Chapter 3:

Jerome said that I should stay on the couch, where he could watch me, yet also clean the house. We talked a bit, but eventually the talking died off. I really did start to feel sick, with a dry throat no matter how much water I drank and a pounding forehead. My entire head and neck area felt like it was burning up really. Besides that, I felt fine. My mind thought back to Adam when we went mining yesterday. The way the lava made his tan skin seem to glow, the tint on his sunglasses that added to his look of perfection, that loving, caring smile and the worried look on his face when I jumped from the safety of our path to the fiery lava below.

Or how about when he took time out of his day to help me practice with a sword? He's so thoughtful, always wearing a smile that, while not showing of his teeth, brings his whole look together. And his eyes…

"Hey, Jerome." I started, finding myself staring off into space with a frown.

"Yeah?" He asked, coming into the room and sitting next to me.

"What color are Adam's eyes? Blue? Brown?" I questioned. Jerome shrugged.

"No idea, none of us have seen his eyes."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense… why?" I continued. Jerome shrugged.

"I guess he likes his sunglasses." Jerome concluded; standing and continuing to clean in the kitchen.

"… Hey Jerome." I began again, walking into the kitchen. He looked at me, still smiling.

"Yeah?"

"Could… could I talk to you about… about something personal?" I murmured, messing with my fingers as I felt a light blush come to my cheeks. I glanced up at him, and he nodded, a serious, calm expression on his face.

"What is it Ty?" Jerome asked as I sat down at the kitchen table, Jerome sitting down as well.

"Well… There's this person… and I really like this person, but… I… I don't know if they like me back, and I don't know how to tell this person how I feel…" I quietly explained, trying not to talk so quietly as the blush continued to become a deep, rich color. I could hear Jerome tapping his finger's lightly against the surface of the table, thinking. The wooden table felt smooth, yet somewhat rough at the same time as I let my fingers run over it, anxious for an answer.

"Well… When I told Mitch how I feel, I simply pushed him against a wall and made out with him, he seemed to get the picture." Jerome admitted. When I looked back up to him, he was smiling at me, seeming happy I was in love.

"But… but what if Mitch hadn't liked you and pushed you away?" I asked.

"Well if that happened, I'd walk away and probably lock myself in my room for a day or so to let the whole thing blow over on its own, but it didn't happen because I knew Mitch liked me, even if he hid it very well, so I didn't have to do that."

"But how did you know he liked you?"

"Well… He cared about me, a lot I might add, and even if we all act like brothers, Adam and Ian never really went as far as Mitch did. Mitch went and bought me Betty for my birthday a year or so before we found you, that's why I hold Betty so dear to me. Mitch would do anything and everything with me, as if we were more than brothers, like we were twins. I grew attached to him, and he always wore a smile for me too, no matter if he was sick and stuck here at home, he was smiling." Jerome slowly faded off, smiling and staring off into the distance, but his attention returned to me and he gave me a cheerful, happy smile. "So, when do I get to meet 'this person'?" Jerome asked.

"Uh… later, I need to think about it." I determined, getting up and starting for the living room. I paused before leaving, looking to Jerome with a smile, the blush light on my face. "And thanks… for helping me. Could we keep this talk between us? At least until I talk to everyone else?"

"Of course, no problem." Jerome assured, continuing to clean with the scented soap.

"Awesome."

"One more thing." I gave him a confused look. "At least give me a hint." Jerome demanded; a goofy smile finding his face.

"Brown hair." I mumbled, sitting down again.

"Brown hair…" Jerome mumbled. "That could be anyone though…"

Ian was back now, having finished whatever he had done, and he made it just in time for lunch, which surprised Jerome for some reason. He ate lunch with us, and I ended up moving the map, not bothering to put the pins back in and just putting it away. They must be looking for me, isn't that obvious now?

"Ty, my offer still stands, I'll take your sword down to Cameron, she'll have it fixed up by tomorrow, simple as that." Ian reminded. I softly laughed.

"The sword is fine, I'll take it myself when I feel better, don't trouble yourself over me." I requested.

"Do you know when Mitch and Adam should be back? How'd it go by the way?" Jerome asked.

"No clue, but it went alright, helped Father Martin clean the place up, get it ready for the 4th season, decorations for next period set up and all, you know, for the harvest." Ian explained.

"Where are Mitch and Adam if you were doing decorations?" I questioned.

"Probably looking for anymore notification on the attacks. I know Adam likes to help bake when the harvest comes, so he's probably talking to Megan about that, or about buying cookies. And Mitch, I think he's helping the farmers with some miscellaneous things, like getting baskets from Paul over at WoodCraft, feeding the stock, shaving the sheep, things like that so them have more time to tend the fields and trees, so the harvest turns up with some of the greatest food all year." Ian listed off for me. I nodded.

