Disclaimer: I only own what is mine. My OCs and Ideas.
A/N: Ok, so summer hasn't calmed down yet. I have to pack to head out of town tomorrow, just finished a ton of school related stuff not even an hour ago. And I really just need some sleep. But, I calculated that if I update Lights every weekend I can blow through my prewritten chapters by the time school starts and that's shockingly a great time for me to really get back into it. I'm still developing it now, but I have so many chapters that fill like fillers… but that's likely just to me because I've been over them a thousand times… anyway, getting off track! Another chapter; pretty sweet and cute, and I'm not sure why I was talking about fillers! Because the next few upcoming chapters have some pretty cool stuff going on. Ok… Read! Review! Enjoy!
Reviews:
ArtemisBAMF1218- Yeah, goals are in place, now to just do them! Chinese weddings are pretty big dusk til dawn kind of things and of course, the royal wedding makes it that much more.
Oh yeah, Ryu's the best. Plenty of practice for when their kids come along.
In the comics the Weapons are a pretty good group, they fight very well together, and they don't always get along, but they know who can give the orders, and as Weapons, they know how to follow the lead or lead themselves. The best part is Danny is the youngest by a long shot. So I can have some fun with the huge generation gap, and how he's not always perfectly understood and what not.
What I like about Ryu and Orson is, well, Orson knew Wendell for years, most of his life as a kid, teen, and young adult. So he sees everything and can see right through any shared she has.
Oh, I'm not certain I'm going to have the whole team go to K'un-Lun just yet, that's a whole lot to pack into Together as One. I'll see what I can do… we'll see…
Hm, Orson and Logan… I can see it. I can see the connection there. They're both pretty dark, and war-worn and all that. Both have demons in the past, lost plenty of people. They do have a lot in common.
Ok, another pretty good chapter headed your way, enjoy!
Chapter 16
After they got back to the palace the pair had gone out to the garden to enjoy the wonderful weather.
Aiko's hand was folded in Danny's.
"So… what do you think?" Danny asked.
"About what?"
"The garden."
"It's nice. Really pretty," Aiko smiled.
"I've come to enjoy the quiet that can be found here. It's wonderful." Danny agreed.
Aiko looked around. "Hammock?" She asked nodding at the said object.
Danny smiled. "It's very comfortable."
Danny gave her arm a pull and started to lead Aiko to the hammock.
Aiko smiled as she followed Danny over to the trees.
Danny held the hammock still as Aiko jumped into it. Aiko smiled as Danny also climbed in.
Aiko smiled as she leaned back. "This is really nice."
Danny leaned back with her. "You are correct."
Aiko smiled up at the trees above them.
Danny moved his arm around and wrapped it around Aiko. He pulled her closer to him.
Aiko yawned. "I think I could take another nap."
Danny sighed as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I already told you that you feel warm. Are you sure you are not getting sick?"
"I'm fine." Aiko yawned. "I just need sleep."
Danny sighed as he lay back down.
He stretched his legs down to the ground.
Aiko felt the hammock start to rock back and forth.
And as it did, Aiko felt herself start to nod off.
Aiko woke up much later. The sunlight had turned golden and played with the trees.
There was a slight wind that gave her goosebumps.
But pressed up against her was great warmth.
Aiko moved carefully to look up at Danny who was asleep with an arm around her.
Aiko looked him over. He was cute while he slept.
He had an arm around her shoulders and the other one was rested in his lap.
He was slightly leaning on Aiko and slightly snoring.
Aiko smiled. She wiggled out of his grip and moved so she could face him.
The hammock rocket as she moved.
Aiko leaned over him and gently kissed his warm forehead. She stayed as she was for a moment before she pulled back.
As she did her eyes were shut.
When she opened them, bright green eyes watched her.
Aiko yelped and moved her weight back.
Danny countered by using his weight to prevent Aiko from falling out.
Danny leaned back and flipped the hammock so that he landed on his back and Aiko on top of him.
Aiko sighed as she laid there on top of him. "Graceful," She muttered, a little winded.
"Sorry about that." Danny apologized quickly.
"It's fine," Aiko sighed as she quickly got off him. "That was a good nap."
Danny sat up and stretched out his back. "I didn't know I needed that."
Aiko smiled at him as she stood up and pulled him to his feet.
"You've had two naps today. Are you feeling ok?" Danny asked once he was standing.
"I'm just tired. How are you not passing out all the time?" Aiko asked.
"I've gotten used to the workload. And I am able to not over strain myself." Danny smiled.
"I guess meditation helps?" Aiko asked slowly.
"Of course," Danny nodded.
They pair stood there for a minute.
"Now what?" Aiko smiled.
"I don't know. It's later. Are you hungry? You didn't touch your lunch." Danny asked.
"It's not dinner time." Aiko looked up at the sky. "Not yet."
"Well, are you?"
Aiko shrugged. "No."
"Ok… so… do you want to go upstairs and work on planning more?" Danny asked.
Aiko sighed. "I guess. I don't want to work, but I guess we need to do more."
Danny smiled as he took Aiko's hand. "It didn't seem like so much on paper."
"But it really is." Aiko sighed. "I want it to all be over! I don't want to plan all of this!"
Danny kissed her temple softly. "Yeah, I know."
Aiko smiled. "I love you."
"I'm very lucky aren't I?" Danny asked.
"For what?" Aiko asked.
"You love me," Danny said looking down at her.
"You know you are supposed to say that you love me back." Aiko frowned.
