Azami sat on her bed doodling in her sketchbook completely oblivious to the ringing of her phone. It wasn't until Vix walked by and yelled at her that she finally answered. Turning on the video chat, Azami happily greeted her cousin while making a sketch of a unicorn.

"So what's up Greenie, another big bad that you need help with," Azami joked her mind drifting to last week's events.

Lloyd chuckled on the other end of the line. "Not this time, Azami. Everything's quiet on the hero front, for now at least. I just wanted to check in on my favorite magical artist. How's the unicorn coming along?"

Azami grinned, holding up her sketchbook to give Lloyd a glimpse. "Oh, you know, just creating some mystical vibes. I figured the world could use a bit more magic."

Lloyd laughed. "Couldn't agree more. By the way, how are you and Vix doing after the whole Morro debacle?" Azami's expression shifted, the lightness in her eyes dimming slightly at the mention of Morro. She sighed and set her sketchbook aside for a moment.

"We're hanging in there," she replied, her tone a touch more serious. "It was intense, you know? Dealing with someone who we once considered a best friend. Enough about depressing emotions, why did you actually call?"

"Well, it actually has to do with Morro. We're doing some renovations on the monastery and most of us have somewhere to go but he doesn't so we were wondering if he could stay with you and Vix," Lloyd said flinching when a spark of anger flashed across Azami's eyes. "Look I wouldn't be asking if Wu wasn't going on one of his 'spiritual journeys' and Kai and Nya don't want him staying at their place."

Azami's expression tightened at the mention of Morro staying with them. She took a deep breath, trying to quell the surge of conflicting emotions.
"Lloyd, I get that he needs a place, but you know how things ended between us. It's not exactly comfortable having him around, especially for Vix."

Lloyd nodded understandingly. "I know, Azami. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't necessary. We're short on options right now, and we can't just leave him without a place to stay."

Azami sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "Fine, but it's just temporary, okay? And he needs to understand that we have boundaries. I won't put Vix at risk, and he needs to respect that."

Lloyd's relief was palpable through the screen. "Thank you, Azami. I appreciate it, and I'm sure Morro will too. I'll talk to him and make sure he understands."

"Good," Azami replied, her tone firm. "And you owe me for this, Green Ninja. Big time."

Lloyd chuckled nervously. "I'll make it up to you, I promise. And hey, maybe having Morro around will give you some inspiration for your magical art."

Azami rolled her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. "If anything, it'll be a test of my patience and tolerance. Anyway, let Morro know he can crash at our place for a while. We'll figure things out."

"Thanks again, Azami. You're a lifesaver."

"Oh, by the way, why did you ask me and not Vix?" Azami asked curiously.

Lloyd hesitated for a moment before answering. "Well, Vix is... not exactly the most rational person. I figured at least you would hear me out."

Azami chuckled, understanding Lloyd's concern. "Yeah, Vix can be a bit... impulsive. Thanks for thinking this through. I'll talk to her about it, and make sure she's on the same page."

Lloyd nodded gratefully. "I appreciate that. And Azami, I know it's not easy, but I believe people can change. Morro might just need a chance to prove himself."

Azami sighed, a mixture of resignation and skepticism in her voice. "We'll see, Lloyd. We'll see."

After exchanging a few more words, the video call ended, leaving Azami deep in thought. She picked up her sketchbook, looking at the half-finished unicorn. The magic she usually felt while creating was now replaced with a sense of uncertainty. As she resumed her doodling, she couldn't help but wonder how this unexpected chapter with Morro would unfold.

That afternoon the atmosphere of the apartment was thick and Azami felt like her soul was being ripped out. Vix had been glaring at her for the past five minutes and not once had said a word.

Finally breaking the tense silence, Vix crossed their arms and raised an eyebrow. "So, are you going to tell me why we're hosting the Ghost Boy in our sanctuary of peace and magic?"

Azami sighed, knowing that this conversation was inevitable. "It's Lloyd. He called, and they're renovating the monastery. Morro has nowhere else to go, apparently."

Vix's eyes narrowed. "And you agreed to this without consulting me first? Azami, we talked about this. Morro is not someone I want in our space, especially after what happened."

"I know, Vix, I know," Azami replied, trying to keep her voice calm. "But Lloyd said they're short on options, and we can't just leave Morro with no place to stay. It's temporary, and I made it clear that we have boundaries. He can't jeopardize our safety."

Vix huffed, pacing around the room. "Temporary or not, Azami, this is our home. I don't want his negative energy messing with our magical vibes. And what about what he did? Have you forgotten that so easily?"

Azami's gaze hardened. "I haven't forgotten, Vix. But people change, or at least that's what Lloyd believes. Maybe he just needs a chance to prove himself."

Vix shot her a skeptical look. "And what if he hasn't changed? What if this is just a ploy to get back into our lives and cause more trouble?"

Azami sighed, rubbing her temples. "I get it, Vix. I do. But Lloyd wouldn't have asked if it wasn't necessary. Can we at least give Morro a chance to show that he's different now? It's just for a little while, and we can set clear boundaries."

Vix crossed their arms and sighed deeply. "Fine, but if anything goes wrong, if I feel even a hint of his negative energy, he's out. No second chances."

"Agreed," Azami said, relieved that Vix was willing to compromise. "I'll make sure he understands the rules, and we'll keep a close eye on him."

As the tension in the room began to ease, Azami couldn't help but wonder how this unexpected twist would impact their lives. Hosting Morro was a risk, and only time would tell if it was a risk worth taking.

