Chapter VIII

Today is the day. Taki lay in bed, without moving a muscle, his tired eyes threatening to close themselves indefinitely. After all, when the reality of the situation finally caught up to him, he had been unable to sleep or even close his eyes without dreaming up crazy scenarios that could cause his world to fall apart. Indeed, this was the day that Kazuki was bringing over his cousin to have dinner with him, and he was a nervous wreck. Practically falling off the bed, the young man straightened himself up and walked over to the mirror to examine his sullen, weary face and his ruffled hair. It was gonna take quite a bit of work to get him looking presentable. For heaven's sake Taki, pull yourself together! He scolded himself. They won't be here for at least twelve hours!

Great! Another part of his mind intervened. Just more time to worry about it. How on earth would he be able to impress Kazuki's cousin? He lived a mediocre life in a mediocre apartment with a mediocre job and a writing career that was practically failing in itself! Taki shook his head at the mirror. He deserves so much better than me. Sighing, he undressed at the speed of a thousand turtles. Speaking of mediocre jobs, he had one to get to. He was already getting headaches from lack of sleep. How wonderful. Stay on the positive side. Definitely on the positive side.

He dressed for work at a slightly faster pace, for it certainly wouldn't serve to be late. The light of dawn barely grazed the edges of the curtain windows, illuminating the stray clouds spread thinly throughout the morning sky. The mere sight made Taki want to crawl right back into bed again. Mentally shaking his energy deprived mind, he finished preparing for work and flung his front door open with a big yawn. A young boy sat outside of the house next door, playing with a few small toys. He turned and shyly waved to Taki, who smiled tiredly in return. At least somebody's cheerful this morning. Not that he wasn't thrilled to be meeting a resident of Kazuki's family! But the joy in the event seemed to decline in proportion to his energy level.

Walking through the doors of Asahi, Taki was instantly welcomed by a wet towel flung at his face. "You're on clean up duty, loser." Hoshi's voice rang thick in the air. The towel fell from his face and he barely caught it with one hand. Taki sighed and shrugged, rolling up his sleeves in preparation for the job. It was better than trying to remember the orders that went with each table when he had such a massive headache. Taki kneeled down and began scrubbing vigorously at the table tops, eying the stains with a half-hearted smirk. You have met your match, grimy table! Eh, Hoshi's right. I am a loser. Attempting to banish the thoughts full of low self-esteem, he mentally shook himself.

"You don't look like you got a wink of sleep last night," a feminine voice proclaimed from above him. He glanced up, seeing Akiko with hands full of silverware, raising an eyebrow skeptically at him.

"No," Taki replied, returning back to the table. "Which reminds me, will you come over to my house and help me cook something edible?"

Akiko laughed, sorting the silverware vigilantly. "Having guests over tonight?"

"Pretty much," he said, leaning back to inspect his work. "Kazuki is bringing his cousin over and I want to at least make a decent impression."

Silverware clattered to the floor, making the young man glance up at his astonished coworker. "No way!" She said her eyes wide with excitement. "That... That's great, Taki!" He smiled and put down the dishrag to help her collect the fallen silverware. "So things are getting serious between you two, huh?" She winked at him.

"I-I guess," Taki said, trying to hide his blush. "He's just perfect, you know?"

"Of course." Akiko smirked. "I have to admit, I didn't trust the kid at first. But just seeing how happy he makes you, I was wrong!" She lifted her palms upward in surrender.

"Thanks, Akiko." But Taki's sparkling eyes said enough. He turned to the next table, while the young woman giggled to herself.

"Now then," she exclaimed, rubbing her hands together. "What were you thinking of preparing?"

"Food," he murmured weakly. "The kind that...people eat."

"We have work to do."

Sitting alone in the royal dining room, two cousins did their best to try and choke down a breakfast before they began their day. Zuko smiled to himself, playing with his breakfast contently. He never saw much of a point in eating when he wasn't hungry, even for the sake of simply savoring the taste. Instead, he busied himself with watching Lu Ten eat, who would take a bite of his scrambled eggs, then look up at Zuko, whose simple gaze would make him snort, laugh, drop his chopsticks and practically cough up the food sliding its way down his throat. They had quite a few exchanges like this lately, for they certainly shared a fascinating little secret. Zuko shook his head, doubled up in silent laughter.

Lu Ten suddenly frowned, snapping his chopsticks at the other to get his complete attention. "I was just thinking, what should I wear?"

