Chapter 41: Hair’s Breadth (4)

Chapter 41: Hair’s Breadth (4)Chapter 41: Hair's Breadth (4)

*Creak*

The metallic hinges of the door creaked as Nik slightly opened the door and peeked his head out. His servant quarter was shared with the only two, extremely, exhausted gardeners of the palace. According to their description, the palace never had any gardens until Omashu was taken by the Fire Nation...

Truly, aside from the skirmish by the Prison Rig, Nik simply didn't have any bad impression of the nation but the results of the war were evident, too. Katara and Sokka were all they had for each other. Suki, too, didn't have a family. Aang lost his entire tribe.

'Now... that I think about it. Why am I traveling with a group who has nothing to lose?' Nik narrowed his gaze and followed the path he was instructed to take on. He was quite curious and wanted to enter the basement region and try to find what was going on.

Not because it was an honorable thing to do... the direction which Nik led to Michi's room hardly felt anything honorable.

It was simply because the longer Nik now had the ability to decide his own course of action, he felt curious about more things. Michi seemed to be afflicted by a spell of amnesia too as she considered the children orphans so Nik simply wanted to see what she had to talk about on this matter.

Nik had currently taken off his boots and walked without letting out loud echoes of his steps in his movement. Many things ran in his head and once again, he came to a stop in front of the flight of stairs that led down to the basement.

'If the mayor isn't paying attention to his wife... then he is either in his office, hard at work, or, with some other chick, and finally, he could be in the basement... well, I hope not after some child,' Nik pursed his lips as he recalled various tendencies that Esta... ironically saved him from. He was lucky enough to have entered the tamest stream of all.

Walking away, Nik finally walked through a few twists and turns and stepped up the stairs before reaching in front of a rather simple door. There was only a golden flame-shaped mark on the handle of the door signifying the status of the owner of the room. However, he didn't simply knock. He silently stood in front of the door and finally gave thought to one of the more plausible scenarios.

'This couldn't be a trap, right? Like a test of loyalty by the mayor himself... and if it is a trap and all of us has to run away, god, it will be embarrassing to explain all of it to others...' Nik held the handle as he frowned.

This situation was different than Mitsuko's... Nik didn't have any fire-wielding husband to worry about.

'Can't always be fearful,' Nik closed his eyes. The only thing he recalled when he rather brashly jumped to save Suki from getting eaten was simply... well, it wasn't true instinct, that's for sure. But he already had an impression of Suki at the time and he was in the position to save her. However, the exhilaration that pounded on Nik's chest was hard to ignore whenever he thought of taking a risk. A thoughtful one, of course. It's not like he wanted to jump down from Appa just because he wanted wind on his face.

For that, he can simply ask Aang to exhale deeply and that'll do the trick.

His hold tightened around the handle of the door and he knocked calmly.

"Yes? Dear, are you back?"

Nik licked his lips. Michi was especially cautious of the act and exhorted Nik only to enter if he hears this particular phrase. Anything else then... run away as if your life depends on it.

He slowly opened the door but it was well maintained. Aside from the resounding click, there were no annoying creaks of the metal hinges as Nik stepped into the room while being mindful of his surroundings still.

The room was brightly lit with candles and lamps. The room was entirely decorated luxuriously. The small table with a mirror placed on it revealed to be one of the spots that Michi visited the most as she still sat in front of the mirror. Behind her, covered in silk red sheets was her bed, untouched, with no creases to be observed. A small closet was built to the side and the window of the room was opened up, letting in the cold air.

Omashu, having rather rocky surroundings had devilish afternoons and icy nights. Still, Michi had half of her hair tied into a folded topknot, and the remaining portion of her dark hair cascaded onto her shoulders covered by a red gown. Her eyes never left the mirror, her gaze holding a tinge of uncertainty and she only spoke once she heard Nik closing the door.

"You... didn't expect to actually meet your wife, did you?"

