still on my string

Summary: "According to legend there is red string tied around someone's pinky finger that connects you to your soulmate, and although the string can get knotted or tangled, it can never break." AU in which the Equalist revolution took a lot longer to unfold, and a sixteen year old Jinora was captured for blackmail. When a thief turned Equalist nonbender, Kai, is in charge of her imprisonment, both their lives and their worldviews are sent spiraling out of control. / [Equalist!Kai/Jinora]

[DAY ONE]

"It's one of Tenzin's kids–"

"Is Amon gonna take her bending away–"

"Not sure, but ransom'll be useful– Kai!"

The Lieutenant shot the teenager a glare as he jumped, startled. Kai instantly sprang into a salute, holding up left hand in a respectful salute - the other hand was clad in an Equalist glove, not charged nor turned on, but still held stiffly to his side as a precaution. "Yes sir?" Kai asked, slowly dropping his salute. Kali regarded him evenly in a rare moment the Lieutenant's mask was off, revealing sharp features of a lined face, and a pointed, neat mustache.

"I'm giving you a job boy–" Kai resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was almost a legal adult, on the cusp of his 18th birthday; he was hardly a boy anymore, not like when he had first joined the Equalist revolution. "Don't mess it up." The Lieutenant turned to the Equalist next to him. "Take these reports to Amon, and tell him we'll have more information for him in a few days." The Equalist nodded and bowed respectfully before leaving with his task. "Now Kai," the Lieutenant continued, "we're putting you in charge of the airbender's imprisonment."

Kai's eyebrows shot up. "Airbender?" he repeated in disbelief. There were only four blasted airbenders in the world, not including the Avatar herself, who still couldn't airbend. "One of the Master's kids?"

"The eldest," the Lieutenant told him. "She was in the process of training for her tattoos, or so the papers say."

"And I'm in charge of her?" This was a huge responsibility, especially since if the Lieutenant's information was to be trusted, she was a skilled bender too, even more dangerous than the other, regular benders they kept captive for ransom and control.

"Food, water, 24/7, until we've decided what to do with her."

Kai's brow furrowed. "Why wouldn't Amon just take her bending away immediately?" he asked. "She's already an endangered species."

"Amon thinks she could be useful, with her bending intact," the Lieutenant said thoughtfully, although it was clear he doubted his leader's thought process too. "Besides, it doesn't look like airbenders are as endangered as we thought. Ever heard of a thing called Harmonic Convergence?"

Kai shook his head. "Um... no?"

"Big event that happened a year ago, and since then, there have been strange reports. Apparently airbending is starting to show up in nonbenders, since then. Slowly of course, it can be dormant for a while, but it's not good. We're losing potential allies," the Lieutenant explained. "The airbending girl should arrive sometime this afternoon, and you'll receive further instructions."

"Yes sir," Kai said, and the Lieutenant nodded at him and then left, leaving Kai alone. A prickling feeling was crawling up his neck, a stomach churning combination of excitement and nerves. This was a big job being entrusted to him. He was a skilled fighter, especially with his Equalist glove, bringing down notable benders like former pro-benders, the Wolfbats. This was the most important task he had ever been given. He would do better than his best; he would make Amon, and his people, and his cause, proud.

Assuming the airbender didn't mess anything up, but Kai was determined to keep her under control.

The airbender arrived two hours past lunch, with Kai already at his position at one of their underground bunkers. Hiroshi Sato's had worked so well they had expanded it, coating the walls with platinum to avoid metal and earthbending. The girl was dressed in a sleek, dark red suit, her arms tightly gripped by a few Equalists had gotten to know. Her hair curled at the tips, a small bun on top of one side of her head. She was around his age - two years younger at most. Briefly, Kai thought she would have been pretty, if she wasn't a dirty rotten bender.

"She shouldn't give you any trouble, Kai," Chow said. Gritting her teeth the airbender stamped hard on his foot and let out a yelp. "Why you little–"

"Easy Chow," the other Equalist, Iluq. The Water Tribesman hair was pulled into a warrior's wolf-tail, his beard short yet shaggy. "She'll get what's coming to her soon enough."

Kai opened the doors of the cell for them: simple metal bars, fire and water resistant, usually reserved for fire and waterbenders. No specialized prisons had been made yet for airbenders, but if what the Lieutenant had said proved true, Kai was sure adjustments would be made accordingly. But for now, they would have to do.

