Aiko got a glint in her eye Fiti recognized instantly as not good. "It's nice to meet you. I have to say you look a lot better with your mouth closed." Fiti started to shake with laughter.
Fenix took his arm back and closed his eyes he could sense Aiko did not like him but that doesn't matter Fenix wasn't around to be liked he said "Your lucky I didn't keep your OZ personnel file young lady it had plenty of tasty things about you".
Fiti rested her head in her hands and Aiko continued
"I can tell you exactly what it said. 'Performs poorly in a team environment, highly creative, father is an important person. Avoid pairing with pushy people.' I looked it up a few times." she finished coolly.
Fenix closed his eyes and looked down and said, "I'm sorry but there is no need for such hostility I don't want to hurt Fiti..." He sighed keeping his gaze down.
Aiko shrugged and said, "You're right. No need for hostility." Aiko said keeping her eyes down the entire time, finally serving herself and Fiti cleared her throat and then started making a plate of food for herself.
Fenix kept his gaze down and said softly "Maybe I should just leave...."a tear fell from his eye as he looked down.
Aiko blushed and looked at her plate, she started poking at her food and Fiti put a hand on Fenix's arm and said
"No, please don't go yet. At least stay for breakfast." And then Fiti looked at Aiko who was still fidgeting with her food and sighed.
Fenix dished up some food knowing he did not ever want to leave Fiti's side He ate the food quietly, the cooking was really good he looked to Fiti letting his hand wander over to hers.
Fiti smiled gratefully and took a small bite of food silently praying that this all wasn't going to blow up in her face. She tried to avoid making eye contact with Fenix or Aiko who was avoiding looking at anyone. Fiti could have sworn she saw a small teardrop fall from Aiko's face onto her plate but none followed.
Fenix cleared his throat
"I and Fiti are in love you should respect Fiti's needs, you probably don't understand that Fiti would like to be able to have a romance in her life." Fenix looked up trying to think of something else to explain the situation with him and Fiti.
Aiko finally stood up and left. She went into her room and shut the door. Fiti in turn tried to prevent her tears from coming but failed miserably. Fenix looked down and held his head saying,
"I'm sorry I have never been good at such things I feel awful" Fenix covered his face.
Fiti sighed,
"It's ok. It wasn't your fault. It's...sort of my fault. See, Aiko hasn't exactly had a good history with people. I don't think she trusts them too much. I'm one of the few people she does trust. But I was sort of being selfish myself. But, I've been doing some thinking and well, Fenix, I can't return to Earth. If I go back then I'd be putting both me and Aiko at risk to be caught by Oz. And if she's caught they'll send her back to her father, if they don't kill her. I can't do that to her. And I can't ask you to stay here either. But, I am her guardian. I promised to protect her and do what's best for her for the rest of my life. I'm sorry. Can you understand?"
Fenix looked down and nodded and looked down
"I?ll stay here then I don't want to leave you..." He said sadly.
Fiti looked at him for a long moment before saying,
"No, I can't ask you to do that. You have to work. You have a job, you have to do it. For the good of the colonies."
Fenix looked down sadly saying, "I want to stay with you though..."Fenix almost began to cry.
Fiti leaned up closer to him and whispered, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one."
Fiti let a few tears fall from her eyes and whispered, "I do love you."
Fenix turned to Fiti and tilted her chin up slightly wiping the tears from her eyes whispering back
"I love you too... but Aiko's file was altered I fixed it saying she was killed by the white fang when they found her thinking she was still part of OZ so her father wont get his hands on her again" He looked to her sincerity was seen in his eyes.
Fiti's eyes went wider as she started staring into his, looking deeper at him trying to gauge whether or not he was telling the truth. The more she stared the wider her eyes got until she couldn't make them going any wider and her mouth started to open in astonishment. Finally she managed the words,
"Oh...Fenix." Then she threw her arms around his neck and started sobbing uncontrollably.
Fenix held her in his arms saying "Fiti I don't want to leave you... that is the truth..."Fenix held her almost crying himself.
Fiti buried her face in Fenix's shoulder and kept sobbing.
