Leane sighed a small sigh of relief as she kissed Fynn's forehead, nose, and then his lips, "Good. I don't ever want to lose my beloved Fynn just because my father , or anyone for that matter, says you're not up to their expectations and want you to better yourself. For as far as I'm concerned, you're perfect the way you are and I couldn't ask for anything more."

After a moment's consideration, she laughed as she teasingly added with a wink, "Well, on second thought, you could always lighten up on the 'I don't approve of you stealing books from the library' thing."

Laughing, he gave her a gentle pinch in the nose - not enough to hurt, but with the little tug at the end, still enough to cause her to feel it. "I'm not letting up on that one, though, missy!"

Leane couldn't help but laugh, "But Fy~ynn! The books are helpful! Besides, you wanted me to study right? I study those!"

Shaking her shoulders lightly with both hands, he laughed back, "But they're DARK MAGIC books! You're not supposed to be learning those - what good can come from dark magic?"

Leane grinned as she kissed his nose and winked, "Protection! If I can master how to counter and block those wretched spells, I'll be perfectly fine and won't need my friends to protect me, I'll be able to protect them instead."

"But at the same time it teaches you how to harm them," Fynn countered immediatly, taking a little amount of amusement out of this relaxed discussion. "Which is worse then learning how to protect yourself. I wouldn't risk it for the world - those books you guys had stolen contained some seriously dangerous magic."

Leane laughed and tapped his nose with her pointer finger, "Love, you worry too much! Who said anything about performing the spells we're trying to block? We don't touch those spells, nor have we ever wanted to. We simply want to know what we'll be up against the moment we leave the castle. Besides, not everyone has a man like you, who's strong to protect both himself and the ones who need protecting," she teasingly added with a wink.

Blushing, Fynn ducked under her arm, swimming under water for a few strokes before coming back up. "Strong? Me? You think too highly of me, Lee. Still..." The blush remained on his pale cheekbones, but Fynn added in a lightly worried tone, "I don't like that you meddle in that stuff... And I know you roped Anna into it, too... I guess I'm just going to have to trust you lot with it."

Leane frowned, her nose scrunching as she looked at him, "I did not! I was against Anna even becoming friends with us in the beginning. Saiyuri's the one who thought she would be of use!"

Turning her back to him and crossing her arms, she closed her eyes as she spoke, "But it's easier to blame me than Saiyuri for your little Gryffie going after the books isn't it. Sure, I like Anna, but there's no way I'd willingly go along with her having anything to do with the magic we study."

Still scowling, she added through gritted teeth as she glared down at the water, "Why can't you just trust me when I say that we're not doing anything wrong? Why can't you trust me for once in your life and not blame me for everything? Once.. just once.. I'd like to have you not blame me for something going wrong or something horrid happening to one of your precious little Gryffies. I don't cause everything you know!"

His eyes widened at her little rant, and as he held up his hands, he countered simply by saying, "When I said 'you' roping Anastasia into this, I meant everyone else, and you. I AM trusting you, don't you get that? You really think I wouldn't have told the teachers on you ages ago if I didn't?" Fynns' jaw was set firmly as he looked at the top of her head, waiting for her to get her senses back in order. "I'm not blaming anyone or anything - you totally misunderstood - if anyone is responsible it's Anna, and it's her own mistakes she'll make if something goes bad. Don't make this about me. We can argue with eachother about 'my precious little Gryffies' and 'your precious little Slythies' for ages and not get anywhere. Why do you hate Gryffies so much, and still put up with me, then?"

He hadn't planned to get angry, but the more Fynn thought about it, the more upset he became. "You have such a disdain for people you hardly even know! How is that good? How is that not just discriminating them for having certain qualities that some stupid group of old wizards found valuable?" Throwing his hands up in the air - and almost sinking in the process - Fynn cursed loudly, "What the fuck do we care about houses anyway?! It's just 'cause we're in such opposite ones that we're having this conversation."

"Ughhhh! I could ask you the very same question Fynn! Why do you put up with me? Me being a Slythie and all!" Leane shrieked as her fists pounded into the water with frustration. Taking a deep breath as she crossed her arms around her stomach, looking down at the water in front of her as her anger subsided and his words sank in.

Her voice barely above a whisper, she nodded before she spoke, "But you're right.. I did misunderstand.. as usual, I misunderstand everything. But your wrong about why I hate Gryffies so much.. it's not because of the house, exactly.. it's because of the people.. Once houses were decided, no one bothered to get to know me outside of my current friends and those inside my own house.. and when I started dressing as I do.. everyone else wanted even less to do with me and figured I was as wretched as some of the other people in my house who live up to the Slythie stereo-type. So don't you dare make this out to be as if I'm the only one at fault... they are as well! I was out-casted due to my house so I grew to hate those not in it! For God's sake, Fynn, don't act as if they're not at fault as well! But you're right.. I'm no better than they are, I got blinded by the houses as well in the end.."

