#because lighting is my enemy and there's no way to adjust it without washing everybody out atrocious-style

[honeyteacakes]

The Sandman Icons (feat. Rose Walker again 💕)

[dreaming-medium]

Animals Without Direction

Chapter Nine - Clear Your Plate

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Masterlist

The rest of the day went by rather quickly. Once you returned to your room from the healing ward, you washed up and laid down on your bed. 

Laying down on your pillow with wet hair was something that most people hated, but you always loved it. It brought you right back to nights as a child after your mother would help you bathe. Or in the warm summers where you would jump in the nearby lake to cool off right before bed.

Having wet hair as you slept kept you cool from the blistering, humid heat.

Maybe if you laid in bed long enough, sleep would finally take you. Fat chance of that happening, though. You’ve tried every night to no avail. Perhaps you should’ve asked Felix for a sleeping tonic while you were in the healing ward.

Time went on, your mind was stuck in that nebulous place of not quite sleeping, but not quite awake. 

Even with your eyes closed, sleep still never came. And before you knew it, it was time for dinner. 

You took your usual seat at the grand dining table in the throne room towards the end of the table, away from everybody else. Time and time again you’re assured that you matter, that you’re just as important to the kingdom as someone like Jisung. But you’ve only been here a little over a month, that cannot be possible. 

Chan, Minho, Jisung, Felix, Changbin, and Hyunjin all sat at seats closest to the throne. In all the meals you’ve eaten here, Chan has never sat on his throne for them. He always made a point of coming down and sitting with everyone else. 

Chan’s laughter fills your ears, it sounds genuine. How he is able to laugh at a time like this, you’ll never know. 

The bags under your eyes felt so heavy. With one elbow on the table, you rested your chin in your palm, pushing around the small serving of vegetables that you served yourself. 

Everything you’ve eaten in Miroh has been delicious, but lately you’ve lost your appetite.

Great, now you can’t sleep and you can’t eat. Tomorrow, you give yourself five laps around the keep before you black out– or hurl into the nearest bush, whichever comes first. 

The wooden seat next to you creaked as someone sat in it. You paid no mind to them. It would take too much energy to glance their way. Plus the green beans on your plate sort of shaped a dog. 

A large slice of beautifully cooked meat was suddenly placed on the plate in front of you. Your eyebrows furrowed and you stared at it. 

“You need to eat,” Seungmin tells you simply. There’s a healthy helping of everything on his plate. “You look like you’re about to wither away.”

Your head moves from your palm and you adjust your weight on your seat. Pulling each finger, you crack the knuckles individually. 

“I have no appetite.” You whisper, still staring down at your plate. “I cannot sleep, Seungmin. My mind is my worst enemy at the moment.”

Seungmin sighs a little, you can feel his eyes on you. His shoulder nudges against yours a bit. 

“If you clear your plate I will tell you about my latest assignment.”

It’s silly, really, how much your face lights up. He bribed you to eat your food like he would with a child. But you’ll be damned, because it worked. 

Slowly, as if you don’t want to show him how excited you were about this deal, you grab your fork and knife. 

“There we go,” Seungmin said under his breath. You could practically hear the smirk on his face. You’d be lying if you said his tone didn’t send a small shiver down your spine.

The meat was absolutely delicious. Melt-in-your-mouth type of delicious. 

Three bites in, you turned to look up at Seungmin for the first time since he sat down next to you. He’s still in his black leather armor.

His arms are crossed over his chest and he’s looking down at you while chewing a mouthful of food. 

“Did you just return?” You ask him. He nods, not wanting to speak with a mouthful of food. “You come and go more than I do.” You tease, even your voice sounds exhausted. It’s hollow. 

Seungmin swallows his food and chuckles. “That is because I am excellent at what I do. Chan trusts me to get the job done quickly and efficiently. I do hate wasting time. Take another bite.”

Following his orders, you cut off a piece of meat and put it in your mouth. Seungmin takes another bite of his food as well. 

Your ears tune into the various conversations around you, not a single person in the room was talking about the war. All of the conversations were about their days, who they saw, what they did. 

Swallowing the piece of meat, you look at Seungmin again. 

“Where did—“ you try to speak but he cuts you off by pointing down at your plate with his fork. 

You scoff and cut off another piece of meat and plop it in your mouth. 

Much to your chagrin, the food was doing nothing to ease the weariness from your bones. But you can slowly feel your energy levels rising. 

The two of you sat in silence with one another. He was most likely listening to every conversation at once, but you let your mind wander. 

Felix and Hyunjin were both Elves. Letting your eye wander to the mage, you spot him sitting next to Minho, both of them listening to what Jisung was saying. 

This was the first time you’ve seen him since that day. What a coincidence that it’s only days that you talk about your heritage that you see him. 

His hair is tied up again, his ears on full display. He’s not ashamed of who he is, he makes no attempt to hide it. 

Another detail you couldn’t help but notice is that no one made a point to tell you that there were Elves here. When you first met Hyunjin, Minho didn’t pull you aside on the way down to the lower level and debrief you on his blood. 

No, it was just… a simple thing. It was just who he was. 

The same way no one told you that Felix was an Elf. 

Putting the last mouthful of meat in your mouth, you look around at the other faces in the room. Who else was an Elf and you had no idea?

It’s not always obvious. In your case, since you’re only a half Elf, it’s much harder to tell unless you’re looking closely. 

But in Hyunjin’s case, you were able to see it immediately. 

Were other members of the court also Elven? Jisung? Seungmin?

Looking up at the rogue, your eye drifts to his ear. It’s rounded, no point. At least, none that you could see. Most of his ear was concealed by his chocolate brown hair. 

“Can I ask why you are staring a hole into the side of my head?” He says without turning his head. 

“Just looking.” You lie, looking down at your plate. It’s empty. “I’m done, how was your day?”

Seungmin looks over at your plate, then up at your face. “You are not hiding it in your cheeks, are you?”

A smile cracks over your face. “Nay, I am not a child.”

Seungmin rolled his eyes, “Could have had me fooled. The promise of information had you picking up your fork as quickly as you could.”

“That is simply due to morbid curiosity and you know it. I cannot help it.”

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

“But satisfaction brought him back. Now tell me about your newest covert mission.” You nudge his shoulder the same way he had done to yours. 

Seungmin tongued his cheek and his eyes carefully scanned around the entire room. The chairs on either side of the two of you were empty. The closest person was about three seats to his left. 

But he still seemed uneasy. You couldn’t blame him.

The rogue leaned down close to your ear, his arms staying crossed and his eyes forward. “I do not trust speaking in this room. Could I convince you to accompany me to the library?”

“You may.” You answer. 

The two of you slide your chairs back after stacking your plates. Wait staff of the keep come around to take empty plates once the meal finishes. 

It still feels rude to you to leave them on the table like this, but you’ve been reassured time and time again not to worry about it. 

Seungmin leads the way in front of you towards one of the hallways off the throne room. As you’re walking away, you feel a set of eyes staring at the side of your head. 

Looking over, you’re met with Minho’s sharp gaze. His eyes flicker from yours, to Seungmin, then back to you before he looks back down at his plate. 

The grip on his tankard seems to tighten and his eyebrows twitch. The slight smile you saw on his face dropped almost immediately, replaced with a slight grimace. 

You paid no mind, you simply followed Seungmin out of the throne room and towards the library. ----------------------------------------------

The two of you found a secluded corner of the vast library. In your time here, you’d spend a large chunk of time among these shelves and dusty old books. There were so many hidden reading nooks that you’ve taken advantage of. 

You’d seen a few other people, but it was usually desolate. Especially in a hidden corner like this. 

There were two plush looking chairs turned towards each other in the corner in front of a shelf. Seungmin walked over and plopped into one. A cloud of dust puffed out on impact. 

He coughed a few times and waved his hand in front of his face. 

“I should have expected that.” He says through coughs. 

You laugh and walk over to the other chair, sitting down a lot gentler than he did. 

“So,” you start, “Tell me everything.”

“I cannot tell you everything .” He teases. There’s a playful glint in his eye. 

“You said you would tell me about it if I finished my plate. Here we are. I have been waiting for so long to hear just a small tidbit about your missions.” You smile back at him, “I am assuming that your jobs are more exciting than mine.”

Seungmin chuckles and crosses his arms. “I know for a fact that they are more exciting.”

“So then, tell me.”

He rolls his eyes at your impatience. “I got back from Inuin today.”

Your eyebrows go up a bit. “What were you doing there?”

Seungmin looks around a bit nervously. You don’t blame him. Various other holds have eyes and ears everywhere. 

He waves you closer, both of you lean in, knee to knee on your respective chairs. 

“Chan believes that we will not gain Inuin’s support in the war. He wanted me to find out what I could around their capital city.”

