After School Swim!

Ethril grinned and sat down on the bed to join Ciel. "Thanks." She delicately took the blueberry and looked at it. Being small like this was interesting when it came to food. With a silly grin she bit into the blueberry and proceeded to eat carefully. Blueberries could be just as messy as honey.

A few bites later and Ethril was too full to eat any more. She handed the berry back to Ciel and then stretched. Feeling clean and full she started to grow even more sleepy then before. Her wings relaxed a little and slipped a little bit from around her torso.

"Good night Ciel, thanks for letting me stay the night." Ethril smiled and gave Ciel a gentle kiss before curling up on her stomach near the edge of the bed. Her wings unfolded from around her and lazily draped across her back. With a few seconds Ethril was out. The day had drained her so much that sleep wasn't so hard for her.

Ciel watched Ethril as she fell asleep. The way she was lying there looked rather uncomfortable; at least to him anyway. He wasn't surprised when her wings were finally able to relax after such an unnatural position for so long.

When he was sure she was sleeping, he got up and put away the few berries he hadn't eaten. It seemed to be warming up a bit down in the refrigerated compartment, so he pulled a bit more cold air into the area before sealing it off.

When he was back to his bedroom, he saw that Ethril still hadn't moved. Ciel usually slept unclothed himself, but he decided not to for her sake. Having decided this, he covered up the luminous mushrooms that served as his light source and settled onto the bed himself. He curled at the other end where the pillows were, and it wasn't long before he too was lulled off by the sandman.

Dreams were things that Ethril never really got used too. For her they were always a mix of memories and perhaps things to come. One by one her memories paraded themselves before her and she watched as fire turned into dragon wings and then the sword that was brought down on Shadow. It was always the same pattern, the same memories. It was as if they were trying to tell her that there could have been something different she could have done.

Ethril woke with a jolt and stayed as still as she could with the realization that she was not in her normal bed at Fascino's. Her heart pounded in her chest and her instincts told her it was just before dawn. Ethril calmed slowly and remembered that she'd spent the night at Ciel's. She hadn't moved at all in her sleep, but one wing had drooped down and was resting against the floor.

Slowly and quietly Ethril sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She was so used to waking up before dawn to go for a morning flight that it was just natural for her now. Of course she was always awake when the sun was out. She looked over at Ciel and she felt herself smiling. Coincidence, fate, destiny, whatever it was that brought them together she was thankful for it. Ciel made her happier then she'd been in nearly a year.

'I guess I better head back to Fascino's to put my school uniform on.' Ethril thought as she considered what she needed to do. Her wings were still folded against her back as she sat there thinking.

Ciel's heart pounded when he felt a sudden disturbance in the air around him. He sat still, assessing the situation as it unfolded. He couldn't see well since he'd covered up his mushrooms during the night, but he could tell that it must have been daytime, or at least close to it, outside.

Then he heard the light crunch of wheat. He sighed remembering that Ethril had spent the night in his home and was probably waking herself.

He sat up, eyes still half closed with sleep as he greeted her. "Bonne matin," he said with a yawn. He could only see her back with the way she was sitting, and, though his sight was still bleary, he could make out her hair and wings. "How was your night, mon cher?" he asked, reaching out to tap her with his foot.

Ethril felt her heart lifting and warming as she heard Ciel waking up. The bond between her and Ciel was already far stronger then the one she'd started with Shadow. Was it because of the connection between light dragons and the fae? Ethril figured so. She turned and smiled at Ciel.

"Good morning to you too," It didn't take a genius to know what his french meant this early in the morning. "Sorry if I woke you up." Her voice was soft, not wanting to ruin the quiet morning that they had so far. She smiled when she felt a gentle touch from him.

"My night was the same as always." Ethril said with a smile. Her nightmares were not things that she was willing to talk about, even to Ciel. She had enough problems dealing with bad memories during the day, no need to make things worse by talking about her dreams. "How about you?" she asked lightly. She turned a little more so she could see him better.

"Empty as always," he muttered. He rarely ever dreamed as it was. Doing so much in one day didn't make it any better since it had only tired him out. He saw her turn and reached out to hug her. He couldn't tell what part of her was what so he just went for what looked like her neck.