Sighing, she looked over towards the sun that would be setting in just a few short hours as she reached with her left hand behind her neck, pulling her hair over her left shoulder as she spoke, "I don't want your pity, Fynn, so don't you dare even think of pitying me. Just.. just know that I don't 'put up' with you even though you're a Gryffie, if that's what you believe me to be doing.. know that I don't care that you're a Gryffie because you look past my being a Slythie and don't act as if I'm the stereo-typical heartless Slyhie bitch that everyone believes me to be.. and just know that I love you more than anything, Fynn.. but for God's sake, don't stay here or say what you think I need to hear just because you pity me or because you think I need to hear soothing words. I don't need them.."

Still refusing to look at him, she looked down at her reflection in the water as she began braiding and un-braiding, only to re-braid once more, her raven locks of hair tinted with strands of cotton candy blue and bubblegum pink.

"If I had ever pitied you," Fynn stated after a while, reaching over to pull her hands away from her hair, before starting to braid it himself. "I wouldn't have been so mean to you before. You can come to me for anything you need - except pity. I know I'm just as caught up in the House discrimination issue as the next person, I'm really not one to judge."

As his long fingers nimbly moved through her hair, weaving a French braid at ease, he contemplated his next words, not wanting to set her off again - or not wanting to dig his own grave. "...Like you... I don't hate Slythies for the House they're in... I dislike them because I see how they treat the people of my house. I'm wrong to think that their behaviour justifies ours, and like with so many things it's just a never-ending circle." Calmly, Fynn released her now braided hair - the moistness of it keeping it together for now. His fingers gently lingered in her neck, moving gently against her pale skin.

"I know you don't just put up with me... I just got carried away in the arguement, and I said it sort of the prove a point. I apologize."
Saying this, Fynn was unconciously glowing in maturity, both in the calm of his voice, and the gentleness of his actions and smile, he seemed like a true gentleman, and a gentle man.

Leane blushed deeply at his movements and his words, unable to form coherent thoughts and words to express her feelings, "Fynn... I.. I.. you..."

Sighing heavily as she tried to clear her thoughts and apologize, she turned and buried her face in his chest, her arms wrapping around his waist as she pulled herself so close to him that a needle could barely fit between the two, "I'm so sorry.. I.. I shouldn't.. I shouldn't have gotten so angry.. I shouldn't have said such horrid things.. please, please forgive me Fynn.. for I'm the one who needs to apologize and be forgiven, not you.. It was my fault we even quarreled to begin with.. I'm so sorry Fynn.. I really am..."

His feet still steadily kicking at the water underneath them, Fynn hugged her warmly, his face nuzzling her shoulder. "You're already forgiven, Leane. Besides, we were both at fault." Looking up again, he gently caressed her forehead, getting rid of the strands of hair sticking to her skin. "Alright?"

Leane sighed as she looked up at him, their eyes locking as she took his hand in hers, bring it to her lips to kiss in gently before placing it against her cheek as a few tears slipped from her eyes. "But.. I.. I was the one who misunderstood, and as usual, caused an argument between us once again.. And once again I caused you to become angry with me.. I'm always saying the wrong thing.. you deserve better Fynn.. How can you stand me? Someone as wretched as I doesn't deserve someone as wonderful as you...you deserve someone who doesn't make a muck of every conversation, who doesn't start crying at the littlest of things, someone who isn't flawed with as many problems as I have.. someone, someone who doesn't have a father like mine, causing you to propose spur-of-the-moment before you even thought about what you were doing and who you were proposing to.. If you.. want to forget about.. about saying such things.. I.. I'd understand.. I don't deserve such a commitment from you.. it's not like I could ever make you happy... all I do is cause arguments and cause you to become angry with me due to my stupidity, my carelessness, and my inability to understand anything.."

Kissing his wrist softly, she sighed as she let go of his hand and wiped the tears from her cheeks, "Maybe.. maybe I should just go.." Turning her back to him as she spoke, she sighed as she swam into her "touching" less than a foot away and placed her feet onto the soil beneath the water, quickly wiping the tears from her cheeks as she looked down at the water while making her way towards the shore.

With his mouth slightly agape, Fynn watched her go for a moment - before hurrying after her. "Do you even know how much you're hurting me right now?!" His voice was a bit shrill as he made sure to keep his head above the water, not loosing her out of sight. "Yeah, I deserve better then someone who ditches me every time we have a small argument!"

Swimming faster then she could wade through the water, Fynn caught her only moments later, his arms locking around her to pull her against his chest, allowing his feet to finally touch the lake floor. Making it impossible for her to leave - his feet planted firmly in the mud - he relaxed a bit more, his cheek resting against hers. "If you're so sure of what I deserve... then why don't you make sure you live up to that image? I'm going to do all I can to be deserving of you. Can't you do the same?"
Everything in his voice and actions revealed his fragility and insecurity - the tremble in his hands, the softness of his voice, and the doubt that seeped through in every carefully chosen word. If there was one thing Fynn was scared off, it was losing her.