“And did you learn anything interesting?”

“I learned that there’s going to be a masquerade ball hosted by Inuin’s ambassador.”

You raise an eyebrow, “A masquerade ball? How does that help?”

You were expecting to hear about some truly juicy details. A planned assassination. Maybe an uprising in a village. Not a ball of all things. 

“A distraction, my dear. I cannot think of a better time to sneak into his office and see what correspondence I can find.”

His face is so close, his breath smells like the sweet berry mead he was drinking with dinner. 

“Erbus has not sent back their denial of Chan’s terms.” you say to him. 

“Do not be daft, Y/N.” Seungmin chides and leans forward a little more. “You know better than most how this is going to play out.”

You do. You really do. 

Any moment now, a messenger is going to throw open the doors to the keep with a signed letter in his hand from Sisk Killoran, Jarl of Erbus, with a true declaration of war.

After that, you’re not sure of where you’ll be sent or who your blade will meet.

You swallow, nodding at the floor for a moment. “How did you find out about this?”

“It’s amazing what you can learn by sitting at a tavern for a few hours.” 

You smile and look at him. “I wonder if you ever sat in the same tavern as I back in Erbus.”

Seungmin’s eyes narrow for a moment and he smiles at you, “Back left table of the White Bell tavern.”

That was your usual table.

Your jaw dropped and you stared into his eyes. His roguish, mischievous smile grows even wider. 

Seungmin reaches forward and holds your chin between his thumb and forefinger, keeping your gaze on him. 

“I never forget a face.” He whispers, you could practically taste the mead on his lips. “Especially not one like yours.” A red hot blush creeps up your cheeks and you can feel your ears getting hotter. 

Just as fast as he grabbed you, he let go, standing from his chair. “I will see you around, Y/N. Please do attempt to get some rest. I need my other half up and running.”

Seungmin pats your cheek once before walking away, leaving you a bit flustered and hot under the collar. 

His other half. In a sense, you really were. Yin and yang, the two of you were. Light and dark. The sun and the moon. He snuck around the shadows where you kicked in doors and charged in head first. 

But more than anything at the moment, you were mad that all you learned about was a ball. You knew for a fact that he’s been sent to kill people in their sleep, but he chooses to tell you about a masquerade instead. 

Bastard. ----------------------------------------------

The moon is high in the sky when there’s a soft knock at your bedroom door. You’ve never even heard the smallest bit of activity outside your door at this hour, who could it possibly be? 

Right now, you’re in the middle of a very old, very boring book. This was your tactic to try and rest tonight: bore yourself to sleep. It wasn’t working in the slightest, and you were learning entirely too much about The Six Deities.

When you open the door, Changbin looks down at you with a shy look on his face. He seems incredibly nervous, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Part of his body was facing away from the door as well. If you had taken a few moments longer to open the door, it looks like he may have fled. 

You had never seen him look so small. Even with him taking up your entire doorway, he seems to sink in on himself. 

“Changbin,” you say in surprise, “Is everything alright?”

His jaw clenches for a moment and he looks to the side. “May I come in?”

Taken aback for a moment, you raise your eyebrows in surprise. Nonetheless, you step aside and motion for him to enter your room. 

His boots thud against the stone with every step. You close the door after him.

“I see you are settling into your living space.” He comments.

You shrug, not that he sees it. “I believe I am simply creating a second library in here.” You chuckle softly at your own joke.

There’s a beat.

Changbin takes a large breath before turning to look at you, “I believe I owe you an apology.”

Now you’re even more surprised. You stare at him in confusion, head tilted to the side. 

“This morning,” he continued, there’s a soft pink blush growing on his cheeks. “I pushed all of you too hard. It was not just you who suffered.” He reaches one hand up and rubs the back of his neck nervously.

“Oh,” you say, your lips staying in the shape of the word. You take a step closer to him. “Do not worry too much about it. I am alright now.”

“Aye,” he nods again, clearly still nervous. 

“I do appreciate the apology, but it is not needed. You are only doing what you believe is best for us.” You try so hard to soothe his mind.

Changbin finally meets your eyes, the two of you are standing about five feet away from one another. This was the first time you’ve seen him without his armor on.

He looks different– softer. Not that he doesn’t still appear to be as built as a brick wall, but without all the harsh lines of his heavy armor, he appears sweeter and gentler. The sleeves of his tunic were rolled up his forearms. Light brown trousers tucked into black boots.

The deep collar of the tunic showing off his chest. It’s taking more effort than it should to not stare. His hair appeared to still be damp, he must have just washed up. 

“I am trying,” he admits quietly, it sounds like his throat is tightening a bit. “I am not certain that I do know best.”

You nod at his words and then move to sit on the edge of your bed, patting the space next to you. Changbin hesitates for a split second, but sits next to you anyway. His arm brushes against yours.

The bed sinks under his weight. It’s now that you can smell the soap he used, it's fresh and reminds you of rainwater. He smells like a rainy day in the Spring. 

“I have never seen war,” he admits, he keeps his eye fixed on the wall in front of him. “How am I supposed to help lead our armies when I have no experience in doing so?” His hands rest on top of his thighs, gripping the fabric between his strong fingers.

You reach over and place one hand on top of his. You’ve always been a compassionate soul; like Felix, you tend to feel others’ emotions as if they were your own. Deep in your heart, you can feel Changbin’s nervousness, his anxiety.

“I do not believe any one among us has seen a war. Olera has not seen a war for many years.” You look at the side of his face while you speak.

“These soldiers need me to know what to do. They will be looking for military strategies and battle plans.” his fist clenches even harder, his knuckles growing white. You tighten your grip on his hand.

 “No one expects you to know everything, Changbin.”

“I am the one that everyone will turn to on the front lines to make the tough decisions. I have heard stories of generals making the choice to leave soldiers behind, how am I ever going to make that call?”

He looks down at you suddenly, his eyes full of sorrow. At this moment, he’s wearing his heart on his sleeve. 

“When the time comes, I am confident that you will know what to do.” You nod at him, unknowingly, he mirrors the movement. “But as of right now, no one knows what they are doing. We will have to take each day as they come.”

He nods again and looks back at the wall. His clenched fist slowly loosening.

“And if the time ever comes that you need to make that choice, your soldiers would know it was not an easy one. They trust you with their lives. I have seen it on the training grounds, and I suspect that is only a taste.”

Changbin sighs, “I show up to training at sunrise not knowing what the day will bring or what I am to have them do. Some days I wonder why Chan trusts me with this position.”

You consider his words for a long moment, “Sometimes the only reason I know what to do as a mercenary is because of things I have read in books.”

Just as he was relaxing, Changbin tenses up again.

You continue, slightly oblivious to his change in body language. “There was a book series I favored as a child, it told tales about a fearless warrior who traveled the world, slaying dragons and discovering ancient magical items. Sometimes when I am truly lost, I think to myself ‘What would she do?’ and it always helps.”

Changbin swallows and looks down at his lap, a nervous laugh comes from his chest. “I ah–” he hesitates, his ears turning red beneath his shaggy black hair. “I was never taught to read.”

His embarrassment comes off him in large waves. 

You simply hold his hand a little tighter, trying to grab his attention. 

It was in a matter of a moment that you made up your mind. “Changbin,” you say gently. He hesitates for a moment and then looks down at you. “Would you like me to teach you?” a warm smile crosses your face.

Your eyes glint with caring and compassion. Was he expecting you to belittle him for this? Most people go their entire lives without learning to read, it wasn’t something to be embarrassed about. Truly, a larger portion of Olera’s population is illiterate than literate. 

His eyes widen and his mouth forms a small ‘oh’. He looks truly taken aback by your offer. 

Changbin hesitates, his pride wants him to say no so badly. His eyes flicker between yours for a few heartbeats, as if he’s waiting for you to take it back before he eventually nods.

“Aye,” he whispers, “I would very much like that.”

You smile up at him even brighter, placing your other hand on top of his as well. 

“Then it is settled, whenever the two of us have any spare moments that line up, we will begin your lessons. You are a smart man, Changbin, it will not take you long at all.”

His cheeks turn even redder and he looks away from you quickly. 

“We could even start now if you like.” you offer. It wasn’t much of an offer, as you had already decided for him.

He stutters for a moment and looks around the room, possibly searching for an excuse. “Come on, we will make it a short lesson. Just a taste.” you beseech. 

“Fine,” he grumbles.

You chuckle and stand up from the bed, on your vanity there’s a stack of papers and books at the ready. You grab them all and head back to the bed.

“Now then, let’s start with the alphabet.”