"We're not leaving for quite a while Lu Ten," he said with a laugh. "I'm sure you'll find something to wear between now and that time. Just keep it simple, okay? Remember, we're not royalty to him and we don't need to attract any atten-"

"Yeah, yeah," Lu Ten flung a piece of fruit at Zuko, completely missing him by a mile. "You worry too much. I still can't believe you got a boyfriend before I got a girlfriend."

Zuko bit his tongue to keep from saying, Well if you weren't so potentially sex-driven, you might be able to have an actual relationship!

"Oh my word!" Lu Ten's eyes went wide. "A thought has occurred to me!"

"That's a rarity," the younger muttered, going unacknowledged by the other.

"You-You're going to lose your virginity before I do!" Lu Ten practically yelled, to Zuko's absolute horror. "My little cousin who's four years my junior, is going to lose his virginity before me! What if he's already lost it?! I'M GONNA KICK THAT TAKI PUNK'S A-"

"Lu Ten! Shut up!" Zuko hissed, stuffing a sweet bun into the man's mouth. "Are you trying to get me killed?" Lu Ten replied with a muffled exclamation. "I told you, Taki and I haven't done anything past kiss- Well, past, um, sensual touching. You've got plenty of time to lose your virginity before I do, so there's no reason to scream and there's no reason to beat up my boyfriend."

Swallowing the bread with a gruff groan, Lu Ten replied rather civilly, "Very well. But if he puts a hand anywhere you don't want one..." He demonstrated by punching his right palm with his left fist.

"I'm not a girl," Zuko muttered, pushing away his breakfast with a frown. "I can take care of myself."

"I never said you couldn't. But you were the one who said you'd end up on the bottom when you guys-!"

"Why are we talking about this?" Zuko buried a blushing face into his hands. "Someone's gonna hear us."

"I can't help the fact that you have ferocious need to talk about your personal life with me. I'm the victim here!"

"You've gotta be kidding me." Zuko frowned to himself as Lu Ten finished the remainder of his breakfast. It was true that the physical aspect of his relationship with Taki seemed to be progressing at an unnatural rate. But every time they touched, it was an overwhelming sensation. He just wanted more. That fiery feeling in his chest, those electric shivers down his spine, that delicious, sweet taste of those skillful lips. Hmmm. Taki was wrong. His name does relate to him in some ways. Zuko mused over the thought. Maybe, just maybe, it has a few more meanings I have yet to find out.

"And this, and this..." Akiko murmured, snagging various items from the shelves surrounding them. After work, she had practically dragged him to the marketplace, where Taki seemed to be constantly shuddering in fear.

This place is so big! Taki disliked shopping with a great intensity, eying the many food items with disdain. Even the labels didn't seem to distinguish the loads of goods piled high against the walls. He couldn't even recognize half of what Akiko was retrieving from the shelves! "What is that?" He motioned to a clear vial containing strange green-gray flakes. They look dangerous.

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "That's thyme, Taki."

"Time?" He asked, utterly confused.

"It's a spice. Now go pick out a turkey-duck, okay?"

"O-Okay," he backed away slowly at the evil eye he received. Shopping is truly a woman's turf. Trotting down to the poultry section, he eyed the turkey-ducks with anxious eyes. Scratching the back of his neck, he thought to himself, Is there something I should look for when I select one? How do I know that it isn't toxic? They hardly even looked like animals. Just skinned, dry, pale meat-

"Just pick one, Taki!" he heard Akiko's voice from across the store.

Okay, that makes it simple. He chose one from the top of the stack, knocked on it a few times, and shrugged. He brought it back to his friend, who smiled and nodded sympathetically.

"Don't worry, we're almost done." She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to pay for the multitude of items she had in her arms. The cashier exhaled prominently, while Taki felt utmost empathy with the man. He totaled up the cost, as the young man fished out his money pouch.

Counting out the gold, Taki sighed deeply. "I sure hope this tastes what it costs."

"Don't whine! It's gonna be great!" She exclaimed, thrusting a bag full of groceries into his arms. They started down the road and Taki practically tripped over everything in his path, yawning and groaning tiredly. "On second thought..." Akiko examined him closely. "You look like you're about to fall asleep standing on your feet. We have a few hours before they come. How about you sleep while I fix dinner? I'll wake you up before I leave and-"

"No, no!" Taki stifled a yawn and straightened his back. "I can't ask you to do that for me. I can help."

"Let's be realistic, honey. You'd only impede my progress." Akiko nodded with a solemn look. "Take a nap and I'll wake you up so you have enough time to shower. How's that? Remember, I still owe you for that graveyard shift you worked for me a month ago!"

