Welcome to Gaia! ::

After all was said and done, the makeshift weapons stowed away, and chalk had been cleaned off from their uniform and faces. Meridiana had teleported herself to a safe and well-known spot near her workplace, entrusting Zinkenite with the task of bringing Abby, as she was too drained and inexperienced to try transporting them together.

When they’d arrived, she powered down into the more business-professional attire she wore to work earlier that day.

Despite everything that had transpired and the whispered moments that they’d shared, Phedre felt it wasn’t right to conclude their evening just yet, so she suggested dinner together. She considered ordering take out for convenience, but the fluttering butterflies in her stomach convinced her that preparing a meal was perhaps the better options, if only as a means to keep her hands busy.

A perfect scenario would have allowed her time to marinate the chicken for a day or prepare the sauce from scratch, but she was well-equipped for a simple meal preparation, with the exception of jasmine rice and naan which only required a quick stop at the grocery store.

When they finally arrived, Phedre pulled into the garage before gathering the back from her back seat and escorting both Zac and Abby inside through the front door where they stepped into the living room.

It was a spacious two-story house with an open floor plan on the main level. Cherry-stained floors, with area rugs used to separate the living room from the dining room and kitchen, and stairs that led up to the top floor which was carpeted. A place that was suited for a family but only lived in by one but this was the home her parents left her when they moved out of the country while she was still in high school, leaving her in the care of both Grandparents.

Phedre allowed them a few moments to look around as she made her way into the kitchen where she set the bags down on the counter before turning her attention to Zac. “Before I start making dinner… can I.”
She hesitated, worrying her lower lip. “Can I borrow you for a moment, please?”

At his offer, Phedre hid her smile behind her hand but a light chuckle still escaped her. As long as I need, not want she mentally scolded herself.

“Everything is fine,” she motioned for him to follow as she moved towards the staircase. “There’s something I’ve been holding onto for a while, and now that you’re here I want to make sure I give it to you before I run out of chances again.” Holding onto it for nearly five years was long enough.

At the top of the stairs, a hallway carpeted in soft beige stretched in both directions, with open doors on either side, though some were partially obscured. On the left, two bedrooms were tastefully decorated, reminiscent of a charming bed and breakfast, featuring rows of plush pillows and hand stitched quilt draped over the beds. To the right, almost directly ahead of them, was a bathroom that had two sinks and beside that, a linen closet.

On their right, there was only one door to a master bedroom; which was obviously hers. Inside was antique hardwood furniture that looked like it was all from the same set. A mirror above the dresser which had a vase of flowers and beside it a wooden box that was his gift. On the other side of the room there was a bay window that looked out into the back yard, and beneath it a cushioned seat that had a tablet on it which was presumably where she liked to read.

Phedre entered without looking over to see if he’d followed, assuming that if he felt uncomfortable then she’d meet him back by the door. “I found this at an antique store, well- not this… The box I got elsewhere, but what’s inside it.” she fumbled with her words as she lifted the wooden box which left a ring of dust around where it had been placed.

Phedre nodded, “You can open it now or later. Whichever you prefer.” Although she’d like to see his reaction to it, they did have Abby downstairs waiting and she didn’t want to leave the bobtail mauvian alone for too long.

“You can think of this as a reward for winning the exercise earlier, or from the snowball fight- which was around the time I initially found it.” she explained, looking down at the unopened box in his hands. “Or a gift, for all the missed holidays, or birthdays.” Phedre added quietly, her words trailing off while her gaze shifted to an arbitrary spot on the floor as she worried her lower lip, feeling the weight of the silence around them.

“I do,” she retreated a few steps into her room to lean against the side of her dresser. “Before my promotion, I came into possession of a similar medallion, but it is made of normal gold and has a different pattern.”

Phedre drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, her gaze rose to meet his as he marveled at the necklace.“For a long while I was terrified to power up, worried I’d be targeted again and unable to escape. But when I found mine, I was able to regain some confidence again. Before, when I used its magic, it erased my signature completely.” She could traverse the town completely unnoticed. Sure she’d receive a few curious glances but it wasn’t often someone cared enough to approach. “As far as anyone was concerned, I was just a normal civilian.”

“However, it wasn’t until after my promotion I learned that it only diminished my signature by a rank and couldn’t suppress it entirely going forward.” Her shoulders rose in a small shrug. “Now I am either perceived as weak or an easy target. But they learn quickly that I’m not to be underestimated or dismissed so easily.” More magic, more strength and speed, more means of escape if the situation seems potentially deadly.

“Until today I had no idea that you could leave the Dark Kingdom as anything other than a Sovereign; that you’d always need a mauvian with you to suppress your signature.” Being a General is often a reason to go away whereas a King can end up being a call to arms for the enemy. “I thought-”

“I thought if-” Uncertainty rose within her, silencing her explanation. Worry that her drawled-on response was making her seem more like she was just a silly girl, with a silly unnecessary trinket. Worry that she'd overstepped in presenting him with a gift that could be perceived as something other than what she'd intended it to be.

It was not a bribe for a later favor, there was no ill intent behind it. All she had was hope that the medallion could serve a purpose, to keep him safe. But the words to articulate those feelings would not come.

Startled by the sudden sensation of being swept off her feet, Phedre let out a surprised yelp. With barely a moment to process what was happening, her arms instinctively encircled his neck, holding him tightly until she was set down safely on solid ground once more; even then, she held on a second longer.

His joyfilled laugh served as a soothing salve on her worry-worn soul, dissolving her unease until she found herself echoing his laughter with a soft laugh of her own.