The next day Vix was rudely awoken by ponding on the door. Groggily, Vix stumbled out of bed, shooting Azami a glare for being the cause of the disturbance. Azami, who was already up and about, looked apologetic.

"It's probably Morro," Azami said in a hushed tone, motioning for Vix to follow her to the door. "I told him he could crash here, remember?"

Vix grumbled but nodded, and together they approached the door. Azami opened it to find Morro standing there, looking somewhat awkward and carrying a bag.

"Hey," Morro greeted, avoiding eye contact. "Thanks for letting me stay. I promise I won't cause any trouble."

Vix crossed their arms, eyeing Morro skeptically. "You better not. We've got rules, and if you break them, you're out. Got it?"

Morro nodded, his expression serious. "I understand. I appreciate the chance."

As Morro entered the apartment, Vix shot Azami a glance, silently communicating their doubts. Azami, however, offered a reassuring smile, hoping that this temporary arrangement wouldn't turn their sanctuary into a battleground.

"Good morning party people!" Ren shouted as he walked out of the bathroom "By the way, thanks for letting me crash last night babe. Wait who's that?" Ren asked finally noting the other presence in the room.

"That is Morro, my ex that I told you about," Vix replied.

Ren raised an eyebrow, shooting Azami a questioning look. "You didn't mention anything about Morro staying here."

Azami sighed, feeling a bit guilty for not informing Ren earlier. "It's a temporary thing. Lloyd asked us to help out since they're renovating the monastery, and Morro didn't have anywhere else to go."

Morro looked over at the other guy, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. He could already tell messing with him would be fun

"I don't like it, Vix, this guy rubs me the wrong way," Ren complained, his annoyance making the task of finding his keys harder.

"I know but Wu had asked that we let him stay here for a couple of days," Vix replied exhausted.

All the while Morro had taken it upon himself to tour the apartment taking note of the lack of photos that showed Vix's oni appearance.
Morro smirked to himself as he secretly listened to Ren muttering about the situation. When he was sure the other guy was out of earshot; he turned to Vix, his eyes filled with amusement.

"So, you don't trust him?" Morro asked, not even hiding how much he enjoyed this.

"Of course I trust him, he's my boyfriend," Vix replied, trying to figure out what Morro was implying.

"Then how come he doesn't know that you're an oni?" Morro leaned in, his smirk widening. "Secrets have a way of unraveling, Vix. How long do you think you can keep this from him?"

"Look, I plan on telling him soon. Not that it's any of your business," Vix retorted, not letting Morro know that he was right. Morro stared at Vix momentarily before leaning back, chuckling to himself.

Morro's chuckle echoed in the room. "Secrets have a way of testing trust, Vix. Just be careful how long you play this game." With that, he wandered off leaving Vix with nothing but their thoughts.

Ren continued searching for his keys, unaware of the conversation that had just transpired between Vix and Morro. Vix, feeling the weight of Morro's words, sighed. and hoped that revealing the truth wouldn't jeopardize the trust Ren and them shared. "Here you go," Vix said, handing the keys to Ren trying to shake the uneasy feeling that Morro had left them with.

Ren took the keys, giving Vix a puzzled look. "What's with the heavy sigh? Everything okay?"

Vix forced a smile, trying to push aside the lingering unease from the encounter with Morro. "Yeah, just tired. Let's not keep the others waiting, you know how they get if we're late for band practice."

As they headed out, Azami shot Vix a concerned glance, sensing that something was off. Vix, however, brushed it off, not wanting to burden Azami with the weight of their inner turmoil.

The next few days were a test of patience for Azami, Vix, and Ren as Morro settled into their apartment. Azami made sure to establish clear boundaries, emphasizing the temporary nature of Morro's stay. Vix, though still skeptical, tried to keep an open mind, trusting Azami's judgment.

Morro, on the other hand, seemed to revel in pushing buttons, especially when it came to Ren. His mischievous antics and sly comments kept the tension in the apartment palpable. Despite the uneasy atmosphere, Azami and Vix focused on maintaining a sense of normalcy.

One evening, as they gathered for dinner, Morro's presence continued to cast a shadow over the room. Vix couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling from their earlier conversation with Morro about secrets and trust.

Ren, noticing the tension, decided to lighten the mood. "So, Morro, any hidden talents or hobbies we should know about? Besides haunting monasteries and stirring up trouble."

Morro grinned, playing along. "Well, besides being a master of airjitzu, I dabble in poetry. I find it quite therapeutic."

Vix raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the revelation. "Poetry? Somehow, that's not what I expected from the Ghost Boy."

Morro chuckled. "I have my layers, Vix. Not everything is as it seems."

As dinner continued, the group tried to engage in light conversation, but an underlying tension remained. After the meal, Morro excused himself, leaving Vix, Azami, and Ren alone in the living room.

Ren couldn't help but voice his concerns. "I still don't trust that guy. Something about him doesn't sit right with me. And did you notice the way he was needling Vix about secrets?"

Vix sighed, feeling the weight of Morro's words lingering. "Yeah, he's always been good at playing mind games. But we can't let it get to us. This is temporary, and once the renovations are done, he's out."

Azami nodded in agreement. "We just need to endure a little longer. And Vix, maybe it's time to consider telling Ren about your oni form. Morro's words got to you, and secrets can be toxic."

Vix looked conflicted but didn't argue. "I'll think about it. But for now, let's focus on getting through this without any major incidents."

Little did they know, Morro had overheard their conversation from the hallway, his smirk widening as he realized the seeds of doubt he had planted were taking root. As the days passed, the apartment became a battleground of emotions, secrets, and the ever-present question of trust.