#Astor: You can fuck with me one way tonight CHOOSE.

[fragmentedlegends]

|| @yigahole || Continued ||

Astor’s hand snaps around Kohga’s wrist with the flash of a whip.

“Master Kohga,” he says through a clenched jaw, golden eyes set in a cold, consuming blaze, “This is not the night for your games. I have no patience, no kindness, and very. Little. Mercy.”

His nails dig into the skin beneath his tight grip. Down Kohga is pulled, until their eyes are aligned and their noses nearly touch, Astor’s grated voice dripping like sharp shards between them.

“If you insist I fuck you, then consider yourself warned. You cannot just listen. You have to obey. If you misbehave, I will pull my cock from you and leave you on the floor, and that will be the end of it. Do you understand?”

[canvas-of-dreams]

The Hallowed Ground: Chapter Five

Theo, two months before the winter festival

We lay there silent as effigies as I embraced her. If the hickeys on my neck weren't proof that I was hers, then the way we laid beside one another that night was. This sort of thing wasn't allowed. I wasn't even supposed to be in her room. Still, a side effect of being a trained spy is that you learn to get into places you aren't meant to be. The route across the roof tops was risky, given the tiles were unreliably rickety on the older buildings, however, if I was to spend the nights with Wena, that was the price. Currently, the only part of my life that gave me some feeling was this time with her.

Her hands ran down my chest, stomach, reaching my waistband. She never went further than that at my request, and I was grateful to her. Even though Wena was forceful in every other aspect of her life, she never was with me. I pulled her closer to me and looked at the moon over the roof tops. The streets below were asleep, like dried streams waiting for daylight and the return of spring to bring them to life again. If I weren't here with her, I wouldn't have a chance of sleep, I would stare out on those streets all night or walk them, my thoughts and numbness making respite impossible.

Wena looked up a me, her slight frame in my arms bringing me back to reality.

'Theo?'

In her eyes was a different look to the one she normally gave me at a time like this. Their deep blue gaze had a serious hint to them. 'What is it?'

She sat up and stroked my hair. 'It's the war.'

'It's over now. You don't need to fret,' I said, and kissed her forehead. Still, her expression didn't change, if anything it embedded more.

'Lovely... what is it? You can tell me,' I said, and propped myself on my elbow. She breathed deep through her nose. There was a long pause before she spoke.

'You have to promise me that you would never tell a soul the information I am about to tell you. This information... only the most trusted get to know, do you understand?'

'I promise? Love, I- are you alright-'

'Promise on the Ground, the Hallowed Ground?'

I frowned hard. This was something grave. No one ever swore on the Hallowed Ground without knowledge of what they were swearing their life on.

'No, I'm not stupid, I love you but... tell me.' It took her a while to get it out. Perhaps she didn't trust me. Perhaps I was misjudging how important what she wanted to tell me was.

'The society is going to change, soon. My father and several other leaders have big plans.' She brushed some hair behind her ear, and folded her hands, thinking of how to word it. 'A few years ago... My father went on a trip to the Argyros territories, privately. He knew Adala was losing the war. He knew that it would fall. He wanted to secure the society's future, but the rest of the leaders... your guardians', Cassius's aunt, the rest of the Circle of Elders, didn't want to work with the empire out of loyalty to our nation. But they... they don't see what my father sees, what we' – she put her hand on my shoulder and gave me a meaningful look – ' see.'

The way she was talking was impassioned, like she was standing on a stage reciting poetry. Despite the controversy of what she was saying, I couldn't help but agree. She'd never charm me into taking her side, I knew that. So, I believed her, and listened on.

'Adala was always going to fall... optimism is a fool's friend. So, my father thought ahead. He got a secret audience with the emperor.' I knew Eleon had the power to sway the will of the dead, and usually he was wise enough to know when not to, however, getting an audience with the enemy's ruler was something beyond impressive. It was intimidating.

'My father explained how the Society has been involved in every major event of Adala's history. He convinced the emperor to let the Society keep its security and control, in exchange for loyalty and service. So... that will happen.'

