to leave, Bam?” It was a shame being a Princess forbid her of ever having children, she would be great with them.

“I was thinking about the proposal.”

“You have a weird thought process,” Maria said and crossed her arms. “Look, I’m not saying you did anything bad but Aguero has always been a bit insecure when it comes to you, you know that.”

“I’m not leaving him.”

“Obviously. Khuns don’t believe in divorce.”

“Now, I’m thinking he’ll end up saying no.” Bam jokes as well but the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Perhaps Maria should encourage him to talk about it, but it was getting late and their conversation would positively last for more than an hour.

“Bam,” she ended up saying “do talk to him. Then propose. Or do it the other way. It really doesn’t matter; the outcome will be the same. He’ll say yes.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, and one more thing,”—Bam looked nervously at her—“please take everything our family says with a grain of salt.”

.

who deserved it. Still, when someone so above you is willing to keep you by their side, how could Kiseia not follow? How could she resist the sun’s warmth? Who was she to do so? “you and Aguero will place me on the throne.”

And it was sad of her, cruel of the Tower’s God, anticipated of her bloodline that Kiseia would burn the entire world for someone who wanted her by their side.)

Kiseia sighed. A treacherous part of her was disappointed with the outcome. She had hoped for some retribution, for karma to strike Aguero as viciously as he deserved. But of course, the world was never fair and Kiseia had always been undeserving of justice. “Do not use this in your vows.”—Bam’s face fell—“I assume the others warned you to not break his heart and all?”

“More or less.”

“I’m sure you won’t. However, he,” she paused “will certainly break yours.”

This causes more of a reaction. Bam seems offended and ready to defend Aguero’s honour, if Kiseia hadn’t pinned him down as a guy who would strongly be against killing his boyfriend’s family, she would have been slightly alarmed. “I’m simply offering a warning.”

“As I said, I know your relationship is strained.” Bam shot back, his voice sharp “But that doesn’t give you the right to talk about him like that.”

“I’m not saying anything false.”

“You’re—”

“He will not do it on purpose. It’s simply a matter of who he is.” At their core, the Agnis children were the same; indifferent to their lives. Their goals never truly aligned but all of them were ready to give away everything in order to succeed.

(“And if you fail?”

“I can never fail.”

“I won’t let you, yes, but—”

“I can never fail.” She repeated lowly. “Mother can not have a failure.”)

“At least ten of his plans regarding your success will include his death. Not to mention the unpredictability of human behaviour.” From what others had mentioned, Bam was prone to danger even without Aguero’s help. “I think the rest of the Family knows it. They know it and that’s why they’re scared of what you’ll cost him.”

She clicked her tongue as Bam raised his gaze. He seemed to have heard of this before. Not that Kiseia didn’t expect it, but she had hoped she would have been proven wrong. “No one is going to ask you how you’ll feel, though. No one is going to ask if you asked for it.”

(She cradles her corpse and weeps. She can’t let her aunt find her. She needs to get up. She must get up. But her knees are weak and her tears feel like they’re burning her skin.

Her aunt finds her either way.

“She did what she had to.”

Like pulling dead weeds.)

“Do not let him break you,” she says “do not break each other.”

Bam studies her and Kiseia wishes he isn’t as prying as Maria. Thankfully, the boy just smiles. He knows. His eyes tell her he’s sorry. She doesn’t need the pity. “Good luck on your proposal, Slayer.”

.

When asked, Bam will lie about the story of the proposal. He will not say he run inside the kitchen, panting, and lost his words as soon as he saw Aguero leaning against the counter, explaining—disagreeing—with Shibisu. Rak looks at him concerned while Endorsi, who of course was there and would most certainly yell at him about the plan, or the lack of it, he ends up using, peers over curiously.

“Can we talk?”

Aguero looks equally concerned and Bam is suddenly reminded of his talk with Maria. He quickly shakes his head. “It’s not important,” it very much is “I mean, it is, but not too important.”

“What do you want to talk about?” Aguero asks still concerned. He really should do his best to not send his boyfriend into a cardiac arrest before he proposes.