“I wish I would have had the courage to have given it to you sooner.” Perhaps it could have been useful to him when he was away on his most recent mission. But with her being the Senshi of the Succubus, a basic Corrupt with no name worth knowing or remembering, and him, not just a General King but the Sovereign she had sworn loyalty to, Meridiana had felt he was beyond approach for such trivial things.

Perhaps it was a blessing she had held onto it instead, as this was not a magic-filled item to be passed off to Queen Laurelite or stored with Starseeds or energy quotas to be used by someone later.

No, it was for him and she trusted he would not pass it on to someone else.

Phedre’s face was flush when finally she unwound her arms and took a step away. “I had the chain replaced so it wouldn’t get tangled in your mask or goggles.” It’d hopefully hang low enough that it could be easily covered by his coat. “I’ve tried looking for one to give to Abby,” Lord knows how hard she tried. “But I haven’t had much in the way of luck.”

“I was hoping I could ask your help to find something suitable for her since you’d know more about things she likes.”

Phedre was hardly taken aback by Abby’s interruption. Left alone downstairs in an unfamiliar setting -- the audacity of them to leave her to her own devices and entertain herself. Of course, she’d explore some and eventually find out where they were ‘hiding’.

What did catch her a bit off guard though was Zac’s suggestion to which she shot him a look. A single brow raised, lips pressed into a thin line as she tried to suppress her laughter. There was an unspoken comment there with the tilt of her head.

Really, don’t you already have that one covered?

Phedre chuckled and shook her head at his idea, then turned her full attention back to Abby whom she carefully lifted to cradle in her arms gently. “We were just talking about how beautiful and amazing you are. And how you deserve all the nice things.” Mimicking a ballroom dancer, she spun in a delicate circle, then dipped low and gently kissed Abby on her cheek. “And all the affection.”

“I have missed you,” her gaze lifted to Zac’s briefly before adding. “Both of you, very much.”

“Unfortunately,” she paused, gesturing towards him as though introducing a keynote speaker at an important meeting. “Although a most welcome surprise, our distinguished leader here did not forewarn me that you were coming to the training today, so I was regretfully not equipped with a proper gift to give to you. I was hopeful he could give me some ideas, but…” Again Phedre dipped her head low to this time give her an Eskimo kiss. “Someone had to ruin the surprise,” she whispered teasingly.

“But, I suppose food should come first, right?” She flashed Zac a look of apology because she should have known that time to talk alone was limited to the sands in an egg timer at best. “I have all the ingredients now to make some chicken tikka masala if that sounds good to you.”

Phedre was held captive by his glance, his reverent tone causing her heart to hum as the joy and laughter from only a few moments ago had not yet subsided. Her lips parted slightly, a response hovering on the tip of her tongue, only to vanish just as swiftly. A gentle smile formed on her lips as she remembered their previous kiss and the emotions it had stirred, so similar to what she felt now.

For the first time in a long while… she felt helpless…Unsure of herself or how to respond to him…

Wishing her courage and confidence did not evade her so easily. Wanting to step close, to embrace him in a manner similar to when he held his arms open to her. Yet knowing they weren’t alone, held her rooted to where she stood a few steps away from him.

Surely Zac must know how his words affected her…

For if these stolen moments continued on the way they were, she knew that he would inevitably be her ruin. Yet, for all the conflicting feelings and new emotions he stirred within her, Phedre would happily let herself fall, as long as he was there to catch her.

For too long now, she’d walked upon a path of uncertainty. Questioning if there was a separation between her or her sphere. Wondering if her role as the Senshi of the Succubus influenced her actions or if her mannerisms and whims were why she was assigned the sphere.

Before she never thought much about the feelings of who she flirted with or considered the consequences, so long as her end goals were met. Something he might recall from their first encounter; how brazen and audacious her actions had been.

But for the first time in what’s felt like forever, Phedre felt like she might have an answer.

For now, though, she hoped to simply enjoy his company, and in time decipher what these feelings meant and how to navigate them going forward. One thing she did know was that the tender touches and joy-filled laugh as he spun her around in the room, were memories she’d cherish always.

Knowing that they were both waiting on her, Phedre shook her head and quietly chucked to herself. “I would appreciate your help with dinner,” she finally replied, before moving towards the door where she paused, her expression softening as she looked up at him. “You know…” She linked her fingers through his in a loose grip, “You look very handsome when you smile.” she gave his hand a gentle squeeze before motioning for him to follow her downstairs.

“I’ll put together a comfortable place for her to rest if you want to either get started on cooking the rice or cutting up the chicken?” There was a rice cooker on the counter near the bread box that she could walk him through using if need be and could tell him where the cutting board and knives were if he preferred that instead.

Phedre tried to stifle her laughter, but it was no use; a soft chuckle escaped her anyway, and with Abby in her arms, there was no use trying to hide her smile as she shook her head to the contrary. “There’s no need to apologize.”

“You’re not wrong,” she admitted.

While powered, it might be easy to miss that his hand was made of metal, and assume that it was a gauntlet or some form of armor beneath his sleeve. But she knew it to be made of Mauvian technology which used a crystal to give it glamour when Zac was not powered; it would not be damaged easily by any kitchen knife that was for certain.

“There should be three chicken breasts in the refrigerator, bottom shelf.” The ones Phedre had taken out earlier to thaw so she could meal prep a few lunches for this week. But this was a special occasion and she did not mind getting more later. “Cutting boards are in the center island, they’re in the narrow cabinet on the right.”

For a moment, she set Abby down on the coffee table while she busied herself arranging pillows on the couch and draping a lap blanket over them to make a comfortable little nest for her to make biscuits in the fleece folds and nap while she and Zac worked on dinner. “Alright, come here you. We’ll wake you once it’s time to eat.” She gave her one last kiss atop her head before joining him in the kitchen.