"Akiko... Thanks." He smiled softly, unlocking his apartment door as they reached it.

"Don't worry about it! You just get some sleep so you can look beautiful for your boyfriend."

"What do you think?" Lu Ten asked with a smile, presenting himself before Zuko. "Am I causal, yet respectable?" Zuko tilted his head, eying his cousin from head to toe. He wore a set of simple pale red garments, covering him completely and tied at the waist with a black belt, showing of his adequate build. His hair hung down to his shoulders and parted strangely at the side, giving the impression of a punk with the desire to beat up the first person he sees.

"You look nice," Zuko leaned back on his cousin's bed, nodding appreciatively. "Perfect. You remember everything I told you?"

Lu Ten rolled his eyes and began to speak as though he were going to profess a creed, "Your name is Kazuki, my name is Lee, you live in a small apartment with your father and sister, I live down the street from you, retain decent table manners, apt to relaxed conversation, no references to your personal interactions, no mentioning politics, respect his views, smile a lot, we have no connection to the royal family, and don't be intimidating."

Zuko's shocked face lasted only momentarily. "R-right. Exactly."

"I told you, you worry too much," his cousin proclaimed with a smirk, motioning for the other to come towards him. "I can't wait to meet him."

"You aren't going to be too hard on him, are you?" the younger teen asked as he approached Lu Ten with a skeptic gaze.

The young man simply smiled, ruffling Zuko's hair. "If he's important to you, then I respect him."

"Thanks, Lu Ten," he murmured, trudging out of his cousin's room with a light blush on his face. "He means a lot to me."

But how much do you mean to him? Lu Ten smirked. Either way, he would reveal the truth tonight. After all, his little cousin deserved the very best.

Tender lips kneading his own, soft hands running up and down his bare flesh... A gentle voice whispering sweet words into his ear... He ran his fingers through the hair of the figure below him, smiling sweetly at the younger man. Caught in the embrace of his object of affection, he whispered, "I love you, Kazuki."

"Oh, Taki."

"Taki."

"Taki!" The young man was jolted awake by the call of his name and the hand shaking him lightly. Groaning, he mentally cursed at having been woken up during such a wonderful dream. Blinking himself fully awake, he yawned and threw a meager blanket lazily from his lap. Sitting at the edge of his bed, he found Akiko smiling kindly at him.

"Having a nice dream?" she teased, to which he blushed in return. She began to mimic him to his great embarrassment, dancing around the room proclaiming, "Oh, Kazuki! My sweet, my darling, my dearest beloved!" She kissed the air exaggeratedly, making Taki blush.

He tossed his pillow at her, muttering some incomprehensible words that are better left unidentified. Trying desperately to calm the deep flush from his cheeks, he jumped out of bed feeling a thousand times better than he had previously. His eyes shone with a fresh glimmer, as his headaches were a thing of the past. "Thanks for everything, Akiko."

She waved a dismissive hand at him, a grin pasted widely on her face. "Don't mention it! I'm just returning a favor. Alright! There are a few things you need to remember." She took a step closer to him and used her fingers to number her statements. "The turkey-duck is in the oven, which is lit very lightly at the moment. Make sure you blow out the fire or you'll burn the house down. The cold appetizers are in the ice box, ready to be served. Make sure everything is out on the table before the guests arrive, but don't put it all out too soon. Water is on the stove right now with tea bags on the counter. Wash your hair, clean your teeth, wear spotless clothes, smile a lot, and just be yourself!"

Taki sighed with a smile. "I know, Akiko, I know."

Akiko shook her head, ushering him into the bathroom. "If you knew, then I wouldn't have to tell you. Now go get beautiful for your boyfriend." With a kiss on the cheek she departed, leaving him to his own devices. Standing in the silence for a moment, he nodded to himself, determined to impress Kazuki's cousin no matter what. I'd jump off a bridge for him. Meeting a single relative shouldn't be so difficult.

"You walk these streets alone every night?" Lu Ten whispered to his little cousin, keeping a protective hand on his shoulder. They trudged down the streets of the less remarkable parts of town, littered with garbage and drunken men looking for a bar to gamble in. Suspicious figures hid in the shadows of the alleys, dealing with business of utmost shiftiness.

"Pretty much," Zuko responded with a shrug, his head bent low. "Just keep your eyes down. The majority of these people of decent and really pleasant. Some are simply desperate."

"Decent and pleasant, huh? Sure." He glared at a man on the street side, who seemed to be fingering something in his pocket and staring them down sullenly.

"Don't be skeptical, Lu Ten," Zuko scolded, sidestepping to avoid a scampering, laughing child. "Not everyone is as luck-... well, as wealthy as we are."