The weight of what she was saying sat me bolt upright. 'Your father... your father is the traitor?' The Dardune's had been lying to everyone this whole time. 'He is one that Cassius has been looking for, for the whole of the last year. Are you fucking kidding me?' She stood up and looked away.

'You know what my dad did was the right thing to do. He is securing our future. Our future, Theo. Cassius is a blind pawn, he's a puppet general, he has no idea how corrupt this society is and how many people must change or be punished for the wrong they've done to Adala. Fuck, it was the corruption that sent your little sibling running, because they sensed what everyone else didn't.'

My fist balled up but my anger at the Dardune's ebbed away as I thought of my little sibling. What happened to Tayn was something that weighed on my conscience every day. Wena was right, the Society wasn't the saviour it believed itself to be, not for anyone different.

'We are going to take over the society and make a new future. Theo, you need to see that this is the right thing.' She turned her face to me. Her expression was desperate. She had told me something that only magic could remove from my mind, at the risk of her family, at the risk of ending our relationship. I stood up and held her tight.

'I hate to say this... but your father is right.' What I believed all along was that change was coming. If someone had a realistic plan, then why would I object? The society had been a home yes, but the kind of home that makes you grow up with a sickness that never leaves.

'I swear on the Hallowed Ground that I will not tell a soul.'

For the first time in a while, I had purpose. Other than being here for my girlfriend, I had a duty. It was peculiar to me, swearing on our sacred birthplace, the Hallowed Ground, for the fruition of a plan that would bring its people to destruction. I was considered a traitor now, a liar within the ranks of friends and family who would die for the society and its values. However, Eleon was right, this society didn't deserve to live on, not like this. It was corrupt at its core and its values were no more meaningful than etchings in stone. If being a traitor was the cost, I would risk my head for the chance at bringing about a better era. For Wena. For Tayn. If I wasn't going to live for myself, then I would live to avenge those I loved most. I looked up at the moon as we stood there and smiled. She would tell no secrets and so nor would I.

Wena

As Theo slept that night after I'd told him my father's ambitions, I left the room and headed to the living quarters. No one was about, the only eyes watching me were those of gold and bronze figurines on our family god's shrine, and the glances of the characters in the wall tapestries. The nerves had gone now, and I was relieved to bring good news to my family, who had agreed they would meet before dawn in dad's study. I didn't want to think of what I was told to do if Theo had reacted badly. We needed him on our side, but he was also disposable enough to my father that I'd be tasked with something heart-breaking should he have tried to tell anyone.

I knocked the agreed pattern on the door, and my uncle, Welan, let me in. He smelt like rust, or perhaps blood, and I tried not to think about what he had been tasked with tonight before this meeting. My mother was sat in the guest chair, my brother leaned on the window-frame, and my cousins, Toska and Ferio sat on the large bear skin rug. My father sat at his desk with his fingers interlaced on top of it, his expression unreadable. They were waiting for my news.

'Well, dear?' my mother said finally.

'He still has his freewill, if that's what 'well' means.'

'Well done, my child,' said my father, and he gave a rare smile. 'The plan is in motion.'

'Woohoo, Wena fucked lover-boy to her whim, impressive,' muttered Astor, and I gave him a black look.

'Astor don't be so crass,' chided my mother, and looked at me. 'Charm is our skill, and there are many forms.' My father had refined my gifts of manipulation in the mystical form, and my mother had taught me how to use the art of seduction. If only they knew I hadn't used either on Theo at all.

'All that matters is that we have him on our side. Cassius is loyal to him, and his family oppose us in every way. We need to have Cassius fooled in order to make this plan work. We are nowhere near the finish line, but it will succeed,' stated my dad, ignoring the previous comments about his daughter and the boyfriend he didn't like.

'That's confident,' said Welan, surprising everyone. My uncle didn't talk much and didn't care much about intervening in these discussions. He was a soldier, an assassin, he carried out his missions and didn't question anything, just did his job.

'Go on,' said my father, curious.

'You think you can just give people a choice. That you'll reveal your conspiring with the empire and people will be smart enough to go with you or disappear forever. No, there are more who disagree than agree with you, and they will do their best to fight back. The Society has never been one to give up easily.'

