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Chapter Text

There was a lot to do around the workshop that Tango owns. His job includes building redstone components, thinking of ways to make old machines better and coming up with entirely new ones. On top of that, he is the adviser about all things redstone to count fWhip, the emperor who rules the land the blaze is living in. Adviser and friend, he can proudly say. Anyway, the point is, Tango is getting really frustrated that his latest customer is taking his sweet time with checking out the redstone comparators. With nervous, webbed hands, he carefully turns the device as if it would tell him how it is to be used. His tail swishes behind him and his brows are knitted together in thoughts over his brown eyes, his tongue pokes out between his lips. Tango would consider it a rather cute face, with how the few scales on it shimmer with every move. If that guy wasn't wasting his time like this! He wonders why this guy even bothers. He is from the merfolk, they are known for possessing zero skill with redstone things. This guy would be better off just asking Tango for his machine building services. Though the blaze isn't going to point that out. That could be considered rude and he isn't risking it with his emperor's fragile relationship to both merpeople empires. So he stands behind the counter, gritting his teeth with a forced polite smile. Time crawls uncomfortably until the mer-hybrid sighs heavily, with what sounds like defeat, and he puts the comparator back on the shelf. Then he turns towards Tango with a forced smile, "I'm sorry. Thank you for your time." That's all he says before leaving. The door falls shut behind him. And Tango growls "Prick." under his breath.

Later that same day, Tango walks casually to the room where his emperor holds his political meetings. He is already late, so why bother with the stress of running around like a headless chicken? This gives him time to mull over the situation on itself. Usually, when fWhip needs his advice, they would meet at Tango's workshop. So the blaze wonders why he would be summoned. Maybe a machine at the emperor's manor is malfunctioning? The longer he thinks of it, the more plausible it sounds. Just as Tango comes to the conclusion that this must be the reason, he is already standing in front of a wooden door. Since he expects his friend behind the door, he pushes it open, already speaking as he does, "Sorry fWhip. My plans got pushed back by a customer, who waste-" Tango cuts himself off with a sharp inhale. There, at the table with his emperor, sits said customer with an older guy of his people by his side.

His former customer stares at him with big, earthy eyes. His blonde hair shines like the sun, that is reflected off the water. The fish tail is swaying on the ground lightly.

fWhip stands and motions to come closer as he speaks, "Okay, just get over here already." Tango does so with hesitant steps, eyes glued on the mer-hybrid. When he comes to stand next to his friend, he is pushed on a chair and fWhip sits down too. "So, This is one of my advisers in redstone and machines. He is the most talented and, dare I say, the most capable in representing the Grimlands and what it stands for.", the emperor praises. Tango grows a little red and blinks at the former customer. The guy looks impressed but his companion doesn't. "Name's Tango, of the Tek variety. Nice to meet ya.", he says, stretching his hand across the table to shake the blonde's hand. And regrets it when said guy looks surprised and the other mer-guy looks scandalized at him. All while fWhip chuckles besides him. Tango is about to pull his hand back in embarrassment when the former customer grabs it with a soft smile. "Jimmy Solidarity. It's nice to meet you too, Tango.", he says, voice gentle. The guy next to Jimmy scoffs as they let go of their handshake. Then fWhip talks again, "I see that you will get along perfectly. Tango, this is the Codfather, emperor of the cod empire." Tango is horrified. 

This is an emperor! One that he just treated like any other guy. And even the one fWhip has the most strained relationship with. Surely, he made a fool of himself and ruined whatever his emperor had planned.

But instead of scolding, Tango receives more information on this whole meeting. "I asked you to attend this meeting, to break the news to you. The truth is that you, my friend, are part of a peace agreement between the Grimlands and the cod empire. That means that you will move to the cod empire and assist their mechanical needs.", his emperor announces. The blaze's chair falls behind him as he jumps up. His fiery hair grows hotter with his flaring anger. "What? I'm not an object to trade or sell on a whim! I can't just skadoodle to a whole other empire. I have a workshop to run an-" fWhip cuts him off by standing up himself. "This is not a decision made on a whim. It stands for weeks now. I am just now telling you, because you would fight me on this and make it more difficult if given the time to do so. Now, calm down and let me explain.", with fWhip's stirn voice leaving no room to argue and the audience watching, Tango has no choice but to pick up his chair and sit down again, grumbling as he does so. Briefly, his eyes flick across the table, catching the blonde emperor's eyes. The blaze expected to see many different things. But worry was not one of them. It leaves Tango with many more questions. "Well, as I said, this was planned for weeks in several meetings. The codfather and I agreed on terms and conditions about your move and employment. Which is temporary, by the way. Basically, he agreed to provide a comfortable living situation for unrestricted access to your knowledge and advice about redstone and machines. Of course, you are not allowed to talk about the Grimlands on more than a basic level. And what that means is part of this.", fWhip explains, handing Tango a stack of papers. "This is everything you need to know about this arrangement. The codfather and I worked out together what we both expect of this and you.", he says and looks expectantly at him. First, Tango blinks at his emperor. Then, he looks at the codfather and back at fWhip, letting the information settle. The weight of the papers feels heavy in his hands. And finally his fire burns with anger again. "How dare you decide this over my head! And you think I would be okay with this? There is no way I would-", to everyone's surprise, it's the codfather who jumps up and cuts off the blaze's fury. "I want you!", he declares, face serious as a shimmer flickers over his eyes. The guy next to him looks mortified, fWhip stares in silent surprise. And Tango, he raises a brow, feeling his anger bleed out. He stares in disbelief at the foreign emperor as fWhip laughs hard, doubling over. Tango observes how determination crumbles and horrified realization kicks in. The mer-hybrid ducks his head and falls back on his chair while he stutters his explanation, "I-I  mean this arrangement! I would really lo- appreciate it if you agreed to- to do this. fWhip and I- we rely on you to seal this peace agreement. This whole endeavor is… built on learning from each other- other's empires, gaining trust and-", he raises his head, locking eyes with Tango as he continues. "And… I really need this feud to end for the sake of my people." Something about those doe eyes makes Tango feel breathless and the way they look pained as the emperor talks about his people makes Tango's heart stumble. The emperor seems to care a lot about his people. Despite his rather dangerous outside appearance, his friends always said the blaze was a softie and a sap deep down. Really, he should get up and leave, but he proves them right as he answers, "Okay, fine. But I will not be treated as a servant!" Instantly, fWhip chokes on his laughter, the old guy's expression hasn't changed and the blonde emperor lights up. "Okay, yes. I am okay with that." Feeling somewhat bothered by the Codfather's bright smile, Tango looks down at the stack of papers. He bites his lip and wonders what he has gotten into. 

After a rather restless night, Tango wakes with an aching back. Groaning, he gets out of bed and starts his day reluctantly. And, when he is finally presentable to the world, he begins to pack his bags. The whole day is reserved for only this task while the next is the day the Codfather will bring him to his empire. The blaze's mood sours when he thinks of it. A netherborn in a water based empire? What a joke! But he, somehow, agreed to it. The memory of the blonde's pained eyes, as he talked about his suffering people, drives a shiver up Tango's spine. Deciding to ignore that, he is suddenly uncomfortably aware of the paper stack on his table. He leans more over his bag, childishly giving the papers the cold shoulder. There is just no way that the blaze would worry about that now. He has to organize this whole mess that both emperors have put him in. And the chosen order has those papers placed after his move. 

While the sun is crawling down the horizon, Tango finishes packing all the things in his workshop. He is taking all of his things with him and he will not back down on it. Plus, given the nature of this whole operation, he will need his materials. Looking over his many bags, Tango wonders how everything will be transported. But he decides to worry about that tomorrow. Worry can not be allowed to build up high all in one day. That would be nerve wrecking. So he turns to leave the shop through the door that connects it to his house. A melancholic feeling squeezes his chest as his eyes wander over the furniture and otherwise empty house. This has been his home for close to two years now. Though he never expected to stay in the Grimlands indefinitely, he never could have guessed that he would be forcefully removed like this. After all, he had begun to settle and spread some roots. And so, with a wild mixture of emotions, Tango goes to bed.