"Still, it's not safe for you to be out here constantly," he argued. "You're only fourteen. Imagine if something happened to you."

"I'm not a child!" the younger man hissed. "I can take care of myself."

The older man huffed, before gasping and pulling the other to the side. "Soldiers!" he whispered.

Zuko's eyes widened. Sure enough, two soldiers were up ahead confronting a young man, who seemed to look more disinterested with the conversation than himself while he was doing his homework. Lu Ten cursed, retreating a few steps behind the other and into the shadows of an awning. The younger quickly brushed his hair over his face and leaned against the wall inconspicuously. The teens stood frozen, hearts pounding viciously against their chests. As the guards finally moved down the road without so much as a single glance in their direction, Zuko breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps they were just being paranoid after all.

Preparing to take a step forward, he was impeded by a muscular form trapping his own against the wall. Feeling his throat clamp around his breath, Zuko winced. The form pressed firmly against him and a hand came to rest on the structure beside his head. The young teen gulped, looking up to see the surly face of a middle-aged, poorly shaven man whose eyes seemed to glimmer with a malicious gleam. His heart began pounding, bringing a significant amount of blood to his cheeks. Another hand slipped around his waist, holding him at the hip as he man tilted closer to him. Zuko could smell a sour alcohol in his breath, shuddering slightly.

"How much?" the stranger murmured, eying him with a gaze that the young teen couldn't quite identify.

"Ex-excuse me?" He frowned slightly, knowing he couldn't take down this man in the middle of the street without attracting attention.

"How much?" the man repeated, his hand traveling even lower, causing Zuko's breath to hitch. "Whatever you need, I can pay it."

As the hand began caressing his backside, comprehension dawned on Zuko. He thinks- He thinks I'm a... A furious sensation flurried in his heart, as he prepared to punch the daylights out of the new arrival.

"Sorry," a voice interjected. "This one's not for sale." Lu Ten shoved the man aside and grabbed his little cousin by the wrist quickly. He hauled the teen forward, practically running down the street with haste. "This is exactly what I mean," the older teen hissed as they dashed down the road. "It's dangerous out here! Do you know what could have happened to you? There are tons of people out there, willing to take advantage of you."

"I could have taken him on!" Zuko muttered, snatching his hand back. "Come on, Lu Ten. I'm not a mediocre fighter."

"That's not the point! Skills can only go so far under certain circumstances. You have to be cautious out here. Or better yet, your little boyfriend could come visit you once in a while!" Lu Ten regretted the words the moment they left the tip of his tongue. Zuko slowed to a halt, his head bowed sullenly to the ground.

"Zuko... I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay," the teen sighed. "No doubt I'm getting tired of this charade. I wish with all my heart that I didn't have to lie to him, or father, or anyone, but I just-"

"Forget it," Lu Ten murmured, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You're doing what you have to. The truth will come in time. Or if he's not the one, you'll know. Now come on. I can't wait to meet him."

The sparkle in Zuko's eyes immediately ignited once more. "Yeah! Let's go!"

Pace... Look out window... Pace... Look at door... Pace... Look out window... Pace... Look at door... Repeat as necessary...

Worriedly, Taki paced around the room like a frenzied man with an unreachable thought. They're going to be here any minute now. Not that he wasn't prepared. Oh no, he was definitely ready. The table was set, the food was served, and the apartment was cleaner than it had been for weeks. The only people missing were the guests.The sixteen-year-old's face filled with anxiety, thoughts racing through his head. What if he doesn't like me? What if the food is terrible? What if, what if, what if...

He swore that he was going to have a heart attack before the others arrived. A knock at the door made his heart jump to his throat, so much so that he swore he could taste blood.

"This is it?" Lu Ten whispered doubtfully. "Doesn't look like much." He eyed the average apartment building in distaste.

"Maybe not to us," Zuko responded lightly. "But to Kazuki and Lee, it looks just fine. Now behave yourself!" He knocked gently at the door, praying that the evening would turn out the way he planned. This is it.

Here we go. Taki steadied himself with a deep breath, before opening the door with a dazzling smile. Before he even got the chance to blink, a pair of arms was already wrapped around his waist and twinkling golden eyes were staring into his. Taki felt his smile soften as the young teen lifted himself up to offer him a chaste kiss on the lips. The brunette teen returned the kiss gently, embracing the other lightly as his heart fluttered with excitement. Stepping back slightly, the older adolescent eyed Zuko eagerly, acknowledging the renewed aura of the boy. His modest tunic flattered his petite form and hung loosely around his body, furthering the young man's innocent appearance. This compelled a fickle spark in Taki's stomach, as he was forced to suppress the urge to jump the teenager then and there.