"You just gave me my life back Fenix, if Oz doesn't want either me or Aiko then the two of us can be normal people again. I can't ever thank you for that."
Fenix stroked Fiti's hair softly "Fiti...I'll do anything for you, because I love you" Fenix held Fiti feeling complete and happy for a change.
Fenix held Fiti in his arms and closed his eyes saying
"Fiti I hope I can show you my flower shop someday..." Fenix held her close tear rolled down his cheeks.
Fiti smiled and said, "I'd love to see your flower shop someday. But I have a question."
Fenix said slowly "Yes?" His chin rested on Fiti's shoulder for a moment.
Fiti smiled and closed her eyes blissfully before finally bringing up the subject.
"What about Aiko?"
Fenix ran his fingers through Fiti's long hair saying softly holding her "She can come with us too...she should get a normal life enjoy the rest of her teenage life... "
Fiti smiled and said, "No I mean more along the lines of shouldn't she decide whether or not she likes you before we make any commitments to anything?"
Fenix smiled and said,
"Yeah we should but she hates me..." Fenix looks down sighing softly.
"No." Fiti said sweetly "She doesn't hate you. She's just not sure what to make of you yet. Just give her time, this is new to her." She said brushing some of his hair behind his ears.
Fenix smiled and said
"Ok but I hope she can understand that we are in love, someday" Fenix held her in his arms softly and hummed softly.
"She will." Fiti said gently "Just give her a little time." Then deciding to lighten the subject she asked, "So what are you humming?
Fenix smiled and said "Just a little song I know its called born of the flames its the song my family passed down for generations." Fenix looked to her resting his head on her shoulder smiling.
"Oh" Fiti said rubbing his shoulders. "It sounds beautiful."
Fiti smiled and rubbed her cheek against his and rubbed his shoulders a little firmer. "You know, you really are a very interesting person."
"So are you." he said lovingly kissing her neck softly caressing her back more lovingly he kissed slowly over her jaw line slowly.
Fiti smiled, unwilling to break the kiss but not wanting it to go any farther. She finally stood up and started clearing away dishes from the table.
"Sorry, but I have to start thinking of Aiko a little bit."
Fenix nods and stands saying "Sorry I shouldn't have been doing that we don't need to traumatize Aiko again we did 3 or 4 times already" Fenix looked down ashamed of all that happened.
Fiti smiled sympathetically, "It's ok Fenix. It's not very often you'd come across a 21 year old with a 14 year old to take care of. I can understand how difficult it is to remember. And it is not your fault." She said gently tapping Fenix's chin with her forefinger.
Fenix nods helping her clean up the table he carried the dishes to the sink and smiled at Fiti saying, "I might be here for a while but I don't know where to stay."
Fiti smiled ironically as she started running water over the dishes.
"I'd offer to let you stay with me except...well..." She sort of motioned over her shoulder.
"Yeah Aiko wouldn't like it much" Fenix helped her wash the dishes.
"Well I doubt you'd appreciate to much if you caught some complete stranger making out with your mother on a sofa." Fiti said grinning a little.
Fenix nodded and put the plates into the drainer and said
"Yeah we could ask her but I doubt she would like the idea so I'll sleep on my shuttle I guess."
Fiti smiled and kissed his cheek.
"I can tell this entire arrangement will take alot of adjusting all around."
Fenix nods softly saying "That shuttle can be cold too..."Fenix looked down shivering slightly.
Fiti smiled again,
"Alright I can tell a request when I hear one, tell ya what, there's a spare room that we normally use for storage. You can stay there if you like."
Fenix nods and smiles saying "Thanks Fiti lets hope we can see the earth soon though" he looks down finishing up the dishes.
Fiti got a wistful look in her eyes,
"Yeah, I do miss the Earth. I don't think it's ever held the same beauty for me since my parents died and I left home though. My town was so beautiful. My house was horrible, but the location..." She sort of exhaled "I can't think of any more beautiful place. I miss it."
Fenix nods and put his arm around Fiti and whispered in her ear "I have a feeling one day we will be married".
Fiti smiled, and kissed him gently, then said, "So it's not just my imagination then?"
Fenix kissed her softly and then said "No but I hope we have a big wedding."