'So, what are you suggesting?' pressed my mother.

'You know what I'm saying, Ruelo. That we must force them to choose.'

My brother and I shared a troubled glance, and I looked at the rest of the room. The atmosphere had shifted from a regular meeting to something more sinister.

'Toska, Ferio and I have listened to the way that the rest of the Dardune's feel about the empire. You have them on your side. But the other families will not follow unless shown who's in charge. Either they choose reason...'

'Enough. Are you suggesting we just remove anyone who doesn't conform?' said my father. 'I don't want to be known as a tyrant.'

'They will view you as tyrant, traitor, whatever they want, but we cannot risk dissent. The emperor will have your head if you don't keep the Society under control. Is that what you want, brother?'

The room fell silent, and my father the most still of all. His younger brother had a point, but that much violence... What part would I play in it? Eventually dad spoke.

'We will wait until the winter festivities. The performance. Only the generals and the Dardune's will carry weapons, meaning the generals and priesthood will get a choice. Our family will, under my command... weed out those who would cause trouble.'

I shook my head in disbelief. 'Are we really going to murder people? Innocents too?'

'They are not innocent if they are complicit, my love,' said my mother and put her hand on my shoulder. 'You know that there will be many sacrifices to be made for our cause. For the better of the world and this Society. We have the power to change things, and so we cannot be weak when strength is necessary.'

It didn't sit right with me, but I knew that I'd have to listen to my family. We were doing this for our future. Join the empire and prosper or perish in the dust. Root out the corruption and rise into a better era.

'Wena?' said my father and implored me to his side.

'Yes?' I said, walking over.

'You mustn't tell Theo that we are planning this. Only tell him that we will give the people a choice, but nothing about the real plan. If he buckles, it falls on you to make sure that he won't manage to reveal us.' My father gave me that look. The one he gave me from childhood, used when he'd warn me of a consequence, to pay attention lest I make a mistake.

'I understand.' Why I was the one who would have to take away my boyfriend's freedom was beyond me. Perhaps it was because the alternative was someone else doing it, or 'dealing' with him, and I'd never forgive them for that.

******************************************************

By the time I went back to my room, a white dawn was upon us. Theo looked so tranquil, like a sketch that I could never redraw for how lovely it was. I kissed his forehead to wake him.

'You don't have to leave. My parents want to see you,' I said, after he gave me a clumsy hug.

'What do you mean? They know I'm here.' He woke up properly then, and I laughed softly at the panic in his face.

'Apparently they always knew.' I never believed my parents would tell me to sneak a boy through my window every night, but they did. 'Quickly though, get dressed. We are expected in the dining room in an hour.'

'Why so?'

I smiled to disguise my thoughts. My mind latched onto one specifically: how I'd have to lie to him like this over and over, for his own safety. My family welcoming him was more like putting a child in a lion's den. 'Because you are home.'

[wreckedregent7]

A Long, Dark Night

The door in front of me rattled slightly as the wind blew through the mesh screen. Normally I'd be out on the other side of it, meandering about the patio while the rain caressed my skin and weighed down my jeans, though tonight was different. I didn't come here to this replica of my home to enjoy the rain that blankets my planet as I normally do. I came here to think.

I closed the wooden front door, heaving a sigh as I turned back into my living room. I'd spent a few hours earlier pushing the furniture to places that felt most comfortable to me; the couch set immediately to the right of the doorway, one arm pressed to the wall. A rocking chair two or three feet away, angled to look into the corner, where a large television sat. And right next to the rocking chair was a small table with a lamp and a landline telephone on top.

The latter of the two was completely useless, but it reminded me of life before SBURB, and it didn't take up too much space, so, why not leave it there? Of course, this wasn't picture-perfect, but everything being positioned just so felt familiar enough. It made me remember growing up, confiding all my fears, releasing my anger, aspiring to be something great. Things that kept me grounded.

With little effort, I plant my hand on the back of the couch, vaulting over it and sitting comfortably in the middle cushion. Not comfortable enough, I turned on my hip and laid across it entirely. On my back, I stared up at the ceiling for a brief moment, taking deep breaths and steadying my thoughts.