Zuko chuckled slightly, as an over-the-top clearing of the throat could be heard from behind him. A magnificent blush set out to manifest itself upon Taki's cheeks, realizing that he had been silently staring at his boyfriend for a good several seconds. Generating another smile, he peered over the younger man's shoulder only to see a youthful man frown, no, glower at him. Apart from the nerve-wracking emotions sprung from the man's glare, the first thing that came to Taki's mind was the fact that it was difficult to believe that these two were cousins as opposed to brothers.

They both shared the same thin, muscular physique and a taste for simple clothing. Their eyes were practically identical, except for of course the sparkling, reassuring glance versus the unsettling defiant stare. The newcomer possessed hair similar to Zuko's, full of dimension and a degree of discipline, but appeared absolutely feathery. Taki's hands twitched slightly, remembering how fun it was to play with his counterpart's hair. Shaking away his frivolous craving, he stepped aside with a forced grin and silently motioned for the two of them to enter. Zuko winked and literally leapt into the house, unaware of the ceaseless glaring directed at his handsome boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Taki's heart seemed to want to pound its way out of his ribcage. His smile was slowly faltering as Lu Ten brushed past him without a word. The man's surly silence seemed to magnify his height times a thousand, despite being only a few inches taller than himself. He already hates me. Closing the door with a gulp, Taki shook his head. Relax, Taki. He's only sizing you up. Just be as amiable as you can.

"Mmm, dinner smells delicious!" Zuko exclaimed with a sniff, turning to face the others. "Ah! Introductions of course! Lu-, ahem, Lee! This is my boyfriend, Takumi, otherwise known as Taki." He gestured to the teen, who waved weakly, suffering under "Lee's" stare. The youngest of the three, immersed in blissful joy, continued on without noticing. "Taki, this is my cousin Lee." The dark-haired teen nodded in conclusion, stepping back to allow the two to get acquainted.

Lu Ten was the first to speak, taking a step towards Taki, who forced himself to stay still. "So. You're Takumi. The one my little cousin is so dearly fond of. He speaks about you often." The man's stony glare did not waver to any extent.

The other nodded nervously, prodded by a comforting motion from Zuko. "Yes. Kazuki's mentioned you several times. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Is that so?" Lu Ten exclaimed with a smirk lowering his head to be eyelevel with the terrified teenager. "And exactly what has he mentioned about me?"

Taki gave him an uneasy grin. "He-He says that you're quite the brotherly figure. If I'm not mistaken, you taught him how to effectively use broadswords. You must be a brilliant fighter."

The older teen's eyebrow rose slightly as he turned away with a grunt. Zuko frowned very slightly at his cousin's odd behavior, before giving a concealed thumbs-up to Taki, who breathed a sigh of relief. He's just testing me. I'll be okay. He passed by his young infatuation who gave him a quick peck on the cheek and a consoling squeeze on his shoulder.

"You'll do just fine," a whisper fluttered into his ear. "Don't be so nervous." The smile on the younger teen's face made Taki yearn to melt into an unworthy pile of sticky sludge. Suavely, he strolled to the round dining table and held out a chair for his boyfriend to sit in. Blushing, Zuko muttered something about Taki being a "complete and utter smartass", but nevertheless took the seat offered to him. I'm not that damn feminine.

Meanwhile, Lu Ten stood in the living room examining the apartment in seeming distaste. He skeptically eyed the room, no doubt noticing the secondhand furniture and the patched-over-several-times walls and roof. Taki watched the man out of the corner of his peripheral vision, hoping to catch even a slight reaction from him. However, he could see nothing but a faint grimace grace the teen's features. Sighing, he finally sauntered over to the table and took a seat next to Zuko, who was eying his cousin questioningly. Taki stood a few feet away, pouring tea with shaky hands. He could hear rapid, whispered words being exchanged between the two relatives, doing his best not to overhear them. However, it was obvious that the younger of the two was scolding the other to some extent.

Zuko coughed meaningfully, before laughing and exclaiming gratefully, "Everything looks delicious! I can't believe you would cook all of this just for us."

Placing the mugs of tea before his guests, Taki smiled charmingly. "I had a bit of help from a friend. After all, you deserve the very best." He winked at the other, earning a chuckle from Zuko and a fierce glare from Lu Ten. Seating himself at the table across from them, he swallowed uneasily. I don't think I'm going to survive this night.

