The Pirate Empress

11

"Hey," I sighed as I slumped into my desk seat. Zari, in his desk across from me, just rubbed his eyes and smiled at me.

"Long night?"

"Lin also invited Kya and Izumi. I was tickled into telling them everything from the past three months over and over." I wrinkled my nose. "I remember things a lot better when those three tickle torture me."

He chuckled, still smiling. I could tell he was totally at ease - slouched in his chair, one arm resting on the back and the other on his lap, beautiful blue eyes shining brighter than the sun outside.

"What?" I asked, face turning red. Did I have ice cream on my face or something?

"I just can't believe I finally get to marry you," he said softly.

"Oh." I smiled a little bit and looked down at my hands. I know it's stupid, because we've been dating since Raava-knows-when, but sometimes I get nervous I'll screw something up. I mean, I'm dating a ridiculusly handsome genius prince that has girls practically climbing over one another to see him. And he somehow liked me back - enough to marry me - and I still feel 13 years old and self councious.

I looked up at him, not moving my face, and saw a super cute grin on his. Awww, I heard Kya and Izumi say in my mind.

I shook my head, giggling. Then I said, "I'm the one who should be crazy happy. I mean, I'm marrying a Pirate Prince. Perfect Pirate Prince, actually."

He laughed this time, and held his arms out to me. I climbed onto his lap. "I'm anything but perfect," he said.

"If you're not perfect, then what are you?"

"Imperfect, Su, that's how that works."

"You are imperfect perfection."

"What?"

"I love you, that's all."

He smiled. "I love you too."

We sat there for a few minutes. I liked the way he smelled - coffee, and mint, and firelillies.

Someone knocked on the door. "Sir, Ma'am, the Firelord wishes to inform you that the midday meal is prepared."

Zari sighed, then said, "Thank you, we'll be down in a moment." To me, he said, "I hate it when they call me sir."

"Yeah. And can't they call me Miss? Like, I don't wanna be a cranky old bingo lady."

"Cranky .. old.. bingo.." Zari dissolved into laughter, and because his laughter is more contagious than chicken pox, I started to giggle a bit.

"You're cute when you laugh like that," he said. I stopped, blushing.

"What?"

"Aw, of course you'll be self-consince now, so you won't do it again." He frowned.

A short pause.

"I mean," he said, "When you just start giggling and wrap your arms around my shoulders and shove your face into my neck. You're just so pretty when you're not thinking about what you look like, and just being yourself."

"Um.. thank you?"

"You're welcome. Now, we'd better get down there before my mom starts making weird jokes."

"Yep."