Chow and Iluq shoved the airbender in. She stumbled, struggling to balance herself because her wrists had been bound by thick metal cuffs. By the looks of it, they were painfully tight, cutting into her skin. A quiet string of swear words - dirty rotten sons of Vaatu - spilled from her mouth. She brought herself up to her feet, glaring at them resentfully, the doors already shut and locked. Chuckling, Chow and Iluq walked off, waving goodbye to Kai.

Kai rolled his eyes, wanting to turn away so he wouldn't have to look at the airbender, but unwilling to have his back to her. He needed to assess how dangerous she was first. He was surprised then, when she simply sat down and closed her eyes.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, eyeing her warily.

She frowned and cracked one eye open; he was surprised at how brown they were - warm, like melted chocolate. "Meditating," she said irritably, the warmness fading.

"Oh." That wasn't what Kai was expecting. Meditation didn't seem dangerous, as far as he knew. He would have to ask the Lieutenant to make sure; maybe it led to a special airbender ability, or something. He cleared his throat, swinging his arms stiffly at his side, unsure of how to deal with the sudden lacking need of hostility. "Carry on then."

"As you wish," she said dryly.

Kai scowled. Stupid airbender.

Dinner came around 5:00 o'clock, brought by a masked Equalist and the Lieutenant. "She's been like that the whole time?" he asked and Kai nodded. "Good." He straightened up. "This is Yonra." The Equalist pulled off his mask. Yonra must have been maybe a year or two older than Kai. He was handsome with a haughty expression and shaggy dark hair; Kai bit back a scowl. He knew exactly who Yonra was, a high up Equalist who got nearly ever important mission, leaving Kai with easy, boring ones. It felt good for once to one-up him.

Yonra stuck out his hand and Kai shook it. "Kai."

"Yonra will be covering for you during your breaks, and will bring food. He'll be showing you how to handle the airbender whenever her handcuffs are undone during meals. He is the one who captured her, after all," the Lieutenant said, giving Yonra a rare smile. Yonra smirked, puffing out his chest and shaking back his hair. "Yonra, the prisoner's binds, if you please."

Kai handed over the keys to the cell, and still smirking, Yonra opened the doors. The airbender glowered at him but remained still while he undid her handcuffs. Then, if Kai had blinked he would have missed it; she moved faster than thought, sending Yonra slamming into the bars with a gust of air, halfway to the cell door before Kai moved into action, activating his glove as he did do.

Kai caught her around the wrist of his glove, halting her in her tracks and giving her a quick electrocution before she even reached the door. She crumpled to the floor, small arcs of lightning trickling over her body as Yonra approached her. She groaned in pain gave her a swift, hard kick in the ribs. She clamped a hand over the spot where she had been hit, curling into a fetal position. The Lieutenant slapped her handcuffs back over her hands none too carefully either, and Kai saw him tighten it several notches. If it had been digging into her skin before, now it was even worse.

"That should teach her it'll take a lot more than fancy bending to get away from us," Yonra said angrily, his hair sticking up messily in the black, looking disgruntled. Kai supposed his pride had taken quite a blow. He hoisted the girl up and threw into the cell. This time, she stumbled and landed painfully on the floor.

Kai resisted the urge to wince at the sight of her, strands of hair falling in front of her eyes, which had angry tears pooling at the corners. "I wouldn't try something like that again," the Lieutenant said coldly. "It looks like you'll be going hungry tonight." He held the tray of food stiffly in his hands, turning to Kai. "Your quarters are the first door across the hall. There's a monitor for sound and a screen in your room, so if there is any funny business you'll be informed immediately."

Kai's jaw dropped, but he quickly closed it. "I'm going to be sleeping here...?"

The Lieutenant raised an eyebrow. "I did say 24/7. Your effectiveness at taking her down, even caught off guard, is exactly why you were chosen for the job. But if there's a problem Yonra can take over...?"

"No, no problem sir," Kai said quickly. He couldn't blow this assignment. There was no way he was losing this assignment to Yonra. (Again.) The Lieutenant nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"Good. Yonra, come with me."

Kai watched the duo walk away, leaving him alone with the airbender, who was still curled up in a pitiful ball and clearly blinking back tears. Swallowing hard, Kai turned so his back was to her. Attack him she might, but he couldn't see her in this state. It stirred up a fraction of... something. Pity? It was his fault in a way.