As though to confirm his suspicions, the eldest began to speak again while inspecting the food on his fork nonchalantly. "Kazuki tells me that you are quite the accomplished author."

Moving his turkey-duck around on his plate, Taki looked up to meet the man's cool gaze. He laughed nervously stating, "I wouldn't quite call myself accomplished, but hopefully I'm on my way."

"Oh, don't be modest," Lu Ten proclaimed with a smirk, having yet to successfully place the observed food within his mouth. "An essay published by the Fire Nation's central university is no laughing matter! Do you attend school there?"

Taki's throat seemed to catch fire, his stomach twisting into infinite knots. "I-I'm afraid not." Zuko, who seemed perfectly content with remaining invisible for the night, bit his lip and nodded calmly at his panicky boyfriend.

The man's face seemed to twist into a slightly confused manner, before tossing a slice of meat between his lips. "You are aboutsixteen correct? That's the only higher-level education structure in this district. Do you go for schooling elsewhere? Are you an apprentice of some sort?"

The young man cleared his throat softly. "As much as I desire to attend the university, it would be impossible for me to do so." Knowing that the man's inquiring glance requested additional information, Taki took a sip of tea before continuing, hiding his anxiety behind closed eyes. "Due to the need to support myself, I found it impossible to continue my schooling after a certain point," he finished in a tiny voice.

Lu Ten frowned before his eyes widened in comprehension, his chopsticks clattering to his plate. "You're... you're a dropout?!"

Evidently, Kazuki didn't tell Lee everything about me. "It was necessary when I found myself living alone in the city." Taki's knees were shaking under the table. "I never quite qualified for any income programs the government offered. So," he laughed, "I had to find some way to pay for taxes and food."

"It's a solid illegality to work as a teenager in this nation. Normally it's either education or serving under the military. You're getting paid under the table then?" The other's voice grew hard. "Please tell me that you at least managed a decent occupation?"

"Oh! Yes, yes of course!" Taki nodded fervently, his cheeks gaining a slight reddish tinge. "I work at a restaurant... As a waiter," he added after a thought. He began playing with the food on his plate, quickly loosing the little appetite he possessed before the dinner.

Lu Ten scoffed at the younger teen, shaking his head slightly. Zuko's glance between the two became uneasy, sensing the tension between the two. After a moment, he decided to assist his petrified boyfriend. "The fact that Takumi's essay was worthy enough in the eyes of the education system to be published shows a great maturity beyond his years," he pointed out to his cousin with a slight frown. "It seems to me that his strong opinions and ideas might be polluted by further schooling. This bread is delicious by the way!" Taki would have showered the boy in appreciative kisses were it not for the table-length space between them.

"I-I suppose," the other murmured as he shook his head once more, drinking his tea after careful inspection. "Of course, I've always said the education system could use a little more filtering." A thump was heard under the table, resulting in a wincing Lu Ten. The younger of the cousins appeared furious, glaring heatedly at the other.

This isn't going well. Taki bit his lip anxiously, as the relatives exchanged fiery stares. Not being able to touch his food, he surrendered the unused chopsticks onto his plate and held his cup of tea defensively towards himself. He must despise me at this point.

"Not to say that your essay isn't valued material," Lu Ten said after a laugh. "Tell me, what is it that you wrote about?" Zuko's expression turned into one of pure horror, motioning vehemently for Taki to avoid the question.

Taking the hint to heart, the teen did his best to edge around the topic. "Well, to be perfectly honest it wasn't one of my better essays. A friend really mailed it in for me. It was fairly insignificant after all-"

Meanwhile, Zuko sat fuming at his cousin. He's setting Taki up! I told him about the essay. What the hell is he playing at?

"Don't be so humble," Lu Ten said, smirking. "In what area did you divulge your intelligence?"

Taki glanced at Zuko, but the dark-haired boy only gave him a hopeless stare. "It was just a little research on politics. Average theme-"

The other man's eyes seemed to lighten up considerably. "Oh, politics you say? I'm a rather large fan of political talk! Tell me, what division of government?"

"The... royal bloodline."

Lu Ten laughed noisily. "What a wide span of subjects to choose from! Did you choose from the great accomplishments of the Golden Age? The superb balance of monarchy and democracy? The-"

"Come now, Lee," Zuko interrupted loudly causing the others to jump slightly. "While I respect your interest in government, I must request that you refrain from discussing it... at the dinner table," he finished lamely, knowing that everyone's food was now going untouched.