"Right, but I thought you started that about 20 days into the 2nd period." I added.

"This year a bigger portion is coming in, so we'll need more time than 30 days, we'll need an entire period, more famers moved into the empty fields, remember?"

"Oh yeah." I mumbled.

"Well, I need to go get water from the well in town; can you watch Ty while I'm gone?" Jerome asked, grabbing a few buckets.

"Sure, no problem." Ian assured. About 2 minutes after Jerome had left, it was very quiet, the birds singing and the sun pouring in from the big sections of window.

"Hey, Ian." I started.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking to me. I messed with my fingers again.

"Could I talk to you about something… personal?" His expression went to one of understanding, and he nodded. "Well I like this person, and I don't know if this person likes me back." I stated. Sure, Jerome gave me an answer, but he knew Mitch liked him back.

"Well, ask them, straight forward, or tell them how you feel. I mean, you could demonstrate how you feel, like Jerome did with Mitch, but you should still tell them straight forward afterwards. If they don't like you ask them to keep it a secret." He simply explained, as if he knew that off the top of his head. Then he smiled, leaning forward with his arms folded, resting on his legs and knees. "So, who's the lucky person?"

"Uh… I'll tell you later, when I feel ready." I assured, nodding. "Thanks."

"Can I at least have a hint?"

"Uh… this person is at least a head taller than me." I determined, looking back out the window. He thought about that, slowly nodding. I heard the front door open.

"Hello, I've returned!" Jerome called. Ian went into the kitchen as I heard Jerome place the buckets down on the counter.

"Here, I'll help." Ian confirmed as I heard them both get the empty bottles Jerome had cleaned out earlier. "Hey, guess what." Ian whispered so quietly I had to tune in on them to hear it.

"What?" Jerome whispered back, the same volume level.

"Ty likes someone."

"Wait, how'd you find out?"

"He just told me, why, when'd you find out?"

"He told me earlier."

"Oh."

"He told me not to tell anyone too."

"He never told me that, sorry."

"Did he give you a hint?"

"He told me it was someone at least a head taller than him."

"He told me brown hair, so let's see, who's taller than Ty with brown hair?" I stopped listening, sighing. Damn it Ian… Oh well, shame on me, I'm the one who forgot to mention that, I'll just have to be more careful.

"Right there…" Mitch stated. "Ugh, that feels great…"

"Good." Jerome responded, smiling. Mitch's back was sore; Jerome was massaging away all the knots. And to think, he has to do this work for an entire period. Poor Mitch.

"God damn it…"

"I can feel all the knots in your back, how did you get so many, all of them by your shoulders as well." Jerome asked, pushing down harder as he continued massaging.

"No clue." He stated, stretching as Jerome stopped. He looked over his shoulder to Jerome, giving him a passionate kiss. Jerome's legs were gently wrapped around Mitch's waist, Mitch sitting on the edge of the couch while Jerome sat behind him. Ian was next to me, Adam next to them.

"Your room is upstairs." Adam abruptly coughed. They laughed, Jerome slipping out from behind Mitch, Mitch placing his arm on the back of the couch, behind Jerome's head. Jerome leaned on his side, seeming happy and comfortable as Mitch let part of his arm wrap around Jerome's shoulder, holding him.

"Anyway, with that out of the way, we should probably discus what we're doing tomorrow." Adam concluded.

"I'm working the fields."

"Same, I got all the decorations up at the church finished." Ian informed them.

"Alright, well I already talked to Megan, as well as got information over the attacks, so here are the papers." Adam pulled the paper's out, handing them to me. "So I can help with the fields as well."

"I'm watching Ty, so-"

"No, you don't have to do that Jerome, go hang out with them, I'll be fine." I argued, looking to him.

"Ty-"

"I'll be fine, it's not like I'll burn the house down or anything." I assured him.

"I'm checking up on you at lunch, in fact we all are, to eat and stuff, take a small break." Jerome determined.

"Ok." I stood, stretching. I went to go upstairs, but paused, looking to Mitch.

"Hey, Mitch."

"Yeah?"

"Could I talk to you… alone?" Ian and Jerome looked at me. Mitch gave me a confused look, but nodded slowly, standing and following me upstairs. We sat in my room, and I once more began messing with my fingers. "Uh… What did you think; when Jerome kissed you to tell you he liked you." I questioned. He blinked.

"I thought the kiss was amazing."

"No, I mean, how did you feel?"

"I felt my heart start to pound and the need to keep kissing him. Why?"