He succeeded and pulled her over to his area. Being so much taller than Ethril, it was no trouble on Ciel's part. When he had her close enough, he grunted and fell back to the bed. Waking up was truly the hardest part of his day.

"Mon dieu... I can't even open my eyes..." he slurred lazily, rolling over to cuddle her around the waist. His hair tickled his nose a bit, but he was too tired to care.

Ethril was about to say something when she felt his arms go around her neck. Ethril blushed deeply and her arms went up to cover her chest instinctively. She eeped softly as she was pulled down back to the bed and across the bed closer to Ciel.

Ethril's heart was pounding in her ears as she felt his arms go around her waist. His skin against her markings made her gasp silently and she cuddled up against Ciel. Her blush continued to darken as she bit her lip to stay calm. She'd never shared a bed like this before. Here she was, without clothes, her wings against her back, and she was being held by Ciel who was only barely more clothed then her.

Ethril shivered slightly as his arm moved slightly against her hip markings. Her arms came up and wrapped around Ciel gently. She'd be willing to lay in bed a little longer if it meant not letting go of Ciel.

Ciel's lips twitched a bit, attempting to smile when she hugged him back. He used his middle and ring finer to gently slide back and forth against her back. He needed something to keep him awake or he'd never make it back to school on time.

He sighed through his nose then. "Say something, please... I need to wake up," he asked politely. Another yawn escaped him, and he pulled the Dragon a bit closer.

"Maybe I'll just stay in bed," he huffed. He snuggled at her head then. "After I take you home of course. I've got a 'real' bed back at the Academy to snore in."

Ethril was panting softly, her eyes half closed and her instincts trying to pull right out of her control. With each pass of his fingers her instincts pulled harder and harder until she finally snapped. Ethril leaned forward and nuzzled Ciel's neck before kissing it lightly. She nuzzled his shoulder and shivered at the feel of his hands against her back.

She kissed him on the shoulder and then again on his collar bone. This was all starting to overwhelm her senses and it was all she could do to keep what little control she had over her instincts. Her tail gently slid against his leg and then settled across his legs. She kissed his skin again and then bit her lip. She had to get control over herself!

"C-Ciel." Ethril whimpered as she struggled to speak. "m-markings, my hip!" She pressed her lips against his chest again and whimpered louder.

The kisses hadn't bothered him, but Ciel managed to at least squint his eyes open when he heard her exclamation. He grunted once more before wiping his eyes completely clear of the sleep that had bewitched him.

"Why are you shouting?" he asked, using his hands on Ethril's shoulders to hold her at arms length. Upon sight, he immediately let go and sat up, turning his back to her as his face betrayed all of the boyish embarrassment he felt. He rested his elbows on his knees and cradled his face in his hands.

"D-désolé! J'ai oublié!" he said quickly. He truly had forgotten. His nights were empty, and his mornings were hard and without musings. He never really recalled anything from his previous day until he'd at least eaten and gone outside for a bit.

Once she was at arms length Ethril was able to clear her mind enough to sit up and wrap her wings around herself. This had not been what she had expected, not at all. "I-I'm sorry for shouting." Ethril mumbled as she shivered, his phantom touches still tingling against her skin. "I was losing...control and..." Ethril bit her lip and scooted to the edge of the bed. She didn't know what else to say. This was a completely new situation to her and she had no idea what to say or do.

The courtship kept her instincts in control, mostly. The bond allowed her to stay calm and relaxed. So why was her heart pounding and her body shaking like this? Her tail came up and wrapped around her waist protectively. This was not something anyone had ever explained to her before.

Ethril took several deep breaths to try and calm down. She looked up at Ciel, unsure of what to say. "Um...Ciel?" her voice was soft and unsteady. "Maybe I should head back to Fascino's...I-I need to put my uniform on for school." She'd gone to dinner wearing normal clothes and that's what she'd end up wearing when she returned to her normal size.

