You guys are going to need to vote at the end of this chapter in order for Chapter 8 to come up. So read the end note.
Lost in the Smoke:
Chapter 7: Legitimacy
Smoker woke up first as usual, but he didn't get up out of bed, he didn't want to. He laid their, Tashigi in his arms and her arms around him, a dream come true. He watched her sleep. The day was bright and full of life. In this moment the world seamed right, as though nothing could go wrong. Eventually Tashigi began to grown with the promise of awaking. She pried her eyes open, but she couldn't see because her glasses weren't on. Smoker allowed her the room to turn and get her glasses off her bedside table. She put them on and turned. She yelled when she saw Smoker, I don't know how she didn't feel the weight of his arms, but she did. "Morning Kuina," he smiled.
"Oh sorry, you scared me," Tashigi apologized when she remembered their situation.
""You're just not used to sleeping with someone yet, don't worry about it sweetie," Smoker was beginning to like this role-playing a lot.
"You must be right honey," she smiled. It didn't matter that no on e was around. They still had to play the part. For all they knew someone could have been spying on them at anytime so they took the safest route and so they became Chaser and Kuina 24/7. Tashigi adjusted to it quickly. She had always wondered what it would be like to be with Smoker and now was the perfect opportunity. She would never have to deal with that awkward explanation that Smoker would most certainly ask for, "I'll make breakfast. What would you like?"
Smoker thought for a moment, "Eggs and bacon."
"Ok, and I'll even make some grits too." Smoker stuck out his tongue with a yuck. "You don't like grits!? Well then I'll just make some for myself. You're too weird," Tashigi laughed getting up out of bed. "You can get ready first. I'll get started on breakfast.
"Alright," Smoker got up and walked into the bathroom with his clothes. He got dressed and went to the kitchen.
"Would you watch the bacon while I go get dressed?"
"Shore," he took the spatula from Tashigi and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Tashigi giggled like a newly wed and blushed. She had to fight the urge to scream, after all this was the first time he had ever kissed her, even if it was just on the cheek. Tashigi's Mind: It was just a kiss on the cheek. It wasn't like he tongued me. This idea made her blush bright red.
"Thank you Chaser honey," she smiled going into the bathroom and getting dressed. She came out cleaning her glasses with a washcloth when she tripped on the rug, "Ow!" She called landing on her glasses when she tried to ketch herself. Crunch.
"Kuina?! Are you ok?!" Smoker ran to help her up.
"Yeah I'm fine, but I think I broke my glasses," she said holding up the mangled pair.
"We'll go into town and buy you a new pair before we do our site seeing," Smoker said helping her up. He was referring to their investigation of possible military stations or military personnel.
"How am I going to finish breakfast now?"
"I'll finish it, you sit."
"Do you even know how to cook?"
"Yes," Smoker scoffed. When it was done, "Breakfast is served. I even made you grits."
"You don't even like grits yet you know how to cook them?" She lifted an eyebrow.
"Whether you believe it or not I did cook for myself. A man can't live off cigars alone," he laughed sitting down. Tashigi cautiously took a bite of the grits.
"Yummy, my God, these are great!" she exclaimed almost standing up from her chair.
"I'm glad you like them," he took a sip of coffee. They finished up breakfast and headed into town. They walked down the little bath that was bordered by flowers and lush grass. The birds were out and flying free and the bees were busy at work.
"Good mornan ta ya," called a lady waiving from her window. Tashigi and Smoker waved back just to be polite. There were people outside their homes working in the garden or doing laundry. Others were working at the shops. Nice little shops, old and elegant.
"Oh, Kuina, Chaser, be that ya? Late risen aren't ya?" called aunt Anne called from one of the shops. She was sweeping with an old home made straw broom.
"Yes, we accidentally slept in a little late today," Tashigi smiled.
"Oh, well ya both been through the trials of the saints themselves now, don't go beaten ya selves up over some much needed rest."
"Aunt Anne, do you have an eye glass store around here?" Smoker asked, "Kuina broke her glasses this morning."
"Oh my, what a bit a bad luck to be fallowon yaz around. Just five stores down on ya right is Dr. Matches' store, he'll be able to fix ya up nice and proper.
"Thanks you," both Tashigi and Smoker replied.
"Not a problem dears, now yaz come and visit me when ya get the chance ya hear."
"Absolutely," Smoker smiled. They headed down the line of stores waving good bye, "she is really a lovely old lady."
"She reminds me of some one, but I just don't know who it is," Tashigi pondered. They walked on both smiling just like a happy couple would. They were very convincing, but I suppose it doesn't take much convincing when your heart is chasing what it wants. They reached the store. It was a wood building like all the others with a big sign over its open door that said, "Dr. Matches' Eye Care." The sign was hanging a little crooked and the paint was faded from the constant abuse from the weather. The two entered the store but no one seemed to be inside. "Dr. Matches?" Tashigi called.
"oh, oh, one second," came a man's voice fallowed by claps and bangs, and the sound of many things falling, till finally an old man's head popped out from behind the beaded curtain. "Hellow!" He called with lots of enthusiasm, he emerged from behind the curtain, he was a very small and skinny man. He was maybe almost 5 feet tall and his hair jetted out on both sides of his head, a lot like a clown's. A giant dust cloud developed as he dusted himself off, "You must be the new comers Kuina and Chaser, right?" he coughed.
"That's us," Tashigi smiled warmly.
"Well how can I help you?"
"I just need a set of glasses."
"Shore things, what is you prescription?"
"I have 70/70 vision."
"I'll have those ready for ya in 30 minuets," the old man smiled.
