Boxing Day

The City's weather was harsh.

It's mix of snow and rain pelleted his dark winter coat, these days Jugram didn't if he should wear plastic or fabric. He even questioned if he should be out this late. It was currently ten-till-eleven and he questioned if a jeweler actually stayed open this late. Republic City, by all current accounts, is safe. But not every place should be overlooked without weariness. After twenty minutes of walking and deliberating if he should just return home, Jugram found the Jeweler and through the window he could see the person he was meeting.

Mako- their history started off rocky, neither wanted anything to do with the other. Jugram wasn't suprised when the boy first attacked him. Of course that was under the impression that he had joined the Equalist's, which he technically did.

But that's the past, and as he walked through the door he wished he had stayed home.

"Ah, welcome. I'll be with you shortly!" The woman called over Mako's shoulder. As he approached he overheard Mako explain to the woman he was with him. Strangely he noticed the woman's face slightly flush.

Strange.

"Good evening, Mako" Jugram Said as He Calw to lean over the glass case. "Might I ask what were doing in a jewelers late at night?"

"It's not that late, Jugo." The man snorted, "I kinda needed your help."

Looking around the store, Jugo could see the store was separated into four sections. The two cases by either side of the door contained necklaces, the design and It's Intricate clasp showed it was for balls and galas of the sort. The four rectangular glass cases before the doors, contained bracelets fashioned simply and relied on its single gem to catch the eye. Those bracelets were for wedding ceremonies, accustomed in the tribes of the north and south. ones he was accustomed to. The third section, behind the attendant and before them, were crowns made for local academic gatherings. The final section finally revealed to him why he was here. The cases they were leaning on contained rings of all designs.

"I can see that." Jugram responded. "But why call me?"

"Because you're the only other guy I know that's married."

"What of Tenzin?" Jugram asked, peering at the long line of rings.

"I don't remember seeing a ring on Pema's finger. Did you?"

He had a point. But Jugram was still slightly irked at being here. "What size is Asami?"

He heard not a response from Mako, but an indecisive grunt.

"You don't know, do you?"

"Look, I was hoping you could... also help with that part. I mean how did you figure out Korra's ring size?"

Jugram reigned in his need to snap only giving a loud sigh. Luckily for him when he needed a ring he had a cheat.

Azariah.

They were Korra's oldest friend and over the years he had inadvertently grew closer to them as well. Strangely enough, when he brought up the idea of proposing to Korra, Azariah jokingly asked if he wanted Korra's ring size. As fate would have it, his androgynous friend was correct.

"I had Azariah's help."

"Course you did. Here."

Jugram's hands moved before his brain to comprehend what he was being handed. Only when he had a few rings in his hand did he speak: "And what do you expect me to do with these?"

"Try them on."

He heard the female attendant for the first time since her welcoming. And his eyebrows twitched at the slight squeal she let out.

"And why would I try them?"

"Asami said you two have the same sized fingers."

"And when did that conversation take place?" His eyebrows knitted together. In all his life he had never heard such loose and splintered reason such as that. Calling him for help in the middle of the night for that reason alone was idiotic.

Then he remembered who he was married to.

"I have an idea, Mako." Turning away from his... friend, Jugram turned his attention to the female attendant, who looked at them with sparkle in her eyes. He ignored her again and asked: "You wouldn't happen to have a measurement tool would you?" The woman only nodded and hurried to the back. He suspected the woman only picked out certain points of their conversation, and that would prove to be the worst part of this night.

Right after this.

Jugram was stunned to feel his left arm pulled. He was even more stunned to see Mako forcibly putting a ring on his finger. "What do You-?"

"Just try it on. We're wasting time."

"you do know she's not gonna take more than-"

"See, it fits?" Mako held up his hand and he could see a smirk spear on his face. He finally understood that this was done in order to attempt humiliation. However, his plan failed as the only person who could see this was gone.

"Yes, you found my ring size. Yet you don't know Asami's."

Mako rolled his eyes as Jugram attempted to take the ring off. A few seconds later and he found his hands grew clammy as he finger slid around the ring. Jugram had never felt panic in his life, but the feeling of a ring not coming off induced that feeling. Ten-fold.

"Mako."

The man grunted as he continued looking through the case.

"Mako."

"What?"

"The Ring." His fingers kept gliding off the ring.

"What about-?" He turned to found the Jugram's hand thrusted into his face.

"It's stuck."

"it is not stuck." Mako rolled his eyes and pulled on the silver band. He hissed as he felt the rings gem dig into his fingers.

"Ok. It's stuck."

"Mako, get the ring off my finger."

"You're saying that like I'm not trying." Mako grunted as he pulled on his finger, at an attempt to rip the ring off. Or his finger. That would be easier to take the ring off, wouldn't it?

"Get the ring off my finger, Mako ." If Mako wasn't straining himself to take the damn ring off, he would've laughed at the panic in the man's voice.

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do." Jugram's face, for the first time, spoke volumes of how against he was of the idea. Even if he hadn't heard it yet.

"Alright- let me-" Jugram's eyes widened and pain shot up his left arm as Mako began pulling at such an angle, that his body was being held up by his hood on his hand.

"Alright let me think."

"you know what? I think you've done enough and-"

"Oh my Spirits!" The pair looked toward the new feminine voice. "I always read about this in boys love stories, but I never thought I'd see it in person!" The returning attendant's face was awestruck and her eyes sparkled like an endless shower of stars. As he took in her gaze he slowly began to unravel the reason behind it.

When he walked in she had only the eyes when Mako mentioned they were together... looking for a ring. He saw the reds of her ears when she left to retrieve the measurement tool. Finally, both were mixed into one finite face of misunderstanding. A misunderstanding that was being driven Further as Mako was taking a knee after almost ripping his finger off, and held that same hand in his.

They both stared at each other and quickly turned toward the woman.

"This is all a misunderstanding!"

AN:

So, thanksgiving's update for the main story didn't happen. So many things came up and so many things fell through. The main thing that stopped me from finishing the chapter was spending time with my family. Which is rare especially recently with my classes. Among that I had a few partners freak out over a project that started self deleting before their eyes and I had the only file that was intact.

Also there's a 1,200 word essay due tomorrow that I haven't started.

Element of Fortune was teetering on being dead or on a very, very, very long Hiatus.

Luckily, I was given an idea by my friend when she did drag me out of my warm home for Black Friday. Which wasn't the same as the previous years, probably because of the pandemic? So I've begun writing out the ways I want the story to progress in a notebook.

The next chapter should be out by Christmas. I promise.

(P.S I have no idea why this came to my mind. I'm certain it has something to do with the fact my friend said we should go as 'husband and wife' in order to get free wedding cake. I turned it down as she clearly had no idea that we had to submit a wedding certificate. One she was willing to make for FREE CAKE THAT DOESN'T EVEN TASTE GOOD. If it was tres leches or anything made from my Mexican ancestors I'd be inclined to think about it.)