myself out. Our book began to glow once again.

"I won't let you off that easily, Gigano Reis!" Brago's hand lashed out as the compressed gravity bullet was shot at them.

"Gadyuusen!" He shot the fireball once more, watching it clash with the gigano reis and cancel each other out.

Now the sweat really started to drip down my neck. His first spell was as powerful as our gigano reis? This was…this had never happened. I looked down at the book, flipping the page and looking at our dioga gravidon spell.

My eyes looked back up as the smoke from his fire cleared. I could use it…but then…then he would see one of our most powerful spells.

Dammit! Why, of all times, must I be frozen now? Why must my brain not work now? I began to tremble, my knees feeling weak and my mind going in cir-

Pain.

A sharp pain in my cheek made me snap out of it. I looked up to see Brago standing there, glaring at me, his hand outstretched passed my face.

He…he slapped me. I stared at him for a long moment before taking a gulp of air and swallowing, nodding to Brago who nodded back and turned around.

"You're making this too easy, really." The fire mamodo grinned before putting his hands out.

"Orudi Gadyuu!" He spoke as three balls of fire shot into the air and came hurdling towards us.

I won't lose that easily.

"Ion Gravirei!" I yelled out as Brago's hands shot up, crushing two of the sphered into the ground and causing it to ignite. I felt myself gasp as the other sphere steered itself and smashed into the ground behind me, igniting it until I was in a circle of fire.

I felt my eyes freeze open and my breath start to quicken and come in short, shallow gasps. I closed the book and brought it up to my chest, looking around- the fire coruscating within my eyes no doubt.

I heard Brago calling out to me, but I couldn't understand him. All I knew was that this was it. This was the day I was going to die, but I couldn't let Brago go with me. I looked up at him and locked gazes, mouthing that I was sorry.

I saw his eyes widen with confusion as my body kneelt down and threw the book high up into the air, my spell following it.

"Diborudo Jii Gravidon!" I watched as Brago's hands flew up and our largest sphere of gravity smashed into the ground in front of us.

I felt the fire around me close and even before it touched my skin I cried out a scream of terror. I looked up just as I saw the book falling back down to me. My eyes widened as I reached up and caught it, quickly throwing it to the side and out of the way of the fire.

That's when I felt it touch me. The fire. It scorched my skin and I screamed louder than I ever have, feeling it burn me beyond compare.

But then it seemed to stop. I felt myself being pulled down, darkness surrounding me as Brago's book was shoved back into my hands. I couldn't see much of anything, but I knew it was Brago.

I could tell it was him. He had crouched down and surrounded us in his cloak to absorb the fire. I cowered with the book pressed tightly against my chest, moving close against Brago for safety.

Eventually I knew the fire would be out, and I saw a ray of sunlight escape through the cloak as Brago checked. I assumed it was, because he dropped the cloak and then I felt his arms move under me.

I gasped lightly, tensing, until there was a pair of lips at me ear, whispering.

"Relax, Sherry." I did as I was told, relaxing into the touch until my body was scooped up bridal style, and I was being carried away.

"Gadyuusen!" My eyes widened- how were they still fighting?

"Okeru!" I heard the familiar spell as I turned around, watching the rings from nowhere and crash into the fireball. I looked at our opponents, confused and angry at the new attack, before the fire mamodo was fighting something invisible.

I smiled, knowing making friends was a good choice, snuggling into Brago and closing my eyes as he turned around and kept moving towards the house, kept moving towards medical assistance.

When I was finally in my house, I was rushed to the bathroom by my butler and Brago was given a multitude of creams and ointments he would need. He started a bath on the colder side, before placing me on the counter and looking at me.

"Sherry, calm down and let me do this." I nodded to him, my burned hands trying to go for the cream and fumbling with it, Brago's hand stopping me from interfering. I let them fall back into my lap as he set the cream aside and picked me up, set me on my feet, my back to him.

He made quick work of my dress and removed it from my body, leaving me in my undergarments thankfully. My face was blushed a deep red as he picked me back up and carried me over to the bath, placing me in it.

It felt good, the cold water numbing my scorched skin, causing me to let out a small, involuntary sigh. Brago took the burned areas of my body and applied cream to them- they weren't as bad I had made them out to be.