He didn't want to look at her, so he didn't.

[DAY TWO]

Kai slept surprisingly well. Judging by the dark circles under the airbender's eyes, and the fact she's still sitting in the same position as she was yesterday, shoulders slumped, Kai figured she didn't sleep at all.

Yonra didn't bring breakfast either - it looked like the airbender was still being punished for her escape attempt - and took over for Kai when he took a break for food. It was nice to have some time away from the cell, and from the airbender. She just looked so sad; it made Kai feel uncomfortable. Battling benders on the streets were flashes of fists and lights in a dark alleyway, over before you knew it; fast and relatively painless. But this was different, slow and gradual. He wasn't sure how to deal with it. But he would adapt. He had always been good at that.

Yonra was slouched against the wall opposite to the cell, messing up his hair. Kai rolled his eyes; arrogant jerk. The airbender had shifted slightly, sitting up straight against the wall, holding her head high.

An hour after Yonra left she started to meditate again, but Kai didn't pay her too much attention; Chow and Iluq had come to visit him. There was a lot to talk about; he explained more about his arrangements until Amon saw fit to change things, while Chow and Iluq assured him that a regular guard shift would soon take over and Kai could reenter the field. Their words cheered Kai up immensely, as it was rather dull to just sit there with the airbender who never did anything interesting.

Yonra came back at lunchtime, this time with a tray full of food. The airbender's warm brown eyes stared greedily at the tray; Kai could only imagine how hungry she must have been. "You should know how to take off her handcuffs," Yonra said importantly, through a facade of bravado, and Kai could tell he just didn't want to go inside the cell again after what had happened yesterday. "It's simple really, just use your key and you'll hear a click and they're undone."

"Right," Kai said slowly, rolling his eyes. He took out his keys and the food tray and pulled the cell door open, watching the airbender for the slightest movement. She regarded him with wary eyes, her hands still cuffed, but she held them out for him to take off. Cautiously, Kai put the key into the keyhole, slowly turned it, and heard a quiet click. The airbender didn't move. The airbender's hands were in his own, soft and warm while she rubbed her wrists. A tingling feeling was spreading through his bare hand, which was odd. He handed her the tray, and then slowly backed away from her back towards the door. She was already digging into her food when he closed the door.

Yonra was scowling. It seemed that the airbender was more afraid of Kai than of him; Kai smirked. "Looks like you're not as good as you thought you were?" he said, feigning politeness.

"Shut up," Yonra said sourly.

When Yonra had left, because Kai's break for food was later, he chuckled, glancing at the airbender, who had already finished her food. And for a second he swore he saw a gleam of amusement in her eyes, but then she blinked and it was gone.

[DAY SIX]

A routine quickly fell into place. Kai's mornings started bright and early with a check on the airbender, and made sure the prison was still secure and on lock-down. Then, after an hour or two, breakfast would be brought for the airbender. Most days the meals were delivered by Chow or Iluq, and very rarely were they delivered by Yonra. Days passed by slowly due to boredom, especially since all the airbender could do was sit, walk around her cell, or meditate. She barely spoke, and Kai wondered if her voice would fade away from lack of use. Whenever Kai had to undo her handcuffs, the airbender behaved. She was always reluctant to have them put back on - they couldn't have been comfortable - but she didn't make a fuss. Kai was grateful for it, and partly frustrated by it; he didn't want to be grateful for anything a bender did.

The afternoon was dragged on, and Kai was resisting the temptation to doze against the wall opposite the cell.

"Kai?"

His eyes snapped open, suddenly alert. "Hmm?" His head turned around to try to find the source of the voice, when he realize the airbender had said his name. She had never done that before.

"Do you think..." the airbender trailed off, looking doubtful before she looked up at him, a trace of hope visible on her face. "Do you think you could loosen my handcuffs?"

Kai stared at her, taken aback. "Your handcuffs?" he repeated faintly. Chewing her bottom lip, the airbender nodded. Maybe he could... but would that leave her more dangerous? But then again, the Lieutenant had tightened her handcuffs, they must be so uncomfortable... Kai squeezed his eyes shut and then reopened them, letting out a sigh. "Fine."