Where do I even begin at this point? I've done so much over the past few years, it's difficult to think about it all.

My job - my second job, anyway. Studying Titles.

I've made a lot of progress lately. I can be proud of that. Not only did I put together a collection of my studies, but I've found so many new possibilities.

But...Even still, I took two whole years not doing anything.

"Two years..." I murmured, staring down at the palm of my hand as I do when time spent comes to my mind.

It always annoyed me, thinking about time. Not just because of the loose concept applied to the Furthest Ring, but...

Dizmar, Athene, and their group have lived for eons. Thousands of Solar Sweeps, way, way longer than should be comprehensible.

To them, two years is practically two minutes.

But I haven't lived even one fourth as long as they have. I only just turned twenty-three not even a week ago.

I'm still used to my 'mortal' way of thinking; every second matters. Make every action count.

I grit my teeth, and I feel my heart start to beat faster, anger raising its tempo. I should've made those two years count for something. Instead, I squandered them partying, fighting, and doing practically anything but my job.

"For /two years/..." I said again, aggravation gnawing at the back of my throat. I sit myself upright, turning again to face the same direction as the couch. I realized all too late the train of thought I hopped on, and found myself wanting to step outside and pummel imps.

Before I could stand up to act on it, though, I felt soft skin and a lock of hair press against my cheek. Shifting my head back, I felt the rigidity of a short horn set low on the side of a person's head.

"^W^ell, theeeeeere ^y^ou are, 'old One-E^y^e'." Came her voice, a subtle vibration ringing out on every sharp letter. Between her warmth and her voice, it was easy to recognize who had found me.

"Oh, hey Dogana," I said, taking shorter breaths in and longer ones out. I remember somewhere that doing that would help calm me down. "You were looking for me?"

"Of course I ^w^as. I ^w^anted to spend the night ^w^ith ^y^ou, but I couldn't find ^y^ou around the bubble. ^W^hat are ^y^ou doing ^w^a^y^ out here?" I sighed, knowing she'd dig the answer out of me one way or another. I let myself relax against the back of the couch, looking up at her plainly. "Thinking."

"About?"

"Life. I've an eternity ahead of me, and it still feels like time is passing by all too fast."

"Oh," She said, some realization dawning on her. "and the 't^w^o ^y^ears' is part of that, innit?"

I nodded, and she crawled over the couch to sit beside me, making an effort to press herself as close to me as possible. She began purring very quietly, just enough that I could hear and feel it. Instinctively, I brought my arm up to wrap around her, resting my hand on her hip.

"S'^w^hat's ^w^rong? ^W^hat d'^y^ou mean b^y^ 't^w^o ^y^ears'?"

"I mean I wasted them."

Not the right words.

Dogana pouted, but stopped shortly afterwards to look me in the eyes with an expression of concern.

"Ho^w^'d ^y^ou ^w^aste them?" She said, her voice completely devoid of her usual excitement. "I remember a lot of ^w^hat ^y^ou did, and I don't think ^y^ou ^w^asted an^y^ of ^y^our time."

"I-..."

I trailed off before I could even start to find the words.

I can't argue with her. I'm being stupid again - my job isn't the first priority, my life is.

But I'm fucked now, I started in on this with nothing to back me up.

"I...I guess I can't think of any time I wasted. I just got focused on one thing, and..."

"And ignored literall^y^ e^v^er^y^thing else." Her words were blunt, but, thankfully, not painful to hear.

"Yeah."

"^Y^ou kno^w^ I'm obligated to make ^y^ou see, right?"

She stared at me almost intensely, not breaking eye contact. I feigned a smile, and forced up a small semblance of a chuckle. "Get it over with, then," I said, doing my best to warmly accept my due punishment. "Rule of Fives."

"For one, ^y^ou'^v^e gro^w^n a LOT o^v^er the past fe^w^ ^y^ears. I mean, look at ^y^ou, ^y^ou're no longer some self-loathing o^v^erachei^v^er ^w^ho pushes himself too far and starts ^w^hipping himself ^w^hen he ine^v^itabl^y^ breaks do^w^n."