"Wow! Really?!"
"Yep, come back by here in 30 minuets and they will be ready for ya."
"Thank you."
"No problem," the old man replied returning to the back of the store fallowed by the clanks and bangs again.
"Are you ok?" Asked Smoker a little worried about the old man.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," came his voice.
"Ok, thanks again," Smoker called leading Tashigi out the door, "he was a little strange," he laughed. They walked around some of the shops for a little while.
"What do you say we go visit Anne?" Asked Tashigi.
"That's fine with me, we can't really look around while you can't see." Smoker agreed. Smoker led Tashigi tored Anne's shop by her arm. He had to make shore she didn't trip over little things or walk right into a wall. They reached Anne's shop, it was a yellow building with a green roof and a sign that read "Aunt Anne's Trinkets," Smoker stuck his head in the door, "Aunt Anne?"
"oh, oh my that was quick na wanten it," Anne called coming out of the storage room.
"Well we haven't gotten the glasses yet. He said it would take 30 minuets," Tashigi replied with a smile.
"Oh, that be wonderful. That give ya enough time to partake in a village tradition than."
"What kind of tradition?" asked Smoker.
"oh it an't much of nothen. Ya just jump over a broom in the square and both take a bit of a single apple tis all."
"Ok, that doesn't sound bad. Who are we to brake with tradition," Tashigi laughed.
"Here put this on Kuina," Aunt Anne said handing Tashigi a sundress. The sundress was blue with sunflowers on it and it came down to her knees. Anne took Kuina to the back of the store and helped her into the dress. When she came out from the back she was stunning, He body was perfectly framed and her collar bones were perfectly displayed. Smoker was completely speechless.
"Well boy an't ya gonna say a thing, she be ya wife afta all," Anne interjected.
Smoker swallowed deep, "you look gorgeous," he stammered.
"oh stop, you don't mean it," she laughed trying to cover her happiness. She didn't want Smoker to see how happy his words made her after all he was her superior.
"Yes I do, I mean ever word of it."
She couldn't hide the blush anymore and let it blaze across her face, "well, ah, um."
"Look at tha two a ya, actan as tho ya don't yet know one another," Anne laughed. "Now come on ya two," she said as she handed her broom to Smoker and grabbed a copper pot and metal spoon. She walked outside and lifted the pot high above her head and began banging it as hard as she could muster. "Calibration!" she called over and over as people emerged from their homes and shops. By the time they had reached the square they had a full congregation behind them. Anne took the broom from Smoker and laid it at their feet. She then grabbed an apple from one of the other villagers and handed it to Tashigi. A man in a black suet stood a few yards in front of them. "ok ya two hold hands and just jump over the broom and eat from the apple at the same time," Anne said moving to the side. They took each others hands a little upwardly then jumped over the broom together. Tashigi lifted the apple up and they both took a bite of the able, chewed and swallowed. The whole town cheered, hooting and hollering.
"And with that I now pronounce you man and wife," the man in the black suet said.
"What?!" Tashigi and Smoker almost chocked.
"It be a tradition on our island ta have the wedden in the squate. Ya two were newly weds when ya come so it only be right to have a widen here too. Not like it be a big deal," Anne laughed.
Smoker swallowed hard, "Is it legitimate? Official?"
"Yes, why ya ask?" Anne answered.
"No reason," Smoker chocked. Tashigi couldn't speak; the shock had stripped her of words. (Tashigi's Mind: "I'm really Married to Smoker?! OMG! OMFG! This isn't happening! It can't be! This is a dream! It has to be a nightmare! This wasn't how it was supposed to happen!) Smoker forced a smile, "Thank you, if you all don't mind I think we'll go get Kuina's glasses and head on back home."
"Shore ting, got ta go re consummate the marriage ah," Anne laughed.
The word consummate was like a nail in Smoker's head, but he kept his smile, "exactly right," he replied leaving with Tashigi to go get the glasses. They picked up the glasses and headed home. The whole time, nether one said a thing, they walked home in silence.
"Tashigi?" Smoker asked when they finally got into the house.
"I'm Kuina." Tashigi replied, (Smoker's Mind: Fuck I messed up!")
"Sorry Kuina, look we can't really do anything about this now. I promise I'll be good to you," Smoker said looking down at the floor. (Smoker doesn't believe in divorce.)
"I know you will, it's just, it came as a shock. I didn't think I'd get married this way," Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Don't cry, look Kuina I," Smoker rubbed the back of his neck.
"I always admired you and to be honest I've had a crush on you since the first day I met you, but we worked together. I was happy with just that. I thought I just admired you. My feelings are so jumbled I don't know what way is up and what way is down. I'm so confused. When you said we were playing newly weds I was so happy and scared and now you've been forced into marring me. I know you; you'll stay in a relationship even if you're not happy in it. I don't want you to hate me!" She cried.
Smoker embraced her and whispered in her ear, "Tashigi, I could never hate you. To be honest I have had feelings for you before we were ever introduced. I saw you training on the beach at sunset and since then I kept an eye on you. When I found out you were joining the Navy I made shore you would be placed under my care," he confessed making Tashigi blush profusely.
"Are you making fun of me?!"
"I with I was," Smoker said seconds before he took her lips with his own in a very deep and passionate kiss.
Ok now is when you vote. Do you want the story to become M or to stay T. Write a comment telling me witch one you want.
If it changes to M Chapter 8: Consummation
If it does not change Chapter 8: Investigation
I will not even start writing Chapter 8 until I have a satisfactory amount of responses.
Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The rest is up to you.
