A/N: hey guys, sorry for the slow update. I am terribly sick and only have been working and sleeping. I sometimes play Minecraft on the PS4 to keep my mind busy but doing much else is pretty difficult. I'll try and upload as quick as I can. I'm glad I have chapters stock piled because writing is vey difficult while I'm sick like this Dx bear with me guys~

*Chapter 104*

Tessa gave Selka a dominant stare of rising annoyance as he pushed closer, though she took a wary step back. He softly reached for her hand, yet again, and was successful in holding it this time. He softly cupped her hand in both of his and tilted his head down, to get a good look into her eyes, though she looked mildly worried.

"C'mon, how about one dance," Selka wondered softly, "Sure Zeddy-boy won't mind."

"Pretty sure he'd have your head," Tessa cocked an eyebrow.

"He's always shared his slice of the cake, with me, in the past," Selka's sly smile curled harder.

"He's never shared," Tessa quietly snapped, "You've always stolen."

"I was unsuccessful at the Academy Ball, but..." Selka looked down, his eyes glossed over Tessa subtly, "Guess third time's a charm."

"Are you always this handsy with women that are taken?" Zed suddenly barked, though his stoic demeanor remained as he smoothly pushed between Selka and Tessa. Selka largely flinched and took a step or two back, though his demeanor continued to shrink as Oliver came alongside Tessa as well.

"Maybe you shouldn't leave yours unattended," Selka dared as his tone quickly spiked from tender and romantic to rude and annoyed.

"Like I'm some sort of animal that needs to be corralled home, or something," Tessa laughed as she glanced up at Oliver, through grateful eyes; he gave her the same, protective kindness in return.

"I'd love to see you try and have one dance with Tessa," Zed crossed his arms and beamed Selka a wide smile, "She'd dance you right out of this game and then some."

"I DID have a bitchin' teacher," Tessa muttered as she put one hand on her hip, she glanced at the back of Zed's head and felt her heart begin to flutter in a wild flurry of excitement, over just what was happening.

"Go find Jeska to torture, and leave Tessa alone," Zed dared as he took a step closer to Selka, "I'm tired of you skulking around, waiting for Tessa to be left totally alone. It's creepy and out of line."

"I may be big, but you'll never know when I'll be watching," Oliver growled as he finally took a step before Tessa as well. Him and Zed hung before Tessa, though not to smother her. Oliver glared at Selka and tilted his head down, "She may have wrecked you in the past, but I promise you, you won't find my game-play any easier to endure."

"So, you not being a man and not escorting your 'woman' to this event suddenly warrants you to keep creepy tabs on her? No one else can converse with her?" Selka argued as he gestured in hard annoyance, though everyone jolted once Tessa largely pushed between Oliver and Zed.

"Let's get something straight... I wasn't escorted, because I made it clear to everyone that I had a few things to take care of, in Sugar Rush, because, oh I don't know... I just so happen to be the future Queen," Tessa said loudly as she took a few hard steps closer to Selka; he winced nervously and held his nervous attention to her as she got closer, "I made sure Zed was aware that I'd be late... And y'know what? It's fine. I don't NEED to be escorted to this event. I got myself here just fine."

Zed lightly let his eyes grip to Tessa's figure; he cocked an eyebrow and let his arms unravel from their tight position. He enjoyed when Tessa's powerful attitude took over, and when she stuck up for herself. It was a show he very much enjoyed being a witness to. As if being reminded of her strength was what he woke up every morning for.

"Also, Zed hasn't once kept 'creepy tabs' on me... If there's anyone here, whose guilty of that, it's you!" Tessa shouted deeply as she suddenly shoved an angry finger into Selka's chest, "And, I'd reevaluate your standing, as the 'king of stealing other guy's girls'... All Jeska has ever wanted, since Zed revealed his identity, is to be in HIS arms. So, joke's on you. You're no longer relevant. Oops."

Selka opened his mouth in a confused way, though he held onto a hard, angry glare.

"Wait, y-"

"Buh-bye!" Tessa urged loudly with a sarcastic grin and a little wave of her fingertips.

Selka gave Tessa a look of gawking surprise before he finally furrowed into a disgruntled demeanor and sank away; he knew he was largely out numbered, and to not cause a scene, so he quietly removed himself, though not without shooting Zed the ultimate look of deathly hatred. Tessa nearly seethed, though as politely and secretively as she could. She clenched her fists to her sides and inhaled a sharp, reviving breath; she applauded herself for how quickly she was able to overcome her anger, as of late, as if it was surprisingly getting easier to do.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Tammy and Otto suddenly barked in unison, though not loud enough to draw attention. They both audibly groaned, as if to be disappointed that the show ended before it even began.