"Oh, but Kazuki," the older teen muttered haughtily. "I simply must know about your boyfriend's view on the magnificent royal family that protects and serves him with every atom of their hearts."

"I must wonder, Lee, if we are truly talking about the same royalty?" Taki's eyes grew incredibly narrow, as Zuko noticed an uncharacteristic flare within them.

Oh Agni, this is bad. The youngest teen cursed silently, preparing to dive into the middle of the two if things got too serious.

"And what do you mean by that?" Lu Ten's voice turned deathly chilling, but Taki seemed to forget the need to impress the other, refusing to back down.

"If you can call a pack of bloodthirsty wolves magnificent, then I suppose you might be able to consider the Firelord and his family as such."

Leaning in to glare at the other, Lu Ten whispered, "Those people would give their lives to better the world you exist in. I suggest you keep your mouth shut about things you don't understand, dropout."

Taki's furry became even more evident, his fists clenching beneath the table. "The government doesn't give a damn about the citizens of the Fire Nation! The only thing they work for is expanding territory and murdering the innocent with this destructive war. Can you honestly stand there and defend those fiends?"

The older man's breath seemed to catch in his throat. "You! How-How dare you!" The two men simultaneously rose from their seats, to which Zuko's eyes widened in shock.

Not good, not good! Being the only rational mind in the entire apartment, the youngest of the three stepped in quickly. With mind-boggling speed, he leapt from his seat and over the table in one swift motion, pressing Taki backwards gently. The older teen looked into his eyes and immediately calmed down, a sweeping guilt washing over him. The rage in his eyes instantaneously faded as he stood silently behind Zuko, who glared meaningfully at his cousin.

"Despite your opposing viewpoints on any subject matter, this is neither the time nor place to discuss it. I brought my cousin over to meet my boyfriend which is obviously turning out to be a mistake on my part. If you have anything against Taki, you can say it right here and now if you insist upon it. Whatever you have to say can't change the way I feel about him, or the way he feels about me." His boyfriend smiled softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Lu Ten raised an eyebrow before speaking softly. "He's undereducated, overly opinionated, fidgety, and he has a crappy salary to go along with his crappy apartment."

Taki winced as Zuko opened his mouth in fury, but was silenced by the other's raised hand. "I'm not finished. He's also intelligent, protective, hard-working, honest, positive, and a peace promoter. He's one of the most sharp, polite, and sophisticated of people that I've ever met. It's obvious that he loves you with every ounce of himself, which is the only thing I would ever ask of him. He's perfect for you and I give you my utmost consent to continue dating." Lu Ten rolled his eyes. "Though I'm sure that regardless of what I'd say, you'd continue dating him if the apocalypse threatened the universe. Alright then. Dinner was great, Takumi. You're an awesome cook, really!"

Taki stared at the man in shock. He was like at entirely different person from the one who had stepped into his house! He was friendly, warm, and human.

"Anyway, I'll be taking my leave now. I'm sure you two lovebirds will find something to do while I'm gone!" Lu Ten winked. "Now let's see... Ah!" He glanced over Zuko's shoulder to nod at the pale-faced Takumi. "Sorry about the scare. I'll really a nice guy once you get to know me! I actually really hate politics, I get terrible grades, and I'm truly lazy. We'll hang out some more later. Oh! And if you break his heart, I'll kick your ass. But I'm sure you already knew that. Don't stay out past early morning, Kazuki!" He blew a kiss at the boy before making a leisurely exit out of the apartment, closing the door gently behind him.

Silence seeped into the deepest corridors of the room like blood from an open wound. Taki took a moment to remember how to breathe, but found the situation all the more nerve-wracking when the oxygen expanding his lungs didn't rid him of the constricting sensation in his chest and the dizziness of his mind. Finally malicious muttering broke the silence of the room, as the older man heard words he had never heard come out of his sweet boyfriend's mouth.

"That dirty... fucking... son of a... lazy miscreant... I'll kill the bastard, I'll kill him... what the hell... choke on his own bile... that conniving little snake... hate my damn family..."

When Taki had replenished his mental status, he chuckled and spun around his dazed boyfriend, planting a sloppy kiss on his lips. "There there, Kazuki," he murmured softly. "Don't spoil that pretty mouth of your with such vile curses."

Letting out a sigh, Zuko snuggled into his companion's chest, catching a scent of his minty cologne. "I'm sorry Lee is such a jerk. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't know he was going to-"

A finger upon his lips stopped him, accompanied by a gentle smile from the taller male. Wrapping his arms around the younger teen, he whispered, "Don't worry about it, alright? He's a good cousin, protecting you like that. I'm glad I got to meet him."