"I love you too, Aiko." Danny smiled down at her. "More than you know."
"I feel lucky for that." Aiko smiled.
The pair remained quiet as they entered the main foyer.
"King Daniel!" A loud voice yelled at the pair.
"That is our cue to run." Danny sighed as he turned to see who had said his name.
Aiko looked too to see an unfamiliar man walking toward the pair. "I've been looking for you, Your Majesty! You are quite a hard person to find!"
"I've been busy today," Danny said simply. "What is it?"
"I was asked to directly deliver some papers to you." The man said. Around him was a messenger bag, Aiko noticed and looked at it; it was old and worn.
"Right, go wait outside my office I will be there in a moment," Danny instructed. "I have a matter with Lady Aiko to finish first."
The man paused and watched Aiko, whose face had turned pink, for a moment before he looked back to Danny. "Of course, Your Majesty," he bowed and walked off.
Danny watched him go before turning back to Aiko. "Some days I hate it. I take the afternoon off and the moment I walk back in… someone is waiting on me."
"What did you mean when you said you had something to finish with me?" Aiko asked.
Danny smiled. He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow, my love."
Aiko smiled at him when he pulled back. "Yeah, I'll see you then." Aiko smiled as she watched Danny begin up the stairs to go discover whatever it was that he was needed for.
"Māmā, I'm home," Aiko called as she walked through the door.
Aiko looked around the empty house. No one was there.
She sighed as she walked through the main house looking around for anyone.
No one seemed to be home.
Aiko looked around before walking into the living room and sitting down on the couch. She looked at the table and noticed the scraps all over it.
Red fabrics, embroidery patterns, rough sketches of different dresses.
Aiko smiled as she picked up a long book that was rather thin and started looking through it.
There were beautiful elegant and sleek dresses and flowing radiant dresses. There were notes scribbled everywhere about materials and different shades of red.
Aiko smiled as she crossed her legs and flipped through the book looking for something she liked.
There were different Phoenix sketches and Aiko studies them. They were elegant and wonderful.
Aiko smiled as she flipped the page and looked at a dress. It was extremely traditional. The sketch was black and white but Aiko could easily imagine it being filled in with red and gold.
Aiko placed the book down and looked at all the fabrics on the table, easily selecting a dark and beautiful red and a dark gold.
"I see you are looking at dresses." Māmā's voice started Aiko, who jumped and spun around to see her mother standing behind her. "What do you think?"
Aiko took a moment to get her heart rate down. "I like this one," Aiko said passing Māmā the book.
Māmā looked over it carefully. "I didn't see this one, to be honest. It is very traditional. Do you like it?"
Aiko shrugged. "I guess. I like these two colors together." Aiko said holding up the clothes.
Māmā nodded. "They complement each other well."
"Where did you get this book from?" Aiko asked.
Māmā walked around the couch and sat down next to Aiko. "The best seamstress in the city. I asked her today if she would be willing to make your dress if no one else was doing it already, and she was beyond delighted at the offer."
Aiko smiled. "No one else is doing it yet."
"She will be expecting you very early tomorrow then before her shop even opens." Māmā smiled. "I figured I would go with you."
"That would be great." Aiko smiled. "It's going to be fun."
"How was it with Danny today?" Māmā asked.
"Same as ever; we were working on the meals. And we invited Orson and Aman to come to the wedding if they want to. Orson said he would think about it and Aman said he will be there." Aiko smiled as she took the book back.
"You are going to need two dresses. Did you like any others?" Māmā asked.
Aiko easily flipped the pages. "Right, one for the ceremonies and another for the traditions."
"And what are you going to sleep in that night?" Māmā asked.
Aiko stopped flipping the pages. "Why?"
Māmā smiled. "A fresh start with Danny, everything must be new. It's bad luck for your wedding day to wear something old. I'll make you something."
"A fresh start?" Aiko repeated.
"Aiko, when you get married you will not long belong to this family. You'll belong to Danny's. It won't be like some girls who move away to different cities and never see their families. But you are going to leave." Māmā explained. "You will be starting a new chapter in your life."
Aiko sighed and looked down at the book. "Yeah," goose bumps covered her body. "I guess."
Māmā wrapped her arms around Aiko and pulled her in for a hug. "I didn't mean to upset you, baby. I'm just trying to prepare you." Māmā said gently.
"I know," Aiko muttered. "I'm going to marry him and life will change. Like it always does."
Māmā pulled back. "Aiko, when I married your father. I went to see my parents after three days and then nearly went three hundred years without seeing them. Some people just have lives like that. I want to be here for you though. If you need it," she easily wiped away a tear that was in Aiko's eyes.
"I haven't thought this through completely," Aiko muttered. "I'm marrying the king; I'm going to be the queen. I'm going to be royalty. There is going to be pressure and stress…"
"Aiko… stop that." Māmā warned.
Aiko looked at her hands. "What am I doing?"
"How long have you two been engaged?" Māmā asked.
"Not yet nearly a month," Aiko replied.
"Now, take in a deep breath and let it out," Māmā instructed.
Aiko opened. In through the nose and out through the mouth.
"Better?" Māmā asked.
"Still anxious," Aiko muttered.
"I'll get you some herbs to calm down," Māmā said getting up. "You pick out another dress."
Aiko nodded and looked down at the book. She flipped through the pages looking for a dress.
There were so many patterns and styles.
When Māmā walked back over, she placed a cup down on the table and poured some tea into it.
Aiko looked up from her book and picked up the cup to drink from.
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