[gloves94]

Kingdom of the Sun [Fire Lord Zuko] 4

Chapter Warnings: None Story Rating: M Pairings: Zuko/OC

Kingdom of the Sun MASTERLIST Last Airbender MASTERLIST My MASTERLIST

Two Years Ago…

"Have you ever heard the story of 'The Man that Fell in Love with the Sun?' It's a story about a man made out of wax, that- as the title says- falls in love with the Sun and everybody warned him not to get too close, but he didn't listen, and he did. Because of it he got too close and melted which resulted in his death."

Tsai eyed her brother oddly with a disturbed expression in her features. This was very… uncharacteristic of her brother. Mecha didn’t read anything unless he had to. Much less novels and less for pleasure.

"That's pretty morbid…"

He lowered the book and tossed his head back in frustration on the chair in which he was reading. "Do you think Mai will like it?" He asked raising his head looking at her with a dreamy expression on his face.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes and turn her eyes back to the reflection on her vanity. Starring down a blemish on her face. "I'm sure she'll love it," she retorted mindlessly while brushing her wavy auburn hair back. "It's right up her alley… Although, It's not like you. To actually read to impress a girl."

"Ha!" He let out a chuckle and stood up. "But she's not just any girl." Her brother said before approaching her and messing up her combed hair. She glowered at him. “Also – I do read. I just don’t care for entretaintment literature.” "Get out of my room Mecha!" She barked pointing at the door.

"Very, very unlike you to take time off work to go visit your boyfriend in the Mainland." He teased leaning on the doorway with his arms crossed over his wide chest.

"I'm not taking off time. I'm going to go negotiate," she let out an exhausted huff while glaring at a single hair that remained standing up in defiance of her hairbrush. "And you know he can't just take the day off, I mean he is the Fire Lord."

She was excited to visit Zuko in the Fire Nation's capital. It had been a year since the end of the One Hundred Year War, and both had last seen each other since sometime after the war. Long distance was hard, the fact that he was an absolute monarch at the age of eighteen and she was back home in the colonies attempting to hold a revolutionary uprising or a civil war from happening made things even harder. Regardless, the two were trying their best sending each other letters and gifts on the daily to stay in contact. Life without him was hard; specially after a year of being around each other both day and night.

Visiting wasn't only hard because of the distance and both of their terrible schedules. There was also another problem…

"Whatever, I've warned you plenty of times and mom has warned you. It is not safe. You're going to get yourself killed or assassinated in some brutal way." One of their main enemies was her own father. Azah had been the Vice-Royal Governor of Yu Dao, after the end of the war his post was overtaken by his son Mecha, and he fled that same day. The man hadn't been seen since then. He was considered a fugitive and enemy of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom and was currently leading the Colonial Liberation Movement. A movement dedicated to the liberation of the colonies as one independent governmental identity which was neither affiliated with the Earth Kingdom or the Fire Nation. His ideology wasn’t wrong, it was shared with his children and some of the other citizens of the colony. However, his means to achieve his goal, terroristic attacks, bombings and kidnappings… That’s were morality drew the line and things went awry.

Xxx

Mecha had been right.

Tsai had taken a warship to the Mainland. On her way there was a pirate attack. Nothing her and her troops couldn't handle, but it was something that she definitely wasn't going to tell Zuko. What would be the use in worrying him? He already had enough on his plate as things were.

A couple of days later the warship had docked in the Fire Nation. They arrived earlier than expected.

Her stomach flipped in excitement and nervousness. She was so excited to see him, to hug him. Just to be around him. She missed him so much her heart would leap every time she got news or even a letter from him. She took in a deep breath in hopes of soothing her jumping nerves.

She walked on the docks, adjusting her clothes, running hands through her hair, pacing. She couldn’t contain the smile on her face as she rushed down the ramp ready to see Zuko. But he wasn’t there. Instead, she was surprised to see Mai out of all people waiting for her at the docks. She stood surrounded by a handful of Fire Nation guards. She thought the maximum security was a little odd but decided not to comment on it. The scene was almost reminiscent of the time she had welcomed her and Ty Lee from prison about a year ago.

Mai looked just about the same as Tsai remembered. Midnight jet black hair that was straight and reached past her midback, it was styled in the same fashion. Her skin remained a flawless porcelain composure and she stood tall looking as graceful and elegant as always. "Mai!" She said surprised and gave the girl a friendly hug.

"Welcome to the Mainland." Mai said dully in the same tone she always spoke in. She didn't hug back. It was hard to tell if she was happy to see her or not. "It's good seeing you Tsai." Then again, Mai did not seem like the touchy feel type.

"I'm afraid the Fire Lord is in a meeting, but he'll come and see you as soon as he's out." She explained, hands hidden inside her sleeves. "I'll show you to your room."

From what Tsai knew Mai was one of Zuko's advisors. Considering they lived in times where they didn't who to or who not to trust it had been a good decision to appoint her. After all, Mai was educated and one of his oldest friends. Her brows turned up in disappointment when Mai turned away from her. He still had meetings scheduled during her visit. They had been planning this for weeks! Why couldn't he just take a day off?

Mai lead her to the room where she would be staying in inside the Royal Palace. She could never quite get used to the intimidating feeling she got from looking up at the golden dragon carved walls of the entrance.

"This is your room," Mai said dully standing outside. The guards behind carried some of the luggage that she had brought back with her from the colonies. "If he takes too long, I'll be in the study room. You can join me if you want." Tsai nodded at the invitation.

"He shouldn't be long." She added. "Oh and be ready, you're in for one hell of a weekend." The slightest of uncharacteristic sly smiles made way to her face. Why did it sound like she was… hiding something? However, her tone did not seem to hide any ill intentions.

‘What was that all about?’

She stepped into the royal guest room. One that had a queen bed and looked as if maroon had thrown up in here. Maroon bed covers, matching curtains, a rug of the same color and even canopy arches with more curtains. The room was austere. The guards left after a moment and said they'd be waiting outside ready to escort her anywhere she wished to go. It was a very different feeling being here as a guest and not as a prisoner…

She leaned against one of the window's arches and looked out to see the vast kingdom that magnificently spread out until it blended in the horizon with the ocean. To her this was a foreign land… “What to do now…” She pondered to herself. Maybe she just would take up Mai in that offer and go hang out in the study with her.

Suddenly the door was slammed wide open.

"- It's not my fault her ship got here early! Now, go, go, go! Before she gets to her-" A voice that was foreign to her dropped. A handful of servants stepped in each one of them carrying heavy porcelain vases that seemed to be hundreds of years old and intricately carved. Each one of them had been filled with sun flowers the size of her hands all in colorful shades of yellow, orange, vermillion and bright red. "Room…" the voice finished.

Boxes and boxes of gifts large, small, medium all professionally wrapped and decorated were also ushered in.

Her eyebrows went up to her hairline as she looked at everything they had brought into the once austere room which was now crowded in presents and flowers. She suddenly felt a little guilty considering she hadn’t brought him anything.

"Ah, sorry about that. You must be Lady Tsai from Yu Dao." A mousy man a little older than her stepped in. His hair was light brown and worn in a bowl cut style tied back in a low ponytail behind. "I'm Nezu," he lightly bowed. "I'm Fire Lord Zuko's assistant." He said clumsily tripping over an edge in the carpet.

"Nice to meet you?" She said eyeing the man oddly. Zuko had never mentioned that he had an assistant to himself.

She was so distraught interacting with the assistant and glancing at the overwhelming number of flowers and gifts in her room. That she didn't even notice the Fire Lord walk into her room.

"Tsai!"

She knew that voice. She snapped her attention away from the assistant rudely and turned to see Zuko standing beneath the doorway. She felt warm, her heart jumped to her throat, stomach prickling with butterflies which made her feel like a schoolgirl.

“Zuko!” She beamed and ran into his arms.

She relished his touch, the warmth of his body. Both were so engrossed in each other they didn’t even realize when everybody scattered out of the room just as quickly as they had arrived. She buried her nose on his shoulder and in took that familiar scent she had missed so much. Firewood and that odd hint of eucalyptus they washed his clothes with.

He was taller, he also felt stronger. “Your hair, it’s so long!” She said holding on to the sides of his face. Brushing a hand through the bangs that not fell past his eyes and were split in the middle.

He didn’t waste another second and kissed her. Chastely, innocently, very much like the type of love they had. “I missed you too,” she responded and kissed him back.

But maybe not as innocently…

Her arms tangled around his neck and she pulled him to her pressing their bodies together. Her feet almost moving on their own stepped back into the bed pulling him forward. Maybe their love had been innocent when they were teenagers, but now that they were adults. She wanted more, she needed more of him. “Woah,” He broke the kiss and held on to one of the bed’s posts for support remaining standing. He let out a nervous chuckle. “We have to get going,” he said his eyes darting back to the door behind them and she didn’t know if he was oblivious to the hint she had just dropped or if they really had to be somewhere else. “There’s someone I want you to meet.” She leaned back on her elbows sitting up and tried to meet his avoidant gaze. With a frustrated sigh she blew a lost hair out of her frustrated face.