Eyeing the airbender warily, Kai opened the cell. She held out her handcuffs and sagged with relief as Kai undid them and took them off. In order to readjust them they had to be removed first. "Thank you," she said gratefully. She rubbed her wrists, pulling down some of her sleeves at the same time; thin red lines had been cut into her skin, along with imprints of the metal cuffs.

Kai held back a wince. He could only imagine how tight they had been to leave scarring like that, and was amazed she had lasted over five days like that. She was far stronger than she looked. He felt a surge of respect for her.

Kai smiled a little. "You're welcome."

And then he remembered the situation - she was an airbender and he was her warden and he needed to put the handcuffs back on her, so he did. A heavy weight settled in his stomach, but he ignored it.

The airbender didn't say another word, and that was just fine with him.

[DAY SEVEN]

"Why do you do that?" Kai asked finally. It was early morning just after breakfast, and per usual, the airbender was meditating. Now that her handcuffs had been loosened, she seemed much more at ease and comfortable. Kai wasn't sure how to feel about that.

She didn't even open her eyes. "Meditation, you mean?"

Kai nodded and then remembered she couldn't see him. "Um, yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling nervous.

"It's part of an Air Nomad's daily routine," she explained, still keeping her eyes closed. "And a vital part of a Master's training too. It helps us detach ourselves from the physical world - most of the time."

"Huh," he studied her carefully. "So you can just tune everything out whenever you want?"

"Peace and quiet helps," she said smoothly, and it makes him feel guilty, somehow, for disturbing it, which is stupid because she's a bender and his prisoner and it's just... stupid. "However, the odd frequencies of spiritual energy around here is making it hard to." Finally, she opened her eyes, turning her gaze to him. He shifted uncomfortably. "Have the Equalists done anything to make the Spirits angry?"

Ever since Harmonic Convergence, the Spirits had reentered the material world, and now they were everywhere. Some parts of the Equalists' hideouts had had to be relocated due to the massive vines that had grown all over the city. Amon had said it was the Spirits that had given the ability to take people's bending away, something Kai had only ever heard of Avatar Aang doing. But as far as upsetting the Spirits that had made their homes in Republic City, Kai had no idea.

"I don't think so," he said slowly. "I guess you're really in tune to that sort of thing?"

A glimpse of a smile flit across her face. "I wasn't the Avatar's spiritual guide when I was eleven for nothing."

Kai couldn't help but be impressed. "So, how do you that meditation thing?" He might as well do something to pass the time.

The airbender smiled at him, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "It's pretty easy, actually. Just close your eyes and try to empty your mind."

Kai did as she instructed, trying to ignore how stupid he felt, sitting in the Lotus position and tightly shutting his eyes. Clearing his mind was harder, as there were about a hundred thoughts of why this was dumb, and how the airbender could be messing with him, or planning to attack him, or - but finally, he got the hang of it.

"Focus on your breathing," the airbender advised. Inhale, exhale, deep, steady breaths. It was strangely calming. "Looks like you've got it now." He could hear the smile in her voice and opened one eye to see it directed at him. Kai smiled despite himself.

"It's um, okay I guess," he shrugged, hoping he sounded nonchalant. "I don't see how you can do it all day."

"Practice," the airbender replied. "Besides, it's not like I have anything better to do."

Kai figured it was good of an answer as any and left it at that. And if he had tried meditating in his quarters later that day before going to bed, the airbender never needed to know.

[DAY EIGHT]

Kai could feel the airbender staring at him, so he lowered the day's newspaper and gave her a puzzled look. "What is it?"

"The news," she pointed towards it. "I'm trying to find my family's names."

Kai raised an eyebrow, surprised. "What are their names?"

"Tenzin, Pema - my parents - and Ikki, Meelo and Rohan, my younger siblings," she said, her words tinted with worry. It had already been a week since her capture, Kai knew, and he wondered how she was handling the lack of news, not only for her to be rescued, but also in wondering whether or not her family was okay.

Kai scanned the paper slowly. Once he had joined the Equalists one of the older boys (now in jail with the cops) had taught him how to read, a necessary factor for some of their missions. It was a sloppy, agonizing process, and reading was something he still struggled with it. He searched for her family's names. "There's a Tenzin in here," he said after a while.

She perked up, biting down on her bottom lip, her hands clasped together in her handcuffs.