The last night in his bed was terrible. His mind couldn't rest, playing the meeting and all kinds of possible worst case szenes for the next year on repeat. In his stomach swirled a nauseating mixture of emotions, threatening to exit his body. With the sun finally poking over the horizon, the blaze drags himself out of bed and reluctantly makes himself presentable. He takes his time with everything. There is no need to rush when his ride won't be here for another three hours. With so much time on his hands, Tango decides to go for a walk. Make his last hours here count. He passes the stack of papers, looking the other way as he does. The Grimlands really does look the best at sunrise. All the small machines around the empire catch the light just right to make the redstone inside of them shine. The rhythmic clicking of the solar panels activating is Tango's favorite sound around here. It is enjoyable how silent the empire is around this time. Tango makes a turn, going through a smaller alleyway to reach his favorite spot. And when he reaches the park with the small pond and the mechanical leaping salmon statue, he is surprised to find someone else there. The blonde dangles bare feet into the water, tail laying limp and shoulders hanging low. At the edge of the pond sits the Codfather. Tango almost groans at the sight. He entertains the thought of turning around and walking away, not wanting to meet the emperor so soon. But then he sees the old guy, who was next to the emperor the day before, coming to stand at the Codfather's side. And on a quick impulse, the blaze hides behind a bush. He doesn't get to question his own action as the mer-hybrids begin to talk. "I don't want to hear it anymore, Herold.", the Codfather says with a tired voice. The old guy scoffs, "With all due respect, your highness. As the head of your counsel, I am in the unique position to warn you that this guy is not what our traditions approve of. He is disrespectful and rude, flashy and full of himself, cocky and stuck up. After just one meeting, I can tell you that the counsel won't support this marriage." Something in Tango's stomach drops. He shouldn't be listening to this. But his arms feel heavy all of a sudden. His legs are weak, fixing him to his spot behind the bush. Then there is a huff. Obviously, the Codfather really doesn't want to hear this. As his first word has a sharp edge to it, "Well! Despite the circumstances, who I marry is my decision. And I am not dependent on your support, as I am the emperor. I hear you out for your opinion and usually I value it. But this decision is only mine to make! …And the one I want to marry, of course. However, here is where this discussion is over. I will check on the carriages before we go to pick up Tango." Then there is splashing, steps and a moment of silence. Tango's heart thumbs in his chest. So the emperor will be marrying someone his counsel doesn't like. What to do with this information? Frankly, it is none of the blaze's business. Still, somehow there is a heavy weight on his chest. He is just dreading what this drama means for his work in the cod empire, Tango reasons. He takes a deep breath and it stays stuck in his throat when the voice from that old guy pipes up again. "Damn it! This bastard will ruin our influence over that idiot.", he grumbles and stomps off shortly after. Tango doesn't dare to breathe for a few more moments before bursting into a coughing fit. Once the coughing stops, he storms back home and decides to stay out of that mess as much as possible.

Chapter Text

Way more exhausted than before, Tango arrives at his house. Inside, he leans against the door, sliding down with his back until he sits on the ground. His heart keeps pounding hard in his chest and he doesn't even know anymore, if it's from the unwanted information or the running. Forcing his breathing to slow, he takes deep breaths. And he groans thinking of facing the emperor soon.

Why is it his life that has to become so stressful? Everything was fine up until that foreign emperor stepped into it. There are plenty of good redstoners in this empire, after all. It doesn't have to be Tango. It doesn't.

Tango startles at the sudden knock at his door. He doesn't dare move a muscle. It must have been his imagination. But another knock sounds. "Tango, I know you are in there, panicking I assume.", fWhip. Utterly insulted, but relieved, Tango replies, "I am perfectly fine and as calm as one can be in my situation, thank you." There is a heavy sigh from the other side of the door before his emperor speaks again. "You mind letting me in? I'd like to talk to you, face to face." The blaze contemplates whether he wants to or not. After a moment, he stands and opends the door. fWhip looks relieved and shows a satisfied smile. "Come in. But I can't offer you anything it's-", Tango begins before fWhip jumps in. "Packed? That's kind of why I came to see you." With curiosity, Tango looks at his friend, who closes the door and walks over to the couch. It is covered to protect it from future dust. But fWhip doesn't care as he flops down with the confidence of someone who owns the place. While the blaze follows to stand in front of the couch, the other continues to talk. "You see, I came to say goodbye personally and I want to explain some things before you go.", his voice is tense, despite his relaxed position on the couch. "Go on then, explanification is in order.", Tango crosses his arms over his chest, waiting. The emperor takes a deep breath and looks at the blaze with a apologetic look. "Well, you might think I sold you off or something. And I know I should have asked you to do me this favor. I am really sorry that I didn't.", he says. "As you should be.", Tango spits, lacking any venom behind the words. Ignoring the comment, fWhip goes on, "But you are a little eccentric at times and I only focused on getting this peace agreement done as fast as possible. The mer-people are not the only ones suffering under this conflict. You know, emperor Scott and my own sister are putting pressure on me to end this. My sister is a naive know-it-all sometimes but emperor Scott is actively withdrawing exports and threatening to block all trade routes. That cocky bastard hides his motives in his support of the Codfather but he actually has leverage to back up his words. Our situation is not bad at the moment but I need to secure my people's safety, including the resources they need. So I pulled out the big guns, found something the cod empire lacks that I have and offered the best I have. Which is you!", he explains. Making a mental note about emperor Scott, he also notes that his friend has a valid excuse, Tango thinks. Can he really stay mad, knowing the background? … Yes. Yes, he can. "All this flattery doesn't change that I am mad at you.", he states. fWhip ducks his head a little at that but leans forward as he continues. "I know, you have every right to be mad. Just, know that I am sorry and didn't have any ill intention towards you, my friend." Tango stares at the emperor for a few moments, taking in the genuin regret in the other's eyes. Then he sighs and offers his hand. "Okay, I forgive you. But in the future, always talk to me about things that involve me.", he says. fWhip's face lights up and he eagerly takes the offered hand. "Yes! Thank you." After shaking on their reconciliation, the emperor's face darkens again. "By the way, have you read the papers yet?", he asks. Tango startles, avoiding eye contact. "Oh! Not…much. It was a lot to take in with the facts and the packing…" His friend hums and keeps his voice serious, "I understand. Then let me tell you some things. I don't know how much you know about mer-folk customs, however, you need to know that staying under the same roof as the emperor is a big deal to them. You not only need to be on your best behavior, you have to understand the delicacy of your situation, especially after declaring you won't be treated as a servant." Tango perks up at that. "Under the same roof?" This makes fWhip suspicious of him, narrowing his eyes as he asks, "That information is pretty much at the top of the papers. You haven't even looked at them, have you?" Tango gulps. fWhip stands up and steps closer to his friend. His voice comes close to that of a scolding father. "Tango, it is of utmost importance that you look at them and really understand what your rights are and how to behave appropriately. During that meeting yo-" Suddenly, there is a knock at the door. Relief floods the blaze and he hadn't thought to be this happy when the Codfather came to pick him up. "I know, I know. I will read them, promise.", with that, he rushes to the door. Opening it, he finds the Codfather mid knocking motion. "Oh! Hi there.", his voice is gentle, the smile soft. Tango offers a genuine smile in return and the emperor grows nervous. It must be this awkward situation, Tango assumes. The Codfather's cheeks bloom a faint red color as he talks, "Oh! I- uh your bags, I brought two um carriages. Do you need- want, any help with them? The bags?" Finding himself thinking, that it's adorable how hard the emperor tries, the blaze politely declines the offer. He should be on his best behavior after all. 

After loading all his things into the carriages, and feeling a little creeped out that the cod emperor watched him the whole time, Tango takes the last of his luggage in his hands, the stack of papers he has to go through. Walking out the door, fWhip is already waiting for him. "So, this is goodbye, then." Tango nods and they hug. Before they separate, the emperor whispers a warning to read those papers. Then the blaze walks towards his ride. The Codfather invites him to go first, which he accepts. fWhip shouts at the other emperor to honor their agreement that gets answered with a stern, 'of course'. And then they are moving. 

Tango looks around, the seats are soft, the windows come with blinds and the emperor across from him fidgets nervously with his hands that lay in his lap. But he also notices something missing. "Uh Where- There was this older guy with you the other day…", he trails off, not entirely sure on how to talk to the emperor. "Ah, yeah. Herold is in the other carriage. He has a hard time warming up to you and I didn't want him to make you… feel uncomfortable." That wording seems generous. The old guy despised Tango the moment he opened his mouth, he is sure of that. However, it's nice that the emperor is so accommodating. "Have you… read all of that yet? You have three more days to voice displeasure and negotiate again before it is binding. But I could make it five more… if you need that.", he says, pointing at the papers in the blaze's arms. Shocked that he had such a limit, he silently vows to get into the matter as soon as possible. "Oh, yeah that would be nice.", his voice is small, showing his unease. Wordlessly, the emperor reaches forward, grabs the first couple of papers and scribbles in them. Then he hands them back and explains, "There. I updated the number of days and signed it. If anything is unclear or bothers you, please don't hesitate to see me." His voice is gentle, his smile still soft, his eyes shine like clear honey with the sun illuminating his face and Tango thinks his first impression of the emperor in his shop was rather rushed and maybe really false. Relaxing into his seat, he places the papers next to himself. The Codfather seems satisfied with that, making Tango feel more welcome in his presence. And though the ride takes the whole day, the silence they share is comfortable.

