A/N: One of the more interesting things about cowriting is the balance of voices, it takes twice as long to edit because I have to try and splice things together to sound as natural as they can. My coauthor is a fabulous writer, but since we are different people there ends up being a few discrepancies. You have been warned?

Regretfully, Jade's hangover the next morning was relatively mild- he would have almost preferred to not remember anything at all. Some way or another he got himself home and into bed, forcing himself to stop thinking and sleep. He needed it, he figured, if he was going to fix this situation.

How he was going to right things was another matter entirely.

Whether or not he should visit Peony in the palace was a problem - it's not like he lacked security clearance, but in the aftermath of their quest, Peony was undoubtedly swamped.

So he went to the library. It was actually a private research database kept on the base to compile information on the score and Kimlasca (Jade was positive there was another of its kind in Baticul), but to Jade it was a library. He spent the morning gathering the relevant books and discs before returning to his office. The secondary reports on the Qliphoth could wait.

However, the matter with Peony apparently couldn't. Jade had just finished the first volume of the earliest scores in his office when he heard the bell. Since he was at his own residence, this was particularly unusual. Of course a hostile party wouldn't ring the doorbell, but then who would be left making a social call?

Who indeed.

Peony had woken up that morning cursing himself for being fully dressed, cursing himself for having left the windows open, cursing the sun for being so bright. It hadn't been a dream, and the residual headache had only served as mounting evidence.

How ever many times he'd apologized last night hadn't been enough. It only made sense to briefly sneak out of the palace, offer a sober mea culpa, and...

Then what? What exactly was he going to do? Extend an olive branch? Give him cupcakes?

Why on Auldrant had he brought cupcakes?

And what was he even going to say in the first place? "My apologies; also, I brought these for you"? What was he doing here? It suddenly dawned on Peony that he hadn't thought through any sort of apology, hadn't really been thinking at all. He was just about to turn and run when the door finally opened to reveal a slightly surprised Jade.

"Sorry," he blurted out, looking away as he shoved the box toward him.

Cupcakes. Peony must be regretting last night from the bottom of his heart if he brought cupcakes, not to mention ringing the doorbell. On two separate occasion he caught the emperor in his kitchen unannounced eating his pastries. "Sorry for what?" Jade asked, graciously taking the peace offering. "Ah, forgive my manners. Would you like a cup of tea?" The act of asking Peony that felt foreign and wrong- no one asks an emperor to tea, and Peony never waited long enough for the invitation. But nevertheless, his friend nodded mutely, shuffling in almost sheepishly. It was starting to get on his nerves.

A thick silence settled over them as Jade busied himself at the stove and Peony got a head start on the cupcakes. A nervous stress eater, he remembered. "You know someday, the palace guard will break down my door and take you back so you can actually do you job." Jade said lightly, pouring out the tea.

Black for himself, and three sugars for starters with Peony. He wanted to know how Peony kept all his teeth.

Whatever Peony's plan had been, it hadn't involved being a guest. He hadn't expected tea. He hadn't honestly planned to eat any of the cupcakes, but here he was, munching on one (okay, two, but no more, he swore to himself.)

Most of all he was taken aback by Jade's hospitality, polite as ever, as if last night hadn't been a disaster, as if he hadn't rambled on about his flaws before kicking him out. He had intruded, forced Jade to be open with him. He had intruded again when he forced his lips on to Jade's.

Peony blushed as he remembered that particular event with surprising detail. And here he was, intruding again, being a bad friend and a careless emperor.

"I know. It's a wonder Malkuth hasn't burned to the ground."

He cringed quite visibly and immediately, only just remembering what he had forced Jade to open up about. Part of him was amazed by how obtuse he could be; another part was attempting to vocalize yet another apology; a small part was calculating how quickly he could reach the door.

"Please, self deprecation suits you as well as that awful maroon suit you wore to the chancellor's winter ball." Jade said firmly, taking a seat and a cupcake. "I make it a point to know exactly what I am forgiving, before I do so." Jade said, forcing the issue like a butcher's knife into a carcass.