"He's okay," Kai said quickly. "It just says here that he's working with police Chief Lin BeiFong and Avatar Korra to put together a search team."

The airbender smiled wearily. "Good," she mumbled quietly, but Kai still heard it. He knew it was relief for the safety of her loved ones, not that she herself would be getting help.

Kai was turning the page, intent on reading another issue - a probending match - when a thought struck him. Clearing his throat, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Erm, w-what's your name?" he stammered. His cheeks burned, the question sounding stupid now that it had been said aloud. Why did he even want to know? It was awkward to always refer to her as Hey you when he wanted her attention (not that he wanted it) or as the airbender. But she was an airbender and his enemy and a name wouldn't do anything but humanize her and he didn't need that... It was too late now.

"Jinora," she answered.

"Jinora," he repeated softly. It was a fancy, elegant sounding name, but it... suited her, even if she was chained up in a cell. It was the way she held herself, he decided, straight backed and proud no matter the circumstances, the kind of confidence that had been forged through fears overcome. He felt a rush of respect for her and quickly repressed it.

Even with her name, she was still an airbender, just like the rest of her family...

"What's your family like?" he asked without thinking. The airbender - Jinora blinked, obviously surprised by the abrupt change of conversation. He could see her weighing her options, of how much to tell, of how much was safe to say.

"Well, my parents are the best I could ever have. Mom takes good care of all of us, I don't know how she does it. Dad worries about the future of the Air Nation a lot, but he's still always there for us. My brother Rohan is the youngest, he's five. Mom and Dad are really protective over him; so am I, to be honest. My younger sister, Ikki, she's thirteen. She's really good at airball, an airbending sport. She used to be so loud, but she's mellowed over the years, thank Raava. Meelo, my other younger brother, he's eleven and is going through a 'too-cool-for-anything' phase, which is all an act." There was a wistful look in Jinora's eyes, the rueful smile on her face looking a little forced.

"You must miss them a lot," he said, looking away from her and fidgeting with his Equalist glove. Some of the threading had frayed and he picked at the sparse strings.

"I do." Her voice wavered slightly. Kai looked up at her to find her sad eyes gazing back at him. "What about your family?"

Kai's throat went dry. "My parents died when I was five. Triple Triads. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a firebender." The silence was deafening, while anger boiled in Kai, building up in his stomach, in his blood. In one night, he had lost everything he ever cared about, because of some bender who couldn't control his fire.

"I'm sorry," Jinora said quietly. "One of my friends, Mako, he lost his parents to a firebender when he was young too. And of course, my grandfather lost his people. Everything has an ugly side, I suppose."

Kai's anger evaporated, replaced by shock. It almost sounded like Jinora was genuine. Like she understood. He had never expected that from a bender, or from multiple ones having similar experiences, but he remember how multiple members of her grandfather's friends had lost family members to benders, like Councilman Sokka or Master Katara. Sokka had been a nonbender too.

But still, the world today was different. Benders still had an advantage over nonbenders; their City and world was still corrupt with bending. He couldn't let his pity and feelings stretch too far, not after how far he had come and how the Equalists had taken him, a scared little ten year old, into their homes while benders cast him out on the streets.

"Yeah," Kai said finally. "I guess so."

He barely slept that night, and when he did, he was haunted by flashes of fire and screaming and he himself yelling out Jinora's name.

[DAY TEN]

Jinora grinned at him. "Okay, okay, mute point, sometimes movers can be pretty dumb."

"But entertaining," Kai pointed out. Jinora giggled, gesturing with her arms before the chains snapped against her wrists, restricting her movement. She winced, her smile fading.

Whatever had transpired between them in the cell had changed things. Now, conversation flowed easily, as long as they were careful to stay away from any painful topics, like the war between the Equalists and benders. But movers or favourite colours? Simple and safe. It wasn't like they were going to be friends or anything, oh no way, Kai was dead set on that. She was still a bender. She was still his prisoner.

"Hey Kai?"

Kai was snapped out of his stupor. "Yeah Jinora?"

She stopped rubbing her injured wrists, looking up at him. "What's up with Yonra?"

"He's an idiot," Kai said helpfully. Jinora snorted.

"I already knew that. But like, is he important? Or just thinks he is?"

"A combination," Kai frowned. "He thinks he's more important and skilled than he actually is, but he's still pretty important. He's the Lieutenant's favourite anyway."