"Ou.. oui." He turned his body to face her, but he wouldn't actually look. He wasn't even sure if he could, so he just stared at the bed below him. "And don't apologize, dear, you didn't do anything." His face was still red and he could feel it emitting a soft warmth that reached his ears. She didn't even seem to understand what happened. Or what it was that he was apologizing for. Was she really so clueless?

He rubbed his arm then. "I've got to come let you out though, if you don't mind. I don't know if you remember the way, and, even if you did, I'm sure you don't know how to go up..."

Ciel reached out, still averting his gaze, to touch her shoulder. "I'd like to come with you too, if you don't mind. I never really introduced myself properly, and I did put a hole in your floor."

"o-ok." Ethril said with a blush. "We better get going then." It was still early in the morning and it wouldn't take long to fly to Fascino's. She would probably have to fly to school today instead of walking like she did yesterday.

Ethril stood and made sure her wings were still wrapped around her torso. "You can look you know." Ethril said, feeling better then she had a few minutes before. "I'm decent." She couldn't help the shy grin at that comment. She was as decent as she could get with her wings wrapped around her. Maybe next time she came she could inquire about something to wear.

"You can come if you want." Ethril said with yet another blush. She didn't know if Fascino would really care about being properly introduced. Then again he was probably sending reports back to Sistra about everything that was going on so maybe it would be better if Ciel did. Ethril sighed mentally and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Adults were confusing.

Her tail slowly unwound from around her waist and slowly flicked back and forth.

"Merci." Ciel took a breath to calm himself as he stood. She said she was decent, so he took her word for it. She was indeed. He uncovered his mushrooms before getting permission to carry her back to the gateway of their hideout.

Once there, he took her hand and spun her around, making sure to place her legs properly first. When he saw her start to ascend, he did his own twirls. It wasn't long until he was going up as well, only a short distance below her. He looked away after they'd popped back out on top of the grand redwood. He didn't know how long it would take for Ethril to change back or for her clothes to be available again.

So he decided to take care of himself. His clothes had been left unperturbed, so he was able to do his growing ritual without a hitch. When he was sure Ethril had finished, he turned to her while still tying the ribbon around his neck. "Shall we go then?"

Ethril blushed as she found herself once again in Ciel's arms. It was nice to be held and she was a little sad when he finally let go of her. Ethril eeped softly when Ciel spun her around. Ethril was prepared this time when she lifted into the air and kept her wings tightly wrapped around her torso.

Not too long after they'd popped out of the redwood Ethril felt a warmth spread throughout. The world shrank a little and in no time at all she was her normal size and clothed in the outfit she had worn yesterday. Her stomach twisted though and she was on her knees breathing heavily. The nausea passed quickly and she wondered if it was normal for visitors to feel that way. Then again she always felt like this when she was trying shapeshifting magic that changed her from her natural form.

Ethril felt better in a few minutes and she stood back up just in time to see Ciel turning to speak with her. "I'm all ready." Ethril grinned and carefully spread her wings to stretch them out. She wouldn't have to lift off like normal since they were so high up. She'd be able to start off in a nice glide. With a warm grin and a wave for Ciel to follow, Ethril jumped off of the top of the redwood and dropped a little before curing up into an even glide.

Her heart lifted as the air pressed against her body. The sun had risen enough in the sky now to warm her wings. Her morning felt more complete now that she was flying. Ethril frowned for a second. She had been planning on hunting in the morning, but she didn't think she'd have time.

Ciel followed Ethril to hers and Fascino's home. He couldn't help but wonder if the man would even be awake at that time. He was hoping so-- it was rude to wake people.. and for something as mundane as an introduction!

But it was important to him. It was nice to feel the sun so completely again. It didn't penetrate the barrier back all of the way at home, so being outside of the Cove was the only way to feel it entirely.

He smiled as his memories of yesterday's activities came back to him as they glided together through the sky. Ciel moved forward so that he was in front of the Dragon girl. With his hair in the cloud state, it was no trouble going backwards. It was just like a tasteless smoke. "How do you like Patrick, dear?"

The more she was in direct sunlight, the more Ethril felt recharged and invigorated. It must have been a light dragon thing because she'd always felt this way. She always woke up with the sun and she always felt full of energy during the day. The sun would always rise, and just that fact always made Ethril feel better.