"Things got out of hand last night, and I'm sorry for some of the remarks I made." Peony said softly, with a sort of royal dignity Jade forgot the other was capable of. Peony also didn't apologize for kissing him, but for now it was one thing at a time.

"We both made some unnecessary comments, so let us put that behind us both," Jade replied, "We are old friends and fighting is unproductive."

Peony nodded silently, mouth full of cake. Jade hadn't touched his still, which didn't surprise him. That just about summed it up. His friend probably sorted everything out the minute he shut the door last night, and nothing in the world could disturb him when his mind was made up. Peony was only here to press the seal, so to speak, on the issue.

The issue of drinking too much and a bit of yelling and finding out the unpleasant details of the score and then kissing your only friend- it was all going to be consigned to a box of incidents Never To Happen Again.

But therein lay the problem, especially with the last item. He wouldn't mind all those other happenings (especially the drinking, tea was only so effective of a beverage) if it meant he could make the last one happen again. To a better effect, perhaps. But it was all wishful thinking, he realized, because realistically he probably wouldn't have gotten away with it if they both weren't heavily inebriated and preoccupied. He was lucky Jade hadn't punched him, but he wished a little that Jade had had the good sense to do so. In the end, Jade was never going to eat the damn cupcake, so to speak.

Coming to that conclusion, Peony felt compelled to take his leave. Things still weren't sorted out for him like they obviously were for Jade, but he didn't want to stick around for another opportunity to put his foot in his mouth. Or more cupcakes.

"I should probably get back," he said as he rose from his chair, throwing a cursory glance at the clock. Jade nodded and they walked together to the door. Peony opened it but, in a moment of weakness, turned around.

"I'm really, really s-"

"Peony."

"But-"

"Peony."

"Okay."

His eyes dropped involuntarily to Jade's lips. He was sure Jade had noticed that they'd lingered just a moment too long. Thus, he was quite surprised when Jade reached out, raising his hand to his face and...

"Didn't you go to an etiquette school?" said Jade as he wiped away the spot of frosting on the other's face.

Peony laughed nervously, nodding without saying a word. He mumbled something that could've been 'goodbye' or 'see you later' before pulling the door shut.

--

It was the third day of rain. A week since the cupcakes. They had gone stale and Jade had to throw them out. The clouds had gathered and broke a few days ago, first a fine mist and then a drizzle and then the downpour. No one could give a good explanation except a suggestion it was one of the after effects of lowering the outer lands. The imbalance in fonons could certainly disrupt certain layers of the atmosphere- and it would account for the reports of freak but harmless weather phenomena worldwide. Harmless so far, Jade thought, watching the rain pound against the glass. We are floating on water, if only just. The city's engineers barely managed to patch together a float system in time for the lowering- and so Jade predicted a lot of flood warnings.

Still, he was not deterred from going out into the driving rain to walk right up to the palace entrance. Everything looked uncharacteristically bleak when the sky was iron grey and the raindrops stung like needles. Once he was given entrance, he dripped his way to Peony's quarters. No time for announcements today.

Peony was fairly surprised to see Jade, but even more so at his state. Jade was usually impeccably neat, but the rain had gotten the better of him and his cloak this time.

"If I may be so forward as to request a towel?" Jade said with a dry smile, wringing out his hair, chestnut dark from the water. His friend nodded quickly, motioning to the maid standing by the doorway. "I noticed you are rather short staffed today,"

Peony shrugged. It fit Jade to notice exactly who was missing. "It's this storm. I sent a lot of people home to their families, since with the rain here, the dust storms near Chesedonia, and Kaitzur Port flooding, I don't think I'll be entertaining any envoys"

Jade's eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't have lowered security because of that," he said flatly, gratefully accepting the towel and the modest change of clothes.

"Just until the storm passes," Peony replied, staring out the window. Truth be told, nothing in the forecasts indicated that the weather would be letting up soon, but he couldn't stand seeing the effect such dreary weather could have on others.

"Besides," he continued, "You could've bundled up." Not that he was particularly worried. Jade had been sick all of three times in his life; a little moisture wasn't going to take out the colonel.