The carriages arrive in the swamp just before the sun disappears behind the horizon. As they pass through the empire, Tango tries not to judge it by what he sees. He doesn't know anything about this place, after all. And maybe, it is way more pleasant than it seems, once he gets to know it better. Unconsciously, that thought drives his eyes towards the emperor across from him. Tango startles as their eyes meet. The emperor has a distantly fond look in his eyes. Wondering what that might be about, he raises a brow. Then suddenly, the carriage stops, causing both men to fall out of their seats. When Tango opens his eyes, he finds himself filling out the whole length of the legroom. The emperor lays on top of him, bodies firmly pressed together and their faces just centimeters apart. Really fast, the Codfather sits up straight on the blaze's middle, growing a deep shade of red and stuttering apologies. Though the emperor seems deeply embarrassed, he doesn't stand up. And Tango briefly thinks that he likes the view. But shoves that thought down fast. Then the handle off  the door moves, causing the emperor to finally stand up hastily and awkwardly. "I am sorry, your highness. A monster startled the horses, but the area is now clear.", the girl driving the carriage explains. Her expression is priceless as she takes in the szene. The emperor stands tense and red while Tango is on the ground, leaning on his elbows. And all around them lay papers. "Uh your highness? What-", she begins but the voice of that old guy cuts in, causing her to step aside. "Your highness! The counsel asks for a short meeting to update th-" The Codfather's eyes grow wide. Bevor the older guy can look inside the carriage, the emperor storms off past him. He looks after him, then at Tango and scowls. "You filthy grimlander! Your situation doesn't allow you to take advantage of our emperor. This peace agreement stands and falls with your behavior. So get yourself together and know your place!", his voice is loud, demanding. The old guy huffs and turns, walking away. Tango is left in the legroom, struggling to understand what he did to upset the emperor. This was clearly an accident.. A few moments pass before he collects himself, then the papers. All while, outside the carriage, shuffling and steps can be heard. When he steps outside, he notices mer-hybrids bringing his luggage inside the big house in front of him. Not as big as fWhip's mansion, but still decently big and well made. It is made entirely out of wood and could house several people. Busy admiring the building, Tango jumps at the voice next to him, "Are you ready to go inside, sir?" Sie snears the last word with disgust. He nearly dropped the papers at that jumpscare. "What- Who?", the blaze asks intelligently. The mer-girl rudely rolls her eyes before answering. "My name is Viktoria and I am the head maid. The emperor asked me to show you to your room. So would you please follow me?" Tango nods and follows her inside the wooden house. In the foyer, she gestures to one side as she speaks, "This way is the servants' wing. Our schedules can be found in the kitchen, the different break times are noted and fix for all employees. As per the emperor's orders, we are not to be bothered with requests during our break. So please make sure to get what you need before or after those times. Otherwise, you will have to do it yourself." Then she points to a large stairway. "Upstairs, you will find the emperor's office, the library and other rooms. Behind those doors to the staircase's sides are the dining room and the kitchen." At last, she points to a wing opposite the servants' wing. "This way are the master bedroom, master bathroom and your bedroom. Please, follow me." Without missing a beat Viktoria walks off, Tango hurrying behind her. This is a lot of information and directions. And the girl's whole demeanor screams of her displeasure at making the blaze's acquaintance. Though what he did to warrant this, he doesn't quite know. His best guess is the old guy's screaming but he can't say for sure. When they stop, she gestures again at the doors. "This is the master bedroom, this one is the master bathroom and right next to our emperor is your room. It has its own bathroom. We expect you to preserve our emperor's dignity, which includes not leaving at night to sneak into the other rooms.", her voice is stern and Tango wonders why he would sneak out when he has his own bathroom. The girl gives him a questioning look, though what she is asking for, he doesn't know. Maybe she wants to know if he has any questions. Because he does. "Why is my room next to the emperor?", he asks. Which she raises a brow at. "The Codfather arranged everything as was agreed upon in those meetings. Now that your bags are unloaded and you have been shown around, please make yourself…comfortable, sir.", her voice is even more strained at the end. Then she quickly turns and walks away. 

Tango tries to unpack and he tries to settle into the place. But this change is still too overwhelming, leaving him restless and uncomfortable in this room that is supposed to be his. Finally having enough, he throws his clothes out of his hands and onto the way too big bed. He quietly opens his door and peaks out of the room. The hallway is empty. So Tango cautiously steps out of the room and looks around. With Victoria showing him around earlier, he didn't get to take in the paintings on the walls, the elegant vases holding fresh flowers, and the expensive looking red carpet with golden decor. Though the building is humbly made, the decorations prove the owner's status. The contrast is weirdly fitting together nicely. Then Tango arrives in the foyer and his eyes land on the stairs. Upstairs is the emperor's office. Feeling the urge to go up, he decides to go to the kitchen instead. He wants to think of what he did to upset the guy before facing him. Before his fist can knock at the wooden door, the voices he didn't pay attention to make him stop his movement as they raise in volume. "-unbelievable! Not even here and he already throws himself at our emperor.", one voice says angrily. "I know! He will just use him for his own gain. That's how they are! The Codfather is in great danger emotionally, maybe even physically.", another agrees. Tango begins to worry. The emperor is kind and doesn't deserve such a treatment. He wants to go in and get more information as he can't let this injustice against his host slide. But then he hears it, "Those grimmlanders look down on us, but that kind of behavior is unacceptable. Herold is right, this guy means trouble and we have to make sure he knows his place. He and the rest of those stuck up pricks don't get to mess with our emperor!", Victoria's voice exclaims. More agree and Tango slowly backs away. Quickly, he goes back to his room, sliding down the door with his back.

So, he is the problem? He didn't even do anything, he thinks. Yet, the staff hates him just as much as that old guy. Yeah, maybe the people in the Grimlands have their own prejudice against mer-people after both empires nearly went to war against each other. But in Tango's experience, grimlanders are trying to be polite and learning to be better. On the other hand, the emperor of the Cod empire is the only kind one of his people that Tango has met so far. The blaze agreed to help this peace agreement, mediate between both empires you could say, and he left his established life behind. All that to be treated as lesser than by people who don't even try to hide their hatred towards someone they don't know.

Head falling in his hands, Tango feels lost. He decides to skip dinner today and ignore his luggage. Bed it is, this day be damned.

Chapter Text

Aggressive knocking startles Tango awake. It takes him a moment to remember where he is and why, all while that knocking continues. Then, when he is finally truly awake, he answers, "What?" His voice is agitated and rough from being disturbed like that. It clearly surprises the person behind the door and Tango's head falls back on the pillow at the enjoyable silence. That lasts not long enough in the blaze's opinion, as too soon, a female raises her voice. "Sir, you ignored our earlier attempt to wake you. The emperor is disappointed you didn't join him for breakfast and told the staff to bring it to your room. May I come in?" Her voice is strained and she snears the 'sir', just like Victoria did. And surely some of that information is meant to make Tango feel bad. He is sure of that after hearing what the staff said last night. He sighs. "Come in." The woman casts a short glance at him as he sits up, frowning disapprovingly. "You know, sir, our emperor may not be that respected by your emperor. But he is extra ordinarily loved by his people and-" she cuts herself off with a scandalized gasp when she turns around. Tango gives her a questioning look as she quickly walks out of the room, mumbling, "My, how indecent.", under her breath. Tango looks down at himself as the door closes. There is nothing wrong with sleeping in a shirt and shorts, he thinks. The shirt may have ridden up a little when he stretched but that's it. Frowning himself now, the blaze walks over to the desk, where the woman placed his breakfast. It looks nice. A-bit-of-everything type breakfast, like the table must have been a buffet and the emperor wanted to be sure there was something that Tango would like. Suddenly he feels really bad to have missed the meal. Especially, while this looks nice, his appetite is absent. Drinking the juice, he turns away from the desk, letting his eyes wander around the room. Many of the bags are still full, some clothes are thrown carelessly on the ground and the stack of papers glares at him from the nightstand. All in all, it's unpleasant and feels cramped, despite the spacious room. So Tango decides to get dressed and get himself familiar with the empire. Secretly, he holds out hope that the emperor is not the only unprejudiced person in this empire.

After throwing on some of his usual work clothes, he opens the door to find the emperor behind it. Though Tango is only a few centimeters taller than him, the way he ducks his head makes him seem so much smaller. The blonde smiles shyly and his voice is kind, "Hi there. I- sorry to be bothering you. I just thought I could show you around?" It sounds like a question, a  plea almost. And he is tempted to agree. But somehow, Tango really wants to be alone for now. "Actually, I would like some time for thinking. It is a big change to suddenly move and-", he begins, cutting himself off as he sees the disappointment in those rich brown eyes. "I mean, except if you need my services of course! I am at your disposal, after all. I'm all yours." The moment it's out, he regrets it. The emperor flushes deeply. From the tips of his ears and down his neck. Which Tango decides to not think any further on. Then he opens his mouth, making Tango's anxiety spike. "I-You…" Then he makes a small frustrated sound. And the blaze takes that as his sign to leave. He gently pushes past the Codfather, shouting a apology as he outright flees. There is no other way he would describe it. On a quick impulsive decision, he takes a left turn outside. Only after he passed a couple of buildings does his feet go slower. And he is flooded with regret and embarrassment.

Why did he say that? What is the emperor thinking of him now? Did he screw up this whole operation already?

Tango groans in his hands, feeling his hair growing hotter. As he lets his hands fall to his sides, he sighs. What's done is done. Whatever possessed him to say those things is gone. The thing he is left with is to apologize and insist he isn't usually this creepy. As soon as he works up the courage for that. With his mind still replaying that embarrassing scene, without his permission, the blaze doesn't notice the person in his way until it is too late and the old woman stumbles. Luckily, he manages to grab her elbow, preventing her fall. "I am so sorry ma'am. Are you okay?", he apologizes quickly. Her voice is slightly out of breath from the surprise but still light and friendly, "Oh my goodness. Don't worry, dear. I turned the corner looking for my daughter. You couldn't possibly-" Then the sweet old lady in front of him is gone. Her gentle smile replaced by a scowl, the kind eyes pinched in hostility. "Those clothes! You are a grimlander. How dare you show your face in this empire! I will teach you not to mess with the emperor!", she threatens. Though Tango can hardly say that he feels threatened by this fragile woman holding desperately on to her cane and shaking her tiny fist. She is hitting Tango's chest with all the force of a cotton ball and he just lets her as he contemplates what to do here. Luck, however, is on his side this time, as a young woman approaches the two with quick steps. "Mother, what are you doing? I leave you for two minutes and you are starting a fight again!", she shrieks. Then she drags the older woman away from the blaze, apologizing profusely. Tango, very confused by the situation, answers, "Oh it's okay, really. I can guess where this is coming fro-." Then the older woman pipes up again. Accusing Tango of malicious plans and a rotten personality. And while the daughter scolds her, he just turns and leaves, walking the same way he came from. Suddenly it feels like everyone on the street is watching his every move and glaring holes in his body. While Tango shoves his hands in his pockets, his steps become quicker. And with nowhere else he could go, he finds himself back at the emperor's house. 

