Scythe Victoria's and Scythe Darwin's huge spartan appartement was in the center of Fulcrum City, facilitating their travels to conclaves of Scythedom. As the law dictated, Scythe Catherine and Scythe Marian were not allowed to visit and see their children, apart from conclaves. Amber missed her mother dearly, so every week she would sit by her antic writing desk and scribble down letters for her mother.

Amber sighed as she gazed at the ceiling, sprawled on her bed. Avery and her were kept in seperate 'wings' of the appartement. It was a penthouse, up in a tall modern building. Amber felt strange discomfort to be surrounded by such a big space and the lack of furniture in each room. Her bedroom was big, not as big as the one she had in her old house, but big enough to feel very lonely. The walls were white and bare; the floor was polished but no carpet could be seen; the simple antic wooden framed four-poster bed was covered with the plainest white sheets, devoid of embroideries; her writing desk sat at the very far end of the room, and each time she looked at it, she felt that the distance from her bed to the desk was just too long. Scythe Victoria chose her as her apprentice, when they had first arrived, three days ago. She gave the explanation of wanting to train her better in a quick gleaning with weapons, saying that Amber already mastered the art of poisons and it was completely pointless to train with Scythe Darwin. Personally, Amber felt like it was just an excuse, hiding her real motives. She had smiled and nodded obediently, but inwardly she was screaming her issue out, until she felt her soul would shrivel and her heart would bleed.

These days, Avery's been resting, trying not to exert himself too far. His healing nanites normally would have cured him right away, after the revival, but the idiot has prepared such a strong poison that even his nanites were working slowly. They both have not said a word to each other since the moment they share at the revival center.

Amber slowly sat up, as she saw the time. She woke early, just at the crack of dawn. Her nightmares on her father's death just kept on getting stronger, after Scythe Victoria made her hold a gun, despite months pushing the memories back and burying them deeply at the back of her head. She saw the flames flickering, the screams of the firefighters as some were burned alive by the extreme Tonists. She put a simple green sweater over her nightgown, touching the green apprentice armband through the fabric and headed out to the dining room, at the far end of the corridor. Scythe Victoria was readying herself to go out for a quick morning gleaning. She just finished tying the laces of her leather boots when she saw Amber. Her eyes narrowed.

"An early riser too, hm? Well I have homework for you. Search up a person who is available for gleaning, on heroic water saving deeds in the backbrain of the Thunderhead. I want one subject. For later." Without another word, she tugged on her purple hood and left the house, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Amber sniffed disdainfully, her nose wrinkled with scorn. But she still sat down at the dining table. Simple plates of food were layed out, and the silver cutlery was already placed. She was about to grab her fork when Scythe Darwin approached from behind her. He wore an apron over his pale green robes, his smile as bright as ever.

"Miss Glane!" He greeted her. "How do you find you breakfast?"

"I have not tried yet." She picked up her spoon and shoveled a lumpful of scrambled eggs into her mouth. "They taste great!" She lied. In reality, she felt they tasted very plainly and stale, not an explosion of flavors she was waiting for. Amber swallowed the eggs and her deception.

Scythe Darwin's smile grew wider.

"Good, good!" He unties the apron. "You are expected to cook lunch, eh?" Without waiting for a reply, he tossed the apron at her and headed to his room. "I'm going out soon, and tell Mister Greyhall to revise his toxins for our little quiz later."

Amber nodded, and hesitated.

"Scythe Darwin?" He turned, surprised. "I would like you to call me Amber. I despise being called 'miss'," she confessed.

Scythe Darwin dipped his head.

"Alright. Amber it is then." He vanished in the corridor.

Amber heaved a big sigh as she heard Scythe Darwin's bedroom door click shut behind him. She pushed away her plate, and brought it to the kitchen sink along with her spoon, fork and knife. She washed it, and sighed again. Amber was not used to all this blankness around her. She left the kitchen, and headed to the art room. She felt like drawing something, before beginning her search for Scythe Victoria. She was painting the city outside with watercolors, sitting in a chair on the balcony when she heard footsteps behind her. Amber immediately tensed and relaxed when she saw Avery through the corner of her eyes. He seemed paler than ever, the poison he concocted still hasn't left his system. You idiot, she thought with annoyance. He approached her and leaned over her shoulder.

"Nice painting," he commented.

I waved his compliment away.

"Did you eat breakfast?" She inquired.

"I did, and it was foul. Well, not horrible," he added quickly. "It's just..." he searched for words.

"Plain, flavorless?" She supplied. "I understand. I only ate a mouthful before refusing to eat it again. Just to please Scythe Darwin, you know. It seems bad to let him down after his polite and warm manners."

Avery nodded distractedly. She went back to her sketch. The sky was blue, the clouds looking soft and puffy. The breeze lifted her flaming hair, and she sighed contentedly. A moment of peaceful silence stretched between them. Suddenly Avery spoke up.

"About what happened...at the revival center..." he began, embarrassed.

Amber froze.

"What about it?" She replied simply.

"I fear I might be...attracted to you." He choked on the word attracted, which made her laugh inwardly. "I know we've known each other for a very short time, but...it's killing me to deny what I'm feeling."

Amber gave a small chuckle.

"I can undoubtedly confirm that what we both feel is love." She wrinkled her perfect straight nose. "Or what I think is love anyways."

Avery started.

"You mean- you feel it too?" He whispered.

She nodded once.

"But the kiss was not very important was it?" Amber continued, looking at him.

Avery tensed and shook his head.

"I suppose not." His voice was tainted with uncertainty.

Amber touched his hand.

"I know that we cannot deny such feelings," she murmured. "But I feel that we should put our training as scythes first."

He dipped his head in silent agreement and reached out to touch her cheek. She tensed but did not pull away. Secretly, she relished his warm hand on her cheek. The contact made her shiver and she gazed at him. He leaned forward and gave here a gentle kiss, his lips barely grazing hers.

Amber savored the moment before pulling slightly away, her face still close, their noses almost touching.

"From this moment forward, until we decide furthermore, we shall put our feelings aside and concentrate on more important matters, alright?" She breathed. "I feel everything is rushing too quickly between us. We were enemies, and suddenly, we became...this." She used her hands to gesture the air between them. 

He gave her a small smile. 

"Alright. Deal."

They shook hands and he backed away to lean on the railing a few steps away from her.

In Amber's sketch, the sky was a pale but bright shade of blue, the clouds puffy like cotton candy, the elegant spirals and patterns on each building, and the sun shone brightly on the two figures on the balcony. Amber's hair was ablaze, and her amber eyes looked as golden and shiny as the sun itself.