Leane's heart beat fast in her chest as his arms locked around her and she heard his soft, almost pleading voice. Closing her eyes, her chest hurting as he uttered those painful words to her, a small flow of tears silently rolled down her cheeks. Looking up at the sky as she spoke, she tried to stop the slow flow of tears, "I don't want to hurt you Fynn.. I.. I can't live up to the person you deserve.. I am who I am, there's nothing I can do to change that.. I.. I don't see how I could ever make a proper girlfriend.. much less a wife.. Fynn, I love you so so much.. I just want you to be happy.. how can you possibly be happy with settling with me when all I do is cause us to fight? It kills me to see you angry with me.. I hate fighting with you.. but because of my stupidity, I always cause arguments.."

Biting her lower lip, as she blinked back tears, "I'm always screwing up, saying the wrong thing, and mucking up our relationship.. how can you be happy with me and want me to stay?"

"'cause I love your flaws as well as your virtues," he spoke softly, feeling the tears well up in his own eyes. "I've been confronted with both enough to know that I love all of you, and want all of you. You're the one who's talking about not being what I deserve - but you don't have to live up to something. You are all I want; the Leane I'm holding now, who's crying and hurting as much as I am." A salty teardrop made its way down Fynns' tanned cheek, until it came into contact with Leane's pale cheek, making its way down hers from then on.

"We're always going to have arguments and fights... isn't it enough to know that we won't stay mad at eachother? That we both love eachother enough to work things out? I don't want to lose you, Leane," he pleaded quietly, body trembling even more then before, "So please don't force me to let go..."

Leane's tears began flowing faster as she turned around in his arms, her hands sliding against his sides as they slid up his back and grasped his shoulders from behind, her cheek resting against the front of his shoulder as her tears continued to flow, whisps of hair caressing her cheeks as they came out of the loose braid hanging over her shoulder and clinging to her chest. Between sobs, she spoke softly against Fynn's upper arm and shoulder, "Oh Fynn... I'll stay.. no matter what, I don't want to lose you either.. but.. am I.. am I really good enough? Am I.. am I really enough to make you happy? And I promise you.. I'll try my best to become someone worthy enough to call herself yours.."

"You're more then I deserve," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion as he almost squished her in the ferocity of his grip. "You make me a better person simply by letting me love you. I'm the unworthy one, here." Fynn let out a shaky sigh of relief, his grip on her loosenening a trifle so that he could caress her back, comfortingly. "I just wish you could see yourself the way I do - it terrifies me that you would actually consider leaving me just because of this lack of self-esteem. I'm not relinquishing you to anything; especially not your own doubts."

Clinging tighter to him, she continued to sob as she spoke, "I'm so sorry Fynn.. I.. I just thought.. I thought you'd be happier with someone else.. someone who doesn't come with a family like mine and with a horrid temper such as mine.. someone who's not so argumentative and understands better.."

As the gentle waves sprayed them, Leane tried to compose herself as she whispered, "Are you sure I'm what you want.. that I'm good enough?"

Fynns' hands reached up to cup her face, tilting it so he could see her properly, wishing she didn't have such a tendency to hide her feelings from him. "I waited years to be with you, Lee," he whispered compassionatly, his lips brushing against her forehead. "I want to marry you."

His thumbs wiped her cheeks clean of the tears, though ignoring his own tear-stained face. "I'm sure."

Leane sniffled as she looked up at him, their eyes locking and her eyes red and puffy from crying so much. Placing her right hand over his left, after she slid her hands around him so they were back in front of her, she wiped his own tears away with the back of her right-hand fingers as they gently slid across his cheeks. "I'm sorry," she softly whispered as she caressed his cheek with her hand, "for so many things. Sorry for being such a child and crying like this, sorry for being such a fool and doubting everything, sorry for being such an idiot and even considering letting you go, when I know very well there's no bloody way I'd ever let you go after waiting for you for so long, I love you far too much to let you go now that I finally have you.."

"I want to marry you too, Fynn; always have, always will," she whispered before she stood on her toes and placed a passionate kiss on his lips.

He crushed her against him, returning the kiss with considerable force - a force driven by the fear of losing her. With his lips pressing against hers, Fynns arms enveloped her upper body entirely with his arms, and he tilted his head to take in more of her. "Oh Leane," he breathed huskily, burrying his face against her neck in a moment of weakness, searching for comfort. "You scared me to death."

As her hand slid behind his neck, her thumb gently stroked his neck while her other hand slid into his hair, "I'm sorry.. I really am Fynn.. I let my foolishness get the best of me, and I shouldn't have.."

Kissing the side of his head lovingly, she breathed in the sweet scent of his hair as her cheek rested against his head. "You know I'll always love you.. no matter what happens, no matter what you or I say, and no matter what you or I do; I'll love you even after I draw my last breath."