Thoroughly unmotivated and saddened, Tango spends the rest of that day, and the day after, in his bed. The closet stays empty, his bags full. Staff that brings food is turned away, as is the emperor himself. Thanks to the fact that his room has its own bathroom, he can isolate himself completely. And while the staff is getting increasingly hostile in their words directed at the blaze, the emperor keeps coming back with pleas instead of demands. On his second day of isolation, late afternoon, Tango curls up in the bed and wonders, when even the emperor's patience will run out. When will be the breaking point where he will have messed up and both empires go to war because of him? He is letting everyone down. Just as tears begin to sting his eyes, shouting from the hallway starles the blaze. At first, he can't make out any words. But as angry steps come closer to his door, he becomes a unwilling witness. "-don't care! The time is not over so nothing is binding, yet.", the emperor states. A older voice answers, "Even more of a reason in the council's eyes. Clearly the Grimlands are not interested. Rivendell, on the other hand, is. Emperor Scott is influential, powerful and well liked. A chance of a lifetime for the Cod empire, for you! Why are you being this difficult these past days?" It is the head of the council. Tango feels anger rise with that realization, pushing to replace the previous emotions. That guy had bad mouthed the blaze to the staff, effectively tipping the scale against him. What he is doing next, he shouldn't do. He jumps off the bed and goes to the door, to better listen in on the argument. As he does so, the emperor responds, "I am inspired to be my own person! I am the one in charge, not the council. And I have decided that if it comes to it,I am willing to honor our traditions and marry -" The older guy interrupts angrily, "Garbage! Your hormonal changes effectively make you a pubescent teenager again. All this is, is some stupid crush! Maybe even less than that. You can't possibly be serious about this. You can't run an empire like this!" Now, Tango gets really pissed off on behalf of the emperor. He has proven to be caring for his people the most and this is how the head of his council treats him? Not paying the emperor's answers any mind, Tango interrupts him by suddenly opening his door. Both guys startle, even flinching at the unexpected company; or maybe the flames on the blaze's head. Instantly, Tango gently pushes the emperor behind himself and gets in the older guy's face. "Now listen here, you prick! Any emperor that cares about their people at least half as much as the Codfather deserves more respectificating than this. A emperor's capability is solely defined by their leadership qualities. And not by how well they can meet others expectations. As far as I can tell, the Codfather is a good emperor. But you are a disgrace for everyone serving one!", he accuses. For a uncomfortable long moment, Tango stares the old guy down. Then he hears the emperor behind him mumble something. And then the emperor switches places with Tango, gently pushing the fuming blaze back. "You are dismissed for today, Harold. I want the council to meet tomorrow after lunch.", he says, standing tall. Tango takes note of the emperor's red ears before he gets directed through his still open door. The emperor avoids his eyes and his council head's protest. "Y-your highness. You can't let him talk to me like this! I am-" The slamming door cuts him off, making Tango grin in satisfaction.

A few silent moments pass through the room. Both men avoid looking at each other as neither knows what to say to what just happened. Tango should apologize for inserting himself in that conversation. Surely, the emperor is upset that a outsider spoke up about something that he has no business in. He should apologize for ignoring the emperor and storming off a few days before. That was unnecessarily rude. Maybe he should fall on his knees and beg the emperor to not declare war on the Grimlands. While he still works up the courage to start…somewhere, said emperor speaks up first. "Thank you.", he whispers. The gentle voice makes Tango snap his head up in surprise. And before he can bring out any words, the other continues while still avoiding eye contact. "Well, I don't want to bore you with my personal stuff, but nobody ever supports me like this. So, thank you." He looks up at Tango, one hand squeezing the other arm, eyes wide and underlined so beautifully by red and shimmering scales. Tango thinks he can't be serious. From what the blaze experienced, people in this empire care very much about their emperor. Does he not see this? The blaze swallows the lump in his throat to speak, "Actually, everyone I have met so far seems to trust you in your position and very much appreciate you as a person." The emperor looks puzzled at first but then offers a small smile. "You have talked to people? I am glad, your isolation had me worried that you dislike everything and everyone here. I thought I failed to make you feel welcome." Just like that, the emperor breaks the tension between them for a second time since Tango has met him. "No! Void, quite opposite. I just-" Well, no better time than the present, Tango supposes and takes a deep breath. "I just couldn't figure out how to apologize for all I messed up. The incident in the carriage, when I fled this room and rudely pushed past you. Heck, just now when I inserted myself in a conversation that I had nothing to do with. I'm sorry, really sorry." The emperor blinks at him a few times and laughs shortly after. Nothing near the reaction Tango expected, but better than anything he thought might happen. "Oh sorry. I was- you had something to do with it.", he says in between chuckles. Utterly Confused, the blaze stares at the other man until he calms down. "The incident, you did nothing wrong. I was just embarrassed by almost being seen like that. When you ran away, I thought I had upset you. You didn't join me for breakfast before that. But I am glad that wasn't the case. After all, you are entitled to feeling overwhelmed with your situation. Just, please talk to me sometimes. So I can try and help you." His smile is warm and genuine. It warms Tango's chest in a new kind of way. Then his eyes shortly flick away from him. And Tango dreadfully knows he noticed the papers on the nightstand. "Well…is there something I can help you with?", the emperor aks hesitantly. Right, the blaze has a time frame to asks about and challenge things in those papers. How many days has he left? Four, maybe? Yeah that seems right. That is enough time to go through all of it. "No, so far, everything is fine. I will write everything down that I want to talk to you about. And when I am fully through those papers I will come to you with that list." That seems to satisfy the emperor. His warm smile is back, until his eyes fly down Tango's form and it turns upside down. "Um, would you like to join me for dinner?", he asks. Does he look so bad after only a couple of days without food? Feeling guilty to worry the emperor, he answers, "I'd love that." And he is surprised by how much he likes the idea of that. Even more so, that it's not because of the food.

Chapter Text

Waking in a good mood for the first time in days, Tango jumps out of the bed. This morning has him filled with energy and motivation. First, he goes to the window, opening it wide and soaking in the gentle warmth of the morning sun. Birds and frogs are singing, the air feels less drowning in the lungs and in the distant sounds the buzzing of busy people. It seems like the first calm day after a storm for Tango. And so, with a jump in his steps, he quickly goes to get ready for the day. Freshen up, getting dressed, quickly he goes to tackle his bags. And while he goes about this mindless, but long overdue, task  he allows his thoughts to revisit the dinner last night.

The first meal he actually had with his host went good, great even. They had talked about food and what their hybrid traits physically meant for them respectively. Tango has gotten to know the emperor on a more personal level. He even dared to make a few jokes to test the waters, so to speak. The heartfelt laugh he received and the jokes made in return had the blaze feeling like a child on the playground that made their first friend. His heart fluttered with a joy his life had lacked a lot these past days. 

And then, just as he empties the second bag into the closet, someone knocks at his door. It is not that hastily annoyed kind that he has come to know and expect from the staff. "Yeah?", he asks. "Tango, may I come in?" That voice has the blaze rush to answer the door, even though he could just allow the emperor to enter. With a force that tells of his excitement, Tango opens the door. The initial surprise on the emperor's face quickly falls to a soft smile. "Hi.", he breathes. "Hey.", Tango answers with a smile of his own. There is a short moment of silence before the Codfather speaks again. "I thought I might ask you for breakfast myself today. That seems more effective than sending staff.", his voice has that teasing that the blaze was introduced to the night before. It is charming in a way that is hard to describe, sending a pleasant tingle up the spine. Tango smirks, showing his canines. "How could I ever say no to you, your highness?", his tone is equally playful as he bows to the emperor. When there is no immediate reply, Tango gets confused. But eventually, the other chuckles with a uncomfortable undertone. Just before the blaze can ask what's wrong, the emperor hooks his arm with Tango's and leads him away. Quickly, Tango remembers to close his door. "So", the emperor begins, "after our conversation yesterday, I let the kitchen prepare a much smaller but more on point breakfast. Whatever it is that you desire today, it will be there." There is no evidence of anything wrong anymore. He sounds pleased and very proud. Tango appreciates that but… "I'd eat any of the things I told you. There is no need for-" Apparently, not what the emperor wants to hear. "You deserve to choose. In fact, I want to make sure that you get treated the appropriate way from the beginning." he states. Bewildered, Tango doesn't notice that the pair arrived in the dining room until he is placed in a chair.

