Hair’s Breadth (2)

*Clatter*

*Creak*

The whispering of the three waitresses next to Nik came to a stop. Despite their interest in the position being handed to Nik, they kept a noticeable distance between themselves and Nik.

The Dining room had only one table that was large enough to fit twenty chairs but most of the dishes were served towards the other end and only five of these chairs had platters arranged and Nik had to admit that what the mayor and his family were being fed looked amazing.

There was no one else aside from the four waiters and when the doors to the room did open, the first to walk in was a guard. Unlike other fire nation guards that wore an ensemble of red and black, this individual's armor was made out of various shades of red. His helmet, too, different. And instead of a skull mask, the individual had their upper face covered by a white mask almost akin to a masquerade mask, and their lower face was covered by the extension of the helmet.

Giving the room a general observation, the man finally stepped in.

Behind him appeared a grey-haired middle-aged man who entered the room with a smile. As if his receding hairline did not interrupt the man's hairstyle, he had hair back into a topknot. He was shorter than average, too. A golden clipper keeping his grey topknot in check.

Giving Nik a curious glance, the man seated himself on the head's chair as one of the women, actually, one of the most mature waitresses, moved and helped the man sit. Nik learned all of this while watching. The woman then proceeded to place portions of dishes prepared on the plate while the man glanced at the woman's body for a few moments. His stare grew increasingly scorching until a gentle voice broke his thoughts.

"I apologize for the delay, honey. I was caught up by Tom-Tom's prank again," a woman walked in with two maids following behind her. Age apparent on her face but the dark-haired woman seemingly kept herself maintained. A graceful smile plastered on her lips and the moment she looked at Nik, her eyelids jumped in surprise.

"Oh, I was under the impression that you only liked women to flaunt themselves in front of you." Her dark yellow pupils fell on the man as he forced a chuckle.

"Are you still angry about that, Michi?" he shook his head with a wry expression, "But I have not hired him. From the looks of it, this is Kai's work. Surely, he is working hard to ease the situation of the immigrants. Let's wait for him to shed light on the matter."

The two maids that followed the woman named Michi adjusted her seat and another waitress popped out, serving the food before returning to her location.

"I see," Michi only smiled yet the clear look of dissatisfaction on her face couldn't be more prevailing.

"Where are you from?" She turned her attention towards Nik but before he could reply, there was someone else much eager to introduce him.

"Hey! You're here?! How are you here? Aren't you an immigrant? Are you here to serve us, too? Oh!! You can meet Aang again!"

A youthful shout made the expression of the man, most probably the mayor, from what Nik understood, darken. However, there was only a weak smile on Michi's face as she sighed, "Tom-Tom. Manners! You cannot raise your voice in the dining room."

But before Tom-Tom could retort, continuing the family tradition for speaking for others, a slightly colder and coarse voice replied in defense of the boy.

"There aren't enough teachers in this world to control Tom-Tom. And, haven't you already used one of your children enough?"

The voice was a familiar one. Dressed in fiery red robes with a maroon vest and golden lining, Mai stepped in with two maids.

Nik suppressed a smile as he looked at Suki and Katara now turned 'prim and proper' as they followed Mai.

As if sensing his gaze and a sense of ridicule in them, Suki and Katara glanced at him before looking away.

"Mai, do not speak nonsense," the mayor interrupted calmly as Michi spoke up, "Ukano, let's not argue about this again. And Mai, it is wrong to speak with your parents like that."

Noting the look of sadness in Michi's eyes, Mai nodded, "I am feeling a little impatient about my current circumstances and accidentally misspoke. I apologize..."

With that, she held Tom-Tom's hand with a stoic expression, even the boy's previously happy expression now covered in disappointment.

Before one of the waitresses could step forward, Mai snapped her fingers and looked at Nik.

"We met at the entrance. It seems like you know Tom-Tom from yesterday's incident just like your wife and your cousin. I wish to see if you're qualified for this task."

"What incident?" Ukano inquired and Tom-Tom fumbled.