A little moisture did, however, have a strange way of dripping from him. Water rolled off his cheek and collarbone, racing down to his belt as he peeled his shirt away and outlining every muscle and curve in its path. As they caught the light, every raindrop seemed to shine, and Jade glistened. It was...

So, so completely inappropriate.

"I'll be out here when you're done," he said perhaps a bit quickly as he exited the room, closing the door with more force than was necessary. So maybe he hadn't had a comprehensive look at Jade's naked torso in a while. And virtually every female in Gran Chokmah would agree that Jade was attractive. Peony could admit that, no big deal. And whose eyes wouldn't be drawn to an unexpected guest who had decided to disrobe right in front of them.

Jade emerged a moment later, his wet hair plaited loosely behind him.

"So, what brings you here?" Peony inquired, more bewildered than he let on. He felt as if he had missed the memo letting him know he switched roles with Jade- typically he was the one making unannounced visits and generally intruding. Not that Jade ever intruded, he more or less took over situations like empires annexing smaller territories.

"Is it such a crime to pay your friend a visit?"

"I don't know, have you seen those royal etiquette books?"

"Ha ha, very witty, your majesty. At any rate, I felt it would be wise to see situation, clearly I was correct since you have apparently dismissed half your palace guard."

Peony feigned shock. "Jade, don't tell me you were... worried?" he suppressed a grin at the absurdity of that statement.

"I've known you for almost thirty years, Peony, and nothing has shown me that I shouldn't be."

"This is about the Closed Score, isn't it? But are you worried I am going to get smothered in my sleep or slip in the bath tub?"

"Both, I suppose. Disregarding the Score for a moment, the world is not in a stable place right now. The Closed score predicting your death is really like saying the sky is most likely to be blue."

"You are so comforting," Peony replied sarcastically, hearing the distant rumbling of thunder in the distance. The storm was worsening.

"I'm not here to comfort you-" Jade said softly.

"How cold."

"-Only to offer some advice. You have an obligation to this country, Score or no Score. I suggest you settle down, find someone, and produce an heir. Let the royal family be a model of stability-"

Peony interrupted him with a terse laugh. "Are you joking?"

"No."

"You came all the way over here so you could drip water everywhere and tell me to get married and have kids." Jade did not respond, making the situation all the more surreal for Peony.

"Because it's that simple," he said coldly. "Finding someone to marry."

"You're the emperor; plenty of women would dream of it."

"Oh yeah, because that's the kind of woman I want. Someone who likes me because I'm royalty, from the esteemed family Malkuth. I mean, no one can resist that." He grinned, sardonic. "Why let things like love and compatibility get in the way? Maybe that was my mistake last time."

Of all the lessons he'd learned about not always getting what one wants, that "last time" was the one that taught him the most, the one that wouldn't let him rest, like the tree falling in the forest. As long as she was happy, he would be happy, he had convinced himself. Even if that happiness was marginal. Even if he felt like he'd never fall in love again.

But who was Jade to lecture him on any of this, unsolicited? He couldn't help but laugh again.

"How are you, of all people telling me this? All you know how to do is manipulate. What do you know of relationships with people? How could you ever have children if you don't know how to relate to other people?" he was being hateful now and hurtful, but it brought a some pleasure to lash out the same way the rain was striking the vaulted roof in an endless torrent. "You can barely stand the company of a mirror, you're so full of self-loathing." Twist the knife a little more, maybe he'll finally snap and just punch you, which you completely deserve, he told himself.

But what Jade did was worse.

"I'll take my leave now," Jade said softly, absently pushing his glasses up like nothing was wrong. "I apologize for the dripping," he turned on his heel, wet cloak whipping around his shoulders. It was bad enough having to tell Peony to produce an heir like he was one of his advisors (where were they, anyway?), but for his oldest friend to react like that? Peony should have known better, known that there are responsibilities and duties and rules- nevermind that he broke them whenever it was convenient- but Peony was the emperor.

He was responsible for more than just an infantry or a regiment. Jade did not envy being responsible for an empire.