The table is filled with delicacies from both the overworld and the nether. Even the one dish from the Grimlands, that the blaze came to like, stands right in the middle. For a few moments Tango's eyes wander in amazement over the table, taking note of each dish and realizing that the whole breakfast part of the list is there. "I- wow. This is…way too generous. I-" Tango tries. But that too is not what the Codfather wants to hear. "Nonsense! If you let me, you will not be treated as any less than what you are worth.", he declares. Ah, so this is the hospitality that both emperors agreed on for Tango's work. You would have known if you read those papers!, his conscious scolds him. It would be rude to decline, then. Deciding that the emperor is more than accommodating, he silently vows to try the Cod empire's food too. …And finally take a look at the treaty, he supposes.

As a sign of his surrender, he takes a bit of many plates. Which he gets rewarded for by the emperor with a satisfied smile. That new kind of warmth dances in his chest like a flame. It is nice to feel welcome , Tango thinks. Some guy comes to fill their glasses, giving Tango the stink eye, and leaves without saying a word. That only stings a little bit, as it is brushed aside by the emperor's soft voice. "I don't know how far you have come with the contract. So I wanted to bring it up now. Today, I want you at my council meeting. We have discussed what kind of machines the Empire needs and I want the expert to tell us what is and is not possible to do." Tango looks up from his food, the spoonful slipping off the utensil as he lets the information settle. Dreadfully he contemplates what awaits him. Meeting the rest of the council? Seeing that old guy again? Showing off to those pricks while impressing the emperor? Suddenly the idea of attending that meeting sounds alluring. Maybe, the quick change of heart is something he should think about. Later, as it seems Tango was already thinking for too long. "Does that- Is there something wrong? Is it because of Harold? I know he hasn't yet warmed up to you. But I promised that I won't let you be treated badly." It sounds pleading despite both of them knowing that Tango couldn't decline. It's his job, after all. "No, I'm good. Your council will be picking their jaws off the floor when I'm done." Yeah, redstone is Tango's passion. He lets his confidence shine with a smirk. The way the emperor's eyes grow big and his cheeks turn red goes unnoticed as the blaze thinks of ways to make a impressive show of his skill set and he shovels his food down with excitement. 

Right after breakfast, Tango had sorted through his bags containing his redstone equipment until lunch. That meal had way too much food on the table again. And the Codfather, again, had refused to down size to less dishes to choose from. Deciding to let it be, the blaze had sighed in defeat.

But now, that is unimportant as Tango enters a large building not far from the emperor's home. He holds the strap of his bag tightly as he walks next to the emperor. He should be walking slightly behind the ruler, considering who they are respectively. That's even how he does it whenever fWhip and him are in public. But every time that he slows his steps to fall back, the blonde does the same to walk beside the blaze. It frustrates Tango somewhat as he thinks about their interactions. How is he supposed to walk this wobbly line of their work relationship when the emperor disregards basic societal rules like this. Their relationship is quite strange, Tango realizes then and begins to reflect on it. They aren't friends, despite their mostly casual interactions. How could they be, considering their positions in life? But they sure aren't acting befittingly to their positions. Tango wouldn't dare act the same with other rulers, like princess Katherine. On the other hand, their relationship is similar but somewhat different to the one he has with fWhip. With the Codfather, he feels like he wants to be more open, more vulnerable, closer. Which is way out of line for him. Quickly, he shakes his head as if to physically rid himself of that line of thinking. Where is this coming from?

A hand on his shoulder suddenly pulls Tango out of his mind. But the emperor doesn't say anything, only raises a questioning brow. Tango answers with a confident grin, signaling to be okay and ready. And with a short nod and a small smile, the emperor opens the door they are facing. Not getting the time to wonder when they arrived at the door, Tango walks in. He tries again to fall back, but fails miserably. Noticing the council members' stares, he slightly shrinks in on himself. The emperor, however, has his back straight and a shimmer in his eyes. A unexpected touch on his back shoots a shiver up the blaze's spine. And his brain shortly shuts off as he is led to a chair at the round table. "This way. Your place is next to me.", the emperor instructs. Deciding to ignore how he feels about that sentence, Tango sits down. The table is a large circle that has the council members seated on one exact half while the emperor and Tango have the other half to themselves. The head of the council and the emperor sit directly across from each other. And while everyone on that other half glares at Tango, the Codfather smiles excitedly. Frankly, it's a uncomfortable situation. It feels outright hostile and the blaze hates everything on that opposite side. The murder in their eyes, the way they scowl, he hates everything. After a long pause, finally, the emperor speaks up. "I am grateful that you all could make it on this unusual short notice. This is the Grimlands' redstone expert that will be helping to bring the Cod empire forward in our mechanical needs.", he announces happily, gesturing to his side. Dead set to impress, and prove everyone wrong , Tango stands up and slightly bows his head as he introduces himself. "My name is Tango, of the Tek variety. I am honored to meet you.", he says politely. When he raises his head, however, the council members look displeased, disgusted even. The head guy smiles smugly as the others whisper amongst themselves. Tango catches snippets of 'how dare', 'speak over the emperor', 'such a show' among other things. Glancing at said emperor, he finds sparkling eyes and a delighted smile. Content that that particular person appreciates his efforts, Tango sits back down. "Wonderful!", the emperor chirps before his voice drops to something serious. "Now, to plant some trust in Tango's abilities, he will explain to us what those different redstone things do. Then, we will talk about machines.", he explains before addressing the blaze directly with a playful smile. "So, the stage is yours, Mr. Tek." Tango's heart skips a beat and the warmth in his chest gives him the push to jump into action. He takes his bag and stands up again to place one of each of the different redstone components on the table. With ease, he explains their uses, standing the whole time it takes. He relishes in the council's lack of knowledge and the way that the emperor scolds them for not paying attention, causing Tango to repeat himself. And then the council brings up a list of things they want to be done automatically. Things they need his advice and skills for. Though everything they ask for is easily built, he is glad to finally be in his element again. Still determined to show off his skills, he even draws a blueprint; for one smaller machine, on the spot. And explains again how the different parts work together. Tango has no words to describe how good he feels, seeing the whole council struggle to follow his explanation. The Codfather doesn't hold up any better, but he tries really hard; asking follow up questions and taking notes. The amazement and curiosity on the ruler's face are greatly appreciated.

Once Tango offhandedly asks whether he should explain another possible machine, the entire council scrambles for excuses and the meeting is quickly ended. While they hurry outside, avoiding to look at the blaze, he packs his things up with satisfaction. It is only early in the afternoon, but nothing can ruin this day , Tango thinks. "You were amazing. Even if they still can't understand what I see in you, there is no denying your genius." Surprised, Tango looks at the emperor. What is that supposed to mean ? Their eyes meet and the brown shines richer than ever before with that caring look. Care, the thing that the emperor so freely supplies. More so than would be necessary for excellent hospitality. So, the blaze finds himself wondering, maybe they are on their way to becoming friends. It doesn't matter that it feels somewhat different to his friendship with fWhip. After all, the emperors are two vastly different people. With a grin Tango shoulders his bag. "I don't care what they think of me. Your opinion matters most to me.", he announces. Briefly, he is surprised how easily it slipped past his lips. But he can't take back what feels right. On top of that, the emperor seems to be on equal parts embarrassed and happy, squirming in his place and avoiding eye contact while blushing. A sight Tango shouldn't like as much as he does. 

Chapter Text

Wind rustles the leaves and gently slides through Tango's fiery hair as he steps outside the council's meeting hall with the emperor next to him. The other man is awfully quiet while they walk towards the emperor's house. They did make a promise the other day to talk more, so the blaze takes a deep breath to gather his strength. And then, "I'm sorry, for making you upset.", he says. Though, remembering how the emperor looked after his confession, Tango fails to feel sorry. Rather, he feels like a creep for not feeling sorry… Quickly, the Codfather looks at him, stopping his steps. Tango halts too. "No! Void, no… I am not upset. I just-" He bites his lip and looks away. "You surprised me. I am used to being told that I am too naive to know any better and too inexperienced to know of this or that. Though I am the emperor, my opinion seemingly has no value." With a voice this weak and hopeless, Tango wants to hug the other man and squeeze all those worries out of him. But their friendship is still developing, still in it's baby shoes. So he goes for a less intimate option. Placing a hand on the other's shoulder to get his attention, he says, "I have only ever seen a confident and strong ruler in you. How could you ever think of yourself in any other way?" For a moment they look at each other and then… A single tear works it's way to the surface and down the emperor's face. Tango watches it, frozen in place and beginning to panic inside. Just before he can properly freak out, the Codfather starts to shake with laughter. Confused and dumbfounded, the blaze stands there. "You are amazing! You have no idea how much-!" the emperor says in between chuckles. It feels like that sentence is left unfinished. Like there is something he can't bring himself to say. What that might be, Tango can not even guess. When the Codfather calms, he smiles at Tango. "I would like to show you something special tonight. Meet me right before dinner in my office, okay?" he says, continuing to walk towards his home. It takes a moment before Tango catches on and he hurries after the emperor.