"Father, it was nothing. I just—" seeing his increasingly cold expression, the boy panicked further when Mai interrupted, "It was something boring. Running into a stall of cabbages and the like."

"I see," Ukano spoke and grew silent.

'Even my 'family' at least had more to speak,' Nik rolled his eyes internally as he stepped out. Pulling back the chair, he let Mai sit down and then pushed it back with appropriate force. He then helped Tom-Tom on the chair next to Mai, too. The two siblings sat right next to their mother.

"Father-in-law, you must excuse my tardiness. I failed to realize time while accounting for the day's work," Kai entered the room and saw Nik adjusting Tom-Tom's chair. But not minding his presence, the youth sat next to Ukano and one of the three waitresses helped him down.

"Of course, I won't. For your punishment, you must work even harder," Ukano chuckled and the Kai nodded with a humble expression.

"I see that you have found the heart to help three more immigrants. You're really an outstanding young man, Kai," Ukano continued as the youth looked at Nik and then had his gaze attracted to Suki and Katara standing next to Michi's maids.

In red and maroon with more tone of gray befitting those of lower class, Kai found Suki and Katara more pleasing to his eyes.

"What are you doing?" Mai suddenly stated coldly and Kai quickly took his gaze off of Katara and Suki only to sigh in relief yet again.

Meanwhile, Mai regarded Nik with an annoyed expression. His hands holding the ladle.

Nik stood calmly, not knowing if he should reply the obvious or not.

'Serving the food, of course,' Nik thought internally while Michi sighed, "It is known to others that Mai does not eat with us. She accompanies us because it is the only time she can be with all of us together."

Nik nodded and set the ladle back before bowing, "Please forgive my ignorance on the matter. I will ask my superiors for better understanding."

"Whatever," Mai leaned back and Kai chuckled, "Honey, why not take this time to share breakfast, too?"

Only silence greeted the youth in return that made Michi and Ukano speak a little to cover up for their daughter's indifference. Meanwhile, Kai shrugged helplessly.

Tom-Tom, too, had a waitress serve his plate and the family began eating. The clattering sound of forks and knives hitting the plate was the highest from Tom-Tom's side. Meanwhile, not eating anything, Mai closed her eyes.

"Father-in-law, the actions of the rebels are growing increasingly worse by the day. I have read reports that the group is growing larger and they are now targetting our developing colonies. Even the soldiers cannot get a good track of this menace.

Why isn't the Fire Lord taking action?" Kai began with a dissatisfied tone as Ukano replied with a helpless sigh, "The fire lord is not the same as the Phoenix King. There is a reason why Phoenix King could defeat Ba Sing Se when the Fire Lord couldn't. Let it be. Fire Lord Iroh is more interested in peace treaties, releasing more from the prisons but this is affecting the rebels, too."

"Truly, Fire Lord Iroh should be more prudent," Kai sighed.

"Isn't the war over?" Tom-Tom couldn't help but chime from the side as Ukano calmly replied, "Phoenix King's goals are beyond our understanding. But he does what is best for the Fire Nation. If he feels that allowing Fire Lord Iroh to release the prisoners is the right decision then it must be so."

"Oh, that's right, Father-in-law, tomorrow, we are also being visited by Admiral Zhao. Why would he want to come through his navy from the sea?" Kai looked at Ukano. Hearing this, Nik's eyelids twitched. They already had it on good authority that an Admiral by the name of Zhao would personally deliver some prisoners should the prison exist. But Katara, Suki, and Nik weren't aware that he would be coming to Omashu, too.

In fact, the Earthbenders of the villages were already creating hidden bases underground to hide the prisoners and themselves until the situation of their younger generation in Omashu is clarified for they can easily be turned into hostages, too.

"I don't know," Ukano's expression darkened momentarily, "I had sent a messenger Hawk but never got any reply from the Admiral."

The contents of the conversation between the family weren't anything confidential. But Nik came to realize that his previous judgment of Mai being emotionless was false. She simply didn't display what she felt and there was a difference between this and being emotionless. On the other hand, there was a wedge between Michi and Ukano, too, however, the couple kept healthy pretenses. Kai himself didn't seem too well received by everyone except Ukano.