I have been getting better about that...

"^Y^ou'^v^e pro^v^en ^y^ourself to be one of the most courageous people that I'^v^e e^v^er met ^w^hen ^y^ou stood ^v^igil for t^w^o da^y^s to protect ^V^asa^v^i, Aphros, and Charan from P^y^rhis."

I was willing to die twice to keep them safe.

"^Y^ou ha^v^e and still are keeping e^v^er^y^one combat-read^y^ just in case something big comes up b^y^ hosting ^y^our tournaments and frequentl^y^ fighting people."

That's not intentional, but I'll let it slide - I just want to hear the end of this.

"^Y^ou'^v^e made a lot of people happ^y^ ^w^ith ^y^our feasts and e^v^ents."

I can't argue with that.

"And ^y^ou'^v^e come a long ^w^a^y^ ^w^ith ^y^our ^w^ork, ^w^hether or not ^y^ou recognize it."

I take a long breath, trying to ignore how thoroughly I've just been called out. I'm glad it doesn't happen often, but I can't help but feel everything is one-sided whenever I run into a personal problem.

"So, ho^w^ long do ^y^ou expect ^y^ou're going to hole up in here for?"

"The night, at least." I say, carefully standing up to avoid moving her around too much. Immediately, she rises to her feet and wraps both of her arms around mine.

"^W^ell, I'm holing up ^w^ith ^y^ou."

"Bu-" My words are cut off sharply. "No 'but's! Diz is ^w^ith Athene, Astor's ^w^ith Dizrae, Shura's ^w^ith Lil, an' Apolos ^w^anted to spend time ^w^ith Atalas."

"And there's nobody else?" I ask, already well aware that it's a pointless question.

"Not tonight." She says in response as she starts to purr louder.

"Riiiiiight."

I know Dogana has an extremely active social life - no matter what, she's always doing something. But, even with the massive amount of people we know, it's only reasonable that she picks and chooses what she wants to do in a day. And she chose to spend tonight with me.

I walked over the metal lining on the floor separating the carpeted living room from the tiled kitchen, moving slowly to keep Dogana in pace. She broke off two steps after we crossed into the room, and pulled one of the chairs out from the table, sitting down and spinning it to face me.

"I s^w^ear, ^y^ou ha^v^e one of the coziest homes I'^v^e e^v^er seen."

"Thanks, but I'm not sure how much that should mean," I said as I casually sidestepped in front of the refrigerator, giving a genuine smile as I blindly opened the door. "I mean, you /did/ live most of your life on Alternia in a cave. Anything with a table and a bed should look like the picture of comfort to you."

She tilted her head from side to side, mocking drawn out laughter with each tilt. "Oh, haaa, haaah. A s^w^eep or t^w^o of adult life is more than enough for me to kno^w^ comfortable places."

I turned around, taking a few quick glances up and down the refrigerator shelves, and one over to Dogana. "You hungry or thirsty?" I said, returning my view to the chilled foodstuffs and boxes full of canned soda.

"D'^y^ou ha^v^e bottled ^w^ater in there?" she asked, despite having a clear view inside. "I've got tap," I responded, not looking away, but throwing one hand to point over my shoulder with a thumb. "over there. Get a cup if you want some."

"A^w^^w^, ^w^eak. ^W^ell, I think I'm hungr^y^, is there an^y^thing ^y^ou can make real quick?"

"Uh, 'real quick'? Let's see..." I reach down, pulling open the produce drawer and taking a package of bacon from it. No sooner than she sees what I pick, the troll's eyes light up. I push the drawer closed with my foot, and lazily swing the fridge door shut as I make my way to the stove.

I look down at the stove top, breathing a low sigh as I recall the differences from then and now. Before SBURB, the stove had fueled burners on the top, with metal grates with eight prongs in a star shape to hold pots and pans over the flame. Now, though, I've had it replaced with an electric stove, the heating plates hidden beneath a smooth surface whose material I'm unfamiliar with, though white rings mark where each plate is.