“Alone.” Bam manages to say weakly as his nerves—and the return of Aguero’s ponytail—got the best of him.

Shibisu and Endorsi exchange a glance but it’s Rak who ends up speaking. “You can’t keep secrets from your leader!”

Bam looks at him. Rak’s eyes widen. He had never been more grateful for their excellent skills when it came to non-traditional communication. “I can make an exception, let's go,” Rak yelled loudly and dragged both Shibisu and Endorsi outside.

A fact that seemed to trouble Aguero even more. “The gator knows.” He begins “But I don’t. Which means it’s something important but something you couldn’t tell me.”

If he ends up finding out about the proposal, Bam is certain he will scream. “It’s not what you think.”

“You’re going to do something dangerous and suicidal, right?”

“Well, you’re not entirely wrong—”

“You already did it, didn’t you? Is the damage bad? Don’t answer that, of course, it’s bad. I’ll get right to it.”

“Aguero,” Bam began and reached for the box in his pocket. He opened it and handed it to him. They stared at each other.

“Oh,” and then Bam’s life ended, “thank you.”

No one had prepared him for this kind of answer. Aguero seemed to sense his confusion and opened to speak but Bam shushed him. He tried to recall Shibisu’s and Endorsi’s lessons. Where had he gon—

“I meant,” Bam says with a sigh of relief “will you marry me? I wasn’t just giving you a ring.”

“I was worried I forgot an anniversary.”

“No, no, I just forgot I also meant to ask the question.”

They laughed, too caught up on the hilarity of the situation. After some seconds, Aguero’s eyes returned to Bam and he smiled. “You’re full of surprised, you know?”

“So I’ve been told.”

“You do realize that means you can never leave me, right?”

“No, it means we can’t leave each other.”

“Same difference.”

“That means you accept?” Instead of an answer, Aguero kissed him. Yes, this was the best answer he could get.

“Did he say yes?” A voice that sounded suspiciously like Hatz yelled from behind the door.

“Do not do anything on the counter, that’s where we eat.”

Aguero pulled away and buried his face in Bam’s chest. “They sure know how to ruin the mood.” He complained but Bam could tell he was smiling.

“Oh, I almost forgot, I have already taken care of your family, so you don’t have to worry.”

“My family?”

“Yes, the tradition.”—Aguero raised an eyebrow—“I have gotten their signatures and everything. I might need to get Urek to fight your dad though if he ends up backing down at the last moment.”

Aguero looks at him furiously. Then, in a matter of seconds, he smiles softly and puts a hand on his cheek. “I love you and I can’t wait to marry you.”—Bam opened his mouth to speak but Aguero ran to open the door—“Someone tell me where is Ran.”

.

“Honestly, I could slice you up.”

“I did nothing illegal.” Hachuling told Maschenny smiling. His eyes didn’t leave his new console.

“Tell him something!”

“He’s right,” Maria said with a shrug. They truly deserved it for making that stupid bet with Hachuling. “Besides we’re rich.”

Maschenny was ready to continue their fight when Maria’s Pocket rang. Upon opening it, the girl saw a message from Ran, her eyes lighted up and she clapped her hands.

“Did Jahad die?”

“No, our brother’s engaged,” Maria said with a smile and shook Hachuling’s shoulders. Even Maschenny looked pleased. The Pocket rang once more. This time it was Maschenny that saw the message.

“Ah, yes, of course.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing, AA wants to talk.”—Hachuling tensed—“He also says that you should, and I quote, start digging your grave.”

.

Elsewhere there’s a letter. It’s not a sight you see everywhere. This is why she takes it in the first place and carefully examines it. There is a name on top of it. It’s not her own. Still, she opens it. The context is vague. She seals it off once more. It reeks of trouble. She simply sighs and places it on a desk.

“Kiseia,”—her niece is immediately on her feet—“This is for you.”

The girl takes the letter and reads it carefully. She then tears it apart. “I do not know what it’s about.”

“I’m glad.”

(It doesn’t matter. Maria knows the place of the wedding and the date. The invitation, itself, is unimportant. It’s mere symbolism. Kiseia smiles.)