On the other hand, in this dysfunctional family, it was only Tom-Tom who could smile and laugh when he meant it but Nik felt that with how things are going, he would soon be forced to be equally estranged from his family to continue living with them.

Finally, as the breakfast came to an end, Mai was the first to leave and brought Suki and Katara with a haughty snap of her fingers. During the breakfast, the trio didn't try to contact each other to keep a respectful appearance. As Michi took Tom-Tom by his hand, her gaze landed on Nik once again before she hurried out.

Finally, Ukano leaned back and mumbled, "I hope my daughter isn't being too hard to deal with. You must give her time to adjust. She wasn't prepared for the engagement at all."

"Please don't worry," Kai smiled, "Our relationship is progressing smoothly. We even go out in the morning to gaze at the break of dawn through the horizon."

"I see," the two men began to leave and the silent guard followed out finally.

"Huff, new recruit, you're in charge of collecting the used platter and bringing it to the kitchen," one of the waitresses smiled as they waited.

"Sure..." Nik picked the used dishes without resistance. Working for half a day and laboring himself to exhaustion only brought him 5 copper pieces yesterday but he would earn twice that much for a lot less work.

"Anyway, can I ask you what other things I should be considerate of?" Nik inquired with a sincere smile. Seeing him so easygoing, the waitresses shrugged.

"Sure. We didn't think that Miss Mai would ask you to wait on her... I think she doesn't like you or she wouldn't have done that."

It should have been clear by now that those asked to adjust the seats would also serve that the food to that particular individual. Seeing Mai call Nik out only to later reveal she doesn't eat with her family.

"Well, I should consider myself lucky, eh?" Nik smiled.

"Hmm, but there's one thing that every servant in the palace should be mindful of... never enter the training hall next to the quarters of the children below. It's—"

"Ehm, Miss Mai would like her food served now," Suki opened the doors and looked at Nik with a hint of a smile, "And she asked specifically for you. It seems that Miss Mai is unsatisfied by your performance."

"Yes, yes." The waitresses nodded and then sent Nik pitying glances before quickly preparing a smaller portion of the breakfast and sending Nik alongside Suki.

---

"I met with Aang when we entered Tom-Tom's room," Suki instantly spoke up once they were alone and Nik shrugged.

"I met Sokka... he felt worried about you two. Just thought that I should let you know."

"Why?" Suki inquired.

"Kai creeps him out," Nik shrugged.

"With the way he was looking at me, I feel the same," Suki pursed her lips as Nik glanced at her again.

Emotions of living beings have always been fickle at times when it comes to those who are already known. Now seeing Nik casually check her out, Suki grinned internally but she coughed, "Yes? Is there something on my face, cousin?"

However, interrupting their conversation again and extending the family heritage, a loud and gleeful yell disturbed them.

"Wheeeeeee!!!"

On one of the trolleys used by the servants to deliver various boxes of documents was a young Tom-Tom who whizzed past the duo with a lone figure trying to catch up to the boy.

"Tom-Tom! If you don't stop, I will make sure that your butt aches for weeks!" Michi threatened from behind. Her face already flushed from exertion and her eyes flickered with a motherly fury that surpassed all.

'Talk about probing triggers.'

Nik and Suki bowed in the direction of the lady of the palace.

"Don't mind us," Michi looked at the duo and waved her hands before she looked at Nik again, "And you will wait on me from lunch onwards."

"It will be my honor," Nik replied. With her satisfied short-lived, Michi quickly followed Tom-Tom.

"Ehm..." Once Michi left, Nik seriously looked at Suki, "Cousin, you must never tell my wife about this."

However, Suki snorted. Her mood was entirely disrupted and Michi's rather 'clear' intentions didn't help the situation but Nik has always tried to make the best use of the circumstances. Just like Mitsuko.

"Whatever, let's just go. This entire Palace gives me the wrong vibes," Suki mumbled and Nik shrugged.