"Some squabble that would've been," Tammy chuckled as she nudged her baby cousin; Tammy was dressed in a strappy dress that boasted the very game her mother came from; it looked exactly like something Calhoun would wear. Jet black with edgy accents, though it flared at her knees to give just that touch of innocence everyone knew was a trait Tammy got from Felix.

"The Kings and Queen of Sugar Rush battle a lowly Dead Zed commoner!" Penny largely gestured her arms and hands, as if to be advertising for a theatrical release, "Who will win?!"

"My fist," Tessa snapped as the seven slowly eased into each other's presences, their groups finally became one. Tessa softly, though bashfully, glanced at Zed and tried her hardest to cover giddy delight with the dregs of anger.

"My face," Oliver barked, though he couldn't help but let a chuckle escape his figure.

"My... Hair," Zed huffed with a small laugh, which cued everyone else to break into excitable laughter as well.

"Which is on point, by the way," Otto nodded and pointed a clawed finger lazily in the air, she wore a pretty, flowy white dress that tiered all the way down her knees, "If only I could make my fur behave in such a way."

"Thank you," Zed smirked as he softly touched a stray hair that escaped from the suave curl it previously was in, and dangled above his forehead; he nearly went cross-eyed looking at it, which had everyone chuckling yet again.

"Ten thousand pounds of hair gel later," Oliver said in a playfully disgruntled way, Zed shot him an annoyed smile.

"We all look pretty badass," Penny nodded and crossed her arms; she wore a dress similar to Tessa's, though it was strapless and was the softest shade of green, "Tess, did you fly over here in your dress? Cause if you did, kudos my friend."

"No," Tessa scoffed, though her face turned beet red as all eyes laid on her, "I-I sort of changed when I got here. Dressing room a-la Lickity."

"Those wings ARE pretty massive," Tammy chimed as she lulled her arm around Otto's shoulders, though she heaved a small breath and furrowed her eyebrows, to ready a subject change, "Now that I look at all of us, the girls outnumber the guys."

"And none of us have dates, except for King and Queen, here," Penny laughed softly, "All of us are stag!"

"One of you girls can have Oliver," Tessa gestured to her little brother and glanced him a sly, knowing smile, "I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Me?" Oliver choked softly and nervously held his hand over his chest, though he felt his heart jump as Tammy subtly nudged Emery's arm. Emery looked down bashfully and straightened out her dress a little.

"Remember... Just hold her close and sway," Zed said above a whisper, to Oliver, as he leaned in slightly, though he smoothly transitioned and took a step closer to Tessa, "Whadoyah guys say we get a drink? Tapper is here, tonight."

"You invited Tapper?" Tammy gawked, though everyone stole eager glances to each other in growing surprise.

"I didn't invite anyone, but Tessa," Zed chuckled as he gestured to himself, "I simply gave Academy the location, and asked the prettiest woman to come with me... Everyone else did the rest."

"Aww," Penny cupped her hands to her chin as her, Otto and Emery beamed bashful smiles at Tessa and Zed, who looked as if they were even too shy to be in each other's presence right now.

"Get a room," Tammy spat with a wide smile, which cued everyone into enjoyable laughter, yet again.

"Room pending," Tessa dared in a low, annoyed tone that only Zed caught; he furrowed his eyebrows, beamed her an incredulous smile and froze. Tessa flinched and gave him an innocent look of surprise, though she gestured her arm out a little, "You're supposed to bless me when I sneeze! Stop staring!"

"Killin' me," Zed urged quietly as he gripped the clothes over his heart in a playful act of dire need.

Zed softly began to be the first to move his group across the event, he slowly weaved his way through the crowd and was careful his friends were still following him. The loud music was fun and exciting, gamers of all kinds danced, relaxed, chatted, drank, and made sure the night was remembered. As skillfully as he could, Zed continued to mark the way for the six gamers following him, as they made their way to the bar, which was housed in a lovely overhang, lined with gorgeous amounts of lights, with the rich Dead Zed foliage that crept it's way into the ambience.