I place the packaged meat down on one of the rings, then walk to the counter and cupboards to fetch what I need. From the top cupboards I grab a frying pan and two plates - one creamic, one paper, and from the lower cupboards I take a small tin of black pepper. Not an interesting ingredient, and certainly not unusual, but I still like to imagine that it makes this specifically my recipe.

I place the pan on the front-left plate's mark, the ceramic plate over the back-right's, and pick up the bacon to place the paper plate over the front-right's - with the pepper tin right beside it. I move back to the counter for a moment to take a pair of scissors, using them to cut the bacon down the middle. I lay one half to the side, and pull the meat from the other half.

I separate each slice, laying them down on the paper plate in a row, side-to-side, with some small overlap - and when I reach the end of the plate, I place two down beside the row, and sprinkle them with pepper, and start layering over them. Side-to-side, each slightly overlapping the last - and I repeat with the other half until both form a pile on the plate.

"Do ^y^ou al^w^a^y^s do that?" My roseblooded companion piped up, and as I turned to look her way, I saw her knees pressed against her chest, and her arms crossed over her ankles. "What, spice the bacon?" I asked. I looked back, turning on the heating element underneath the pan, hearing Dogana give an "Mhm." in response.

I placed four strips of bacon onto the pan, moving to the counter once more to grab a spatula. "Well, yeah. It's my thing." I said, in a tone alike to answering something that should be common knowledge. "^W^h^y^?"

"Uh...'Cause I guess it tastes a little better with pepper cooked into it? I dunno." "^Y^ou do this all the time and ^y^ou don't e^v^en kno^w^ ^w^h^y^?" It's hard to tell whether she asked as a joke, or out of genuine curiosity.

"I can't even remember why I do it."

"Oh, come on. First ^y^ou can't remember ^y^our name, and no^w^ ^y^ou can't remember ^w^h^y^ ^y^ou cook like this?"

I flip the bacon over, shrugging at Dogana's remark. "I learned how to cook this stuff one day, and another I got particular about it and sprinkled pepper over each piece." I looked over my shoulder again, seeing the genuine curiosity I'd otherwise find so difficult to guess about in her face.

For once, it was easy to see. Her eyes were open and attentive, her brows raised, and her mouth ever-so-slightly open. For once, her face and her personality failed to betray her interest. "...And that was way back when the only things I knew how to cook were microwavable TV dinners and popcorn." I continued, glancing down at the cooking meat.

"^W^hat does that ha^v^e to do ^w^ith it?" She asked, her voice even lending itself to show her interest in the 'why'. I smiled a tad wider, feeling as though I'd found a conversational vantage point for her. "Well, so many years ago I'd always wanted to become a cook or some sort of fancy restaurateur."

"And I was an idiot back then," I added, "so when I got hungry enough to learn how to cook bacon one day, I felt some pride in just adding pepper to it. Within the next year I'd be learning how to really work with spices."

"Pfff, cute as e^v^er." She started to giggle, though she tried to hold it back somewhat out of what I can assume is respect. She stopped her light laughter rather early though, and as I flipped over the bacon again, she started again. 

"...So, kno^w^ing ^y^ou, ho^w^ far out didja ha^v^e this planned?"

"Huh?" I asked, turning entirely to face her with a dumb expression.

"^W^ell, I mean, ^y^ou're al^w^a^y^s planning things, thinking them out, ha^v^ing all this shit in ^y^our head about an^y^ number of subjects. It'd be unlike ^y^ou to just ^w^anna be a cook and not think about ^w^hat ^y^ou'd do ^w^ith it, right?"

"Yeah, uh...Well, I had a name in mind."

"^W^hat ^w^as it?"

I flipped the pieces over again, keeping my eye on them as they started to turn yellow-orange. I placed the head of the spatula into the ceramic plate, and went back over to the counter, this time sitting up on it, though slumped forward. I avoided eye contact with Dogana as I tried to let the next few words out of my mouth casually.

"...'The Fair Fare'."

There was at least a minute of silence between us; enough time for me to return to the stove and pull some finished pieces of bacon out of the pan, and laying four more down to cook. When I returned to sit on the countertop, my kismesis spoke up first. "Actuall^y^, that sounds exactl^y^ like something ^y^ou'd come up ^w^ith."