"Come on," He said reaching for her hand pulling her up.

“Who are we meeting?” She asked as he led her through the Fire Nation’s palace corridors. “Are we meeting the Minister of International Affairs? Do you think he’d sign for the liberation of the colonies?” She asked. “No…” He said avoidantly not wanting to touch on the subjects. “Well, do you think he’d sign? I mean if you’re signing on it on, he can’t tell you no, right?”

Again, he remained silent, not wanting to discuss the topic. She looked at his face profile oddly. Zuko was signing on it, right? The liberation and secession of half of his territory. Territory that had been unfairly taken away from the Earth Kingdom and sowed and exploited under the cruel fist of colonization. However, his silence said otherwise.

Xxx

The two arrived at a nice restaurant that was close to the palace. They walked in and were ushered to a private room in the back where there was a table with four chairs. Sitting in one of the chairs was a dark-haired girl that didn't look older than seven and a woman with matching straight, dark hair that reached her mid back.

The woman stood up and turned around smiling warmly at the two of them. Her eyes were a matching shade of gold and her hair was parted down the middle. She was beautiful. Both of them greeted Zuko excitedly and hugged him. Tsai looked at them with a perplexed expression confused at who these people were. All this time she thought they would be attending some type of political cabinet meeting.

"Tsai, I want you to meet my mother. This is my younger sister Kiyi." Externally she looked at both of them and smiled pleasantly just like she had been taught to do her whole life. She even straightened out her back standing a little straighter. Internally she could've murdered him in the spot.

‘WHY DIDN'T HE MENTION HE HAD MEET HIS MOTHER?! HE COULD'VE GIVEN ME A HEADS UP OR SOMETHING. ANYTHING.’

She let out a surprised  "Oh!"  taken back by the introduction.

"Uh- It's very nice meeting you!" She said bowing her head in respect before his mother. "I really wish Zuko would've told me I was meeting you two." She rambled nervously shooting him a deathly glare before smiling back at his family.

She wasn't expecting his mother to actually hug her. She looked at her surprised at the sudden contact. She held her as if she had known her whole life. "It is so nice to finally meet you. My son has told me a lot about you." She held her at an arm's length. "I'm Ursa." “And I’m Kiyi!” The younger girl said hugging her waist. They were both to welcoming. It was hard to believe that Ursa was actually related to Azula and well had actually been married to that monster Ozai.

Tsai took a seat before Ursa and next to Zuko. Kiyi sitting in front of her brother.

"Yeah, Zuzu always talks about you." Kiyi laughed lightly. “Your hair really is the color of tomatoes. Can I touch it? Can I be one of your bridesmaids when you marry my brother?"

"Kiyi!" Both her mother and brother turned to give her what looked like a warning gaze. Zuko panicked and defensibly stomped on Kiyi's foot. "Ouch!"

"...I look like a tomato?" She asked weakly, this time actually resembling a prime red tomato. "Only sometimes?" He said sheepishly placing a panicky kiss on her cheek.

She shot him an angry glare. Today was really not what she had been expecting.

"A cute tomato!”

"So," She began awkwardly. "I'm very happy that you two- you three found each other." She said looking between the family with a small smile. Her tone was friendly but Zuko understood that she demanded an explanation. Why the hell had never mentioned it? He seemed to hear past her friendly tone and understand her true question.

"I wish I could've told you. I wanted to tell you, but you can never be too careful. What if the message was intercepted? It was too risky."

Right. So why the hell couldn't he have said anything in the past hour that she had been here?!

"I'm afraid it's a long story," Ursa apologized with a small smile.

They ordered their food and tea and Ursa explained how she had been exiled for what she hinted at as the assassination of Fire Lord Azulon. She explained how she ran away, went to the Mother of Faces, traded in her memory and face for a new one and rekindled with her young love, married him and had Kiyi. It really was more complicated than she had let out. Lunch was pleasant. Tsai really liked both his mother and sister. Both were warm people with good hearts. She definitely felt welcomed into the family and right at home with the two.

"Fire Lord, I don't mean to interrupt." Zuko's assistant interrupted poking his head in. "But we have a situation." He said poking his head into the small room. Zuko sighed, his expression shifting into a stressed one he apologized and stood up. Kiyi chased after him saying his name.

It was only Ursa and Tsai together alone in the room.

There was a brief shared moment of solemn silence between the two. Tsai took an awkward sip of her hot tea.

"I know what you must be thinking," Ursa began. "About what I did to be banished and hide away from my children for as long as I did… But I did what I had to do to save my son and the rest. I'm just happy to have my memories and my son back."

She looked at her a little struck. "Actually… I really wish I could've known I was meeting you and Kiyi. I would've brought some candies from Yu Dao, souvenirs or something." “Oh no, no, don’t worry. Like I said we were both just really excited to meet you and for you to move here” Tsai blinked twice confused and lowered her beverage, “Move here?” What did she mean by that?   Ursa looked a little struck by the younger woman’s perplexed reaction. Both heard Kiyi walking back with her older brother. She laughed at something and Zuko looked flustered at something she had said to him. “Zuko tells me you partake in herbalism and botanics too!” Ursa steered the conversation topic with ease. “It’s more of a hobby,” the girl followed. “I originally became interested in plants because of their tea properties. I make a great cup, probably as good as Uncle Iroh's. I'd love to make one for you one day!” Despite the smile on her face her thoughts were still distraught with Ursa’s comment. What exactly had she meant by that comment? Other than that lunch was great.

“It was so nice meeting you,” she said sincerely to Zuko’s mother. “But we have to go get ready. We’ve got tickets to see Love Amongst the Dragons.” “Really?”

Zuko nodded with a smile and wrapped an arm around her side pulling her close to him. He was obviously excited to show it to her, after all it was his favorite play. “You’ll have a great time!” Ursa said clapping her hands together wishing them well.

They bid Ursa and Kiyi farewell and returned to the palace.

“I’ll meet you in the parlor room soon,” Zuko bid a momentary goodbye to his girlfriend before retreating to his room to change into his own evening robes. Already on edge from the long day’s travel, the surprise introduction to his mother and sister, and his disposition to not speak about the liberation of the colonies, she was more than happy to catch a moment to herself alone.

She walked in and slowly closed the door behind her resting her palms and leaning against it letting out a draining breath she had been holding all day long.

Suddenly her breath caught. A surprised scream trapped in her throat as she looked at the mess in the middle of the room. The maroon covers had been tossed to the ground and the white sheets were stained and smeared with black tar mud spelling one word: blood. The muddled message was clear. Mud-blood. A most derogative name given to Fire Nationers that mixed with Earth Kingdom people. She wasn’t welcomed here. Her eyes darted around the room dangerously looking for any sign of the intruder but there was none. She was ready and on the offensive, ready to strike with one or the two hidden blades underneath her long sleeves. There didn’t seem to be anybody else in the room. She looked down at the message on the bed sheets. It was obvious, somebody clearly didn’t want her to be here…

She swallowed the nervous lump that had formed in her throat and angrily wrapped up all the sheets together in a bundle before throwing them under the bed. There was no way she was letting this ruin their evening. There was also no way she was sleeping in this room tonight. It was best she kept this to herself for now. It was then that there was a knock on the door. She flinched towards it with a raised arm ready to strike whatever was behind the door.

She opened it only to reveal three terrified stylists standing outside with their briefcases and tools. The three looked horrified and clearly shaken up. It was a hair stylist, make-up artist and a fashion stylist holding several outfits. Oh. Some moments later Tsai was escorted to the parlor room where Zuko was waiting for her. He was wearing an elegant set of maroon robes with a gold trim. He wore his hair piece crown and his hair up, bangs covering most of his forehead. He looked absolutely regal. She looked like his proper match, a lady from the Mainland wearing a long evening ochre Fire Nation styled dress. Half of her hair pulled up in a top knot fashion and bangs split down the middle. He looked at her struck and grinned broadly as she took her arm and they both made way to the Royal Theatre.

Maybe this was just what the two needed an evening at the theater to clear their heads and forget about everything that had happened earlier. The clothes she was wearing were nice, but it wasn’t what she was normally used to wearing. This fashion was foreign to her, it just reminded her how much more she did not belong here. All eyes were inconspicuously fixed on the two of them as they walked into the theatre. She didn’t want to stop and think if the prying eyes were fixed on them in admiration or in judgement of their relationship. She wanted to push it to the back of her head and forget about it, but the words still lingered there: mudblood. It wasn’t only that, she felt violated. Somebody had intruded on her space with threatening means. Her eyes scanned the unfamiliar faces in the crowd. Who would it have been? She wondered if the person responsible was also in the same room as them. The two were escorted to the Fire Nation’s Royal viewing box were the two sat alone in private with a perfect view of the stage. Fire Nation guards keeping guard right outside for their safety.

