Over the coming weeks, Leafy and Aquamarine proceed in getting to know one another better, hanging out every single day. One evening, while Leafy was hosting Aquamarine in his territory, he showed her what fire was for the very first time in her life. From the first spark, her eyes widened and glowed ablaze with the reflection of the fire's flames. "It's just so very hot! Like a little sun or something. I've never seen or felt anything quite like it before. It's amazing, really," she remarks, playfully flicking a few droplets into the fire with her tailfins to sizzle up some steam. "Heh, yeah, you could say that. I'm no Flareon though, so I've gotta be extra careful around these things," Leafy says with a chuckle. Giggling, Aquamarine responds, "Yeah, I'll bet!" For supper, Leafy decides to cook up his latest specialty: spiced rotisserie rabbit stew with mixed vegetables and a tangy sitrus berry juice marinade. "Mmm… it's absolutely delicious! Best meal I've had yet, for sure!" she tells him, licking her lips and taking another bite. "Believe it or not, this is actually only the second time I've ever prepared this dish. It's probably the most complex one I've created so far," he informs her honestly. "Well, I'd say it's a rather superb second attempt. I rate it five Starlies!" she retorts. Together, they finish their meal, sharing many stories of their puphoods with one another as they do so.

Another day, Aquamarine decides to welcome Leafy to her domain, including both the underwater and dry regions in and around Lake Watercress that she often frequents. She tours him around her damp underground den, through the dark subterranean tunnels leading from there to the lake, and into the lake depths of the lake itself, teaching him how to hold his breath and swim underwater unaided as they go. He is uneasy about it all to start, but warms up to it once he has practiced it sufficiently. "Don't worry, you'll get used to swimming up to the surface every few minutes to breathe. At least we Vaporeons can naturally hold our breaths to over an hour at a time if needed. I know many hidden spots where you can catch a quick breath underwater, though, so hopefully you won't have to return to the surface too much," she assures him. "Oh, thank God. Care to show me where some of those particular spots are, please?" he requests politely. "Sure thing. Follow me," she answers, taking a deep breath and leaping into the underground entrance to the lake, with Leafy imitating her behavior, albeit somewhat hesitantly. She leads him to a series of alcoves, some of which are devoid of water and in fact contain small pockets of air in its place. Later, she introduces him to a few of her submarine friends, including Seagana and Skelly. They have good conversations with them, Leafy introducing himself to each in his own special way.

They finish off the day by lying back on that same lonely rock projecting out of the lake's center, with Leafy observing just how big the rock really is, lying on its own in a raised portion of the lakebed. As they lie side by side with tails cutely entwined, they stare into the sunset, enjoying the naturally beauteous scene before them. Remembering how they originally met at this same spot some weeks ago, Leafy gets a familiar impish idea of his own to get back at Aquamarine with. "Uh, Aqua, could you do me a small favor?" he asks, smiling at her handsomely. "Now how could I ever say 'no' to a face like that?" she replies, smiling and awaiting whatever this little favor happens to be. "Well, I'd like you to peer into the water over there and see how deep the twilight penetrates into the lake water. I've never checked that out before myself, but I'm really not in the mood to get my face all wet again," he explains. Accepting the request, Aquamarine shifts her body over to one side of the rock, bends forward slightly, and dips her head into the lake enough to see clearly into it, gazing at the slowly fading sunbeams piercing with all due futility into the watery depths, the surface being pitch black in the lowest parts. Seizing the prime opportunity for playful payback, Leafy orients himself behind Aquamarine, reaches out, and tickles her hindpaws just as she once did to him. She yips almost on contact, losing her balance and slipping into the lake in total surprise. "Ha ha, hey, watch it buster!" she remarks with a smirk, spraying a weak bubble beam into his face. "I guess in hindsight, I kinda did deserve that, but still!" she protests, climbing back onto the rock again beside him as he shakes his fur off. "At least now I know which of the two of us is more ticklish, heh!" Leafy utters partially under his breath, but clearly loud enough for Aquamarine to still here. "All right, I'll admit it: I'm sort of a tickle magnet once people recognize how sensitive my body can really be. I got tortured more than enough as a pup, though I was probably even more ticklish than that now, if you can believe that," she discloses. "I'd say that's true for most any Eeveelution really, except maybe Jolteons since they become highly sensitive electric-types. I know I was once very ticklish too, just like you were," he articulates back, flicking his tail gently against her forelegs. "Right… well, I really enjoyed today Leafy. I can't wait for tomorrow! And the next day, and the next one too, and probably even the one after that!" she states happily. "Me too Aqua, me too. See you then!" he bids her farewell. They go their own separate ways from there, but can't help but think and dream about the other all while they are apart, even if it is only for a single night.

Some weeks after that, Leafy and Aquamarine find themselves sunning on that same rock like times before, when suddenly, an unexpected summer storm comes upon them, with a mighty gust front sweeping across the lake's surface, sending waves crashing every which way and the two Eeveelutions to be greatly startled, nearly being blown clear into the water by the wind. "Hold on!" Leafy yells, holding Aquamarine tightly close to him as they hunker down together while the wind blows over, escaping into the depths below and swimming to Aquamarine's secret underground den. "Wow, now that was something! Don't you think Aqua?" Leafy asks her, chuckling slightly and shaking his fur off. "Yeah, it sure was," she agrees, lying on a soft bed of dry mud and foliage on the far side of the den. While the storm rages back at the surface, they spend their time discussing their personal interests, peeves, and beliefs, with topics ranging from simple matters (like favorite color and food) to more abstract ones (such as the purpose of life, love, and faith). On some issues, they had differing opinions, such as what their favorite protein was (venison for him and fish for her) and their favorite hobbies (tool making for him and swimming for her), but on the most important things in life, they rather fortunately agreed, culminating in the fact that they were both strong Christians. That discovery, they would later find, would be the single greatest similarity between them, as they would be able to thoroughly help build one another up in their faith during the many years to come.

As the weeks turned into months and the seasons changed from summer to autumn, then from fall to winter, and again from winter to spring, the bond between them grew stronger and stronger, progressing well beyond mere acquaintanceship and even beyond close friendship. They had developed a kinship quite like nothing either of them had ever felt or experienced before in all their young lives, and Leafy felt that it was growing high time for him to make a move on Aquamarine – one that would forever secure their love for one another in the most special sacred way possible. He had heard about this once before, in a certain book he had been told stories from as a pup, and one that he still possessed a copy of today, tucked away in a dry hollow pit deep beneath the lowest parts of his personal den. To help refresh his memory of the concept, he dug up the tattered old book from below his den and brought it outside to read in the waning twilight of a chilly early spring evening. Clearing his throat, he read from a small portion of the text aloud to himself quietly, but only when he was sure Aquamarine was still gone fishing for their dinner that night. "'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.' – Genesis 2:24. Hmm… it would seem that this verse implies that it's both good and normal for most guys to fall in love with a girl at some point. Well, I think it's time for her and I to take the next step, but I'll have to ask her to first just in case. I already know what she'll say though, heh! Oh boy, I can't wait! I'll ask her the first day of spring. I'll have to check my dirt calendar to be sure," he tells himself, feeling giddy inside at the very thought of doing so. After checking the date, he braces himself and waits patiently until that big day finally arrives, with much excitement and anticipation within him.