"...Oh, yeah?" I shook off the timidity, seeing an opportunity to get back at Dogana for punishing me for my single-minded thinking. I still didn't feel any better for it, but nevertheless, it was good to keep the conversation going.

"It's kinda catch^y^. It's almost one of those fanc^y^ literature things ^w^here ^y^ou sa^y^ three ^w^ords ^w^ith the same letter at the start..."

"An alliteration?"

"^Y^eah, one of those. It's reall^y^ hard to scre^w^ up sa^y^ing it, just sa^y^ 'fair' t^w^ice, and kno^w^ing ^y^ou and all ^y^our fanc^y^ ^w^ord^y^ crap, both ^w^ords ha^v^e different meanings. Right?"

"Mhmm. The first is 'fair' as reasonable, and the second is 'fare' - 'eff, ayh, arh, ee' - as in a meal."

Her laughter is almost immediate. "Nerd!"

"Hey, wordplay has helped me a /lot/ over the years. Not when I actually needed it, but it still helped."

With my mind locked in conversation with Dogana, I had almost failed to notice that my body was now entirely in the momentum of cooking. Almost autonomously I had flipped the strips of bacon twice, and was getting ready to do so again.

"So, ^y^ou didn't keep on the ^w^hole 'be a cook' thing?"

"No. A few years after I started thinking about it, I walked another path. Started into martial arts, dropped the whole restaurant thing entirely."

"^W^h^y^ did ^y^ou choose martial arts o^v^er cooking for people?"

"Some unrealistic expectations about a harsh, unforgiving world and a desire to protect those close to me took the reins away from a want to run some fancy-ass diner."

"Unrealistic? Ho^w^?"

"Well, think of it like...There were some parts of Earth that were a lot like Alternia. People'd want to kill you or rob you, or god knows what."

"Thank god ^y^our ^w^orld ^w^asn't some shitt^y^ id^y^llic utopia."

"I hate to say it, but I agree with you. Earth would be shit if there weren't monsters and murderers out there."

"So, ^y^ou expected sometime in ^y^our life, ^y^ou'd ha^v^e to square off against someone like that?"

"Yeah. Whether alone or with someone I cared about, I wanted to be ready to fight."

"Thank god for that, too. If ^y^ou didn't ha^v^e that mindset, SBURB ^w^ould'^v^e REALL^Y^ fucked ^y^ou o^v^er."

Dogana watched me as I cooked, snickering at the occasional recoil from bacon grease popping from the pan and flying onto my stomach. There was a silence between us again, and it stuck around for the minutes until I finished cooking. I turned the stove off, turned the pan so that the handle would face the back of the stovetop, and brought the platefull of bacon over to the kitchen table, sitting it down in a space between the counter and Dogana's seat.

"Thanks for the food!" She exclaimed, pulling one of the cooler pieces out from the bottom of the pile of meat. "^Y^'kno^w^, I ha^v^e to agree ^w^ith ^y^ou, bacon is just the BEST meat."

I gingerly picked a piece from the top, ignoring the fact that it was still fairly hot and soaked in grease. I walked over to the refrigerator again, dropping the cooked strip into my mouth and chewing quickly - while failing to hide the pain the entire time.

"^Y^ou alright there, Regent?" She asked, looking up at me with a cocky grin. I swallow the food quickly, lightly gripping at my throat as I pull the fridge open. A short cough escapes me as I pick two cans of root beer from the middle shelf, closing the door behind me as I take my seat beside the counter. I place one can in front of myself, and another on the side of the plate closest to the mischievous redblood.

"Yeah, ah. I'm glad you like it so much," I do my best to sidestep the question and play off the taste buds I just killed. I pulled the can's tab down, cracking the top open to take a quick sip from it. My tongue is relieved from both the cold drink and the familiar bitterness of it, and I let an uncontrollable sigh of satisfaction escape before I continue.

"But I'm sure it's not your favorite meal, right?"