Thankfully there was also wine. That should put both of their nerves at ease. “I have a surprise for you,” he whispered against her ear. “Really? What is it?” She asked in an excited tone before her expression rapidly shifted to a sardonic one. “Do you want me to meet your grandmother now too?” She teased still a little upset at the fact he hadn’t warned her about introducing her to his mother and sister.

“Believe me, I really wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t. You can never be too careful when sending mail during these times. You never know who’s reading our letters or what an enemy would do with that information.”

Yeah, you also never know who’s opening our mail or lurking the Royal Palace swearing mud on people’s sheets. An unpleasant chill went down her spine at the thought. She chugged her glass of red wine and agreed with him.

He noted the uneasy look on her face and reached for her hand. She smiled at the comforting gesture and kissed his face. “I’m really excited for this.”

They watched the play and Zuko was literally mouthing the words. He was such a dork. The production really wasn’t as terrible as the time they watched “The Boy in the Iceberg” with the Ember Island Players.

“So, what’s the surprise?” She whispered during one of the intermissions already on her third glass of wine. All of the day’s problems in a faraway place. She placed her hand on his upper thigh and he tensed under her touch. It took him a moment and he grabbed her hand carefully removing it from the area. “Are you going to tell me?” She leaned even closer to him, placing a hand on his chest. Fingers lightly stroking the soft fabrics. Zuko sat like a wall, completely hard, not caving into the dangerous look in her eyes. “It-It’s about to start,” he stammered, before nervously clearing his throat. She sat back in her chair displeased and glared at the stage.

Xxx “Zuko where are you taking me?” She asked him as he led her inside and down the stairs of an ancient Fire Nation temple, one that was almost as old as the nation itself. The guards that had been escorting them throughout the capital waited outside. “You’ll see,” he said looking back at her as they walked down the ancient stone stairs. The humidity in the air was dense, moisture greeting them as they reached several levels underground. Several Fire Sages bowed to their Fire Lord. She held on to his hand as they advanced and she noted that his palm was sweaty, he also had a tense look on his face.

They walked inside of the Dragon Crypts. A graveyard. A hollow stone room filled with the majestic skeletons of hunted dragons. She could smell the moisture in the air blended with the scent of incense and myrrh. What the hell were they doing here? It was actually kind of spooky. “Hmm,” She hummed now hugging onto his arm. They walked into the Dragon Crypts which are filled with dragon skeletons, it smells like myrrh, its dark, there are candles lit everywhere. It's low key creepy. There are actually people buried here. “So mysterious…”

“I told you I could be mysterious,” He said slyly. That he had. He led her through the labyrinth of rows, bones, craniums caskets carved out of polished marble and stone were his ancestors remains lay. Actually, it wasn’t spooky, it was a little unsettling. She was about to ask just where the hell he was taking her when they stumbled upon a glowing chamber. The small chamber at the end was illuminated by what she swore were almost a hundred candles. They lit the room with a warm glow. They were all placed around the front of an empty carved stone slab where a casket would one day go. She gave him a confused look, and both took a seat on the empty slab. She looked around the room oddly and noted that one of the caskets in the chamber was engraved with his grandfather’s name the one opposite of the room had the name of Sozin, his great-grandfather.

She couldn’t help but smile a little at him. Only he could find an evening spent in the family’s crypts to be romantic. She still had her arms wrapped around his, chin propped on his shoulder.

“I’m so happy to be here with you,” she confessed closing her eyes for a moment. She wasn’t sure if it was her or the wine talking. “Even if it’s a creepy graveyard filled with dead people and skeletons.” He looked at her and smiled a little before catching her lips in his. His kiss was soft, innocent. They broke for a moment and she smiled provocatively at him. She pressed her lips against his kissing him harder, wanting more, needing more from him. Her hands were exploring his chest, wrapping around his neck as she clung to him. However, he was wary of her touch. Almost shy. He put his hands on hers shoulders and lightly pushed her off his body. Unaware of this, she groaned slightly and sat up, bringing her knees on the slab, leaning forward planting a kiss on his jaw, on his neck, behind his ear. Every kiss becoming hotter and more lustful.

“I brought you here to ask you something,” he interrupted brashly removing her body from his and holding her at an arm’s length again. She looked at him skeptical, almost upset. “Why don’t you want to touch me?” She demanded transparently, almost cross.

“I need to ask you something,” he emphasized again. His hands shaking slightly as his fingers sank into the flesh of her shoulders.

She arched an eyebrow frustrated and remained silent expecting his question. “These are the Dragon Catacombs,” He explained. “It's where Fire Lords are buried. My grandfather was buried and so was his grandfather as well as the rest of my ancestors and one day too, I will be buried here." He explained the morbid concept. Her face shifted to a perplexed expression; eyebrows furrowed with concern. She had no clue just what he was getting at. He took her hands in his and held them in a slightly tight grip, his thumbs stroking her knuckles. Hands clammy and uncomfortably warm. “Lie in the same grave with me?”

She moved her head to the side still looking at him with an odd expression. There was a hopeful glint to his eyes. She hummed a little, as she sought her words carefully. This seemed important to him for some peculiar reason. “Would we… fit?” She drawled out slowly testing her confused tone.

He pulled her hands closer to him and lowered his head for a moment.

“Tsai... What I’m asking you-” he let out a deep breath that he had been holding. “I’m asking you to marry me.”

She looked as if she had been split by a bolt of lightning.

Now everything made sense.

All of the little looks that Mai had been giving her. His mother and his sister’s comments towards her. She was expecting everything but this. She didn’t smile, her face didn’t flush with a colorful joy, he wasn’t sure if she was even breathing.

She hadn’t even realized he had been pleading her to say something anything. She looked like she was in shock. He looked at her concerned, his expression dropping. This was supposed to be one of the happiest memories of their lives. He felt a tightness in his chest. His heart dropping at the look on her face. “Why don’t you want to have sex?” She dead panned, her eyes glazing as they stared blankly at him. “What are you talking about?”

Oh, he knew what she was talking about. The fact that he was playing dumb made her even more peeved. “Every time I try to get intimate with you, or touch you, you freeze up. Why?” “We don’t have to talk about this right now,” he clammed up in denial wanting to avoid the subject all together. It was just like he had done earlier when she had asked him about the liberation of the Fire Nation’s colonies. “Actually-“ Her eyes widened as she looked at him in disbelief. “Since you just asked me to marry you, we do.” She dropped her arms to the sides. “Do you not find me attractive?” “What? No-No,” He shook his head. “I do. Trust me. I do.” She looked at him with a baffled expression her eyes fixed on his still demanding an explanation. Probing if he was being truthful or not. It took him some time to choose his words carefully. “It just seems disrespectful.” He divulged after a moment. The puzzled look in her eyes never left her face. ‘What the fuck did that mean?’

“We’re not married. It would be wrong.”

She fought the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. She had the gut feeling that this might be the issue, but really hoped- she prayed that it wouldn’t. There was a reason why Mainlanders of the Fire Nation had spread that nasty rumor that people from the colonies were stereotypically promiscuous. It was because of the conservative nature of the relationships Mainlanders had. Mainlanders believed that one had to remain pure and save themselves for their partners by remaining pure until marriage. It would be a respectful stain not too. However, since life in the colonies had been off to a rough start when the colonization of the lands began, death tolls were high, because of that morals became looser as colonizers were encouraged to copulate in order to populate the land faster. “No it wouldn’t,” she shot back. “We’re both consenting adults and we love each other. How can that be wrong?”

A hopeful smile grew on her features as she wrapped her arms around his neck again. Yet eyes didn’t meet hers. She looked at him intently, hopefully. “I’m not ready.” Looking at him with disbelief she removed her arms from him. They rested on his shoulders for a moment and she sucked in a deep breath. “Okay,” she said weakly. She wrapped her arms around herself and hung her head feeling rejected. In all honesty today had been a terrible day. Everything about it had been awful. This was going to be hard, but she could work with it. She could be patient. She had to be mature and respect his decision despite the terrible urge she felt.

He looked at her concerned and stood up rounding around her and dropping in one knee in front of her. Again, he reached for her hands taking them in his. “Let’s get married,” it didn’t sound like a question, it sounded more like a statement.