"Thanks for putting up with all this," Zuko muttered, shaking his head. "Agni knows I'm not worth it."

Taki shook his head, lifting the other's chin so that their eyes met. "Yes you are." The sincerity in his voice practically made the smaller teen heart melt. At a loss for words, he simply blushed. The older man smiled mischievously and tapped the other on the nose. "Your cousin said you don't have to be home till sunrise. Come with me. I have something I want to show you."

"Where are you taking me?" Zuko asked, laughing softly as his boyfriend ran through the dimly lit streets, pulling him close by. "You know this city has a curfew, right?"

Taki merely stuck his tongue out at him playfully. "Don't be such a wimp, Kazuki." Their footsteps echoed softly in the nighttime air, causing spontaneous goosebumps to travel up the arms of both teens.

"We're nearly at the edge of town by now," the younger of the two stated, breathing heavily in-between words.

Before Zuko could say another word, the taller of the two turned around and winked, declaring, "Exactly." Reaching the outer walls of the city, he silently motioned for the other to follow him. The adolescent shrugged and nodded, following Taki past the lone guard's post at the edge of the gate's entrance. They slipped past the watchtower and the older teen winked at Zuko. "The gate's open," he mouthed, tugging on his sleeve. The teen nodded, and they snuck through the half-open gate in the faint light.

When he was sure that they were out of range of the watch's hearing, Zuko muttered, "I didn't know you were the criminal type." He kicked off his shoes as they walked into the small grassy valley outside of the city, allowing him to appreciate the feel of grass under his feet. After all, meadowland was a rare occurrence anywhere along the Fire Nation islands.

The other chuckled lightly, replying, "There are a few things I suppose you still have to discover about me then, hmm?" The man sighed dreamily and twirled around before collapsing lazily onto the pasture. Laying flat on the ground, he crossed his legs and propped his head up slightly with his hands. "I don't consider scaling a wall a crime. Especially if it's just to get to the paradise on the other side. Away from the suffocating realities of the real world, you know?"

Zuko looked at him oddly, before smiling sadly. "Yeah... I do." He sat himself down next to his companion, eying the night sky with awe. "The stars are so bright out here. You can't see them like this at the palace." Catching his mistake after a moment, the teen clasped a hand to his mouth and gasped, but the other didn't seem to notice.

"The pollution gets heavier more towards the heart of the city," he agreed. "I used to come out here all the time. I can't believe how much I missed it."

Zuko shivered, edging closer to the other, who put a protective arm around him. They sat in complete silence, holding each other as close as possible. The stars looked like an endless array of jumbled, sparkling specks, each trying to shine the brightest. Sighing, the younger teen snuggled into the other's chest, making Taki gasp softly.

"It's stunning," the black-haired teen murmured, shaking his head in awe, eying the stars with a certain envy.

"Yeah," his boyfriend mumbled. Something in the man's voice made Zuko turn shift his eyes, only to find the other staring directly at him with a paralyzing expression. On impulse, the older teen gently flipped the other over so he was draped across the smaller body. Taki smiled and leaned down and gave him a chaste kiss, before pulling away quickly. He raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Don't tease me," Zuko hissed playfully, wrapping a hand around the back of the man's neck and bringing him down for a second kiss, full of vigor. A hot, constricted fire evolved in his stomach, like tiny wings flapping forcefully against his insides. Taki's hands traveled up and down his body, exploring the form they knew all too well. With a renewed passion in the kiss, Zuko massaged the other's chest gently, making him shiver in bliss.

Taki gently pried between the other's lips with his tongue, enjoying the sweet taste of the mouth that never seemed to bore him. The younger man deepened the kiss putting all of the passion he possessed into his movement. Still retaining the contact, Zuko enveloped the older teen in his arms and pressed him firmly against his body. All too happy to accept the invitation, Taki began moving against the opposing teenager, creating a delicious warm friction between the two. Hands became tangled firmly in his hair, as he groaned in pleasure at the other's enthusiasm. Slowly, pleasure turned into guilt and Taki shuddered inwardly. The kissing, the touching... it wasn't enough... these feelings... he wanted more...he wasn't satisfied... I have to stop.

Breaking away slowly, Taki smiled sincerely at the other, who winked cheerfully at him. "I love you," he murmured, placing a kiss on the young man's cheek.

"I love you too," Zuko replied, returning the kiss tenderly. Intertwining their hands, they watched the shimmering twilight fade together, unbeknownst to the fact that their fate would be forever imprinted in the luminosity of their destiny.