"No, I guess not. I think m^y^ fa^v^orite meal ^w^ould probabl^y^ be..." There's a long pause, and as Dogana thinks, she idly pulls some more bacon from the pile and eats them without much thought. When she finally comes up with an idea, she and I have already eaten two thirds of the bacon.

"This ma^y^ sound ^w^eird, but I think m^y^ fa^v^orite meal ^w^ould be those steak and ^v^eggie kabobs ^V^ictor makes sometimes."

She takes another two pieces before she continues talking. "So, get this; I ^w^as ^w^andering about LOCAB one da^y^, tr^y^ing to see if I could bother Isabella or ^V^ictor, and I smelled something reall^y^ good," she paused mid-story to take and eat another piece, finishing it off quickly and following it with a long sip of her root beer. "And I mean, I ate before I got there, but this smell bottomed me out."

"So I look around, and just out in front of his house is ^V^ictor, standing at this grill and table set-up. I rush up and ask him ^w^hat he had cooking, and he said something like 'steak faheatuhs' or something like that. I ask if I could tr^y^ some, and he said 'sure, there's a fe^w^ coming off in a sec, once they cool ^y^ou can tr^y^ them.'"

"Did you wait for them to cool?"

"Fuck no, as soon as he set them do^w^n on the plate, I picked one up and che^w^ed a^w^a^y^. It ^w^as AMAZING. If ^y^ou get the recipe off him, I'll be ^y^ours for life. Other^w^ise, I'm gonna bug the shit out of him to grill more often."

I smiled, pulling the four of the last five pieces aside for myself. "I'll make sure to ask him about it next time I see him."

We finished our food and drinks, and Dogana put the ceramic plate into the sink, while I brought the paper plate over to the trash bin. Dogana walked out into the middle of the room, stretching her arms out wide as I made my way to the sink. I poured a small pool of dish soap into my hand, elbowed the sink faucet on somewhere I hoped would be "just warm".

After thoroughly slicking my hands with the soap, I pushed them under the faucet stream, immediately greeted with scalding heat. I bit hard on my lower lip, hissing in pain as I jerked my hands out of the sink and pressed the faucet's lever to the far right side. I wait a few seconds, and quickly wrap up rinsing off my hands in the cold water flow. Even with the sink running, I could hear Dogana stifling her laughter as she watches me fidget in pain.

I groan under my breath, but address her calmly as I wipe my hands off with a paper towel. "So, Dogana, got anything in mind for tonight?"

"I'm actuall^y^ not sure. Lemme think about it for a sec," she paused. A minute passed as she thought, one finger curled over her chin and her eyes cast off into the corner of the room. She shrugged, speaking up once more. "nope, nothing. ^W^anna just go la^y^ do^w^n for a ^w^hile?"

"I don't got anything myself, so, sure." I replied, taking her hand and walking down the hall. The door to the left opened into a spacious room, and immediately to the right inside the room was a large, comfortable bed, if a messy one. Four or five blankets lie lazily crumpled up at the foot of the bed, with three pillows sitting at the head, each with satin pillowcases, which I personally found to be the most comfortable.

Dogana scrambled onto the bed, spreading herself out in the middle, while I sat down on the edge, twisting my body to reach down to my blanket pile. I groped at the mass of cloth, grabbing the fluffiest one in reach and pulling it out. I turned and laid down myself, shuffling back to rest my head against the pillow, as my company rolled onto her side, throwing one leg over me and wrapping both arms around my chest.

I pulled the blanket over the both of us, and moved my arm to wrap around Dogana's back. She was already purring when I slipped two of my fingers under her top, and she started purring louder as I rubbed her uppermost grubscar. She turned her face in towards my collar, and I only barely noticed that she was blushing deep crimson.

"We need to spend more nights like this." I said, wrapping my free arm around her blanketed lower back.

"No kidding......" she murmured in response, drowsiness almost instantly overtaking her.

As she dozed off in my arms, her purring slowly died down, but never stopped. Her purring was one of two sounds I heard for the rest of the night, the other being the soothing patter of rain on the roof and windows of the house.

Despite the calm, I remained awake throughout the rest of the night.