Hesitant steps take the blaze up the staircase. It's his first time going to the upper floor and, arriving at the top of the stairs, he isn't sure where exactly to go. But deciding to just start somewhere, he turns left and opens the door. It is a large room filled with shelves that hold countless books. In one corner, there seems to be a seating area. Definitely a library. Physically deflating a little, Tango frowns. "Not this one…", he breathes. "Didn't Victoria show you around?" The sudden voice has Tango jumping with an embarrassing squeak that he will deny to have ever done for the rest of his life. With one hand clutched to his chest, he turns, breathing heavily. "She did. But not this part. Geez, you can't sneak up on a man like that. My heart nealy explodificated in my chest." Taking note of the emperor's rapidly moving eyes, flicking up and down between his face and chest, Tango finds himself wondering;not for the first time, what might be going on behind those eyes. Then, the blonde wears his displeasure on his face.  "That's insufficient. Except for the servants' wing, you have unrestricted access to all the rooms in my house. I will deal with that. Anyway, come this way.", the emperor states, pulling Tango by the arm. The library's door is already forgotten. Letting himself be pulled to the emperor's liking, the blaze follows obediently until the pair stands in the emperor's office. Shelves with books and trinkets line two of the walls. A desk with papers on it stands near a big window that is uncovered, flooding the room with soft light from the full moon. With his heart pounding hard in his chest, Tango freezes in place. He has a weird feeling between his ribs that snakes its way down to the pit of his stomach. The thought that this would be a murder scene in a low quality book pops in his head. But that gets shoved out the office door before the blaze closes it behind him. That would be ridiculous after all. And so he watches the emperor walk to a table in a nearby corner. It has two sofas along the longer sides and a decent amount of plates and candles. Is this a business dinner?, Tango wonders as he goes to join the Codfather. "Come here. Let's eat something before I expose my secret to you.", the emperor says lightly and grabs something off a plate. Sitting down, Tango quickly responds, "You don't have to. If it ain't about redstone machinery, you really don't have to force yourself to-" With hard eyes and lips pressed to a thin line, the Codfather makes him shut his mouth audibly. He hasn't been on the receiving end of that authoritary look yet. That was a surprise."I want to. Nobody is forcing me to do anything." His voice is hard but the next sentence is a slip up, only a whisper. Merely a breath as his eyes grow soft. "Not anymore…" Tango is speechless. What could he answer to that? Should he even? Their relationship is not at a point for something this personal. So he silently grabs something off a plate. Now it feels awkward between them.

They eat for a while, not exchanging any words. The candles melt away, flames flickering as if to comfort the blaze with something familiar. Then, the emperor is the first to speak up again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spoil the moment." Looking over to the emperor, Tango finds the other with hanging shoulders and a sad expression. It tugs at his chest, driving his words out of his mouth. "It's okay. I feel honored that you feel comfortable around me. And whatever it is you want to tell me, it will stay between you and me." The Codfather's expression relaxes, his eyes sparkling as the dim candle light catches in them. "I know. Trust is something I can't resist laying to your feet willingly. That is why you are the only one in all the empires who I want to know about this.", the emperor declares and shifts to grab a bundle that was hanging on his hip. Tango gulps, his adams apple bobbing. He feels embarrassed by those words with so much weight being so easily shared. Then the emperor turns, holding the small bundle between them. "Tango,", the mumbled voice echoes in his chest. "as far as I know, this is the only one in all the empires. Surely, you know what that means." Tango leans closer, peeking inside the bundle. He gasps. "This is…" Humming, the codfather finishes his sentence. "A nether wart. Not even my council knows that I have it. And the recent meeting has revealed that no other emperor is currently in possession of any." That is quite the news. While that plant is only used for decoration in the nether, the overwolder found that it has magical properties. That makes this one little plant very valuable. But to utilize that magic you need- Tango's eyes grow big as he slowly meets the emperor's eyes. His heart pounds increasingly harder in his chest while his hair sparks desperately and his thoughts start racing.

Images flash behind his eyes. Cages, weapons, the floor he laid so much on in his exhaustion and a evil smile.

But the other blonde smiles brightly seemingly without any ulterior motives. "I need your advice with this. Do you know of any way to automatically farm this?" His voice gains an excited undertone, snapping Tango out of his long gone past. Though the blaze has no reason to distrust the emperor, fear of being used for provit is hard to shake off. That is something you don't want to go through twice. So he is hesitant as he asks directly, "You don't want to… you know, make potions yourself, do you?" The emperor laughs at that, startling Tango but also pushing a heavy stone off his chest. "No, not at all. That would be messing with Wizard Gem. I'm not after her wrath. Rather, I want to supply her with that ingredient to strengthen our alliance. It is the one thing she needs after securing a trade deal with a blaze." Soaking that information in, Tango relaxes and finds his muscles impossibly sore with the tension gone. Right. These empires are different from where he used to be stuck for months. Exhaling his relief, he answers, "There isn't anything I can do. I'm sorry. Those are delicate plants, making the harvest difficult with something as boorish as machines." The emperor deflates a little. "Oh. That's okay. Thank you for your expertise." His smile is warm and genuine and Tango's heart stumbles. Then there is a hand on his, causing him to look down and up again. Suddenly those brown eyes are laced with worry, making Tango confused. "You looked pale just now. Is everything alright?" The blaze's red eyes grow big with a mixture of emotions. After a heartbeat, he chuckles. He realizes that he does, in fact, want to talk about this for the first time. Something about this man tears down any and all walls that Tango has build up. Carefully build walls that he decorated in humor and an ever present smile to distract from the ugliness inside. But, he supposes, he could repay that offered trust with a secret of his own.

And so he explains the fear that crept up on him. He talks about redstone as his motive to come to the overworld. How he was held in a cage for his blaze rods. How he fled and began traveling, never staying longer than necessary until he arrived at the Grimlands. How his friendship with fWhip convinced him to stay there. And that it's the reason he feels safe in this land divided into empires. All that while avoiding eye contact. But squeezing the emperor's hand for his own comfort.

At the end of what feels like a rant to himself, Tango looks up hesitantly. Before he gets to see the other man's face, he is wrapped up in arms. His breath catches in his throat and he flinches when something wet drops on his neck. "I'm sorry that you had to experience that.", the emperor says with a sob. And Tango just about melts at the compassion. Wrapping his own arms around the emperor, the blaze finds his very core warming up. "Is that why- When fWhip told you about your part in our treaty you said-" The Codfather tries to ask through his sobs. But he seems to not bring himself to finish. Tango's own voice echoes in his head. Saying, What? I'm not an object to trade or sell on a whim!   He breaths a heavy sigh, squeezing the other man a little. That is all the confirmation needed.

Neither of them say anything nor move to let go of one another. They stay like this until the candles begin to die by lack of wax, leaving them in darkness. And they don't talk when the emperor walks them downstairs, while not even attempting to let go of Tango's hand. When he finally does let go, at Tango's bedroom door, their short 'good night's feel incredibly personal, intimate even. But not uncomfortably so.

Chapter Text

There is no trace of the conversation that  Tango had last night. At least, nothing the staff would notice. For him, though, changes are very visible. He feels like there is a new kind of intimacy in every interaction they have. Every ever so casual touch lingers just that little longer, leaving a burning fire just under Tango's skin. Every smile shared is a testament to their new plane of relationship.Though what that exactly is, the blaze has no clue. It's not like he could ask the emperor and risk being told…something. How pathetic is that? He doesn't even know what is holding him back, what answer he is avoiding. All he knows is that he doesn't want to lose, or make awkward, what they have right now. He finds himself liking the possibility of being vulnerable like this with someone, with the emperor. He likes not being rejected and he likes how exciting all this new feelings are. Even if he can't properly understand them. And so, Tango sits through their shared meals today, soaking in all these little sparks. He enjoys the time they spend alone after lunch, planing redstone machines, drawing blueprints and sitting so close that Tango thinks he can feel the other's warmth on his skin. Everything feels too much and too little at the same time that Tango wants to-

A loud knock at the office door has them both raise their heads. Before the emperor can say anything, the door flys open to reveal fWhip and a elf, lavishly decorated in fine clothes and jewelry, standing there. fWhip's expression immediately brightens, turning to the elf. "See? I told you our peace treaty works. My representative is doing his job. No fight, no abuse, no bad blood. So can you please open the trade routes again?" The elf doesn't answer. He stares at Tango with icy eyes and an unreadable expression. That is, until the Codfather jumps up from his chair next to the blaze. The blonde storms over quickly, leaning in close and poking at the other's chest. "Excuse me? Scott! I told you I could handle it myself. There was no need for you to pressure fWhip.", he shouts angrily. The elf doesn't look impressed. Instead, his eyes are weirdly kind as he takes the emperor's anger. Tango grinds his gears as that name rings a distant bell. Then the elf grabs the Codfather's offending hand, smiling at him gently. "Jimmy, I-" The Codfather quickly shakes his hand free, huffing at the other. "No. Scott, we talked about that.", he whines. Then fWhip laughs, "You can only be in charge of your own empire, Scott."

And then it clicks. (…) emperor Scott (…) putting pressure on me to end this. (…) That cocky bastard hides his motives in his support of the Codfather but he actually has leverage to back up his words.