"I've always wondered, what's the Lieutenant's real name?" she asked.

Kai paused. "I don't know," he said slowly, surprised. There had never been a time where the Lieutenant had been referred to anything other than that. "The only person who knows is Amon, probably."

"Imagine if it was something really strange," Jinora mused, stifling a laugh. "Like Archibald."

Kai chuckled. "Where did that come from?"

"One of my favourite books when I was younger had a villain named that," she shrugged. "I'm an avid reader. Yourself?"

"A little rusty," he admitted, diverting his eyes to his shoes, which were suddenly very interesting. Hardly anyone knew how inadequate he was when it came to words. Why he felt comfortable sharing it with Jinora, he had no idea, but she just seemed so… open and helpful. She wouldn't judge him. (But they were not becoming friends or anything.)

"Oh, right," she flushed, her eyes glancing at the floor before back up to him. "Sorry, I forgot." She cleared her throat. "Um, you know, when the paper comes tomorrow, if you ever need some - some help, um, I could help?" she finished feebly, an uneasy smile spreading across her face. Her cheeks were pink from embarrassment.

"Um, thanks," Kai said, coughing. He gave her a small smile. "Seriously though, thanks. That's real nice of you."

Hesitantly, Jinora smiled back. "You're welcome."

[DAY ELEVEN]

Jinora explained what imposing, unconditional and preposterous meant. Kai spent most of the morning testing out sentences with her to make sure he was using the words correctly. If he made a mistake, she'd gently prod him in the right direction. And finally, when he had mastered all three, she had beamed and said, "That was great Kai!"

Kai's face felt warm and he couldn't contain his smile. "Thanks Jinora."

[DAY THIRTEEN]

For the first time Kai didn't really want to go on his lunch break. He would have been content to stay by Jinora's cell and eat, but he knew it would arouse suspicion (not that he was doing anything wrong, right? Right?) and Yonra would not be one to let it drop. He scarfed down his food and then high-tailed it back to the cell.

Yonra was standing right up against the bars, Jinora leaning up against the wall of her cell. Yonra's head snapped up to watch Kai walk in. Kai frowned, taking in the scene.

"Everything alright?" he asked slowly.

Yonra straightened up, shaking back his dark hair, a sneer on his face. "Everything's fine, why wouldn't it be?" Without waiting for an answer, he strode away with his head held high.

Kai rolled his eyes and directed his attention to Jinora. He crouched down next to the bars so he would be on her eye-level. "Did he… do anything?" Kai swallowed hard, a rush of anger and protectiveness swelling inside him. If Yonra had hurt her in anyway, he didn't know what he would do. He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but…

"It was a slur, that's all," Jinora said, attempting to cover up her sniffling. "He called me a - a spinestripe. A slur for airbenders, used primarily in the Fire Nation. I thought he might be, because of his amber eyes."

Kai's frown deepened. He knew that anti-airbender sentiments still resided in the Fire Nation; a 100 years of prejudice against the other nations, especially the Air Nomads, didn't go away instantly in 80 years. Still, it was uncalled for.

"I'm sorry," Kai said, even though it didn't feel like enough. "He's an asshole, remember?"

Jinora laughed shakily. "Yeah, he is." She sniffled. "Thanks Kai."

"He gave you your lunch at least?" Kai said. Jinora pointed to an untouched tray off to the side, her hands now free of her handcuffs.

"I think I've lost my appetite," she said, clasping her hands together. "Although, Kai? Do - do you have to put the handcuffs back on?"

Kai froze. Jinora had never tried to escape again, had never airbent either, but what if it was all a trick? How did he know he could trust her? He turned to face her, their eyes locking. Her warm brown eyes were wide, hopeful and attentive, and seemed to shine with a sort of light. How could he kill that light? How could he kill that hope?

Hoping he wouldn't bitterly regret his decision to do so, Kai said, "No cuffs then." Jinora beamed at him. "But if anyone asks, you've become the perfect prisoner, okay?"

A serious look spread across her face, and he knew she understood to never breathe a word of whatever their arrangement was to anyone. "Of course."

I've had this idea rolling around in my head for a long time. This is only the beginning, however. I'm sure how long it's going to be, but it's going to have a nice, long word count, that's for sure. As always, I love to hear your thoughts! :)