Another Fate | Rebirth | BxB [Hiatus]

32: Business

~~~Alex

The sauna and shower had become items of interest among the slum population back when the cottage courtyard was used as a cafeteria. Everyone that saw how it worked wanted one. When the slum was rebuilt, the new housing included saunas. They were hugely popular with the residents and a curiosity to everyone that wandered through the area.

Since Lenix needed ways to spread Imogen's name around, selling these items became one of the ways to accomplish that.

Since Alex was very free now with everyone else gone to the academy, he volunteered to manage this manufacturing business.

Manufacturing the saunas was easy. The shower, however, was nothing but trouble. Making the pipes to carry the water and finding a material to use for the water tank is his biggest headache. 

For now, they began making and selling the saunas in Imogen's name. They were instantly popular and they were always sold out with a waiting list. Businesses in neighboring cities sent inquiries for trade arrangements to sell the product in their stores. This way Imogen's name began to spread throughout the region.

Today Alex woke up unable to move, as usual. 

Ander had terrible sleeping posture and laid across him as if he was just another pillow. Somehow, Alex had gotten used to it and could sleep fine in even the most suffocating positions. 

"Ander, wake your fat ass up!" He'd found the best way, the only way, to wake this guy was to yell near his head. 

"Huh already mornin?" Ander lifted his head and blinked a few times. "No way... sleep more." He dropped back down and hugged Alex against him.

"I'm not a pillow, I can't bend like that. Ow ow, stop you big dummy. Get up! I've got work and you've got academy lessons. Go go go."

"Oh right!" Ander suddenly shot up from the bed. "Today is a free day. I'll go to work with you." His eyes sparkled happily.

 "No! Whoever said you could. Go do extra study." Alex crawled to the edge of the bed, rubbing his numb body.

"I can't focus on studying. It's boring, I get restless, then I think of you getting to play all day at the factory." The sparkling in his eyes turned to a pleading expression. "I'm so jealous. Can't I come with you to play?" 

"It's not playing. It's work." His tone had softened slightly after hearing Ander say he thinks about him when he's gone.

"It's fun work. And I can help with it while practicing my magic. So it's playing and studying. Hurry, get up. Let's eat breakfast and then get to work."

As usual, he couldn't keep Ander from running over to the factory every chance he got. He truly was a lot of help though so Alex didn't try that hard to stop him. 

Ander wandered off, doing who knows what, while Alex slowly got out of bed and got ready for the day. 

With a resounding crash, Ander dashed into the room. Alex turned at the noise instinctively, lips parted to ask what happened. Something warm was shoved into his mouth. "Mmph!"

"Breakfast!" Ander smiled big and handed Alex another bite-sized item and rushed back out of the room. Alex looked at his hand dumbfounded as he chewed. A small bun with a sweet filling of some sort. "Tasty." He swallowed the one in his mouth and popped the other one in. 

~~~ Laconia

The first time she heard about it she scoffed. "Nonsense, what a ridiculous rumor." 

The second time she yelled at the person for spreading malicious lies. But the third time, it was her own close and reliable friend that had personally been present when Lenix called Imogen his husband. 

"How.....how could that be?" She found herself in her dorm room but she couldn't remember walking there. "What about my plans to get close to him? I didn't get to start showing him my charms. How can he already have been stolen away?"

She flopped onto her bed, despondent. Her friend watched her with sympathetic eyes, she knew this girl wasn't used to anything getting in the way of what she wants. 

"Don't worry to much. At least you haven't spent any effort yet on him. Who else do you have your eye on?" The girl tried to distract Laconia.

"No! I won't accept it. No one else is as good a match for me."

Each person had their own unique aura, and people would separate into groups based on this invisible element. Laconia saw herself as regal and powerful, deserving of the very best. From the moment she laid eyes on Lenix she had grouped him together with herself at the highest level of humanity.

"How could he already be married!?" She viciously punched her pillow, sending feathers into the air.

"It's just so frustrating, it really makes a person want to maim someone." With this idea, a trace of treachery flashed through her stunning violet eyes.

~~~Imogen

It quickly became obvious that the entire academy was discussing the revelation of the two's relationship. Mostly they discussed Lenix. Imogen was just, "that cute guy that's around Lenix all the time". Imogen knew Lenix would stand out but this was way beyond his expectations.

It has only been a couple of days and he'd heard many people pointing, whispering, "that's the one, that's Lenix's husband."

"No one even remembers my name. I've become known as Lenix's husband." Imogen worked hard to form a pout. It looked obviously forced.

Lenix glanced over with a smirk. "And you're claiming you dislike that? I'm certain I've seen you smile every time you hear it. I think you like it very much." 

Imogen grinned. "I do like it a lot." Imogen didn't deny it at all. "But you're so flashy. Didn't you say you'd support me from the shadows? More like I'll busily work in your shadow while everyone stares at you." This time the pout was genuine.

Lenix pulled Imogen's hand, drawing him near so only Imogen could hear his words.

"Since it's like this already, it'll work out fine. I'll draw away attention and you can move around easily."

Imogen was unconvinced and turned away, pouting more vehemently. Lenix pinched Imogen's chin, he brought his face back toward him.

"It's only the unimportant nobles in this academy that are paying attention to me anyway. They'll never be able to find any solid leads on my background and it'll drive them crazy from frustration. The common people and businessmen are the ones we want to notice you."

"Mm, I guess so." Imogen took advantage of the close proximity to place a quick kiss on Lenix's lips. He decided to forgot about the attention Lenix was getting for now.

"Speaking of business, we should check with Alex on how the manufacturing is going."