That doesn't mean he doesn't have the right to be happy, was what he wished he could tell Peony, but then it would sound like he was arguing with himself. Which he was technically doing. Deaf to his friend's shouts and occasional profanity, he strode straight out into the driving rain. Lightning coursed across the sky, followed immediately by a clap of thunder.

When he left his residence today, he thought he had it sorted out. That Peony would listen to him, one way or another and the matter could be closed and the future could be planned. He didn't expect Peony to fight back like that with the desperation of someone trapped in a corner. He didn't expect to agree with Peony's words either. And he certainly didn't expect him to chase him into the storm.

But he did anyway.

Jade was faster on foot than Peony had expected, with an uncanny ability to duck into side streets before he could catch up. The rain soaked his clothes, weighing him down. His hair clung to his face, hanging over his eyes and obscuring his vision. He was barefoot and cursing himself for it. He knew he looked ridiculous, but he wouldn't let Jade outpace him. He wouldn't let Jade retreat to his fortress, he wasn't going to let him calculate; he was far too comfortable with tactics.

Thus, Peony was sure that bringing the chase to a halt in the small but deserted alley was a deliberate move on his part, as well as the question.

"Why are you following me?"

"Why are you running?" Peony shouted at his back. Jade's silence only irritated him more.

"Are you a coward," he taunted, unable to stop himself, "Is that why you're always hiding? Are you scared?"

There they stood motionless in the downpour, each passing moment only making Peony more and more irritated.

"I order you to look at me," he continued to shout, not even recognizing his own voice at this point. He had never given Jade a direct command, only requests. He asked, never told, and Jade was always free to decline.

But he as much as he wanted Jade to face him, he found himself infuriated when he actually did. And worse, even in the darkening overcast, he looked completely unperturbed by his verbal assault, neither amused nor offended. Just neutral. Unreadable.

It was enough for Peony to storm over to him and grab him by the cloak, like he was going to shake something out of him. "Fight back," he begged as a roll of thunder rumbled overhead.

"Go home, Peony."

"You can't tell me what to do," he replied sternly, returning the other's composed stare with his most indignant one. Jade was in his comfort zone, calm and collected in spite of the rain, the berating. He was thinking and reasoning and everything that Peony couldn't. He always had everything figured out; Peony rarely did.

It was only fair to give him a taste of anarchy.

His mind was racing as he pulled Jade closer, drawing him into the storm. He was going to tear down every wall between them.

And he was sorry. He had meant everything he'd said. He wasn't sure about anything he'd done. He didn't know what he was doing.

But he wouldn't let him sit back and watch him make sense of it all. This was his problem now, he would make sure of it. It wasn't fair, but 'fair' had nothing to do with it. There would be no rules to follow or break, no Score to follow or disregard. It was irrelevant.

If the game was hide and seek; Peony was going to find him, one way or another. If the game was war, there would be mutually assured destruction. If the game was love-

Peony drew away, whispering "I don't know." The words were lost to the raindrops on the pavement, but he was sure Jade had read his stinging, reddening lips.

And maybe Jade had said something in return, he didn't know. He hadn't taken more than two steps back before he broke into a run. Navigating the streets haphazardly, losing himself in the floating city, he didn't realize how many of the raindrops were simply tears.

What were they doing? This game, war, cat and mouse and hide and seek was simply escalating into something unrecognizable. Jade stood, seconds slipping away as the rain came pouring down, but even the cold wetness couldn't wash away the distinct burn upon his lips.

Twice this has happen. Unwarranted physical affection- even someone like himself could figure out what was going on. So, why couldn't he? Why was he so damn confused? Forcing his feet to move, he set out again. He was positive Peony had a less than ideal grasp of the city layout, on top of being barefoot in the rain. Always so careless.

What was the phrase? Fool me once, shame on you...

Did that somehow make him care more, to compensate? No, that wasn't it at all. Perhaps it was something else. Always so many questions, so many angles to be considered. He was out on the main streets, sprinting to catch up to the runaway royal.

Fool me twice, shame on me...

Peony wasn't a bad runner, but Jade had several advantages, such as actually wearing shoes or being trained in the military. He caught the fleeing emperor by the shoulder, pulling hard enough force him to come face to face
and then...

But they say the third time's the charm.