Ethril smiled and giggled. "I really like him." Patrick was just too adorable not to like. Ethril liked Patrick a lot now that she knew him. Already she felt like Patrick was clan and she couldn't imagine him not being part of her life now. Just like Ciel. "I can't wait to see him again!" The weekend wasn't too far away so she'd be able to spend lots of time with her two newest and closest friends.

It didn't take long to arrive at Fascino's house. Ethril circled lower and lower until she finally touched down, her wings folding up against her back as she did so. She sniffed at the air and then stuck her tongue out in disgust. Fascino was definitely up, she could smell the coffee he was making. "Fascino's up." Ethril commented as she opened the door and waved for Ciel to come in as well. "I'll be right back. I need to go change for school." Ethril smiled and hurried into her room.

Fascino was in the kitchen when he heard the front door open and then voices. He sighed and picked up his cup of nice hot coffee and then went to the foyer. "I see she made it home in one piece." Fascino commented as Ethril rushed to her room. He looked back at Ciel and waited for the pink sprite to say something.

Ciel smiled back as she left for her room. He felt a chill when Fascino entered the foyer though. Their last meeting had been so bad, and first impressions can't be done over. His smile was gone. He wasn't proud of the fact that he was in day old clothes either.

"Hello, Master Fascino," he said, regardless of his unease. He bowed and offered a hand just as he always did. Ciel wouldn't get up until it was accepted. "I'm sorry our first meeting was so unusual. My name is Ciel Breidonson, I'm an air Sprite currently attending school at the Academy with Miss Ethril."

Fascino raised a brow at the very formal behavior of one of his students. He sighed and shook Ciel's hand once before gripping it just a bit tighter. "I have been instructed by a very upset earth dragoness to give you a warning." Fascino said as he bent down to make sure Ciel would hear every word. "And it is as follows: If you hurt Ethril you'll have several fire dragons to deal with. Ethril is very precious to the Southern clan and they won't have her being hurt again." Fascino stood up and let go of Ciel's hand.

"I don't see why they're being so protective. They are the ones that sent Ethril here." Fascino took a drink from his coffee. "As you know I am Fascino Rune, the magic instructor at the academy." He looked over Ciel with a critical gaze. Although he knew Ethril could take care of herself, he also knew that if he let anything happen to Ethril then Sistra would personally come and rip off his wings. It was in his best interest to at least put some effort forward into protecting Ethril.

With that thought in his mind Fascino took another drink of his coffee. "Make sure you're on time to my class." He said as he turned to head back into the kitchen. He could hear Ethril heading their way. "I don't take well to tardiness."

Ethril grinned as she hurried over, her shoulder back in her arms. "You ready to go?" Her uniform was clean and wrinkle free and she'd hurriedly groomed her hair. She'd grabbed all her books and the oil for her wings. She hadn't had time to oil her wings last night or this morning so she'd have to do it later.

Ciel furrowed his eyebrows at the warning. "Quite frankly, sir, I had no intention of doing any such thing," he said, pulling his hand back. He was only two inches shorter than the teacher, so it wasn't hard to give him a stern look of his own. "And I'm never late," he added as he saw the man turn to leave, "so you can expect me in every class."

He really didn't have anything else to say, so he was glad that Ethril was finally headed back into the Foyer. "Very much so," he chimed in response to her question. "And I do apologize for your flooring," he called back as they headed out the door towards their next day of school.

Ethril smiled and checked her watch. They had enough time to walk so she'd save her wings some trouble and just use her legs. She grinned as she walked next to Ciel. It looked like it would be a nice day out too!

"Don't worry about Fascino." Ethril said comfortingly. She'd caught some of what Fascino had said. "He's just doing what he's told." Ethril smiled and giggled nervously. Fire dragons were known for their temper and Ethril was sure Fascino was just trying to avoid any unneeded problems.

It wasn't long until they arrived at the school and Ethril headed to her first class of the day. She was both excited and nervous about her classes. Yesterday had been one thing, but today would be another. She just hoped she didn't get angry enough to set another computer on fire.