The blood-curdling screams were just my mind telling me I was dying. It was just my mind falling apart, not my body.

But once Brago had finished, he looked at me scrutinizing for a moment.

"Call me." Were the only words he said before getting up and settling towels down onto the sink and walking out, closing the door inaudibly behind him.

Only a few minutes passed in my bath before I got out and got myself together. I dressed myself and went back into my room, the shades all pulled over with thick curtains as I set myself under my covers.

The feeling of the cool fabric made me smile lightly as I crept down beneath them, letting a dull sleep fo exhaustion fall over me.

This uninvited sleep was short lived. I didn't know how long I had been unconscious, but when I woke up the windows were open and the moonlight filtered into my room.

Brago was seated on the ledge by the window. I sighed, knowing he deserved an explanation. I got up slowly, carefully, and found my way to my feet. I walked, or hobbled, over to the window. I smiled lightly when I met his eyes for a brief moment, watching his red iris' shift back to the night air as I sat down across from him.

"I'm sorry." I spoke quietly, delicately to him. He didn't say anything for a couple of minutes, but when he did speak up, a flicker of annoyance rang through me.

"Shut up." Excuse me? I was trying to be nice, I was trying to make peace, and you tell me to shut up? My face turned into a glare after that.

"Excuse me for trying to make peace, Brago."

"You don't have to make 'peace', idiot." I growled lowly.

"What's your problem?" His eyes shot to me for a moment, and then back to the window before answering.

"Your stupidity."

"My stupidity is your problem?" Was voice was cold, mocking, as I saw him nod.

"Regarding what, exactly, Brago?" I spoke with venom that shouldn't have been there.

Brago didn't answer immediately. It seemed as if he was choosing his words carefully in his mind. It gave me a moment to cool down, to shut my eyes and rest my head on the cold window.

"You put your own life before mine, even when I told you not to." His voice was hiding anger- not very well, I may add.

"I did that because your life is worth far more than mine." I saw him glare deeply into the window, his hands balling into fists. I bit into my bottom lip, feeling guilty for frustrating him.

I didn't know what it was with Brago. One minute we're fine, the next we're at each-other's throats and then neither of us are talking for the rest of the night.

I decided to speak up and break the tension.

"Sorry." I apologized again, watching as Brago slowly seemed to relax.

"I just…fire…I can't deal with fire well. And…and your book…and you…I…I had to save it. I had to."

"Why?" His voice was cutting, a complete contrast to me weak, submissive one.

"Because I promised to make you king. I promised to win this for you, and I will. I will if it kills me." I felt my own hands ball up and my eyes sting with tears I refused to let fall.

"Just for a promise…" I heard him trail off quietly- I don't think he really wanted to say it out loud, so I left well enough alone. I smiled weakly at him after.

"We humans' value odd things…much more than we should…and we attach ourselves to those things…the things we hold precious to us," I scooted a little closer to the window, resting on it before continuing.

"And when those things that we hold precious are threatened, we panic. We strive to do everything within our power to keep them…even if it means destroying ourselves in the process."

I think Brago was absorbing my words, his eyes half lidded for a moment before he opened them back up and looked at me for a long time.

I felt a blush dust over my cheeks, feeling his gaze on me so intently. I looked up just as the smallest trace of a grin appeared on him.

"Have you attached yourself to me, Sherry?"

I…I didn't know how to answer him.

And so I didn't.

I smiled weakly at him before gently turning myself on the seat and moving close to him. I let myself lean back and against his chest, hearing him speak behind me.

"Sherry…" He trailed off as I shook my head, not saying anything more as he muttered something about stupid human emotions and placed his arm around my waist. I snuggled back against him, shutting my eyes as my head fell in the crook of his neck, feeling Brago rest his chin on my head.

I had gotten too close to him. So close that it was dangerous.

I knew now that if I lost Brago, if I lost him…I would be losing myself as well.

Brago had taken this year to find a way to define me, to define who I was with himself. Without him I won't be anything, I'll just be an empty shell…nothing of substance, nothing of worth.

But this is a risk I am more than ready to take.

I hope this doesn't disappoint, and if there's anything I can work on or you'd like to see, don't be afraid to tell me~!

Love,

Bryan~ c: