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Okay, this fanfic is more focused on young Gau and Relm, and a blossoming relationship between them. This takes place about 5 years after Kefka's defeat...I hope you all like it...this is my first public attempt at writing this stuff, but I hope all you fellow fans understand. This is only one chapter long, maybe two, but trust me, I have more stuff...

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The sun was shining brilliantly over the town of South Figaro and the pre-dawn hours gave birth to the early morning light. Out of the early silence, a tall and shadowy figure emerged from the Inn's front door to greet the day. It was Gau. This once animalistic being had blossomed, under Terra Branford's care and guidance, into a handsome and well-mannered young man. A youth surviving against all odds on the Veldt and abandoned from birth, Gau had not only learned to live with the beasts, but to intigrate himself into normal society as well...walking, talking, and dressing like proper lad. Now, at eighteen years old, Gau felt as if he had never been an "animal".

Gau stretched his arms and took a deep breath, as if to drink in the morning's freshness. He was clad in only his dark brown trousers and white shirt. His long golden-brown hair hung in a long ponytail down his back, almost touching his waist. The only thing he had ever refused to do was cut his hair. He looked around him, his blue eyes piercing and alert, and then took his usual morning stroll down the town's streets.
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Inside the Inn, Terra streched and yawned as she awoke. As she pulled the covers of her bed back, it did not strike her as strange that Gau was missing. Terra had been traveling with Gau and young Relm Arrowny for several days, making their way from the small village of Mobliz to Figaro Castle. She looked across the room to find Relm still asleep in her bed, apparantly lost in peaceful dreams. Relm was a young girl of fifteen, blond and beautiful. Terra was surprised to see how Relm had matured from a young and stubborn child to a headstrong and talented young lady. A smile touched Terra's lips. Slipping on her ivory-colored robe, she walked to the window and gazed at the sun rising. Gold glinted in her eyes as the sunlight kissed the distant Figaro Desert. At that moment, Gau walked back in the door, carrying two small bouquets of freshly-picked wildflowers.

"Out for your morning stroll?" Terra asked.

"Not only that," Gau replied, "but I bear gifts for two lovely ladies." He held one bouquet out to Terra. She gasped.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed. She inhaled the fragrant aroma of blossoms in her hand. "They're beautiful! But who is the other 'lovely lady' you spoke of?"

Gau knew that he couldn't hide the truth forever. For five years, he had liked Relm more and more, and in a way, grown to love her. But Gau had never been in love. His previous animalistic behavior did not label him as "experienced" in the ways of courting, but it didn't bother him. He couldn't speak to Strago Magus, Relm's grandfather, about his feelings, as Strago had taken ill and was living in Thamasa under the care of a local healer. He knew Relm very well, as he had lived with her and Terra for the last five years, ever since Kefka's fall. As a young man, Gau realized that the strange feelings that were consuming him were not instinctual...they were emotional. "I think you know who it is," he said cooly. "It's Relm."

"Put them in that vase by her bed," Terra put in. "Trust me, she'll notice them." With those words, Relm stirred sleepily, but she did not awaken. Gau took the other bouquet of flowers and placed them, ever so quietly, in the vase on her bedside table. "We should start to gather our things," Terra said softly. "Best get your stuff together. I need to get dressed."

"Yes," Gau replied. He walked out of the room and headed for his own. Will she like the flowers, he thought. Could she ever love me? I was...a beast...and she's a wonderful girl. Oh, well. All I can do is try.

Gau was indulging so in his own thoughts that he walked headfirst into the end of the Inn's corridor. "Boy, that brought me back to reality," he muttered to himself. He heard footsteps behind him, almost at a run.

"Gau!" He turned around to see Relm running towards him, donning a light blue robe, her blond, wispy curls framing her soft face. God, she's beautiful, Gau thought to himself, especially when she just wakes up. "The flowers are beautiful! Such a sweet gesture!" Relm embraced him in a hug and swept a light kiss across his cheek. "Thank you," she said softly.

Gau smiled. "You're welcome. Are you well this morning, Relm? You look so refreshed." Despite his efforts to ignore it, Gau knew he was blushing. She kissed me! Oh, God, she kissed me...okay, back to reality...but it was only on the cheek...but still a kiss!

Relm noticed his obvious flushed face. "Yes, I'm fine. Excuse my appearance. I must go dress. I just wanted to thank you for that. It was very thoughtful." She turned around and walked, almost skipped, away towards hers and Terra's room.

Gau sighed heavily. A kiss from a girl! But was it out of love, or friendship? He sighed again. He could always hope...
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"Terra, I don't understand!" Relm was exasperated. "Why would I just leap up and kiss a man on the cheek? All he did was bring us flowers!"

"You've nothing to worry about, Relm. There was nothing inappropriate about what you did..."

"But...what am I feeling?"

Terra took Relm by the shoulder and sat down on the bed with her. "Relm, what you are feeling is...something I never understood. You are experiencing the joys of friendship, but you are also feeling...love," she explained. "There's nothing wrong with feeling this. But you are young. You will have many opportunities to love. A beautiful young lady like you will have suitors breaking your door down by the time you are eighteen." Terra looked out the window again to see the sun was setting high in the morning sky. "We should finish our packing and prepare to leave for Figaro Castle."

Relm looked puzzled. "Why are we going there? You got a hot date with his Royal Highness?"

Terra giggled at that comment. "Not at all," she said. "We're just going to see an old friend." She slipped the rest of her clothes into a leather bag. "Better finish up. I"ll go check on Gau and see how his packing is going."

Terra made her way down the corridor to Gau's room and found the door wide open. Gau had put his coat on and combed his long hair. "Come on in, Terra," he said. "I'm almost packed." Gau was placing his own belongings into a similar leather bag.

Terra walked into the room and sat down on Gau's bed. "You alright?" she asked.

Gau didn't answer her. He kept packing, never meeting her eyes. "Something is troubling me," he said quietly. "I am feeling something I've never felt before. I look at Relm and I see something more beautiful than the starry sky. More pure than the river's water, and more enchanting than any magic. I have seen such a thing in others, but I never thought it possible. Terra, I think I really like Relm." He swung his head around to meet Terra's questioning eyes. "I think I am in LOVE."

Terra smiled. "You probably are," she said. "But I don't know exactly how you feel. Do you know exactly how you feel...what you would do for her?" Again Gau didn't answer her. Terra sighed heavily. "I think once we arrive at Figaro Castle, you should have a chat with Edgar. He is our friend, and I think he can help you better than I."

Gau was taken aback. "What makes you think that I need someone's help?"

"Gau, I've been helping to care for you for the last five years. There is not much you can hide from me." Terra stood up and smiled at him. "We need to get going. Get your bag, and meet us outside at the Chocobo Stable. I think we're going to ride across that hot desert."

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If ya'll want to know more, let me know and you will get part 2!

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"Oh my hero so far away now, will I ever see your smile? Love goes away, like night into day, it's just a fading dream."

The angle of civilising Gau seems to be a fairly common approach amongst FF6 fandom, as does the Gau-Relm connection. Just because it's been done before doesn't prevent anyone else doing it again though, especially not when it's a good fic.

And this is. Not my usual kind of reading, but it's well written and flows along just fine. As a setup for a futurue chapter or chapters, it's fairly basic but nonetheless effective stuff IMO.

And we could probably use a bit more fluffiness really.

One quick query though, have you thought of a title yet or are you waiting to decide what fits best?

This post has been edited by Del S on 19th May 2007 10:53

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"Only the dead have seen the end of their quotes being misattributed to Plato."
-George Santayana

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here..."
-Abraham Lincoln, prior to the discovery of Irony.

Trying to see what fits...just flowing with it...and BTW, thanks for reading it. I have a new one up now. It's a hot love story...enjoy it!! I'll keep the pieces coming.

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"Oh my hero so far away now, will I ever see your smile? Love goes away, like night into day, it's just a fading dream."