The disgust in her tone was apparent yet she turned to face Nik whose eyelids jumped in surprise.

"She isn't here?" Nik looked around with a distraught expression and Michi blinked. As a woman ignored by her husband, despite being a little dazzled by Nik at her first encounter and now finding the courage to give Ukano the taste of what she had felt, Michi felt disgusted a bit by herself for trying to use her authority on a married man and by Nik for being married and still agreeing to it without having any resistance.

However, seeing Nik so easily improvise without missing a beat, a glaring hesitation spread across Michi's expression.

"Ma'am... just for tonight, may I call you by your name?" Nik inquired.

Gulping, Michi nodded. Despite feeling a bit stifled, she still looked up. Her eyes slightly wider and her glazed dark yellow pupils glistened under the flickers of candles placed all around. Even the cold wind couldn't easily blow these away easily and the temperature was getting increasingly warmer.

"Michi--"

"I need to open the vents!"

Michi suddenly gasped and she hurriedly pulled back before turning around. She fumbled around and stood on her toes to open the metallic lid near the window leading to a metal tube that was connected to other locations of the palace. Her hand tried to reach the lid and her heart continued to thump in excitement when a firm hand held her shoulder and a taller figure reached out for the lid, opening it smoothly.

"Don't turn away and listen like this," Michi heard Nik speak up. The more she stayed close like this, the more attracted she felt. It wasn't anywhere near close to actual feelings but being left out after such a long time kept her quite frustrated. Will the slightly warm breath and a sturdy body behind her...

Her lips quivered.

But worsening her body's condition was Nik's gentle and soothing words.

"Michi, I am incapable of lying," lied Nik, "It is the mayor's loss for not treating you with care. Others lack your disposition and the mayor simply doesn't value you because he already has you."

"I don't need disposition!" Michi pursed her lips, her hands clutched against her flimsy robes as she felt Nik slowly pushing a greater portion of hair aside onto her left shoulder, leaving her fair neck exposed as Nik couldn't help but comment, "And you are certainly beautiful. Like a tasteful wine, better with age."

A line used quite a bit already but for a reason. It worked well... many, many, times. Especially with a glass of wine in hand.

Michi's breathing turned a bit ragged as she felt the strange intimacy growing. Before she could turn, Nik still kept a firm hold of her shoulder.

"Why turn back?" He whispered, "Ma'am--"

"Michi!" She exclaimed and her cheeks suddenly flushed. Hearing Nik's soft, comforting chuckle as he grazed the back of her neck with his thumb, a feeling of bashfulness filled her... just like when she was young.

"Right, I forgot," Nik added with a smile as his hand finally slid down her arm before gently holding her hand, "Michi, as Katara said, I don't lie a lot and constantly praise her because it's the truth. And I'm telling you, there is not a single thing bad about you."

Katara, in her lies, became Nik's first wingman ever.

Michi's heartbeat almost grew out of control. Her chest heaved continuously as she felt Nik's lips against the nape of her neck just a hair's breadth away.

***

A/N: Ordinarily, the term 'Hair's Breadth Away' is used for dodging something in a timely manner and I had planned to use it to introduce Mai instead. But this time, I intend to explore the Avatar world well. In the last fanfic, I only gave this fiction a 60-70 something chap? I don't remember well but it should be this much and I twisted characters around way too much.

As I have said many times, I cannot promise to bring every character back after one particular world ends. For instance, once the avatar world is complete, many characters may never get a screentime again and this includes Michi and (possibly Ursa?). I can... ironically, only see Toph and Sokka in other worlds just for the kicks of it.

Anyway, this is an issue quite a bit later.

I just wanted to explain that while writing this, Mai's introduction turned out to be Michi's where Mai's and Tom-Tom's lives are in support for Michi while Ukano acts like a stock royal husband who cannot give attention to his wives...

So... any married men and women (I know you're here you pervs~), give attention to your spouses or Nik'll get ya. (Especially females with trap husbandos)