"Because I like this person and don't know how to tell them… furthermore, I don't even know if this person likes me…" I muttered, intertwining my fingers and letting my hands rest in my lap.

"Oh… Well, uh… I'd say that even if you're unsure, you should try anyway."

"That's basically what Ian told me." I laugh humorlessly, shaking my head. "Ok, thanks, I just thought I should tell you." Mitch nodded, getting up and going to leave, but he paused before opening the door, and looked at me with a warm smile. "I've known the person for a while now, that's your hint." He laughed, leaving and going downstairs. I tuned in on the conversation I knew would begin soon, locking my door as I started undressing for bed.

"What hint did Ty give you?!" I heard Jerome ask.

"What?"

"He already talked to us, so what's the hint?!" Ian explained.

"I'm so confused…" Adam muttered.

"He's known the person for a while now."

"Brown hair, a head taller than him, and he has known the person a while now…"

"If the person is taller, wouldn't that mean they're older?" Mitch questioned.

"That's what I was thinking!" Jerome confirmed.

"Who has Ty known for a while?"

"Let's see, there's us, Hazel, Megan, Cameron, Astro-"

"Megan has orange hair though, so she's out." Mitch interrupted.

"Cameron and Hazel have brown hair." Jerome pointed out.

"Astro's a guy, so he's out." Ian determined. Wow… I crawled into bed, not caring to hear the rest of the conversation. The night was silent, the stars sparkling behind thin sheets of smoky colored clouds, The moon was slowly fading away from the sky, drawing closer to becoming new once more. I drifted off into sleep, the cotton soft blankets surrounding me.

I shot up, having the same dream from a few nights ago, the one when they found me, taking me in. It was around 5am from the looks of it, and I felt terrible, my head once more throbbing. I rubbed my shoulder, stretching my wings as I stood; my tail as well, then slipping my bracelet on and dressing. I walked slowly downstairs, the floorboards creaking as I walked. I heard snoring from each room, so I didn't bother going downstairs, but rather turned around and went back to my room. I grabbed my sword, the bag with silver in it, and then went downstairs, leaving.

The sun wasn't up yet, and the crisp morning air brushed against my skin, not bothering me like the cold does to other people. The birds sang; the cattle and sheep lie soundly sleeping in their herds. The cloudless sky was a beautiful baby blue; the fading moon sat still by the horizon. Getting to town, I walked down the deserted streets, not a sound running by my ears, nothing but the clanking of metal being shaped. No shop was open, but I still found Miss. Israel working her craft. As she saw me approach, she smiled, setting aside the piece she was working on and wiping away the grime from her gloves.

"Ty, how are you?"

"Sick, but I wanted to ask if you could fix my blade for me." I requested, pulling out the old sword. She blinked.

"This is going to need some work." She laughed, taking it from me. "How about I just craft you a new one, hmn? Or maybe you'd like one from inside the shop?" I smiled, nodding.

"Sure." She led me inside, leaving me to explore the different blades, war axes, bows, daggers, and more. She made everything; there was even an armor section to the store. I found a thin blade; it looked nearly paper thin, like you could snap it in half at any second. Picking it up off the rack, I swung it a few times, not hitting anything, but pretending too. It was fast, and moved perfectly with my arm. It was made of sterling silver, or silver, something like that at least, and it was beautifully made.

"Miss. Israel, I'll take this sword if you don't mind." I informed her, walking outside and showing her. She smiled, nodding.

"It's a nice blade, I'm glad you like it." She led me back inside, and I paid her, at a discount for some reason, apparently we're her number 1 customers and come so often to buy or repair stuff that she gives us a discount. I wouldn't know really, I never paid attention. I went back home, getting there as the sun began to rise. Opening the front door, which led to the kitchen, I saw Jerome cooking something, and he froze when seeing me.

"Ty, where did you go?" He demanded.

"To get a new blade." I informed him. "Miss. Israel said that my other one would need lots of fixing, so she offered letting me buy one despite the fact she technically wasn't open yet, isn't she nice?" I questioned, smiling. Everyone was now in the room now, staring at me. I frowned. "What?"

"Where's the blade?" The blade had happened to be on my back, so I reached behind me and unsheathed it, having it reflect the light, showing them. "Silver, huh?" Ian continued, taking the blade. "It's real light, thin too, are you sure you can use this? I'm not trying to be mean or anything, the blades just so different from what you're used to is all." He confirmed, handing it back to me.

"Of course I can use it, I wouldn't have bought it if I couldn't use it." I assured.

"Ok, well, you need to test it then, let's go practice!" Adam rushed to the backyard after grabbing his sword, and I smiled, shaking my head and following.