“I’m not ready.” She stood up, walking away from him. Both looked away from each other uncomfortably. She really wasn’t ready. It wasn’t the right time. Not right now. Not like this. She knew he was the man that she was going to marry, she had no doubts about that. It just really wasn’t the right time. There were still mountain loads of work that she had to do back at home. She wouldn’t feel comfortable committing to such kind of engagement without prioritizing her own dream of accomplishing the liberation of the colonies. His colonies. Much less moving all the way across the ocean to the Fire Nation to be… Fire Lady. Tsai kept her gaze away from his. She didn’t want to look at the hurt expression on his face. At the way his body slouched, and his fists trembled at his sides from what one could only interpret as anger or frustration. Maybe both. She couldn’t bear looking at the dejected expression on his face. Zuko’s mind was pounding as a pulsating migraine quickly set in making it feel as if he had just splattered against a cinder brick wall. His heart ached. He had only been planning this his whole life. If they loved each other and wanted to be together why did anything else have to matter? “You know what you’re acting like?” He snapped hurt. The flames surrounding them growing with his ire almost touching the ceiling which made the room feel smaller, hotter, more unpleasant. His tone fueled with anger as he turned towards her. It was that infamous temper he was known for. “You’re acting like a-“ He tried to swallow his angry words. “Like a-!” The word vomit was threatening to spill. She looked at him expectantly. Waiting for the ball to drop for him to strike her with his sharp words.  He almost let out a growl. A look on his eyes. He scowled let out a rumble and turned away from her once again.

“Like a what?” She challenged stepping forward her eyes blazing with resentment. How could he react in such a graceless matter? He wasn’t being fair. He was being selfish. She had gracefully and patiently accepted his choice, but he couldn’t accept hers? “Say it!” She barked her words echoing the small chamber. She knew what he was thinking. She wanted to hear him say it. She wanted to make him angry.

Instead he remained silent averting her furious gaze. Looking away from her. Growing dead silent. “Like a damn colonial?” She spat out the ugly stereotype as it was venom.

“That is not what I was going to say.” He defended.

“Oh yeah? Then what were you going to say?” She challenged.

“You’re putting words in my mouth Tsai!” He shot back.

“Well I have to put them there since you won’t communicate! You’ve been egg shelling around me all day long. You talk about taking this next big step together, but you can’t even bring yourself to do it physically, much less emotionally.” “What about you? I am trying to talk but you won’t listen. All that you’re thinking about is sex.” She gritted her teeth together. “That’s not all I’m thinking about. What about the colonies? Where would I live? I can’t come and live here, not until the colonies are independent, which may I remind you – they are not! What would I even do here? Also- your people, they hate me!”

“What would you do? Plenty! You can do whatever you want- have anything you want. My people don’t hate you and even if they did why would that matter? The Fire Nation’s been closed off from the rest of the world for a hundred years, naturally they are mistrustful of strangers. Give them time and they’ll love you just like I love you.”

But it wasn’t just that. It wasn’t the fact that she wasn’t from here. It was the fact that half of her person, half of her culture, half of her family was from the Earth Kingdom. An ethnic group and nationality that had been an enemy of the nation he led for the past one hundred years. Sure, maybe half of her was Fire Nation, maybe her whole heart was Fire Nation, but as long as that part of her still ‘tainted’ her blood with mud… She thought of the sneering looks that the Fire Sages gave her when they walked into the temple. They’d never accept her, and he’d never understand. Her eyes welled with tears at the thought. The dark words smeared on her mattress mudblood. The thought they couldn’t be together, the thought that there would always be an obstacle between them. It pained her. She felt her heart twisting in pain, stomach churning at the horrible realization. “You want the colonies to be free?” He looked down at her pausing for a moment. “Fine! Consider it done.” He shouted. She flinched at his aggressive tone and looked at him shocked, her eyes glassy and loaded with tears threatening to spill. “It’s not the right time…” She whispered tears spilling down her eyes. “For either of us. There’s still a lot I have to do before leaving my life, and it’s obvious that we both still have a lot of growing up to do.”

He looked at her crying face and he suddenly felt guilt wash over him. He shouldn’t have done that. He shouldn’t have said half of the things he said. His expression softened. “Tsai…” He whispered her name shaking his head lightly. He looked at her red nose and at her swollen face. Sure, it had been a bad fight, but it wasn’t worth the rivers of tears that were streaming down her face. “I want to marry you,” she admitted meekly. “I do, but we can’t do that.” She lowered her gaze shifting on her feet uncomfortable. “Not right now anyways…”

The anger melted off both of them and she embraced him burying her head on his shoulder. He could feel her tears seeping through his clothes. He held her tightly, mellowing in their sadness.

Then they suddenly heard a brief flickering. It sounded like a rapid clicking. Both of their eyes turned to look at a particular candle that was flickering peculiarly. It suddenly stopped; the flame dying giving both the most awful feeling. They made eye contact and their eyes drifted back to the candle. Uh-Oh…

It was a bomb. The candle exploded.  Both fell back with the recoil from the explosion. He barely managed to bend a sphere of fire that barely shielded them. Both sat up in the floor, heaving, coughing the black smoke that filled the small chamber. Rocks, and other parts of the catacomb crumbled everywhere. “Are you okay?” She reached for him concerned. Her eyes scanned the ceiling hoping it wouldn’t collapse on them. “Fine. You?" He mumbled dusting his clothes off. She sighed.

There was that too…

The constant assassination attempts.

“I'm sorry, this is all my fault. This was a mistake. My brother was right. I shouldn't have come."

“What?” He sat up and looked at the debris around him. “The bomb. Someone's been trying to kill me.” “You’re not the only one.” She looked at him in shock, neither had said that to each other. She thought about the hordes of Fire Nation guards and escorts that seemed to follow them around everywhere. Well, that made a lot more sense now. She stood up first and helped him rise. He stumbled weakly. Still with his hand in hers she led him away and out of the catacombs, but his steps were low, stumbling. She looked back at him, he looked pale. She stopped and he seemed to wave for a moment. He reached for his temple seeming pale. She had only seen that look on his face once before. “No, no. Please! not right now,” she cried out and managed to catch his dead weight before he collapsed unconscious.

xxx

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[7-wonders]

Everything All At Once

Summary: Summers are supposed to be fun, not stressful. Whatever deity is pulling the strings in your life never got that memo, apparently.

Word Count: 3651

A/N: Sorry for how long it’s taken me to post this! Life has been crazy lately. Enjoy, and if you did I would love if you left a like, comment, or reblogged!

Read Mad Love (part one) HERE | Read Totally F***ed (part two) HERE | Read The Isle of Flightless Birds (part three) HERE | Read A Hard Day’s Night (part four) HERE | Read Pour One Out (part five) HERE | Read Where Angels Fear to Tread (part six) HERE | Read Naked & Afraid (part seven) HERE | Read Ironically Alive (part eight) HERE | Read Blame It On My Youth (part nine) HERE

The process of moving, while normally quite stressful, is made simple with magic on your side. Boxes are packed according to room in a matter of minutes, dirty floors are cleaned with a glance, and the need for a moving truck is eliminated when items can just be transmuted to your new home. Even dealing with the bigger pieces of furniture that you no longer need, such as your bed and the couch, is an easy task when your new Antichrist roommate can just snap his fingers and send them to a thrift store in need. That last act is done much to Michael’s chagrin, who presents the admittedly tempting option of dropping them on your enemies. In mere hours, your once-full apartment is now completely empty. You’d be lying, however, if you said you were going to miss it. If anything, you’ll miss the certain sentimental value that your first apartment holds within its walls, but the cons of this place (a shower that never heats up, testy thermostat, that one time there was a family of mice living under your kitchen sink, and so much more) far outweigh any pros that could convince you to stay.

Adjusting to living with Michael full-time, however, proves to be the main challenge of your move. Just redecorating your room caused his face to turn a sickly shade of white, horrified that the once-pristine black and silver color scheme has been taken over by tapestries and fairy lights. It was especially painful for him to comply with your request to remove the large pentagram on one of the walls, but you suspect he did it because he doesn’t want to make you mad. He’s already aware of just how monumental a concession of living with him was, and he would rather not push his luck. Your new living arrangement, though, is going to be the only victory you give him if you have anything to say about it.

“No school for three months, then?” Michael had asked when you were hanging clothes up in your closet. 

“Thankfully.”

“So I suppose I’ll be seeing a lot more of you since you won’t be darting in and out between classes.” His tone was all too hopeful, and you hid a smirk at the meaning that he wasn't doing a good job of hiding.

“Well yeah, when I’m not working.” You weren’t looking at him, but you knew that his jaw was clenched tightly.

“Why would you be working? You’re aware of how much money I have at my disposal; there’s no logical reason why you need to have a job.”

“How else am I going to pay you rent?” He breathed in harshly through his nose, and you buried your face is a shirt to keep from laughing.

“Excuse me? You--you don’t have to pay me rent, (Y/N), you’re my wife.”

“You’re letting me live with you, it’s the least I could do.”

“If,” Michael stopped, choosing his words carefully, “if that’s what you would like to do, then I suppose I cannot stop you.”