That elf is a emperor, too! A powerful one at that as it seems. And one the Codfather seems to be close to. A pang of hurt goes off in Tango's chest. That irritates him quite a bit. But he can't dwell on that as fWhip walks over, scolding playfully. "You know, when your emperor writes a letter, you typically answer that. I started getting upset after the third one." Quickly, Tango jumps from his chair. "What letter? I haven't received any-" Suddenly, the elven emperor rudely interrupts, "Let's give them some privacy on that. You wanted to show me that structural issue, remember?" One of his arms snakes around the Codfather's waist. Who looks back at Tango with concern. "Right. Can we come back to this later, Tango?" Offering a awkward smile, the blaze shrugs his shoulders. "Whatever suits you best. I am not running away." The other blonde bites his lip but lets himself be ushered away, leaving Tango and fWhip behind. "So, forget my letters. What I really want to know is your agreement with Jimmy. You discussed that contract, right?", fWhip says eagerly. Guilty, Tango shrinks in on himself and falls back on his chair. "Tango!", the emperor barks. Raising his hands in defense, the blaze awkwardly replies, "Hey, it's okay! He added a few days for me. I got- uh…er…" He rakes his brain, counting the days. "One more! Until tomorrow. I can read it an-" That sets fWhip off. He starts pacing nervously. "You didn't even read it yet? You are irresponsible, a fool! I can't believe you. How has nothing come up yet to ring any alarm bells? At least, tell me everything is working out with you and Jimmy, despite your lack of knowledge.", he rants. Tango huffs at that, crossing his arms over his chest. "Of course we are good. We are getting close and I have reason to believe that he trusts me even more than his own council. Believe me or not, but he stood up for me against his council. I might-" The high creak of the door slowly opening echoes through the room. Tango and fWhip look at the door and find a woman crouching. "Oh. I- er This room is scheduled for cleaning now. So…", she says stuttering. Tango eyes her sceptically. He has gone through too much with mer-people to not consider this behavior suspicious. But fWhip doesn't know. So he answers, "Okay, yeah. We are leaving you to that." while Tango folds up the blueprints and puts them in his pockets. Then he is pulled out of the office, even onto the streets. "fWhip! This is not a good idea. People don't like us being here.", Tango hisses, painfully aware of the stares. The emperor waves him off, however. "So what? I am a emperor. What are they gonna do about us here?" That is something the redstoner can't argue against. So they begin to walk a direction Tango hasn't yet gone to. But fWhip seems to know his way around this part of the empire as he walks confidently. Soon, they fall into a comfortable conversation in which the blaze describes his experience with the council. Avoiding to go into details of work, of course. And, just when Tango describes how he made them all look like fools in front of their emperor, the sound of splashing water and voices draws attention to a nearby house. It stands on wooden posts in the water. But most of it is hidden behind other buildings from the blaze's point of view. fWhip and Tango exchange a look and, without words, they decide to investigate that. As they come near, the Codfather's voice becomes clear. "-none in the water. Are those pieces replaceable or do the owner's have to move?" Ah. That structural issue. Shortly after that, after getting closer, the scene before him floods Tango with strange feelings. 

The codfather stands shirtless on the river bank. Faint pink scars sit right under the muscles of his chest, interrupting the otherwise flawless light tan of his skin. The scales on his chest and the sides of his torso shimmer with every movement. The wet hair leans back as he slides his webbed hand through it. He is gorgeous ., Tango thinks and his attention drifts astray before he can think that spontaneous thought over. Next to the emperor stands emperor Scott. The elf has his fine clothes folded over one arm. His flawless wet body and pants prove that he, too, went into the water. Tango decides quickly that both emperors stand way too close to each other as they seemingly discuss the structure with visualizing hand gestures. But more prominent for the blaze is something else. There is a weird mixture of feelings. A stinging pain in his chest, a urge in his muscles to move and anger boiling in his stomach that makes his hair spark. It's irritating and frustrating and Tango finds himself, on impulse, hating everything about this situation. 

Unfortunately, fWhip takes charge of getting the other emperors' attention. "Scott, Jimmy! What are you doing?" Though the two walk up towards the other two, Tango doesn't listen as emperor Scott explains. The blaze's focus is on the Codfather. Who awkwardly looks away, holding his shirt in front of his chest. The red on his cheeks is a strong indicator for his unease. Somehow, this frustrates Tango even more. How was the emperor so relaxed when alone with the elf, but now that Tango has joined them… Are fWhip and the redstoner interrupting something? Then a long forgotten detail resurfaces, causing his heart to pound hard in his chest. The Codfather is meant to marry someone his council described as flashy and stuck up. In Tango's opinion, that sounds like emperor Scott. Tango feels like throwing up. Why is that realization so repulsive? Tango shouldn't feel this way. And absolutely not this strongly. He is, after all, just a newly made friend. 

A touch to his shoulder startles the blaze out of his thoughts. His red eyes meet worried brown ones and he becomes aware of his labored breathing and flaming hair. "Tango, what's wrong?", the Codfather asks. Somehow, this makes Tango even more angry. "I-" His eyes flicker towards fWhip, noticing a worried expression as well. "I'm sorry. I think I'm getting sick. So I will just go back. Let's meet again soon, fWhip." Without acknowledging the elf or the other blonde further, Tango turns and storms off. 

Even after throwing himself on his bed in the quiet of the room, the blaze gets no rest. His heart continues to pound against his ribs, aching terribly. Uncontrollable thoughts create a headache and anger swirls in his stomach. This strong impulsive reaction leaves Tango confused and even more angry. Though that is directed at himself for not understanding. There must be something he missed. Something he never even glanced at or bothered to look into. The answer should be so easy to grasp, it lies within him, after all. But nothing stands out. Tango thinks back to the day that changed his course of life. He remembers the first time that he met the emperor in his shop. Distantly, he remembers that he had a bad impression at first. Though his memory is tainted by his new imprint of a compassionate ruler and impossibly kind person. For a while, Tango relives the past days in his head. He dives back into the feelings of the moment, noticing a ache of sadness, of loss. Which is weird, they can remain friends even if the emperors get marri- Another intense flare of anger has the blaze groan and growl. Why is this not making any sense? He should know, he should. But he comes up with nothing.

A sudden knock at the door gently asks for attention. Tango is about to snap and yell, but the voice on the other side of the door stops him. "Tango…? Are you feeling okay? Can I come in? I am worried.", the Codfather. So considerate and helpful, unaware of the storm inside Tango. Another sting in the blaze's chest makes way for a deep string of sadness. The head and chest hurt more and more from all those feelings and thinking. It feels like the skull is about to burst along with his ribs. That would finally free all that is stuck inside their cages. Everything would be out in the open. Hopefully then, even Tango could finally understand. It's a weirdly soothing thought, although angering that such extreme measures are needed. Anger is something the blaze gathered a lot today. Too distracted, Tango failed to answer the emperor. The door creaks open slowly and a blonde head peeks inside. "Tango… Are you okay?" Something about those rich eyes that worry for him or the soft voice or maybe the presence of the emperor entirely breaks a little thing in Tango. A single tear works it's way down his cheek and he deflates with a heavy sigh. "No, I'm not. But it has nothing to do with you. That elf just, I don't know. Something about him irritates me and I can't stand that feeling.", he says. It's the closest to the truth he can get. The codfather chuckles half-heartedly at that. "I get it. Scott just has this intimidating aura and his ice powers don't help this whole image. But he is a very kind and caring person. We are close, so it would make me happy if you two got along later down the line." Of course they do. Of course the emperor thinks that way about the elf. The only thing that surprises Tango is that phrasing of 'later'. Like the emperor wants to continue to see the blaze and be friends, even after peace is established between the empires. Somehow, that is a bittersweet thought that sounds alluring.

Then the emperor grabs Tango's hand, causing him to look up. Those eyes are impossibly warm and soft. "I know it's a far stretch of topic. But we still need to talk about the contract. Are you well enough for that? There is no pressure, though. I can wait for you.", the emperor says. The knot in the blaze's stomach loosens slightly. But he has no energy for that conversation. His muscles are heavy, emotional exhaustion pulls his eyelids down. So he shakes his head. "I can't…" Wanting but failing to say more, Tango draws his eyes to the floor. Stupid heavy tongue . Then a hand reaches past his eyes to land on his jaw. His head gets moved so both men lock eyes again. With a gaze that wraps Tango in warmth like a hug, the emperor smiles gently. "Hey.", he says. "Hey.", Tango breathes. Suddenly, it's a moment of calm. Just the two of them in the eye of the storm. "It's okay. Your choice is made. And I'm happy with it. The rest can wait. Will I see you for breakfast tomorrow?", the emperor's voice is soft as his full attention rests on the blaze. Humming an agreement, Tango leans his head to the side, denying to himself that he purposefully leans into the other man's hand. The Codfather smiles, fingers flinching slightly. "Good. Great. I… uh I guess I will see you tomorrow, then?" Didn't he just ask the same question? … No. This one sounds more like asking whether he should leave. "Yeah, see you tomorrow.", Tango says. The emperor puts on a smile that feels painted. He leaves shortly after and Tango is left all alone with his flaring storm.