"Please tell me Emery is not the only one complaining about not coming with a date, also known as Oliver," Tammy said quietly, to Zed; Oliver and Emery hung at the back of the group, with Otto, while Penny and Tessa stayed a few feet behind Zed and Tammy.

"You kidding?" Zed scoffed in an annoyed way as he lightly rolled his eyes, though he landed his gaze on Tammy with a smirk, "It's all that kid has been talking about. He was way too shy to ask Emery to prom."

"I sure hope he asks her to dance, or something, cause the poor girl is bursting at the seams," Tammy quietly urged, as if this was somehow up to Zed.

"Relax, I've already put the idea in his head," Zed waved her off kindly, though he re-fixed his attention back to her, all while carefully making his way through and around groups of gamers, "I'm sure they'll be hooked by the end of the night."

"Yeah? And what about you?" Tammy said in a sly tone as she peered at Zed down her nose, though Zed furrowed his brow and gave her a genuinely confused look.

"What about me? Tessa's my date," Zed said softly, though he hooked his inquisitive gaze to Tammy, as if finishing his sentence was enough to finally realize just what she was insinuating.

"Y'know what prom is REALLY about," Tammy beamed as she crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow, "I know you weren't secretly hoping to JUST set up your younger, naively hopeless little brother, Oliver, for a night to remember..."

"I'm going to keep tally, from now on, I mean it," Zed waved his finger lightly and looked on, in annoyance.

"Of what, how many times you have to be reminded that you and Tessa are running in circles?" Tammy audibly laughed, which cued Tessa and Penny, slightly.

"We'll make our way out of this donut, eventually," Zed hissed as his agile footwork bumped closer to Tammy, as if to suggest leaving out extra listening ears.

"The girl is the Sugar Queen," Tammy continued to laugh, though quietly, as her and Zed grew closer; they linked arms, in a friendly way, though Zed playfully elbowed her in the process, "Good luck gettin' out of said donut."

"You're hilarious, Tams," Zed said in a dull tone as he looked on and politely led Tammy through the crowd, with everyone following. He knew alongside Tessa's actual sibling, Oliver, Zed treated Tammy as Tessa's tougher, older sister.

"You're going to get to the point of the actual swap, and you're going to be like, 'screw it!'" Tammy laughed as she wildly gestured outwards, though Zed wrinkled his nose with a wide, bashful smile.

"Was that us ending things, due to frustration, or announcing the pun that is to be put into action?" Zed wondered loudly, though Tammy exhaled an audible groan and playfully shoved away from Zed, which cued the two to cripple into annoyed laughter.

"You're hopeless," Tammy laughed, though she flinched once Penny quickly fell into motion with the three.

"I want in on this code-swap teasing, please," Penny urged, though Zed largely looked at her, through bewildered embarassment, and grit his teeth, though before he was about to unload his worries on Penny, she waved him off and beat him to it, "Don't worry, Queen Bee didn't hear a thing."

"Don't you wish," Tammy uttered as her and Zed looked over their shoulders, to find Tessa's whereabouts; she had fallen into conversation with Oliver, Emery and Otto as the seven finally came within the vicinity of their destination.

As the seven slowly entered into the overhang, which was very large, they each approached the stand-up counter and got comfortable next to each other, though Tessa and Oliver were last to reach the birch wood counter. Tessa wrinkled her nose and noticed the gap next to Zed, which she knew she would take. Tessa assessed him quietly; even though he wasn't the host of this event, she knew he somehow felt obligated to make sure everyone was happy. He quietly tend to his friends and waved at Tapper, which cued him to try and pry himself over to them.

Just as Tessa was about to make her presence known, next to Zed, she noticed Oliver fumbling with a place to stand. She furrowed her eyebrows and noticed a smaller gap between Emery and Tammy. As subtly as she could, she nudged Oliver's lower arm before, with as much grace as she could, she gripped his arm and gently shoved him in the direction of where he should stand. He huffed an annoyed noise and gave her an equally as annoyed look, though in the whirl of it, he finally relaxed his stance and peered to his sister in curious knowing. Tessa cocked an eyebrow, gestured to Emery, and beamed him a proud smile.

"Be yourself," Tessa hissed quietly, though she gave him a kind smile.

Oliver almost gave her a defeated look, as if to wonder if that would be enough, though as smoothly as he could, he finally made his way between Emery and Tammy. Tessa curiously watched, as Tammy got the hint, and Emery got the biggest amount of honey-glow. Oliver nervously rubbed the back of his head as the two finally began to chit-chat, though Tammy joined in, likely to ease Oliver's worries. Penny and Otto loudly chattered with each other about the event, and various other things, though it wasn't until Zed cleared his throat loudly, did Tessa finally avert her whole attention to him.

