*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.

"You... believed me?

Nik heaved a sigh of relief internally. He wasn't here to witness the kettle calling pot black but he didn't want to enter into an unnecessary argument either fully knowing that a misstep will blow his cover.

"Ma'am, is there something wrong?" Nik inquired candidly. He walked towards the window and closed it while sneaking a glance outside. The Mayor's room was above the base of the eighth ring of the city by a floor. From the room, the outside was completely dark. Lamps barely illuminating the giant mountain city.

As Nik closed the windows, it didn't take long for the surroundings to grow warmer and Michi's expression eased somewhat.

"It's nothing," she muttered, a little deflated.

'What was I thinking?' However, her heart shuddered. The longer she gazed at Nik, the more fearful she grew.

'If... Ukano finds out... no, I don't even care but if Mai and Tom-Tom find out, what will they think of me?' Michi's throat began to dry up and Nik turned around and silently nodded.

"I see, please, you should keep the windows closed at night. My mother used to say that warm surroundings often allow a person to be more careful and patient."

"She sounds quite simple and kind," Michi sighed and as she saw Nik return towards the exit, a sense of bitterness began to spread... similarly, as Nik held the handle, he clicked his tongue internally. He almost took the coward's way out again. The fact that he quickly changed his entire demeanor once he observed Michi's beginning reaction made him think for a moment.

'I wouldn't have come here... if I wasn't the least bit interested. I could help her in the 'appropriate' manner but that would conform to Esta's teachings... however, it is precisely because of that I'm interested in the first place...'

This realization finally made Nik feel that although he was finally free of Esta, he couldn't easily change what he had become and how he was carved into being. And yet, just by not being able to see Esta, Nik felt wholly unconcerned about the paradox of the 'freedom' he felt.

There were a lot of reasons why Nik didn't act too outgoing in his homeworld. The first of many reasons was the fact that it was his homeworld. Any wrong action may have a lasting consequence. Not to mention the language barrier that he only overcame in the last two days.

'This is different dude... strap a pair. Cresta won't be here to always hold my hand but then again, she, too, died before me...' the smiling face of his caretaker flashed before his eyes as he suddenly turned around.

Michi was somewhat in a daze. She didn't bother with Nik as her fingers ran through the slight wrinkles near the corner of her eyes. Nik meant what he said. Mai should be easily above 20-years-old and yet Michi looked great. Mitsuko could only be said better than Michi due to the higher quality of life in the modern world.

Sensing that Nik still hadn't left, Michi looked up and frowned, "What is it? You can leave. As you can see... your wife isn't here."

Silently shaking his head, Nik sighed softly, "Ma'am, I wish to say a few more things... the Mayor won't come anytime soon, will he?"

Revealing a bitter smile and a vulnerability she wouldn't have expected to reveal to an immigrant, Michi inquired, "What do you think?"

However, her eyes couldn't help but grow a bit expectant.

Just her imagination fuelled by the distinct lack of her husband for almost four years now made her feel more appreciative of Nik who arrived at a single call of her and still refused to leave... this late in the night.

"I just wanted to say that your husband is making a mistake by giving a few waitresses more attention than you," Nik sighed softly as he stepped forward. Even the fire nation guards gave him a better impression than Ukano so he didn't mind doing this to him. But then again, it was never about Nik's distaste of Ukano, he simply didn't have the right to call the kettle black. But his training would simply go on an overdrive with the urge to assist a mature woman in need. It was even quite clear why Nik had a thing for mature women, too.

"How would you know that? Youth has a charm that I cannot compete with," Michi's smile turned sad once she heard Nik open up with her husband's current debauchery.

"And you have a young and charming wife yourself," Michi emphasized this particular point with a hint of envy. She, of course, didn't envy Nik. She somewhat envied Katara for her youth and luck to find such a 'kind' husband who would take time to even talk to her this late in the night.

"Ma'am, please give me your hand," Nik offered his hand. Seeing it, again, Michi hesitated but seeing Nik's body now towering over her as he confidently stood in front of her, she couldn't help but place her hand over his. Pulling Michi up from her seat with surprising finesse as he still hadn't placed his other hand over her, Michi was inwardly startled. Nik's robes barely left his strengthened body the desired effect to attract others. However, what Nik lacked in muscles was covered up by a simple and honest smile alongside the skill of his bloodline.

"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, give attention to your spouses or Nik'll get ya. (Especially females with trap husbandos)