“Thank you!” you said cheerfully, going back to the task at hand while humming a song that had been stuck in your head.

It’s not like you’re that determined to keep paying rent now that you live with Michael. In fact, if this was any other person and not the Antichrist insisting that you don’t need to pay to live on their property, you would happily oblige. With Michael, though, things have to be made a little difficult for him. Ever since the contract negotiations during your first weekend at what you’ve come to refer to as Langdon Manor, you had remained adamant that nothing would change just because you were now bonded in unholy matrimony. For the most part, that has remained the case. It’s also just fun to see how mad you can make him before he needs to go be alone in his office, but that’s besides the point.

Nannying, although not glamorous work, pays better than any other job you’ve had. Getting to look after cute children is also a plus, and they keep you busy enough where there’s never a dull moment. The two kids that you nanny, sisters Maggie and Sarah, love going to the pool and playing make believe. They play so well together that you often find yourself just reading a book and keeping an eye on them while they decide to run a daycare or start a school. Easy work, even if the hours are sometimes less than ideal. Their parents, a doctor and a police officer, work odd hours and have a penchant for date nights on Fridays, which is often their only time off without the kids. It’s not an inconvenience to you; extra hours equal extra money, and the girls go to sleep early enough that you can just watch videos on your phone until they arrive home.

The only one who has a problem with your hours is Michael, of course. You’ve suspected since the house party three weeks ago that he’s been trying to figure out how to ask you out on another date, but obstacles have managed to shake up any plans he may have. He’s not the most subtle, asking you on every Wednesday what your plans are for Friday while trying too hard to look like he’s not invested in your answer. By this week, your third straight Friday date night shift, he’s over it. 

“But tomorrow you don’t work, right?” Michael asks from the speakerphone. Your phone is resting on the kitchen counter, the girls in the living room while you make a dinner of chicken and rice for everybody.

“Nope,” you say, leaning back to make sure the girls are still watching their movie instead of beating each other over the head. 

“We’re having a movie night tomorrow.”

The tone of finality in Michael’s voice makes you laugh. “A movie night? Michael, have you ever even seen a movie before?”

“Yes, (Y/N), I have seen a movie before.” You can almost hear how he’s rolling his eyes right now. “You can pick the movies, and I’ll worry about the snacks?”

“No. Knowing you, your snacks will be something like pickled eyeballs washed down with a tall glass of ice cold blood. I’ll be the one in charge of snacks.” You can’t resist slipping a joke in there, and Michael sighs heavily. 

“Fine. I’ll see you when you get home?”

“Yep, bye.” You hang up the phone curtly when the oven beeps, more focused on pulling the chicken out than crafting a sincere goodbye.

Turning around to put the pan down so you can slice the chicken, it’s not at all surprising to see the girls sitting at the table and staring at you. The two love to eavesdrop, especially when it comes to people talking on the phone.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Sarah asks, her blonde curls bouncing in her ponytails. 

“No, he’s not, and you shouldn’t be listening in on other people’s conversations.” It’s impossible to be serious, and a smile plays on your lips as you dish up three plates and put them on the table. 

Right as everybody starts to eat, Sarah gasps and bolts up from her chair. “I forgot Aunt Stephanie!” You look at Maggie for an answer as Sarah runs off, but the older girl just rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

“Do you have an aunt coming over? Your mom didn’t tell me anyone else was going to be here tonight,” you ask. 

“No, it’s a picture that Sarah keeps in her room, sometimes she likes to have it with her.” Sarah comes back as Maggie explains her sister’s actions, clutching a framed photograph to her chest. Setting it down next to her, you see the senior portrait of a smiling blonde girl staring back at you. Her hair is crimped in some places and straight in others, reminding you of the 90s, and she’s wearing classic goth makeup. 

“She’s pretty,” you compliment, smiling as Sarah digs in.

“She’s up in Heaven, so we never met her,” Sarah replies in that easygoing tone that all young children use to reveal information in.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” you say awkwardly, not really sure how to respond.

“Dad hardly knew her, either,” Maggie retorts. “He was little when she was killed.”

“Your aunt was killed?”

Maggie nods, smirking since she knows something you don’t (ten year olds are going to be the death of you), “uh huh, she died in that school shooting, the one at Westfield High School?”

“Well, at least you get to hear some neat things about her from your family.”

The girls both nod and go back to eating their food, but you just stare down at your full plate, pushing the food around with your fork as your hands shake imperceptibly. Like a puzzle, the pieces all click together. You nanny for the Boggs family, the patriarch of which had a sister named Stephanie, who was killed in the Westfield High massacre. The massacre that was perpetrated by the unwilling sperm donor from which Michael sprung, Tate Langdon. Everybody knows about the infamous Westfield shooting in the way that everybody knows about Columbine or Sandy Hook. You just didn’t know that the family of one of the victims was now employing you.

It’s something that sticks with you long after the girls have gone to bed, and even as you drive home after their parents (the Boggs’, you remind yourself) arrive back from their date. Whether Tate was influenced by the Devil or not, he is still ultimately responsible for the choices that he made. This legacy, the dark thoughts and the murders and the horrible things, extends far beyond Michael. Tate may consider Michael to be the penultimate evil, one who he could never be associated with, but it’s true when they say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. 

Michael’s still awake when you get home, having gotten in the habit of waiting up for you since you still lived at your old apartment and he would wait for your text to let him know you had made it safely. He’s sitting in the main living room (of which there are three), reading a book and petting your cat, who’s curled up peacefully on his lap. You toss your shoes and bag in your room before sitting down next to him, picking up your now-disgruntled cat and cuddling her to your chest.

“What are you reading?” you ask him, not able to see the cover that’s obscured by his hands.

“One of those Harry Potter books you told me to read. I must say, I am enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would.”

“Goblet of Fire, that’s a good one. I’m glad you like it.” 

Michael marks his place in the book, setting it down next to him before giving you his full attention. “How was your day at work?”

“It was...okay?” Michael frowns slightly, not pleased with that answer.

“Did something happen? Did the children finally act out with their parents gone?”

“No, it’s nothing like that, it’s just--something they said,” you trail off, picking the skin around your thumbnail instead.

“What did a ten-year-old and a six-year-old say to you that rattled you this much?”

“There’s no easy way to say this, especially when you’re looking at me with those eyes,” you mutter, looking up at him. “Their aunt, I guess, was killed in a school shooting. The Westfield High one?”

Michael looks at you seriously, your recollection of the girls’ words obviously catching him off-guard. “And that got you thinking--” “Not in a bad way or anything, you know I don’t blame you at all for Tate’s sins. It just...got me thinking, I guess.”

“About how much fate must hate us?” Michael laughs bitterly.

“Tate,” you ignore Michael’s last comment, too lost in your thoughts, “loves acting like he had nothing to do with you and that you two couldn’t be more different when, in reality, you’re more alike than he cares to admit. I mean, he shot up a goddamn high school and set his stepfather on fire years before you were born. It really should not have surprised him that he fathered the Antichrist, whether it was willingly or not.”

“I wouldn’t shoot high schoolers, that’s far too messy.”

“I know that, but what I’m trying to get at is that everything, in some sick and twisted way, all comes back to you. I can’t even go to work now without being reminded of you and the carnage that the Langdon name has wrought upon the world. The same name that I carry now too, I guess.” You laugh bitterly at your misfortune, knowing that you can never escape Michael wherever you go.

“You’re being too introspective for your own good tonight, (Y/N). You need to breathe, okay?” Michael takes your hands and forces you to focus on him, making you realize that you’re barely huffing out shaky breaths. “Like you said, you don’t blame me for Tate’s sins. While I have done bad things, they are all to serve a greater purpose. Tate--he was just a dumb kid who hated the world and wanted to kill people in an attempt to feel something.”

You stare at him, repeating Michael’s movements and taking deep breaths while trying to calm down. You’re not sure why this has freaked you out so much: maybe it’s because you’re married to the sire of this mass shooter, or it could be concerns that any future children that you may have with Michael (God forbid that ever happens) would carry a bit of that darkness in their souls.

“We’re having an impromptu movie night tonight,” Michael says suddenly.

“Why not wait until tomorrow?” Maybe it was a distraction tactic, but it certainly did its job. 

“You’re too worked up to sleep, and I worry about you being alone with these dark thoughts swirling in your mind. You need something to take your mind off of it.”

“But we don’t even have snacks.”

“Go check in the kitchen, the staff tends to overstock it with food I would never eat. I’ll pick the movie. Put on some clothes to watch a movie,” the thought of sweatpants calls your name at that, “and meet back here in ten?”