Chapter Text

Laying on his back, Tango feels empty apart from the exhaustion in his bones. The raging storm has left him, bled out through the night, and left a wreck of a man behind. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find any rest. So with much effort, he throws himself out of his bed. The orange light from the rising sun behind the curtains is decidedly ignored as he passes his bathroom and drags his feet to the bedroom door, not caring for his messy appearance. Glancing down the hallway, He finds it empty and way too bright. And in the other direction, it is silent behind the emperor's bedroom door. Continuing to drag his feet, the blaze goes to the kitchen. After knocking slowly, Victotia opens the door. "Yes, how may we assist yo- Oh, it's you. …sir." The 'Sir' is clearly an after thought, barely remembered by the girl and dragged out in disgust. Still, Tango is way too done with this day already to care. "Yes, me. Does anyone happen to already be on the clock and have some time on their hands to prepare a coffee for me?" She squints her eyes at him and looks the blaze up and down. Then she wrinkles her nose in disdain. "The staff is not available for you at the moment. But I can't let you inside the kitchen, the way that you look." And the way that she looks down on Tango ignites anger that straightens his back. "I will have you know that it is perfectly fine to sleep in shorts and a shirt. How are all mer-people so stuck up when their emperor is so kind? I just need a coffe-" Suddenly, there is a hand on his shoulder, making him flinch. "I'm sure, in their endless competence, the staff finds the time to make the emperor's favorite person a coffee." Ignoring the girl's gaping expression, Tango turns and finds the emperor smiling shyly at him with red cheeks. He's adorable. No, stop it! The Codfather's eyes leave his as he looks at the girl. "Please hurry, Victoria." Then there are footsteps and the men stand alone. Tango is still watching him, observing how his skin seems to burn as their eyes meet again. "Am I- Was it okay to say or…too soon?", the emperor whispers. Tango wonders when their friendship developed this quickly. But he fails to feel bothered. Instead, he is happy that the other man considers them to be this close, 'favorite person'. Even though that thought stings in his chest for some reason. Favorite amongst his friends . This should be plenty enough. But it's not, why not? Offering a tense smile, Tango says, "No, it's fine with me. But is it okay for you to say that to your staff?" The Codfather looks past Tango, inside the kitchen. "They know our customs. I want them to act accordingly.", he says. Something in his eyes catches the redstoner's attention, prompting him to turn just as people hurry away and Victoria returns, coffee in hand.

Later, at breakfast, the emperor asks Tango to meet him in the office. A bundle of nerves weighs heavy in the redstoner's stomach and regret lays on his shoulders at that question. Surely, this is about the contract and the deadline today. He had been neglecting his responsibility, avoiding confrontation with the inevitable, hoping this would slip discreetly under the table. But luck had been unpredictable ever since Tango met the Codfather. Either luck would gently guide him or harshly push him. And now it was shoving him with all it had inside the emperor's office. Dreading the topic, the blaze drags his feet from the door towards the table that the emperor is sitting at. Not the desk, but the table they traded secrets at. The emperor seems eager to get to the conversation, it doesn't help the nausea in Tango's stomach. He sits himself across the emperor, the table between them. "Hey.", the blonde murmurs. "Hey.", Tango replies. "Please, let me talk first.", the ruler asks which the redstoner answers with a nod. "I am pretty nervous, so I will just get to it directly. Tango, I know this might be strange for people that aren't mer-volk. But we have a similar custom as avians and give the one who we like something very personal. Are you familiar?", the emperor asks. That is a different direction than the blaze expected. But he would take this over having to admit to his negligence any  time. "Uh yeah. I actually know a avian. So I know of their feather custom.", he says.

Thought his friend didn't give him a feather, Tango had seen the man give one to those he considers as close to him as family. For avians, it is personal and intimate and very important. After all, they are giving away a piece of themselves. For mer-people to have something similar is a surprise. They don't shed their scales like the avians do with their feathers, as far as Tango knows anyway.

Suddenly, the feeling of a hand on his brings Tango out of his thoughts. "Okay. So, considering everything, I made you this. Please, accept it as a symbol of my honest feelings for you.", the emperor says as he slides a small box across the table with his other hand. He presses a button on the box and the lid jumps up, revealing it's treasure. There is a necklace with a single beautifully shimmering… "That- It is your scale. But to remove them must be painful!", Tango says alarmed. But the emperor squeezes his hand reassuringly. "It is.", he confirms, pulling his shirt a little to reveal a raw wound over his heart. "That is why it is so significant for us. Will you accept it?", he says, voice dropping into a whisper at the end. That is a lot of emotional weight for a gesture that is the equivalent to a human's friendship bracelet. Mer-people must value their friendships very much. Somehow, Tango feels like he shouldn't accept it. Like it would sting or burn him somehow, someday. On the other hand, he adores the sentiment. And he greedily wants it. He wants to have this, with all its weight. Without thinking about it, he reaches out and pulls the little box closer. "I accept it. Thank you." The emperor beams at that. A radiant smile that causes the blaze's heart to stumble. He stands up and walks around the table to sit on the sofa next to Tango. "May I?", he gestures at the box and Tango nods. The emperor puts the necklace on the redstoner, then locks eyes with him and takes both hands in his own. "I need to ask you again: Do you accept my scale, and therefore me, as your equal in this relationship? If you do so, I vow to treat you with kindness and care, value your opinion and forever be your support.", his eyes are serious, but not unkind. ' Wow, mer-people take friendship very seriously.', Tango thinks. The dedication and loyalty is impressive. How is that not something all the empires know about? How is that not common knowledge instead of their redstone incompetence? Tango swallows thickly. "I do.", he says. For a brief moment, he thinks the chain moves on its own. But dismisses it as something he imagined when the emperor embraces him in a tight hug. "I'm so happy.", he whispers. Tango chuckles at that. "I rarely see you this serious." A moment of silence fills the little space between them before the other answers, "You have no idea how important you are to me. Maybe you haven't noticed me during my visits to discuss the peace treaty. But I have seen you. You impressed me with your carefree character and confidence, your kindness and capability to set clear boundaries with your, pardon me, take-no-bullshit attitude. Even if you never knew I stepped into the Grimlands, I often saw you. And what I saw of you inspired me to be more like you. But I am so glad that I got to know you more. That I got to see more sides of you. That you are exceeding my expectations. I really like you.", he stops his rambling, buries his face deep into the curve of Tango's neck and squeezes him once. Then he releases his hold, leaning back and wiping his sleeve over his eyes. "I…I'm sorry. I got really intense just now.", the weak chuckle sounds awkward. Tango doesn't like that change in atmosphere. "It's okay. I don't mind.", he assures.

The emperor's smile is knee weakening, curving his lips softly. And the way the sun hits his eyes causes them to shine like honey. They hold something as warm as the rosy dust on his cheeks. He is adorable ., Tango admits to himself. He could dive into those pools, drown in honey.  The sweetness could consume him whole and he wouldn't mind. Dangerous, even scandalous thoughts for someone like him. But there is no harm done in admiring the emperor from afar. Right? Simple adoration for a friend in higher status. It's not like Tango would actually-! Tango instantly stills as he catches himself leaning forward. Unconsciously, he has brought his face closer to those enchanting eyes. Oh no . Quickly, he lets himself fall against the sofa's backrest, away from the other man. His heart pounds hard in his chest and he has  trouble controlling his breathing. "I-uh I'm sorry…" Down play, don't acknowledge what you just did . "I'm happy about this and all. But I er right now I uh….", his face feels strange with this weird attempt of a smile on it. To make it all worse, the emperor grabs his hand. "Did I make you uncomfortable? Does your folk talk about what to say to each other beforehand? I didn't mean to spring this on you an-" Without knocking, fWhip enters the room, slamming the door loudly. "Excuse me, I need to speak up." His voice is agitated, hands balled into fists. Behind him, a woman Tango hasn't seen yet tries to squeeze past, rambling, "Your highness! I am so sorry! You told me to make sure nobody- I tried! But he pushed past me. I really- I tried!" The Codfather slowly raises from his seat and glares at the other emperor while addressing the woman. "It's not your fault, Freya. Had I known we would get this kind of guest I wouldn't have asked my newest employee to do this for me. You are putting my staff into an uncomfortable position here, fWhip." The redhead chuckles without putting any sincerity into it, "We are even then, Jimmy." Quickly, tension is rising as the blonde walks towards the other emperor. "What is that supposed to mean? More importantly, you are aware of what you are doing here, right? I informed you out of respect for our establishing peace. But this has nothing to do with that. So your interruption is a violation of my traditions. Explain yourself!" Both emperors keep glaring at each other while the blonde's fish's tail swings agitatedly on the ground. Tango stands near the table. He is confused to say the least, nothing makes sense. After a nerve grinding while, fWhip sighs. "Listen, I don't want to risk the progress that we made. But I have to talk to Tango. Now. I have reason to believe that he is making uninformed decisions. He failed to tell yo-" Tango panics. His friend can not be the one to expose his incompetence. That is something he has to do on his own. …after gathering the courage to do that. With quick steps, the blaze brings himself between the two ruler and begins to push fWhip out of the room. "Okay, okay! Let's talk." There is a hand on his shoulder when the Codfather talks. "Tango…what is going on?" His voice is weak, clearly confused. Somehow Tango has created a mess. He looks over his shoulder with a half smile. "I really don't know. But I will figure it out.", he promises and gives his emperor another good push to get moving.

Back in his room, Tango slams the door shut behind him. "What were you thinking? You can't shove all my flaws in his face like that. I have to tell him tha-" fWhip angrily turns around, screaming, "When? After the wedding? Tango, you fool! This contract-" He cuts himself off, eyes fixed and wide. "No. You actually- Oh, Tango. You are so stupid." Raising a brow, the blaze deadpans, "I know. What's new?" The emperor angrily stalks towards him and pokes a finger into Tango's chest, under his gift. "You think this is funny? You have no idea what you have just done." Based on their close friendship, Tango slaps the other's hand away. "Enlighten me, then! What crimes have I committed?" pinching the bridge of his nose, fWhip sighs dramatically. "You, my friend, have just gotten married to the Codfather." Tango's brain crashes and burns.