"You gunna match-make the whole prom?" Zed wondered smoothly, he cocked an eyebrow and leaned his back against the high counter, which was just the right height to rest his elbows on.

"What's it to you?" Tessa teased as she crossed her arms, she hung a few feet before him and remained still, as if to let the ultimate amount of teasing begin. She gave Zed a kind smile, nonetheless, though she still looked at him down her nose.

"You gotta cater to yourself, somehow," Zed eased quietly, though enough for her to hear over their group's loud chatter. He ever so subtly looked her over and let his mouth curl into a wider smile, "Please tell me you ditched whatever date you came with, tonight, cause babe... I'mma 'bout to snatch you up, myself."

"Pull a Selka?" Tessa cued to Zed's contagious smile and felt her face get hot.

"Maybe," Zed shrugged, though he finally stood, from his leaned back position, and reached his hand out to Tessa, his playfully seductive demeanor dipped to gentlemanly, for the small time being, as he took Tessa's warm hand in his and calmly peered into her eyes, "You look... So beautiful."

Tessa scoffed a small noise and looked away as she scrunched her shoulders, though she brought her curious line of sight back to Zed as he ever so slowly lowered his head down. She raised her eyebrows in mild wonder as their eyes remained grip to each others. Zed slowly began to bring the back of her hand up to his mouth, as if to question if she was going to rip her hand away, like what she did with Selka; he knew he should know better, and Tessa wouldn't be unreasonable, though he held with her curious eye contact anyways, as if to politely ask permission to place a kiss on the back of her strong, though tender hand. Tessa subtly bit her bottom lip and remained still for him, though her heart lightly jumped as he finally pushed his warm lips to the back of her hand.

She raised her eyebrows in hard, growing surprise as he softly closed his eyes and placed yet another kiss on her hand, though closer to her wrist. She finally exhaled a small giggle as he began to tug her closer to him, and in the process, he began to place the softest kisses up her arm. He finally hooked his hand and arm around her waist and reeled her in, though not without placing a teasing kiss on top of her bare shoulder. Tessa softly held her hands to Zed's lower chest and tried her very hardest to quell the dizzy spell he had just laced her circuits with, though her ears pricked as his dark, sweet voice pushed closer to her ear and neck.

"Damn, Tess," Zed chuckled above a whisper, which cued her into a small, quiet fit of laughter as well. Zed held her as softly as he could, without seeming too grabby or pushy, though he carried on, "You're easily the most stunning gamer here."

"You're one to talk," Tessa cocked an eyebrow and lightly separated herself from Zed, though close enough to where he could still hold her. Tessa looked over his suave look, "I don't think I've ever seen you change your hairstyle, before."

"Yeah, well," Zed shrugged and lightly poked at the one strand of hair that curled out of position, over his forehead, "I was buzzing Oliver's hair, and cleaning it up, and I figured why not... Try something new."

"Well..." Tessa smiled kindly and squinted her eyes, as if she wanted to overload Zed with all sorts of coy notions, though she knew their time would come, and she should likely refrain. She wrinkled her nose and looked away bashfully, as pesky, silver-coded butterflies lined her stomach, yet again, "You look very handsome."

"Thank you," Zed meeped quietly as he gently nuzzled his nose into the side of her cheek, as if to notice her bashfulness and attempt to kindly pry her from it; he beamed once he was successful in making her giggle and scrunch her shoulders, "C'mon, tell me about what happened in Sugar Rush, before you made your way over here, I want to hear all about it."

"Right," Tessa smiled and nodded as Zed politely began to lead her to the stand-up bar, where their friends already were enjoying their frothy root beers.

Tessa suddenly felt a knot form in her stomach as she was drowned in realization. She bit her bottom lip and suddenly remembered that she hadn't informed Zed that, in this moment, and until the day after, they were currently in charge of Sugar Rush. She was thankful he was aware of such a task, though she almost felt worried to break the news to him, that they were to watch after the whole game on this fateful night. Her and Zed got comfortable, though as soon as Tapper brought them their drinks, she looked down at it and raised an eyebrow, as if to silently curse herself for wanting to dump said drink all over herself, as punishment. She eyed Zed in kind curiosity and wondered just how he would react to said news.