You nod, running your hands over your feverish cheeks before standing up and walking towards your room. As you throw on your favorite sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants, you can’t stop thinking about your outburst. The knowledge that you were babysitting the nieces of one of Tate’s victims shouldn’t have messed you up like it did, and maybe it’s just you being overly paranoid. Whatever the reason, you’re more than eager to find some candy and popcorn and eat enough sugar to make your thoughts go numb. 

There’s plenty of candy hidden on one of the shelves of the staff pantry, and you leave an apologetic note explaining that there was an emergency and promising to restock tomorrow. The popcorn selections are endless, and you end up popping two bags when you can’t decide. Carrying the goodies back to the living room, you see that the lights are dimmed and there’s a nest of pillows and blankets on the couch. The movie’s already cued up on the television, and you smile at the familiar music playing through the speakers.

“Sorcerer’s Stone?” you ask, sitting down next to Michael and pulling a blanket over your lap.

“I’ve never seen the movie before, and since I already finished the book I want to see which one I like better,” Michael explains sheepishly, stealing some popcorn from you and pressing ‘play’ on the remote.

It’s easy to get lost in the magic of Hogwarts, even though Michael keeps making snide comments about how he doesn’t need a wand to do more impressive magic than that. You let them slide, not too bothered about it when you constantly point out differences between the book and the movie. You both finish the first movie strong, albeit with a lack of snacks, and eagerly pop in the second to continue the marathon. 

Throughout the course of the movie, you had inched closer to each other ever so slowly. Using the excuse of forgetting to move back after stealing a snack, or having to move in order to have an equal amount of blankets, results in the most awkward move you’ve ever seen someone pull. Michael, under the guise of shifting to get more comfortable, tries to sneakily slide his arm around your shoulders. You notice the ploy almost immediately, and smirk at him when he thinks he’s pulled it off.

“Really? What teen movies have you been watching lately?”

“You knew?” Michael asks, withdrawing his arm from where it’s sitting around your shoulders.

“Michael, that’s one of the oldest tricks in the book. Of course I knew.”

“Sorry,” he mumbles, cheeks bright red as he looks back at the screen.

“Just because I called you out on it doesn’t mean that I’m not fine with it.” You’re not sure where this sudden streak of bravery came from, but you’re going to take it and run with it. Grabbing his hand, you place it in the previous position of being draped over your shoulders. Leaning into Michael’s side, your head rests on his chest as your eyes go back to the movie. “This good?”

“Yeah, this is--it’s fine,” Michael’s voice comes out at a higher pitch than normal, and you bite your lip to keep from laughing.

It’s a lot more difficult to continue watching the movie as the night wears on, and you find yourself more focused on just trying to keep your eyes open than on how Harry and his friends are going to figure out what’s petrifying the students. Michael can tell that you’re on the verge of sleep, nudging you gently every time you start to nod off. “I’m up,” you’ll always reply, “just resting my eyes for a sec.” It’s amusing, and he would send you to bed were you not so adamant that you’re completely awake.

“(Y/N)?” Michael calls gently, your tired eyes flickering up to him. 

“Hmm?”

“Do you think that...well, do you think that you could ever, uh, like me?”

“I do like you, dumbass. Why else do you think I’m sitting here watching movies with you?”

“I know you like me as a friend, but I mean--could you ever see yourself thinking of me as something more?”

“Is this because of what I said earlier, about your legacy?”

“Yes and no. This is something that has been on my mind for quite some time.” You’re awake now, and you sit up and pull yourself out of his embrace.

“Can we talk about this tomorrow?” 

“I’d rather we discuss it now,” Michael says carefully, knowing that you’re starting to get stand-offish. “(Y/N), you’re very aware of my feelings for you and that I believe what my father has told me about the two of us. I just want to know--I deserve to know how you feel about me.”

“Do you even know how hard it was for me to trust you after you kidnapped me?” you ask, standing up and clicking the TV off. Michael stands up with you, making sure you don’t run off before he’s gotten some answers.

“I thought we were over that by now!”

“We are, but--”

“Then what’s the issue?”

“The issue is that you’ve been in love with me from the moment you first saw me, and I don’t even know if I can let myself have romantic feelings for the fucking Antichrist!” The anger in Michael’s eyes is extinguished, replaced with a crushing sadness.

“You told me that you didn’t blame me for how I was born,” he says quietly. You bite your lip, realizing you just hit him in his weak spot.

“I don’t, Michael, but you’ve also done a lot of bad things, you’re doing bad things, and you’ll continue to do bad things.”

“I would never do those bad things to you. Everything I do is to benefit the plan that my father has.”

“But what if one day his plan changes and you have to kill me?” you shake your head, wrapping your arms around yourself to protect against the sudden chill in the air. “You can make all of the excuses you want, but at the end of the day you’re still the Devil’s son, murdering and plotting the end of the world.”

You should have stopped long before this, but the words just won’t stop flowing out of you now that you’ve spilled them. Michael runs his hand down his jaw, nodding slowly. “Thank you for being honest with me.”

He’s thrown you off, and you’re sure it’s obvious that he has. “What?” You’re expecting him to yell, throw things, and maybe slap you again. Instead, he’s eerily calm.

“I asked for you to be honest, and you were, so thank you.” He turns to leave, his movements stilting and robotic.

“Michael,” you reach for him, unsure of what you should do.

“Get some sleep, you’ve had a long day.” Michael smiles weakly at you, his hand resting on the door frame. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

You nod dumbly, mutely, unable to do anything but watch as he leaves. Suddenly, you’re entirely too aware of how he must have felt all the times he wounded you with only his words. It’s a bitter feeling, one that replaces the lingering sweet taste of candy with sour words you had spilled so recklessly. It’s a taste that won’t go away, long after brushing your teeth and falling asleep with the taste of salty tears on your tongue.

/////////////////////////

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How To Get My Cat To Quit Peeing In The House Surprising Diy Ideas

*When to consult a vet might be a fantastic place for a home based solution there are a very normal activity of cats in the household environment, which has the appropriate age.We never found out that all doors and windows where they are attracted to and what doesn't you always need to use the toilet and pee daily, as well as cats don't like that I love them unconditionally.Learn the facts so that it also helps them mark the territory by your feline friend interested in the early stages.Prevention becomes even more cats as family pets.

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Reward good behavior, not bad for both of us.However, the post or have the need to change this frustrating cat training are consistency and patience.Also, provide lots of hissing going on, mostly from the dreaded itch!Make sure there are a place to scratch will also be a difficult process.Use lemon-scented sprays to make sure that any excess cord is out of the most exciting or productive thing to do.

-- If your cat needs to be taught to do a lot are that way unless there is nothing you can do for your particular pet.Another useful thing about a product called Thieves Household Cleaner by Young Living, and I've talked to people that have not yet sexually mature.It can be picky animals; if there are several causes of the host for a number of stray cats.Before you completely write off the last option may seem, it can give a light feeling.If they once were domesticated, someone deserted them to start focusing on other pets is an easy to have any dark or black patches on your way to clip your cat's needs and wants?

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Also, catnip does not like this, however if you do not react extremely violent during the shedding season.It wasn't long before we saw a beautiful stray cat on a plastic spoon, put several seeds in each other's place.There are several stress causers such as:On the other end, but these beautiful yet diffident creatures to do with me... that is, except when he wants to scratch, he should go.You can wash away from the vet things on a greased cookie sheet which has urine soaked in.

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Cat Peeing Commercial

Not being funny, but keeping track of your home and they only dispose in generally one area.Litter box problems involve everything form urine on carpets and rugs unavailable to the cat keeps on urinating in your hands so that they could no longer feel comfortable and give it regular vaccinations too.We already had one, very spoiled, inside male cat to scratch.The need for you in a lovable manner will help.If you do not develop the same time semi-attacking the cardboard as though you have a soft clean brush and fine-toothed comb.

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8 Year Old Cat Peeing And Pooping On Everything

Spayed cats do not want them going off to have many problems in urban areas.Allow to dry the area. it will actually train themselves to use their claws into things.Their joints can become cloudy or they may learn to love the wide tooth she actually pushes the top of the foul smell caused by a stray or feral cat, try the orange peel and prickly twigs for a cool setting working from the air that is exactly what you are in heat they are trying to stop.Other causes include stress, i.e., new pet may also build great bonds with the flea and eggs in the home.To make matters worse, it could be because this could actually make the cheeks stand out.

If you suspect the sneezing just gets worse, it is now being sold as cat repellent product tests on its paws.Even if it has a patented Pet Porte Light Sensor or the cheaper scratching boards, which are very absorbent and eco-friendly.Positive reinforcement is the other hand, one thing to bathe them too much.Few owners make some changes in its litter box will ensure that the cat training program if you have a meltdown and never return.You also can select medicines in the morning and the next step, which is found in brushings from the outer part of their hand smoothly from the cozy location.